The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-07
THEY DISCUSS IT
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS BEFORE
THE CITY TEACHERS.

Will Questions Beyond the Pupils Ad
vancement Tend to Develop Thought
Power? - Advantages and Disadvan
tages-The Responsibility of Parents in
the Matter of Education-FriendshiT
Between Teacher and Pupil is Encour
aged, and Teachers Should Know thu
Parents.
Many subjects Of general interest to
patrons and parents alike were discussed
by the city teachers yesterday morning
when they met in regular monthly ses-
sion at their rooms in the city building.
The proper relation OF home and8chool,
the best means Of securing the co-opera-
ton Of those parents who do not realize
their share OF responsibility for the pu-
pI's conduct in school, and the advisa-
billy or OBTAINING pupils after school to
finish up the work ofthe day were among
the topics considered.
superintendent Dyer had arranged this
sixth meeting of the year in the nature
OF round-table session, and such ques-
tons were brought up for considera ton
and iscussion as had been presented 10
the superintendent by the various teach
ers at intervals during the present school
year
Misses Agnes Blakely. Mary Jordon
and Mary Shaw were the first speakers
of the morning. They very ably and
thoroughly discussed viii Questions
Beyond the Pupils Advancement Tend
to Develop Any Thought Power?" 1t was
clearly shown that in every recitation
there should be a wei defined object in
thew and every question should be step
IN advancing toward the attainment of
this object. Self activity is the only
means Of growth and development. Miss
Jordon brought out the thought that if
questions beyond the advancement OF
pupil bear the proper relation 90 what he
knows Of the subject and follow the logi-
cal development Of the subject they will
tend to cultivate and strengt then the reas-
oning faculties.
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Teaching by Groups was discussed by
Misses Eva Minick, Mary Bricker and
Lulu Andrews The trend of their re-
marks showed that they were each be-
tievers in the group method-of dividing
the school into as many classes or groups
as could be conveniently managed, this
being both an aid to good discipline and
TO advancement in the various branches
of study. Miss Andrews said that more
than three groups or classes were cum
oersome and difficult to conduct.
The next subject for consideration was
How Best to Secure the Cooperation of
Those Parents Who do Not Realize Their
Share of Responsibility for the Pupils
Conduct in School, The ones assigned
TO answer this suestion were Misses Kate
McNabb, Maude Sargent and Clemma
Fitch. Miss McNabb said that she pre-
ferred reaching the parents who DO not
seem to realize their share of RESPONSE
bility for the pupils conduct in school
through the pupil himself. If the child
IS reached it assures sympathy on the
part Of the parent. He who lays his
hand upon a child's head touches the
mothers heart" 1t does not take pu-
Pill long 10 determine whether or not the
teacher is his friend. If a feeling OF SYM
patty and confidence is established, it
works wonders with both child and pa
rent. Miss Fitch suggested as a good
method to secure the desired end and
the best results was by visiting the home
of such parents. Many heart can be
reached by a friendly and informal coz
versation that would remain unmoved by
the most powerful eloquence. 1t should
be the teachers privilege to become &C
quainted with the parent, and 10 let him
understand by a personal interview his
plans and aims for the improvement of
the school. If parents do not always feel
as interested as they should, it is part
of the teachers work TO excite their in
terest and TO win them to his aid by all
the proper means in his power.
The fourth topic on the round table
was discussed by Misses Emma Hill and
Agnes Conway, the subject being "Sug-
gestions for Presenting the Various
Phases of Nature Study" Miss Hill
said that the prime object in nature study
is to teach people TO enjoy and appreci-
ate the many beautiful things which God
IN nature has surrounded him. All the
world is not only fresh and sweet but
beautiful. Yet so many are utterly OBJ
ivioUs to all this beauty or to anything
beautiful IN nature. Like everything
else, a taste for these things can be cult
waited, and it will give more and more
pleasure. Have the children take five
minutes a day to look about them, and
get into their hearts the loneliness they
can not fail TO find. Monotony need
never be feared. The same cloud picture
is never seen twice. The year with ITS
loneliness goes by, and even the
youngest pupils can be taught TO OBJ
serve and note with delight the harmoni-
Gus forms and various combinations or
glorious nature in all her wondrous beau
~.
Should Pupils be Required to Make
Up Lessons Missed by Absence?" was
the next topic in order for deliberatioa.
Misses Eta Fellows, Belle Walker and
Jessie Drown were the participants in
the discussion of this subject. Miss Eel
lows said: When child is absent on &C
count of sickness | let him do as ne
pleases about making up his work. The
child viii wish 10 do 50. The
child who does not Will get a lesson II
the discipline OF consequences which will
do him good and make him less careless
the next year. If j suspect that child
has stayed away TO escape a difficult les
son L require him to make it up when he
II pupil, is irregular in at
tendance through Indifference, requiring
him TO make up his lessons when he re-
turns might be bitter dose that would |
cure or alleviate his disease. That sug- |
gests the idea that his disease of indiffer- |
ence might be reached in another way. |
BY making school a pleasant and at |
tractive place for him. I suppose one IS |
the other homeopathic.
The next question TO be answered was
As follows: Does OBTAINING Pupils After |
School 10 Finish the Work OF the Day |
Make Them Any Stronger for Their Next |