The record-union., 1891-11-25
INSTRUCTORS OF YOUTH.
Second Days Proceedings of the
Teachers Institute.
Essays and Discussions on Various
Topics-A Debate on Hobbies
To-Day's Programme.


were of an interesting character The
session was confinedJo the forenoon, the
institute adjourning at noon out of respect
TO the memory of Miss Jennie Anderson,
one of its members, whose funeral took
place in the afternoon.
The first number on the programme
was piano solo that was well rendered
by Miss Blossom Wilson. The chorus,
oy the first grade pupils of the Sacra-
mento Grammar School, was exceilently
sung, rejecting much credit on those
who had drilled the young misses.
USELESS TECHNICALITIEs.
P. NJ. Fisher then spoke of the burden
the present course of study has been to
teachers. Some studies should be COM
pleted in a shorter time. and among them
geography. Too many years are spent in
committing details to memory. Geogra-
phY, he thought, might be taken with
history, or studied in connection with
everyday events-such as are found IN
newspapers or magazines.
Mr.. Fisher thought that more attention
should be paid to relief maps, by having
the children construct them with putty,
clay or paper pulp.
Mrs. f. p. Purnell of the High School
continued the discussion by saying that
The teaching of geography had been a
total failure, according to her idea. Pupils
on entering the High School were unable
10 locate important cities, or trace we'll
known water route. There was too much
time spent in learning technicalities.
REMARKS OF SUPERINTENDENT AMBER
SON.
State Superintendent Anderson next
addressed the teachers. He spoke of his
former work in the High School. He
was in doubt whether, with our vast inn
prOVements in buildings and apparatus,
children are taught to think any better
than they were when he was young
man. The Superintendent does not be-
ieve in Judging childs mental capacity
by the percentage he gets on his report
card. He is of the opinion that both
parents and teachers are in too great haste
TO give the children an education. Dec
Grafton of schoolhouses and grounds was
also advised.
PENsIoNING TEACHERS.
F. NJ. Campbell spoke few minutes
concerning the pension question A
committee Of the following persons was
chosen to attend TO the work: Joseph w.
Johnson, Miss Nj. j. Watson, w. l.. Will
lis, Mrs. Spring and Mrs. NJ. D. Merrill.
NATURAL CURIosITIEs.''
A paper was then read by Miss Grace
Bowen about Natural Curiosities, - from
which these extracts are taken:
During the summer vacation / spent
some very happy hours gathering shells
and sea curioSities. l took them to my
schoolroom, thinking that if my pupils
enjoyed looking at them half as much as
did the collecting my reward would be
sufficient. The result was most salts
factory. Although my cabinet contains
only some of the shells and sea animals
1ound on the Pacific Coast together with
some dozen specimens of minerals, it has
furnished subject matter for many de-
Iightful talks and compositions.
In many ways a natural curiosity may
De treated so that it cannot fail to be in
structive to the little folks. Take the
star fish for instance. When l had ex-
planned all / knew about it, the peculiar
way 1t has of taking in and assimilating
is food, its wonderful power of cIinginG
10 the rocks, its five rays. natures favor
te number, l let the pupils draw
blackboard picture of it. They were
highly elated, and their efforts to draw
correct five-pointed figure were quite
amusing.
by these exercises they learn new
words, something about form and color,
The peculiar construction of earth's Iowly
and creeping inhabitants, and how the
wants of even the most insignificant
creatures are amply provided for. In
TACT, SO much interest is taken in these
object lessons that the most thrilling
time.
'They read something about Scotch
heather, and then pointed out Scotland,
and showed the pupils bit of the heather,
at the same time relating some pleasing
incident, so that they have in their minds
more than the idea of a map. find this
paragraph in the new manual: The abil-
1ty to think clearly and to express ones
thoughts elegantly and perspicuously in
ones own spoken or written words is a
great acquisition and for that purpose
1 think nothing is better than few natu-
raj curiosities in the schoolroom. Young
folks are always eager for such things,
and little encouragement from the
teacher will lead their active and in
quisitive minds in a direction that cannot
fail to be beneficial
Miss Bowen thought that a few of the
treasures from Natures storehouse
might be of great benefit in the school
room. The little folks are always eager
10 know about such things, and by
proper care their active and inquisitive
minds could be so directed that the re-
suits would be most beneficial. Some of
the. pupil work IN that line was given as
an illustration.
Miss Aida Spring recited "John May
nard' in clear and effective manner,
eliciting warm applause.
ARITHMETIC AND CRANKs.
W. A. O'Conner's talk was about
'tMental Arithmetic" After speaking of
hobbies in general, and cranks in partic-
ular Mr.. O'Conner assailed the crank of
g naturalist. AS for himself, he had no
use for anybody's hobby-horse except
his own, the rest were of plebian quail
ity. Such men as Lincoln and Washing
ton, for instance, knew nothing Of
natural history, but were well skilled in
mathematics. The speaker thought that
arithmetic, and mental arithmetic
especially, was given too little attention.
In defense of the much-aoused hob
byists, j. II. Pond, although a mathe-
Inatical lobbyist himself, spoke with
warmth and decision. Mr.. Pond has
high respect for the man or woman with
9 hobby, whether it be science, literature,
or mathematics. He said we have no
right to suppose, because mental arith-
netic is good for some persons, it is
equally good for all. Let the person
alone who has original ideas, no matter
on what subject they may be- and don't
try TO mold them all TO mathematics
Superintendent Howard thought that
mental arithmetic should be given more
attention in some schools, as there is no
better means OF developing the powers of
calculation.
MATTHEW COOKE DEFENDED.
Mr.. Fisher made short defense of the
late Matthew Cooke, who had been most
numerically attacked on account of his
fondness for entomology.
DEVELOPING voUNG MINDS.
The last number en- the programme
was well prepared paper on ''Phonics
and Diacritical MaTks,'' read by Miss
Flora Greenlaw. The young lady's
method is TO begin with quite young
children, and then the information
gained would be of service to them in
learning new words TO illustrate her