The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-14
NUMBER 2.

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at almost any stage, and discussed the way
of fdOing IL. The thing OF prime importance is
to Will to will Powerful as are bad habits
the Will can, as a rule, conquer them The
existence of habits and even hereditary ten
dencies does not excuse any one from exer-
cising his will to the utmost In discussing
the positive side of the case Mr.. Wright
spoke of the value of systematizing effort
The success of the division OF labor ia
manufacturing is due TO the principle of
systematic work. The opportunity which
teachers have of forming right habits in
the young scholars was strongly suggested.
Among these right habits none is more i'm
portant than that of obedience. The
teacher should, so far as possible, illustrate
each habit that is taught and insist on fire.
quent repetitions by the scholar until the
habit becomes like second nature. The
example Of the teacher has very much to do
with forming right habits. Mr.. Wright was
introduced by Supervisor Booth, and the
Apollo Club assisted in the exercises by
rendering several selections to the evident
pleasure of the audience.
FRIDAY.
The institute was called to order Fri
day morning by the chairman, and devo-
tional exercises were conducted by Rev.
A. j. Hough Then came a discussion of
" Current Topics Have They a Place in
School Work." by Superintendent Rus
tedt of Franklin county. A comparison of
the examinations in New York and Vermont
showed that in the former state a higher
per cent is required on current topics than
on any other paper. A short time in the
morning devoted to a talk on current
events will serve as an incentive to punctu-
ality as well as create in your pupils taste
for newspaper reading. 1t will awaken
an enthusiasm that one can ill afford to do
without. Use care in the selection of
topics to be introduced. Avoid reference
to crime aud criminals. Teach civil gov
ernment of the town and district. Avoid
teaching politics except in an impartial
way. " Whatever you teach, teach it in
your own way" said the speaker.
After this Principal f. g. Avery of Water
bury read a paper on history. He referred
in beginning to the interest taken at the
present time in history, which exercises
powerful influence in subduing the preJu-
dces and passions of human nature. The
instructor of history should be above the
narrow prejudices of his party, his sect,
his local station. Mr.. Avery criticised the
length of the works of American historians.
Such elaborate treatment has put them be-
yond the reach of the average citizen. The
speaker proceeded to explain his own
method of teaching history He considered
it mistake not to attach the material of
history to dates, places and persons. AS
it is the province of historians to bring for
ward actions and not actors, biographies
and euloges should be remanded to their
the spaces between the important events
with details. Mr.. Avery would have the
pupils of the schools give their attention
first to the United States. He would have
the main facts in American history taught
in such way that the enthusiasm of the
pupil would be aroused. He would avoid
sectional aud partisan statements. He
would divide the subject into epochs, giving
each a characteristic name. Then he would
give a series of questions upon the impor-
tant events and would call for essays by
the class covering the same, requiring ref
erence in this work to more complete au-
thorities He had also adopted the method
of giving talks on certain subjects supple
mented by an examination of pictures of
public buildings, statues, monuments, re-
liefs and remains in general Mr. Avery in
conclusion spoke of the German gymnasia
method, in accordance with which the
pupil is taught by storytelling for the first
two years, until such things as the lives of
Pyrrhus, Martin Luther, Napoleon, We'll
lington, Cesar and Hannibal are fixed in
the pupils minds. The course is almost eS-
clusively biographical during the first tive
years. At the end of this time the pupils
are taken over the same ground, and they
can then put facts together and can under
stand something of cause and effect. FL
nally they are required to make maps
drawings, etc, of the course covered.
Superintendent Walker of Rutland
county next spoke on the " Art of Question
ing" Teachers should not fail to ask the
why, as well as the what. Questions should
always be suited to the grades. Question
from the known to the unknown. Teach
terms and their derivation. Make ques
tions general, though limited; never direct
Owing to many requests from teachers as
to how and what to teach in the metric
system, Superintendent Hall gave short
and very interesting talk on this subject
Teach it AS a system by ITSELF not in con-
ti,,t, flt
into use it will be used by itself. The first
thing to be taught is the meter, which is the
STANDARD; then the divisions, and from
this basis build the system For the first
time. of teaching, use no book but simply
develop the system by means of the use OF
terms, aud practice with measures. Teach
scientifically. Why teach the metric Sys-
tenn? There are only three nations which
do not use il. 1t is the only system which
has "A uniformity of measurement. 1t should
be taught because it must of necessity be
adopted i'm the United States
Superintendent Stone next spoke to the
institute on geography. Prepare a pupil
for the study of geography, said he, by
studies from nature, and then awaken an
enthusiasm. Divide the work into topics,
Use diagrams for recitation.
The first article of the afternoon session
was paper by Principal James of Middle
bury. His subject was " The Relation Of
the Public to the Graded School" Mr..
James seemed to think that too much time
is put upon the study of mathematics to the
neglect OF other subjects quite as necessary,
viz language, composition, reading, etc.
Do not make reading wholly initiative or
history "A lesson of direct quotation.
Principal Dewart of St. Albans next
spoke on " The Elements OF Pronunciation"
The use of the dictionary was recon-
mended. He gave a list OF words fire.
quentIy mispronounced, with the correct
pronunciation.
The subject of Grammar, How to In
struct Pupils in the Study of It," was very
ably treated by Superintendent Cilley OF
Chittenden county.
After this, Professor c. l. Putney OF ST.
Johnsbury spoke on " Language Teaching"
Are language and grammar two separate
studies, and should they be taught as suchS
Most certainly not, said Professor Putney.
Grammar need not be taught as such for the
lower grades, but it should be taught as
language the moment "A child begins TO talk.
lie should be taught correct speech Three
lessons week thoroughly acquired are bet
ter than five lessons imperfectly learned
Omit history or geography, or arithmetic on
the days when language is taught, II neces-
sary. Let reading be the last to be omitted.
In his closing remarks he said; Create in