The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-28

! VI teacnerS-Sa1Q 10 De the largest IN liss
history of the association-credit FOL
which excellent showing is given Prof
n. q. Butcher, chairman OF the executive
committee, and his active associates
Prof. ]. r. Campbell and G. D. Moss.
Prof F. n. Howell's paper on 1.-The
Mission Of the High School, provoked
the main discussion of the day. 1t was a
splendid plea for the extension of the
field of high school work. ''The high
school," said Prof. Howell, "fulills a
double purpose. It is a school of prepar-
alton for university work and a finishing
school for those students who do not
take up the work Of higher education.
AS the latter class forms So per cent Of
the enrolment, this is by far the most
important work. In this latter character
it is seIective. 1t should bring out the
/ students natural aptitudes and develop
those abilities. It usually fails in this.
| however, because of giving too much
time to the preparatory feature, and be-
cause of lack of breadth of course"
He advocated placing logic, political
economy, chemistry and trigonometry
! in the usual high. school course. He
also argued that the high school should
! fit the community and that it should de-
velop along manual training lines.
/ Prof. J. P. Evans of Pond Creek fol-
lowed Prof. Howell. He advocated a
single, uniform course in all high schools,
and quoted extensively from Luther to
the effect that the main purpose Of edu-
cation is mental development and not
making ones self a mere storehouse Of
knowledge In eloquent words he de-
scrfbed the happiness of the true student
in pursuing his studies for the sake OF
truth.
Prof E. W. Johnston Of Shawnee caus-
ed break in the routine of the program
by an unexpected stand in favor of the
preparatory feature Of the high school
work. He declared there was much more
poetry than truth in the worn-out criti-
cism Of the high school which alleges
that they spend too much time preparing
students for college. He pointed out the
fact that all of the territorial institu-
tons We're compelled to maintain prepar-
atory departments, whose enrolment ag-
gregated several hundred students. He
said that while high school teachers
university work, the faculties Of the ter
ritorial institutions were spending fully
half Of their time and energy in doing
high school work, merely because the
high schools failed to perform their func-
ton as preparatory schools. He question
ed If manual training were of any more
practical value than classical training.
and declared it was impossible to give
students a purely utilitarian education.
I'VE can not send these students out
into life with explicit directions for liv-
Ing" said he "All we can do is to de-
velop their faculties, give them a strong
er and nobler character and train them
to face emergencies and master the Sit
nations"
His position was attacked by Superin-
tendent Nihart, but was warmly defended
by President Boyd and Prof. De Barr Of
the university.
President J. T. House, Of Kingisher
college, read an excellent paper on Eng |
lish in Secondary Schools He warmly |
advocated a thorough study of the great |
authors who have written in our tongue. |
He said we were likely to spend too much |
Plus Aeneas'' and to pass by as great |
genius in our own language. Shake
speare, he declared, Is the master of the
ages; Bacon the equal of Plato, while
Spenser and Tennyson stand unsurpassed
n the roll of the worlds great poets.
He mildly criticised a statement recently
made by Pres. Jesse at Purcell that our
English studies should be read more and
-orn to pieces less. President House
questioned whether a study in literature
s Of much value unless it is analysed
more or less. We have a wonderful SAL
Ky Of truly great writer's and if the Eext
gets we'll acquainted with
hese we shall be relieved of the food of
'Duchesses" and "Holmeses" that have
vearied long-suffering public.
Superintendent Winsor of Ponca de-
ended Prof Jesse's position to some ex-
mt and said the first work in English
hould be to read the. masterpieces mere
Y for their exquisite beauty. Prof. lou
lold and Prof. Umholtz discussed the
ubject very ably to much the same ef-
ect. Superintendent Hopkins suggested
hat the teachers work in literature
hould be to draw out the students
IDEAS and criticisms and then correct
wrong impressions rather than to over
yhelm the student under a food Of the
eacher's ideas
President Boyd and Superintendent
vinsor then conducted critical discus
ion of the technical side of the ques-
ion.
Prof W. N Rice presented very |
cholarly paper on The Relation Of the
chools to the Social Problems Of the
lay" His discussion Of this subject was
cry profound, and some Of his SEN
ances deserve to pass into aphorisms:
The schools depend on society,"" said
e. 'and society depends partly on the
chools." From this text he carefully
rgued the duties OF the teacher IN his
roral aspect. He reviewed the former
ttitude Of the schools toward women .
nd their rapid rise to the foremost !
lace in educational affairs. He declared (
hat it is no longer a question of what
hall we do with the women but "vhat :
ill the women do with us2''
Prof. Farrell. who followed him. was {
OF so charitable toward women, but he
lw on ominous danger IN the growing !
isposition Of woman 70 make her own :
.ay in the world. He thinks the women
Mould be taught to stay al home-as
BON as they graduate. He further de- q
AIRED that Ingersoll had been driven TO c
fidelity by Calvinism and quoted him as
1ying that Calvin took his somher
ews Of life on account u Indigestion :
.duced BY his mothers bad 30 king. Z
lperfntendent Locke o. Enid with few 2
i5ty remarks, closed the didscuss;5u. z
Miss r Alma Carson o. Guthrie read z