The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-11-15

factorily.
Several other superintendent spoke
on the topic, and Mr.. Sperry of
Mankato said that he experienced
some difficulty here One thing Mr..
! Sperry spoke of particularly was his
objection to the clause allowing
children in cities as large as Man
katO to be absent from school, from
April first to November first. Mr..
Sperry also told of few cases
where it seemed to him reasonable
that some leeway should be given
the local authorities in dealing with
such cases.
Superintendent Hess of New Ulm
said that he experienced trouble in
that way by having the parents en-
roll their children in the parochial
schools for a month and then TAX
ing them out. His truant officer
gets a list of the children enrolled
in these schools at the close of the
first month of school but not after
that time, so that they have no
way of knowing whether the chill
dren are actually in school during
the rest of the year.
School Fairgrounds, Etc.
superintendent Sandberg of Win
dom had charge of the discussion on
and Supervision MI Sandberg's
talk was Illustrated by chart
showing the plan used at his schools
in Window There are two school
houses located in the same block
Mr.. Sandberg's chart showed just
how the grounds were laid out. and
he explained the reason for such a
plan being used. His grounds are
graveled and the apparatus provid,
ed for the children's amusement
consists of giant strides, slides and
swings. He finds that the boys do
not care for games particularly, but
like to romp. The question of su.
pervision is one which he appeared
to be much interested in. He said
that he did not believe in very
close supervision, but enough so that
the teachers knew what was going
on on the Fairgrounds. He thinks
that children should play with all
the abandon possible, and they will
not do this if the teachers are al
ways present.
! NJ. w. Deputy, who is at the head
of the model school department of
the normal, was asked to tell what
is being done here in that line Mr.
Deputy said that the work was still
very new here, but that he consid-
cred it essential and not impossible
for any school. A sum of not more
than $40 has been expended on ap-
paratus for the grounds at the nor
NAL school, and Mr.. Deputy feels
that they have everything that is
necessary for that phase Of school
life. ...
The last topic discussed was the
helping of backward pupils. Super
intendent Fobes Of Marshall led the
discussion. He said that in his
school he had several pupils in the
eighth grade whose work Gid not
permit promotion to the high school.
He put these pupils in a class by
Themselves and had them Instructed
by a high school teacher Their
work was really advanced eighth
grade work. Mr.. F'obeS said that
the plan worked Well. He said that
in the lower grades the backward
children were grouped and often
times child in the same grade
but one who was sure of the work
was allowed to teach them, under
the careful supervision of the
grade teacher. Mr.. Fobcs says that
this plan also has been successfully
carried out in Marshall
b., This Mornings Session.
This mornings session of the con-
Vertion w3s opened with a song by
the Glee club from the high school.
Under the direction of Miss Fannie
Pitcher the club sang Legend of
the Chimes" from Robin Hood"
and the quartet from "Rigoletto."
p, Superintendent J. B. Arp presided
over the meeting and introduced
President John Talmage Bergen of
Albert Lea college, who spoke Of
THE Soul Growth of Abraham Lin
coin" DR.. Bergen followed Lin
coins life and environment from his
birth to his death and showed the
greatness and breadth of his soul
growth Dr.. Bergen in his address
said that the old ped1gogical rule
The experiences of childhood keep
pace with the growth of the childs
soul and become incorporated in it,
was true in Lincoln's life Lincoln
as small boy was taught by his
mother, who was a sanity woman,
ijOILl luISc DUUhS, IHS BLUE, Il cate
chism and a spelling book. His
greatness Of soul was the result of
the holy influence of his religious
motehr. His capacity for work was
no doubt the result of the infiu-
ence of his energetic step-mother
who kept the family in better finan-
cial condition than Lincoln's own
mother. His capacity for work was
more books, and good books, into
the home. Lincoln was student
and through his spiritual inclina-
tons, his ability as student and
his jud1ment became the hero of
the nation and the preserver of the
nation
: Miss Fannie Pitcher, director of
music and drawing III the public
schools, has arranged to have ex-
hibits of the work in drawing and
painting from the public schools
shown in the public library building