Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-01-25
THE INSTITUTE
COMES TO CLOSE
DR.. Belts Leaves Lasting Impression
on the Teachers Present
at the Inspirational
Institute.
TWO LECTURES BY PROF. KELLY
DR.. searson and Others Take Part
On Program During Clos.
ing Day.
TWO LECTURES BY PROF. KELLY

The good things left Dehlnd by
Dr. Belts in the minds of his hearers
at the institute, will be as those foot
prints that make the "forlorn and
shipwrecked brother" take heart
again. The teachers feel that they
have been in touch with master
whose simplicity Of bearing, whose
modesty as to his attachments, whose
clearness of illustration are all
things which mark him as one whom
they will desire to hear again, and
from whom they can always learn
more.
Perhaps some OF his epigrams
might read as follows:
Personal satisfaction grows out of
Skinship with humanity. Teach the
concrete. Instruction should take
hold and modify life. Nothing may
be called taught that merely lodges
in the mind, it must take effect, If
it be teaching. The school has to
do all those things which nobody else
is doing.
DR.. Belts lecture Friday after
noon was lucid exposition of how
to conduct recitation by the use OF
related, questions He especially
emphasized the loss by reason of the
valueless, isolated question. The
question should always reach the
why" should be free from the serf-
dom of the text and should always
be clear as to its meaning. Right
here, Dr. Belts hit upon one of the
most absolutely vital issues of the
moment. No child can express HIM
self If he doesn't know what he is
expected to express. To the average
young teacher, It seems so easy to
just open a book and "carve out" q
list Of available questions. Not sol
to the one who has taught for years.
That teacher sits down and marks
and grasses and changes, writing and
rewriting, in the endeavor to get a
list that can be concise, fair and
able to be Interpreted. DR.. Belts
said he had been trying it for over
twenty years, and he had yet to write
list that all his pupils could under
stand when it came to the proper in
tent Of the question. Socrates was
q scientist in question asking, but his
questions were usually only one word
-''twhy?''
Mr.. Kelly gave two able lectures
Friday which will surely remain
as landmarks with his hearers. His
round table work in English, as
correlated with other language, was
one OF the finest things of this series.
Miss June Baker, Of our Latin de-
partment, told of the manner in
which she made Latin vital as
language foundation, the aids to
making it stay with the pupil and
general readings employed.
Miss Fannie Fisher, of Jewell, al
SO gave talk which was both in
spring and interesting. The town
of jewell has much to- be proud OF
in its teachers, and Miss Fisher is
one of the special stars, not alone OF
Jewell, for she is well known for her
excellent work in the state. Her
vivacious interpretations, spiced
with ready wit, will always make
her presence welcome in any gather
ing of teachers.
DR.. Searson gave his fifth lecture
as finale of the institute work. This
broad minded educator, who hales
from the English department Of
state institution at Manhattan, Kan
sas, left many pearls of thought with
the teachers. He delivered beau
tiful talk upon what constituted the
power of the teaching of that great
est teacher that ever came to earth
Christ. Briefly, the five funda-
mentals were:
/. Christ never taught anything
uHlll tuc vi hlo hSoASio ">A'N~
ready to grasp it.
9. He used no Illustrations save
those that were within the obserya.
ton or experience of the nearer.
3. He lived the truths he taught.
a. His life was characterized by
a deep sympathy and the human
heart touch.
5. He taught none but truths
that would grow of themselves.
The teachers OF the county will
hope to have DR.. Searson return, as
they are unanimous in declaring that
they enjoyed and profited by this
genial breeze from Kansas
The girls trio which sang at the
high school concert. repeated their