Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-13
THE COUNTY TEACHERS,
PROCEEDINGS AT Yesterdays
SESSION OF THE TEACHERS.
Nearing the End-Several Interesting Pa
pers Read Yesterday Dick
inson's Address-Notes.


pers Read Yesterday-Professor Dick
inson's Address-Notes.
The County Teachers institute is
drawing to close. The instructors
have given their last lessons the ad-
dresses have, been made, the papers
read, and today the teachers will adopt
resolutions, listen to reports from the
multitudinous committees, attend to
anything that'may have been forgotten,
and adjourn.
Yesterday forenoon was devoted as the
two previous days had been, to special
instructions in geography, music and
drawing in the four lower sections. The
high school section had four special ad-
dresses and papers as follows:
in-Beginning Work, Supt. r. A..
Molyneaux.
Latin-Cesar and Cicero, Miss Alma
s. Brigham.
Chemistry-Dr. Leroy d. Brown.
B Botany-Prof. John Dickinson.
In his geography lesson yesterday,
Prof. Frye used the sand table, modelling
continents, mountains and islands in
the yielding material, and indicating
how it could be used to advantage in the
instruction of children in geography.
Mrs. Rice, in her music lesson, devoted
her talk principally to the subject of
transportation OF keys, and Prof. Swat
ford continued his instructions on meth
DDS OF teaching drawing.
AFTERNOON SESSION,
The general session in the afternoon
WAS opened with song, My Little
Woman, by Prof. Jas. A. Foshay of Mon
rovia, who responded to an enthusiastic
encore with 1t Was Friar OF Orders
Gray. (.
The question box was opened and
questions read by Miss King, while as
they mostly related to the subject OF
music, they were answered by Mrs.
Rice, who accomplished the task in an
entirely satisfactory manner.
Miss Agnes M. Mclean read an excel
lent paper on The Swedish system OF
Gymnastics. The following, among
other things being part of her paper:
Schools have formerly trained the
mind and left the body to care for ITSELF
There is need for special training OF the
body in our schools as we'll as OF the
mind. How can we increase the pow
ers of the body to better enable us to
support life? We shall confine ourselves
to the work appropriate to public
schools. The system adopted should be
based upon a thorough knowledge of the
human body. Then the beneficial work
must be arranged in such an order that
definite result may be reached each
day, each week, each year. The best
system at our command is not an Amer
lean one, as this country has been too
short a time interested to develop sys-
tenn; therefore we take the best at hand.
Understanding the true aim of the train
Swedish system. The course is planned
to commence in the primary grade, and
is adapted to be carried all through the
various grades, to the college. Itsmay
be used with or without apparatus,
though the advanced work requiresAt
least improvised apparatus.
These exercises are given. not with an
eye to their being pleasing to the OBJ
server, but to their usefulness. They
are harmonious, developing all the
muscles equally, and not, as is the case
with acrobats, developing one part Of
the body at the expense of others. The
respiration is first looked after, and in
all the hundreds of exercises in the
Swedish system, there is no position
assumed that will interfere with the
breathing, and on the contrary, it
gradually increases the lung capacity.
All true development is gradual, and the
Swedish system is progressive, and from
simple to stronger and more complicated
exercises.
Miss Mclean then sketched the plan
OF exercises pursued and illustrated it
by bringing upon the platform class of
ten High-school girls and putting them
through the regular exercise to which
they were accustomed in class.
In the absence OF Hon. j. w. Ander-
son, down on the programme for an ad
dress, Observation-Disclosures proposed
discussion upon the claims of the state
association. The speakers were Super
intendent w. S. Monroe, Superintend-
ent Friesner, Superintendent Molyneux,
DR.. Plummer, E. Rowell, Mr.. West,
Miss De Wolfe, d. A. Damon and Mr..
Chandler. Superintendent Seaman
closed the discussion. 1t was stated
that the entire expense of trip from
Los Angeles would not be more than
$16 and an excursion had been arranged
which would allow Of stop-over of
three hours at Riverside on the way
down to San Diego. On request from
the chair over one hundred stood, inti-
mating their intention of attending the
state association next week.
An invitation was read for the teach
ers to visit the citrus fair in body,
special rates being offered, but no spe-
cial action was taken, as a majority OF
the teachers have already visited the
great exhibit.
Professor John Dickinson now came
forward for his address upon Physical
Conditions of Success" He said that
success in teaching came not only from at
tention todetails, but attention to all the
details. A bad day at school might arise
from late hours on the part of the teacher
the previous night, from an improperly
ventilated sleeping apartment or too
long lingering at the front gate. Perfect
academic and professional training with
sickly body makes the teacher like a
battered and worn out vessel with a
powerful new engine within it, which
racks the poor old hulk to speedier de-
struction instead of driving it to its de-
sired haven. Children with healthy
brains might appear stupid through an
unsupported defect in their eyesight or
hearing. There is no such thing as
a really stupid boy. The en-