Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1870-12-22
State Teachers Association.

| citation which convened at Nashville, but
our space only adm its of our giving a few
extracts from the proceedings. The fol-
lowing is from the address of DIR. SEARS {:
New ideas are taking the place of the
old ones. The teaching of the present day
is being adapted to the juvenile mind
Some of the faculties of the child are de-
veloped earlier than others, Those that
are called out earliest must be addressed
first.
Memory first, then the perceptive fac
ulties must be cultivated This reaches
everything. In regard to houses, studies,
the comfort of the children, there are new
thoughts. Hence a man of experience
m ust be chosen, who shall bring to bear
the entire light of the nineteenth century.
| affirm that the chief agent is an efficient
Superintendent. Rather than be without
the Superintendent for Tennessee, would
agree to pay half the salary fora good Su-
p~erinteudent. This is because there Is no
responsible head with whom We can do
business.
We give so much money for so many
children in the school. but when the money
is ready to be paid, to whom shall we pay
the money. and from whom shall We take
guarantees? We ask in vain.
Give us q State Superintendent. We
arrange with him, he arranges with the
County Superintendent. and he looks after
the school in the country.
We cannot give cut our money loosely.
We must have a guarantee, and we can
not do in Tennessee what is being done IN
other States. We lave eleven States
We want the benefit of a good Superin-
tendent in each State, who shall transact
with US for the schools of the whole State.
We take his personal guarantee. want
an opportunity to do a good thing for Ten
nessec | cannot do it with the present sys
tenn
At the close of the address, the speaker
was greeted with loud applause.
From the address of Prof. b. W. Nc
DONALD, we copy the following:
Mn. PREsIDENT.-I find myself en-
barrassed by the vast number of interests
still requiring discussion. The normal
school, the proper grading of the public
schools, and many other things claim at
%tention. | confne myself to one point.
the financial obstacles in the way of a good
State law. We are met at the threshold
with the assertion that our State is bank
rupt. and no State tax could be levied now.
| notice, however, that we seem to be able
to go on with our taxes for other purposes.
We continue our railroads with all the
vast expenses thereby incurred. We con-
tinue our Criminal Courts with all their
long docknts. Will any lawyer IN Nash
Vile tell me when the State docket was
clear in this city? | know in our county
our courts seem to me to last forever, and
l have heard it proposed to have two
courts there. so enormous Is the amount OF
State cases. How much we seem able to
pay for these things! AND these trials for
crime have a direct connection with the
ignorance of our people. That popular
ignorance which has made u State a by
word among its sisters.
Sir. it seems to me that we begin to
economic at the wrong place. 10 de-
prive our children OF schools Is a mlsera-
BILE financial measure. We would better
stop our railroads: better cut down the
salaries of our State officers; better wear
home-spun clothing ourselves better re-
trench at our tables; better retrench any
where, every where else, than in the educa-
ton of our children.
Sir. | do not believe that we are too
poor. More than two hundred and thirty
years ago the Common Court of Massachu-
sets levied a tax of four hundred pounds
for educational purposes. That sum was
greater than the whole tax for all other
urposes in the colony at that time. The
whole population of the colony did not
then exceed five thousand persons. What
a glorious history that law and its success
sors now exhibit
| control a little piece of land IN Kan
sas. Not long ago my agent there wrote
ME that he had just paid a special tax OF
eight per cent OH the value of that land,
levied for building a school-house in that
district.
But we are told that the Legislature scsH
not grant a tax, and we need not ask 1T.
Now, sir, l stand here as one of the peo-
pie. If 1--WE. the people," want the tax
we can lave it. Yes, and we aciH have 1t.
l intend to make my appeals to the soy
ereign people of the State. We did no
come here to listen to men who had axes
to grind, or records to clear up. L am In
dignant that our time should be used for
such purposes. g..
We want a common school system. We
care nothing about your politics or your.
records. We care nothing about what
party originates the system. We want |,
good cammon school system, aud we in