The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-05
ART OF TEACHING.
Topics Discussed at the Insti-
tute Yesterday.
"REMINISCENCES OF OLD TIMES.
Some Who Taught When seattfe Was
Young = Yesterdays Begistration
Compiete-DrawingE Exhibition.


Institute was larger than it had ever been be-
fore. and all day yesterday It grew 50 that last
evening when the body adjourned the number
of those who registered had reached 90. These
are for the greater part teachers who are now
actively engaged in educational work in King
and Kitssp counties, but there are few visitors
from the Eastern states and some more who
have passed examinations and are holders of
certificates, but who have rs yet had no expert
ence. There are all sorts of people in the gath
ering-enough OF variety TO make the charac-
ters for library full of books, but the school
marin" of the caricaturist is missing. Progress
seems to have had q hand in the makeup Of the
institute and to have succeeded pretty well in
shaping an exceptionally bright assemblage
The thirst for knowledge and new methods kept
corps OF instructors busy all day yesterday,
and even their long ladies failed to satiate it,
The good work win be continued today and for
i've days afterward. Thursday evening Mr.
Joseph Shipper will lecture on "John Bright,
the English Friend of America" and on Thurs
day and Friday afternoons from TO o'clock
Professor W. N. Hull of the Ellensburg Normal
school will lecture on sfChalk aud Talk" Other
prominent educators are expected to take part
in the work before the close of the meeting.
Mrs. Helen l. Pearce is the pioneer teacher OF
the gathering. Fifteen years ago she took
place in the old Central school, and taught
part OF term. Seattle was then nothing more
than little logging camp OF Puget sound,
she said yesterday to a reporter. "1esler's
mill would have been a better name for it.
The school ] taught in first was in rude
wooden building that has since been hauled
over to the north side and converted into
lodging house Then went TO Bell town, and
taught IA a building that is now serving a
family as its home. ] have been in the Central
district ever since, though we were moved
around good many times. The fire gave us
kNsN int fha rrFFa
house at Third and Pine streets and stayed
there q year During all this time l have
taught the primary grades"
There are two who have taught over thirty
years. L. c. Jones is one of them. He began
the work the remote village OF BoaZ, in
Richland county, Wis. When the war broke out
he headed his class and went TO fighting, being
a member of e company OF the Fifth Minnesota
infantry. After the great contest he whitfield
his bayonet down into steel pen and went to
teaching.again When he came 10 Washington
he taught school in Dayton and others in Sno-
homish and King counties. The other veteran
is Mrs. Elizabeth Baker, OF Tracyton, kitsap
county. Thirty years ago she taught in Berlin.
Wis, for 81 IS week and boarded around, and
new she Is the wife of the postmaster at Tracy
ton. She had class in the st. Louis high
school and was superintendent Of instruction in
drawing in St. Louis eight years While on the
Navajo reservation she taught class OF young
Indians to draw, beginning with the bow as
their first model Mrs. Baker is the instructor
In drawing for the institute.
There are two exhibits of the works OF pupils
at the building that have attracted good deal
OF attention. One of them was contributed by
the pupils of city schools, but ii will not be
pieted until this afternoon. It comprises the
works of different grades in oil the branches. In
the northwest room is u marvellous display OF
drawing and water-color painting done by little
g -. II
subjects are all the more unique because of their
mplieity. bunch of thistles was portrayed
by three little ones, Flora Johnson, May Gordon
and Lucy Peek Jessie Williams and Lucy Peck
enpaugh have painted horseradish plant grow
ing from broken tile, and it is Nfelike that
one can almost taste it, Flora johnson has
painting of two leaves, light and dark, showing
d true understanding of color contrasts. Little
Ethel Peckenbaugh, 7 years old, contributed
pencil drawing OF especial merit. Bert Williams
drew section of Kitsap county forest, and it
10 on exhibition with the rest The work. Mrs.
Baker said, is part of what was done in regular
practice during thu term. 1t Is executed on all
sorts OF cardboard and canvas. One of the best
sketches ia done on the diverse of an advertise
ment of a brand OF plug tobacco.
superintendent Dckey, of the Kitsap county
schools, opened the institute yesterday with an
address, In which he made strong plea for the
advancement of the common school system.
Professor o. $. Jones took up Percentage aud
Interest" He strongly urged the necessity Tor
accuracy and rspidity as the aim OF all school
training, and advanced several new methods
that were well received.
Professor Meredith spent three-qusrters of an
hour ia discussing Literature" He defined
the word as being ali the writings belonging to
a language, but in its specific sense, excluding
ali mere technical productions, literature is
synonymous with 'belles lettres." He quoted
a.
subjective description, and delivered an instruc-
tive lecture on "Ths Classifeations of Liter
ature."
Professor Browne. one of the instructors in
grammar, talked OF the parts OF speech and in
sisted upon accurate parsing and discipline in
punctuation, neatness and general manuscript
work. The subject will be treated still more
fully in the lecture OF today. Professor Mere
dith advanced his ideas ON the same subject to
another class His subject today will be "the
pronoun."
Factoring add multiples in algebra" was the
subject CT Professor Brownies second lecture
He gave his class drill in the theorems USUALLY
given in elementary work "A complete mas
terry Of the elementary thsorems" ne said. ..,viu
render The work of division, multiplication and
factoring easy Tor any class"
Miss Hyatt continued her lecture on
"Methods' during the forenoon "Fyerv
teacher should remain a student" she said.
"meshodieal seli-culture is Indispensable 10
teachers growth and vigor OF mind patience
humility and happiness" Miss HYATT dvelt
upon the 2Ecentiye 20 earnest effort that might
be found ia the life OF Alexander Won Hum
boldt, tie first geograPher of the world, .'who
was student at IS years old.n Again Mss HYATT
said: al believe further that every teacher should
be constantly on the alert for variety ana yer
satllity IN means and methods. because this ts
an additional safeguard against the danger of
getting into a rut, teaching only what we re-
member, and thus defeating tho primary object
OF cur work--to create and 20 increase a love of
study In conclusion she said: Last Of all,
We believe that every school-roofn should invite
n love for the beautiful"
The lecture was illustrated with a pictorial
summary showing the relation between the in
SEPARATIONS OF children 70 the teacher's heart the
inspiration the children give to the teacher,
making the seed which in its turu pr0psgaIes
ambition, the sap which promotes strength and
hsstens the ripened fruit education
The walls OF the lecture room we're decorated
with appropriate extracts frolA the works Of
educators. one OF them was, 'sow AZ act. you
reap s habit SOW habit aud you reap chAFac-
ter; SOW character and YOU reap destiny"
Another was the following by Elizabeth stuart
Phelps Ward; "ro be highmiaded, to be patient
Of temper, restrained Of speech, 10 be a. much
larger than all personal grudges as The deIugs IL
larger taan the drop, to De as strong and refined
personsily-this is TO teach To inspire the
SCHOLARS TO become dead in earnest, lofty Of pur.
pose Snd true as the stars Is how much easier
matter whom the child can cay, lie Ia ali that
she Is herself what long to be-
MFs, Elizabeth BAKER wss the instructor in
drawing. sac said that Irrespective was the
cher stumbling block 10 beginners. what We
should strive 80 overcome, she continued, ia
the habit children hays of r.ttstuu anwn yehst