Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-21
SCHOOL MARMS OF SUSSEX
Another Session of the
Teachers Institute.
SOME INTERESTING ADDRESSES
Helpful Hints About Correct
Writing and Speaking.
The Second Days Session of the Sussex
County Teachers Institute at Milford
Opens with an Increased Attendance
Illiteracy in Various States--Otier
Topics Discussed.

MILFORD, Jan. 14.-The second day
Of the Sussex County Teachers Institute
opened yesterday morning promptly at
the appointed time-9 a. m.-with l.. G.
Coverdale of Milton in the chair.
=. w. Warren of Milton was appointed
chairman for the opening discussion on
sour Standard of Examinations which
was participated in by J. @. Ellis of
Millsboro, John A. Collins Of Milton,
Superintendent Gray, L. J. Cover
dale, I. w. jefferson of Milton,
Isaac r. Jester of Milford, Miss Annie
r. Newman of Seaford, W. II. Welch,
O. B. Morris of Selbyville, Roman
Tammany of Georgetown and Professor
Houck.
These discussions are a new feature
N the institute meetings and at times
are very spirited and enthusiastic. For
over all hour the teachers gave their
Ideas OH this subject and the debate was
Interesting. The conclusion was reached
that the examination of teachers is
necessity and cannot be dispensed with
and that it should be raised. Make the
questions little more difficult is the
only way by which TO raise the
standard. 1t was also suggested that tNe
time for these examinations by the
county superintendent be extended
from one to two days and the sugges-
ton was thought TO be an excellent one.
One day Is not sufficient say the teach
ers to answer all the questions required
OF them as it crowds upon them too
mnch. The examinations are protec-
tion TO the teachers as they exclude
those unfit for the work who would other
wise crowd the good teachers out by low
salaries. The question of salary seemed
TO be q vital one to the members, and
several speakers in the debate thought
they should be raised. The case of one
teacher in Sussex was cited as an ex-
ample. She received $15 per month for
her services which was not sufficient
and was declared to be beggarly allow
ance, but she accepted the place at that
price and was the only one to blame,
but as a general thing they say thecom-
pensation is not large enough for the
amount of work done.
Immediately after the close of the
discussion President Collins took his
place on the platform and called Prof
M. G.. Brumbaugh to the front. Prof.
Brumbaugh is the state director of the
institute of Indiana. For an hour the
speaker talked ON "What Does a
Knowledge of English Imply" lie
divided ii into five divisions: First, the
ability to converse well; second, the
ability tl write well; third, the ability to
read we'll; fourth, the ability to grasp
the meaning of thought when it Is
couched in sentences; fifth, the ability
10 appreciate the masterpieces in our
language. On the first point "the ability
to converse WELL" the speaker laid
down some valuable rules to be
observed in conversation. Never speak
when a person is talking was his prin-
cipal theme. On the second point he
said 1t was astonishing how many per-
IONS there are in our land that cannot
write their own names. In Pennsyl-
vania IL per cent of the population over
and above the age of 10 years cannot
write their own names. In Delaware
the percentage, he thought, was larger,
owing to the colored population, but he
did not know the statistics. In Louisiana
it is surprising fact that So per cent of
the population over and above 10 years
of age cannot write their names. Letter
writing, the necessity of teaching il
thoroughly in the public school was
then dweled on for some minutes. The
other points were commented on fol
some time and We're thoroughly drawn
y out by the professor. Lack of time
compelled him to cut his remarks shorter
than he had intended.
Superintendent Houck followed in q
20 minutes talk on "Mistakes in Teach.
'ing.' The putting down of the common
IN spelling, reading and writing
--he thought, was the commonest erroi
in this period. Reading he considered
the one OF all branches that should be
kept constantly In the school room.
The morning session then came
to u close with the calling of the
roll, which was answered by 93 teachers
few having come in on the late train
on Tuesday and on the early train yes
terday morning.
MILFORD, Jan. lathe afternoon
NJ session of the Teachers Institute yes
terday was entirely taken up by adj
dresses by Prof. Brumbaugh, Prof
Tammany and Prof. Houck. Presiden
Collins called the session to order anc
introduced Prof. Brumbaugh who SPOKE
for about an hour on "IIow to Build 1
Vocabulary"
At the conclusion of his remark.
Prof. Rowan Tammany, principal o.
the Georgetown public schools, was in
troduced and talked on "lIistory" for u
minutes This, he said, should be one o.
the most interesting of the school works
but through the errors of the teachers Il
= often made the most disagreeable tC
pupils.
Superintendent Houcl followed Prof
Tammany in short talk on the Soon
mon Errors in Teaching" in which h,
pointed out many deplorable errors o
which great many teachers are guilt,
the principal one of which is the lack o
thoroughness in the common branches
The session then closed for the after
noon.
EVENING SESSION.
For the evening session Prof. Levi
Irving Handy of Newark, was on til
programme for an address on Son tn
road to victory" As he made his ap
pearance upon the platform he wa
\ greeted with storms Of applause. iron
the start the speaker had the attention
Of his audience, and the attendance wa
large, which he held for one hour.
Prof. Handy is an interesting talke
and an orator of no little merit. Hi
illustrations were good and the tall
throughout pleased all in attendance.
At the conclusion OF his talk Superin
tendfnt Gray announced that he hal
bee.l notified by Senator Blackburn o
his inability TO be present this evening
y he being on the programme for an ora
tion. He has secured Hon. Clinton i
lloyd, ex-clei of the National Hous
0 Y