minimum of professional studies every secondary-school teacher should pursue. 8. From the foregoing it is clear that this essential minimum should consist of the following four courses: 1. General Principles of Education, one-half year. School Hygiene, one-half year. 2. Educational Psychology, one-half year. Methods, and Practice Teaching, one-half year. 3. Secondary Education-Particularly the Public High School, its Origin and Development; Relation to the Elementary School and to the College; Present Aims, Organization, and Work. Foreign Secondary Schools. 4. History of Education from the Time of the Ancient Greeks to the Present Day. It is clear that a teacher's training is only well begun by such a course of study as has been outlined in the preceding pages. His growth must continue with the practice of his profession if he would continue to be efficient as a teacher, and increasingly useful as a member of an important profession whose interests he ought to be able to promote by his example, his voice, and his pen; and if he would be counted among those who not only render efficient vocational service, but can be relied on to co-operate with others in at least one of the many community interests lying entirely outside his vocation. Thru the teacher's ministration the pupil is to be led to understand and enjoy this wonderful world of ours-to possess some command over its resources, to find in it the particular thing of worth that he likes best, and to look forward to the kind of work that he can do best. The pupil is to acquire knowledge and the power to use it; his heart is to be touched and taught to respond habitually to noble emotions of "virtue, honor, love, courage, and magnanimity;" he is to see and love beauty as well as noble emotions and goodness; he is to be trained to act in harmony with his insight, his warm heart, and his cultivated taste; and so to be and do his best in everything he undertakes. This is the teacher's ideal. All would like to approximate its realization, and few indeed would not try to realize it as nearly as possible, once it is seen. There are many teachers fortunately who cherish such an ideal, consciously or unconsciously, and who adhere to it and maintain an attitude of discriminating optimism amid all the trials, misunderstandings, discouragements, and disappointments that fall to the lot of every worker. Such teachers rejoice in their partial successes and derive from them the courage and good will that make for ever increasing efficiency. These are the chosen few-chosen by nature and a fortunate combination of circumstances to do the teacher's work. Unfortunately, however, the conditions under which too many teachers carry on their work are a constant menace to the maintenance of the teacher's ideal, and not a few who have it at the start harden under them. Under the stress and strain of a deadening routine for small pay, or an unappreciative public, or narrow or ill-bred official supervisors, or some or all these combined, such teachers are in danger of losing the inspiring influence of their ideal, and of forgetting it entirely. In any case, every teacher's inspiration is derivable from two sources-his equipment of scholarship and his professional insight, interest, and skill; and we cannot urge too strongly or too persistently the appropriate recognition of the training on which this inspiration depends until it ultimately wins, wherever found, thoro appreciation and appropriate material rewards. VII E. O. HOLLAND, JUNIOR PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION AND HIGH-SCHOOL VISITOR, UNIVERSITY OF INDIANA 1. The last few years of the nineteenth century will be noted as the time for a new and widespread interest in secondary education. In the past, educators have given their attention to the problems of the common graded schools and the college and the university. As a consequence, the elementary and the collegiate work have been well developed and been placed in the hands of specialists. It was not until about fifteen years ago that the secondary-school problem was able to demand the serious thought of the educational leaders. In the year 1890 was held the December Conference at Berlin. Four years later the Committee of Ten made its extremely valuable report. Within another year, the English Parliamentary Commission on Secondary Education concluded its investigations. In 1899, the Committee on College Entrance Requirements gave the results of its work. During these years, every state teachers' association has found the secondary-school problem one worthy of its serious and persistent consideration. As the late President Harper well said, "Wedged in between the great common-school work and the higher work of colleges and universities, its prominence in the past has not been commensurate with its importance." But this condition has been modified, and as a result, of all the educational advances made during the early part of this century, none will surpass that in secondary education. The growth of the high schools during the past fifteen years has been phenomenal, for the enrolment has been nearly trebled. In 1889-90 the secondary schools enrolled 297,894, and in 1903-04, 822,000. This increase has been most marked in the Middle West in connection with the public high schools, and least marked in the private eastern academies. Yet the increase has been so great thruout the entire country that it must be called a national movement. From President Eliot's report we find in 1891 that 128 public high-school students entered Harvard; in 1900 there were 212, showing an increase of more than 65 per cent. In 1891, 147 students entered Harvard College from private schools; in 1900, there were 105, showing a decrease of over 28 per cent. Many of the great western colleges and universities have been enrolling thousands of young men and women, practically all of whom have been prepared in the public high schools. The growth in the high schools has made possible the rapid growth in institutions of higher learning. Yet notwithstanding this vast army of young people that pass each year into the doors of our colleges and universities, the great majority of secondaryschool students never enter an institution of higher learning. Since this is true, it means that the secondary school has a peculiar function, and in the language of Dean Russell, that function "is the selection and training of leaders for intelligent service in academic, professional, and industrial life." The high school of the twentieth century is not to be considered a preparatory school; it has its own specific work to do. It should reinforce the true democratic spirit in our government; it should arouse in each pupil both an intellectual and an intelligent interest in life; it should develop him along the lines of strength so he can render to society the greatest possible service. Dr. Hanus has said, Most of our editors, politicians, skilled mechanics, and labor leaders, our leading business men, and even the great majority of our professional men and women, are not college bred; but they have usually had a secondary-school training. These people are commonly the leaders of the people. Since, then, the American high schools have a distinct function, and since they have such an intimate connection with the social, intellectual, and industrial life of the whole people, we should assume that the question of professional training for secondary teachers should be one that has received the most careful consideration. It is true that in recent years our educational leaders have thought and written a great deal upon this subject, but today we find that the vast majority of school committees are indifferent to this important problem, and that the secondary-school field is very largely in the control of inexperienced, unskilled, and incompetent teachers. The facts collected a few years ago by Superintendent Crum, of Madison, Neb., throw light upon this assertion. Beginning with September, 1896, there were at work in the Nebraska high schools 454 teachers, in 1905 only 74 remained. the statistics by years: Here are September, 1897, 190 new teachers entered the work; 1905, 27 remained. September, 1903, 188 new teachers; 1905, 90 remained September, 1904, 198 new teachers, making 583 in those positions. Superintendent Crum discovered that over 33 per cent. of the total enter these important positions every year, and that over 67 per cent. of these teachers have been at work for less than four years. These statistics are indeed startling, but, in a large measure, they are no more so than those to be obtained from any other state in the Middle West. These facts would seem to prove my assertion that most of the secondaryschool teachers are inexperienced, but is it true that they are, as I have charged, unskilled and incompetent? In 1901, Professor M. V. O'Shea received reports from one hundred high-school principals and school superintendents concerning secondary-school teachers, and, to reinforce this evidence, he carefully examined the records of one thousand inspections of secondaryschool teachers. Here is what he discovered: 1. The university graduate has no just conception of what a high school ought to accomplish. 2. He has little sympathy at the beginning with the kind of work the high school must do. 3. He has little appreciation of what should be the right relation of his department to the other departments in the high school. He tries to monopolize all the time, and to crowd out other subjects, for he has not given thought to the relative value of the high-school branches. His last two years at the university led him to think that his specialty is the only subject to be taught in the secondary schools and beyond. 4. He gives special and technical work before the pupils have any idea as to the scope of the subject. 5. His tendency is to talk too much, to lecture to the pupils, and lecture he does regardless of the impracticability of the plan. cases. Spiritless teaching is the greatest fault to be found in the majority of these The second fundamental fault is the narrowness of view. Pupils cannot see the bearing of the questions. The teacher fails to arouse delight and enthusiasm. Of course that kind of teacher is certain to have difficulty in discipline. Because of his inefficiency many pupils fall behind in the work and quit school forever. Such instruction, of course, is a costly business for the people. It decreases the efficiency of every high-school student, and, in many instances, it perceptibly lowers the moral and intellectual life of a community. I think I have not made the case worse than it is. How are we to improve this condition? How are we to make the secondary schools equal to the important task they have to do? Of course the answer is that we must get the people to demand that the secondary-school teacher make a preparation that will equip him to meet the needs of the school. And we must get the people to be willing to pay for such service; for the high-school teacher should have the opportunity to do good work, to receive a reasonable salary, obtain advancement as a reward for excellent service, to be given social recognition, and to be secure from unfair attacks from the public. In a large measure the possibilities in the secondary-school field should be comparable with those to be found in the other professions. When this condition obtains, the best highschool teachers will remain in the profession and the poor ones will drop out because of the stronger competition. Then the high schools of the country will be able to wield a powerful influence on the life of the people. Improvement in the secondary-school work will come first of all from the efforts of the colleges and universities, and from the public-school leaders of the country. During the fall of 1906, I sent out a questionnaire upon the general problem of professional training of secondary-school teachers, and with a query concerning the local condition and how this condition could be improved. I compared the forty replies received from the leading college and university educators with those statements made by the same number of the leading college and secondary-school men of Indiana. I was especially impressed with the fact that the needs seem to be the same thruout the whole country. From one point of view this is not a misfortune, for we can approach the general problem with the approval and support of all sections of the United States. Practically all of the educators insist that the secondary-school teacher should possess four qualities: (1) general knowledge; (2) professional knowledge; (3) special knowledge; and (4) real skill in teaching. 2. From the answers to my questionnaire, I infer much difficulty is found in attempting to solve the fourth need and requirement-the development of real skill in teaching. All of us agree that the preparation of the secondary-school teacher cannot be satisfactory or complete until, in a practical way and under normal conditions, it includes actual experience in teaching. Only a few of my replies favored the establishment of a training-school in connection with the college or university because of the great expense and the difficulty in making such a school practical and attractive to any large percentage of the college students. Most educators seem to favor an affiliation with a nearby high school, where opportunity can be given the students of the department of education to observe skilful teaching and to take charge of classes under the direction and supervision of efficient teachers. Another plan that has been favored widely is that of sending out seniors, during the college vacations, to do work in some of the best schools of the state. Such a plan would enable the regular teachers to observe work in their own and neighboring schools— an opportunity today they seldom have. Some such plan, I believe, will in the future be used widely by many of the best city superintendents, who can thereby fill vacancies with less trouble and risk; and the pupil-teachers, having such experience, will be able to teach much more satisfactorily when given a permanent place the following year. 3. Already the departments of education in most of the institutions in the Middle West require the completion of a prescribed course, which includes work in the history and the philosophy of education, in educational and genetic psychology, secondary-school management and teaching, and in observation and practice. As Dean Russell has stated: The lowest requirements which can consistently make for such a diploma or certificate, are as follows: a) The candidate must be a college graduate, at least when he receives the diploma if not when entering upon the course, or have the equivalent of a college education. b) He must satisfactorily complete courses: (1) In the history of education; (2) in the philosophy of education; (3) In school economy, especially school hygiene-an allotment, say, of eight hours a week throughout one year. c) As evidence of special knowledge in each subject in which a diploma is sought, the candidate should be able to show the equivalent of at least three years' collegiate study of the subject. . . . Such a course may very properly be conducted wholly or in part by the university department, which is responsible for the academic training in subject matter. |
