also partly the fault of the critic teachers, who have not yet learned that a plan for working out a lesson may be quite different from theirs, and still be quite as good, in some one else's hands. In other words, they fail to allow for the individuality of the particular student. No person is qualified to be a critic teacher until he is ready to put a premium, not a discount, upon inititary enthusiasm in the working out of school problems.) To return to our subject, the citation of the wrong ways in which so many of us receive comment on our work, has suggested most of the positive things to be said in the premises. Most important of all, our whole attitude toward our work should be governed by a desire to improve ourselves from whatever source the improvement may come. Most medicine is unpleasant, but if it will help us, we should take it, with as little wryness of face, and vituperation toward the doctor, as possible. So all criticism should be taken into our thought, and pondered, analyzed, and frankly considered. So much for generalities. Mow for some specific suggestions: First, we should always look our critic in the eye, smile, and thank him. Ninety-five times out of a hundred, he was just as loath to open the interview as we were to have him do it. We should let him know that we appreciate the trouble he has taken. We should make the occasion as pleasant for him as we know how to do. This is partly a selfish consideration, and partly an altruistic one. Subsequent interviews are bound to be more pleasant on both sides, if the critic has been met in a pleasant, earnest, businesslike way. Second, we should encourage our critic to make further suggestions. This will show the attitude that he desires to see, and will put our relations with each other on the right basis at once. It would be impossible to say how many young teachers (and old ones too) have failed of half their potential usefulness, by always being in a hurry to close an interview that involved adverse comment on their work. Third, we should avoid excuses. It is nearly always better to let a valid excuse die unborn, than to bring it forth in our defense. One thing is sure: It will be better to be wrongly blamed a dozen times, than to get the reputation of being a professional excuse maker. Be sure of this, too: If we let the valid excuse go by unsaid, our critic will one day find it out, and the transaction will be booked to our credit. Oh, now, of course we must explain some things. If there has been a cyclone in our neighborhood, or if our house has been burned down, or if we have been quarantined, it is perfectly in order for us to set forth these facts. in explanation of our failure to come out to a teachers' meeting. But the point is, there is always a tendency to discount excuses, and the more frequently they come, the higher will be the rate of discount. Fourth, whatever thought we give to the matter afterwards should be in the nature of wholesome study, and neither fruitless worry nor an argument in support of our case. If there have been points on which we did not agree with our critic, and he is in authority over us, it will be well for us to go and talk the matter over with him. By doing this, we shall increase his regard for us, and, more important by far, we shall increase our own usefulness. Frankness, courtesy, tolerance, desire to help and to be helped these should be at the basis of all relationship where the delicate task of criticism is involved. Vacation (Tune: "Marching Through Georgia") And welcome our old friend vacation. Chorus Hurrah! hurrah! vacation time is here; So shout with joy for glad vacation. We'll wander through the meadow, As it sings its little lay, And gathers sweetest flowers And when we're called to bid adieu -Bertha Vanderpool. Remember Flag Day on June 14 LAG DAY this year falls on Friday, June 14, and those schools still in session should see that Old Glory is properly displayed. Not a few schools in Wisconsin close on this day-what an opportunity to make the nation al emblem the great decorative feature of the event! After all is said and done there is no prettier decoration for any occasion than the stars and stripes to say nothing of their real meaning to every American citizen. If the teacher can do nothing more, he should at least read Joseph Rodman Drake's famous Ode to the American Flag When Freedom from her mountain height And set the stars of glory there. Who rear'st aloft thy regal form When strive the warriors of the storm Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly, Has dimmed the glistening bayonet, And cowering foes shall shrink beneath And all thy hues where born in heaven. Forever float that standard sheet! Where breaths the foe but falls before us, With freedom's soil beneath our feet, And freedom's banner streaming o'er us. First Pupil Meaning of the Colors Red, from the leaves of the autumn woods, Of our frost-kissed northern hills; Red, to show that patriot blood Is beating now in a hurrying flood Second Pupil White, from the fields of stainless drift White, to show that as pure as snow, We believe that the Christ-light yet shall glow, In the souls of American men. Third Pupil Blue, from the arch of the winter sky, O'er our fatherland outspread; Blue, to show that as wide as heaven, Shall justice to all mankind be given, At the hands of American men. All Red, white and blue, and the light of stars, The Sauk County Country Life Association in Session at Reedsburg The above picture was taken in the Sauk county training school for teachers at Reedsburg recently when there were gathered from all parts of the county representatives of the country life clubs. At this meeting a county country life association was organized which is probably the first in the state of Wisconsin. The object of this association is to bring together those men and women who are blessed with the independence and luxuries of farm life, but who unlike their city cousins are not able to assemble often and discuss questions of mutual interest. One of the features of this meeting was a big picnic dinner at which about seventy-five people were present. This feature proved a very profitable one from the social standpoint. At this conference it was emphasized that schools, teachers, and parents must get together, and all work toward making country life more attractive for boys and girls. The idea here is to keep the boy and girl on the farm, and, if possible, to stop the on-rush of rural children to the congested cities of the country. Sauk county is thoroughly alive to the promotion of these public affairs looking toward the betterment of all concerned. Supt. G. W. Davies of Sauk county is the pioneer in this movement, and he is ably seconded by Prin. W. E. Smith of the county training school. Wisconsin Educational News Vacation! The N. E. A. at Chicago, July 6-12. Baraboo is to introduce domestic science next year. Outagamie county is working hard for a training school. The Langlade county training school had a class of nineteen graduates this year. The normal schools of the state this month graduate 712 persons from the full course. No Journal during the months of July and August. Our next issue will appear September first. The last bulletin of the Marathon county training school contains directions for corn contestants. An anti-tuberculosis campaign is to be carried on through all of the summer normal schools of the state. Green Bay had a school welfare exhibit last month which attracted an attendance of over 5,000 citizens. Prin. J. P. O'Conner of the Ericssen school, Superior, will be at the head of the new industrial school of that city. Prin. G. E. Dafoe of Wautoma goes to the principalship of the Waushara county training school located in the same city. Principal J. H. Wheelock of the Waushara county training school goes to the principalship of the new Medford training school. There were 500 contestants in the annual field meet for Racine county which was held at Union Grove the first of the present month. All the summer normal schools begin June 24 and end August 2, except that of Stevens Point which begins June 17 and closes July 26. As a result of the medical inspection at Appleton by the visiting nurse for April and May, 426 children were found to need medical attention. school will start a fresh air school for boys at Unity. It will open July 1, and close September 1. Prin. A. B. O'Neil of the Oshkosh high school has started an employment bureau for the benefit of the boys during the summer vacation. Medical inspection has been instituted in the Madison public schools. A city physician has been selected to do the work at an annual salary of $1,500. Someone attempted to burn up the schoolhouse at Wausaukee last month, but the fire was discovered in time to be put out by the local department. Mr. Robert J. Frye, who has been in the Eau Claire high school faculty, will have charge of the department of English of Lawerence College next year, The last Stout Institute bulletin relates largely to domestic science, and contains an outline and bibliography of food study and also a reference library for dietetics. The Jefferson principalship has been made into a city superintendency, and Supt. E. W. Waite has been re-elected for three years at a salary of $1,700, $1,800 and $1,900. Baldwin has had an enrollment of eighty-three in its high school this year, forty-five boys and thirty-eight girls. The graduating class has eight girls and eight boys. Miss Inez Lawrence of Delavan won the state high school declamatory contest, Miss Driscoll of River Falls won second, and Miss Ruth Hitter of Ashland was third. Mr. Leonard Evans of Sheboygan will have charge of the industrial school of that city, which will be located and under way at the beginning of the next school year. Thirty-nine young people graduate from the Marshfield high school this month. The girls in the class have voted not to pay over one dol Prin. John Humphrey of the Schofield graded lar each for their graduating dresses. On, June 15, the sixth annual Sauk county contests are to be held at Reedsburg. These are to be in spelling, language, arithmetic, aprons, bread making, and corn judging. Supervisor Harlacher of the manual training department of the Eau Claire schools has been appointed state supervisor of manual training and vocational work for the state of Maine. The Rock county training school for teachers has issued a most creditable course of study. The school is young but has had a very prosperous year with great promise for the future. By a new system of marking, the Ripon College athletic meet will provide a scale of standings by which the smaller high school will have a chance to compete with the larger ones in the league. In Glidden, Ashland county, on arbor day, trees and shrubs were planted by the school children, thirty-six flower beds were made, and 134 bird houses placed in different parts of the village. Pres. Charles McKenny of the Milwaukee normal was tendered a farewell banquet by the members of his faculty. He leaves July 1, to assume the presidency of the Ypsilanti, Mich., normal. More than eleven hundred Milwaukee public school teachers have paid their membership to the N. E. A. this year. There should be twice. as many from the state at large in attendance at the Chicago meeting. The girls of the graduating class of Fond du Lac high school, contrary to the usual custom these days, voted against the adoption of uniform gowns of inexpensive material for graduation exercises. A holocaust was narrowly avoided in a school district near Manitowoc last month, when during an entertainment the stage curtains caught fire from a colored light being used. A panic followed but no one was seriously injured. The normal regents have sent their new combination catalog to the 7,000 high school graduates of Wisconsin in an effort to induce more to take their first two years of college work in the normal schools of the state. The industrial world claims another Wisconsin schoolmaster. Supt. J. A. Hageman of Ft. Atkinson, who has been there for some twelve years, becomes president of the Ft. Atkinson Canning Co., at a salary of $2,500 per year. President H. E. Miles of the state board of industrial education has issued in pamphlet form an interesting writeup of Wisconsin's new laws on industrial education. This may be obtained by writing to the state superintendent at Madison. The press of the state last month had considerable to say about a school in the town of Franklin, Sheboygan county, being conducted at a cost of $500 annually for the instruction of one pupil. The teacher has been engaged for another year. Independence, Trempealeau county, has equipped its school grounds with playground apparatus. The funds were raised from an entertainment given by the schools and the money was expended for this purpose instead of going to the base ball fund. Prin. C. G. Stangel of the Manitowoc high school has issued an edict that smoking anywhere outside of the student's home will be considered a wrong, and anyone found guilty can not accept or receive any honor, favor, or recognition from his class or the school. The school board at Berlin seems to be in a deadlock and unable to select a superintendent for the coming year. The vote stands five to five. It is an unfortunate provision of any charter which does not provide for an odd number of members on the school board. The teachers of Wisconsin are well acquainted with the book firm of A. Flanagan & Co., of Chicago. Mr. Flanagan was formerly a Jefferson county boy and has built up a big business in teachers' helps. His very sudden death last month is regretted by a host of friends in this state. Dr. Charles McCarthy of the legislative reference library has hinted at some surprising conditions in the rural schools of Wisconsin relating to the teaching of agriculture. He deplores the fact that a competent and efficient teacher cannot be provided for this subject in every school. Upon the resignation of Miss Katherine A. Williams as secretary of the state teachers' association, Mr. M. A. Bussewitz of the Milwua |