The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-03

present day can neither compute,
spell nor write as we'll as could the
children of several decades ago, but
that the same tests have been applied
now that were used then, and the
public school children of the present
day have been found to excel the
public school children under the oil
methods of instruction
Prof. Coffman said that the United
States has more secondary schools
than in all other countries combined,
and that high schools contain per
cent. of its population, while the 9TH
er countries average only per cent.
Mr.. Coffman took the ground that in
struction, and not character building,
is the main office of the public school
system, and that justice, obedience
and respect should prevail in the
school, and not love and affection, AS
these are the offices of the home. and
not the school; not, however that
there should be no affection between
the pupils and their teachers but
that this should not be he main OBJ
ject of the school, and that the leach
er who spends the greater part Of the
time in trying to mould the character
of the child instead of teaching the
groundwork of reading, history, arith-
metic, ETC., is making most momen-
tous error. He illustrated his points
most forcibly, and his address con-
tanned much of very practical value
to those engaged in teaching in this
state.
/ Afternoon Session
The afternoon was devoted to the
| departmental programs, which were
very fine and probably one of the
most instructive and enjoyable fea-
lures of the convention.
At the Temple theater the gram
mar school held a splendid program,
Mrs. w A Goodburn speaking on
oral hygiene and Dr. Buchholz OF
Hillsborough county leading an inter.
esting discussion on this subject.
Other speakers were Mrs. Warren,
Superintendent Bolts and Professor
Hines.
The high school department also
had a very fine program A discus
sion of the elective system in the
high school was led by Professor
Workman of this city and Professor
Evans of Kissimmee.
The remainder of the afternoon
program was exceedingly splendid
and was as follows:
Quasi-Vocationa Studies in the
High School-Agriculture Dean ]. J.
Vernon: commercial department, P
P. Jones; domestic science, Mrs. S. c.
Ellis.
High School Athletics-Principal
w. H. Cassels, Principal E. L. Rob
inson.
Number of Studies Each Pupil
Should Take and Give, Respectively
Principal P. w. Carr, Principal Bur.
ton Belcher.
Teacher Training in the High
School-Dr John A. Thackston, Prin
cipal j. n Perkins
General discussion led by Principal
F. A. Hathaway and Superintendent;
r. E. Hall
At the Woman's Club the primary
and kindergarten departmental pro
gram was rendered.
Miss Nellie Stevens presided dur,
ing the first part of the meeting. The
first number was attractive kinder
garten music by Miss Gertie Peyser
Miss Mabel Wheeler of the Wo
mans Club of Tallahassee, was then
introduced, and she made most ex
cellent speech on the Montessori prin
ciples and work. She gave an excel
lent account of Madam Montessoris
work in Italy, who founded the excel
lent childrens home schools in that
country, and which have meant SO
much to the waits and poorer children
of Italy. Although Miss Wheeler said
DR.. Montesorri was some thirty years
behind Frebelie and other educators
of our own country, the good that she
has accomplished for primary educa
ton could not be overestimated. That
she had worked out her beliefs en-.
tirely independent of any other coun
try, and was ignorant that they were
working along the same lines.
Following her Mrs. Carrier of West
Palm Beach spoke on the subject OF
Training for Community Life in the
Schools" She is a most attractive
speaker. and she began her talk with