The record-union., 1891-11-24
THE TEACHERS.
What They Did on the First Day Of
the Institute.
Papers Read and Discussed-Eulogi
on the Late Miss Jennie Ander-
son-To-Day's Programme.


The yearly session of the Sacramento
City and County Teachers Institute be-
gan yesterday in the Sacramento Gram
mar School building. The attendance
was large, the ladies, of course, largely
predominating.
The exercises We're opened with prayer,
by Rev. r. NJ. Stevenson, followed by
the instrumental duet, "Galop In
fernale," rendered with taste and pre-
cision by Miss Lille Crowell and Mrs.
La Basse.
Miss Alice E. Dippel gave graceful
recitation of "The Old Actors Story,''
and won merited applause.
Rev. j. B. Silcox, being unavoidably
absent, his address was postponed.
| superintendent B. +. Howard spoke
with feeling concerning the sad and ire
! parable loss of fellow-teacher, Miss Jen-
| ME Anderson, and City Superintendent
/ Albert Hart made a short address con-
! corning Miss Anderson, and moved that
! the institute adjourn on Tuesday after
! noon, in memory Of the we'll beloved and
! noble woman whose funeral will then
take place. The motion was carried.
! +. l.. Wharf, read a very instructive
| paper on the Origin and Relationship
of the English Language" By the use
| OF crayon illustrations he showed how
all the languages Of ofnorthwestern Europe
! sprung from one mother tongue, the
Germanic, which is now extinct.
| The first branches of the Germanic
trunk were the German, Morse and
| Gothic branches. From the German
! sprung high and low German; from low
German, the Saxon branches.
| Ample proofs of these divisions and
| subdivisions are found in the similarity
in both spelling and sound of many
| words, which similarity becomes the
more apparent the farther back investi-
cations are carried. The English Ian
guage, in the time of Shakespeare, Chau-
Ger and Spencer, was spoken with diff
ferent accent from what it now is; and so
| 1t is very easy to see how colonies emil
grating from the original settlement,
| and with different natural surroundings,
would soon acquire a new dialect, and
how in centuries this dialect would be-
come an entirely new language.
Some of these branching tribes would
naturally become more civilized than
others, making discoveries and changes
totally unknown to their sisters across
the sea or over the mountain. Mr..
Wharf, explained that this original Ger
manic family came from Asia, along the
shores of the Caspian.
Afternoon Session.
At the opening of the afternoon session
Miss Sallie Phipps, who possesses a sweet
solo. Miss Crowell being the accompanist
on the piano.
City Superintendent Hart gave the
teachers a short talk about the lack OF
good reading found in all grades of the
| schools. There should be better under
standing Of the matter read. Reading in
too high key should be avoided. Pay
more attention to expression.
! w. S. Cranmer continued the discus
sion by saying that the reading matter for
small children should be greatly simpli-
| fed. Teach one thing at time, and that
well.
Miss Minnie Sweeney followed with a
very interesting paper on Reading in the
! Grammar Grades.' She said that teach
ers in the first place should not select
reading matter too difficult for the child
to comprehend readily. Advance by easy
steps to the higher order of literature.
Another thing of Importance was the
/ proper preparation OF the reading lesson.
At the outset all difficult words and mean
! ings should be considered; next, the
leading ideas should be properly grasped,
and finally, an oral rendering of the piece
given. History treated as reading les
son would prove more interesting and
! beneficial.
Professor David S. Jordan of the Stan
for University held the undivided atten-
ton of the audience by most eloquent
and instructive talk about the beloved
and lamented Agassiz, whose pupil Mr..
Jordan was at one time. The early life
and labors of the great naturalist, his
work in America, the vast influence he
! eXerted over those who were fortunate to
| become his pupils was described in q real
| istic manner. AgassiZ, perhaps, did more
| to advance the work of scientific inyesti-
/ CATION in America than any other man.
| He went direct to nature for information
and on the little island of Penikexe, in
! Buzzard's Bay, established a school. the
influence Of which is now felt all over the
! United States. There he died, but on one
of the boards some of his devoted follow
ers have inscribed few of his favorite
sayings, among which was one: ''You
study nature from books, but when you
| look out Of the door you cannot recognize
| it,"
| Mrs. Fannie Osborn then read paper
on Patriotism i'll the Schools" Peoples
patriotism should consist in their becom-
! ing good and useful citizens, with a
! proper respect for the customs CT other
| countries and nations.
! Professor Jordan made few remarks
| by request, not so much about patriotism
as about the thorough preparation men
and women should have before becoming
! teachers. In his opinion most of them
| have but half completed their education
! before beginning to peddle it out to
! others.
| A few words by Rev. j. B. Silcox and
| P, NJ. Fisher closed the first days work
OF the institute.
In the Evening.
The Sixth-street NJ E. Church was
literally packed last evening, the occa-
sion being an evenings entertainment by
and for members of the institute and
others The programme contained several
very interesting numbers. Miss Casedy,
! Mrs. b. +. Howard. and Messrs r. T.
! Cohn and w. II. Kinross sang "Now
! Tramp Ger Moss and Fell" Miss Alice
Z. Dippei followed with recitation, and
a guitar duet was given by Misses Lulu
Kirn and Belle Morton.