St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-02-15
AT DANVILLE.
Teachers Convention.

nove an informal talk on "Good Citizen.
sb;p." quoting from an address which he
delivered at Montpelier this fall. Mr..
Eaton spoke very Interestingly on the sub
;ect "Our BIRDS" He gave much valua-
HE information ami initiated the calls of
The birds very naturally. He spoke of
tbe enemies of the birds, the cats and the
rn;lliners and also of feeding the birds as
an encouragement to have them make
their homes near our dwellings. Music
was furnished by male quartette com
nosed OF John and Lewis Fisher, B. E.
Goodnough and DR.. c. E. Libbey; aud
bv Mrs. !. E. Tinker, who sang two
solos, my heart is singing" and "If no
one ever marries me-"
Friday mornings session was opened
with prayer by Rev. c. 6. Gorse. Har-
vey Burbank gave a very cordial ad
dress of welcome to the visiting teachers
and friends. Miss Miriam E. Dimond
smoke on "History." Among other
things she said history was not made
real enough to the pupil and suggested
teaching it as geography is now taug ht.
Begin to teach the scholar about the lite
of some one they know and who is
hero to them-perhaps it may be their
father can be used in that way, if not
some prominent citizen can always be
found. St. Johnsbury furnishes an ex-
ample in the life of Franklin Fairbanks.
Then widen out from the history OF the
individual to the county, the state, the
nation, and other nations. Miss Di-
mond gave many new ideas which were
yery suggestive and helpful. Dwight
Burrage, Principal of Peacham Academy,
smoke on the subject ITO the Utmost"
the teaching OF the subject being, one
should do ones best at all times and
under all circumstances. His address
contained many excellent thoughts which
we're very well expressed. Three chill
dren of the first grade, in Miss Ella
Pages room gave a motion exercise
which was well done and very entertain
ing, those who took part being Mar
garet Davis, Adelaide Badger and Gin
ton Cheever. The next subject on the
program was Relation of Teacher to
Home" and was series Of questions
conducted by B. E. Goodnough and an
swered by Miss Sadie Colby, Miss Emma
Stevens and Mr.. Renfrew.
Rev. G. H. Cummings then spoke OF the
Relation of Parent to School," He said
the parents should take great interest in
the work of the school AS well as of the
individual scholars, and told of several
specific things the parents can do, which
would be OF great benefit to the scholar
and teacher. All who heard Mr.. Eaton
speak the previous evening on birds were
glad OF another opportunity to hear him.
He gave short talk in the morning on
grasses. He spoke OF the value to body
and mind that one may get by studying
the grasses as recreation, and made the
idea a most attractive one.
Business closed the mornings program
and the following officers were elected:
President, Dwight Burrage; vice pres
dent. Clarence II. Dempsey; secretary
and treasurer, Mrs. Harvey Burbank, the
three to constitute the executive COM
mittee.
Friday afternoon session began with a
talk on school Law" by W. H. Taylor
of Hard wick. he called attention to the
changes that have been recently made in
the school laws referring to a pamphlet
issued by the Department of Education
which was placed in the hands OF those
present. de emphasized the Importance
4 of the teachers being thoroughly informed
in regard to the school laws, and gave
much information that was valuable par
ticularly to young teachers. In regard to
the contract between the teacher and
directors, he said it would make for
harmony between them it the contract
was always made in writing, and cited
an instance when one director hired one
teacher and another director hired an
other for the same school. All such dit.
Aculties would be obviated If a written
contract were made and signed by all
the directors. He laid great emphasis
on the moral responsibility of holding to
a contract after it was made, both by
the teachers and directors. He spoke Of
the law in regard to the time OF payment
of the teacher salary. AS thelaw stands
the teacher cannot legally demand his
pay until the end of the term when the
register is turned over to the clerk. He
thought it advisable to have the law
changed so that the pay can be drawn at
least once month. After his talk Mr.
Taylor answered questions, which were
brought up by the different teachers and
directors in attendance.
Miss Edith NJ Nichols Of st. Johnsbury
read a paper on drawing in Public
Schools" She first defined drawing as a
language-one much easier to read than
English, Greek or German, and traced the
progress of drawing from prehistoric
man up to the present. time. She very
clearly set forth the Importance Of
drawing in relation to the architect, the
designer and manufacturer, and drew
the conclusion that if it plays so impor'
tant part in the construction OF all our
furniture, dishes we use, houses we live
in, the books and pictures we enjoy
why not teach it ? Children should be
taught what will be most useful to them
in the days to come" and drawing as ii
is now taught 10 the public schools, Miss
Nichols demonstrated to be most usetu
in all lines of work and pleasure. She
quoted from William Morris, the pro
moter of simplicity in art, and told much
OF his work. She closed with an ex
PLANTATION of the Importance in drawing
in relation to all other studies and thu
usefulness OF art in the cultivation o
good taste.
THE Mission ofthe Rural School" was
most effectively told by Supt. Clarence
H. Dempsey of St. Johnsbury. He sale
they had been hearing much about thu
Flaw" and he would endeavor to tel
them something of the gospel" urginf
the teachers not to hold too closely t.
the literal Interpretation OF the law, bu
l. ~s.s