Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-05-26


Superintendent II. W. Lewis met the
teachers of the town schools at Bethany
Parish house Friday in sessions that oc-
cupied 10th the morning and afternoon.
There were present of the Randolph corps
OF instructors Mrs. Catherine Holman,
Mrs. Retta Morse, Mrs. Grace Perry, Mrs.
Lena Peck, Misses Mary Nichols, Mary
Adams, Nettie Pember, Olive Hanks,
Clara Osgood, Beth Heath, Carrie Eaton,
Ethel Child. Lena Rhodes and Elizabeth
aoIden-14 in all, besides one brooknelo
teacher, Miss Nina Flint.
The real purposes OF the teachers meet
iuRs we're stated IS follows.-Io afford
relaxation from the regular routine OF
school work; to give the teachers great
er sympathy and respect Tor each other
and to cultivate a desire for closer ae-
ouaintanee with others Of like profession;
10 remind each other OF the fact that 1t Is
not for the school but for life that they
are to labor: to exchange ideas OF their
own aud discuss formulated principles of
the best educators; to cultivate greater
devotion to and love Of, the profession OF
teaching and the work OF the educa-
tor in general.
Superintendent Lewis read from the
educational works of McMurray and Bag
ley some practical passages on methods OF
school management relating particularly
10 tile assignment of lessons. In this
most important part OF the teachers
work. she should endeayor to give her
pupils an impression that the next days
lesson is bound to be interesting and, to
ensure its being so, she should, by previ-
Gus study, be ready TO simplify any .diffi-
cult point, explain unusual or hard terms
and words and prepare the pupils to
make an intelligent attack upon the
printed page. In the assignment, too,
she should try to provide more variety
than the text book may furnish, excite
curiosity concerning the subject OF study
and make the salient points Of the topic
stand out clearly, not emitting to connect
closely today's lesson with tomorrow's.
In the early part of the afternoon the
teachers visited the primary department
OF the graded school to observe the Ward
method Of teaching reading, sometimes
called also the rational method. In re-
gard to this particular branch OF study,
the superintendent thought better results
ought to be obtained. Much Of the read
ing in public schools is, be SAID, deplora-
bic. without sense or expression, and he
advised the teachers not to allow children
TO hesitate between words but to coniine
all their hesitation between sentences,
studying each out before they begin to
read it and then going right through
without annoying stops.
On re-assembling in the Parish house,
the teachers stood quiz on the methods
which had been presented to them in the
morning and by their grasp OF the main
ideas showed that what had gone into one
ear had not found an immediate exit by
the other.
The proposition OF a teachers library
for the Randolph Union district was
preached by the superintendent, who
thought a wider reading Of practical edu-
cational works by modern writers would
prove both helpful and inspiring to the
teachers. To bring such works within
their reach be suggested that the a.
teachers in the union assess themselves
$3.50 year, which would give 800 Tor
the purchase OF books, which would form
the beginning of good circulating libra
~. An assessment OF IS cents, ii s1.50
seemed too much, would provide s3S with
which quite a few volumes could be
bought.
The Braintree and Brook6eld teachers,
as we'll as those of the Randolph graded
school, had favorably considered the es-
Enlistment of such a library and had
elected these teachers to serve as COM
mittee in putting the plan into execution:
Miss Jennie Stewart and Miss May
Howe, Randolph graded schools Miss
Ruth Hanks and Miss Martha Peake OF
the Brookfield schools; Mrs. George l..
Ford and Miss Jennie Cleveland OF the
Braintree schools. To this committee the
Randolph town teachers voted Friday to
sdd Miss Nettie Pember and Miss Olive
Hanks.
The Brookfield teachers had their meet
ing May 18th, and the Braintree teachers
came together the 18th.