Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-11-07
School Commissioners
May L. Stewart. Commissioner
Michigan State Teachers In
Stitute.

Charlevoix County was well rep
resented at the State Teachers In
stitute, even though the trip to Detroit
was too expensive for most of the teach
ing corps. Supt. Metcalf, and Mr.. Mills
WILDER of Boyne City, Supt. Craig and
Misses Bates and Morrison of Char
levoix Supt. Keyworth and Miss May
Stewart of East Jordan were in attend
ance. The institute was one of the
largest in years with several thousands
in attendance. The program began
Wednesday afternoon, with joint
meeting for county normal principals
and county school commissioners. A
banquet dinner was served at six thirty
and the program continued through out
the evening, in lieu of the toasts usually
enjoyed on such occasions.
Thursday morning the commissioners
had charge of the program and business
meeting of this section. General pro-
grams and special sections did not be-
gin until Thursday afternoon. AT this
time five programs were being conduc-
ted simultaneously, with four new pro-
grams beginning in the evening.
Friday morning there were fourteen
programs besides the general session,
in which all would be interested. Fri
day afternoon, twelve programs besides
new general program, with general
program for the evenings entertain
ment, or free concert for those who
chose the lighter form of amusement
1t may well be seen from the above
that all visiting teachers would,need to
choose carefully in order to select the
program which would be most helpful
in their own lines Of work. II was i'm
possible to hear all the programs but
the meeting places were so well arrang-
ed, in respect to street car service and
location, that it was many times poss-
ible to hear the first part of program
of special interest or even all of it, and
hear part of another program of Sec
ondary interest.
The committee were fortunate this
year in securing as speakers for the
general programs Mr.. Strayer of Col
umbia University, MIR. Waters, Editor
of Kansas City Star, Mr.. Magill, Field
Secretary for the N. E. A., Mr.. Fitzpatrick
of Columbia University, Mr.. Goode of
the University of Chicago, Mr.. Burton,
President OF the University of Mimi
esota, Ex-senator Beveridge, of Indiana.
S. D. Fess, Congressman from Ohio, C.
A. Prosser of Washington, D. c., and
L. H. Koehsgen, the famed American
Ace, from Newberry and P. H. Kelley,
Congressman from the Sixth Michigan
District. Heads of musical departments
from our local colleges led the COM
munity singing, and the best of our
own state leaders spoke in the programs
on special departments.
No matter who the speaker, or what
the subject of his address, the theme in
hand was Excelsior. Will our schools
continue to serve now as they served
during the war? Or will our schools
drop back into the old beaten path of
bookish preparedness forgetting the
need for true citizenship in the country
about US? Can we face democracy as
it is and develop this in the school room?
Can we and will we face the auful truth
in the facts on failure brought out in
war statistics, put our shoulders to the
wheel, and change conditions for the
better? Do we realize in what way the
illiteracy of our neighbors affects us
and why we must support the Smith
Towner Bill? Why must teachers wages
be incresed? Is it to reward the teach
er or to secure better class of appli-
cants each year? In what ways locally
may we meet the shortage of teachers
which indications show will be 20 per
cent greater next year than this? What
laws have been bassed in other states
to solve problem which Michigan has
still unsolved?
Those and other problems were ans
wered by the speakers of both general
and special programs and gave to all an
outlook that it was not otherwise poss-
ible to attain.