The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-27

arithmetic as the pupils advanced in
the following years.
A B. Coffey spoke on 1.-THE Essen
tials in the Study of History
He said that between the teacher and
the pupils there is a community of mo-
tive, of feeling and of sympathy, II we
can only find it. History he ranked
next in importance to languages. he
advised them all to read Charles
Reade's novel Put Yourself in His
Place" and try to follow its maxim by
putting themselves in their pupils
places and try to look at things through
their eyes. In the study of all subjects
there should be a sympathy between
teacher and pupil to begin with. The
main object in studying history is to
learn to profit by the experience of
ing of veneration. They are studying
themselves through the history of their
ancestors. The reason why we fail in
certain instances is because we lack in
tensity of purpose. We should live up
to our possibilities.
In no history can we afford to study
one side of the question. There were
two sides to the events that led to the
revolution, and we should study the
English side of the question and the
motives that guided them. We must
learn to be fair and honest in these
matters. We do wrong to teach our
children that the men we look up to
With reverence were without faults.
We should not teach pupils that this
thing was right or wrong because it
was done by the Republican or Demo-
cratic party. We should supplement
the study of the history of the revolu-
ton by that of the biographies, not
only Washington, Adams and Marion,
but Of Rnrkp Pitt and COrOwa His
AS to methods of recitation, let your
questions supplement what your class
gives you voluntarily First find out
what they know, and let them tell it to
you in their own language, and then
show them how to express it better.
He related the elOpement of a young
lady and her lover in Rome, and asked
II it had anything to do with history,
and then announced that her statue
stands to-day in the rotunda Of Cali
fornia's Capitol, for it was the elope-
ment of Isabella with Ferdinand. The
interest displayed by his auditors gave
him d text to show how to hold the at
tention OF a class.
He showed by a series Of interlacing
circles how the correlation of causes,
events, subsidiary matters and results
can be grouped together
Teach the children to honor. he said.
ter what it was; teach them to honor the
God that gave them this land and free
dom to enjoy it; teach them to honor
the flag Of their country above all
others. May it wave above all the
schoolhouses in the land to teach a
daily lesson of patriotism to the pupils.
If anyone doubted the patriotism of
our teachers the clapping of hands that
greeted Mr.. Coffey's conclusion would
have speedily removed all doubts.
PAPER ON DRAWING"
Miss Esther NJ Wilson addressed
both city and county teachers in her
paper on The Value of Drawing as an
Educational Factor" She Iaborad for
as important a place in our course of
study for form study and drawing as
is given the other broad subjects, claim
ing all branches would be benefited.
She Illustrated the use of drawing in
arithmetic and geography, in the read
ing OF story, and declared that an
oral explanation could never convey
the idea in nearly as forcible a manner
as does the drawing.
In teaching a child to write we do not
stop to ask can he learn it? Has he the
talent? No matter how badly he writes
at hrst, no matter if we cannot read it,
1t does not worry US. We know he can
be taught to be a good penman by prac-
tlce. Given in the nursery a pencil and
paper, child will begin to draw pict-
ures. We may not be able to interpret
them, but to him they are plain 1t is
his natural language. Why not guide
ana direct his range Of thought and eX-
preston the same as in the other
studies, and on the same principles
Educate them in another language. a
natural one, a better one, and one bear
alo%
department. The pupils themselves
need no urging, only the permission to
50 express themselves
The end and aim of art is the Great
i've ability. That the taste for this ex-
lists is proven by the prints and pict-
ures seenNon the walls of the humblest
cottage, by the effort of the schoolgirl
TO make Worsted flowers and fruit, and
by the beautiful silk embroidery done
by the skillful needlewoman If draw
ing is given the place Miss Wilson de-
mands that it deserves, she claims that
ii will refine and give the child a great
consciousness Of nature, increase his
appreciation of all that is beautiful
and art, instead of being confined to a
few gifted beings, would be a part of
ourselves.
THE TEACHER.
Following this, a paper was read on
| THE Teacher as a Moral Force" by
Miss Augusta de Laguna, a paper that
commanded the closest attention OF
every teacher in the room during the
time occupied by the reading. The
schoolroom, she said, is the place where
character is formed, and the influence
| of the teacher can hardly be estimated
| Who would place education before
character? Little children often say
She said So" meaning not the father
or mother, sister or brother, but the
teacher whose word is times taken
in preference TO that of parent.
The responsibility a teacher assumes
in taking charge of a school cannot be
shaken off. If we doubt this go back
to our own experience and remember
both the influence Of a teacher that
was our ideal of all a woman should be
and the one whose harsh voice and
unpleasant manner caused US to look
upon her with dislike The teacher
must exert a good influence, for what
ever is ignoble in the teacher will
leave it's mark upon the pupils, and
| thoughtlessness is weakness not to
| be excused.
In speaking of cheating in school
you might be surprised to find it oft
times laid at the door of the teacher
Were you looking in the book?'
| Yes ?'' We'll destroy your paper
! and lose sixty credits" This does not
have the effect of making the pupil
more honest, but makes him all the
more careful next time not to be
caught.
! We should command the impression
able hearts of children. The end should
not be considered without the means
/ The result is reached by careful ex-
/ PLANTATION of the evil. We should be
gentle and courteous to children, teach
| them self-respect. Dignity and sweet
/ ness in a teacher causes dignity and
sweetness in pupils. Do not be impa-
tient. enjoy life by means of our educa-
ton, not by examining. AS teachers we