It was ordered that this report be published with the proceedings. The President informed the Council that he had received a paper prepared by Mr. W. H. Payne, of Michigan, who was a member of the Committee on "Pedagogics." This was a report on the "Function of the Public School." But neither the author of the paper nor any member of the committee was present, nor was there any evidence that this report had been approved by a majority of the committee. On motion, it was ordered that this paper be read at the morning session to-morrow. The Committee on "Technical Education," through Mr. S. H. Peabody, of Illinois, then made a report on "The Pedagogical Value of the School Workshop." The report was followed by an animated discussion extending through both the morning and the afternoon session. Mr. Mowry was requested to report the discussion. It was ordered that the report be published in the proceedings of the Council. The President appointed the following Committee on Resolutions, viz. Messrs. E. E. White, J. M. Ordway and A. G. Boyden. : Afternoon Session. The Council met at 3 o'clock and, after roll-call, proceeded with the discussion of the report on the "Pedagogical Value of the School Workshop." The following members took part in the discussion:Messrs. Andrews, Brown, Chapin, Fairchild, Gove, Greenwood, Hancock, Hinsdale, H. M. James, Jones, Ordway, Peabody, Peaslee, Richards, and White. A communication was received from Mr. George S. Chase, President of the Board of Education of Topeka, inviting the Council to a drive about the city, which was accepted and the thanks of the Council were returned. On motion of Mr. Brown, it was ordered that the Council go into executive session for the transaction of business. Executive Session. The Council in executive session having been called to order, President Hagar called for the report of the committee on the nomination of officers. The following report was submitted: For President-Daniel B. Hagar, of Massachusetts. For Secretary and Treasurer-E. W. Coy, of Ohio. For Executive Committee-A. G. Boyden, of Massachusetts; A. L. Chapin, of Wisconsin; B. A. Hinsdale, of Ohio; Delia L. Williams, of Ohio. The report was adopted. The committee to nominate persons for membership of the Council made the following recommendations: 1. That the following members be placed in the honorary class, under the provisions of the Constitution in Article 1, Section V :— John W. Dickinson, Massachusetts; V. C. Dibble, South Carolina; G. J. Orr, Georgia; F. W. Parker, Illinois; W. W. Folwell, Minne sota. 2. That the following members, whose terms have expired, be elected their own successors for a term of six years:-John B. Peaslee, Ohio; W. H. Payne, Michigan; E. E. White, Ohio; B. A. Hinsdale, Ohio. 3. That William J. Corthell, of Maine, be elected a member of the Council for six years. 4. That Frank A. Fitzpatrick, of Kansas, be elected to the place made vacant by the transfer of John W. Dickinson to the honorary list, term expiring in 1887. That Mary A. Nicholson, of Indiana, be elected to the place made vacant by the transfer of V. C. Dibble to the honorary list, term expiring in 1887. That W. F. King, of Iowa, be elected to the place made vacant by the transfer of F. W. Parker to the honorary list, term expiring in 1889. That James H. Baker, of Colorado, be elected to the place made vacant by the transfer of G. J. Orr to the honorary list, term expiring in 1888. That John S. Irwin, of Indiana, be elected to the place made vacant by the transfer of W. W. Folwell to the honorary list, term expiring in 1890. That John W. Dickinson, of Massachusetts, be transferred from the honorary to the active class, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John D. Philbrick, term expiring in 1891. The report of the committee was adopted. On motion of Mr. Hancock, it was ordered that ten copies of the published proceedings be furnished each active member who pays the membership fee of $3.00. On motion of Mr. White, it was ordered that the President and outgoing Secretary be a committee to publish the proceedings of the Council, and that 750 copies of the same be printed. On motion, the Council adjourned to meet at 9.30 to-morrow morning. The following members were present:-Messrs. Allyn, Andrews, Boyden, Brown, Calkins, Chapin, Coy, Fairchild, Gove, Greenwood, Hagar, Hailman, Hancock, Hewett, Hinsdale, James, Jones, Kiehle, Mowry, Ordway, Peabody, Peaslee, Pickard, Richards, Sheldon, Stearns, Stevenson, Tarbell, White, and Mrs. Williams. FOURTH DAY.-JULY 13, 1886. Morning Session. The Council convened at 9.30, with the President in the chair. Dr. Andrews opened the session with prayer. After the reading and adoption of the minutes and the calling of the roll, Mr. Mowry read his report of the discussion on the "Educational Value of the School Workshop." This report was ordered to be published with the proceedings. The paper sent by Mr. W. H. Payne, of the Committee on "Pedagogics," on on "The Function of the American Public School," was read by Mr. W. E. Sheldon. The following members participated in the discussion:-Messrs. Andrews, Brown, Greenwood, Hailman, Hancock, Hinsdale, Jones, Kiehle, Stearns, and White. It was ordered that this report be referred back to the committee for further consideration, and that no publication of it be made in the volume of proceedings. Mr. J. L. Pickard, of Iowa, then read a tribute to the memory of Dr. John D. Philbrick, prepared by Mr. Larkin Dunton, of Massachusetts, which was ordered printed in the volume of proceedings. The Committee on Resolutions offered the following, which was adopted : Resolved: That the thanks of the Council are hereby extended to its officers for the efficient and acceptable manner in which they have discharged their duties, and especially to President Hagar for the wise provision made for this meeting, and for the dignified and happy manner in which he has presided. The Council then adjourned to meet at the call of the President. GEO. P. BROWN, Secretary. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES, AND DISCUSSIONS. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. TEXT-BOOKS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. The subject has been considered under five heads. The elementary school includes the grades preceding the high school. 1. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A WHOLE. The elementary school is a company of children gathered from many families and representing every variety of disposition and circumstance, who are to be trained together. It is a large family of children who are to be guarded and guided with wisdom, prudence, and watchful care. It is an organized society in which every member is, by constant and full employment, to seek his own good with a due regard for the rights and feelings of others; in which each child is affected on all sides of his nature by contact and competition with his fellows. It is a place in which 'the principles of government are applied to maintain the rights and to enforce the performance of the duties of each one of its citizens. The teacher is guide, guardian, exemplar, and ruler of the children, the constitutional head of this organization, combining all the functions of government in one person. The elementary school is the place for the school education of all the people. It is the ally of the family, the church, society, and the State. 2. WHAT THE NATURE OF THE CHILD REQUIRES. Every child has a physical and a rational nature, a body and mind which must work together, and which must react upon each other. He is self-active. He must think, feel, will, either to the upbuilding or to the degrading of himself. If left to himself, he will follow his own impulse in selfish gratification, to the neglect of his higher nature. His nature can be satisfied only by the harmonious exertion of all his powers to the full measure of his ability. All his powers must be repeatedly drawn forth into right activity, to the end that habits of right thinking, feeling, willing, shall be established. This implies the right training of the perceptive faculties, memory, imagination, and the reflective power; the proper control of the appetites, desires, and affections; choice and action in accordance with moral obligation. The right training of all the powers requires that the proper objects of thought shall be brought distinctly before the mind of the child in the natural and logical order, from which he shall acquire ideas and make the correct expression of them; that the voluntary direction of attention by the child to the objects present shall be secured; that the mind shall act with all its might, as long as it can act without a forced activity; that the repetition of its action shall be continued until the idea, the expression, and the habit are fixed in the mind; that the training shall be adapted to the unfolding of the whole nature of the child; that those motives shall be awakened which will determine the child to do always what he ought to do; that the doing of what he ought to do shall be made more pleasurable than the omission of it. When this result is reached, the child is educated. A person is educated when he is in that state in which he will make the best use of all his powers. To educate a child is so to direct and control his activities through childhood and youth as to bring him into that state in which he will make the best use of all his powers. Education means training for life. Lives are to be dealt with; lessons are of value only so far as they minister to life. 3. THE END TO BE SOUGHT IN SCHOOL WORK. Education implies instruction, which is, on the part of the child, a constant building in of power and knowledge in his mind by the repeated right exertion of all his powers; and on the part of the instructor, it is the intelligent direction and control of the activities of the child with a view to his education. Instruction implies teaching, which is exciting right activity and knowledge in the mind of the learner. |
