The sun., 1891-02-10

Indiana.
Gray.
IL
Del6>Dts.
Gray.
Gems From . Public Document.

Gems From . Public Document
We have recently received bulky octave
volume containing the report Of the State
Superintendent Of Public instruction for
1880 and the exhibits accompanying tho
same. Tho contents cover upward Of 1000
pages and consist largely Of matter which
should not be printed for distribution at the
public expense. A good deal Of space is do
voted to the proceedings Of the State Teach-
ers' Association aud to the addresses deliv.
cred before that body. That some Of these
speeches are meritorious cannot truly be
denied. but We think they should be pub
lished. II at all. either at the expense OF the
teachers or at the expense Of the association
itself, and not at the expense Of the State.
The Teachers Association met at Saratoga
session four days. An address OF welcome
was delivered by Mr.. CHARLES O. Lnsrn Of
that village. who called tho attention Of tho
association to the fact that "tn q geographic
cal sense Saratoga is about the oldest
place on earth" A speech described as the
Annual Educational Address was made by
Mr.. SETH Low. President of Columbia Col
lego In this city. nom which we Gull this
story about halter: IT have been Obliged,
in tho course Of my Official LIE, to veto
the appointment Of . halter to be the
farmer Of truAnt homo. When the hat
ter discovered that the duties of farmer
included milking COW and raising pota.
toes, the subsequent proceedings. In tho
picturesque language Of BRET HARTE inter.
ested him no more" President Low also
said that whatever he could do as the head
OF Columbia College he meant to do. to mako
Columbia well Of English undehled." We
wonder what he thought Of the remarks Of
Mr.. EaoIssToN Of Lake George, later in tho
session. when that gentleman. in speaking
of teaching history to child. said: "The
most you should try to do Is to make him
nkeit. You cannot take It up In great ladle-
fuls and pour 1t down his throat; he viii get
sicleto his stomach and never like It,"
In the course OF discussion on the pro-
fessional training Of the teacher, DR.. FRANK
8. CAPEN Of the Normal School at New Paltz,
in Ulster county, quoted these lines as being
not only true Of people In general, but Pc
cullarly true Of teachers:
"You may b Rrsat you may b. sooA.
You may bs noble more or less;
1us all that viii be undsrstooA
We are not concerned to question the cor
reotness Of the view set forth in these Lines,
but what we should like to know is why tho
printing Of verses OF this sort should be paid
for out OF the State Treasury.
On the second day Of the meeting the
Hon. ANDREW 8. DRAPER, State Superin-
tendent OF Public Instruction, addressed the
association on the origin and development
of the New York common school system,
Mr.. DRAPER evidently believes In magnify
ing his office. At all events. he has mag
nifled the type in which his speech is print
ed. 80 as to make 1t altogether the most con-
spicuous feature In the report OF the meet
ing OF tho State Teachers Association.
He does not believe in hiding his light
under q bushel. We wish We could
spare space enough to do full Justice
to his address. It abounds In rhetorical
gems. Take this, for example: 1--WE know
how intrepid ETHAN ALLEN. In tho gray
dawn Of May morning. demanded and re-
ceived from tho British commander In un-
dress uniform the surrender OF Ticonderogs
In the name OF the great JEHOVAH and the
Continental Congress-, when as yet the Con-
gress had no existence; and how Mad An
TuoNY WAYNE. In reply to WAsH1NaToNs
inquiry as to whether he would lead an at
tack on Stony Point. answered. with the
ardor Of the enthusiast and the instinct of
the soldier that he was. I would lead an
attack on hell. II the Commander-in-Ch Chief
would order 1t. sir.'"
To this stirring sentence we may add that
we do not know what such talk has to do
with the origin and development OF the New
York common school system, and we do not
believe that anybody else knows. It is only
fair to say. however. that a considerable
portion Of Mr.. DRAPEB's address was rele-
want to his subject. After thirty pages OF
oratory following what we have quoted. he
said to his hearers. II must conclude upon
the instant" !" then spoke half . page more.
aud wound up by saying to his audience !:
~ thank you for your patience; 1t has
seemed boundless." Mr.. DRAPER's report
rs Superintendcnt Of Public Instruction Is
marvellously like the patience OF his hearers
at the Saratoga meeting OF the State Teach
ers' Association In July.
u It, n