The Portland daily press., 1900-12-28
LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE
Discussed BY Members ofstate Teach
ers Association.

Lewiston, December 27.-Tbe principal
subject OF discussion at the forenoon
session of the Maine Pedagogical society
was rural schools. Miss snow, the presi-
dent, said that to raise the quality OF
school work In one place was TO help TO
La higher standard in all parts OF the state.
Miss Lincoln OF Pennington Normal
school, spoke OF the work OF me poem In
the rural schools.
MIR. Pavson Smith spoke OF the schools
typified by the Little Red school
houses An interesting discussion fol-
lowed which was participated In by
Principal Moody OF Auburn, Prof. Rich
arnson of Castine, Prof. Winslow Of Bath.
| Miss Ardelle Tozier OF Ola Town read
paper on "Art Education in Rural
Schools"
Prof. W. g. Mallett, superintendent
of schools In Pennington, spoke on the
grading OF rural schools.
AT the afternoon session, Principal
George Phenix of the State Training
school OF wiliimantio, Conn.,, delivered
an address.
Thomas NJ. Baillett spoke on "Soms
New Phases Of Educational Thought, I"
In the evening, and Henry L. Bailey,
agent for the Promotion OF Industrial
drawing In Massachusetts on beauty In
school work.
Principal George z. Phenix questioned
the statement of MIR. Smith, who atti-
huted the greatness Of Names noted men
to the Little Rel Sohoolhouses. He
claimed that 1t WAS the industrial train
ing which they had received in the homes
rather than that received from the
schools. He did not believe In setting
tasks for children In order to discipline
them, without a dsfinite object In view,
but considered 1t a mere waists OF time.
Spelling ia an observation study. but does
not teach children to study rocks or
| trees.
Inc elementary school teaches too
much grammar of wrong kind and
takes too much time about 1t. Yo1 can
drop out the first three years OF arithme-
ito and find at tine end or five years that
your pupils nave advanced lust as far
as II they had put in the whole time to
that study. How many OF you have used
the cube root outside Of the school room
Addition, multiplication. division In
whols numbers, and fractions. and per-
| centage. Is 1t worth while to spend
eight years in studying thesss AS sub
stituts / would recommend the reading
of good literature and history. Machinery
has givsn more leisure to the working
Glasses and they should begin to use
their leisure for self improvement.
Dr.. Baillett smoke enoouragingly I
Maine schools. He said that the large
| number OF Maine teachers who bad OBJ
tained situations in Massachusetts
showed that good work had been done in
them. He also spoke of ex-Speaker Reed
and Congressman Littiefisid as xam-
pies of great man who had besn lifted for
positions of responsibility in the Pine
Tree State. He emphasized the work
done through oompulsiou In European
evening schools, such as drawing, hand-
work for girls, commercial branches,
etc, We have the best primary schools
In the world, because our children are
happisst In them. European teachers
are better Informed and get more work
out OF their puuils. They read more and
look ahead to life OF teaching and do
not live from hand to mouth as our
teachers do. The women have not the
chance, especially in Germany. that they
have here. All European countries have
their highest interest in the high school.
| I believe in some electives in the high
school, but not too many. The teach
/ ing In Germany Is more uniform than
here. The time is coming when we shall
demand more scholarly work In our
teachers after they leave the colleges or
universities II we do not love study
enough TO pursue it without being driv-
en-, how can we expect our pupils to do
so9