enthusiasm for it unless he is in a plastic, progressive attitude toward it.

For the man who merely instructs, knowledge is apt to be more or less dead, lifeless, inert. Moreover, he is not likely to discriminate between truth and error. What he teaches is rather a matter of memory on his own part than genuine understanding; for the latter is secured only through individual initiative in discovering it, or at least in applying it in new ways to human needs. Take a hundred college teachers, and those who really are successful, who arouse enthusiasm for knowledge and skill on the part of their pupils, are those who have the spirit of investigators. For such persons all they teach is significant; they know what is really vital, while the other men really do not know. All things are alike to the memorizer, because he is not testing anything in a vital way.

RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP.

The institutions in this country which are teaching undergraduates in the best way are the very ones in which the spirit of investigation is on the whole most active. The universities which have caused knowledge to be spread among men, and to become most effective in their lives, have always had an interest in enlarging the boundaries of knowledge. In our day the institutions that have the least dynamic effect upon the lives of undergraduates are those which aim merely to teach. what is supposed to be known. In such institutions knowledge is not an active, fluid thing; it is handled in a static way, to be passed on to others through the medium of the instructor, who has got it up mechanically for this purpose.

Of course, it would be folly to attach such importance to investigation in the university that effective instruction would be neglected. That this may be the case in any institution in the initial stages of developing an interest in graduate study is theoretically possible. But that instruction is neglected in any of the great universities, especially in our own, so that research may monoplize the energies of instructors is not true. In this as in all other matters, it is a question of adjustment, and the adjustment may not be perfect at any particular time; but the men in higher education are earnestly trying to secure the proper balance between instruction and investigation.

WISCONSIN'S STANDING AMONG SCHOLARS.

The people of the state, and especially the teachers whose function it is to discover and disseminate knowledge, should view with pleasure the fact that the University of Wisconsin has attained unusual distinction for the number and quality of its scholars. There has just been published an important biographical dictionary of the eminent. men of science in America. In a special article the editor calls attention to the remarkable record made recently by the University of Wisconsin. It heads the list of state universities; and it compares very well with those long-established and wealthy institutions,-Harvard, Yale, and Columbia. Most significant of all, Wisconsin has not during the past seven years lost from the honor list a single one of its scholars, which can not be said of many other American universities. Our people ought to feel their pulse beating a little sronger when they reflect on this matter. It means that the university is virile and progressive; and that while it is reaching out into every practical interest and activity in the state, it is also develop-. ing the highest type of scholarship in its faculty. Is not this something for any new and simple state to feel good over?

The men in the faculty of the university do not receive large salaries, compared with the institutions in its class. Some of the men who are attracting national and even international attention on account of the quality of their work, are living on very meager stipends, a half or a third of what some men of really lesser power receive at Harvard or Columbia. These men stay at Wisconsin because they like the freedom of the place, and its democratic spirit. And these are the men whom the students of the university, many of them, have a chance to listen to and to work with. Any teacher can appreciate what this means for the intellectual life of the state, and the personal development of individuals.

MONEY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

The present writer can remember that when the public high school was being established in certain eastern communities, some people said: "Let us spend all our money on the elementary schools. Let the people who can afford it pay for instruction in the high school. What we want to do is to enlighten the masses, and we want to devote to

There are those in our state who are now saying: "The university is making too heavy demands on the state treasury. Let us attend first to the needs of the elementary and the high school, and let the university go slow hereafter. Let us educate the common people instead of the select few." The increasing demands made by the university seem to some persons to be unreasonable. Such persons do not appreciate that it is extending its field of operations at an extraordinary rate, in an effort to keep pace with the needs of this commonwealth. There are colleges in America that have not materially changed their curriculum or methods of instruction in fifty years. Institutions of this type do not require a greatly increased budget every year, because they do substantially the same work decade after decade.

But see how different it is with our own university. We are a new and plastic community. We are developing in new directions constantly, and this means new educational needs. The university, aiming to be of service to all classes, is bringing under scientific treatment activities which have heretofore been performed by rule of thumb. There are now literally scores of subjects treated in the spirit of contemporary science which were never heard of in any university twenty-five years ago, and which some of the eastern colleges have not yet heard of. And the end is not yet. Indeed, it is probable that there are many fields of human interest and activity that are not now represented in the university, but which will be in the future.

A CONCRETE INSTANCE.

All this means continual increase in expenses, not only to care for increasing numbers of students, but also to provide for the enlarging needs of the state. Take the one subject of education. In order properly to treat this subject, so that we may solve the problems which are pressing upon us, the university should have far better equipment and larger resources than can now be provided for the department of education. There are scores of problems pertaining to teaching that ought to be carefully studied but that can not be investigated at present, because the state does not provide the necessary means to carry on the work.

Think what could be done for our schools and our homes if the university could have proper

resources for studying in a careful way the nature of childhood and youth, and the most effective and economic methods of training. And what is true of education is true of most, if not all, interests and activities in the state. This is why the university finds it necessary constantly to demand enlarged resources. Just as long as it grows it will be in need of larger and larger funds. Would any one interested in the progress of this state have it otherwise?

DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?

In his talk to the high-school teachers at the last meeting of the W. T. A. in Milwaukee, Principal McLenegan said he thought it didn't make much difference what a pupil studied, only so that he learned to apply himself to disagreeable tasks, and to be honest and faithful and persevering in all his undertakings. We know farmers who, not knowing any better, say it makes no difference what one feeds cows or horses or pigs, only so they be filled up with something. But the spcialists in feeding animals, the men who have taken pains to investigate this complex matter, say it makes all the difference in the world what a cow or horse or pig eats. Scientific agriculture differs from the other kind because it proceeds on the proposition that everything that is done makes a difference. But the old fogies in the business console themselves with the illusion that one way is just as good as another.

We spent some years in one of the orchard districts of New York state. Today these orchards are rapidly passing into a state of decay. The men in charge have gone along on the theory that it didn't make any difference how the orchards were treated. But in the past fifteen years the great orchards of Washington and Oregon have developed on the theory that everything makes a difference, and in five years more the New York orchardists of the old style will be passé. The itmakes-no-difference philosophy won't work in practice.

We have recently heard men ridicule the law in this state abolishing the public drinking cup. They say it makes no difference, for it never has made any, whether or not a lot of people use drinking cups in common. There lies before us as we write an editorial written by a novice who pokes fun at the idea that people should in winter have their windows open in their sleeping rooms. He

says the Chinese, the Hottentots, et al don't have their windows open, so what difference does it make? Every principle of hygiene which has elevated the tide of life has been laughed at by the man in the street, who takes only a superficial view of any complex matter.

One purpose of science in any field is to show that everything counts. Common sense overlooks most of the vital factors in any complicated object or phenomenon. The man who reads as he runs never gets much from his reading; he doesn't discriminate between things that may really be quite unlike in their composition and function.

Any unprejudiced observer can find plenty of people who may be persevering and industrious and honest in the study of grammar, say, but who may never pay a bill on time, or shovel the snow from their walks in winter, or persist in the effort to eliminate corruption from the politics of the community or the country, and so on ad libitum. Every advance in education has been due to a recognition of the principle that the effect of any study or method upon the intellect and character and habits of a pupil is specific and not general. It does make a difference what is taught the young, and how it is presented to them; and we must keep at it until we find out if possible just what difference it does make.

WISER COUNSEL.

The subject discussed by Mr. MeLenegan was assigned also to Superintendent Cary, who took a different, and in our opinion a wiser and more helpful, view of the problem. Mr. Cary pointed out that the whole educational business is very complex; but as teachers we often, perhaps usually, regard it as a simple matter. Many of us do not keenly appreciate that there are relative values in the topics which we are teaching, some of them being of vast importance, while others are of comparatively slight consequence. Again, in our methods of teaching we are often not likely to take account of the differences between individuals, and the requirements for effective learning on the part of pupils. We are apt to assume a general and more or less formal attitude toward the work of instruction, with the result that much of our own effort and a large part of the time of pupils is wasted.

The only remedy for evils of this kind is critical study, (1) of the capacities and needs of individuals and of classes, (2) of the worth of the different materials of instruction, and (3) of the proper methods of presenting these materials so that they may be comprehended and utilized by pupils in the most economical and effective way.

It seems to us this is the kind of advice now needed to be given teachers, rather than that offered by Mr. McLenegan, when he stated it as his opinion that one thing is just as good as another in teaching.

EDUCATIONAL POLITICS.

Our notion of nothing to get "het up" about is electioneering for an office in an educational association. But there are apparently a good many people who think differently on this subject. Leastwise, a number of ordinarily well-balanced persons seemed to get excited over the elections at the last Milwaukee rally. They stood about the balloting places, and buttonholed passers-by on behalf of their respective Mighty Men. One could hear these miniature politicians setting before strangers an account of the life and miracles of this man or that one, and loaning pencils to those who were not sufficiently interested in the voting to provide themselves with the implements necessary to an expression of their convictions. In some cases the "workers" wasted no time or energy in getting votes. They would bring a troop of girls to a sudden halt, and salute them thus: "Vote for our man. He's a skylark or a whale or some great wonder worker." And the girls, knowing nothing about the matter and caring less, would do as they were bid, as girls should

do.

Some gentlemen in talking over these methods allowed that it was impossible to get out a large vote in any other way. But why in the name of goodness is it necessary to roll up a big total? Wouldn't it be vastly better to have just those who are really interested select the officers of the association, and do so quietly and without hawking from the friends (sic?) of candidates? What does it signify to have votes from fifteen hundred girls who do what some "worker" asks them to do? An educational office ought to be regarded as an expression of respect for a man by those who know him or his deeds, and he and his "workers" ought to keep out of the game absolutely.

This is not now done by candidates for the star places in our teachers' organizations; and of course no particular man who should announce himself as a candidate for an office could sit by quietly, and see his rival sweating hard in the effort to beat him.

By the way, it gets on one's nerves to read in

the papers about the lively "race" being run for this or that office in a teachers' association. We stand on this proposition, that when a man must strain every nerve and muscle to get people to vote for him, his election may be evidence rather of his industry than of the esteem in which he is held by his associates and fellow craftsmen.

AGRAVE problem in any subject of study is

The

the difficulty on the part of students to image the percepts in the subject matter; and much more is the difficulty to get a mental grasp of the concepts of the subject. But to attempt to deal with the concept before the percepts involved are known, would at once be pronounced as absured. terms of algebra are mostly in the nature of concepts and abstractions. How then can they be appreciated, except as the percepts or concrete elements involved have been clearly imaged in the mind. Is it not true that this imaging process by which the symbols of algebra must at first be illustrated and interpreted is too often omitted? What is the result? The pupil does the best that he can under the circumstances; viz., tries to reproduce from memory the order of manipulation of symbols given him by book or teacher without any real appreciation of the spirit or aims of the process. Hence algebra is studied by him for its own sake, algebra to him is algebra and nothing more. Algebra is a tool for use elsewhere. But a tool that has no conceivable work to do for any individual, no matter how skilfully he may wield it, is as useless as color to a blind man. The mental manipulation of algebraic symbols if they do not stand for anything in the pupil's mind, even if done in a systematic order, is, to say the least, of doubtful utility.

It is true that a higher order of thinking than that which involves the constant imaging of the concrete is that by the use of symbols; but this is only truly thinking when the imaging has been done to such an extent that the mind can readily abbreviate the process by substituting symbols. But, I repeat, to reiterate the symbols used in another person's thought, even in the very same or

der of procedure, if they do not really stand for something in his mind, is a farce.

I think all will agree that one of the great functions of algebra is to develop methods of deducing formulae for use in other mathematics, physics, etc. But I appeal to your experience: If you should work out with your pupils who have finished algebra any formula of physics or other subject, being careful not to use the technical algebraic terms, would more than a smalll per cent of them even recognize the algegraic processes, let alone drawing help and inspiration from the subject? If, however, in their study of algebra, the pupils could draw illustrations from arithmetic, physics, geometry,, etc., to make clear the meaning and functions of algebra, its use would be more apparent. To take an illustration from arithmetic: Pupils solve in arithmetic such problems as; One man has $20 more than another and they both have $80. How many dollars has each? In algebra such problems as x + y =a and x - y = b, to find x and y. Would it not at once throw light upon the meaning of algebra to let the pupil see that the former is a special case under the latter, and that the answers a+b and in the latter, x = y = are but 2 formulae which can be interpreted into rules, for the solution of all problems in the class of the former? He may then, too, be able to see that the higher symbolic method of algebra can take the place of the imaging processes of arithmetic.

a-b 2

For further illustration,-how many algebra students so appreciate the meaning of coefficient that they can apply it in such expressions in arithmetic as 3 times 4? If asked to add 3 x 4 and 3 x 6, will they get such help from Algebra that

they will look for a unit of addition other than one, as 3, and use the 4 and 6 as coefficients, as four 3's and six 3's ten 3's, or 30? If mensuration in arithmetic or geometry could be drawn upon sufficiently to clarify the meaning of the elements of an algebraic term so that the coefficient or number element and the remaining factor or unit element could be appreciated, algebra would become a more valuable means by which to interpret truth. Again do our pupils appreciate that that well known expression a +2ab+b2 is but a general formula or rule in algebra language, for finding the product of 32 x 32, 45 x 45, etc.? That x ax + b or x2+7x+12 is a formula for finding the product of 84 by 87 or 36 x 34, etc?

The quadratic equation in the latter part of the course is frequently solved by deducing a formula from the general quadratic, ax + bx =c, which when interpreted gives a rule that leads to a short cut solution. But when this method is used not only for the solution of quadratic equations but to illustrate the aims and methods of algebra, it can be made of much more use than usually is done. For the mechanical difficulties ought by this time to have been mastered so that the pupils can now, if ever, think in terms of algebraic cymbols,, and more fully than ever before understand the aims and functions of algebra.

Somebody has said, "Algebra is a vehicle for other mathematics." Then to the extent that this is true its value depends upon its readiness in the pupil's mind to carry the load imposed in the other subjects.

The question then, "Has algebra a useful place in our school courses?" would seem to be answered in the negative, unless its symbols can be so fully illustrated and interpreted that finally the pupil comes to think in terms of the language of the subject, and to appreciate the methods of algebra for the purpose of abbreviating and interpreting the processes of other subjects.

WHY MARGARET, THIS IS HERESY.

Miss Margaret Ashmun of Rural, Waupaca county, instructor of English in the University of Wisconsin, who graduated from the Normal in 1897, speaks in defense of the high school boy who is fascinated by the dime novel in an article

in School Review issued by the University of Chicago. She says:

"Don't be alarmed if your son reads such lurid productions as Deadwood Dick, Nick Carter and the rest, and your daughter leans toward the sentimental productions turned out by Mary J. Holmes and her imitators. Now there is nothing particularly alarming in a small boy's taste for books of the kind just indicated. It simply means that he is a boylike boy, who has a liking for the concrete, and loves action and energy and heroism as he properly should."

Miss Ashmun suggests as a remedy the gradual substitution of a better class of literature.— Stevens Point Press.

DON'T LOOK FOR FLAWS.
Don't look for flaws as you go through life;
And even when you find them

It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind,
And look for the virtue behind them.
For the cloudiest night has a hint of the
light

Somewhere in its shadows hiding;

It is better far to hunt for a star

Than the spots on the sun abiding. The current of life runs every way

To the bosom of God's great ocean; Don't set your force 'gainst the river's course And think to alter its motion. Don't waste a curse on the universe; Remember it lived before you; Don't butt at the storm your puny form, But bend, let it fly o'er you. The world will never adjust itself

To suit your whim to the letter; Some things must go wrong your whole life long,

And the sooner you know it the better. It is folly to fight with the Infinite,

And go under at last in the wrestle The wiser man shapes into God's great plan, As the water shapes into the vessel. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox in Progressive Age.

THE TEACHER'S PRAYER.

"May every soul that touches mine

Be it the slightest contact-get therefrom some good,
Some little grace, one kindly thought,

One inspiration yet unfelt, one bit of courage
For the darkening sky, one gleam of faith
To brave the thickening ills of life,

One glimpse of brighter skies beyond the gathering mists,

To make this life worth while and Heaven a surer heritage."

The Journal of Education.