The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-01
Annual Gathering of Teachers Started Off This Morn
ing at the Miller School With Lots
Of Swing and Spirit.
SOME new INSTRUCTORS ON THE PROGRAM
Eight or Ten Rural Schools in the County Still Need
Teachers And 1t May Be Necessary to Issue
Few Provisional Certificates.

ed This person is found in the front
rows at Institute ready to learn ev-
erything possible to help cure inettl-
cheney. Superintendent wilson
spoke emphatically Of the wise fools
in the world who did not care to
learn. Not many reached the stage
of unconscious efficiency, though oc-
castonally one ran across man OF
woman who would not admit expert
qualities and did not believe in the
personal possession of them. This
person usually possessed admirable
characteristics and is Of great value
both In and out Of the teaching pro-
fession.
story of the small boy who fell out
of bed in the night and when asked
by his grandfather how 1t happened,
the youngster said: well, 1 didn't
know, grandfather, unless went to
sleep to near where I got in" That
is the trouble with some In the teach
ing profession. A general knowledge
is necessary If one teaches, an. ade-
quate supply, alN ays Gn hand being
imperative to prevent teaching too
near the edge. But merely the lmowl-
edge Of a subject did not answer, be-
cause teacher sometimes knew her
subject but could not teach it. That
Is why there are 314 normal schools
in the United States so that special
knowledge as well as general knowl-
edge may be taught. Special knowl-
edge is theory back of practise, said
Supt. Wilson this morning. at Is
your professional equipment" empha-
sized Mr.. Wilson.
Superintendent Wilson ended his
helpful talk this morning with the
words: at is SO easy to get into a
rut mad do the same things in the
same way each year. II we make
progress in professional efficiency we
rut and do the same things in the
same way this year." Mr.. wilson
caused a ripple among his audience
this morning when he told Of some
of the mistakes made by teachers re-
Gently.
Some examination papers revealed
these: "The alimentary canal coSnectsi
Lake Erie with the Hudson river."i
"A mountain range is huge cook
lug stove used in a mountain hotel"
Superintendent Wilson objected to the
spelling Of "Salery" and alright
which he found frequently in letters
to him and on blackboards, with
other mistakes. These errors he plac-
ed to the credit of inefficiency.
The musical program this morning
was conducted by Harry ]. Taylor,
woh put the same swing and spirit
into 1t that he did last year. The
songs went smoothly and we'll with
the bass and alto voices coming in
slowly but surely. Some voices were
missing due to the High school insti-
tutes being held at Clarksburg and
Huntington shis week, two Institutes
especially for High school teachers,
held for the first time in this state.
Rev. Mr. Goodwin sang solo in
his usual sympathetic manner. Coun-
ty Supt Toothman announced at The
beginning Of 1t that he had written
DR.. Goodwin to bring a solo tucked
under hsi arm, and that DR.. Goodwin
had replied by card, Nothing pre-
venting, shall be on hand Monday !,
with the requested tucked under my /
arm" Rev. Goodwin's charm lies |
as ever in his unconscious richness
of character and real power both of |
Continued on page four.)