Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-12-06


vince the pupils that when the teach
er sets out to do a thing it is going to
be accomplished. So long as the pupils
trust the teacher they can be led any.
where.
The first and the last period of the
afternoon were occupied by DR.. Wall
er. Professor Z. S. Lowden spoke on
Effective and Ineffective Teaching"
9. G. Ritter rendered a vocal solo
with Miss Ida Sechler at the piano. A
piano duet was also rendered by Miss
Viola Rishol and Pearl Fenstermacher.
The proceedings of the teachers in
stitute this year possess a general in.
terest. The attendance is uniformly
good, among those present, in addition
to practically the full complement OF
teachers, being large number of our
townspeople, who are not identified
with the schools. The proceedings yes
terday were especially fine, culminat.
ing with an address fro m the teachers
old favorite, Deputy State Superin-
tendent Henry Houck
Mr.. Houck occupied the very last
period of the afternoon His visit to
Danville was the first in some ten
years. The veteran instructor has aged
| considerably, but in spirit and manner
he is as young as ever. his handshake
is just as magnetic and his laugh has
the oldtime merry ring. The welcome
accorded him by the teachers, who fre.
quently came in contact with him in
the past, was a demonstrative one, and
at the same time heartfelt and sim
cere.
In his address the deputy State sup.
reintendent made no attempt to i'm.
part instruction along any we'll defn.
ed line. His talk, however, was an
old fashioned, characteristic effort, ser
ious and miruh producing by turns.
which revealed the mans sympathetic
nature, and his varied experiences in
affairs that relate to the school room.
The special music yesterday, as on
Tuesday was feature that added
much to the pleasure of the institute.
| Edward Shoevlin rendered a piano
solo. A vocal solo entitled, "Thora"
was rendered by George Eggert. Miss
Mary Jenkins rendered a piano solo,
entitled. Home Sweet Home" which
pleased the teachers SO much that she
was encored. During the singing by
the institute Will T. Suter accompani-
ed the piano on the cornet
Professor T. S. Lowden occupied
two periods with his spirited and char
acteristic talks. His theme in the fore.
noon was, Teaching Children 20
Think. He took most advanced
ground, holding to views which clash
ed somewhat with prevailing ideas.
His object was to show that the course
| of study in schools should be careful
Iy graded to conform with the gradual
development of the child's mind.
He deduced the principle that the
child must have physical development.
which implies brain growth, before
there can be any moral or mental de-
velopment This brain growth is not
| attained until about the age Of twelve
years The employment of children in
factories during this period of growth.
the speaker held, is a crime against
| the child. 1t shuts the boy or girl of
from the sunshine, the pure air, the
freedom and play that belongs to that
period of life and prevents brain
growth, without which mental and
moral development is slow.
Researches show that in England
workmen increase in efficiency from
the age of IS to 81 years, from 81 to
40 years they seem to remain the same
but after the latter age they decline
very rapidly. 1t is shown that among
the educated classes in the same coun
try there is an increase in efficiency
| to the age of 5S and there is no per.
ceptible decrease until the age Of IS.
The obvious conclusion is that un-
der the industrial conditions in Eng
land the children of the working class
es are obliged to labor at an early age
and thus their brain growth and ply
sical development is retarded with Ill
effects that follow through life.
The work of the school room should
be suited to the age of the child. The
child during the period OF growth
should be given memory gems, spell
ing and things purely mechanical.
Difficult problems, even those involv-
ing percentage and interest are out Of
place during this period, although this
is Que respect in which many Of our
schools offend.
Professor Lose, superintendent OF
the Williamsport schools, made his
first appearance before the institute
Yesterday forenoon, his subject being,
Modern Tendencies in the Teaching
of Reading" Superintendent Lose has
had twenty years experience in sup
ervising the work of teachers and ne
brought to the institute some very
practical ideas.
During his talk he emphasized the
Importance of supplementary reading in
schools AS at present arranged in
many districts from the first grade to
the high school the child uses sixty
different books. This gives the pupils
a good reading vocabulary-they learn
to pronounce a large number of words
many more than when confined TO
the regular series adoptded. In sup
Elementary reading the pupil becomes
acquainted with the worlds great
; masterpieces Only good classical lit