The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-23
County Teachers, Association.

County Teachers Association.
The Weber County Teachers association
met in the Central school building at 2
o'clock yesterday afternoon with a full at
tendance.
Miss McNiley, teacher of the eighth grade
in the city schools, was an influential
speaker, as the lady has had a wide ex-
perience in graded schools. Mr.. Diggins,
who has taught in graded schools in Indiana
for number of years, was also one of the
speakers. The programme was Interesting
throughout. A permanent organization
was arranged with the following officers
Joseph S. Peery, president; Charles
Wright, vice president; Samuel Doxey,
secretary; M. Hall, treasurer.
This organization will give special pro-
gramme Saturday evening, December 20,
which will be announced in full later
The following address was delivered by
Joseph S. Peery, superintendent of county
schools:
''F'ully realizing the responsibility de-
volving upon the superintendent of Weber
county public schools, and fully appreciat-
ing that more or less presumptiousness
might be attributed to me for attempting to
introduce a new and important measure,
while l have never taught school and am
y y
ancy that | address SO many school teachers
upon subject of high worth-a subject in
a great measure which affects your success
and happiness in your daily work, sub
ject which decidedly relates to the benefit
the advancement, and more-the very eX-
istence of every boy and girl who attend
classes in this county. Though l have
never taught school, | have been under
some able instructors, and have somewhat
no
few successful institutions of public in
struction.
''You all know, better than l, the system
that has been adopted in ourpublic schools.
The progress of the student has been too
dependent on the teacher. If the teacher
be a good disciplinarian, a person
thoroughly stocked with knowledge, and one
who understands how to Judge his pupils
and how to draw out the powers of their
minds, the results of the present system
are highly beneficial. However, even with
such an excellent teacher, owing to the
changes in his yocation-and the history OF
nearly every district in this county shows
too frequent changes-theSe salutary re
suits do not always follow. With the new
regime, strange and different methods are
introduced, and it is the students who have
to suffer. | think the assertion will holC
that very often the student has to tread
the same ground this year that met hi:
gaze last year-there are no new fields fol-
him, no pleasing variations no novelties II
gladden. his eye, no late melodies to delight
his ears, no new material to please hi!
mind and to encourage it in WANDERING
through the fields of research and investi
cation.
The same faults are frequently found
with schools that do not remove theil
teaching with the change of seasons. Per
haps you all know of illustrations wher,
students have had to study the same book.
time and time repeated, simply because o.
few unfinished pages in the back of the
book or because the fall term found The
class so small that further advancement
could not be considered, and the old trit
tales would have to be reiterated. Is this en-
couragement to the student Does thi.
give satisfaction to the teacher! Does the
incentive to burn the II o'clock oil fire
the breast of the scholar! Does the
JOY OF grazing in pastures green awaken
the worker in school book lore at the fifth
hour on winters morning, and does tn,
spirit of assiduity push him onto the uniu
viting floor! The questions require NJ
answers. L think there is no one presen
who will not agree with me in saying tina
continued sedulousness cannot be hoped t,
come from a student who has creditabl,
finished q certain study but who is forcet
again into the same groove which he ma
once passed over.
1.-The evil cannot but be admitted. VIVA
is the remedy! Let the theory of gradet
schools answer the question, and let tn
practices of the best schools in the land b
cited to substantiate the claims.
I'm graded schools the students have
greater incentive to study than in school
, where the loose system prevails. 1t ha
been said that no reality equals the eX
pectation,' but l think that when tn
school boy wins the laurel of his hopes h
comes very near attaining a certain salts
| faction that is to be desired-fre bug bril-
t liancy though it is. When he realizes ther
} is always something ahead of him, when h
climbs from a low plane to higher one
and leaves all his former work well don
l with certificate of graduation as proo
does it not stand to reason that he wi
, work harder, take much more marked IL
$ terest in his studies, than he would if
knows what he goes over to day will be I'll
r same path for him to travel twelve month
hence.
s2-Parents will take a muchdeeper in
terest in their children's education. A
parents take a pride in their sons ar
daughters attaining commendable pos
a sition in lifes battles. All parents desi
|. their children to equal other mems CHI
= dren. Therefore will these parents n
lend encouragement to their represent;
g tives in the public schools that they w
:, not fall behind in the race! Will not Il
y monthly reports sent to each parent gi
ing the exact standing of his son and daug
: ter tend to awaken q marked interest
y the school works
"3-With this increased interest follow
~ the employment of more efficient teacher
= With children at least one half Deepen
y upon the teacher, with advanced studen
Z nine tenths depend upon the scholar.
claim that most excellent material is fouI
in our public schools. brighter minds thi
those of the army Of young people WI
-e daily attend the school rooms are found
, where in these broad United States. If
I. be full of life with a great desire to rigl
ia fully sustain the position Of the typit
a teacher, the student will be wide avail
>, active and will study with push and pre-
ia ress; if the teacher be sluggard a
counts the cost of every exertion, the 81
lie dent will fall into the same rusty rut, a
70 at the close of the school year an abunda
crop of ''apples from the dead sea- will
gathered. 1t may be an hyperbale but
have an idea it will stand that go
teacher better prepares students in t'
years than poor one will in five yea
70 How fortunate it will be for all concern
when the man who will not teach for "6
80 dollars less" will be preferred and be e
~ ployed over the individual who W
W ''teach' at the most minimum prices.
M 81 In! graded schools the evils resu
<l,a Il,