The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-03-29
A FINE ADDRESS,
SUPT. G. B, GILBERT GIVES A
SPLENDID LECTURE.
Full Account of the Neeting of the
Southern Minnesota Teachers AS
Officers Elected and Re-
ports of Committees Big At
tendance.

The fourth semi-anuual meeting of
the Southern Minnesota Teachers
association convened in the Normal
school hall at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. The attendance during
the afternoon was about $50, and of
this number fully 100 were members
and $50 were from outside of the city.
The attendance has been very crafty
ing, exceeding largely that of any
previous meeting. The session was
presided over by the president of the
association, Prof. E. Soaring, while
Miss Emily II. Dutton filled the Sec
retary'S chair.
The first thing on the program was
the reading of the minutes of the last
meeting by the secretary. The mis-
cellaneous business and the appoint
ment of committees was put over
until later.
Miss Sarah G. Brooks, primary su,
perihtendent of the ST. Paul schools,
read an able paper on Literature in
the Grades" She spoke in general OF
the value of the study of literature,
claiming for it the highest place in
the course of study, and gave her rea-
sons for this claim. 1t was more an
educator of the feelings than an eX-
pressor of knowledge. She spoke OF
the different ways in which literature
is correlated with other studies, and
gave suggestions as to the valuable
portions Of litera ture for children to
study in the different grades. She
recommended Morse mythology as
being better adapted for our children
The association then divided into
two sections, the high school depart
ment going into the preparatory
room, and the elementary department
remaining in the assembly room. In
the high school department Prof.
O. M. Searles, principal of the Man
kato high school, read a paper on
"How Far Can the Recommendations
of the Committee of Ten Be Applied
in Our High Schools?" 1t might be
explained that in 1892 the National
Educational association at Saratoga
appointed a committee of ten,"
which considered and reported upon
courses of study for high schools, and
making suggestions as to methods of
teaching. Each branch was cOnSid-
cred by the most prominent man in
that branch in the country. Mr..
Searles spoke of the necessity that
the grammar and high school grades
be better correlated. He took up the
subject along different lines, and sug-
gested that some of the grammar sub
jects be abridged, SO as to introduce
some high school subjects into them,
as the beginning of French and Ger
man, the sciences and the easier por-
tions of algebra. He suggested that
the high school course begin two
years earlier and be increased from
four to six years, believing that more
students would graduate, as having
entered the course before the usual
time for leaving school, they would
desire to complete it.
A discussion followed on the sub
ject Chow Can the Recommendations
Be Applied in the Following Direc-
tions?" Supt. V. r. WATSON, of Blue
Earth City, took the subject of Latin;
Supt. III. G. Hess, of Sleepy Eye, spoke
upon English, advocating more thor.
ough instruction in this: Supt. A. N
Farmer, of Window, took the subject
of Mathematics.
Geo. B. Alton, state high school in
spector, made some brief remarks on
the report of the committee of fifteen
In the elementary department, Miss
Lizzie Keysor, of this city, read an
instructive paper on "Literature in
the Primary Grades" Miss Emily
Brown, of st. Peter, on Literature in
the Intermediate Grades" Mrs. Annie
E. Wood, of Waseca, on Literature
in the Grammar Grades" Miss Flora
j. Frost, county superintendent OF
Jackson county, read paper on Lit
erature in Ungraded Schools" filled
with bright things. This was fol
lowed by general discussion.
The assembly hall was filled last
night as early as 1870 o'clock, more
than 500 persons being in attendance
the most of them being teachers.
Hon. w. w. Pendergast, state super
intendent OF public instruction, spoke
for three-quarters of an hour in hi;
usual interesting style, lnterspersinG
his remarks with humorous stories
He spoke of the great need of thol
oughness on the part of the pupils
aud suggested that the great question
is how can tue student make the most
of his time? He thought that ad
vances are being made.
M sses Griffin, Sparrow and Elll
rendered a trio in their usual excel
lent style.