Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-06-13
NOTES TAKEN At THE TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION.
HFRALD Reporter

We dropped in at the I eachers' asso
citation last Saturday for a little while,
and took a few notes. There had been
some essays read, we should Judge
from what we heard, but as we were a
little late, we were deprived of the
pleasure of hearing them. Superin-
tendent Young favored the association
with a speech "a ''taIk" be called it
but we certainly think it was good
enough to be called q speech. He gave
some of the difficulties in regard to the
workings of our school system. He
stated that district officers mad a few if
any precedents to go by, and that the
decision of each State Superintendent
frequently was Numerically opposed
to the decision Of his predecessor. He
thinks that teachers act unjustly toward
each other, in this, that they will
persist in teaching without certificates.
These cases are mostly men, he says,
who will teach in the winter without a
certificate, and then the board viii hire
a girl with a certificate to teach a
spring term, and thus the districts can
draw their semi annual dividend d.
Another drawback is poor school houses.
He said he found one instance where Il
lady teacher had chopped down a tree
and drawn it up for wood, that the
house was so open that you could throw
a cat or a pony through. He said in
one instance he had to threaten a mem
Der of the board with writ of man.
damus in order to make him do his
duty. He said there were some clerks
of school districts who could neither
read or write, deplorable condition,
A question for discussion, chow to
prevent irregular attendance at school, -
was opened by Prof. Coleman. He
gave as one reason, the incOmpetency
OF teachers, and as another, that
parents do not duly appreciate the value
Of education. lie thought that lIz:ness
is inherent, and that children are fire.
quently overwOrked. without proper
diversion, and as a matter of course
they exagerate to their parents, who
allow them to remain at home. Prof.
Mosher concluded that there was also a
lack of appreciation of the value of
time, also that teachers should endeav-
or to interest. Supt. Young was of the
opinion that poverty had much to do
with it, that the children were frequent
ly without books and boots, and said he
knew how it was himself. ThereuDon
Mrs. Fisher asked him if he used to-
bacco, and he confessed that he did not,
but he did not say how long since.
Mrs. Rogers was decided that the. teach
ers should have vim. Mrs. LaRue
thought that the teachers should create
love for themselves in their pupils, in
other words, that they should win
their affections. The following sugges-
tions we're then given to bring about an
attendance: First, have music for fif-
teen minutes before the morning ses-
sion. Second, have oral exercises in
morning, Third, make the children
love US. At this juncture Supt, Young
said that he had seen some children That
he could not love, and did not know
that he could even respect. a spirited
argument then followed as to whether
it was possible to love all the children
alike. Prof Coleman stated that he loves
them all alike bat not with the same love
used in sparkling. Rev B R Turner asked
the Professor what kind of love was
used in sparkling, and he answered,
'where you honey around them" Rev.
Mr.. Turner could not love them all
like, neither could Prof. Mosher. Miss
Anna Hug hes thought the ragged, dirty,
dull children could be loved just as we'll
as the pretty, clean ones, and she told a
very affecting incident to illustrate. A
young man present, by the name of
Francis, thought none should teach but
those converted TO the Christiaa faith.
Prof. Mosher said the days of Church
and State combined were past, and that
orthodoxy was not a necessary qualif-
cation, although he wished it understood
that he said nothing derogatory to the
Christian religion. Supt. Young agreed
with Mr.. Mosher, and said that the
young man had taken a wrong position
and was at least a thousand years be-
hind the times. that the bloodiest wars
ever known were those growing out Of
religion.
All in all the ASSOCIATION was very en-
PERTAINING and we shall hope to be pres
ent at the next meeting.
There are people with nerves so del
icately strung, and with natures so