The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-08-22

sessions. The records of the Association re-
veal no larger attendance in its history, and |
no finer enthusiasm was ever man. |
ifested by the teachers over the County, who |
are here almost en- maSSe, as appreciatiYe !
recipients of the thoughts and researches of |
the splendid minds engaged in the exalted |
work before them. 1t is impossible for even |
a layman to attend these sessions and not |
expand the range of his mental and intel |
lectual horizon, and experience an awake |
ming of new aspirations and keener moral |
perceptions. He feels as did Festus concern |
ing the Christian religion: "Almost thou
persuadest me to be a''-teacher.
And seldom are We permitted to review
the proceedings of such representative intel
ligence of the age. The ongoing evolution
of the Institute toward the ideal attainment
is the grand secret OF its power. 1t is pro-
gressive and aggressive, advancing to new
conquests and eleyatiug the standard to new
heights each year, ever presenting something
new in the line of the useful and helpful.
As factor in the development of a higher
National character, the influence of the COM
bined Institutes and kindred associations of
the land, is beyond adequate comprehension.
We feel that such efforts are worthy of par
ticular commendatiOn, and should be SuS
tanned and encouraged by the citizens of
Portage County whose mental diScernmentS
enable them to grasp and appreciate their
value.
The first days session began on Monday
morning at 10 o'clock, in the High School
room, on East BOwery street. The attendants
were called to executive order by the Presi-
dent, Prof. Virgil Mills, Principal of the
Mantua Schools, who opened the session by
reading a selection from Holy Writ. This
was followed by the Lords Prayer, repeated
by all present, and the singing OF America"
Prof j. A. Leonard, of Youngstown, then
gave an interesting talk or exposition on
Reading, in which he said that success lay
not so much in the tongue of the reader as
in the ear of the hearer. observation and
reading strengthen each other. He condemn
ed what he termed myth reading, as very
mischievouS, because of the mental chaos
produced. Thousands of people are cursed
by this kind of reading. We must not only
choose between good and bad, but lower good
and higher good reading. Many spend their
time among the foothills of worthless authors
instead of following up the streams of liter
ature that spring from the great authors
leading to the mountain tops Of excellence.
His talk was Of the kind that will ultimately
destroy the demand for the vicious and poi
sonous in the book world, if anything will
ever do so.
Prof. w. S. Jackman, of the Cook County
Normal School, Chicago, then entertained
his hearers with some fine thoughts on the
subject of science. He said he was not there
to tell them the eternal truth, for he did not
know it. He was only a student and q be-
ginner. A course of study must be founded
upon natural laws. Have you ever noticed
that everything not founded upon natural
laws goes to pieces? He said that teachers
in the rural districts were the best located to
teach Natures laws. Teachers who say they
do not know enough to teach Natures stud
les, were reminded that no one knows it all.
He advanced many sound and practical sug-
gestions in relation to his subject and i'm
parted many helpful ideas to his hearers:
In the afternoon Prof. Leonard took ND
History. He said, among many other things,
that we ought to study the functions of the
earth. Man rises in the scale of civilization
in proportion as he overcomeS natural obsta-
cleS. America is the best adapted to the ad-
vancement of civilization because of her
natural conditions. The Prof. said that If
the people of our western plains were left to
themselves, he believed they would stagnate
and decay because of the physical monoto-
ny. This SHOWS the effects OF the physical
basis upon the civilization of a place. 1t
| adds greatly to the dignity of man if he ap-
preciates the position he holds in the uni
verse.
Prof. Jackman then took up, under natures
studies, the ones of Zoology and Meteorology.
Under the latter subj bjecthe considered change
OF weather, clouds, fogs, temperature, winds,
dew and rainfall. He then passed to Geog-
raphy. He asked the significant question,
q How many people live in a valley and yet
try to teach their children the idea of one
| instead of taking them out to see the real
| thing? If, said he, in closing, 1--WE had
the wisdom of Solomon, I'VE could find enough
material in our dooryard to teach all the
children in the world" He said, also thai
it was better to turn children out and let them
take their chances with the rocks and things
about them, than to keep them in school, il
/ by so doing we are making them blind, OF
| impairing their eyesight, g for what can a
man exchange for his health p
Prof. J. Powell JONES' of PainesvilIe, then
occupied 50 minutes in musical instruction
| He said there was no reason why person
who can speak can not sing. We modulate
our voices in speaking, and a little more sc
/ in singing. He said, by way of illustration
that nearly all the Gospel Hymns are writer
with three chords.
The days session closed by a talk on Ian
guage by Prof. Leonard, in which he sale
| that all studies are intertwined or related
and that the purpose of oral reading is tt
express thought for the benefit of others.
! TUESDAY A. NJ.
Session opened with prayer by Rev. III. D
Stautfer, followed by singing and roll call
Prof. Leonard resumed his talk on Read
ing. He said in the course of his conSidera
t1OnS, that he would challenge any one tt
frame one sentence whose words contain
ideas none of which the child had before hC
was six years of age. A child brings more
to school than he will ever take away from
school, Teach them something they do no
| know. For " | see a cat," substitute sOmt
fact about thatanimal that the child does no
know. To illustrate the importance Of exac
language, he told a story of a little boy wht
had an EngliShman for a S. S. teacher. Ont
Sunday the little fellow went home and tol(
his mother it was not wrong to fight, . for,
said he, * the S. S. teacher said, CID it (h) i
eye. be not afraid His talk was very in
teresting. He was followed by Prof. Jack
man, on Science" in which he took up AS
tronomy and Geology. The Prof. said
teacher had no right to say g | will not both
er with astronomy, botany" &c, if a pupi
is interested in any of these things. 9TH
things We get without knowing we are gettin!
! arr hn lft a
d. not want children to become pedantiC
Our guide must be the PRESENT need of th
pupil. Take up Nature work rs awhOle, bu
be governed by the season. The proper OF
der OF the work is: l, Massing experience
or getting hold OF the known :, ObserYa
ton: 3, Discussion 4, Representative work
: ta) Painting, (bl Mapping, (c) Modelling, ID
} Drawing; 5, Summarizing"
Prof. w. ID. Shipman, of Buchtel College
spoke for few minutes in the interests c
that institution, closing with some very use
: ful and helpful suggestions.
Prof. Jones then resumed his musical il
/ structlOn. He is WelShman, with the fin
conceptions of the musical art peculiar I
} that people. He has a rich, pure voice c
even tones and commanding power, and hi
method of instruction is very superior. III
lays great stress on what he terms the mer
tai effect of each tone. By way of diverSio
and to further illustrate his idea, he sang
song in Welsh, a language unknown to a
: his hearers, SO that the joyousness or plair
tiveness of the air would appear from th
tones alone, and in no particular from tn
words. He gives to each tone quality sue
as strength, hope, calmness, sorrow. brigh
1 ness, SensitiveneSs, &c.
He was succeeded by Prof Leonard
/ who again took up history. He declared th
f object of history to be light. To study til
; history of the United States is to study tn
l highest developed people in the world, b,
cause best adapted to the development
man. Take the point on the east of Kanss
and Nebraska for the center of circle, wit
a radius of 200 miles, and you have the ricl
= est territory in the world. He spoke of th
- former idea that prevailed in this Countr,
that the line along which lay the create
S enterprise started from Baltimore, taking
f Cincinnati, st. Louis, and SanFranciscO. Il
spoke of Thomas jefferson as the only ma
OF his day who appreciated or realized tn;
i the real line started further north, taking
e | NewYOrk, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, S
q Paul, through to Tacoma and Portland, O
egon. He spoke of Duluth as the future gre
rival of Chicago. 1t is surrounded by d fe
g tile country and has excellent transpOrtatio
facilities, the last, however, being entirel
= independent OF the second named city. Il
{ spoke of how the northern climate drive
n