El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-16
A TALK TO
TEACHERS
The Benefits Derived From a
Vacation
THE CHAUTAUQUA IDEA
And How 1t Is Operating At Boulder,
acknowledgements Of the
Coming Season.

Colorado-prospects Of the
Coming Season.
DALLAS, March I4.-Tea ching and
methods of work in the school have
undergone some very considerabl e
changes in the last few years. Educa-
| tion is now not so much process of
crammiug the applicant for a diplom a
with facts and statistics as it is sea-
son for preparing him TO live a useful
and valuable life, and to thus make the
most OF his God-given possibilities.
Study and investigation in psychology.
| physiology and hygiene have brought
| about most radical change in The
manner of caring for and developing
the pupil. II has been found that the
| individual scholar, his tastes and in
clinations must oe studied and taken
| Into account, that the ehtld's interest
must be appealed to. and that the
school room where good work is &C.
com Dlis he'd must be pleasant and at
tractiye and the surroundings whole
some from the stand point of heal b.
No one will doubt the efficacy OF the
vacation, t. e recess, change of occupa-
ton aud variety OF the work N ha1d.
Whist is u good thing for the scholar
certainly must be beneficial to the
teacher-t1e teacher being no more
than his scholar in an advancing
state, since whenever the instructor
ceases to be a student he has reached
the height OF his success and started to
retrograde. and so it has come
about that leading educators, and those
in charge Of teachers engaged in
school work, have established and en-
couraged the summer school for teach
ers and those wishing to enlarge their
educational horizon. The institution
has met with unquestionei success,
{
Chautauquas are holding annual SEES
sions.
Two years ago 3 number of repre-
sentative educators of this state Joined
with similar body of prominent
gentlemen in Colorado and established
what has come to be known as the
"Grest Texas-Colorado Chartauqua,
at Boulder, Colorado, incorporated IN
der the laws OF Texas. In its first
year this institution made remarkable
progress, and established for itself a
claim ss being well toward the top
among the leading semblies of it's
kind, reco gnizing only as its superior
the original pioneer gathering at Lake
Chautauqua, New York, at the same
time being declared ahead Of the
mother assembly by many who had at
tended the New York meeting.
At the last years session there was
present a the grounds an average at |
tendance OF 500 visitors during the |
entire six weeks, in addition to which |
there was an equal nun Der iC the |
town OF Boulder proper, making not |
less than 1000 strangers, as minimum, |
who had been attracted from all parts |
of the United States to this great |
meeting. On special days this nun Der
was increased to as high as 5000 people |
BY the attendance Of excursionists
from various points drawn to the |
ChautaUqua to hear celebrated divines,
statesmen, lecturers and entertainers
appearing on the Chautsuqua plat
form.
From this brief mention it will be
readily recognized that those inter
ssted have right to expect great
things of this assembly for the year
1900. The coming session will begin
July LIST and close August 18th, and the
Is st present booking the
finest talent to be found in the United
States, including an able and repres-
ege work. The directors in recent
at Fort Worth and Galveston
look action leading towards the en-
argement of present facilities, in
creased expenditures, and a general
Improvement in sll departments,
since they are now satisfied that the |
people, by their attendance and gen.
eral cooperation, have evidenced
heir ssire to see the Chalta Iqua es-
abolished and continued on 8 per-
nanent basis.
The officers of this association feel
very deeply that 1t is the duty of the
people of Texas 10 support this much
ieeded enterprise. They feel, as all
hose who have st.ended this meeting
ire unanimous in bearing witness,
hat the teacher ct the end of the |
ears work needs a change. that ne
leeds recreation and rest and that, at
he same time, no up to-deta Instructor
Will attempt to continue his work with
nut brushing up, from time to time, his
ofthe branches he handles,
II obtaining the verdict of the
vest thinkers as to the
most approved methods of
eaching. They also feel that the laws
Il psychology apply to the teacher
ully es much, If not more strongly,
han to the student, and that, conse-
uently, the teachers circle of inter
st needs to be enlarged by change of
Gene aud by contact with the Ideas,
Methods and opinions of others. They
lso believe that tae physical require
aents Of teaching are such that a pc
iodical and definite change of sur
ouudings and climate is m0st desir-
bic for him or her who would do eff
ective and telling work.
They are OF the opinion that, after a
areful investigation of the various
possible localities, they have chosen in
he present site, near ''Beautiful :
Boulder" the most desirable spot for
heir assembly in the west, and in fact ;
4 the entire United States. They
maintain also that the teachers of