Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-20
EDUCATORS MEET
IN TWO INSTITUTES
Twelve Hundred Teachers at
County Meeting, and 400
at City Gathering

More than 2600 teachers attended the
opening sessions of the Southern Cali
fornia Teachers association at $3.50
yesterday morning. Fourteen hundred
gathered at the Polytechnic high
school. where an address by j. II.
Francis, superintendent of Los An
geles schools was the opening feature
of the city institute program. Twelve
hundred were present in Simpson audi
torium at the same hour, where Mark
Keppel, county superintendent OF
schools, spoke on "a Study in Student
Life"
1t is the first city institute over
which Mr.. Francis has presided. ana
it is through his efforts that all the
sessions have been shortened and made
lighter for the purpose of refreshing,
instead of wearying the teachers.
America" and Come, Thou Almighty
King" sung by the gathering, accom-
panied by the orchestra of the Los
Angeles Teachers association, were
the opening songs. Mrs. Gertrude
Parsons, head of the music depart
ment at the Polytechnic high school,
led the orchestra. The singing was
followed by Mr. Francis address, My
Creed" In part he said;
1.-THE education of the teacher should
never cease. Whereas critics of the
graduate at so to a poultry farm and
bee ranch, I believe that the man OF
so, who has ceased to learn, has de-
feated the purpose of creation,
GIVES IDEAS ON EDUCATION
'Too many college graduates fan
through believing that their education
has finished when they receive their
diplomas. The man whit has finished
his education is as dangerous to the
schools as a dead bee to the hive.
Teachers must conform and CO.
operate with the school system, but 10
break in upon the individuality ana
personality of the teacher with an
edict of the board of education is as
great an error as to break in on the
individuality and personality of the
pupil
Mr.. Francis outlined the ideal edu-
cational course as follows: One year
in the kindergarten, six years in eie-
mentary schools, three years In inter-
mediate schools, five years IN hlgn
schools, two years in a university. he
also advocated other special schools
for unfortunate or defective students.
The Rev. Loyal f. Writ of Oakland,
the man whom the federal government
sent to Alaska to found public schools
there, made an address on his expert
ences with that line Of work. Mr..
Writ told of a time when he had been
forced to leave his permanent location
and get to another part of the country
after hospital supplies. The natives
told him he could not get out by the
shortest route, and Mr.. Writ proceeded
to tell of the bravery and devotion
shown by his dogs in doing What
seemed the impossible, in such touch
ing terms that there was hardly ory
eye in the house.
The county teachers meeting was
presided over by James D. Graham'
Superintendent of schools at Long
Beach An invocation by RcV j. M:
Weaver and songs by the members OF
the Boys club of the Alhambra city
schools preceded the speakers.
KEPPEL TALKS ON BOOKS
Mark Keppel, county superintendent
of schools, spoke on the course OF read
ing for the county teachers.
Particular emp -.asis was given the
fact that the school library is the pos
session of every teacher in the county,
including the instructors IN the city
schools. 1t contains about 1000 books,
Mr.. Keppel said that fully 5000 of these
never had been opened.
I'VE want to know what books the
teacher wants and if they are not in
the library we will purchase Them
said Mr.. Keppel. There is balance
of $500 in the fund and he expressed a
willingness to spend $3.50 of it to send
books out among the teachers.
Thomas Newlin, president of Whit
tier college, spoke on "A Study in Stu
dent Life in which he urged the de-
velopment of democracy throughout
the school system, arguing that chill
dren were not being sufficiently trained
to meet the practical phase of living.
After an intermlssion of ten minutes
the program was closed by talk made
by A. Montgomery, "the farmer who
paints and the painter who farms" Mr..
Montgomery discussed art in Educa-
ton
In the afternoon there was a joint
meeting of the city and county teach
ers. Nearly 2600 people assembled in
the Temple auditorium to listen to a