The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-16
Necessity of instructors Getting To.
gether for Conference.
District Officers Are invited TO Be
Present at Session.
Topics of Interest to Rural Schools
Will Be Discussed.
From Fridays Daily.

II. freeman Is much interested IN having
the teachers of rural schools attend the
meeting of the Southern Minnesota
Teachers association which will be held
in this city Oct. 80 and 81. He has is
sued the following circular to the teach
ers:
Il desire to call your attention to the
coming meeting of the Southern Min
nesota Teachers association which will
be held in the Mankato state normal
school building, October 30th and 3lst.
l have not burdened the teachers of the
country by demanding that they should
attend teachers meetings; for this very
reason | want to ask every teacher in
the county to be present at this meet
ing. | shall expect you. Sickness shall
be the only acceptable excuse for alb
sence
"The officers of the association have
arranged for a conference of rural school
people, including school officers, teach
ers and county superintendent The
chairman of this conference is Superin-
| tendent S. j. Race of Redwood county.
Superintendent Race is one of the old
est superintendent, in point of service,
in the state and it is worth ones while
to go long way to hear his advice in re-
gard to schools and school work. There
vii l>o Oh
many county superintendent and school
officers, and it is to be hoped that the
largest number will represent rural
school teachers
"All discussions will be informal and
such timely topics as the following will
be discussed School Libraries" Books
for Children to Read" "The Trained VS..
the Unframed Teacher "The Present
System of Heating and Ventilating
Rural Schools" "What Constitutes a
Good Equipment" "The Professional Re
lation of Teacher and School Board"
''The state superintendent has promis-
ed to be present and address the rural
school conference. City superintendent
from all over the state will be present
and may be heard in the discussion of
timely topics. Friday forenoon will be
: devoted to visiting the class rooms of
the normal and city schools and the con-
ference will begin at l:30 of the same
day. You should arrange to be here all
day Friday and spend the forenoon visit
ing class rooms. 1t will make you a
better teacher"
Mr.. Freeman is to be commended for
urging upon the teachers the necessity of
attending the conference.
Another circular Superintendent Free
man has issued is as follows
II desire to give all teachers due and
proper notice that the professional exam
nation in this county in the future will
be based upon the reading circle books.
Teachers of the common schools will
not be recommended for complete certi-
icates, neither will grades on old certi-
1 HCdleS NC dcCepleu III llcu VI oil cAdIil-
nation unless the applicant passes a
satisfactory examination in professional
Requirement which will be based upon
the reading circle books; provided, that
4 those teachers who read the reading
circle books end submit written out
line of each of the two books in the
years course shall be excused from writ
ing upon the professional test.
Il take this position because l regard
it as the duty of every teacher in the
common schools to do reasonable
amount of professional and Culture read
ing Many teachers will do it unasked
but there are all too many who will
not The cost of the books will not be
a burden to any teacher. They may be
lsecured at the office of the county SUI
lperintendent or of the publisher 1t
costs "a cents to send them by mail, so
[ shall have to ask those who wish them
sent in that way to add the above sum
to the cost of the books as given in the
reading circle circular.
"The next teachers examination comes
early in February, 1904, so it is unneces-
sary for me to say the time is short and
that the books should be secured at once
or Just as soon as possible"