Some experiments touching the matter in question have been made at home and abroad, with the result that most experimenters believe it is more economical to learn a selection as a whole rather than in parts, unless it is very long, so that it could be broken up into several unit wholes. All observers, so far as the writer knows, have condemned the one-or two-line method of mnemonic practice. The principle involved seems to be this: when the learner has fixed his one or two lines they tend to remain in his memory apart from the other lines. The various lines or groups do not hang together, because the attention has not swung through them as a unity. Indeed, the method of practice operates to keep them separate rather than to connect them. It seems to be a simple law of association that things that must be recalled in relation to one another must be learned in this way; and especially must they be drilled upon in close connection with one another. Teachers might be of help to their pupils if they would give talks on this subject, and perhaps have experiments with the entire school. Let one selection be learned by the two-line method, and another by the method of the whole as a unit, and see if pupils can not themselves detect that one is more economical and effective than the other. THE MILLS OF THE GODS.

The English educational magazines are having a good deal to say about the change in educational ideals and standards which is taking place at Oxford. The present chancellor, Lord Curzon, has entered upon a vigorous campaign to modernize this ancient institution. Oxford has been regarded by many people as the best illustration of a university devoted to classical training and to general "culture." Until very recently, training for efficiency was regarded with disfavor at Oxford; and, indeed, some prominert men in England now believe that the purpose of a university is to give general discipline without regard to any particular need, social or otherwise, in aftr life. Many Englishmen have resisted modern tendencies in education, not only in Oxford, but in their whole educational system. They have stood for a curriculum and for methods of teaching that would "train the mind," "discipline character," "develop the reasoning faculties," and so on. But some of these men have apparently become convinced that a régime designed to realize these for

mal aims can not adequately prepare the rising generation to compete with nations trained in accord with different principles. English people have seen their country fall from the first to a subordinate place in practically all important activities of national life; and most of them now appreciate that their misfortune has been due, in part at least, to a verbal and mechanical educational regimen. Even at Oxford plans are maturing for the introduction into the curriculum and the life of the place of modern notions which aim at efficiency in a large sense, rather than at mere static learning.

WHAT IS "CULTURE”?

What gets us more than anything else is to hear people say that a higher order of culture is derived from studying French grammar, say, than from studying in a broad way transportation or civil government or the irrigation of the desert. Some day we will define culture in terms of one's capacity to adjust himself in harmonious relations to the world in which he lives; which implies that he must be able to produce transformation in things so that they will minister to his needs. We will be agreed that the man who has amassed a lot of verbal knowledge, but who is out of touch with the world around him, and out of joint with the times, is just the opposite of cultured. Such an one is more or less alienated and socially diseased. The fundamental law of life is adjustment, and education should promote this,-adjustment to society, present and past so far as possible, and adjustment to nature. One who moves around in this world very much meets plenty of people who have lived a static life, assimilating the contents of books in the belief that culture consists in this sort of thing; and such persons are commonly not happy themselves and they are of little comfort or service to others. They have neither insight into the constitution of things nor skill to affect changes in the world around them.

CHILD WELFARE.

In a former issue of this Journal, we called attention to a novel exhibition in New York City designed to illustrate conditions essential for the proper development and welfare of the child. We predicted at that time that other cities would soon follow the example of New York, and would even improve upon what the latter city had done. To show that we are not entirely without the gift

of prophecy, (the trick was dead easy, though) we may call attention to the fact that a great child-welfare exhibition will be in progress in Chicago when this issue of the Journal reaches its readers. Unusual enthusiasm is being manifested in this exhibition by people of every class and interest in Chicago. The newspapers seem to be united in hearty support of the enterprise. One public-spirited woman has contributed $50,000 to the expense fund of the exhibition. All this is most encouraging. It means that society is apparently coming to give its attention to the subject of chief importance in this world-the sane and healthful development of the rising genera

tion.

Wisconsin ought not to lag behind in this movement. We have kept near the front in most lines of educational progress; and in this particular phase of educational work we could easily secure the co-operation of the public. The larger cities in our state might, without great expense or labor, have exhibitions illustrating the best modern methods of caring for children physically and mentally. The university, the colleges, and the normal schools ought to be provided with facilities for permanent exhibitions, to which additions should be made every year according as new and improved methods for the care and culture of the young are worked out. If the people of our state will express their interest in this matter where their expression will do the most good, it may be possible before long for educational institutions to secure what is needed in order to keep up with the times in respect to instruction in child welfare.

A MONUMENTAL BLUNDER.

The legislature has killed the bill providing for medical inspection of school children in this state. The only opposition to the bill was manifested by adherents to the Christian Science faith. Students of education, school superintendents and principals, teachers in the high schools and graded schools, and most of the parents of school children desire to have an effective system of medical inspection in this state. But a small minority of the people, whose philosophy denies the existence of disease, have been able to thwart the wishes of a vast majority of all who are interested in education. This strikes us as a tragedy. It seems to us that no man has a right to

imperil the health of four hundred children, say, in a public school, because he believes, or says he believes, there is no such thing as smallpox, diphtheria, or tuberculosis. Further, no parent should have the right, no matter what may be his religious or political or educational belief, to prevent even his own child from receiving the benefits of an expert examination of his vision, hearing, breathing, and dentition, so that if he has a defect the same may become known to the teacher, and he may be treated appropriately whenever possible.

Society says to a man: "you shall not take the life of your child, even if you believe it would be better for him to die young than to live out the natural course of life." Society says again to a parent: "you must send your children to school until they reach a given age, whether you believe in education or whether you don't." In the same manner, we ought to be able to say to a parent: "you must have your child's eyes, ears, throat, and teeth examined, no matter what your philosophy about the matter may be." If society should defer to all the superstitions possessed by different individuals, we wouldn't have any education or sanitation or anything else that constitutes civilization. To prevent, on religious grounds, the medical examination of school children in the light of what has been shown regarding the prevalence of sensory and respiratory defects, is nothing but gross superstition, in our opinion.

The writer of this note knows many Christian Science people whose philosophy has the most delightful influence upon their daily lives. On the whole, they are optimistic people, who try to keep thinking about things that are most worth while. This is all good and proper. But these persons who say they think no evil of anyone ought not to block the desires of nine-tenths of the people of this state because of their own religious convictions. We personally doubt whether most of them have any real convictions in respect to the matter under consideration. At any rate, we have in mind now a Christian Scientist who, while suffering terribly with headaches, stoutly maintained that there was no such thing as a headache, and especially that defective vision could be the cause of pain. But after years of acute suffering, he at last sought the services of an oculist, and he would not now do without his glasses any more

than he would without his pantaloons. And yet he thinks his philosophy should lead him to deny that children's eyes should be examined in the schools. It is against this absolutely irrational, superstitious attitude that we protest when it comes to having any influence upon how the school children of this state shall be treated.

THE COMMENCEMENT GOWN.

This is simply to report progress in the direction of simplicity in commencement exercises. We have alluded to this matter in previous issues of the Journal; and it is encouraging to note that in every part of the state pupils have more or less voluntarily agreed to dress simply during commencement week, and thus to save themselves and their parents from a good deal of strain and stress. Since our last issue, the newspapers have reported that many graduating classes in high schools have voted to adopt a regime of simplici-. ty. Let the good work go on until every high school in the state shall be brought into the fold.

HANDWRITING.

In France there is an organization known as The League of National Handwriting. In its membership are educational people, medical men, oculists, and scientists devoted to the study of various phases of childhood. Sometime ago this League undertook a study of the hygiene and pedagogy of handwriting. A report has recently been made condemning vertical writing, and advocating the slant style in its stead. The report says that the vertical style is relatively slow, fatiguing, and injurious to the nerves and eyes of pupils.

We can remember when the vertical style was introduced in our country We have followed in detail the discussion at home and abroad of the

relative merits of slant and vertical writing. The latter style has been kept in the schools mainly because of the persistence of vested interests. Makers of vertical copybooks have been the chief advocates of this system, and in spite of all that has been said against it, it is still maintained in many communities. If we remember correctly, the Milwaukee board of education recently voted to preserve the system in the schools Unless a board of education has gained the opinion of expert students on a matter of this sort, what good is its judgment on such a question?

BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

The day is past when the typical member of a board of education can form a rational opinion regarding ninety-nine one hundredths of all that goes on in the schoolroom. Practically every educational problem is now being subjected to experimental study. Organizations for promoting the scientific study of childhood and youth are forming in every part of the world at an extraordinary rate. This all means that off-hand opinions of non-experts on teaching will not be respected much longer. The time was when the views on teaching of a butcher, a baker, or a candle-stick-maker were as good as any other person's views; but their opinions are not worth much today, and they will be worth still less a decade from now.

BOYS COMING TO THE FRONT.

The newspapers report that in the high school in Oshkosh, the boys exceed the girls this year in the numbers of those who are graduating, and excel them in athletics, debating, and literary activities. In the matter of class distinctions, the boys have captured practically everything this year, the valedictory and salutatory honors, among other things. On the staff of The Index, the monthly publiction, there are four boys to one girl. Some of the newspapers, commenting upon these facts, think boys are awakening to the necessity of resuscitating the honor of the masculine sex in the high school. There are some evidence that the scholarship among the men is improving in the University, too. In the recent elections to the Phi Betta Kappa society, there is a larger proportion of males than has been the case in the past. We hope there will no unholy rivalry develop between the sexes in the schools; but it would give us some pleasure to be assured that the boys would in the future strain themselves more than they have done in the past in order to develop their talents to the fullest extent. It would also be comforting if we could feel confident that the high school is not going to become a girls' finishing school, as some people have been fearing.

"There's a rule in life to guide you
As you seek prosperity:
Never to put your wish-bone
Where your back-bone ought to be."

IN

as

'N order that the student of public school music may have a clear understanding of its present status, he must inquire into its origin and development. Music is essentially complex; it has its scientific, pedagogic, aesthetic, and cultural pects, each of these in turn being many sided. Only after long and careful study can one succeed in so coordinating these branches of the art that it may have its fullest and highest development. It is easily seen that the teaching of any branch of music, e. g. instrumental, vocal, or theoretical, should be carried on with a complete understanding of the effect of such teaching upon music as a whole, for all phases are mutually dependent. Public school music has a most vital connection not only with all other phases of music, but also with the musical welfare of the entire community. More than that, it has its distinct function in general education. The things which school training does for children are, mainly, to give them certain elementary conceptions of the common provinces of the mind; to form habits of attention and observation and in due time reflexion; and to begin to familiarize them with the store of "that which has been best done and said in the world" and so lay the foundations of what we call culture. Music as a sharpener of attention and observation and as a field of culture has great claims on the educator.

Now, it is in the schoolroom that many children make for the first time the formal acquaintance of the art and its study. Many are unable to learn anything about music in any other way owing to the conditions under which they live and therefore are dependent on the schools for the musical training and information they receive. For the child who is more happily situated music in school should provide inspiration, as well as information which the child might not otherwise obtain, for an many cases the teacher of piano, for example, aims solely at making the pupil play, with absolute neglect of the development of a love and appreciation of music. This however is necessary to pass through that period which is sure to arrive sooner or later-the period at which the child discovers that the way to musical pro

ficiency is by no means easy. The school should aim to make music a very vital, living thing; to make the children better for having come within its influence. The work of the schoolroom should also reflect directly on the work done under the private teacher, each benefitting by the other. Let us now inquire into the beginnings of this exceedingly important branch of musical art.

The first suggestion of formal instruction in music began with the formation of the singing school toward the beginning of the 18th century. This institution had its genesis in an effort to improve church music by teaching the youth of a community to sing by note, thereby displacing the psalmody of the puritans. Singing was the only form of music which our forefathers would tolerate, instrumental music being looked on as a snare of the evil one; indeed, after searching many records, I am prepared to state that the early settlers of this country brought nothing in the form. of an instrument with them.

This dislike for music reflected on the musician personally. The professional musician of this period was without social standing and was in general disrepute. Indeed one does not have to go back to 1700 to find how poorly musicians were thought of. Sixty-five years ago music was 80 thoroughly discredited that it was one of the careers which even the talented person hesitated venturing upon. Little social or professional discrimination was made between fiddlers for country dances, organists, teachers, and performing artists.

Despite the poor light in which the teacher of music was regarded, the singing school became one of the most popular institutions of both town and city. The social features which it afforded made it especially welcome in rural districts, for it became the gathering place for all the young people of the villages. Musical standards were not very high, so the musical equipment of the teachers in these singing schools was seldom questioned. They moved from town to town, staying from six to eight weeks in each, charging a smal! fee for the course of lessons, and in exchange bringing much happiness and pleasure into the

communities, as well as spreading abroad a knowledge of music which has been of great value. As a class, they were very inferior musicians but as contributors toward the progress of music, they are to be highly regarded; for a man must be regarded in the light of his influence on his times.

Such an institution must have left some lasting effect in its wake. Perhaps the greatest effect of the singing school was the desire for something better; and the subsequent formation of choral societies was the direct result of the interest in music which the singing school aroused. The first

choral society in America was formed at Stough

ton, Mass., in 1786, and is still in existence. The Handel and Haydn Society of Boston was founded in 1815, the influence of which organization on musical progress is incalculable.

Here we find the beginning of music as an art in America. But the singing school and its offspring, the choral society, were the beginning of yet another branch of musical endeavor-the musical convention. These conventions, counterparts of which are still held in various portions of the South, took on the qualities of both singing school and choral society. A course of lessons in sight reading and the rudiments of music was followed by a concert, the proceeds of which went to the conductor. The convention was held at a central point convenient to the people of a large area, the people from distant points coming in their carriages or ox-carts as the case might be. While these conventions undoubtedly lacked in artistic finish and refinement, still the good which they accomplished for the cause of music was much greater than is usually supposed.

All these early musical efforts seem to have had one general result: Music was brought into direct contract with the people and this was perhaps, their greatest value. The privations of the early settlers were so great that what little music they did bring over with them was crushed to earth. It was necessary that music be brought into the lives of the common people if it was to thrive as an art in this country. It was just this that the singing school and convention did; and of the two the convention, reaching more people than the singing school, undoubtedly performed the greater service. The modicum of musical instruction which they affored prepared for the com

ing of better instruction and stimulated pedagogical discussion.

With the spreading of musical culture among the people, and the improvement of church music, came the idea of teaching children to sing, and a number of men began pioneer work in this field. Probably the first was William Tuckey of New York, who, as early as 1753, formed classes for children in connection with a chairty school conducted by Trinity Church. Mr. N. D. Gould of Boston was active in organizing classes for children in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey from about 1820, and was especially active after the year 1830 However, Lowell Mason, born at Medfield, Mass., January 8, 1792, was the true founder of this phase of music teaching. He was especially well equipped for the work, as he brought to it not only a type of musicianship unusual for that period, but also a comprehensive knowledge of Pestalozzian principles of teaching and a genial, loving, and magnetic personality coupled with a capacity for hard work, as well as the enthusiasm born of a great idea.

In 1832 he organized the Boston Academy of Music, which was pledged to further the cause of music. Classes for children were formed and a department for the training of teachers in the methods of teaching singing to children was included in the curriculum. Fifteen hundred

pupils were soon enrolled in the school, which fact shows clearly how great was the interest awakening and waiting for a directing hand.

The educational authorities became interested in the work which was being done with the children, and soon extended permission to Mason to teach music in certain of the public schools of Boston. This was exactly what Mason had been working toward, for he well realized that in the public schools he would find a medium for spreading musical culture far and wide, with the added advantage of having youths as its distributors. The experiment was so successful that Mason was soon placed absolutely in charge of the work in the schools.

Probably his greatest work, not withstanding the immense value of his achievements with the children, was his efforts with the normal classes. Into these classes he poured his best thought, doing all in his power to convey to the young men