The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-30

Yesterday mornings session of the
educational institute of the Sisters OF
the Immaculate Heart at College hall
was one Of the most interesting of the
course.
Mrs. Burke gave an instructive talk
on Reading" She discussed the value
of phonics, now such fad in peda-
gogy, and expressed herself in favor of
eclectic instead of special methods. The
Pollard and other systems were an
alyzed in a private conference she had
with several well known educators of
this city. She emphasized the neces-
sity of appealing first to the percep-
tion and memory of the child. after
ward to the reason. Incorrectly spell
ed words should never be shown the
children. Neither should they see or
hear an ungrammatical sentence. Sim
plicity in teaching phonies should he
the first consideration. Constant drill
in the reproduction of sounds and their
combinations should be employed. She
did not advocate the use of diacritical
works at first.
Miss Manahan spoke in favor of the
vertical system of penmanship now
so much in vogue. She has been very
She recommended teaching words in
preference to letters. Vertical writing
is natural and therefore easy for the
child, while for physical reasons it is
the only system which should be
taught. 1t is also plain as print, re-
quires less space and consumes less
time of the writer than other styles
Soft pencils should be used at first,
afterward pens should be given to the
children.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
Miss Manahan occupied the first per-
iod of the afternoon with a charming
talk on Language" She spoke of the
three sources from which the children
derive their language: Nature, litera-
ture and art. Nature should have a
strong fascination in the early years
as well as pictures and stories. The
teacher should be able to place sketch
es on the blackboard and the later
work of the children should be illus
trated by pen and ink. Miss Manahan
then placed a number of clever sketch
es on the board as giving practical
ideas of her subject.
Many ladies with bright-hued hats
and several black-coated visitors,
fringing the central group of black
veiled and whte-coifed listeners as
Mrs. Burke began her afternoon ad-
dress. Prominent in the assemblage
were: President of the Board of Con-
troll Jennings. Controllers John Glib
bons, w. j. Welsh and O'Malley, and
Professor G. w. Phillips, of the Scran-
ton high school. Among the clergy
men who attended the session were
Rev. +. j. Melley, of St. Johns church;
Rev. d. j. Mccarthy, of Minooka; Rev
NJ. f. Lotus and Rev. James Malone
of st. Peters cathedral, and Rev
John Loughran, of the Church of the
| Holy Cross.
Mrs. Burke took up the subject o
composition, and in lucid and inter
| esting way gave many valuable hints
| She, said that children when they frs
| come to school use street language
| despite the fact that they may b,
| sent from homes of culture. She thei
made the statement that If high schoo
teachers were asked whether the pupils
| that came to them We're not in neeC
| Of primary work in their capitallza
tion, punctuation and construction o
| sentences, the answer would be in tn
affirmative. She believed that in mos
schools lower grade work did not in
clude enough letter writing. There i
no reason why this beautiful art shoult
not hold the dignity of the years gon
| by.
| A FpTN