The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-05-08
Second Day
AT Institute
Rainy Day Excursion 10 Old Fort
CIatsop By the Birch
WeiIders.
-.--ss+.-
City Pastors Occupy the Evening
Session With Highly Inter.
e,tirg Addresses.

The morning session opened with the
singing Of Duke Street" led by Pres
ident Ressler. Editor Jones OF the Ore
gon Teachers Monthly was introduced
10 the institute and presented the mer-
ifs of that most excellent and worthy
publication, which shiuid be read by
every teaener and parent In the state.
Mr.. Jones had on exhibition a fine dis
play Of artists and educational aids,
which are supplied to schools by his
Institution In Salem and took many ord
ers for them and the Monthly.
President Ressler continued his ex-
cellent elucidation OF the subject
Methods" most attractive and valu-
able to the profession. but somewhat
obstruce to the laity. Superintendent
Ackerman spoke on Consolidation OF
Schools" dwelling particularly upon
the necessity OF letting down the bars
| with which custom has envirOned the
graded school, that teachers must oy-
ercome conservatism and merge all ef-
fort into the one idea OF expansion OF
the individual, and fall into the line OF
modern research and thought.
The symposium Of thought, bearing
particularly on the question Of grade
work and reviews. and participated in
by Miss Alice Gray and Professors w.
A. Round and A. A. Cleveland, with
summarization by Professor Acker-
man. was a feature OF the institute.
ITO review or not to review" on the
pupils entrance into new grade, was
the vital question in Professor Cleve-
lands excellent paper, which ably sus-
tained negative position, giving the
best pedagogical reasons for the stand.
After setting forth his case with au-
thorities and argument. the professor
draws. these conclusions, which are Of
interest to many school patrons. who
are sometimes perplexed or yexed with
the extensive reviews their children
are sometimes required to make:
"Set reviews upon the result Of which
depends further progress are of doubt
full value. They are of benefit chiefly
as means OF presenting subject or q
division of subject In its entirety.
"Details are learned and mastered
by constant daily review. Set reviews
follow naturally the completion OF a
division and in most schools are given
at that time. II they accomplish their
purpose then they are unnecessary
again at the beginning Of the new term.
But someone says pupils forget Ger
talnly they do, but will 1t, help them
10 pour into their minds the work Of
grade or more intwo or three weeks?
knowledge is not taken in and retained
In Jumps in such way that what fol-
lows can be Joined on to the existing
mass. Facts and principles are re-
tanned for practical purposes as a re-
suit of frequent association, and not
as the result of filling the mind With
them in brief space of time. Such a
process as the latter assures retention
for but short time.
'The idea of progress is an ever pres
ent stimulus to the pupil. He feels
that he is advancing; he enjoys meet
ing the new and he feels satisfaction
in overcoming the difficulties of each
forward step. 1t is true he feels
pleasure In meeting what he has pre-
viously learned-old friends as it were.
But to be forced to go over the work
previously learned, TO his satisfaction,
at least is a different matter. A lack
of interest is the result and several re-
petitions of periods of Indifference on
the part of the pupil result in the for
nation Sf the habit Of listlessness so
hard to overcome.
II would conclude, then, that the
method of reviewing the work Of each
grade before taking up the work Of the
next Is not based on sound pedagogy
because it is unnecessary, since the
same result can be accomplished by
means of daily review and set reviews
during the term and at its close; be-
cause 1t fails to accomplish its avowed |
purpose. namely, to give the child
complete mastery Of the work previous
to the new grade, since 1t is based on
the unwarranted assumption that mas
terry of details constitutes a mastery
of principles; because its moral effect
is to take away the stimulus Of con-
tinuous progress and substitute the in
terest destroying, backward movement
of drill by rote.v