The Greeley tribune., 1907-02-14
new METHOD
PROF. D. D. HUGH ON INTER
ESTING SUBJECT
Son Y, of the Better Things That
n be Expected When Nor
al Training building
" is Secured

Wi view of placing before
Tribu. readers still clearer idea
of the trend of modern educational
methods Prof. d. D. Hugh, head Of
the training department of the State
Normal was asked to give brief
explanation of the work in his de-
partment. This is what he says:
THE training department of the
Normal school now consists of the
kindergarten, the eight grades of the
elementary school and the high
school. The eight grades of the ele-
mentary school are under the direct
supervision of four training teachers
and two assistants. Two grades are
seated in each room with adjoining
class rooms for recitations. On ac-
count of the growth of the school
and the need of larger number of
classes for training work, each of the
elementary grades will be given
separate room as soon as new build
ing for this work can be secured and
will have training teacher of its
own. This will provide accomm moda-
tion for larger number of children
than are at present enrolled and in
sure closer supervision on the part
of the training teachers as the work
of each will be confined to single
grade.
1T is the ambition of those con-
q cerned with the training school to
work out an ideal course of study,
properly graded from the kinder
garten to the high school inclusive,
so that there will be no serious break
in the continuity of the work at any
point as is usually the case between
the kindergarten and the first grade
or the eighth grade and the high
school. The work of each grade,
moreover, is intended not only to
perpare the child for that which is
TO follow, but to afford him the best
conditions for normal living at each
stage of his development. Conse-
quently. much attention is devoted
to the normal activities and interests
of children as Expressed in art.
manual work, dramatization, music,
literature, history, nature study ex-
cursions, gardening and domestic
science. 1t Is believed that these
subjects have much greater value
in enriching the life Of the child
than the old-fashioned grind upon
spelling, arithmetic and grammar.
In this respect the course of study is
in harmony with the most progress
sive educational thought of the
country. Reading, writing and
arithmetic need not be neglected, for
there can protitably be an elimina-
tion Of great deal of useless material
in the study of these subjects as
pursued In the majority of schools,
for example, the working of problems
in arithmetic that have no practical
mination of this dead matter and the
use of methods based upon modern
psychological principles will afford
time for the study Of such subjects
as literature, art, music and nature
study, that are so necessary for any
genuine culture on the part of the
child.
I'm connection with the teaching
of reading childrens library Of
several hundred volumes is being
selected and placed in the grade
rooms so that the children may have
access to the best books in the
worlds literature that are adapted
to their needs. This material is, Of
course, of very much more value to
the child than the barren inanlties
of much of the reading matter in the
average school reader, and enables
the child to gain mastery of the
process of reading by supplying him
with a natural motive to read.
''In the high school as we'll as in
the elementary school much import
ance is attached to the culture stud
les. Literature, history, including
the study of modern industrial and
social conditions, science and art oc-
cupying prominent places in the cur
riculum 1t Is believed that not
only the best culture but the best
mental discipline as we'll is derived