The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-10
FRICTION IS INCREASING
Misunderstanding Exists Among
State Teachers Generally.
CARLETON INVESTIGATING
The Absence OF Many Members From the
Meeting of the Organization at Hell
ena Last Month Explained in
a Clear Manner.

The friction between the State Teach-
ers' association and members of the pro-
fession generally seems to be increasing.
and since the last meeting of the state
organization there has been consider
able talking on both sides and the state
superintendent is quoted in a Helena
paper as saying that if some prominent
educators are responsible for certain
criticisims credited to them he Will let
them hear from him in no uncertain
terms. Few of the Butte teachers at
aended the meeting of the state organ
zzation and as result the meeting was
mot as great a success as former ones.
Various reasons are given for the alb
sence of the Butte teachers. According
TO an explanation given by one there
appears to be feeling among them
Hhat the state association is in the
hands of the presidents of the state in
situations and a few Of the members of
Hhe state board of education and con-
Hrolled for personal and political pur~
poses. At the present time the eN-
ecutiye committee of that organization
is composed of two of the presidents or
1he state colleges and member of the
state board of education. The pro-
grammes. hours for the business meet
hngs and the general policy of the as
ISOLATION il is claimed, is TO be con-
rrolled by this committee in the interest
ings Gazette shows the feeling in other
parts of the state:
u w. Johnston, principal of the city
schools. returned Friday from Helena,
where he attended the annual con-
vention of the Montana teachers. In
an interview regarding the meeting, he
said:
The attendance upon the associa-
tion was not as large as on former oe-
casions. Some of the schools of the
state We're but poorly represented,
while others had no representation at
all. A we'll grounded feeling seemed TO
he entertained that a few individuals
are endeayoring To fnst their own
methods and devices on the entire
state-methods and devices that have
been rejected by many of the best edu-
Gators in both the East and West. 1t
is we'll known among teachers every
where that no one method should be
allowed to prevail in the profession at
large. For all the teachers to adopt
she same ideas would be taken as an
evidence of weakness on their part.
tit would bring to a standstill inNesti-
cation and thought along the line of
mental development and professional
work. A one-idea plan or method can
no more be expected among teachers
than can the idea that all our political
parties viii merge into one. The best
interests of the schools and of the
whole people do not demand indeed
cannot be served by any such profess
sional or political unification. Some OF
The methods represented as new and
entirely original i'm this state are sim
ply relics of the past in some Eastern
schools. The dangerous element in this
state now is the endeaVor to enforce
the fthat-is-t he-way to teach" plan. II
will never be adopted by the state at
large. and cheap bids for professional
glory win fail.
The regulations of the best schools
and the best school men and women
will. in time become known and appre-
riated by the people. without being
paraded by political accidents The
people of Montana take great interest
in the state institutions and it is to he
hoped those institutions will do in The
future as they have done in the past
that is. steer clear of the .only-way'
policy.
THE papers and discussions of I'll,
association We're of a high order anc
those present seemed to recognize III,
fact that something must be done [,
heal the breach that seems To he widen
ing and has resulted in the Withdrawal
Of some of the schools of the state
1T is 10 be hoped that another year vii
see a little more liberal policy in schoo
circles and larger and more enthusl
astic State Teachers association thar
the one that has Just closed.