The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-11-22

t Whatever rules are laid down, see
that they are lived up to. One OF
the things the teachers should teach
is obedience, and the directors ought
to see to it that the thing is taught.
| believe it's more important for the
children than the rules of Algebra
and Geometry.
And the second is Power of the
Will. The children ought to be
taught the great power that there is
in their wills. That when they un-
dertake to do anything they can
accomplish it, if they'll only say 4
will There are great possibilities
in the child who'll only say I will,
who has the determination to sue
ceed. The teachers ought not to
break their will, but to cultivate it.
If they do that, I'll forgive them for
a good deal of fancy things they
have to teach and the children have
to forget a little while after they get
out" (Applause)
Doctor Simons called the attention
of the convention to the fact that
the first President of the Associa-
tion was present. We all want to
hear from him.
When the Hon. Alonzo 7. Searle,
who was recently elected President
Judge of the Wayne county courts,
was introduced to the audience, he
was greeted with a hearty round of
applause.
Responding Judge Searle said:
Judge Searle's Remarks.
Gentlemen: Only a word. I've
been a school director in Honesdale
for twenty-one years. My term ex-
pires December l. l know some
thing of what it means to be a school
, director. l believe there's no office
where man can do more good, no
place where the services of good men
is more needed. l am glad no COM
pensation is provided. / hope none
ever will be.
81 believe we get better men than
II they were paid. The best service
in the country is given by men who
render their services free of charge
In the ivew England States, the best
governed part of the United States,
the overseers of the poor receive no
compensation. The men who care
for the public libraries in Boston,
Mass, serve three days week with
out pay.
1 was the first President and
helped to organize the Directors As
sociation. l served also a second
term, and then I had a resolution
passed that no one be permitted to
serve more than two terms. 1 en-
joyed being a school director. 1t
costs something to be one. 1 used
to get retainer of $40 annually be-
fore that, and that's $240 1 have
given for legal services. We held
173 meetings when we built the new
High School building.
" In retiring I'm glad to say, after
these years of service, after we built
the school building, after we had two
bond issues, the old Board was en-
dorsed by the Democratic and Re-
publican parties this Fall, and elect
ed. That showed their services
were appreciated by the commun-
ity
" AS | retire now from active du-
ties, l shall not retire from my in
terest in Wayne county schools. If
l can do anything to make them
better and more efficient, I shall do
so. Gentlemen, l wish you all sue
cess in your schools. Our schools
are improving in Wayne county. |
shall do all l can to help along the
educational interests of the good old
county of Wayne" (Great APP
plause).
R. M. Stocker, Esq, a former
President of the association, spoke
briefly of his trials and tribulations
as school teacher. He said among
other things:
" was a teacher for twelve years.
The part that wore on me most was
the exercise of will-power. The gov
nf q cnhnn1
power more than on strength. A
little woman will often govern
large school, because she has will
power.
Never listen to complaint
against the teacher unless they are
positively cruel. Prof. Twitmyer
used to say boys were young barbar-
ians when they came to school.
There is this spirit of destructiveness
on the part of the boy. He is an
energetic little machine. He ought
to be kept in motion. The boy that
will do, can do. The same is true
with the girl"
Joshua A. Brown, a member of the
Honesdale school board, offered a
motion thanking Prof. Kehler for
his efforts last year, and for the eff
cient work he did, and pledging him
the support of the convention in the
enforcement of the School Code.
His motion was unanimously car
ried.
Responding Superintendent Koch
Ter said:
Supt. KOehler's recommendations.
wish to thank the directors OF
the schools of Wayne county in
standing by me so loyalty. In the
past four years, / did my very best.
If made mistakes it wasn't wilful-
ly done. / want to speak to you of
some of the needs of the schools.
" Occasionally / find that Boards
buy things that can't be used. I've
pleaded for three years for good
blackboards for Wayne county. Good
Continued on Page Four.)