The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-04
HE rs PRESIDENT OF THE ILL
NoLS STATE UNIVERSITY
And One Of the Most Prominent Ped
agogues in the United States.
4 His Work for Education

i. tendent CT City SCHOOLS roshdy iherS-
lduced the visitor in few well chosen
words.
DR.. Draper is y man Of most pleasing
personality, and his address was IT an
altogether informal character At the
outset he stated that he had been unde-
cided whether to deliver an address on
q given subject that is, read paper or
Il talk to his audience teacher fashion.
X shop to those interested in that kind
Of Shop talk. He had decided upon the
latter course. For more than an hour
he spoke upon the duties Of a teacher,
the responsibilities Of q teachers posi-
tion, and the means that should be en-
ployed to obtain the best results in the
schools.
He had visited the city schools earlier
in the day. He said he did not feel
called upon to come to Los Angeles to
do missionary work in the. schools. as
the fame Of the schools here. the school
system and the state normal school was
not confined to state limits. 1t did not
take a person who had had experience
to tell at a glance what kind Of work was
being done in schools which they visited.
He considered the condition Of the black
cation of the kind of work that was be-
ing done, saying that II the board were
neat and clean, II the work on them was
placed in an attractive manner, and
there was about the room an air of
cleanliness and neatness, it was safe to
believe that the work in such a room
was satisfactory in every way.
From the beginning Of school system
In this country the speaker showed the
Improvements that had been made, and
me bearing they had had upon the ma
cional life. He also spoke pleasingly
upon the worldwide fraternal feeling
among educators. He admitted the
well known saying that the schools were
the safeguard of the nation, but added
that the state did not exist for security
only, but for advancement in all lines,
and the schools must assist in that adj
vancement. in fact be the cause for 1t.
He pointed to the dangers and difficult
ties which beset the public school sys-
items in the larger cities, and declared
that preparations should be made to
meet them, explaining the causes for
some of the school teaching difficulties
In larger cities. the effect of small
quarters upon the children, and, more
ininortant than all else, the result of the
proper effort by the teacher under un-
favorable circumstances.
Unless you can eliminate favoritism
from the public schools you might as
well close the schools" said he. I'VE
have got to a time when no persons
: should be empowered to teach who have
not received good secondary educa-
ton and the professional training that
ID to be secured from course in a good
normal school. There are some ex-
cellent teachers who have attained their
excellence through long experience, but
how much better teachers they would be
II they had had the advantage Of the
proper training. Ours is the noblest Of
/, the sciences. 1t is science. know Of
no word that has been more abused than
that Of professor From a corn doctor
to college president there are so-called
professors. Why, man on the gallows
in Canada turned to the hangman re-
Gently and addressed him by that title.
The matter of the development of force
Of teachers in large city is a serious
one. One poor or Incompetent teacher
can do more to tear down an excellent
school system than fifty earnest and
capable ones can do to build 1t up
DR.. Draper related several incidents
" AHuStIdtc lie polutS ne desired TO
make. Speaking of the danger of APP
pointing teachers simply because they !
bad influential backing, the speaker |
made remark that caused a number |
of his auditors to smile. He said there |
were other influences besides that of |
politics. 1.-THE church sometimes has |
an influence" Those who remembered |
the doings OF Brother" Pitman brought |
ant In 4, nf IA hAo rI ,F
ton investigation noticed that the |
speaker had innocently made good
point. He closed with an appeal for the
appointment of teachers on a merit |
basis.
DR.. Draper has record as an edu-
Gator such as is possessed by few other |
men holding similar positions. Perhaps
his greatest work wa to establish the
present system of education in the state
of New York. He held the position of |
state superintendent Of public instruc-
ton In that state from 1885 to 1892 and
thoroughly reorganized the system
there. From there he went to Cleveland. |
o., where he was given full authority to |
make all appointments of teachers and
practically controlled the schools. The
result was that when he left Cleveland
to accept the presidency of the Illinois
State university that city had one Of the
best school systems in the country. He
was invited to the Pacific coast to ad-
dress the State Teachers association,
which held its annual meeting in San
Francisco last week. At the time he
was IN charge of the New York schools
Prof. Foshay was a county superintend-
eut there and the two were .intimatelv
associated in their work 1t was upon
the earnest invitation of Prof. Foshav
that he came to Los Angeles and de-
livered his address.
ANOTHER PROMINENT TEAoHER
A Member Of the Texas University
Faculty to Address Educators
~ Joseph Baldwin, member Of the