The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-03
CITY TEACHERS MEETING.

The monthly institute of city teachers
was held on Sunday, from a. N. 10 II m.
The meeting opened with singing and
prayer, followed by roll call and the read
ing of the minutes of the previous session.
DR.. Stevenson presented, as the first of a
series, paper on the History of educa-
ton during the colonial period. The
subject was discussed under the following
heads: First, origin of free schools; second,
history OF school legislation in the thirteen
colonies; third, scholars fourth, teachers;
fifth, school appliances. Origin of our free
school system was traced to Holland. In
New England the laws made provision for
the maintenance OF free schools from the
first, In Virginia the dispersed social con-
dition prevented the formation of schools
for three generations.
As to the scholar of those days, he often
attained proficiency, notably IN the Ian
guages, not parallelled by any student OF
today.
They had log school houses, no black
boards. and in many cases no books, ex-
cept as they might use the masters. AT
this point the superintendent closed the
paper aud suspended the regular program
for few minutes to allow the reading OF
a paper by Mrs DR.. Stevenson on the sub
iect of Women on School Boards an
article written by Charles Ham. Of Chi
csgo. The regular program being re-
sumed, Miss Della Smoke of the High
school, read paper on 1.-THE High School
Idea
In the discussion of this paper Professor
South spoke of the great gap between the
grammar and the high school course. He
illustrated this point by comparing arith-
metic aud algebra
Miss Dickinson maintained that more is
needed in the grammar grades; also, that
the slgebrs IS too difficult.
Mr.. Vowel agreed as TO lack OF time,
but held that a mastery OF the arithmetic
furnished ample discipline for beginning
algebra
Miss Mills commended that gaps could be
found ali along the line.
Mr.. NcMichael believed that the gap is
in the pupil We expect him to do what
he cannot do
Prot. Shull said that the gap does lot
necessarily exist, Trouble comes mainly
from those pupils who have been lifted
into the high school. Algebra is all right
Pupils must be trained 70 independent
thought and to independence in behavior.
Mr.. Dunkin would hold the teacher
severely responsible for the behavior OF his
pupils.
DR.. Stevenson closed the discussion
by saving that these same criticisms have
ALWAYS been made, that sitting process Is
constantly going on. that algebra Is easier
than arithmetic in parts and that the
main esp lies in the very condition OF
things.
The last exercise was an excellent paper
by PRINCIPAL Allen, of Paramount school,
on the subject of Self Confidence y
Know Thyself. was maxim
of Grecian sage and followed IN thsar
system Of education. The truth OF a
thought which bears the name Of Emerson
will seldom be disputed.
Trust thyself" Self trust IS the sign
of power. but net only : It the slgu Of
power; il is power You doubtless read
in the paper today what You Thought yes-
terday, but would not express, because
they were your thoughts.
No discussion followed for Lack OF tine.
The institute closed with short DIM ID
music, conducted BY Prot Young