The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-01-07


On account ofGermany's being tnonar-
chy. Germany can reach results much more
quickly than we can. To illustrate The
teaching Of the alphabet before teaching
reading had about 1870 been spzndoned in
al the schools Of Prussia except in one lit
tie province the Prussion Parliament met
and passed Isw forbidding the teaching Of
the alphabet in the empire forever this did
il at once we couldn't do that in our coun-
try-wc wouldn't wan; to do il il was bot
Bisnarck 30 much Is Pestalozzi thai placed
the imperial crown of ali Germany on the
head Of King William at Versailles in 1870 /;
Ihope to see the day when there will be a
compulsory school law here in Pennsylva-
mia the state has a right 10 protect itself
against ignorance; In Germany the whole
child is in school-not only the memory,
not only the eyes, but the whole child is in
school; manual training is proyided-all
girls do needle work, knitting etc, in the
schools the books of the pupils In German
schools are thin books; the Germans place
little stress on memory cultivation. except as
to gems from authors. which are memoriz :
ed the German teacher hates sham teach
ing worse than be hates the devil the Ger
man system has its drawbacks, but il is to-
day the leading educational system of the
world
Intermission.
Music, BY Prof Smith and the Institue.
song-Solo. by Miss Fee.
Talk by Prof J. d. Meese, of Meyersdale,
on Grammar. He said he would frs; pro-
pound conundrum Two persons met on
the street one said, GOOD morning, my
son. The other said, 1t is true am your
son. but you are not my father" We are
getting back to technical Grammar, but We
still retain language lessons there are two
subjects that may be said 10 form the basis
Of education-they are Grammar and Arth-
metic.
Prof Meese announced that the boy or
girl from q county school-not town
school-that SENDS him the best w.itten
composition between now aud the lst OF
February, 1891, will receive from me by
mail present of "a nice book Address me
at any time before the lst of February, 1891.
J. d. MEEsE.
Meyersdale, Somerset County. Pa.
Prof Schmucker: Natural Science
Teaching" Have a table somwhere about
the schoolroom OF easy access TO the pupils,
with some chairs about it encourage your
pupils to procure and to carry with them a
pocket lens; this may be bought for 25
cents then you want & couple of dissecling
needles-made by inserting common need
les, eye-end first, into a wooden handle
then you want sharp knife for each indi-
vidual these may be the property of the in
dividnal pupils; then you want cotton,
some cards, and pair Of small, very keen,
and very sharp pointed embroidery scissors
whenever you 6nd pupils that are unoccu-
pied and that need employment send them
to the dissecting table and put them to work
there.
Many insects, reptiles and animals are
credited with being dangerous that are real
ly innocent almost all snakes are harm
less the copperhead and the rattlesnake
are the only ones in this neighborhood
locusts--so called-and dragon flies, or
snake feeders, are perfectly harmless.
Announcements by the County Superin-
tendent.
Solo, by Miss Fee.
Adjourned
THURSDAY EVENING SESSION.
Entertainment, by the Lotus Glee Club. .
This was, as far as the Judgment Of the
reporter goes, one of the finest musical en-
tertainments that has ever been presented
TO the people OF Somerset, and the repeated
encores testified to the Appreciation of it by
the large audience. The vocal limitations ol
the bagpipe and the banjo were superb, and
everyone must admit that the performance
was treat that the people of Somerset may
r.. --nr, have as---
FRIDAY MORNING SESSION.
Drill on the Principles ofMusic.
Music by Prof Smith and the Institute
Happy were Our Schoolboy Days, and
"Kittie Lee and Willie Gray"
Discussion, Elements of a Teachers
Success, to be opened by A. o. Mckinley
he being absent, the next subject was taken
up.
a. A Graded Course of Study for Country
Schools, opened byJ F. Baker. He thinks
that the State is not ready for graded
course
Prof Kendall, of Somerset schools, thinks
that we are ready for such a course thinks
all that is necessary is for boards of directors
to adopt such course.
They have such a course in Ohio, and
their teachers accomplish more than we do
in Pennsylvania. Another requirement is a
Central High School-that is to say, school
to which all the advanced pupils of GER
tain township may be sent foi instruction
in the higher branches.
Question by.
Would the gentleman have Central
High School for every township ?"
Mr.. Kendall The boroughs of Somerset
county would perhaps be the proper points
for the Central Schools"
Question by
What would you do with pupils coming
in month or two late?'
Mr.. Kendall Simply put them where
they belong"
County Superintendent Berkey said he
was heartily in favor of graded course ;
-. -, a f;,,aa u,;fl ,oo, oo,,,a ,-bare tbara
will be such a course there are too many
classes the average number of spelling
classes in the schools last year was eleven /;
this is too many.
Music, by Prof Smith and the Insti-
tute
Discussion, opened by A. o. Mckinley
Elements of Teachers Success" Real
e.sments of teachers success. in the words
of Dr. Brooks, may be called mesmerism,
hypnotism, or what you will, but it is mind
acting in mind.
Talk by Prof. Kendall, of Homestead, Pa.
"The teacher must know more than the
mere narrow textbook l want to speak
more on the progress we have made in 1870
history was introduced into the schools; in
1885 physiology was introduced originally,
] believe, the school term was three months,
then ii was increased to four, and lastly 10
six months we will have eight and nine,
and perhaps ten months, hereafter some
counties do have ten months now we can
do what others have done; we must teach
our pupils business there must be busi-
ness system in the teaching of every branch
that we teach while your time here has