The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-29

hinCrance than help. In any case,
the objective illustration, called forth
by the occasion from teacher and pu-
pill viii be much more apt and force
full than those presented for general
use in the text book.
Tt is unnecessary to speak further OF
the reasons why, in the primary school,
oral teaching must hold almost un1ver-
sal sway Here instruction direct from
the lips of the teacher must prevail in
its purest form. Where, says Edward
Allen. lesson learning from books is
attempted, as is still sometimes done
with younger pupils of the primary
schools, the languor, inattention, dis
quiet and bad behavior which prevail
are but fit response to the unphilo-
topical, though it be the time hon
| Ored mode of training them.
In higher grades also, where the use
/ of text books is both rational and ex-
! pedient, there is a proper field for oral
/ instruction in an exposition of the les
/ son prior to its formal study by pupils.
/ In the nature of the case, the text
/ book is unable to present in proper
/ perspective and with requisite fullness
all the child needs to insure his under
| standing of the subject. Many school
! books, as the speller, for example, are
| comparatively brief compendiums Of
information on their respective sub
jects; and compendiums are proven
bially unintereSting. But if the pu-
pills first introduction to his lesson is
through oral teaching. the dullness dis
appears; for the subject is made inter-
esting by question, Illustration. expert
ment and especially by the placing OF
proper emphasis upon points of pivotal
Importance.
From what I have said of the special
adaptations of oral instruction, it might
be inferred that L do not propose to
find a very large sphere for the use Of
text books in the scheme of instruction
This however, would be a mistake.
Text books or some substitute for them
are as indispensable in modern educa-
ton as the teacher himself. AS already
stated, books are the agency through
which the student comes into posses
sion of his intellectual inheritance;
they are the repositories of human
knowledge. the records of human eX-
perience and wisdom. Books are neces-
sary, therefore, in the school room to
furnish, in large part, the subject mat
ter for consideration and study. 1t is
very true, as often said, that the
schools do not exist merely
edge useful or other: their purpose
is rather the development of power
But there IS too much danger of for
getting that intellectual power is de-
veloped solely through efforts to ac-
qUire and master knowledge in its var
ious forms, aspects and relations There
: must, therefore, be accessible to the
: pupil body of truth upon which his
powers are to be exercised in the effort
/ to acquire conscious mastery of it.
Until every teacher becomes living
encyclopedia of knowledge and a mas
T ter of the teaching art, the text book
T will continue TO be as it now is, the
greatest of all educational appliances.
! ~ good text book says Mr.. Mayo,
f with a working scholar at the end
of it, is the best way of developing
= knowledge and power in the school
/ / &c ON, until an expert steps into the
teachers desk and illustrates the print
? ed page by the presence of a living
/ soul.
II have endeavored to call attention
/ to some Of the distinctive functions Of
= two naturally correlated educational
, | methods Necessary hostility, antag-
i | Onism between them, L have not been
able to discover. The exclusive use
of text books is one extreme, exclusive
e oral instruction is the other. The gol-
= den mean lies between these two, and
4 includes both Any unDrejudiced eff
= fort to treat Of these methods seDar-
= ately and distinctly will inevitably lead
n to that truer and broader conception
= which holds them to be one process
= dual and even complex, it may be; but
Il; allied harmonious, and complete.
e George A Eaton of ogden led the
discussion, giving some good points
e upon the value of oral instruction, par
t ticularly for children.
}, Mr.. Lamereaux entertained the audi
:, tors with two solos, which were heart
r lily aDlaudeG.
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME.
: This afternoon the department meet
: ings were held. and the following pro-
r gramme carried out:
# KINDERGARTEN AND PRIMARY.
: THE Modification of Likes and Dislikes
= in Children" Ida COOmbs, PaysOn; dis
% cussion led by W. G. ROylance, Salt Lake
the Child and His Relationships. .
e Mary c.. May, Salt Lake City; discussion
j. led by Rev. l.. y. Ridsely, Salt Lake City.
20 GRAMMAR.
II 1.-THE Pedagogical Function of Draw
'e ing Aretta Young. Provo; discussion led
e by Amelia z. Brotherhood, Salt Lake
id City.
= the Forming of Good Habits of Oral
20 Expression, Bessie Kimball. Salt Lake
~ City. discussion led by May Ashworth,
:, Provo
e HIGHER EDUCATION AND SUPERIN-
TENDENCE.
Supervision in Rural Districts" NJ T.
W Porter Centeryille. discussion led by a
:. c. Nelson. Aauu-
> Functions OF Teachers Examinations, d
II D. II. Robson. Pleasant Grove; discus
sion led by MOsiah Hall Ogden.
n Functions OF the High School vii
n lard Done, Salt Lake City; discussion lee
f by j. A Widts. Logan.
=. The programme I0r this evening was
au~mentee Win musical features which
e gaze life 20 the occasion. lt was as fol
- lows:
b Popular Education as d scheme, Joh1
1r p Park Sat Lake City; discussion lee
: By Robert J. Casksy, Salt Lake City.
IL "What the w omen IS Clubs Are DOin;
~ for Education. Mrs. Emma j. McViCker
ut "What Should BE the Aims in Educa
ne ton Joseph T. AingsbUry. Salt LAX
al The stand was nicely decorated witt
70 flowers ara luscious fruits.
= Mrs William C.. Jennings. president o
y tile Womans Federation. and Mrs. Brad
e L. OF the Review are in attendance a
TX the convention.
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