TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE RHODE ISLAND INSTITUTE OF INSTUCTION AT ROGER WILLIAMS HALL, PROVIDENCE. Thursday, January 18th, 1872. The State Normal School and the Providence High School will be open to visitors from 10 A. M. to 1 P. M. The grammar, Intermediate and Primary Schools of the City, will be open from 2 to 4 P. M. Thursday Evening, 7.30 P. M. TEACHERS' SOCIAL UNION AT ROGER WILLIAMS HALL. The evening will be devoted to a Social Meeting of Teachers and their friends. Music will be furnished by the Brown University Glee Club, and Select Readings by Mrs. H. M. Miller, of Concord, N. H. Roger Williams Hall, Friday, 9.30 A. M. 1. Devotional Exercises by Rev. S. L. Caldwell, D. D. 2. Introductory Addresses and Business. 3. Practical Education,-A Paper by A. D. Small, Esq., Superintendent of Public Schools, Newport. 4. A Paper by D. W. Hoyt, Esq., of the Providence High School. 5. Vocal Music by Pupils of the Public Schools of Providence, under the direction of B. W. Hood, Esq., at 12 M. Friday, 2 P. M. 1. A Class Exercise in Reading, by Pupils of the State Normal School, conducted by Mrs. H. M. Miller. 2. A Course of Study,-A Paper by Prof. J. C. Greenough, Principal of the State Normal School. 3. Manners and Morals of the School-Room,-A Paper by Joshua Bates, Esq., Head Master of Brimmer School, Boston. 1. Music. Friday Evening, 7 P. M., at Music Hall. 2. Addresses by His Excellency, Governor Padelford, and His Honor, Mayor Doyle, of Providence. 3. Music. 4. Addresses by Hon. T. W. Bicknell, Commissioner of Public Schools, and Rev. Daniel Leach, Superintendent of Public Schools, Providence. 5. Organ Solo, by F. F. Tingley. 6. Readings, by Prof. Lewis B. Monroe, Boston. 7. Addresses by Rev. Alexis Caswell, LL. D., President of Brown University, Providence, and Hon. W. P. Sheffield, Newport. 8. Readings, by Prof. Monroe. 9. Music. Mr. Frank F. Tingley will preside at the Organ. The vocal music of the evening will be furnished by young ladies of the Providence High School, under the direction of B. W. Hood, Esq. Tickets for admission to Music Hall may be obtained of the Committee of Arrangements, on Thursday and Friday, the 18th and 19th. Saturday, 9 A. M. 1. Devotional Exercises, by Rev. G. C. Currie. The members are invited to participate in the discussions, which will follow upon the topics presented in the papers. Free entertainment will be offered by the citizens of Providence, to the members of the Institute. Free return tickets will be furnished over all Railroads in Rhode Island, leading out of Providence, except the Providence Hartford, and Fishkill Road, which makes a deduction of one third from regular fares. Teachers, School-Officers, and friends throughout the State, are cordially invited to attend these meetings. A. J. MANCHESTER, Committee of Arrangements. EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. EDITED BY G. E. WHITTEMORE. DEATH OF ALBERT A. GAMWELL.-A faithful teacher devoted to his profession, an earnest, Christian man, and a fond and loving husband and father, has, after years of the grandest earthly service, been called to his heavenly home to enjoy those treasures he has rescued from final dissolution and laid up in God. It is with the deepest sorrow that we chronicle the death of Albert A. Gamwell, for nearly twenty-five years Master of one of the Grammar Schools of Providence. On Tuesday, December 18th, after a brief illness, he ended his career on earth, and expired in the triumphs of a pure Christian faith, and in the hope of a glorious immortality. Life-long friends have paid their written tribute to his memory, yet we cannot forbear expressing our sorrow that those lips from which so often and so lately we have received advice and counsel are closed forever. The funeral ceremonies were largely attended by the school officers, teachers and pupils with whom he has so long been associated, and the tearful eyes and sorrowful hearts of those assembled to take a last farewell of him who had been their guide and teacher, showed how completely he had won their love. The casket in which he lay was completely covered with beautiful floral emblems and mementoes, tributes of affection from those who had enjoyed his cordial friendship. At the last meeting of the Providence Teachers' Association, memorial addresses were made by Messrs. Manchester, Hoyt, Stockwell, Sawin, Hall, and Mowry. The following resolutions were adopted: Whereas, One of our number, Albert A. Gamwell, has recently been removed from us by death, after a service of nearly a quarter of a century in the schools of this city; therefore, Resolved, That while recognizing in this bereavement the act of One who cannot err, and believing it is well with him who is called to higher service, yet we, the teachers of Providence, desire hereby to express our sense of personal loss, and our heartfelt sympathy for the teachers and pupils of the school with which he has been so long connected, as well as for the family deprived of his tender love and watchful care at a time when they so much needed his guiding hand. Resolved, That his memory should ever be cherished by our profession as that of one who made duty the criterion of his life; who ever shunned the seeming for the real; who taught more to impress the character than the memory; who combined genial manners and a cheerful countenance with a firm and potent discipline; who exemplified, during twenty-five years of active service, the utility and practicability of carrying personal culture beyond the narrow routine of daily duties. Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be transmitted to the family of the deceased, and to the newspapers for publication. Resolutions of esteem for the departed, and sympathy for the bereaved family, were also adopted by the School Committee at their last meeting, and the funeral expenses are to be paid by the city, as an expression of appreciation for his valua ble services. PROVIDENCE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.-At a meeting of the School Committee, held December 29, 1871, Hagar's Series of Arithmetics were adopted for use in the schools of the city; the grade of the assistant teacher in the Greenwich Street Grammar School was raised from the third to the second grade, and Mr. Rider reported a plan for a thorough reorganization of the Committee, which was laid on the table till next meeting. Mr. Parkhurst, at his own request, was excused from service on the Committee on Accounts, and Mr. Amos M. Bowen was appointed in his stead. Mr. Guild offered a resolution to the effect that the President be requested to petition the General Assembly, at its next session, to give to this Committee powers enjoyed by the School Committees of other towns in this State, and by School Committees generally throughout New England. The resolution will be considered at the next meeting of the School Committee. Resolutions offered by Rev. Mr. Henshaw, paying a fitting tribute to the memory of Mr. Gamwell, and expressing heartfelt sympathy for the widow and orphaned children who have most severely suffered by his death, were adopted. TEACHERS' Institute at Central Falls.-A meeting of the Rhode Island Institute of Instruction was held at Central Falls, on December 16th and 17th, 1871. Commissioner Bicknell presided, and Mr. C. A. Neville was chosen Secretary. After devotions and organization, Gen. Lysander Flagg, extended to the Institute, in a few eloquent words, a cordial welcome to the hospitalities of the citizens of Lincoln. Then followed an exercise in spelling, participated in by all the members present, a list of fifty words being pronounced by the Commissioner and written by the teachers. The RHODE ISLAND SCHOOLMASTER for the ensuing year was offered to every one who should spell all the words correctly. Not one paper was found to be correct, however, Miss Belle Essex, of the Warren High School, followed by reading a paper on "Dull Pupils.” As the paper is to be published in the SCHOOLMASTER, we will only say that among the many excellent suggestions, the recommendation that wilfully dull pupils be treated with indifference could be carried into effect by some teachers with great advantage to their schools. The manner of computing the percentage of attendance was ably discussed, showing a widely diversified practice among different teachers. It was generally agreed that until some uniform system was adopted, no information of a definite or practical character can be obtained from a given percentage of attendance, the plan of one teacher giving 88 per cent. on the same figures another's would produce 94 per cent. Mr. B. W. Putman, of Jamaica Plains, Mass., gave several interesting and valuable exercises in Elementary Drawing, with illustrations on the blackboard, and practical exercises on paper, by the members of the Institute. The importance of correctly teaching the rudiments of this science in our Primary and Intermediate schools was plainly shown. Miss Sarah E. Doyle, of the Providence High School, read a well written and able essay on the subject of "Early Steps in English Composition," showing the necessity of teaching the arts of composing, correct spelling, and punctuating to even the youngest of pupils. This paper is to be published in the SCHOOLMASTER. "A Practical Lecture on Minerals," by Prof. J. C. Greenough, Principal of the State Normal School, Providence, illustrated with mineral specimens and by the blackboard, was an exercise of unusual merit, and received the closest attention from the teachers present. Although, for lack of time, Prof. Greenough was obliged to present the subject more hurriedly than he desired, he gave a very interesting elementary lesson in the science of mineralogy, and showed that when thus presented. it could be made a very entertaining study to young pupils. Prof. O. H. Kile, of Westerly, gave an excellent exercise in Elementary Geography. He is a thorough believer in the " "Inductive Method" of teaching, and is noted for the aptness of his illustrations and his natural method of developing the subject he is teaching. His exercise was one of great profit to the Institute. Mr. Manchester, of Providence, gave an instructive exercise on Primary Arithmetic in his usual entertaining manner. On the evening of the 16th, a large audience assembled in the Congregational Church. Remarks were made by the Commissioner, and by Gov. Seth Padelford, who, as usual, spoke a good word for the public schools. He earnestly desired that our excellent school system, unimpaired, but with increased efficiency, might be transmitted to our posterity. The remarks of the Governor were well received, and were very gratifying to his hearers. Dr. Dio Lewis, of Boston, the eminent physiologist, then delivered an interesting and instructive lecture upon "Health in Schools." The nerves of the human system were first particularly explained, grouped and classified. He then described the ear, illustrating his remarks with models of the ear of the fish, the bird, and the human ear. The human eye was next very lucidly and scientifically explained and illustrated, bringing the construction and operation of that delicate organ, and its uses and abuses, within the clear comprehension of all. Dr. Lewis held the attention of his audience for two hours, enlivening his very instructive and useful lecture with a happy vein of humor throughout. Numerous questions asked by the teachers were pleasantly answered by Dr. L., regarding light, ventilation, and other points concerning the health of scholars and teachers confined in school-rooms, and many important ideas and lessons were communicated to the teachers, capable of a practical application, which it is to be hoped they will receive. The lecture combined pleasure with instruction, and was very well received. Misses Paine, Cooke, and Tracy added much to the pleasure of those in attendance on the Institute, by the excellent rendering of several songs during the exercises. The customary resolutions of thanks, &c., were adopted, and we are happy to say a goodly number of subscribers for the SCHOOLMASTER were obtained at the Institute. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.-A large number of the teachers of the State have visited the Normal School, generally on Saturdays, and most of them are judiciously making such improvements in their own schools as have been suggested by witnessing the methods of instruction there pursued. Many of them spend whole days in listening to the different exercises, and are found week after week in attendThe series of lectures on "Language," by Prof. S. S. Greene, were of great value, and the course on "General History," by Prof. J. L. Diman, will be hardly less interesting. Prof. G. W. Greene, Lecturer on American History for both the Normal School and Cornell University, is announced for a course of lectures that are looked forward to with great interest. ance. BROWN UNIVERSITY.-The total number of students at Brown this year is 224, divided as follows: Seniors, 50; juniors, 41; sophomores, 77; freshmen, 56. Of these, 102 are from Rhode Island, 58 from Massachusetts, 23 from Connecticut, 4 from Maine, 4 from New Hampshire, and 2 from Vermont. THE PROVIDENCE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION held its monthly meeting at 5 o'clock, on Wednesday, December 6th. The president being absent, Mr. Sawin was appointed to preside for the evening. Mr. Stockwell was called upon to open the discussion on the subject: How far is it desirable to encourage the preparation of arithmetic lessons at home? He favored the idea of preparing some lessons at home, because it would connect the home-life with the school-life. Not looking upon study as a drudgery, but only seeking the best interest of the pupil, it was his opinion that no study required more calm, cool deliberation than the study of arithmetic, and therefore none could more conveniently and readily be prepared at home. He never had better success than in teaching two boys whose mother kept herself informed, pursuing the studies at home with her boys, ready to assist them in mathematics or languages. He did not think scholars were likely to be injured by help at home, as results were not the main thing in arithmetic, but the explanations were all-important. Miss Doyle was of opinion that for scholars in the Grammar schools and lower grades, six hours' study was sufficient, and as at this season of the year the evening hours are all that remain for study, no lessons should be assigned to be prepared at home. She believed weak eyes to be the result of study by artificial light-falling asleep, perhaps, over the book, and waking to continue the study. Then, again, who should teach the children but their teachers? The father is not, in most cases, as competent to teach his children as the teacher. Assistance at home is generally |