The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-13
Department Of Science and
Mathematics Meeting at MayviIle

Mayville, N. D., Nov 1s.-The Assoc
citation of Science and Mathematic
teachers met in the normal building
at Mayville on Nov. 6, at 10 o'clock
a. m. with President Bolley in the
chair. The opening number was
selection by the normal chorus under
the direction of Miss Brant, teacher
of music and drawing at the normal.
President Bolley then called on Mr..
Hillyer, president of the normal for a
few words Of welcome. He expressed
his appreciation of the coming of such
educationa, gatherings to the normal
school and commented favorably upon
the ev. dence of the scientific spirit
having invaded the teaching profess
sion as it has done in recent years. He
encouraged all educators to continue
with renewed energy and enthusiasm
in this line of investigation.
The Normal Senior Glee club rend-
cred two selections-An Evening Hymn
by GottscEalk and The Miller by
Veazie. Following this the regular
programme was given
President Bolley read an able paper
on Observation and Teaching. He first
presented the fact that so many stu
dents coming to colleges are deficient
in observational ability, then analysed
this defect giving in an able manner
what seem to be the cause of it. and
showing how these causes may be re-
moved and the defect corrected. He
attributes the error to poor teaching.
We do not make proper demands on
the observational powers hence the pu-
pill does not acquire the observational
tendency. The speaker gave at length
methods of presentation which would
If adopted, detract nothing from the
present value of instruction while it
would add mucn by training these
these powers of observation.
In the paper The Teaching of Agri-
culture that Supt. Foster OF Harvard
presented, clearly and forcefully show,
ed the weakness of the present
methods of farming which might easily
be removed by the proper education in
agriculture. He showed that there is
an urgent need for better results in
farming else the United States will
have to import foodstuffs within ten
years because the increase in popula-
tion is so much more rapid than that
in food production. & He then outlined
method Of procedure for the schools
which viii result in instructing the
coming farmer His strong plea for
the study Of agriculture and related
topics in the high schools and In the
grades as we'll. met with a hearty ap-
proval from the teachers assembled.
1t is impossible because Of limited
time and space to summarize all the
papers of this convention.
Ge2 GrsnFy Discussion.
The paper on Geography Teaching
by Professor Pope of the normal at
Mayville was valuable contribution
and provoked much discussion Of in
terest He pleaded for the teaching
Of geogra pny and for the use of the
text instead OF the abuse OF ii by a
sort of slavery thereto, Messers
Chandler Of the u. N. D.; Johnson of
Hillsboro; McMullen of Valley City:
Hayward of the State Department:
Mcfarland of Valley city, and john
son Of Valley City, all contributed to
the discussion. The one idea that
seemed to pervade the paper and the
discussions as well was that the sub
ject-matter of geography is sadly In
need Of organization and that the old
texts fail to do this organizing but
present mass OF matter some Of
which, If not very much, is irrelevant
to the subject.
Arithmetic Teaching.
Principal Davies of Armenia came To
the association with message regard
ing the teaching Of arithmetic He
pointed out the many ways in which
classes might well be improved by
making them relate to the various ac-
tivities Of the pupils life in more
real way than they now do.
Professor BoIley, in introducing this
paper for discussion. expressed ais de-
light in the excellence of the paper
it's sameness, and in the movement to
improve the teaching OF this subject
Professor Weeks fears that the adop-