The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-27
TEACHERS OF HISTORY
OF STATE TEACHERS AS
ISOLATION IN SESSION.
Entertn lining Papers Read mt the At
ernoon Meeting-A Nomi-
mating Committee.

The history section of the State Teachers
Association is holding it's fourth annual
meeting at the Grand Hotel. we sessions
were held yesterday. the first beginning at
2:9 p. m. Between forty and fifty teachers
are attending the sessions. The officers of
the section are: T. r. Meran. of Lafayette.
vice president; Elizabeth Messmore. of
Terre Haute. secretary; D.. o. Coate. OF
S~helbyville. treasurer.
Two papers were contributed at the aft
ernoon session. The first was by Charles
S. Meek. of the Terre Haute High School
lie said that American history and civics
are really a study OF the development Of
the American Constitution. Students, he
said. should understand that this line of
study should be preceded by a study OF
European history. Civics, he held. annot
be taught as a separate study from Amer
lean history. They should be taught to-
gether. Mr.. Meek called attention to a
custom OF some schools in the State that
make a special study Of Indiana history.
He advised against this plan, suggesting
that TO emphasize one particular State
history Is rather putting things out of their
proper prospective.
The discussion of this topic was warm and
interesting and was opened by e.. J. Benz
ton. of the Lafayette High school
The second paper was by Miss Adelaide 5.
Baylor. of Wabash High School. Her topic
was Some Recent History Text Books. "
Miss Baylor gave a technical talk on the
different textbooks, reviewing them in an
Anderson High School opened the discus
son OF this topic. The discussion finally
resolved itself into the proposition that
after all textbooks are "A small part of
history teaching. IL is the live, up-tO-date
teacher that counts.
The following nominating ommitte was
selected to submit a list of new officers to
be voted on to-day: Charles s. Meek. chair
man, W. S. Davis. s. b. Harding, Mrs.
Rhetts and Miss Baylor.
THE NIGHT MEETING.
Last night the teachers listened to two
more papers. Superintendent l.. +. Meyer,
of Carroll county. contributed one on His
tory in the Rural Schools He believes
that history is a good thing in rural
schools. III made interesting it will have a
tendency to keep young people in school UNI
til they are sufficiently prepared for high
school work. He realizes the fact that the
rural schools take up history under a dis
advantage because of a lack of library
facilities. and he suggested that some plan
for a special course Of study In history be
devised. There was a general discussion of
the topic. there being a sentiment in favor
of changing the present course of study in
history. DR.. Stephenson. of De Paw Uni
versity. declared that the present method
OF teaching history in the schools is a
''sugar-coated" method and not the proper
one for children. Ii was decided TO ap-
point a committee TO take up this matter
and suggest a better course II possible.
The other paper OF the evening was by
Superintendent w. a. Mills. OF CrawfOrds-
willie, who discussed THE Relation of His
tory I'm Economics and Sociology" The
discussion of this paper was opened by
Miss Josephine NJ. Cox, OF the indianapolis
High School.
The session this morning will open at $50.
New officers will be elected to-day.