The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-28

Papers by Mrs. Rea and Prof. TOmp-
kins at the Morning Session.


kins mt the Morning Session.
The morning session of the State Teach
ers' Association yesterday witnessed the
largest attendance in the history of the or
ganiZation. 1t was an overflow meeting
The seating capacity the floor and in
the Hobbies of Representative Hall was not
near equal to the occasion. and the galleries
were crowded with educators The body
sense of the word. representing it GER
tainly did the culture and intellect of In
ana President Dale called the convention
to order and announced a solo by Miss
Emma Parr. of Indianapolis. Devotional
exercises were conducted by Prof A. X.
Benton. of Butler University. "State or
Public Education" was then discussed by
President Joseph Swain, of the Indiana
University, and Superintendent E. e. Grit
fifth. of the Blind Institute. Mrs. Emma NJ.
McRea, Of Purdue University, presented q
paper on the Literature of Life" which
received the undivided attention of her
auditors. She said. in substance:
The great function of life Is to grow.
Lie and growth Is that inner building up
the self-development OF each fiber of our
pelng. Life begins in darkness and weak
ness, but daily strength comes whether 1t
De 70 animal or vegetable. Throb by throb
ntte by little, and the great life adds
Strength. power and symmetry. This living,
the wonderland of science has given phi
losopherS OF all ages food for reflection
0 Ga mother earth bloomed and blossomed.
ner children grew and multiplied The
1ark, or rather the unknown age sent its
iue' growth and literature to the succeed
ing age. Thus the development of litera-
the darkness Of our own ignora1ce r.
sreW: marks on the books of nature. the
az Manuscript apt of God. pictures on the bark
stones, papyrus. vellum, books
literature and life OF bygone ages arr.
, new. growing In this modern. progressive
she literary congress held at Chicago dur
ing the worlds fair was the most unsatis
factory OF all the congresses The critics
eldIIneu tnat the great minds that were
there gathered would not favorably com
pare with the goodly wit that congregated
= Pal soar Head or Wayside Inn. The Art
pid inns, but the minds were numbers not
orignt shining specialists as of old
boo NAT Is the loudest criticism that is
uedru the country over about our schools
II is that We do not make practical business
men out or our boys. Look in our streets
LOOK In our homes everywhere over our
training. The result is we are a Nation
FAMOUS FOR our machines. These facts
prove t;n that our schools are making prac-
tical, material. money making people 1t
application. i0
The paper was discussed by Miss Ada
laide Baylor. of Wabash, and Miss Anna
c. Finn, of vincennes.
PROFESSOR TOMPKINSS ADDRESS.
Arnold Tompkins, Of Chicago, followed
with an address entitled "The Law of the
School," He said:
The law of the school and the school
law are not the same. The school law is
nf hA crf-lot
creating and regulating such machinery as
VIII make the school effective: this effect
yeness being determined by :he inner prin-
clple, the law of the school, which re-
qulres that We have school law. The law of
the school is its inherent nature its form
ing life, which finds exresson in that OBJ
Jectlve something called the school, con-
sisting OF teachers. pupils, grades, classes
DOCKS, houses, apparatus, school law, etc
The law of school Is found In the idea Civ
Ing rise to the school, an idea which is
antecedent TO, and logically conditions the
external form, including the school law
they are related as idea and manifestation.
The relation that should exist between
the inner idea and the outer form is that
or harmony. of freedom. The form must
be such as to give the idea free activity In
realizing itself But from warping infiu-
ences In the environment school law and
forms may ensave the law OF the school
There are places on earth where school di-
rectorS, under a false sense of economy
lower the tax levy and shorten the school
term. This Is done by permission OF the
school law. but In opposition to the law of
the school.
When some trustees in one of our coun-
Ties used school money for their own inter-
ests. they were counted criminals and fled
before the hot wrath OF outraged public
TO the cooler and more congenial cline of
Canada. But their crime consisted In moth
Ing more than shortening the school term
and preventing SO much opportunity on the
part or the child In considering their in
terests instead OF that of the child That
other trustee in the same county who
dropped a true and tried teacher OF yalu-
able experience for the doubtful and untried
one 10 WELD local influences to serve his
own interests, was no better than those who
robbed the child: the form of their crime
was so different that one remained an hon.
ored citizen while the others were the sub
tects OF contempt and ignominy; but both
robbed the child. Whenever a city superin-
tendent selects the poorer teacher, such as
sometimes press the claim of home talent,
In order that he may stand in with certain
influences. consents to rob the child and
ought to be hooted to Canada to keep COM
pany with his brethren. And SO ought the
teacher who for selfish reasons forgets the
child in his eagerness for popularity to con-
troll influences which make his calling and
election sure. When Lincoln. at a critical
period In the war. desired to make a call
for soldiers. he was reminded by the poll
tcians that he was a candidate for re-elec-
ton to the presidency. With characteristic
devotion he replied that il was not neces-
sary Tor MN to be elected to the presidency.
but that II was necessary to save the Union
unbroken TO the next man who filled the
presidential chair. Such must be the spirit
OF the true teacher; self-forgetful devotion
to those whom he serves.
I'VE must have laws for raising revenue
school system, school officers and such
instrumentalities. Indiana's record in strug-
Cling to secure a school fund and a school
system Is a worthy one; but sometimes il
seems that the greater emphasis given to
the system the more danger there is in for
getting the child. With some thoughtful
people whom l have heard express them
selves it seems a question whether the child
can survive the machine-the machine YER
suS the child We have just pride in our
success in grading our schools, but who has
not been panied by the fact that the grad
ing became the end and the life of the child
crushed out in the process. For some time
We have had more TO say about our per-
feet grading than about the thing we are
really here to do. We cannot have good
schools without good grading but a very
poor school may be found where there is
good grading. We scarcely say anything
Let US tell what kind of teaching is being
done; certainly in the teaching act Is the
place TO test all appliances. No appliance
Is good SO long as IL Is used as an end All
appliances are good when sabordlnated &c
their proper relation and work. One OF the
most interesting and difficult problems for
the superintendent OF a school or system
OF schools, whether city. State or county
Is 10 find his way TO the pupil through the
complex machinery with which he neces-
Sarily labors. The teacher finds his way di-
rectly. the superintendent indirectly; blu,
be must find his way or he is no superin-
tendent- His life must touch the life of the
child. The long line of appliances and forces
standing between him and the child arr
there only a means by which he car
reach the many, and, II he gets himself
tangled up In the machinery. may not reach