Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1882 — INSTITUTE NOTES, [ARTICLE]

INSTITUTE NOTES,

Two weeks bofore the time allotted r o* AnouaLlostitute, each pedagogue received a cordial invitation to spend a fortnight in Rensselaer and hearken unto the valuable instruction to be given by several ot the most prominent educators of the State. Accordingly, August 28th found a small, 1 yet efficient force assembled in the court room ready and anxious to open campaign. The house at once proceeded to organize, the nom* inations resulting In election of J. F. Antrim. Vice President; T. E. Price. Ensolllng Secretary; Miss Bouk, Corresponding Secretary. After taking the enrollment, the Chairman, D. B Nowels. made a few introductory remarks. Mr. Bbortridge very kindly udiireused uh upon the Deportment of the Teacher- His advice was good, to .-ay the least < f it. The course of study was discussed and its efficiency agreed upon bv a large majority. None of our instruct ors having arrived, we sought the last resort—the “Query Box.” In its depths was again found the perplexing question, “Has the teacher the authority to force a pupil to pursue certain studies?” The reply—“ The laws of Indiana are sufficiently binding to force any pupllj'to pursue every branch specified in the couiseof study prepared by County Board,” was a consolation of the superlative degree.

After usual opening exercises on Tuesday Professors Bass and Thomas went presented. Prof. Bass immediately took tl e floor and at once began his series of lessons upon Language, to which and through which, he claims, there is no royal road. In bis talks upon this subject. Bass, with most severely practical illustrations presented only 10 of common errors committed by the innocent pedagague in his frantic endeavors to drag his pu ils over that “unroyal” road. A little mechanical training is necessary if one would have the drills in Language executed in an orderly manner and with neatness and dispatch. It was shown plainly how to conduct the recitations, the nature of topics to be used and the order in which to take them up. T e mysterious veil widen has.heretofore enveloped Language has been partially removed. In Arithmetic Prof. Baas discoursed mainly upon how to teach per centage in a simple, business-like way to a class just beginning it. His talks upon Pedagogics flavored very little of phi osophical terms, but were practical and interesting. Sickness deprived us of his second week’s services, and on Saturday Prof. Br made his exit for Indianapolis.

Prof. Thomas took up subjects of Reading. Geography and School Management. His lectures upon methods of teaching Reading were most excellent, (ind outlines furnished will no doubt be “handed down” or around. We hope to refute his assertion that Reading is the most poorly taught branch in our schools, by assiduously following the a ove mentioned outlines. From him we learn that the object of education is the acquisition of Knowledge and development and strengthening of mind, and that Geography goes far toward accomplish ing this object by developing the powers of observation, memory, imagination and judgment beside cultivating other reasons. It is Prof. T’s firm belief that the child should never be taught to make the printed characters, and that the combination of Word and Phonic methods would undoubtedly be the happv mien so eagerly sought. Urgent business called the Prof, away on fifth day. On Tuesday eve of this, the first week, Supt. Bloss addressed a large audience |n the Court House. His remarks were directed more particularly to teachers but were enjoyed by all. It is his most earnest desire that the teacher make a daily practice of reading the works of the best authors .(paying special attention to history), and that he create a taste for good literature in the school. In a short talk the next morning he stated tiiat two poor teachers in a township will do more toward teailngdown educational interests than six good ones can build up, as by the two the whole system is brought into disrepute. On Thursday eve of this week Professor Thomas read a very entertaining and instructive manuscript. Monday morn, Sept. 4th. Institute a much better attendance. Hupter, of Washington, Ind., was introduced as the sole in? structor for the ensuing week, A stronger advocate of Object Teaching could not be found, it seems, and if all profit by his example and his explanations, Mathematics and Geography will attain a much higher standard in our schools. The way is known, if anything is lacking it Is the will. History, too, can be better taught with the assistance of Hunter’s Historical Cards and his entirely new and original Chronological Outline of Early Settlements of different States. On Tuesday eve Prof. Punter lectured upon the theme—“ How the West was Won.”

On Thursday Prof. Brown, of Valparaiso, Ind., put in his appearance and labored zealously in the educational cause. His instructions upon Language, Grammar, aud Arithmetic were carefvliy noted, and many were the expressions of regret when the necessary brevity of his visit was mads known. On Friday, a would-be political meeting forced us to evacuate our comfortable quarters and seek refuge in the M. E. sanctum for ths remaining two hours. Quiet being restored the different committees were called upon to report. By imposing a fine of 10e- for each day’s attendance, and with;the liberal donation of SSO from the county, the Committee on Finance was enabled to defray all expenses and report the enormous surplus of fl 50. With awe-stricken Countenances each in quired of his neighbor—“ What in the world will we do with the dollarfifty? The Committee on Resolutions sub** mitted the following: Rbsolved, That we recognize in our County Superintendent, B. B. Nowels, a faithful and obedlert servant of the Public Schools of Jasper County; That, We heartily concur with him In his unbiased, impartial and successful endeavors to elevate the standard of all the schools, and all the teachers thereof; . That. It Is tho sense of this Institute, that the personal attack made on him In the Rensselaer Republican of August 29th, was unwarranted, wonton, and unjust. That h© not only introduced Bute Superintendent; John M. Bloss, an the night of his lecture in this place (Rensselaer) in a genteel and becoming manner, Ibut throughout his entire visit treated him with that courtesy and affability which one gentleman always bestows upon another. Candace Boboughs, ) T. E. Price, ]> Oom. Report adopted unanimously. A resolution in favor of teachina vocal music in the schools was voted down by a large majority,

In his closing retm-iks, D. B. Now-, els urged the teachers to enter tneir schools with the determination to do better work and more of it than ever before. and t also, to unite their efforts more in the coming year, and leave the old stamping grounds far in the rear. Prof. Hunter closed his farewell speech with a generous offer of a very neat and pretty vase pattern. This article sadly needs condensing, but the half has not yet been told.