The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-16
NEW IDEAS FOR THE
COUNTY TEACHERS
Advanced in the Lectures Delivered Be.
fore Them at Yesterdays Sessions.
ANNUAL MEETING OF DIRECTORS
Was Held in the ParlOrs Ofth Y. N.
&. A...Scven Thoughtful Papers
Read. Officers Elected for the eur.
Addressed by Prof. George Bible
DIR. HOlbrOOk and Enter.
tainmcnt in the Evening.

more. presided over the session of the
county teachers yesterday, County Su-
perintendent Taylor being engaged
with the directors of the county VINO
We're meeting in Young Mems Christian
Association hall. After the usual drill
in music by Professor CogSWell, FRO
fesSOr RedWay delivered lecture on
Map drawing and map reading. one
of the teachers asked him If there We're
any geOgra phical proofs of the lost At
lantis ever having existed. His reply
was that ii was probable that it had
existed but there is no absolute proof
of il. In drawing maps and reading
maps the professor said ii is the dis
tribution of commercial points that
should be fixed in the minds of the pu-
DiiS. When this is noted The area given
to different products should be taught
and other details of the map filled IN.
The lecture was illustrated with draw
ings on the blackboard.
a either solo was given by Professor
Lloyd, of Priceburg. and Professor Hol-
brook followed with Il talk ON "Peda-
gogy." He told the teachers that when
Il pupil does not want to study there Is
something wrong for the child with Il
healthy mind is eager for information
and wants To learn. The mind must
work as all the organs OF IN" BODY
must Or darkness and death are IN"
result. IL is u mistake that is growing
among teachers that everything Shouii
he made as easy as possible Tor IN"
student. He advised teachers 10 as
sign lessons as if the uuDiiS wanted
something 10 do and if the pupil * uii-
able to overcome any difficult point
they should be given assistance.
TALK ON CHILD STUDY.
Dr. Mara l.. Pratt closed the morn
ing session with another of her talks
On Child Study" She said the best
period for work in the school room Is
Immediately after the morning session
begins and if she had her way she
would have the pupils ut arithmetic
when in almost all schools they are
singing. The proper mental result can
not be obtained when the physical CON
dition is not proper. Teachers should
try and be cheerful and happy ana
make the atmosphere of the schooi
room optimistical.
In the afternoon the session opened
with the singing of two choruses D! the
teachers, Professor Redway Following
with a talk on the Correlation or
Geography and History" He believes
in teaching the two studies together'
as one has direct relation to the oth-
pr, lie ueSCTlDtu ii VI ~ '"'i'''
geographical formations and made the
statement that the commercial su-
premacy of New York over the other
seaboard cities of the east Is due In
great measure to the Erie canal. which
gives it a direct connection by water
with the great lakes and the great
west beyond. This canal was made
possible by peculiar geographical for
nation i'm the valley drained by the
Mohawk river.
Professor Cogswell said he had been
asked to sing for the institute. but in
stead would have the graphaphone re-
produce for them his son, Sweetest OF
Sweethearts," which he sang into it
Wednesday evening. The reproduction
was excellent. Several other grapha-
phone numbers We're given one or
which was Put Me Off at Buffalo,
which drew a large number OF the
county directors from the parlor where
they We're meeting.
PROFESSOR BIBLES TALK.
Professor George Bible. principal of
Stroudsburg Normal school, was in
troduced at the conclusion of the
graphaphone exhibition. I'VE have
heard" he said, "a great deal about
the teachers profession during the last
twenty or twenty-five years, and If we
have not yet reached that high stand
ard we wish to attain we should not
be discouraged. for We are making
progress, and 1 believe that golden
days for the teacher are approaching.
He dwelt upon the necessity of child
study, and said more thought and in
vestigation with reference to the pc
culiarities of each student will result in
better and more satisfactory results.
Superintendent Coughlin's afternoon
lecture was Reading for Profit"
II think" he said, "the great duty of
the teacher is to form character, and |
deem the worlds greatest teacher the
one who can stand behind his desk
and best help the pupil to help himself.
A great deal can be done in this direc
tion by a wisely selected course Of
reading. ] want to draw distinction
between learning to read and reading.
Learning to read is merely a prepara-
ton for reading, and 1t ought to be
completed at the end of the third year.
How many of us succeed in getting
through with this matter i'm three
years? After completing the third
reader the pupil should read for in
formation and profit and should be
encouraged to read assimilate books
that will ennoble the reader and build
his character along proper lines"
DR.. Holbrook was the last instructor
Of the afternoon and spoke on his us
ual topic. Pedagogy" He dwelt upon
the matter of stimulus in the school
room. The teacher, he said. can feed
the mind, stimulate the mind and di-
rect the mind, and he suggested a line
of thought with regard to these things
that might be followed out and elabor-
ated upon by the teacher.
Professor Houser read a letter from
the Scranton Business college, invit-
ing the teachers to visit the college
and examine the manner in which it is
conducted The closing session of the