The Portland daily press., 1895-11-23

English and the love of reading good
literature. Among other things, she said
that children constantly fail in the use Of
Irregular verbs She seeks to correct this
by personal conversation with the pupil,
involving the use of different tests in the
same sentence, also the blackboard is
largely used for the same purpose.
| The proper use of adverbs is taught by
illustration, by causing the pupil to per-
form some act and then to state how he
did it, whether softly, loudly, skilfully,
ETC. These are but few illustrations of
the many interesting methods described.
In regard to teaching Ia class good read
ing, Miss Kenney said that she has as her
programme, ten minutes each day devoted
to the memorizing of gems Of thought,
especially selected from our American
poets, selected somewhat for their suit
ability to the time of year.
MR.. WENTWORTH OF WESTBROOK
grammar school continued the discussion
of the subject. He said that in giving
pupil power of expression he would use
that word, in tho case Of his own pupils.
simply as causing him to disclose how
and what he thinks. He emphasized the
Importance of the selection of reading
lesson One of his methods was to have
the pupil read the selection silently and
then describe what they had read. He
had found that they liked to do this.
One reason was because he selected for
them readable articles. This course aims
| to secure thought and then original
expression. He described his methods of
teaching spelling and had good deal to
say about the teaching of grammar in the
same lines as the discussion of the fore
noon.
In regard to composition he said that
he would not assign a subject in which
he could not get rank Of seventy him
self, such as Astronomy" Glove of..the
Beautiful" etc., but subjects within the
experience and comprehension of the
pupil
| 1t had been his custom to be watchful
and have his pupils watcbful of mistakes
of grammar in the school room the pupil
being expected to call attention to such a
mistake if noticed. He said that by the
above methods he secured better results
than he had formerly done. The subject
was then open for general discussion and
MR.. PARMENTER OF PORTLAND
North school was called upon. He said
that the subject was of the greatest i'm
portance, because the use of language is
something that the pupil needs every day
of his life This is not true of the other
school studies. In the North school he
said that the teachers we're not all using
the same methods in the teaching of
| language, also they were tied down some
what to their text books, which are
different, and more SO than he thought
| was best.
He had noticed that pupils coming to
the grammar grades were very deficient
in their use Of language. Why are they
s2rgetting the use Of the punctuation
marks? He believed that these things
should be taught thoroughly in the
primary schools. In regard to the teach
ing of language in the public schools he
thought that the work was not as clearly
laid out as in the case of other studies.
He believed that the teacher should be
Just as particular to see that the period
and comma be used correctly, s$hat the
decimal point should be. This, they are
trying to do at the North school. He
knew that his teachers were careful to
guard their pupils, use of correct language
and also aware that more important still
is their own use Of corrct language. Also
they make an important feature that all
the scholars shall provide themselves
with dictionaries.
PRINCIPAL DOLE OF JACKSON
SCHOOL.
continued the subject. He said that no
one denies that the study of technical
grammar has disciplinary value, but
this is not su fficient. Some other benefit
must be derived from this study or it will
not retain it's place. in the public school,
But he believed that the science OF
language contains the only key to correct
expression. He had found that the
knowledge of the science leads to correct
.xpression. When pupils are exercised
much in expanding and contracting
changing participles to infnitives, etc.,
they become able to use the sentence
correctly.
Atshisrschool. they begin with the study
Of the science and end with the study of
the sentence. The ability to use the parts
of speech depends upon. the comprehension
Of the sentence.
Whenssix years of age, the child begins
the construction of the sentence. The
| analysis Of the sentence comes next. The
| predicate is taught first and the verb at
tho same time. The predicate once
| learned, the subject is readily known.
The verb phrase must be carefully
| taught. All the parts of speech are
d eveloped from the sentence. The prepo-
sition is learned from the phrase, not the
reverse.
Mr. Dole very fully outlined further the
development of this method of teaching
| grammar.