The Dickinson press., 1894-05-26
Institute.

A few teachers met at 10 O'Clock
Monday morning in the grammar
school room. After u preliminary
organization an adjournment was tn.
ken until half past one. The after
noon session opened by the singing OF
"God Bless Our Native Land" Rev
L. B. Hardy offered prayer and then
Dr.. V. H. Stickney. county superin.
tendent. for the fourth time WELDON.
ed the teachers to the yearly insti.
tute.
DR.. Stickney said: I may not per.
haps present any new ideas; but truth
loses nothing by parade; reiteration
of a good thing is good. Teachers,
yours is IN exalted profession, the
shaping and moulding of the future
citizens of the country. Are you
prepared! Do you feel the ground
firm beneath your feet! The future
of the nation depends upon you.
Teach patriot SIN. Teach it by dead
heroes, especially by Lincoln; teach
it by the constitution; teach it by the
flag. the flag that gives more privi.
leges than that any other nation. Get
new thoughts. Try to make the in.
stitutes a help to you; treasure up
new ideas and take them back to
your schools to aid you in your flu.
ture work.
After the roll.call, MI. Croker
gave a few suggestions as to teaching
elementary reading, especially to for.
eigners who do not understand our
language.
Number work was next considered
In arithmetic we should make haste
slowly. We are often so anxious to
run before we are able that we al.
ways crawl. MI. Crocker next gave
the lesson on the battle of Gettys.
burg as laid down in the manual.
After a recess, Superintendent Eli.
senhuth addressed the teachers upon
various subjects. She spoke of how
often the manual lessons as taken up
in the institutes differed from her
own thought when assigning them;
and she urged the teachers to try to
find a reason, perhaps not hers, but a
reason for all the institute work.
Often a half.light is allowed to pass
for full day.
She said, taking up the next sub.
ject: We teach reading because it is
the key to all written information; to
give pleasure to the reader; to give
pleasure to others.
Teachers should lie very careful to
note the difference between hearing
lessons and teaching. The why of
everything should be sought for.
Teachers need health, patience,
skill, knowledge. No good teacher
is content to remain as she is. She
has for herself and her pupils a high
ideal.
Good books open new worlds and
counterfeit the bad influences to
which children are often subject out
of school.
In this connection Mrs. Eisenhuth
discussed at some length the reading
circles established by the state; and
urged upon the teachers the necessity
of their doing the required reading
if not from choice because the law
requires it-and she also limited at
methods by which poor districts may
obtain the Children's Reading Circle
books.
The superintendent urged upon the
teachers the necessity in many out.
lying districts of their teaching the
entire community both by precept
and example.
After a few assignments for the
morrow the session closed.
TUESDAY.
The institute opened at 8:45 with
singing "The Star Spangled Banner
Quotations from Longfellow were
given at roll.call.
Rapid mental number work oc.
cupied a few minutes and then meth.
dds of teaching least common multi,
plier and greatest common divisol
were illustrated and discussed. The
Importance of a thorough drill in fac.
toring as a preparation for these and
other subjects, was brought out by
the director.
Mrs. Hills then gave a lesson in
primary reading to a class from hel
own school.
MI. Croker taught the institute
for a few minutes the first steps ir
the tonic sol-far system of music.
Mr.. Finger then discussed the land
survey.
Recess followed; after which Mr.
Partridge gave suggestions regarding
the teaching of writing, taking ur
position, paper, pen, holder, method
of holding pen, etc.
AFTERNOON.
After singing, the memory gems
given in the manual, were recited.
Mental arithmetic was the next
topic and its Importance brought
home.
Mrs. Ayers then conducted a lesson
on Sherman and his march to the sea,
Following recess the teachers con,
sidered primary number work and the
conductor spoke briefly of the new
course of study.
The last exercise of the afternoon
was in reading with Hamlin Har,
lands "My Prairies" rs the lesson
Mr.: Croker said: at some time dur.
;pr ovory, roodipo 1occop LOT tho ~,