throughout the State, but as this subject comes more strictly under the grading of district schools, it will be left for that paper and its discussions. With this course there should be plans for properly carrying it out, methods of study for pupils, and methods of teaching for teachers. These should be put into proper form, printed, and explained and discussed at teachers' meetings. It has been thought that the meetings should be held in every township, but so far as my experience has gone I find it better to hold them at certain centers, where people necessarily go, as villages, and in the country at a place near the postoffice. Saturdays teachers find it convenient to go to town, to the postoffice and the like. School officers and patrons do the same, and while at these places, if there is a teachers' and patrons' meeting, they will step in and see what is doing. In our county there are ten places for such meetings, and we generally have a good house. Enrollment cards are given out from which we get the name, address, township in which the school is situated, number of district, and the number of terms taught in the district. A book is prepared in which these things are copied, putting all the teachers of a township by themselves. The date of the meeting is also kept, and from these data we can find out at any time all that is necessary to find regarding the teacher at work, and can also know something of his success. It is also understood that we can tell how many of the meetings they attend and what their interest in school and school work, as shown by their attendance at these meetings, has to do with their certificates. I know that a teacher can not do as good work if he neglects meetings, educational journals, and books on educational topics, as he can if he is prompt at meetings and reads educational journals and books. When I hear a teacher say that teachers' meetings and associations are of no value I make up my mind that he doesn't try to get any benefit from them. Teachers should be obliged to attend meetings in the county for their benefit and the benefit of their schools, the same as teachers in cities, and when they do not do this it is time they should step down and out to give place to some one who will. As it is impossible for the secretary to be in all places at the same time, we select officers and, in a limited way, are organized as a society. We try to have officers who are interested in school affairs, and while the secretary is visiting schools or engaged in other work, he can by means of two or three letters set in motion what will finally be a good, lively meeting. By means of this plan there are many workers in the county who feel some responsibility. At the meetings the teachers make the program for the next meeting, nam-. ing the person whom they wish to treat the topics. Besides the teachers' program the secretary gives a talk or two on subjects that in his mind are of general interest and full of help for all. As an example of these we take the recitation, explain its object, tell what we consider a good recitation, and point out the qualifications of a good teacher. The examiners in their work find that there are certain things upon which teachers fail; these will make topics for examiners to put in a few minutes' interesting talk that will be of great value. In visiting schools the secretary should note carefully the discipline, for here the moral influence of the teacher will be seen. A teacher who is rough, rowdyish and ill-mannered will be apt to have pupils of the same kind, but many times teachers of the finest moral natures may have a school of the roughest kind. In this case it is because the teacher has not the control of his pupils. He lacks will power and influence. In either case the secretary should use all his powers to correct the evil. It may be difficult sometimes to tell the teacher that he must change his manners, or have more energy; but yet it is necessary and must be done for the benefit of the pupils. In many cases the teacher lacks the power to train or teach. This is shown most in class, when she commences to ask questions. A good questioner is what few teachers are. The power of drawing out what a pupil knows and classifying it, all by means of questions, is what few teachers possess. In visiting one school I noticed the teacher questioning a class in arithmetic. The question, How many sixths in eight? was given to one of the boys of the class, and the following dialogue took place: Teacher: "How many sixths in eight?" Boy (standing still some time): "Don't know." Teacher: "There are six sixths in one, aren't there?" Boy: "Yes." Teacher: "In two there are twice six sixths, or twelve sixths, aren't there?" Boy: "Yes." Teacher: "And there are three times six sixths in three, aren't there?" Boy: "Yes." Teacher: "Then there are eight times eight sixths in eight, aren't there?" Boy: "Yes." Teacher: "That is right; that will do." Now this boy knew no more of the lesson when he had finished the recitation than he did before. If you take a number of teachers and try to show them how to do, or talk to a number, some of whom have faults in this direction, they all seem to think that they have no faults, it must be some one else, and consequently go on with their work the same as before. The only way to reach such faults is to talk personally with the one who has them. Besides helping the teacher by giving advice and kindly correcting errors, the pupils should be encouraged to study by talks and questions from the secretary that will lead them to see what an education is and what they study for. They should be led to see that the mind should be cultivated; that they must learn to think; that it is not the amount of arithmetic they know, nor the amount of grammar, but that it is strength of mind, it is character. Talk to them about their habits of study, and reading, point out some good books for them to read and show why they should be read. The idea of telling children long stories about great and good men, that these men were once boys, and that they, as children, can be great and good like the men they read of, in my judgment is all nonsense. George Washington is the example for all little boys who wish to be presidents of the United States. Better inspire children to be good for the sake of the good, teach them to do right for the sake of the right, and not because it is the fashion. I think it is well sometimes for the secretary to talk with pupils personally to try and get them interested in work. In order that patrons may know something of school work and what is doing in this direction, it is necessary to have evening lectures, and that there be a house full. The time of the lecture should be known several days; this will give all an opportunity to go. At the lecture we give a short history of the school law, try to break up the old notion of the three R's, show what an education is, and what is necessary to a good education. Talk also about physiology in school, and the moral training expected from the present method of teaching it. In visiting schools, at present, I think it is better to let the teacher know when to expect the visit. Have him tell the school officers that they may be present. In this way the secretary becomes acquainted with more people, and has more influence in his work. One of the main points in carrying out the law is to get people interested. Any way that the county board can help the teachers to get up an interest in pupils' work will also be a benefit to schools and help to make the new office popular with the people. We have offered a prize to the pupil in our county who makes the most progress in penmanship. The school that stands the highest in class standing is to receive a banner. In city schools it is thought necessary to have teachers report to the superintendent; and it seems to me just as necessary to have similar reports from the teachers of country schools to the secretary. In making out reports to the secretary the class standing should count more than an examination. By doing this pupils will do better class work. It is well to have pupils lose their class standing if they have been out of school a large portion of time during the month, and give an extra examination to make up lost time before they are allowed to pass. We now have before us in brief the work of the secretary. Undoubtedly many things have not been touched, as the paper was written at odd times between work hours, but it is hoped that the untouched points will be brought out in the discussion. 16 |