Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-07-19
IMPORTANT PAPERS.
Notes From the National Educational
Association Meeting.
BY V. NJ. WILSON.

or michigan nave had, 20 attend the
meetings OF the $4,000 delegates pres
ent. Michigan claimed the largest mem.
bership.
At the general session Wednesday a
m, held in the large light guard armory
an able paper was read by Supt +. l..
Soldan of ST. Louis, Mo- His subj CT
was: "Fads in the Public Schools -
He showed that many of the useful
practices in the schools were classed as
"fads," while few useless things were
being taught; music, drawing and such
subjects could not rightfully come under
/ this head. Some subjects were giveE
undue attention in the schools and the
teachers often exaggerated their WORT
Other instructors are faddists ON method
and sacrifice the knowledge side of the
subjects.
One of the bugbears of the teachers
and the schools is the Public Opinion
Fad" This has done considerable
harm in the schools; oftentimes compel.
ling the teachers TO stay in a rut and
frequently discouraging honest effort
and worthy originality.
Supt j II. VanSickle of Baltimore
read paper, lis the Curriculum Over.
crowded." He said that no course was
overcrowded when time could be given
for the successful pursuits of the work
but If too many subjects were placed in
the course ana time and teachers would
not allow a careful study of each il
would be better 60 reduce the number Of
studies. Most of the studies in cur
present schools can be made both disci-
pinary aud practical.
"How Early Nay Hand Work be
Made "a Part of School Work, was the
subject of paper read by G. r Rich.
ards of Columbia University Y He
favored the early cultivation IF the
hands along with development of the
mind.
At the afternoon session, which was
held at the central high school building,
the department. of school administration
held its first session. Il. +. Marchner,
president of the Detroit Board of Edu-
cation, welcomed the visitors L. ID.
Bonebrake, state school commissioner
of Ohio, gave a paper on the Central
zation of Rural Schools" He favored
fewer schools, and said that better in.
struction, better buildings and much
better results could be obtained by
building a school house in some central
locality and transporting the children in
wagons.
w G.. Bruce Of Milwaukee, Wis read
very able paper on School Room
Temperature and Humidity" He
thought. that our schools failed to look
after the temperature of the rooms, fire.
quently causing "a mummifed and
shriveled appearance Of the skin of our
school children.
After discussion on The Relation
of State Legislation to Modern School
Building where it was shown that a
STATE law should compel architects to re-
spect the problem of proper ventilation,
the meeting adjourned until ten clock
the next morning at which time merry
crowd boarded the steamer Sappho, and
were given BOAT ride down Detroit
river to Bois Blanc Island where fine
dinner was served. After enjoying the
scenery at the island trip was taken to
\ III. I.sa On, la ha aff
session was held on the boat This was
by far the most enjoyable meeting of
the convention
Mrs. j Goss of Grand Rapids gave a
paper on THE Value of Truant Schools .
She said that truancy could be nearly
eliminated when manual training was
introduced. She said that the three
days of the week when manual training
was TO be taught, found very few absent
from the schools, but on the other two
days the truant officer was kept busy,
Truancy can often be prevented by
kind superintendent and a sympathetic
and loving teacher. Keep the child in
terested and he will very seldom leave
school.
Mr. l. II. Peres Of the school board at
Nashville, Tenn, gave an address on,
"What Constitutes an Efficient Super.
intendent." A strong moral man as
well as an intellectual leader; man
with business capacity and one who is
firm, but kind; man familiar with
human nature; one who attends the
n. K. A. and state meetings in the in.
terest of education.
All agreed that the school board of
Detroit knew how TO entertain. The
convention proved q helpful as we'll as
delightful stimulus and we left Detroit
feeling well repaid for the time spent at
| the sessions.