The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-13

ion of schools in both city and country is
imperatively demanded, not only on &C
count of the large financial interests in
volved, but also on account of the SUI
preme Importance of the teachers work
and the lack of we'll rounded preparation
on the part of~many teachers.
Eleventh. The National Educational
Association watches with deep interest
the solution of the problem of consolidat-
ing rural schools and transporting pupils
at public expense, now attempted in many
of our leading states. We believe tina.
this movement will lead to the establish
rnent of township and county high
schools, and thus bring more advanced
education to rural communities. We also
believe that supplementary state support
of rural high schools is in the highest in
terest of the entire state.
Twelfth. The state should support
and control institutions whose object is
the preparation of teachers for the pub
lie schools.
Thirteenth. No one should be placed
in charge of a school who has not been
previously trained for the work of teach
ing.
Fourteenth. We believe that the STAN
dards for school architecture, including
the proper seating heating, lighting. VEN
tilation and ornamentation of school
standards for teaching. The law should
fix the dimensions and all other re-
quirements of school buildings, and the
size and character of school grounds
At this mornings session Higher Ed
ucation" was the topic and the chief pa
per read was by President Charles F.
Thwing of Western Reserve University
of Cleveland. who discussed "The Func-
tons of University in a Popular De-
mocracy.'
He said in part:
@Publc opinion in a Democracy is usual
" tyrannical. and those over whom it
rules are commonly its willing subjects.
1t is the tyranny of the majority. and it
is hard to find a tyranny more tyrannical
than the tyranny of the majority 1t is
the power of tyrant, raised to the nth
degree 10 public opinion the university
holds three duties. First, it should give
enlightenment in order that public opin-
ion may be rightly formed; second, 1t
should teach the right of dissent; and
third. it should teach and give an exam
pie of fairness and moderation.
Concerning all these elements, truth is
to be the basis. Absolute freedom IN
the teaching is TO be allowed and, even
to be required. The judge of what is all
lowed and what is the truth is not to be
the civil, nor of course the ecclesiastical
power, but the university itself. The
university is of all bodies the best quail
fed to be the judge. 1t has no political
government to conserve or to perpetuate;
it has no doctrine TO impress; it has no
purpose to perform. excepting the dis
covery of the truthfulness of truth as a
means of human betterment.
II, for one, would not say that in some
American universities the freedom OF
t. ~ "a ac II might 10 he
would not say that chairs have not been
declared vacant on the ground that their
applicants presented opinions which did
not have the approval of boards of trus-
tees. but / do say that such instances are
far less common than is usually believed.
The reason for the removal of professors
have often been reasons of PERSONAL char
acter Of general ineffciency, reasons OF
which the public knows nothing at all
Such reasons are far more frequent than
reasons arising from a lack of freedom in
teaching In fact, ! should not hesitate
to say that except in one instance has
freedom of teaching been absolutely In
terfered with by the governing authori-
ties
AgricuIfure as a school Science.
Before the Department OF Science In
struction, Joseph Carter OF Champaign.
H.. read a paper on agriculture as a
science for the elementary schools, say
ing. in part:
Agriculture r. a science whose study
takes people out Of doors. There Is a
growing tendency in our schools 70 adopt
the sedentary life OF the literary man.
Too much we are leading the children
TO think that wisdom is found only at
the desk Of the literary fellow. Too
many children there whose school train
ing Is mainly an effort TO give them the
ability TO apprehend wbat was IN the
mind Of that author OF the so-called lit
erary masterpiece. We work laboriously
10 teach them 10 say Think my
thoughts after thee. o De Quincy m
stead Of leading them where they Joy
ously can say. 4 think Thy thoughts
after Thee. Cod
a'rhe average child comes 70 school al
saturated with NatDre-sil alive 70 iie
every change, and eaRer Tor ~ wonder
fui and deilahtfnl story. Instead %
teaching MIN si01g the lines 81 be f1-
Derieoce, We fUfn him ~ ne direction q
literature su1 myfb snd fairy myHti-
clafn. thereby n1iilfyins % fbf spperceps
tive capifai BE- hss Previously afe1m1-
listed We o. DN oDjea ~ fhit lhfF-
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