Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-29

/ lafion as will enable the State superinten-
dent of schools to employ instructors for
the county teachers institutes of at iesst
four days duration. wheneyer any county
educational association, organized under
existing laws shall have made necessary
local arrangement therefor.
In the afternoon the exercises began with
paper by Mr. Manson Of the North An
son Academy on "Algebraie Studies
In presenting this discussion Mr. Manson
claimed nothing Of originality. He simply
hoped to make prominent the fact that dur
ing the first term the papil
lays foundation for the work :
that it should be well laid ;
that thoroughness and accuracy should be
the first things; that facility AMI rapility
should follow that il is necessary to Use
simple expressions and quantities in teach
ing a new subject or principle, inasmuch as
it concentrates the thought mainly upon the
reasoning process; the pupil IS thu
led to sec what he could not see
If lac were dealing with larger and more
difficult quantities that sight expressions
should always I've Introduced before Il regu-
lar recitation in written work, and may be
given also whenever the pupil fails to I'M
derstand process AS the condition of n
problem. When a principle is well under
stood, it needs TO be fixed in the mind by
drilling and many simple probloms involv-
ing the same idea. mo principle Is well
learned and thoroughly fixed in the pupils
mind until he can use IL.
Miss Belle Il. Hutchinson gave a reading
exercise with class that showed the
method of teaching that study AS used in
Skowhegan schools.
Mr.. Sturteyant of the Madison High
school followed with paper on thorough
teaching.
IF in going through any grade of school
from the primary grade to the
senior year in college pupil
is allowed TO slight stndy
it will cripple him in all the rest of lis
school work 10 greater OF |, - extent. He
will he more likely to slight the next study
and so on to the end of his student life, and
when he has reached that point his educa-
ton will be only sham in itself. But that is
by no means all; he has contracted habits
of half doing things that will follow him
through all his life. lie will
have failed to lay the foundation
for strong character that he might have
laid He is lacking power that the discrip-
tion of study might have given him, in
other words, his whole life has been shaped
to great degree by the kind of student his
teachers have allowed him to be. Thorough
teaching means good education, it means
that more young men and young women
will be interested enough to work for a
liberal education, 1t means
right habits fixed for life,
it means a solid foundation for a
strong, noble character. We understand
the true object of education TO be to gain
a power and develop character.
The following teachers were present
who were not in attendance yesterday
Miss minnie i. Russell, Miss Nellie +.
Russell, Skowhegan; Miss Sarah +. Say
age, North Anson Miss Sadie A. Thorne,
No. New Portland Miss Annie +. Barbeau,
Miss Winnie H.. Fish, Miss Nettie A.
Brown, Miss Ella l.. Wills, Skowhegan;
Leland l.. Smith. Cornville; Miss Sadie
Nve. Fairfield; Emma +. Man
tor. Annie NJ Morse, West
Madison: Miss Witherwell Fairfield;
Abbie S. Merrow, South Norridgewock;
Minerva f. Foss, Athens; Jennie Bailey
and Ella NJ. Beal. Anson; Nathan Fowler,
Skowhegan; ]. II. Blanchard Fairfield
Luetta Blanchard, Carrie NJ. Cults and Su-
sic Paine North Anson; Della Ames, An
nie Ames and Eva NJ. Ames, Skowhegan
Emma NJ Holbrook South Norridgewock;
Lotta b. Reed, Athens.
Discussion on Mr. Monson's paper was
participated in by Miss Wyman of Madison;
Mr.. Blanchard Fairfield; Mr.. Collins,
Athens; Mr.. Stevens, Madison; Mr.. Small.
Madison.
\ so,y bv Miss Nav Burrlll Junior wear
Skowhegan High School, followed with
Miss Curtis accompanist 4 teaching ex-
ercise by Miss Belle &. Hutchinson Park
intermediate School on Reading Methods"
was excellent. Other discussions on differ
ent topics followed. 1t was voted to hold
the next convention in Madison.