Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-01
MUCH DEPENDS
ON TEACHERS
Able Address by President Black At
Teachers Meeting.

| Boise, Idaho, Jan. 1.-The Idaho |
State Teachers association closed a |
very successful three-day session here |
Friday.
The officers elected for the ensuing |
year are: |
President-Superinten ]. E. Will
Hanson Of Boise.
First vice president-County Super |
intendent r. c. Egbers. OF Rathdrum. |
Second vice president-Superinten |
dent A. NJ. Rowe Of Payette.
Secretary - County Superintendent
Mrs. Lille B. Wertz of Mountain
Home.
1 Assistant secretary--Miss Edith
/ Bickell Of lewiston
Treasurer-Principal ]. w. Faris Of
Pocatello.
The annual address by President
George H, Black. president OF the Lew
iston normal school, was devoted to an
account of 1.-The Educational Outlook
in Idaho" the Lewiston educator TAX
ing occasion to tell the needs of the
schools Of the Gem state. The address
was In part as follows:
Educational Outlook in Idaho.
In commenting upon the educa-
tional outlook In Idaho. am reminded
first that educational progress in Ida
no depends mainly upon its teachers.
Its central fact therefore has a profess
sional basis. am further aware of the
! fact that next to the teacher the most
I important factor is the one too often
disregarded in all educational work,
! namely, the teachers silent partner,
the layman, that is. the parent. the
financial hacker, the taxpayer-the one
who makes all educative machinery
possible. The third factor 10 the child.
place this third because at school
age, the child Is creature subservient
to the dictates of the two greater de-
termining factors, viz, the parent Cor
layman) and the teacher. The child II
the central figure upon which the en-
ergies OF both the main factors are
focused. And here let me, for mo-
ment, revert to a special mention Of
facts, concerning the inter-relations Of
the first two factors.
place the teacher first because he
(the superintendent especially stands
between the layman and the child. He
commands. or should command the
whole situation 1t is his duty to edu-
cate the layman with respect to his
particular duties as it is also to edu-
cate the child. To broaden the influ-
y ence of the school he must educate the
- layman. We as teachers or as super
intendents are not living up to the full
u measure Of success until we arouse q
wide-awake and intelligent lay inter.
y est in school problems and school poll.
n cies.
I'VE must be businesslike in educa
= tive work for after ALL educative worl
has it's business problems just as trul!
as it has It's professional problems
Il There is therefore abundant reason
why the financial hacker and silen
y partner, who has delegated his respon
X sibility to teachers and directors
should be educated with respect to tn
= essential facts regarding school ex
y penses and educational returns. Thi
. is not only desirable but indispen sable
and l therefore give this problem
. the teachers of Idaho as one OF tn
problems. the solution Of which wi
accomplish more than any other on
thing for Frightening the educations
outlook in Idaho.
THE educational outlook in Idah
. therefore depends second upon the sue
cess with which we carry out the wor
of convincing our laymen-the public
of our needs and the success whic
may eventually. attend our efforts
securing educational machiner
through sacrifices on the part of TT
people in general. Our people belieH
in education and will respond when "
convince them that our claim Is ju!
one and that the results obtained jus
tify a sacrifice.
This brings up to the question
results-returns to the public-the pi,
otal point of the whole work; result
to the child. to the community and
society in general. But what OF II
result Of our work in Idaho?
thine will not permit me to dire
YOUR attention to specific instances
unusual merit in the educational VOL
now being carried on IN our puDi
n schools and also in our state instit'
tons. trust I shall be pardoned II
use what time is at my disposal,
plishing rather than to what we are.
Make the Children Work.
children OF school age must
taught to work. They must learn to
- doors. not mere listeners. They mu
be taught what to do and required
do it. They should learn to do it wi
ingly II such is possible. but tn
Z must in any event learn to work and
work Independently. The teacher mu
show them how to work. but must n
do the work for the child. l fear tn
many over jealous teachers are pro
to spare the child to the positive inJu
- Of both child and teacher.
II shall not now take time to discu
another place where our returns to
public may be faulty. refer to a la
of accuracy of definiteness and col
pleteness, in all school work T
m. knowledge that counts and. really,
only knowledge that counts Is our de
mite knowledge. Many school childr
hint at the answer to the teache
questions and the teacher. very kim
taking the hint proceeds to the ansv
herself The child therefore loses
lSe opportunity to express himself and
so doing loses the desire to expr'
r. himself. With this goes the total Il
and OF anterest. -. .,u, -
corning educational returns to the pl
0 a. lie Is one which vitality affects the ef
cational outlook in this state I
lieve that we fall short OF our pos
" '' bilities in respect to the education
the majority. Much too high p
centage of our young people do
go past the eighth grade-indeed mi
. too great number never even re
the eighth grade. What are the eau
80 OF this condition? 1t Is not that
| institutions are not annie. neither