The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-14
SCHOOL MASTERS CLUE.
Interesting Meeting Held ut the Centra
School YESTERDAY.


Yesterday the Puget Sound School Masters
Club held q meeting at the Central school in this
city. Among those present were: Superintend-
ent F. B. Gault, of Tacoma; Superintendent R.
C. Kerr and Principal J. W. Shepherd, walla
Walla; Professor I. p. Rich, Gilman; Professor
J. NJ. Hit, Sehome; II. F. Wagner, Phi. d.,
Denver; Professor J. d. Atkinson, Professor j.
W. Heston, Professor o. S. Jones, Professor P c.
Richardson, Professor f. j. Browne, Professor j.
c. Mckee, Professor +. Twitmyer Professor W.
ID. Girard and Professor G. w. Stafford, of
Seattle.
Professor Frank J. Barnard, superintendent of
the Seattle schools, presided, and Professor
Twitmyer acted as secretary
The first paper was by Professor ]. NJ Hit, of
Sehome, on Teachers Tenure in Office" He
held that more permanency in the tenure OF
Office would result in better teaching, by attract
ing higher grade of talent to the profession
Teachers should not be deposed except for in
competency or deficiency in character. Personal
spites, family feuds or politics should have
nothing to do with the position.
Professor Wagner believed that the best way
for the teacher to hold his place is to make him
self indispensable. He should also petition the
Legislature to pass better laws to protect him in
his profession.
superintendent F. B. Gault discussed the CUES
ton Chow Many Weeks Ought City Schools to be
in Session." He said that year of forty weeks
has the support OF custom on the Pacific coast;
but he believed that in this climate thirty-eight
weeks 10 better year. for the month of June
is frequently warm, and September is so dry,
smoky and dusty as to render school unpleasant
Tor pupils and teachers. Pupils should not be
tired by the length of the term, but taste for
school should be kept up so that the children
may be anxious to return at the opening of the
term The year of thirty-eight has been estab-
lished Tor Tacoma, and in that period the work
oil forty weeks is expected to be done
The morning session closed with n discussion
OF the question Show Often Should Pupils Re
Promoted" Professor Kerr believed that an
the whole, semi-annual promotions were the
best, and Professors Girard, Gault, Hit and
Heston agreed with him. The reasons given
We're that pupil who fails in examination lie
put back only half year; and where the nopr,-
lation is growing rapidly, the semi-annusl nro.
motions give better chance to new pupils.
The afternoon session began with a discuss;on
Oh the question in what grades wentworth,s
grammar school arithmetic should he nsed.
Professor Richardson believed that the hook
should be begun in the fourth year and ended
IN the seventh. The opinion of the club seemed
10 favor the teaching of algebra in preference to
geometry in the eighth year
Professor Jones talked of dscipline in thu
sehool-room, the hall and the stairway
Professor Twitmyer answered the question
DO the Hours Between the Opening and tina
Cioslng OF the School Indicate the Teacher,
Hours OF Work for the Day?" He said that tbs
question scarcely admitted of discussion The
teacher who loves his work and is ambitious n,
succeed recognizes the Importance of CONSIDER
able outside work and study preparatory to bis
| teaching The regular school hours sra in
tended for execution and not for prens-st;on
and he who attempts to do both in the time in.
tended but Tor one must partly If not wholly
TAIL 'ln passing among my teachers Tow
DAYS ago, he said, land asking them how many
hours OF work they did outside of the ,e.,,I.r
school hours, learned that No works t,,> 80
one-hai hours; No. ., five hours; No 2 txr
hours; No 4, one and one-half hours: M : tyvo
hours; No 6, three hours; No. :, two and 80.
half hours, and No S, two and one-haIf bon-s
making an average of two and one-half hours "a
extra work for each teacher daily
All the members OF the club felt thu. .,,s
deal OF preparation outside of rerular ,chooI
hours was necessary for efileien. TEACHING
The plan OF organizing a Puget soupd scbooi
teachers association was postponed t;II tbs
meeting OF the State Teachers Associative -,
rockingham bay in September
Professor Hit, of SehoIe was ehosan r-a.i
cent Tor the next meeting, 10 be held ~ Port
townsend the third Saturday in September