The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-27
SEVERAL PAPERS YESTERDAY
PROBLEMS IN PEDAGOGY DIS
CUssED ny EMINENT STATE y
~ EDUCATIONIsTs
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL ADDRESS
w. A Shoemaker, OF St. Cloud, Re-
views Current Conditions and i
Makes Valuable Suggestions
-Today's Programme.

Nearly 800 teachers are in attendance
at the thirty-eighth annual convention
Of the Minnesota Educational association,
which commenced in this city yesterday
morning, the preliminary organic ng WORK
being done at the Central Presbyterian
church.
The programme mapped out for the day
was successfully carried out, the only
speaker not appearing being Supt Lew
iston, who is sick Several of the papers
read in the afternoon were scholarly and
exhaustive, showing that the subjects
had been carefully prepared.
Two very pleasant features were the
lectures delivered by Profs. Burton and
Winchester. Both were listened to by
large audiences, and both were interest,"
ing and instructive. At the morning ses-
sion j. Adam Bede delivered a witty adj
dress on the subject Enthusiasm for
Life
Immediately after the preliminary work
in the morning, Dr. Burton was introduc-
ed to lecture upon Enthusiasm for Lit
erature.
He was at his best in treating his favor
ite subject, and repeated rounds of ape
plause testified to- the appreciation OF
those present.
At the outset he suggested as a definf-
tion for culture an enthusiasm for the
right thing, although this was not the
most common one. With many people
the word enthusiasm had a bad name,
being regarded as a kind Of cloak for
ignorance. 1t was too often regarded as
a cheap, nasty substitute for knowledge.
During the past fifty years they had
come to a better, broader and more ac-
curate conception of education because
they were emphasizing more the intul-
tive side OF human nature. This was
a most potent and significant thought
In pedagogy. In the past the emotion
al was given subsidiary place in litera-
ture. The fact was that the emotions
ruled our life and directed three-fourths
of our self-conscious existence. The
emotions ruled us and made Life either
livahle or unlivable.
Culture in its true sense was not head
knowledge or anything that begot wear.
mess or criticism in the eensori Jus sense.
Prof. Burton criticised some pubIea-
tions which made their book reviews a
vehicle for petty fault-fnding, whie the
good points were passed in silence. He
made mention of the Nation In this be-
half. The motive force that should move
knowledge was love. Love was behind ali
good teaching. r.
Enthusiasm was the solvent into which
knowledge must be put to make it pail
atabie. Method was much, but it was not
everything.
One of the great problems in teaching
was what to do with the laundering rank
and file.
The personal equation must always be
kept in mind in teaching
Much OF our knowledge was derived
from sources only half trustworthy. Be-
cause of such knowledge people were
wont to regard the Slavic race nations
as dominant, whereas if the truth were
known, many of the so-called decadent
peoples were virile with latent power and
knowledge
ifFp0 f11y./
thuSlaSm. 1t was one of the few great
channels where the power of beauty was
apprehended in man. Literature was lie
seen through the medium of powerful
lens.
Mr.. ]. A. Bede, with short address,
and Al Flournoy, with some witty sore es,
closed the morning session, after which
lunch was served by the ladies in the
church parlors.
The afternoon session commenced at
2:3G. After b:ief prayer by Rev. DR..
Meidrum, the president of the association.
w. A. Shoemaker, of st. Cloud, delivered
his address. In part he spoke as follows:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
At the opening of the largest and I
trust tI the most enthusiastic meeting Of
the M. i. E A, an association waich
has increased its membership from AS
to LOCO in single year, l wish to express
my thanks to the executive committee
-
tlon, without which it would have been
impossible so to increase cur member
ship; Thanks are especially due to Prof.
ID. b. Cloyd, our able secretary, whose
unt1ring zeal and abounding energy has
borne such noble fruit.
shall not weary you with I-ngtfy
dlsqu1sltion on any specific topic of edu-
cation. L shall confine myself to a W
remarks upon phase Of education viii
does not seem to me to fall und a1y
topic on the printed programme
fn hnf tryoc
er the various means provided b the
public for the training of teachers. a
critique on present edu eati NAL deaf,
also forecasts Of what we shall be: The,
main problems that confront the super
intendent, the high school principaF re
Ports on course of study in various hish
school subjects are TO receive attenti IN
Again in the graded school sectijn, the
burning question of instruction in English
will be handled by distinguished sp scfal
lists. All should be interested in the n -o-
prammc in the child study section There
you will find body of sympathetic work
crs trying to discover more of that great
est of all subjects-child nature. Ona
could wish for no better motto for all
true teachers than this, and a lit Q
child shall lead them. Our musical kia
dergarten friends, and last, but not asst
our school board friends each have
feast to set before US.
But though we should gain the uest
Philosophy of teaching--though we ase
skilled in the technique of intsrdct.o -
though we have an abiding faith in air
that Is mentioned above and have not
charity, it shall profit us nothing Char
ity suftereth long and is kind and 1t
needs to be when we take into con .idera-
tion the number of interpretations that
people have seen fit to foist upon it.
Charity is inspiring love, generous sym
pathy, and self-sacriicing devotion; yea
more than this, it is habitual cheerful
ness ard generous forgiveness.
II know tinid girls who do more good
than many a learned professor. Oh, that
1 had a thousand tongues to cy cut
against dry, soul;ess teaching. riend
of mine made this remark: DO some-
thing occasionally that you don't dare to
do If a pupil says Il really brisht
thing, laugh with him; If you frown or
look worried, you are the victim of a
lost opportunity. Unfortunately many
young people are still trained to connect
learning with that which Is souIbe~, col.
forbiddfng and exacting. The normal
child loves to lea,n. The teacher with
a false notion of dignity. whose eounte-
nance doth cream and mantle as the
standing pond, who deems that bit OF
iollity in the school room Is sin, makes
books distasteful and all lear sing a bore.
The merry face and hearty laueh. the
bounding interest in the thing at hand,
Continued ON Eighth Page.