Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-12-08
PROCEEDINGS OF
INSTITUTE

The county institute convened Tues
day morning with all the teachers
of the county present. with the excep.
ton of two. The devotional exercises
we're conducted by Rev. Joseph e.
Guy. pastor of the Shiloh Reformed
church.
! Professor L. Z. McGinnes occupied
the first period with the topic, 1.-THE
Central Thought in Literature in all
the Grades. -
| The progressive teacher, Professor
McGinnes said. is constantly on the
lookout for material to aid in the crea-
/ tion of high ideals Of life. One of the
most prolific sources of such material
is literature. Teachers are not expect
ed to write poetry, but one of their
important functions is to appreciate
and interpret poetry.
A knowledge of the steps that are
taken by the poet in writing is valu-
able to the teacher in the interprets-
tion of the product. A poet is not onl y
an artist, he must be philosopher as
we'll. He knows the value Of the con-
crete in teaching; therefore the ideal
conception that he has he embodies in
an individual: then he proceeds to
write. The process of interpreting the
poem reverses the steps taken by the
poet in writing it. First, the langu.
age second. the embodiment; third,
the ideal conception. II. however, the
Interpretation ends here the fell value
Of the process is not attained. The
teacher and the child must become
constructive, must become creative.
The ideal qualities that are in the em-
bodiment must become in a manner, ,at
least. the qualities of the individual
that studies the poem, il it is to be of
value.
A number of striking examples were
drawn from DR.. Wier Mitchell's
characteristics to illustrate the
fact that in every piece of literature
there is an ideal conception, central
thought. II is the work Of the teacher
to assist in bringing the life of the
child into vital touch with the ideal
conception.
Intermission followed. There was
spirited singing by the institute, after
which Professor Albert resumed his
subject, "Some Underlying Principles
in Teaching" 1t was a sound practic-
al talk. The speaker did not under
estimate the value of full and
thorough knowledge of the branches
as taught. but he made an appeal for
the "better life," for "soul power"
and better methods in teaching. He
gave the following as central thought
"The Manufacture Of great souls of
good quality should be the first busi.
ness OF great nation" A child's
future is moulded entirely by his en-
vironment and the influences that play
upon his life under ten years. What a
child aooomplishes in school will de-
pend upon his soul nature-what he
knows when he appears at school at
six years. What children need is sun
shine aud not shadow. No attempt
should be made to impress children
with the evil or the SORROWS in the
world but teacher should "get busy"
to find the good and the beautiful in
life and point these out to the pupils
entrusted to their care. The first duty
of a teacher is to find out child's
horizon, remembering that education
is vision power. Pupils should be ex-
amined in their amount of common
sense and this should count in their
favor. II a boy or girl is found to be
full Of soul aspiration Professor AL
bert would like to see them pass II
they receive only 15 per cent. in gram
mar. or arithmetic. He would get at
the "motive" OF the pupil, which in.
fiuences "choice" as choice in turn in
fuences "aotion, the latter leading
to "habit" and habit to character. p"
Everything that enters ohild's life
at 6 years or up to ten years will in
fiuence him at 81. This applies to ev.
cry phase of life and feature of activ-
ity and is especially true Of language.
Professor Albert Tuesday afternoon
took up the subject, THE Order OF
Elementary instruction. He illustr-
ated it by means of an exercise on the
black board with a map Of New York,
carefully drawn. as the subject. The
exercise proved interesting and was of
practical value,
After intermission Professor Nc
Chimes gave an excellent talk on 1.-THE
Concrete in Moral Training. One
purpose of school he said, is to educ
ate to be and this has to do with NOR
al training. 1t is an appeal to the NOR
al sense of the child. In moral train
ing" one of the objects is to train the
will to act abitually from pure and
lofty motives. He dwelt at length up
on the methods of reaching the will.
The teacher should give much atten-
tion to this point. The will of the
pupil is not reached by scolding nor
by lectures as to how to behave. The
will must be appealed to through 9th
er powers. Thus we turn from sin be
cause, first Of our knowledge of sin,
second we were penitent and sorrow
full because of acts that we're sinful.
First. know ledge, then sensibllity and