Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 13, Number 202, Decatur, Adams County, 24 August 1915 — Page 1

VolunteXin. Number 202.

SECOND DAY OF INSTITUTE Results of First Day’s Work Indicate This Year’s Institute Will be MOST INSTRUCTIVE One Ever Held—Sectional System Meeting With Satisfaction. The second day of thetecahers' institute opened this morning with the enthusiasm at the highest point. Koilowing the close of the first day the teachers were unanimous in declaring that the 1915 institute gave all indications of proving to be the best and most instructive institute ever held in the county. Two reasons were given for this: First -on account of the excellency of the instructors, who are among the best in this field of work. Second —by reason of the new system, whereby each department is being addressed along lines of work pertaining to that section only. This morning's session opened with the institute singing. "The Lord is My Shepherd,” led by Professor Hohnhaus. The devotionals were led by Rev. Borton of the Christian church. Following the opening exercises. .Mrs. Mikels gave an address on the subject, "Assignment and Preparation.” Inadequate Experience. The reason a child is unable to interpret many selections or productions are: 1. Inadequate experience. Many children fail to interpret some selections unless the help of teachers is given. 2. The thing that may be described may contain too many emotions. Perhaps the boy is not mature enough to realize or put himself in the emotions. 3. Inertness or pas siveness on the part of the reader. Passive reading is reading which we read just to pass the time. 4. Violating taste which readers often possess. 5. To much diadatic reading. Lack of proper assignment causes much poor reading. In making assignments you always have two classes of students: The careless, and the conscientious. Be sure that the children get your assignments carefully. The purposes of assignment are: 1. Immediate. 2. Remote. Time of asxignment. Usually the assignment is given at the beginning of the hour. It gives Hie child a chance to ask questions about the assignment. Asiiguments should always be written on the board or in the note book. Make the children have good note books. The policy of assignments should be: 1. Clear. 2. Simple. 3. Definite. One good thing to remember in assignment is this: That one lesson cannot teach everything. Always be sure that you see or find the point that the lesson wants you to see. Each lesson has its own points. By having a conversational lesson you teach oral composition. A few of the stories which are good conversational lessons are: Battle of Ants. Wonderful City, Purple Jar, Turning the Grindstone, etc. At the conclusion of Mrs. Mikels' address, Professor Hohnhaus again led the institute in the singing of several songs, this being followed by a short recess. The second general period was devoted to Dr. Gordinier, who talked on the subject, “The Art of questioning.

The Best Questioners. Who is the best questioner? The doctor? The minister? The teacher? No. the best questioner is the lawyer. The average lawyer is better trained professionally. He watches his questions. He has always a definite reason for asking every question. Do you teachers always have a reason for your questions? The lawyers are careful about their questions, for they are kept on a record. If some of you teachers could see a list of your own questions which you often give during your recitation you would be surprised. Socratic method should be used at the time when the child is able to see the relation between cause and effect. Concert action is not very satisfactory. Some principles in asking questions: 1. A question is of no value unless it arounses some Cental activity. 2. Beware of a question which implies too much information. 3. Beware of a question that implies the answer. 4. Beware of a question that practically gives the answer. 5. Beware of the indefinite questions. 6. Beware of the un-

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

correlated questions. 7. Beware of I the question, "What do you think?" "What do you know?” Be adept In ask ing questions. nr sure that you know why you ask each question. In the sectional period that followed, Mrs. Mikels addressed the primary section on "Phonics," Dr. Gordinier, the intermediate section on "The Recitation." and Mr. Hutchins, the high school on "Soils.” Recognition of Sounds. Mrs. Mikels gave the following points in her address: In teaching phonics there are distinct steps: First, sounding the letters aloud; second, whispering through sound; third, consciously thinking them, and recognition of the sounds. When you have accomplished this last step your work has been successful.. Have a basis for play, then tell the story, and you have gotten your phonic lesson impressed on the child mind. Ninetenths of all we forget is forgotten in twnety-four hours, therefore, frequent review is required. First, master single sounds, then combinations of sounds, which can be done by means of cards, games, pictures, exercises and many other devices. Make your work so clear and interesting by introducing the play element, that the child will listen carefully and voluntarily. The spirit of helpfulness is one that should be cultivated in the school room. Keeping a Note Book. Mr. Hutchins first spoke of the things which a teacher should require a pupil to do in his agricultural work. He should keep a note book in which should be placed clippings from papers pertaining to farming. Each pupil should make a plat or plan of his father's farm. Taking up the discussion of soils, he mentioned the five forms of sand, namely: Gravel, coarst sand, fine sand, clay and silt. The "Boys’ ” and “Girls' ” club movement was discussed as being an excellent one. The remainder of Mr. Hutchins' talk dealt largely with a discussion of the course of study in agriculture for the seventh and eighth grades. The speaker discussed material and equipment, weight of soils and porosity of soils. In defining the teacher’s attitude toward this agricultural work, Mr. Hutchins made the statement that it is not advisable to make all boys farmers, but that it is advisable to stop unmaking them farmers. His talk was interesting and of much practical benefit to the teachers. Monday Afternoon. The institute was called to order for the afternoon session at 1 o’clock and was opened with a short song service, led by the musical director. Professor Hohnhaus, of St. John’s. The first period was devoted to Mrs. Mikels, who talked on the second phase of her morning subject, it being “Logical Steps in Learning to Read,” and gave the logical steps as follows:

Teach a child to read as a grownup person reads. The child is usually requested to read slow. That is hot the way you and I read. Eyeminded is a big loss if ear-minded-ness is substituted in its place. The public will no longer tolerate old traditions in reading. Reading to the children in your natural way is a very big help to the child learning to read. Children imitate you. Imitation gives us the technique of the arts. If the child does not imitate the teacher and has no chance to imitate the teacher he will imitate one of the other students in his room. Seven logical steps in reading are 1. Discovery that reading is the most captivating business. Create a desire to read. A child can master many words by playactivity. e. g., with the words, brother, father, mother and sister a small child can play games, e. g.. play postoffice with the words mentioned. Have the girl write a letter to the mother, etc. 2. Word mastery. B. A, B. C methods, word method, ryhme method and the sentence method. You can succeed with any of these methods. 3. Ability to get the thoughts accurately, comprehensively, swiftly, etc. 4. Expressing the thoughts in our own words orally or in writing, if the small child can write have him use the cards. Children can do the best if they are free of self-conscious-ness. 5. Self-expression through action, e. g., folk dances, sandlable work, seat work, games of all kinds, conversation. speech making, etc. Cutting pictures out of papers, playing with toys and all kinds of devices will greatly help the child to express himself. 6. Memorizing. 7. Voluntary reading aloud.

At the conclusion of Mrs. Mikel s talk, Professor Hohnhaus then devoted half an hour to the study of music and singing, which was highly instructive and pleasing to the assembled teachers. Charity, the Third Factor. ' (Continuea on page 2)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, August 24, 1915.

MONRQE_SCHOOL Will Not Open Until September 13—The Training Department UP TO THE MINUTE Town Clerk Has Been Notified of Bidders Coming After Electrical Order. Monroe, Ind., Aug. 24 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—The opening of the Monroe public' school has been postponed from September 6 until September 13. The postponement was made necessary from the fact that the school is being equipped with a manual trainig department and a domestic science kitchen, and the work in these departments could not be completed by the earlier date. The list of teachers for the coming school year is as follows: C. G. Pepe, superintendent; Cora Hooker, principal; ,W. H. Oliver, assistant principal; Lulu Kerr, first, second and third grades; Arthur Whitteer, fourth, fifth and sixth grades; Clyde Hendricks. seventh and eighth C. E. Bahner, clerk of the Monroe town board, is already receiving letters from various firms dealing in electrical equipment, assuring him they will have a representative at the meeting of the board on the evening of September 1, when bids for material and construction of the new lighting system will be read and the contract awarded. It is estimated that the entire cost to the town will be about $4,000.

GOING JMOOTHLY Business of Workmen’s Compensation Board is Going Forward. SOON IN OPERATION New Law Effective September I—Employers Who Reject Not Public. (By a United Press Correspondent) Indianapolis, Ind., Aug. 24 —Employers who reject the new workmen's compensation law, about to go into effect, will remain unknown to the public so far as the industrial board of Indiana is concerned. Chairman Perkins of the board told the United Press today that the board would not make public the list of employers rejecting the law. However, in case of an accident, any one interested, including the press, may inquire of the board whether the employer involved has rejected the new iaw. and the board will quickly give the desired information. A member of the board suggested that any one desiring to know who had rejected the law might make a poll of the employers of his locality. The law provides that in case the law is rejected the employer must so notify the employes either at the time of employment or thirty days before the accident The employer may give this notification either by posted notice or by personal service. Mr. Perkins said that numerous insurance companies had applied to the board for lists of those rejecting the law. He said one representative of an insurance firm told him that if he could get the list he would "make it hot for them.” "We decided,” said Perkins, “not to give out the list. It an employer rejects the law it is his own personal business. From that moment on his business is no concern of the board. We cannot see where it is any business of the public who has rejected the board. In case of an accident. however, it is different. The public is then entitled to know whether the employe will be safeguarded by the new law, or whether his recourse will be in the courts.” The business of the board is going smoothly forward, preparatory to the date, September 1, when the law goes into effect. The board does not anticipate any tremendous rush of business that date. The law is so worded as to avoid that. Those who

reject the law will in most cases do so before It is effective, and from that date onward the chief business of the board will be taking care of accidents. o BUSINESS MEN TONIGHT The Decatur Merchants Association will hold their regular meeting at the library at eight o’clock this evening and every member should be present. Various subjects will be discussed Including the plans for entertaining the officers of the state association who will he here on the 7th of September. Please be there. THE BIG SALE TONIGHT?" The parcel post sale of the German Reformed Sunday school will be held tonight at the waterworks park. All the people from the city are invited. J. J. Baumgartner will do the auctioneering. A good time is promised to every one. ■ o CLEANSCHOOIS State Board of Health Calls Attention of Trustees to the State Law. REQUIRING CLEANING And Disinfecting of School Houses Before Opening of School Term. The state board of health has sent out letters to all township trustees in the state calling their attention to the law which requires them to see that all school houses are properly cleaned and disinfected before the opening cf the next school term. The letter is as follows: "The township trustees:

“The sanitary school house law of 1911 requires the township trustee to thoroughly clean and disinfect all schol houses prior to hte opening of school each year. This ’section of the law reads as follows. "All school houses shall be specially cleaned and disinfected each year before they are used for school purposes. The cleaning shall consist in first sweeping, then scrubbing the Floors, washing the windows and all woodwork, including the wooden parts of seats and desks, and the disinfecting shall be done in accordance with the rules of the state board of health. Township trustees, school boards and boards of school commissioners, wiio neglect or refuse to obey the provisions of this section shall be fined in any sum of not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars, and each said refusal or neglect shall constitute a separate offense.” Attention is called in the letter io another section of the law relating to the proper construction and care of outhouses at school houses. The letter than continues as follows: “Many trustees have been very neglectful in both these matters, as plainly appears by the thousands of filthy ana indecent places at school houses throughout the state. There is ample time to put all the school houses of your township in clean, sanitary condition, before the opening of school. This is a matter of greatest importance to the efficiency of your schools and to the proper protection of your children. The law requires it, the people of your township demand it, it shall be done, and the state board will not fail to enforce the law. Tiie state board of health will be pleased to give you any assistance or informa tion possible.” The state board of health has also called attention to the fact that under the new law designating the first Friday in October each year as “Disease Prevention Day,” the day this year will fall on Friday, Oct. 1. Tne state boaid urges all cities and towns to observe the day with big demonstrations, parades and the like, in order to instill in the minds of the people the importance of the day.

CLASS REUNION THURSDAY. The attention of the members of the 1911 and 1912 classes of the Decatur high school is called to the annual reunion to be held Thursday of this week at the Colter farm near Bobo. All the members will meet at the Bowers home on North First street not later than four o’clock Thursday, from which place they will be taken to the Colter home by automobile. Every class member is expected to be there.

THEAOVANCEMAN For the Wallace-Hagenbeck Circus Arrived Today to Complete Plans. SHOW COMING HERE On Tuesday, September 14 —Comes from Frankfort and Goes to Portland. Mr. Lynch, advance representative of the Wallace-Hagenbeck three-ring and two-stage circus, one of the best on the road, arrived this morning and is busy completing plans for bringing the show here on Tuesday, September 14. An effort is being made to secure the Ahr lot east of the city for the show and this will be definitely decided when Mr. Ahr. who is out of the city, arrives home this evening. The show will come here from Frankfort, Ind., and will go from here to Portland Mr. Lynch says the show is the cleanest and best circus traveling today, with many new and big features, and carrying the greatest menagerie in the world. The show is no longer owned by Mr. Wallace, but by Crawford Fairbanks, the Terre Haute millionaire. Mr. Ballard and others of Indiana, and they will hereafter have winter quarters at West Baden, Ind. They carry no grafters and give a strictly high-class performance. The first bill car will be here in a few days. Get ready for the big show.

SOME _FIGURES Census Bureau Issues Bulletin Showing Assessed Valuation of Indiana. LAKE IS SECOND Adams Ranks Forty-third in the State—Allen Third and Vigo is Fourth. The census bureau at Washington has issued a bulletin which gives the assessed wealth of Indiana by counties. The total assessed valuation of Adams county is given as $15,430,025. Out of the ninety-two counties this is the forty-third as to valuation, the highest being Marion with 5251,000,000, and the lowest, Ohio, with less than two million. The surprise of the bulletin is the fact that Lake county has sprung into second place, with a valuation of over $68.000,000. Allen county is third, with 561,000,000. and VigO fourth, while St. Joseph is fifth and Vanderburg sixth. There is a very wide divergence in per capita tax levies in Indiana. The Perry county tax levy—s6.9o per capita in 1912—is the lowest, according to the census figures. Crawford's levy is next to the lowest and Brown county next to Crawford’s. The census bureau reports that the highest of all the per capita tax levies in the state is that of Benton, which is $33.54. with the Porter county levy—s27.lß per capita—next in altitude among the high levies. Two other counties — Newton and Rush—have levies of over $25 per capita. The tax levies per capita of the more populous counties of the state as reported by the census bureau follow: Marion. $18.71; Vanderburg. $16.85; Grant, $14.87; Allen, $15.02; St. Joseph, $14.52; Vig'o, $14.61.

HAS FINGER BURNED. Yesterday afternoon when one of the men known as “Curley,” belonging with the carnival company, which is parked around the court house, was wokring on the ferris wheel, got his hand in touch with one of the electric wires, it was badly burned, the thumb coming in contact with the live wire. The wound was dressed by a local physician, and the man was able to go back to work. _o QUARANTINE LIFTED Late this afternoon the small pox quarantine which has been placed over the residence of Delina Elzey on Tenth street was lifted by Special health officer, H. O. McGiU.

BIG FESTIVAL AT BERNE Berne, Ind., Aug. 24 Today Berne is wearing full gala garments in honor of the iwo great days, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, which will be celebrated here as the annual bargain fastival. Main street, from two blocks east of the railroad to tiie Mennoni'.e church, has ropes of banners, flags and bunting strung from the business houses and telephone poles, while the fronts of the business houses are decorated in a most beautiful manner. For two days the crowds of farmers and residents of neighboring towns who came in to take advantage of the bargains offered by the merchants will be entertained in a royal fashion. There will be all sorts of games, three balloon ascentions, band concerts, and pleasures of ail kinds to be participated in. The residents of Berne are looking forward to two big days. LIST COMPLETED School Board Employs Wilson Beery as Teacher in 7th and Bth Grades OF THE CITY SCHOOLS Succeeding Mr. Tritch— Board Re-employs Janitors for Schools.

Jonas Tritch. who has taught in the schools of this city for a number of years, with«splendid success, stated last evening that he had practically concluded to accept the position offered him in the International Business college at Fort Wayne. He had not yet signed a contract here, though he had been selected to teach the seventh and eighth grades and mathematics in the first year of high school and the board this morning employed Mr. Wilson Beery to take the place. Mr. Beery is an old teacher in the county, and a good one, having served as principal at Pleasant Mills during the last year with a good record. Mr, Tritch was formerly in charge of the commercial department here and to him is due the success of that department for many years. He retired for one year to accept a business position and last year returned as a grade teacher. That he will make good in the International is the prediction of all his acquaintances. The board this morning also reappointed the janitors, Michael Wertzberger at the Central, John Beery in the South ward, Abraham Stoneburner in the West ward and Amos Biggs in the North ward.

o COURT HOUSE NEWS County Treasurer Archbold todayreceived the check for $6,463 from the secretary of state, covering the share of Adams county for the automobile license fund for the first six months of the year, the report for which was received several days ago. Real estate transfers: W. W. Spannuth to C. L. Walters, in lot 12, Decatur, $500; L. D. Smith ertr., to Menno S. Leichty, lots 7 and 8, Monroe, $1400; j C. D. Balsinger to Sylvester Nussbaum I part of out lot 2, Berne, $375. 1 I A marriage license was issued today to Clinton Hart, born April 19, 1890, farmer, son of Henry Hart, to wed Zuda Schnitz, born October 5, 1893, daughter of Emanuel Schnitz. o

FINES ARE REMITTED < (United Press Service) Indianapolis, Aug. 24, — (Special to*, Daily Democrat) —Fred Doell of Hun-1, tington who was sentenced to the pen-, al farm and fined SIOO. will be relasej ■ following the action of Governor Rais-, ton today in remitting the fine. Doell | was sentenced July 20 for grand larceny. He is suffering from rupture. The governor also remitted the SIOO fine and thirty day sentence of Dennis Sweeney, sentenced to the farm for intoxication.. Sweeney who is paralyzed has served 70 days and his family is said to nee<j his aid. WILL HOLD SERVICES Attention is called to the fact that Christian Endeavor services will be held Sunday evening at the United Brethren church of which A. M. Bowen is superintendent. A cordial invitation is extended to the public to attend these services and hear the singing of the male quartette and male • chorus. A. M. BOWEN.

Price, Two Cents

REQUESTED TO OELfIYACTION German Government Asks Administration to Withhold Action Until COMMANDERS’ REPORT Is Received-Much Relief is Felt by Officials Over This Request. (By Charles P. Stewart) Washington, D. C„ Aug. 24 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—The GermanAmerican outlook suddenly brightened this afternoon with arrival at the state department of a request from the kaiser’s ambassador, Count Von Bernstorff, that no action be taken by the United States until the receipt here of the official report of Berlin on the Arabic incident. Bernstorff’s message said he made his request at the suggestion of the BerI lin government. He said his government wanted the United States to know all the facts on both sides of the case. The Berlin admiralty, he stated, had not yet been able to hear from its submarine commander and consequently was not in possession of details of the affair which it was itself most anxious to know. The state department did not definitely announce receipt of thiis request. That Bernstorff, who was in New . York, had asked permission to make the message: public thehe, was tacitly I admitted, however, and it was under--1 stood this permission was promptly ’ granted. More than this, state depart- ' ment officials said “hypothetically,” ’ that if such a request had been made by the ambassador, it was "extremely reassuring.” The impression was that he had acted on tlje strength of an ‘ intimation to him from Berlin that it report would be forthcoming and that it might be of a nature satisfactory to the United States. Othewise, , it was pointed out, there could have been no reason for the request. The development was an immense relief, since it had been feared from the Berlin government’s silence thus far, that the intention was to say nothing

and leave the Washington administration to infei- anything it pleased. The request was interpreted as admit- . ting that Germany would either deny an atack by one of its U boats on the Arabic, or that it would furnish 1 an explanation for the incident of a ' nature at least to open the way for discussion anda settlement. Though , Tuesday is the regular day for a cabinet meeting none was held today. Washington. Aug. 24, — (Special to Daily Democrat)—Secretary I-ansing admitted this alternoon the receipt of the request from Bernstorff that the United States withheld action rs the Arabic case until Berlin is heard from and added that Bernstorff had . asked permission which was granted to make the request public. It was reported the ambassador would come to Washington tonight for a personal i tterview. | (By Charles P. Stewart.) | Washington, Aug. 24. —(Special to I Daily Democrat) -The Washington ad- . ministration will avoid a break between the United States and Germany if it cm possibly do so without the sacrifice of American dignity or right. That the president lias decided what

course of pursue if convinced Germany meant to be “deliberately unfriendly” to the United States undoubtedly is true. Persons close to tha I white house said it was natural that ' the president has had all along, a clear i idea what he would do if the Germans disregarded his last note. There could be no question, they explained, that he proposed to sever GermanAmerican diplomatic relations if Germany disragarded his warning. The point was made that the administration would be very glad ol a satisfactory explanation from Berlin of the Arabic incident. It was not the disposition. it was said, to be cappious with the kaiser if his attitude was concilatory. It was not the administrations plan to make it difficult for him. This statement was made on excellent authority. Petrograd, Aug. 24,—(Special to the Daily Democrat)—Frank admission that the important cities of Vilna and Bielostok will shortly fall into tne (Continued ou Page Two)