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| James A. Milne. |
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| Prof. J. Edward Banta. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, June 29, 1900.
Cortland County Teachers' Association.
The Cortland County Teacher's association held its session at Homer, N. Y., in the Academy building, June 16, 1900. President Coon called the meeting to order at 10:45 A. M., and prayer was offered by Rev. C. W. Negus. Commissioner MacDiarmid extended a greeting to the teachers. She expressed the desire that at the close of the day's session each teacher would be on a stronger educational basis, and that the teachers would pay particular attention to the direction in which they were going. She was looking for a decided improvement in the method of teaching reading. Mr. Sanders responded to this greeting and in doing so paid a fine tribute to classic Homer.
Miss Nettle Pool then opened the discussion on "The Graded Course." She contended that the graded course held the student in school for a longer time, caused regular attendance and furnished something definite at which to aim. The discussion lasted for some time. Mr. Tuthill thought that when the graded course was closely followed it was an advantage to the student in entering the high school.
"English in Common Schools" was then taken up by J. O. Lansing. He advocated the combination of the word and phonetic methods, the extensive use of correlation in all classes, and a course of reading carried out from the lowest to the highest class in school.
Miss Van Patten then read a paper on "Responsibility of the Teacher." She pointed out the teacher's responsibility along the line of the student's intellectual growth.
Miss Helen L. Page came next with a paper on "Geography." She spoke of teaching the geography of the town and county, together with the history and essentials of the government of each. Miss Page insisted that we must impress upon the child that he is studying about that which exists. H. J. Ackles led the discussion on Geography. He spoke in particular about relief maps. He thought that the salt relief map was the best. The noon hour was so near at hand that President Coon closed this discussion.
Miss Mary A. Doud then spoke on "The Best Educational Interests of Country Children." She said that the country child should be taught self respect and manual training. Better paid teachers would certainly help the country child.
President Coon then asked the teachers "When Shall We Have Institute?" After some discussion it was decided that we should have it in the fall. President Coon then placed a question box in front and asked the teachers to place their questions in it during the noon hour. The association then adjourned until 1:30 P. M.
President Coon called the afternoon session to order and the association listened to Miss Stella J. Sears, who read a paper on "Reading." Miss Sears spoke of teaching, at first, few words with many sentences. She would combine the sentence, word and phonetic methods. Miss Fannie Clark then gave a reading lesson to a class of seven children. The class had in their hands Ward's First Reader from which they read. The hard words were placed upon the blackboard with their diacritical marks. The child was led to study out the word for himself and pronounce it without help from the teacher. The members of the class were self-reliant, showed a knowledge of the sounds of letters, and read in a natural tone.
James A. Shea then read a paper on "Teachers' Associations." He said that a teachers' association should be a teachers' association and not a principals' association. Every teacher should be on the program some time; that it should have the co-operation of the commissioners. He spoke in high terms of the interest manifested by Commissioners McEvoy and MacDiarmid.
Principal Tuthill next spoke on "Some Mistakes of Teachers." He thought that the teacher should take an interest in his profession, should care for his health and strength, and not talk too much.
"The Teacher and the Patron" was then taken up by Miss Jessie L. Barnes. She said that the more a man is, the less trouble he will make; the less a man is, the more trouble he will make.
Dr. James M. Milne then spoke to the association on "Sympathy with Children." The Doctor said that one of the greatest signs of modern education is a study of the psychology of childhood. He believes in the projection of personality and that the individual is greater than method.
Eudorus C. Kenney then read a paper on "Legalism in our Common Schools.'' Mr. Kenney thought that the law requiring teachers to attend institutes should be abolished.
Prof. Banta followed with remarks on "School Law." He answered a list of questions touching school law and closed his remarks by saying that he thought that education was the bringing into the actual of all that each individual can become.
Commissioner McEvoy then requested the teachers to hand in their names and the membership fee to the secretaries. After this the teachers were enrolled as members. The association then adjourned subject to a call of the executive committee.
Commissioners K. C. MacDiarmid and L. J. McEvoy were both present and took an active interest in the sessions.
The large attendance of teachers from both commissioner districts, the deep interest shown by the commissioners, the executive ability displayed by our president, the able papers and discussions by those on the program, the active part taken by all the teachers in all discussions, the perfect day in June, all conspired to make this one of the most interesting and inspiring teachers' association ever held in Cortland county.
J. O. LANSING, FLORENCE JOHNSON, Secretaries.
TWO MID-DAY FIRES.
MESSRS. SPRAGUE & STEARNS BURNED OUT.
Dwelling House Badly Damaged—Office Building and Coal Sheds Destroyed—Another Fire Near Railroad Junction on Sunday.
On North Greenbush-st, a short distance north from Clinton-ave., was until Saturday located the coal office of Messrs. Sprague & Stearns. To the north of the office were the scales and the sheds used by the company for the storage of coal. Near the office on the south, with barely room for a team, was a dwelling house owned by Mrs. Anna Spore, the upper floor being occupied by Mrs. Spore, and the first floor by George Borden and his son-in-law. C. Bird Johnson, and their families.
The office of Messrs. Sprague & Stearns was in the front part of a building owned by the estate of the late John Ireland, deceased, a rear room in the same building being used for the storage of paints and other articles belonging to the Ireland estate.
Just before 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon S. S. Stearns, one of the partners, heard a slight explosion in the rear of the office, coupled with a crackling noise resembling fire. He hastily ran around to the rear and found the room filled with flames which were breaking out through the windows. He shouted an alarm and at once hurried back to the office to secure the books and papers of the firm, which he succeeded in doing.
Within a moment or two an alarm was sent in to the fire department from box 312, corner of Clinton-ave. and Washington-st., and whistles were blown at the Wallace Wallpaper Co.'s factory and at the steam laundry. The fire companies were as usual promptly on hand and soon had streams of water playing upon the burning property.
Meanwhile the fire had jumped from the office to the coal sheds, and despite the efforts of the firemen these latter were destroyed, but the coal was prevented from burning by the streams of water played upon it.
Mrs. Spore's house was in great danger of burning, as the flames easily leaped from the office to the roof and north side, and realizing the danger many willing hands removed nearly all the furniture and goods of Mr. Borden, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Spore to a place of safety. The house was badly damaged, but as the frame was little burned it can be easily repaired. Another house in the rear of Mrs. Spore's, a little to the south, was in some danger, but a plentiful supply of water prevented any damage in that direction.
Three or four cars were standing on what is known as Ireland's switch, along the north side of the coal sheds, and one of the box cars caught fire. Fortunately the local freight train bound north was in the yard, and the locomotive was hastily run in on the track, pulling the cars, one of which was on fire, down to the Railroad-st. crossing, where Jerry Callahan's hose was brought into use with excellent results.
Messrs. George Borden and C. Bird Johnson at once took possession of a vacant house owned by Isaac Edgcomb on Venette-st., and by night they and their families were keeping house as usual making the quickest moving time on record. Mr. Johnson is employed at Hayes' chair factory and did not know of the summary ejectment of his family until it was all over.
The loss of Messrs.
Sprague & Stearns will exceed the insurance of $500 by a small amount. The
Ireland estate carried no insurance, and a conservative estimate places the
loss at $1,000. Mrs. Spore was insured for an amount sufficient to cover the
loss.
SUNDAY FIRE.
About 11 o'clock Sunday morning word was received up town that a fire was raging at or near the junction of the D., L. & W. and Lehigh Valley railroads. No one seemed to know what was burning, one report naming Wm. Nash's house, another the milk station, a third the depot at the junction, and a fourth the meadow on the Randall property. The firemen took no chances and without waiting for an alarm to be rung in they hastened down Port Watson-st. with their hose carriages and hook and ladder trucks, to find that the meadow was burning fiercely, and that the depot was in some danger. The nearest hydrant was on the corner of Pendleton and Blodgett-sts., and it required a long stretch of hose to reach the fire. They succeeded, however, and the only damage was the burning of an acre or two of meadow, the grass on which was dry as tinder.
After the companies had left, an alarm was sent in from the Lackawanna depot, calling many people from the churches.
Steamer Frontenac, Cayuga Lake.
The Ithaca Excursion.
July 6 will see more people go from Cortland to Ithaca than ever went before on an excursion from this city to that place. The trains leaving at 8 A. M. will give ample time to visit the University grounds before noon. At this hour the parade of the Wild West show will take place, and at 2 P. M., the show will begin. Those who prefer a trip on the lake can go seven miles down the lake and return for 25 cents. The boats will leave the pier at Renwick park every hour, giving all an opportunity for a stop at any of the resorts down the lake, and return by the 6 o'clock boat, giving ample time to reach the train that will leave Ithaca at 7 P M.
PAGE FOUR—BRIEF EDITORIALS.
Theodore Roosevelt is a shining example of a man who hesitated and was lost.
It is our firm conviction that the winning presidential ticket will be named at Kansas City next week.
Not one solitary high-priced, tax-eating state "commission" or "bureau" was abolished by the [state] legislature.
Roosevelt is protecting an indicted criminal within the borders of the Empire state. "Ex-Governor" Taylor of Kentucky is at Niagara Falls.
Like the weather of last Sunday, Republican harmony seems fairly oppressive to some of the Republicans of this state. Look out for storms about the time of the next state convention.
Another army scandal is reported from San Francisco, where the chief clerk in the quartermaster's department has been approving bills for supplies never furnished. It is quite evident that the government is being robbed right and left by contractors. No wonder conquest is costly.
The United States court of claims, in its decision determining the division of bounty money for the destruction of the Spanish squadron at Santiago, declares that the New York was among the vessels engaged. Sampson gets $3,335 and Schley $3,000. As the New York was several miles away and did not fire a shot, the decision of the court of claims is about as sensible as it would be to say that white is black.
The deficit is $179,000,000. The great war loan of $200,000,000 all spent except a paltry $8,000,000. War taxes kept up to the top notch until 1901, and probably long after that date. This is the condition in which McKinleyism and imperialism has brought the county after the six months of war with a sixth rate power that was not able to hurt us at all. It is not the war that places this burden upon the poor man. It is imperialism. It is the McKinley mania of "destiny," and is one of the reasons why there is a continued growth of sentiment in favor of William J. Bryan, who is so strongly opposed to imperialism.
HERE AND THERE.
That the influence of the DEMOCRAT is very potent is shown by a circumstance occurring last week. In our last issue we referred to the annoyance caused by the leaking of a hydrant at the corner of Church and Railroad-sts., and before the papers were placed in the postoffice workmen had put a stop to the leakage and raised the walk. The mere fact that such a complaint had been placed in cold type was a sufficient remedy.
The Railroad-st. pavement at Church-st. is getting quite a hump [buckling] on itself.
The [bicycle] cinder path has been completed from Ithaca to Freeville, with the exception of a short distance near Etna. The commission which has charge of the matter has been negotiating with Superintendent H. D. Titus of the Auburn division of the Lehigh Valley, who gave the cinders for the building of the side path from Freeville to the George Junior Republic, but it is not likely that Mr. Titus will increase his donation by furnishing cinders for the path from Cortland to Ithaca.
When you step into one of our city drug stores for a cooling drink, you may have the satisfaction of knowing that soda water is one of the necessaries of life. The case in which the decision was made was that of a druggist who had been arrested under a resurrected blue-law for selling the inflated and sweetened moisture on Sundays. The sale of soda water should experience a boom now, for who would have the name of depriving his wife, sister, children or sweetheart if he is still a lonely bachelor of one of the necessaries of life?
Newark Valley will celebrate the Fourth next Wednesday with a program lasting the entire day.
Homer and McGrawville patronized Cortland park Sunday afternoon, several car loads arriving from each place.
Several new correspondents begin writing for the DEMOCRAT this week. For county news this paper leads them all.
The members of Cortlandville grange will enjoy a social at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Burnham. Madison-st., this evening
An automobile race is booked for next Wednesday on the fair grounds, between W. W Kelsey's and C. L. Kinney's vehicles.
The Congregational churches of Cortland and Homer ran a combined excursion to Sylvan Beach yesterday, about 240 taking the train at Cortland station.
The Clark—Scoville company will be at the Opera house in repertoire the week beginning July 9. They are now playing a two weeks engagement at Oswego.
Our Homer correspondent gives the particulars of a shooting scrap which occurred in that place last Saturday evening, and which caused some excitement in Cortland.
Beginning with next Sunday the Lehigh Valley railroad company will sell tickets to Sylvan Beach and return every Sunday until September 30 for $1. Children 50 cents.
Tuesday afternoon lightning struck a tree in front of the grist mill owned by Ray Saltsman in the town of Virgil, jumped from the tree to a fence, over which it went some distance, splitting every post in the way. Walter Brooks stood in the door of the mill and was mildly shocked.
The Cortland county fair will be held August 21, 22, 23 and 24, the date being changed on account of the State fair selecting the dates first chosen. With Frank H. Sears as president and W. J. Greenman as secretary the visitors may expect a fair fully equal to that of last year.
Tue excursion to Ithaca on the 6th of July will afford the best opportunity for students of horticulture to inspect the experimental grounds located at Cornell University. This station has become noted throughout the entire country, and any person who has the opportunity offered them to visit this place should do so. There are no finer grounds for a basket picnic.
The committee having charge of the excursion to Ithaca, to be run under the auspices of the Order of American Mechanics, has been to Ithaca and while there received assurances from the officers of Cornell University that the library, museum, mechanical department and all places of interest will be open to the public on the 6th of July. No better opportunity for visiting this place of interest can be had, and as the fare for the round trip is only 50 cents, a day of pleasure can be had at a very low price.
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