Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-29
THE PEDAGOGUES.
They Meet for Their Fifth Annual Discus
sion OF Educational Representatives, by
Prof. DOWney ON "Ieaders."


Pursuant to announcement the opening
session of the fifth annual convention of
the Minnesota Educational association
was held in Representative hall at the
capitol last night. There were in attend
ance the faculty of the st. Paul high
school, Superintendent Wright and Burt,
large number of the teachers of the
public schools and a fair number of dele
gates to the convention from the State at
large Not more than One-half of the
delegates from outlying districts have
put IN an appearance, but it is expected
that full complement will be in attend
ance at the meeting to-day
Among the delegates present were the
following:
Principal l. Shepherd, Winona Principal
ID. l.. kiehle, st. Cloud; Superintendent O.
Whitman, Red Wing; Superintendent O. M.
Lord, Winona; Professor Sanford Niles. Roch-
ester; Miss Brechbill, Mankato; Professor c..
NJ. Boutelle and wife, of Winona; Miss A. E.
Wheeler, Winona; Professor Nesbit, of Lake
land
The convention was opened with PRAYER
by Rev. S. G. Smith, following which a
selection was rendered by the High School
Glee clnb, under the direction of Prof.
PREM
On motion Mr.. c. w. Smith, county
superintendent of schools of Hennepin
county, was elected to preside over the
meeting, who, on taking the chair, an
nounced that the convention would be
addressed by Prof. ]. F. Downey, of the
university of Minnesota.
On being introduced Prof. Downev
delivered an entertaining address on the
captivating subject of Leaders He
commenced with graphic delineation of
society at the present day, the ever-re-
curing necessity for men who possessed
the peculiar qualifications that
fitted them to be leaders.
He alluded to the requisites necessary to
leadership, the indomitablc will, the
pluck, courage, nerve and purpose that
were indispensable attributes to suprem-
acy in any of the works of art, science,
literature, religion and politics. The
moral and political reforms were all
brought about by able leadership.
Ii social vice is to be suppressed it
must be by writing, talking and preach
ing against it until it is eradicated Re-
ligion and society is based on fun
damental idea, Glove thy neighbor as thy
self;' ministers are becoming more and
more the refining influence of society
The teacher, too, was looked to as the
model of decOrum and propriety.
There have been many false leaders of
society: one who thought that society
should be as in the family; allied to this
is nihilism, the destructive influence of
which is felt to-day Then came the adj
vocates of that shameful vice, free love-
ism; it is gratifying that this most de-
grading and debasing theory has been
condemned by society. Then came po-
lygamy, which still remained blot and
curse on our Christianity and society.
Anna Dickinson had likened it to a
whited sepulchre, filled with dead mems
bones. The speaker thought that no
measures were too extreme to eXtlrpate
this cancer from the body polite of
society. Society, he continued, is of slow
growth; what was commenced in this GEN
Grafton must be often consummated in
the next.
The speaker then reverted to leaders in
politics and in the State. The career and
character Of the political leaders of the
past could be studied to advantage. The
reign of Charles the First and the civil
revolution which followed was cited as a
notable epoch for the production of a
great political leader. A vivid picture
was drawn of the long parliament, execu-
ton OF the king and the appearance of
Cromwell on the stage. For an example
of those who rose from uniformed material
none surpassed the founder of the Amer
lean republic. Go with them to the coun-
ellis of the revolution, and you will find
them studying the wisdom of the past
Their records showed that they were
great men: they had constructed a gov
eminent that will last as the
perpetual seat of liberty and freedom.
Science had its leaders too; in modern
times the branches of learning had been
greatly increased; there were those who
not content with the phenomenas of ma
turc were ever in search of first causes
We dwelt in the midst of infnity; how
ever long or assiduouly the student APP
plies himself his work is incomplete. If
we look to the earth we are lost in mystic
ry; If we turn to the starry heavens we
find the questions still unanswered,
Although we are in the midst of incOm-
prehcnsible wonders and 1t is impossible
10 reach the ultimatum, yet much of
vast Importance has been learned; much
that was dark in the former ages is now
clear as the SUM- An illustrlous host of
leaders rise up before us. Astronomy,
natural science, natural philosophy,
chemistry, have all had their illustriOus
leaders The speaker recalled the names
of those who had become distinguished
in the several branches of science
The labOrs of Capernicus, Gallileo and
other illustrious worthless were cited as
remarkable examples where love for the
truth had overcome the bigotry of the
schools and the church. The application
of science to the industrial art was con-
sidered more important to society than
were abstract science. A great Industrial
work had sometimes wonderfully adj
vanced civilization
The roads in the highlands of Scotland
had produced a change in the people un-
paralleled. 9What. a power the printing
press was; by it information was dis
seminated to the nations; by it were
preserved the burning words of the past.
The speaker referred eloquently to the
application of science in other respects,
after which he reverted to the wonderful
improvements that have taken place in
the art of road making The Romans had
II, 900 miles of roadway, chief among
which was the Appinan way,
an outgrowth of a high civilization.
Roads were the criterion of nations
prosperity. Reference was made to the