Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-12-07
TEACHERS IN SESSION
Potomac Valley Round Table Dis
cusses School Work.
DR.. PuRINT0N'S FINE ADDRESS
"Ethics OF the School Room" Ass
Treated BY Speaker Of the Even.
ing-choice Music.
,R. PuRINT0N'S FINE ADDRESS
Fridsx Af.ernoon session.

Friday Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session was opened
with Vice Moderator Knutti in the
chair sThe West Virginia Hills"
vas sung with much fervor.
After the reading Of the minutes,
the first question was taken up. The
topic was: How Can Pupils BE
be had upon the same on the 14th day
( Taught to Govern Themselves" Il
was most ably handled by Or. Purin-
! ton, of the West Virginia univers ty.
The main thought OF the talk was that
| the pupil should be thrown on his own
honor that he should be trusted,
and he will learn to govern himself.
The discussion OF the next question,
@When Is a Schoolroom Overcrowd-
ed?" was opened by Prof. C. w. Miller,
and was participated in by several
members OF the association.
What Should the Country School
DO For the Pupil" seemed to be OF
l
much interest to many Of the teach
ers.
The following names were added to
/ the roll: w A. pitzer, second ward;
Laura Homrich, fourth ward: Clara
| Cutting, firth ward; II. G. McDonner,
Harpers Ferry; Sue NJ. Johnson, Key
ser: A. j. Wilkinson, Grafton; Lottie
+. Orebangh Keyser; Myrtle Black
burn, Keyser. Prof A. ]. Wilkinson,
of Grafton, spoke very forcibly in IA
vor of country life. Prof. McDonner,
OF Storer college. spoke on the same
subject
Several other topics we're discussed,
after which the meeting adjourned IN
/ til 7:s0.
Night Session.
The night session opened at 7:45
with the discussion of the question:
What is the Justification for Teach
ing Lterature?' by Prof. Patton, OF
! Charles Town.
DR.. Purinton's Address.
Dr. Purinton spoke on Ethics OF
the School Room" What Is to be
ethical? Ethics is that subject which
treats of the moral qualities, which
hold US Anything not commanding
assent Of the people is not ethical.
How many things in the school room
must be right to be done, how many
must be wrong, how many are indif-
ferents I believe that every conscious
act OF moral being Is moral act II
does not make any difference whether
we are guilty or whether we are inno-
cent, We are responsible for the act.
II is moral act. How farcible is the
thought that everything in the school
room is an ethical act. II 10 just as
much my duty to eat my dinner as TO
pray ! may sin just as much In pray.
ing as in eating.
No man can teach what he does not
/ know. He should not try to teach all
he knows. All truth is vne. You can
not attempt to teach one truth in
mathematics without teaching other
related truths. There are methods in
/ teaching I think the method has
more to do with teaching than any
other thing.
What is the motive in teaching? Is
it for money? IL it were you would Mt
I be teaching at ALL Why, there is more
money In saving wood venture that
the most OF you are teaching for the
/ good YOU can do. II teacher comes
1 to the conclusion that she Is tired
Of the whole thing she had better re-
sign.
Now. we come to the motive with
regard 10 the pupil DO not teach the
subject but the pupils. wonder If we
are interested more In the people we
are teaching than in the subject. We
shou'd not attempt to teach pupils In
whom we are not interested This ap
plies TO the troublesome boy. Are we
interested in him? Next we come to
the management Of the pupil We
have no right to recognize the person
ality OF the pupil. We cannot treat
all alike There are lots of children
in every school room that are a com
fort to themselves. Some OF them
have grown up tall. Thus. you can
not treat the bashful boy or girl IN
CONTINUED on seventh pagel