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their calling to that plane which it is now beginning
to occupy—a profession second only
to that of the sacred teacher. The danger of
modern thought is its tendency towards materialism,
and it is the privilege of the teacher
to correct this tendency. The State
seems to have attached but little
importance to this profession, paying the
teacher scantily and grudgingly, while wealth
is wasted in luxuries and extravagance.
Judge Magruder hoped that the day will come
when the fidelity of the State's servants in
this great branch of her service will be adequately
remunerated and this department
of public service put upon a plane equal to
any other in its dignity and compensation.

The exercises were pleasingly interspersed
with music by Miss Maddox and Messrs.
Green and Funch, and readings by Miss
Agnes Durst, of Baltimore, and Professor
Merritt, of Vanderbilt University. After the
meeting adjourned dancing was indulged in
until quite a late hour.

EDUCATORS IN COUNCIL.

Maryland Teachers' Association—Close
of an Interesting Meeting.

[Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.]

BLUE MOUNTAIN HOUSE, MD., July 8.—At
the morning session of the State Teachers'
Association Miss Laura Skinner, of Baltimore
county, read a paper on "Drawing," in
which she deplored this country's lack of
appreciation of art. She dwelt upon the
practical advantage and necessity of drawing
to the mechanical arts. The importance
of this study seems to be understood in foreign
countries, where drawing is thoroughly
and generally taught. Prof. Newell has said
that the manual instruction of the State
would be greatly improved if drawing should
hold the same place in public education that
reading does. Instruction in drawing will
advance every manufacturing art, and add
greater worth to manufactory products and
to the labors of the workmen. Miss Skinner's
report was most favorably received and commended
by Messrs. Witmer, of Washington,
Weimer, of Allegany, G. L. Smith of, Baltimore,
and Stone, of Price George's county.
Mr. Smith spoke of drawing as a great auxiliary
to the study of the natural sciences.

Prof. Edward T. Briscoe, of Charlotte Hall,
read a report upon Latin and Greek. Prof.
Briscoe did not disparage the importance of
scientific and practical studies, but urged
upon the association the dignity and worth
of the classics, their disciplinary value and
their great formative influence upon youthful
minds and tastes. He said: "Our whole
modern civilization owes as much to classical
learning and history as to any other agency,
Christianity alone excepted. Classical culture
gives a peculiarly conservative character
to the whole moral and social life, which is
one of its chiefest safeguards."

Mr. Daniel McSwiney, of Carroll county,
spoke upon "Primary Instruction," dwelling
upon the necessity of such training as shall
correctly form the moral life of the child.

Miss Lena Mellier, of Talbot county, read a
paper upon Col. Parker's "Quincy Methods,"
referring to their peculiarities and benefits in
primary instruction. Intellectual development
and character-building are considered
by those methods as inseparable. It is the
teacher's work to teach the child to think
clearly in order that it may learn to see its
duty plainly and do it cheerfully and well. A
detailed account of a work done in the Quincy
schools followed, showing how interested
observations, accurate concepts, correct expression
and good habit-forming are to be
developed in children by instructions and
exercises natural and interesting to them.

A telegram from Prof. M. A. Newell, who
is at Bar Habor, Me., was received, thanking
the Maryland State Teachers' Association
for their greeting, and expressing the hope
that their aspirations might ever be as lofty
and as pure as the mountains around them
and the air which they breathed.

A letter was received from Hon. L. E.
McComas regretting his inability to be present,
and expressing his heartiest sympathy
with the aims and objects of the teachers'
profession, and a sincere wish that the increase
of pay may keep pace with the steady
improvements in the teachers themselves.

Lieutenant Ford, of the Manual Training
School, Baltimore, gave a brief historical resume
of the adoption of manual training in
France, Germany and the United States.
The Baltimore Manual Training School is the
first instance of a school of that character
founded as a part of the public school system
in this country. Lieut. Ford gave a summary
of the studies and exercises in the Baltimore
Manual Training School, and spoke
of the interest felt in this branch of instruction
by pupils and parents of the Monumental
City.

Dr. Bryan, of Dorchester, made a report
upon the subject of attendance, speaking
particularly upon the methods of recording
and reporting it. The many different methods
of recoding attendance and enrollment make
it very difficult to compare the schools of
different States on these subjects. Maryland
has the widest extent of school age of any
State in the Union, from six years to twenty-one,
and the methods for reporting attendance
here are probably the best and simplest.

At the afternoon session the excellent
singing of the quartette, consisting of Misses
Etta and Emma Maddox and Messrs. Green
and Funck, under the direction of Prof.
John G. Wehage, was warmly commended,
the association highly appreciating the successful
effort which Prof. Wehage made to
obtain this music.

Papers were read by Messrs. Forman, of
Wicomico, and Benson, of Montgomery.

Mr. Wilbur T. Smith, of Baltimore, offered
a resolution commending the action of the
late Legislature in so amending the State
school law that every pupil be instructed as
to the effects of alcohol and narcotics upon
the human system, and recommending the
several county boards to adopt and use
text-books when published and prepared
under the provisions of the law. This resolution
was, however, after considerable discussion
and strenuous opposition on the part of
Mr. Squier, of Cecil, Mr. Forman, of Wicomico,
and other members of the association,
laid upon the table.

Prof. McCahan, of Baltimore, offered the
following:

"Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed
by the chairman, to whom is committed
the subject of issuing a school journal,
with power to act in the premises; provided
that it is the judgment of the association that
a subscription of one thousand copies should
be obtained before the same be published
under the authority of this association."

This the association approved, and a committee
consisting of Messrs. McCahan and
Miller, of Baltimore; Dashiell, of Somerset;
Weimer, of Allegany, and Bruff, of Baltimore
county, was appointed to carry the
resolution into effect.

Mr. Chaplain, of Talbot, chairman of the
auditing committee, made his report, stating
that there was a balance in the treasury of
$237 50.

The following officers were elected for the
ensuing year: President, P. A. Witmer, of
Washington county; first vice-president, Wm.
H. Dashiell, of Somerset county; second
vice-president, Miss Sarah Richmond, of Baltimore;
recording secretary, A. F. Wilkerson,
of Baltmore; corresponding secretary, W. F.
Smith, of Baltimore; treasurer, Geo. S. Grape,
of Baltimore; executive committee, T. C.
Bruff, of Baltimore county; Messrs. Mellier,
of Talbot county; H. Wengate, of St. Mary's
county; John E. McCahan, of Baltimore;
Miss Susie McGee, of Baltimore.

Resolutions of thanks were ordered to the
chairman of the association, Prof. A. Soper,
Baltimore, for the able and impartial manner
in which he had discharged the duties of
his position; to P. A. Witmer, chairman of
the executive committee, and to the ladies
and gentlemen who had favored the association
with elocutionary and musical exercises.

Mr. Witmer, in his report, congratulated
the association upon the success of its meeting.
This success has been due not only to
the excellent character of the papers furnished,
but to the fine music and readings
and to the efficient arrangements of Mr. J. P.
Shannon, manager of the Blue Mountain
House, who has made very endeavor to render
the stay a pleasant one. On motion the
association adjourned sine die.