The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-01-05
MINNESOTA NEWS.
SCHOOLS OF MINNESOTA.

notwithstanding Papers and Discussions.
Some thirty or forty county superintendsote
Of schools, and others interested IN educauoo,
assembled at the state capitol on Tuesday last,
and were called to order By Mr. D. L. Kiehle,
state superintendent of public instruction. 4
temporary organization Was effected by tbe
election Of Mr. Y. D. EDDY, Of Chlsago county,
as chairman and Mr. G. W, smith,
of Hennepin county "a secretary. AFTER tne
business, Prof Kiehle delivered his address,
which was listened to with earnest attention;
Without including SO, 700 pupils in the graded
schools Of cities, he said there were l43.3OO
children scattered over this great state, over
broad prairies, along the rivers. in the timber:
children Of every nationality, the products OF
all kinds and grades of civilization e1tsns
f S1 be- the elevs ssatn'p b. ed" ea ton. IL
begged lsa7s to call their attention to such Id
terests as in his judgment most mer'ted tne,r
attention, naming first the matter Of blanks,
reports, statistics and the like, which he termed
the bookkeeping department, asking them 70
consider whether the present system could not
be improved in the economy OF labor ana Ie-
suits The next important duty is the seiec-
ton of teachers for the schools, Suggesting that
while they should rather elevate than lover tae
standard of scholarship they ought to examine
more carefully the teaching ability OF apph-
eanss. He spoke at length upon training tea end
s s.s a sa nss sxsFy ev s1n year, 09o
vored Normal schools; called the attention OF
the county superintendent to the necessity to
aeep an oversight over the school house and
grounds, and the consideration OF plans tor
improving their condition IN regard to venul-
alton and cleanliness. etc.
On Wednesday, a paper on the examination
and grading OF teachers was read by baperln-
tendent George G. Tanner of Steel county. The
reading of tho paper was followed by an an1-
mated discussion.
was read by Superintendent D. M Lord Of
Winona county, on the subject OF How Shsis
We Improve Our Teachers?
TIE onlv sure test Of candidates ability up
on which absolute reliance CAD DO paced Is
work in the school room.
How Can V;sitations be Made Most Prof table?
was read by superintendent John Bray OF
Fillmore county. We should always rap q the
door-sive the teacher warm shake or we
hand, and aetain her moment IN frlenoly COZ
versation. This will give her confidence to 60
on with her work. and may save her much en-
bsrrassment It lsnot advisable for us to make
ourselves too officious, for the object OF
our visit is to see rather than to be eeen. 1t IL
mistake upon the part OF the supe5ln,eaaea
without correcting them. It. his paid duty to
| correct errors and introduce the lest methods
| Of instruction. This rs we'll rs al other papers
| were discussed at length, and the programme
was intersperssa with fine muslc' vocal snd
! instrun entail
4 paper was read on The question, How ehsu
the time of county schools be economical! oJ
| Superintendent p P. German Of stearns coun-
| ty, who answered it by saying that me ume
could be economical when the bess results 1or
which achools are established are attaioed he
proceeded to illustrate different types OF men.
! Gent teachers who are obstacles in the way or
| all economy and of all progress in the schools,
and suggested that q full supply OF the best
tsachers might be secured By taking the schools
| ont OF politics, out OF the lsms, and placing
them under the management OF purely business
| principles, and making the wages OF the teacher
commensurate with his work.
| The next paper on the subject Of higher ed
| ucaton IN our common schools was read by
| Superintendent T.. A. Hendrickson OF Ramsey
county Make teaching profession, give 1t
place among the professions, and pay 1t Ike
other professions, and We will then have teach
crs and not merely textbook drivers, who
hear Rotations during school hours and pre-
pare themselves for other work when they
should be preparing their lessons for the NOT
| row. Then we should have more teschers
capable Of teaching these higher studies, and
de!ightipg in tho work Of leading their people
NIP to something higher and nobler than their
quite & lively discussion, which "as paruoi
patedin by Superintendent hoe, Brsdy' smlsh
| and others.
Superintendent Tanner, chairman on the
| subject IF the examination and grading OF
| teachers made report recommending:
tirst-That questions be issued semi-annu-
ally By the state superintendent in the several
branches required 10 be Taught in our common
| schools.
Second-That legislation be seured at an
| early day to add to the list Of studies now IN
| c|uded in the second grade physiology, civil
government and elementary algebra, go that the
| lines between the second and third grades may
| be more marked
| Thiri-That no certificate Of any grade be
granted to candidates under seventeen years OF
| age and that leg islation be secured to this emo
a. soon az practicable
| Fourth--lhat private examination be dis
| couraged
Fitth-That a superintendent has no legas
| right to endorse 8 certificate issued by any So
| perintendent other than himself.
The report Of tho committee was, after some
! discussion, adopted. The rest OF the day was
! spent in answering ques ions hF Prof klehles
| discussions etc.
| On Thursday Senator q. Wilson read B.
paper on the subject, us the County super1n~
! tendency Worth Preservinge" which was
| The great improvement in all departments Of
| cur public schools within tho lsst decade and
their results are principally due to the efforts
| Of the county aud city perine7dents
Prof Soaring of the state normal school at
Mankato spoke Of the relation of county super
intendents to the normal schools, and request
ed the superintendent in their visits through
out their districts to pick out bright and capa
BILE boys and girls to send to the normal school
and not send pupils who had no natural capa-
bilities for the positions Of teachers
| Superintendent G. W. Smith OF Hennepin
! county addre ssed the convention on the practl-
cablil!y ard advantage Of grading country
| schools
President Folwel, Of the state university, ex-
plained the workings OF the new high school,
| aid law and requested that superintendent let
| all who were desiring to prepare themselves to-
| enter college know OF the advantages offered
by high schools which have taken aid under
| the law
Superintendent George F. Cowing Of Otter
Tail county read an interesting and practical
| paper upon the subject, How May Our Blanks
| aud Records be Improved? Suggesting various
| changes from the form now in use.
Tie next paper was on the formation OF
| new districts, aud was read by Superintendent
| W. d. Sanders Of Dougas county, VINO pointed
out the defects OF the present. the princip pal one
! of which was the absence of any maximum o:
miniI1um in respect to the size of the districts,
| and the lack CT any maximum or minimum in
regard to the amount Of taxable property.
Superintendent A. D. Roe, OF Washington
| county, was on the programme for paper on
Glow Shall the Office OF County Superintend-
ent Become Host Ef1icient?" He spoke Of the
difficulty in finding good teachers, and claimed
that the superintendent should have the dis
| cretion of changing them from higher to
lower grade, or from lower to q higher grade
The committee on nomination reported the
following, who were elected officers of the con-
vention for the ensuing year.
PresidenEO NJ. Lord of Winona-
Vice President--G. F. Cowing Of Otter Tail.
secretary-A. II. Epgstrom Of doodhue:
Committee Of Arrangements-C. W. Smith OF
Hennepln; W. e. Sanders Of Douglas, and c.
W. Levins of Freeborn.
After adopting resolutions on the death of
Hon. David Burt and favoring the continuance
Of the association as q permanent organiZation.
to meet at the call of the state superintendent
and the committee on arrangements, were also
adopted, and tho convention adjourned cine
die.
NJ, Med ,ug I'll Of Wor5hinStoa from forty
acres OF land raised !, SIS bushels OF oats.
The supreme court is busilv engaged in de-
Gliding the cases which have been argued and
submitted, and expects to c'tsr the docket by
the first OF tho year
M. V. Austin found near Fergus Falls the
remains of 8 young Norwegian woman named
Petereon, who wandered from the home Of