The herald., 1898-04-01

AMERI0AM HISTORY IN THE
81 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
INDUSTRIAL DECORATIVE ART
Reception at Chamber Of Commerce.
General Session This Morning
at Hazards Pavilion

The First Congregational church was full
to suffocation yesterday morning at the
opening session of the Southern Califor-
mia Teachers association. The aisles. YES
tibules and all available space were occu-
pied by people who stood throughout the
program. The lady teachers are to be com
mended for the unanimity with which they
have laid aside their hats during this week
of institutes. The exercises began with a
chorus by the Normal School Glee club. fol-
lowed by an invocation by Rev. Warren 4.
Day, pastor of the church. Mayor Snyder
then in brief butRpertinent address well
coined the teachers from all over South
ern California to Los Angeles. This was
responded to by J. P. Greeley of Santa
Z A1f6, president of the association.
DIR. VAN LIEW'S PAPER
!. Prof. G. c. Van Liew of the state normal
: school then addressed the audience on
'.some Difficulties in the Present Develop
ment Of the Common School Curriculum"
Prof. Van Lew spoke Of the feeling of
doubt prevalent among educators,
whether the present curriculum suf-
fciently represents the intelligent
+ LaOuSuS VI LILO Qdys Inns Al AAAAiiA-
fest in the unrest that gives point to
! the present discussion, whether there may
not be room for improvement. The diff
zficulties cited in the present development
of a better curriculum come both from
without and within the influence that
comes from patrons opposed to change and
the conservatism of teachers who dislike
to use new methods. In the end the i'm
~ %Ln {v,ct 1ofn
The teacher needs a deeper insight into
q few things by special training, and the
normal school must give opportunity for
departmental work. When a new idea has
been pushed, abundant evidence is given
that the public easily becomes apprehen-
sive of modern educational undertakings.
But when education becomes too exclu-
sive It is time for It to retire from the
public gaze.
PROF. HOOSE
Prof, Edwin A. Ross of Stanford who
was to have lectured on Education for
Culture" did not arrive, and Prof. J. H.
Hoose, who fills the chair of pedagogy in
the Southern California university, was
the next speaker. on the subject. ''Civiliza-
tion VS.. the Child in Education" 1.-THE
child is born into civilization and into the
grasp of positive and relentless forces.
These lie in the institutions into which he
makes his advent. Civilization first takes
the form Of the baby clothes in which lie
is dressed first, long skirts, then short ones
and then no skirts at all. He finds himself
subject of government, compelled to
obedience by governmental form. He is
only a passenger in the car of progress.
Civilization is a positive force by and
through it's Institutions Archaic society
was seated upon custom and remained sta
tionary. Custom has been and still is the
powerful force that conserves the law of
change. Modern thought asks Is the OLD
way the only way to conserve force? The
child is endowed with positive forces that
make up his individuality and personality.
The traits originally inherited make up his
individuality, those differentiated from in
heritance make up his personality. Per-
sonal traits are conditioned by environ
ment, and If ever culture carries with It
mental status and conditions it must carry
with it a moral and social attitude. Man
cannot be emancipated from himself and
from civilization.
"This history of pedagogy is yet to be
written in the evolution of our institutions.
What we have learned are merely Incl
dentals. The function Of science is to in
vestigate things as they exist Exact
science looks forward into the next CEN
fury; inexact science deals with the af-
fairs of today. In science and psychology
we were promised royal road to learn
ing; sort of 1.-The teacher touched the but
ton while you wait" scheme. In all these
conditions there is much that is hopeful
The tendency is steadily upward and we
are where we are because We have kept
up with progress
AMERICAN HISTORY
1t was rather unfortunate that Prof. c.
A. Dunniway of Stanford university was
crowded to the latter end of the program TO
give his splendid address on american
History in the Public Schools" He should
have had double the time allotted to him,
and the close attention of the large audi
ence, which, owing to the near approach
to noon, was becoming restless and anxious
for dinner. The speaker said, had time
been given him, he would have divided his
subject into three heads: "Why Teach His
tory in the Public Schools?" "When and
How?
"Teach it because it is a body of knowl-
edge that is worth knowing. 1t is of value
in democratic country where every man
and woman is interested in government. It
Is only a generation that there has been a
professorship of American history estab-
lished in any of the universities of Amer
lea. When the colleges have been so neg
lected it is not to be wondered at that the
public schools have neglected it. 1t should
be taught because it conveys practical les
sons of inestimable value in the forces of
government. If it were well studied, with
what feelings of repulsion would one have
listened to the admonition from the plat
form to be loyal to bosses and to treat
voters to soft drinks and beer. Bossism
we would have learned from American his
tory is not leadership.
ut should be taught not only by the
higher, but in the grammar grades. by
strong teachers who can inculcate lessons
from the lives of it's heroes. Children are
natural hero worshipers, and this fact can
be taken advantage of to show them the
things that made men great. All the ad.
vantage the average American gets out OF
the Declaration of Independence is the idea
of making the eagle scream or twisting the
lions tail. Students in college have ne
conception of the true principle of liberty
A knowledge of American history would
teach them that the questions men are