Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-28
AFTERNOON SESSION.


Chelsea and Collar of Boston. At half past
twelve the association adjourned until two
O'Clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the opening of the afternoon session, Presi
dent Hammond announced the following COM
mittees:
On Nominations: D Hagar of Salem; J p
Payson of Chelsea. A G Boydan of Bridgewater,
Alfred Bunker of Boston, Z A Hubbard of SPRING
field, 2 Rugg Of New Bedford, Harris Greene
of Worcester, NJ Stebbins of Springfield, Israel
Walker of Ware, A q Miller of Pittsfeld, George
t Littleield OF Charestown, Frank a Hill of
Chelsea, VIM 5 Reid of BroOkline, d D Patten of
Winchester.
ON Resolutions: Tweed of Charlestown VIM
I Bradbury of Cambridge, W L BOardman of
Boston.
The afternoon session was held in the upper
hall, which was partly filed by an audience of
about 800 persons, a. large proportion being lady
teachers. The discussions were opened by Prof
A. b. Miller of Pittsfeld, with paper on the
'fProper length of the school day." He began
by asserting the rather startling proposition,
that when pupils have breathed over the air in
the school rooms three times it was time TO close
the session. The speaker devoted large por-
ton Of his essay to the evil effects upon children
of a defective system of ventilation, proving by
mathematical demonstration that the average
school room is i'll fitted for.the healthy accom-
mediation of large number of scholars. The
capacity of a child'S mind for protracted effort
was also considered as an argument against
long sessions. In summing up his position
Prof Miller said that, IN his opinion, three hours
day is long enough to cOntne young children
in school, or, at most, four hours, divided into
two sessions of two hours each. For older
pupils five hours might be consiCssed the proper
limit.
Mr.. D. B. Hagar followed on the necessity of
proper ventilation, giving scientific eXplana-
ton OF the reasons why a school room should
be ventilated at the top instead of near the floor
He also opposed the time honored custom of
securing a change of air by opening the win
dOws at recess, contending that the practice is
dangerous to the health of pupils, especially in
cold weather. In regard to the length Of school
hours Mr.. Hagar argued that, given q suitable
room and a teacher that could keep small chill
dren happily and probably employed, they
might as well be in school as anywhere else.
The discussion was continued mainly as TO diff
ferent modes of ventilation, by Dr., Miller and
Rev. Mr.. Stebbns of Springfield.
The next paper was read by Superintendent
Emerson of Newton, on the Limits OF school
education" After abiding to the importance
Of the educational work of the public schools
he urged, without favoring any particular eur.
riculum, that no studies should be pursued in
the schools merely for the sake Of mental disci-
| pline, or as an ornamental branch of knowl-
| edge.
| In the absence of volunteers to speak upon
| the question, the president called upon some of
| the superintendents present to continue the dis
| CUSTOM Superintendent Hale of cambridge
acknowledged the importance Ofthe subject, and
said that it had been pretty thoroughly dis-
| cussed in the superintendent meeting on
Thursday, bus that no result was arrived at,
| ,,1I H., h, Al
light upon the matter, Brief remarks followed
from Messrs. Hubbard OF Springfield, Bunker
Of Boston, and Stetsou Of Auburn, Me.
The regular programme for the afternoon
having been disposed OF, Mr.. Hagar of Salem,
on behalf of the board Of directors, spoke al
length in the interest of the Massachusetts
Teacher, paper published under the auspices
of the association. The paper next year will be
under the charge of Prof. Tweed of Charles
town as resident editor assisted by prominent
educators throughout the state as contributors
IL will be published by Nudge & Son of Bos
ton without risk to the association. Prof. Tw, ed
and Rev. Mr.. Stebbins of Springfield also spoke
in support Of the claims of the magazine.
The association adjourued about five O'Clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening session was devoted to lecture
| by P. A. Chadbourne, L. D., president of Viii
liams college The audience was very small,
not half filing the hall The speaker had nc
| announced subject, but talked for nearly an
hour on common sense education, or the neces
slty of impartin@ to the young a broader sort Of
education than can be obtained from text books
alone. To be able to do this work properly it il
| necessary that the teacher have a thorough
knowledge of the world; aud Just as his lsnowl
| edge OF men and things outside the sphere o
| school life becomes enlarged so will his useful
| ness as teacher be increased. serious defect
| to which teachers are liable, is mIsjudgmeni
| of the relations of the mind to the body. The
| condition of the body has a great effect upor
| the mental powers, and weakness of the body
| should be guarded against. Good health and
| an even temper are among the indispensable
| attributes of a good teacher man NAV be
| learned in special branch and capable of i'm
| parting valuable information on that sub
| icct, and yet not be an educator; such
men are only tools in the hands of the
| true educator. The speaker favored smaller
| amount of schooling and a larger amount of
work for boys and girls, and argued that the
| work which brought them in contact with the
| world and its ways was as essential a part oil
| their education as the school, The profession oil
| teaching should never be engaged in for the
| sake OF making money. 1t should be labor oil
| love in which the teacher should employ his best
energies, regardless OF the question OF salary.
| slight in the work is sin against God and
against man. The laborer is, however, worthy
| OF his hire, and NAV refuse to accept
position with insufficient pay, but having
| once entered the work the question of pay
| should never again be raised
In conclusion tue speaker declared the work
OF the teacher was accomplished, and like TO
that of the Divine Master the Great Teacher,
when he could send forth model men and
women, brave and able 10 encounter and sue
cessiuny cope with the dangers, trials and dis.
appointments Of the world.
AT the conclusion Of the lecture, which was
attentively listened to, the association adjourned
until nine O'Clock this morning. Rev. Dr.
Miner, who was to have lectured on Thursday
evening, has not yet arrived, and it is very prob
able that he will not come on account of the re.
cent storm. The exercises TODAY will be opened
by business meeting at nine o'clock, followed
by discussions of the following topics: "What
should be included in the study of English
grammar" and "The proper use OF text books. -
The association will adjourn sine die about
noon.