The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-19
Honolulu Circle of
f. I. ASH in
Session.
SOME USEFUL
PAPERS READ
Last Evenings Meeting at the
High School Well
Attended.

| The Honolulu Circle of the Territorial
Teachers Association met last night at
the High School and an interesting and
instructive program was carried out.
Several capable papers were read by
teachers who had given much thought
, to their subjects, the papers read by
Mrs. L. M. Walker and J. w. Gilmore
being especially entertaining and help
full by suggestion to the teachers.
The program was opened with a song
by the girls of Kawaiahao Seminary
and ]. w. Gilmore followed with a pa
per on the subject of Mature Study"
Miss Alice Wood favored the associa-
tion with a violin solo, after which the
paper on Mature Work, the Basis OF
Reading" by Mrs. L. T. Walker was
read. Another song by the girls Of Ka-
waiahao Seminary and Miss May
Laughlin's paper on Mature Work and
Art completed the formal program and
the meeting was given over to an In
formal discussion of the papers on
Mature Study"
{ Mr.. Edgar Wood, principal of the
Normal School, spoke at some length
upon the subjects brought up and was
heartily applauded for the. many valu-
able Ideas he advanced for the assist
ance of the teachers in directing the
young idea in the right way. Questions
asked by other teachers were answered
by Mr.. Wood and an hour was taken
up in the discussion of teachers top
tcs.
The following is the paper on Mature
Work, the Basis of Reading" by Mrs.
Letitia M. Walker:
BASIS OF READING.
The child is always in sympathy with
nature There is a strong bond between
himself and the great pulsatng realm IN
which he lives and moves. He Is con-
scious, too, that he himself represents
another form of the same natural devel-
opment that is going on in things about
him. He is interested-he is held spell
bound by such simple little thing as
spider trying to build a bridge from one
tree to another. He will never tire lying
on the beach and watching the antics
of a host of sand crabs. All the time
he is in a quandary. He is wondering,
wondering, wondering. In other words.
he is seeking for truth, that highest OF
all spiritual attainments of whicn God
rs the perSonification.
1t is such facts as these that give one
sufficient reason for believing that ma
ture study is a true basis on waicl 10
build the first language and reading of
little children.
True nature study is giving the child
chance to observe life and its phe-
nomena and permitting him to investi-
gate freely.
depends on being sd1e to gain attention
and hold the interest: and no better
means to do this can be found than
through nature study. 1t promotes self
expression, the chief factor in education.
The teacher has an important part to
IT,. 4t,,-1 s,rGxr fC hnf n
bring existing conditions before the child
In order that he may find material for
observation. 1t is not necessary for her
to seek the marvellous or remote, but
rather to choose the common objects
found near home. 1t is her duty when
the child's interest lags to awaken 1t
anew by some valuable hint or sugges-
ton. 1t is not essential that the child
be told things, but that he be put in
way to discover for himself 1t is the
teachers duty to help the child collect
and systematic his newly acquired
thoughts always holding before him that
the ideal to be sought is truth.
When this new stock of knowledge has
been carefully expressed by the child 1t
falls to the teacher to place it before
him in writing. Thus the oral express
sion (Which is by no means lasting) is
preserved in another form. Now the
child is able to read his own uttetances
or perhaps those of another on the same
subject.
Just at this juncture it might be well
to consider what expressions should be
put in writing and preserved for future
reading. Some are of the opinion that
every sentence given by the child on a
certain subject, and eyery>topic discussed
should in some shape be registered and
form the lessons in reading. This Is a
grave mistake. Many things come to the
child's notice and on which little talk
is interesting, instructive and judicious.
but may not be suited for reading at
that stage of development For example,
my little tots have been observing the
new automobile hacks. One morning we
had very pleasant little talk about
them. Before the subject was dropped.
the class learned that 1t was the same
power that moved the automobiles, the
cars up the mountain and rang the bells
in the school, and that the name of that
power was electricity. We had a good
language lesson, but thought 1t was not
wise to carry the matter further.
What expressions should be preserved?
These expressions that are needed at
that particular period.
Simplicity should be the constant
watchword Of a receiving class teacher
We are too anxious to have the child
grasp in single term that which takes