Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-30
SECOND DAY Of TEACHERS
CONVENTION FINDS A LARGE
!. INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE
Resolutions Proposed Fail to Include Any FLANK
on the Suffrage Question: Departmental
Meetings Held and F inc Addresses Heard
Evening Meeting

Bangor, Me-. Oct. 2s-Friday, the
closing day Of the convention. was
devoted to the departmental meet
ings with many papers and address,
es.' At night in the Auditorium 1000
teachers and others listened to an Ad-
dress by President Carl G. Pearse OF
the Wisconsin State Normal School.
Milwaukee, who opposed the cutting
short Of the period Of elemental in
struction as proposed in some quar-
tiers, arguing for the retention Of the
present limit, at the end Of the eighth
grade.
The report Of the committee on res
olutions was read and accepted. The
committee refused the request Of q
plank favoring woman suffrage be In
corporated.
superintendent Speaks
I'm this annual Teachers Convene
ton you have created in Maine q ire
mendously efficient agency for the adj
vancement Of the cause of education"
said State Supt. Of Schools Payson
Smith to the department Of >school
committee members Of the Teachers
Convention this forenoon. He called
attention to the growth Of the con-
vention since the days when an at
| tendance Of 1900 was very large and
to the increased interest being taken
by the teachers in the program ar
| ranged. .s p..s.
| Today was the busiest Of the whole
convention, for this morning there
were nine departments in session and
this afternoon there were nine other
department meetings besides two al
lied organizations, the Maine Council
of Teachers of English and the Amer
lean School Peace League. The reg
istration today reached the 5000 mark.
This is about 800 less than the at
tendance at the convention in Port
land last year.
II w. o. Chase
| The department of rural schools in
session at the auditorium, City hall,
was presided over by Supt. G. A. Rec
ord of Sanford. He introduced as the
first speaker Supt. W. o. Chase OF
Presque Isle, who spoke on Some
Practical Suggestions for Increasing
the Efficiency of Our Rural Schools.
;suasestions for Increasing Efficiency
|. s.sa IN of Rural Schools.
/, = (Supt. w. O. Chase)
|, When we consider that more than
La, O00, OOO,s or about three fifths Of all
the children now attending the ele-
Fmentary schools of the United States.
must get all of their elementary edu-
cation in rural schools, and that vast
majority Of such children will get no
education beyond them; and when we
consider, further, that a very large
percentage Of these schools are much
below reasonable standard Of eff
| ficiency in quality Of instruction, IN
buildings, and in equipment; we are
impressed with the fact that the rural
schools present a problem for solu-
ton, worthy Of the best thought and
i effort Of all who are interested In the
furtherance of public education.
| The greatest problem in rural school
work is to get teachers that realize
! LIE great OPROA IutiAsAOo SAoS eAS . ~ t~A
schools offer for constructive work
and large service in the cause Of edu-
cation. With almost any kind OF a
building and a meager equipment OF
books and apparatus, a teacher. inter-
Eested in the solution of real problems,
and with a heart filled with the high
sense Of duty that should be a requis-
tie Of all leaders and directors Of chill
dren, can teach most excellent
school, A teacher without such a
sense may fail most miserably with
the best of buildings and equipment.
No part Of the school system is in
such need Of teachers Of ability, train
ing, and experience as the rural
schools, and no part offers better OPP
| portunities for teachers to become
large professionally: for the rural
schools present the most interesting
problems, requiring the teachers best
thought and efforts to solve.
Community spirit is another impor-
tant factor in efficiency. II the school
is to do its best work, there must be
such spirit Of goodwill and CO.
operation on the part Of the commun-
ity that the children will feel that the
institution, in which they are spend
ing five days week for 30 to IS weeks
a year, is thing Of vital importance
to every one in the community: such
an interest as will cause the taxpay-
ers Of the community to demand
properly housed and well equipped
school, taught by a well qualified and
well paid teacher!
Miss Florence M. Hale Of the
Aroostook State Normal school pre-
sided at the session Of the department.
Of Intermediate schools In the Assem-
bly, hall of the High school building
Friday forenoon. The first speaker,
Miss Mary Hastings OF the Eastern
State Normal school, Castine, spoke
interestingly on 1.-THE Psychology Of
the Recitation"
Prescott III. vose Of the Bangor school
board presided over the department Of
school committee members. which met
in Room FL at the: high school, The
first speaker was Deputy Commissioner
William Orr Of Massachusetts,. who