The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-17
TALKED OF EDUCATION
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS HOLDING
THEIR CONVENTION.
Nature Study Thoroughly Discussed
Compulsory Education to BE Taken
Up This Morning.

The thirty-fourth semi-annual meeting of
the Indiana County superintendent Asso-
citation was called together for the first
session yesterday afternoon by President
George r. Wilson, of Dubois county
Prayer was offered by the Rev. r. j. Bas-
sett of De Paw University. Mr. Bassett
prayed for the success of the public schools
of the State and for the advancement and
enlightenment of the guiders of the schools
the superintendent.
The roll was called by the secretary 1.
o, Harrison, of Rush county. 1t showed
that sixty-two of the ninety-two superin-
tendents were present. AS the names were
called the men arose, so as to enable the
new members to be made known to their
Observation-Disclosures
The first paper on the programme was
by Mrs. E. E. Olcott, of North Vernon. The
subject of her paper was Mature Work in
the Grades" Her article was rather
lengthy and was devoted to the study of
nature in the schools. She urged that more
notice of this important subject be taken
in the schools and that the county super
lntendents do their utmost to further this
department of the work to a higher plane
The first part of her paper was devoted
to noting the differences between the school
children of the country and those of the
city on this subject. She declared that in
the country, where the pupils had an OPP
interest was taken in it than in the city,
where the children usually had to plant
flowers and plants in boxes on the window
Sills in the schools to watch the develop
ment of the plants. Her paper was well
received and was ended with generous APP
plause.
The discussion of this paper took up some
time. Mr.. e. l.. Hendrick, of johnson
county, followed Mrs. Olcott with a paper
prepared on the same subject He said that
he did not entirely agree with her on the
subject of textbooks being used great
aeat TO help the work along lie declared
children to learn the work from obserV-
ance rather than by having the thoughts
of men in books stamped on their mind
That they would be guided by his thoughts
alone, and that their minds would be pre-
vented from forming their own opinions on
the subject. He was followed by William
Wallace, of DaViess county, on the same
subject Mr.. Wallace lent what little hui
NOR there was to the meeting in prefacing
his remarks with short apology for what
he was going to say. He told amusing
incident of how, when he was in school,
he had been chosen as one of the principals
in a debate and that he had prepared notes
on the subject and recorded his thoughts
on paper, and that when he was called on
thoughts and that he had nothing to say
He said he received more applause for say
ing little than the others who had talked
for some time. Growing serious, Mr.. Wal
lace gave his views on the subject at hand
George w. Miller, of Howard county, spoke
for some time on the manner in which the
work might be effected and gave a plan
of the work as it was prosecuted in Howard
county. Lee o. Harris, the poet of Hancock
county, was called on for a brief discus
sion of the subject. Mr. Harris is an anna
teur botanist, and he gave an interesting
talk on the subject.
A rest was taken for few minutes and
the superintendent mingled with each
other and talked After the meeting was
called together the chairman introduced W
H. Senour, of Franklin county, who talked
on THE Most Important Duties of a Conn
ty Superintendent" Mr. Senour said that
of bnT INN ant i1fi To, nO
elected After the election the superin-
tendent must settle down to the work and
do his utmost to further the interests of
the county schools To encourage the teach
ers in their work and to point out their good
points as well as criticise them for their bad
work was another important thing He
said it was important for the superintend-
ent to be careful in placing the teach
ers in the schools. Not to appoint them be-
belong to his political faith but for the
reason that they are competent for the
work and able to successfully manage a
school and awaken in the minds of the little
folk an interest in learning. ]. w. Myers
of Wabash county, who was to speak on
this subject, was not present, and E. A.
Hutchens, of Hamilton county. spoke He
was very enthusiastic in his remarks. and
at times talked like a political stump speak
er, he did it with such Vehemence f. j.
Young. of Allen county, spoke for some
time on the subject. He deplored the fact
that the office of county superintendent was
a neglected one in the county. He said that
it was his opinion that the office should
be raised to the level of other county Of
ficers; to supply the superintendent with
an office, a clerk and enough stationery
and postage to do better work. He said
that the superintendent should be something
of a politician, and when election time
comes the superintendent should get out
and help elect members of the Legislature
who were in favor of increasing the COM
mon school system of the State, who would
enact legislation that would help the county
superintendent to help the schools of the
counties in which they live instead of simply
overseeing them and allowing the work to
go on in the same old channels year after
year
After the completion of this paper the
president announced that the Indianapolis
Business College would like to have the
county superintendent visit its college to-
day and examine the work, the specimens
of penmanship and the methods pursued in
teaching the boys business.
Just before the meeting adjourned John
II. Reddick, of Pulaski county, made q mo-
ton to the effect that the subject of the
compulsory education law be taken UP this
morning instead Of in the afternoon, as the
programme provides, to allow some Of the
superintendents to go home. The motion
carried, and the programme was changed
A committee composed of State Superin-
tendent D. M. Geeting, w II. Senour
Franklin county; c. F. Mcintosh, owen
county; W. r. Wineburg Wayne county,
was appointed by the chairman to provide
superintendent. The committee is to report
to-day.
The meeting adjourned at 4'30.
Pensions for Veterans.