The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1914-09-04

/ IlldC ever CdIHe LHclT way 1ucIS are
1853 teachers registered.
President W. O. Thompson of o. S.
U. has deservedly won for himself
the reputation of being one of Am
erica's foremost educators, and DR.. F.
P. Graves of the Pennsylvania State
University at Philadelphia is one Of
the foremost writer's of this genera
ton, on educational topics. Through
their acquaintance with Superintend-
ent Edmund, these men were induced
to spend a week with Medina teachers
although they do not often consent
to lecture at institutes.
DR.. Graves appropriately opened the
institute by an inspiring tribute to
Pestalozzi; the best that the modern
educational systems contain are but
developments of the principles work
ed out by the Christian citizen and
lover of mankind, Pestalozzi. Get
ting down to the concrete in arith-
metric, making geography study of
forest and field, emphasizing the
moral and religious training-these
were the basic principles of the great
Swiss teacher.
DIR. Thompson in an address on the
principles of teaching urged that the
lessons of the school room be CORE
lated with the child's experience out
side of the schoolroom. The school
that does not fit him; but seems a
thing not apart from life, will not be
the whaling factor it ought to be in
the life of a community.
Mr.. J. S. Speelman, who has been
a teacher in Medina county for thir-
teen years and who goes as district
superintendent to Wayne county,
gave a talk on the teaching of agri-
culture in the public schools. He sug-
gested that every rural community
ought to have salesman to- look
after the best marketing of products.
About seventy-fve teachers availed
themselves of the hospitality Of Me-
dina teachers and went to Chippewa
Lake for jolly social time. They got
lit, too.
/ DIR. Graves declared that in spite Of
the number Of articles written about
Iinattention, the attention Of every
individual is focused upon what is of
interest to- him. The boy who can
mot learn the multiplication tables,
Twill commit a long list Of batting av-
erages. The teachers business is to
direct the child's interest. Interest is
attention.
DR.. Graves was followed by DR..
Thompson, whose topic was the
Teaching Process" DR.. Thompson
betrayed the secret of his power as an
educator by an anecdote of his own
experience how he went after a boy
| in the university because he believed
| in him, although his teachers had pro-
nounced the lad a failure and had
given him up. Later the student had
redeemed himself by winning honors.
1t is the teachers privilege to step
| into the critical periods of the boys
or girls life and help to right inter-
ests.
4 While not on the program, County
| Superintendent Leahy was called up
on and uttered the following force
full appeal to the teachers:
In a few days the new school laws
will be put into operation all over
Ohio. If teachers and parents cheer
fully cooperate, much improvement
will soon be manifest in the manage
| meat Of the schools. The rural
school presents very important
problem in American education.
More than six million children will
be toddling off to rural schools in
few days. The rural school has been
in many places sadly neglected. AS
the teacher is, so is the school. The
teacher is the chief factor in the up
building of the school. If he is wor-
thy and capable he will gain the con-
fidence and secure the kindly assist
ance of his patrons, The progressive
teacher will often ask himself: How
can fit myself to do better work?
School environment must be made
more beautiful and attractive and
the teaching must be up to date and
practical. Teachers must study how
to make the schools more Efficient
greater drawing power. This, o1
course, will require active, wise, tact.
full work on the part of the teacher
and a noble desire to assist on the
part of patrons, Let us all pull togeth
er in this great, good work. "That mar
is great and he alone who serves 1
purpose not his own for neither purse
nor pelf."
If our children could be properl!
: and truly educated--the heart educa
ted as well as the head--future gen