The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-21

regard for the rights of others 2. Respect for
superors and the aged. as a check to the rude
ness OF the youth Of to-day. 8. Obedience to
rightful authority a. Control of appetite,
temper, and evil and vicious propensties. o.
Cultivation of the positive virtuee, kindness,
honesty, trnthfulness, etc. %. Respect Tor and
obedience to law, as means OF developing
sounder views in regard 10 legal authority, tax
alton, etc. Z. Patriotism and the claims OF the
| State upon US. 8. Proper observance OF the
Sabbath. 8. Due regard for all Gods require
| mentH. Methods must vary. In primary and
mixed schools advantage should be taken OF
| such events as may serve TO enforce moral
| truth. In more advanced schools this should
be supplemented by occasional brief talks,
which should enforce lessons drawn from the
| conduct OF the scholars and appeal TO their
sense of honor and justice. High schools,
academies and colleges should provide for in
| struction by text book or lectures.
Mr.. Fernald was followed by Mr.. Burr, who
| said that we have more instruction in meta
| physics than morals He further spoke Of the
fact that the public school reaches many who
have no moral instruction elsewhere and that
we reach the children and youth here in their
practical everyday life.
| The first article on the afternoon's pro-
| gramme was the report OF the committee On in
| struction In language. The committee con-
| sisted OF Prof. Chapman OF Bowdoin College;
| Supt. Tash OF Portland and Miss Starrett OF
| Belfast. The report had been prepared by Miss
| Starrett, aud was read by Mr. Tash with some
| supplementary remarks. The advantages OF
| conversations by the teacher; with and not at
| the pupils, was urged as a means OF training TO
ease and correctness of expression. The i'm
portance OF training the scholar TO build SEN
| tences at an early period in schoo, life was
mentioned, and the writing of simple notes and
| composition at an early age was recommended.
Corrections by the pupils were advised and the
neces ssity Of correct use OF the language by the
teacher was referred TO. The report also dis
cussed the comparative value OF some works on
elementary. instruction In language and compo-
siton. La answer to inquiries Supt. Tash urg-
ed the better classification OF our rural schools
TO that more time could be given to instruction
in language.
Mr.. Rounds opened the discussion on the re-
port, and spoke OF the value of conversations
In primary schools as supplying lacks In home
training He was followed by President Fer
nad, who spoke Of the cultivation Of the pow
ers Of accurate expression by independence OF
the wording OF the text book IN recitations, and
the value Of extemporaneous or prepared de-
bate, and Prof. K. p. Clarke of Bucksport Sem
mary, who criticised the teaching of grammar
in our pnbc schools as giving too little atten-
tion To synthess and too much to analysis, and
advocated the importance OF teaching the stu
dent TO put sentences together rather than
take them apart
Tho aims and purposes Of the society were
then presented by Mr.. Rounds,
The second paper was on Instruction In his
tory, by Prof. Paine of Bangor 1t was a very
aole and interesting article. He gave as some
of the reasons why history should be taught in
public schools, its value in disciplining all the
powers of the mind, its importance in culti
vatDg the moral sense, and its usefulness in
training our youth to be good citizens. He
stated hat history is studied in only half of
the uDgradod schools in the State; il is crowd
ed ont by other studies deemed more import
ant; its value is not appreciated and few
teachers are competent TO properly teach il.
The introduction of history into the course q
study al quite an early period was advocated.
Under the objects sought the necessity OF max
ing the work practical was mentioned, and the
extending OF the study TO the history OF other
countries than our own was advised. In clos
ing, Prof. Paine criticised the school text
hooks on history as either mere compendiums
or the bungling work of men who are not his
torians, and urged that teachers should have
an extended knowledge of history so as to
supplement- the statements of the text book by
off hand talks.
Mr.. Corthel opened the discussion, urging
breadth of qualif on the part of the
teacher, and the Importance OF making the
study valuable by developing an interestin the
growth OF civilization. lie was followed by
Mr.. Foster OF Castine. who spoke of the i'm
portant lessons for the present, TO be learned
from the past, and the benefits OF dwelling on
cause and effect in history
The subject OF the evening was Education
al Needs and Prospects The first speaker was
Hon. n. ID. Luce Of Augusta, State Superin-
tendent OF Schools. Mr. Luce spoke first Of
the advantages and opportunities which the
State affords for education. We have four coll
ieges, six seminaries, and some 20 or so acade-
mics OF something more than local fame or
strictly State or public schools, we have three
normal schools, over fifty high schools, 700
graded schools, and 1900 ungraded schools.
We expend million dollars year on our pub
Tic schools; have three million invested in
school buildings, ETC.; and employ 1900 teach
ers in the public schools.
The defects and weaknesses in our public
schools were next considered, and startling
array OF facts and figures was presented There
are 2l5 600 scholars in the State and only
14S,000 are registered in our public schools,
l23, 600 being the highest average attendance.
This makes about % scholars TO a school or
leaving out the graded schools about 90 Our
rural schools are too small TO be profitable, Is
or l6 scholars being their average size. The
country schools are two short, five months is
the average length in the State, and fJnr
months in our rural districts. There is need
of better appliances for teaching. Only $50
OF our uDgraded schools have globes, only
1900 maps, and only 200 charts for penmanship
physiology, etc. Pupils leave school at an
earlier age than formerly; more work must
therefore be done in less time.
Mr.. Luce then spoke of some remedies for
our condition; the most important being the
abolition OF the district system which would
give larger and longer schools and result in
more equitable distribution OF the money
taxation and school privilege was referred TO,
and II was urged that doing away with the dis
trict system would correct these abuses. Mr..
Luce has received during the past year reports
from the towns in the State, showing that the
districts could easily be reduced 800: this would
add TWO weeks to the average length Of the
school year. The need OF more system in our
schools was urged, of grading the work" in
ungraded schools even. The necessity for bet
Ter teachers was forcibly presented: of the 1900
IA al 1n nos
approximately first class; and there were near
ly two to each school, indicating TOO frequent
changes.
In closing Mr.. Luce earnestly advocated the
need OF sitting out poor teachers, elevating the
work as a science and art and insisting on
trained teachers,
He gave the normal schools good send-off.
and this seemed TO be the signal for turning
the meeting. which purported to be a general
diseusson," into an advertisement for the nor
NAL schools.
For the next speaker, Mr.. Rounds, prescribed
normal schools as the remedy for all our edu-
oational defects. He gave semnaries and col
leges OF the State no credit for their work in
training teachers; but seemed to believe that
diploma from a normal school is the only reaui-
site for successful teaching and urged that by
law no one should be permitted to teach who
could not present this certificate of having
passed through one of these mills for grinding
out hrst-olass teachers from material of any
sort.
He was followed by Mr.. Burr and Mr.. Cor
thell, each OF whom spoke of some encouraging
progress that the State has made in education
al matters and the reasons that we have to ex.
peot still brighter things in the near future.
On motion of Mr.. Burr, vote of thanks was
extended to the citizens of Bucksport for their
hospitality; and the society then adjourned
after an interesting and in most respects pro-
htsole session. DELTA
Hancock County Education Society.
BucKsroRT, May 10TH
Following the meeting OF the State Pedagog-
| ical Society, the county association held q
meeting to-day.
| AT the forenoon session an interesting paper on
| primary language lessons was presented by