The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-30
TEACHERS ADJOURN
North Carolina Association
Elects New Officers.
President Sans and Others Discuss Compul-
sorry Education. Interesting Addresses
May Meet With Teachers As
ISOLATION Next Year.
~sociation Next Year.

| 90
P~resident-A. F. Sans. principal of
Cary High School.
Observation-Disclosures H. Holt, of Oak
Ridge Institute.
Secretary and Treasurer-C. F. Aid
ridge, professor in Trinity Park High
| School.
The exercises of the day were opened
| at $50 a. m, by prayer, in which Rev.
| NJ. A. Adams led. The secretary's report
showed a membership of about one hun
| dred and fifty, representing sixty-f1ve sec
ondary schools. The secretary suggested
| a change IN the time and place Of the
: annual meeting, if the Teachers Assem-
| hly would give the Association of Acad-
! emies one day and night of the formers
| Juno session. Motion was later made
to his effect and prevailed, the secretary
| being authorized to. confer with the execu-
tive committee of.the assembly with this
| end in view.
| Our Academies: Their Present Needs
| and Future Hopes was the subject of an
! able discussion by Rev. NJ. A. Adams,
! principal of Mt. Moriah Academy, Auburn.
| He stated that the principal needs of the
/ academy today are adequate plant and
| proper equipment. AS to the future of
! the academy, he is of the opinion that all
D LAlS q y ~ y - 49,
| State-Private, Semi-Private, Denomina-
t%ional, and Community have hope of con-
tinued existence and usefulness except
/ the last mentioned, which is the i%nstitu-
| ton undenominational run by a board OF
trustees, who, as soon as the school fails
to make expenses out of tuition fees, shut
| Town the work. He regards the academy
as the strategic point in our educational
| warfare, and asserted that so important
is this department of educational en-
deavor the States life today is largely
what the academy has made possible.
| In. the absence of Principal ]. F. Bivins,
of Trinity Park High School; Prof. C. F.
| Aldridge, Of the same institution, read
Prof. Bivins' excellent paper on How to
Obtain a Moral Atmosphere in a High
School," The admirable essay abounded
in good ideas drawn from careful obse1-
walton, close study, and practical exper-
fence. He emphasized the Importance of
! a proper life and example on the part of
the high school faculty, and pointed to
| the Rugby School of which Prof. Thomas
| Arnold was the soul and Inspiration. He
favored neither looseness Of discipline on
the one hand nor ultra-puritanic severity
on the other. Moral codes and many
"don'ts' and "thou-shalt-nots," he be-
| lieved ineffective. A god1y example, a
| sympathetic spirit, an entering into the
| students lives, appear to their nobler
natures, waking up the better nature
within the pupil-these are means of
| creating a right moral atmosphere. The
teacher must impress the awfulness of
/ sin and wrong. He must eIure 10 bright
er words and lead the way"
| The Committee on Conference with the
colleges in relation to Effecting an Or
l no ~:,o+ior of C~111~o. 80
! reported progress. Prof. John Graham,
| chairman of the committee, moved that
Greek or French or German be added to
the course Of study adopted last year by
the association, and that the secretary be
Instructed to submit the amended course
to the various college faculties for ap-
| prevail. The motion was carried. BY pro-
| visions of a motion adopted at the SEES
| sion last year, the Association of Acade-
mics will expand into an Association of
Colleges and Academies whenever as
many as three colleges write with the
| Association of Academies upon a def
| mite list of colleges entrance requirements
| and a course Of academic study mutually
| acceptable.
Principal A. F. Sans opened an informal
discussion OF the question, Should North
! Carolina Adopt at Once Some Form of
Compulsory School Law" The speaker
! favored such a law and thought it would
| favorably affect all branches of education
in the State. The matter was further
| discussed by DR.. B. F. Dixon, State Audi
tor, who was called out by the chairman,
| and who declared himself favorable to a
compulsory attendance law. He was fol-
lowed by Principal r. L. Madison and
Prof. Harry Heck. The latter opposed
a general compulsory attendance law
but favored employing the local option
plan and giving each community that
might desire a trial of such law the right
TO hold a special election to decide the
same. He thought it would be unwise
to compel people, regardless of the sec
ton and condition to attend school I'M
| less such attendance should be upon a
school worthy Of patronage and capable
Of offering and giving real advantages.
| The Practical Value of the classics
| was the subject of a most valuable pa
per presented by Principal Hugh Nor
son, of the Raleigh Male Academy. Prot.
| Morson believes firmly in the educatfyq
and cultural value of Latin and Greek
and does not think that anything else
can safely be substituted therefor in a
proper course of study. He quoted hEef,
| authority, such as Sir VIM. Hamilton in
! behalf Of his contention that Latin and
Greek provide as Indispensable intellect
ual training for which there is no ade-
quate substitute. He deplored the ten
| dency to substitute commercial and So
| called practical studies or those regarded
as easy branches for the exacting and
| Misunderstanding and culture-conferr,ne
| classics. Prof. Aldridge followed in q
brief talk endorsing Prof. Morson's posi-
| ton and ideas.
Profs. Plato Durham and J. c.. Rams
meier, of Trinity College, and Prof. G.. q
Crittenden, of Wake Forest College. wera
present at this session Of the association
and in discussing the advisability of CO.
operation between the colleges and aoa5c-
mics declared themselves in favor oe
such organization and co-operat;on az
would result in the greatest good tn both
and prevent any conflict of interests.
Resolutions of thanks were adontoa Nv
pressive of the associations annraci,+;on