A Third Reader Lesson.

BY J. M. GREENWOOD, SUPT. OF SCHOOLS, KANSAS CITY, MO.

I have selected a lesson, "The Monkey and the Cats," as one familiar to many teachers, and published in several different Third Readers. It represents three different voices with corresponding variations, besides the conversational style so well adapted to didactic dis

course.

PREPARATION BY THE TEACHER.

I. The teacher studies the lesson critically to ascertain the thought elements it contains, and how they should be expressed in utterance and action.

2. She weighs each sentence and decides the form, quality, force. stress, pitch and movement of voice necessary for its appropriate utterance. She also must determine the accidents of vocal expres sion, such as articulation, inflection and emphasis to be used. Mentally she conceives the piece first statically-or at best-simply as a literary composition, and secondly, dynamically or in motion as it would ap pear as a passing event in action.

3. The mere descriptive portions are thus firmly fixed in the mind; the monkey as the judge in solemn state, balancing the claims of the contestants, and their objections, too, must all be duly conceived by the reader.

4. The lesson is studied and thought over till it stands in the teacher's imagination as the most real occurrence in the world. A lesson is never understood till the reader feels it and can act it as a reality. Thus the lesson becomes a part of the teacher's mental furniture, a part and parcel of herself.

5. The teacher next decides how this lesson can be used so as to develop the powers of utterance and action in her class, or in particular members of her class. She works according to her ideals. Should they be very imperfect, her pupils will read very poorly. High ideals are the only good ones in teaching, and these the faithful, progressive teacher always strives to realize.

Her ideal of how each pupil should read may be comprised under the following subdivisions:

I.

1. To pronounce distinctly and properly all the words so as to be heard.

To emphasize all words so as to be understood in all parts of the

To express the thoughts so as to be felt.

To contrast and separate ideas, to attain clearness in expressing

THE PUPIL'S PREPARATION.

I. The teacher will pick out all new and difficult words which are not in the spelling exercise, and write them on the blackboard, and mark them diacritically. If she is in doubt about the marking of any word, consult the dictionary. These words are for the class to practice on from day to day. Words are learned through the ear and eye.

2.

The pupils are to study the lesson first to get the sense out of the words and sentences. The teacher needs to show them how to study and how to prepare a recitation.

3. To express the meaning as each understands it. To put this in a clearer light, I will take the dullest boy, "Deuteronomy Dull," and ask him to read. He takes position. I observe that he is pigeontoed. Kindly I show him how to place his feet. After a few efforts he gets his toes turned outward at the proper angle. I now see that he is loose-jointed, knock-kneed and bow-legged. Without calling attention to these physical defects, I manage to straighten up his feet and legs into a respectable position. Next, I attend to his head, shoulders, neck, breast, back, arms and hands. Physically I am trying to get him to stand flat-footed and straight up. His vocal organs must have full and easy play. At no time should his feelings ever be wounded. Putting him into shape to be somebody and to do something, unconsciously helps all the other members of the class.

The next step is to show him how to take, open and hold his book the proper distance from his eyes. This is an important matter, and is too often neglected.

Everything is ready now for Deuteronomy to read. He reads the first paragraph in a low, faltering voice. To get him to read louder, I go to the most distant corner of the room apparently to keep the studying class at work, and I say: "Deuteronomy, please try it again, a little louder." He reads louder, but in a harsh high tone. Quickly, I analyze the tone; in fact, I know it as soon as I hear it. He use the explosive instead of the expulsive form of voice; the quality wa guttural instead of the pure tone; the energetic force instead of the moderate; the radical stress instead of the medium; high pitch instead

of middle; and rapid movement instead of moderate. I know pre cisely what is the matter with his reading, and I go to work to inprove it in every particular wherever there is a defect, and I practice him till he reads the paragraph tolerably well. Then I praise him. little for what he did.

Suppose Deuteronomy is to read the fourth paragraph. It runs thus: "Let me see,' said the judge, with a sly look; "this piece weighs more than the other; and he bit off a large mouthful.”

This is a fine paragraph for Deuteronomy to practice on. He reads: "Let me see," in the solemn measured tones of a cool sagacious judge, if he has been properly taught. Next, he gets in the "sy look" of the judge and monkey blended; then he weighs or balances the two pieces, and with great gravity says: "This piece weighs more than the other," and then he proceeds to bite off a large mouthful.

Space will not permit me to go through this selection from the beginning to the end. However, I will mention a few suggestions. I. Reading is the most difficult branch to teach in the enti course of study.

2. The teacher must know what good reading is, and wheneve she hears one read, she can tell instantly if there be any defects. 3. She should know what the defects are, and how to correc them.

4.

She should always keep up the interest in the lesson to a white heat.

5. In assigning a new lesson she should decide beforehand how the lesson shall be used to improve the children's reading, whether in articulation, expression, or getting the thought silently.

6. As a language drill, the changing or recasting the sentences, the substituting other words, and other devices which which will suggest themselves are invaluable.

7. Caution. Avoid wasting time, and not giving all the pupils a chance to read during each recitation.-New York School Journal.

2

Now this gives the you secured by subThis gives us the fig

NEW METHOD OF SQUARING NUMBERS.- Say we square 48. Take 48 from 50, equals 2. Square 2 equals 4. units and tens figures of the product. Take the tracting, and subtract the 2 from 25, equals 23. ures for hundreds place; hence the square is 2304. Take 46 from 50, equals 4. Square 4, equals 16. Take 4 from 25, equals 21. Then the square of 46 is 2116. Any number under 50 can be squared in this way.

SUPERINTENDENTS, BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES.

County Institutes.

SANTA BARBARA.-The meeting of teachers for mutual improvement in matters and methods of instruction is always important. The teachers of Santa Barbara county gathered in force to attend the yearly institute. Very few were not there at the opening. Such promptness speaks well for the earnestness of the teachers in their work. County Superintendent G. E. Thurmond presided. J. S. Denton, of Santa Maria was elected Vice-president, Miss Jennie Gourley, Secretary, and Miss Brownsill, assistant Secretary.

Geo. E. Knepper, of the Santa Barbara school, Miss Ida M. Blockman, G. D. Ostrom, Miss Edith Cheeney, G. L. Leslie, and others, discussed various educational topics in a vigorous manner during the exercises of the first day. In the evening a merry company assembled at the Arlington, for a few hours of social enjoyment. A program in keeping with the spirit of the occasion was followed out, and a goodly number of witty and felicitous speeches and recitations enhanced the pleasure of the flying hours.

Principal Edwards, of Santa Ynez, G. D. Ostrom, Miss Edith Cheeney, G. L. Leslie, G. O. Knepper and other teachers participated in the exercises of the second day. Many visitors were present and much interest in the proceedings was manifested. Much regret was expressed on account of the inability of State Superintendent Anderson to be present to address the teachers, as he was expected to do.

J. R. Parker, Miss Ida M. Blockman, J. S. Curryer, Holton Webb, W. V. Barnum, G. O. Knepper, took leading parts in the program for the third day. In the evening a timely topic was discussed in a forcible and attractive way at the Congregational Church by Prof. C. H. Keyes, President of Throop University. He took as his subject “Australian Ballot System." His address was full of timely and useful information, and was highly appreciated by those present. Pres. Keyes is a gentleman of very pleasant address and is a ready and fluent speaker.

From whatever standpoint the work is viewed the institute must be pronounced a decided success. Along the lines of science there

was not much room for improvement. Psychology was brought before the teachers in its relation to English literature in a way that threw new light upon both subjects. Elocution, both in the concrete and in the abstract, found a prominent place and able representatives.

The essays and papers read on general subjects were unusually fine. Thus we might run through the whole program and find everywhere excellent work. Superintendent Thurmond was everywhere, attending to the general management of affairs and doing it well. M.

SAN BENITO.-The fifteenth annual session of the San Benito County Teachers' Institute, convened at the Hollister High School on Monday, October 10, 1892. Superintendent J. N. Thompson, presiċing. The institute organized by electing Prof. J. B. Hawkenson. Vice-president; Miss Mary Patterson and Manuel Hubler, Secretaries: Miss Ella McCray, Organist. State Superintendent J. W. Anderson favored the institute with his presence for the first two days, during which he gave informal talks upon the following topics: California Schools, School Discipline, Use and Abuse of Text-books, Physical Culture. He also participated in all the other topics which were introduced by the members. On Monday evening, he delivered a forma lecture, at Wells' Opera House, taking for his subject, "Think on These Things." His visit and talks were thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed by all.

The other topics considered were: "Mental Concentration," Will Action; "Physiology." W. J. Cagney; "How United States History can be made Interesting and Profitable," W. J. Dougherty; "Primary Reading," Miss Katherine Black; "Reading." Miss Louise McCarthy; "Mental Arithmetic," J. B. Hawkenson; "Civil Government," C. F. Rubell; "Drawing," E. E. Roberts; "Physical Geography," S. C. Garrison; "Combination Lessons," Miss Blanche Starkweather; "Grammar," H. G. Bacon; "Language," John H. Garner; "Primary Geography," Miss Annie Week; "Geography," Mrs. Hattie Archibald; "Music," Miss Flora Conover; "Primary Penmanship," Miss Clara E. Shaw; "Entomology," F. S. Wallace; "Word Analysis,” W. E. Cushman.

Rev. C. P. Cone read an instructive paper on "Moral Culture in Public Schools." The entire meeting was characterized by a lack of that formality which is usually found in such gatherings. All present · participated freely in such discussions as specially interested them. The entire session was pleasant and profitable, and Superintendent