Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-10-26
EMPORIUM PA. TIL URSDAY, OCTOBER 26 1899.
The Teachers Institute.


The Institute of the teachers of Cameron
| county was held at Emporium Oct. 16, II, IS, 10
and 20, 1899. The first session called to order
by the County Superintendent Miss Collins,
promptly at 1:30, Monday afternoon.
After prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Shriner, and a
| song by the Institute, Miss Margaret McCloskey,
| of the Ednboro Normal, spoke on the "Choice
and Use of Pictures" With all our modern
| branches of study, there are but four fundamen-
| tai subjects. science literature, art and religion.
Children love to study pictures, and this fondness
can easily be gratified at the present day, when
pictures of famous artists be obtained at such
| small price. RaphaePs Madonnas. Landseer's
| animals Millet's scenes of peasant life Carrots
| landscapes, all may be brought in the school
room and studied in detail A knowledge of lit
| erature comes naturally in connection with this
| study of art, well as q knowledge of religion.
| When a child has been taught to appreciate a
good picture, his ability to recognize the beauti-
ful has been increased and therefore, his culture
and refinement. "In the midst of light is the
beautiful; in the midst of the beautiful is good; in
the midst of the good, is God.'
| Superintendent r. L. Gibson, of Ebensburg
Pa, then discussed "The Aim of the Reading
| Lesson"
| % Each reading lesson should be studied and
1
stood, until it becomes a part of their mental
equipment. (2) To see the beauty and force of
| language. 81 To enlarge the individual vocabu-
| larry. (4l To help express thought easily.
| Dr. Lightner Wilmer of the University of
| Pennsylvania was introduced, who addressed
| the teachers on Imagination and Association. -
| When we look at an object, we form an image
| of that object An image formed bv the senses ;s
| called sensory image. Other images, named
| according to the way in which they are formed
t1at
| auditory image the auditory concept image the
motor or KineS hetic image. Most of our i'm
pressions come under one Of the three classes;
| visual, auditory or kinesthetic 1t is as much of
| problem why we ever forget as why we ever re-
| member, as it is natural to repeat series of
| visual, auditory or kinesthetic impressions as
After another song by the Institute, the meet
| ing was adjourned.
| delivered brilliant and inspiring lecture on
| Grant the Soldier" his magnificent eloquence
till it shown in the hearts of his hearers in vivid
| animation His historical anecdotes of the
| military, political and social achievements of
the young subaltern who had come out of the
| west to fight his way half across the continent
| and lead the armies of the north to victory at
Appomattox, held his audience in rapt attention.
The session on Tuesday morning opened at
| nine O'clock with song by the teachers followed
with prayer, by the Rev. Mr.. Robertson. Sup
| erintendent Gibson devoted short period to
| giving instruction in music, after which Miss
| McCloskey spoke on Literature in the Primary
Grades" DIR. Brumbaugh was quoted, what
| ever you do, however you begin, be sure to make
| the chid's first impression glorious.' Miss Nc
Closkey urged the importance of interesting
| children in good literature, and that the teacher
| should endeavor to know something of the kind
| of literature children are perusing when out of
| school,
| Habit of children" Reading may be divided
into two stages ~ Learning to read C2) Reading
teach them what to read, may be a positive in
| jury. If we wish to inculcate love for reading
| and an appreciation for the good and the beauti-
full in literature, we must begin its study in the
| first grade One important way to increase the
interest in this study is by teaching children to
| memorize literary prose and poetry
DIR. Wilmer continued his talk on Psychology,
treating of 'The Mental Anticedents of Bodily
Movements" fixed thought is inevitably ac-
| slight and lack of thought, mental inactivity
| produces physical passivity. DIR. Wilmer explain
ed scientifically the so-caled supernatural power
| OF mind-reading and hypnotic influence The
| meeting was then adjourned until 1:30 p. m.
The. Value of Memory Work. presented by
| Superintendent Gibson, opened the afternoon
session of the Institute Memorizing some good
| quotation has a great moral influence, and adds
something to the mind of a child which is never
lost sight of, never forgotten. Quotations from
| the classics should be taught and studied in
| systematized way.
Miss McCloskey then gave talk on "The
Study of Mythology" The ancient myths and
legends should be studied in childhood as that
| is the time when they will be most enjoyed AS
| one grows older and becomes interested in other
| things the capacity for enjoyment is in measure
lost Myths have practical value. They teach
of the religion art, and literature, of the ancient
| peoples.
The talk on Emotions and Feelings" by Dr.
| Wilmer, was continuation of the mornings
| address. BY diagrams of the brain was shown
| the location of the seats of motor sensations Dr.
Wilmer discussed the emotions of fear. hate ETC.,
| and showed how each emotional feeling is the
| result of the development of conscious assoca-
ton, physiological association the possibility
of inherited emotional and intellectual assoca-
| ton.
The Institute adjourned at four O'Clock. Tues
day evening Gen. Gordon lectured in the Opera
| House. Both lecturer and lecture ''The Las
| Days of the Confederacy," have O national repu
tation, and Gen; Gordon spoke to large and
| appreciative audience
| Rev. McCaslin opened the Institute on Wednes-
| day morning with devotional exercises. After
half hours drill in music Prof. Stauffer gave an
| address on canadian Teachers VS. Pennsylvania
| Teachers" In comparing the school system
| of Pennsylvania with that of other States and
countries, it is generally conceded that our
public schools are surpassed by none. The
greatest criticism that can be passed our
schools is the wholesale way in which teachers
are licensed. In Canada, a teacher is compelled
amount of professional training, to give him
accuracy of knowledge and breadth of culture.
secure a certificate several requirements are
made-.D me e applicant m a mn must be loyal subject
| years of age. 90 He must have good moral
character. az He must have passed rigid ex-
| animation before a board of examiners, and to
certificate of the first or second grade he
| must possess knowledge of Latin, as that study
| is regarded the basis of liberal education If
| Pennsylvania would be particular in the train
| ing of her teachers the best and most ambitious
| would come to the front, the poor and incom-
petent naturally fall out. Pennsylvania appro-
PIRATES more money for her schools than any
other State in the Union, and is said to have the
| finest school buildings, but she needs more
stringent laws in the licensing of her teachers
DR.. Wilmer spoke on Instinct" Instructive
knowledge is an inherent knowledge bequeathed
| us by our forefathers, which has been developed
| in them to particularly great extent Dir.
Wilmer quoted the familiar passage from Words
worths Immortality" giving the authors ex-
PLANTATION of our intuitive knowledge a conse-
quence of a pre-existence.
DR.. Hulley, of Bucknell University, was next
| on the programme but as DR.. Hulley was unable
! to attend the Institute his place was filed by
| Prof. Greene, of West Chester who spoke on
Literature" The secret ofenjoying good lera-
| ture is in getting the thought of an author and
putting that thought into our own heart While
it may not be possible to entirely eradicate poor
literature it may be possible to insill such love
| for the good, that the bad will naturally sink
! into oblivion. Be not overcome of evil but
overcome evil with good" The following sug-
gestions were given; u Teach literature in the
schools. (2) Give the best (3) Vary the kind
institute was adjourned at IL o'clock M