Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-08-24
INTEREST IN COUNTY
INSTITUTE GROWS AS
ATTENDANCE JUMPS
TEACHERS. NUMBERING CLOSE
TO 400, IN OTTAWA FOR SUM.
MER COURSE IN Pedagogy
LECTURES HOLD CENTER OF
STAGE.

county lehcnerS institute got under
way today. with an attendance of
slightly under 400. One of the most
enthusiastic assemblies of pedagogs
ever heid In Ottawa, the gathering
promises to be extremely beneficial 10
the instructors, while assured OF being
one of the best Institutes ever held
In tho county.
me sectional meetings, whore the
teachers may gather and specialize il
the particular branch Of study they
WISH To master for their coming year :
work, are held four times each day.
Or. Charles H. Woolbert of the Uni
Versty of Illinois has charge of the
reading work; Dr. j. l.. Conger Of
Galesburg has charge of the historical!
study, John l.. Hof of the arithmetic,
w. X. Foster of the school organiZa-
tion Miss Elizabeth Bowers of the
primary work and Charles Faust of
the penmanship.
Each Of these classes was entirely
full the first day of the assembly. IN
Miss Bowers class the seats were
hlled. III the rear and sides Of the
room teachers We're STANDING, and
even in the corridor outside Of the
door group Of interested girls listen.
ed to the talk. More than half OF this
number was said to be beginners who
nave never taught and the majority
or the remainder who have had only n
years experience She took the be
ginner's reader and INSTRUCTED hee
hearers just how TO 20 about to teacn
child to read
me other instructors gave lessons
In how 10 go about teaching the linz
OF work they were interested in.
At the general session YESTERDAY
preceding the special meetings Dr..
Woolbert read The Counsel ASSIGN.
ed by Mary Raymond :. Andrew.
This was one of the finest Lincoln
stories and DR.. Woolbcrts interpreta.
ton proved TO add greatly to the en-.
Joyment Of the story In the morning
he read He Knew Lincoln" by Ian
NJ. Tarbell, which was deeply appre-
ciated by his hearers. Before hi.
reading he spoke few words on
Americanism explaining that throug
the reading OF good literature 10 a
school room teacher could accom-
plish tremendous amount of good.
lie stated that to instill the principles.
or Americanism and patriotism into a.
class an instructor could not 20 to a
greater fountain head of inspiration
than to the stories of Abraham Lin.
com. 1hlS afternoon DR.. NOOlbnr-
read The Perfect Tribute" anothe i
very fne Lincoln story by Mary Ray.
mond Andrew.
DR.. Conger delivered a fine talk yes
terday afternoon on the Fgrupaaa
BACKGROUND Of American history. Hnl
stated that Europe was really ready
Tor tho discovery and settlement oil
America at the time, the Pilgrim forr-
iathers came to this country; that thu /
reformation caused such conditions
mat many people were ready to find
new home and others were attract |
ed by economic features
The country was facing great fuel !
shortage, as the forests we're depleted !
and the people had not learned t5|
mine coal he said Then there wa.
a great shortage of coal, the wild ami
mails were all killed off and the val |
liable stock could not be used as food
and even the supply of fish was about
depleted
When the people learned that thoro
was an abundance of food and wood
IN America, and that a religious free
dom was permissible here. they were
Slad to come over, he declared. Hon
then went on to speak on the kinds o.
people who We're attracted by the sct.
I Element of America and the effect they
had on American history.
Or. Congers Address.
DR.. j. l.. Conger, spoke on Chang.
ing America" and discussed the "ge-
ographical background of American
history" His talk was also very in
teresting. Years ago" stated Dr.
Conger frural residents used to
have gay times. They used to hold
1usking bees and sewing bees, but
nowadays nothing of the sort takes
place The social life in the coun-
try has died out completely. There
Is no real honest satisfied play
among the country children of now.
idays except for the group play. How
often do you see probably thirty or
orty country boys together NOWADAYS?
Not once in a hundred times. If
Nbuib tdht " country Dogs now
rom the country and lock them in
Dom il would be more fun than mt.
ing two tom cats in grain sack
md hanging it over a clothes line.
'oys in the country nowadays think /
more Of the city. How many times
to you find a boy with jack knife
n his pocket nowadays? Only once
n while. When | was a boy every
ad had a knife and he thought more ,
II 1t than anything, He would not !
art with it at all. He would sit (
own and whittle something with it \
nd regarded it as great sport
Tomorrow morning DR.. Conger will
ak on the Economical Conditions +
t Small Towns and Cure for the V
Conditions in the Rural Districts" b
Following DR., Conger's talk the re. o
1ainder Of the mornings program was a
wen over to the general meetings, \
which the time is spent in section '
leetings with classes for grammar q
rades. intermediate grades and pri.
larry and rural teachers. e