Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-07-11
STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
Three Hundred IN Session.

Three Hundred ID Session..
Last week closed the twenty-fodrth
annual meeting of the teachers of the
state. Many and interesting as these
associations or conventions have been,
the last is universally acknowledged to
be the largest and most successful ever
held. From reports from all over the
state the progression and advancement
of the schools are marked and prom
Uses of permanent growth more favora >
BILE than at any time in the history of
the state.
That section that fails to keep pace
with the balance of the state for the
next few terms, can have but little
hope of ever standing in the van of
Missouri's educational interests.
A list of names showing the ability
that gathered there to give US lesser
lights the advantage of its experience
and thought would be interesting to all;
but to render it available to teachers
and school boards in Lafayette county,
your correspondent thinks better re-
suits may grow out of giving the pro-
gramme, a brief synopsis of the best
thought On each paper read, and as
often as it can be recalled the author
of the thought.
Tuesday-President Henry called the
association TO order, and a secretary
protein was elected. Rev. W. NJ.
Prottsman opened with prayer and i'm
mediately followed with a welcome
address. To get all in that address one
must not only have heard but have been
in the profession to have appreciated
the stream of humOr caused by the
doctors fine appreciation of all the
evils by which the teacher is Surround
ed and such teachers liability to turn
mole hills into mountains, etc. The
reverend gentleman closed by assuring
us that they were suffering from hard
times, that there was almost nothing lett
to eat, but there was an abundance of
the best water in the world, a plentiful
supply of fresh air and considerable
amusement, to all Of which we were
cordially welcome.
State Superintendent Coleman an
swered in warm terms commencing
both SweetSprings and the state and ex-
posing the fallacy of a large percentage
of on-attendance in the state by show
ing that thousands Of pupils in the
state who are returned as not in school
are in reality attending the private
schools OF the state. He explained that
few states of equal population could
show a greater number of such private
schools, or private schools of better
grade.
The first paper read was "County
Supervision" So strongly were the
benefits of efficient county supervision
set forth by statistical comparison that
when the reader took his seat there
seemed nothing left in favor and moth
ing to be said against it. L. E. Wolf, of
Moberly, opened the discussion in a
paper setting forth the fact that the
lack of county supervision was all evil
belonging at the teachers door, a. by
working among the people the teacher
could obtain it.
Pres. j. P. Blanton, of Kirksville,
took the ground that the people were
not ready for it. They had not thought
about it enough. That we don't want
a law on the subject till they decide.
That before such decision such a law
will prove a dead letter.
Superintendent Greenwood, of Kan
sas City, said the people appreciated
the necessity of a law, but it would
not come as long as there was such an
immense political majority in the
state. But whenever the vote became
close it would become an issue and re-
main so till carried. He did moi say,
as was reported in one of the dailies,
that we must wait for such a law until
the republican party was in the ascen-
dency.
"IIluminate the Bottom of Society,""
by W. D. Vandiver. The writer took
the ground that all public schools should
be primary: that attendance thereon
should be compulsory; that if his
money provided a school for his neigh
boris child the neighbor should be com
PEELED to accept the benefits offered so
far as primary instruction was con-
cerned. and after the primary the child
should be forced to depend upon indi-
vidual effort.
G. W. Smith argued the best teach
ers should be placed at the bottom in
the primary to lay a sure foundati on.
Rev. j.. A. Quarles Endorsed both
sentiments.
j. Il. Buchanan objected to making
a boy feel he was the bottom of society
and must be illuminated.
Prof. Blackwell held the University
was a necessity as it was the source
IiOLh NhiSii hluSl Chldldtc tuc llSuL "
illuminate the bottom.
T.. G. Lennon argued that the dis
tribution of funds On a basis Of igno-
rance and poverty as held by the
writer was placing premium upon
ignorance and Indulgence; that law
could not compel a man nor the state
enable a man to put a fifteen hundred
dollar education on a fifteen cent boy;
that the present system contemplated
giving every one a chance to climb to
the top and depended on individual
effort to reach the pinnacle and was the
best.
Superintendent j. NJ. Greenwood
cited cases of wash-women, draymen,
laborers, ETC., who supported their
children till they had finished the high
school course. He showed conclusive
ly that by the help of the state these
young people had climbed to a higher
plane, were better citizens and more
useful members of the community be-
cause OF state aid. That without state
aid they must have remained at the
bottom for life long illumination.
"Thoughts on History" by j. e.
Mcneil; though the paper was strong