wrinkled face, the open mouth; have heard the indistinct speech, and noticed the defective hearing. These cases we report to parents and physicians, but there are pupils in whom the diagnosis is not so clear, those who today breathe with perfect freedom, hear distinctly, and do their work well, but tomorrow come with dull expressions; they hear indistinctly; they breathe with difficulty; their lessons are unprepared. Why? Because last night cold settled in the adenoid growth. It is inflamed, and as it hangs there in the pharynx just in front of the openings to the Eustachian tubes, the granulations so swollen that they touch the tubercle projections at the beginning of the Eustachian tubes, thus preventing the same pressure of air against the tympanum on the inside as on the out, the roaring sensation is produced, the dull expression exists, and the depressing feeling that is so characteristic of such conditions permeates the whole physical nature. If this is allowed to continue the child deteriorates. He grows mentally weaker; not only that, but he is affected morally, because he sees that he is blamed unjustly, and traits of character are developed that should not be found in the normal child. Many of these growths are absorbed as the child grows older, but the effect left on him mentally and morally stands forever.

Another disease common to this period of development which has much influence over the physical nature, and as a result a mental and moral influence, which decreases the efficiency of the child, is chorea. We are told that one of the growing results of our school system is the nervous child. This disease comes on so gradually that before we are aware his physical nature is undermined. He is blamed, scolded, censured, because he does not write or draw as well as he did a month ago. When sent to the board he drops the eraser, chalk, book unintentionally. Again he is scolded or punished in some way. If he is carefully watched we will see that all his movements are spasmodic, irregular, jerking. This does not last long-two or three months-and usually occurs in the spring of the year; but the influence upon the mental and moral nature, if not discovered by the teacher, and handled in a sympathetic way, will be to reduce its mentality, and create an irritable disposition.

The third period in the physical development of the child is included between the ages of 11 and 16. During the years previous to these the child has been storing up strength for the struggle through which he must pass. The age of puberty is at hand. The strife that is going on in the development of the physical organisms is so great that mental growth practically ceases. If we would go through the entire category of different kinds of natures and dispositions that are common to the race, we would see that the child passes through all of them and has a few more to stamp his own individuality.

If we examine the bodily development, we see that the muscles and bones lengthen so rapidly that the brain is unable to adjust itself to the new demands, and as a result the movements are awkward, ungainly, clumsy. The boy is all feet and hands, and what to do with the things puzzles him somewhat more than his school work.

He is in a morbid state of mind, so much so that he cares not what he does nor where it is done. He does not know why he does these things, but at the same time he will try to make you believe he knows why. He will listen to a reprimand or an approving utterance, but we never know from any outward sign or manifestation the result.

He believes that parents, teachers, and friends are against him; in fact he thinks he must fight everyone and everything to accomplish-what? He does not know. Mentally and physically he is incapable of doing as much, in the same time, as he did at the age of 10 or 11 years. But everyone demands more, and as a result his mind is warped. He begins to separate himself from the world around him. As the caterpillar grows to an enormous state, and then begins to spin the beautiful cocoon and shut itself in from the outside world, there to undergo a wonderful transformation and finally to burst forth a magnificent specimen of its species so the boy begins to weave a web of such delicate texture with such subtleness, that before we are aware, we are shut out of his life-our control over him is gone.

Happy is the parent or teacher whose relationship with the boy has been such, that when he shuts up that life of his from the outside world, he will be included in it, that he may direct, and lead him through this transformation so that when he emerges he may come forth a magnificent specimen of man.

DISCUSSION

J. A. STEWART, superintendent of schools, Bay City, Mich.-The speaker remarked by way of explanation rather than apology that naturally it was somewhat embarrassing to discuss a paper which had not been presented but, as he had learned a few days previously that such might be the case and that no "core" might be expected to fall his way, he had gathered together a few ideas on the subject under consideration. He was well aware that there are all kinds of teachers, ranging from the selfish, mercenary, unfeeling, sour, crabbed, harsh, and unsympathetic, to those abounding in sympathy, mellowed by a life filled with good works, patient, longsuffering, walking in the footsteps of the great Master and Teacher, and like Him broad-minded with a heart large enough to take in even the ragged and dirty little specimen of humanity that often becomes transfigured under the genial influence of the teacher's loving care. There are but few samples now of Squeers and Ichabod Crane. The great mass of the teachers are trying to lead the higher life and point the way to their pupils.

This means far more responsibility than formerly, covering, as it does, not only the intellectual but the physical as well. The scope of our work has materially broadened. The child is no longer regarded as a receptacle for the inpouring of a mass of information, new and old, but an immortal soul with unlimited capacities to be developed, who is to be brought into harmony with his environment, with physical powers to be trained, a conscience to be evolved, and as a future citizen to be fitted for the intelligent use of his powers and privileges. The teacher in an effort to reach the highest results finds it necessary to reach out beyond the confines of the schoolroom. As indicated by the excellent paper presented by Miss Harris on Monday, we must take the child from the very moment of its birth. This cannot mean simply to care for its physical well-being. The little brain must be trained to manage and manipulate the various parts of the body. We must give it a healthy body, largely as the best accompaniment of a strong mental equipment. If we are to believe and trust the conclusions drawn by eminent specialists who have made a study of the functions of the brain, we must conclude that only in working for the harmonious development of mind and body can we meet with any fair measure of success. In The Nervous System of the Child, Francis Walker, M.D., of London, has this to say:

"The brain is the physical basis, the seat of mental action such as is expressed in gesture, movement, or spoken or written words; further, the action of the brain gives vitality to the body, controlling its nutrition as well as the processes of digestion, respiration and circulation." (Page 5.)

Furthermore he says:

"Teachers see the child in the school in the morning, fresh and active, when he may be quick, eager, and conscientious in work; the parents see him at night, tired, peevish, and fretful, as well as disinclined for either food or rest. Observation might soon show at what period in the day fatigue signs commence-when, though mental work continues under the stimulus of school surroundings, the brain nutrition begins to decline." (Page 7.)

He stood for the admission of the child into school at the earliest possible moment believing the average teacher to be better fitted than the average parent to direct the child in the use of its body and mind. Five years of age is none too young, nor even four. He believed also in longer school hours, rather than shorter, with more rest periods and less intensive work. It is not necessary to keep the school in a fever of excitement throughout the session. He would have the pupils active but not anxious. The teacher must study the nervous temperament of the child and be its guardian in the true sense of the

term.

THE OVERCROWDED CURRICULUM

G. V. BUCHANAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, SEDALIA, MO.

The public-school curriculum of today contains more branches of study and more drills than did that of half a century ago. This fact, taken alone, would suggest a crowded condition.

To the elementary-school course of that period there have been added-in response to public demand-commonly, elementary algebra or geometry, vocal music (as a branch of study), drawing, nature-study, manual training, and civics, with some broadening of the work in English. This addition looks quite formidable but it should be remembered that the length of the school year has been increased, and some important eliminations have been made from the prescribed work of the old course.

Much time and energy are saved to the pupils of the present by the omission of some parts of the arithmetic, geography, and history, especially, as not demanded by present conditions.

In the former branch numerous cases are now commonly left out-notably bank discount, compound interest, the progressions, and others; and in several cases, such for example as partial payments, equation of payments, and denominate numbers, the longer and more perplexing problems are now usually omitted or not positively required. Most of this curtailment of work is justified on the ground that it has not now a practical application to life's duties, and that its culture value is obtained from the algebra and geometry. The long and tedious course in arithmetic is thus relieved with no real loss.

From the old-time course in geography, with its taxing lists of facts and names of mountains, rivers, and cities, especially in foreign countries, and its large body of encyclopaedic information, liberal omissions are now common. There is also great saving here by use of late improved methods, one of the most marked being the representation of statistical information by tinted maps and by colored discs and charts calculated to give a vivid, instantaneous impression which formerly required much reading and reflection to fix in the memory.

The present course in United States history contributes largely to the relief by putting much of its information into statistical form for easy reference, and to lighten the burden of the memory; by omitting hundreds of unimportant dates from the lessons, and by leaving out all lengthy descriptions of battles except a few of the most important. It seems to me that much time is also saved to the pupil by the superior putting of things in our modern texts in history. Child-study has taught us that we may greatly increase the pupil's capacity for getting, retaining, and using information by securing his interest. This we do by arousing and holding his attention. Acting on this principle, modern textbook writers have succeeded in presenting the drama of American history to the child's liking. One simple device which has attracted general notice is the arrangement of the salient facts of each period of our history with some great hero or patriot as the center. Children are naturally hero-worshipers and this arrangement gives to the whole body of historic facts of his time something of the enchantment possessed by the great central figure.

I believe that much time and energy are saved to the pupil by present methods in the teaching of reading-coupled with the fact that almost all children now have access to an abundance of good books. These conditions make it possible for most pupils to become rapid readers and quick to grasp the thought from the printed page. Since most of the branches are gotten by reading, it is easy to see of what vast consequence good reading is to the school life of the pupil.

It is the opinion of many teachers of large and successful experience that the time spent on such educational drills as vocal music, drawing, nature-study, and most of manual training does not prevent the old time development in the essential branches, but its being interspersed with them forms recreation periods and thus fits the pupils for more effective

work on these heavier branches. As the recess period is to the body so is the bright, spirited drill to the mind.

In the high-school curriculum there is little suggestion of crowding, as the number of branches has not been increased in the ratio of the expansion in the number and length of courses. Besides, the work has been lightened by pushing civics and elementary algebra or geometry into the eighth grade and by omitting certain branches of science-commonly physiology, geology, and astronomy. True biology has been added, but it serves so well as an introduction to botany and zoölogy that it hardly requires the time and effort of an additional branch. Manual training and the commercial branches have also come in, but much of the former serves the same purpose here as in the elementary schools, and the small time it consumes is neutralized by its resting and stimulating effect upon the pupils. The remainder of manual-training work and all the commercial branches take their places, usually, in special courses and do not add to the work of the others.

The principal addition to the general high-school curriculum is in the extension of such courses as history, English, and mathematics; but the extension of a branch is usually not so taxing to the pupils as the addition of a new one.

There seems good ground for belief that with our present large measure of the laboratory method applied to the sciences we fail to get as much clear, tangible, and satisfying' knowledge, in a given time, as was done in the old way. It is possible that this method, in the hands of teachers of small experience, so fills the mind with minute details that comprehensive views of the science are not grasped; that pupils finish their study of a science with vague memories of myriads of fragments of truth but no clear vision of a body of related, essential, scientific knowledge.

But, on the whole, I believe it is safe to conclude that the measure of student effort necessary for success in the high school is not now greater than it was half a century ago; that the curriculum is richer, better adapted to the needs of the masses, and thus more popular and useful.

The two principal evils which would result from the overcrowding of the curriculum are injury to the health of pupils and lack of such mastery of the branches as gives efficiency and encouragement. These have ever menaced all school work, and it seems to me we have not sufficient evidence that they are generally caused by the fulness of the curriculum nor that they are relatively on the increase. We grant that the curriculum should not be allowed to outgrow the capacities of a majority of the pupils, yet we should not lose sight of the fact that much of it should be only suggestive, should simply open the doors to departments of art and contemplation and research which invite to unlimited occupation and growth.

If it is true, as many critics insist, that the modern high school produces a smaller relative percentage of pupils who have such a thorough knowledge of the branches as gives power and independence in their use; that its product is immature, shallow, and unpractical, may it not also be true that the cause is not so much with the curriculum as in the environment? Are there not social and domestic reasons why our boys and girls are lacking in high ideals of industry, pluck, and power? Have our critics compared our modern home, with its exemption from child responsibility, to that of our fathers where each had his daily round of duty, and have they philosophized on the effect of this change upon the characters of the children? Have they carefully compared the work, the real pleasure and the inspiration of the old-time literary and debating societies with the frothy and giddy fraternities of today, and pondered on the differences in the logical results of these changes? These are only suggestive of conditions in our modern social life which surely are largely responsible for the lack of faithfulness to duty and responsibility which is the most distressing condition in the high school of today. For these conditions which seem unfortunate the schools have the smaller share of blame, but are not wholly exempt. If the school had not shirked its responsibility to its literary societies the fraternities would not have been so much in demand. The social life of the country is largely responsible

and to it we must look for the greater work of restoration, but the schools have a duty here which they can ill afford to neglect. The home realizes that the school is failing of highest results but does not see the real cause. The school sees the true condition, knows the

reason, and is in position to suggest the remedy.

While we should be alert to know and meet all just criticisms of the product of the schools, we should not be too easily moved by them. Such criticisms have always existed, and there never was a time when social and commercial life were making such heavy demands on the schools as in this opening decade of the twentieth century.

We may not easily show that our pupils are better prepared for college than were their parents, but there seems good ground for a substantial belief that they are better equipped for living under the conditions which now exist; and this preparation is the larger duty of the public schools.

C. CITY SUPERINTENDENTS OF LARGER CITIES

TOPIC-THE NEED FOR SPECIAL CLASSES

IS THERE NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS FOR PUPILS UNLIKELY TO COMPLETE THE REGULAR ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL COURSE AND GO ON TO THE HIGH SCHOOL? SHOULD IT PROVIDE TRADE INSTRUCTION?

I. L. D. HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, MENOMONIE, WIS. Before attempting to discuss this question it will be well to state the conditions of the problem. In every city of any considerable size there are a large number of children who do not complete the course of study in the elementary schools, but who, for one reason or another, leave the schools at an age when they should still continue to receive instruction adapted to their needs and capacities.

The recent report of the Massachusetts commission appointed by the governor to investigate this subject, disclosed the fact that there were twenty-five thousand children in that state between the ages of fourteen and sixteen who were not in the public or private schools, and that if they were employed in any gainful occupation it was of the lowest class of unskilled labor, commanding a very low rate of wages, and with little or no prospect for advancement to a higher and better-paid class of labor.

In

Observation in almost any city will disclose conditions similar to those found to exist in that state. These children have left the public schools for a variety of reasons. some cases it is the result of necessity-the low wage-earning capacity of the parents, their improvident habits, or the size of the family may make it imperative that these children shall add their mite for the support of themselves and the other members of the family. For that reason they are withdrawn from school at an early age when an opportunity is open for earning even a small pittance per week. Others have left the schools because of indifference, either on their part or on the part of their parents. They are not nterested in the work of the schools; they have no comprehension of the value of an education; the immediate opportunity to earn even a few dollars a month appeals to them with greater force than do the problematical benefits of further schooling. In many cases this indifference is due to the fact that the character of work in the elementary schools, making as it does little or no demand on the motor activities of the child, does not appeal to them. They see no value in it as measured by their standard, and they withdraw from the schools frequently when there is no necessity for it and when they do not engage in any productive labor. Many of them, who do secure employment, enter upon it under conditions which are the worst possible, both for the moral and physical development of the child. From this class a large number of the recruits come for our charitable and penal institutions later on. Such a class, lacking in opportunity, hope, and aspiration, in an environment most depressing, is a menace to society and to the state. There will