The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-29
TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
Another Interesting Meeting Held
XasfnrH.aN NnrninU

Yesterday MORNING.
There was little diminution in the num-
Der of educators in attendance on the third
days session of the State Teachers Asso-
citation which convened at o'clock yester-
day morning. The interest shown this year
has been unparalleled in the history OF
the organization. The programme has so
far been given without friction. The con-
sderation of school matters that would
likely bring out acrimonious discussion
have ben studiously avoided. Hence. ref
erence has been made TO the State Normal
School affair which is now occupying the
attention OF the people OF Vigo county gem
orally and the school officers of Indiana
incidentally.
On assembling, the association was enter
tanned with a duet by Frank and Homer
Van Vie. Of this city. 1t was well rendered
and the audience showed its appreciation by
an encore. Devotional exercises followed,
conducted by Dr. j. p. ID. John, of DePauw.
A symposium on 1.-The Bible and the Public
School, came next on the programme. DR..
G.. s. Burroughs, president Of Wabash Col
lege. talked for thirty minutes on the sub
ject. He said, in substance:
1.-The State, exercising the right of self
preservation, educates. She fits, for COM
ing usefulness, her future citizen. This ed
ucatiOn cannot be other than moral, for
rational. Moreover. usefulness In citizen
ship calls especially for the exercise of
moral qualities; without this exercise citi-
zership Is impossible. The historian. Free
we take theological and political differences
for granted, but we assume q common
morality We do not believe i'm educa-
ton which shall regard theological or po-
litical differences. nor do We believe that
education for citizenship can be secular in
the opprobriouS sense Of the term. Neu-
traiity respecting morals is for the State
impossible.
Moral education exists in the discipline
of the school. The government of the school
stands midway between that of the home
and that of the State. All successful school
government rests upon consideration of
me raj relations. The personal element
dominates over regulations. Character on
the part of the teacher guides, ana the
character Of the pupil is developed by
guidance. The secret OF good discipline is
an educator in the teachers chair, an in
spring personal force at once rational,
Moral education exists in the pursuit
OF science-study, history-study and litera-
ture-study. the three leading lines of pub
lie school education. Science-study ia en-
platically moral education. The great con-
ception of law which science emphasizes is
based on moral training. The exact dis
coYery or facts develops the truth habit
which is the life of morals. Law is the
habit of truth. and truth is God. History
tory IS not tumble OF facts, but the record
OF human progress, revelation of the laws
and truth of life seen in society. The ex-
perIence Of humanity in long ranges Is
orndly educative in morals a philosophy
OF history, readily taught in our schools
would prove special moral preparation
Tor citizenship Literature-study builds
upon history-study. Literature is especial
ly the mirror of the inner life. one cannot
STUDY 1t without being morally educated
(Which reveals itself in true letters-cannot
De degraded TO the level of the artlfce Of
morals 0n T5ss teFStgre is lofty school of
Tory letters lead 10 broad, correct. un-
sellsh views They form moral habits. and
r'g eRtI viewed develop religious principle
the question of the Bible I'm the public
schools. If what is in the Bible be in the
school, the Bible Is there PAPER. printer's
ink words may be there. and the BibIe in
It's spirit be absent. The streams OF in
nuence, conduct, character crystallized in
first not been confined to these pages They
We're vital personal forces merging into life
SO soon as recorded in the biblical writ
lngs, even before thus recorded Because
Jesus of Nazareth put his life into human
ity from the outstart therefore is this life
.he center of the Bible literature In the
PeiSUn OF the teacher and in the Character
puldlng of those taught the Bible is most
truly In the public school,"
Rev. u. l.. Dewhurst, of Plymouth
church, sustained another branch of RI.
same subject, talking for n few minutes ON
The Pedagogics of the Bible" nane-
was then read by T. F. Fitzeibbons s,,ner.
intendent Of the Elwood schools. on ."ren.
denotes of Prevailing Methods of Promo
tons and Reports" The paper was dis
cussed by G. f. Norris. Of Salem. and
Robert Spear. of the Evansville High
School.
WOMEN AS TRUSTEES.
The paper following by Mrs. Ida May
Davis, president of the Terre Haute School
81
than any other production given durina.
the convention. Her advocacy OF the cleo
ton OF women as school trustees was re-
ceived with marked favor. She said:
The trustees of the public schools form
the connecting link between civil and do
nestle me: society The families of our coun-
whole political fabric on the other. Among
Of or PRe there one KINDS
domestic life is organized into families and
communities. Public society is also organ
organic life is expressed In the common
wealth or State. The other form is ex-
pressed In the household. and in that some
what indefinite thing which we call social
life.
There only few points of contact
between these two forms of organic life.
The most important of these Is the link
binding the to the other. and consist
ms OF that official body called the trustees
'l t.t iuNiC SCHOOLS. THESE officers are
appointed by the body polite to attend to
interests that are largely OF domestic and
social concern. Our schools are populated
from the families of the common wealth.
presumably. all children are members Of
some household Out of households the
children are gathered and committed under
the authority of law, TO the guardianship
OF teachers. The office of these teachers is
parental IN large measurement wholly pa
rental. as some are disposed to say. bat
the relation Is mostly Of the kind defined
by that word. The trustees of the public
schools are thus public officers represents
ing the commonwealth but having 10 do
almost exclusively with social and domes-
tic Interests. They form the connecting
link by which the social life Of our people
is bound into union with the civil life: and
it is this peculiar relation OF the trustee
ship that gives 10 IL its special Importance
IN our economy. II il were not for this
Office, or some Office like IL, American So
ciety would fail asunder. The domestic and
social life would sink to lower level. and
would probably become chaotic as IL was
before the Institution OF the public schools
On the other hand, the civil life would
part company with the social life leaving
chasm between the two classes, with Off
ctality on one side and domesticity on the
other The two halves of our organic life