Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 215, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1919 — THURSDAY TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE NOTES. [ARTICLE]

THURSDAY TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE NOTES.

Continued' attendance upon the part of the residents of Rensselaer marked thefpurihday-oftheteach--ers!'institute. The speakers of the day, in addition to the regular faculty, were C. M. Sands, county truancy officer;... Hon. W. L. Wood and Rev. J. B. Fleming of the Presbyterian church. Rev. Fleming, in his devotional exercises read the story of the Good Samaritan and impressed the idea of service, ministry. In his afternoon talk he urged education for well spent leisure hours. Habits are permanent, nothing is taught until the pupils gets it; some have greater capacities than others. —Mr. Fleming—believes in taking case of individual differences, but he decries the drifting away from the classics that is the result of vocational education. Education is the systematic development and culture of the feeling and conduct for life in particular or in general—so states 'some author. Rev. Fleming would have the “or” changed to “and.” He believes that education has already gone too far in preparing for specific living. Seventy-seven per cent of our leaders are drawn from college men, who constitute only 2 per cent of our population. The busy man is the man who does things. The leisure man has no time to do things. People cannot bear to stay at home because they do not know how to spend their leisure time. Satan finds mischief for idle hands to do. There is plenty of charity work among foreign lands for leisure hours. . ■ Hon. W. L. Wood talked on “The Future Citizen.” He said that if we are to expect better citizens we must have faith, hope and expectation in that citizen. All must see ideals and live to them. He expressed sentiments that would lead one to believe him to be opposed to the League of Nations. Mr. Sands merely informed the teachers of their duties in regards to attendance and in what way he would assist in procuring regular attendance. — ——

The world war was continued as a subject for discussion throughout the day by Mr. Elson. In the morning he briefly traced the growth of the German Empire and ■how it was, too, a federal government, but all states did not have equal rights, one state held the balanceof wealth, population and area, and all the states had hereditary rulers. The triple alliance was fonned, and to offset this the triple entente. The purpose of both was to keep peace, but each failed. The Hague tribunal was the result of the work of the ill-fated Czar of Russia. Germany was always the unruly member of the tribunal. She was always under military rule. America was and is the first nation not to be Innately- belligereTTtT parTth'ily because of its isolation, but chiefly because of its intense individualism. Forts were a failure in this war, as were the submarine and the Zeppelin. Germany miscalculated several times, first in regards to Belgium. Belgium allowed France and England time to mobilize. Gen. Joffre was a wise leader. The crucial 'battle was the first battle of the Marne. The next two years were spent in deadlock. Germany blundered again when she drew the United States into the conflict. Submarines were to have blockaded England, but failed. The greatest single weapon against the submarine was the depth bomb. “Beware of the fury of a patient man.”„ Ger*-

r many-did—notr-expect7To draw the J" United States into the war, but ' thought that if by some chance ! America should be drawn into the ; conflict that her submarines wouk ; prevent the transportation of sol- ; diers. It is well known that these ■ plans failed. An autocratic, government sometimes is more, efficient than a democratic, but a democracy has a tremendous reserve power, whereas an autocracy does not. Our men defeated the Germans. Forts proved useless, cavalry was almost displaced by the aeroplane and the tank and automobile, and the machine gun the rifle. The only protection for a country now is a larger army than the foe has. There was perfect willingness on the ■part of our people or the results and sacrifices gained and made would never have been possible.

“The White Hyacinths of the Great War,” was the subject of Mr. Evans’ discourse. He quoted two statements—all the poetry an individual needs is enough to put cow butter on one side of his bread and apple butter on the other side; If I had two loaves of bread I would sell one to buy two white hyacinths to feed my soul. The first is a materialist, the second an idealist Man is a spiritual aviator and not a groundhog. The spirit of the hyacinths counteracts the downward pulling tendencies in man. The second quotation is that of a man | who, is living a balanced life; onehalf of his goods go for the benefit |of his soul. The unseen things are eternal. All the great souls gave up much. He fead several poems written by soldiers which illustrated how deeply idealjfrtie.-the men— werer

They'Khffwed'unselfrehness. courage, modesty, faith and cheerful patience, j “No one is fit to live, if he is | afraid to die,” said ex-President ’ Roosevelt. Death is not frightful. One is not killed in action—bn the battlefield —but born in action. Monuments are useless and avail as nothing unless in the hearts of humanity. Miss L. B. Rains rendered “Joys of Love,” by Frits JKrieslex,very-ef-fectively as a piano solo Wednesday? X Mrs. Sage sang two solos by an American composer, Charles Wakefield Cadman. The selections were “The Doeskin Blanket” and “Mam-

my’s Song." '• , ~ - Thursday afternoon Mrs. Ed Randle sang a double number, “The Day Is Don eZLwnd. ‘ —MraT "Sat Hopkins also sang a double number Thursday, “Good Morning,” by Lisa Lehmann, and “The Winds in th* South,” by Scott AU these number* were heartily appreciated by the instate. . • • *V *