The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-17
EDUCATORS in CONVENTION.
The National Educational Council and It's
Work in Splitting Hairs.
Correspondence Of the Indianapolis journal

Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal
MADISON Wis, July 15.-The National Coun-
ell of Education to-day concluded its work for
this occasion. This is pronounced to be the
most important meeting that it has ever held.
As is naturally the case with all men, institu-
tons and organizations Of men, some time is
consumed in adjusting the members to each
other so that the play and interplay of thought
and feeling becomes spontaneous and rapid The
questions discussed have been practical ones,
and at first the discussions ran off into petty
side issues and in many cases seemed to the
spectators to be frivolous and unworthy of strong
minds discussing great themes. This tendency,
however, was soon checked by the firm hand of
President White, who makes an admirable pre-
siding officer, and who has been complimented
by reelection to second term. The later dis
cHssions have gone deep below the surface in
search of general principles. The topics un-
der consideration yesterday and today were:
Preparatory Schools and Preparation for Col
lege, presented by DR. Moss, of Indiana, as
chairman of the committee, and of s'Pedagogics
as Science, brought out in papers by Prof.
Sedan, of St Louis, and VIM. T Harris, of
Massachusetts, The notable speech on the first
question was made by President Thompson, of
the Rose Polytechnic School, of Terre Haute.
Much to the surprise of many, it was fervid
plea for the Latin language as preparation, not
merely for the classical college, but for the in
dustrial and technical school DR.. Thompson
gave it as his profound conviction, derived from
fifteen years Of careful observation that for the
student of mechanical, mining and civil engineer
ing no preparation possible would give the intel
lectual grasp and vigor necessary for graphing
Al. =
paratory course in Latin The elementary study
of natural philosophy, whatever that might
mean-of chemistry, or Of botany were usually a
delusion and snare but that of Latin French
and German were invaluable. The thoughts were
vigorously expressed and enforced by examples
taken from experience and made strong and
favorable impression. DIR. Thompson was fol-
lowed in the same line of thought by Regent
Peabody, of the Illinois Industrial University.
The discussion of DIR. Harriss profound and
philosophical paper on s'Pedagogics as a Science"
was the occasion of some brilliant and successful
hair-sphtting performances. Sedan, of Mis-
souri,, and B. Stanley Hail. of Johns Hopkins
University, took tilt each with the champion
of the day, DR. w. I. Harris, and were most
beautifully and gracefully endorsed in every en-
counter. This display of metaphysical jousting
was most keenly enjoyed and loudly applauded
by the appreciative spectators
DIR. Hall, of Maryland has, for the past year
or two, been engaged, with number of volun-
teer assistants, in examining carefully into the
exact state Of mind Of children when they enter
school for the first time. The investigation has
thus far been made chiefly in some of
the cities of the East, particularly
Boston. The children are examined as to
their knowledge of the animal kingdom, the
vegetable kingdom, their notion of sunrise, sun
set, the stars, etc. The object is to find just
what and how much home and spontaneous
training does for children before they go to
school The outcome may be such as to give
teachers more correct notions of how to begin
with the children so as to build upon what they
already know. As a sample of the developments
of this investigation, it was found that in Boston
% per cent of the children of school age had
never seen COW, and had no idea whatever of
the animal This work is in its incpiency, and
the report by DR.. Hall was only preliminary to
something more full and important which will
doubtless come out in the future.