Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-11-14
The TEACHERS NEE TING.
One Of Most Successful Yet Held 0uI
Teachers Association.
Fine Musical Programme interesting Ad.
dress BY Prot. Anthony ot Bates.


ings in the history of our Teachers As
ISOLATION The teachers of Hallowell
and Gardiner came and many others
who are interested in educational mat
-ters. The music was by the scholars of
the VIM. r. Smith Grammar school and
reflects great credit on the work done in
that department.. Under the direction of
Miss Deering, the following programme
was given:
s~Day by Day We Magnify Thee.
Battle Hymn of the Republic. = anu :
Grades TX and X
March Drill, Grade Nv.
Drill nnttn Exereseb the Old camn rades SoSa X and
s."To the Cuckoo. e
..Autumn's Glory.
Merry Autumn Days..
Professor Anthony followed and held
the closest attention of all, as in an earn
est and effective manner he delivered his
address on Essentials in All Grades; or
the Lowest Common Denomination of the
Public Schools" An abstract follows:
According to the report of the United
States commissioner of education 96.z
per cent of pupils in all the schools in
the United States are in the grammar
and lower grades; 2.7 per cent are in
high schools or their equivalents. and IL
per cent. are in institutions above the
high school grade. According to an in
ulry made in the city OF Lewiston in
January. 1894, only Sl7 per cent. of the
pupils who entered the Kindergarten, Or
sub-primary grade reached the highest
class in the grammar schooi; more man
fore the second year in the grammar
school had been reached
The pedagogical problem for American
teachers, therefore is, how to make the
|. .lnwpr grades ADEQUATE to "A complete ed
ucation. for the instruction OF these
grades is all that the mass of the pupils
essentials of a complete education. let il,
be arrested where it may?
In the first place. the physical child
must be cultivated. the child as a mere
Spartan and Athenian training. This is
as described in Rousseaus Emile tn.
basis of all mental and moral education.
The public school must rid itself OF the
criticism pronounced by DR.. G. Stanley
Hall. that it seems to be a force tending
to physical degeneracy.
1.-Since mental training is useless
without physical power. the ordinary
conditions OF health must be observed
in the school room. and the simple rules
of hygiene must be taught. not so much
stated. as principles and habits of daily
life. There is virtue in. truancy. Il
school rooms are not well ventilated.
Fifteen hundred cubic feet of fresh air
a pair of lungs The whole body need
cleansing as well as the face and hands.
Brockway and DIR. Wey have found il
necessary to begin a class OF billiards III
pure physical exercise as the way of
easiest approach to their mental pow
ers. This shows that mastery of the
body is a beginning of the mastery OF
mind.
Manual training is really mental train
ing. Specialists affirm that character re-
Veals itself in movements of certain parts
of the face. trunk and limbs, and even
tivities of these same parts affect the
character. gradually inducing certain
thoughts and states of the mind. The
systems of school gymnastics, the ath-
letic sports must be studied from this
point of view, and only those employed
or allowed which refine and strengthen
character.
4.--Before the Pedagogical Association
in Auburn. two years ago. DR.. G. Stan
leys Han spoke of euphoria, which he de-
fined as the surplus of energy in an
for purely physical functions If we
can reduce friction in physical functions
we then leave a larger surplus OF mental
energy tor higher living.
bit Is necessary to remember that
the child on the physical side has sex
The teacher must. as Il friend and coun
those who need warning or instruction
in this direction. Parents too often leave
this duty unperformed.
But in the second place. the training
of the school room has a direct and i'm
mediate bearing upon the child as Il
spirit. We must not fail in every grada
TO bear in mind the benefits of intellect
ual pursuits and to see these benefits ac
cruing. Very few of our teachers make
teaching a profession yet. with the right
spirit and method they may impart the
through the school room.
Study of any kind. properly con
Quoted. yields the pupil mental discipline
Education is not merely to amuse the
mind or to excite it's curiosity but to
give the power of attention and of self
control. Volitional intellectually is of
higher order than emotional intellect
uality.
2-Study must all give some facts. |
These serve not only at their. face value
but by by. acquiring % attention in order to
they become points of contact for the |
easier acquisition of more knowledge b, |
the law OF the association of IDEAS
3.-Study at every stage should impart |
facility in contact with society and social |
Thoughtfulness of others. |
Iympathy SYM h;enads adaptbiIity are essential
Whether school committees do or not
many parents institute careful exam
ination of teachers to ascertain whether
the influence of life and manner are help
full and refining upon the children.
4.-Some philosophy OF life, call it reli-
gion or not. should besimparted to every
pupil SOME explanation OF the exist
ence of things. some recognition of God
some sense of duty. some recognition of
right both in the abstract and in the con-
crete. should be impaired. There must
be a common denominator in religion
upon which. when hearts are tenderer
and heads clearer. we all can agree.
Teaching is almost a holy calling II
touches life at its plastic stage. And the
best that is taught goes forth bv conta-
gion. To teach well one must be good
to impart life one must have life The
effect of the school can only be nrnnnr-