Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-30
The STATE TEACHERS
Many Topics Discussed at Var
ious Sectional Meetings OF
Iowa Pedagogs
.rRATERNlTIEs ARE DENOUNCED
College Man Scores Tendency Towards
Aristocracy Among Student Organ
izations - School Boards Asked to
Keep in Touch With Teachers-var-
ious Round Table Meetings.
special to Times Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. 30.--The Iowa State
Teachers association is In full swing
and papers and discussions are occupy
Ing the time of the sessions. The con-
vention promises to be one Of the most
successful ever held. SO far as practi-
cal results are concerned. The depart
ment meetings and round tables are,
well attended, and some red-hot sug-
gestions have come out of them.
500
College fraternities came in for
round of scathing denunciation yester-
day afternoon from Prof w. II. Nor
ton of Cornell college, in his address
as president of the college section OF
the teachers association. No vindictiVe
| adjective was too scorching for the
western. STRAIT" that, he said, had ar
rogated to itself all Of the vices of the
| frat life and assilnilated none of the
| virtues.
| The trend of the western college frat
has been away from democracy, which
was the underlying principle OF the
eastern college. said Professor Norton
| The western frat excludes so per cent
of, the student body, and in the words
\ of Professor Norton, "tlle worst frats
become burrows Of idleness, SLOUGH and
vice ;3.i,. si
1T is questioned whether even such
an intellectual aristocracy as the Phi
Beta Kappa is quite democratic or
Ineedful as an incentive to good work
said Professor Norton. Generalization
and the admission of negroes were re-
sponses to democratic environment,
while honorary degrees and the aca-
demic costume of cap and gown are
ltreated as vestigial structures handed
down from the aristocratic orders of
Europe.
Iowa school teachers want the school
boards to gay more attention to the
schools. They want a little more inter-
est and a. little more cooperation, and
they want them to know just what rs
going on among the young Hawkeyes
in the school rooms. Quoting an educa-
tor the report of the educational
council, said:
1.-THE kind OF. men wanted on school
/ boards are such as are strong, OF
known character and ability. It mat
tiers little whether they possess a col
lege diploma or mere commons school
education and horse sense, it makes
no difference to what political organ
ization they belong, so long as they
are wise enough not ITO carry their
politics into the board Of educa ton
rooms. But it Is of Importance that
the men selected to adniinfstrate the
public school system be broad gagged
men who are bossed by no clique, no
corporation. no party and no denomi-
nation. 1t is of Importance that they
should be men of established reputa-
ton, that 'the people may trust them
and receive their decisions with conf
dence.''
At the manual training round table
yesterday afternoon, addresses were
delivered by Hon. Jerry b. Sullivan Of
Dess Moines and Superintendent. L. c.
BRYAN of Missouri Valley. Mr.. Sullivan
was especially enthusiastic. in speaking
Of the benefits of manual training.
Mr.. Bryan spoke from superinten-
dents standpoint and said:
"As a superintendent / am trying to
see in manual training, not so much
the panacea for the ills Of the common
schools, not so much a means Of turn
ing out skilled tradesmen, not SO much
an easy road for the less interested
pupils. but G. part oftthat training need
ed to turn out q being prepared for fit
living. It is one of the many subjects
needed to adapt a school course to the;
needs Of the American people. be
lieve that mistakes are being made and
many of them in the Introduction of 1T
into che schools. am of the opinion
that manual training under most con-
ditions is better than none at all, but
why not, when we introduce it, see
that 1t is introduced under the best
possible conditions"
Public Fairgrounds for children in the
larger and even In the small cities Of
Iowa was the plea of Miss Patty S. Hill
l'of Columbia university, before the
Kindergarten round table yesterday af-
'ternoon. with even the sands Of the
seashore and the public grounds and
empty lots in the city's outskirts bought
up there was no place for the children
l,of New York to play unless it was in
an air ship until the kindergarten
workers made public play grounds pos
sible," said Miss Till.
One Of the features of the round
tables was the exhibit made by the
kindergartens of several other cit
les. The work was extensive and dis
played the original and initiative talent
of these small fingers. The kindefgar
ten hour was the most attractive in the
series Yesterday afternoon and the
large gymnasium at the West Des
Moines high school was crowded.
The Boston paper that did away with
it's comic Sunday supplement has set
the pace that other papers must follow
There Is Only One