The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-09-09
NOVIESSGQREl
BY INSTRUCTOR
AT T.'INSTTL!ITE
They Must Be Improved
Or Country viii Be
Demoralized

The city Teachers Institute is
going fun sway now with nearly
zoo teachers attending the ses-
sions. Morning sessions are now
starting at nine O'Clock and after
noon sessions at one-thirty.
Two addresses were heard this
morning. one by R. ". Himelick
wAo addressed the institute yes
terdy and another by ]. A. Jackson.
superintendent OF Schools at
Clarksburg.
Mr.. Himelick's address was on
How to be Supervised. He had
some very interesting opinions and
some good advice. III
Mr.. Jackson discussed Testing
Results. "How. is it possible to
tell whether a teacher is doing
good work or not? Should we
keep her ten years or more and
then see what kind of men her first
pupils have made? Or shall we use
the efficiency cards and check
these cards on observing her reel
tations? I believe t1at II the eff
cheney cards are used the teacher
should be allowed to first check
herslf on It.. Thus sh would be
taking an inventory OF herself and
would be able to see her; weak
points. This problem of testing
results is in Its infancy and men
and universities are working on
1t every day, but just how to do 1t
is not known"
Mr.. Jackson gave some interest
ing extracts from recitations he
had attended. He had some of
them taken down in shorthand and
he read them verbatim. The teach
er asked very foolish questions on
the lesson which was a Rvolution-
ary war. Some Of the questions
were like, How many Minute men
were there at the battle Of Ledng-
ton?" Two different answers were
given and then the teacher drop
ped the question and neither Of the
pupils knew whether they were
right or wrong. Mr.. jackson then
gave, the outline of how the expert
teachers Of Columbia University
'Rolila treat the sebj ject:s - the
qnesti ons they asked made the stu.
dent think Ind were such. questions
that could not be answered unless
the student has good understand
ing Of the lesson and had not mere
ly memorized It.
AS to examination Mr.. Jackson
did not endorse them, neither did
he condemn them, From 1is treat
ment of the subject there ts no
other way Of determining hoV
much the student is capable OF do
lug unless he Is tested. Mr.. jack
son however, stated that the old
fashioned examinations are not
good. He urged the local teachers
to try the new kind Of examtna-
items in which the students are al
lowed to use their books and any
other help they have but are not
permitted to communicate with
thir fellow students during. the
test. Such examinations require
a thorough understanding Of the
subject in hand and are the only
real tests az TO whether the stud ent
has learned or not.
The session OF tie institute be-
gins this afternoon at one-thirty
anu after few minutes general
session tile High School teachers
and the elementary school teachers
will go in separate session. o. G.
Wilson will address the elementary
teachers and ]. A. jackson will
address the High School teachers.
AT three o'clock DR.. WaitmRn
Barbe OF the West Virginia Uni-'
versity will speak and last on the
program will be n. L. Duncan of
the United Y. NJ. C. A. Schools.
The last session of the institute
will be held tomorrow morning.
Yesterday Afternoon
"Tae mere fact that we throw.
omen the doors Of our High Schools
and say, Come II you will, is not
the triumph OF education. The
triumph will be when such laws.
are put on the statute books OF
our country that will make 1t com-
pulsory that every normal girl and,
boy go to High School" I'll
r. w. Himelick at the teachers
institute yesterday spoke along
such lines with much force. he de-
clared that the teaching Of reading,
writing and arithmetic Is not edu-
cation. Real education comes when
the chill dren are taugh how to use
this 1knowledSge... There are too
.manw now who now 80 much
taught to them In school but not
how to use what they know. They
are a menace TO society. II not
taught low to use their knowledge
tcon.inusd on phEs feaEl