The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-03-16
HOW TO TEACH
Hilo Pedagogues in a
Quarterly Session.
Interesting Discussion and Detail
of Observation-Disclosures
ten Work.

The Hilo Teachers Union held a
quarterly meeting March 5th. The Pro-
gram Committee for the day were Miss
L. Hapai, Mr.. Freitas and Miss E.
Richardson. They are to congratulate
ed on the interest and success of their
program. There were 80 members and
no visitors present
Miss Severance's class. from the sec
ond year in school. told the story of the
I"Old Woman and the Pig" This, and
all other class work. was from child
rem of many nationalities. The recita-
ton was to show the interest of little
children in stories, and their ability to
reproduce them intelligently.
Miss Weights class in numbers to
six was composed of first year child
rem. who have not been in the study
for about four months The work was
in the four rules, with peanuts as OBJ
jects in hand, varied by other concrete
examples about boys, girls, birds, etc
Later in the day a question. perhaps
suggested by work in this class, turned
up from the box. Why is it so hard
to make children studying concrete
numbers give the name of the object
in making reply? Answer by Mrs.
Townsend. The child's mind is oecu-
pied with the number work-the result
in number he strongly appereeives.
but scarcely even perceives the accom-
Ipanying circumstances.
! Miss Guild. of HilO Free KindergaTt-
ZEN, presented on a blackboard plan
of kindergarten work, naming the gifts
and their uses which occupy the little
child for perhaps two years in school.
/ She read selections on the subject, and
/ she remarked that the purpose of the
gifts was to induce creative self-ac-
ltivity On the table were displayed
variety of kindergarten gifts. and some
of the handiwork of the school. Miss
Guild also described. by request. pro-
gram for the week of Washington's
birthday, making the hero the center
of the weeks lessons and plays. The
children were delighted to make guns
of sticks, forts of cubes and flags of
colored papers.
Mrs McStay. on Mature Study"
showed the bean. pumpkin, or other
seeds in germ and in progress of
growth. She described different meth
DDS of plant growth, from germ to root,
stalk, leaf and flower. The seed feeds
the growing plant till it is able to sus-
tain itself from the roots; the bean
mounts on the stalk; the corn, follow
ing another plan of growth, remains in
the ground, nourishing the young
leaves that rise, enwrapping each
lother, as the child discovered, who ex-
claimed:
ooh, see; the mother leaf holds the
baby in her armsr'
/ A class was at work during the lee
ture, drawing from sprays of leaves.
The drawings we're outlines very well
representing the sprays. Books of sim
liar drawings were passed around, also.
Il the smaller books of the primary class
who had drawn the bean and other
seeds in growth, etc, to illustrate the
plant lessons
/ Miss MeCord read extracts from a
work by Cath. Aiken on Memory and
Attention" According to this author,
almost incredible power of memory is
cultivated by test exercises. One sort OF
test is made with revolving black
boards, on which groups of words, fig
ures. etc, are written, turned into
view for a few seconds. and then
dashed out of sight, the observer to
tell accurately what he said Similar
! do IN hn nj
School. The author sums up all her
remarks on memory in one word-at
tention.
Miss Dey's talk on "Plan Lessons"
gave plan for teaching oral geography
I through four or five Of the earlier
school years. ending by introducing the
class to books when they had acquired
enough English to understand them.
The study of place requires much Ian
lguage-words used in naming relative
positions Of ,objects-left, right, top,
bottom, etc 1t is well TO begin teach
ing near objects, and proceed TO those
more distant, and not in view. Teach
east, out doors from the sun rise; fol-
low with the other points Of compass.
lApply this knowledge inside the room
Ito the sides and corners of school Ia
Bile. platform, Toom-to small objects
moved about on tables or desks-tO
relative positions Of pupils in the room.
Draw plans Of school room, building,
yard. the street, the town, the island,
and, finally the group. Make particu-
liar study Of the district in which We
live. BY this time the children may.
perhaps. use a book for the study Of
the continents, but the language Of
our Biographies is very difficult. Miss
iDeyo illustrated her remarks with
, maps and plans. and pointed out an
excellent schedule Of work on the
board. She said lessons about land,
: water, snow, the seasons. soil, plants,
, the natural divisions. etc, should be
introduced accompanying the map
. work
: Miss Richardson's class Of boys in
: physical culture went beautifully
through a fine series Of exercises In
tended to develop every part Of the
( body. The first half, rcheduled on tbs
: board as belonging to the upper par'
j Of the body, was accompanied By
: dumbbeIls.
Mr. MaIterre read for Brother Henri
Z Of st. Mary's School an instructive pa
:, per on fractions, accompanying II with
/, blackboard Illustrations.
r. The program ended with the discus
8 sion Of a few questions from the ques
-~s&S0~ -.