The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-08-05

Il X An article appeared on the cuhca llo l.'
m 10 .of THE rines-Dispatch III, its Issue We
81 tJune GATH entitled Int the status ~
Or State Teachers Ion IN t l1 y
nrticle the writer seemed 'inquisitive,
" n ti,sp Ills own lanEungo. II eStyanteu 40
# ,tnn,y whnt tho associations status Wns.
What The outlook, etc. He declared that
r. /, seemed to hin and others that ~ q the \.
assoGiation was not thriving as ~ Should
but what was wrong, II anything ;f1 II he
8idid mot know s IN sss.S 5l II. "a 53
II Iii Tie issue Of July Goth n the i same ne
writer, reinforced by five others3 from ON
N Grundy, in5tlie county Of Buchanan, none
II whom has Ind any particular oppor-
a tunity Of knowing OF 4 the work Of the
# state Teachers Bli lAssociatio seems to
be mo longer irqnlsitive or ignorant on 81
that subject He knows nll about TIT
diagnoses Its supposed compl icatio IN q !
Il diseases, changes the prescription and
guarantees results. Whence came this
# sudden enlightenment? x l4{s] $ "a AZ u
ut was proba bly, my dut to 4 answer
H. the letter OF June oath, but a 2 desired l;
.tto5follow the usual custom of tho asso-
\ citation. III and simply sound q forward
noto rs soon as the plans Tor me ~ IN y !
d work and meeting had been natired
Besides the articles OF Superintendent
Fulliam In The Times Dispatc 81 came ca q, as
h q Complete answer, thought, TO tne
pessimistic tone of the prod'u1'c t 9, OF
NJ June 24th. These articles OF Superlh,
tendent 1'uliam recounting the Wp 9 y =
4, the association md stating aEaln alts
\ objects III luminous and graceful phrase
came also as d welcome surprise 70 =! me,
! who happened to be Very pusily employcd
e A " educational duties that We're rlore
M Important, II thought, than discussing ~
tho future Of the association Win VI IN o a..
who had not been seen or near ~ 70 70
81 State conventions. si l5,. u
}}S5 1F may be pardoned for referring "a 70 %
n another circumstance by way OF excuse
q forGnot rushing into print to take ISSUE
n III "a ono who seemed willing not only 70
III ,or,rnniZe the Teachers Association, pllt
81 also to do the work OF the examiners 1tAs
n and the State Superintendent. a, 1. .
3 saw IN your issue of y Wy ST Ina q. ~
had volunteered to commence spu u!'!ls'l
and guarantee the continuance and sue
cass a. 4 school journal for Virginia. q
IN thought that high mission would "A st oe
III anoIgh ia amuse him for three or four
Il months at least, or$until a fall campaign
& 3s,,nder fayora bic circumstances and a&rep-S
4 ,,esentntive convention could convince
even the most skeptieal that the state
Teachers Association has plenty Of LIE
ss in IT vet ~ t. had not occurred A To- me me
8Fthat the brave little faculty OF M the
Grundy Summer School, brilliant rs they;
VI no doubt are would amDl tlo e' essay ,ss'
a y = r,,n N the entire educational ma chinery
81 or the State. n E i, IS u ISL d, u.
55I3,it ia the suggestions Of the "open e.
IA +ery,5 Not one Of them would add any
w fen fire that 8is essentially new IN e 8lll
% ii,p,,rat ion OF the system of examiners
III circuits would naturally have brought up
S,the auestonas to whether our Vice Tpr'e'siI-
dents should be according to clrcul ltss y
by congressional districts, us heretofore 70
u owl nG
5sgR1 sdo,,ht very much II the associa ton will
q desire to change 1t, but a change from
ss an "a five yice-presldents would not Do
Al 4, raorra liza ton We nov have a. score.
q rryS and Ia treasurer. two oflice 70 IN
me positions the open lette al
yocates# two officers one cailea 9 c.i ~
~ nondin. secretary and the other y rs =.
& 2cordlngR secretary and treasurer S " q 5
E..sSI y Is suggested that we have an inde-3
4 ,nenlent executive committee, instead OF
IA niun# tina makes the president vice
81 presidents. secretary and treasurer tho
executive committee. The former plan
93g5yyas tried by the association and arop-
ped. because 1t was found to be 10 fail
II llre. IL we have always had an auditing
committee. IL e Is ig
sl8 The n seventh recommendation Is at
f$t least novel. It, is proposed that y
\ teacher and a superintendent from each
III examiners circuit be appointed to look
"a after the material needs Of the schools
si Aside from the fact that each teacher
& and superintendent will have his hands
full in looking after the material
III needs" OF his own school or division, IT
~ ts a cardinal principle in the successful
II 1nanag cement Of such organizations as a
"a State Teachers Asso citation NJ that at.
tempts at executive work OF "a certain
character should be carefully avoided.
The functional OF al teachers' associa-
lion are to develop. a professional spirit,
to cultivate an esprit de corps, and TO
assemble the teachers for the purposes
u, of intellectual enjoyment. pedagogica In
Teachers meetings develop leadership
RI and bring out home talent. They make
n the teachers realize, as nothing else Will
do their own proper mission in life. and,
4 incidentally. they inspire among the peo-
i pie at largo that pride in their teaching
& force and respect for the profession that
y are altogether desirable. Large assem-
8 f,lies OF teachers greatly aid and encour-
I nge those who have the care OF the mates
rial needs OF the SCHOOLS and rapidly
& crystallze public sentiment in fnvor OF
H more generous contributions to the
n school funds. IN rs 36
y II But any association which undertakes
4 10 look after the material needs Of all
* OF the schools, In 80 large a territory as
twenty counties, ny tHe uIlSdltLA leu VI
5orts OF one lone superintendent and still
moro lonely teacher perchance, Will SIM
d, ply render itself ridiculous, This com-
mittee OF two could learn more about
AK the needs OF their schools In the Office OF
IL the Superintendent OF Public instruction
S@ in an hour than they could learn in
three years by such independent investi-
cation as they might be able to put on
} foot. have attended as many State
teachers gatherings and educational as
eemblies as any man III Virginia, dare
say. have seen many committees
chosen TO- formulate high school courses,
correlate grammar school work, en-
tighten the Legislature and what not,
h have never known Thorn to accomplish
anything very practical or Tangible
That strong young leader of the edu
q cationel forces Of Virginia, our talented
& State superintendent, has accomplished
more OF practical and tangible results
already In his brief Term of office thai