The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-13
SECOND DAY OF
CITY INSTITUTE
Exercises Were of More Than Usual
Interest
LOCAL INSTRUCTORS ARE HEARD

Miss Haggcrty and Prof. Loomis, of
the Hieh school FncuIty, Divide tho
Attention with the Eminent DIR.
sprague and DIR. Brumbnugh--Lit-
erature, Language, Letter Writing
and the Classics the Subjects Es-
sayed--Dr. Brumbaugh's Lecture.
The second day of the city teachers
annual institute had for its programme
instructions by DR.. Homer b. Sprague,
of Drew seminary; Or. NJ. G.. Brum-
baugh, of the University of Pennsyl-
vania; Miss Kathryn IIaggerty. Of the
commercial department of the High
school, and Prof. f. l.. Loomis, in
structor in Latin and Greek in the
High school
There were many in attendance be-
sides the teachers at both morning and
afternoon sessions, compliment to the
instructors that is not common thing
at institutes The unabated interest
manifested was a heightening of this
compliment
The ancient prerogative of the super
intendent, Of mildly lecturing the teach
ers for hardness, was not cast away by
Prof. Howell when he found it mpos-
sible to open the morning session until
some minutes after scedule time. The
teachers received It with q satisfied
feeling that their duty had been fully
done in giving the opportunity for the
eXercj1e OF this aforesaid ancient pre-
rogat te
WI n finally the stream through the
door iys had thinned down from river
proportions to those Of rivulet. atten-
tion was directed to Rev. DR.. Isaac ].
Lansing, who offered fervent opening
prayer. Then came singing by the as
semblage, under the direction Of Prof.
Derman, the exercise closing with a
soulful rendition of the timely MY
Country, 'Tis of Thee"
DR.. Sprague was the first speaker
He had for his subject Study of Eng
lish Literature-What and why" 1t
was suggestion Of what was best for
study in the mass OF literature that
confronts the anxious student and how
to get at and study it.
STUDY OF LITERATURE.
The study of literature is not the
knowing of the biographies Of the
writers and such lateral erudition. II
is the seeking for the ennoblng matter
that the work may contain.
After twenty-minute recess, DR..
Brumbaugh took up the discussion OF
The Renaissance in Language" He
interestingly sketChed the history OF
the revival of learning, the part which
the classics and their great champion,
Erasmus, played in the revival and the
civilization that has sprung from it.
The HnptOp CT
tendency in some quarters to drive the
study of Greek from the curriculum Of
our schools.
Speaking of the principles of teach
ing, DR.. Rrumbaugh aptly put a gener-
ally accepted tenet by saying that it
is not the purpose of teaching to
stuff child until he lies down with the
contentment of a satiated animal, but
instead make him hungry and eager
TO know. The necessity OF the teacher
Knowing more than is merely required
in the daily tasks of the class room
was Interestingly treated.
The afternoon session oDened with q
chorus by the pupils OF No. 80 school |
Which pleased so well that a second |
song was demanded and given.
Then came the first effort by local |
instructor Miss HaCgerty's lecture on |
Correspondence" II was an interest |
ing, thorough, systematical and highly |
instructive treatise on the art of letter |
writing, containing much in the way OF |
practical suggestions not to be encoun- |
tered in the text books. The fluency |
and precision of the language in which |
1t was touched was not it's least mer- !
itorious feature.
TMPORTANCE OF IETVTL,RS
She dwelt at length on the import |
ance of care in the writing of the let
tiers, revealing as they do so much |
of character and breeding. What is
said of the necessity of accuracy and |
care in the spoken word implies with
greater force 10 the written word, for
while the former is often half heard
and forgotten, the latter is liable to
come back unexpectedly at any time
and often to the Chagrin and confusion
Of the writer.
various models for style were pointed
out and commented upOn in a critical
way, and practical rules for attaining
proficiency were suggested. One of
'hese latter was that to which Charles
Dudley Warner aSCrbes much of the
excellence Of his Style-the writing of
q letter daily to some Cultered woman
flend. 1t is needless to say the male
portion of the audience bent over their
note books at this juncture
That the average pupil is unab to
analyze an ordinary
letter was instanced by examples re-
Vealed 10 Miss HaGgerty in her school
work This matter she contended was
important and that the teachers might
refresh their knowledge in this regard.
She went into an exhaustive analytical
treatise of letter-bulding followed by
an equally thorough dissertation on
ehe composition Of the various forms Of
L'pistles, their tenor style and lateral
,
1t was some moments after she had |
reached her seat in the center Of the |
before there was a cessa-
tion Of the applause which her truly
m itoTious effort evoked. {
f. l., Loomis, professor Of Latin and j
|