Imperial Valley press., 1928-12-21
SPLENDID TALKS MARK FINAL
TEACHERS INSTITUTE MEETING

DIR. Thomas II. Briggs, professor
Of Education, Teachers College,
Columbia University, proved him
self Il forccful and interesting
speaker, his address, Interests as
Liberal Education'' receiving the
undivided attention OF almost 100
teachers and spectators who attend
Cd this mornings session Of Tea
chcrs > Institute.
The progra mfor today Was con
Solidated so that there was no af-
tcrnoon session as originally plan
ncd, teachers being pcrmittcd to
leave for their homes this noon.
DR.. Briggs stated the amount Of
ones liberal educ@tion is best mca.
surcd by variety and depth Of his
interest, and that one must be alive
TO the things about him 10 get tn
most out OF life. lie said hat some
people just listen while others res
ponded to everything, indicating Il
vital interest. Lack of interest of
tcntimcs is due TO ignorance. ac-
cording to DR.. Briggs, though
knowledge itself, is possible with
out interest.
Scme pertinent remarks :aqde by
DR.. Briggs were Each mother
thinks her baby is the most interest
ing thing alive -; a bore is a man
who wants to talk about himself
when you want to talk about your
self "Thc trucst learning We
have develops out of INTEREST,"
''indicate interest # YOU don t hav,
it,; of youth nc not gold ther
old age will be dross.'
DR.. Briggs urged the fostering OF
interest, saying that nobody is able
to explain where it comes from
comparing it with love- He said thai
1t either grows or is stillborn anC
that the majority of interests be
gin between the ages of 10 and /:
years III most young people.
The need Of exceptional cnthu
Siasm WAS explained by the speak
er, who said that Jack of intcrcs
makes poor teachers. "The very be
ginning of vulturaI education be
gins when we as teachers have $,
much We can t do without,' state,
Dr. trlggs, in emphasizing the par
teachers can play N the future o.
the world.
Fewer than ) per cent of the lOOO
interests traced came from outsid
and not from teachers or curriculc
according to the speaker. in couclud
ing his address.
L. A. Teacher Talks
Re-cnergizcd Teaching,, wa
the subject of an address by Vicr
ling kersey, assistant supcrinten
dent, Los Angeles city schools. O.
particular interest was his statemcn
that teachers reach their peak at tn,
age of 80 years. His figures wcr,
taken from study of cmplovmen
and rating qualities conducted in II
United States cities, and reveal tha
the average person starts tcachin.
at the age of 20. The first thre,
years are negligible, after which
marked Improvement is noted il
teaching ability. The highest rat
ing in their careers is reached aftc,
Il - year teaching period, aftc
which an Immediate decline is not
ed. At the age Of %, according tC
these statistics, teacher has prac
tically dropped to where he started
at 20.
How to keep a maximum level anC
avoid a decline was gone into in de
tail by KcrScY. The decline OF
teachers was discussed by the speak
or, who quoted clerical work, lacE
of equipment, misfit child, YARD
duty, lack OF proper organization
course of study and discipline as fac
tors bringing about the decline OF
teachers.
Many thought-provoking facts and
incidents were brought out by Kcr
scy, his talk being well received, and
warmly applaudcd at its conclusion
Mr.. and Mrs. W. w. Roblcc of
Holtvillc delighted their audience
with several fine musical number,
and Miss Viola Honda of Brawlcy
played a violin solo.
Reports of the resolution commit
tee and Introduction of new officers
preceded the close of the institute
which was declared one of the most