Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-08-03
THE ORLEANS COUNTY SUMNER
SCHOOL.

The summer school opened mere on
Monday July 9th. AT about 200
D. m. Prof. II. J. Stannard called the
teachers to order, and after devo-
tional exercises Rev. A. B. Blake well
coined the teachers to Barton in
short address. Hon. F. ". Baldwin,
vice president of the Orleans County
Educational Association responded in
few well-chosen words. He gave
the teachers some excellent advice in
the line of adapting their teaching to
the numerous foreign children, who
are more and more becoming factor
in all our schools. He emphasized the
idea that these foreign children
should receive kind treatment from
the native children. His words we're
impressive and we'll received.
Prof. H. j. Stannard made a few
preliminary remarks and announce
ments after which Prin. G. A. Brodeur
of the State normal school at West
field, Mass, began the regular work
of the school by giving an interesting
and profitable address on the subject
of reading. He took up the different
methods of teaching children to read
the alphabetic, word method, pho
netic, and showed the advantages
and disadvantages of each method.
Prof. Brodeur is good speaker, full
of his subject, and possesses the ability
to communicate his thoughts in a
lucid manner, which not only interests
his hearers but impresses forcefully
the facts he brings out. All his lee
lures during last week were very
helpful, especially his lectures on
reading. He presented many original
ideas, and one thing which showed
his breadth of knowledge on this SUBJ
ject was the fact that he did not have
a hobby. He advocated teaching
reading by combination of methods,
accepting and using what is good in
all methods, and rejecting what ex-
perience has taught educators is
harmful to pupils. The alphabetical
method was founded upon the axiom,
"from the simple to the com plex,"
but he questioned the conclusion.
The premises are wrong. A word is
as easy to learn as letter; and it is
the word which presents the idea to
be conveyed. A word is like win
dow pane: we see the idea through
the word, and we only think of the
letters as we think of the glass
through which we see the object
And yet letters must be learned, and
the alphabetical method is helpful to
the pupil by teaching good articula-
ton and enunciation as we'll as spell.
ing. 1t is a complicat ed method how
ever, and for the beginner there are
so many arbitrary characters to be-
come familiar with that it is a slow
method, and one which kindles no en-
thusiasm in the child. He touched
upon many phases of the subject
oral, sight, silent, individual, class
studied reading and scanning, differ
emit methods of interesting pupils il
reading, reading for information
reading for amusement, and reading t.
interest other people. The subjec
was so broad, and treated 80 exhaust
lively by the instructor that we canno
do justice to it in the space we ca
give. Suffice it 20 say that Mr.. Brod
eur is so enthusiastic in his subjec
that he inspires enthusiasm in teach
ers and pupils.
Mr.. Brodeur has also delivere
some very instructive lectures o
, civil government. On Wednesday b
Z spoke on the government of Vernon
, He dwelt mostly on the legislativ
! department, but showed how th
: assembly was elected and organized
= he spoke of the senate, the method
Y of making laws, the governors du
q ties and prerogatives IN law maxim,
: his right of veto, method of impeacf
o ing members or state officers, tt
ClCCblOu Va iOoOAOotANO 90 anu OGLs
o state officers by majorities, and sen.
n tors by pluralities; these and oth'
v vital and interesting facts, which a
d teachers should know, were presente
= in a manner which held the close
ia attention of the school. Note booI
l. were freely used. Later the execl
ID tive and judicial departments of I'll
al state were taken up in as il
ar teresting a manner. On Tuesds
l. evening large and Apr
az ciative audience assembled to listt
a to Hon. Mason s Stone, recently
Of Manila, P. l., but formerly sta
Id superintendent of education of We
IL mont. Expectation was eager,
j. evinced by the large company prese
90 to hear and see our old friend al
county resident. Nor was there al