The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-10-28
VERMONT TEACHERS MEET.
Annual Convention seing Held in Bur
lington.

Burlington, Oct. 2s.-The Vermont
State Teachers association met at the
Burlington high school assembly room
Yesterday afternoon for the opening ses-
sion of the 6lst annual convention, there
being about 700 teachers gathered there.
Prin. f. G Ham Of Randolph high school
presided. The address Of welcome was
delivered by j, l.. Southwick, president
Of the Burlington Commercial club, after
which Principal Ham gave the response.
The feature of the afternoon was the
address by Nathan s. Schaeifer, super
intendent of public instruction in Penn
sylvania, who talked on "Has the School
Heard the Voice of Conservation! The
speaker said in part:-
without doubt, it is too much to ask
every pupil to learn all the geography
which anyone may need to know for
business purposes, but it win undoubt-
edly add new value and interest to the
study if the pupil is made to see how
the resources of locality condition the
possibility of earning livelihood for all
who dwell there In the high school the
problem widens and deepens. The ele-
mentary school must often be satisfied
If the pupil learns facts and processes
without penetrating beneath the surface.
But at the high school age the mind
delights to penetrate beneath the surface
to the cognition of facts and processes
in their scientific relations What
is sciences Science is the knowledge Of
things in their causes and essential rela-
tions. Cause and effect, reason and con-
sequence, law and its application-these
are the categorles along which the mind
of the learner must be taught to move,
if the high school is to fulfill tis func-
ton in the educational system, When
geography is studied in this way, it be.
comes very valuable discipline.
"Have high school teachers taken up
in earnest these problems of the waste
and conservation of our natural resources
which lie at the basis of the future well
fare Of our country and the perpetuity
Of its free institutions! In round NUM-
hers, the United States gives employ
ment to half a million teachers. The
civilized world runs the number to three
and half million teachers. Commis-
sioner Draper has pointed out that II
these workers in the school should teach
history from the viewpoint Of arbitra-
tion as the best method for the settle
ment Of international disputes, war
would become impossible, because no
government can afford to begin an un-
popular war
"The school stands for ideas, and ideas
are more powerful than money The
public sentiment which the schools ere
ate has incalculable influence in shaping
the destinies OF our country"
Last evening Rabbi Stephen s. Wise
Of the Free synagogue in New York
City spoke ON The Teacher in a Democ-
raey," ait the Strong theatre Immedi-
ately following the lecture, the teachers
went to the high school building, where
reception was given by the Burlington
teachers for the visitors. The chairman
Of the reception committee was Superin-
tendent H..0. Wheeler and the refresh
ments We're in charge Of Miss Farrell,
principal of the Champlain school Alu
Sic was furnished BIZ the Norma quintet.
Between 200 and $50 teachers attended
the reception.