DEPARTMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION SECRETARY'S MINUTES FIRST SESSION-TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 9, 1907 The department met in joint session with the departments of Higher Education and Normal Schools for the consideration of "The Preparation of High-School Teachers." The minutes of this meeting will be found under the Department of Higher Education. SECOND SESSION-WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 10 ROUND TABLE CONFERENCES Round Table A. Topic: "The Preparation of the High-School Teacher." Principal J. Stanley Brown, of the Joliet, Ill., High School, led the conference and Principal S. A. Underwood, of Kansas City, was made secretary. The general subject was discussed by Principal H. M. Barrett, of Pueblo, Colo.; President John R. Kirk, of the State Normal School, Kirksville, Mo., and others. There was general discussion on the adoption of the report of the Committeeo f Seventeen on the Professional Preparation of High-School Teachers, but no report of these discussions was made for publication. Round Table B. Topic: Mathematics. The mathematics round table was called to order by the leader, Charles Ammerman, head of the department of mathematics, William McKinley High School, St. Louis, Mo. J. F. West, head of department of mathematics, State Normal School, San Diego, Cal., was appointed secretary. The chairman, Charles Ammerman, presented a paper on "Adaptation in Mathematics." E. H. Barker, head of department of mathematics, Polytechnic High School, Los Angeles, Cal., read a paper on "Graphic Algebra." Fletcher Durell, teacher of mathematics, John C. Green School, Lawrenceville, N. J., presented a paper on "Original Demonstrations in Geometry: The Purpose, Nature and Methods of Presentation." J. Melville McPherron, head of department of mathematics, Los Angeles High School, also read a paper on "Original Demonstrations in Geometry: Time of Introduction and Limitations." Round Table C. Topic: History. The history round table of the Department of Secondary Education met at the First Congregational Church under the leadership of C. E. Locke, of the Polytechnic High School, Los Angeles, Samuel Baumann being appointed secretary. The first paper was by Mrs. Ada I. Atkinson, of the history department of the High School, Omaha, Neb., on "The Notebook in History Classes: Its Value and Limitations." "The Place of Modern History in the High School" was presented in a paper by E. I. Miller, professor of history and political science, State Normal School, Chico, Cal. R. D. Hunt, principal of the high school, San José, Cal., led the general discussion which followed. Round Table D. Science. The round table was called to order by the leader, Lewis B. Avery, superintendent of schools, Redlands, Cal. Arthur Durward, of the High School, Pomona, Cal., was appointed secretary. Upon the first subject "The Value and Limitations of Quantitative Experiments in Physics and Chemistry," a paper was presented by George C. Bush, principal of high school, South Pasadena, Cal., the same being discussed by W. A. Fiske of the Richmond High School, Richmond, Ind. General discussion followed. The second subject considered was "The Use of the Microscope in Biology Classes." The first paper presented was upon "The Purpose of Work with the Microscope," by William M. Kern, president of the State Normal and Industrial School, Ellendale, N. Dak. This was followed by a paper upon "The Kinds of Microscopic Work Valuable for High-School Students," by H. F. Wegener, principal of high school, Tacoma, Wash. The discussion was opened by Mr. J. B. Lillard, teacher of biology in the William McKinley High School, St. Louis, Mo., and C. T. Wright, Redlands, Cal. A general discussion followed, having mainly to do with the recommendation of various modifications of projection apparatus. It seemed to be a general opinion that more work in projection microscopy should be done. THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 11, 1907 The president of the department E. W. Lyttle, inspector of the University of the state of New York, presided. The topic for the session was "The Relation of the High Schools to Industrial Life." President Lyttle presented a paper on the topic of the session. "The Function and the Value of the Commercial Course" was discussed by J. H. Francis, principal of the Polytechnic High School, Los Angeles, Cal. "The Function and the Value of the Manual-Training Course" was presented by J. Stanley Brown, superintendent of Township High School, Joliet, Ill. Ellsworth Robey, of Kokomo, Ind., county superintendent of schools and member of State Board of Education, responded to a request for information regarding agricultural work in Indiana Schools. A Report of the Committee on Six-Year Courses of Study was presented by the chairman, Gilbert B. Morrison, principal of the William McKinley High School, St. Louis, Mo. This report was discussed and adopted by vote of the section and it was unanimously recommended that the report be published in the volume of proceedings. The recommendations of the Committee of Seventeen on the Professional Preparation of High-School Teachers was then presented by President Lyttle. J. H. Francis, of Los Angeles, moved that the report be amended to allow at least two years of commercial experience to substitute for an equal time of college training, but after considerable discussion this amendment was lost and the general recommendations were approved. The following resolution was then presented by Miss Grace R. Southwick, of the California School of Mechanic Arts, San Francisco, and was adopted without dissenting vote. Resolved, That it is the sense of the Secondary Department of the National Educational Association that, in standardizing the requirements for high-school teachers, due weight should be given to substituting practical experience for academic requirements in certification of special teachers in commercial lines, manual training, drawing, etc. The Committee on Nominations composed of Principal W. L. Griswold, Youngstown, Ohio; Principal W. H. House, Los Angeles, Cal.; and Charles Ammerman, of the William McKinley High School, St. Louis, Mo., then made the report or nominations of officers for the ensuing year as follows: For President Gilbert B. Morrison, principal of the William McKinley High School, St. Louis, Mo. For First Vice-President-H. H. Cully, principal of Glenville High School, Cleveland, Ohio. For Second Vice-President-Fletcher Durell, teacher of mathematics, John C. Green School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey. For Secretary-Lewis B. Avery, principal of High School, Redlands, Cal. The report of the Committee on Nominations was received and adopted and the nominees declared elected as officers of the department for the ensuing year. The department then adjourned. LEWIS B. AVERY, Secretary. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF SEVENTEEN ON THE PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION OF HIGH-SCHOOL TEACHERS INTRODUCTION BY THE CHAIRMAN, REUBEN POST HALLECK The Secondary Department of Education at the 1905 meeting at Asbury Park, N. J., voted that a committee be appointed by the president elected in 1905, Dr. E. W. Lyttle, New York state inspector of high schools, to consider the subject of securing proper professional preparation for high-school teachers. In accordance with this resolution, the following Committee of Seventeen was appointed. REUBEN POST HALLECK, chairman, principal, Boys' High School, Louisville, Ky. H. M. BARRETT, principal of high school, Pueblo, Colo. FREDERICK E. BOLTON, professor of education, State University of Iowa. STRATTON D. BROOKS, superintendent of schools, Boston, Mass. J. STANLEY BROWN, superintendent of Joliet, Ill., Township High School. EDWARD F. BUCHNER, professor of philosophy and education, University of Alabama. JOHN W. COOK, president, Northern Illinois State Normal School. E. P. CUBBERLY, professor of education, Leland Stanford Jr. University. CHARLES DE GARMO, professor of science and art of education, Cornell University. EDWIN G. DEXTER, professor of education, University of Illinois. PAUL H. HANUS, professor of education, Harvard University. E. O. HOLLAND, junior professor of education and high-school visitor, University of Indiana. C. H. JUDD, professor of psychology, Yale University. GEORGE W. A. LUCKEY, professor of Education, University of Nebraska. GEORGE H. MARTIN, secretary, Massachusetts State Board of Education. M. V. O'SHEA, professor of science and art of education, University of Wisconsin. As chairman, I asked every member of this Committee of Seventeen to prepare a paper dealing with some phase of this subject. Every one complied with this request. I am glad that the National Education Association will publish these papers in a separate pamphlet to be known as the "Report of the Committee of Seventeen on the Professional Preparation of High-School Teachers." Because this subject is somewhat new, it was thought wise to have a large committee from all parts of the United States, representing high schools, normal schools, colleges, post-graduate departments of education, and superintendents. The majority of this committee have at some time been highschool teachers. Seven of the college professors on it were selected because they had actually taught in secondary schools and thus had first-hand experience with the practical necessities of the case. These men also have the added advantage of connection with university schools of education. They have for some time been considering what is ideal as well as what is practicable in the training of secondary teachers. Several other members of the committee, in addition to the two now connected with normal schools, were formerly normalschool teachers. Some critics may object because the members of this committee do not agree on all points, but let such remember that exact agreement in regard to the professional training of high-school teachers is not necessary for progress, in fact, exact agreement would soon stop advancement. Precise delimitations of method will probably be sought by the pedant, the inefficient, and those who lack originality, but it is to be hoped that the day is far distant when cut-and-dried methods of the same type shall be imposed on the secondary teachers of this land. There may be and there probably should beagreement on certain cardinal points, but let it not be forgotten that one of the reasons why progress in the United States has astonished the world is because there has been freer play for individuality here than elsewhere. Some repetition will naturally be found among so many papers, but even when the same point is discussed, the angle of view is frequently different. Some divergence of opinion and variation in the emphasis placed on certain subjects might have been expected from so many different types of educators. Naturally those expressions of opinion in regard to which all the members of this committee agree will carry the most weight. In order that readers might gain more definite impressions, it seemed wise to select and bring together certain cardinal points on which there is substantial agreement. To decide on these, the following members met in deliberative session at Chicago on February 28 and March 1, 1907: Messrs. Bolton, Brooks, Brown, Buchner, Cook, DeGarmo, Dexter, Judd, Kirk, Luckey, O'Shea, and the chairman. After much discussion, a brief document was prepared, to be known as the "Recommendations of the Committee of Seventeen on the Professional Preparation of High-School Teachers," and to be signed by all the members of the committee. These recommendations, which follow this paper, are the result of a conference which respected whatever conflicting views the members held and which incorporated only those opinions in which all who were present could concur. While these recommendations leave out some things which several would have liked to see inserted, it is, nevertheless, felt that they represent a distinct advance over existing conditions. It was further agreed that additional opinions and matters on which the members of the committee could not agree would receive sufficient prominence in the individual papers following these recommendations. Every member who was at the Chicago conference agreed to these recommendations without dissent. Three of the members who were absent dissented on certain minor points, noted in connection with their names. The chairman in this individual report wishes to emphasize what seems to him to be salient points. He is willing to concede that his views are influenced by his personal equation as an active high-school principal. There was an Elizabethan stage, which could present Shakspere's plays, because, more than a century previous, certain towns had rules like this to determine who should act in the miracle plays: All such as they shall find sufficient in person and cunning, to the honor of the City and worship of the said Crafts, for to admit and able; and all other insufficient persons, either in voice or person, to discharge, ammove, and avoide. The twentieth century must find some means "to discharge, ammove, and avoide" all persons who would make "insufficient" teachers, or the profession of high-school teaching will never rise to Elizabethan greatness. Possibly schools of education might do some of their best work in acting as a sieve. Every year there are many persons desirous of getting positions in high schools. whom all the professional schools of education in this country could not fashion into successful teachers. The great schools of art get rid of many would-be artists. Professors of education, while not infallible, can often tell that certain personalities could not succeed in the high school. It would be a great act of kindness to many to weed out such. There would be joy among untold adolescents, if schools of education would act as a sort of St. Peter to bar the gate against all the manifestly unfit who think they have a "call" or who proposed to break in uncalled. 1.* No matter what branch the high-school instructor is to teach, he ought to know the groundwork of psychology and its educational applications. Probably three-quarters of the psychology taught in many universities would be about as directly serviceable to a teacher as a fifth wheel to a coach. Human minds, nevertheless, do not work in a lawless way. It is just as necessary for efficient trainers of the mind to know its laws as for an electrical engineer to be familiar with the laws which electricity obeys, before he attempts to instal a plant. The civil engineer who deals with certain materials spends a long time studying their resistance. He does not build his bridge first and then ascertain the qualities of his materials. He learns all that he can before *The numerals thruout all the papers mark those paragraphs referred to specifically in the "Joint Recommendations." |