The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-05
INSTITUTE AT ELMHURST.
Public School Teachers Held an Interest.
ing and Profitable Meeting There.
Number of Papers Read.

The public school teachers of the
Fifth district held their second local
institute at Elmhurst Saturday after
noon. The large gathering of teach-
ers and friends from the outlying dis
tricts, as well as the number of resi-
dents, in attendance indicated very de-
cidedly the interest taken by them in
educational matters.
The institute was cSlled to order at
13O when Principal Knapp was chosen
chairman and Principal Martin, of
Moscow, secretary. No more suitable
song could be sung by a congregation
of teachers than Come Thou Almighty
King" which was sung by the insti-
tute as the opening song.
The first paper, Morality in the Pub
lie School," was read by Miss Con
zales, of Moscow superintendent
Taylor opened a discussion on the
paper, during which he emphasized
the necessity for a good moral basis
being established so as to insure the
most effective mental Development
Principal Martin followed, remark
ing upon the brevity of life as COM
pared with that of eternity, and that
consequently moral culture is incom-
parably the most important part of the
pupils education. Miss Yost read
paper on Primary Read
ing" Some excellent things were re-
ferred to as being useful in develop
ing in young children the power to de-
cipher thought from printed matter.
a discussion followed the reading of
this paper, in which Mrs. Vaughn, Miss
Burch, Superintendent Taylor, and
1c Ia N I, na
took part.
Mrs. Vaughn took occasion at this
point to show the inability of teachers
as we'll as others to express themselves
in concise terms; to say what they
wished to say and know when to stop,
Principal Martin sang the solo
'None Can Forgive Like a Mother,
one of those sweet pathetic songs, and
was followed by Miss Burch, of Mos
COW, with paper on Language" The
writer closed with a plea for the eX-
| hbition on the part of every teacher
of more enthusiasm in teaching this
| very important subject.
The discussion was opened by Miss
| Gaven Miss Yost. Mrs. Vaughn, Su.
| perintendent Taylor and Principal De
| Pew taking part. Mrs. Vaughn spoke
! in scathing terms of the rise of the
diagram in the analysis of sentences
questioned the utility of technica
grammar, and closed with the expires
sion that correct English, like liberty
is only attained by eternal vigilance
The Misses Katie Nagley and Bessi,
Buckingham then sang very sweet.
the duet, IN the Starlight"
Superintendent Taylor took up tn
subject of writing" He though
writing the worst taught study in th
public school. Position, movement AM
form is logically the correct order il
teaching writing.
The paper on primary geography b!
| Miss Wall showed careful preparation
| The rendition of the solo Say Au Re
voir but not Goodbye" by Miss Nelli
! McAndrew. was one of the pleasin!
features of the institute.
The calisthenic exercises conducted b!
principal Martin was also a pleasn!
change in the regular work.
After a song by the pupils of th
Elmhurst school, Mrs. Margaret Vau
CHAN spoke on Scientific Temperance
instruction in the Public Schools, anC
in doing so prefaced her remarks b!
reading the state Law regarding tn
teaching of the effects of alcohol upol
the human system.
At the close of the address Superin
tendent Taylor explained that tn
teachers of this county are as we'll in
formed in the subject of scientific tenn
perance as they are in any of tn
branches taught in the public schools
He deplored the lack of public interes
in the enforcement of the compulsor,
education law.
The teachers sang "Auld Lang Syne
Mrs. buckingham playing the accom-
paniment on the organ, and then ad
journed to meet at Moscow on Satur
day, March IA.