Morning journal and courier., 1890-07-17
THE SUMMER SCHOOL.

THE SUMNER SCHOOL.
 votes of she Doings at sumeld-Art and
 Industrial EdueatiOn-Miss Fenn's
 Course In Clay Modelling and Color = schools and Newspapers Ably Dis.
 cussed.
 The department of industrial art education in the public schools of Connecticut Is re- ceivino somewhat of boom at the summer school at Suffield, as indicated by the large class taking the course under the direction of s. P. Davis of Hartford. There were 120 teachers who entered their names at the out get, and two classes were formed. MT. Davis meets the teachers of ungraded and graded schools at separate hours. The lessons thus far have been devoted to form study and drawing in primary grades. After lesson given to the discussion of illustrative draw ing and fits relation to public school work. several lessons will be devoted to work in the grammar grades, and the course will end with one or two lessons devoted to drawing as related to other studies of the public school course. An interesting exhibit ot work done by pupils in several cities has been placed on the walls of the rooms in connec- tion with this department. The largest is from New Haven. There are also drawings from Hartford, New Britain and Providence in the line of model and object or nature study. It is regretted that on account of Miss Fay's temporary illness it was not pos- sible to secure an exhibit of work from New Haven.
 Of the course of Miss Tenn of New Haven in clay modelling and color, the Springfield Republican correspondent says:
 Chn hnr fvy Iii NE ita value in schools as a means of expression, suggesting the aid it should give in all lines of school work. It should be taught as a part of every subject. as it gives the children new language with which they are delight ed, and the old-time monotony is avoided. A class of more than 100 has been for the past week working under Miss Fenn's direc- tion on the care and management of clay and making the simpler objects. In color Miss Fenn paid special attention to the necessity of opening to the child the beauty which is found in the world of colors, and urged that water-colors should be given to children in the kindergarten.
 The lecture by Charles H. Clark, of the the Hartford Courant, on "The School and the Newspaper" the primar importance of the school was first considered, after which MT. Clark said: The position of the teacher has changed in the last twenty-five years He | is no longer a mere machine asking questions from book. Some years ago a then emi- nent professor in Yale made their first reci- tation: "Young gentlemen, you have been boys in school; to-day you are men in coll lege. Any of you who whisper in this reci- tation will receive two marks" This man is l now dead and his system is dead also. Geography can be taught from the ne Tspaper. In one mornings paper 145 places are mentioned. A child can go around the world every day in a well- edited newspaper. History follows as amst- ter of course. So, too, there is the field of political events and the debates in Congress. Grammar and the art of writing can be taught l by showing pupils the errors of the newspaper | paragraph. Colloqu1al English will creep in- to the newspaper and the teacher should im- l prove colloqu;al English. Teachers on their l part can teach boys and girls how to read a newspaper and what sort of a newspaper to read. They can teach them to demand intel l ligent, trustworthy and honest journals. | A perfect newspaper, if nobody wanted it, would no longer be issued. Sup ply and demand govern and the future of the American newspaper depends largely on what the people demand of it. Their de- maud will depend largely on their education. They can be taught to read good newspapers as well ss to read good literature. A paper must pay its way like any other concern in business. As purveyor of scandal it may be a success financially, an educator but not working with the teacher. The editor who besides making living strives also to make the world better and give himself to making as good newspaper the public will sus | tain, if the influence of the school is directly with him, has mighty ally.
 The town meeting of Mr. Robbins civil government class was in session for nearly | two hours on Tuesday. Most of the time was devoted to illustrating the different points of parliamentary law. Town officers , were elected, and committee was chosen to give estimates on building for high school at the next meeting.
 The managers of the literary institute have
 secured the services of an experienced hote
 manager from Hartford, and every effort if factory manner. The number present is now ! about 650.
 Miss Carlisle's lessons in botany attract many teachers. The subject is treated mainly from a structural and physiological standpoint with special reference to teaching young children. In studying leaves the class
 was provided with specimens, examination oi
 which revealed the skin, cellular and vascular
 tissue. The subject of plant cells was quite
 fully discussed. The breathing and digest. ing processes as carried on by leaves wal
 illustrated. In @ subsequent lesson the stems
 of trees were considered and also how plantl
 grow. The interest in this subject is due tt | lts auaptlOn to young cnllQren auQ tne Iacll'
 ity with which it can be presented to them
 They can learn the necessary terminology
 and understand it. The words cotyledon
 caulicle and embryo are easily taught tt
 children of five and six. The meaning O.
 these words are perfectly clear to them
 These words can be used in reading and Ian
 gusgs lessons and become the foundation O
 correct ideas. Children avoid the association
 of mystery with common things which leat
 them in after life to refer all things they dt
 not understand to occult power. They ar'
 led to seek the causes, "what is it." "why ii
 this so," because the habitual inquiries O
 their lives, and not merely the represset
 questions of childhood.
 MT. E. J. Phelps has finished very usefu
 course in Number. She gave the principles
 on which numbes work is based, and illus
 trated by many useful methods. The teach
 ing of number as distinguished from forma
 arithmetic has found it's way to all goot
 schools. The only difficulty is in systematiz
 ing the work, and carefully taking the steps
 not leaving one untrod and not hastening
 Parents often display uneasiness becaus
 their children do not go into a book il
 arithmetic, when the book is certain to b.
 the tomb of all intelligent mental activity ! Tho thinoa of sepae fhe realitiaa which ATT