The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-08-20
STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
Bloomsbury Meeting.

TIC eHnSylVanla SCnOOl /OHfUdL
for August, contains an article on the
recent meeting of the State Teachers
Association, from which the following
extract is taken:
1t was a good thing to hold the
late meeting of the State Teachers
Association at the Bloomsburg State
Normal School, which is indeed
"beautiful for situation " and has am
pie accommodations of every sort.
The dining room, with its excellent
bill of fare and prompt service, sug-
gested the summer hotel. The great
building, with its hundred of rooms,
its beautiful campus bordered with
naples, geraniums fringing the walks,
everything in admirable condition,
and all brilliant at night with electric
lights, both arc and incandescent, but
emphasized the suggestion. We were
all very pleasantly at home and
many who were not familiar with the
great Normal Schools Of the State
gained new idea of their appoint
ments, size and importance-from the
spacious chapel, the recitation rooms,
the halls, the library, gymnasium,
parlors, Offices, dormitories, etc, -
and for this very reason it is we'll that
the superintendents, teachers and
Others should come together occas-
ionally in one or another of these
schools at their annual meeting. We
are all under obligations to DR..
Welsh, principal of the Bloomsburg
school, who invited the Association to
Bloomsburg, and who was the efficient
Chairman of the Executive Committee
duriug the sessions.
The high ground occupied by the
school affords fine view of the town
below, embowered m trees, most of
them naples planted within the past
twenty to twenty-five years of the
i.ser, which here never overfows its
banks and of the hills and low
:.ountains, near and far, which rise
in all directions about it. The sun
rise and sunset glory upon these hills,
as we saw it from our third story
window looking out over the large,
open campus, was sight to be
remembered.
The sessions were held in the
chapel (auditorium) of the school
The attendance was good. Supt. A.
G. c. Smith CA Good County Super
intendent, as our friend Houck hu-
morously recites his initials) was an
admirable presiding officer. The pro-
gramme was full and strong. Some
difficulty was experienced in finding
time for all the work that had been
prepared, SO as to get in the pleasant
excursion of twenty miles up the
Fishing Creek valley, which had been
arranged for Thursday afternoon by
the citizens OF Bloomsburg. The re,
ception, also by the citizens, to the
members of the Association on Tues
day evening, in the large gymnasium
Of the school, was enjoyed by every
body. There was an open-air concert
given by the Bloomsbury Cornet
Band on Wednesday evening on the
school campus, with choice printed
programme and on the same even
ins Governor Hastings addressed a
crowded house in the auditorium in
an able discussion of the common
school interests of the State. His ad-
dress will be given in full in our next
issue as part of the proceedings Of
the meeting.
The discussion of the Normal
School question was spirited, and oc
cupied an entire session. The Nor
NAL School is a sturdy young sapline
that has had very promising growth,
but it is not yet near the lordly oak
or the mighty elm stage of develop
ment. Let the storm winds of criti-
cism blow, roughly it may be, the
sapling is the better for it. Its roots
go deeper, and spread farther, and
take hold more firmly because of the
struggle. Ihe enrolment was 32o,
the income being sufficient to pay all
expenses, and leave modest balance
in the hands of the Treasurer. New
Castle, in the western part of the
State, was chosen as the next place
of meeting, and DIR. d. ]. Waller, Jr.,
principal Of the Indiana State Nor
NAL School, was made president fol
the ensuing year. Everybody wa,
| glad to honor DR. Waller, our eX
State Superintendent of Public In
sttuction, and the honor is to him
doubly welcome as he said in q
few most fitting words at the close
| " because It came in the old schoo
where he sat for years under the in
struction Of a remarkable teacher
Prot. Henry Carver"
Among the formal resolution:
adopted at the closing session were
the following: One asking the Legis