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high schools has, on the whole, proved to be of the same character. The high schools can give the literary and scientific training for common school teachers, and are steadily improving in this work; we can sweep away the third grade certificate with safety and ought to do it; but we should still lack professional training for common school work. Perhaps the Ontario system, of which we publish an account elsewhere, taken from a book by the minister of education of that province, may be the cheapest and most practical way of providing for our need. At any rate it is high time the question were receiving serious and intelligent study among us.

A VALUABLE report on Text-books in American history, made to the New England History Teachers' Association, appears in the December number of the Educational Review. "The committee are unanimous in favoring the largest possible use of collateral reading, and the largest training in methods of historical investigation which time will permit.' The old-style text-book, made by a literary hack, on a cut-and-dried pattern, without wide knowledge, sound interpretation or apprehension of values, has very little to commend it. Its fancy pictures are, if possible, worse than the text. The new books have some regard to proportion and the historic significance of events; they develop geographical relations, emphasize the national period, cut down wars and dwell upon constitutional, industrial, and social growth. They attain a more judicial view on controverted points, especially slavery.

Pedagogical aids in the way of bibliography, topical analyses, suggestive questions, and topics for further study are now common. Their chief lack is in vitality, that quality of style and treatment which holds and stimulates the reader. The appendix of the report contains critical notes upon eighteen different texts now in common use, and does not by any means include all. The report shows clearly the progress made in preparing texts, and implies the great advance in scope and significance which has taken place in the teaching of the subject.

THE struggle between Supt. Andrews and the Chicago school board has been watched with a good deal of interest all over the country, because it is recognized that the principle at issue is one of grave import to the schools, and the outcome at Chicago sure to influence strongly the trend of opinion and practice all over the land. The question was substantially, shall the appointment of teachers be left as hitherto in the hands of committees to

be swayed by "pulls," or shall it be practically under the control of the educational head of the school system? When it was reported that Dr. Andrews had sent in his resignation, the serious nature of the struggle was fully apparent. That at length a way was found for his continuance in office without loss of self-respect, is sufficient evidence that the conflict was not in vain. Clearly some gain has

been made towards recognizing and applying the doctrine of appointments from educational considerations alone; and we may look to see this view now gain ground steadily in our cities. We need independent and able superintendents to battle for it in other centers.

DEFECTS IN HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE WORK.

It is not surprising that the introduction of laboratory work in the high schools has been attended with defects and failures. Perfection is not to be expected in any form of teaching until after long experience. Discussion of the errors in laboratory teaching must not therefore be looked upon as unfavorable criticism of this kind of work, nor as a severe ar

raignment of those who have not overcome or appreciated all the difficulties.

Perhaps the most common defect is waste of time. Pupils trifle, and loiter, and stray from the real purpose. Considerable skill is required to keep an algebra class, or a Latin class from wasting time; indeed many teachers do not realize the necessity of teaching their classes how to work effectively at these tasks; but the temptations to waste are much greater in the laboratory, as there are more distractions, less clearly understood purposes, and greater freedom of movement and intercourse. Sometimes the waste results from doing profitless experiments-profitless because they are trivial, or unwisely selected, or needlessly multiplied, as are drill examples in mathematics. A good laboratory manual is the best corrective for such waste. It is hardly to be expected that a teacher who is burdened with many classes can lay out a scheme for a year's work in physics, for example, which will be as well proportioned and wisely arranged in details as that laid down in a good manual. But waste results also from easy going administration, which permits pottering and chaffiing in the laboratory, so that two or three hours are spent in doing what might easily be accomplished in one. It is to be feared that this error is quite common. Laboratory work, if it is to minister to real growth, ought to be earnest, businesslike, and vigorous, so as to develop power to deal with

It is the emphasis upon teach

things efficiently and skilfully. It should are to teach. drive to its purpose, as it is not likely to doing realities in contrast to formal memorizing without definite exactions and constant, vigi- which has brought this about; for books are lant supervision. Laboratory pottering is not but a means of getting at things, guides and laboratory work. helps to seeing for yourself and thinking for yourself; and in proportion as this is recognized will the need of instruction in the ways. of using them be also recognized. We can remember when it was an offence against good order to be found using any other than your text-book in schools; and then to know the text was the highest ideal of school attainment. Now we insist upon school libraries as a necessary part of the equipment for acceptable work, and in many subjects speak with depreciatory tone of "a mere text-book exercise." Not only the high school but also the grammar school must seek to introduce the pupils to the larger world of books, and to give them some skill in discriminating therein what is of worth from what is worthless. All this is as yet but imperfectly understood. The old ideal lingers, and interferes with the new, and the teacher who wishes to give definite and accurate knowledge sometimes questions whether the new drift is not incompatible with his aims. The answer comes thru recognizing more clearly the need of teaching how to use books.

Further, the mere performing of experiments, however vigorously done, is not satisfactory laboratory work. An experiment must be accurately done if it counts for anything; and it must be clearly interpreted, so that the principles involved are satisfactorily exhibited. The device for securing this is the laboratory note-book, which ought to show not only what was done, and what resulted, but what the result means, how it is to be interpreted or what it shows. We have seen. not a few note-books from which this obvious requisite was entirely wanting. The record did not anywhere show that the experiment had any purpose or any significance. Such note-books are of very little worth, and leave one seriously in doubt whether the laboratory work itself means anything to the pupil. Nothing but observation of many cases of reprehensible negligence in such things would lead us to add that the note-book ought to be neatly kept and written up, with due regard to spelling and grammatical and rhetorical correctness. Criticism of such defects is sometimes met with a look and tone of resentment, as tho the science teacher had nothing to do with these details, which makes it all the more necessary to insist upon attention to them.

One other obvious remark seems to be necessary; no teaching of physics, for example, can be accounted satisfactory from which the pupils do not derive some knowledge of physics. We have found one school in which the laboratory was closed up, on the ground that when it was in operation the classes did not learn anything of physics; they knew no definitions, they understood no general principles, they did not even comprehend what was meant by physics. A wide-spread experience akin to this led to the reaction now general against the exclusively laboratory method of teaching, instead of which we insist upon both text-book and laboratory work. Vague impressions, which cannot be formulated into tolerably accurate verbal expression, cannot be accounted satisfactory scientific knowledge; neither can desultory, unorganized facts and principles. Our elementary training in science ought to prepare a basis of definite, organized knowledge to serve for further acquisitions.

BOOKS IN SCHOOL LIFE,

S.

How to use books-that is one of the arts which our schools are slowly learning that they

It is necessary for pupils-even young pupils to learn how to use books as a means of investigation. They should be taught how to run down a topic by means of the tables of contents and the indexes; how to pluck out of a paragraph or a chapter what is pertinent to their purpose; how to collate and compare different authorities; even how to value in some sort the different authorities they may consult. To this end they must give some attention to the book as well as to their topic, so much at least as to know who is its author and who are the publishers. It is surprising how many young people fail to attend to these details, even of the texts they are following daily-it is "my history" or "my literature," and beyond this they do not know. In the larger world of books one who proceeds thus heedlessly is soon lost, whereas knowledge of them grows almost without effort when a correct habit has been formed. The history classes and the science classes, especially the former, and in the elementary schools the geography classes, afford the best opportunities for this sort of training, and such classes can hardly be pronounced satisfactory unless it is done.

knowledge of them

But it is quite as important that pupils should grow in their appreciation of works of literature. Two means of promoting this are es

pecially valuable. First we place the welldirected school study of literary works. We have advanced so far as to have included in our courses of study certain classical writings, and the publishers have issued them in suitable forms and well edited; but we have much to learn yet as to how this work should be done. The dreary oral reading of them, with dreary questions as to the meanings of some of the words and the figures of speech, are well calculated to give a decided distaste for such There is truth as well as satire in the books. question, "Can literature survive its introduction as a school study?" It is beside our purpose here to discuss how literature should be taught, but no teaching can be called good which does not develop a genuine appreciation for great masterpieces and an earnest desire after the best. But besides the slower and more critical reading of the class, pupils should be stimulated to read rapidly and for the enjoyment of them, really strong and artistic books. An occasional exercise in which they give some account of a book which they have enjoyed, and even some appreciation of it, its characters, its management, its meaning, its art, is of very great value and will result in their helping each other to work into new fields. Beyond this even they must be allowed to browse freely in the fields of good literature without any necessity of giving an account of themselves. What Dr. Holmes called "rolling about in a library" has been the making of some of our best writers and speakers. Time so spent is not wasted, but expands the mind and cultivates the taste even tho it seems to give little definite and abiding knowledge.

Many more topics might be suggested, such as morning talks about some great books, or some suggestive essay, or some current theme with sources of information, and so on; a library half hour followed by accounts of what was learned; instructions as to the classification of the library and its resources, how to handle books; library experiences as to the reading habits of people and what they teach; and so on. There are many ways besides the regular class work in which a school guided by broad and enlightened views of its purpose may promote the real broadening and refinement of its pupils.

THE MONTH.

WISCONSIN NEWS AND NOTES.

S.

-The Manual Training school at Menominie has recently added to its means of instruction a fine collection of casts, containing

besides sculptures, illustrations of the orders of Greek architecture and forms of Greek ornamentation.

-The high school at Neillsville has a new laboratory fitted up in a room finished off for it in the attic. The school is full to overflowing, and the erection of a new building to accommodate it cannot be deferred many years.

-We note with regret that Prin. A. R. Hager, of Fond du Lac, has been obliged to give up school work on account of a serious affection of his eyes. The management of the school has been given to the first assistant, Miss Elizabeth Waters.

-The Beaver Dam high school recently had an "Army and Navy" evening, with a program of appropriate essays and recitations, concluded with the singing in chorus of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Kipling's Recessional very appropriately made one of the recitations.

-The constitution of the force in the office of the state superintendent under Superintendent Harvey is as follows: Assistant superintendent W. N. Parker; high school inspector W. D. Parker; chief clerk C. A. Harper; library clerk Mae E. Schreiber, typewriters Miss Merrick and Mrs. Hayner.

-Columbus was not the only one of the accredited schools which failed by oversight to be marked with an asterisk. Neither Fort Atkinson nor West Bend has been dropped from the university list, altho not marked. We regret the mistakes, but our readers will appreciate the difficulties of avoiding them.

-This year's Directory of the state university shows a total enrollment of 1,479 as against 1,423 the year previous. This does not include the school of agriculture, nor the dairy school, in which there are now over three hundred students. The chief increase is in the College of Letters and Science, which enrolls fifty more students than it did a year ago.

-At the examintion for teachers' state certificates, seven were granted, two limited and five superintedent's, as follows: LIMITED: G. A. Collins, Capron, Ill.; Charles L. Newberry, Kenosha. SUPERINTENDENT'S: Kate Finnegan, Manitowoc; Leo P. Fox, Holland, Wis.; Charles A. Kading, Lowell, Wis.; Frida Krieger, Kiel, Wis.; Elizabeth A. Young, Chicago, Ills.

-The appointment of Prin. W. N. Parker, of Neenah, as assistant state superintendent, left a vacancy in the principalship at that place which has been filled by the election of

O. J. Schuster, who reluctantly consented to defer for the present completing the course of graduate study he had undertaken at the university to accept the position. Mr. Schuster is well known in the state as a successful teacher and principal.

-Our advertising columns have already informed those who have eyes to see it that the long established and trusted teachers' agency of Albert and Clark has become two separate agencies. Both of them deserve success, and either will serve you efficiently and faithfully we believe.

-A new collection of sixty-five pictures beautifully framed has just been added to the art materials furnished by Senator Stout to be loaned to the district schools of Dunn county. This enterprise, which is as yet, so far as we know, without a rival in this country, is one of great interest, which ought to do much for the refinement and intelligence of the pupils of the common schools.

Dr.

-Dr. A. F. Nightingale led the Republican state ticket at the recent election in Illinois and received 2,000 votes more than any other candidate on the ticket. He was elected as trustee of the university of Illinois. Nightingale occupies the position of superintendent of the high schools of Chicago, fourteen in number, and which are attended by nearly 10,000 pupils who are under the instruction of over 300 teachers.

-The new issue of the school laws of the state, which was prepared and published under direction of Sup't Emery, is the most convenient and satisfactory we have seen. The introduction of full face headlines aids much in finding any desired article; the use of two sizes of type clearly separates the comment from the text of the law; and a full and excellent index, now for the first time provided, makes it easy to consult the law on any point. The paper is good and the print excellent.

-The preliminary announcements of the National Educational Association for next summer are received. The meetings occur at Los Angeles, July 11-14th. Railroad fares will be $50 for the round trip from the Missouri river, with privilege of going by one route and returning by another; if, however, the northern routes via Portland are chosen $12.50 must be added to cover the 1,254 miles from Los Angeles to Portland. To this must be added the $2.00 membership fee.

-Marshfield is to have a new high school building. Plans are already nearly perfected for a structure to cost, when finished, twenty thousand dollars, in outward appearance to

resemble the new Wausau building, a cut of which was published in the November number of the JOURNAL. The building will have a hall for lectures and public gatherings, scientific laboratories, a library room, and assembly room to accommodate upwards of two hundred pupils. The erection of the building will be begun in the spring.

-The Department of Superintendence of the N. E. A. is to meet in Columbus, Ohio, February 21st, 22d, and 23d. A railroad rate of one and one-third fare for the round trip on the certificate plan has been arranged for. The Great Southern Hotel has been selected as headquarters. Places on the program have been accepted by Drs. Harris, Mendenhall, White, Tompkins, Russell, and Winship, and by Supts. Maxwell, Soldan, Goss, Martin, and others. The Herbart Society and the Educational Press Association of America will hold meetings in connection with this body.

-One of the last publications issued by Supt. Emery was the "Report of the Committee of Twelve on Rural Schools," with the appendices. Its issuance as a bulletin of the state department of education is fully justified by its importance to our rural school teachers and superintendents, who have hitherto found considerable difficulty in procuring copies. The thoro study of both the report and the appendices will prove a valuable means of promoting that forward movement in rural education which seems likely soon to follow the present agitation of the subject.

-The program of the Conference of the West Wisconsin Traveling Library Association, which meets in the high school at Chippewa Falls, January 6th, is as follows:

AFTERNOON SESSION-2:00 O'CLOCK. Purposes of the Association.-President J. H. Stout.

Three-minute reports from representatives of libraries.

District Libraries and the work they are doing. Miss A. E. Schaffer.

-

The Relation of Women's Clubs to Traveling Libraries.-Miss E. D. Biscoe and Mrs. W. J. Brier.

How may Village Libraries Help the Farmer?-Miss L. E. Stearns, Mrs. G. H. Lusk and Mr. F. F. Morgan.

How Social Clubs help the Farmer.-Mr. F. A. Hutchins and others.

Traveling Pictures.-Miss M. E. Tanner and Mrs. W. K. Galloway.

Some Methods for Clubs to assist in increasing the Material for Traveling Libraries and Traveling Pictures.—Mrs. G. A. Barry.

EVENING SESSION-7:30 O'CLOCK. Traveling Pictures as an Educational Factor.-Miss K. T. Murphy.

Views of Public Library Buildings and Traveling Library Stations.-Miss L. E. Stearns.

LIBRARY NOTES.

Within the past few weeks new free public libraries have been established in Algoma, Ripon, Lake Geneva, and North Freedom. In Ripon and Lake Geneva large collections of books which had been used in public and school libraries were given to the new libraries so that they start under very favorable auspices.

The new West Wisconsin Traveling Library Association is to hold its first annual conference at Chippewa Falls on Friday afternoon Teachers and evening, January 6th. especially invited to attend this gathering. Hon. J. H. Stout, of Menominie, is president of the association.

are

Mrs. E. E. Vaughn, of Ashland, who was recently married to a gentleman from Chicago, has deeded to the city of Ashland the library and building which she has maintained. for a number of years. The property is valued at about $40,000.

Chas. Yule, of Kenosha, has recently given $500 to the public library of that city for books.

A beautiful new library building which Jos. Dessert, of Mosinee, is erecting for his home town, will be dedicated in the latter part of January. The teachers of the upper Wisconsin valley will be especially invited to attend the exercises.

The faculty and students of the Platteville normal school have recently organized the Duncan McGregor Traveling Library Association to work in southwestern Wisconsin. The officers and members of the new association are enthusiastic in their work, and have a number of libraries already in the field.

At the request of Mr. A. O. Wright, the Wisconsin Free Library commission is sending boxes of reading material to the Indian schools in the state. The government maintains good schools on the reservations in this state, but makes absolutely no appropriation for any books for the schools except for text-books. Children's books and periodicals are greatly needed. The commission will be much pleased to receive suitable reading matter for these schools at its office in Madison and will forward it without cost to the sender.

F. A. HUTCHINS.

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Wednesday, Feb. 22d, 3:00 o'clock P. M.

Address of Welcome-O. T. Corson, Editor Ohio Educational Monthly, Columbus, Ohio.

Address of Welcome-Miss Margaret W. Sutherland, Associate Editor Ohio Educational Monthly.

Paper: "Thirty Years of Educational Journalism-Reflections and Reminiscences''-W. I. Bell, Editor Indiana School Journal, Indianapolis, Ind. Subjects for Informal Discussion:

"Relation of Circulation to Rates"-"Uniformity in Commissions to Subscription and Advertising Agents"—"Is Uniformity in the Size, Form and General Style of Educational Periodicals Desirable?'' Miscellaneous Business.

Thursday, Feb. 23d, 3:00 o'clock P. M. Subjects for Informal Discussion:

"What Space Should Educational Journals Give to the Proceedings of State Educational Meetings?"-"Do Sample Copies Bring Adequate Returns?"-"Rules Governing Discontinuances of Subscriptions"-"What are Objectionable Advertisements?"-"The Premium Question"-"Is Advertising on the Exchange Plan Profitable?" Miscellaneous Business.

NOTE. All persons, whether members of the E. P. A. A. or not, are invited to be present at the opening exercises, and during the reading of Mr. Bell's paper. The discussions of the other subjects on the program are for members only.

REVOLUTION IN PRIMARY TEACHING.

The revolution that is taking place in the primary teaching of this country is based at the outset on this fact. When children start

to school, they are already interested in nature -in the bugs, butterflies, grasshoppers, birds, trees, plants, and flowers with which they are familiar. They are also interested in such stories as come within the range of their comprehension-stories about animals; fairy stories, stories of adventure and the like. The business of the primary teacher is to work these interests for all they are worth-to gradually develop the interest in nature into an interest in science, and the interest in stories into an interest in literature and history, and also to connect these interests with the other work of the school in such a way that it may be done in the most economic manner possible. To this end, the reading, writing, spelling, drawing, number, and language work should be connected with the study of nature and stories to as large an extent as possible. Reading for the sake of pronouncing words is a stupid task-suitable only to a parrot. But reading for the sake of acquiring information about something the pupil is already interested in is a delightful labor. Writing for the sake of imitating a copy is uninteresting. But writing for the sake of giving expression to inter

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