The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-11
PEDAGOGICAL SOCIETY.
THE ANNUAL SESSION OF THE
SOCIETY IN PORTLAND.
Phpers Presented Yesterday, and E1ec-
ton of Officers.


Professor Hall of Colby University, ther
read paper on admission to College upor
Certificates from Fitting Schools"
Probably the larger part of the freshmen
now in our colleges were admitted upon pres
entation of diploma or certificate from {
preparatory school. entrance examination;
are necessarily very limited, both in the time
which can be allowed, and in the ground
which the papers can cover The fitting
school certificate that the pupil has taken up
in their turn all the studies of the prescribed
course is the better promise of good college
work. The training of some one of our class
ical schools is essential to success in college
The colleges should CO. operate with the fitting
schools to secure proper training. The privi-
lege of issuing the certificate is material ad-
vantage to the school, attracting students and
holding them, because of their higher rank
The instructors, having definite line Of
work before them, understood and accepted
by their pupils, might be enabled to give bet
ter instruction, and to resist any unwise
clamor for shorter courses and fewer require
ments for entering high schools. The privi-
lege cannot yet be granted to all High schools
and academies, but may advantageously be
given to academies under control of college cor
officers, and to High schools which maintain
regular instruction in a classical course of APP
proved extent. Provided that the colleges re-
tain and exercise the privilege of rejecting
such students if, after trial they be found un-
able to go on proftably.
The discussion of the paper was opened by
Mr.. Albro E. Chase of the Portland High
school. He had found several classes of stu
dents in the classical course. LIST. Those
whose parents appreciate the advantages of a
college education. These generally go through
the school with credit and receive a certificate
passing them into college where they generally
succeed.
2. Those who have friends in the
classical course. These generally have to be
carried along and if they enter college, do so
on special examination.
8. Those who choose the classical course
because entrance to it is easier than to the
regular high school course. These generally
drop out soon after the first year and are
heard OF no more. The course of study in the
Portland High school is such as to fit pupil
for admission to any college. While agreeing
with the views presented in the paper, he
would add condition that a pupil who pre-
sents himself from a fitting school without the
certificate should be refused. The objection
that principals will not have the independence
to refuse this certificate to deficient students,
Mr.. Chase thought without foundation. At
fho 1f %bao - Oh lo cfo Tod
to the pupils that they will receive this GER
tifcate only after having thoroughly studied
and passed creditable examinations in all of
the prescribed course.
DIR. J. P. Weston of Westbrook Seminary
followed, approving the entrance certificate if
it went far enough to include each study and
several grades of schools. He had little faith
in certificates, often too easily obtained. The
college should be definite in its requirements
and should rigidly exact them, which would
call forth better work in preparation. He
thought this course would move more advan-
tageous to the teachers in their relations to
parents and critics.
DR.. J. H. Hanson of Waterville Classical
Institute doubted if the interests of either the
college or the preparatory school would be
materially effected by issuing or Withholding
certificates. The interest of the student is
chiefly affected. He objected to the system as
shifting the responsibility from where it be-
longs. Its effect upon the average class of
students he thought would be unfavorable.
Rev. A. w. Burr of Hallowell Classical In
stitute, did not fully approve the certificate
system, unless accompanied by knowledge
on the part of the college instructors, both of
the character of the preparatory course and of
the instructors from whom the pupils comes.
DIR. Robert Morris of Kentucky was intro
duced and gave an interesting account of the
primitive instruction in Syria at the present
day. The teachers receive ten cents month
salary, the school house is mother earth, the
pupils boys only sitting legged on the
ground,-the course of instruction consisting
of learning the Koran by heart.
Mr. Files, principal of the Augusta High
school, then read paper on Practical Educa-
ton:
The writings of some educators would lead
one to suppose the highest good Of the uni
verse to consist in bread and butter as though
our educational enginery should be so applied
as to produce material wealth, as though
thorough technical instruction which enables
one to provide for the wants of the perishing
body, is of more value than that higher knowl-
edge which recognizes the wants Of the i'm
mortal soul. 1t is denied that there
is, as some affirm, an over
supply of intellectually trained persons
Intellectual culture should be coupled with
skilled labor. The word practical has been
applied in discussion, in too narrow a sense.
The man who has an ideal and is working
wisely to attain it. is practical whether he deals
with material intellectual or spiritual forces.
The truly practical man is cognizant of the
facts of mind and spirit as well as those of
matter. 1t is the business of the practical
man to build character, putting into it what
ever gives strength, symmetry and beauty.
The tendency of elective courses in colleges is
to make specialists, work which belongs to
special schools at later period
German university training, being devoid of
moral culture and merely intellectual, is not
practical but turns out idle philosophers
pregnant with schemes dangerous to society.
A practical education aims at strictness of
morals and purity Of character. Quintilian
thought the most skillful teacher curse if he
is not noble, pure man. Education cannot
be practical with definite purpose. 1t has to
do with facts. Much of mental and moral
turpitude is due to insensibility to facts. The
practical man is not fragmentary or one-sided.
Practical education recognizes the need OF
manual labor. The habit of doing hard and
difficult things with the hands aids to
overcome difficulties in studies. Wealthy
parents from wise, practical foresight ought to
teach their children to work. Education is
not practical if it does not train to self
reliance. The aim of the teacher should be to
infuse into the mind of each pupil such 6
thirst for history, literature and science as will
make subsequent study a constant delight
He should implant such love of country as
will make the pupil loyal to her institutions
willing to sacrifice personal considerations tc
her true welfare and the uncompromising
foe of everything tending to weakness
or corruption. He should be taught to Sc
reverence religion that he will embody and ex
emplify in his intercourse with others what il
true, noble and good. In short, he should
make a self supporting, intelligent and up
right citizen. Our country demands minds
trained to think, reason, comprehend anC
weigh arguments, to detect errors and sophis.
tries, and to come to just and correct con