Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-12-03
THE COUNTY
INSTITUTE

The thirty eighth annual Teachers
Institute convened in the High School
auditorium. this city, Monday after
noon. The attendance was consider
ably above what is usual OH the first
day, all but five teachers of the coun-
ty-seventy- eight in number being
enrolled
The Institute was called to order at
, O'Clock by County Superintendent
9. W. Derr Rev. Harry Curtin Har-
man read the Scripture and offered up
an appropriate prayer.
Rev @. W Briner OF Washington
Vile, who was booked for all address,
was unable to be at the institute His
period was occupied by Professor Will
liam q. Kemp, of East Stroudsburg
Normal School, who took as his sub
ject Things Which May be Learned
az Home II proved most interest.
ing talk and showed how such sob
| jeCts as direction of wind, distribu-
tion of moisture, and distribution and
depth of soil might be handled to in-
terest the boys and girls and develop
habits of study and observation. Prof
essor Kemp is pleasing and effective
speaker and during a short talk he led
the institute over a wide range and
succeeded in awakening great deal
Of thought on the causes of rainfall OF
drought, &c
Professor William G Ward, of EN-
erson College of Oratory, Boston, oc-
cupied the last period. He made a
very fine impression on the institute
His subject was Self Culture
by Literature. He made a plea for
culture studies and as such he could
recommend nothing so highly as liter
tuIe, knowledge is not always educa-
tion. The latter in its present accept
ed sense means culture. The mere &C.
cumulation of facts without the soul
behind them prevents culture
Every person should have side
study, which will prove a mental rest.
Literature puts a person in harmony
with himself and the world. Fifteen
minutes of reading daily. if no more
time can be spared, may be found to
afford delightful excursion into fairy
land which will prove very benefici
al by relieving the strain upon the
mind imposed by business cares.
He cited the case of Abraham Lin
coin, who indifferently educated as he
was by habit of daily reading, con
fined mostly to the Bible and Shakes
peare acquired the most remarkable
culture results. Booth, the great act.
or, confessed that ne found in Abra-
ham Lincoln a man who knew more
of Shakespeare than he himself did,
while as is well-known Lincoln style
of language is universally regarded rs
model of pure English.
Wide reading is not necessary.
While the yearly product of books is
no less than u, 900 in the English Ian
guage alone, yet there are not more
than 20 or 30 great writers whose
works are worth reading. Most per
sons have read enough TO secure the
best culture results. but they have
been unwise in the selection of auth
ors. No writers should be selected
with whose subject the reader does
not feel an interest The book select
ed should be of one of the great au
thors of the world The book itself
should be read along with many other
books relating to it, In this way it
might prove possible for a person in
five years with a library of no more
than fifty volumes to secure the best
of culture results.
The music promises TO be an import
ant feature of the institute as the
work advances. Quite a number OF
pieces were sung yesterday in way
which showed that among the teach
ers interest is not lacking in this sub
ject newly added to our schools. Prof
essor 0. H. Yetter, who has charge of
the music, enjoys a fine reputation
and his performance yesterday was
surely of kind to confirm the most
fattering reports Of his ability AS a
singer and general proficiency as an
Instructor.
Miss Weiss presided at the piano
during the musical exercises.
Religious exercises Tuesday morn
ing were conducted by Rev. George
E. Limbert. Professor +. l.. Kemp
occupied the first period with con
tinuation of his subject, Things to
be Learned at Home Professor
Kemp's lectures prove intensely in
teresting and are practical and use
full feature of the institute. Among
other important facts brought out yes
terday morning ne showed how sup
CRITICAL the knowledge of High School
pupils relating to geography often
proves to be. He advocated the max
ing of local maps as means of teach
ing pupils the meaning of maps, so
that they can interpret them into real
distances, directions and other geo
graphical features. He reviewed the
study of special sections Of country
which he made with classes to show
what can be done in the way of giving
pupils a key to the understanding o
the location and development of towns
and cities because of advantages of
manufacturing and commerce.
Professor Wards address yesterday
morning had as its subject, What
Shall We Read, and ran along the
line OF the Beautiful and the Sub
lime. In defining the difference be
tween the two he said that mere Beauty
as revealed in a quiet landscape for
/ 8, a.,