The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-29

EMINENT PREgEPTokS PRESENT

Hnccfo,fo ths Jerscp C9tr Nous.

State Teachers Association began in the
auditorium of the State Schools at W
O'Clock yesterday. The attendance was
large. showing the interest that the teach
ers Of the State take in the association.
The meeting was called to order by s. e.
Manness, A. NJ, of Camden, President of
the association.
The singing of America" was the first
number On the programme. an was fol-
lowed by prayer by the Rev. j. Richard
S. Boyle. D. D., pastor Of the State Street
M. e. Church.
by James 4. Hayes, President of the State
Board of Education.
Professor James M. Green emphasized
the welcome to the teachers, and ex-
planned to them the exhibit of the work
of the pupils of the schools throughout
the State which il displayed in the va
rious rooms Of the building.
Miss E. L. Ellforth, State Secretary Of
the W. c.. T. o. Introduced Miss Maud
e.. Hopkins, Of the Drexel Institute, who
read a most interesting and carefully pre-
pared paper on physical Education in
Public Schools"
The paper emphasized the
Importance Of carrying on a proportional
development of the physical nature 81
simultaneously with the development of the
intellectual nature of the child. Miss Hop
kins' paper was we'll received.
The vocal selections. rendered in trio, of
Miss Katherine Cook, soprano. Mrs. STAN
ley Addicks, alto, and Mrs. Katheryn
Mccormick, cortralto. all Of Camden, were
features Of both sessions yesterday.
1t had been decided beforehand to SUBJ
NIT to fthe ASSOCIATION a resolution pro-
viding fer Incorporation of the body, and
Professor Green suggested that it would
be but appropriate that DR.. Barringer,
Superintendent of the Public Schools of
Newark. who in 1887 had proposed such a
step should be the one now to make the
motion.
DR.. Barringer accepted the invitation
and made the motion, which was second
ed by Professor Green, and passed unand-
mousdy.
At the evening session, commencing at
eight O'Clock, President Manness an
nounced the following committees
ark; G. ]. Mallory. Newton; Miss e. Dun
ninics, Perth Amboy; Miss K. Dinan,
Camden; c. Gregory. Long Branch.
ResolutionsEJohn Enright Freehold; w.
NominationsIL. G. wooley, Trenton
A. p. Kerr. Lambertville: S. R. Morse.
Aaron P. Hand. Cape May City.
Resume--E. Fred Knapp, Summit; Miss
8. M. Martin, Newark; H. M. Maxson,
Plainield; Miss Emma Searte, Camden;
Miss Bernard, Asbury Park.
Nominations to Council of Education
]. NJ Green, Trenton; G. 3. Moore, East
Orange; H. B. Willis, New Brunswick.
The feature of the evening session was
the address by James MacAlister, LID,
president of Drexel Institute. on The
Public School as a Social Factor" He
said
There is no question which engrosses the
attention Of civilized people today as this
question of education 1t is the upper
most question of every country in Europe,
+ barring the two in the extreme eastern
part. How to educate the public is their
chief concern. In our own country it is
less apparent because 1t is a local matter,
but abroad 1t is a national issue. This
great concern for educational matters is
| had because the education of the young
is the essential element of the wen being
of society.
the state to enforce education upon its
subjects in order that 1t might be uni
form and universal
Especially is his necessity for educa-
ton apparent at a time when people are
struggling for their liberty. This was
very marked when Scotland rose in the
vindication Of her rights. John Knox
planted a little parish sehoo in the
shadow of every parish kirk"
The same may be seen in Holland at
the same time.
Still more marked was 1t In the case
of the forefathers Of New England. With
in ten years after the planting of the
Puritans in Boston the Boston Harbor
college wal founded
apparent it was seen that something
more mandatory than the good of the
State was necessary. Every nation of
/ for a hundred years developing and per-
feeling systems of public education. In
this country we are SO familiar with free
public education that we forget that it
was but two generations ago when it was
inaugurated. The Constitution of the
United States makes no provision for
or mention of public education. a motion
to insert a clause providing for the found
ing Of a national university, introduced
by Jefferson, wa voted down. Nearly
one-half of the population Of the extreme
| Southern States are Jliterate. In the
rural parts Of New Jersey there are thou
| sands of children growing up without any
education at all or 50 little as to be of
no use TO them. In 1894 the population Of
the United States was 63,000,000, and the
number of children in school of all kinds
was 1880, 900. Those who attended the
public schools numbered H,000,o00. And
| schools are not doing their duty. These
| figures show that this country fully
realizes the public schools as the founda-
ton Of society and the mainstay Of lib
| erty.
The relations between education and
| social advancement are very close.
Russia, at the bottom of civilization.
expends annually per capita for educa-
tion about Is cents.
The little canton Of Zurick in Switzer-
land, where all the people are poor, ex-
| Ponds $2.25 per capita for education.
h per capita expended for education
in the United States is x2.51.
The amounted expended on each pupil
per ayerage attendance in Massachus-
etts is annually so. SO; New York, 1925
| Alabama, 1888; South Carolina, So. Is.
These figures show how far apart have
been the ideals Of culture, education and
society in these two parts Of the. coun-
| try.
Those who favor public education hold
that 1t has a tendency to diminish crime.
but Others point to the fact that our
jails contain many persons who have at
| tended school,. Nine-tenths Of the IN
/ mates of the Pennsylvania Penitentiary
have had more or less schooling, and
nine-tenths Of those who have any
schooling have no craft or trade ii
which to employ themselves and earn
their living. They cannot do anything
| except the owes kim Of manual Iabor