The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-08-02
THE SUMMER SCHOOL
Closed Yesterday in Joint Session
With School Board rlembers
of lille Laos County.
People Gather From Many Parts of
Northwest to Witness and
Take Part in Exercises.

certainly the closing day makes an
epoch in the educational history of
this county. The joint meeting of
board members and teachers was a
splendid success. There were present
not less than sixty five board men,
oers, and all through the program
they manifested marked interest by
helping in the discussions and ask
ing questions. The program was re-
plete with good things touching vital
questions. Those who heard the dis
cussions and addresses cannot do
otherwise than go home realizing the
responsibility involved in administer
ing and maintaining a school system.
Every speaker had message and
brought vital truths to the attention
OF the audience, and the rapt atten-
ton spoke strongly of the interest
of all present.
Supt. Austin of our own school
spoke of "The Successful Teacher, -
pointing the essential qualities nee
essary, the most common errors made
by them, and the need of attending to
certain fundamentals upon which sue
cess depends. He covered a large
field and showed himself thoroughly
acquainted with school matters, be-
speaking not only considerable ex-
perience, but keen powers of observa-
ton and ability to make logical de-
auctions.
Mr.. E. L. Mcmillan gave a compre-
hensive talk on duties and powers of
school boards. A discussion of a
subject depending upon mere laws as
found in our statutes might be thought
dry and embarrassing. but so skill
fully was the subject handled by the
speaker that the audience was most
responsive and interested. Mr.. Me-
MILAN deserves the greatest credit for
making dry subject most interest
i i nr.ess The information given will be
most helpful in properly administer
ing the business end OF our schools.
The program of the morning session
was interspersed with a vocal selec-
ton by Miss Orpha Townsend and
choruses by the summer school pupils.
The afternoon session opened with
model work conducted by Miss Sand,
Instructor in the summer school. The
class consisted of children who had
had but little experience in school.
The model work was revelation of
skill, tact and real power with chill
dren. Although the children we're in
the presence of several hundred peo-
pie, yet Miss Sand held their atten-
ton perfectly. The purpose of the
work exhibited was to show modern
methods of teaching reading and lam
guage. TO those who know only of
the methods employed in teaching
these subjects ten or twenty years ago
the work was surprise. We some
times hear it said that modern school
methods are not as effective as those
employed in olden times, but these
criticisms come only from those who
never go near the modern school
who know nothing of the aims and
ideals of the efficient teacher of the
present day. Their judgments are
based on observations made at long
range. To have seen the model work
as given by Miss Sand is to realize
that teaching is a fine art, a work
fraught with wonderful possibilities
for good in the development of the
little ones in charge. The greatest
compliment given Miss Sand was
chance remark expressed by one pres
emit: "She is perfect madonna with
The teachers of the sum-
mer school have been most fortunate
in becoming associated with a teacher
OF such power. Surely the children
coming under their charge the next
year will be better taught higher and
purer ideals of life will be given them
Than II they had not come within the
sphere of her influence.
This was followed by reading en-
titled 'Biddy's Troubles with the
Y ankees" by Miss Lynch. 1t was
very humorous selection and was
rendered. Miss Lynch
proved herself a reader of ability,
particularly of the dialect order.
j. W. Olsen, state superintendent of
public instruction, delivered an ad-
1ress upon the subject, Essentials
Necessary to a Successful Country
Schools
The meeting closed with a short ad-
1ress upon "The Country Schools as
Business Proposition" by A. N.
farmer, conductor of the summer
school. The address was most able
me and demonstrated that Mr.. Far
ner had made a close study of the
SUBJECT selected by him and that he