The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-26
STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.


Events which attract the most popular
attention are not always of the greatest
advantage to the State. The meetings of
the Indiana Teachers Association from
year 10 year have not been announced
by public demonstrations and few people
outside the teachers attending have given
TO these assemblages any attention; yet
it cannot be doubted that such meetings
have given a great impetus TO the develop
ment of the public school system Of the
State. To-day the annual session will begin,
and many of the leading educational men
and women of the State will participate.
Many of the topics considered have little
interest for people who are engrossed in
other affairs, yet no one should for a mo-
ment forget that Indiana has no single
interest more important TO the welfare of
the State than its public instruction. The
States which have been most prosperous
and influential those that have given
most attention to the common school. Ig
norance bars the road to all progress. In
dustrially the most SKILLED men and women
are those whose disciplined brains direct
the skilled hand.
Facts like these give those who are teach
ers in the public schools the right TO re-
gard their employment as one of the learn
ed professions, and if learned professions
/ are to be classified on the basis OF use
/ funess to the State, the teachers profess
/ sion will not be the lowest in the scale
4 In a generation teaching in the public
schools has become a profession requiring
! the best intellect and the most careful
preparation. Once anybody who could read
and write and had some knowledge of
arithmetic could keep school" but the
days of keeping school of the past.
| Teaching the common school has become
/ a science, but a science, nevertheless, which
is in process of development. It's devel-
opment is a fair subject for consideration
by all who are interested. The tendency
of public school teaching many complain,
is towards the scientific which is not prac-
teal. Not until recently did it occur to
educators that manual training is any part
of the common school education. Those
who read educational periodicals designed
TOR the teachers of the public schools will
find articles regarding psychology, biology
and like topics, but rarely does the reader
find an article relating to the training of
the hand. In the public schools one may
find hundreds of pupils who can fill clerical
positions but only a few schools under
take TO teach the things which will enable
the pupil TO earn a living when out of
school. And yet nine-tenths of those who
attend school must earn their bread by
some sort of manual labor for which the
training of the brain but partially fits
them. Biology may be we'll, but the pri-
mary science of life that confronts the boy
and girl on leaving school is How shall l
earn a living?" The practical education
of a practical people should attempt to
solve this question. 1t is often complained
that the tendency of the common school
instruction in the higher grades is to in
culcate a distaste for manual labor in the
industries of the country. If this is true
teachers should seek a remedy. The mass
Of the people must be toers with muscle
and brain.
In the programme of the association for
Friday a symposium will consider the ques-
ton: What shall be Indianas next STEP
in education?" 1t is important question
VIII the teachers of Indiana consider the
Importance of elementary Industrial train
ing and be pioneers in devising some prac-
teal plan?