Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-08-10

fine Instructive lectures Wnlcn ne |
presented last week. His idea is to
make the teaching of arithmetic as
practical as possible, and to this end
he would have the pupils do actual
work. He would employ such
methods as would prove effectusl
and not be confined to any one
method. Children should learn to
make change with real money, buy
ing and selling to each other. And
to this end pennies should be used,
for there is fascination in handling
money which is not confined alto
gether to grown up people. Scales
should be procured, and the children
should learn to weigh about as soon
as they learn figures. AS soon as
child's capacity will admit he
should learn to measure with
mechanics rule objects in the school
room. The instructor should objectify
everything possible in the teaching
of arithmetic. Use diagrams and
drawings always where real objects
cannot be procured. Later, business
forms and blanks should be intro
duced. Mr.. Dempsey's idea seemed
to be that boy should be able quite
early to measure his fathers wood
pile, his bin of coal, and do any
common mathematical work which Is
necessary in the ordinary affairs of
life. He should be able to reckon
interest on notes, add long columns
of figures rapidly and accurately, etc.
Everybody will approve of the prac-
teal work which Superintendent
Dempsey recommends, and be glad
the teachers are to take up this work
in the common schools.
Miss Marion L. Webster of Newton,
Mass, has devoted several periods
to geography and nature study. Her
teaching has been mostly confined to
primary work. Once or twice she
has taken her class of teachers out to
study nature and geography among
the fields and highways near the
village where the beautiful scenery,
the lake, mountains, and valleys
could be examined and enjoyed.
They also took steamboat ride
around Crystal lake and combined
very much of pleasure with their
study. Miss Webster has a pleasing
way of imparting instruction, and has
been listened to by the teachers with
much enjoyment. She, like all teach
ers of advanced thought and ex-
perience, emphasizes object teaching.
In teaching primary classes geogra-
| ply she advocates taking with them
imaginary journeys to the countries
about which they are studying, stop
ping at important places, examining
the products, learning something OF
the habits of the people, the climate
and whatever else appeals to the
child's interest. In nature studies
she would begin with what is nearest
to the child and work out to what ia
more distant and unknown to him.
Miss Sarah Hopkinson of Newton,
Mass, has demonstrated her ability
to instruct the school in methods
Of teac hing drawing during
the past week. Great progress
has been made by those who have
been anxious to improve their
talents in this direction. The subject
of drawing has been occupying a
good deal of attention among many
educators of late, as means of fixing
facts of different sciences in the mind
of the child. Miss Hopkinson be-
lieves the education of the eye and
the hand of children in the primary
grade is essential to the most rapid
progress. Nor should drawing stop
with the child, but be con-
tinued throughout life. Every child
should be taught enough of drawing
for all practical uses in life. Mechan-
zeal drawing is necessity with
joiners, carpenters, machinists anG
all classes of mechanics. And the
farmer should know enough of this
art to enable him to draw sketch o.
anything he desires made, or at leas
a rough outline as a basis which is tt
be followed by the tinsmith, black
smith, or any tradesman, and b!
which he gets a better understand
ing of what is wanted. Miss Hopkin
son gave some valuable instruction
in pattern making. Some of thi
same work had been foreshadowed b,
Miss Burridge in her teaching pri
mary methods, and was readil.
executed by the teachers. Cones
cubes, etc., were made from sheet
of paper, with the art of doubling tn
sheets in such manner that wit
the use of scissors and mucilage the
could be easily formed, Much of thi