The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-07-30
THE TRIP TO TORONTO.


the land of retired American bankers and
bank cashiers land on his return still weary
with the trials incident to ten days OF
sightseeing he finds request, which he
interprets as a command, to write up
something for this issue of The Pilot.
NV period of observation was too limit
and TO enable me to write an interesting
dissertation on Canada, but as necessity
compels me to I'LL out" the forms this
week l will burden you, dear reader,
with brief account of the experience of
few days.
Manitowoc sent eleven persons to the
national educational association. Albut
two of these are teachers, and all were
teachers at some time They were ac-
companied across the lake by Dist. Atty.
A. J. Schmitz and wife. All shared alike,
while crossing, the delightful sensations
accompanying that malady which Gold
win Smith observes has defed the skill
of the physician. But none were SO NO.
lently attacked as SchmItz, who heaved
more majestically than Louis XIV in the
presence of his five hundred courtiers;'
and his companions responded to such a
degree that they became astounded at
the capacities'of their stomachs.
The ride from Ludington to Saginaw is
usually through a country which has not
as yet been subjected to the hand of the
skillful husbandman. The ride is not
even comfortable, for the coaches are old
and few into which clouds of smoke are
vomited by mad old engine that de-
stroys WITHOUT consuming fuel. Though
the company is not over anxious about
the convenience of its patrons, its
employees are more remarkable for their
courtesies and attention to passengers
than those of most roads. From Saginaw
to Toronto the ride is delightful through
a well cultivated country.
In the neighborhood of twenty thou
sand teachers attended the convention,
and they were entertained with hOspl-
tallty that will long recall pleasant asso-
Citations. An unusually large number of
side trips were taken, and last Monday
| when the streets seemed practically de-
serted, six thousand tickets were on de-
post while their owners were enjoying
themselves at the various points of inter
| est in the Dominion.
Teachers have begun to realize that the
| aIr IF 10 Of prt n 40
and consequently instead of listening to
long papers and dry discussions most of
them threw cares and school aside and
cultivated happier dispositions by form
| ing acquaintance and viewing subjects
of historic or natural interest. Ibis Is
| as it should be. Teachers conventions are
usually like humane societies, consider
| ing not what will advance their ind1vidu-
ais interest but how they can improve
| the condition of those they serve. Their
is no occupation or profession that re-
| sequently there is no large gathering Of
any other class that shows so many per-
sons prematurely old and care-worn.
The papers and the discussions were
interesting and when printed~an distri-
| buted will prove of great value to all
members alike. If any criticism may be
| haZarded, it is that one which may be
made on all educational conventions
where those who are not in actual touch
with common school education do the
| thinking and the talking. There is too
its basis in the common school and its
| termination in the university; too great
a willingness to laud such system W here
| it exists. AS a matter of fact IN this
country the classes of schools are pretty
| distinct, and their connection is not what
| many of the System" orators would have
us believe. Schools must prepare for life
| and the common schools can best do this
by looking out upon life instead of up
| towards the university which SO few can
ever reach. Too much Importance is
just now being attached to the kinder
garten and the university; but the saliva
| ton of the race does not depend very
much on either, and to many it would ap-
pear that the common school does not
come in for its proper share of considera-
| ton at these conventions.
The educational exhibit this year was
confined almost entirely to three lines
kindergarten, drawing and apparatus.
The educational system of the province
of Ontario must be given few words as
it is of considerable Importance to the
American student.
To begin with no person is allowed to
| teach without academic training equal to
that furnished by good high school.
To teach common school there must
also be four months of strictly profession
al training in addition to the academic re-
quirements A high school principal must
be a university graduate, and an assistant
must have almost the same qualifca-
tons, while both must undergo long
course of professional training at normal
school or school of pedagogy. Kinder
| gardeners undergoa special course of two
years training. Certificates are issued
for three years, for longer period, and
| for life, and the teacher who fails to get
a higher grade after three years probation
dropped. The system secures good
scholars and well trained teachers for the
schools, but the doctrine that the teach
er exists solely for the school is carried
too far. for the teacher is not yet assured
permancy of position or fair com pet
ence during his term of service. The sal
aries of teachers are very low, this is due
to two things, first the niggardness of
the people, and secondly to the excellence
of the system that furnishes the teachers.
Schools cannot suffer by change Of