The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-14

Graduates of Wake Forest College. lie
thought that the summer school, when
available. was an excellent thing; but
who're It was not available, the present
method, when properly conducted, was
likewise a splendid thing.
supt. Gather, of Perkuimans, said
4bat the northeastern part of the State
nod been neglected. 1t was cut off, 1t
aaomod from helf from the rest Of the
state. and had suffered considerably
oe a result. He told very graphically OF
the efforts he had made to get some OF
o,,r prominent instructors to visit that
section.
stunt Geo T. Terrell, Of Pamlico,
moved that the State Superintendent be
1noorialized to print in pamphlet form
hie very excellent opening address de-
livered Wednesday morning. The motion
was unanimously carried.
supt. p. J. Long, of Northampton
onened the discussion on TOWNSHIP
rToachers' Mectings-How to Conduct
them and What to Get out of Them.
re said his plan was first to nave re-
norts from the teachers on their Work.
some verv good work was done in school
government. The most noticeable re-
en1+ had been feeling of unity among
~ teachers and a better understand
mo of the situation. Another result was
that they stimulated a sentiment OF con-
solidation and local taxation. he hau
great hopes of passing local tax III
one of the districts. -,
The text book law had worked hdIu-
shin because the people were not ape
~ oct the books But these meetings.
boa haen instrumental in explaining the
low and persuading the merchants 10
folio contracts for the books
ITnon request of Supt. Sentell, all who
had held township meetings stooo up
About half arose.
Supt Vcnable said he thought lhae 10
hotter law had been passed py INC
7 legislature than this one requiring d
township meeting at least once every
form He had held forty-tWo durihs
uo had found them of vast benefit IN
,,onnlariz;ng education by bringing TO-
erotber the teachers and parents
rrbaea township meetings are educating
tho people of the counties.
Sunt KittrelI, of Vance, said that
,,,atit,+o had been held in every town
- of tho county. Prof. Alderman,
s,,nerintendent of the graded school IN
henderson, had personally assisted IN
the work. Everyone was invited TO THESE
meetings. local speakers were secured
and the crowds kept getting bigger as
they went along.
His experience had been that they
were a splendid thing in stirring up
enthusiasm and interest.
This he followed up by securing no
raries and weekly reports from all the
teachers which in turn were handed
over TO the Board of Education. HIS
onipion was that the teacher was the
school.
Stunt. Butler of Iredell, said he had
gotten more out of this method of hold
ING township meetings than anything
else, He had found indifference the
,vore+ thing he had to contend with. He
fopnd these meetings the best way to
arouse the people. The teachers would
he asked in the presence of the people
all kinds of questions, which brought out
information regarding the enrolment
etc. that would often surprise the
fathers and mothers.
MIR. Cloyd suggested that in counties
made a sort of training school for teach
ers, showing ideals of work This was
heinr done in Hancock county, Georgia
Supt. Massey, Of Durham, SAID MS
teachers met once a month at the court
house in his office. Accordingly, the
anpointments for the township meetings
were made at this monthly teachers
meeting.
Everybody was invited, and teachers
and pupils were questioned on the sub
iect of attendance in the presence of the
parents. AS a result, the attendance
was doubled in many cases.
Another thing discussed was the i'm
provement of the school houses, with the
result that the parents would do all
sorts of things to improve the looks Of
the houses.
Prof. Crittenden, of axe Forest Col
lege. described very excellent plan for
holding meetings, used by a lady sup
erintendent in one of the counties of
Tennessee.
Supt. Brinson, of Craven, reported that
they had had several real, good, profta-
BILE rallies, from which he was looking
for good results, among them the adop-
ton of local tax in one or two of the
districts.
The chairman expressed the pleasure
of the meeting of the presence of ex-
State Superintendent C. H. Mebane. He
said it was a very great pleasure to
him to look once more into the faces
Of the county superintendent. He con-
graduated them upon having arrived at
time when generous friends from out
side had asked the privilege, in a sense
of brotherhood, of becoming our CO.
workers and co-laborers.
He made a brief and very earnest talk
to the superintendents and was listened
to with the greatest attention.
The next topic was, Teachers Lib
rares and curses of Study for Teachers.
The discussion was led by Supt. c. w.
Massey, of Durham, who told of the
formation of the Durham County Teach
ers' Association, with monthly meetings.
This association prescribes a regular
course of study for the teachers. The
average attendance has been about Is
per cent. Some of the teachers have not
missed a meeting in five years. 1t was
in the association that the idea origi-
mated of having teachers libraries.
While getting up the teachers Libraries