The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-20
They Are NOW
READY TO TEACH
BIG GLASS GRADUATED FROM
TRAINING SCHOOL.

TRAINING SCHOOL.
Thirty-six Presented with Diplomas
Last Night at the High School by
Chairman Jennings-Bust of Froe-
bel Presented to the School by Will
liam Edgar and Accepted by Cap
tain w. A. May Discussion Re-
gardins tne Abolish ment of Exam
nations Names Of Graduates.
Thirty-three young women and three
young men, the latter not at all
abashed by the preponderance of
femininity, were last night graduated
from the Scranton Training school,
before on audience which completely
filled the big High school auditorium
and which overnowed out into the
spacious vestibue.
The graduates came marching In
from the rear as Bauer's orchestra
played an overture, and took their
places upon the platform on seats
draped with the orange and blue col
ors of the High school. There were
no decora tions upon the stage except
row of potted palms in the rear.
Directly over the front of the plat
form was suspended a. device bear
ing the training school motto. "EX-
celsior.' formed out of evergreen and
studded with electric lights.
Seated upon the stage. besides the
graduates. were Superintendent OF
Schools Howell. Chairman Jennings,
OF the high and training school COM
mittee: Captain w. A. May, Miss T..
G. Olmstead and Rev. W. j. Ford.
The latter offered an opening prayer
and after this the class sang a de-
lightful vocal gavotte. under the
leadership of Mrs. Annie Barnes.
QUALIFICATIONS OF A TEACHER.
The first speaker was Miss Min
rie White. who read an essay upon
'"rhe Qualifications of Teacher"
The teacher. sheA1ad. must be a thor
ough scholar and must know more
than she teaches. She must keep con-
stantly at study that her pupils may
drink from running stream and
not from stagnant pool" She must
have a real love for children and not
q professed love. "The teacher" said
she. "is the most vital fact in Il
school. She is the cause. all things
else are only conditions and results"
William Edgar. president of the
class, at this point made a brief ad-
dress. presenting to the school a bust
of Froebel. the founder of the mod
ern kindergarten. The gift was ac-
cepted by Captain w. A. May. of the
board of control, who traced briefly
the life work of Froebel. and his in
f1uence upon modern education. The
system of 1Troebel. he said, consists
in the bringing out of child all his
or her special attributes and then
training and developing these. 'He
lived to ennoble humanity" said he.
He hungered, thirsted, suffered. was
wronged and ridiculed, yet now finds
a place among the immortals.'
After an interesting essay on "The
New Geography" had been read by
Miss Mary Greeley the principal fea-
ture of the programme was given.
This was a discussion on the uues-
tion. "Shall Examinations Be Abol-
ished," participated in by four men,
bers of the class and taking the place
OF the usual address to the graduates
by some educator of note. full of rhe-
torical commOnplaces, which has been
part and parcel of every training
school commencement in the past and
which the class unanimously decided
to dispense with this year. realizing
that this is an age of progress.
MISS FELLOWS ADDRESS.
The first speaker for the affirmative
was Miss Christine Fellows, the beau
fn 1ar Of
tary Fellows, of the board of control.
Miss Fellows made one of the best ad
dresses of the night, speaking in an
easy and natural way, as If she had
been on the lecture platform for years.
She favored the adjustment of exam
nations and marking of the pupils
daily standing in order that steady
application throughout the year could
be looked for from every child, instead
of spasmodic "crammings" around eX-
animation time, which she claimed had
the effect of straining the childs men,
tai powers and wrecklng his neNves.
Harry Walsh, who also spoke for the
affirmative, contended that eXamina-
tons foster a wrong ambition and be-
get an unhealthy rivalry, besides en-
dangering the child's moral health.
Mr.. Walsh was roundly cheered for his
address. which was delivered in a
happy Oratorical style.
The negative side of the question was
looked after by Miss Mary Freeman
and Rossman Vail. They contended in
direct opposition to the affirmative
side. that 'cramming" was not such
an awfully awful thing as it is pic
tured to be and that examinations are
the only true test of a child's scholar
ship and of his or her honesty.
Miss Lucy Imerson read an essay on
"Some Ideas of Children at School
Age" in which she recounted a mum
ber of the peculiar ideas little chill
dren have about the things around
them. Following her essay came the
final feature of the evening, the pres
entation of the diplomas by Chairman
Il, j. Jennings, of the high and train
ing committee.
IS TEN YEARS OLD.
Mr.. Jennings related the history of
the school since its establishment ten |
years ago. and said that the total cost |
of maintaining it in that time had |
been but $4,000. He expressed himself |
as being pleased at the young men who |
had graduated, and said he would vel |
come the day when the man teacher |
would again hold at least equal place |
with women. He presented the diplo- |
mas with few words of encourage |
ment. The names of the graduates are: |
Margaret Veronica Blcwitt, Loretta Sara Bro,
gan, Mary Tilden Bugden, Olive Matilda Burial, |
Mary Chrstophcl, Anha Conncrton, Lena Mly |
Davis, Grace Daniels, Susan Louise Dawson, vii |
liam Abbot Edgar Helen Christine Fellows. Mary |
Belle Freeman Helen Fowler, Bessie Belle froun,
|