The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-12-27
0eDEN
~ DEPHRTMENT
Ogden, Dec 81.
SCHOOL TEACHERS.
State ASSOCIATION CONVENED
YESTERDA
thusiasm, Much Talk, Little BUSH
ness.

Teachers association convened at the
Methodist church in this city at p. m.
The number present at the opening was
much larger than the promoters had
anticipated.
When Professor T. B. Lewis called
the assembly to order there was at
least 300 school masters and school
marms in the room.
The ladies outnumbered the gentle
men about three to one and on the
whole are much better looking than
the men. and that is saying consider
able because judging from remark
or two made by some of the ladies
few of the gentlemen ARE real hand
some"
AS to intelligence, the ladies are
equal to the gentlemen If appearances
count for anything, and they can GER
tainly talk more to the point than the
men.
The temporary organization was eff
fected by the selection of Professor
Lewis as chairman and Superintendent
Hall. of Weber county, as secretary.
Rev. DR.. jeffrey pronounced the in
vocation, after which Mayor Brough
was introduced and in behalf of all the
citizens of ogden he bid the visitors
welcome. He was glad to meet so
many of the educators Of Utah and
considered the convention one of the
most IMPORTANT of recent times so far
as Utah was concerned, because it
pointed to a higher and better civiliZa-
ton. The teachers were given the free
dom of the city and informed that the
police would not modest any of them.
superintendent Allison of the Ogden
city schools. made the welcome address
on behalf of the Ogden teachers and
gave the visitors to understand that if
they did not have a good time during
their stay it would be their own fault.
Professor Lewis, in behalf of the
teachers, accented the cordial welcome
extended and assured the mayor and
superintendent that the teachers ap-
preciated their hearty greeting. lie
was very much in favor of the pro-
posed organization because he thought
it would promote the welfare of the
public schools.
Charles Kent sang two beautiful
solos, accompanied by Squire Coop on
the piano, which were greatly appreci-
ated by the teachers. Mr.. Kent was in
splendid voice and as the prize singer
he was able to hold the audience spell
bound during his rendition of the beau
tiful pieces. The last one, Sweet
Mary of Argyle" could not have been
sang better.
After the preliminary exercises had
been disposed of the convention at
tempted to get down to business, but
it was very difficult matter for them
to find out exactly where they were
at. 1t was very evident from the out
set that the early education Of most
of the pedagogues in parliamentary
law had been sadly neglected and ii is
more than likely that Professor Lewis
in his annual report as commissioner,
will urge upon the legislature the nee
essity of so changing the law that
teachers viii be required to pass d
thorough examination in parliament
tary practice before they receive their
certificates to teach.
Considerable time was wasted in
trying to devise some way to make up
a roster of membership. It was finally
arranged by requiring each teacher
present to write his or her name on
slip Of paper and deposit it with the
secretary.
The committee on constitution and
bylaws presented their report, recon-
mending the adoption of a constitution
which was presented, read by sections,
slightly amended in a few particulars
and then adopted. The election of per-
manent officers then followed, resulting
in the choice of the following:
President, Professor Talmage, of
Salt Lake; first vice-president, William
Allison, Ogden; second vice-president,
Superintendent RaWlins, Provo; third
president, Superintendent Decker,
Iron county; secretary and treasurer,
Lucy VanCott, of Salt Lake
An executive committee of II mem
bers, composed of four members from
the county, three from the city, one
from the private schools and three
from the colleges was selected as fol-
lows: Samuel Oldham, a. Dewall Woo
ton, Miss l.. A. Adams, P. Graves, Jr.,
T. B. Lewis, j. f. Millspaugh, William
B. Mallory, William Stewart, J. H.
Paul, Maud NJ. Babcock and B. Cluff,
Jr. After the election of officers the
convention took a recess until evening.
Professor Allison, first vice-president,
presided at the evening session in the
absence of Professor Talmage, the
president-elect, who did not arrive
from Salt Lake as expected.
Mrs. Anderson sang a beautiful solo
and was obliged to respond to an en-
core, which she did in a most pleasing
manner.
Professor ]. H. Paul, president of the
Agricultural college, was introduced
and spoke for over an hour, his subject
being THE Real Needs of the Scholar
as Lecturer" The professor is d
great big surprise to those who have
never heard him. He is nothing if
not original, therefore he is genius
although he surprised his audience last
evening by declaring that there was no
such thing as genius, and insisted that
the student should rid himself of the
false idea that genius is prevalent in
educational and other circles. He de-
clared that while there was a differ
ence in the talents of men, yet after
man has found his vocation genius
is simply the capacity for hard work
sc,aking of the needs of the stu
dent. so far as bodily comforts are
con urned. he referred to the discoy-
! cries made by Epicurus THAI no pleas
ure was enduring that gratified the
| senses merely. Appetite would soon
vanish in the midst of plenty, sight
seeing become monotonous; even the
lovers Of good music could not endure
it constantly. While the pleasures
of the senses are uncertain, those Of
| the mind are certain. Epicurus found
that pleasures of the mind were en-
during. Therefore. one of the princi-
pal needs of the student was to learn
early in life that Iifes real pleasures
were to be attained by means of a
cultivated mind, and as pleasure is the
chief aim of life to know how to at
tain it was one of the principal needs
of the student. Wealth. the professor
said. was certainly not a need of the
student. but rather hindrance
Speaking of labor. the speaker reIa-
ted some of his personal experiences
in the labor world and after CON