The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-16

9 PROFESSOR SqufreS. o
o Friday-Reading, Mrs. 4. 5. .
o Burrows, Grand Forks. o
o 800 o o % .
About twenty students registered at
the state university summer school
last week, bringing the total enroll
ment up to one hundred and sixty-four.
thirteen counties of North Dakota
have sent one or more OF their teach
ers here.
The representation from the various
counties is as follows:
Grand Forks, n; Pembina, 30;
Walsh, 10; Trail, 6; Ramsey, 6; Will
liams, /; Benson, 1; Cavalier, Q; Lo-
gan, 3; Bottineau. 2; Cass, L; Kidder,
l. Total from North Dakota, $50.
From other states: Minnesota, ~;
Montana, 1; Iowa, 1.
The second half of the term begins
this week and there will be a large
increase in the attendance.
Professor Bryant gave the first lee
ture of the week on Writing in the
Public Schools" Mr.. Bryant said
that he had never taught writing in
the public schools, yet he had spent
fifteen or sixteen years teaching pup
lis who came from these schools, and
as much OF this time had been spent
in breaking up habits learned there,
he knew something of this subject.
Progress" said the professor, "in
most branches is from the simple to
the complex. In mathematics we be-
gin with the simplest combinations
and proceed to the most intricate; in
history we begin with simple stories
and then study the causes which have
brought about certain results. In
writing we see no such advance for
the best work is done from the first
to the fourth year, and the pupil gen.
orally leaves the high school seriously
handicapped in this respect.
1T was at one time thought that
the ruled slate and vertical writing
would cure all evils; that slant writing
was responsible for the miserable
scrawling hand, defective eyesight and
even curvature of the spine. 1t was
thought that vertical writing would
teach itself, but experience has shown
the folly of this idea for believe that
1t Is not only immaterial but that it
is also not teachable. When the pupil
attempts to use the vertical he does
not write but draws. 1t is difficult to
write the vertical rapidly, and the ten
dency is invariably toward the back
slant. No system of shorthand, ex-
cept the very Oldest have vertical
strokes. No business college teaches
vertical writing and never did, al
though they have more pupils than the
other colleges.
Much of our poor writing is due
to the fact that the teacher does not
think it worth while to teach pupils to
write. The copybook is made to do
1t all. This copybook would be useless
in school If conditions were ideal,
but as they are not, it should be ac-
cepted as a necessary evil and should
not be depended upon too much. That
the copybOok does not serve its pur-
pose is shown by the fact that the
last line is never so we'll written as
the first, and the pupil often disre-
CARDS the copy to such an extent that
words are often substituted for those
in the copy.
"The Chicago schools are on the
right track, and although they were
among the first to adopt vertical writ
ing they were the first to discard it.
In the recent resolutions of the board
of education of the city, slant of from
Is to 20 degrees was approved; the
pupil should be permitted to select his
own form; copy slips should be used
instead of copybooks; drill should be
provided for forearm and rotary mo-
ton; materials should be as good at
their customers.
"The principal work of the teacher
Is to create desire to learn to write;
without this all attempts to teach
writing will be useless, and the time
thus spent could be more profitably
used at something else. 1t is true
that some great men, Horace Greedy
for example, were poor penmen. They
could afford to be, but to the average
student the ability to write good
hand is one of the most important
things in his stock of trade as it goes
far in securing him a position. He
may not be able to make the most
perfect letters, but if the writing is
such that it can be written with ease
and is, legible, 1t is good writing"
To prove that vertical writing will
not stand the test when the demand is
made for rapid writing, Professor
Bryant showed number of specimens
of writing of pupils who entered the
school last September, but specimens
of writing from the same pupils later
in the year showed that they had
adopted the slant.
Tuesday DR.. Libby discussed current
events or history in the making. Civ
ing comprehensive explanation for
the slowness of evolution in Russia.
He also discussed number of TOPICS
OF national and international interest,
such as the Indian question and the
training for the consular service.
Wednesday DR.. Boyle gave an in
teresting address on 1.-The Relation of
Church Schools to State Schools" He
showed the great advantage in every
way to be derived by UNCONVENTIONAL
schools. by building in proximity to
the state university, and instanced ac-
tual and practical tests where the
plan works to the advantage of both
sides. such as University of Toronto
and of Manitoba.
The assembly period Thursday was
given up to the discussion of the
question box. Friday Superintendent
Sherarts of Pembina county, gave
some observations in the country
schools which were humorous, inter-
esting and practical.
New student.
The new students to enroll during
the past week were: Mrs E. Mullens.
Betsy knudson, Mayme Sullivan,
Elizabeth Sullivan, Sara Savage. Kath-
crime Kenny, Mary English Diana
Johnson. Annie Thompson, Ethel
Woods. Olga Larson. Silvia Johnson,
Louise Traviss. Mathilda Nelson. Susie