The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-05
Supt. Clements Opened the
Institute Yesterday.
HIGH SCHOOLS IN WAKE 81
Prof. C. G. Crittenden. of Wake Forest
Conducting the INSTITUTED
DR.. DlNwlDoE's LECTURE ON ARITHMETIC
Mr.. w. PeeIe This Afternoon. Wake School
Districts Now Average i22 Children.
There Were rs Teachers in
Attendance Yesterday.


Attendance Yesterday.
The school teachers. men and women
from all over Wake county, came to
Raleigh yesterday morning; for it was
the first day of the Wake County Teach
ers' Institute for the white race.
Most of these teachers were women,
and most of them were young and most
of them were pretty and the chances are
that most of them are bright, too. Taken
all together, including the men, it was a
fine looking body of folks. They ought
to be fine folks, as they doubtless are,
for in them are centered the hopes of
Wake county's parents.
What a noble calling is theirs! Some
of us often don't think of that. But it
is a fact. nevertheless. We see these
young women as they came to the Instt-
tute yesterday with happy, smiling faces
and prettily and bewitchingly clad in
tasteful frocks. and we are not apt to
realize how they toll faithfully and
sacrifice themselves during the school
session for the good of their little
charges.
Sometimes one of these fair teachers,
not physically able to stand the ex-
penditure of nerve force incident to the
work, succumbs, and heroine dies,
unsung and unhonored. but a heroine
none the less.
Now to business. The Institute was
called to order about half past eleven
o'clock by the County Superintendent of
Schools, Rev. W. G. Clements. He read
lesson from the twelfth chapter of
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians,
and then offered a fervent and appro-
pirate prayer.
In his Introductory remarks, Supt.
Clements said he had not invited the
teachers here to punish them; but be-
cause the school law of the State re-
CURED it. He would not say whether
or not the Institute would be of any
benefit to those who attended: but would
leave that until Friday for them 30 say.
He had received many letters from teach
ers asking to be excused from attendance;
but it was not in his power to excuse
any one, and all he could do was to refer
all these persons to the provisions of the
law, and if there was any difficulty about
interpreting the law, he reminded them
pied for the teachers the place of
supreme court.
Supt. Clements stated that Prof. c. C.
Crittenden, of the Chair of Pedagogy at
Wake Forest College, would be the real
conductor of the Institute, as on account
of serious illness in. his family three
cases of typhoid fever, he himself could
be in attendance only part of the time,
ha hrn
down.
Referring to the condition of the schools
in Wake county, Supt. Clements said
that the districts had been SO re-
arranged that at this time the average
number of children to district is 122
He also stated that there are eight ex-
cellent academies in the county, in which
a public school is taught in connection
with the academy, and one in which
there is no public school. Besides these
there are Is public schools in which high
school subjects are taught, so that there
are really 81 high schools in Wake
county.
This is a splendid showing. One hun
dred and twenty-five children to dis
trict is an average that is probably not
equalled anywhere in the State. Wake
condition of their schools
e s-Supt. Clements then introduced Prof
ECrittenden, and the work of the Institute
began, after few preparatory remarks
on methods of school work.
Until dinner time Prof Crittenden
took up work in the first grade at
three o'clock the Institute met again and
work in the second grade was. taken up,
alter which DR.. James Dinwiddie, presi-
dent of Peace Institute, lectured upon
arithmetic and the various ways of teach
ing IT. The lecture was in DR.. Dinwjd-
die,s characteristic style and was much
enjoyed.
The Institute is open to the public.
and teachers from other counties VIII
be cordially welcomed. The register
yesterday showed rs of Wake county's
teachers present. This is considered a
large number.
The program for today is as follows.
$3.50 a. m.-Third Grade, Prof. G.. c.
Crittenden; 100 p. m.-Dinner. 400 n
m.-Importance of State Iiteratura
Taught in the Public Schools. Hon w
J. Peele; 400 p. m.-Fourth Grade.
Prof. c. c. Crittenden.
The session will continue through Fri
day, and it is possible that Prof. r w
Skies, of Wake Forest College. p n
Vann, d. D., president of the Rantiet
Female University, and T. N. Ivey. d. u.