The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-10-18
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
EDITED BY PROF. }. 5. WILSON.
The fifth annual session Of the East
:,

The fifth annual session Of the East
Tennessee Institute met at Rogersville
Junction October IL and 49, 1894.
About fifty teachers assembled in
council. Sullivan county had one
representative and Washington county
but one. There were, however, able |
teachers present from Chattanooga
and Knoxville. Kentucky was also
ably represented in the person of Mr..
Peterman, whose excellent treatise on
civil government is becoming Justly
popular. II was working convention,
and, having good presiding officer
in the person of President w. NJ.
Graybill, Of the Synodical College, no
time was wasted in speeches of well
come and WORKOUT responses.
Elementary sounds first claimed at
tention, and the discussion assumed
the practical form by drill, in which
all had an opportunity to participate.
But one teacher had the hardihood to
dissent from the importance of train.
ing in these elements which compose
our spoken words. s No doubt some
teachers will go back to their schools
and follow the old way-teaching the
names of the letters-as the only
means by which to teach John to
read. Well, John will learn to read
in spite OF this obstruction that the
old a, b, method interposes, but he
will most likely be drawler.
How to Teach Beginners to Read
was we'll presented in brief pap r by
Miss Anna Hughes. She advocate s
the phonic word method, which is
now employed by the most advanced
teachers. Children acquire quite a
vocabulary in the first four years OF
life, and they do it on the principle OF
association; first, the object arrests
attention, the name is given and re-
tanned. The child's vocabulary con.
sists, for quite time, of name words
verbs or action-w ords come in later
When the child comes to school we
should continue the plan; the ideas
that he has associated with spoken
words should be associated with writ.
ten or printed words. This, if we are
not mistaken, is the sum and sub
stance OF learning to read. The i'm
portance of a clear definition of whai
we attempt to teach was emphasized
My first definition of reading given to
the beginner is, Reading is talking
what is printed or written in, the
book" This definition is intended
to emphasize the idea that reading is
simply talking, and the more nearly
the child reads as he ought to talk anC
as most children do talk, the better HI
reads. A little later the definition
may be" Reading is getting thought by
means of written or printed words ar
ranged in sentences" But l must no
tarry longer on this most important
subject. Good reading is not, we trust
a lost art, but it does not receive tina
attention its Importance demands.
Object lessons we're considered, ant
the teaching OF language SO as to cor
rect the faulty and incorrect speech
OF the average American was wei
discussed by Mr.. Huh'aker, of Chatta
nooga.
Writing in our public schools wa
ably presented by Mr.. Peterman, Q
Lexington, Kentucky.
"Our Bad Pupils" led to a discussion
OF home.governnent or rather of in
subordination in the home as th
root-evil whence springs, not onl
nearly all the difficulty in school GOV
eminent, but also most of the vice an
crime that 80 mar the face OF society
What pity that in this government
of the people for the people and by til
people, disobedience to the proper al
thority should 80 prevail what a pit
that parents do not teach obedienc
from the cradle, and then that wis
saying OF Solomon would have, FRI
quent fulfillment.
The "New Education" was presente
with the view OF showing that th
"Old Education" addressed itsel
almost wholly to the memory, but tn
New Education addresses itself mucl
more largely to the reasoning and t
the perceptive faculties. 1t was be
lieved to be very profitable meeting
Two Lives Saved.