The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-20

Tho intense interest and earnest at
tcntion to the speakers which mas
characterized this years teachers IN
stitute were manifested ut y2steriar .
sessions. which were bri n'ul of dt-
lightful entertainment and instruction.
The afternoon session was opened
by chorus of forty young ladies from
the training school, who rendered sew
eral part songs in an excellent man
ner under the leadership of Mrs. Annie
Barnes. This was followed by one OF
Henry Houcks delightful addresses,
which combined as usual deal Of
common sense and deal Of wit.
He told of the old time country
schools with their advantages and dis
advantages. In those early days when
he was a teacher. he said. he used to
be big man i'm his own and other
peoples eyes. IF there was an i'm
portant letter to be written" said he,
"or If anyone wanted to know how
much corn would go into crib, they
always called on me, but If they had
q nice turkey dinner to eat they al
ways left me out and called on the
preacher"
Those were the days of the three
RS, he said. and though we have
passed beyond teaching just those now,
nevertheless, they are the foundations
OF every education and more attention
should be paid them. Some say"
said he. that these We're the only
three branches taught them. | dispute
that. There were four branches, read
in, rltin', rithmetic and branch from
the orchard and the last one went
through the whole course.
BRIGHTEN THEIR LIVES.
I'm the old days the bigger and
stronger the man, the better qualified
he was thought to be to teach school,
for the question with many then was,
Not how much can I teach the pupils,
but how much can I punish them" I"
He told the teachers to do everything
they can to brighten the lives of the
little ones in the lower grades, as too
often the school room is the happieSt
place they know, coming as many of
them do from homes that are not
homes in the true sense of the word
but places of squalor and wretchedness
where never a kindly word is spoken.
Mr. Hslck was followed by Miss
Leila Porter. who recited one of Paul
Lawrence Dunbars sketches of negro
life. Mandy" Miss Porter is a most
accomplished young woman who has
already achieved a reputation far be-
yond the limits of Scranton, and her
rendition of this dramatic little frag-
ment was vivid and life-like, revealing
a carefully repressed emotional force
of no mean order. Mrs. b. Il. Jayne
then sang two soprano solos in her
usual cultivated style. and was obliged
to respond to an encore.
President Jayne, of the board of con-
troll. who was unavoidably prevented
from speaking on Monday, came upon
the platform at this point and made a
brief address. He assured the teach
crs that they always had the sympa-
thy and appreciation of the board and
urged them to get in closer touch with
that body by coming to the members
of the teachers committee if they
have any requests or complaints tC
make.
COMMON SENSE TALK.
o. r. Corson gave another of his
common sense talks" as one teacher
calls them. He dwelt especially on
the necessity of the teacher having a
belief in himself or herself which he
said was just as important as having
belief in humanity. He spoke OF
that detestable specimen of human
ity-the egotist-'and that more de-
testablc specimen-"the man who un.
derestimates himself" Between these
two extremes" said he. there should
be IA middle ground of serious self
confidence on which every teacher who
has responsibilities to meet, or who
wishes to be of any use should stand
He quoted Horace Porter's cpigram-
matte description of General Grants
character 'he never underestimate
himself in the hour of battle and never
oVerestimated himself in the hour OF
victory" and said that to follow this
principle should be the aim of every
teacher He said that the teacher
should learn to appreciate what the
boys and girls in the school do. as
she can never get on without the mora
support Oh the children. above all, >
said he, "neVer assume an apologize
attitude before a child; never assum,
that there are difficulties you canno
cope with"
The morning session was opened
with prayer by Rev. Robert +. Y
Pierce. after which there was an ad
dress by Mr., Houck, in which he dwell
especially upon the necessity of teach
ers enforcing promptness, which h,
believed was one of the most import
ant things of all.
SPOKE ABOUT COLOR.
The. next speaker was Miss Ruth T.