The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-08

re SCRANTON .TR1BU1
draw the line twixt man and man
where God has not"
II he has a lack of appreciation, read
to him James Whitcomb Riley's tribute
to his mother:
"she's so good to me,
II was goods good could be
I couldn't be as good as her"
In closing Professor Green recited
that fine poem by Julia r. G. Dorr,
"The Legend of the Organ Builder"
DIR. BENEDIcTs TALK.
Music was the first feature Of the hot
afternoon. Cadence was given special
attention by Professor Cogswell. DR..
Benedict resumed his pleasing talk on
formation Of habits. His clear and in
teresting delineation of the nervous sys-
TEN and the refex-action from nerve
centres is one of the most valuable por-
tions Of the institute work The nys-
teries of the early beginning Of a habit
become clear indeed under his rapid IL
Illustrations. In speaking of the unde-
veloped nerve cells, he said that by
education their character Is changed
and the mental exercise produces de-
velopment from which proceeds actions
which grow into habits. How neces-
sary then that the correct training be
given the nerve centres of the child.
Miss Buckbee spoke on Drill and
Development" She emphasized the
value of drill, but she said that
outside too much Is being claim
ed as the results Of drill and
practice. Drill does give children
facility of expression, 1t affords
the slow and dull children a chance
to show off we'll and helps them to re-
member what was not taught well
enough the first time. This Is not
meant to refer to arts or the training
Of muscles. on the whole she regards
drill as Objectionable. Among the rea-
sons is that It consumes an enormous
amount of time, which is largely wasted
as in arithmetic, where according to
some methods 1t takes three years to
teach children the facts about numbers
up to 100
The same may be said Of word drills.
Another objection to drill is that it does
not train the children to think; 1t
forms the wrong basis of memory. In
closing she advised doing away with
this drudgery and teaching thought
getting. Superintendent Taylor COM
mended the excellent suggestions n ade
and advised their adoption by the teach
ers.
PROF. GREEN'S TALK.
After music conducted by Professor
| Coggswell, Professor Green told "How
to Study an Authors Life" The biog-
nh ~ ha &c no a
factor in the study of literature. 1t is
necessary to know enough of the au-
thor to understand his writings. Per-
sonal contact with him means much,
but while this is usually impossible, it
is necessary to make him seem real
| to the child.
Among the suggestions given were
First teach the name and names, not
'Longfellow" merely, but Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow," not Lowell,
but james Russell Lowell" "Bayard
| (Biyard) Taylor" This avoids con-
| fusion, as in the case of Sir Edwin Ar
mold, Matthew Arnold William Arnold,
| George Arnold. 1t often suggests re-
| lationship, as in the names: James
Fenimore Cooper, Constance Fenimore
| Woolson. The value of care in spelling
|
should convey different impressions,
nom de plumes should be taught, also
sobriquets-you understand, because
you are readers. that when Dr. Bene-
dict spoke of Timothy Titcomb" that
he meant j. G. Holland.
Other points should be remembered
These are the birth, date and account
of the times in which the author wrote;
| nj nd Af he rIo
Don't lay too much stress on dates.
Don't make the teaching of literature
a famine of the mind on dates.
Group facts about certain times. 1919,
for instance. is a notable year. In 1919
were born Queen Victoria. Prince AL
bert, George Eliot, John Ruskin, Charles
Kingsley, James Russell Lowell, who is
our greatest American poet in the
speakers opinion; Walt Whitman-his
poems on Lincoln and on Death are
| great efforts, but much of his writings
are trash. Here the professor gave
a dissertation on a visit to Walt Whit
man, whom he found darning stock
ings. Edwin p. Whipple, the critic,
was also born in that year. Julia Ward
Howe, Samuel Longfellow, Cyrus w.
Field were born in 1919.
HISTORICAL DATES.
In the year 1909 William e. Gladstone,
Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin,
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. T.. A.
Poe, oliver Wendell Holmes were born.
Shakespeare died in 1916. Milton died
in 1908. American dates Of 1907 and
1920 are easily remembered. Thus this
circle is increased.
The third point to be considered is
parentage, inherited history tendencies
or not. The names of the Beechers
the Arnolds the Sherdans were given
in illustration, after which the session
adjourned. The Institute will be held
in the court house the remainder of the
week. The programme for today is:
MUSIC ''''....''. ....Hfof. COgSWel
Main room-Section Il.
Phonics .......................Mis Buckbet
Section /.
Origin and Growth of the Pennsylvania
School System ........... Supt. BovarC
How Many Teachers Keep Up with
the Times ..........Prof. r, H. Martin
Duties of a Superintendent,
Supt. NJ. T. Housel
Superior Court room-Section /.