Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-12-11
BELMONT COUNTY TEACHERS

BELMONT COUNTY TEACHERS.
The regular autumn meeting of the
Belmont County Teachers Association
was held in Bellaire on last Saturday.
The attendance was not very large, most
of those present being teachers engaged
in the eastern part of the county.
The Association was called to order at
10 A. NJ, and then President-elect Supt
James Duncan, OF Bridgeport, delivered
his inaugural address. He brought out
prominently the advantages that are to
be derived from these associations. The
address was discussed by Sup't Mannix,
Martins Ferry.
Mr.. haywood Forsythe, of Blaine, read
a well ll-prepared paper on Education His
paper showed that he is giving earnest
thought to matters connected with the
profession of the educator.
Sup't B. T. Jones, of Bellaire, conducted
a contest in written spelling. The words
were selected from McGuffey's Sixth
Reader. During the noon recess the
papers were graded, and in the afternoon
session report was made. 1t showed
that teachers are lamentably deficient in
spelling. The average grade for all the
papers was only 56 per cent. The highest
grade, SS per cent, was secured by T. w.
Williams, of Bridgeport.
The subject of Teachers Examinations
was opened up by Mr.. J. q. Taggart,
of East Richland. He showed that a
teachers success is not taken into con-
sideration in the granting of certificate,
as the grades are given only on his
knowledge of certain queries supposed
to represent the various branches. A
teacher, at some point, passes from an
amateur to a professional teacher. A
scholastic examination does not test
ability to teach. Why should successful
teachers be compared with persons who
have good grades and who fail in
teaching? What use is there in exam
lining teachers year after year? At
some point let examinations cease.
Substitute higher branches for common
teachers in which he has been examined
and has received satisfactory grade.
Mr. J. G. Bethel, of Finishing, began the
general discussion of the subject. Some
of his thoughts were: In order to secure
a professional certificate, a teacher should
have an experience of several years.
Professional success should enter largely
into the granting of fve-year certificates.
Examine the teachers on one OF more
professional works.
Mr.. w. ID. Porterfield, of Glencoe, con-
tinued the discussion He brought for
ward some new points, aud said We
should either do something or else stop
discussing the subject.
Sup't Walter Mitchell, of st. Clairsville,
read letter from State Commissioner
Hancock, and then read a resolution to
the effect that when teacher shall have
secured satisfactory grades in four or
more branches, he be permitted to add
one or more higher branches, and have
the grades in the four or more common
branches transferred to new certificate
without determination. This resolution
was discussed at some length and finally
adopted.
Sup't Joseph Rea, of GAINESVILLE, read
paper on Drawing in our Public
Schools. This was Mr. Rea's first ap-
pearance before the association, and he
made very favorable impression He
showed that it was entirely practicable
for even ordinary teachers to teach draw
ing successfully.
Mr.. W. L. Barre of Somerton, read a
paper entitled, From Enumeration to
Mensuration. Mr. Barre was likewise
new man on the programme, and de-
lighted his audience with a witty and
realistic account of the rough road over
which most pupils pass in "going through
the arithmetic" We hope to have the
pleasure of hearing both of these men
again.
Mr.. W. r. Butcher, principal of the
Bridgeport high school, gave paper on
the Relation of the Teacher to his Pupils
and Patrons. His paper was full of
valuable ideas. The relation which
teacher has both to his pupils and his
patrons, certainly have great deal to
do with his success.
Mr.. j. NJ. Hogan, of Warnock, who was
to tell us of Educational Milestones. was
absent
A brief account of the doings of these
can convey but poor idea
of the many things that are said and
done. Toproperly appreciate their value,
attendance is necessary.
The next meeting will be held in Bridge
port somtime in February. NAMYAC.
THE correctness of the maxim nothing
succeeds like success" is well exemplified
in Ayers Sarsaparilla. The most sue
cessful combination of alternatives and
tonics, it always succeeds in curing
diseases of the blood, and hence its Won
derful popularity.