Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-04-08

times for these meetings, the terrific
rial superintendent might be present.
or course, with but twenty-five coun,
Ties In our territory, the number be-
longing 10 each OF these meetings
would NOT be large. but IL does not
require q large number TO make a
good meeting, Who will act as leader
and start this movement? Which sec,
tion of our territory will move first?
The teachers institute should be
made a powerful instrument In i'm.
proving u schools, Some one wrote
long ago, "As is the teacher, so is
The school" New Mexico cannot. as
yet, offer such inducements as will
secure, In all cases, very competent
teachers. We must take things Just
as we find them and make the most
Of them. Many Of the teachers are
young and inexperienced. But they
are willing and ambitious. They crave
sympathetic help and encouragement.
The institute should be made so good
that in II they will find just what they
need. When this becomes the case,
they will undergo great privations to
attend. No better test of a poor in.
stitute can be found than the fact that
he teachers attend. No better test OF
q poor institute can be found than the
fact that the teachers attend reluct-
antly. begrudging the time and ex-
pense. AS they are compelled by law
TO attend, II Is acting In good faith to.
wards them to make these institutes
worth attending. Here. again, coop
GRAFTON a do much. BY arranging
these Institutes SO that one can begin
this Monday morning and another
most nearly contiguous to it on the
next. and SO on, expert help may be
employed. which can go from institute
to institute and be of great benefit.
BY this arrangement the territorial SUI
perintendent can partly do what the
law requires Of him, and attend many
Of these Again, many counties have
but a small number of schools in them.
and consequently a small number of
teachers. II two of these (more If the
law permitted it, would combine all
their strength into one joint insti-
tute, it requires no argument to con.
vince the unprejudiced that much
greater advantage will be derived.
The additional expense of travelling
and board will be much more than off
set by the advantages derived. En-
larged attendance creates greater In
terest and extends acquaintance. Ex-
tended acquaintance increases pro
fessional enthusiasm.
educational missionary enterprise. II
is not a money making proposition for
anybody. The writer, during his life
time, has spent years gratuitously in
this work, and he does not feel that
he has lost anything thereby. He has
simply made this contribution as one
that he has owed to his profession.
The satisfaction of having contributed
a little to the cause is sufficient com
pensation. In some such spirit l in
woke the aid of all who can help in
this work. Of course. whenever cir
cumstances are such that cOmpensa-
tion can be had honestly, l shall be
more than pleased to have It be SO.
My experience in this territory has
brought me into close contact with
the youth Of the native population.
This association has given me a great
admiration for their docility. their de-
sire for education, and, in many cases,
their heroic and almost pathetic self
denial to obtain an education. Every
interest prompts us all to do the best
that can be done to improve their ad-
vantages.
In this particular work. | am, at
present, Of the opinion that the in
%struction in the lower grades needs
special care. The first introduction Of
the native child to the English Ian
guage is a critical time. II he is
skilfully taught at that time by an ex-
pert, he acquires correct enunciation.
pronunciation, spelling, and expression
in reading. Usually by the time he
has completed his second reader these
matters are practically settled; If well
taught, correctly settled; If wrongly
taught. wrongly settled, and results
obtained that are very difficult to
change. Hence, | should like to see
in the institutes of the coming season
a concerted action to improve this
work.
To the end just mentioned. ii is pos
sible. occasionally. to find a grade
teacher OF superior tact and ability for
Just this kind of work. Seek such.
Let merit alone be the test. Throw
personal %favoritism TO one side. In
terests of too great importance are in
the scale to consider this. The young