and beneficial that you have ever held. This being so, won't you come again next year? We all want to make you willing to vote Yes on this question before your session closes, and we hope to succeed.

The next speaker was J. Rankin Martin, Esq., of Beaver Falls, who spoke as follows:

Mr. Chairman, and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Convention: It affords me great pleasure, this morning, to join with others in extending to you a welcome to our midst. It is a privilege as well as a pleasure to look into the faces of such a large assemblage of persons, coming as you do from all parts of the State, for the purpose of discussing subjects that will in some way tend to advance the cause of education, subjects that will tend to stir up a deeper interest in our educational system. You have selected as the place for this meeting the borough of Beaver Falls, and in so doing we think you have made no mistake.

This borough was incorporated in 1868, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of the General Assembly of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania approved April 1st, 1834, at which time there was but one school-room within the limits of the borough, and that a small brick building which stands over on the brow of the hill. It was sufficiently large, however, to accommodate all the pupils of the new borough, for we then had only 175 pupils of school age. To day we have four school buildings, containing 37 school rooms, and the number of pupils is 1867. In 1868 our population was only 800, today we number over 10,000 people. I speak of this simply for the purpose of informing you that, as we have increased in number, we as a people have not forgotton to erect suitable school buildings and provide for the education of the rising generation; for we believe that it is incumbent upon every school district and as well upon every state and nation, in order to secure its permanency, to devote great care and attention to the education and development of its inhabitants.

A republic such as ours would have been possible only in an age such as this. No other age could have produced it. It is the product of an advanced and enlightened civilization. The intelligence of the people is the foundation of the republic. In this form of government the people are the rulers. The minimum of education, therefore, must be sufficient to qualify each citizen for the performance of his social and civil duties; sufficient to enable him to discharge the high obligations devolving upon one who is the inheritor of a portion of the sovereignty of the republic.

This being the case, the question came early, In what way shall this education sufficient to qualify the citizen for the responsibility devolving upon him, be accomplished? That was a difficult problem--a question not easy of solution. Times were not then as now. The state was not then noted for her resources. The question was debated by the early settlers of the commonwealth. Many theories were advanced. But the answer came. It came in the

Common School System of the State. But before the adoption of our common school system, as early as 1711, a public school was established.

A charter was granted by William Penn, and how the early settlers of the Commonwealth regarded the cause of education will be fully seen by the preamble of this charter. It reads as follows:

Whereas, the prosperity and welfare of any people depend in a great measure upon the good education of youth, and their early introduction into the principles of true religion and virtue and quailfying them to serve their country and themselves by breeding them in reading, writing, and learning of languages and useful arts and sciences, suitable to their sex, age, and degree; which cannot be effected in any manner so well as by erecting, Public Schools for the purpose aforesaid.

Thus we see that as a commonwealth our forefathers took advanced ground in the cause of education. But not until the 1st day of April, 1834, when Governor Wolf signed the bill which was the begining of our present system, did the State assume control of the schools. Then it was that the state said: These children will be our citizens. Upon their shoulders the government will rest. Their welfare is mine: their failure, my infinite loss. They are my wards: I will educate them. These children of poverty and riches, these children from the hut and the mansion, from the hovel and the palace, these children of native and of foreign birth, I will educate. I will start them fairly in the race of life together. I will do that for them which will enable them with the proper application to become true American citizens in every sense of the word, and I know of no better way than to educate them. Such is the idea, such the origin of the Common School, not imported from another state as some would have us believe, but having its origin with our own people.

And in view of what has already been accomplished by this system, should we not as citizens of Pennsylvania have a just pride in the work that has been done? Should we not lend a helping hand to advance this work? Should we not encourage an assemblage such as this, met as you have to further the interest of the cause. For a system more efficient, more democratic, more humanitarian, has not been devised by man. This system has been the cradle of the State and the Republic, the nursery of the nation's children, her strength in the past and her hope in the years to come.

If the propositions I have affirmed be true, yes, Mr. Chairman, if they be half true, then it seems to me that the State has something more to do. It seems to me that she needs to take at least one step further.

We believe that after having provided such an efficient free school system, after having passed laws taxing the people in support of free schools, that she should see to it that the people take advantage of the means provided, and send their children to school for a limited time at least. We believe in a compulsory system of education. But some one will say that to com

1892.]

ASSOCIATION.

pel the subject to educate his children is “unconstitutional." That cry is always the last resort. When no other argument can be used, then the "unconstitutionality" of the question is raised. But is this true? It certainly is not true. No more so than it is to say to you or to me, who have no children to educate: "Your school tax for this year is $1.00. This you must pay, as it is necessary for the good of the state that her children be educated."

It is not, however, my desire to enter into an argument in support of compulsory education, but simply to refer to it; for we believe that any changes made or any advancement made in our educational system, will be brought about through the influence exerted by those who have engaged in the work you have undertaken. A convention such as this can, and I have no doubt will, do much to shape future school legislation.

But I am transgressing upon your time, and failing to perform the pleasant duty assigned me, that of extending to you the welcome you deserve at our hands. Let me say to you, in behalf of our people, that we are glad you have come to stay with us for a few days. We feel honored at your coming. We trust that we may be able to make you feel at home among us, and that your stay may not only be profitable to yourselves, but to all who may meet with you.

May your stay be not only profitable but pleasant, and when your work is done, may you return safely to your homes with agreeable recollections of your visit to Beaver Falls. 'Once again we extend to you a hearty welcome to our town.

The next address was made by President Wm. P. Johnston, of Geneva College:

We are greatly honored by your coming to us, and you are welcomed by all our people, of all classes and professions, doubly welcomed by those who do like work with you. Fellowship helps us-it cheers and gladdens. This has been a summer of important meetings. Beaver Falls would rather have this than the one that met at Portland: we won't have to deal with Dr. Briggs: we have the advantage over Omaha, as ladies there were not among the delegates. We are more fortunate than Minneapolis or Chicago, for your discussions will be on subjects of more account than tariff, or reciprocity, or bi-metalism. Any one in the presence of a thousand teachers, ought to say "All hail!" and take off his hat, if he has it on. First. You are to be honored because of the dignity of the work in which you are engaged.

Each teacher-at least each one who understands his calling-can say with an apostle: "I magnify mine office," because in either case there is contact with mind. There is an old Jewish proverb which says: "God could not be everywhere, so he made the mothers." Next to the mothers will be the teachers (who for five days in the week and for six hours in the day have under eye and voice the children. Moses at one times put the shoes from off his feet because the place had become holy by the presence of God in a bush that burned with fire.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY

ACHERS'

་

95

Surely that is not common ground where they tread who have to do with the million little ones of a great commonwealth-little ones of whom our Lord said: Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

་་

They who clear the forests, or drain swamps, plant orchards, dig canals, construct roads of iron, erect factories, cause wheels to turn, sow fields, cut harvests, do well. They who work on minds do better. One has put the same thought in this way: He who plants a tree does well, he who saws the tree into planks does well, he who out of the plank makes a bench does well; but he who sits on the bench and teaches a child to think about Him who made the tree out of which the planks were made, does better than all-for the first have added something to the capital that humanity owns, but the last has added something to humanity itself." He or she who educates truly-that is, educes-draws out what is best, brings thought out after and towards what is high and true and good-deserves to stand among apostles; yes, among angels.

I am taking it for granted that the teachers of Pennsylvania wish a pupil to know the difference between A, B and C, be able to write and to spell correctly his own name, be capable of bounding this state with his back to the map; be spiritually able also to scorn a lie and to hate vulgarity, to despise whiskey and to love and reverence truth and duty, to admire the sentiments of the sermon on the mount, and to reverence the Christ of the New Testament.

"Oh, no, my friends, you can't very well overestimate the importance of your work, or give undue prominence to its value. There are three angles to a triangle. I don't know which of them is of most account, the one above or below or on side. There are three persons that divide the honors in shaping and moulding and influencing human lives, the mother, the teacher, the preacher; decide it among you. President Garfield used to say that there was a certain court house in his native town of which the roof was a natural water shed, so that a breath of air or the flutter of the wing of a bird would decide whether a drop of water would find its way to the Gulf of Mexico or to the St. Lawrence. You, my fellow teachers, can decide largely whether lives shall go this way or You do not need to envy any souls that live as having better opportunity. Second.-We honor you because you are trying to help each other in this good work.

that way.

It might be said that we could depend upon the press for inter-communication of studies, feelings, thoughts and experience. Surely the press does the teachers a world of good, but the good Bishop Lonsdale, Nomen carum et venerabile, says, There is a life in personal communication which cannot otherwise be generated.” Goethe says, "As with mysterious power the magnet binds iron with iron, so do kindred aims unite the souls." Edward Irving uses Solomon's quaint words to show how good an end men's faces serve to one another, iron sharpeneth iron." There will be rust if

as

iron does not come in contact with iron. Intercourse between men removes prejudices. It is just as good for the preachers as the teachers; iron in contact with iron becomes polished, brightened. Minds become dull-we get blue -we meet with others, intercourse kindles into brightness, as you have fire when flints strike. I met Prof. Miller at Chautauqua. Virum cano. He deserves the muse of a Virgil if he would get his due. I expect to become ac quainted with people here at this convention to know whom will bring one joy all the rest of his days. Gems of purest ray serene must not lie in the waters; flowers will not blush unseen if we have these reunions.

Carlyle said of Irving, "But for him I had never known what communion of man with man means. His was the bravest, truest human soul mine ever came in contact with." It was iron with iron, diamond with diamond, bringing out sparks as of a light that never was on sea or shore, when these two associates looked into each others eyes. So we'll get good by your being here.

Third. We welcome you because you are trying to fit yourselves for better work.

I met a young lady in a neighboring town some ten days ago and I asked her if she didn't want to come to college. "Oh no! the public school is good enough for me." I said "Don't you want some Greek and Latin and German?"

Oh we have all those in the High School," she answered. I came away then. As I went on down street I made up my mind that things are different from what they used to be, and you mean to make them different from what they now are. You mean to go on unto perfection. God grant you success! Plato says: anything better in a state than that both men and women be rendered the very best?"

"Is there

May our Lord, who laid His hands on the children and blessed them, be with us as we go out and in before them, and help us to guide them in right ways. We don't want the little hands that now hold primers, after while to carry daggers and buckets of petroleum. If the children had not been wisely taught when they were children they would not have become the "Pilgrim Fathers and have crossed the deep for conscience sake and have laid the foundation of a Britain greater than the one they left.

Let the right teaching and the right example be given in the hours of childhood, and these little ones, when they come to be men, if they hear the alarm of war will array themselves in blue and die at new Gettysburgs for their native land. If they find it to be duty, they will stand on ships and defend them while they go down inch by inch, as did the Cumberland into the sea, without a moan. As Carlyle says, "What more honor can you want than to train up a people to do God's service."

May those you train not only grow to be honored citizens of the republic, but become later on partakers of the immortal glory of the resurrection. God give you all success-and again we bid you welcome!

RESPONSE.

The response on behalf of the Association to this very cordial welcome was made by Prof. E. E. Miller, of Allegheny, as follows: Mr. Chairman and Citizens of Beaver Falls:

On behalf of the assembled teachers of Pennsylvania, I take pleasure in expressing our appreciation of the words of welcome with which you greet us to a temporary home among you. We thank you for the ample arrangements that have been made for our comfort and convenience.

The kindness, the hospitality, and the cordial welcome, which has already been extended in deeds, makes the task of your speakers easy, and the words they say only strengthen opinions already formed. While they were speaking I saw no looks of surprise or incredulity upon the faces of the teachers present. In fact, we had already begun to expect just a welcome if the actions of your people were to be expressed in words. Those of us who arrived early had already discovered that the pantries have not all been locked nor the front doors barred, nor an extra police force put on duty. No teacher feels that any mistake has been made in holding this session of the Association in your beautiful and flourishing city.

This is the time of preparation for the celebration of great national events, and there are historic reasons which make this meeting in this part of the State peculiarly appropriate. In this valley occurred events of the greatest importance to the nation, the settlement of which made such a meeting as this possible in Western Pennsylvania. In the Ohio valley occurred the first conflicts between the English pioneers from the Atlantic seaboard, and the Jesuits who formed the vanguard of the French military occupation and settlements. The question of supremacy was far reaching in its results. It was not merely a question of language, but of systems of government. The success of the Gaul would have made the crest of the Alleghanies a national boundary. West of that line we would have found the school-houses few in number, and standing almost unknown and unnoticed in the shadow of the cathedral or other imposing church edifice. "Universal education" would not have been their motto. The propagation of a creed which does not encourage the education of the masses, that forbids individual judgment and responsibility, would have been their object.

The success of the Anglo-Saxon did not lower the Cross nor demolish the church walls, but on the opposite side of the street there was erected another building, no less imposing, dedicated to the cause of universal education, and equipped as a recruting station and training school for a great army to uphold the cause of liberty and self government. Its aim was to so educate all the youth of the land, not only that they might be better enabled to fill any of the stations in life to which they might be called, whether professional or in other occupations, but to make them better citizens, to inspire them with patriotism, the love of country and the love of liberty, to promote a higher moral and intellec

tual attainment on every hand, until it can be truly said that the public school is the hope of the nation.

In the brief time at my disposal there is not opportunity for discussing any of the great educational questions now engaging attention, some of which will no doubt be discussed before this meeting adjourns.

The great interest that is taken in the public schools is in no way more strikingly shown than by the great number of people not engaged in the profession who have given the subject most careful attention, and who take great pains to tell you just wherein lie all the defects of our schools, and just how to remedy the evils. No other profession do so many people know all about.

The school teacher should be the most proficient and most grateful person alive. The lawyer, the doctor, the mechanic, the iron worker, and those of every other craft and trade, get but little help or advice except from books and from others of their own vocation. The school teacher, on the other hand, has the benefit of his books, his experience and that of other teachers, and in addition he has valuable advice from those who know, freely given by great numbers engaged in all these pursuits and in every other known among men.

There is no excuse for an error or lack of knowledge on the part of the teacher. If he be in doubt on any point of school management, let him ask Mrs. O'Malley, who has a large family of children and lives quite near, who can tell him just what to do, or let him consult one of the numerous psychologies now on the market. Any one will do. No matter what nature has done for a teacher, let him but read one of these psychologies and he is abundantly equipped for his work. Certainly many of the authors never taught in a public school, but they know how the mind ought to be developed, and if nature doesn't choose to do it that way, it does not in the least affect their theory-so much the worse for Nature. If instead of teaching the child in the lowest grades to read and write and spell, you wish to begin with geom. etry, algebra and psychology, you have high authority for that course. If you wish to keep the child and everybody else in dense ignorance of what it knows, and do not wish to be called to account for the quality of work you are doing, abolish all examinations, and quote eminent authority for your action.

I regard all this as a most favorable indication and substantial evidence of the fact that the public school occupies a most prominent position among the institutions of our country, and that the people of all vocations are demanding of them the best work that can be done. There is, however, a work which they should do, which they can do, but vhich under the present laws of this state they are prevented from doing. There is an ever increasing danger that is rapidly assuming alarming proportions, which is imperiling not only our school system, but every other national institution. This great plague, which has already seized upon numerous cities and counties, and even some states, takes its origin among the

most ignorant, vicious, and depraved classes of Poland and Hungary. It spreads westward over Europe, carrying in its train the criminal, the refugee from justice, and is reinforced from the anarchist ranks of Germany, and the Mafia of Italy. The outcasts of civilization and the refugees of nations all seem heading in one mighty throng for this grand asylum of the world's paupers and criminals, the United States of America.

The gates of our seaports on the Atlantic are thrown wide open and we bid them welcome, save that an occasional one is sometimes detained a few days as an excuse that some high salaried official may draw his pay for keeping them out. They are given the right of citizenship before they can read or understand the language in which the constitution is written. Indeed, in large sections of our country it is unnecessary to know the language-it is not used. We read that there was a time and an age "when to be a Roman was greater than a king." But when citizenship was given to the slaves, when it was bartered in the streets of a hundred cities, and purchased by peopies of every race and color and tongue, what was it then to be a Roman citizen?

How much do we value American citizenship to day that was purchased by such a sacrifice of blood and treasure by our forefathers? By paying a few cents for his papers, it is granted to the Italian with his monkey and hand organ, to the ignorant and vicious Hun, to the depraved Pole, to the anarchist and communist who acknowledge neither God nor government. Truly we would feel proud to stand surrounded by a company of these on the streets of Paris or London or Berlin, and cry out to the populace, “I am an American. We are all American citizens. We are all countrymen. These are they whom that Great Republic of which you have heard delights to honor." And then shouts of approval would arise from your representative Americans, in such a confusion of tongues and languages as has not been heard since the time of the building of the tower at Babel.

This class of people is coming here more rapidly than ever before. They will coutinue to come. It is useless to look to the politicians and law-makers for aid. We can expect nothing from legislation, they are already too potent a factor in American politics, to be disturbed by political parties. With the Chinaman it is different. He does not vote. Neither national treaties, nor obligations, nor national honor, will protect him.-What steps shall be taken to make the best of the situation? is the question which confronts us. The clergy tell us that we mut Christianize these people-convert them -but they do not come to our Christian churches nor Sunday schools, and there is no power to compel them to do so. They have, to a degree, assimilated in the past, but they are now found in large communities of their own, where race customs, language and habits are but little affected by their removal.

I think the question has been solved in a way entirely satisfactory so far as it is enforced in

some of the states. And it is being enforced more and more. I refer to a compulsory education law. Universal suffrage and self-government cannot long continue to exist without universal education. That all parents, whether foreigners or Americans, should be required, for the common good, either to educate their children, or to give them the advantage of a free education which our country offers, is demanded by every consideration of justice and self-protection. It is the security exacted of all as the price of American citizenship. I take no stock in the arguments of those who talk about an infringement of personal liberty-a liberty to rear their children in ignorance and vice, a constant menace to society and good government.

We are taxed to educate them, and taxed again for the support of officers, courts, jails, and penal institutions rendered necessary because they were not educated. Has the individual who has no children to be educated, but whom you compel to pay school tax? no right to demand that the tax thus paid be used where it will do the most good for the purpose levied? We demand this in every other kind of taxation. During our Civil War those who denounced the drafts and cried the loudest about personal liberty, found the most sympathy and the most congenial climate beyond the Canadian border. There are to day in rebellion against our school system, and growing up in ignorance and vice, a larger army than ever wore the gray. In Pennsylvania alone there is a vast throng of 100,000 children of school age who all enrolled in no schools and receive no school advantages whatever. Thousands of them earn no honest penny. They grow up on the streets, trained in the schools of vice and crime. Self-protection demands as the price of citizenship universal education, secured, if need be by civil authority.

Miss Sara L. Jefferies, of Chester, Pa., gave a recitation from David Copperfield. WICKERSHAM MEMORIAL.

Prof. H. W. Fisher, of Pittsburg, in the absence of the chairman, who was kept at home by sickness in his family, read the following report from the Wickersham Memorial Committee:

The Wickersham Memorial Committee met in Philadelphia in January, and agreed to recommend the observance of March 25th, 1892, as Wickersham Day, in the public schools of the State. A set of leaflets was prepared by the committee, containing exercises suitable for the occasion. The day was observed in a number of towns and boroughs and in many country schools; the success of these exercises wherever they were held, encourages us to recommend for the consideration of the Association the propriety of celebrating Wickersham Day next year in the schools where it was not observed this year.

As a pmanent memorial of the services of Dr. Wickersham in the cause of popular education, the committee decided upon the establishment o a pedagogical library, to be kept as a

distinct collection in the State Library at Harrisburg, and to be under the care of the State librarian. The work of raising the money for the establishment of this library is but just begun; circulars have been sent out asking contributions from superintendents, ex-superintendents and others; and these are meeting with generous responses. The committee also proposes to present before every County Institute the advantages of such a library to the wideawake teachers of our Commonwealth, and to solicit their aid in its establishment.

The committee would be glad to receive suggestions from the Association, as to the best methods of completing the work entrusted to them, and to receive assurances of the hearty co-operation of all.

ELIZABETH LLOYD, Sec.

For the Committee.

In answer to a question as to how the teachers of the State could get the benefit of this Library, Miss Lloyd said the present system would allow the books to be forwarded upon the request of the members of the Legislature, who would then be responsible; but she had no doubt that a special collection like this would be issued to Superintendents for the use of teachers; and if legislation for that purpose be necessary, it could readily be obtained. She hoped all would take an interest in perfecting this memorial to one of the very greatest educators of this country.

Dr. Philips moved that the Committee be continued until the next session.

Supt. Smith amended, that the Association approve the action of the Committee, and commend the project to the educators of the State.

The amendment was accepted, and the motion as amended adopted unanimously. The morning session then closed, to give opportunity for enrolment.