The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-05-02
TEACHERS MEETING BRINGS
CITY LATEST SCHOOL IDEAS
By MRS. l. &. STAFFORD

with the idea of freedom, must
carry corresponding feeling of
duty and obligation. Duty should
be made a habit-more than the
result of reason A man who
wou d hesitate and reason, and
then return dollar given by mis-
take, is not quite safe for demo.
cracy. AS habits are largely
formed by the end of the fourth
year in school, he would be very
careful about their direction, es.
pecially in the early years.
He continued by saying that
school life should contain ele-
ments of self direction, self ac-
tivity. and be place where pu-
pills like to go, for he says that Is
percent of pupils who have quit
school could have stayed if they
had learned to want to come.
Professor Breitwieser of Colo,
RADIO Springs deplores the habit
some teachers have of getting into
rut, for rut is simply grave
with both ends knocked out, he
says. His talk was on Mental
Efficiency, and he thinks that the
strife of the future will be in terms
of that commodity--not brute
force.
He said, however, that mentality
is based to a considerable extent
upon physical power. He wonders
how some of our people lived thru
the period of awful lunches of
their childhood days. He thinks
teacher should pass a physical
test, for the vigor and enth usiam
of the header is very naturally re-
hected in the followers.
This sturdy, optimistic gentle
man believes in the slap on the
b .ck rather than the slap in the
face, and that this plan works
beautifully in the school room.
Professor Greene gave practi-
cal tryout of the Courts tests,
which are being used in our school.
This work has become a part of
the Colorado school system. The
tests are standardized by being
submitted to thousands of chill
dren, and conclusions drawn as to
what is to be expected of pupils
of various grades. By compari.
son with these standards, it is
comparatively easy for a teacher
to know in what her classes or in
dividuals need special drill.
Miss Theobald's reading class,
showing the Aldine method, was a
credit to both the method and the
teacher, and to the pupils.
A pretty folk dance was given
by pupils of the third and fourth
grades. This work is new here,
but is considered an integral part
of school work in many localities.
No pupil knows the history of a
people until he knows their folk
lore and songs and games or dam
ces. These pretty games, as they
really are. do much to bring about
grace and harmony in a growing
child.
Miss Plumer of Central City
contributed a piano solo, and a
song.
Mrs. James Townsend sang two
beautiful solos.
At the close of the meeting a
business session was held, at
which Professor Charles E. Greene,
who was of invaluable assistance
during this meeting. was elected
chairman for the next year. Miss
Stribley of Central City will be
vice president, and Miss Margaret
Bond will act as secretary and
treasurer. The executive commit
tee will consist of Professor
Greene, w. 81. Wolfe of Central
City, and Miss Tiffany of George
town.
These meetings are a real in
spiration, and of value to parents
as we'll as to teachers. The next
meeting on this order will be the
ten.day institute of the district,
held in July in Golden.