The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-02

They fail to realize how much time it
takes for a child to assimilate ideas,
and they are continually urging the
teacher to accomplish results that are
all but impossible.
Principals Nag Teachers.
Principals nag the teachers. I
know of Rany principals who refuse to
allow their teachers to sit during
school hours
Prof. McBroom read a few pro-
grammeS of the days work in graded
schools to show what is expected of
the teacher nowadays. Such pro-
grammes, he said, prevented the teach
ers from keeping their evening for rest
and recreation. Written work, he said,
was the worst kind of drudgery and
the most unnecessary.
Il make no plea" he continued, "for
the incompetent teachers, or those who
spend their evenings at dances l must
confess [ feel contempt for any man
or woman in any profession who must
take Hoods sarSaparilla, but do plead
for the competent but sadly overwork-
ed teacher. Teachers meetings are
largely overdone. Principals should
not insist on the teachers improving
their minds. entertaining, mentally.
is as bad for the teacher as oVertrain-
ing, physically, is for the athlete. I
do not condemn the occasional teach
ers' meeting, but those meetings that
are held at regular intervals during the
school month.
Summer School Abuse.
Then there is the summer school
abuse. For the young woman who has
just finished her school course and de-
slres to teach the summer school is all
right, but even then I think a course
at good business college would serve
the purpose equally we'll and prove
less expensive. But the experienced
teacher does not need the summer
school, and asking her to attend such
school is an, outrage. / have never
met a teacher who did not think so
unless she happened to be "a teacher in
such a school,
Instead OF the summer school I
should advocate a. teachers day. when
the teachers of a. district or county
could all zget~together and have a pic
mic and enjoy little fun"
Prof. Tormey, in his reply to Prof.
McBroom s. paper, stated emphatical-
ly that he thought the remedies sug-
gested in the paper We're worse than
the disease.
Instead of placing the blame for ali
ethese nervous. breakdowns with the
principals and the teachers meetings
and the summer schools, would place
1t where it belongs, with the public"
said Prof. Tormey. TT is the badly
constructed and poorly ventilated
buildings that are to blame, and the
oVercrowding of. these buildings he
asserted. Principals Should insist on
their teachers reading books that are
profitable and helpful and should en-
courage attendance at the summer
schools. The man. he said. "who
makes the assertion that. the business
college is better than the summer
school has no conception of the true
value of teaching" Mr.. Tormey ad-
mitted that very often the wrong man
was placed at the head Of educational
bodies.
No Use for Atkinson.
Il criticise the appointment of
Frederic Atkinson as superintendent
of public education in the Philippines. -
he said. Il am sorry for Mr. Atkin-
son and l am still sorrier for the
teachers who will teach under him. He
is a man with no practical experience
to aid him in the work he has now
before him. Such men should not be
appointed to fill such positions. 1 stand
for professionalism in teaching and /
think that if more care would be ex-
ercised in the selection of men for
educative work there would be fewer
reports of breakdowns among the
teaching force, for head and body