Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 496, 14 January 1902 — PROGRESS OF STUDY IN NATURE BY THE HONOLULU PUPILS [ARTICLE]

PROGRESS OF STUDY IN NATURE BY THE HONOLULU PUPILS

Wonders of Plants and Animal Lite Awaken Interest Among Students. PROF. 0. THOMPSON 0.1 PROGRESS Territorial Teachers’ Association Meets at the Hi>h School. Nature Study Work Accomplished During Fall Term—Five Minute Report* Interesting and Pro'table to Teachers and Scholars and Parents—Musical Selections. N c . ■ \ work proved a profitable then - f««r the Honolulu brani h of the Territorial Teachers’ Association, many members of which (fathered aiTthe High School building yesterday ev.u;r.;, the occasion being the regular monthly meeting. The program included address*, short talks, and music, was of great Interest, ami abounded in Instructive features A considerable insight Into the existing methods of no mat school work was gained from t !<• series of papers presented to tea tiers from the Normal. Kalolani Kaa humanu and Kaliktwaena bools. Owing to the lateness of the hour the usual discussion was dispense \ within the singing of “America” all present heartily joined. After a brie f introduction from Prof. Taggart, a comprehensive review of Jenkins and Kellogg’s Nature study wa* presented by Miss Barnard of Kamehameha Girls’ school. A song by th" pupils ot the- High School followed. Mechanic* and Useful Arts. In the able address of Professor U. Thompson, of Kamchammia Manual Training school, parents, teachers and pupils were treated to a con- • rise exposition of the method* •ni ployed In instilling into the mind* of the youth, the principles of me' han ic.s and useful arts In th" -course of his remarks. Professor Thompson spoke- as follows "Before offering suggestion- on Na tore Study. I wish to offer several suggestions on teaching arithmetic. I hope to make the connection app'-an. "Of the many methods for teaching arithmetic I will name oniv two. The first my attention was call* d to was the Reas n M-thod. By this method the teachers were supposed to develop the reasoning pow r* ' the child. The proc-'-s b ean in the kindergarten and was rontini-d through the primary, the intermediate and the grammar grades, if the pupil did not get desp-rat an! leave before-. Unreasoning Reasoning. “By this method from one to two cr three examples could b“ work-d through in a recitation. But th** work was thorough (7) Wb-n H pupil could go through the formula beginning with "since" and ending with "therefore" the teacher consbfered the reasoning powers .-level-p-d for that grade. I once heller >d in this method and practiced if I am now convinced that it wa* the m st unreasoning method err developed. The pups! learn-d to rep at th- formula; but h* did rot reason He simply committed th" words to mem» ory anil repeated them This was clearly shown in his applications of the various formulae to different problems. He could r"p ; -at the formula" but h" could not tel! w i they fitted. By th" time he had r»-ac h €d the High School, he was so si- k of the whole subject that he hated to reason and really sever learned. And he had had so little practice in numeral combination* that he was inaccurate in his work, and ML The Story Method. “The second method was known as the Story method. It went something iiwe this; Now children. &c . a ship was sailing along a foreign shoo* ( foreign’ means far away* they had had a stormy passage, (‘passage* means going somewhere cn a ship) The air became balmy Cbaimy means

means very pleasant ) They spied a beautiful island. i Who ran tel! me what an . - *ar..’ ;•-• T :• t <? t' - ship and Bailed towards the island. As they came near, they saw the naked native s coming down to meet thfir i Since the peop’e wore no r let May. what may we call them.) &r . &r Air At last they mtd“ the people understand they needed food and water. So the chief sent some of hi* servants to bring water and others to bring bananas. Now there were eight men in the boat and each man could drink a quart of water. How many of water must the natives bring. Each man coaid eat .'is large bananas or tight small on» s How many large bananas must the natives bring. How many small ones. Application to Business. By this time the period closed, and the children had divided 8 by 4 and multiplied 6 by 8 and 9 by 8. At this rate, how long will it take the children to learn quick and accuratin th f -ir comblnat ons. The fact is they never did become so, or not till they had get into business and had lost several good positions because of their inaccuracies. "I do not knowr what mfthods you are using; but here is a suggestion. Either leave arithmetic out of the curriculum entirely till the pupils are at least 12 years old and want to learn it; or b'gin as lat“ as the 9th or 10th year and teach only numerical combinations till the pupils are 12 years old. Whatever or whenever the work in arithmetic begins it should be purely mechanical till the pupils make the combinations as they breathe—without thinking about it. Whtn they can do this, problems may be taught in two years. But even at 12 years of age. reasoning are the problems, only, should be allowed. Reasoning on principles should be left for maturcr years. By this method several vears can lie saved: and the pupils' interest may survive. How to* Employ the Time. Having saved these several wears, what is to be don*’ with the time. Well, Nature Study. Whether Nature Study becomes a "fad” or not depends upon the teacher. To make it a "fad” will be the easiest thing. To make it what it should be. and may be. will be very difficult. It means a lot of hard work, for most of it must be original work. And most of us have been trained to get materials from books. We can help each other, and this is about ail the assistance we will get at present. Five Nlinute Reports. A half dozen young ladies from Kaaliumatm school, pleasingly sang a song entitled the “Carpenter Bee." Five minute reports from the teachers in various city schools concerning the work done during the fall term in nature studies followed. Mr. Van Dine, of the Normal school, stated that both field and class room work had progressed at a gratifying rate at the school. The pupils had become quite versed in plant life, from its inception to maturity. Corn, beans and radishes were carefully studied and excursions to various portions of Honolulu were taken by the scholars. A collection of insects has lieeu made by the pupils. The school is provided with all necessary apparatus for field work. Included in the studies taken up. mosquitoes, seeds plants of many species were considered. In the training school fish, and water plants have received rauct study. In. some of the advanced classes tneterology and atmospheric studies were taken up. Class Work at Kahulani. Mrs. Frasher submitted a report of class work at Kaiulani school. The pupils were represented as making excellnt progrss in their studies iu agriculture, vegetables and flowers being cultivated. Taro was a subject over which one class devoted much time and attention. It was now pronounced as flourishing under the care of Hawaiian children. The various insects and bugs which act as a detriment to the growth of the plants are also studied, and means are planned for their extermination. Miss King of Kaahutnanu school told of the work of the thirteen teachers at the school. Agricultural topics also engrossed the attention of the children, rice, sugar cane, coffee, potatoes peanuts, corn, pineapples and taro were in turn taken up by the pupils, and the best conditions under which each would thrive was noted. Insects which tended to destroy these plants were studied. Studying Rice Culture. The scholars of this school have also been taken to the rice fields and wf re introduced to the manner in which the product was cultivated and harvested. The cane borer destructive to the sugar cane and scale bug and Japanese beetle, a deadly enemy of the coffee plant, were pointed cut to the young nataralistsAt Kalihi-waena school. Miss John son briefly referred to the study of ants and birds and their general char acteristlcs. The young people of this

? bool hare also made excellent progress In their experiments along agricultaral tines. The solo. pleasingly rendered hy Miss Lasb at the corylaslon of the pr rram. met with a warm response and r'-peat-asl from taospresent.