The San Francisco call., 1897-11-07

FIVE minutes is gwen to an examination,
endeavor to have it finished within thirty
minutes, as the full time is always broken
in upon by laggards getting settled to
work, questions, etc. Have few written
reviews or examinations, as they simply
take time from the more profitable teach
ing. OF course. teachers should always
prepare beforehand"
One OF the most important organiza-
tions along educational lines is the Teach
ers' Club of San Francisco. This club was
originally formed by John SWEET about
four years ago, but later became reorgan-
lied and secured rooms at the Mercantile
L brary,
Its object is of professional, literary and
social nature, and the mem bership at
present mum bers 100. During the past
! year it has main tanned classes in ethics,
literature, biology, French and German.
! Courses of lectures have been given by
Professor Griggs OF Stanford on Ethics,
| Professor William II. Hudson on MAS
terpieces of the Nineteenth Century" and
I'm Memoriam," and Professors Bailey
and Brown of the University of Califor-
MIA have lectured on pedagogical subjects.
The club is divided into different sec
tons, with leaders studying different sub
( jects. Then the whole club meets every
month and informally discusses some
! question bearing upon the study of child
| life or upon pedagogy in general.
During the past year also the club took
up the ject of school organization and
! government in the large cities of the
| country. A charter committee was APP
pointed and a thorough study made OF
! the aforementioned subjects. When the
committee OF 100 in San Francisco met to
| frame a new charter for tho cty-fve OF
whom constituted the school committee
two members of the Teachers Club were
appointed on this committee of 100, who
highly commended the work already
done on the charter by the club. and EN-.
bodied suggestions from it in their own
work.
The officers of the ub are as follows
A. E. Kellogg, president; Mrs. Lizzie K.
Burke. president; Mrs. NJ. NJ. Fitz-
gerald, secretary; SiIas A. White, treas
uIer; Miss E. Keating, librarian. Miss
! Frances Hodgkinson and Miss M. E. DON
nelly, together with these officers, form a
board OF directors.
There are three classes of membership
First, active, to which all teachers of the
School Department OF the city are eligi-
Bile; second, associate which is designed
for parents and friends of education in
general, and third, honorary mem ber-
ship, which includes persons in official
positions in educational circles.
This year the aim is to make the work
| both active snd professional. As before
stated, the club itself has been divided
into mum Der of working sections, each
with leader, which meets once In two
weeks. In this way every member can
elect to study the subject that is most
pleasing TO him. For instance, one sec
TONS subject is Course of Study" with
Frank Morton as leader. Here all the
latest methods and results along this line
are obtained and discussed. Another sec
tion is Public Schools and Libraries "
and here the idea of bringing the two into
still closer relationship has borne frait IN
the branch school libraries above men
toned. Local history is another subject
studied and in it is shown how best to fix
the facts of the early history of San Fran
cisco correctly in the children's minds.
Moreover, the early pioneers of the loca-
ity are drawn into contact with the teach
ers, and can add much of interest and en-
joyment at the club meetings. In the
art section all the available resources in
that line in San Francisco are opened up
to the schools.
Perhaps the most interesting section of
all is that which has for It's subject, GO
operation OF Home and School," the
leader being Mrs. NJ a. Wood. Its object
is to secure larger ana better unaer-
standing of each and TO bring the parents
and teachers more in touch. The plan of
esta ablishing mothers meetings in the diff
ferent schools is being tried, with already
successful results in several OF the larger
ones-as, for instance, in the Hearst
Grammar School and the Bernal and
Emerson primaries Here the mothers Of
the pupils attending meet with the
various teachers in the school once 9
month. Questions touching discipline
promptness and in general whatever best
promotes the welfare of the children, both