The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-11-02
TEACHERS MEETING
Southern Minnesota Teachers AsSo=
citation Convened in This City
October 10th and 27th.

the Southern Minnesota Teachers
Association began at the Normal
school building at $3.50 p. m. Friday.
Much of the first days session was
consumed in completing an organiza-
tion, after which the following bust
ness was transacted:
3 Secretary Report.
| General subject for the afternoon, Draw.
ing.
3:40-Paper. Methods of Teaching Drawing in
the Grades Qllustrated.) Miss Marga
ret Reid Mankato Normal school,
| 4:1G-Paper. Color and Illustrative Work.
Miss Clara Sweet Mankato.
| 4:30-Generai Discussion.
| 5:3O-Report of Committee on Nature Study
Miscellaneous Business.
There is an excellent attendance OF
both principals and teachers from al
over the southern portion of thesstate,
and President Soaring says that
enough additional will .arrive this ev
ening to make the number at least $50
State High school Inspector Alton
arrived and will lend a hand in the
various discussions.
The following principals of schools
accompanied by their corps of teach
ers, are present this afternoon: Supt
Pritchett, of New Ulm: Supt. SchWit1
of Albert Lea: Supt. Farmer, of Win
dom: Supt. Hubbard, of Waseca ;Supt
Porter, of Worthington, and the sup
erintendent of Lake Crystal.
Tonight President rSearinga will
make ten-minute opening address
followed by James Carhart OF the St
Cloud Normal school, who will speak
upon the subject Of Pedagogy OF
History"
Miss Eva L. Arnold, supervisor OF
the primary work of the Minneapolis
schools, will give friendly talk.
Considerable interest was taken in
the afternoon session of the Southern
Minnesota Teachers Association Fri
day.
The secretary's report, consisting OF
a brief review of the business trans,
acted during the past six months, was
read and unanimously adopted.
Miss Margaret Reid read paper on
"Methods of Teaching Drawing in the
Grades" 1t was ably detailed by illus
trated drawings, and the effort was
listened to with no little pleasure.
Miss held greatly furthered the in
terest of this class of work, and much
of the school work in southern Mime
sofa will be greatly improved through
her instructive paper.
Miss Clara Sweet, of MankatO, fol-
lowed with a paper on Color" or
methods of teaching color instruction
in the public schools.
She said: ''Some bright day next
month, when you are at loss to know
what to give as an elementary science
lesson, why not give lesson on color?
Come to school armed with glass
prism. When the time for your lesson
comes, 60 to some sunny window and
hold the prism so that the sunlight
passing through it will form bril-
liant spectrum upon the ceiling or
wall. The children will be delighted
and content to look at it.
Let them look until they have had
time to see it's brilliant beauty. Then
have alittle talk about the rainbow,
and tell them how all the light of the
sun has these pretty colors in it, and
that the prism seperetes it SO that it
shows the colors. This will be enough
for one day, and will make delight
full lesson. 1t will also be the begin
ming of series of lessons in colors.
"There are many reasons why child
should be taught cOlors. 1t is one of
the first things the child notices. If
brightly colored object is given a
child it will notice the color before
the form.
'All form is seen through the me-
dunn of colors. In the study of form
the children must, therefore, know
something about color. Then why
should it not be accurate, scientific
knowledge rather than the very mac
curate, indefinite knowledge gained
at home? A study of color will cause
the child to look for color where he
has never looked before, and will neces-
sarily lead to closer observation, of
which all realize the value. We all
wish to teach a love for the beautiful
in either art or nature, more especially
in nature.
"Children all love color. Will it
not be easy then, through the medium
of color, to teach them to love the
blue sky, the rosy sunset, the green
grass and the many hued flowers which
grow everywhere"
After the first lesson the prism
might be hung in the sunny window
so that the rainbow" would be in the
room on every sunny day. Teach the
colors one at time, beginning at the
red end of the spectrum. Have the
children bring as many red things as