Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-27
EFFICIENCY OF
SCHOOL SUBJECT
OF MORNING TALK
DR.. Lotus Coffman Delivers In
structive Lecture at the
Teachers Institute.
MEESE TO SPEAK TONIGHT
Moline Attorney to Discuss Illinois
HIstory-PubIH Is.InvIted
to Listen.

The second day Of the teachers
county institute opened this morning
with a slight increase in attendance
over yesterday. The weather was
much more conducive to work and
q change in the seating arrangements
enabled the speakers 10 appear at an
increased advantage. II has been the
custom at institutes TO occupy the
rear half OF the auditorium. but owing
10 the work on the manual arts build
ing now In process OF construction
and the noise from the street, the SEES
sions yesterday were much interfered
with This morning the other por-
ton OF the auditorium was used and
very little annoyance was experience
ed
SCHOOL EFFICIENCY.
At the close OF the music period
conducted by Mr.. Philbrook, DR.. Lo-
tus Coffman launched into a discus
sion OF The Efficiency OF the School"
In its final analysis" he said. the
efficiency OF teacher Is measured by
the changes that take place in the minds,
OF the children. We are inclined to
judge too much by the material as
poets. II we see a new building, new
desks, good blackboards and every
thing material In first class order. we
at once pass favorable judgment.
Instead az asking. How does a
teacher look? How does she dress -
We should ask, What changes take
place In the children whom she In
structs?
The school has more 10 do in de-
termining conduct than any other one
institution, unless it be the street. II
Is concerned. however. chiefly with in
tellectual habits. but at the same
time exerts considerable influence up.
on other matters OF conduct.
FORMING OF CHARACTER.
Habits result in character; charac
ter is written in wrinkles. To some
extent, habit reflects the language we
speak. the religious beliefs we hold
the literature we read, the associa
lions we keep. and even the refiec
lions OF the mind
The old idea was that the human
mind is made up OF compartments
as, reasoning. memory, and so on;
that proficiency In reasoning in math
ematics developed proficiency in rea
soning in law; that the memorizing OF
places In geography resulted in abili
~ 10 remember dates in history. II
this were true. in order TO become
able TO reason We would need study
only one subject, TO develop the mem
CRY Of another. and so in that manner
all our faculties could be developed
by the study OF Just as many sub
jects as there are faculties 10 be de
veloped
There is no such thing as a fixed
reason or memory. There are habit.
Of reasoning, OF memory OF honest,
and of morality, and We may acquire
those habits. One who studies mathe
matics is better equipped to study
physics only because some OF the hab
its acquired in the study OF mathemat
les are the same as those acquired il
the study OF physics, and Just to tina
extent Is the study of mathemati,
helpful in the study OF physics"
FACTS To DE RECOGNIZED.
The speaker stated that recogni
ton OF these facts had brought abou
n Change In the manner OF the presen
tation Of a subject In the case O
music. II was formerly the custom d
each the children notes. sharps, an
lats first. The only incentive 4
earn them was that some day the