The Florida agriculturist., 1889-02-06

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literary exercises the doors OF the ban
quoting hall were thrown open and the
teachers invited to precede the citizens
in the enjoyment of the bountiful feast
that had been prepared by the young
ladies. Across the front OF the hall
stood a wide table piled high with de-
licious sandwiches, pickles, stacks of
various kinds Of cake, candies, nuts,
fruit, etc. This reception was highly
appreciated by the Association and many
were the praises shoWered upon the
young damsels. Miss Stoney, Miss Haw-
kins, Miss Horton, Miss Prevatt, Miss
McDuf'y, the little Misses Randall and
others whom your reporter did not rec
ognize were especially active In provld.
ing this entertainment.
THURSDAY MORNING, Jan. 31st.-The
weather is propitious this morning and
the teachers are astir early, looking as
customed to stir early, late and all the
time, and sometimes, even In sleep, stir
the urchins with stick. The Associa-
ton was raped to order promptly at 8
a. m. this morning by the president.
After song, led by Prof. Harshman,
with Miss Lois Parker presiding at the
organ, Supt. Perkins offered prayer.
The exercise this morning was class
drill In mental arithmetic by Mrs. Bar
ron, formerly of the Orange City schools.
In continuation of this arithmetic work
Prof. Harshman made some remarks of
interest. At the close of this exercise
Prof. Forbes gave bis second lecture on
pedagogy. He says the reason teaching
has not been recognized as one of the
learned professions more generally, and
has not been imbued with the proper
dignity, is because teachers have had no
definite and grand aim in view and that
just so soon as they come to recognize
this grand aim the profession will be in
ferior to no other In dignity. The public
school teachers authority to govern
comes from the State, since he is en-
ployed by the State. Thespublics chool
teacher in America must exercise great
tact in dealing with public opinion;
never running counter to it, but always
striving to correct it where it is wrong.
The teacher in Germany has not this
element to contend with; he is an auto
crat. The aim of school government or
disciplineis to enable the pupil to become
law unto himself. Should your report
er report all that was good in this lect-
ure every word would have to be record
ed; but one morethought must be given:
A teacher cannot by any amount of 5lus-
ter and talk induce his pupils to believe
him to possess a character that he does
not; the pupil reads his teacher charac
ter intuitively. Prof. Forbes was fol-
lowed by Miss Hitchings, who discussed
at some length her method of
teaching primary geography. This sub
ject was very we'll treated. Next
subject presented was grammar by Prof.
Forbes. The Professors method of
beginning the subject was peculiar and
not in accord with any text book the
writer has ever seen. He disagrees with
the usual definition of English grammar,
viz: "That it teaches us to write and
speak the English language CORRECTLY"
HIS say that "English grammar teaches
us to know when the English language is
spoken or written correctly" His
method treats grammar as an analytic
process and not as synthetic process.
The Association at IL: 45 a. m. adjourned
to / :15 %. m. On the late trains last
night, and ON to-day's trains, the follow
ing teachers arrived: Prof. DeWolf,
Milton Bryan, the Misses Mann, Miss
May Hitchings, J. B. Thomas, BENZ.
Marshall and Miss Aggie Dart. Prompt
ly at l :15 p. m. the afternoon session
began. Miss Hitchings conducted "a
class drill in reading, using the fourth
grade from her school. Her method
showed thoroughness in mastery and