The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-07-21
TEACHERS INSTITUTES,
Circular to the County Suuerinsendents
and Teachers OF Montana.

lature teachers institutes, which befor
were permissory, are now obligatory il
counties containing five or more schoo
districts. The responsible head Of s,icI
institutes Is tha county sulerintenient
though the working melnbers, as the nam
indicates ond the law expressly enjoins. 81
the teachers. All teachers in the county
whether engaged IN teaching employed {
teach in the future, OF holding certificate
and expecting to teach. are by law in dut
bound 'to attend such Institutes and pan
ticipate III the exercises thereof
No teacher therefore, though holding
certificate. can be entitled to be in goo,
standing who does not take an active par
III these institutes. Eycry-teacher VIII
has applied for and received certitcat
to teach in any county Of the Te ritory j
to be rcstrie as having enlisted in th
public service to a certain extent. Teach
crs in public schools draw public money
they serve more than the trustees who en-
| ploy them, more than the parents wine
| have children under their charge. mOr
| than the children who attend school; they
serve the public as a whole, which include
G"re thaa the school officers, parents anc
children. III return f = certain lega
! privileges, the state requires certain dutie!
! of teachers and has considered this of par
ticipating in the public exercises Of insti
tuteS as one Of the first Importance.
| The purposes and protested benefits arr
| maHy, but We sill only enumerate q few
of the principal ones. First, the institute
| mai or training schools for teachers. The
purpose is chiefly to equip, strengthen and
quicken the teacher for the duties Of the
school room. 1t is also To produce some
| unity of methods and common under
standing among teachers trained IN differ
ent parts of the States and having consc-
quently differences that should at least be
understood, If they cannot be reconciled.
Sympathy and corporation are essential
to the formation of Il Montana school sys-
TEN. The public are invited to attend
these institutes to see for themselves
whether the certificates have been properly
bestowed. HE teachers mere are 'uhJected
To second public examination and have
To vindicate the wisdom and justice of the
superntendcnts and trustees. Through
'heac institutes the teacheFs ana !'aeiic are
madc acquainted brought INTO sympathy
ana mutual Understanding, 80 eseeiitiai "
the teachers success.
As to the work done by the Institute
any programme ana order OF eAefciscn-
the law leaves carte blanche IN the AahaS
OF the superintendent ana ttachefs' Ii
means good, honest earnest WORK ana
leaves it to the honor, sense OF justice and
discretion ot the meihbSrs /" make 1t III
tcrc> my and pr"Atable.- Inc WORK Gone
shonid he practical, giving the more I'M
poFtant subjects the luost tinI' ana assign
ing them to the teachers VINO are best aPle
To present them most ctfectuaIiV.
The county superintendent Is entitled oE
law to allow SO from the "chooi io''u "-
the county to meet the lucldeGtal eApeh-
ses; and this VIII generally sulhce 10 cover
AL Necessary general expenses. Inc county
superintendent Is eS-oflc1o chairman all"
treasurer, 50 that the only necessary o'i'cei
would be secretary. Inc county super
intendent being the one app"ihteo ny Ia"
ITO hold' the institute should apP"ih'
all committees, and we would suggest one
on entertainment OF teachers' ana He
should assign topics for treatment /" me
several teachers III attenHth&e' III a"oI-
tion would recommend 10 county super
ntendenfs to invite eltlzel!o 81 lle c""i''A
10 address the institute on subjects oI III
terest connected with the sCho"' "ofN' ol
the larger subject OF pubIIc education.
would recommend that the evening ses-
>iOns especially be devoted to exercises
that would attract and interest the pub