The Portland daily press., 1878-02-11

The Session eff the Committee of Hnstruc.
ton.

AUGUSTA, Feb. 8, 1873.
The session of the Committee of instruction
o. the Maine Teachers Association was opened
by public meeting at Representatives Hall
Friday evening. A very large audience was in
attendance, many members of the General
Court honoring the occasion by their pres
ence.
Teachers from abroad, who arrived in town
in season, spent the afternoon in visiting the
Augusta schools. the Grammar School being
especially favored with visitors. This school,
under the care ct G. A. Robertson, ranks as
one of the best in the state. and the exercises
were highly enjoyed by those who visited it to-
day.
AT the evening meeting after the usual rou-
tine business, the discussion of the question of
"The examination of teachers was opened by
Superintendent Corthell, in a strong speech in
favor of State Board Of Examiners. After
mentioning one or two objections, which he
considered too trivial to be discussed, he con-
sidered the first important objection to the pro-
posed plan, viz: that no examination, written
or oral, is a test of candidates fitness to
teach. The speaker claimed that an examina-
ton conducted by skllful questions, experts in
school work, such as should be selected for ex-
aminers, would be a test not only of knowledge
of subjects, but of ability to instruct-knowl-
edge of methods,-and even of the candidates
fitness in respect to the organization and disci-
pline of school. This proposition was pre-
scented with great force and clearness, and many
pertinent illustrations were given. The faults
of the present system, or rather lack of system,
of examinations were plainly set forth. In the
first place many committee men are incompe-
tent, coDfessedly so. He had received dozens
of letters from school committees, asking for
list of questions and GnStcerS for use in exam
lining their teachers. Again, the outside pres
sure on the committee works against impartial
examinations. Often the committee must GER
tiicate an incompetent teacher or make per-
sonal enemy, and perhaps destroy the useful
ness of a school. A county board need not thus
be hampered. In examining papers OF candi-
dates the examiners wo1ld not know the names
of those on whose merits they were passing.
The effect of this measure on the schools was
considered. 1t would tend to raise the standard
of school work. A large proportion of our
teachers come directly from the common schools.
With real examination before them the pu-
pills who mean to teach would do better work
while in school, and would have some clear
idea Of what is expected OF them.
The advantages Of the measure to teachers
themselves were dwelt upon. A certificate
tbiDg-would represent something. 1t would
be of value in the state and out of it,
The discussion of the subject was continued
by Mr.. Burr of the Hallowell Classical Insti-
tute, and Mr. Kelley of the Belfast High
School, both of whom expressed themselves as
heartily in favor of the proposed plan, and
made excellent speeches in support of it. The
debate then became general, objections were
made and answered, but the general feeling
among those present seemed to be overwhelm-
ingly in favor Of the county board. The meet
ing closed at late hour, and adjourned to Sat
urday.
Agreeably to adjournment the meeting con-
vened at the Senate Chamber Saturday morn
ing, at o'clock. The executive committee of
the association reported on the time and place
of the regular annual meeting as follows:
Place, Portland; time, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday of the last week In April Thursday
is to be spent In visiting the Portland schools.
Public meetings are to be held Thursday even
ing, Friday and Saturday a. m.
The topic, Preparation of Teachers" was
then taken up. Mr. Files of the Augusta
High School reading paper on this subject.
He was followed by MIR. Rounds of the West
| ern Normal School, who considered briefly the
various plans for the fitting of teachers for
| their work, which have been tried in our own
and other States, viz: teachers institutes last
l ing for a day or two. normal institutes of four
or five days duration and normal schools. AL
| though representing normal school, he de-
| clared that unless it can be proved that their
| schools prepare teachers at a less expense to
| the State than is involved in their preparation
by actual work in the schoolroom, they are not
| wanted in our system of education
| While admitting the value of experiences in
| the schoolroom he claimed that such expert
| ence, in order to make a good teacher, must
| have as a basis know ledge of certain princi-
pies Of pedagogy, which is just as well settled
as any facts in science. Those principles are
not recognized in the work of large proper
ton of our teachers, and SO their experience
only confirms them in wrong methods. The
history of education should be thoroughly mas
tered by those who mean to teach. Our col
| leges should have chairs of pedagogy, or semi
naries vino yearly send out hundreds of teach
ers, should farnish careful obstruction in meth
DDS and PRINCIPLES of school work.
Mr.. Fletcher of the Eastern Normal School
followed, supporting the propositions advanced
by Mr.. Rounds.
Messrs. fash of Portland, Snow of Alfred,
Melcher of Saco and others made remarks ia
yOring the establishment of g new norma
] school in the Western part of the State.