The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-17
EDlNBURGH'S SCHOOL LIFE
FICATION OF ST. PAUL
rt--r- TEACHERS
Rev. Thomas Burns, of the School
Board There, Tells of the Meth
DDS in the "Best Governed City
in the World"

In the World"
One enjoyable innovation at the meeting
of the city school teachers yesterday
one of the largest in the history of the
city schools-was the presence of proml-
nent educator from abroad, Rev. Thomas
Burns, a Fellow of the Royal Society of
Edinburgh, for fifteen years a member of
the school board of Scotland's capital,
and convener of evening continuation
schools.
Mr. Burns described the Edinburgh
school system. The school board was
elective, and its work was done by COM
mittees and subsequently ratified by the
full board Appointments to the teach
ing staff were virtually for life The ele-
mentary schools were equipped with eX-
cellent swimming baths and gymnasiums
for both sexes
There was a approximation act under
which teachers retired at the age of six
ty-five with pension proportional to
the length of teaching service Where
a teacher broke down in health he re-
ceived his full salary for the first month.
If at the end of that time he was still
incapacitated, he might again receive
=
he was allowed half pay. After that,
salary ceased, but the teachers name still
adorned the rolls. and as soon as well
he stepped back into his old place, which
was always kept for him. One-third of
the teachers were males. He referred to
the evening schools of Scotland, which
were most successful Seventy per cent
of the pupils were not absent single
night.
DR. A. B. Medium spoke briefly.
Superintendent Smith, after formally
welcoming the teachers, presented an
address having to do principally with the
subjects of psychology and pedagogy.
On the psychological problem Mr.. Smith
said that teachers should not hesitate to
study this subject, because 1t was dimly
understood, and because it's principles
were vague and heavy. For more than
thirty years Dr.. Harris had pleaded for
a rational view of this subject, and as an
interpreter of the philosophy of Kant, had
done a great work on behalf of American
teachers. For the very reason that the
subject was so little understood, the
greater need was there for conscientious
study, and the sensible, earnest eXamina-
ton of its fundamental principles.
Teaching pedagogy: Mr.. Smith said
that since Mr.. Hills treatise on the order
of studies, none had treated the philos-
OphE OF the course or study 1uliy ana IN
telligently. We tended too strongly to-
wards specialization, which theoretically
aided general knowledge, but practically
narrowed it. We were not deaf to the
clamor for a broad education, nor blind
to the fact that the argument was grow
ing more pronounced; that inasmuch as
it was impossible TO know everything, it
was well to know something very thor
oughly So grave was the danger of an
ever-narrowing line of thought and study
that too much encouragement should not
be given special work.
Referring to correlation, after quoting
some eminent authorities. Supt. Smith
said there was no question but that all
difficulties in the correlation of studies
might be traced to incorrectly applied
psychological principles. Correlation was
no empty theory. Every course of study
declared it's existence. ard claimed an