St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-28
He WAS A PROFESSOR
Gov. McGill Discoupses on
Minnesota Teachers in
Early Days.
Trainers Of Youthful Minds
Suggest Methods for Mu-
tual Improvement.
A knowledge Of the Tariff De-
claped Preferable to War
Stories.
ppOono1innc oP tho Sne0nd
Proceedings Of the Second
Days Session Of the State
Educators.

state house. Several able papers were
read by leading educationalists Of the
state, and the discussions were spirited
and instructive. Teachers are only hui
man, after all, as from a remark of
Prof. Hyde yesterday, it appeared that
Wednesday evening half of the mem
bers of the association celebrated the
opening of the convention at the opera
house. The professor is president of
the association and, though he did not
chide the hayward members of his
flock. he led them to infer that they
were guilty, but were not to be so
again"
President EngstrOm was confronted
by good audience when at 8 O'Clock he
called the county school superintendent
TO order.
Supt. G. L. Greenough, of Dakota
county, read paper on: "Uniformity
in Teachers Examinations" in which
he said: THE subject of education
with all that ii implies, as used in this
country. is something that cOmmends
itself TO the reason and intelligence of
all thinking people. But in the hurly-
burly, helter-skelter of our busy. bus
thing Western life, the vast majority of
our citizens become so absorbed in their
respective pursuits that they very often
lose sight of and hence neglect many
things of vital importance to the
WELL BEING OF OUR COUNTRY.
This neglect is carried to such an eX-
tent that it often becomes necessary to
restate Old truths. 1t has been well
said that radical distinctions, unless fire.
quently reaffirmed, lose the clearneSS of
nritr
strongest convictions gradually fade
from the minds of men unless support
ing evidence is occasionally presented
afresh The vital truths of education
are no exception to the observation. If
there is any subject. with reference to
which the people need ''precept upon
precept, line upon line" of argument.
and teaching there little and there
little" it is this subject of education.
There are many phases of the subject,
each of which should be presented in
every light of which it is susceptible for
illustration. The political interest that
the state has in establishing and patron
iZlng universal education is an important
point, and in the argument of which
care should be taken to show
that the educated mind is the true
commonwealth of every community.
grow weary in our work. 1t is our
duty to be ever striving to re-awaken
interest among our constituents in all
that pertains to or in any way concerns
the great question of public education
1t may be shown that the richest valleys
and the most luXurlant soils owe their
fruitfulneSs more to the skill and labor
of the cultivated than to their natural
and inherent richness; that the agricul-
turiSt. the planter and the manufact-
urer owe to science and general edu-
cation the utensils and machinery of
their respective callings and pursuits.
Ii is the educated mind that makes the
wilderness and solitary place glad, and
causes the desert to rejoice
AND BLOSSOM AS THE ROSE.
AS single item of nations wealth
the political economist, whether he APP
pears in the character of statesman,
patriot or philanthropist. is compelled
10 say that the development and cultiva-
ton of the mind, the whole mind of the
community. by a judici0uS and fayOra-
BILE system of education, is the first duty
of the state. The masses of the national
wealth that have been accumulated to
society by the inventors of the mariners
compass, steam engine and the cotton
gin, are worth more than the entire
| commonwealth of Minnesota, real and
| personal, with all the bereditamentS
and appurtenances thereunto belong
| ing. But in this great work of uplifting
| the world and ameliorating the condi.
| ton of mankind, 1t is the teacher who
! performs the principal part Does
! it not behOve us as officers
ensconced among the people, where
we may do so much in moulding public
! sentiment, to put our hearts and brains
| together for the removal of all evils re-
! tarding the education of the state. The
| uniformity of teachers examinations is
| a question requiring our immt date at
! tention, aud one to which call special
attention. According to our school SyS
| tenn before person can teach III pub
! lie school his qualifications for such
| service must be certified 10y some lawful
| authority. Excluding independent and
| special districts there is i'll the state
| but one class of authority recognized As
! competent to give such certificates, VIZ:
! the county superintendents. The law
| provides that the examinations for each
! county must be uniform, but there is no
! provision for state uniformity. Under
! the present system it is possible to have
as many standards of qualification for
! teaching as there are organized counties
in the state. No provision is made for
| the Endorsement or certificates. The
! certificate is good only for the county
IN WHICH IT is ISSUED.
| A teacher in going from one county to
another must pause, as il were, at the
county line and submit TO an e&amina-
| ton. Perhaps from the first grade
standing in one county teacher must
step down to a third grade standing in
another. What a mockery to speak of
teaching as a profession when 1t Is en-
cunlbered by such loose, tiuctuating
and might say Protean restrictions!
But we must not only criticize; we
must point out better way. After
! considerable discussion with those who
| have had an extended experience in
school matters. and no little reflection
on my own part. am irriSistibly forced
| to the conclusion that the best first step
/ toward uniformity in the eXamina-
ton and licensing of teachers
| is the establishment of def
| mite standard of excellence through
| the issuance of state certificates. lt IS
| reasonable To assume that the effect or
such law would be. as ii has been in
| other states. in the direction of larger
attachments and higher professional
aims among the teachers of Minnesota.
| We have, for the children OF the state,
an unobstructed highway reaching from
the common school TO the university.
Let us add symmetry to our whole state
system by opening up another avenue
for cur teachers, whereby the enthusiast
tic and aspairing, may advance from
the rank of apprentice to that of a
professional"
Discussion followed upon this paper,
the general sentiments being heartily
endorsed, and means are u be taken for
calling the attention of the legislature
to the subject.
The afternoon session of the conven-
ton was opened by long discussion on
the normal schools, the outcome OF
| which was the omination of a commit
! 70 lnUiSia-