Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-08-26
INSTITUTE
4,a.SpIendid Work in Which Parents do not
..s Take Sufficient Interest---High Class
e &c Educators in Charge.
(Py LILLIAN HARTMAN JoHNsoN)


end OF the first week had enrolled
eigbty-nve In attendance This equals
the enrolment OF the entire session
last year, which proves growing in
terest in the work. The enrolment of
as large a number as possible Is de-
sired by the school authorities. The
cost Is only one dollar, and II ls
hoped by the end OF the coming week
the present list will receive many ad-
ditions.
During the past week Prof. w. r.
Thomas. OF the agricultural college at
Fort Collins. and DR. Sanford Bell and
Mrs Bell, of the university at Boulder.
have entertained and instructed the
classics on various educational topics.
Parents do not seem TO understand
that they are expected to be interest.
ed In the work OF the institute, as
only few, comparatively, have been in
attendance 1t is Inconsistent. to say
the least. to hear so much complaint
of methods, etc. and then when an op-
portunity offers for an investigation
OF what the educational world is do
ing, for t1c feneHt OF their children to
have them ignore It. This apathy on
the, part OF parents manifests a greater
desire on their part to complain than
t. understand and assist
Just one lecture by Dr. Bell caused
one, to marvel why there should be
even standing room In the assembly
hall during his talks, DR.. Bell not
only has the intellectual and educa.
tional equipment for his work. but he
liz possessed of that magnetic person
ality that holds his listeners with in
tensity. Better still. he wastes no
time becoming en- rapport with his
audience because he is so thoroughly
on rapport with his subject. The
imagery of literature is so deeply i'm
printed In his own mind that when he
Is analyzing great poem or drama
his power Is almost hypnotic one In
presenting these pictures to his audi
thtG. trtii a. iuhh vi DIOit
sympathies and deep culture. He
educates the heart us well MS the mind
And that he is man of advanced
thought. is proved by his selection OF
the, dramas of Browning, Ibsen ant
Bernard Shaw for reading and analy
sis upon the occasion of these teach
ers' meetings, and his eulogy of Steph
er Phillips as the most promising
poet in England and ranking abov,
hespoet laureate" stamps him a man
OF rare literary Judgment. One coull
but exclaim, 20. wise young Judgel
How much more elder art thou thar
thy looks!"
DR.. Bell began his lecture on Fri
day afternoon, first, by instructing hi,
class how to read poetry, and in de
finiRg the difference between the po
etic and dramatic form OF poetry. He
said. In part:
"The lyric poem is the expression
OF the writer's attitude toward some
phase Of human life. 1t is persona
IN the sense that 1t represents his at
titude. Remember that the poet II
human and holds so much in common
with you and me that when he eS
presses his conviction you and l viii
hnd response. He is an inclusiv,
minded man, man who can get hol,
OF the subtleties OF your psycholog
and mine. which evade us Thes
the poet can seize upon and saw
for you and me. They have takei
deep root In his nature and he pre-
sents them in an artistic way Tn,
idea Of Excelsior" is in every norma
soul, but perhaps 1t did not take roo
so deeply as 1t did in Longfellow s
He had time and opportunity to dwell
upon this thought, which though be
longing to others quite as much. thos'
others were hewers of wood and draw
ers of water who had no time to i'm
prison II and make II theirs An
IL does us good to find in the poe
the things that are within us.
The facts and truths of human III
are what the poet and dramatist hol,
in common. II may be that he ha
selected things In your mind. bu
which are blurred, and draws then
out. It may be that by his holding u
some phase OF human life you will Sc,
the line OF action which is leading ol
TO certain inevitable conclusion
and he win show you some tendencies
OF your own nature. and you may b.
enabled to stop such action, If ba,
one. or to strengthen it, ia goo'
one: thus getting the lesson vicarious
~ taking the dramatic effect insteas
OF having to go through the actua
experience. Who that could enter
tain that feeling OF Jealousy as tina
emotion il developed in Othello unit
Il becomes the emotion that has ths
right Of way, consuming everything
49,, LOT, ,rl,v h,