Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-07-24
ORLEANS COUNTY SUMMER SCHOOL
AT BARTON.

of teachers PRESENT. AILer singing
America, and devotional exercises
conducted by Rev. w. A. Warner.
The address of welcome was made by
MIR. Warner. It was in his character
istic felicitous style, very brief but to
the point, and ended by kindly invit-
ing the teachers TO "heip themselves
to our hospitality as to the bounties
ofa farmers table. The response was
by Prin. Oh. Morrill, of Randolph Nor
NAL School. He expressed pleasure at
being here, noting some of the attrac-
lions, not the least of which is tour
little school mastern (Mr. Stannard).
He said Vermont farmers had the rep
utation of getting more out of the soil
than any other men in the world, and
they expected, too, to succeed as well
with teachers as with the soil. Prof.
Stannard made few remarks sug-
costing to teachers methods of get
ting the most out of the summer
school to carry back into practical
work.
After the opening exercises school
work was Immediately begun. The
first section was by Supt. Francis Bag
nall of North Adams, Mass. An ac-
count of his work appears later in
this article.
After short recess Miss Isabel
Coffin of New York City gave a prac-
tical address on drawing. She took
up the first principles of drawing for
a brief period, after which she gave
an inspiring address on art. She is
enthusiastic in her work, considers it
the most Important of all school work
and imparts inspiration to her pupils.
Supt.F.P. Davidson of Turner's Falls,
Mass, followed with short address
on Arithmetic. He considered num-
Der as a measure. Some of ais
thoughts were as follows: How much.
and how many are the two questions
which constantly arise in our every
| day life. We spend more time on
| Arithmetic than on all other studies.
Number is conception of the mind.
| We never see number, we only see
what represents number. IF there
was no limit, number would not be
needed. He spoke of an artificial
way of teaching Arithmetic, and also
of a natural way, and counselled his
teachers to employ the easy natural
way as the best and surest method of
rapid Advancement and mind devel-
opment. Teach them effectively as
much as possible. A school room
should be supplied with foot rule and
a yardstick to teach linear measure;
with pair of scales to teach avoirdu-
pois weight; with clock to teach the
measurement of time; with measures
for teaching liquid measure, and also
for teaching dry measure. Toy money
should be provided that the children
may do actual buying and selling and
| making change.o Later Mr. Davidson
| took up the actual difficulties of
teachers in the different divisions of
Arithmetic, dwelling largely on the
fundamental processes, how to make
clear to the minds of the pupils what
ordinarily is difficult for them to un-
derstand. Wednesday he took up the
subject of the Greatest Common
Divisor" and also stThe Least Com
mon Multiple" Thursday "Percen-
tage and Decimals,n and Friday the
vermont Rule" Space forbids our
mentioning many important points
brought out in Mr.. Davidson's lectures
| before the teachers last week.
Rev. W. r Lord of Rockland, Mass,
gave very interesting lecture before
the teachers Tuesday afternoon. He
began by stating that we seek the
highest happiness, the deepest salts
faction in life, and the question is
show to get it?" Material prosperity
luxury, money. This has been the
basis of our teaching. 1t is false.
They are not the most happy people
VIM udSC uACcO OuI SAtlel d.
ton must come from other things
than these. A right attitude toward
the universe, toward God, toward
men is essential. God-love, man-lcve,
this is recognized as essential; but
more than this is necessary. Nature
love must be added. Nature is ever
present with Us. GOD is invisible,
men may be absent, but we cannot get
away from nature. We should open
our hearts to nature, if we are to be
happy. He spoke of the joy value Of
nature, the ethical value, the esthet-
ical value of this study, the sympa-
thetic interest. the intellectual, and
the divine in nature, many other
beautiful things which space forbids
our mentioning. 1t was rich treat
to those who heard the speaker.