Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-19
By MISS CELESTE PARRISH.


By MISS CELESTE PARRISH.
Under the new regime, which Super
intendent M. L. Britain has inaugu
rated, teachers Institutes have func-
tons which were hardly thought of a
few years ago.
Teachers have been contending, for
long time. that patrons need to be
taught as well as they. and the new in
stitutes are shaped to this end. In a
number of counties an institute has
been held on each day of a week, in a
different place. and the patrons and
children in this and neighboring locali-
ties invited to be present A picnic din
ner, in which Georgia housewives excel,
has been served, and a session has been
held for work in both morning and aft
ernoon. The supervisor tells the chill
dren stories, gives short lectures on
ethical subjectsj adapted to the young
people, organizes junior civic leagues,
holds conferences of teachers and par
ents, organizes parents into home ana
school clubs or civic leagues, and leads
in mutually helpful discussions.
Wherever an institute is held, minis
ters physicians. farmers, business men,
women's clubs, boards of education aud
| chambers of commerce are urged to at
tend and take part in the discussions.
A conference of ministers and teachers
frequently is held and means of mutual
helpfulness sought A noteworthy meet
| ing of this kind has been set for April
| S, at Madison, Ga, for the purpose of
discussing the moral training of chill
dren. All parents and Sunday school
teachers are invited to attend and take
part in the discussion.
/ Policies Succeed Methods,
The institute program is a very diff
ferent affair from that of the old time.
| Methods" have given place in large
degree to policies. and the How to
Teach" to What to Teach" A subject
which has excited much interest and
evoked spirited discussion has been
THE Nature of Education" Opinions
have been various, but the eliminating
agreement nearly always has been
| Education is training in living now
and preparation for future living"
/ L his year lllt NbAhAAA AAeh' DNNAA 'eA
ried. and the question has been asked,
| What should the schools of the county
| enable the child to do?'
| Again the answers have varied, but
! the following represents very fairly the
| consensus of opinion among the teach
| ers:
| To make living.
| To TpoLa a home
To keep himself well and strong.
To read.
To write and spell.
To express himself in good English
To solve the problems, make the cal
cuIations and keep the accounts needed
in daily living
To understand the working Of forces
so al to be able to help in promoting
| civilization.
To understand the earth as mans
home so as to be able to adapt condi-
lions to his needs, or to adapt himself
to interchangeable conditions.
To understand his relations to others
and perform his obligations to them.
To exercise self-control and to CO.
operate.
! To be sincere and honest.
To love nature, art and good litera
ture.
To love all beauty and try to pro
mote it.
! TO be reverent
Work Follows Statements.
The work which follows is apt to
grow out of some Of these statements
| The question is often asked, What
/ should a child be able to do in order to
make a homer" This has been dis
cussed at length, and a very satisfac-
! tory syllabus made by the teachers,
How to lead the children into love OF
good literature" has led to How to get
! a school library" with very gratifying
results. one of the most important
/ discussions has been How TO train a
cbrd into the power of self-control,
and this is held in almost every insti-
| tute
As matter of course, the supervisors
are making strong effort to have agri =
culture better taught in every school In
! the state. The subject is required by
law. but the purpose Of the law has not
been carried out. and the teaching has
! been very perfunCtory. One cause OF
| this is that very few teachers know the
! subject in any adequate way them
| selves. and the institute work has been
directed toward a better knowledge on
| their part. Dr. Soule, Of the State Col
Iege of Agriculture, has co-operated IN
| a yerv helpful way and all his teachers
have been ready to help. The super
! yisOrs have sought earnestly to pro-
mote interest in boys corn clubs and
| girls home life clubs and to yitalize ed %
| ucat in every possible way
Fix School Standards.
! one of the most important matters
now engaging the attention Of the in
/ stitutes is The Standard County
| school" In order that a school shall
be entitled to this designation it must
reach a high standard as to teachers,
buildings. grounds. gardens, libraries
/ furnishings and clubs. SO far only four
+ have been accepted, but an earnest eff
! fort is being made to induce many
others to meet the requirements. The
response is gratifying, and many others
Twill soon apply. The schools at Rock
Vile, Putnam county; Bethany. Morgan
I county: Flint Hill, Newton county, and
| Tate, Pfckens county, have the priority
| in the order named.