The Worcester spy., 1899-05-21
SCHOOL MASTERS.
Annual Dinner Of
Worcester County
Club.
HISTORY DISCUSSED
Richard H. Mooney Reads
Interesting -Elec-
ton Of officers.

The ninth semi-annual dinner of the
Worcester County Schoolnasters' Club
was held yesterday at the State Mutual
restaurant. Departing from the custom
which has prevailed for number of
years, the discussion and business
meeting were held before dinner.
The convention assembled at 10
o'clock with so teachers and principals
from all sections of the county in at
tendance. The subject for discussion,
History" called ~ an interesting and
scholarly discussion, and was opened
by general survey of the subject
by Walter Parker, supervisor of the
Boston public school.
r, Fl. Mooney of this city followed
with paper on History in the early
grades" He said in part:
That expansion of mind which we
call education originates in the contact
Of the mind with facts or objects of
knowledge. All mental activity. the
whole term of cognition, feeling and
Will takes its rise in the establishment
or such points Of contact These facts
or objects constitute the principle
agents of education and are divisable
into three classes, namely: Facts of
nature, facts of human society and
facts of the self-conscious mind.
In the minds contact with its natu-
raj environments, natural science orig
mates; in its contact with its social
environment, social and moral sciences
have their rise; in its contact with it.
self, the mental sciences appear I'm
der each one Of these three heads our
first knowledge must necessarily be
primitive, original or first hand. Our
first three teachers are the three worlds
In which we move.
But there is secondary group of ed
ucational faculties. Men impart tc
each other what they learn at first
hand, or by experience and thus origi-
mates the great fact Of communication
or tradition.
This communication of thought as
sumes four forms: Oral language or
tradition proper material monuments;
symbolism and written language, His
tory falls under the second @E hese
two groups Of factors. 1t is connected
with all Of the secondary gropn It is
the main channel through which the
experience of the past is transmitted
to us.
To ask, therefore whether it is
worth while to study history in the
early grades, is to ask whether it is
worth while to refer to the experience
of the race. Civilized man alone has
developed institutions such as the
state and the church. Hence the ST.
preme Importance of the early study
of history which enables the child to
understand the institutions under
which he lives; the family, the home,
the church, the neighborhood; and
under which he will develop, lifting him
r,G hfc nxrrT1
interests. The study of history with
literature, places before him examples
of great deeds, noble aspirations and
heroic struggles for principles and
ideas.
other participants in the discussion
were Louis P. Nash of Gardner, c. l..
Hunt of Clinton. w. c. Pickett OF
Spencer, Richard H. Mooney. Alber,
Gray, w. H. Bartlett, F. W. Vermtlle
and E. r. Goodwin, all of this city:
Louis P. Nash spoke on History OF
the United States; c. L. Hunt on TEXT
books in history; Albert Gray on
"9istory in the high school,: w. II.
Bartlett on History and civil govern
ment"; W. C. Fickett on Local his
tory"
care these officers were elected: Rich
ard II. Mooney, president; c. S. Lyman
and G. L. Hunt, vice presidents; w. r.;
Mason of Leominster, secretary and
treasurer. The executive committee
consists of w. e. Sargent, Lancaster;
Homer p Lewis. worcester; e. S. Ter
riH Spencer; VIM. F. Abbot, Wor-
After the completion of minor bust
ness the meeting adjourned to the
dining rooms, where an elaborate din
nor was served.