The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1915-04-02
al Institute " Teachers " 4th


~ The first OF the series Of local
teachers institutes was held at Sandy
vile, March p.
For the benefit Of the public, II
shouId BY stated that no association
wv teachers will be held In Westmins-
ter AZ the end or the Spring term, but
" series OF district teachers meetings
conducted by the superintendent, will
~ held instead These meetings af-
ford opportunity to the teachers for
exchange of ideas, and to the super
intendent, for getting into close
touch with his teachers
The first part of the morning ses-
sion was taken I'D with announce
ments OF coming school events and
explanations relating to them. Mary
Iand Day. Oh March 25th, the anniver-
sarv W. the founding OF the Maryland
colony. came first on the calendar
This anniversary was celebrated in
the respective schools by some ap-
DroDriate exercises to which the pa
irons were invited
Then on May M. comes Rally Day,
when all the schools and patrons VIII
meet i'm Westminster for a monster
narade. and educational mass-meetlng
in the morning and athletic games IL
the afternoon In these atnIeLlc
contests, pupils from any of ne
schools ILL the county may enter. Last,
but NV no means least, the annual
meeting " the State Teachers AS
sociation at Ocean City, from Iues-
day. June 20, to Friday, July 2. Every
teacher expects to take some little
pleasure trip in the summer; why not
combine business with pleasure ana
so spend a couple of days most pront-
ably at Ocean City? The superintend-
ent urged teachers who can AZ AZ IN
attend this meeting
Country Life and the Country
School," one of the books which
teachers are required to study during
the year was then taken up. rms
book deals with the fundamental prob
lem w country life, that OF keeping
standard people upon our farms, ana
the solution Of this problem, which is
to be realized through making coun-
try life adequately and permanently
satisfying. One of the chief subjects
of this book presented by the super
intendent for consideration was the
formation of girls canning clubs. TIE
purposes of these clubs are: Mn -
stimulate interest and wholesome S.
operation among members of tne ram
ily III the home. 2. TO provide some
means BY which girls may earn money
AZ home, and aI the same time, get
the education and view point neces-
sary for ideal farm life.
Another subject discussed was THE
one teacher country school system
and it's defects" Some OF the defects
noted are as follows:
/. The school having from six to
eight grades, each grade with AT least
four daily recitations, demands more
work than one teacher can possibly
do we'll id the meager time allotted.
y. The small number Of children
enrolled very frequently make an un-
interesting school, and never fails,
even i'm larger schools, to necessitate
the formation of some classes for one
two or three children. The stray
children of these classes lose interest
and often drop out of the school al
together.
. a The third defect the fact that
the system provides no high school
course and still costs as much per
capita as a graded system providing
the Best secondary schools, is perhaps
its worst feature Country people in
order to secure the advantages Of a
higE school for their children do one
OF two things, both detrimental to
farm lire In the first place, they us
ually send the boy or girl away to
a town or city high school. Some
times, az an alternative. the whole
family moves to town ito educate the
childroa-" In this way hundreds Of
tn most capable young people are
drained from the country every year
It was agreed that these defects
could Ee Temedied Ivy consolidating
three cr more neighboring schools.
Part w the afternoon was spent liz
reviewing the course OF study Teach
ers were urged to comply with the re
guiren. ant5 a5 Ind down i'll the sched-
ule of graduation 50 that The grading
of pupils i'll the various schools
throughout the county might be as
nearly uniform as possible.
After distributing the teachers term
reports. ETC., the meeting adjourned.