The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-12-06
LESS WORK
MORE PLAY.
Mr.. Monroe Tells the Teach
ers to Give their Pupils
, More Recesses.
WEATHER CONSIDERED, TOO
Examinations Should Come
in Mid Winter When the
Power Of Resisting Fa-
tigue is Greatest,
He Says.
WEATHER CONSIDERED, TOO

Considering that it was held on
Saturday there was a very good attend
ance at the Teachers Institute forty
eighth anniversary meetings in Public
| Schools Nos. 1 and today. The time
of holding the meeting was changed from
a week day to Saturday because the
Board of Education did not feel it was
right to turn the pupils out of school,
and it was held also as test to see
how many teachers were interested
enough to attend without compulsion.
! The rule is that the teacher must attend
or lose a days pay, but of course hold
ing the meeting on a Saturday annuls
| this.
But, as one of the teachers explained
this morning, probably not more than
| half the teachers understood that There
was falling off of about a third in the
usual attendance.
| The address of the morning in School
No. l was made by Mr. William S. Mon
roe on Mental Fatigue Nothing he
said was so fatiguing to the child as at
tention and therefore there should be
more recesses.
MORE PLAY NEEDED.
"What is needed said he, SIS free,
spontaneous play. Don't substitute
| gymnastics for rest. Gymnastics are all
very well for educational purposes. but
not for rest. They do not release the at
tention."
another thing to be considered" con-
tinued he, sis the weather There is no
greater factor in mental fatigue. Sep
| tember and June are the two most de-
pressing months in the year; yet the most
work comes in June. Examinations
should come in midwinter when the
I power to resist fatigue is greatest"
At the session in School No 8 Super
j intendent of Schools Henry Snyder pre-
sided. The Rev. Dr. Henry c. Cronin
opened the meeting with prayer and was
| followed by Mayor Pagan, who gave the
following address of welcome:-
MAYORS ADDRESS.
81 assure you that l appreciate the
honor of being present here this morn
| ing, to welcome you, ladies and gentle
| men, who devote your lives to what, in
my estimation, is the most useful call
ing man or woman can engage in-the
teaching of the young. There is no honor
in the office of Mayor that / appreciate
more than to be identified with the care
of the health, comfort and education of
| the children; and there is no greater
honor that can come to any man or
woman in life than to have helped in pre-
i serving and promoting the moral, mental
and physical strength of our country.
Good schools cannot exist without good
teachers, and good teachers are not only
a force in the class room, but a great
| power in the whole community, for they
| teach the young that knowledge that is
most valuable to their future welfare
how to take care of their health and
| strength, without which they would be
unable to learn other things; they are
| prepared for the responsibilities of adult
life-the earning of living and good
citizenship.
Il trust this gathering will be attended
with good results and viii be a source
of pleasure to you all, and assure you
| it is with great pleasure that l bid you
a hearty welcome.
| Miss Lulu Blau gave a well-rendered
soprano solo. Mr. Will S. Monroe, of
Westfeld, Mass, spoke on 'EThe Study
of Commerce" and his talk was a very
| interesting one.
/ Miss Mills then entertained with vo-
cal solo. and the morning session came
to close, with talk by Miss Maud
| Summers, of Chicago, ILL.,, who spoke on
Imagination"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
| This afternoon the following pro-
gramme will be given:-Readings. by
Mr.. Edwin Markham; s.The Use of the
Margin" Edwin Howard Griggs; vocal
solo, selected, Miss Emma Hulshizer:
report of Teachers Retirement Fund.
Mrs. Susan c. Marvin; Growth of Chill
/ dren's Ideals,' Earl Barnes.
RETIREMENT FUND.
This afternoon Miss Margaret Van
Wrinkle read the annual report of the
Tearchers' eRtirement Fund.
Before January 1st," said she. "any
superintendent, supervisor, principal or
teacher employed in the public or State
schools of New Jersey, or in any school
IN this State supported wholly or in part
/ by public money, may join the fund on
the basis of per cent. contribution from
their monthly salaries. On and after
January 1st 1908, persons who have
been employed in schools anywhere Gin
New Jersey and other States) for
period or periods aggregating more than
ten years, can join only on the basis of
a two per cent. contribution from salary,
while those who have been employed in
schools tanywhere) an aggregate of fif-
teen years or more, must pass medical
examination satisfactory to. and under
the rules prescribed BY the Board of
Trustees, before they may join on the.