Evening journal., 1900-10-03
ES WILLIAMS
'iLKS TO TEACHHRS
ImTeSSeS Upon Them
the Importance Of
Reading

Hiss Mary c. I. Williams, assistant
Deriatendent Of the public schools al
city, cal,ed a meeting of the prin-
@ als and tenth grade teachers Of the
8 mary schools last evening at school
l. In part her address was as fol-
VS.
Last June circulars were sent out
Aauesting the tenth grade teachers to
,epare a language .esson to be given |
M hen | visited the respective schools |
hat month. The purpose Of the les
ms was TO find out the plans and
nos OF the teachers in giving that les |
bn. without exception the teachers
HI did we'll In many Of the lessons
he plans we're so original and the
# essOns so well conducted, that I will
ali attention to q few Of the most in
eresting
ii eOne teacher had written Longfel-
# owls poem, Tho Arrow and the Song,
\ lpon the blackboard The children re-
cited it. Then the different parts OF
speech were pointed out and talked
y about. The whole lesson showed not
only thorough drill in the grammar
work, but a pleasure in the literary
part as we'll.
Another teacher used a poem OF
81 Longfe,low's. The different kinds OF
q sentences in the poem we're talked
about The nouns we're pointed out
their singular and plural forms given
e their different genders given. Then
the verbs were taken up and talked
3 about The different parts OF. speech
D were treated in the same manner
d showing proficient work on the part of
1 the teacher.
In another school the teacher had a
\ list Of verbs written and the children
4 formed abstract nouns from them, CIV
! ing an interesting lesson in this par
ticular branch.
Another teacher gave a beautiful
lesson which she called an imagination
lesson. She presented the contrast be.
tween poetry and prose, and led the
children to see that prose could be JUS
as beautiful as poetry when written by
a master hand. Then she read a selec
tion from Ruskin's "Nearness and Dis
tance," illustrating this idea.
"A pleasing feature in another schoo
was the use of one of the songs thi
children had learned from their musi
lessons. The teacher requested thi
children to sing The Day is Brigh
and Sunny. Then the parts Of speecl
were pointed out and discussed.
MANY Of the teachers used review
Of the work done during the term. som
Of which we're very good. They al
showed thorough, earnest work oi
part Of both teacher and pupil. TIL
teachers, however. who spent mos
ome ON the literary work had the bcs
success, in that they combined a low
Tor literature with what used to
considered dull lesson.
The remainder or the address is :
che principals. 1t is the duty of th
principal to teach some classes. Ho,
fnanyg That is the question. But tn
auggestion is to teach where it is mos
seeded, especially in the first grad
work FOR, upon the first teaching dc
pends all the after life 1t is necessar
TO zee that the reading is properl
taught and particular attention paid {
aosd articulation.
After the FIRST grade work, It is tn
duty Of the principal to strengthen tn
weak places In her school.
Impress upon all the teachers til
importance OF reading. Reading is tn
fundamental work. for Upon it depend
ell the other branches.
do not permit teachers to put to
much stress upon the necessity
making 100 >er cent. in each lessor
The honest effort ON the part of an
pupil deserves praise and encourag,
ment and not condemnation becau;
the 100 per cent mark has not bee
reached
Encourage the children to. use IL
books so kindly provided by NJ
Doane, Of the Wilmington Free /.
brary and endeayor to create in the
a desire to read for the sake Of reai
ing. The books have been Wisely S.
lected and are beautifully boun
Teach them to use them carefully.
that the careful use Of those books wi
lead to better use Of the scho
books"