The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-25
First Meeting of the
New Hanover
Association
THE
Every Teacher ia the Country
Schools Present - Educational
Topics and Discussed-The
Music Feature in the Country
Schools n uccess-Jorth Carolina
Day.

The first regular meeting of the
Teachers Association Of New Hanover
county convened In this city yesterday
at 10 a m, at Cape Fear academy.
All the teachers in the country schools
were in attendance as follows: Miss
Jennie T Oldham. of Myrtle Grove;
Mr.. ]. P. Herring. of M~asonboro; Miss
Pattie D. Horne. of Wrightsville; Mr..
Matthew Bowen, of Acorn Branch; Mr..
S. v. Bowen, of East WILMINGTON: Miss
Lola Worley. of Oak Hill: Miss Bette
D. Herring, of Castle Haynes; Mr.. F.
NJ. Foy, Jr., Of SCOTS Hill; Miss Laura
P. Moore. of Middle Sound. Mr.. E. c.
Herring. of Greenville S, ind; Misses
Augusta Virgins and Reba Myers, of
Delgado.
Professor Washington Catlett, presi-
dent of the association, called the meet
ing to order. and maze some remarks
concerning the object Of the organiza-
ton. He then announced the pro-
gramme, and first introduced Mr.. John
y. Blair, superintendent Of city schools.
Mr.. Blair addressed the association On
and school decoration. He il
Illustrated his subject on the blackboard
and intensely interested the teachers.
is an artist himself. ard in the
of his remarks spoke CT the i'm
|portance of drawing i'll developing the
talent of children and teaching them
lessons in history, tctany and
tother subjects. AS next Thursday is
Thanksgiving day. he drew Oh the board
"a fine turkey gobler, which made every
body think of their Thanksgiving din
|ner. A pretty maiden vas catching the
He also drew the snip May
flower" which brought oyer the Puri-
|tans, and made excellent pictures of
other subjects. He also exhibited beau
colored photographs of al chitecture
which al be used in decorating the
walls of school rooms aud at the same
time be copied by the children.
Miss Augusta Virgins. of the Del
Igado school. then read u well Drepar-
ed and most valuable paper On reading,
advocating the phoniC system as best
calculated to teach correct AND perfect
pronunciation. The different methods
|of reading of which there are eight.
were also discussed.
Mr.. S. ". Bowen, of the East Will
'mington school, spoke on the different
types of school childr: and the best
way to interest and encourage indolent
pupils. He divided children into three
classes-"the energetlL-aarnest." 1.-The
|energetic-careleSs," and the incident"
The first type give no trouble and are
easily handled in a school. but the EN-,
|ergetic-careless" type demand attend
ton. He said many children are ener-
|getic but careless and nlischievous
which he said indicated = bright mind.
Such children a~e capable of having
good lessons AMI compulsion must be
used to make them study. they u
be dealt with Kindly hut firmly. The
'indolent type give teachers the most
concern. Some children are habitually
idle, but they are very few. In some
cases i'll health is the cause. and there
are many other causes. Great patience
perseverance must lie exercised by
"a teacher towards his class and his
best work in handling them.
After each subject vas introduced.
the teachers then discussed them freely.
All the teachers spoke, and experiences
and methods were int changed.
The last on the programme was Pro-
lfessor Washington Catlett. county SUI
perintendent of public instruction, who
gave a brief but full and interesting ac-
count of his recent attendance at the
conference of chool superintendent at
Raleigh. This conference was called by
Professor J. Y. Joyner, state s~uperinten-
dent of public instruction. that the SUI
lperintendents might meet DR.. Rutterick,
of the Southern Educational Associa-
ltion, of New York. Pr ofcssOr Catlett
lstated that DR.. Butterlck spoke OF the
lgreat work of the association n said
1t was backed by ample funds, a mil
lion dollars or more, to stir up educa-
ltional zeal in the south This money
was not to build schools but to carry on
la campaign for education. Professor
gave an interesting account of
1.-THE action of the conference at Raleigh,
and said all but Is out 2f SO superin-
ltendents in the state were in attendance.
The teachers were much interested by
Professor Catlett's account of the IN
ference.
After the had been car
lried out. the teachers spoke of the
teaching Of music in the country schools
recently introduced by the county board
lof education. which employs n singing
master to visit the various schools in
turn for the purpose Of teaching sing
ling and music. New Hanover county is
THE only one in the state where the chill
ldren are laugh music, and the teachers
unanimously expressed themselves that
1.-THE experiment had been successful and
Igreatly beneficial. Thev stated hat it
laided discipline. stirred up interest both
Iamong the children and in the COM
munities and resulted in a better at
tendance upon the schrols.The associa-
ltion unanimously adopted a resolution
requesting the county board of educa-
ltion that the music feature . be
tcontinued in the schools and assuring
them tina their wise action in this mat
ter was improving the schools In the
lcounty-
The teachers were all pleased with
the meeting, and Superintendent Cat
lett says he was more thon pleased.
The next meeting OF the association
will be held in December. A pro-
gram will be duly prepared and there
will be several speakers.
Professor Catlett says all the schools
lin the county will observe North Caro-
lima day. Some will lave exercises to-
morrow, others will celebrate on Thurs
day and some will have appropriate ex-
l~ercises on Friday.