The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-04-04
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
CONDUCTED BY w. j. NC KoNE.

ANotuihB SO ndIu oCoiCH Will hhu ~ OuO.
County Association at Byron, April 10th
Let all make arrangements to attend.
Teachers should make note of the resig
nation of Atty Gen. S. V. II. TrOwbridge
and the appointment OF Benz. w. Huston Il
fill the vacancy. Make it an object lessor
in Civil Government.
The names of all members attending the
byron or Bust" meeting of the Co. Asso
ciatlon will be printed in THE TIMES
column.
The date for the Shiawassee county teach
ers' association has been fixed for April 10 al
Byron. An excellent program has beer
prepared. Reduced rates on the Toledo &
Ann ArbOr Ry.
Some questions to ask the civil govern
ment class: What Judge of the supreme
court died recently? Where did he residef
How many judges of the supreme cOurtf
Salary? Term? When and how will the
vacancy be filed? When does the supreme
court meet? Name the remaining judges.
Others will naturally suggest themselves to
the teacher.
Bancroft high school gave an entertain
ment at the opera house Friday evening,
March 21. Proceeds about $13, which will
be devoted to general school purposes.
Miss Bessie Carmody's school in Rush No.
closed Saturday, March %. Two spell
ing schools were held during the term; on
Jan. "a. Gordon Crane, Champion; the other
Feb. %, with Gordon Crane and Cornelius
Carmody as best men.
Many teachers have school newspaper.
1t is brought out by the pupils weekly,
bi-weekly, or monthly; they take turns at
editing it. All the school will act as
reporters, and collect items of news. Some
of the boys and girls may have knack for
writing little essays and stories, but the
main thing should be school news. Instead
of putting in fine composition, the editor
will say: "Jehn Smith read fine cOmpo-
sition on Courage" There should be
items about good conduct-this will stimu-
late. But it must be understood that the
paper is under the charge of the editor, and
he is not to be dictated TO by the teacher.
The teacher may suggest, however.
At meeting of the Board of Regents of
New York, March IL, permission was given
the Albany Normal to change its name to
New York Normal College and also to grant
the degrees of bachelor of pedagogy, master
of pedagogy and doctor of pedagogy, and
that beginning with September 21, 1892, the
work of the school be restricted to purely
professional matters. This is step in the
right direction. Michigan teachers may
look for some new developments in the line
of professional instruction at no distant
date.
VISITING.
Morrice schools taking buta week for their
recess, permitted the teachers to visit
seme of their neighbors the past week
whose calendar was differently arranged.
Monday forenoon we visited Miss Nellie
Goss, who finishes this week her second
term in the Corcoran district, Woodruff.
Reaching the building before 8 o'clock we
were much pleased to find pupils in their
seats orderly and quiet; the floor innocent
of mud which might have been brought in
by the embryo farmers of Woodruff; good
fire, room well swept and dusted-points we
could not but observe. Opening exercises
consisted of singing and concert recitation
of appropriate quotations. Pupils' atten-
ton was called to the black board, where in
very tasty manner was placed work for A
and b Arithmetic classes class in numbers
and First reading class No tardiness was
recorded and but two absences in an enroll
ment of 25. AS the work of the day began
we glanced at the walls. The county
program, the maps of Michigan and the u.
S., view of the battle of Gettysburg,
numerous cards, large and small, all
artistically arranged, transformed bare walls
into pleasing pictures. The study and
recitation of the session were without
exception orderly, systematic and thorough,
giving one an impression that pupils under
stood and were fully confident of what they
were talking about. In arithmetic multi
plication tables were being learned to the
20's. In reading, from the first to the sixth
pupils were asked to reproduce orally, de-
fine and spell all new words. Disorder
seemed to be an unknown quantity, as no
occasion was offered during the forenoon
for correction or remark in that particular.
A portion of the afternoon was spent in
Shaftsburg, where we found Mr.. Olney
deep in the mysteries of cube and square
root. Explanations were given very nicely
by pupils, both by means of blocks and
diagrams. A recitation in Penmanship
conducted by Mr.. Olney, an exceptionally
fine penman, proved interesting. Ovals
were being used to secure accuracy and
speed. Portions Of the exercise were con-
Quoted by counting, with good results. Ia
the smaller room recitatiOns in primary and
intermediate Geography, conducted by Miss
Baldwin, teacher in charge were listened
to. The lesson in the intermediate, a
review of South America, showed pupils to
be familiar with recent happenings in Brazil.
Tuesday we had the pleasure of spending
the day with Principal Sheldon and his
cohorts, Misses Burnette, Morris and Ly-
man. Our space will not admit of a detailed
account of our visit here, but all that we
saw was of interest. Enrolment was good,
order excellent, teachers enthusiastic and
work spirited and exact. 1t will well repay
our readers TO visit their friends i'm village
or country for the interchange of ideas and
new plans to be observed.
A little time, hardly visit, was spent
with Principal Keyes in the Vernon high
school Thursday afternoon. We found a
new plan in operation. The regular program
was being carried out with members of the
senior and junior classes in charge of recita-
tions. All seemed pleased and interested.
A very systematic review of the current
evepts of the past week brought out many
new points and not little profitable discus
sion. The weeks accumulation Of ques-
ton box was also discussed.
The storm of Friday prevented the COM
pletion of our plans, but we feel that a part
of vacation week was spent In the most
pleasant and profitable manner that could
be devised for so short a time.