The Republican journal., 1892-10-06
Educational Problems.

"
met in Bangor for the purpose of deciding
upon some plan of introducing the study
of forestry into the public schools as re-
uuired 10y the law enacted by the last leg
islature. A method OF giving oral in
struction was favorably regarded. Mr.
Oak contemplates publishing maps show
inc the burnt and waste territory in the
timber lands OF Maine this fall He re-
CARDS them of value to lllmbelmen and i'll
fixing the valuation of these lands. In
his opinion the forests of the state are not
gaining "y growth more than 30 per cent.
OF what they are losing by the inroads
made 10y the lumbermen. prominent
lumberman thinks that while $50 million
feet OF lumber is cut on the kennebec.
the increase by growth is not over 10 per
cent OF this amount The land agent,
however. regards this estimate OF the
growth Is fal ont of the way.
A writer in the Boston Journal, in dis
oussing characteristics of teachers. says
Ait seems to be inevitable that warfare
pupils. but it can be Itare where both
sides respect one anO ner and do as little
injury as possible. The best way for
teacher to please chi iren who are under
him is for him to always be fair, and if he
expects his scholars to be straightforward
he must be so himself He must never
show a preference for one boy or girl over
another, and vet must show an interest in
al. He ought to have a great brain. a
large heart, keen perception OF character
and a strong within short. a teacher
should be model man. When parents
stop and consider the enormous and far
reaching influence that teachers have oven
children they ought to be willing to pay
them almost any salary The truth is that
The men who ought to be teachers seldom
are able to afford it. They can make
more money at almost any other profess
sion
The Board of Education of New York
&ity have started ont with the intent to
accomplish certain reforms. one of the
commissioners when asked as to what he
Thought would be the most important
work Of the year replied: The introduc
iiou If kindeIgarten instruction. You
know it has been decided to do this, after
commissioner Sangers hard work, and
most of the teachers think it Will do great
things for the schools. The great obiec
tion that is urged against the schools now
is that they are too rigid and mechanical.
1t i said that they give no scope for in
llivIlual development. but compel all the
children to follow the same rut. This
can't be done in kindergarten. The
children must do their work the way they
see tit, and not according to the methods
of books. Aud think kindergarten work
will improve the manual training schools
l expect it will benefit mime
Tie state superintendent of schools.
Hon. n A. Luce. thinks that the time is
not far distant when in some of our pub
lie schools manual training will be rcsluil-
ed of the pupils. Mr. Luce has been
watching with interest the work being
done bv the manual training schools at
>aco. where it has been in operation two
summers and at Belfast where it was at
tempted this summer for the first time
He finds that at both Saco and Belfast the
work done at the summer training schools
has com ended itself to both the parents
and the scholars. ''They told me at Bel
stances the boys We've willing TO give up
play foI the sake of working in the school.
At Belfast the school was under the charge
ii the \. p. w. c. T. I. and the expense
of running it, about $500, was IN part
Daid hv means Of an exhibition a few
dan. AGO which attended. There We're
II pupils in grade, all the way from the
primary to the grammar school. including
one or two Older persons. The work done
Ay the children was exhibited, together
with the tools used. the work benches,
etc. The articles made We're miniature
ones There We're towel racks. chests of
drawers. picture frames, carved work.
drawings made by the scholars, and from
which their work was patterned, etc. 1t
was a most interesting exhibit consider
mo the time devoted to the work, some of
which was finished with nicely that
,yould do credit to the best mechanics.
Tie interest of the people in the city was
manifested by the large attendance at the
exhibition.
The ladies who have interested them
selves in the undertaking are DESTROYS of
having manual training introduced into
the public schools. Mr.. Luce was asked
bv a Rockland Tribune reporter if he
should favor this, and he replied: Yes,
when the conditions are practicable.
Here the superintendent showed a very
earnest letter from Saco. ''Oh, it is com
mo in time Continuing. he said, 1.-The
old apprenticeship system is passing away
and something must be done to take its
place. In foreign schools manual train