The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-03-15
THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION,
Exchange of Ideas Ivy our Bright and
Brainy Pedagogues.

The annual meeting of the Van Blu
rem county teachers association, held
in this place on Friday and Saturday
last, was largely attended by teachers
from all parts of the county and the
program, ~ published in the NORTH
ERNER, was substantially carried out,
greatly to the interest and profit of
those in attendance.
One of the interesting topics of dis
cussion was the township unit sys-
tenn" Dr. Boone, principal of the state
normal, argued strongly in its favor
He had had experience and knew
whereof he spake. The opposition to
this system, he said, comes largely from
those who know least about ii.
A very large audience assembled at
the Disciple church Friday evening to
listen To Dr. BuOne's lecture on Cur
rent Tendencies in Education" DR.
Boone is Il polished and pleasing
speaker, and his thorough familiarity
with his subject made his address eX-
ceedingly instructive. One of the cur
rent educational tendencies is TO
make the occupation of teaching more
professional. The people are con.
stautly demanding more thorough quail
itcations ON the part of their educators,
and the demand for teachers who nave
demonstrated their ability as instruct
orS is constantly on the increase. There
is strong tendency away from mere
text book education and toward doing
and toward things. Not that books are
less used; they are used more than
ever, but it is not The book, it is all
books. The people are demanding ed
ucati0n, not Only for the benefit of the
individual, but for the benefit of society
at large. To make one a valuable citi-
zen is coming To be realized as the main
design of education. The speaker had
known many educated men who had
very little book knowledge. The many
technical schools and manual training
schools springing up all over the coun.
try are manifestations of this modern
educational tendency. Another ten.
dency is to a continuation of education
after the close of school life. University
extension lectures, the Chautauqua
movement and the numerous reading
circles that have sprung up within the
past decade in all sections of our country
were instanced as examples of this ten
dency The speaker thought the state
should extend aud expand its system of
educational aid. 1t is dangerous to the
SldIe W dllON any vi It's pcOplc W NC
without the opportunity to fit them
selves for good citizenship. Free text
books, not necessarily uniform, are
very desirable. There is no valid.reason
why the state should not furnish books,
as well as houses, desks, teachers aud
all the other adiuncts of free educa-
ton. There ought to be system that
would leave no excuse for the children
of the poor not receiving an education
the facilities of the poor should equal
the opportunities of the rich in this
matter Compulsory education, schools
for the deaf, the blind, the feeble mind
ed, the hayward, are recognitions on
the part OF the state of Its obligation to
provide an education for all classes OF
its citizens.
The following officers were elected
for the ensuing year: Commissioner j
a. O'Leary, president; Superintendent
w. v Sage, vice president; Miss Lulu
Davenport, secretary; Superintendent
u. A. Aseltine, treasurer.