Shepherdstown Register

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

The Teachers' Institute for this county will be conducted by Prof. Joseph McMurran, and will be held in Charlestown, beginning Monday, July 21st, instant, at 1:30 P. M., and closing Saturday at noon.

The programme, prepared and published by the State Superintendent, contains the work marked out for each day and hour, and general regulations for the conduct and government of the Institute, and suggestions for public exercises at night.

Judging from the programme, the teachers will be required to prepare and recite lessons on the topics named, which include all the branches taught in our public schools. All others are excluded. It will afford a good opportunity for teachers to review their studies and prepare themselves for the examination which is to be held the week following.

This is an important consideration, since the law now exempts those who have held a No. 1 certificate for three years, from an examination for the next three years. All they have to do is to have their last certificate endorsed by the board of examiners.

The present board of examiners will conduct the examinations for the ensuing year, as the board appointed this year do not begin their term of office until September 1st, next.

The school law does not make it obligatory upon teachers to attend these institutes, but the occasion afforded by them for teachers to improve themselves in methods and manner of teaching, and the opportunity presented for those who may desire to review their studies and prepare themselves for the annual examination for certificates to teach, ought to be sufficient inducements to attend.

Reviews of Arithmetic, Geography, History and English Grammar, and the methods and manner of teaching these branches to the different advancements of scholars, form an important part of the programme. All discussion of branches not taught in our primary schools, and of profitless questions, are strictly excluded from the Institute, and its time taken up by recitations in the different studies that require the attention of our teachers in their daily work.

Let teachers attend the Institute with the true spirit of teachers and take with them copies of the text books used in their schools, and prepare themselves on the topics assigned for each day, and the Institute cannot fail to benefit them.