The Greeley tribune., 1903-11-12
EDUCATORS
ONE HUNDRED TEACHERS IN
CONVENTION
Twelfth Annual Gathering of
Weld County Teachers
Big Success Notes
by One of Them

1t was Teachers Association of
Weld county's twentieth annual ses-
sion last Saturday and over a hun
dred teachers came to the Greeley
High school, where they attended
one Of the most profitable school con-
ventioDs that was ever held in Weld
county.
The entire day was perfect. Every
teacher was particularly happy
happy, perhaps, because they were
teachers. uperintendent j. E.
Shook was president Of the conven-
tion and when he called the meeting
to order there could be no doubt In
any ones mind but that he was "It"
with the teachers.
The program was beautifully begun
with an excellent piano duet by the
Misses Marian Bunker and Lois
Wright, who pleasantly responded to
hearty encore with another sweet
selection. This was followed by
the earnest and uplifting invocation
by the Rev. o. A. Petty Of the q. p.
church.
Then came the bright particular
star Of the asSemblage, Superintend-
ent A. b. Copeland un the subject of
English grammar. But, do you
know, Superintendent Copeland, who
is otherwise the soul of chiyalry,
said that children do not understand
English grammar, do not learn 10
speak and write the English language
correctly because a great many teach
ers do not know Ems lish grammar
themselves?
Oh, how the teachers were shocked
when he said it.
Some blushed: some turned pale;
one slender pedagogue who looks like
"a divinity student was going tC
jump through window, but they
we're on second floor, so he didn't
jump A pretty little woman who
sat near the cruel speaker uncon'
scivusly raised her little fist as if she
was going to strike: and some just
sat still and looked aud felt like
"thirty cents deprecated currency.
1t was dreadful for the teachers &c
hear such remark in land wnefe
people dofe on Shakespeare whether
they read him or not. aud where
dozens of Miltonic quotations can be
given even If they don't stick in the
head long enough TO produce an irri-
tation resulting in thought. Yes, it
was tremendously dreadful aud, Oh
how it pains one to say it-he was
right.
Superintendent Copeland, who
knows something about grammar
himself, soon. however, gained the
forgiveness of the teachers when he
told them in log way how tC
teach the subject in order to get the
greatest results. If we haven
grammar, said Mr. Copeland, Let
us get it and get it right away.
Other important statements made
by the speaker were: Don't try tt
depend on definitions, ''Get an idea
ia the mind before you express 1t ir
| words. - "Train generation prop
erly in English and the futuie vii
take care of itself. " Professors Har'
rison. G.. C.. Stockton and Brauchei
ably assisted in the brief discussion
that followed,
Laboratory Work in Countr,
schools was brilliantly handled by
Henri c. Walker and Miss Alice
Jones. People often think OF lab
oratory." said Mr. Walker, ''aS Z
dark, dingy room highly decorated
with spider webs and rat tracks and
filled with hides, skeletons, picIlec
mud puppies, etc. Mr.. Walker
showed plainly that laboratory work
was nothing more than the study OF
nature and told i" an interesting
manner Of the work his pupils were
doing along that line and also OF the
results that he obtained 10y correlat.
inc Nature study with other i'm.
portant subjects. 1t must be truly
great pleasure to be be pupil OF
Miss Jones. Little flower gardens,
weather charts, stones and seeds,
form part of her laboratory work.
The subject of penmanship, ii
charge OF Professor Barnes from the
Central Business college of Denver,
was the last topic of the morning ses.
sion and for few moments the