The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-07
FOR OUR CHILDREN.
Teachers Still Looking for New
Methods and Ideas.
COUNTY INSTITUTE IN SESSION.
Interesting Lecture on John Bright by
Joseph Shippen-Programme for
Today's Exercises.


Yesterdays programme was fulfilled without
hitch and with several interesting additions
The promised lecture on "John Bright" By
Joseph Shipper, was given last evening to 8
good audience. In the afternoon, after the reg
ular WORK of the institute, the teachers went in
q body to the Conservatory of Arts, in the
Holyoke building, aud listened to an fnstruc-
tive lecture by Miss Julia Kennedy on ..Elocu-
ton" just before the institute adjourned
Professor b. d. Barge, principal OF the Normal
school at Ellensbufg, was introduced, and made
few pleasant and pertinent remarks He told
OF his hopes for the future of the institution
over which he presides. He said, too, that it
was his ambition to see teachers from all parts
of the state placed on an equal footing by the
passage OF bin appropriating money to pay
the railroad fare of students to Ellensburg, in
addition to the grant already made of free tut
ton and the gratuitous use of text books
All this was in addition to the regular pro-
graInme OF the day.
Miss Hyatt continued her course of lectures in
the forenoon as usual. Her subject was obs
clrilne," continuation of the lecture of yester-
DAY she spoke first of the effects of obedience
on the matured character. Prompt and exact
Obedience" she said, SHOULD be insisted on in
little things because it is available in more i'm
portant cases and it makes an orderly and at
tentive mind, such is accustomed to put
forth its best efforts, while disobedience in
emit and inattentive manner which continues to
grow with the child, stamping its subse-
quent career" Having exhausted the material
between the covers OF the text books on methods
relative to the subject of the lecture, Miss Hyatt
had her class write text book for themselves
the first and last chapters aud the prologue con-
sisting of the same one word 'love." ''By fol-
lowing such text book she continued, .'every-
thing in the way of discipline may be made
possible All roads to success in securing good
discipline lie through personal attention to the
child
Professor o. 8. Jones instructed classes in
ARITHMETIC and 'the Constitution of the State
OF Washington" In the last he gave a brief in
troductory history OF the formation of she state,
the passage of the enabling act its signature by
the president, February %, 1859, and the forma-
ton OF the constitution itself He called atten-
ton briefly to the provisions of the different
tons and told wherein they were similar TO or
different from parallel sections in constitutions
OF most states.
Professor Meredith continued his lecture on
Grammar and Literature" In the first he
spoke OF ''verbs and yerbas" He succeeded in
bringing out good deal of friendly discussion
by his method Of handling the subject He said
that infnitives and participles could be pre-
sented TO class of children in such manner as
not to confuse them and be the stumbling blocks
10 progress that they too often become. He adj
vocated the abandonment OF verbals having sub
jects, and objected TO the confusing of the terms
of 'the infnitive ending in ing
Later in the day he talked about English
authors from the time of Caedmon to that of
Chaucer. The influence of the CHRONICLES of
Godfrey OF Monmouth" Wyellffes translation
of the Bible and the poetry of Chaucer, was the
subject of the burden of his discourse, which
was illustrated by a diagram showing the
chronological order OF the authors, the age in
which they lived, the contemporaneous writers
OF other nations and the ruling soveregns of
their lifetimes aud other interesting data con-
nected with the subject in hand.
Professor Browne reviewed the subjects ''Me-
chanical Powers" and "Equat ons in Algebra"
Mrs. Elizabeth Baker lectured on Irrespective"
during the afternoon.
Miss Julia Kennedy, in her lecture at the Con-
seryatory of Arts, told the assent ed teachers of
the evil tendency toward too strict speeializa-
ton OF the present age. SIT has, of course, two
Sides, she said. "There is no doubt that il is
necessary to a degree, but the trouble is with us
that we carry it 10 such an extent that individ-
uaiity becomes cramped and originality of
thought and harmony OF character suffers death
by suffocation. The Greek idea of DEVELOPMENT
was better one, even If it was the other
IRENE 1t was a Greek philosopher who said of
another, whose skillful performance on the flute
had been extolled in his hearing: is he a
perfect fautist. then? Can ii be that he is per-
feet human being? Ii was the Greek idea that
too much time devoted to one study leicl too lit
tie for the harmonious development OF the
character. We have worked the idea of special
ization until there is danger in it. Now there is
a reflex tendency toward general development
Delsarte, elocutiQn and physical culture come
nearest To the old Greek idea of making the
body beautiful instrument for the expression
of the soul"
Miss Kennedy went on to emphasize the i'm
portance of the reading OF English productions
in the schools as q means OF making better
American citizens "Let insist upon more
English in our schools" she said again, "as a
means of making the little red schoolhouse' a
power in politics. Klocution, in both of its
branches will do this. 1t teaches rst 'interpre-
tation,' and second, expression The first is
the more important. Reading is basis of
study. The reason that SO many children know
SO littlo is because they have not learned to
read--to interpret rightly what they see in
PRINT. Teachers are too apt TO teach mere words.
The act of eliciting a ehilds thought is the
secret of true teaching"
The speaker continued, emphasizing the OBJ
portunity offered in the reading class to teach
many other things and give invaluable hints
to the strengthening of character
Professor Rich, OF Gilman, asked permission
10 PROFOUND q query. in thirty minutes in
structiCn each day, how much time would Won
devote to mutual criticism by The pupils oi each
others work." lie said
"As a general answer 20 the question. aas
little as consistent with your own method,
Miss Kennedy replied. Criticism leads too
often to fault finding aud contention among
pupils. II seems better 10 say instead. LET
Johnnie read the same or let US see how
Mamie reads that paragraph. Let the Criticism
come from the better quality that is placed he
fore them instead of from the disposition we
often fud among children TO make capital out
of the mistakes nf their schoolma,es.
The Programme for To-day.