Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-07-03
Ocean City Meeting.

The State Teachers Association at Ocean
City last week Is regarded as the most success
full and largely attended OF the meetings of the
association ever held. Representatives were
present from like associations of Virginia
and Delaware.
Montgomery County was konored Ia that
Mr.. Wilson S. Ward read paper, the retir-
ing ce-President OF the association, Mr..
George II. Lamar, presided part of the time
and Professor Earle B. Wood was elected
second Vice President for the ensuing year :.
There was quite large representation from
this county present, including Prof. Robert
W, Stout OF Poolesville, Misses Virgie and
Mary Brewer of the Rockville High School,
Miss Minnie |. McIlwee of the Gaithersburg
High School, Mrs. Ida =. Stabler and Miss
SaIie =. Brooke Of the Sherwood High
School, Miss K. Barry Albert OF Hyattstown
Miss Lena Barwick OF Laytonsville, Miss No
ra j. Rabbit of Unity, Miss Doris Cissell OF
Wheaton, Miss Fannie M. Snoufer Of Ira
vilah, Miss Lily r. Prettyman OF Baily's,
Miss Daisy Cecil Of Grfton, aud Mrs. Clara
v. Mace OF Olnoy.
Among the addresses of educators not d.
rectly connected with the public school sys-
tenn of Maryland, one Of the most striking
dent OF tho Baltimore Business College. He
spoke favorably Of the proposed business
course ia County High Schools, for which an
appropriation was made by the last Legisla-
tire. lie condemned the action of some bu-
siness schools in receiving students for busl-
neas courses before they had received pro-
ner High School foundation Tor such course:
He ljkened tho Eastern Shore, where the
meetlug was held, TO the Garden Of Eden,
and then applied the same figure to the school
system itself.
The FAULT FINDERS.
owe are told" Mr.. Norman said, "that
In this Garden there dwelt serpent, Satan:
nv name. The functions Of his Satanic
majesty seemed 10 be to dethrone truth
and enthrone falsehood, destroy happiness
and establish misery, discredil good and
exlol evil, stifie progress and encourage re-
PROGRESSION, TO pail down, but never build.
"Have you not Satan In your garden to-
day Is there not In every community man
who stands for all the Satan Of old hoped to
accomplish refer to the knocker, the
fault finder, the man who secs nothing
good In any new movement, who thinks
the methods Of one hundred years ago
are good enough for to-day. He Is opposed to
modern educational advancement, but why
he does not know. He objects TO placing
trained specialists al the head Of our schools
| He sees no difference between the real teacher
and the lesson hearer. He thinks the man
or woman who can solve problems for chill
dren Just as good teacher as the person
who has been especially trained 70 teach
children 10 think and solve problems fol
themselves. He sees no good In training
schools for teachers, and considers 1t an un
psrdonable sin they should be expected 10
study and keep abreast Of the times. Why
teachers should be appointed on account oil
merit rather than political pull or fAvoritism
he does not know. Why they should be pait
according to their worth, or why they should
be offered an increase In salary, as an incen-
tive for them 10 reach established standards o
efficiency, Ii beyond his dali comprehension
81 have no patience with these selfappoint
ed critics who strut up and down the lane
trying 70 block educational progress and find
| ing fault with school methods In general and
public school teachers in particular. WheI
I sec them engaged 10 this unworthy occu2a
ton, feel like exclaiming 10 the language o
the Saviour, who said: Father, forgive them
for they know not what they do
$50 long as men and women remain human
just 20 long will this spirit Of his Satani
majesty dwell In the hearts Of . few people. |
therefore behoOyes you, a. the leaders OF intel
ligent, professional progress, 10 band togethe
and work towards ends you know 10 be right
and for the best interest Of those entrusted L
your care, that you may fit them for uSefu
citizenship and leave rich heritage TO gen
erations yet to come"