The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-01-24

ed here TO attend the meetings OF the
Western Somerset County Teachers
Convention. From all parts of the
county they came and while here they
learned many valuable lessons from
the many speakers who dwelt on va
rious subjects of education with which
they were perfectly familiar But
one town in this section, NorridgeWock
was not represented owing to the
smallpox epidemic which has been
prevalent there Several OF the mp
river towns failed 10 send delegates
owing to the fact that the school
there have been closed for some time
When the session opened at 8 N.
Friday, Assembly hall was packed
with teachers President Charles E
Taylor, principal OF the Madison High
School, presided and the program
opened with musical selections by pu-
pills of the local grammar school The
singing of America" and prayer by
Rev Henry Clay Turner, pastor of the
Methodist church, was followed by
the appointment of committees as fol-
lows Nominating committee, l.. ".
Gerrish. superintendent of Skowhe-
gan-Madison schools; Guy Williams,
North Anson; Miss Katherine Kend-
rick, Good viii; resolutions commit
tee, Mrs l. A. Bradbury, North An
son; Miss Blanche Wilbur. Madison;
f l.. Allen, principal of Good Will
high school
Following the appointment of com
mittees Rev Arthur S. Phelps d. d.
of Wateryile was introduced For
nearly an hour he held the close at
tcntion Of his hearers using as his
subject The Human Touch" Inter
spersed with the theme OF his dis
which were much enjoyed. DR..
Phelps pleaded for a greater personal
relation between the pupil and the
teachers He was followed by Ralph
p. Mitchell, State Leader of Boys and
Girls clubs. Mr. Mitchell used as
his subject school Credit for Club
Work What he told this group Of
men and women Is easily understood
from the subject He told Of the
great advantages OF club work and
stated that if credits were given in the
schools that interest among the boys
and girls would be greater, both in
the clubs and in the school room
Augustus O. Thomas, State Superin
tendent of Schools. has been u strang-
er to this part of the county. but
scarcely had he begun the conducting
of the question box when all felt that
they knew him very well. He is a
forceful speaker and his remarks
we're met with commentator In
the question box the teachers passed
Dr.. Thomas several questions written
on slips of paper and to these the
superintendent would make reply
Among other things he discussed the
study OF languages while the student
is young and advocated that mathe-
MATES be discarded until the pupils
ars al least nine Years OF age. when
their reasoning abilities have begun
to develop.
But the speaking during the fore
noon session was not all the enjoy
ment and profit provided There
were exhibits of manual training
drawing and domestic science in sew
eral rooms in the building These
were very interesting to the teachers
and the finished product Of instruction
in these branches showed its great
value to The student Especially in
teresting was the manual training ex-
hibit Morris chairs, taborets wo-
mans tea tray, sewing baskets and
clock cases were to be seen on every
hand and all looked as tho they had
been produced in some factory, Won
derful examples OF workmanship
brought about by careful study Ar
ticles of furniture made ny several
girls OF the local high school were
very we'll done and called for much
favorable comment
In the domestic science room on
cooking. exhibits or demonstrations
were given owing II the conservation
of food program hut The writer smell
ed the deliciou, odor OF baked beans,
prepared by the students which were
later consumed by the teachers II
the girls can cook other things as
good as those beans their course in
domestic science is complete En-
hibits in drawing started with work
in the first grade and continued up
to that OF high school pupils showing
the steady advance AS the student con
tinues in the study
At noon elmer was served 10 the
teachers menu consisting of the
above mentioned beans, scalloped po-
tatoes and salads. Friday being
'meatless' day no meats were in evil
dence But the dinner was an excell-