Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-13
TEACHERS ar HARRISBURG


TEACHERS AT HARRISBURG
An Excellent Meeting Held There Last
| Observation-Disclosures Good.
Blakesburg, reb. 13.-(Special Core
spondence.)-Last Saturday. Febru-
airy 10, the teachers of the south
eastern part of Wapeilo county met at
Blakesburg and held one of the best
and most enthusiastic meetings held in
4 this county Cor some time. The meet
1 ing was held in the NJ. +. church and
was well attended, especially the after
noon session. The meeting, which was
presided over by A. N. Smith, principal
of the Blakesburg schools, was called
to order at IL O'clock.
After singing america" prayer was
offered by Rev. De zoe. County Super
intendent Eeniah Dimmitt was then in
troduced and offered few introduce
tory remarks. The first number on the
program was Necessity of Universal
Education The subject had been as
signed to Ira Haning, but for some
reason he was unable to be present,
and the subject was taken up by Dr..
c. n. Udell, who made an excellent talk
on it. In his remarks he spoke strong
| ly in favor of a compulsory school law
for Iowa. He stated that crime would
be lessened and taxes would be reduced
if the people were better educated.
DR.. Udell was followed by Jesse Moor,
who spoke briefly on the subject, MAIN
ly emphasizing the necessity of COM
pulsory school law.
The next subject taken up was 'Our
Country Schools" Mr.. Herman Snow
spoke on this, from the standpoint of
the patron He reviewed the history of
the country schools from early
days to the present time. He
spoke of the great improve
ments the schools had made in the past
twenty and thirty years; of the log
buildings and rudely constructed
benches, as compared with the build
ings, furniture, apparatus, teachers,
etc, OF the present, and stated that in
order to bring about the best results,
the patron Should stand by the teach
ers and work in harmony with them.
John Berry followed on this subject,
speaking from the standpoint of the
director. His talk was much in the
same line as that of Mr.. Snow. Princi-
pal Z. S. Hill, of Chillicothe, was TO
present this subject from the stand
point of the teacher, but as he was alb
sent, this part of the subject was left
with the teachers present 20 take up.
VIM. La Toilette opened by stating that
4 the work done in the country school
was in most cases superior to the work
done in the city or graded
schools He referred to the apparatus
OF the graded schools as toys and as
/ Dffh fp oil r.,
mat without these they would fall, and
as such were hindrance to good sound
thinking. He was followed by Boyd
i Miller, G. f. Eakins, Superintendent
Dimmitt and Mr.. Callister, of Agency.
the latter strongly defending the po-
sition of the graded schools and stated
that the apparatus used was not con-
sidered as crutches but an absolute
i necessity.
The meeting then adjourned till 1880
o'clock. The afternoon session was
called TO ORDER at the appointed time,
and after listening to a selection by
the quartet, the first subject taken
up was the question of ''School Libra
ries." Roy Farrand read an excellent
paper upon this subject, after which it
was freely discussed by VIM. LaFol-
lette, Superintendent Dimmitt, Her.
man Snow and Mr.. Callister.
/ Another selection was then rendered
by the quartete, after which VIM. La
Toilette delivered his address upon the
subject, "Education-What is it. and
Do We Get It?" Mr.. LaFolletfe's eff
4 forts were mastery production and
he, held the close attention of the au-
/ dience for about an hour. At the close
of his address another selection was
rendered by the quartet, and then the
subject of the Central Township
School and Transportation of Chill
dren' was taken up. Principal A. N
Smith, Alfred Peterson and Mr.. CAL
4 lister each read paper in which all
advocated the adoption of such plan.
Arnold Jay followed in discussion. He
stated some of the objections to the
plan, but thought that these could be
easily overcome, if the people could be
led to see the manifold advantages this
plan offers over our present district
system, and all work in harmony to
that end. G. F. Eakins followed and
stated what he had learned and seen
of this system from a visit to Buffalo
Center where this plan has been in
operation for several years, and stated
that there, the township plan was Jas
far as he could learn. perfect success.
Supt Dimmitt spoke upon this
4 question enthusiastically in favor of
the township system and showed espe-
cially the advantages the schools would
have in better supervision.
School Room Decoration" was the
next subject and was ably handled by
Mrs. Leota Miller and Miss Ada Burge-
son. This was followed by two excel
lent papers upon the subject, How to
Teach Geography by Leslie Berry
and Ethel Upp. Owing to the limited
time the last two subjects were not
discussed by any others excepting
those to whom the subject had been
assigned
On motion vote of thanks was ex-
i tended the quartet for the excellent
music furnished and the meeting adj
). journed.