The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-10-20

trustees. The present law provides
for three for each school district, but
one, not infrequently, does about all
the businessIconnected with that Of
flee, it is my opinion that one trustee
for each school elected by the patrons
thereof, who would represent them
and carry out their wishes or the
wishes of the majority at least would
be an improvement upon the present
system"
A discussion was then given on Ian
guage by DR.. S. E. Foreman.
NIGHT SESSION.
Tuesday nights session was held in
the opera house as were also the SEES
sion of Monday night and last night,
which was opened by an instrumental
solo by Miss Maud Shartzer.
Misses Agnes Billiard and Grace
Loar and Messrs. E. NJ. Spedden and
j. q. Robinson rendered a quartet
which was roundly applauded. after
which Miss Billiard rendered a vocal
solo entitled Dreams
Robert j. Burdette, the humorist,
who has held many hundreds of au-
dienccs spell bound by his pathos and
wit and humor, was then introduced
by Prof Palmer. Mr.. Burdettes sub
ject was "a Twice Told Tale and
for more than an hour his audiences
at times was in tears or convulsed with
laughter paid the deepest attention
to his words. The entertainment
throughout was worth double what
it cost.
REPORTED BY MISS MARGARET GRIM.
WEDNESDAY.
The Institute con vened at a. III.
and after the song, Joy to theWorld,n
DR.. Forman conducted devotional ex-
ercises.
DR.. Forman spoke of mistakes in
the school room and suggested that
each teacher write out in form the
mistakes they most frequently make
and submit them to the committee on
queries, in order that remedies might
be offered.
Miss Nina Clements paper, entitled
"HomeInfuence inSchoolDiscipline,"
which we give entire, was thoroughly
appreciated by the teachers. Miss
Clements paper follows:
In the estimation of many people
the discipline which is considered
necessary in school is very easily
brought about; and that it is the un-
pardOnable sin in a teacher not to
have good order in a school every
minute and not to demand strict ODE
dience. They seem not to take into
consideration the fact that it would
be something entirely new to some
children to obey every command
given them; and that it is very diff
cult for restless feet and fingers to
come into subsection to the quiet of
the school room after thehappy free
dom of summers vacation. 1t is
very easy for a teacher, often on the
first day of school, to point out the
pupils who are accustomed to obey
their parents at home, and also to
point out those pupils whose parents
are accustomed to obey them. To
cause such pupils to want to obey, or
to make them understand that they
must obey, is one of the first tasks
presented to the teacher
THE influence of home for good or
bad cannot be overestimated, for as
the twig is bent, so the tree is in
clined. If parents uphold children
in their petty quarrels or troubles of
any kind at school, the actions of the
children will betray it. Or, on the
other hand, if parents stand by the
teacher in trying to have good disci-
pline, their help is very great-much
greater than they imagine.
THE instant that the patron of Il
school speaks lightly of a teachers
labor in the presence of their children,
that instant will the teacher lose his
or her influence for good over that
school. But as long as the teachers
work is upheld by the parents, that
teacher will command the respect and
cheerful obedience of the pupils, and
can do better work for the school. 1t
is impossible to have good discipline
and at the same time be harmless as
dove; but happy is that teacher
who has the tact to strike a medium
between rigid discipline and helpful
kindness.
II remember, when child of hear
ing remarks made by children of one
family about our teacher using parti-
ality and | wondered what kind of
powder that was; but | finally
understood what they meant when
heard the parents also, without cause
it seemed to me, complaining of the
teachers 'partiality.'
ut is plain that such influence at
home is harmful to a school in that it
causes discomfort among the children