The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-11-28
COUNTY INSTITUTE.
REPORTED BY THE SECRETARY.
TUEsDAY-CoNTINUE FROM LAST
WEEK,

TUEsDAY-CoNTINUED FROM LAST
WEEK.
Supt. Becht then delivered an in
teresting address on "Devices in
Education" He said in part: One
rule will not meet all the requirements
of a school. Rules should arise from
the occasion for the rule and should
never be formal. The teacher is in
danger when putting into operation a
device which is not his own.
The spelling class may be interest
ed by having each pupil find what he
considers the most difficult word in
the lesson which the boy at the foot
of the class pronounces ior the boy
next to him to spell. The primary
object of ofdevices is to create an inter-
est. A device for remembering the
preamble of the Constitution is
''flpps." The prismatic colors may
be remembered by the use of the
letters "vib1yor." In the teaching
of Geography more time should be
spent on the essentials and less on the
non-essentials. No class should be
allowed to reci:e in geography with
out map before it. Pupils should
be encouraged to ask questions. The
globe should not only be used in
teaching mathematical geography
but also in teaching comparative
areas and relative positions. The
senses should be trained. Pupils
should be allowed to leave the room
for two or three minutes, and on their
return tell about what they have
seen. The teacher has more to do
with the device than the device itself,
more IN the fiddler than in the fiddle.
After music by the institute, Supt.
Coughlin addressed the institute on
"How to Study" Among other good
things he said: All that we attain
must come from the side of our own
mental activity. 1t is great hind
rance to the progress of pupils if they
are unable to read and understand
, the language of the text. Thorough,
ness should be put on the essential
parts of the lesson. Pupils should be
led to feel the importance and pleas
ure of search after truth. 1t is neces
sary to keep the mind active on the
thought side. The child should bt
& taught to observe, record, ipter anG
;, express. knowledge should be 81
:. mastered that the child can use it, tc
= gain available knowledge is the grea
problem of life. Every pupil shoulC
have an analytical power when h
y leaves school.
n The afternoon session was opene,
r with singing conducted by o. Fl
4 Yetter, after which "Imaginatio
: Reading was discussed by Sup
" Becht. He used as the basis of hi
d remarks Nehemiah s: 8. He spok
E of the necessity of mastering the ne,
'. words and understanding the though
" of the lesson. The dictionary shoul
be used more instead of less than an
IS other book in the school The pos
" tion OF the pupil and other mechanics
Is acts should be attended to before tn
n- pupil begins to read, otherwise tn
N continuity ofthe thought will be spoi
er ed. The pupils should learn tn
$. peculiarities of the language of liter
st ture and also the mythical and histor
b. cal illusions which are some of tt
characteristics OF literature. Th
cultivation of the imagination is e
sential, as no one having defectiN
ed imagination is good reader and
II. unable to catch the beauty of Il
It. thought.
at The Institute was then favort
he with duet by Messrs. Yetter al
ler Barton.
he "Knowing by Thinking" was th'
m ably presented by Supt. Coughlin.
lily part he said: Teachers should esta
m, lish reputation in classroom wor
ill What is the great end OF education
ks. a question that each one should a
swer for himself. 1t is mistake