The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-12-31
SOUTHERN SCHOOL
TEACHERS MET
LAST WEEK

Richmond. Va. December 27.-The tenth
annual convention Of the Southern Edu-
cational association met here this morn
ing. the attendance being very good. The
body was called to order by ]. l.. HILL
chairman OF the local committee of ar
rangement. and an Invocation was made
by Rev. Carey Il. Morgan. of this city.
Addresses of welcome were delivered by
Governor J. Ho &c Tyler Mayor Richard
VI. Taylor and City School superintendent
| Fox. and responses were made by SUI
| intondent Wooten, of Paris, Tex: X. -
! Glenn. state commissioner of education
Atlanta, Ca, and Superintendent of Pub
! lie lstruction J. q. Calhoun, OF LoulSldhd'
Mr.. HiH then surrendered the gavol 10
II. r. Fulton. chancellor Of the University
of Mississippi. who thereupon took charge
| of the convention and delivered his an
uuHl address
The morning session was concluded by
an admirable paper read by Miss Cclesta
:. Parish, professor OF physiology ara
philosophy at the Randolph Macon Wo-
| mans college, Of I.vnchburg, on the sub
Jet of Education for Southern Women
President Charles u. NcIver, of the
State Normal and Industrial college. of
[ North Carolina, and Miss Nina Homer,
of Converse college. South Carolina, ably
discussed the paper.
| This afternoon the association had six
| department conferences in which various
topics were discussed. ana later the mem
! hers attended a reception al tho exc
tive mansion. ard AT the Womans club,
the latter given by the Virginia Educa-
tional association.
| At the regular session addresses were
made by DR.. NichNas NJ. Butler. Of Co
hmbia university. New York President
+. p. Venable. University of North Caro-
Ina: Principal 2. ". Tunstal, Tome in
stitute. Port Deposit Nd: Dr. w. L.
! Council of Washington and Lee Univer-
city. and Mrs Charles A. PeIldn, Of the
/ University of Tennessee.
Tho speakers before the departments
| were:
| Miss Celestial 6. Parrish. Randolph Ma
cen COLLEGE: Or. T. W. Kline. Virginia
| State Female Normal school, Or. Ehen
| Alexander University Of North Carolina;
NJ. L. Britton. Fulton county. Ga;
! Charles + Naroles, Miller Manual school,
! Virginia; Professor ". A. Withers, col
lege of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts,
North Carolina; Professor Charles T..
! Taylor. Wake Forest. n. c.. and Pro
| fossor Albert Tutte University Of Viz
| einia. Superintendent T. &. Mclver. Chcs-
| ter. $ c.: II. Il. Work. Wheeling. W.
! Va; Professor j.. 5. Loudon, Bristol
Tenn; Professor A. g. Bucl1ncr, King $
| College. Tenn. and Professor Charles w.
! psbney, Knoxville. Tenn.
The association was aroused 10 n high
| pitch Of enthusiasm by the patriotic
I speech made by Mr. Glenn. state connie
sioner OF education of Georgia. it was
the declaration OF Mr. Glenn that the
l scholars of the south were now being
taught 20 love the flag OF their country
and 10 know and believe that they We're
! American citizens. that provoked such
/ long and loud applause. Mr.. Glenn made
/ ono Of the three response - the adj
! dresses OF welcome. He said that he was
! glad 10 breath once more the air Of Viz
/ gnia. g. bc I'm her capital city, and 20
/ associate once more with her sons. The
! association, he said was here TO study
! for awhile the great interest that the peo-
/ pie had committed To its hands. He
/ said that the spirit manifested In the
meeting was not only southern but ma
J tional. and that in all the councils of the
body should be- brought national love.
Mr. Glenn referred TO the increased APP
preparation I'm the southern states for ed
vocational purposes as "a very hopeful sign.
and expressed himself as satisfied that
I he south would not be backward In the
. great work Of the education Of her sons.
Professor Britain stated that he felt
/ somewhat embarrassed In speaking from
/ the standpoint Of a county school COM
| missioner since practically his whole
I teaching life had been concerned with
| high school work. After touching upon
the history OF the normal school idea. he
I mentioned some Of the current criticisms
I upon normal schools that too often the
| normal school is merely an academy with
/ its pupils not only lacking in scholarship.
/ but screnoIy sure that all pedagogical
Il knOwlclge is shut ina between the covers
! OF their top.c-books.
I'm a word" said he. they are too
! Sinking. scll-cOnident and shallow. And
/ So tho college or university graduate,
with accurate and liberal scholarship. is
| far more certain to succeed than the nor
l NAL graduate. even though the latter has
I al his finger tips all the latest and most
Z un to ia o. assortment of modern methods.
! IN Caesar, for instance. the teacher must
I be- able 10 do more than merely read or
/ parse a little better than his best pupil
! IL should be able To read and appraci-
! ate I.a.in. ale ought TO be man or a
/ woman of more than ono book.
/ .Hut with some Justice II may be said
/ thar The normal schools. as rule drc
I designed Ia prepare teachers for the COM
I mon schools TO better the educational
/ conditions Of the masses rather lhih inc
I favored few I'm the higher depar tmentS OF
/ edueation The pay Tor such teachers is
I generally poor and viii hardly warrant
| college trained graduates. rms also ire
/ NUHntlN IilfllLo AiAG oOsJ~1A AAtftNNNA va 4l'i T
| NAL schools and explains why they are
/ SO frequently bounded by the field Of
| secondary teaching. For we must not
! forget that the public commonly owns the
/ normal school and pays for H., ana this
| means that its graduates must be fitted
| for public school needs and conditions.
| Whis state of affairs indicates that be-
/ sides the regular normal Scnool every
/ state should Lave normal departr2ent at
It's leading college or university. Not SIM
pIv 10 put professor in charge with
! the duty of delivering lectures on psy-
| ch1logN. or history of education, but TO
! give The department a living chance for
doing its work with iaoIoi or pricuc9
! school in connection with theoretical part
of the course. Teaching is an art rs wei
as a science, and though there are some
| of The fraternities who have attained a
fair measure of success without normal
training yet 1t most probably has been
az the expense of much costly practice ON
little lives Just as the ocultst accounted
for his skill by explaining that he had
| ruined a bushel of eyes in order TO at
| rain il The normal school should pre-
! vent this sacrifice of the innOcents not
only by training the future teachers, but
| also bv eliminating those who by ma
/ tIre lack fitness for the work There is
little excuse for the normal schools if
/ they cannot thus weed the incompetent
| and unsuitable material among their pu-
"a striking fact in my experience with
! normal trained teachers is the abiding en-
/ tbusiasm of their graduates. Never for
/ n moment do they lose sight of the Dig
nty and worth of the teaching profession.
Z Even if fair graduate is hoodwinked
| into matrimOny by some shrewd ana de-
! signing vOung man, she Is never satisfied
unless given an opportunity for putting
1 info practice her love and enthusiasm
- en-. Il, 4.