The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-04-02

The HiIo Teachers Union met on the
9TH of March, with twenty-three OF
the thirty members, and seven visitors
present.
Mr.. Baptiste opened with prayer. The
committee, who, with Miss Deyo's help
arranged the program, was composed
of Miss Guild. Miss Pulllar, Mr.. Nal
terre.
The first paper, on the multiplication
sign, was read by Brother Henry. The
paper treated the subject much as 1t
had been discussed from the question
box at former meeting. If both num-
bers in the problem are concrete the
multipIier must, in the work OF solution,
be considered as abstract, as If 1 yd.
silk is worth $4.0C, yds. cost 3 times
s4.OO-not yds times $400.'
Brother Henry added few words on
teaching THE light Of teaching must
be accompanied by the heat of enthusi-
asm," he said. But enthusiasm should
be tempered by patience with the dull
pupil, who, though slow, gives his halt
ing answer as "a product of deeper
thought than the more brilliant one of
his clever classmate."
A few last words about right feeling
between pupil and teacher. were fol-
lowed by the remark from some one
present that the classroom Of the au-
thor of the paper was always very
cheerful place.
Mr.. Smiths class in geography, ques-
toned without previous notice on the
main features of a map of the world,
cess. The unexpected answer to the
question, How is Europe bounded?"
by land and water" provoked ripple
of a smile in the audience, but the child
at once mastered the situation and told
what land and water.
The selection from +. G. Hewitt on
conducting a recitation gave and treated
several important points. Testing or
hearing the recitation; information to
be afterward added by the teacher and
required from the class at following
lesson; reviewing, both as set exer-
else and incidentally, as when new
point may suggest something in past
lesson; drill on various routine matters,
in which unison recitation is useful;
care as to the length of lesson-an
average suited to lazy, smart and dull
pupils; and lastly, deiniteness IN an
nouncing the new lesson.
The questions asked should not be
exactly those found in the book, nor the
replies the book words.
The thinking class of six played with
the teacher a we'll known rhyming
game called Ting Tang. L have
word that rhymes with door" says the
leader is it what we walk on?' No
it is not floor" rs it what happened
to a girls dress when she climbed the
fence?" No, it is not tore" etc, till
the right definition comes. rs it two
tens?'' Yes. it is score" The chill
dren's question showed that they were
learning how to make definitions. The
words were put on the board to serve in
future language work. 1t is a good lit
tie training exercise. Some of the ques-
tons were quite bright and amusing.
\ nice little class of three. just at the
beginning of numbers, went through a
lessen to in CRUDE. They did their
pretty object work and gave bits of
recitationS apropos of the subject with
charming skill and artlessneSS. After
acting out their problems like a game,
they told the little STORY" and then
put the abstract work on the board.
The device of letting them lose their
shells or tinted sticks under table
or bench, to illustrate subtraction, and
sending them to find them for the les
son in addition evidently pleased the
children.
The paper prepared by Mrs. Dillon on
High Ideals in Teaching sounded
cheerful note in the ears of any who
might be thinking, whats the use OF
all this struggled" Everywhere we find
enough to encourage our best efforts TO
develop the minds of those in our
charge And we do our best work when
we are making advancement ourselves.
Stagnation is loss of force.
A letter on "Prang, Methods of Draw
ing from Miss BeckWith. After 1t was
read a request came that some OF these
methods be illustrated at the next meet
hg, as a few of the town teachers have
been looking into the matter for sew
eraI months past.
Miss Kelly prepared herself for hef
very interesting exercise by study of
a work on the mind by the late Jerome
Allen. Her paper told that the mind is
a garden and the seed there planted
must be cultivated. First train the at
tention. Attention means memOrizing;
memory is the fruit of attention. Look
at things carefully; listen to things at
tentively. How seldom we quote ac-
curately even the dinner table chat,
much less a long lecture. Slovenly list
ening demoralizes the mental powers
And a great deal more to inspire teach
ers to learn not only about facts, but
faculties.
Laying her paper aside, the reader