The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-07
TALKS ON NATURE Study
Montgomery County Teachers Hear
Interesting Addresses.
The Uses of the Observation Of Sur
rOundings I'm Relation to Other
Features of Education - Spirited
Discussions Mt the Third Day of
the Institute Meeting Mt Rockville.

ROCKVILLE, Md. Feb 6-The third
Institute was opened in the court room
| this morning at $3.50 o'clock, the opening
| exercises being conducted by r. W. Stout,
| teacher at Sugarland, this county. Prayer
was offered by the Rev. DR.. Thomas H.
Campbell, pastor of the Baptist Church.
f. E. Stacey, principal Of the school in
Kensington, by permission of the super
| intendent, distributed slips of paper to
the teachers and asked that they write
the name of the grammar which they
| were using and whether or not they liked
the book Mr. Stacey stated that he
would make his object known later on.
Secretar. White called the teachers at
tention to the fact that election day was
not holiday for them, and that they had
no right to close their schools, as had
been recently done by many of them.
Mature Study was the subject dis
cussed by Prof H. f. Austin, of the State
Normal School, Baltimore. In his DIS
course the professor said:
Mature study is the study of nature
and not secondhand 1t is not confined
to the school room. II means the study
OF nature in life and action. 1t is sys e.
matte study by all. A complete education
must provide for the centres of man and
nature. 1t is not the mere reading or lis
tening. II must he studied not glanced
at or slipped or talked about; it must lie
personal investigation. 1t should be
studied by each child individually, not
merely by the teacher or by bright and in
terested ones"
In the absence OF Miss Webster, Mrs
Elliott again took up her subject CT ge-
ography. Mrs. Elliott says that the secret
OF teaching is to know your subject. The
speaker held the close attention of all
present for more than forty-five minutes.
She gave an interesting discourse on the
cause of deposits at the mouths of rivers,
rainfall, etc. After she had finished, Sec
rotary White announced that he would
make suggestion to the school board
asking that an arrangement be made with
the speaker to have her visit this county
at some time in the future and lecture to
the teachers at different points on this
same subject.
The afternoon session opened with eXer-
cises conducted by A. r. Watkins. Ma
ture Study was again discussed by Prof.
Austin. What is the study and what is
its aim" said the speaker. ut is an ed
ucation of seeing and doing by using the
child's power. Have a definite aim and
get definite knowledge of the child Ma
ture study is to develop children as in
dividuals. The development OF intellect
ual power is the highest thing in teach
ing. Science work or nature study gives
the pupil something definite to work up
on.
THE power to control our environ
ments makes pupils stronger and more
effective in practical life. In science work
the children may investigate and acquire
information for themselves. and there il
scarcely limit that they cannot gain"
Prof Austin was educated in the public
schools of Holden. Mass, and received the
degree OF bachelor of science from the
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1890. He
was teacher OF science and mathematics
In Harvard Preparatory School in 1892. He
has been professor of chemistry in the
Maryland State Normal from 1892
The subject of Pedagogy" was contin-
ued by Miss Leila Partridge. She said in
part; We are training for power. In the
recitation let the exercises be in mass
form, as that is the best Train the at
tention so as to catch and hold To do
this you must make your pupils conforta-
BILE and pleasantly situated, and then don't
try them with too long exercises. Give
them good air, good attitudes, small seats
for small children. Train them TO still
ness. Attention is stiffness of mind and
body.
Get your classes close to you. The
teachers personality and magnetism must
be the power. Never detain a class after
You fail to hold their attention. Train to
self-control and then let the pupil act
and work. Order is limited to the mind
and body and one thing at one time Train
the eye and the mind together.
Miss Partridge lectured last night on
The Commencement Exercises of ON
pompanoosuc Academy"