Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-12-08
STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
The Following Interesting Report of
The State Teachers Meeting at
Pierre Was Furnished By
Prof. David H. Boot.

The Lwenty-ninth annual session OF
the South Dakota Educational ASsO-
citation which convened in Pierre
November y. 2S. %, va i decided
success both in point OF attendance
and in the interest manifest is the
unusually strong program presented.
The general theme of the meeting
was "ESSentialS in EducatiOn," and
the discussions were led by the most
prominent educators OF the state. a
number Of speakers Of note were pres
ent from other states, and added
largely to the value of the program.
The first session of the Association
was held in the new Methodist church
on Monday afternoon. 1t was a pleas
ant surprise to many to find buildings
such as this one. which compares well
with the best of the large eastern
cities, in our prairie capital. After
some excellent music by COlburn'S
Capital City Orchestra, prayer was
offered by the Rev. ii. l.. Russell, and
a lively address of welcome was given
by the mayor Of Pierre, Hon. l.. l..
Stevens. Response to the address
Of welcome was made by Supt. Jonas
Leyman OF Yankton. More music fol-
lowed, and chen the annual address OF
the president OF the Association, Mr..
&. E. Swanson. who confined his re-
marks to the needs Of the schools of
our own state, and was very practical
in his suggestions, believing that an
ounce Of practice is worth a ton of
talk. After the meeting the neceS-
sary committees were appointed for
the business of the Association.
Monday evening the Association as
sembled at the State House for the
dedication services of the Beadle
statue. The exercises were held in the
rOtunda of the State House, and on
sisted chiefly of a report from the
Beadle Memorial Commission, and an
address by Professor NJ. Smith, of the
State University. The subject Of the
address, General w. H. H. Beadle,
was the recipient OF many congratula-
tions after the unwilling of the statue.
Lie ne" oldle IlOuSc COHtdilS ibdlly
valuable decorations, but one more
striking than this statue Of our fam
Gus citizen.
Tuesday morning the Assembly sep
arated into various sections which
met to consider the topics of greatest
interest to them. An attempt made
by the representatives Of certain
towns in the High School and College
Department to reduce the mathema-
tic requirements OF the High Schools
TO one years work was fortunately
unsuccessful. In the County Super
intendents' Department discussion
centered around the rural school and
it's needs, and one OF the most valu-
able papers presented was on The
Influence and Extension Of School
Work, " by Our own County Superln-
tendent. Miss Dilla +. Wimple. The
Graded Schools Department worked
on the problems Of department
Work." which are Of so much inter
est TO our local schools. The other
departments, the Primary and Kind
Sl CChs OllC -hooOSldOCN )Siloo'
ROards, and the Library Association,
also were busy with the things Of
concern to them. OF all these ditler-
ent subdivisions OF the general Asso-
citation none, probably, returns more
to the people than the Associated
School Boards, the members of which
are not teachers, but representative
school board members. n the prob
lens brought up for discussion being
the problems that they meet in the
management of the business end of
the public school system. OF these
perhaps the one discussed most in the
state is ITO what extent should state
aid to country and high schools be
~given?"
Tuesday afternoon the general ses-
sion listened to a strong address on
The School and the Child by Pres
ident Chas. T. Grawn, Of the Central
State Normal School, Mt. Pleasant,
Michigan, and an address by DR.. ].
w. Heston, President of the Madison
Normal School, on Public School
Agriculture"
Tuesday evening Mr.. }. Adams Puff
fer, of Boston, Mass, gave what was
probably the strongest address of the