The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-07-31
National Teachers Association,

EDITORS FARNER.-lt seems fitting that space
| should he given in the columns of your paper for
brief review Of the work of the National Teach
| ers Association, at Madison Wisconsin; although
! 1t may be considered tame subject compared
| with Railroads and Presidential Campaigns. The
Association and Its work excels anything of the
kind Sver held on the continent. The whole num-
Der of teachers present was upwards of six thous
and, these with the outsiders intereeted in ed uca.
tional work, made an aggregate Of nearly seven
thousand. Every State, nationality, race and
color was represented, aud visitors were pres ent
| from foreign countries. A plcasauter place and
better entertainment could not have been provid.
ed than there was at Madison. The city has about
10000 inhabitants, and Is beautifully located on
peninsula, formed by four lakes, whose grandeur
the Indians used to chant long before the white
man ever stapp,d upon the soil OF Wisconsin. The
location of Tho city furnish an .cellent ODD. r.
tun1ty Tor excursion' to all art, OF the Unit.
States. which many Of the teachers ava:lcd tho m.
selves o. Several car loads went to the Pacific
Coast and On up to Alaska; others went to Duluth,
Winnipeg and Ashland. and four or Ave hun dred
persons visited the Dclls Of the Wisconsin River
every day during the week. The writer scent one
day there We went five miles up the river In =
steam boat, spending an hour and half At Cold
Water Canyon, and the same time at Witches
Gulch, both Of which are bounded by perpendi-
culsr wells of sand sto1ie several hundred feet
high. Visitors who have been at the great Canyon
OF the Colorado say that these arc perfect NINA.
lures Of It, The most prominent feature Of tho
Association was its exhibit which far surpassed
anything oft kind at tho Centennial Exhibition
There was a sample Of work from schools of every
grade, from the primary department Of pubic
schools to the technical schools in iron, wood and
WOODEN goods. One Of the most interesting OK.
hiblts there, consisted of philosophical apparatus
prepared by the saltwater Schools of this State.
Tho Normal Schools of Minnesota were also we'll
represented III charts, maps and drawings The
ex hibit was arranged on the first, second and
third floors Of the ca pie and was sufficiently ex
tensive to interest and instruct any teacher for
entire week. The second feature OF note was tho
lectures and discussions, which only the best ed.
ucators ofthe country took part in These were
exceedingly interesting and instructive not 70
much on account of their eloquent presentation.
as their direct bearing upon the vital questions
which concern onr Government at tho present
time. The problem Of education in the south "A
ably presented by several prominent educators
rom southern States, the most noted one being
MI. Washington colored President of q Normal
school In Alabama. An eloquent, talented negro
before an educated northern audience.
was the most convincing proof of the necros abil
'y The people Of tho south are greatly interested
In the education of their people, and they 70 .till
farther, they are interested In tho great problem
OF National Education. Adistinguisled speaker
from the south said: "As distinct sections of the
country, the north and south should be known
no longer. A. adisobedient boy that has been pun
ished returns to his mother and receives the kiss
OF Cancellation, let the south return to the north
and be member Of the greatest national family
on the face OF the earth, not only in form but in
reality The southern people greatly ap preciate
what the Government has been doing
for their education during the past ten years. !
and especially thc provisions male by the Bl.ir
bill Money or assistance given toward the edu.
cation Of the south will do more to remove pres.
ent difficulties than NIL othsf bulls that Congress
can pass or repeal. The relation Of the Catholic |
to our public schools was SPOKEN Of By an eminent
Catholic priest, an educator or London. M. dc
capclle. He heartily supported the public
schools d Amc lca. and declared that he never
said that the athollcs would Withdraw from the
public schools, statement which the rrtss HAD |
accused him OF. ''he whole work Of the axsocfn
lien was eli patiDk, II carrisd every teacher over
md above the petty little bubbles and pcrplex.
tbs q school room work 70 something I,obler.
and better making of nscn and Fora-
N VIII who can ' be useiil members of society.
Glencoe. July 2lst 1854 sss sss,,