ers in education in his day, and has participated in the prominent educational reforms, and he is well equipped to write instructively as well as entertainingly on modern educational developments.

School Administration.

A number of unusually practical and helpful books for those who are in charge of systems of schools have appeared during the present year. There has just come from the press of the Mac

millan Co. a valuable work on The Administration of Public Education in the United States, by Professors Dutton and Snedden of Teachers' College, Columbia University. It deals with the large problems of governmental as well as local control of education. Questions of financing public education are effectively discussed, and also practical problems concerning the construction and equipment of school houses, the purchase of text-books and supplies, the securing and training of the teaching staff, the supervision of schools, grading and promotion, the making of a course of study, and the administration of the various departments of the educational system. While the book does not treat extensively of topics which are of interest to a class-room teacher, there are still chapters relating to class-room work, such, for instance, as school discipline and government, teaching how to study, study periods at home and at school, and the like. The book is attractively written, and it gives references to a vast amount of literature relating to the topics discussed. It seems that every superintendent of schools would find this work of considerable service.

Mr. Charles B. Gilbert's The School and Its Life, (Silver, Burdett and Co.), is not as voluminous a book as the one just mentioned. While it deals with questions of chief interest to those who supervise school systems, it still comes quite near to the work of the class-room teacher. It deals in

a very practical way with the concrete problems arising in the management of schools and school systems. It discusses the discipline of the school, the treatment of the individual child, departmental teaching, the grading and promotion of pupils, methods of self culture on the part of the teacher, the conduct of teachers' meetings, the course of study, the relation of the superintendent to his teachers, the relation of supervisors to special teachers, the duties and relations of school principals, and so on. Mr. Gilbert has had large

and successful experience in the administration of school systems, and his book is the outgrowth of this experience. It seems to the present reviewer simple, practical, and helpful.

Superintendent Brownscombe's State Control of Courses of Study, (Silver, Burdett and Co.), treats of a special phase of the general question of the administration of education. As its title in

dicates, its treatment is confined to national and state control of education. While special attention is given to governmental control in our own country, still there are chapters treating of such control in foreign countries. The book should be of service to those who deal with supervision in a large, general way, and especially to those who are responsible for educational legislation.

No more suggestive and helpful writer on praetical education is to be found in this country than Mr. Chancellor, former superintendent of schools, District of Columbia. His last book,—Our City Schools-Their Direction and Management, (D. C. Heath and Co.), will be of interest mainly to those who are responsible for the administration of city schools. In this volume the author discusses at the outset the problems relating to the state and the school; but most of the book deals with the detailed problems of organizing and administering a system of schools. It is full of valuable suggestions relating to the construction of school buildings, the employment of janitors and engineers, the equipment of a school in respect to furniture. text-books, blackboards, etc., etc. Much attention. is given to the discussion of schools for special children; and to aids and accessories in teaching, and programmes and records in a system of schools. In the appendix are given two open letters, one to educators who wish to become superintendents of schools in large cities, and the other to members of boards of education and to candidates for membership. There are also presented a great number of forms for use in making school reports and keeping records. This book can not fail to be of practical assistance to school superintendents, even in small places.

One of the most agreeable educational books of the year is President Eliot's University Administration (Houghton Mifflin Co.). This will doubtless interest mainly those who administer colleges and universities; but there are chapters which deal with "methods in instruction" and "the

elective system" which apply as fully to teaching in the high school as in the college. Needless to say, the book is written in a simple and absolutely clear style; and one feels that the author has a firm grasp on the subjects he discusses as perhaps no one else in this country has. Hardly any intelligent person could fail to be interested in this delightful account of what a university president thinks about the proper way to choose and manage a faculty, to secure funds for the maintenance of the university, to govern a student body without enforcing too many restrictions or allowing too great liberty, and the like.

EQUIPMENT OF THE COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOLS.

L. W. WOOD.

With but two years in which to mold into teaching form the pupils who enter the County Training Schools, the teachers of these schools have a very difficult task set for them and should have at their disposal everything that will facilitate the work. To teach a man a trade is to teach him how to use skilfully the essential working tools of that trade. To teach the young people who enter our County Training Schools how to teach a country school successfully is, to a great extent at least, to teach them what the essential working tools of a country school are and how to use them skilfully. The state stands ready to furnish two-thirds of the money necessary to make these schools what they should be; namely, models of perfection in the matter of equipment. In view of this, the several counties in which Training Schools are located, should cheerfully furnish the other third of the necessary funds.

One of the best laws relating to education ever passed by our legislature is the law by virtue of which a little library of well selected books is found in practically every country school in the state. As a rule, however, the boys and girls who are attending these schools are not receiving, from the libraries what they ought to receive. This is due to the fact that many country school teachers have not learned to use the library in as skilful a manner as its importance demands. In order that in the future all graduates of the County Training Schools may be taught to use the library to the best advantage, every Training School should be provided with a model country school library;

model with respect to its selection; model with respect to its classification and model with respect to the home in which it is kept. With such a library at the command of the skilful teachers in charge of these schools, they can and will teach the pupils under their instruction the possibilities of a country school library and also how to realize these possibilities in the schools in which later they may be employed. Of course the model libraries referred to will not suffice as a complete library equipment for the Training Schools. In addition they should have a well selected and properly catalogued library of several hundred volumes for general use.

"The Dictionary Habit" is one of the most important of school habits. Notwithstanding its great importance the cultivation of this habit is sadly neglected not only in the country schools but in the village and city schools as well. As a result of the lack of proper training in the use of the dictionary, many pupils when they enter the County Training Schools have a very limited vocabulary. This being the case, dictionary work should be given a prominent place in the County Training School course. Therefore, each of these schools should be supplied with several copies of Webster's International Dictionary and also with a sufficient number of Webster's Academic Dictionaries, or equivalent to furnish each pupil in attendance with one copy. With such an equipment pupils may be taught not only how to use the dictionary themselves, but also how to teach others to use it properly.

The law now requires that the elements of agriculture be taught in the country schools. Comparatively few of the pupils who enter these schools have had anything worthy the name of instruction in Natural Science. The Training School course now includes the following Natural Science studies: Physiology, Geography and Agriculture. These subjects should be presented in the following order:

(a) Physical Geography. (b) Political Geography. (c) Physiology.

(d) Agriculture.

Any instruction in these branches to be effective necessitates the teaching of at least a few of the fundamental principles of physics and chemistry. These fundamental principles should be taught

during the first four weeks of the time given to Physical Geography. The fundamental principles referred to can be taught best by illustrative experiments, and to do the work in this way each Training School must be supplied with a small amount of well selected apparatus, the cost of which need not exceed one hundred dollars.

In addition to this apparatus each school should be supplied with a good compound microscope having a double revolving nose-piece, an Iris diaphragm, two objectives, 1 2-3 and 1 1-6 inch, and two eye-pieces, one 1 inch, the other 2 inches. Add to this equipment a few well selected slides showing plant and animal cell-structures and you have an equipment that if used properly during the year, will introduce the pupils to a new world of life that will stimulate thought. To complete the equipment for work in Natural Science, each school should have a good collection of the common rocks, woods, soils, etc.

A LATIN CLUB AT ANTIGO.

Noticing an article in the last Journal concerning a Latin Club, I thought my experience along that line might be of interest to some. I thought that if I could get sixteen interested I would organize a club, but when I proposed it to my classes every one with the exception of two, in my three upper classes joined the club, and the interest has not lagged during the two years of its work.

The meetings are held at the various homes, and after the program Latin games of different kinds are played and refreshments served. We try to have the program as varied as possible, last year taking up the private life of the Romans, and this year mythology. Frequent debates upon classical subjects add much interest, then Latin songs are sung. We have four Latin choruses which the whole club enjoys singing. The program for this year was made out last spring with the names of those who were to entertain, and printed, the dates being in Roman dates. If any poem from English literature can be found which fits in with the program it is used, such as Robert Browning's "Ulysses." Short Latin dialogues are also given.

One public program is given during each year similar to the regular ones, with the addition of a play.

The Latin games afford an additional interest. We have used the games of Prof. E. D. Wright,

which are played like authors, using principal parts and conjugations of verbs. Another evening I had them write as many Latin words for instruments of warfare as possible. At another time I asked each one to bring a line of a popular song put in Latin and we had great sport in trying to determine what the song was. We have also tried a certain kind of spelling match, in which each side endeavored to give as many Latin words as possible beginning with a certain letter. I have kept a record of the points each member made in various games and at the end of the year I intend to give an appropriate prize.

My object in organizing this club was to give an opportunity for much outside information and knowledge of Roman lfe and beliefs in general, for which I felt we had not sufficient time in the class work. In this way the work is done with little extra labor and in such a way that it is attractive to the pupils.

Erna L. Trever,

Latin Instructor, Antigo High School.

WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA DIFFERENCES

OVER STATE CERTIFICATES.

In Minnesota only college graduates are admitted to positions in high schools. That state, therefore, does not honor Wisconsin normal trained teachers for its high schoois. The state board of examiners of Wisconsin carries out the same rule regarding Minnesota normal graduates but certifies them for the grades of this state. For some time Minnesota felt aggrieved over this action on the part of our state board, but we understand that upon a recent visit of Assistant State Superintendent Frazier of Minnesota to Madison, these matters were satisfactorily explained to him and no further retaliation on the part of the Minnesota authorities is expected. It should be understood that the Wisconsin State Board of Examiners treats every case individually and acts upon the qualifications of the individual rather than following any set rule.

When a firm decisive spirit is recognized, it is curious to see how the space clears around a man and leaves him room and freedom.―John Foster.

In life's small things be resolute and great
To keep thy muscles trained; know'st thou when
Fate

Thy measures takes, or when she'll say to thee,
"I find thee worthy; do this deed for me!"

-Lowell.

THE "VIOLET" WINS IN THE CONTEST FOR STATE FLOWER.

While the returns are not complete on the vote for state flower taken in the schools of Wisconsin on Arbor and Bird Day, May 7, the "Violet" is in the lead and will hereafter be known as the Badger State's official flower. The wild rose, the white waterlily, and the trailing arbutus were the other candidates and received support in the order named.

THE TEACHING OF THE WORD "THE."
MARY D. BRADFORD.

"What is this word?" said the primary teacher, pointing to the. "The" (e macron) said the child. "Oh no, it is thu," (u breve) said the teacher.

How much longer is that sort of thing going on?

The pronunciation of the "thu" (u breve), either when alone, or when in connection with a following noun, has no authority either in the speech of educated people, or in the dictionary which derives its rules from such practice. Turn to the in the body of the International Dictionary. It gives three pronunciations, and the circumstances or positions where each is right; (1) the (e macron) when emphatic or alone; (2) the (e dotted bar) when obscure or unemphatic before a vowel; and (3) the (printed with italic e, meaning a neutral sound) when obscure or unemphatic before a consonant.

Nothing is said anywhere about thu (u breve). Certain it is that e dotted bar, is not u breve, and neutral e is not u breve.

That teachers should sometimes teach that the before a vowel is pronounced thi (i breve) is not of so great consequence. One has but to pronounce the two words ceres and cereal, to observe that when the second e in the former word is abbreviated to e dotted bar in the latter, it can hardly be distinguished from short i in serial. There is little difference between the sounds of e dotted bar and i breve.

The real trouble comes from the interpretation of the neutral e, which sound, the dictionary says, should be put in the before a consonant. It is a sound that cannot be analyzed out and given. The dictionary describes it (See Sec. 17, Guide to Pronunciation), as "the vocal sound produced with the least articulative effort, or with none at all,

and heard, except as a glide, only in unaccented syllables." While this may not help us to a very clear notion of what this sound is, the same section takes pains to tell us that it is not the sound of u breve.

There is no need of saying anything to children about the pronunciation of the when occurring in combination with a noun. If drill is given on "the-phrases," like "the apple,” “the ball,” etc., and nothing is said about the way the should be pronounced, the pronunciation will take care of itself, as it does in the child's conversation. In such phrases, the takes on the character of the unaccented syllable of a word, and the alteration of its quality before a vowel and a consonant will be natural and right.

SUGGESTIONS FOR GEOGRAPHY.

Great strides have been taken toward improvement in the teaching of geography. Formerly the text-books dealt with the location of places-cities, rivers, capes, and lakes. There were innumerable map questions, some statistics and encyclopaedic information. This dead knowledge was a check to thought, yet it took a long time to "evolutionize” the rational geographies of today.

Let us take France as an example and follow out the newer line of thought, treating the child as a discoverer. The first topic would naturally be position. Do not be satisfied that the child knows that France is located between the parallels of forty-two and fifty-one degrees, but have him locate it with reference to other countries and especially to his home state or county. When the child discovers that France is in the same latitude as Wisconsin, it will be a startling revelation for he will, no doubt, have heard of "Sunny France" and her vineyards and orange groves. This should lend interest to the discussion of climate.

When taking up the size of France, have the child carry out a little original investigation. Right here is an opportunity for setting the child to doing something. The area of France is 207 square miles. Find two or three states adjoining each other, whose combined areas would nearly equal this amount-Wisconsin and Minnesota and find a third.

The teacher will have an opportunity to train the children to think when discussing the surface. Great prominence should be given to this, because