Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-05-11
Teachers Institute.

eSlly emDelllShed by neat arrange
ment of bunting, wild flower trimming
and settings fshrubbery. The hall is
roomy but for the most part barren of
sitting equipment. Hence, the Teach
ers' Institute which met therein that
day quite filled the area allotted to the
comfort of spectators. On the right,
tackled against the wall, is bulletin
Of business contradictions group of
competing advertising cards, each an
nouncing par excellence some leading
characteristic or virtue of the adver-
tiser. Examples:
Read the Reriem, Lonaconings Leading
Paper.
Lonaconing's Favorite Paper, the Star.
1t is little contrarieties like these
that sometimes stagger JOURNAL faith
in the ultimate utility of advertising in
a sphere necessarily limited to the gaze
Of the too discriminating few. When
one goes to a hall of tragedy he goes
to cry, or to palace of amusement he
goes to laugh. In either case, a hap
less glance at the implied fact that
"Lonaconing's leading paper" is not
"Lonaconing's favorlte paper" is apt
to discomfort him. Nor is the matter
helped by the reflection that "Lona-
coning's favorite paper" is not "Lona-
coning's leading paper" Turn it end
ways or upside down, it is the same.
1t is a predicament, not theory, that
confronted the great paper.
But this study is broken by Prof.
John T. White, who calls the MUIR
muring audience to order. He an
nounces number not on the pro-
gramme and good looking young
man marches across the stage and
plays with elegant vigor pretty piano
combination of harpsichord and banjo,
called the Grown piano" He is call
ed back.
Meanwhile, Miss Bette l.. Ander-
son. of Homecoming, has taken the sec
retary's office on Mr.. Whites left.
Then came the address of welcome
by Prof. G. M. Perdew-a fluent ten
der of the keys of the city to the edu-
catlonal army of occupation, including
such hangers-on as the JOURNAL.
b. A. Browning, of Cumberland,
responded in matter and manner very
creditable to his intellect and taste.
Then Miss Ruth Perdew, petite and
spn1tuelle, accompanied by Miss Minnie
Elchhorn on the piano, gladdened the
house by singing
When the robins come again.
Miss Agnes McGinn, of Homecoming,
read practical essay upon "Penman-
ship" emphasizing the Importance of
securing ease and facility of move
ment by frequent model drills in sim
pie exercises. She did not explain,
however, how a teacher who does not
write a model hand can furnish the
"modeH examples which the pupil
must have Her own performance, as
shown on the blackboard, attested her
perfect right to speak on the subject.
She held with truth that the habit of
good writing should be fixed early in
the pupils school life. The JOURNAL
judges that Miss McGinn excels in
teaching penmanship.
The culminant disquisition of the
day was given by W. E. Spill, of
Frostburg, upon "Diacritical Marks y
The philosophy of vowel sounds and
pronunciation was wrought out on the
blackboard IN photographic indicia
with fine dlagrammatic readiness and
accuracy. His observations, easily
extemporaneous, made him appear as
much at home on the platform as a
veteran lecturer. Add to the excel
lencies indicated voice lich with the
music of enthusiastic study, and the
reader has the picture of a young man
who is already wasting time in the
drudgery of tuition. When he had
completed his lecture number of his
auditors piled him with puzzling ques-
tons, but the complete mastery of his
subject enabled him to answer all with
the readiness Of an expert.
So far as the JOURNAL could hear
Arthur F. Smiths plan of teaching
"liistory' is not wholly endorsed. 1t
is antique in that it makes the exercise
reading and recitative one 1t
would seem that in every lesson the
teacher should signalize events by
some exercise that will engraft them
upon the memory. Spills later sug-
gestion of using the chalk freely in
outline maps, the movements of armies
and sites of great battles was mo:e to
the point.
Miss Laura B. Staley, of Cumber-
land, went to the piano and accom-
panied Miss Lizzie Schiller, same city,
in violin solo OF great beauty. Miss
Schiller is a fine performer and does
her work without affectaton.
Prof. White announced dinner. The
audience rose, filed out the door and
marched up Jackson street to the
schoolhouse where Prof. William