The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-16
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WILL NA|CH IND|V|DUAl|SM
County Teachers Are Averse to
Educational Experiments
LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE
The Rev. Pitman Is in Favor OF That
EmbIematic Idea
Professor MoIyneaux Reviews Recent Events.
Ex.Superintendent Kinks
Address

The Los Angeles County Teachers Insti-
tute was called to order at pm. yester-
day.
Owing to the many attractions in vari-
GUS parts OF the city the work began an
hour later than was expected. Each
morning session will begin at O'Clock.
All the afternoon sessions of the week
will be held in the spacious assembly
room of the state normal school. That
hall is the largest and finest in the city,
and was but partially filled yesterday,
though more than 1000 persons were pres
emit.
Rev. ]. s. Pitman OF the city board of
education delivered the address of well
come. He reviewed the work of the
teacher of the present and the teacher OF
the past, and was sure that the progress
of the last few years was due to the earn
estness of the great body of teachers.
Their work was grand, and he loved them
all, especially the lady teachers. He was
in favor of the little red school house,
whether it found place in La Fiesta or
not. .r
F.. A. Molyneaux OF the county board
of education was the next speaker. He
had lust returned from a visit to the
Chico normal school. He missed many of
the once familiar faces. Superintendent
Friesner, who was with the teachers so
long was to be with them no longer.
County Superintendent Seaman, who was
so popular had gone to work in another
field The speaker had Just seen him at
Sacramento and he had sent his regards
to ALL Many more changes would take
place soon. The speaker himself expected
soon to retire from the county board OF
education. There were already many APP
plicants for the position, but he hoped
that lady would be. appointed in his
stead.
The majority of the members of the
board were opposed to experimenting
with the individual method OF teaching.
They could not afford to allow the teach
ers to juggle with the time and oppor-
tunities Of the thousands OF pupils en-
trusted to their care. If Los Angeles city
wanted to experiment with individual
ism, let 1t do so; the county could look
on and profit by the success or failure OF
the plan, and would not be put to the
expense necessary to try it.; nor would it
run the risk of having failure. Com
mon teachers and common people had no
right to experiment with matters OF edu-
cation. They were not capable OF ludg--
ing the results DIR. Harris was declared
to be good enough authority for the
speaker He was III favor of having re-
ligious instruction in the public schools.
The schools should teach the elements OF
Christianity. 1t was bound to come;
nothing could stop it.
superintendent Kirk of Minnesota
was the next speaker. He stated that he
was considerably astonished at the reck-
lessness with which the majority of the
teahers who had lately occupied the
platform had talked about religion in the
schools and individualisn. We are seek
ing to break away from the old methods
of formulism. and We do not know how
to do it, We change our school methods
after the manner of religious changes
either by very slow degrees or by sudden
transition. We do too much rote work.
We are trying to do better in every way;
but we are very apt to rush'after new
things in a sentimental fashion. We are
too apt to do homage to every educational
crank who has force enough to f0ist him
self upon the community Tor even.a brief
season. The boy who used to sit on the
back seat and 'do sums has van
through the 'pothook, smooth copy,
angular, finger movement, whole.
arm movement, and other styles of
writing. Now we have the vertical
system. Each one was supposed to be
perfect in its time, In the same way we
have had dozen kinds OF arithmetic.
In geography We have changed from the
old map or symbol method to the pres
emit alleged scientific method of teaching
about slopes, seas, Winds plants and an
imals.s Manual training is complete
failure, from pedagogical standpoint.
Too much time is devoted to preparing
work for the county institute SHOW or
the state association "show." In these
days our pupils cannot read anything
properly. Silent reading teaches nothing
about expression. The boy who used to
read and declaim did learn the art of ex-
preston in practical way. The pupils
Of the present canont spell. The word
method has destroyed all accuracy, or
hopeo of accuracy.
With all these fads and hobbies and
alleged new plans, our time is SO much
taken up that we have no time to teach
school. We have hastily abandoned the
greater part of the good work to play
with the exploded bombs of generation
ago. The sooner we learn that real, hon
est, earnest work is bad y needed and
that the real elements of learning are
neglected the better it will be for the cause
of education.
Among those present at the opening
session were: Superintendent Fisher OF
Oakland. Professor Meredith of Azusa
Rev. J. s. Pitman of the city board of edu-
cation, DR.. A. w. Plummer of Los Ange-
les, superintendent Kirk of Mime
sofa. Mrs Carrie Ledford and Miss Anna
Sbeelds OF University, Professor S. o.
Long of the Palms, Professors W. F.
Pentland, r. +. Sallee and G. T. Chilcote
of LOS Angeles, Professor j. H. Strine of
Monroyia, Professor ]. II, Brown of Dow
ney and Edward Hutchinson OF Los An
geles.