The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-05-16
PROF. SMITH At HIGH
SCHOOL
ADDRESSES pARtHT-TElcHfR AssOclA-
TON OTHER BUSINESS TRANSACTED.


The meeting of the Parent-Teacher
Association, held on Tuesday even
ing, April 20. was well attended
The meeting was called to order at
$50 D. m. by the president, Mrs. J..
Pearre Wantz, and was opened with
singing followed by prayer by the
Rev Il. T. Mowbray.
The minutes of the last meeting
were read and approved. and the re-
ports of the several committees we're
heard.
The Association was then favored
with piano solo by Miss Caroline
Wantz.
The principal feature Of the even
ing's program was an address by
Prof. Eugene r. Smith, Of the Park
school, Baltimore. upon the subject
Modern Tendencies in Education
The following extracts are taken
from Prof. Smiths address:
Il believe the key note of the
movement going on IN education now
is the study of childhood and tho at
tempt of everything done in the
school to making Il possible for
every child to develop IN its fullest
possibility.
First the study nf childhood Is
mass. We are nov able 10 say with
authority Just how much a child
should weigh We can tell At once
whether child Is fully developed.
Some children are naturally small Of
stature We are studying the men
tally of children. There are tests
worked out by French scientists.
These tests are noW IN such eondi-
ton that We know low normal
child should respond re can tell bg
the scale whether the child l. normal
OF not The diagnoses + As safe a.
most phyg'alans' diagnoses. We can
measure attainments IN school sub
iects There are scales n test spell
ing; scales 10 tel hos rapidly he
can work examples. IN faet there
are 135 scales on file On the different
kinds of school subjects. Scales
which tell what children u certain
grades do do.
we can determine lie development
Of the social side n The child.
Children are not snail adults. They
are not thinking tho ~ Ne do.
1T Is no use for n u know uns
less We apply i u he individual
child We have % ind out what each
child needs. W IRE going 10 tee
this We are going . Iake tbs child
and examine hin physically. &c
will tell you IN your home. We are
going To know whit kind Of Il mind
each child has Whit he cannot do
and what to avoid Mental Indlges-
tion Is a. bad Is physical There Is
no lunger the STUPID CHILD"
About nine out Of ten stupid children
have no stupidity about them II
can be corrected. TaKe arithmetic
for example. Suppose he adds the
figures and always Hata the wrong
results. lie may get and wrong
II you follow through several tests
you Will find this true lie may not
have the ability - carry IN h mind
BVea addition i complicated ila
has something wrong ana i n orr
business to find on KhaI THIS ean
be done by the ne u these scales.
1t Is true In nj of ne school auh
iects Take child who fails IN
Geography Any child ean learn
Geography. Perhaps he can't read
You try him At home M 81 say he
Is a fine reader IL he efer been
taught 10 read properly Ne will
test each child n or HeaIe On ho.
rapidly he can read "a himself
some children are - Neii taught t0
read that they cant read They
read out loud until Ihey haYe 70 fixed
the habit thai they ean.t pet any
idea what they are reading Taught
TO read too well - TT oral method
Fly our standards - an IHke each
individual child and ~ II ind out
what this child needs md help him.