J. M. H. FREDERICK

The coming of Dr. Frank E. Spaulding to the superintendency of Cleveland is naturally attracting intensive attention in Cleveland and extensive attention outside the city. No educator has ever had such an opportunity as has come to Mr. Spaulding; no one has ever had anything approaching the publicity he is receiving; no one begrudges him his responsibility or his opportunity, but it will be rank injustice to undervalue the services of J. M. H. Frederick, whom he succeeds.

Mr. Frederick has had no such opportunity. Indeed he has been seriously handicapped from the first by the local catastrophies, political and otherwise, which he inherited. Those who were opposed to the Board of Education that elected him have camped on his trail from the day he was elected. All that his retirement really means is that Cleveland intends, or thinks she intends, to forget all the rows and rumpuses of forty-six years and begin all over again.

The case was simplified by the fact that Mr. Frederick is in no sense financially interested in retaining that salary or any other salary. Quite unlike the traditional superintendent, his income is adequate and is in no sense complicated professionally as is the case when a retiring superintendent's income is from school book royalties.

Mr. Frederick loses none of the local or professional esteem in which he has been held because of his retirement. He is envied rather than pitied by his professional associates at home. and abroad.

IS IT TRUE?

In a recent issue one of the college papers in one of the leading universities in the United States has this to say editorially:

"The occasions of a college man's getting drunk are varied and sporadic. A football victory, a visit to the metropolis, a check from home, the end of examinations, a large party, a small party, all may serve as the whywithal of a spree. The aftermath consists largely in telling how much he drank, remembering with a triplicated record the sum of beverages which came his way. If a college man had no one to drink with, if he had no one to tell about it afterward, he would be as abstinent as a sailor on the sea.

"Those who drink do so not for pleasure, but for the effect."

Wherever this is true education is in a bad way. No university faculty is excusable where such conditions exist.

If the college paper falsifies the editors should be disciplined; if it tells the truth either the faculty or the students should be disciplined.

In Houston, Texas, the increase of the Junior High School in three years was 56 per cent., or more than double the rate of increase in the elementary schools. This is a fair estimate of public appreciation everywhere.

The South Texas Normal School was located at Kingsville and R. B. Cousins transferred from Canyon Normal School to this principalship. J. A. Hill of "Cousins and Hill History" fame succeeds Mr. Cousins at Canyon. Principal C. E. Evans of the San Marcos Normal School is transferred to the Sul Ross School at Alpine, and H. F. Estill of the San Houston Normal School at Huntsville succeeds Mr. Evans at San Marcos. Dr. Fletcher of the University of Texas succeeds Mr. Estill at the San Houston School. R. B. Binion of the State Department of Education is president of the new school at Commerce, and A. W. Birdwell, a professor at San Marcos, is president of the new school at Nacogdoches.

THE JUNIOR RED CROSS

So far as we know the Junior Red Cross idea originated in the schools of Natick, Massachusetts, where Edgar L. Willard is superintendent. The idea seems to have originated with Miss Louise Cummings, the supervisor of sewing in the public schools, who enlisted 150 high school and 200 elementary school girls.

The high school building and one of the elementary buildings are used during the summer months. Each class meets once a week for work and works all day, eight hours. The amount of work so large a number can accomplish is simply enormous. Miss Cummings is so public spirited, and so devoted to the cause of the national issues, that she is giving her entire time gratis.

So far as we know, the State University of Arkansas is the only institution whose summer school increased nearly one-third (29 per cent.) this year.

Great Britain, despite its enormous war expense, appropriates nearly $20,000,000 more for public education for the coming year than ever before.

No one can be for peace that the government is not for without being aggressively against the government.

The Department of Education of Pennsylvania has the best "Educational News Bulletin" we have

ever seen.

Something is wrong with someone where school finances are not on the budget system. Sentence compositions are one of the best features of the best schools of today.

M. C. Holden, Springfield, will have a New England Special for Atlanta.

Department of Superintendence, Atlanta, Febuary 25 to March 2.

THE EMPERORS' ANSWERS.

The Kaiser's reply to the Pope's peace note is characteristic. Through it the world will learn that the Kaiser cherishes "a lively desire" that the Pope's appeal may meet with success; that the Pope's efforts will have the Kaiser's "wholehearted support"; and-most characteristic of all-that the Kaiser "has regarded it as his principal and most sacred task to preserve blessings of peace to the German people and the world." But the world will not learn what Germany intends to do about Belgium, or Poland, or Servia, or Montenegro-little Powers which she has crushed -or whether she is prepared to make any concessions whatever. The sort of peace proposals which will have the Kaiser's "whole-hearted support" are those which look to a strictly German peace. The Austrian Emperor is more specific. He expresses deep appreciation of the Pope's efforts for peace, and supports the Pope's view that negotiations between the belligerents should lead to agreements for the simultaneous reduction of armaments on land and sea and in the air; for the full freedom of the seas; and for the submission of international disputes to compulsory arbitration.

THE LATEST DISCLOSURES.

The latest disclosures of German machinations at Washington are, in some respects, the most sensational. They show that so recently as January 22-only nine days before the German proclamation of unrestricted submarine warfareAmbassador von Bernstoff cabled the Berlin Foreign Office for authority to pay out as much as $50,000 "in order, as on former occasions, to influence Congress through the organization you know of, which can, perhaps, prevent war." The Ambassador also suggested that a public official German declaration in favor of Ireland was "highly desirable in order to gain the support of Irish influence here." It is not strange that this disclosure has created a flutter of excitement and resentment in Congress. It is not necessary to believe that German money was actually used to buy up Congressmen, though some members of Congress openly avow their conviction that it was, and intimate their suspicions of some members who took it. But it explains the vigor and resources of the pro-German and pro-peace-at-anyprice propaganda which flooded Congress, with telegrams and brought strong pressure to bear upon individual Congressmen; and, incidentally, it throws light on the motives of Congressmen who tried to embarrass Great Britain at that time by a pro-Irish declaration by Congress.

AMERICANS IMPLICATED.

Besides all this, and in a series of papers seized from Wolf von Igel, in New York City, in April, 1916, and now officially given out by the Committee on Public Information, there is direct evidence that Justice Cohalan of the Supreme Court of New York advised Berlin to make aerial raids upon Great Britain in connection with the Roger Casement insurrection movement in Ireland,—to

close Irish ports, to establish submarine bases on the Irish coast, and then to starve England into subjection; that George Sylvester Vierick, editor of "The Fatherland," offered supplies of bombs and picric acid to German agents in the United States, who were planning to place bombs on merchant vessels; that Paul Koenig, manager of the Hamburg-American line, and Captain von Papen, military attache of the German Embassy, paid money to a man who had agreed to blow up merchant vessels leaving New York; and that Edwin Emerson, Marcus Braun and James F. J. Archibald, American journalists, were in the pay of the German Embassy, and their receipts for money paid them by Von Igel for their services are on file. Some of the Americans who had a share in these conspiracies may yet wish that they hadn't. EARLY ADJOURNMENT POSSIBLE. Present indications point to the adjournment of Congress before the middle of October, and possibly by the first. The chief measures now pending are the war revenue bill, and the soldiers' and sailors' insurance bill. The first is in conference, and the second was passed unanimously by the House. A strong fight against it is promised in the Senate, but it is not likely to achieve anything more than a brief delay in its enactment. is assailed on the ground that the allowance which it provides for dependents is not large enough; and also that a straight pension system is better than the insurance plan, as there are certain to be pensions any way, thus doubling the cost to the government. But it is the insurance companies that are putting up the most bitter fight against the measure, for reasons that do not require to be stated.

THE SWEDISH AFTERTHOUGHT.

It

The Swedish government seems to have awakened to the seriousness of the situation created by the disclosure of the conduct of its diplomatic representatives in Argentina and Mexico in acting as agents of Germany. At first, the Swedish Foreign Minister Lindman took the matter lightly, as at most a slight indiscretion. Now he announces that all transmission of German despatches has been stopped, and that Germany has been asked for an explanation of its abuse of cable privileges. Secretary Everloef Everloef of the Swedish Foreign Office has been dismissed; and Count Wrangel, Swedish Minister to Great Britain, has left London "on a few weeks' absence," a holiday which seems to be curiously timed, if it is only a holiday.

A RUSSIAN REPUBLIC. Formal proclamation of a Russian Republic has been made by Premier and President Kerensky, and November 12 has been fixed for the election of the constituent assembly. Five members of a temporary cabinet are named, of whom two, including the Premier, are social revolutionists, and the others have no party connections. It seems impossible that, under present conditions, anything like a general election can be held at so Continued on page 306.

on

These readings, with "New Testament Lessons Practical Goodness," printed in full in modern literary style Old Testament from British-American Revision, New from Moffatt-in cloth octavo volume entitled "Illustrated Bible Readings," 416 pages, 76 Tissot pictures in colors, with endorsements by leaders of twenty-six denominations. Maps, questions, etc., adapting it for textbook of English Bible in colleges, high schools and church schools. Price, $1, postpaid. Union Bible Selections Commission, 206 Pennsylvania Avenue, S. E., Washington, D. C.

KING-TIME PASSING

[Cleveland Leader.]

Napoleon sail that in the course of one hundred years Europe would be either "all Cossack or all republican," using the word Cossack as a symbol of military autocracy.

Lord Byron wrote in his diary, in 1821: "The powers mean to war with the people. Let it be so they will be beaten in the end. The kingtimes are fast finishing. There will be blood shed like water, and tears like mists, but the people will conquer in the end. I shall not live to see it-but I foresee it."

Czar Nicholas is a prisoner in Siberia. King Constantine of Greece is an exile in Switzerland.

The kings of Serbia and Montenegro are fugitives from their countries. Albert of Belgium is obliged to hold his court in republican France. King Manuel of Portugal is a wanderer on the face of the earth. Frederick of Rumania is clinging desperately to a remnant of his domain. The Teuton prince who was placed upon the throne of Albania is in retirement. The consort of the Queen of Holland is under restraint for pro-German activities. The reign of Alfonso of Spain is threatened. The head of the British empire is a monarch in name only. The United States has pledged itself to the wiping out of German kaiserism.

Does it not seem as though the day foreseen by Napoleon and Byron-the passing of the kingtimes may be close at hand?

SUPERVISION

[Brookline School Survey.]

There are just as many problems to be studied and there is just as wide a range of decisions to be made in a city of 30,000 as in any other city, and it is beyond the ability of one man, no matter how expert he may be, to find the time necessary to give adequate attention to all of the thousand and one things demanding oversight, from the kindergarten through the high school. Many of the problems in a progressive school system require prolonged and sustained attention which the chief executive officer of the School Committee cannot give.

The time of an assistant superintendent could be utilized to as good advantage in a city of 30,000 as in a city of larger size. A city of 100,000 inhabitants has no more problems in connection with its schools than a city of 30,000 inhabitants. Its problems require no more study. In some respects the larger the city, the easier is the solution of its problems.

BY C. E. ROSE

The county superintendents of Idaho were asked to express their opinion upon the following questions: "A girl is entering the Boise High School and asks to be advised as to just what she ought to take during her four years in school. You are convinced that she cannot attend school longer than the four years of high school. After that she says that she desires and intends to attend summer normal, take the state examination, and teach school. Kindly indicate just what studies you think she ought to take, and the number of credits you would recommend in each subject."

The largest vote was two credits for secondyear English. There were twenty-nine of the thirty-two who voted for this.

There were twenty-eight votes for two credits for first-year English; for two credits for cooking. There were twenty-nine votes for two credits for third-year English.

There were twenty-six votes for two credits for algebra.

Twenty-five for two credits for general science. Twenty-three for two credits for American history; two for chorus singing; one for household management; two for sewing.

Twenty-one for one credit for modern history. Twenty for one credit for general agriculture. Nineteen for two credits for fourth-year English; one for writing.

Eighteen for one credit for household chemistry; two credits for art for teachers.

Seventeen for two credits for geometry; one for one credit for ancient history.

Sixteen for one credit for botany.

Fifteen for one credit for home sanitation and nursing; one for free-hand drawing; one for second-year of household chemistry.

This is certainly a fair view of the opinion of the every-day county superintendent where practically all are women.

SCHOOL GARDENS IN 1917

BY VAN EVRIE KILPATRICK

Columbia University.

[From the Denver News.]

Denver is to be congratulated upon the number of new gardens and all that the people have done for the food supply. When you realize that there are 4,602 lots, or about 325 acres, planted in new gardens in Denver you get an idea of their extent. Los Angeles and many of the other cities announce a larger number of lots or acreage, but they include those gardens that have been in for years.

The garden idea is growing all over the United States. Naturally I am particularly interested in the garden work in the schools. Experience and statistics prove that growing things improve the character of boys and girls. It is natural, particu-. larly with those reared in cities. These have not had the advantage of those who are reared in

as trade routes began with the fur trade, and while the outbound traffic consisted almost wholly of pelts, there was a heavy inbound traffic of French wares to be exchanged for the fur pelts.

In many instances during the various French and Indian wars military posts, or forts, were established at the mouths of the rivers flowing into the Great Lakes, and it is hardly necessary to add that trading posts followed the military posts. But quite as often the trader did not wait for the military post, preferring to take chances anyway. The cities of Erie, Ashtabula, Cleveland, Toledo, St. Joseph (Michigan) and Chicago, all grew up as a result of these portages. Next to the portage at Chicago, the route from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Allegany River, and thence down the Ohio was the most important trade route. Thus, topography has steered the spread of civilization.

J. W. Redway, F. R. G. S. Meteorological Laboratory, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

PATRIOTIC STUDENTS

The University Club of Chicago is saving a ton of flour and two tons of meat a month through voluntary food conservation, according to a food administration announcement made in Washington recently.

The house committee of the club in making this known links it with a "roll of honor" of members who have joined the armed forces of the nation. They call the food saving a patriotic enterprise and say it enables the club to remit dues for those who have joined the national service.

The house committee in its report quotes some monthly savings, as follows: Potatoes, 30 bushels; poultry, 356 pounds; meat, 4,027 pounds; flour, 1,950 pounds.

In

addition there have been large economies in sugar, butter, eggs, milk and cream, lard, and many other items.

To effect these savings the club management has reduced the size of the portions somewhat, has made Tuesday a meatless day, has stopped serving potatoes as a side dish with entrees, and serves only one vegetable as a garnish. The club has eliminated pork and bacon as a garnish for other meats. It has discontinued altogether the serving of baby lamb, veal, suckling pig and squab birds.

MASSACHUSETTS PENSION SYSTEM The sober and conservative state of Massachusetts is said by the insurance experts to have the safest, sanest, and most practical pension system extant, rock-ribbed and guaranteed to last.

The Massachusetts teacher cannot retire before the age of sixty years, and there is no disability provision at all. She is compelled to retire at the age of seventy. The yearly payments are very large as compared to ours, being about five per cent. of the salary. Thus, one whose salary was $60 a month would pay $3 a month to the pension fund, and one whose salary is $100 a month would pay $5 a month, instead of $1.

When one retires, his total payments, with interest, are used to purchase an annuity from the regular life insurance companies and then the state by an appropriation grants a further annuity of the same amount. The largest pension that has been granted is $750, and the smallest $300.

If anyone wishes to withdraw at any time, his contributions, with interest, are returned to him in four annual installments. In case one dies, his contributions are refunded to his executor.-Western Journal of Education.

THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL. By Charles Swain Thomas (Newton Classical High School). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Cloth. 381 pp. Price, $1.60.

Mr. Thomas is to be congratulated on his production of such a helpful work as his "Teaching of English in Secondary Schools." The book cannot be recommended too highly to high school teachers of English; it is not devoted to mere theorizing, but is a practical, helpful handbook for teachers. It contains analyses of methods which have been successfully tried in the classroom by an efficient teacher of long experience.

Specific problems that confront every teacher of English are discussed and explained; as, How much grammar shall be taught in the high school? How can the best results in oral composition be obtained? How shall written composition be made interesting? Other topics treated are: Methods of teaching lyric poetry (with attention to its various phases, rhythm, rhyme and the development of appreciation of beauty), the teaching of prose fiction, of the essay, and of the drama, with a few type In addition there is an lessons on the different forms. excellent list of theme topics.

Teachers who have attended Mr. Thomas's excellent courses in the Harvard Summer School and have felt his inspiring influence will need no further recommendation of the book than his name on the title page; those who have not had this privilege will find the book a storehouse of valuable help and a source of real inspiration. HILLERN'S HOEHER ALS DIE KIRCHE. Edited, with introduction, notes, exercises, and vocabulary, by Stephen L. Pitcher, Soldan High School, St. Louis. New York: The Macmillan Company. Cloth. Illustrated. 244 pp. Price, 40 cents.

This is one of the first volumes of the new Macmillan German Series, under the general editorship of Professor Camillo von Klenze, head of the German department in the College of the City of New York, and Dr. Henrietta Becker von Klenze. It is a thoroughly modern edition of a well known text, one that has been deservedly popular in American schools for a great many years. The story

sticks in the mind of many a high school or college graduate long after he has forgotten the difference between a strong and a weak verb. Mr. Pitcher's edition is intended to see that the pupil gets more out of his study than merely a pleasant story to remember years afterwards. In accordance with the best modern practice, he has introduced several useful features in the book. The notes are in German and printed (most of them) at the foot of the page, only the longer ones those referring to the historical and cultural background of the storybeing grouped in an appendix. In addition the appendix contains exercises based on the text, comprising studies of word-groups and word-formations, questions for oral practice, grammar exercises, topics for short written compositions, lists of idioms for memorizing, etc. The editor has also provided introductions in German and English, the usual vocabulary, and a bibliography of supplementary reading. The book is becomingly illustrated.

MENTAL ADJUSTMENTS.

By Frederic Lyman Wells, McLean Hospital, Waverley, Mass. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Cloth. Price, $2.50, net.

No institution in America has for as many years made as scientific and demonstrative a study of mental activities as has the scientific department of the McLean Hospital at Waverley, Mass., and it has issued no higher type of book than this by Mr. Wells. Never before has anyone brought together such a series of observations from normal psychology, psychopathology, and anthropology as has Mr. Wells in this great contribution to education.

It is as scientific as it is readable and as adapted to the general reader as it is to the scientists. No student of mental science will pass it by and no general reader who aspires to being intelligent on mental demonstrations can afford to pass it by. It discusses the conduct of the mind from the standpoint of its adaptation to the world we live in and points out to the individual how a better selfunderstanding means better self-control and a wiser ordering of one's actions along the normal paths of happi

ness.