The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-02


ion from One of the Faculty of Mil
lersville Normal School at Opening
of Carbondale City Teachers In
stitute Yesterday-should Teach
Less and Teach It More Thorough
ly--Features Of the First Day of
the Institute-Other Talks by Miss
Laura Hagarty and Dr.. Thompson.
Happy circumstances surrounded the
opening session of the annual institute
of the Carbondale city school teachers
in the Central schoo! building yester-
day afternoon. Nature was exceeding
ly kind in the splendid day that invit-
ed one to go abroad and when the
teachers were assembled they found de-
lightful environments in the re-decor-
ated ana rofurnished assembly room.
Though the changes made since last
year were not numerous, they were
pleasingly effective, combining TO make
the meeting place of the week attract
i've and cosy. cheerful and rcstful.
There was the customary delay on
the opening day, so that it was past
o'clock when City Superintendent of
Schools Elmer T.. Carr called the in
stitute to order. Perhaps the talk Of
greatest public interest and which
struck Il popular chord. judging from
the adverse criticism generally, was the
last address Of the session. by Prof.
George Hun. of the society of Millers-
vile State Normal school, instructor of
mathematics in that instution.
Prof. Hul's subject was Higher
Mathematics" but before he entered
into its discussion, he said, by way of
preface. some pointed things about the
overlooked curriculum of schools. I'VE
are teaching entirely too much arith-
metic and too much mathematics, par
ticularly arithmetic. 1t strikes me quite
fOrcibly that in some parts of our state
there is an endeavor to deal out too
much. And | would include for that
arithmetic and mathematics. 1t is a
sad fact that there is any notion that
can get Il boy ready for life quicker than
our own country. Ii would seem to
me that a boy here in Carbondale with
all the school advantages that he has,
could be ready to take up life's battle
as soon as lad abroad. But this is not
so. Under the British flag the youth
is ready for life two years quicker than
one of ours. An analysis of study of
the English system would lead to the
conclusion that the best strength of
education is to teach Il few things and
teach them more thoroughly. The mas
terry of one subject gives the spirit that
leads to the mastery of every subject"
Prof. Hull then related a personal eX-
tal
point. After leaving, school, he decided
to be a farmer, though he knew moth
ing about farming. There was nothing
for him to SOW but turnip seeds and he
sowed them in plenty. Soon he had a
bed Of growing turnips. Advisers, who
knew about farming, laughed at him
and warned him that he would have no
turnips unless he weeded out the
crowded bed. He affected superior
knowledge and forbade them to carry
out their proposed wedding process.
When the turnip harvest time came,
Prof. Hull said he found he had no
mrnips, but bed full of half grown
ones.
This taught him lesson: That he
was sowing too much seed and reaping
no harvest. In every school subject it
abundantly to find out the cardinal. the
fundamental principles, and teach them
faithfully and thoroughly. This was
the keynote of his talk, and he illus
tratod the point by Il number of en-
amples.
Prof Hull also paid beautiful tribA
ute to mothers and incidentally gave q
hint 10 these parents to attend the ses-
IL. n
their profit to act upon.
Il do not see the best teachers here
today" he said. There was u ripple OF
eXclamations, but Prof. Hull anticipat-
ed this
"That may appear as embarrassing,
but still think YOU will agree With
me. | refer to the mothers Of your
scholars.
"The mother in the home is the best
teacher The reason for this is that
she alone possesses the great element
of the teacher. The Fundamental idea
70" the great teacher is the love of the
parent. The history of the world over
and through all ages is that the men
with the biggest hearts We're the best
teachers. 60 way back in history to
the Master, He was Il great teacher,
because he loved his disciples, Thomas
Arnold. at Rugby, was one of the great
est teachers. and why? Because of his
love for his pupils When they would
leave him to go to Oxford, he would
supply them each with a set of books"
There We're other interesting and VOL
uble talks, proceeding that of Prof.
Hull. Miss Laura ID. Hagarty was the
first speaker.
Miss Hagarty comes from the teach
ers' training school at Buffalo, y. y,
and had the additional recommenda-
tion of wide experience I'm interstate
work throughout the country. She APP
pears to have a good deal of reserve
force, pleasing voice and a sincere ad-
dress that readily engaged the teachers
attention ana held their interest
Miss Haearly depicted language as
help to unfold the divine that is in the
child. 1t is not only necessary to teach
the child how 10 read, but il is neces-
sary to teach him what to read. Vie
ious literature received strong con-
demnation from the speaker.
DR.. Thompson, of Jersey City, an
author OF text books on drawing. gave
an interesting illustrated talk on ele-
mentary drawing.
The institute will reopen at $50
o'clock this forenoon. The programme
OF the two sessions Is as follows: