Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-09

Meeting OF the Iowa Teachers
Association at Des Moines
Over 500 Teachers In Attendance
Largest Educational Meeting
Ever Held in Iowa.

The teachers OF Iowa met in Dcs
Moines Doc, Sist In annual convention.
After meetings OF the Educational
Council and OF the Woman's Round
Table held during the day, In the eve
ming the State Teachers Association
proper met in the Congregational
church.
Hero gathered for the FIRST time tho
the main body OF Iowa teachers, 700
or 500 or more and many others who
are interested In school work The
church was we'll filed and with the
clear and forcible annual address of
Lottic 4, Granger, the president, the
association was prepared for work.
The address was listened to with NJ
tontiGn by all and It's many excellent
points met with evident approval by
the association. This was practically
all OF tho first days work and II more
suspicious beginning TO what was TO
DO ono OF tho most notable education
meetings ever held in the State has
not occurred in late years.
At tho meeting OF the Educational
Council the report Of the Committee
on School Supervision, after discus
sion, was adopted. Tho following is
u synopsis OF the report;
/. Tho superintendent must have
distinct professional qualifications and
must Go selected for his professional
ability
2. His legitimate work in organizing
and conducting n iirst-class system OF
schools will develop public sentiment
that will sustain him, We regard tho
press as proper means OF creating
public sentiment.
3, He cannot afford to adopt politl-
cal methods, or TO bo u time server In
any sense.
4. In all business relations his con-
duet must DO u model lie must take
"A firm stand on moral and social ques-
tions.
o. Tho city suporntondcncy IL not
political office.
o. Tho superintendent dealings
with the board should be purely pro-
fcssionpl. lie Is their executive officer,
and their communications To the schools
should be through him.
Z. His recommendation upon teach
crs, textbooks and regulations should
be made In n spirit which recognizes q
joint responsibility OF superintendent
and board.
3. Patrons feeling themselves ag-
gricvcd should first present complaint
to the superintendent.
.. The superintendent must reoog-
nizc tho teachers prcrogativo, but his
decision In specific cuses should be
final.
10. He must strive TO bridge the
Cup which necessarily exists between
superintendent and pupils
Signed, &. w Samson, G. 7. Rogers,
j. c. Yocum, II, II. Scerlcy, W. I.
Cramcr, Mrs. J, w. Mcclellan, Amos
Hiatt, A. Aoerncthy, committees.
Prof Geo A. Gates, OF the Iowa
College, presented the report Of the
committee on the problem OF adjust
ment OF organization TO individuality
in schools, OF which the following Is Il
summary;
The committee beg leave to submit
the following synopsis Of their reports
The great Importance Of the question
and greater difficulty OF solving IL are
recognized. Even ideal education
would suffer loss OF the esprit du corps.
The danger Of an exclusively pcdago-
,,i,al n.,;,noto of n,n;la cIuuaifvino
strictly according to ability would do
Injustice TO all classes Of pupils.
Reasons pointed ont. Loss, because of
dullncss, does not distinguish school
from life in general.
Trouble, tho greatest In graded and
high schools. Taxpayer seems 10
have the right that his child 70 through
the course the best he can. The
teachers rejoinder.
|. Allow specials. Permit bright
students to take work outside regular
classification.
,. Have one or more pupils sot apart
TO do large amount OF ungraded work
3. More frequent promotions.
l. No teachers time should be
wholly taken up with recitation work.
Should move about among the pupils
giving individual assistance.
The committee offer the following
suggestions touching the relation OF
Individuality TO organization in the
work OF the teacher:
l. In many schools life is all taken
out OF teachers by too many written
examinations, Poor economy. Teach
er must at any cost be fresh before the
lass.
=. Avoid too long papers.
>. Papers need not be gone over so
minuately; papers need not always be
returned to the pupil.
4 Have pupils correct each others
papers. In this case, the teacher can
do some class-work with the papers.
) In large towns one or more teach
ers, specially adapted, can take large
part OF this paper work, receiving credit
for IT,
Signed. Geo. A. Gates, JAS. f. Uar-
Ian 4. +. Tobin. Julia Sweet. Dan
Shea, A. W. Rich, A. n. Currier, &.
A. SchaiIcr, W. +. King. A. Lough-
nj ge, committee.
The paper was discussed By several
parties aud without amendment il was
adopted.
At Tn. meeting OF the Womens'
Round Table various papers were read
and discussed. Teacher Quacks" was
tho subject OF "A paper by Miss LYDIA
Hisman, OF Waterloo. H. was very
brighs paper. full OF illustrations drawn
from observations OF numerous speci-
mems ofthe family under consideration.
A very general discussion followed.
The conclusion seemed TO be that how
ever many quacks may be found in the
profession AT present, the number is
steadily decreasing. The first general
topie OF the afternoon was .'Our Future
Profession under three divisions;
Teaching 10 he made life work."
Mrs M. Il. Boynton, Nevada; Better
training of teachers" Alice Lewis, Ne
vada; especial lines OF work. Eliza
beth Il. Mathews, Des Moines. These
papefs were of very great interest
Special mention should be made of the
one by Mrs. Nj. L. Boynton Of Nevada.
She began her paper with this quota
t;o,, fran, Ghnrlas DickenS, s.What-