The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-13
Are These "Absolute Fadsp"

When our new superintendent Of
schools announced that he was going
to abolish the absolute fadS" in our
school curriculum he inconsderately
deferred definitions and left the COM
munity to find out what, in his opinion,
they WERE as he reached and demol-
ished them. While the school board, or
its majority, have departed from for
mer methods, and have adopted what
they term executive sessions but what
in party methods, are termed caucuses,
the public has to wait to know what
is to be done. concerning matters in
which they have some interest until
the fact is accomplished and announc-
ed. But conclusions of the caucus eX-
ude, and we get some glimmer of what
is coming ~r-
1t tranSpires through the president of
the board, who communicated it conf
dentially to some one who permitted it
that the superintendent had prepared a
list of teachers of the Central high
school whom he will recommend the
board to retain. It will surprise those
of our citizens familiar with that school
and it's teachers to be told that this list
does not contain the names of some of
the Oldest and best teachers of that
school, Investigation elicits the infor-
nation that the cause of this action is
the notion which the gentleman from
Missouri imports that it is detrimental
to the school to have a teacher who in
spires her pupils with a personal re-
gard; who wins not only their respect
but their esteem, and thus exercises
strong influence over them and the de-
velOpment of their character. 1t is in
furious to the school because there are
other teachers, who, owing to differ
ence in temperament or in professional
ideals, are incapable of establishing
these close relations with the pupils.
Naturally such consider this a reflec-
ton upon themselves and come easily
to regard it as hurtful to the school.
The superintendent himself, whether
because he did not succeed when prin-
cipal in gaining the esteem of his jun
ior and senior classes, or because of the
pedagogic wisdom he gained in Mis-
souri,, we are not informed, thinks that
teacher should not have the personal
iCS1i VI Hei pQpilS.
The teachers slated for dismissal have
been exceptionally fortunate in gain
ing an influence over the young men
and women confided to their care, and
have exercised it for their good. Par
entS who hold to the idea that the
teacher is the best who thus wins and
influences her pupils have been re-
joiced that 1t was the good fortune Of
their children to have such aid in mold
ing the characters of their children at
that period when the Elasticity of youth
character. They have seen their chill
dren come from the influence of these
teachers, thus marked for dismissal,
with higher aspirations, purer ideals,
broader views of life, and have felt
that they had gained in this more that
would affect, their lives for good than
all the knowledge gained from the text
books.
We areSthus compelled to place among
the absolute fads., of pedagogy the
notion that teachers should be more
than hearers of Rotations and mark
ers Of standing. We apprehend that
there will be a determined resistance
to the abolition Of this fad" We need
not mention the names of these teach
ers. 1t is enough to say that they are
those who have served for years; have
stood the higheN with their pupils, and
have been accounted among the best in
the school. We warn the people of St.
Paul that unless they make emphatic
expression of their opinion, this secret
ly prepared slate will go through as ex-
peditiously as did the one on which was
written the change in superintendent.
1t is high time that the people walked
up to what is going on and began to
roar.