El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-11-29
TEACHERS IN TITUTE.
Interesting Meeting in this City of the
Teachers Association.

III tEiS CltS VI sLO
Teachers Association.
The following account of the Teach
ers' Inst. tute was crowded out OF Sat
nrday's paper for lack of space:
The November meetiug of the West
Texas and New Mexico Teachers asso-
citation is b lag held in the Central
school builning in this city, with
gratifying attendance. The session
opened yesterday at 200 e. M, with
this program:
Primary mum per-Works in County
School. by Mrs. S. A. Ruddick, Smell
ter, Tex 5.
A Solo-Mi-s Faustira Look.
The Influence of Literature upon Chill
dren in Public Schools, by Joseph
Brennemann, Tt xico, Texas.
GENERAL DISCUSSION.
Mrs. Ruddick's paper advanced
mum Der of rginal ideas about the pri-
mary work, especial y with reference
to the apprehension by children OF
abstract ideas, and dwelt only in the
first two OF the fur years of the pri-
mary grade. She gave number OF
useful hints relative TO the instruction
of the young in which department Mrs.
Ruddick has had wide and valuable
experience. Her paper was apprecia-
ted.
The papsr by Mr.. Brenneman was
we'll received. It was one of the best
ever rad before the institute, one Of
young man said he cons idere
literature one of the most important
subjects taught in the public
schJo's. It Gii more to train the
mind and the heart than perhaps any
other Two subjects. He believed with
Emerson that after people are grown
they lot only ought but would read
Cd oh
should b. taught TO like nav even love
what is good. IL regard to reading
| trashy literat ure the speaker said that
he had little faith in the policy or the
efficacy of attempting to sque'ch the
springs of evil by forcibly requs stra-
| ton or to keep people from eati; g this
poor devil soup by mnzzling
propably the bett way is to let them
have il; perhaps it is b st to act some
what on he plan of Cutting them with
it, in the hope that they may outgrow
| it: bu: something might well b. es-
Sayed so to fit and prepare them so al
they may not take t. it, and may eve n
turn away from it with disgust when il
comes to them. Ia view of all this it
il clearly of the highest consequence
that from their early youth people
should have their minds so bent and
disposed as TO find pleasure in such
books as are adapted to purify and
raise. Reading even good books, with
ont pleasure, and m: rely from a sense
of duty, is of little beretit, and may
even do hurt by breeding insensihly an
aversion to what is good and by invest
ing it " ith irksome as, Ociations.
People can not b bored into virtue.
And if evil were made as tedious as
good often is, 1 suspect their hearts
would soon be weaned from ugliness
and won to a marriage W tn beauty.
Mr. Bre nnemman then gave some
excellent ideas about the method of
teaching literature, he thought that
grammar had no place in the teachiU g
of lite atu e, be said that it is shame
to take fine passage from Shakespeare.
Carlisle, Addison, Scott, Lon! fellow
and others, and tear them to pieces by
analyziog them. AS the experience of
teaches of high stand ne has taught
that the character of pupils is influence
ed far more by their reading than by
their studies they should read all TIE
time they have and read whole selec-
tons. not portions.
He then said that pupils should be
required to memorize great deal and |
gave many reasons why this Is a good !
exercise. This paper Sd int 'ested |
the teachers that it was extensively |
discussed.
In the discussions of the session, |
Supt. Putnam, is speaking on matters
suggested by the paper advised that
fifteen minutes a day be devoted by
teachers to reading to the pupils. The
re aiding may not in each case suit all,
but all will be suited n the course of
several readings, and good seed will be
sown. This is u lit ray age. Chill
dren are reading more than ever be-
fore. This age is one of. universal
study and reading. If children do not
read good literature, they will read
bad. Mr.. Putnam was anxious for
teachers in this county to devote sta ted
times to reading suitable literature to
the children.
Then Miss Faustina Looks vocal solo
was well given her articulati) and
being notceably good. She
seemed to know now to place her voice
md the quality was pleasing. Mis-
Moore was the accompsniste
Miss Thornton disapprov, of the
boxing up of the gems of literature
or diagrammatic and grammatical
purposes, as tending to make childr.
dislike them. Mrs Rudd:ck advised
hat csre be taken especially IN con-
idering the character of the stories
offered to children to read. Miss Sew
on said you can not force children to
cad what they don't want to. Better
cultivate a desire among children TO
cad only the best. Tell girls and boy,
,ut particularly girls, that they shall
lot cad certain books, aud they VIII be
ure and read them.
Mr.. Hawkins said children will be =
q manhood and womanhood what they