The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-02-24
MAHASKA TEACHERS
A Most Instructive and Interesting
Meeting Closed Saturday.

in a morning and afternoon session.
The morning session was divided into
two portions, one for the High schooi
and Academy teachers and another
for the rural teachers. The rural
teachers met in the Assembly Hail
of the High school at 1890 a. +.
A general discussion of needed
improvements, such as sanitation,
identifying OF the school houses, rooms
and grounds, and the Importance, re-
sponsibilities and opportunities ofthe
teacher were fully discussed. The
point that teacher can do a won
drous amount OF good If he or she
applies self to it was emphasized by
all the speakers. Talks by Miss YEN
ney, Miss Welsh of the city schools,
Miss Cochrane and Miss Gail Sewers
were given and general discussion
had. There were about so teachers
present and Miss Yenney presided.
The High school and Academy
teachers occupied the principals
room and the meeting was called at
1890. Professor Sylvester OF the
chair of education of Penn college
presided About twenty of the teach
ers were present and some very good
talks along the line of preparation OF
teachers OF the rural schools were
had. DR.. Spyker of Oskaloosa col
lege gave an interesting talk along
this line and general discussion by
all the members was the substance Of
the program.
| Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session began at 1880
and consisted chiefly in the address
by President Seerley of the Iowa
State Teachers college of Cedar Falls.
All the teachers of Mahaska county
were privileged to attend and the AS
sembly Hall of the High school, where
the meeting was held, was crowded.
Teachers representing every township
of The county, teachers from the High
school, former teachers who passed
out Of the ranks many years ago, and
students who hope to become teachers
were present. President Seerley is
most popular among the teachers Of
the county. He was formerly city SUI
perintendent of the Oskaloosa schools
and the teachers consider a talk from
Mr.. Seerley a rare treat. The meeting
was opened by a song by a mixed
quartette OF children from Spring
Creek No. 10 school. Mr.. Seerley op-
ened his address by thanking the
teachers for their attendance aand tell.
ing of the start he made in his edu.
cational career at Oskaloosa. Whats
the Matter With the Public Schools
was the subject President Seerley in
tended to talk upon, but changed to
Teaching of English" The speaker
emphasized that the teaching Of the
difficult things teacher has to con
tend with. How we are going to
teach the foreigner the English Ian
guage when he arrives in the U. S
was an important point brought out
Mr.. iSeerley told OF the multitude oil
false theories that are prevalent con
corning the teaching and application
of English. A little common sense
and knowledge are all that are requir
ed in the proper teaching of English
in the public schools. Many,-nearly
all--of the teachers cannot teach the
English language. Teaching the Ian
guage is not spelling it, as many
think Just because teacher car
M MT ~ 90 {
no sign that he or she can teach Eng
lish. Mr.. Seerley says that the Eng
lish language would be the Language
used all over the world were it no
for the many faults in the spelling ant
construction of the words. A foreign
er can speak the English Language
fairly well after he has been in tht
United States only few months, thus
showing how easy and simple the Ian
guage is to speak. The same foreign
err who can speak the English lon
guage in a short time after his arriva
cannot write the language for many
years, simply on account OF the irreg
ularities in the construction of words
ne SlJSdhtl saw SAeilhpiNo vi IL
larity, for instance, in the wore
lamb. the "b" is to no advantage
and is put there for appearance ant
style. Even our songs and hymn:
have to be remodeled and revised 81
we can sing them. They have to b'
in the simplest form before they cal
be sung. Mr.. Seerley spoke on tn,
) attempts Of the dictionary In trying
to remodel the English language. HI
told OF the many attempts and the
equal Number of failures. He say.
d that the spelling in the 18th centur.
was much more simple than the spell
ing OF today g.. -nfa E'
j The speakers next thoughts wert
words of instruction to the teachers
Mr.. Seerley had thus far in his ad
dress brought out the defects in the
English language and the cause o
failures in teaching and now he spoke
of the methods of remedying the de
fects and how to properly teach it
The one point the teacher must watci
Is the lack Of oral teaching He says
that the teachers lay too much EN-
phasis on the written English,-tht
spelling. He also told OF the unrelia
bilfty Of the pronunciation Of words
by the dictionary, The dictionar,