Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-05-29
SUCCESSFUL MEETING.
First Annual Convention of the Addison
County Teachers and Patrons.

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County Teachers and Patrons.
Fair weather greeted the teachers and
patrons of the schools of this county
when they gathered at Middlebury to
connection with it was held the state
teachers institute for this year in this
county. This was happy idea, as it
brought all the teachers out, and enabled
them to listen to some of the best edu-
Gators in the county. The first day S
session was held in the Baptist church
and opened with about 200 present. The
first thing on the programme was an
address by the president of the associa-
ton, Prof A. F. Howes, principal of
the Middlebury graded school. Mr..
Howes welcomed the visitors and out
lined the proposed work of the newly
formed association, and solicited the
support of both teachers and patrons
throughout the county.
The principal address of the evening
session was delivered by Prof. Theodore
Henckles. instructor in German at Mid
dlebury college, who took for his sub
ject, "The Fundamental Idea of Public
Schools" Principal j. L. Aver, of
Johnson, spoke for half an hour upon
"NIethods in Arithmetic
The morning session was necessarily
shortened by the absence Of County EX-
aminer Prof Thomas E. Boyce who had
charge of the discussion.
The afternoon session opened with a
business meeting, which was fully at
tended. Miss Julia p Reef of Yer
gennes, read a paper on Language
Teaching in the Rural School,, in which
she gave many potent suggestions upon
the subject. One of the most interesting
and instructive events of the day was
the exhibition of physical culture by
class of twenty children. under the
direction of Miss Anna F. Kingman, of
Ferrisburgh.
"Out Door Nature Study was the
theme of paper by Miss Ida \. Kings
ley, of New Haven. ''School Room
Decorated was the subject of paper
by Miss Lottie j. Burr, of Middlebury.
Following what was termed "a round
table conference" which was in charge
of State Superintendent Ranger: ad iourn-
ment was taken to the graded school
building, where an exhibit of school
work by Middlebury pupils was
viewed.
The evening session opened at 5 o'clock
in the Congregational church with an
address by Superintendent Ranger. his
subject being The Industrial Aim in
Education"
In opening, Mr.. Ranger said that the
true American spirit was to labor and
not to he a soth or a dreamer. and that
education had so allied the educational
with the industrial world that we have
learned that it is right and best that we
should work
''The school in America is first of all
to honor labor" said Mr.. Ranger. Regu-
larity, promptness and application in
our public school system. He said that
drawing was one of the strongest aids to
industrial success in after life that is
being taught in the schools of this state
today, as it opens up chances for Young
men and women to enter literary posi-
tions. "Organized labor leads to CO.
operation said Mr.. Ranger, in closing
his remarks, which were followed by
bass solo by Frank w. Thomas. of Mid
dlebury.
Pres. a. F. Howes introduced Louis
p. Nash, superintendent of schools of
Holyoke. Mass, who in opening his
remarks upon the subject. "Literature
and its Relation to School Life" said
this is reading generation of ours.
Literature guides our energies and slim
ulates. He said that all reading was by
no means literature. He scored the
popular novels that agitate the public
mind for season and then suddenly
drop out of notice The greatest time
of our literature is in the past. and we
should read our great books said Mr.
Nash. He urged the reading of the
works of the old masters of literature in
preference to the lighter view of ltera-
ture that prevails among the writers of
today.
A reception was held following the
close of the evening exercises.
The second days session was held in