Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-04
HOW TO TRAIN THE MIND
Convection Of Teachers at Fremont Draws
10 a Close.
INTERESTING
DISCUSSIONS
hest Methods of I~nstructing Pupils
Along Lines Most Profitable TO
All Conccrncd-Idcns of
the Educators

CHI NultIH lHdl udo w IANtNhNNA ~ NN
association, on "wha Is Correlation and to
what Extent Advisable" Correlation, he
said. has reference to nothing but the organic
lines Of thought that run through subjects
and bind them together. There is an organic
relation Of all studies to each other when
.he teacher must understand and fit himself
10 carry out. All are related and a thorough
and complete understanding OF one cannot
he had unless its relation to others and a
kncwledge Of them Is first obtained. With
proper instruction studies will naturally ad-
Just themselves, thus a complete understand
Ing Of geography brings in a knowledge Of
botany, zoology and history, Studies which
are mutually helpful should be considered
side by side. He advocated a concentration
and not an extension of the work OF the
high school. Prof. Dooley OF Hooper lead
In the discussion. The point well elaborated
by him was that etudies should be so ar
ranged that each naturally introduces others
by suggestion and association and each
mental act is thus connected with other
mental acts until our intellectual life is
one chain of ideas. Correlation OF studies
should not be closely carried beyond the
lower grades. The subject was quite gen
orally discussed and awakened a great deal
of interest.
Miss Gertrude Flemming of Fremont read
a very finely written paper on What Ideals
Should Inspire the Grades She spoke OF
the influence exerted by the teacher upon
the pupil, making the life of the pupil In
sensibly like that of the teacher. A teacher
should not educate a child to consider
manual labor degrading. A child is often
led to high ideals by a knowledge oil lotty
characters Of history. Impress upon their
minds that the same principles now prevail
and the same obstacles and crimes now
eXist. lnculcate in their minds truth, OPEN
heartedness and sincerity.
AS TO GRADE WORK.
In the discussion. led by Miss AtheD OF
Hooper, which followed, the points were
made that the grade work should be so
arranged a, to bring about the normal de-
yelopment of the mind and the responsibility
of the teacher for the moral, as well as the
Intellectual. development of the pupil.
President Mannix said that no higher ideals
inspire the grades than those held by the
teacher.
In a strong and well prepared paper on
the 'Constitution of the United States"
Prof. n. w. Preston of the Fremont Nor
nal school made a strong appeal for a
closer study OF the constitution and pointed
ont MANY of the dangers that menace the
country. A large number of teachers par
ticipated in the discussion which followed.
All were of the opinion that teachers should
take more interest in politics. AS Mrs. A.
X. Cloudy OF Lincoln put 1t, every voter
should vote at the primaries and at the
general election. Prof. Dooley regretted
that the majority of the teachers were not
voters. but 1t thus enabled them to escape
some responsibility.
At the meeting of the county school sec
ton, Superintendent Haupt of Dakota county
presented a paper on the County Super
intendent's Relation to His Teachers" City
teachers with less need have the close sym
Dathy. advice and assistance or superlntend-
ent and pupil. County schools are pene-
flied to a much greater degree by the. SEN
sible and practical instruction, support and
d. .t1,,,o 90 n 1yiso and prulent SllDerylsOr.
The routine work OF the office he thought
of comparatively small value.
Superintendent Collins said there should
be an educational qualification for a county
superintendent No city Will employ a SUI
perintendent who has not the proper quail
fications for the position, and the county
gperintendent, who has many more pupils
under his charge, should have equal quail
~fcations for his position.
Institute work was discussed by Superln-
tendents j. W.. Henderson of Blair, Roth
leirner OF Columbus and others. An insti-
tute should be a council of instructors to
devise the best means to carry on an edu-
cational campaign and not a school. A SEES
sion of one week was considered long
enough. The standard Of ability of the bet
Ter half of the teachers should fix the char
acter of the institute and not that OF the
poorer half.
: Superintendent w. r. Jackson of ONeill
read a very practical paper on the SUBJECT,
'Are Too Many Studies Taught In the Rurai
Schools ~ The question, he thought, should
be answered YES" but what are too many
studies for some schools are not enough
for others. The answer depends entirely
upon the teacher. He thought elementary
sciences should be taught, and too much
time was spent on speliing anu seosrdpny'
Superintendent Martindale was OF the opln-
ion that the same general line or study
should be taught in country as in city
schools. Too much impractical arithmetic
was taught. In place OF 1t he would study
elementary algebra, botany and chemistry
Unsatisfactory results were more frequently
obtained from bad methods OF teaching mar
in trying to teach too much.
IN THE AFTERNOON.
The association met in general session
this afternoon, Superintendent iiarnt u
Dakota presiding. The total enrolment OF
teachers was reported at 276. stanton county
was awarded the fsg for the largest proper
tionate attendance of teachers outside of
Dodge and Douglas counties, having twenty
out of hfty-six teachers present.
Resolutions we're adopted extending the
thanks Of the association to Superintendent
Miller. the committee OF arrangements anu
the Fremont Normal school, and congratu-
lating the teachers on the advanced and
enthusiastic educational spirit manifested by
all present. Thanks were also extended to
the people of Fremont for their courtesies.
SUPERINTENDENT ]. j. O'Connor of West
Ithu d Na'cihip ~ |
the subject, SIS the Study OF Psychology
Profitable to Teachers" He gave a brief
and well arranged outline of the leading
principles which are the basis of the science
and adduced many strong reasons why it
should hold a prominent place in the prepa-
ration OF the teacher for his profession. 1t
was, he said, but a study OF ones own mem
tally, Of the laws and principles governing
his own perceptions. If a teacher under
stands the workings of his own mind he
must Of necessity comprehend the work.
ings OF the minds of his pupils.
PRINCIPAL ]. N. Conklin OF Neigh thought
people studied. or rather practiced, psychol-
ogy without being aware OF the fact. !
should study 1t for their own
pleasure as well as for the benefit it will
be to them In their work.
PRACTICAL COURSE OF STUDY.
Principal w. w. Boner OF Wayne took
for his subject practical Course of Study"
outlined succinctly the principles which
Should govern the adoption OF a course OF
study from the time when a child first en-
tiers the school and is taught obedience and
application until his body, mind and soul
have been developed by education. In lay
Ing down such a course more attention
should be paid to the individual than the
The paper was well received and the
whieh followed was practical in
It's nature,
Mrs. A. X, Goudy Of Lincoln read the clos
lnr AHn IN hINYAa u-l