Minutes of the State Teachers' Association
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STATE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION. 75
On the 4th day of August, 1863, the first meeting of officers and teachers in our colleges and academies, convened by the Board of Regents, and since called the “University Convocation,” occurred, and a similar meeting has been annually held at the Capitol since.
In 1883, at Syracuse, the superintendents in cities and villages met and organized the “State Superintendents’ Council,” and have held annual meetings at different points since. On the 29th of December, 1885, the secondary principals of the State met in the High School building at Syracuse, and effected an organization which has since met regularly, and has come to be known as the “Conference of Associated Academic Principals.” Each of these organizations is in vigorous life, with a good record and excellent prospects.
INFLUENCES OF THE ASSOCIATIONS.
The beneficial influences which all these voluntary associations have exerted, and continue to exert, in behalf of the school system, is inestimable.
For a great many years a little company of gentlemen with scientific or literary tendencies, and known as the “Albany Institute,” has met semi-monthly in that city, and discussed subjects of mutual interest. The meetings are so quiet and unobtrusive that they attract but little attention, and influence the social life of the Capital but imperceptibly. Yet John Ericsson gained his idea of the revolving turret for armed war vessels from a volume of the transactions of the “Albany Institute,” and from a paper read and long since forgotten, and with this idea he blew the Merrimac out of water and drove to cover the most formidable armed cruisers which the best engineers, unlimited means and the most skillful iron and steel-workers of England could produce, and restored the honor and regained the prestige of the United States flag upon the high seas.
Who shall say that the deliberations of any association of thinkers go for naught? And who shall undertake to calculate the extent to which all these regular and continuous gatherings of the leading educational thinkers of the State have promoted the general intelligence and the mental strength of the State? There is no standard for such a measure-ment. As I have read the records of their proceedings, I have been again and again struck with the fact that the leading reforms in the schools governing the schools, as well as in the procedure of the schools, have originated with and been accomplished through themselves. They have concentrated the operations of these associations information. On the one hand, forces and they have distributed misunderstandings, originated suggestions, they have removed the ripest experience and the best thought of each teacher carried to every city, and every district; and, on the other hand, they have combined educational energy and shaped educational policy of the common-