The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-28
A GREAT MEETING.
Worcester County
Teachers Crowd the
English High School.
PROF. J. NJ. TYLER ON KIPLING.
He Prefers One Poem to
All the Books on
Pedagogy.

PEDAGOGY.
The only disappointment connected
with the annual meeting Of the Worccs-
ter County Teachers association yes
terday was occasioned by the made
quacy IF the English high school hall
to accommodate the large number of
teachers who desired to participate in
the morning session. A hall which at a
pinch will not hold more than 800 per-
sons, was called upon to seat 150O. with
the consequence that every chair and
every inch of room in halls galleries.
corridors and staircase was taxed to it's
utmost. Superintendent Carroll waxed
Wfoth when he saw the total made
quacy of the place, and vowed that the
next convention should be held in Me-
chanics hail. if he had his way Prin-
cipal Edward r. Goodwin of the clas-
steal high school also objected strenu-
ously to the arrangement. If the wishes
of the numberless persons who We're
unable to get within earshot of the
speakers be added to those of the prin-
cipals of the meeting, it is easy to see
the next convention will be held else
where than in the handsome English
high school building.
This defect aside, the days sessions
were pronounced success. The morn
ing was characterized by two notable
addresses, and the afternoon session
was divided into three sections, at each
one of which interesting addresses and
papers We're presented. The one failure
n WOE Jt1a
of his honor Mayor r. b. Dodge, Jr..
to appear, he being unavci0ably de-
tanned, and the address of welcome
which he was to have made, remained
unsaid
The meeting was called to order at
$3.50 o'clock by the president, Alonzo K.
Learned of Holden and prayer was Of
Tered by Rev D.. Almon Gunnison, af-
ter which the audience joined in the
hymn, Prayer for strength" under the
direction of Seth Richards, supervisor
Of music in the Worcester public
schools.
Pie following nominating committee
was appointed: Francis 2. McKeon of
Worcester echairman), G. P. Hitchcock
of Fitchburg. C. II. Palmer of North
bore j. T. Clark Of Southbridge, and
D. B. Locke of Winchendon At the
close of the business session, Mr.. Nc
committee the following list of officers:
President, E. R. Goodwin, principal of
the classical high school, Worcester;
vice presidents, John G. Thompson,
principal of the Fitohburg normal
| school; Superintendent Waldron of
Westboro and Principal F. E. Corbin
OF Southbridge high school; secretary,
z. S. Lyman, superintendent of the Ok
ford and Millbury district; treasurer,
tn Wy,
| committee Edgar E. Thompson, Wor-
cester, Wallace E. Mason, Leominster,
! and Miss Annie M. Potter, Northboro.
The report being accepted, the sec
rotary was instructed to cast a yea
| ballot electing the officers. Joseph
| jackson, treasurer, reported the re-
| ceipts for the last fiscal year were SIP.
| the payments $10415; balance for the
year, $685. balance for the preceding
year, $46.35 leaving the amount of
$114.20 on hand
Prof John NJ. Tyler of Amherst coll
lege, who was introduced as the first
| speaker, created a sensation by his out
| spoken remarks on pedagogy and the
valuation he placed upon Kipling as
an educator, His theme was 1.-THE
| origin of common sense" He said
substantially:
Can metaphysical statements be veri-
metaphysical statements and theories
pertaining to morals and religion pow
erfullY influence our daily lives for good
or evil If these theories accord with
| external reality, they will probably
mold the person who accepts them into
more complete conformity with envi-
ronment. He will survive and lead
! others to accept them. If the reverse
be true of the theory, he will be nodded
by it into non conformity with envi-
ronment and he or hts descendants will
| perish. The full trial of the expert
ment may require ages. Nature is very
patient, but the result is finally sum
med up in what we call the verdict of
history.
Can the belief in any verdict of his
tory be handed down by heredity and
become a part of the structure of our
brain? Instincts are evidently inher-
tied and with the instinct goes the
knowledge necessary for the perform
ance of the action. Mental capacity is
inherited The inherited mental ca
pacity is usually great for certain
studies or pursuits, e. g., science, math-
ematics, language. The existence of a
God and the claims of duty are con-
sidered by some automatic This thew
can hardly be, for they are not ac-
knowledged by some apparently sane
men and women. Like aXioms they
have been tested by human experience
in all times and places, and their value
and truth have been established Like
axioms again, they seem to form
part of the inherited furnishings of our
brains. But unlike axioms, they are
not yet, at least firmly enough rooted
and fixed to compel universal recogni-
ton. We might, perhaps, venture to
call them emi-axiomatic
These often inconvenient and disa-
greeable conceptions, which are not
automatic, but which are so interwo-
ven with the fibres of my brain that l
cannot get rid Of them, are what l
would call convictions. They are the
inherited results of racial experience.
| They have stood the test of life through
| the ages and have won the favorable
| verdict of biological history They
have made man what he is. They are
our most priceless heritage. If we are
| TO progress, they must dominate our
minds. II our civilization is TO sur
(M~ Mn GEnNAEAU