Year: 1876

Will llsc Normal Institute Rene


nt You.


1t is an old and trite saving, thai


aWhat is worth doing is worth wei


doing" This is just as true wher


applied to the work of teaching, as il


is @hcn applied to the performance OF


any duty that we may be called upor


to perform.


The public schools of our country


and even of our own county have


long been suffering from the lack OF


experience and the roughness on the


part of those who have been en-
/ ployed 10y the patrons to perform the


duties of teachers. The lack Of these
| qualifications on the part of instruc-


tors, has been a serious drawback TO


the advancement of pupils, because


of the loose and negative manner in


which the several branches Of learn


ing have been presented.


No one who takes upon himself
the responsibilities Of a teacher has
right to accept the position and re-
ceive compensation for the perform
ance of the duties Herewith connect.
ed, unless he be competent to impart
instruction in such way as to give
the pupil varied and positive infor-
nation, and lay the foundation for
broad and liberal education.


That teachers may have the oppor-
tun;ty of receiving instruction in the
branches they are required by law to
teach, and that they may be instruct
ed in the most successful methods of
teaching, the Normal Institute has
been appointed, and at such time
as will probably best suit the major
ity Of the teachers IN the county.


The importance of the work re-
daircd at the hands Of the teacher
demands of him the most studied and
thorough preparation; and he who
through carelessness fails to make
that preparation when the oppor-
tunity is presented, does an injury to
the public for which years of labor
cannot atone.


One of the radical defects in our
schools is lack OF system. Recita-
tions are often permitted to come
without any regard to the nature of
the study, and thus pupils who are
weary with hard days work are
called upon at the most unfavorable
hours to recite some lesson which
should only be attempted when the
mind and body are fresh and vigor-
Gus. Again, it is the usual custom
among many of our teachers to con-
duct recitations for week after week
by asking multitude of questions
which when constantly propounded
tend to confuse and discourage the
pupil, and at best, fail to lead him to
think and reason for himself.


The matter of school government,
probably the most arduous aud try
ing of all the duties that devolve up
on the teacher, is subject of the
most vital Importance SO far as con-
Germs the advancement of the pupil,
and the formation of habits that shall
ever remain with him, charactcrizing
bis whole life for good or evil. Par
ents who have little or no control
over their children at home send
them to school, where they are
joined by others coming under similar
and thus throw the re-
sponsibili,ies Of governing thirty or
forty refractory children upon the
of one, who perhaps, has
had very little or no experience in
the inclinations and impulses
Of the youthful mind. Surrounded
BY these difficulties, without any
definite plan of proceeding in view,
and without any means of obtaining
wholesome advice, is it any wonder
that many Of our schools are failure?


There may have been a time when
teachers were to certain extent ex-
cusable for their lack of knowledge,
because OF their inability to obtain it
otherwise than by actual experience;
out since the means of remedying
this defect has been provided by the
State and brought within the reach
Of every one, no teacher can with any
degree of propriety enter the school
room without being prepared to do
MS duty and do it well.


The special objects which the
Normal Institute has in view are:
To instill into the mind Of the teacher
a spirit of promptness in the per-
(ormance Of all duties connected with
the school. To systematic, SO far as
possible, the work of the common
school, SO that every recitation shall
receive due attention and be so ar
ranged that it shall come at such a
time as shall be productive of the
most beneficial results. This is a
subject Of the greatest Importance,
for without system no school can be
successful in accomplishing that for
which it was instituted. Togive the
teacher an opportunity of noting the
different methods of conducting reci-
tations, 50 that he may adopt such as
may commend themselves and by
using them in his own school make
his work much more effective.


The subject Of school government,
,.pop which dsnandS tho cnnrass of |