The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-10

The Maine Educational Association was
formed in 1868 with Rev. Edward Ballard, D..
D., of Brunswick, as president. The first
meeting was held at Lewiston in November of
that year. A board of education was in ex-
istence from 1876 to 1852, consisting of one
member from each county of the State. The
board was then superseded by State super
intendent of schools.
The Pedagogical Society is similar in its
aims to the Educational Association. Its OBJ
ject is to bring together the professional
teachers of the State for the discussion of the
methods of education. All matters pertain
ing to improvement in the art of teaching are
brought before the society and fully discussed
on both sides. Reforms in the manner OF con-
due ting schools are proposed and their merits
made plain. 1t is intended that every teacher
who is present at the meeting shall get new
ideas to carry into his school, and the ventila
tion of new theories may tend to confirm them
or throw them into disfavor.
The Pedagogical Society is made up OF mem
bers fIom every county in the State. The
president is Prof III. L. Chapman of Bowdoin
College. Professor e. W. Hall Of Colby Uni
versity is the secretary.
The third annual meeting of this Society
commenced its annual sessions at Repception
Hall, City Building, yesterday afternoon.
Among the prominent educators present at the
opening session were Hon. N A. Luce, State
Superintendent of Schools, Hon. w. j.
Corthell of Gorham Normal School, Principal
g. @. Rounds, Pennington Normal School;
DIR. j. a. Hanson, Watervills Classical Insti-
tute; DR.. N. T. True of Bethel, Prof. FL. L.
Chapman, Bowdoin College; Prof. e. W.
Hall, Colby University; Rev. DR.. Allen, ex-
President of the State Agricultural College,
and Rev. DR.. Weston of Westbrook Seminary.
President Chapman called upon Rev. f. E.
Clark of Willisten church, 10 offer prayer,
meeting were approved.
Hon. N. A. Luce, State Superintendent,
presented the first address ON "School super
vision in the smaller towns" He analysed
the duties pertaining to supervision, as: Isl
Notwithstanding fit school houses, pro-
perly supplied with teachers and apparatus;
I'd, Directory-planning of work, directing of
methods, and correction of evils Sd, Inspec-
tional-looking after the work of the teacher
work obtained in this State.
These duties demand of the supervisors LIST,
average business ability; I'd, executive power;
Sd, knowledge of men and of affairs as well
as a knowledge of books; and 4th, professional
knowledge of the art and science of teaching
Supervision may assume two forms; it may be
purely local, or partially local and partially
district or county supervision. The latter
mixed form has been twice tried in the educa-
tional history of Maine and has practically
failed. The most effective supervision would
combine all the four requisites named, in one
person. In education, Capitalization of power
is essential. At present the power given to
the district agent nullifes the supervising
agency.
Mr.. Luce presented for discussion, measure
to be submitted to the next Legislature, look
ing to the recognizing of the system of
supervision of the State by requiring the town
to chose supervisory committee and obliging
the committee to choose one of their number
to act as executive officer for which service he
shall receive pay.
Mr.. Luee's proposed measure was discussed
with favor and certain suggestions and criti-
cisms made by Hon. W. ]. Corthell. Super
intendent fash, Mr.. Rounds and Mr.. Harper
of Pennington.
EVENING SESSION
In the evening session the President ofsthe
Society, Prof. Fl. L. Chapman of Bowdoin
College, delivered the annual address on the
'Duty and the Opportunity of the Teacher in
Respect to the Development of Character in
49, D,n;l ), Orr oonoant;oy If tho taoobar,s
duty is determined by our theory of education.
The teacher whose idea of education lacks
breadth or deiniteness fails to that extent of
accomplishing the result he seeks. A right
instinct may sometimes obviate the evil results
of wrong theory, but it is unwise to depend
upon instinct to correct the errors of judgment
The definition which is at the foundation of
the Prussian national system, is 'the har-
monious and equable evolution of the human
powers by method based on the nature of the
mind" The time honored definition of John
Millions is shat which fits man to perform
Justly, skillfully and magnanimously, all the
offices, both private and public, in peace and
war;" In the opinion of many others that
might be quoted, the end of education is not
reached when the intellect is informed, and
the reasoning powers disciplined. The intel
lect is not the man. To give him the power
to move with assured step through the in
tricacies of mathematical combinations is not
developing the man within him. 1t is simply
putting into his hands an instrument that
may be used for the general good or for his
selfish qualification. It may make him a
marvel, it will not prevent his being mon
ster, we can know he will be mathematician.
To realize the object for which schools have
been endowed, and on account of which, they
have been EMBODIED in the kindly sympathies
Of public opinion, and in the careful sanction
of civil law, it is necessary they should be
something more than training places of special
aptitudes or magazines of multitudinous facts
More and more will society distrust these
educational agencies, if they do not sent forth
successive generations of young people fitted to
act wisely and well in the social conditions
under which their lives must be passed. The
age in which wei live demands generous in
tellectual culture one of the foremost thinkers
and writers on the science of pedagogics
saws: sit has come to be one
of the chief endeayors of educational
thought today to go deeper, and to moralize as
well as mentalize children, and to develop the
will as a chief factor of character" The teach
or who does not aim to furnish the pupils with
this equipment fails to appreciate the true ends
of his calling. The work that is waiting to be
done in every community requires Of those
who are to do it the possession of certain quail
ties that can be cultivated if they cannot be
impaired These qualities are summed in the
word character, which stands to us as the rep
resentative of both capacity and force 1t has
It's root in what we may call the old-fashioned
virtues of industry, order, obedience, truth,
unselfishness and an uncompromising allie
glance to right. These virtues are capable OF
being natured, trained, developed, and it is
the teachers highest duty and chief glory to
labor towards that end. The teacher must
himself be spiritually possessed of these traits.
His work is wrought for the future rather than
for the present; its most important results are
ranoora aod not ipnnne diata. ito ohiact not 70