St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-01
The Minnesota State Teachers Association
Closes It's Annual Con-
vention.
An Important Meeting It Was is the
General Verdfct--The Closing
Speeches.
Prof. Gilbert's Paper - Numerous
Resolutions Adopted and Officers
Elected.


ing that bis son should miss two years OF
college life if he could have the bent to
make something. The catalogue of adJec-
lives brought out by the work of the kinder
garten was very large. a. +. Beckdolt.
Prof. Shepherd, Supt Sperry, Prof. Lord
and others followed with debate which
disclosed considerable difference OF opinion.
The Kindergarten in government, SAID MISS
Jones, cultivates inward prompting instead
of outward doing. The value of the early
training of the disposition was brought out.
A telegram from A. j. Hatton, president
of the Wisconsin Teachers association,
sending neighborly regards, was read.
Interesting exercises were given by twenty
four little girls of the Jackson school, who
went through with a number Of graceful
movements and showed careful training.
1t was resolved that all future meetings
should be held in st. Paul.
A paper on Teaching Geography was
read by Sanford Niles, publisher of the
State Journal at Rochester. He made
plea for the adaptation of the instruction to
the natures and needs of the children.
More attention should be given 10
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY,
and seek out causes. Several took part in
the di ,cussion which followed, among them
Col. Parker, who said that geography was
his hobby. and he believed in hobbies.
Geography was an immense subject. His
tory should be built on geography. He
would not begin with the world, but lead up
10 it by study of immediate surroundings,
and later, continents. Our future geogra-
phies would be reading books, and we
would have geography Of structure. Po-
litical geography should be preceded by
the study Of natural or physical geography.
In of fi,a how SIN of
immediate surroundings were to be used as
helps to the imagination, and as an aid in
understanding the geography of sections
beyond his observation. The certi6catiOn
Of teachers was considered by G. ID. Belden
of Mower county. Poor teachers should be
kept out of the ranks by more strict GER
LITIGATION. Prof. Soaring followed with a
general approval of the paper read. He
had expected that it would put the normal
schools on The defensive, but was glad the
time had come when all could occupy com
mon ground. 1t was to be regretted that
diplomas from the normals had no legal
value in being accepted as certificates. He
moved that a committee of five be appointed
to consider the question and present
some plan at the next meeting.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the session opened again after din
ner, it decided TO proceed with the report
of the teachers reading circle, and Prof. l..
c. Lord of st. Peter, the president of the
board of control of the Minnesota Teachers
Reading and Scientific circle. submitted his
report. He stated that the board had made
arrangements to print in circular form a
recommendation of suitable books for read
ing in schools, and which would soon be
sent to those interested. In answer to sew
eral questions for information, he said that
the books needed could be procured at home
for 10 per cent. less than in the East One
hundred and eighty-seven members were
now enrolled in the circle, who took great
interest in it.
Prof. j. Il. McCleary of Mankato deliv-
cred a beautiful and feeling eulogy upon
the life and work of Prof G. w. Smith,
late superintendent of Hennepin county.
The speaker gave short synopsis of the
career of the deceased brother, beginning
with his birth, his advent to Minnesota and
his subsequent useful life in this commu-
nifty. The chair then appointed the COM
mittee on legislation. selecting the follow
ing gentlemen: State Superintendent
Kiehle, President Soaring of Mankato nor
NAL school, G. W. Levens, county superin-
tendent of Albert Lea; G. G. Gilbert of st.
Paul, G. d. Belden, superintendent of
Mower county.
Supt. Wright of this city announced an
advertising scheme which had been sug-
gested in a letter from n. A. Calkins,
president of the National Educational as
soclation to secure a large attendance at
the
MEETING IN TOPEKA.
The state had been divided into six dis
tricts and thoroughly advertised Supt.
Wright suggested the adoption of the
col IN fo@n ,fa1, h., ii
vided so as to have the centers of the dis
tricts at the following places: Winona. st.
Cloud, Mankato, Fergus Falls, Minneapo-
lis and st. Paul. Mr.. Wright also stated
that the following gentlemen had consented
to take full charge of the advertising duties
of their respective districts: Irwin Shep-
pard, president of the Winona normal
school; L. j. Gray, president of the st.
Cloud normal school; Prof. j. 7. McCleary
of Mankato; B. M. Reynolds, superintend-
ent of Fergus Falls; Prof. G. c. Curtis,
Minneapolis and B. T. Wright, superin-
tendent of st. Paul.
Mr.. c. G. Gilbert, principal of the high
school, this city, submitted a carefully-pre-
pared paper on The High School Problem.
1t was an exhaustive essay upon the
subject, and was an answer to all
of the attacks made upon the
made by its opponents, The tendency of
his argument was to prove the benefits and
influence of the system and its effect in
opposing the growing tendency to socialism,
fanatlcism and political corruption. He
emphasized especially its necessity as an
intermediate grade between the primary
schools and the university, and its value as
substitute for more expensive and less
effcStual method of education. The address
excited general discussion, and able argu-
ments were presented by Supt Curtis of
Saltwater, and Prof. Kiehle favoring the
continuance and the wider and greater
recognition of the high school. The discus
sion was brought to an abrupt close by the
motion, which was adopted, of Prof. Rich
ards of Sank Center, who asked that the
address of Mr.. Gilbert be printed in the
Journal of School Education. Prof. Gray,
the president of the association, at this
stage of the proceedings, rendered his thanks
to the association for its harmonious sup
port during the session.
The subject of manual training was
touched upon, and Prof. Soaring of Man
kato proposed a scheme for the erection of
a school which should be especially de-
voted to that method of education, which
was ordered to be incorporated into the
form of resolution and presented to the
committee on resolutions.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The committee on nominations then sub
mitted the following nominations of officers
for positions in the association during the
ensuing year: President, DR.. William
Follwell of the State university; vice presi-
dent, Supt. Bechdolt of Mankato; secre-
tary, G. w. G. Hyde, institute conductor,
st. Cloud; corresponding secretary, Rev.
j. d. Bond. st. Paul; treasurer, c. w.
Stevens Inert Lea On motion the nomi-