The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1903-04-15
TEACHERS AT WABASSO.
The Teachers Association Out One Hun
bred Strong.

Despite the rain, mud and moody
nature of April on Friday and Sat-
urday last, fully one hundred or
more teachers attended the confer
ence of teachers held at Wabasso.
The citizens mad tastefully and pa
triotically decorated the opera hall,
where the teachers were form
ally welcomed by E. E. Harriott,
who very facetiously remarked, he
loved a teacher. Gle recently mar
ried one.) The assoc iation was full
of interest from the beginning, and
continued SO until the close.
DR.. Shoemaker, president of the
State Normal school, ST. Cloud, gave
four lectures on arithmetic. Miss
Martha Hinkle taught literature,
with glimpses of Emerson and spec
ial study upon the Concord Hymn,
The Titmouse, Each and All, and
The Rhodora. A. J. Jones had the
music, always an important feature
of teachers association. Mr.. Race
ministered to the comfort of the
teachers-a part not always easy to
do.
DR.. Shoemaker made some "home
shots in common sense arithmetic,
especially in common fractions and
decimals. If we don't teach better
arithmetic in this county, with this
added new light, then indeed we
are sinners. His lecture-Some
Experiences of the New Teacher
given on Friday evening, seemed
like an autobiography of the lectur-
er. The hall was full of apprecia-
tive listeners. Miss Jean Patter
son sang beautiful song, which
the audience said "More more -
but she would't.
Miss Hinkle's interpretations of
Emerson, his poetry and a reading
from Quo Vadis, won for her no
small amount of compliments. She
is an artist in Interpretation and
representation.
Mr.. Jones gave some timely and
pointed hints on the use of the die
tionary.
The question box brought out
discussion on the following: Shall
pupils in lower grades attempt to
use words in stories which they
can't spell? Yes. Shall pupils
closely study pictures for close OBJ
servation work and language
growth? Yes. In arithmetic are
we too intensive in analysis and
not synthetical enough? Yes. Shall
the black board be used by pupils
for written reproductions Of work,
etc? Yes-that pupils may see
their mates actually execute their
best. At whatage should pupils be
taught the multiplication tables?
AS soon as they are able. Shall
they be held back from promotion
because they have not mastered the
tables? No. Let them use refer
ence tables until such conditions
are overcome. Shall pupils have
the liberty to move about the school
room while the school is in session?
Shall he speak to his mates without
permission, consult reference works,
leave the room to get a drink, ETC.,
without permission? All these will
depend on tact of the e>cher and
on her personality. How shall
pupils be taught to reason, who
are old enough and who are not?
Some children are largely ear mind
ed, some eye minded, some are both.
Some retain easily: some have vast
and powerful minds. Children un-
derstand only what they apprehend
and then comprehend. Shall pupils
have special drills in penmanship?
Yes, and penmanship in language
work. too. The language work
done with poor. short pencils and
upon poor, one thickness of paper
is bad, very bad teaching. Shall
pupils be graduated from the Sth
grade if they have failed in one i'm
portant subject? Yes, but require
them to make it up before final
graduation from high school. Are
we too bookish and too far away
from nature? Yes, get back to ma
ture.
Each teacher. for her school IL