About the time of the building of the Tower of Babel, the Aryans began their migrations westward. Their trail across Europe is the history of the development of the European languages. The English has become the chief branch of the parent stem. More people speak English than any other language now in use in the civilized world. At the beginning of the century twice as many people spoke German as English, and twice as many spoke French as English. The language of America is now spoken by 110,000,000 people; French, 51,000,000; Spanish, 45,000,000; German, 68,000,000; Russian, 60,000,000. The chart forms an excellent basis for the study of comparative philology or literature -ED. TOWER OF BABEL PUBLIC EDUCATION IN ENGLAND. THE of HE growth of public education in England may be measured by the figures supplied by the department of education: Number of schools, 20,000; number of pupils, 5,832,944; number of teachers, 126,546; appropriation, $32,000,000; board school pupils, 1,805, 306; church school pupils, 1,849,085; Catholic school pupils, 224,126; pupils paying, 335,688; pupils free, 4,377,741. A change has begun in the course of study. Singing by ear is falling in favor; tonic sol-fa is the great favorite. Drawing is growing in favor, so is military drill; so are school savings banks; so are school libraries. Object-lessons and occupations are coming strongly into the schools. TRINITY SCHOOL. THE following illustrations will give some idea of the completeness of the equipments of Trinity School. There is, however, a view of the school that cannot be shown by any picture. It is the actual work that is accomplished for the boys that have been placed in charge of the Rev. Dr. Spalding. Trinity School, ever since its foundation in 1876, has maintained a high grade in moral culture and scholarship. So many parents ask the question, "Where can I send my boy and be sure that he will have careful training in his moral, mental, and physical natures?" The record of Trinity School is sufficient answer. The faculty is an excellent one, the course of study thorough, and the facilities of the school complete in all departments. The location of the school at No. 3300 Washington street is unequaled. It has the breadth, the majesty, and the color of California. To live and study in the atmosphere of such a view is in itself an inspiration. Trinity School prepares young men and boys for college or business, and provides instruction as far as the third, or junior, year in the ordinary university course. For convenience, it is divided into four departments School-Room. the Preparatory, Lower School, Upper School, and Graduate Departments. The Preparatory Department provides instruction of the most rudimentary description for small boys, and is in charge of a lady. It may extend over several years. The Lower School provides instruction in the elementary branches usually belonging to a grammar-school course, and extends over three years. The Upper School provides instruction in the branches belonging to a high-school course. It extends over four years, and, if its requirements are fully met, prepares its pupils for the entrance examinations of the University of California, the Leland Stanford Jr. University, or any other prominent American college, although a year of further study, or of thorough review, is advised. It embraces three courses of study in its curriculum-the Classical, the Scientific, and the Literary Courses. Apparatus for the experimental study of natural philosophy is provided. The Graduate Department provides instruction (1) for Library. young men who desire a thorough review and preparation for the University examination; (2) for young men who desire to pursue some special line of study, without reference to the requirements of a university course. Members of this department are required to be in attendance only during the hours of recitation. In addition to the subjects mentioned in the curriculum, instruction is provided in any of the following studies, called extras, and charged for accordingly: French (except in literary course), German, Italian, Spanish, music, drawing, bookkeeping, shorthand, and gymnastics. In addition to the regular courses of the upper and lower schools, scholars may be taken for a special course of study, in which case they do not rank with regular classes, nor compete for honors or prizes. Tennis-Court. Monthly reports are sent to parents and guardians, and also reports of the semi-annual examinations, which take place in December and May, and to which friends of the school are invited. Examinations are oral and written. Students who attain an average of 95 per cent for the whole year, in any study, receive honorary promotion in that study, and are not required to pass the May examination. Students failing to reach an average of 50 per cent in any study, at the May examination, must character required of students over twelve years of age who apply for admission. Text-books and stationery can be procured at the school at current prices. The attention of patrons is called to the great advantage gained by those scholars who begin the year with their classes, and are punctual and regular in attendance. The following list of graduate students who have entered college or unversity is an excellent test of the quality of the work done at Trinity School: Hall. University of California-Wm. I. Kip, Jr., (1883), Gaillard Stoney Columbia-E. A. Sisson (1886), C. H. Sisson (1888). Trinity College-Paul H. Birdsall (1882). Cambridge (England)-Alfred P. Theobald (1880). U. S. Naval Academy (Annapolis)-G. H. Mendell, Jr., (1889). For terms and catalogue, address Rev. Dr. E. B. SPALDING, Rector, 3300 Washington St., San Francisco. Department of Supervision. KAA TH HE State Board of Education met on June 10th, in the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, at Sacramento. Childs, Pierce, Pennel, and Black were present. It was generally understood that the official journal would be designated at this meeting. As a result, P. M. Fisher was present, smiling and confident; also, Professor A. B. Coffey, as a mild stimulant to Fisher's journal. Mrs. Nettie Craven, of San Francisco, was there, with bloomer sleeves and a thoroughly up-to-date hat, and a look upon her face that suggested the information that if Governor Budd were present, the pale-blue California State Educational Journal, which she represented, would be chosen. J. H. Cosgrove, the talented editor of The Wave, appeared as associate editor of the California State Educational Journal, and as chaperon of Mrs. Craven. Frank Dunn, the editor of The Western Educational Review, was there, triumphant and positive that the State Board of Education could and would not overlook the fact that he had an article from a State University professor, also one from a Stanford professor, in his journal. Harr Wagner sat in a corner holding a copy of THE WESTERN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. It was suggested that each one of the candidates be allowed twenty minutes to address the Board. The suggestion met approval, followed by general lassitude on the part of the members. Mrs. Craven spoke first. She explained the merits of her journal, and promised to have not only the best California talent, but to secure educational contributors of national fame. Mr. Cosgrove supplemented her remarks by stating that the journal was only a sample of the typographical neatness and artistic effort of a proposed journal. Harr Wagner stated that, in behalf of Madge Morris Wagner and himself, he would guarantee to expend $2500 of the State fund in securing articles and illustrations of an educational value. With the subsidy from the State, a great journal could be published; without the subsidy, an attempt would be made to give the State a wide-awake, fearless, and independent journal of education. Frank Dunn made a speech in which he felicitated himself on being the editor of the Educational Review, and made a good impression, as also did his journal, both as to matter and letter-press. Philip M. Fisher, with his dry smile and drooping mustache, then explained the woes and vicissitudes of school journalism. He told rather pathetically of how hard it was to publish a journal to please everybody; that each member of the Board had a different idea of what a school journal ought to be,-and in closing stated that he would greatly improve the journal the next four years. Professor Childs suggested that the designation of the journal be postponed one year. This motion may have been made with the idea that all the journals, so newly and so numerously born, would be decently interred in the cemetery of dead school journals by that time, so that his favorite, the Pacific Coast Educational Journal, would have no competition. It is hard for a journal born in the hope of official patronage to live an entire year on the condensed milk of public favor. Superintendent Black was more reasonable. He suggested postponement until September. Professor Brown and President Kellogg wrote a letter expressing views that indicated that Fisher's Journal did not come up to the standard of University requirements, but as yet they had seen nothing that offered an improvement. It is needless to add they had not seen THE WESTERN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, the Western Educational Review, and the California State Educational Journal. Some one suggested an executive session. The editors retired gracefully. In a few minutes Deputy State Superintendent Seaman had recorded the fact, that the resolution to adopt a journal was laid on the table, and State Superintendent Black began reading communications to the Board, his rich Scotch brogue being more interesting than the subject matter. Fisher will continue to draw down the State subsidy for his journal until afterwhile. Practical lessons in real Penmanship Forward Editor-in-chief Raymond presented his report, showing that an edition of 50,000 of the fourth reader is printed, and one of the third reader is nearly so. The manuscript of the course in grammar for the sixth year is ready for the printer, and that of the seventh and eighth years nearly so. The State Superintendent was instructed to ascertain the number of histories sold last year and order 90 per cent of that number. It was ordered that the manuscript of the grammar be sent to the printer as fast as ready, and that a hundred "dummies" be printed for distribution for criticism. The Board fixed the prices of the Readers as follows: Professor Daniel Kirkwood Dead. Daniel Kirkwood, LL.D., who died at Riverside, Cal., June 11th, was born in Bradenbaugh, Md., September 21, 1814, was educated in the York County Academy, Pa., and subsequently devoted his life to educational pursuits, becoming principal of Lancaster (Pa.) High School in 1843, and of Pottsville Academy in 1848. In 1851 he was made professor of mathematics in Delaware College, and in 1854 elected president of that institution, holding these offices until 1856. Professor Kirkwood then received the appointment of professor of mathematics in the Indiana University at Bloomington, and ten years later was called to fill a similar chair in Washington and Jefferson Colleges, Pa. In 1867 he was recalled to Indiana, and remained at the university until his death. He received the degree of A. M. from Washington College, Pa., in 1850, and that of LL.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1852. Professor Kirkwood was a member of various scientific societies, and in 1851 was chosen a member of the American Philosophical Society. His contributions to scientific literature have been large, and include papers that have been published in the proceedings of societies of which he is a member, and in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, The American Journal of Science, The Sidereal Messenger, and other journals. Among these have been "Analogy between the Period of Rotation of the Primary Planets" (1849), and "Theory of Jupiter's Influence in the Formation of Gaps in the Zone of Minor Planets" (1866). He also published in book form "Meteoric Astronomy" (1867), "Comets and Meteors" (1873), and "The Asteroids or Minor Planets between Mars and Jupiter" (1887). Huxley, the scientist and author, died on June 26th, in London. Round -Table. W HAT shall be done with the ex-Superintendents of Schools? Pension them? No. Give them schools! Well, it is rather melancholy to see a man whose opinion you feared, even if you did not respect, teaching a little country school. Yet dozens of men are doing it. I saw an ex-United States Senator the other day in a dingy little law-office without a case, an ex-Governor without a competence, and an ex-State Superintendent a book-agent, and it struck me that some men have a great future behind them. To have a big X affixed to a title is really a disadvantage. It gives the impression that one has been to the top of the ladder and is trying to climb down the other side gracefully. Some ex-Superintendents are very fortunate. W. W. Seamen stepped out of his luxurious office at Los Angeles into the stately Capitol at Sacramento; the handsome Frick, of Alameda, ended his term as Superintendent and began his career as principal of one of the Oakland schools the same day; Wm. M. Nuner, Jr., was elected to the lucrative office of assessor before closing his term of Superintendent; Norvel, of Merced, kept right on editing his excellent paper when his term expired; George W. Beattie entered the pedagogical department of the State University; J. N. Thompson, the veteran Superintendent, of San Benito, became the principal of his own school, and is meeting with financial success; S. A. Crookshanks, of Tulare, also started a private school, and is happier and more contented than he was as Superintendent. Dr. Howard, of Stanislaus, is in the Modesto High School; Annie Dixon and Mrs. McG. Martin have retired into the deep recesses of solitude, but they have in them the material that will bring them to the front again; A. B. Coffey, of Sutter, is associate editor of The Pacific Journal of Education; and so on. It will be seen that Ex's of the recent election are not walking down the aisles of time with their faces to the rear. Political promotion is usually unfortunate. The man who stands at the forge of merit and strikes hard blows for success wins strength and respect, at least, and bread and clothes. The felicity that some people have in not answering letters is little understood by me. To fail to answer a letter in business or social life is a positive discourtesy, a vulgar annoyance, an impertinence, and a person that makes a practice of it has no more manners than the man who would intentionally turn his back to one woman to speak to another. People who carelessly avoid answering letters lack refinement and sentiment, and it would not surprise one to see them make use of a beautiful flowervase, the gift of a dear friend, for a spittoon, or a volume of Shakespeare for a footstool. I have known teachers to write forty personal letters to school trustees, and not receive a single reply. It is true the trustees are not paid to write letters. At the same time the position that they hold demands courtesy; and the district should be generous in allowing postage and stationery. The most successful business house always answers a letter, no matter how trivial the communication may have been. Professional men have a lesson to learn in this respect. It is always given as an excuse, a lack of time, and the excuse is usually a lie; it is lack of discipline, a proper appreciation of the use of time, not the lack of it. HOITT'S SCHOOL. An Excellent Institution, Charmingly Situated. Dr. Hoitt may well feel proud of the reputation and standing his school has acquired. It is accredited at both the State and Stanford Universities, and ranks as one of the very best schools for boys on the Pacific Coast. It is located at Burlingame, and occupies one of the most healthy and beautiful places to be found in California. Nowhere do boys receive better care, and superior or more thorough training than at Hoitt's School. Dr. Hoitt has observed: "On entering my institution, boys at once become, as it were, members of my family and are cared for as such." The new features for next term, which opens August 6th, are systematic physical training and the introduction of wood-working. Prof. C. V. S. Boettger, of Leipsic, and late instructor at the Tamalpais Academy, will become a member of the faculty and take charge of this department, for which he is especially fitted.-S. F. Call. We have known both Dr. Hoitt and his talented wife for years, and know that the school at Burlingame, under their able management, is deserving of highest praise. The course of study is thorough, the discipline excellent, and the beautiful surroundings, unequaled. We would advise our readers to send for a catalogue. The New Webster's Dictionary. The New Webster's Dictionary has been re-edited, and reset from cover to cover. Ten years of ardous labor has been spent by eminent specialists on this work. It will take years of revision and editing to bring any of the other dictionaries up to the standard of Webster's. It continues to be the favorite of editors, printers, and scholars in all parts of the United States. It is the most convenient of all the large dictionaries; and while others may be purchased, Webster's New International Dictionary will be the one that is used. Major C. W. Fowler, of Kentucky, announces he is a candidate for State Superintendent. His platform is a longer school term; gradual increase until every child has the advantages of a ten months' school. Better teachers; secured (a) by more State Normal schools; (b) by a summer school for institute conductors; (c) in cities of the first four classes, principals shall hold State certificates, and superintendents State diplomas. Better and cheaper school books. Opposition to school supply trusts of every description. |