Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-05
THE TEACHERS.


The monthly meeting Of tho teachers Of
the public schools was held in the assembly
room of the High school at 10 o'clock yes
terday forenoon, Inspector Donnelly
being the Only member of the board of ed
ucation present. The teachers were present
in full force and the exercises were product
i've of the Hveliest interest. Commencing
at 10 o'clock, the High school glee club, I'M
der the direction of Prof. PREM, favored the
audience with selection. The class sang in
perfect concert and displayed the most in
telligent vocal culture.
Apaper was then read by Prof. Weitbreoht
on the subject of school hygiene. In COM
mencing, the author called attention to the
paramount neces ;ity of maintaining good
health, and to the conditions necessary to
preserve physical stamina IN the school room.
First among these were the indispensable
factors OF sunlight, fresh air and exercise; in
the school room good ventilation was most
conducive to good health; it was not the
bread or meat which the body assimilated
that made good health, but the quality of
the blood; with pure blood there would be
good health. The speaker said it was we'll
known fact that the death rate was larger
on the shady side of the street. With the
body well charged with oxygen, the organic
impurities of the body would be driven out.
The speaker was in favor of strong exercise
exercise that would open the pores of the
body, admit Of free perspiratiop, and thus
assist in throwing off the organic Impurities
of the body.
Pure air in the school room Y as indespen-
sable of good health; to obtain this there
should be a constant current of fresh air and
IN addition to good ventilation there should
be established system of light gymnastics
AS general thing boys are apt to chain
out door exercise enough to maintain good
health, the girls suffered more from the eff
fects of bad ventilation. The speaker al
luded to scientific experiments recently
made In Paris, by which it was shown that
the old fashioned fireplace were moro con-
duciva to health than the
stove or furnace, as the tenn
perature in the room could be perfectly reg
ulated. The .screed was elaborate and sol
entifc and was heard with great pleasure.
Prof. Fl. w. Slack, of the Humboldt
school, took exception to the staten ent that
all the schools in st. Paul were lily ven.i-
lated. The speaker thought that the Hum
boldt school was well ventilated and explain
ed the theory as III vague in that school
Prof. Wright liked the suggestion regard
ing plenty Of robust exercise; he spoke Of the
ventilation of the several schools and ex-
planned that the school buildings recently
erected were far better equipped in point of
ventilation than the old buildings The
great difficulty seemed to be to keep Oh even
temperature; in many instances the ther-
mometer was more of an ornamental ap-
pendage than anything else; the registers
were wiz ed down and the windows were not
properly attended to.
Miss Haggerty and Mrs. 1ahonyi were
called upon for a vocal selection, in response
to which they rendered a song, accompanied
on the piano by Prof. PREM. The selection
was prettlly sung and received with ap-
plause.
Supt. Wright called attention to two recent
productions on educational themes from the
pens Of very able writer's. The articles were
an essay by Chas. Francis Adams, entitled
Scientific Common School Education
HGrper'9 Magasine for December, and
sereed by Richard Grant White In the No
vember number of the North american Re
Oie9U, entitled public Schools Failure'
In speaking of the articles Prof. Wright
stated that Miss Newson had made interest
ing extracts from the article of MIR. Adams,
which the lady would read to the audience.
Miss Newson read the extracts alluded to,
which had reference to the mode of con-
Quoting public schools, in that nursery of
common school education, Pennsylvania.
The subject of common schools receives com
prehensive treatment at the hands Of the
able statesmen and history Of common
school education in New England Is traced
frOr fto tino &c <ho
the scientific and graudiase institutions of
the present day.
Supt. Wright followed with some timely
remarks on the subject of the essay.
Prof. Campbell called attention, with
pardonable pride, to the record of his high
school class and to their proficiency in spell
ing. He cited the record of the class for
three years, at the examinations, which
showed but few errors and remarkable
proficiency in this most commonly neglected
study.
Mrs.. Zahonyi favored the audience with
song, accompanied by Prof. PREM. The
selection was admirably rendered.
Supt. Wright alluded to Richard Grant
Whites article, entitled "Publio Schools q
Failure"
Supt. Wright ably combatted the ideas
suggested by the author, and read Some
thoughts on the influence of popular educa-
cation on the moral development of the
pupil. The speaker ably maintained that the
system of public education was not to blame
for the moral deterioration of the rising
generations. The extravagant assertions of
Mr. White to this effect, were arraigned as
absurd. AS rule the morale of the schools
was good; it was impossible to conceive how
with average discipline and attention the in
1uence of the schools could be demoralizing.
To remeiys what he deemed was the per
nicious influence o. the schools, Mr.. White
thought all but the primary branches of the
schools should be abolished; the utter alb
surdity of this view was fifty characterized
by Mr. Wright.
Announcements were read of teachers
meetings as follows: Grades, second and
third, Friday, Dec. 10th; grade first, Friday,
Dec. 1Hh. Principals meeting, Monday,
Dec. Goth. German teachers at Jefferson
school, Tuesday the 18th inst. st P. M.
Teachers will be paid on Thursday, Dec. %,
at $3.50 P. M.
The State educational association will meet
at the capitol Tuesday, Dec. 18th. and con-
tinue in session two days.
The exercises closed with the song "Moon-
light on the Lake, rendered in charming
style by the teachers class.
MOUNT ZION.
A Fair for the Benefit of this Worthy In
stitution.