Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1903 — TEACHERSOFINDIANA [ARTICLE]

TEACHERSOFINDIANA

STATE ASSOCIATION HOLDS ITS ANNUAL MEETING. Charles A. Van Matre Win* the Presi-dency-New Normal Is Opposed—Senator Beveridxe Addresses the Assocition, Urging More Thoroughness. Charles A. >Van Matre of Muncie, Delaware County superintendent, was nominated as the new president of the Indiana Teachers’ Association at its recent meeting in • Indianapolis, and was later elected to the office. J. B. I’earcy of Anderson and William L. Bryan of Indiana University were candidates for nomination against Van Matre. Mr. Van Matre is a comperatively young man, one of the best-known educators in the State, and is the first county superintendent elected to the presidency of the association for a number of years. The new officers of the association ere: President—C. A. Van Matre, Muncie. Secretary-Treasurer J. B. I’earcy, Anderson. Recording Secretary Miss Kate Woods, Evansville. ■Chairman Executive Committee Milo Stewart, Indianapolis. Vice Presidents -First District, Frank AV. Cooley, Evansville; Third District, Lotus B. Coffman, Salem; Fifth District, John B, Wisely, Terre Haute; Seventh District, I’earson Mendenhall, IndiaiiHpolis; Ninth District, J. W. Wilkinson, Kingman; Eleventh District. I’. H. Cojiclauil, Fairmount; Thirteenth District, Aniandus Smith, Elkhart. Executive Committee—Second District, J. AV. Bergstrom. Bloomington; Fourth District, George I‘. Weldman. North Vernon; Sixth District, Lee Ault, Cambridge City; Eighth District, O. M. Fittenger, Anderson; Tenth District. AV. O. Hiatt, Rensselaer; Twelfth District, Homer Dillworth, Angola. The new members of the reading circle board are: Victor M. Hedgepeth, Goshen; Robert .1. Aley, Bloomington; J. H. Tomlin, Shelbyville. ( A resolution for the indorsement of the proposition to establish a new State normal was flattened out at <>ne session. It was offered by a committee of city school superintendents, consisting of J. AV. Carr of Anderson, chairman; C. N. McDaniel of Madison and 11. A. Ogg of Kokomo. It seemed to be the senthueut of the association that it was not the need of another norma] that made good teachers in the State scarce, but the fact that teachers receive such meager salaries, mid it was suggested that if the State’s money were spent in paying teachers instead of building a new normal, all would be well. The resolution was voted down by a majority of the members of the association. It is an impossibility to give any idea of the many excellent addresses made before the association by teachers and other educational specialists mid experts. AL'one sassion AVilliam A. Dell, the first superintendent of public schools, of Indianapolis, and who has been a member of the association for forty one years, made a short speech. Great interest centered in the address by Senator Albert J. Beveridge, who said, in part: The hope and strength of this country are In the people, and In you as a representative of them. Those whom you represent are interested in education. If there nre any defects in American character they are the impatience and lack of thoroughness of the people. This country has resources superior to any in the world. But we are hurried and impatient. Look at Germany. It can lie set in the State of Texas. Comparatively speaking, its resources nre vastly inferior to ours. Yet it is competing with tis. with nil our mighty, Immeasurable resources.Tand It Is competing with other great nations. The reason for it Is that the German people have mastered the art of being patient. In every great Gerjnan manufacturing establishment, lu un office set near the main building, there will be found a professor and n corps of trained assistants, whose duties are to study every detail of the work of the factory. Germany has but little seacoast ns compared with ours, but she makes the most of what she has. She maintains her power through her applications of thought, patience ami thoroughness. This point* th* moral that what we must do Is to learn patience nnd thoroughness. Small resources highly organized are more effective than large resources loosely organized. Thoroughness and adaptability are elements of what we must all have to be successful, that Is effectiveness The question Is whether you are nn effective member of your community. If young men Intend to amount to anything they must eliminate everything but effectiveness Thnt must lie your duty, to teach those under your charg* now to be effective. The fellows who accomplish things are those who have been taught and who hare learned to bring all their powers to the point. If teachers will instruct their pupils In the quality of effectiveness, It will be of vastly greater Importance than text-book education. Gur college students should be taught hopefulness. All great things have not been done yet. The great inventions have not all been achieved. TThe great wars have not all been fought. The world Is fuller to-day of hope for the doing of great things than ever before. Take the law, for example. It has progressed, but it will progres* much more. In the military field all tactic* of the old days nre obsolete. The tactic* are constantly changing. Those of today are as much greater than those of Napoleon were greater than those of Julius Caesar. AVe are only In the kindergarten in th* fields of modern thought. The question is whether there la that In a man which Is hopeful. Then, more important than nil else. Is the teaching of moral ideals. In Russia every citizen Is fired with the belief thut Russia will be the greatest country of the future. In that country moral Ideals are taught, and the moat useful thing you can do Is to teach the highest Ideals or citizenship. The individual aucce** of a man Is nothing if It contributes nothing to do the the weal of the nation.