The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-03-18
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.

IseiecGlon outside, the circuit court room o
the court room was filed to oyerfowing, ST
much SO that one hundred people had tt
stand duriug the entire evening.
i Promptly at o'clock Supt. w. E. Yate
called the institute to order and introduced
q. Elton Blanchard, principal of the Cor
Wallis public schools, who delivered til,
address of welcome. Prof. Blanchard said
that the two principal reasons which gave
him pleasure in performing this duty were
First, Corvallis as Il town would not give
heartier welcome, or receive within It's
limits with more true pleasure any class oi
workers In the land than teachers; that il
had long been evident that Corvallis as a
town and Benton county rs county have
tostered and cherished education as the one
prime end to be reaehed;'' that education
was for the masses. Education is universal,
and IN securing it nearly all the other prob
lens which trouble the age would be solved.
The second reason why he took pleasure in
extending this welcome was in the explana-
tlon that no class of people take more in
terest III their labor or have more desire to
progress than do teachers as body, and it
Is necessary that the whole world should
realize the Importance of the education of
the youth. So, first knowing that Corvallis
was glad to welcome tile teachers, and
second that the teachers were glad to be
welcomed, he was equally pleased to take
the task of performing the fcrmality.
The address of welcome was followed by
an excellent selection by the Marine band.
Ex-County Superintendent j. J. Bryan, OF
Philomath, was introduced and responded
to the address of welcome. Prof Bryan
stated sixteen years ago small number Of
teachers met in Corvallis and organized the
first teachers institute in Benton county.
He noticed some of those teachers present
on this occasion. He did not mean to say
that any OF the young ladies present now
were teaching sixteen years ago, but he re-.
ferred TO some Of the older gentlemen,
prominent among whom was DR.. McEiroy,
the indefatigable school worker of Oregon.
Prof. Bryan said he was proud to know
that we had in attendance at this institute
sixty of the nnblest women on earth, of the
public school teachers of Oregon. Upon
the work and energies of the mass of public
school teachers depended the perpetuities
of the government. Though ne knew that
many teachers looked up to sky that
seemed to them one great blackboard upon
which they were doomed to solve out the
problem of mere existcnce. he believed
through these Institutes the standard of
education was to be raised higher and the re-
ward of the teacher made greater than it is
now
Mr.. John Spangler then favored the in
stitute with cornet solo which was well
rendered and well received.
Little Emery Bridgson, Of Toledo, de-
claimed with much force and feeling a
selection entitled 'The Stuff that Men are
Made Of.
After selection by the orchestra Presi.
dent w. S. Gilbert delivered very able
dlress on the subject Something or
Nvthlng; WhichT' He said IAN average
man was a poor man an average physician
was poor physician al average lawyer. a
poor lawyer; an average preacher, poor
preieher an average teacher poor
teacher; taat men needed character, purs
pose and knowledge. Man needs in char
acter, the best character; in purpose, the
BEST purpose; in knowledge, the best
knowledge. The teacher should implant
In his pupil character as true as his own;
purposes as true as his own; knowledge as
true as his own. The most important thing
in life is to do something. The address
was full Of good thoughts.
After selection by the band DR.. McE!-
roy, superintendent of public instruction of
Oregon, was introduced amidst applause.
The superintendent stated he was pleased
to meet the teachers of Corvallis and Ben.
ton county again, and in saying the school
work of Benton county was in as good Or
der as any county IN the state, he knew he
was telling the people of Corvallis nothing
which they did not already know. By re-
quest Of the teachers in attendance at the
institute the superintendent gave his in.
depreciation of the law relative to many
subjects In which teachers, school officers,
and parents were directly interested. DR..
McEIroy's address was full of plain, prac-
tical, instructive idea and advice in relation
to the public school interests of Oregon and
was in every way an address character istie
Of the maii.
The institute adjourned to a. IN. Thurs
day.
THURSDAY MORNING.
State Superintendent McEaros opened
The session with an address in which he |
gave the teachers some good ideas as to how
20 make institute work successful. He |
gave history OF the institute work and
made the statement that NONE Of the |
teachers complained of havingsto attend Che
except poor ones. Another fact |
also was noted, namely, that the ladies' did |
not, as rule, take part IN the institute |
work, but ne thought they should, as they I
were competent TO do so. The work of |
normal Institutes was highly spoken of /
and the method of conducting them ex-
planned. Some good thoughts were here
given relative to institute work. He I
spoke also of the worlds fair and stated |
that only three states of the union were not |
officially represented Texas. Arizona and |
Oregon-and that the lack of such Iepre-
sentation would be detrimental to Oregon's |
interests to the extent of at least 5000, |
600 !