Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-07-10
TALK ON EDUCATION.
Big Crowd At National Educat ional
Association Convention.
MANY INTERESTING PAPERS READ.
Mary 9. Mays Views on kindergsrtsn
Work-l. o. Crissy on Business Educa-
tion-Dr. David Graham Bell on Edu.
cation Of Detectives,

National Educational association
convention has probably been
reached and it is undoubtedly the rec
ord for numbers present at any
meeting of the association yet held.
A conservative estimate would place
the number Of visitors in the city
yesterday as considerably over 10000.
I A good-natured rivalry has sprung
up between Iowa and Wisconsin for
the largest delegation from any
state other than Minnesota. Each
state claims 1900 representatives
here. Indiana will probably hold
third place on the list.
The department meetings were all
well attended yesterday and there
were Is Of them. To-day there will
be ID meetings and tomorrow, when
the convention closes, there will be
L.
The feature of yesterday was the
great meeting Of the general asso-
citation at night in the Exposition
building. The attendance did not fall
far short of 10000 people.
Hon. Michael Ernest Sadler, LII. D.,
director of inquiries and reports of
the education office, London, Eng,
was the first speaker and, taking as
his theme Hope" for nearly an
hour held his audience with one Of
the most thoughtful and scholarly
addresses delivered as yet before the
association. He spoke Of educational
work in England and showed clearly
that there is close relationship be-
tween the work and the workers in
the two countries, and that great
good would result from tho inter-
change of ideas, suggestions and ex-
perience.
The principal address of the session
was delivered by Archbishop John
ireland, of St. Paul. The well known
churchnan and orator was at his
best and was given warm recep-
ton by the great assemhlage.
A striking paper was read in the
kindergarten section by Mary C.
May, director of the kindergarten
department, state normal school,
Salt Lake City, on defects in the
teaching of English The greatest
Deficiencies in the department sys- !
TEN she defined as poor power of ex-
preston, especially orally, poor
spelling, punctuation and compost
ton, inability to grasp vital facts
and lack of appreciation of values.
The greatest needs, she enumerated, |
were training in clear, definite, brief
power Of statement. greater simph-
city OF expression for teacher and
pupil. greater power of illustration
and marked extension of oral, COM
bined with written work.
In the department of business edu-
cation the president, |. O. Crissy, of
the regents office, Albany, N. Y, said
that committee of nine had spent
he year formulating a general
course Of procedure and detailed
course of study for business educa-
ion in high schools. The demand
'or four-year courses was so strong
md showed SO decided trend to-
ward practical business instruction
hat the committees work was most
OF the department meetings held
n the afternoon the one of most
,eneral interest was that of special
DR.. David Graham Bell,
he inventor of the telephone and
PRESIDENT of the department, ex-
'lained the objects of the depart
nent and the wonderful work which
t and the educators of detectives
throughout the country is doing. In
he course Of his address he said:
One of the greatest defects of the
resent methods of the education of
detectives is the sending them to
pecial schools and taking them
way from home. This can In q
arge measure be done away with
y the establishment Of day schools
or special instruction as part Of
ur regular public school system.
4 course do not advocate the do
ng away with the special schools,
ut the work is only a small part Of
hat could be accomplished by +,
'ell organized system with an eff
lent corps of trained instructors.
hildren partially defective are at the /
resent time drifting along without
dequate instruction and the condi-
on as it now exists should be rem
lied at once"
This morning another general ses- 2
on will be held when James Wilson,
scretary of agriculture; Mrs. Car
e Chapman Gait, Of New York, and
r. Jacob Gould Schurman. presi- '
emit OF Cornell university, will speak. o