The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-05-04
THE a1NsTITUTE.n

THE teachers institute that con-
yened at Aberdeen on Monday was,
as generally expected, a complete fz-
zle. The daily attendance averaged
from eight to tenabout one-tenth
the number usually present at insti-
tutes in this county. The schools in
the towns of Aberdeen, Columbia,
Westport, Hecla, Claremont, Bath,
Groton, Ordway and Warner
were not represented, and those
that were in session refused to close.
The schools of Frederick were closed
on account of sickness, and nearly
half the attendance was due to that
fact. Many were induced tocontinue
in attendance by the personal solici-
tation Of the County Superintendent,
who desired that no possible oppor-
tunity be lost to improve the teachers.
His fight was against the arbitrary
policy of the Territorial Superintend-
ent in ordering the schools closed ir-
respective of the wishes Of the school
officers, and it looks as though the
aforesaid Territorial Superintendent
had received decided rebuke. Be
low we publish extracts from the
daily papers Of Aberdeen to show how
the fnstitute" progressed:
Aberdeen Democrat: The attend
ance Ieight to-day at the institute
| is the same as yesterday. The
county institute held here lastfall had
an enrolment Of Io5 teachers and
an average attendance of 30. As
the attendance so far has been only
lone-tenth as large, it would appear
that this institute is a failure. This
was to be expected under the circum-
stances. The calling of this institute
at this time was opposed not only by
County Supenntendenr Macleod, but
by the entire Board of Education Of
this city. 1t seemed to be against
the best interests of the schools here,
and in fact all over the county, as the
spring terms had just begun in nearly
every district. There is great good
in teachers institutes, but the proper
time Of holding them is question Of
serious consideration. The result has
shown that Superintendent Macleod s
opinions in the matter were correct.
! Aberdeen News: The Enrolment
has increased slightly, but taking the
! first two days as criterion of the re-
lmainder Of the week, il does not ap-
pear that the teachers Of Brown
county as body will derive much Of
any benefit from the same. Hereto
fore the average daily attendance has
been from eighty TO ninety teachers,
and the total number enrolled up
wards Of RIO. The reason Of this
Esmall attendance is due to the fact
that nearly every spring term Of the
district schools has begun and that In
order to attend the institute il would
be necessary to close the schools for
lone week, and the teachers and
school officers evidently preferred not
to do this.
The press Of the county unan-
iaoussllyy supports n the : position taken
by the County Superintendent and
condemns the action Of the Territorial
lSuperintendent. All over the terri
tory the teachers are complaining Of
compulsory attendance upon these
spring institutes. At the Ednlunds
county institute, just closed, the fol-
flowing resolutions were unanimously
adopted;
'sResolyed: That we request the
| Territorial Board to grant US an insti-
Ifute of at least two weeks in the fall
1 instead Of one week in the falI and
one in the spring as at present.
| And in connection with com
pulsory attendance upon instr
flutes and the arbitrary closing Of
schools by the Territorial Superinten-
dent, We quote an abstract from let
ter written to the Ipswich Tribune by
teacher attending the Edmunds
county institute:
aItis evident, from the fact that
about one-half Of the teachers en-
| gaged in teaching in the county at ths
present time were not IN attendance
| at the institute, that teachers are moi
compelled to attend, and those who
were there should receive the credit
| for being present Of their own free
Twill.
/ 'lo prove that Che Territorial Sup
efintcndent endeavofed 70 force tbs
schools 10 CLOSE regardless of ths
wishes 81 pupils, patrons of schoo