Sessions Held In Mankato

Last Thursday And Friday.

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MANY LOCAL TEACHERS ATTEND CONVENTION

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High School Teachers To Go

To State Meet In November.

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Superintendent T. E. Lewis of Sleepy Eye was elected president of the Southwestern Division of the Minnesota Educational association during convention elections held in Mankato Thursday and Friday. County Superintendent, J. R. Campbell of Pipestone was elected vice-president of the association, Mrs. Ruth Drake Tuttle of Mankato, secretary and treasurer; Superintendent Harry D. Kies, executive committee chairman; Professor G. S. Petterson, Mankato Teachers’ college, member of the executive committee; Superintendent S. C. Huffman of Waseca, resolutions committee; Miss Margaret Cooper of the Teachers’ College, delegate to the state convention and Superintendent J. J. Skinner, of Owatonna, alternate.

Individual education over the older method of class education was the most interesting discussion advanced in the convention by Superintendent Carelton Washburne, Winnetka, Ill. Superintendent Washburne as the pioneer of this theory has given educational associations of this state something to think about. His plan goes on the contention that class education holds back the more brilliant pupils keeping them in a class with those who have not the mind to absorb facts as quickly. This wastes for the individual years in obtaining an education. One argument against Washburne’s plan is that it is too costly.

Physical Education Stressed

Physical education and its importance was stressed Friday morning by Henry Curtis, director of the physical education for the state of Missouri. He brought out the points of efficiency developed as a result of physical education and the life valued therefrom.

Need Physical Training

Dr. Henry Curtis, director of physical education for the state of Missouri gave an interesting talk during the convention on the subject of “Life Values in Physical Education.” He stressed the fact of the need of physical education and its requirements to make the complete full student and man. First he emphasized the necessity of a good figure such as produced by the physical system of Greece. That the beauty of the body should always be one of the first essentials with every one. The second thought brought out the need of a good posture, its necessity not alone in the school room but every place. Correct posture he said was one of the first essentials of good health and should be taught in youth. Health, its meaning and the teaching of health habits were emphasized as well as an all around development of what makes for the best thoughts and ideals.

Then the significance of physical education in regard to strength. The strength which was formerly necessary has gone now with the modern machinery but physical education is necessary for powers of endurance, skill, grace and beauty of physique. The speaker also emphasized the social side of physical education in that it makes children friends, good sports and good companions. The playgrounds form a close study in the value of cooperation and for teams in learning loyalty and good sportsmanship. It makes for citizenship as well and here are habits of honesty formed. It has been found that if a child cheats in play it is very apt to do so in business life later on. The speaker then showed the different medals and awards which are given out by the state department of physical education at Jefferson City, Missouri. Letters are given for the passing of so many athletic feats such as running, jumping, throwing a ball so many feet etc.

Meet Individual Needs

“Fitting schools to Individual Instruction” was the theme of talk given by Superintendent Carleton Washburne Winnetka, Illinois, author of the Winnetka plan. The days of tradition in teaching is rapidly passing away and a new era is dawning the speaker emphasized. With the science of education and new methods of teaching changes are rapidly taking place. The school of today is about as it was twenty years ago but the science of education has brought many new things to light. He told of the laboratories or bureaus of research which had been established in various cities of the United States. It is a constant experiment in educational matters and teaching whether our ideas are right or not. We look back four years and see how crude many of our ideas are. He then stated that he believed that schools should be made to fit the children not the child to the school. For instance a group of pupils were placed in the fourth grade some were bright, some capable and some not so efficient. The whole group is assigned the same lesson. Some showed skill, some a muddy mind and some did not get it at all. Then possibly the teacher felt it the fault of the child who fell back a few paces and did not consider the difference in the matter of knowledge of the grouped children.The mentality of children differ just as in grown persons. The science of education and school laboratories are doing away with the waste and finding out the real difficulty of the child. For instance why keep a child doing for four years what it can accomplish in three? Why hold the one pupil back for others when it displays an unusual mentality. All of this can be done away with. Failures can be made to find their right places. The speaker used an illustration of ill fit clothing and one which fits properly to illustrate his point, make the school fit the child.

Delegates Are Chosen

Delegates to the state convention of the Minnesota Educational association at St. Paul, November 5-6-7 have been elected as follows: Anna Hensel, St. Peter; H. C. Bell, Luverne; Superintendent J. J. Skinner, Owatonna; Superintendent L. R. Pemberton, Blue Earth; Superintendent R. L. Irle, Wells; Professor A. B. Morris, Mankato; Helen Christensen, Owatonna; A. M. Mevig, Lamberton; A. G. Kottke, Windom; Mabel N. Hall, Fairmont.

Supt. F. B. Andreen, Prof. Thos. V. Cunningham, Manual training teacher, Dorothy LeDuc, head of Opportunity work, grade teachers from the Emerson building, Mrs. Mary Sauter-Freitag, Misses Marie Lunde, Elma Stolz, Mrs.Harriet Fritsche; Misses Gertrude Hughes,Louise Meile and Louise Hensel; Washington Building, Miss Mathilda Johnson, Laura Juliar and Irene Smith; Lincoln Building, Bertha Ruemke, Anna Schmidt and Martha Steele, and Mrs. A. C. Dupree of the Franklin Building attended the sessions Thursday and Friday.

All of the High school teachers will attend the State Convention November 5-6-7 in St. Paul. Both the high school and junior high schools will be dismissed on these days.

New Ulm Review,

October 14, 1925

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