The morning call., 1894-05-12
PEDAGOGUES TALK
Features of Their Work
Discussed.
TEXTBOOK IMPROVEMENT.
The Pueblo Plan of Instructing
Young Pupils.
NEW METHODS IN CLASSICS.
Friendly Criticism of the Report of
the Committee of Ten-fiistOry of
Europe as Study.

The session of the educational congress
at Golden Gate Hall yesterday was at
tended by large number OF prominent
educators and those interested IN the
cause of teaching the young idea how to
shoot The topics discussed were of an
interesting character and were attentively
listened TO and not infreQuently app!auded.
AS on the preceding day, many represen-
tatives of Eastern and interior colleges
took part in the proceedings.
The forenoon session was given UP to
rOund-table conferences on a variety of
educational subjects. In room A Science
in Secondary Schools" was the topic.
r. S. Hollway of San Jose acted as leader.
and the main points discussed were as to
Importance of cumulative work to begin
nerS in science, the relative time for
laboratory and for test work, and the
points in the science work of the report of
the committee of ten.
Another conference was held in room 8
and school textbooks were considered.
Papers were read by Herbert Miller Of
Stockton. c. II. keyes. Pasadena. Miss
Woods, Annie N. Nicholson. A. f. Kel-
logg. Miss r. G. Campbell. Miss Jennie
Smith and others. Among the branches
of the main subject touched upon were the
general characteristics of good textbook,
and what the books should be designed to
accomplish. 1t appeared to be the general
idea of those engaged in the conference
that the textbooks al present Ia use were
not wide enough in their scope, and also
that they would bear much improvement
in their literary tone. The style and char
acterisiS Of readers for The first and second
school years also came UP for comment.
NJ ths
leader Of the blind conference. and the
participants read papers and discussed the
various phases of systematic pedagogy.
Frank McMurray Of Illinois. c. Z. Hutton
of Los Angeles and +. Dunn of San Ra-
fael engaged in the discussion and eX-
planned their views In carefully prepared
papers.
At the afternoon session the general
topic of discussion was in regard to the
course of study for secondary schools. and
Principal Morton of the Boys High School,
who occupied the chair. introduced james
a. Baker, president of the State University
al Boulder, Colo. as the first speaker.
Mr.. Baker said he desired to speak more
particularly upon the high school period
and the age at which pupils should enter
that school. In Prussia. he SAID, three
years Of elementary work preceded the
gymnasium course and the pupil could
enter it at years of age. The gymnasium
covered nine years. The present tendency
of universities was to begin specialization
at about the end Of the sophomore year.
Mr. Baker believed there was need of
modification in grammar school work and
that ultimately the best solution would be
found IN extending the high school period
downward to include part of the elemen-
tary period, so that specially equipped
teachers might have charge of the several
departments Of work. Reference was also
made 10 the lack of training in the gram
mar schools. In educating pupils it was
necessary that they be taught TO accu-
rately observe things, to draw just infer
ences and use choice and strong express
sions.
P W. Search of Pueblo, Colo. also read
a paper upon the same topic and favored a
more systematic method of grading pupils,
and dovetaiing the studies Of the second
AIRY schools with those of the higher.
j. B. McChesney, principal of the Oak
land High School, spoke upon the subject
of the so-called Pueblo plan" of educa-
ton, relating especially to the high school
and not the grammar school and primary
grades. This system, the speaker said,
was only eXperimen so far, and was
being tried in Pueblo, Colo. 1t consists of
plan whereby the teachers consider their
pupils individuals, ana personal attention
is given TO each one. In this way the
pupils are not hurried along SO as TO get
confused in their ideas. He then pro-
ceeded to dilate upon the advantages of
the system, the main one being that the
teacher is able to become personally ac-
Quainied with each mem ber of the class,
and understand personally each ones
mental capabilities. It is we'll understood
that no two minds are constituted alike,
so it must be recognized that the develop
ment of young minds must be made on
different lines. Reference was then made
TO the disadvan tages of the class system
as compared with the Pueblo plan. 1t
was not denied that certain primary work
could be done in class, but after the meth
eds of study were we'll mastered the class
should be turned loose, and each pupil
should choose his or her own gait. In all
respects. the speaker thought, the Pueblo
system should be encouraged.
The subject Of the induetive methods in
the classics was touched upon by j. ii.
Simmons of the San Francisco Boys high
School. He confined his remarks 10 pre-
parat0ry Latin and Greek. Speaking OF
the former lie condemned the system OF
ciogging the pupils mind with the matter
contained in The sO-called Introductory
Latin books, and believed in the Latiu
scholar plungIng at once into Caesars
Commentaries, and translatlng 1t YER
batim. BY study of the text and careful
labor in translating he would learn the
language easier and more comprehensively
than by wading through the Introductory
hooks. The method had been tested in
thsIhigh school and found to work salts
laetorily.
A friendly discussion of the mistakes
and omissions in the report Of the com.
njttee of ten followed.
Frank Angel of the Leland Stanford
Ir UnIyersity pointed out what he con.
Iidered a few minor mistakes of judgment