The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-31
PEDAGOGICAL STUDY.
Utah County-Much Good Has
Been Accomplished.

Last fall at the beginning of the
school year, the teachers of district
schools in Utah county and Provo city
organized themselves into an associa-
ton for the purpose of pedagogical
study The association numbers 1O7
professional and amateur teachers,
who expect to become professionals.
There have been thirteen regular
and three general meetings held dur
| ing the school year, with an almost
phenom attendance when the fact
| is taken into consideration that teach
ers residing at a distance had rail-
road fares and hotel bills to pay, while
others made long drives by team, the
reverse of pleasant.
The plan of the programme for these
meetings was that some fundamental
principle or principles of education
should be discussed by the teachers,
who for this purpose divided them
selves into three gradeS-the primary,
intermediate and grammar grades.
The subjects were usually presented
in the form of questions, carefully pre-
pared and sent out prior to the con-
vening of the meeting, and prepare
ton was expected. The teachers Of the
various towns took turns in leading
out, or presenting these subjects, but
the discussion of them was general
and often very animated. Every teach
er, even some of the youngest, have
mad valuable suggestions to make
along the lines of original thought and
experiment, while the more experience
ed and scholastic have quoted educa-
tional authors and applied the tests Of
history and philosophy to all sugges-
lions. 1t has had a great tendency to
bring about uniformity of plan and
method, and made the best thoughts
of each the common property Of all.
Methods OF presentation have been
considered and the greatest uniformity
reached consistent with well-deined
individuality. The child to be taught
is no longer looked upon as a bramble
that must be trimmed down to the
conventional dimensions of hedge, or
an empty jug TO be filed with knowl-
edge, but each to the teacher is a
about it all its possibilities as a gift
from God, for which they, the teach
ers, are to provide suitable conditions
for its development along it's own lines
to fullest perfection.
Besides this the programme has al
ways been graced with the name of
some prominent Utah educator who
tional subject. Among those who have
lectured are Miss Holten, supervisor Of
public school work in the primary de-
partment, Salt Lake city; T. B. Lewis,
commissioner of schools for Utah; Dr.
James E. Talmage, president of the
university of Utah; Prof. Whiting and
Prof. Stewart, of the university, and
Profs. Brimhall, Nelson and Wolf. of
the Brigham Young academy: also
Miss Babcock and other specialists.
Three special sessions were held in
various parts Of the county, over
which the local teachers organization
presided. These local organizations
held also regular MEETINGS to prepare
for the general.
Frequently the trustees of the coun-
ty have attended these sessions. taken
great interest in the questions discus
sed, and applied a wholesome and very
practical restraint to the enthusiasm
Of the teachers. Three years ago a
set of resolutions were formulated at
the B. Y. summer school The intent of
which was that trustees OF this terri
tory should be compelled to attend
summer schools an3 institutes, imbib-
ing modern thought, progressing with
the teacher and rendering him appre-
ciariVe assistance instead of opposing
everything that the teacher wished to
do and annulling his best efforts No
action was taken, however, but the
trustees of Utah county have attended
these meetings so well and entered so
thoroughly into the spirit Of progress
that it will be a smart teacher that is
in Utah county. Indeed, punctuality
in attendance at these sessions will be
considered one essential qualification
for a teacher next year, list of the
teachers and their attendance being in
the hands of every trustee.
The last meeting of the association
for the current school year was held
on May 25. The report of school work
was as follows: Regular meetings.
thirteen; special meetings, three: lee
lures, twenty; discussion of methods
and principles, nine; musical entertain
ments, four; series of questions dis
cussed. six.
The financial report showed that the
expense. which has been considerable.
has been supported by a uniform as
sessment, there being very few de-
linquents and none among the lady
teachers.
This institution will no doubt be
perpetuated in this and inaugurated In
other counties and by experience will
increase its efficiency The teachers
have already gone far beyond the in
tent and spirit of the law that in
augurated the official institute which
this county will hold this year in one
of our beautiful canyonn