The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-28
PROFIT In READING.
Studious Teachers to Be Re-
warded at Examinations.
BOOKS THAT SHOULD BE READ.
State Board OF Education Approves OF
the state Teachers Reading
Circle-Course Laid Out.

At the last meeting Of the State Teach.
ers' Association of Washington. the sub.
1ect OF forming State Teachers Reading
Circle was briefly discussed, and as the re-
suit OF that discussion committee con-
sisting OF ID. Bemiss. president of the asso-
citation, Spokane: w. A. Payne, Dayton;
ID. c. Kerr, Walia Walla; f. B. Gauit, Ia
coma, and Frank j. Barnard, Seattle, was
appointed to take such action in the prem.
i:es as they should think proper, with a
view TO bringing about the establishment
and maintenance OF such an organization.
No definite action was taken by the COM
mittee until the time of the special meet
ing Of the state board of education in this
city August lola. At that time the COM
mittee proposed TO the state board Of edu-
cation that ii 1.-THE state board) should at
tempt to facilitate the work of the
committee in bringing about the results
sought to be attained by so shaping the
examination questions in certain branches
as to encourage n course of reading that
would be productive of the good results
sought TO be obtained by the organization
OF the reading circle. The state board re-
solved to adopt the course suggested, and
X. Is. Bryan, state super nteDdent Of pub
lie instruction, has just issued from his Of
nee at Olympia, Circular No. 49," adj
dressed to the teachers of Washington,
giving the standing of the state board upon
the matter, and the course Of study agreed
upon.
Having resolved to adopt the course of
reading, the state board determined 70
base questions in theory and art of teach
ing upon Pages Theory and Practice Of
Teaching" segregated as follows:
For November examination, 1891, first
six chapters; February examination, 1892.
first ten chapters; May examination, 1892,
hrst fourteen chapters; August exsmina-
ton, 1892, the entire book. The questions,
while somewhat general in their char
acter, have been prepared accordingly.
Superintendent Bryan, in his circular,
says:
The questions in English literature, and TO
some extent in United States history, for the
county examinations and in English literature
and United States and general history in the
state examinations, subsequent to the November
examination OF 1891. will lie based upon Hale's
Lights OF Two Centuries careful perussl
OF this work Is expected TO cover period of
eighteen months, and the examination ques-
tons will be so arranged as 10 make the follow
ing order OF perusai necessary, or At least
advisable:
December, 1891, and January, lss2-watteau,
Pope, PIP Sss-4l0
February and March, lS92-Hogsth, PIP. 1924:
Addison, PIP. 1870; Handel, PIP 293- 304; Goethe,
PIP. 4l1-420, Watt, pp SIS $50
April and May, 1ss2-Reynolds. PIP. 1888;
johnson, PIP l7S,iss; Haydn, PIP s5-3is; Burns.
June and July. Is92-Csnova, PIP. $3.50: Mo-
54s55S
PIP. 5i-6l Scott, PIP. 2O5'2l6; Beethoven. pp
S29Si2' Wordsworth, PIP. 44s-46o; Whitney, pD.
october and November, 1s92-Turner, PIP e,-
Byron. PIP. 46i-472; Stephenson, PIP 569-576
December, 1892, and January, 1s93-lngres, pp.
as M acg PP; sSt9a; aeades'ohn. pp
February and March, lses--Barye, PIP 9S-lO6;
Emerson, up. A5256; Thackeray, PIP. 257-26o:
Chopin, PIP. s6sas6; Longielow, PIP. 4s5-ssa;
April and May, lseS-Nillet, I'D. lo7-122: Bas-
tien-Lep age, PIP. l23l34; Dickens, PIP. 2o9-2s0;
Wagner, PIP. 3s7-3as: Tennyson, PIP. 495-5O4; E. B.
Browning and Robert Browning, PIP. 5O5-5l4;
Bell, PIP. 597-6OS.
A cursory glance at the foregoing outline will
be sufficient to satisfy the student of history
and literature that most Of the leading authors,
poets and inventors from 1867 down 10 the
present time are discussed in the brief space of
COB pages OF reading matter, while the name of
the author, Edward Everett Hale, is a sufficient
guarantee for the reliable and readable charac-
ter of the work.
Both books are cheap, and can be obtained in
the market or ordered through local dealers,
and the benefits to be derived from a careful
perusal of them cannot be estimated in dollars
and cents. This is designed as the initial step
In the formation OF q permanent state Teachers
Reading Circle, and it 10 almost identical
with the initial course adopted by the
state reading circles IN Kansas, lows,
Indiana and other leading educational
states of the Union And IL Is sincerely
hoped that the number who embark In this en-
terprise OF self-culture may not be confined to
those who expect to be applicants for teachers
certificates within the next two years, but that
county superintendents and all leading educa-
tors in the state may take hold of the matter
with the zeal which It's good character merits,
and assist in carving 1t through to ultimate
and unqualified success. The proposition can
not be rejected upon the ground that the labor
is too arduous or the expense too great; Ii can
only be rejected through apathy or lack of inter-
est The reading, as outlined in the foregoing,
will NOT only be very beneficial and instructive,
but ii viii afford pleasant pastime during q
few hours Of each week, and viii prove 70 be q
source of genuine relaxation TO those who pur-
sue it
In numerous counties OF this state county
teachers associations are IL aintained, and an
hour or two devoted 10 a discussion OF topics
found IN this course at each meeting, will prove
to be time prohtably and pleasantly spent
Formal plans for the establishment and main
tenance of reading circles in the several
counties of the state will be promu gated ere
long, and pending the prom ulgation Of these
plans let the faithful energetic and progressive
teachers OF the state be preparing for pursuing
the work here outlined. Let such Dc the pio-
neers In this movement.