The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-04
Teachers Attending Northern
Indiana Association Meet
Ings Left, Believing in the
Words of Speakers.
GILES is NEW PPRESIDENT
OF THE PEDAGOGUES.
Following His Election Today,
Probably the Best Teach
ers' Session Ever Held,
Came to a Close.

indianapolis, April 4.--After electing
J. T. Giles of Marion, president for the
ensuing year and the appointment of
committee to consider the question
of merging the Northern and South
ern Associations into one state organ
izatiOn. the Northern Indiana Teach
ers' Association adjourned at noon to-
day. The meeting i'll many ways was
a remarkable one. The attendance was
larger than at any previous gathering
of the association. Each day. TOmlin-
son Hall was filed beyond its seating
capacity. The association was ad-
dressed by three of Americas S greatest
educators, and the cOuntry's foremost
scholar. President Charles n Eliot Of
Harvard University. The meeting will
long be remembered. too, for the radi-
cal changes that were advocated in
Endiana's grade and secondary schools.
Among these changes was the estab-
lishment of a tutorial system whereby
all pupils behind in their work should
receive individual coaching; the es-
tablishment of trade schools in all
cities. and important alterations in
the high school course.
System Is Wrong.
Among the leaders and in the rank
and file of the vast throng which dis
Dersed from the capital city today,
there was the feeling that somehow
the Indiana system is wrong in some
of its fundamental principles, and
there was q spirit of uncertainty as to
wherein lies the remedy. The most
advanced ground was taken by An
drew w. West, Dean of Princeton
! University who spoke on the Tutor
ial System in Secondary Education"
He declared that the present methods
are good example of the 'lOck-Step"
system where too little attention is
paid to the individual and too much
to the classes. He advocated The plan
of releasing bright pupils from some
of the duties of the classes and max
ing them tutors of the dull children.
In thirty days under this plan a great
change would be noticed. Every boy
and girl. he declared, should be saved
to the nation and this was possible on
ly by individual teaching. Today
thousands leave the school and drift
away into the various avenues of life,
undeveloped and marred because they
have been lost sight of as persOnali-
ties. So long as this condition exists
the parents of the state are not get
ting full returns for the money they
eXpend.
Many Manifestations.
The speaker also stated that there
is too much teaching of nOn-essentials
and too many fads introduced into the
schools. Nothing should be taught
but the fundamentals and these
should be taught well. The school is
no place for fads. Teachers should
have an ideal and not depart from it.
There is only one ideal for the
teacher" he declared. 1t is He who
taught with authority, who spoke as
man never spake before"
The applause which followed Dean
Vests address showed that the teach
ers had swung far toward his way of
thinking. 1t was only mOmentary,
however, for following him came
President Eliot who pointed out that
Dr. West himself was wrong in certain
great fundamentals.
/ President Eliot was introduced by
President Wood and the whole as
sembly arose and greeted him with
applause and the waving of handker-
chiefs His address was masterful and
clearly reasoned and wonderful in its
grasp of the educational situation as
it exists i'll America today.
| President Eliot spoke on The Ele-
ments of a Liberal Education" He is
| himself the greatest living example
of the education which he advocates.
| Marred by birth mark which makes
his appearance anything but pleasing.
| he set about when young to overcome
| every difficulty. and succeed as all
educated man i'll the fullest sense of
| the word. To-day he is known as the
foremost American scholar and "a
! leader and counselor of leaders of pub
| lie opinion.
| The elements of a liberal educa-
tion." said President Eliot, is not
| knowledge of any subject 1t is not
| skill of any kind. 1t is not being just
gentlemen and ladies, for l have
| known iberally educated men who
| had not cleanliness. who had not prop
er regard for others, who had not good
manners. No. liberal education is a
state of mind. A literally educated
man will have an inquiring mind. a
love of beauty. truth and all things
noble. Neither does 1t belong TO a
small minority. there are thousands in
| factory and mine who have a liberal
| education
Like Dean West, President Eliot de-
clared that the secondary schools are
| too much conducted On the class sys-