The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-12

TEACHERS AssoC1ATIoN.-A regular
meeting of the Wheeling Teachers
Association was held in the City Build
ing on Saturday, 9Th inst.
1.-The meeting was called to order by
the chairman, Mr.. Williams. The m1u-
utes of the previous meeting were read
and approved.
Upon the calling OF the roll not more
than twenty-five members answered to
their names. The chairman expressed
regret that so many members were aD'
sent. He had no doubt that some were
necessarily detained, but others he
feared were absent from choice rather
than from necessity. There were some
among the teachers in our public
schools whose faces are rarely seen at
these meetings. Such do not and can
not feel that interest In their WORK
which is essential to success. he nao
hoped that all would avail themselves
of the benefits of these meetings, and
that it would not become necessary for
the Board of Education to adopt meas
ures compelling attendance. From
present indications 1t might be advlsa-
BILE for the Board to take cogniZance OF
the matter. In other cities teachers are
required by law or by regulation oil
school boards, to attend the Teachers
Meetings, and those meetings are gen
orally held on every Saturday or every
other Saturday, instead of monthly, as
in this city.
MIR. Tuttle, chairman of the Execu-
tive Committee, stated that the follow
ing question had been chosen for dis
cusslon on this occasion: "What are
common schools, and what the
remedy?" and that Messrs. Boyd and
Galloway had been appointed to lead
in tue discussion. Neither OF these
gentlemen being present, MIR. Tuttle
was requested to open the discussion.
He proceeded to mention number oil
evils against which teachers have to
contend, among which that of whisper
ing or communication in school hours
was named as one ofthe most common,
and one of the most difficult for which
to find remedy. He had adopted the
"selt-reporting" system, or that OF
"placing pupils upon their honor" and
requiring them at the close of each day
to report their department for the day.
He had found this plan, in most 1n'
stances, to work we'll.
lowing primary pupils, before they
commence to write, to use short slate
pencils. He thought the pencil should
be of the length of a common pen hold
er, and in using 1t, that the child should
be required to hold it in the same posi-
ton AS ne WOuIO De Udue 10 EOlu lue
pen in writing.
Mr.. McMechen, principal OF Centre
school, spoke of the importance Of
teachers making special preparation
for their school-room duties. The truly
successful teacher is necessarily stu~
dent. 1t cannot be otherwise. Those
persons who follow the profession only
with reference to a livelihood, and give
no thought to their schools while out
Il oF Z I'm hPnOmP
successful teachers. The only truly
successful educators are those whose
hearts are in their work.
Mr.. Cochran, formerly OF st. Glars
Vile, but now resident of wheeling,
gentleman who has, as school oh1-
Ger, been connected with and taken q
deep interest in the schools of Belmont
county, was introduced to the meeting
and made some remarks which, though
not intended as pertinent to the subject
under discussion, were nevertheless
highly entertaining and encouraging to
The teachers present. The gentleman
referred to the fact that in Ohio, aside
from the State superinteudency, only
the cities and larger towns have school
supervision. There are no county SUI
perintendents. The State Superinten'
dent had in his late report made state
ment that every county in the State,
little Auglaize excepted, reported in ia
vor of county supervision; and he
maintained that this, more than any
thing else, is what is needed to perfect
the school system OF that State. In this
important particular he claimed that
West Virginia is one step in advance
of Ohio.
MIR. Adams. of this city, formerly oil
New England, gave il as his opinion
that New England owes her promi-
nence in the nation, to the intelligence
of her citizens; and that her long ese
talished and we'll conducted public
general enlightenment OF her citizens,
than all the High Schools, Yales and
Hnrvards.
Mr.. Williams, from the chair, said
there seemed 10 be some reluctance and
hesitation on the part of those directly
connected with the schools of Wheeling
with regard to criticising them in this
semi. public way. He could see no very
good reason Tor such hesitancy, nor did
he conceive that any evil would be
likely to arise from mutual criticisms
in this way, provided they are made in
a friendly spirit, and, with reference
TO mutual benefit and improvement.
He thought it wiser and more hon.
orable to canvass our faults and
it would be for teachers TO Wis
it the schools of their neighbors
and afterwards, when in their familiar
circles, to indulge in wholesale back
biting, and criticisms without stint,
mercy or charity. He would not charge
that Wheeling teachers were guilty OF
any such wickedness,a and he hoped they
would not be. He spoke of the import
ance of strict observance of the
rules and regulations adopted by
the Board of Education. 1t is
made the duty of the Board under the
law to prescribe rules of discipline, and
a course of study for the schools. The
teachers and the superintendent are
merely the executive officers of the
Board, and as such, it becomes our
duty strictly and scrupulously to en-
force the rules and regulations laid
down for our guidance. Under no Cir
cumstances have we a right to inter
pose plans of our own, which are in
any manner at variance with those
prescribed by our employers.
Mr. Cochran and Mr.. Adams were,
upon motion OF Mr.. futile, made hon.
orary members of the Association.
The Chairman OF the Executive Com
mittee announced Mr.. Williams and
Mr.. McMechen as lecturers for the next
meeting, the former taking as topici
THE Metric System Of Weights and
Measures;" the latter, physical Geog-
raphy-"
CONC FAsT-Those desirable new
shades of Kid Gloves at Campbell IL
Harden's.