The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-06

ideal Of discipline In American
schools will not be reached until such
commands are unnecessary to secure
obedience and effective cooperation.
Present Method Wrong.
THE same test may be applied to
teaching. Does 1t make for intelligent
self-direction? First consider the
prevailing method of assigning home
tasks. How often the order is to solve
the twenty problems. to translate
/, the next fifty lines, or to read the next
ten pages. with no instruction on the
method OF approach. not even a hint
as to the purpose of the task or it's
connection with what has gone before.
! The result we are all familiar
with. Blind guessing at the answer,
cut-and-dry methods of solution. time
wasted in thumbing a lexicon, nlegiti-
mate assistance sought from parents
or fellow pupils-almost everything
except straightforward learning.
1T is highly important that funda-
mentals be accurately learned. The al
phabet, multiplication table, declen-
sions. paradigms, and the like. must be
memOrized, but the good teacher does
not stop there or with any number Of
similar tasks. He uses them in all pos
sible combinations and permutations.
for a higher purpose. One reliable test
OF success is found in the widening in
tellectual hirizon Of his pupils; an
other is in their ability to use what
they have in the acquisition Of new
knowledge. When a pupil learns to d.
the facts of his own experience and in
charging that experience by gaining
new knowledge, he is on the high road
to liberal education"
The meeting at the Auditorium this
morning was opened with a pipe organ
supervisor Of music in the Topeka
schools. The invocation was pronounced
by DR.. F. L. Loveland Of the First
Methodist church. Topeka.
Rural Schools Recognized.
For the first time in the history of
the Kansas State Teachers association
the rural schools are recognized. A
rural school department has been or
ganized with Superintendent Anna q.
Arnold of Cottonwood Falls at its
head. On the program of the first
meeting OF this department held in the
First Presbyterian church this after
noon there were three speakers Of ma
tional prominence-Dr. o. w. Caldwell.
University of Chicago, whose subject
was Elementary Science" Miss Ade-
laide Baylor of Indianapolis, Ind. an
expert on rural school questions, and
Professor X. L. Hatch Of the Unlver-
sity Of Wisconsin, who spoke on "Some
Phases Of Rural Educational Prob
lems."
Miss Baylor, who spoke on 1.-THE
Teacher in the Rural School," declared
that there is no part OF the public
school where SO much depends upon the
courage, inspiration and initiative of
the teacher.
Miss Baylor's Address.
She said in part:
I'm the recent movement toward the
80 T. Loo
to urge that the forces be conferred
upon the betterment of the rural school,
and through its elevation. the home,
church and all institutional life will be
improved.
There are many agencies recognized
as essential to the prosperity of the
public school. whether in the country.
village. town or city. Sanitary, COM
Portable, convenient and attractive
school buildings, libraries and general
equipment. inviting surroundings. play
grounds, and good teachers are the
last named is without question the first
great controlling agent, especially in
the rural school.
There is no part of the public school
system where SO much depends upon
the courage, inspiration and initiative
of the school teacher, as in the rural
school,
mot all teachers. either by nature or
culture, are fitted to undertake the inn
pOrtant work of instructing the Young
people in the country districts where
We must look, according to the predic-
tfon of Mary Lyon almost a century
agO-fOr our future leaders The coun-
try, and the man who is chosen to ex-
pend the school fund in his immediate
school corporation are all responsible
for the welfare of the smallest rural
school"
That Batavia System"
An address that was listened to with
interest by large group of teachers at
the meeting Of the graded school de-
partment in the Auditorium this after
livered by Superintendent John Ken
nedy of Batavia, N. Y, originator of
the famous Batavia Plan" This de-
partment is under Superintendent G. C.
Brown OF lola.
Professor J. c. Brown of Columbia
university spoke on Waste in Arith-
metic Teaching.
In describing the unique plan adopted
at Batavia, Superintendent Kennedy
said:
prior to fifteen years ago we grasped
our hundreds and thousands Of chill
dren and made demands upon them and
We made demands upon our teachers.
Everything was done from this stand
point Of demand. We were running an
enormous and remorseless machine. In
the working of the machine no allow
ance was made for the peculiar nature.
the circumstances. or condition of indi-
viduals. Everything was assumed.
everything was taken for granted.
"Our establishment was q military
one; and we thought that the more