The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-12
DR.. BAKERS ADDRESS
FEATURES CONFERENCE

Heads OF Virginia schools and Colleges
For Girls Hear Paper by Instruc-
tor of Enxiish ut Columbia
Unfversity.
The second day Of the thirteenth an
nnal meeting Of the Virginia Associa-
ton of Colleges and Schools for Girls
was featured by addresses of academic
or literary interest. given by prom
inent educators who we're allotted the
subjects with which they were more
thoroughly acquainted. The days pro-
gram was enriched by the appearance
of DR.. Franklin r. Baker, of Columbia
university. who delivered i'm
promptu talk at the afternoon session
and a prepared address on 1.-The Uses
of Language, Oral and Written" at
the evening session.
The morning session was held in the
palm room Of the Jefferson hotel at
! 0o'clock. Or. O. l. Hatcher, presi-
dent of the Virginia bureau of voca-
lions. presiding. Most of the practical
business of the meeting was trans
acted. reports from secondary schools,
junior colleges and colleges and the
report of the executive committee be-
ing read and discussed
or much interest to the association
at this time was the address given
by DR.. Alexander J. Inglis, professor
Of secondary education, Harvard uni
versity, and director of the Virginia
public school survey. on Standards
and the School Survey" The closing
address was on Intelligence Tests and
School Procedure" by Major NJ f.
Haggarty, L. S. A, professor OF educa-
tional psychology. University of Min
nesota.
The afternoon session was held in
the Professional woman's building
from $40 to o'clock. Dean May l..
Keller. Westhampton college. presid-
Ing. Or. f. N Caiisch delivered the
opening address. English and Citi-
zenship.' followed by Miss Annie Ste
ger Winston on Habits of Speech"
ten English" by Miss Elizabeth p.
Cleveland. head of the English depart
Dtent, Harrisonburg State Normal, was
next on the program.
Miss Rachel Van Wort. head of the
English department John Marshall
High school. gave an intimate picture
of modern school methods in her talk
on THE Soeiaiized Lesson In Oral Com
position" In "Interpretattve Aspects
of Oral English" Professor H. b.
Handy, head of the English depart
ment. Richmond college. gave IN in
teresting and instructive talk on the
problems confronting teachers of
English today and the means OF cop-N
ing with them.
Miss Caroline s Lutz. Of the English
department, Nesthamptou collie e.
dealt comprehensively with a topic of
much interest in her talk on THE
Need for Cooperation OF Other De-
rartments" Miss Lutx said that the
great awakening which came as re-
suit of the active part taken by women
IN the war would prevent a large num-
Der of girls from being content to
drift airniessly after graduating from
college, Miss Lutz suggested n num-
Der OF voeations which afford suitable
opportunities for girl graduates. not
forgetting, however. to mention the
attendant difficulties which must be
Or. O. l.. Hatcher. who was sched-
uled to talk on Musical Values In
Speech, presented DR. Baker in her
stead. paying a graceful tribute to his
PECULIAR ability on the. subject DR.
Bakers address possessed an added
charm in being extemporaneous. rang
ing. as 1t did. from casual word on
YER lihre and It's principal opponents to
a learned discussion of the rhythmic
value of the prose and poetry of the
leading writer's OF English In COM
n'enting on the "eubist prose" OF
Gertrude Stein, Or Baker said that
reading 1t left him, not thinking he
lad failed to understand II. but feel
ing that someone had applied an egg
beaten to his brains"
DR.. Baker was the only speaker at
the evening session held at $40 o'clock
at the Collegiate School for Girls. His
address was careful study of the
English language. the relation of
thinking TO speaking. as compared to
writing. the problems confronting the
teacher of English today and sugges-
uons as to how the tendency to mini
mize the Importance OF speaking COR
rect English should be overcome.
THE real language is the oral
language" said Dir. Baker In en-
phasizing the Importance of the spoken
language over the written. Or. Baker
called attention to the preference
shown by business men of today for
transacting their business orally In
this connection he referred to the in
terest aroused by every extension of
the usage Of the telephone.
The next subject touched on was
that OF reading aloud. with descrip-
ton of the writer's and subjects best
adapted. DR. Baker dwelt on the great
interest zeal shown in France In re-
gard to teaching and insisting that
correct French be spoken. even by
children in the primary grades. As a
contrast, he mentioned the tendency
among american CnlldTen TO regard
correct English as an affection and a
thing to avoid He said their should
be a pathological expert in each large
school to deal with children especially
requiring attention. such as stammer-
ers
In support OF his contention that the
oral was more important than the writ
ten language. DR.. Baker pointed out
that thought is much more intimate
with conversation than with writing.
Unless person be specially fitted by
long training in the art OF writing, he
said. II is much easier to express a
thought orally than to write ii.
4 DR., Baker was introduced by Miss
Helen Baker. head of the Collegiate
Schools for Girls. who rendered a re-
ception to the visiting delegates i'm
mediately after the conclusion Of the
address. In addition to the members
Of the association, several members OF
the Virginia Writer'S club were pres
emit. Mrs. Kate Langley Bosher. whose
latest book. His Friend. Miss McFar-
land" has .ust been published. being
among them
I'm going to New York Monday
and would like to have a return load,
or part ADV in Raltimore mn mar