The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-04-05
Meeting of Teachers Association.

We are indebted to Miss Ida b. Everett
Secretary, for the following excellent re
| port
The Prince Georges County Teachers
Association met in the Georgetown Law
| School, Washington. ID. c., on Friday
March o9th. 1895 All officers were pres
ent, also Mr. 7. s. Stone. County Exam
liner. and Mr. |. s Wilson, member OF
the School Board, and number of vlsl
tors. The number of teachers responding
to roll call was sixty-tivc.
President William c. Tippett called the
meeting to order and the minutes of the
preceding meeting were read and adopted
after which the Association took up the
prepared program for the day, opening
with the hymn Nearer My God to Thee. '
Mr.. Dent Downing being absent, at Mr.
Stones request, Mr.'Wallis. Principal of
the Hyattsville School. arose and deliver
ed few cxtemporaneous remarks on
compulsory Education the subject on
which Mr. Downing was to have delivered
an address. Mr.. Wallis is from New
Hampshire, where the law is enforced to
the fullest extent, compelling each parent
to send his child to school every day in
the scholastic year unless sickness or an
equally reasonable excuse deter him. If
he fails to do this, Truant Officer is sent
for the child and the parent dare not defy
the law. The school year is of nine months
duration and this is eNacted until the
child is twelve years of age. after which
he is forced to send him three months in
the year until he is fifteen or sixteen Mr.
Wallis said that the people took kindly to
the law, it was popular, and brought forth
excellent results. He furthermore ex-
pressed wish that the Association pass a
resolution, asking the State Board to pass
such law, for in our county, the salary
Of the teacher depends, with but few
exceptions, on the regular attendance of
her class
Miss Marian Townsend gave comic
recitation in the Irish brogue, in which
she personated THE Irish Travelling
Philosopher, and Miss Marriott read a
thoughtful and touching paper, which
coming from one 50 long beloved by our
Association had a subduing and ennobling
effect
BEST Method of Teaching Philosophy
was ably handled first by Mr. VIM P
Reeves, and Miss F. Gladys Higgins in her
own bright happy style provoking many a
smile, and even our worthy Examiner
seemed to catch the infection. The Misses
Gray, in reponSe to request made by our
President, played two brilliant duets on
the piano, and the Association showed by
hearty applause its sincere appreciation.
Professor Little then gave us one of
his famous Chalk Talks and truly his
chalk did talk as, under the guidance of his
masterful strokes it produced the most
wonderful potatoes which Suddenly turn
ed into lilies, perfect faces, which sudden
ly become transformed into unsightly
ones as the nose changed in shape and
color from frequent visits of its owner to
the mug of beer or glass of whiskGy. Then
under the heading of kindergarten work,
he showed us how teacher may brighten
her work by few simple strokes on the
blackboard; how with a simple twist of
the wrist we can have birds sitting on a
fence to teach to the little new Corners the
wonderful fact that three and two make
five and if one flies away four are left
He explained how it is that the rat is look
ed on with aversion. because it is the en-
blem of enmity and envy, while the kitty
is a favorite picture with little folks, be-
cause it represents love and kindness; and
the home, envy and enmity flee Prof.
Little showed how easy it was to draw
large cheese at which we could place in
Vulnerable mice in every conceivable
position, thus making our lessons practi-
cal and interesting. Where once the
compositions in the school room were
written on such subjects as Hope
Goodness" and others equally abstract
and unattractive to the childs mind, now
with few strokes on the blackboard we
can give them an ineXhaustible subject bv
placing before them tempting bunch of
cherries, peach, an apple or stalk of
wheat ready for the mower, bringing to
their minds visions of happy vacation
days in the fields and orchards. | wish
had time and space to describe fully
this talk, but like all goods things it came
to an end at last, and the Association
thanked Prof. Little by giving something
more substantial than words. for his effort
to entertain and help us in our good.
work
A vote was then taken in order decide
on which Of the four places suggested
should be our next place of meeting.
Washington. Chillum. Bowie and Upper
Marlboro were the places named, and
Chillum receiving the greatest number.
the Association accepted the kind inyi-
tation of the people of that section and
adjourned subject the call of President of
the Northumberland