The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-15
THIRD DAY OF THE
COUNTY INSTITUTE
Many New ldess Advanced for the Bene'
fit Of Teachers.
PAPERS READ IN TUE MORNING
We're Heard by the Teachers of the
Intermediate aud Primary Depart.
ments..The Discussion on Them.
Supe rintendent COughlin, DR.. Pratt
and DR.. Holbr0Ok Instructors in the
rnOOn.. DirectOrs Meet Today.

at yesterdays sessions OF tne county
teachers institute in Young Mems
Christian Association hall and gave
the instructors food for thought by the
ideas they advanced regarding the best
methods Of imparting knowledge to the
young entrusted to their care.
The morning session opened with the
singing Of Ever be Happy and Gay"
which was followed by a talk ON sing
ing by Professor Cogswell. As on the
preceding morning a division of the
teachers was made and those who find
their field of usefulness In the grammar
grade remained In the hall and listen
ed to a talk by Professor Redway on
beginning Geography" The speaker
dwelt upon points that are usually
thought to be somewhat outside Of the
range Of geography but which throw
food OF light on the subject and serve
to add life and interest to ii.
Superintendent COughlin followed
with n talk on language study. He
gave suggestions with reference to
spelling and advised that the child be
taught to copy accurately from the
printed page. Next the pupil should be
given lessons dictated by the teacher.
Readings should be given by the teach
er and the pupil required to give the
the pupil should also be required to
commit poetry and prose to memory
and then write 1t out.
TWO PAPERS READ.
The primary and intermediate teach
ers held their meeting in Young Mems
Christian association parlOr where a
paper was read by +. H. Greene, of
South Abingdon, on Value of Profess
sional Training to Teachers of Ungrad-
ed Schools" 1t was discussed by Miss
Mandane Rymer. ]. II. White and J.
f. Brennan. Music in the Public
Schools" was the title of a paper read
by John d. Davy. of Lackawanna
township. and DR.. Mara L. Pratt
brought the meeting to close with
talk on United States History" The
two divisions of the teachers again
came together and listened to DR.. Hol-
brooks talk on Pedagogy"
Education" he said "is doing much
to help the larger, broader thinkers in
the pulpit to forward the ideas Of those
who are In the pews. We are on the
move, but we have either the pessl-
mlstic or optimistic bent. Most teach
ers are optimistic and believe that God
Is good now; that we don't have to
wait for an eternity for God to right
wrongs. God ia working now. and he Is
working in the good and the bad. in the
sweet as well as the sour. That IL a
very convenient notion that we have
that there Is a heaven where hereafter
everything will be all right. and hell
also, but most Of us have grown out
of that notion. We don't have to die
to so to heaven or to hell. Heaven and
hell are begun In our own hearts.
The three things that the teacher
has to do with the mind. since the mind
is growing thing, is first, to feed the
mind; second, to stimulate it; third.
to direct it. The teachers work and
responsibility ends there. He cannot
create the mind, but should feed, stim-
ulate and direct 1t. The food Of the
mind Is found in the text books. In the
books on the shelves In the library, in
the tones Of ages that have been hand
ed down to us. The letters on the
printed page are simply the vehicle
through which the mind of the greatest
of those who have lived, IL conveyed
to us"
SESSION OF THE AFTERNOON.
The usual singing exercises led by
Professor COgswell opened the after
noon session, and then Superintendent
COughlin gave one of his practical and
helpful talks. His topic was How to
Study" He said there is a demand on
all sides to save time In educating the
young that they may be able to take
up the serious work of life at an earlier
day. Every pupil should have good
education. and the best and quickest
way of securing it for the student is
one Of the problems that the educators
of this age have to deal with. With
reference to "HOw to Study" the speak
er divided his subject under three
heads. namely: observation. compare
son, analysis.
1T is not the quantity of studies we
cover, but the thorOughness with which
they are learned that count in acquir-
ing an education" he said. 1.-The con-
ditiOn of mind in which the pupil comes
to the teacher has an important bear
ing in the matter of securing an edu-
cation, and the teacher of ability Is
the one can bring the pupil who Is
out of sympathy with his work into
sympathy with it. The pupil should
bring a teachable spirit to school. but
If he does not the teacher should try
and develope it. The interest you are
able to arouse in the pupil underlies
the whole subject Of education. If you
can only get the pupil to be eager for
knowledge concerning any subject the
task he will have in absorbing that
knowledge Is greatly diminished.
EASY ROAD TO KNOWLEDGE.
"One of the evils of today is that
people want some kind of an education
al incline plane, down which the pupil
can slide into valuable knowledge. This
will never be obtained for it is only
by hard. persistent work that an edu.
cation is gained II you want to make
rapid progress in any study you must
understand the meaning of words.
Mr.. Coughlin then dwelt upon tnt
beneficial results to the young pupils
of travelling about and cleaning knowl'
edge from observation. The develop
ment of this faculty is OF the highest
Importance he believes.
Comparison continued the speak.
er, "is fruitful source OF gaining
knowledge. 1t incites an interest ir
studies and enables the pupil to gair
an amount of benefit from a lesson moi
otherwise obtainable. Analysis Is an
other thing extremely important to the
pupil. for by means Of 1t the student
obtains a clear and logical idea Of thu
topic under consideration" In closing
the speaker gave this advice to thu
teacher with reference to studying
Get your pupils interested in the sub
ject. have them cultivate the habit o.
comparison and analysis and. abov,
all. have them understand the English
language and the meaning of words
for II the pupil is ignorant OF the exac
meaning of the words in a lesson. the,
the information contained in that les
son is at least partially lost"
I by request of the teachers Professor
COgswell sang a solo which so pleased
the members of the institute that the!
insisted on another song, and the pro
0ro IN to