Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-12-14
The Teachers Association.


The Teachers Ass ociation.
The last meeting was; marked by large
amount Of judicious and solid work. The
Executive Com mittee is certainly entitled to
great praise for a judicious selection and as
signment of,topics. The programme was so
full and so well carried out that but little
time could be had for criticism.
This was good, as it left the way open for
public discussion, which, if it does nothing
more, will call attention to thej Association.
The exercises at the latesmeeting consisted
mainly of blackboard work, deliberately done,
showing careful preparation.
| The work of Commissioner Miller on Unit
ed States History, and Of Prof Ebaugh on
Civil Government, were parts of u series OF
lectures to be continued during the ensuing
term Of the Association, SO that any one at
tending any meeting will be sure of a good
treat.
1t might have been well if,whilst Commits
sioner Miller was bringing UP u. 8. History
to May 1913, when our constitutional history
began, Prof Ebaugh had traced out those
principles of Civil Government which were
the common law of the people of the United
could have walked forward, side by side.
When the Commissioner showed ths.t our
fathers did one thing instead of another, or
| reached point in one way rather than an
other, the Professor could show why they
did so.
In this way Civil Government and U. s. His
tory would complement and illuminate each
other, and people would know better what
we have gained by our form Of Government.
The afternoon session was mainly devoted
to school programmes.
Misses Markham and Greason, Commits
sioner Miller and Professors Ebaugh and
Davis each presented one.
The programmes were of two classes-those
that looked to the true objectiye point in
| teaching, and those that did not; those that
| led to system, and those that would result in
| routine.
OF the class first named, the programmes
given by Misses Greason and Markham were
| good examples; whilst the tendency Of the
others was to routine.
! To show that discriminating between
| teachers, all of whom stand deservedly high
| in the profession Il am neither yielding to
favoritism nor talking blindly), 1t may be said
that the formation of a programme for a
school involves the whole theory and prac-
tice of teaching, and must regard its object
| i've point, which is to enable the scholar to
think, independently, correctly and prompt
| ly. For that splendid definition of the OBJ
jective point in teaching am indebted to
Mrs. A. w. Lyman.
| Be it remembered that the school is for
| the scholar. and not the scholar for the
school, so that the unit of measure is the
individual scholar. Classification of scholars
arises not from a regard to the best success
! of the scholars, but because time does not
permit each scholar to be treated individu
ally: and the programme that loses sight Of
the individuality of the scholars and aims to
| handle merely in masses, Is doomed to fall
ure.
By the individuality Of scholars mean the
strong or weak points in each one.
The programme must regard the whole
school as a unit, and each scholar not only as
3 member of certain classes, but as q factor
in the Who'll e school, who In his turn must be
brought to the front, not only of his class,
tut of the whole school. There must be in
school teaching as in music transposition
of the scale, regulated by the sharps and flats
| in the school.
The successful teacher must be like the
brooding fowl, which carefully turns over
each day every egg in the nest.
This will demand an elastic programme.
The order of the classes can be maintained,
but the scholars in the classes. I preferred
the programmes of Misses Markham and
Greason, because they had in them some
room for these ideas.
County Commissioner Miller read a paper
on "School Supervision" which was request
ed for publication. a little enquiry will
show that school supervision is already pro-
vided for, being one Of the things sent down
to the people by the Legislature. A little
reflection will also show that the value of
school supervision will depends very much
on who does the work. With some men as
County Commissioner of education would
vote yes, with others in that office / would
vote no, and he will probably find large ma
jority of the people Of Iron county of my
opinion.
In the meantime he can exercise school
supervision by supervising carefully the ap-
plicants for teachers certificates. Our
school system Is good; let us improve the |
machinery for carrying 1t into execution.
TIC.