Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-09
STATE TEACHERS CONVENTIONS

ol111 SoN -.
In the last Issue of the Utah Edu-
cational Review. Prof. Stewart prin-
cipaI OF tho State Normal school. can
didly points out some serious defects
in the teachers annual conventions.
and as clearly indicates remedy
Tho matter is of vital concern to
the people of the entire State The
efficiency OF the schools is n consid-
GRAFTON of the highest moment If the
schools In any degree fail In the work
assigned to them. we shall not know
1t until. too Into to remove the cause.
we find a generation OF children more
or less handicapped in the race. The
best we can then do Is to see that the
failure is not repeated on the next in
stallment of future citizens who pass
through the schools
We believe that the teachers annu-
al conventions have been regarded with
great attention and curiosity on the
part Of most OF the people School
boards have quite generally sought to
induce their teachers to attend and
support these meetings The press
has published the proceedings. The
public, has read. with sympathetic In
terest, the various educational theo-
ries set forth. The final question.
Arc these meetings worth while7 is
therefore to the people of the entire
commonwealth of profound signiHc-
ance, as we'll as of lively present In
terest. Basing his argument upon the
very reasonable assumption that
teachers conventions hold the same
relation to tho work Of education that
the wool growers conventions hold to
the sheep industry, Prof. Stewart
maintains that in these meetings def
mite problems should be carefully pre-
sented and freely discussed To Sc
euro this result he thinks that investl-
cations Of such subjects as relate. in
the best known and most vital ways,
to the school interests OF the state
should be made In advance by COM
mittees selected for that purpose.
Among the topics to which tho time
and attention OF the convention as n
whole should be devoted at the gem
cral meetings, he indicates the follow
ing: Teachers salaries: the scholastic
and professional requirements OF
teachers; needed changes in the school
law; notifications of the present
school curriculum; effective school su-
pervision; vocational or Industrial
training; co-education in high schools:
school hygiene and sanitation; and
modern educational progress in gen.
eral.
Prof. Stewart shows, moreover how
these desirable results may be accom-
plished. He says:
What is most needed at once is the
appointment of committees made up OF
strong educators to collect data on
these topics. to present Mt the meet
ings the best thought thereon. and to
give some Idea OF the Investigations
That are being made along these and
similar lines. This plan should he
pursued In the departmental meetings.
where the special studies of vital i'm
portance to tho various subjects and
departments OF education, as fur as
these are discussed therein. should bo
concretely illustrated. These COM
mittees should have a full year for
making this careful study and investl-
cation. and should present their find
ings In printed form to tho conyen-
tion. All teachers and other mem
bcrs should receive copies of thesa
findings of the committees. Those
copies they could take with them after
the convention adJourns. as guides in
their various lines of work"
The Professors plan Is admirable
II means business. It Is full OF life,
and would result In actual progress
1t would make the work OF the con-
ventions specific. profitable. vital
AS he observes in another place.
while the mere listening to lectures
and discussions Is interesting. and
even to certain degree profitable, 1t
must be conceded that the real value
of such gatherings is that they givo
to teachers definite knowledge of the
best thought and practice In cduca-
tlon, and in such form that they can
carry It with them and apply 1t to their
everyday work.
We are of the same opinion. and we
indorse the Professors conclusions the
more freely because they not only
coincide in this instance with our own
convictions. but because Prof Stewart.
| OF all men In local educational circles.
| is in the best position to form a Just
estimate of the needs of Utah teach
crs.
He has been Mt the head OF the State
Normal school for twenty years or
moro. and is practically familiar with
almost every phase of educational
work in the public schools. To proflt
by his sensiblc and fully matured