The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-03-23
THE EDUCATORS CONVENTION.

The County Teachers Institute, which has
been in session for the past week in this city,
was one of the most interesting and success
full ever convened IN the territory. 1t was
important alike to the teachers themselves
and to the public, and will beyond doubt
exert a very beneficial influence in preparing
our educators to carry OH the work of impart-
ing instruction to our school population by
the latest and most approved methods. Before
these institutes were organized, almost every
teacher employed a different plan of instilling
the elements of knowledge into the minds of
the young. Obviously some plans were better
than others; hence the expectancy OF teach
ers' conventions. If one preceptor entertains
more advanced ideas relative to the noble
profession of teaching than another; and if
he has by experiment ascertained the best
methods of educating the youthful mind in
the elementary principles of learning of
which his co-laborers are not advised, every
reason exists why his betterideas onthe subject
should be impressed upon other teachers, to
the end that his improved system of element
IL liiSti ltSltSil ma pSSotiiS VI SShSAs1 SS
of special application. Superintendent OF
Public Instruction Smith correctly enumerates
the following advantages of these educational
conventions: Information to teachers in
theory and practice valuable hints and sug-
sestions in methods; stimulation of thought
and inquiry through debates united action
in exposing and correcting errors; cultivating
an esprit de corps and professional feeling ;
more elevated conceptions of duties and
responsibilities correction and favorable cul-
~tivation of popular sentiment and intellectual
entertainment and moral force through the
agency of lectures. But the benefits of the
institutes are not confined to the membe of
them nor TO the school population. They are
imperatively required by parents and guardi-
ans who very naturally have a desire to
a~cquaint themselves with the capabilities of
the teachers of their children and wards.
The publication of the institute exercises
affords the public ALI opportunity to judge OF
the intellectual qualifications of the instruct
ors, the ideas they entertain and the
methods they employ in the education of the
young. 1t is gratifying to note that the most
favorable impressions have been formed OF
he capacity of Deer Lodge county teachers.
They seem to be greatly interested in their
occupation and thoroughly alive to its onerous
responsibilities, and though several Of them
at present eviDce a Partially for what is
termed the old fogy method of teaching, and
look witt, disfavor upon the modern and
apparently somewhat violent departures from
the long established system, the vast majority
of the ladies and gentlemen present, after q
very exhaustive and interesting discussion o.
the subject, seemed disposed to accept and
introduce the innovations. The MINER il
highly gratifed to chronicle the great success:
| of the Deer Lodge count Teachers Institute
and for the benefit Of the educational cause
in Montana INDUCES the hope that similar
conventions may be held each year in every
county of the territory.