Omaha daily bee., 1913-10-26
HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION
Born When Nebraska Was Being
Carved Out Of Wilderness.
HAS wEATHERED THE STORMS
Many Features Of Interest Are to
Mark the Meeting.
INTERESTING PROGRAM READY
Speakers with National Reputations
Have been secured and VIII ne
Here with Their Messages
for All.

One Of the greatest institutions IN the
state OF Nebraska IN connection with
the education Of the state IL the Me-
braska state Teachers association Born
forty-sevsn years ago. and having am
nuRl meetings for the benefit of the in
structors Of the young ever since that
time, the association may Justly claim
It's share for the credit In Nebraska's
boast OF the small percentage OF litter
acy In the United States.
Born a few years before Nebraska was
oven admitted TO the sisterhood OF states
In the union, the association has
weathered the bad times with the good
In Nebraska, as every other institution
OF the early days in this state had to DO.
This institution weathered the severe
days when teachers did not get the wages
they get nowadays. There were faith
ful members OF the association hack In
the early seventies and eighties who
found II hard 60 save out OF their tao
per month enough money 10 pay their
expenses 20 attend the association meet
inRs but they usually managed 60 40 so,
When they could not save enough one
year they held theE savings over until
10 Lincoln or Omaha. where the meetings
have almost always been held.
Boards send Teachers.
Later u became more or less OF q prac-
tice OF school boards throughout the state
TO pay the expenses OF the teachers whle
they attended these meetings, or at least
give thcm thir time on fun pay. Even
this however. was not easy sailing all
over the state. ana TO this day there are
some school boards who do not allow
their teachers either the time or the ex-
pense money 10 attend these association
meetings where they ara 20 receive the
latest suggestions as TO the most APP
proved methods In the instruction OF the
young.
OF recent years as the association gets
better and better on Its feet, Il has been
able 10 command better and better tai
ent for its meetings.. Some Of the fore
most educators OF the United states are
each year brought 20 Omaha or Lincoln,
wherever the meeting happens to be held,
20 lecture 20 the teachers on the most
advanced and progressive discoveries In
methods OF recitation. courses OF study
adAptabIity OF various studies to various
grades OF pupils. and all other points
that make for greater results for the
money and energy expended in the school
room.
standards Raised.
Thus the standard OF the schools OF the
state has been constantly climbing up
until they are one OF the strong credits TO
the commonwealth. Thus the rural
schools OF the state have been brought
up from an unorsaniked ehoatie eongion-
Grafton OF instruction 60 graded and well
! organised and standardized institutions.
For years. while the city schools were
graded, from the first grade TO the
eighth, and then from that TO the twelfth
in the high school, with systematic
course OF study to be followed In each
grade. the rural schools were ieft' 20
''rln wild" as II were. The teacher was
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