Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-12-12

Held IN WOODBURY.
The meeting of Gloucester County Teach
ers' Association last Saturday was well at
| tended, and the session was interesting and
| instructive from beginning to end. The pro-
ceedings were opened by singing Onward
Christian Soldiers led by principal DaYis,
| of Glassboro, with piano accompaniment.
| Then Miss Nicholson, principal of Swedes-
horo schools, led responsive reading, and
the Lords prayer was recited by the Asso-
citation.
Principal Tharp, of Mullica Hill, read
resolutions on the death of late County
School Superintendent VIM Ell Eldridge,
and Secretary Handle read the list of new
officers, as folows:-
WHEREAS, Is has pleased the Great Teach
er to call from life's school our esteemed
friend ard honored County SupeIin-
tend lent, William H. Eldridge; therefore
be it
Resolred, That as we bow in humble SUBJ
mission to the divine will, we recognize
that in the death OF our friend and oc-'
iuOOiC g bhC 01OuSCccCi SoHDHJ ASuNhC2o
Association has lost faithful and enthu-
Gloucester county an earnest and efficient
Superintendent, and the cause OF education
loyal and enthusiastic supporter.
ResoEred, That we, the members Of the
Gloucester County Teachers Association,
extend to the bereaved family our heartfelt
sympath, and commend them in their sor-
row to Him who is the resurrection and the
life, assuring them that He who thought it
wise TO deprive them Of loving husband
and father, will also send his holy spirit to
minister consolation.
ReS0fUed, That as token of our respect
and esteem these resolutions be entered up
on the minutes of the Association, and an
engrossed copy presented to the bereaYed
family. D. T. STEELMAN,
J. HI. THARP,
THEo. FLEETWOOD.
Committee.
President--D. T. Steelman.
Vice President-Th Theodore Fleetwood.
Secretary Henry t. Handle.
TreasuTer-John Fl. Tharp.
Supervising Principal Rohrback, read an
instructive paper on School Supervision.
The keynote of bis paper was Organization
and System the need, methods and re-
suits.
After referring to the thorough superyis-
ion required in industrial enterprises in or
der to facilitate business and prevent waste
of energy and product. the speaker said
.sThe period of life in which brains go TO
waste is childhood and youth or the years
usually devoted to schooling. Not only
the brain, but also the time and efforts of
both teachers and pupils are frequently
wasted under an ill-adjusted course of
study or a poorly organized educational
system
He asserted that sby improving the
methods of teaching, by saving from waste
the time and efforts Of teachers and pupils,
and by making the most of the brains en-
trusted TO his care by the munich
pality, the supervisor eau earn many
times his salary in a year."
He plead for thorough supervision of the
rural school, and well balanced course Of
study, so thai work in the rural districts
will harmonize with work in town and city
schools. He plead for trained teachers in
the rural schools. At present, be said, the
rural schools take the new and untried and
unframed teachers who practice teaching
at the expense of the pupils, hence the need
of supervision there was greater than in
the cities, whose higher salaries attract the
best teachers. He said this condition
would exist so long as salaries in rural dis
tricts were less than in the cities.
After discussing his methods of super
vision, he declared that the teachers prep
aration for the lesson should be more thor
ough than that expected of the pupil. sPu-
pills" he said, ARE always impressed with
genuine and exact knowledge and give
respect and ready obedience to the teachers
that have it. =
The purpose Of the recitation be dec Jared
TO be
1st. To find out what the pupil knows,
and how be knows it-by assimilation or
memory.
I'd. To find out what be does not know,
and why he does not know is.
Sd. To train pupils in original thought.
The results of supervision, the speaker
said were system in place of dlscord; the
weak teacher strengthened, pupils stim-
ulated to greater effort, courses of study
more carefully pursued, punctuality and
attendance promoted, educational spirit
cultiYated.
Mrs. Harriet Croft, Of Swedesboro, had
the close attention of every teacher while
describing her method Of giving Lesson
in Geography President Steelman, in
introducing Mrs Croft said in visit to
her room he found her giving lesson in
this subjecs, and the pupils were SO inter-
ested that they leaned forward TO
the edge OF their seats to catch every
word
We got the idea from her paper that
Mrs. Groff's geography lessons are prac-
tical combination of history and geography,
closely initiate the facility with which
future citizens will possess vivid view Of
she world.
Twelve pupils Of Woodbury. High School
sang chorus. after which came the con-