Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-11
THE TEACHERS.
PROCEEDINGS AT YESTERDAYS
SESSION OF THE INSTITUTE.
Interesting Papers and Discussions-Tn
Afternoon Session-A Full List Of
Those Who Are in Attendance.

The second day s session OF the county
institute was full of interest to all il
attendance, and the number presen
was greatly augmented by crowds o
visitors.
The rooms assigned to the various
sections were all we'll filed promptly al
9o'csock, and the five speakers tackled
their subjects simultaneously in the five
rooms at the tap OF the bell. Forty
minutes were allotted each speaker
then four of them changed rooms and
repeated their talks to the new audi
ences thus presented, spending forty
minutes more, then doing the change
act again, until the four rooms had each
heard the four speakers.
Prof. Swafford, crayon in hand, gave
an address on elementary drawing,
showing how this branch of study
should be taught to the children under
the charge OF the teachers. His partic-
ular branch OF instruction is considered
OF such Importance that he has been
placed on the programme every day for
four days. The idea of his talks is to
make plain to the teachers the use OF
the various helps and paraphernalia
furnished them by the board OF educa.
tion for use in giving instruction in
drawing, much OF which is now lying
idle because the teachers are unfamiliar
with their use. The lessons are verv
interesting, and will receive large
share of attention. Professor Swaiford
is the gentleman in charge of the man.
ual training department of the Los An
geles college, and was formerly con-
nected with similar institution at st.
Louis.
Mrs. J. Powell Rice, of San Diego,
gave the first of series of practical
talks on how to teach vocal music in the
primary department. She said that she
would treat the teachers as little chill
dren, then proceeded to give the hun
dred or more teachers present a les
son in singing in her own way,
interspersing her lesson with in
structive remarks. The teacher need
not be an accomplished vocalist in or
der to be successful teacher of vocal
music. In singing before the children
the teacher should not sing too we'll, as
the children should be encouraged to be-
lieve that they can do as well as their
teachers if they try. The hand exer-
else, and the use of colors to designate
the notes, were both declared good helps.
1t is possible to build up the voice of all
children, and the bright, musical phen-
omena OF the home, the Sunday school
or the stage are the most hopeless
as far as the proper training OF
the voice is concerned Let the chill
rdren forget themselves and they will
usually sing WELL The foundation of
the child's future voice must be estab-
lished during the first two years of the
school life, when the child is from to
years of age. Short daily exercises in
singing are better than longer exercises
on alternate days. These are, among
Others, the points touched upon by Mrs.
Rice. In putting the teachers through
their musical exercises Mrs. Rice in
sisted on the removal of gloves, the as
suming of an erect position in the chair
and the unbuttoning of cloaks and
coats. The teachers all entered heartily
into the spirit Of the lesson and re-
rsponded earnestly to all the requests
and suggestions OF Mrs. Rice. and the
40 minutes devoted to musical instruc-
tion was much enjoyed.
Another interesting talk upon geogra-
ply was given by Prof. Alex Frye OF
Hyde Park, Mass. The fact that he
overstepped his time in every school
speaks for his interest in his subject,
and the applause bespoke the interest
excited in his hearers. Prof. Frye is
the founder of an entirely new system
of geography teaching, and the author
of series of text books upon the sub
ject that are becoming very popular in
the east. and seem destined to take the
place of the books in use in all parts of
the country.
Superintendent Will S. Monroe was
assigned the subject of Science, and pro-
,ceeded to show how elementary science
could be taught the youngest children.
The good result of teaching science was
shown to be in the cultivation OF the
habit of observation and the use of the
reasoning powers.
During the progress of these talks in
the four lower sections, the High
school section had an excellent paper
on Geology, by Prof. John Dickinson,
two talks on English, or English litera-
,ture as study in the High school, by
Mrs. 7. Coleman and Mrs. E. A. Pack
Superintendent G. II. Keyes, of River
side.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session was general
one, held in the great assembly room.
"Standing room only" might have been
an appropriate sign to hang up outside
the door several minutes before the
meeting was called to order, and that
notwithstanding the fact that large
number of chairs had been placed in the
room since yesterday.
The teachers joined in singing Amer
lea, under the leadership of President
Molyneaux, after which the first paper
of the afternoon was read-Professiona
Reading-by Mr.. Caspar w. Hodson, OF
Pasadena. His paper was well read,
and received round of applause at its
close.
An address on Penmanship, by Prof.
sKeyes, of Riverside, followed. Prof.
Keyes gave very humorous but forcible
arraignment of the present copy-book
system of teaching penmanship, which
he said was doing more than any other
one thing to make us a nation OF poor
penmen. The present system taught the
children how to execute pen and ink
finger drawings, but not how to write.
Good penmanship means O Legibil-
ity; ~ rapidity of execution, and lastly,
(3) beauty. Scholars should be taught
to sit naturally, but not to devote so
much attention to their position that
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