Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-01-15
The State Teachers, ConYenfion

city OF ST. Paul, during the last three
days in December. The chamber of the
House of Representatives Was filled with
educators from all parts Of the State. The
upusual attendance was due to the favor
able time of year for the meeting, and to
the growing recognition of the necessity
of wide-awake annual convention for
organizing and harmonizing the work in
our public schools. The attendance
hereafter will be larger, as the meetings
will be held in St. Paul or Minnea polls,
Immediately before the assembling of the
legislature, aud in intervening years, at
other places Of the State in the summer
vacation.
1t seems eninently fitting that the
teachers should convene at the capitol
They are The real lawmakers of the land
1t is true that they cannot pass bills; but
they can, and do, form public sentiment,
and mould the men who put it into
legal enactments.
The papers read were excellent, par
t'cularly that on Conformation versus
Culture" by D. L. Keihle, Principal of
the ". Cloud Normal school; and also
one denomination of Teachers" by Supt.
.. N Lord, of Minnesota City All the
papers. and the discussions which they
evoked, indicate rising conviction that
our schools deal too much in the theo-
ret'cal, too much with the why and the
wherefore. There Was manifest an earn.
est desire to relieve pupils of years of
drudgery in the non.essentials of the
fundamental branches, and to instruct
them in the laws and principles of thos e
sciences which treat of the phenomena
constantly occurring within and around
US.
The paper which revealed the under
current of the convention was one on
Public Schools" by Prof E. J. Thomp.
son, of the University. The value OF
high schools to the common schools and
to colleges was showa in an able manner.
and the need Of thoroughly organized
system OF high schools in our Stale was
conclusively demonstrated. The subiec,
matter OF the paper was emphatically
Endorsed by Prof. Tousley, of the Min.
neapolis schools, who added the follow
ing points, which we give, as they are
pointed and unanswerable: THE high
schools are necessity, because ~ they
are the unit for measuring the common
schools; (2) they furnish, and must
furnish, a very large per cent. of the
teachers in the common schools; e,
their existence is a matter of political
economy. So thoroughly did the paper
ana The following discussion demonstrate
the necessity IF an organized system OF
high schools IN the State that q commit
tee was appointed to examine the high
school law and report any amendments
or any changes in the present policy OF
ths High School Board, which would add
to The value and effectiveness of the law
Not the least enjoyable part of the
convention was the soclable held on the
evening Of the second day. Music furu
ished by several st. Paul singers and an
orchestra, recitation by Prof. Lyman, the
Chicago elocutiOnist. refreshments served
by the young ladies of St. Paul, and
short speeches of congratulation and en-.
couragement by Gov. Pillsbury, the
Mayor of St. Paul, and other gentlemen
from various places in the State,-all
made the evening very pleasant, and con.
WINGED the teachers that Prof. Wright
and his friends understand the art OF
entertaining. -
The convention was the most profitable
one held for many years., It's influence
will be felt far and wice in our schools
and its value to teachers and pupils es
tablished. 1t is hoped that next year q
much larger representation of the $500
teachers in our common schools will be
present. Tie convention is for them
They hold the keys in our state; for, say
what we will, our common district schools
must train the large majority of our
voters, and to them we must look for the
incubation Of principles which will
make our growth both healthy and per.
maneDt. - Y,