The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-02

Schmucker and A. B. Dunning
Also Spoke-Musical Entertain
ment in Evening at High School.
The rain yesterday kept a number
of the teachers away from the morn
ing session of the institute, but n full
attendance was on hand in the after
noon. A number of prominent cduca-
tors from this vicinity attended the
sessions, among whom were the fol-
lowing: Rev ". Hulley, principal cf
keystone academy; c. +. MoXley. SUI
perintendent of schools of Sus1uehan-
ma county, and Prof. II. J. II )cken-
berry, formerly principal of tie Car
bondale High school.
When the session was callel to order
in the morning at 8 o'clock, things
had very gloomy and depressing as
pect, due to the dark, damp condition
of the weather. In order to relieve
this effect, Professor John II. Watkins
struck upon the happy idea Of intro
ducing as a novelty a real genuine,
rollicking coon song, which was sung
with great spirit by the teaches. IT
was Weber and Fields famous "Dinah
song" and when it had been sung
there was a smile of good humCr on
every face, which continued all Morn
ing.
The first speaker was DIR. SchmuCk-
err who was, if anything, in even
a better humor than the day before.
He gave another address on nature
studies entitled Gathering Sunshine
which was in a little more serious
vein than his former lectures.
STORING SUNSHINE.
He told of how the trees and ali the
vegetable world gathers in the sun
shine and stores it up for the purpose
of producing and extending its own
life. He described in a truly wonder
full and picturesque manner a primeval
forest which he lately visited. He
spoke of the thoughts that should
surge through the brain of man when
A.e looks at those monarchs Of the
forest, those trees which have stood
for centuries in all their glory.
Then, said he. we can realize the in
finite littleness of man before the So
preme Ruler, who crelted all these.
The doctor concluded with a graphic
account of Henry NJ. Stanley's jour
neyings in Africa for nearly a year in
a magnificent forest where the light
of the sun never reached.
The institute hereupon. as on Tues
day. divided into two sections, the pri-
mary teachers going to Court room
No. where Miss McCloskey spoke TO
them on Primary Numbers" In the
main court room former County Sur
vevor A. p. Dunning delivered an en-
! tertaining talk on Teaching Local
| Geography"
MIR. CUMMINGS TALK.
Mr.. Dunning showed himself to be
conversant with the early history of
| this county to a remarkable extent
and his remarks We're more of a his
torical than of geographical nature,
! his idea being to show that to get
| children interested in purely local geo.
| graphy they must be acquainted with
| the historical associations connected
| with the various places.
He traced the history of the county
| from the earliest date, 1854, when sur
ycyors were sent to lay out the lands
| along the Lackawanna and Wyoming
| valleys. He told how in 1910 Provi-
| dence, or as it is called in the old
| documents, sixth town of We Ca
| pouse Meadows" was laid out and
! settled. He then smoke briefly of that
horrible affair, the Wyoming massa-
/ ere, and told how it Was instigated
by the Tories. In conclusion he told
/ the teachers to begin by having the
children draw maps of the school yaru
! then of the ward. city and county. and
| interspersing the lessons with histor-
! ical references.
The next and last speaker of the
morning was the ever-popular DR.
I Mowry who lectured on "Civil Govern.
ment-Local and State"
In opening his remarks the doctor
said that government Is an absolute
necessity. He told of the evolutionary
process which has prodcued the mod
ern forms OF government How the
first form was the family government
then the tribal. then the combination d
tribes and finally the kingdoms. TIL.
great tendency of modern times is tho
consolidation Of states and he SAID
he had often wonderedif if thecorfedera.
tion Of the world is not something more
than an idle dream.
THE EARLY FORM
The earliest known forms of govern.
mcnt were military for protection from
without Then it was seen that there
was need of protection from withir
also and the police system had it's or,
igin. AT present" the doctor said, "wt
have the superior idea of government
the idea that it is a great body polite
to promote the general welfare or the
commonweaI
He congratulated Pennsylvania on
being one of the four states in tho
country which retain the name of com
monwealth instead Of state, the Others
being Virginia, Massachusetts ant