Smyrna times., 1888-07-18
Teachers at Rehoboth.

About fifty teachers were present. !
The second session Tuesday afternoon,
was called to order at $50 by President
John l.. Thompson. The minutes of
the morning session were read and ap-
proved, after which Supt Handy, chair
man Of the committee to nominate Of
hcers, made the following report:
For President, Supt. Herman Bessey
ofOdessa.
For Vice Presidents, w. B. Sharp,
of Seaford John D. Hawkins. Of Cam
den; and G.. A. Horter, of Newark.
For Secretary, Miss Emma Y. New
nom, of Pennington.
For Treasurer, J. w. Killen, of
FELTON,.
Il. w. Mowbray, of Port Penn, then
read stirring paper on Compulsory
Education. 1t chiefly advocated
compulsory school law throughout the
Nation. Taxes to support schools are
peremptory and compelled, and why
should there not be a law compelling
children to attend the schools thus
maintained. Supt. Bessey then fol-
lowed in the discussion Of the subject,
leading Off in the same track of the
paper and made some quite strong
points in favor of the necessity of all
children being legally bound to attend
school. Supt. Handy took the other
side of the question, and in his usual
terse and fOrceful manner said a num-
Der of things against any such statutes
| now; holding that to better the State
and condition of the schools was the
work OF the present. His trite sayings
brought {. H. Treat to the floor and
he talked for nearly an hour mainly
replying to Mr.. Handy's remarks. He
is evidently in favor of a compulsory
school law, and held that the State is
as much justified in compelling attend.
| ance on the schools as she is in taxing
| for their maintenance.
In the evening, DR.. VIM. II. Purnell.
of Frederick City, Md, formerly Pres
ident of Delaware College, recited an
original poem, giving history of the
Association from its organization in
1879, with many pleasant and humo-
rOus incidents. The poem was well
received and Il vote asking for its pub
licatiOn in pamphlet form was passed
At $50 Wednesday morning Prest.
dent Bessey called the Association to
order and DR.. Purnell offered prayer
An enrolment committee consisting ol
h. NJ. Powell, J. d. Eaton and Miss
Kate S. Hewy was appointed.
r. H. skinner, of Harrington, was
then introduced and he read a paper
on " Teaching Elementary Latin 8" DR.
Purnell, Supt. Handy and Messrs.
Tharp and Eaton followed in the dis
cussiOn.
At the afternoon session Rev. J. S
Willis offered prayer, after which the
president appointed Supt. Ward, J, D.
Hawkins, and Miss Hattie NJ. Stray
horn as committee on neurology.
James S. Eaton, of Laurel, read g
paper on object Teaching" followed
by discussion by Rev. J. S. Willis
Prof. w. H. Purnell, Supts. Ward
Handy and Bessey, and Messrs. J. A
Collins and w. B. Sharp.
In the evening Rev J. S. Willis, o
Milford lectured at the Chapel OF
True Manhood" speaking for 81
minutes.
On Thursday the annual reports o
the three superintendents Were road
and showed very healthy condition
in State educational matters. IL tn,
evening the Rev. Charles l.. Williams
of Upland, Pa, delivered IN address
on " The Inveaebrate Man" On Fri
day morning the teachers enjoyed
very clever and practical paper reaC
by John D. Hawkins, of Camden OF
" Free Text Books" which provoked
enough discussion to consume tn
morning session entirely. The con
cluding address of the meeting wa
given by the Rev. w. c. Alexander. o.
MiddletOwn, on the subject, Ethic
in the Public Schools of Delaware.
After little preliminary business tn
association adjourned its tenth annua
meeting. Saturday morning most @
the teachers left for home.