The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-29
~ DEpHRTmENT
Ogden, Dec 90.
TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
THE CONVENTION CLOSED LAST
EVENING.
Many Excellent Papers Presented
Yesterday-Dr. Talmage's Lee
ture.

If any thing the interest in the Teach
ers' convention increased yesterday des-
plte the fact that very many were OBJ
iiged to leave early in the day before the
session was formally closed. Dr. Tai
mage was in the chair when the hour of
meeting arrived yesterday morning and
was given a hearty reception by the
convention.
After the usual musical programme the
regular business of the session was open
ed oy Professor c. A. keaston of Salt
Lake city, who read a paper on THE
Common school, Organization, Function
Ihis was very interesting paper and
was listened TO with marked attention
MS ioeas on the organization of the
pupllc schools were strictly up TO date
ana regarding the function of that inn
portant arm of the state. he presented
some advanced ideas which are not out
VI harmony with the progress of the age.
aithouSn many people are not inclined to
give to the public school system tnat I'M
portance IN the affairs of the state that
1t desires.
ions i'll Geography" was reversed from
The order laid down in the programme
that or Professor Hail, superintendent of
the Weber county Schools preceullE n II
Of Professor Whitney, of the university
Both papers advocated a more compre-
henslVe meLnod of teaching geography or
rather associating with it something that
might strictly belong TO other branches
Inc formation of the soil, the clouds and
ram fail and the causes therefor as well
as geology in their opinion should be
associated with the study of geography,
not only to make it interesting, but that
1t might be the better understood. Pro-
lessor d. +. Augsburg, of Salt Lake,
gave very interesting paper on draw
ing and the Importance of it's being
taught in the public schools.
HIS paper drew out considerable dis
cusslon. He stated that a person who
had the ability to draw any thing on
paper correctly could work it out in any
material While some insisted that while
pupil might draw a picture of a piece of
statuary but not have the ability to carve
1t out of marble block. This difference
OF opinion only proved to be a difference
between the way each person understood
the subject. In one case it was an
while in the other it was one person max
ing a drawing of something which an
other person had first originated.
In the afternoon some of the ablest
Recent Changes in Primary Methods
by Miss NJ. Adelaide Holton, of Salt Lake;
"Elocution'' by Miss Maud May Babcock,
and Physical Culture by Miss Susie
Root, of Salt Lake, were all gems of
their kind, and of a rare variety at that.
Many teachers must have appreciated the
fact that they are by no means up to
the standard of excellence, which com
mon sense requires should be required of
the primary teacher. After hearing Miss
Eo,t9n;s paper -. thaL e'ocution bqs
apparent after Miss Babcoc6 had dis
posed of the subject Her idea was that
the scholar should be taught to read so
that any one hearing him could have
clear conception OF what the author was
talking and thinking about. According
to her idea the student did not learn to
read merely to gather information for
their own benefit. but if occasion required
they must be able to give such EXPIRES
sion to written composttion that any per
son hearing them could know what
meaning was intended by the author.
The importance Of physical culture was
demonstrated.
NJ es Be Salmon of Ogden. then intro
duced her physical culture class to the
audience and gave an exhibition drill that
WAS very comprehensive and at the same
time very pleasing. The little ladies and
gentlemen, although rTamDed for room,
gave very credtable exhibition.
The genral discussion at the close of
the afternoon session took a. very wide
range but was very interesting. as it
showed conclusively that there had been
much food for thought distributed among
the educators and that they not only ap-
preciated it but were glad to have it.
The Teachers convention closed last
evening with the most brilliant lecture
Of the course nv DR.. Talmage on tNe
fascinating subject of astronomy. The
sufficient to attract an audience large
enough to fill the great auditorium Of
the Methodist church to its utmost ca
pacity. The lecturer opened with a pre-
lirorarv talk expIa ming the mystery of
astronomy as understood in ancient
times. showing that manv peoples had
ma stored the science sufficiently to as
certain with considerable accuracy the
movements of many of the heavenly bod
les.
The lecture proper was i1I'7s+ra 'ed
with stereopticon views made from Pho
tographs secured by some Of the Tnosr
notea astronomers OF the age. showing