St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-24
FINISHED THEIR WORK
High School superintendent
Elect Officers and Ad-
journ.
Minneapolis G. A. R. Will Sup
port Alger for Com
mander.
Editor Demeules Comes Back
Handily at Mayor
Babb.
"Ppetty Persian" Palaver--
Aid for the Starving
Miners.

IL is WONDERFUL the amount OF cTiLiclSm
that small body of men and women
can in the course of an afternoon fling
off through the mere centrifugal power
of good intentions. The high school
teachers went mildly for each others
methods Yesterday, and finally wound
I'D with a resolution of confidence and
good will toward each other and the en-
tire world. Nevertheless, Miss San
ford, of the university, who has spent a
large portion of her life attending and
leading Institutes, summer schools,
seminaries, ETC., says the present hign
school council was the very best educa-
tional meeting she ever attended.
The programme of the second day OF
the meeting was inaugurated by Princl-
pal S. A. Merritt, of Winona. The
teachers all agreed on the value of OBJ
ject lessons, though some of them be-
trayed that they were not quite capable
of handling them yet. An allied sub
ject to object lessons was brought up
when Frof. Decker introduced the sub
ject of manual training. Some OF the
teachers thought the schools we're going
to work to make all pupils carpenters.
Mr.. Parr, of st. Cloud, said that the use
of carpenter tools was designed to give
the pupil a start in attaining skill In
other trades. Some one asked if the
girls should take manual training, and
Miss Sanford said they would make
clothes better if they did. These views
were generally agreed to, and it was re-
solved further that manual training
promoted order and attendance in the
schools. In other words, it interested
them more than notation, enumeration
and the cOnjugatlonS.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
There was a rather smaller attend
ance at the afternoon session, and the
programme was somewhat broken in
upon by the absence OF Prof. w. j.
Alexander, who was to have presented
paper on the high school course of
study. The first paper presented was
that of Prof. Charles A. McMurry, of
the Winona Normal school. The two
great principles in teaching and learn
ing, he held. were observation and aSSO-
citation. Observation, the concrete
basis of knowledge, and association,
which included the processes of CON-
parison and contrast. The speaker then
analysed and illustrated the principles
of proceeding from the known to the
unknown, and from part to the whole.
How to interest scholars permanently
in the acquiring of knowledge was next
discussed, and MIR. McMurry thought
that the discovery of the elixir that
would keep the students all the time
enthusiastic would solve most of the
difficulties of teaching. The awaken
ing OF interest and self activity
in the child was the first
step toward the development of will
power. Having thrown out these fun
dapnnnfnl rNp1nniYN,oc prnf Mo AIupru
went on to develop a recitation III the
system practiced at the Seminary of
Jena. Germany. Prof. McMurry, al
though he is an eminent devotee of the
German system, did not escape un-
scathed. Mr.. Alton, of the Winthrop
school, roasted the Jena system quite
severely. Prof. Merritt asked if the
teachers did not unconsciously pursue
the method described by Prof. Nc
hurry. The latter. in his reply, showed
that he had learned German calmnesS
while abroad, for he answered the gen.
.tleman suavely and only inferentially
stated that Mr.. Aitkin had not been
long enough in Germany to learn the
system he was trying to demolish.
At the close of the discussion Supt.
Kiehle stated that the high school board
was about to issue its manual, and
asked for committee to suggest in
formation that 1t ought TO contain. The
committee was agreed to. Prof. Jud-
son offered resolution pledging the
high school council to labor for the sue
cess of the national teachers meeting
at st. Paul next year, which was adopt
ed. The committee on union with the
state teachers association reported that
it favored the plan, and recommended
that the union be effected provided the
council might preserve its present con-
stitution, and m eft as section in high
er education, and hold special meetings
when it pleased, provided they did not
conflict with the state teachers meet
ing. The report was adopted. The
council also Endorsed the idea of child
ren's day at the State Fair, Saturday.
Sept. Z. On nomination of Supt. Kiehle,
Prof. Bechdolt, of Mankato, was elected
president, Lafayette Bliss, of Hender-
son, vice president. and Prof. Bryant,
of st. Paul, treasurer.