The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-02-20
SOUTHERN MINI.
EDUCATIONAL MEET
From fridays Daily.

teachers were enrolled at the con-
vention today and listened to an ex.
cellent program this morning.
Professor W. w. Frost gave the
first talk of the morning. his sub
ject being Teaching Literature to
Children" MIR. Frost emphaized the
= responsibility of teachers in bringing
poems and literature 10 children In
a very real way. He said that the
responsibility OF the instructor in
teaching literature was great. be-
cause the early reshing of a child
had the same influence on its later
life that the early incidents of his
life may have.
President +. A. Cotton of the La
Crosse normal school gave n splen-
did address on The Manning of In
dustrial Education" He said that
when Lincoln gave his Gettysburg
address he believed he had in mind
the masses OF the people rather than
the classes. that II the government
was 10. live the masses must be edu-
Gated as well as the classes.
Education should be broad, and
should teach everyone 20 do some
thing we'll" he said. Education
should teach everyone to make q,
living. Schools used to be for the
education OF the classes, and were
aristocratic rather than democratic.
Heretofore education has led to the
professions and there we're not enough
professions to go around so only the
classes were benefited Now educa-
ton points also 10 the rougher occu-
pations of life. Happiness can come
only by being able to do small things
well II man is properly educated
he should be willing 10 do his share
Of the rOugher work in life"
President Cotton also emphasized
the necessity of teachers making the
school as nearly like home rs possible
so that when a child enters school the
transition would not be So great.
The high school glee clubs opened
:he morning program with the song
Italia" from Boccaccio. and later i'm
the morning Superintendent II. +.
Griebenow sang a group OF Indian
Love Lyrics.
The afternoon session was given
over TO the sectional meetings, rural
schools. normal training, manual
training. commercial work. high
school organization, management, and
mathematics, music, science and
other sections being conducted.
The principal feature of tonight's
program will be an address by
Charles H. Judd. director Of the
school Of education of the University
of Chicago. He will speak on 'The
Theoretical and Practical in Educa-
ton" The Girls Glee club of the
normal school will sing two selec-
tions, The Miller's wooing" aud
"Shoogy Shoo," and Miss Lora Luis
dorn will sing The Star" and AT
Parting" by Rogers, and an aria.
"Vissi D'Arte" from the opera la
Rosca.'
Following the evening program an
informal reception will be given In
the normal library for the visiting
teachers.
II believe that the weakness in
the average grammar school Is in
the teaching of penmanship, compo-
sition and spelling" said Superin-
tendent, Il. A. johnson of Rochester.
l.. an address to the superintendent's
division Of the Southern Minnesota
Teachers association last night. Mr..
johnson spoke on the Junior High
school, he having instituted such
a plan 10 the ochester schools. The
Junior high school, so called, Is a
plan whereby the seventh and eighth
grades are put on somewhat the
same basis that the regular high
school grades are put upon.
The regular school course in the
seventh and eight grades Is being
changed there somewhat, SO that
German is added, together with some
work in art. expression, music and
manual training. Technical grammar
is not emphasized, being taught but
two days a week. and the same
period I'm other three days are de-
voted to the study OF composition
aud letter writing and reading. The
Plan also calls for the completion OF
United States histary and arithmetic
IN the seventh grade. However. Mr..
Johnson plans TO eliminate such
parts of arithmetic, as higher frac.
tions, exchange, proportion, cube
root and some of the more compli-
Cated methods OF interest
Manual Training Work.
In the manual training work the
students. Mr.. Johnson says, are doing
we'll. He advocated the practical
carpentry work for this course, and
said last night: The weakness in
industrial work in the public schools
will continue as long as the practi.
cal carpenter is kept out Of the
schools"
The seventh and eighth grade pu-
pills are given optional work, and
from the results obtained from their
study the plan is being successful.
The enrolment Is larger also. and
NJ Tolueon halfovoe that the oveta an,