The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-07
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
Ferty-second Annual Nesting Of Public
Instructors
uEARaTED IsrEazsr KasIrEsrg2


e,neludsd its labors ateleven O'Clock Fri
day morning. when teachers. directors,
and friends Of education who had spent a
pleasant and profitable week in the coun-
ty' seat returned 10 their homes. The In-
stitute throughout was one of the best
ever held in the county, and while the at
tendance on the part Of the general pub
lls was perhaps not As large As on several
former occasions, the court room in which
TIE sessions were held proved entirely in
adequate TO accommodate ali who sought
admission. In fact the seats a5d aisles
were occupied by eager spectators so long
in advance of the convening of the ses-
sions on Wednesday and Thursday that a
number Of teachers were unable TO gain
Access TO the room, and. as consequence,
more or less complaint was heard amoug
them rejecting on the greed Of the gen.
egal public who, il seems. entertained the
idea that the Institute was called for their
edifieation as well As for the instruction Of
the young men aud women engaged in
teaching. II is matter Of sincere regret
that Somerset has not a hall OF suf-
ficient seating capacity to Accommodate
all who desire TO be present at meetings
designed Tor the public welfare. but last
week furnished another striking illastra-
tion that Somerset is deficient in this res
pect, and it will likely devolve upon the
County superintendent in the future 10
regulate admission TO Teachers Institute
by card.
The Commonwealth has provided for
the assembly of teachers of the various
counties in annual Institute, aud it is al
most compulsory that they attend; and
such being the case, it would seem only
proper that the Institute be devoted ex-
clus,vely to their benefit and instruction.
On the other hand it may well be argued
that the benefit TO be derived from attend
ing the Institute is Of such recognized
/ Importance, the character CT the instruc-
ton is Of such inestimable value to all
interested in educational work, and the
opportunity OF listening 10 instructors Of
national reputation and worth is such
rare one that the general public is enti-
tied to some consideration.
Superintendent Pritts is confronted with
the above cold facts, and we believe 10
one appreciates the difficulty of providing
a weeks profitable entertainment for the
| teachers more than does he; but those
who have criticised him would do well
% remembe that he has been guided by
a desire to provide a program designed to
| beip and aid teachers in their school
work, and is n t responsible for the fact
that large element Of the general public
avail themselves Of the opportunity To
participate in the feast prepared for the
teachers.
The startling evidence, manifested by
! ominous reports Of cracking timbers aud
settling walls, thst the floor Of the court
room was struggling under its burden of
human weight, wednesday and Thurs
day, did not have a deterring eifec. on The
pushing people who elbowei their way
to the doors of the overcrowdsd room,
nor did it cause the occupants of the room
to fear that they were in danger Of being
precipitated into the cellar of the build
ing, although it did create panic among
the occupants of the county offices below,
who ran from the building believing that
it was about TO topple down on thei. heads
The CONSERVATION Of the officials is not TO
/ be wondered at when the cracks and
openings in the ceilings OF their offices
are examined.
The Institute instructors, notably Doc
tor Schaeffer, Doctor Waller and Doctor
/ Miller. were among the ablest ever pre-
sented to the teachers of this county.
Doctor Sehaeffer delivered only one ad
dress, referred to in last weeks HERALD
Doctor Waller spoke at each session, and
every one of his talks was chock full of
practical and valuable information. In
his address on memorizing the Doctor
touched a popular chord when he advised
teachers to cultivate this faculty in their
pupils, no matter whether or not they
comprehended the object to he attained
tie declared that the child whose mind
had been trained TO repeat the multipli-
cation table before il could count correctly
had already learned a valuable lesson, and
one that would sand it in good stead
throughout life. He pronounced as fail
ure the method introduced in many
schools eight or ten years ago, whose OBJ
ject was 10 discountenance the practice Of
memorizing. Doctor Waller is foreeful
speaker, with a pleasant delivery and
genial presence. He was very popular
with his audience.
Doctor Miller's addresses were of his
toricaI character, and were given for the
purpose Of encouraging teachers TO depart
from the beaten paths Of the ordinary
text books, and 10 follow along the lines
of actual authenticated facts. especially
in connection with the commercial ex
pansion Of the United States. His re-
marks in reference to the purchase Of
| Alaska by the United States, particularly
those portions relating TO that period of
| the Civil War when Russia manifested
her friendIiness toward the North, and to
the parts played by our representatives,
at the courts Of St. Petersburg and Paris
during those tumultuous times, were in
tensely interesting. The same can be
said Of his talks on ''The Great Canals Of
the World, and "Blennerhasset and His
Island Home.~
Prof J. d. Meese, of be California State
Normal, was accorded a sarm welcome
by the Institute, a majority OF IKE mem-
bers of which feel a special interest in
him for the reason that he is a native Of
Somerset county and was formerly a
teacher 10 the local schools. HIS several
talks on English in Our Common
Schools were excellent in both matter
and form. The habituated tescher could
not resist the temptation to compare Pro
fessor Meese's public efforts of eight or
nine years ago, when he struggled against
stage fright TO give utterance 10 the
thoughts that surged through his brain.
with ihe polished and fluent addresses he
is capable Of delivering TO day. Thetruth
Is that 4 rof. Meese has made more rapid
strides in his profession, particularly in
Institute work, than any instructor we
can now recall engaged in similar avo-
cltion.
Prof E. d. Steward, of Waynes6urg,
is pleasant speaker and a genial gentle
m IN, with pencbant TO intetiect person
al experiences into his Institute work.
His Institute addresses would prove
more entertaining and instructive were
they devoted TO matters pertaining to the
schoolrOom.
City Superintendent J. VI. Berkey of
the Johustown public schools. was an in
terssted spectator Thursday, and deliver
ed one of his usual happy addresses at
Il