The morning call., 1894-05-10

an exhibition here OF the arts and sciences,
and it is very natural, in the accumulation
of all these exhibits, that our minds may
be diverted from that which many good
women and men think is very much more
important than the more material things
stated. And | take 1t that is the keynote
of the congress that whatever enters into
the progress of the State should be con-
! sidered."
President Martin Kellogg on being intro
| duced said:
This at least is not q superfluous con-
gress. Education is q theme that never
wears out. 1t is so manv-sided that it's
discussions are never complete. Day after
day a dozen meetings were held stimuli
taneously in the Chicago congress, and
none of the sections felt that it had eX-
hausted its subject Important educa-
tlonal questions remain unsettled and new
phases are continually presented. Why is
it so?
"Why cannot educators come to full
agreement? It is because these questions
touch the deepest reserve Of our nature.
They have to do with the development of
the noDlest thing in the worid-the human
mind. These questions cannot be easily
settled, but they can be viewed in new
lights. We may gain practical knowledge
which will help US in our task of educating
the younger generutiOn.
I'VE may be willing for the time being
to differ in our theories and our methods.
There are constitutional grounds OF differ
ence. Some of US are naturally conServa-
tive, some of us are radicals. and some of
us believe that we form happy combina-
ton of the conservative and the radical
1T does us good to compare opinions.
The ultra-conservative is shaken out of
his ruts and holes The fierce radical who
would upset all that is old learns that
absolute chaos is not the ideal condition.
The believer in the golden mean comes to
better adjustment of his methods. He
will not always. perhaps not often. aban-
don the former r0adbed and grade new
line through untred and forbidding re-
gions. He will often change his narrow
gauge to broad-gauge on the old road
bed. He will put on stronger engines,
run quicker trains, light the tunnels with
electricity and lay an elevated track over
many new and fair domains of science.
mo Intelligent and earnest discussion
of educational questions can fail to do
good. Let US anticipate much good from
the conferences of this educational con-
gress."
The general topic for the evening was
the high school. and in connection with
this subject Professor James FL. Baker.
president of the University of Colorado.
delivered lengthy address. dealing with
the report and suggestions OF the commit
Gil of Education in 1891, tv choose from a
| number of universities. colleges, high
schools and preparatory schools proper
| basis for better connection between the
! high school and the higher education.
| The address of Professor Baker consisted
mainly of a review of the work of the
committee and criticism of certain sugges-
tions founded upon his personal expert
ences of the matters treated. He was lis
! tened to with great deal of attention. but
no discussion followed the paper.
! An admirable paper was read by P. w.
Search of the Pueblo (CoIo) Industrial
! public schools. In the course of his re-
marks he said:
1.-THE graded-school system has its great
weaknesses as well as its crowning
strength. The system of education has
| been development, but in the process it
| has taken to itself many elements Of Ques-
| tiOnable character. In nothing has this
been more manifest than in the trend of
schools toward mechanical excellence.
| The system has its chief charm in mechani-
| cal excellence, and the individual has been
| sacrificed to mass education.
The trend of educational practice has
| been TO generalIZation-tOt the conservation
of typical rather than of individual! forms.
| The best public schools are not in the
larger cities.
| Public school men often drop into the
fruits OF ages and deny themselves and their
duties the rich pleasures that come along
the line of original investigation and con-
seGrent progressive action. School men
have allowed their practices 30 seek type
and everything has been bent to that. All
pupils are measured according to an aver
age ideal having no existence except in
the schoclmaster's mind. A PrincetoniaD
is known By his very walk. and Y ale and
Harvard men are known by their pecu-
Df Ia HaV
conservation of the individual. The talk
ative instructor must give way to the in
spring director.
There is an advantage in gradation.
but it is not in the mechanical kind. 1t is
lot the gradation of pupils. however. but
| the plan of work. hail with delight the
! suggestions of the committee Of ten. As