Lanark County and Smiths Falls Teachers’ Institute 1955 Names Names Names

October 1955

The annual convention of the Lanark County and Smiths Falls Teachers’ Institute was held last Friday in St. James’ Parish Hall, Carleton Place, with an excellent attendance. The meeting opened with devotional exercises by Rev. D. F. Weegar, and then a nominating committee was appointed. W. J. MeShane, Smiths Falls supervising principal, gave the report of the Easter convention of the Ontario Educational Association. J. W. Barber, inspector, spoke on the June entrance tests and considered them a success. It was a measure introduced last year as a guide to pupils’ status. “The output of teachers is measured in terms of people.

Teaching is not a competitive business but a friendly profession,” he observed. The teachers were entertained by Miss Chamney’s class of the Carleton Place Central School under the direction of Paul Vinden. Choral numbers were presented. Mrs. Helen B. Paul of Perth and an inspector, stressed the emphasis on English composition and considered it the most poorltaught subject on the curriculum. Duncan Schoular of Smiths Falls gave a. report on the first Canadian reading conference. Noon luncheon was served in Memorial Park Church Hall where Prof. Alexander M. Beattie, associate professor of English at Carleton College, Ottawa, spoke on “The Theory and Practice of Light Verse.”

The afternoon session took the form of teacher participation. The following subjects were discussed: The teaching of memory work was dealt with by E. H. Farnham of Almonte; physical education in the school program by Lawrence Code of Perth. The use and abuse of text books by Mrs. Elsie Gardiner of Carleton Place; the correction of assignments by Miss E. Smith of Pakenham; the art program in elementary schools by Miss Lila Barrager of Smiths Falls.

Miss Jean Biair of Perth, convenor of the nominating committee, submitted the following report: Honorary presidents, T. C. Smith, M.A., Perth; J. W. Barber, B.A., B. Paed., Perth; Mrs. Helen B. Paul, B.A., Perth; past president, Mrs. Marion McVeigh, Lanark. President, Duncan Schoular of Smiths FaHs; first vice-president, E. H. Farnham, Almonte; second vice-president, Mrs. J. Menzies, Carleton Place; secretary-treasurer, J. C. Sutherland, Almonte; executive committee: Glen Blanchard, Perth; Alton Cassidy, Carleton Place; Mrs. Vera McGregor, Almonte; Mrs. H. Somerville, Mrs. M. Willis, Lanark; auditors, Mrs. Mary Turner and Miss Helen Kelly, Almonte. O.E.A. delegates appointed were Miss M. Miller of Perth and Mrs. M. McVeigh of Lanark. The Energetic Group of St. James’ Church served tea at the close of the sessions.