, 1866-12-28
TILE STATE TEACHEES' ASSO-
CIATION.
Proceedings OF the First Day.

G0AAao0 on M0fNl NnQ Ac1lE10u1 In.
ssfuct1on In the schools.
LCo1zespondenee og .he Chicago T7ibune.l
JACKSONVILLE, H., Decembe, Is
Christmas morning found your corresponds.
eut, In company with 3 large number Of
teachers from rarious points of our fair
Prairie State, at Springfield Junction, waiting
Tor train, that seemed determined not to
come, to take US to the annual gathering of
the sehoolmasters and schoolua'a1ns Of the
State. This gathering has been held for va
rious reasons during holiday time, bat it Is
becoming a serious question whether the
time must not be changed. Arrived at
length at this beautiful inland city, and
snusiy ensconeed at the Dunlap House, We
sailed forth to the Congregational Church,
where the exercises were to be held.
President s. Il. White, Principal of the
Brown School, of Chicago. presided, aad
acer calling the meeting to order, desired
Professor O. Blackman, Teacher Of Music In
the Chicago Public Schools, to take charge
of the singing, which was followed by an
appropriate prayer ftcm Rev. DR.. Stcbbins,
of this city.
Pending the nbsence Of the regular Sec
retary, Mr. E. L, Wells, School Commss-
slouer Of Ug1e County, WAS elected Secretary
10 l<u.
Mr. 8. q. White then delivered his inaus.-
ural. The central thought he desired to
elucldate WAS the relation Of education
to the government Of the State Like all
his efforts, this was pfain and very peftieeat
in re'atIon to the subject st issue. Claiming
that practical teachers. who had studied ali
the various systems Of education, and who
| had tried them by actual school room tests,
were the best judges Of what the educational
I polity OF the State should be, he proceeded
| 10 review the vital questions whose speedy
| adjustment VAS necessary.
One question upon which action was
| needed and which would come before the
| Association for their consideration, was the
I blending Of intellectual with moral mud
religious education. Another vas the re-
vision OF onr school laws In several impor-
tant particulars. Many Of our fellow
they are held to their work, This ought not so
| to Le. The teacher should have this holiday
I week In which to attend the Association.
| compare results Of the years work, and profit
\ 6y others expsliences, and gain strength
nslh. the 70 ssapE % qs Of ,e epas1s s and sy
given to all teachers, md the salaries Of those
] Vho attended the Association, continued for
| the week The educational interests
| Of the State would gain BY 1t. One
Of TIE most momsntous ,subjecta
Is the relation which the State Should sns,
/ tam towards education, especially In its
| higher furlus. This question was pertinent
y illustrated BY the status Of the two sides
during the laie terrible civil war. The rebel
! States lacked education. The masses were
!td bllndfv1d to try 10 found au empire upon
6arbartc Ideas, and fhey rcaped q terrible
halytst. Education must be more uufycr.
! sally dhfused> md high schools multiplied it
We would Keep pace with material progress.
At the conclusion Of this really able and
AfA 4
that committee of three be mppotutcd,
whose duty It should he to bring before the
Convention the rarious points presented by
the President in his address.
lard, Of springfield; Prof j. B. Turner, OF
Jacksonville, and Mr.. Burrlll, Of Erbana,
were appointed ae said committee.
On muti.n, committee OF thtrteeu-one
from each Congressional District, was ap-
pointed to Nominate officers Of the Associa.
ton for the ensuing year.
On motion, adjourned until 3 p. m.
From snme cause or other, the Association
T. smaller ID numbers this rear than usual,
Many OF It's members no doubt tarricd at
bone to eat The Christmas turkey aud attend
Christmas festivals. The course Of nearly
all the railroads In refusing to pass the
teachers at the usual half fare rAtcs. has
doubtless had much to do With the slim at
tendance. Yet large accession Is expected
uron the night and morning traius. In this
the courtesy OF, the Chicago, St. Louis i
Altuu Railroad. which alone passes ali the
teachers at halt fare rates.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Professor Bluck man Introduced the after
nccn exercises with music.
Horace Greeley, Of New York, who bad
lecE detained In town, kindly consented to
MI Rev. Ar. Lathrop's place, the latter GEN
tienan not being present. lie WIS received
with earnest applause. md proceeded to
give lucid and prof ;ab,c address upon
SCHOOL ERRORS.
Ant1ng devoted no portion Of my life fn
tsachtng can only speak from the beuches.
~ speak Of errors they will bc Of long ago
ssleak few words upon school government,
because government Is d subject we asc all
Interested in. lapprelend fault exists ia
schools Of attempting too much. Teachers
sometimes create moro noise in suppressing
than the original disturbance. TcacGcrs are
sometimes too anxious to hate every pupIl
do Just right. 4 long list Of posted rules al
ways give IN impression Of poor government.
he teacher who can take charitable
view Of little faii'ngs is the best teacher.
Greg 1olerably brought up at home always
lshare at school, But VIC know that too
come many to school to obtain the tlrst
fndlneuts Of government. What can be
dunc with the covering child or the
qem.Oee5n 1ears II sr one iatteuded Lsh st ss
by severe nnsstrss. Our next distrpsted
severity, and Je; 1t was better school in
discipline md everything else. Defiance
;"g.f te put dowr, but iq no other case Is
II n'ake child understand that the ran
VINO chas'lses him loves him. Anger must
not be among the Impulses prompting the
teacher. II is good proof Of d teachers
w95fh Whtn he can rule school without
taking advantage Of his own personal
strength.
=. Another deficiency Is in oral teaching.
we lean too much upon textbooks. They
are Eo-carts upon which the teacher Is too
sptto lSan. ne instaneed study Of gram
mar: Mere Textbook study is wooden
lnach1ne, 9 larrot routine Of words aud
lhrases: Proceed BY very easy steps, ask
each scholar the same question, and then
give Your opinion. The teacher must show |
himself master Of the books, or he Will
lese tue respect Of the scholars. Ny own
first start IN study was from fluding errors In
Au1ray's Gramnar. Teachers try to teach
TOO much, require too maj ) lessons on tiif.
icrent subjects In too short time. One les |
SON ecch half day, and that given from the ]
teachers lips rather than from books, would |
IMPROVE VI onr present csainmlng system. [
Chldfen's nlnGs are too often forced. At
thirteen sfars we sometimes find them fluent |
In a1eebraa We cannot learn al in school
hence We n1st choose the most fruitful. !
What the .hild needs most Of all Is that |
tccepsssity OF mind which leaves him best
Prepared to, glcan knowledge from all |
above, around, and within him. Chemistry /
and geology are more important than ex-
tenstsc mathematical knowledge. No mau
can oe good farmer and no woman can be |
q good housewife without come knowledge !
oi Chemistry Or geology. Chemistry, studied /
bF system ofdiagtams, with an appsopysatc
oral teaching, would interest scholars ten
years of age. 1t would make our firms
aid our mines more productive. # our
student, four yeazs aftcr graduating, csnnot
resd lts Latin or Greek books, Il Is proof
positive that something WAS Wrora In the
s, nsaehlpE, and that 1t was something be
u Was Esste Of time. Had We known more
q chemistry vast quantities Of peat would |
pare been preserved, which have been fool
ishlT burned mp.
II Is unfortunate that 50 MANY consider 1t
only stepping stone to something else.
y MMlsh cur young men or women loved teach
ing 20 well Is to abide By It. wish Ameri-
can industry we're not 70 turbufentiy restless
.na an oittqqs as TO deplete our ranks of
every body would be rushing after II. Be
heyinE. then, In the utility Of normal schools.
and latheyings like this, trust Thousands
WI hnd 1t so honorable and useful, and
in It.
MORAL INSTRUCTION..
A discussion ther ensued upon the Ques-
GGn, Should Moral and Religious Instruction |
be given II the Common Schools.
frof- j. 7. y. Standish being absent, Mr..
hlodsett. OF Rockford, assumed his place
!; ans briefly adrczted to the blending Of intel
leclnal md moral development as going On
at ne same time, and Decding equal care,
and to the fact that the Bible Is not read In |
many Of our Common Schools.
NJ: :. A. Dickey also spoke in the af1s-
native. a1lud:ng to the great idea Of duty
= hieh should be impressed upon every mind.