Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-08-10
BARTON VERMONT. MONDAY, AUGUST TO- 1891.

but by doing. knowledge possessed
will sink out of consciousness in time
unless it is used.
Miss Putnam has also given two eX-
ercises in English, using Conant's
drill book and asking the teachers to
do the work that she would require of
a class of pupils.
Mr.. Stone began his talk upon arith-
metic Wednesday afternoon. He urg-
ed the teachers to be sure that the pu-
pills understood the meaning of the
definitions and how to make practical
use of the principles that they learn
ed. The pupil should be encouraged
to give different definitions of the
same subject. The different princi-
pies in arithmetic will be better under
stood if taught together more. Instead
of teaching addition and leaving it,
then subtraction, and so on, combine
the study of addition, subtaction, null
tiplication and division. Mr.. Stone
gave talk on what he called the''wil-
derness of arithmetic" Factoring,
including Ell. @. D. and L. G. M,
and one upon fractions making plain
the reasons for some steps which are
often taken for granted, perhaps hy
both teachers and pupils.
DR.. A. HI. Campbell of the Johnson
Normal School took up the topic of
Psychology, and by his own enthusi-
asm and interest in his subject arous
ed the same in his pupils. 1t is essen
tial that the teacher should know the
mind of the child. The old Gre
philosopher had the motto over the
gates of the temple, "Know Thy
self" We must know ourselves be-
fore we can study other minds. Every
successful preacher knows how to
read the minds of his audience; so if
the teacher would lead the children,
he should have a knowledge of the
workings of the mind of the child. In
these days he have given up the study
of many subjects by books alone. The
best way to study psychology is from
the mind itself. Read "The Life of
Laura Bridgman." 1t will be help in
this study. Questions like the follow
ing were given out for thought and
discussion: Do any other animals be-
sides man have minds? Does the diff
ference in mental power in different
depend upon a difference
in mental energies or in their applica-
cation? Where is the mind located in
man? Why does a boy love to tease
his sister, pin fly or stone a frog?
Is the mind always active, whether the
body wakes or sleeps? Can a person
attend to more than one thing at
once? When a person is said to do
several things at once, does not the
mind instead turn rapidly from one to
the other? The discussion of these
questions, as far as taken up, has prov
ed very interesting part of the eX-
ercise. Mr.. Campbell spoke of the
subject of work and play. We should
not strive to teach the children that
every thing is to be play. The child
should be taught that he must do some
hard work. His mind must be so
trained that he can do solid work.
Make the task pleasant if possible, but
let him understand that it is work
In regard to attention
when we come as teachers before a
class of children, and demand their at
tention, we do not get it. They don't
know that they have any to give. We
must attract their attention, appeal to
,ai, We Ioa a. TO-
ers, concentration. The withdrawn g
of ourselves from everything except
the subject on hand. That is what will
give us power. The difference be-
tween attention and concentration is
in degree. The whole attention is
concentration.
Mr.. Campbell has with him tele-
scope, and after the regular session
all interested were invited to meet
him on the school grounds to look
through the telescope. On Wednes-
day and Thursday evening Jupiter
the milky way, ,and a double star were
examined through the telescope and
talked about. Many of the principle
consultations were pointed out. A
geological expedition was made to a
sand bank above the village. Friday
afternoon the school was invited to
Mr.. Skinner's house to inspect an in
collection of stones, miner
ais, shells, etc. This work seems to
be much enjoyed by all.
Thursday evening state superinten-
dent Palmer gave a brief, but very |
excellent address. He gave a warn
ing against excessive specialization |
in education since a chief object in |
is to make the intelligent |
citizen, and the same training is need |
ed to develope the qualities that make |
good citizens of all classes of men.
Give them all alike broad education |
for a good foundation, then let them |
take up specific lines of study if they |
can and will. There can be no speci- |
alization in moral training. Teach |
your children to respect the rights of |
others. Bring in the small districts
and grade your public schools.
The subject of drawing was pre-
sented Thursday and Friday, notes on
the work will be given later. A very |
kindergarten exercise was
given Friday morning by Mrs. Bark
er from Brooklyn, n. Y.
The twenty fifth encampmento of the
Grand Army of the Republic at Detroit |
is brilliant success, and forty thou
sand veterans marched in a great par
ade on Tuesday. Such a spectacle, as
we in Boston have reason for knowing, |
is a very impressive one, and attests
the strength of the tie which holds to- |