The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-06-04
The Somerset Educational an
School Superintendents'
Association.

no dlDudl hCCbihk W 30 ICId at
North Arson, Thursday and Friday,
May % and 20, under the direction of
the following officers President, D.
Wilder Colby of Skowhegan; vice
president, II. G. Robertson, st. Al
bans; secretary and treasurer, Mrs.
Lucy Burton, Pittsfield; ex commit
tee, G. Z. Paine, North Arson; John
A. Partridge, Madison; Mrs. May II.
Emery, Athens. The officers of the
School superintendent Association
were, President, H. c. Robertson,
St. Adams; vice president, W. q.
Bailey, Jr., Harmony; secretary,
Charles f. Ball, Bingham. Commit
tee of entertainment, Miss Paulenah
M. Simmons, Miss Emily NJ. Sawyer,
Mrs. Nelly F. Parlin, North Arson.
/ An informal conference of superin
tendents was held at Somerset Hotel,
Wednesday evening, State Superin-
tendent Payson Smith, presiding.
Questions were discussed and sug
gestions offered for the further i'm
pTONtlutll VI COuShtiOhoi NOAiditAC1io
in Somerset county.
Thursday at a. m, the superin-
tendents of the Association met in
Grange hall with President II. G.
Robertson in the chair, Prayer was
offered by Rev. G. Z. Paine. The
presidents address was followed by
business State Superintendent Pay
SON Smith, Superintendent Charles
Z. Ball and Superintendent George
G. Hight were appointed committee
on nominations and adoption of a
constitution. State superintendent
Payson Smith spoke on School I'm
provement League. Work for Rural
Schools. Miss Kate Mcdonald of
Belfast, secretary of the State
League, who was down on the pro-
gramme for this subject, was unable
to be present on account of the ill
ness of her father. The League is
doing a most excellent work in in
teresting pupils and parents in
beautifying school rooms and grounds
and in purchasing maps, charts and
globes and in promoting spirit of
CO. operation for general improve
ment. "The Relation of Superin-
tendent to Teacher was the subject
of paper by Miss Gertrude NJ. Pierce
of Bingham intermediate school.
District Superintendent Frank l..
Rowell of Canaan spoke on "How to
Improve our Teaching Force.n A
general discussion of these topics
was taken up. A large number of
teachers and superintendent partici-
pated and many points of great in
terest and value we're brought out.
The convention then adjourned to
the hall below where bountitul din
ner was provided by the ladies of one
of the local societies at a nominal
cost.
At 100 D. m. the Teachers Asso
citation opened with Superintendent
D. Wilder Colby in the chair. The
first exercises was singing by the
school children of the first grade.
Rev. A. D. Colson offered prayer. In
the absence of Mrs. Burton, John a.
Partridge, principal of Madison High
school, was elected secretary, pro
TEN. The president gave brief ad-
dress and appointed the following
committee: On nomination, s. G.
Bean, Norridgewock; F. L. Rowell,
Canaan; Mrs. Nelly F. Parlin, North
Arson; on resolutions, D. IL. Perkins,
Skowhegan; Mrs. May H. Emery,
Athens; Miss Lizzie F. Gilman, Bling
ham. Papers on geography were
then given: a. "In Primary Grades, 3"
by Miss Annie Totman, Skowhegan;
3D. "In Rural Schools" by Arthur E.
Hoyt, Ripley; (c) "Without Text
Book" by Miss Edna Conforth,
Skowhegan; ID "How to Use Maps, ?"
by Miss Ethel Frost, Madison.
Following brief social recess, class
exercise in geography in the eighth
grade was given by Miss Nellie NJ.
Rose, North Arson. Mrs. Nelly F.
Parlin illustrated "Number Work in
the First Grade The Rotations
showed careful drill and elected the
many expressions of approval from
superintendent and teachers. A
discussion followed by Miss Gertrude
Townsend and Supt. Charles E. Ball.
State Supt. Payson Smith urged the
use of the imaginative process in the
first grade, reserving the reasoning
process for the more advanced grade.
Supt. G. E. Paine was then called to
| the chair, while President Colby gave
a very interesting and instructive ad-
dress on "Manual Training" He
showed samples of work done by his
pupils in sewing, moulding, basket
work, card board and wood work,
discussed by Supt. Paine and State
Supt. Smith. A hearing was then
given by the committee appointed by
the legislature to consider the advis-
ability of establishing State Board
of Education. The chairman called
/ for expressions of opinion and the
response was quite general. A few
were in favor of the proposition but
on the whole the sentiment OF the
meeting was opposed to the plan.
Judge Augustine Simmons made an
| eloquent argument against the estab-
lishment of a State Board, claiming
that it was undemocratic and con
trary to the spirit of government by
the people. All were then ready to
enjoy the supper which the ladies'
had made re; dy.
In the evening large audience
gathered in the f. B. Church. After
singing by the children in the grades,
Rev. A. d. Colson offered prayer and
Presto emit Colby introduced the
speaker of the evening, Prof. Geo. Z.
burlington, Principal of Pennington
Normal School. In his opening re-
marks he spoke of the beautiful vii
lage of North Arson. Here was his
home for four years of his early life.
He was born in an adjoining town and
here he taught his first school. forty
three years ago. During all these
years he has been continuously en-
gagged in teaching. If ne had his lie
to live ovcr again, he would choose
again the sacred calling OF teaching.