Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-30

marks explained the object of the CALL
The increasing interest among superInten-
dents in thorough revision and improve
ment il the conduct of country schools was
of vast importance and ne believed that
county perintendents by coming togeth-
er and comparing notes, and discussing
practical questions would be greatly bene-
flied, hence the call.
Ia the absence of the preside Supt.
Gorman,of Stearns, Supt Tanner,of Steele,
was chosen president pro tenn, and the
roll called by the secretary, Supt. Levens,
of Freeborn, the following responding as
their names were called:
Anoka-G D Goodrich.
Benton Sem.
Blue Farth-Edwin Rogers.
Brown 3 Vellikanje.
Chippewa-O Rollevson.
Cottonwood-L Robinson.
Dodg5-Anson NJ Sperry.
Faripault-R w Richards.
FiIlmore-John Brady.
Freeborn-C W Levens.
Goodhue-A Engstrom.
Hennepin-C w Smith.
Kandiy ohi-C a Birch.
Lac qui Parle-Mrs NJ 2 Kivley.
Nc Leod-L Harrington.
Morrison-A Guernon.
Meeker-J w Wright.
Mower-C D Belden.
Nornan-P Sroemme.
Olmsted-F l. Cook.
Otter Tail Cowing.
Ramsey-Henry Blake.
Rice-S & Wilson.
Scott-M M Shields.
Steele-Geo C Tanner.
Swift-A NJ Utter.
Traverse-H J Mcintosh.
Wabashaw--Scott Foster.
Washington-T James.
Winona-John Kohuer.
Yellsw Medicine-Lerov s Chase.
The question as to whether county insti-
tutes should be continued longer than one
week was brought up by State Superin-
tendent Kiehle. The discussion was par
ticipated in by Superintendent Brady, of
Fillmore, Engstrom, of Goodhue, and
Wright, of Meeker. 1t was decided, how
ever, that greater interest and Gu
thusiasm was secured by the
present plan of one weeks session. The
opinion prevailed that a lengthy session
would result in falling off in interest
and that teachers would return to their
homes wearied with labor, whereas short
session, adjourned when enthusiasm was
at its zenith would be much better.
The readiug of papers dis
cussing topics assigned in
the programme was then taken up. The
subject of the first paper WAS, ''How may
we improve in method and elevate in
standard the grade of our teachers?" and
was discussed very ably by
SUPERINTENDENT A. NJ. sPERRY,
of Dodge county, who said:
sit is only necessary to improve sour meth
ods', and tfpStahlInh q h6ttar standard - This
at once dispvses of the whole business in the
way the late Horace Greeley disposed of the re-
sumption of specie payments. 1.-The way to
resume is-to resume" The difficulty is, how
ever, that determining to do thing may do the
opposite. The engineer may be hoisted by his
own petard. So it will be well in our case, as it
became necessary in the case of resumption to
consider well the means at our command.
The necessity of doing these things is as
sumed. We know all about the vast import
ance of having good teachers, ''live,' PRO
gressive" teachers. They, too, poor souls, know
all about it, or ought to, for certainly they hear
enough about it on all hands, even though they
hear or read but small part of the current talk
upon the subject.
am boun to say that have found them.
very generally, perfectly willing to be improved
in method and advanced in grade. So If this
be not done the fault lies elsewhere. 1t may
be we as superintendent, are tc blame; our
methods may be wrong, our standard too in
definite Certainly l credit our teachers a
class with desire to do well. In the younger
we sften find an excess of zeal-a desire to &C
complish more than can reasonablybe demanded
Had l not this Conscience in the sincere pur-
pose of those entering this occupation should
stop here and give Up any attempt to answer the
question before us.
In this brief paper purpose to go over the
matter first empirically, giving my experience.
have bean experimenting little; have in fact
tried two experiments in one yeaC-quite enough
for beginning.
desired first to take things as l found them,
and measure the value of current methods. So
in the spring, last spring, took the state ques-
lions and used them according to rule. They
were certainly well enough in their way, and the
way was that of the beaten track. They were
to test scholarship-text-book knowledge.
You remember how it was; the first
ten questions for third grade,
the first fifteen for q second grade, the whole
twenty for first. An average of ~ per cent.
of correct answers requisite for success. De-
string to know results with certainty l made
the work wholly written, abolishing as far as
possible all such aids as erasing and rewriting,
wishing most of all q transcript of the mental
processes by which result, were reached.
There was large attendance, 1877 in all, ard
certainly if l caused the teachers some hard
work, they were amply avenged. had some
$500 pages of manuscript to read, ponder upon
and mark. It took month or more of all the
time 1 could command, working often far into
the night, but the work was done, and faith
fully At the end knew who could write and
spell the English language and who could not;
who had facility in answering current texs
book questions and who worked feehly,
haltingly. Incidentally gained some knowt-
edge of the quality of the teachers knowledge
as vel, of its quantity; but after all knew
almost as little about their ability to teach a
coed school as when 1 began. In mountain
phrase they had simply in an uncertain way
''staked out the tr5,il'' by which they had clmL-
ed the slippery sleeps leading to that modern
temple OF ainerv the country schoolroom.
Such res ATS as were got duly certified. As a
whole markings were lowered-some holding
second grade certificates had to a oept third,
and sone third grades were given when in strict
ness they were not cue, simply because the
schools must go on, and would give per
mits," finding NO warrant for them in our