Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-04-09
PEDAGOGUES IN SESSION DISCUSS
METHODS OF WORK.
PRESIDENT UPHAM OPENS
Wisconsin and Massachusetts Com
pared-Lively Discussion on Self
Government-Profs. Allen and
Whipple on Literature Par
ent's and Business Mans Views.
Madison. April.

yesterday and the discussions
interest of the teachers. President A.
A. Upham opened the session with an
appropriate address, outlining the
work of the association. State Super
intendent J. @. Emery followed with a
lengthy and able paper on certain fea-
lures Of the Wisconsin public school
system. Most educational journals
and many educators have been crying
for a radical change in our Wisconsin
system and point to Massachusetts as
demonstrating that their ideas are cor
rect and feasible. Mr.. Emery stated
that the conditions in Massachusetts
are so different from conditions in
Wisconsin that the township system is
not feasible here as it is in Massa-
chusetts. He said also that, though
the system has been in existence in
Massachusetts for many years yet the
system there is afflicted with many OF
the evils prevalent in our system. The
towns in our state have the privilege
of instituting the township system II
they wish. but none have yet seen fit
to do SO While Mr.. o. e. Wells wa:
state superintendent an attempt was
made to- change our school system 10
the township system by legislative ac-
ton. The change, however, was toe
radical, so the measure was killed. MI
Emery was appointed to enquire into
the system for the purpose of making
whatever changes are required. Any
change too radical is not desired. The
aim OF education is to evolve the bet,
ter from the poorer system and attain
by easy stages that which would be
impossible to attain by complete reyO-
luton. Revolution inevitably entails
destruction to more or less extent and
that is undesirable. The paper was
discussed by Prof. Salisbury, A. O
Wright and w. H. Chandler.
The paper on Self Government in
Schools, by Robert .Rienow, Of Eos
Lake, called forth a lively discussion
the outcome of which seemed to indi-
cate that, though pupils may be trust
ed to a great extent as to department
the absence of supervision in the as
sembly rooms during study hours is
liable to cause q falling off in class
work.
The papers on what can be done in
rural and graded schools to give pupils
taste for good literature were reaG by
Principal Walter Allen, of Milwaukee
and Principal H. A. Whipple, of Black
Earth. 1t was shown that children
are given too much liberty to choose
their reading matter and thus theil
tastes are often demoralized. A child'E
reading should be directed by All old
er person from the first, and care
should be taken that the reader re
ceiges a correct conception of what is
read.
Prof. G. G. Shuts, of Whitewater
and Principal c. w. Rittenburg, Of
Delevan, advanced interesting ideas
Regarding academic work in norma
schools.
Mr. Amos P. Wilder gave the bust
ness mans view of the public schoo
system. Mr.. w. J. Anderson and Mrs
~ 1 N'iiACtiA saw IilC pGtl S11Io VIC >
The proper way to educate a child is tt
find the child's level and so get il
touch with him. 1t is only by loving
a child that one can properly under
stand and help him.
The topic How May Composition
Rhetoric and Literature be Correlated
was divided between Miss Annie M
Cottrell, of Whitewater, and Prof ]
Miss Cottrell treated the subject theo
retically and Prof Freeman dealt with
the methods to be used to gain the de
sired end. These papers were probably
the r1ost able and interesting of the
day to the teachers. When completed
a motion was carried to thank the
authors for the new ideas presented
The addresses will be published. The
work Of the reading circle was taken
up by County Superintendent H F
Fehlandt, of Ozaukee county. The SEES
sion then adjourned till p. m.
OrVille T. Bright, county superin-
tendent of Cook county, ILL.,, delivered
witty and yet profitable lecture to
the teachers when they reconvened in
the evening. His address received
close attention.
Mrs. Hiestand and Miss A. Wetherby
added to the pleasure Of the evening by
singing several solos and duets, which
were most favorably received. After
the lecture the time was spent in social
intercourse.
Among the school teachers attending
the convention are: S. B. Todd, L. K.
Grisim, Grace Bushnell, Clara Dengler,
j. W. Stearns, Emily Dettloff, L. E.
Gettle, J. H. Hutchinson, T. Cosgrove.
W. H. Chandler, Anna Tarnutzer, J. Q.
Emery, w. A. Scott, Elizabeth Cutler,
Anna Halligan, Mary McGovern, B. H.
Meyer, F. G. Hubbard Michael A.
Torphy, Madison; Albert Salisbury,
W L. Watson, w J. Galbraith. Merle
Palmer, Emma Winslow, J. n. Hum
phrey, A. J. Hutton, A. A. Upham, An
ME NJ. Cottrell, Cornelia Rogers, Mary
Hosford, Lucy Baker, Nina Wander
walker, Mary McCutch, Isabel Walker.
G. c. Shuts, Sara Devlin, Lizzie
Hughes, Miss H. Larson, Ida Coburn.
Katharine Mulch, Clara Hallowes, D.
E. Kelley, E. W. Walker, Whitewater;
c. P. Sinnott, Mrs. Charles Norris, L.
D. Harvey, Arthur Burch, Helen
Mayer, Leonora Clay, Mrs. S. Y.
Gillian, Walter Allen, Milwaukee;
c. J. Gordon, Emma Downing, Mrs. c.
H Gordon A Otterso0 Rn1oit. Incc;o