St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-29
CALL FOR BETTER TALENT
IN THE CONDUCT OF OUR COUNTRY
SCHOOLS,
SOME TEACHERS UNPREPAEIE3

A Side slap Given the CITY hlTn
chools-Interesting Remarks
by Supt. EngstrOIn-Work of
the General Association Sci
ence Teaching in the Grades
"A New Grammer Wanted.
The second days session Of the state
teachers association. at the Central
High school yesterday. was replete with
developments and matters of interest to
all concerned in the educational welfare
of the state.
The meetings of the county superln-
tendents of schools were resumed, the
principal topic for discussion being
1.-The Common School Teacher and Her
Training"
The first branch of this subject. "The
Summer Training School," was treated
in paper by Supt. i. l. Bargen, of Cot
tonWOod county, and the discussion was
opened by Supt. James Heating, of Wa
basha county. The general drift or all
the discussion was in favor of larger
appropriation for the training Of teach
ers for the country schools.
The second topic, The Relation OF
High Schools to the Common School
Teacher" was introduced in a paper by
Supt. 5. }. Race. Following this paper
came the opening of this important sub
ject by Supt. A. Z. EngStrom, of Ridge
wood county. Mr. Engstr0m's remarks
were most forciDle, and he cllnched
them in the minds of the listener with
statistics, which he placed on the black
board. He complained that the country
schools were almost wholly supplied
with teachers who were unprepared for
the work. They came, for the most
part, from the city high schools. which
institutions had no course Of instruction
which fitted their graduates for the p0-
sitionS of teachers. He thought that
there should be an appropriation for
this and that those high school pupils
who contemplated teaching in the
country should be given advantages of
this kind
Mr.. Engstrom dwelt upon the point of
the comparative appropriations which
the state made for the common country
schools and the university. lie pointed
Out the fact that Is per cent Of the pupils
Of the state attended the common
schools, and the appropriation for this
branch of educational work was $4,000.
Only fOur-tenths of l per cent OF the
state pupils attended the university, yet
the appropriation for that institution
was 100000. He grew very eloquent
and enthusiastic over his point, and was
heartily applauded by the other county
superintendents. Supt. L. b. Kelgey,
of Dakota county, and Asst. State Supt.
Hyde also spoke on this subject.
1.-The Extension of High School Board
Examinations for the Common Schools"
was introduced by Supt. B. S. Covell.
Mr.. Covell was strongly in favor of such
extensions, and gave many pointed rea-
sons for the same.
Miss Gertrude G. Ellis made an earnest
plea for the extension. She said it was
a shame that the common school pupils
were denied the privilege, aud intimated
that it 1t proved to be necessary she
would herself contribute funds to aid In
carrying out the plan.
The general association met in the
main assembly room. the attendance be-
ing large and the proceedings of high
ly interesting character.
The assembly was raped TO order by
President Dentield. the initial topic for
discussion being "Science Teaching in
the Grades" which was presented by
Miss Ada Van Stone Harris, principal
of the training school at Duluth. Miss
Harris advocated more learning by
of from books. Her remarks were sup
plemented by Prof. Scott, of st. Paul,
who also favored The system OF natural
observation. The paper was discussed
for considerable time by many of the
delegates.
AT the close of the discussion Presi-
dent Dentield read telegram from the
Wi3cousin'S Teachers association, send
ing congratulations and best wishes.
An interesting paper was then read
by Edward Soaring, of Mankato, on
q
mar" Prof. Soaring noticed that, with
the exception Of arithmetic, there had
been less progress in grammar than in
any other science. He deplored this
fact, and proceeded to give some techni-
cal improvements which he thought
could properly be injected into the
modern grammar. He particularly re-
ferred to the present vague meth
DDS of dealing with the preposi-
ton. This part of speech he says has
never been satisfactorily explained.
The paper was good deal of an limo
walton i'll its line, and produced a lively
discussion. A most earnest and elo-
quent siZe-up of the grammatical Situa-
ton was given by Prof. &. E. Mclean.
of the state university, who was inclined
to believe that grammar was TO large
extent historical science, and that it
had developed as much as could reason
ably be expected. He welcomed, how
ever, any move which was made to
cryStaliZe the rather nebulous condition
of the present English grammar. 1t
was his idea, though, as far as grammar
is concerned, to let we'll enough alone.
At the Close of the discussion the
| high school chorus, under the direction
| of Prof. o. E. McFaden, sang a selec-
| ton which was much appreciated.
The topic Preachers Meetings"
was treated upon by Nj. f. Miller, SUI
| perintendent of schools at Northfield.
| The gist of MIR. Miller's paper went TO
| snow that the system of teachers meet
| ings,a first very crude and poorly man
| aged, was getting to be of great val ue
aud of the utmost Importance. He adj
vocates specific purpose for each
meeting, and II there is no such pur-
| pose let there be no meeting.
The programmes for the several
branches of the association yesterday
| afternoon were as follows:
MUSIC.
A Room, Second Floor.
2:00-Presldent'S address.
2:1O-"Muslc in the Country Schools"
| Florence E. Pierce, Dakota county.
Illustrated by class. Discussion.
2:30 - Music in the Grammar
Schools" Rose U. Mott, st. Paul. Illus
| trated by class OF pupils from humboldt
school, st. Paul. Discussion.
3.30-"School Music and the Regular
Teacher" o. E. McFaden, Minneapolis.
Illustrated by second grade class from
Madison school. Minneapolis, Miss
Minnie Kenny, teacher, and a fifth
grade class from Sumner school, Miss
Ella l.. Norris, teacher. Discussion.
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.
G Room, Second Floor.
2:00-"The Superintendent's Field
Work"-(al Visiting Schools" Supt.
s. l.. Wait; (b) Grading Common
Schools" Supt. j. ii. Chapman; (c)
Teachers Meetings." Supt. j. w.
Olsen; (d) Educational Papers; (e) "Es-
tablishing the Free Text Book SYSTEM"
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION.
q Room, First Floor.