Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-20
Teachers Institutes.

The Importance of teachers Institutes
is fully understood by advanced educa-
tors. They are valuable agents in the
educational system of every State in
which they find encouragement, and they
find encouragement wherever great in
terest is taken in educational matters.
1t is not too much to say that in those
! States In which the number of institutes,
in comparison with the number of school
children is greatest, the schools are
the best and the grade of scholarship the
highest.
The purpose of the Institutes is to teach
the teachers how to teach and what to
teach. In every State majority perhaps
of the teachers are inexperienced Some
of them are quite ignorant, and rot few
are wholly unfit for the responsible duties
they undertake to discharge.
About all of them, however, are willing
to make use of whatever means that may
be placed within their reach for self-im-
proYement. Those who feel a pride in
their work know that they have not much
chance for success if they are poorly
equipped. They know, also, that child's
whole life may be marred by bad teach
ing. The first impressions which the
mind receives are lasting, and have
marked influence on later impressions.
Too much care cannot be exercised, there
fore, with regard to them.
In this State teachers institutes have
not yet become popular. One reason is
doubtless that the means are wanting to
| render them attractive and accessible.
! Teachers who are employed only small
part OF the year, or even halt the year, at
low wages, cannot afford to travel long
distance and live at a hotel or boarding
! house in city for a month or more every
year, and yet that is what the majority
of the teachers of this State will have to
do if they attend the institute at Atlanta
this year, and what those have done who
have attended it in past years.
The State Commissioner of Education
doubtless aims to bring the institutes and
the teachers closer together. If he had
been furnished with the money he would
have attempted something of the kind
doubtless long before now. Institutes
ought to be held in all the cities and
year, and uniform system Of instruc-
ton ought to be adopted. The Commits
sioner, assisted by leading educators,
might map out the course of instruction
to be followed each year. If sufficient
enthusiasm could be aroused it can be
readily seen that great good could be ac-
cOmplished.
M novrrao m outa bIieh fnGtit1fpG
throughout the State, and to get the
teachers interested in them, would require
time and money; but it is not improbable
that the day is not distant when they Will
be marked feature in Georgia's educa-
tional system.
The Commissioner proposes to make
the institute to be held at Atlanta, begin
ming on July y, and continuing four
weeks, much more complete and effective
than the institute of any previous year.
He is making special efforts to secure a
large attendance of teachers. He is ar
ranging for special rates with the rail-
roads and hotels so that the cost of at
tending the institute will not'be great.
Indeed he is forced to make extraOrdi-
nary efforts TO make the institute a success
because the agent OF the Peabody fund
threatens to withdraw the annual dOna-
ton which sustains it unless greater IN
terest is taken in it.
The State gives nothing towards sup
porting Institutes, but If the institute
which assemblies in July proves TO be
what the Commissioner aims to make it,
the Legislature, which will be in session
at the same time that the institute is, may
recognize it's value and make an appro-
priatiOn for the support of similar insti-
| tutes in other parts of the State.