readers all the time. ... No art can be mastered without constant practice in it." We read a multitude of books in various attitudes of mind, but not once a year do we read any book which as an editor and public speaker we enjoy as much as we have enjoyed "The Well of English and the Bucket." We would sooner put it in the hands of a student of English for the putting of his English in action than any book we have read in many a month. JOHN ARTHUR GREEN For more than a third of a century John Arthur Green was one of the features of the school-book business. As an agent in Maine he swept the field with a set of books; then in Boston he covered a larger field and maintained his winning pace, and finally from the New York office of the American Book Company he had one of the most responsible positions in the business. For several years Mr. Green has been in retirement from the physical complications which led to his recent death. Mr. Green had the rare gift of friendship which endeared him to professional and business friends, by whom he will be remembered affectionately. SMITH-LEVER ACTIVITIES So far as our observation goes the Smith-Lever workers are accomplishing more in North Dakota than in any other state. There has been no friction from the start. Miss May C. Macdonald is the leader of ten women workers who cover the fifty-three counties thoroughly. Each is skilfully trained in Home Economics in the State Universities of Illinois, Montana and West Virginia, the Agricultural College of North Dakota, and the Valley City State Normal School. From May 1 to August 15 these women gave 503 demonstrations in canning to 43,000 women. One crippled woman walked four miles for the canning demonstration. One woman after one demonstration canned successfully fifty quarts of peas. It was her first attempt. Why not pass the facts along instead of using falsehoods still promoted officially? A PROFESSIONAL ISSUE Whatever else may be said of the recent mayoralty election in New York there is much food for thought in the following statement of A. C. Perry, Jr., district superintendent of the Department of Education, published on the eve of the election: "The main school issue is 'what constitutes proper administrative method?' Shall the public schools of this city be administered by the lay Board of Estimate and Apportionment overriding the carefully thought out recommendations of the proper educational authorities? Or shall the schools be administered by a board of education advised by its lawfully constituted professional officers, who are under oath to serve the interests of the pupils?" HEALTH PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION—(I.) For several years the National Educational Council of the National Education Association has had a committee of ten to act jointly with a committee of three from the American Medical Association to study and report upon "Health Problems in Education," The first pamphlet report of this joint committee is entitled "Minimum Health Requirements for Rural Schools." Seven hundred and fifty thousand copies of that eight-page report have been printed through the generosity of the Elizabeth McCormick Memorial Fund of Chicago. A moderate number of copies of that report are still available and these may be obtained from the chairman of the committee, Dr. Thomas D. Wood, 525 West 120th Street, New York City. The first report deals mostly with the health problems of the rural school-the sanitary surroundings of the school child in the country. Minimum sanitary requirements for rural schools are proposed for the purpose of helping to establish a standard of fundamental health essentials in the rural school and its material equipment so that attainment of this minimum standard may be demanded by public opinion and by educational authorities. of every school in the country. Conformity to the minimum sanitary requirements should be absolutely necessary to the pride and self respect of the community; and to the sanction and approval of county, state and other supervising and interested official or social agencies. Neglect of anything essential for health in construction, equipment and care of the rural school plant is at least an educational sin of omission and may reasonably be considered a social and civic crime or misdemeanor. The country school should be as sanitary and wholesome in all essential particulars as the best home in the community. Further, it should be pleasing and attractive in appearance, in furnishings and in surroundings, so that the community as a whole may be proud of it; so that the pupils and teacher may take pleasure in attending school and in caring for and improving it. The second pamphlet report of this joint committee is entitled "Health Essentials for Rural School Children," 50,000 copies of which have 50,000 copies of which have been printed. Twenty-five thousand copies of this report have been distributed by request to over 100 state normal schools and these reports are being used for study by normal school students. The personnel of the committee is as follows on the part of the National Council of Education: Thomas D. Wood, chairman, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, New York; William H. Burnham, Clark University, Worcester, Mass.; P. P. Claxton, United States Commissioner of Education, Washington, D. C.; F. B. Dresslar, Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee; Clark W. Hetherington, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.; David Starr Jordan, Leland Stanford Jr. University, Palo Alto, Cal.; John F. Keating, Superintendent of Public Schools, Pueblo, Col.; Charles H. Keyes, Skidmore School of Arts, Saratoga Springs, N. Y.; Jacob A. Shawan, Superintendent of Schools, Columbus, Ohio; Albert E. Winship, New England Journal of Education, Boston, Mass. Committee of the American Medical Association: R. W. Corwin, chairman, Minnequa Hospital, Pueblo, Col.; John M. Dodson, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill.; M. J. Rosenau, Harvard University, Boston, Mass. AROUSING INTEREST IN HIGHER Continued from page 573 ago is still fresh in my memory. I am sure that it was a big factor in arousing in me a greater desire to go to college." A large map of the State of Indiana mounted on a burlap background and framed with moulding was displayed. Each college town was marked by a gold star and had a cord running to a card on the margin. This card told what the entrance requirements were for the particular institution and also an estimate of the annual expense for board, room, books and fees. On a large table were spread college annuals, souvenirs, pamphlets and other printed and illustrated matter. All the late catalogs and bulletins are regularly kept on file on special shelf, but their use was noticeably increased during the week. The convocation period on three days of the week was given over entirely to representatives of three institutions which had been invited to participate. On Monday, Ralph V. Sollitt, Alumni secretary of Indiana University, talked; on Wednesday, Professor Z. M. Smith, supervisor of agricultural education of the State Department of Public Instruction, and professor of agriculture at Purdue University, spoke and on Friday President George Richmond Grose of De Pauw University addressed the school. Although these speakers were introduced by local alumni of their respective institutions and the days were designated as "Indiana," "Purdue," and "De Pauw" days, their talks were broad gauge, talks were broad gauge, inspiring appeals for higher education and their advice was not selfish but generously given that each pupil should choose the college according to his needs and desires. In closing the week the English department, which includes every pupil in school, devoted one day's composition work to themes on some phase of the go-to-college movement; thus was the mind of every pupil not only filled with the spirit of the week, but each one had the opportunity of reinforcing the idea through his own method of expression. ECONOMY OF TIME IN EDUCATION [Editorial.] The committee of the Department of Superintendence on "Economy of Time in Education" is doing work that is both extensive and intensive. Dr. H. B. Wilson of Topeka, chairman of the committee, has an enviable record for efficiency in committee service. He had a meeting of his committee in Chicago on October 20, with the following members present: W. C. Bagley of the Carnegie Foundation; J. H. Francis of Columbus; Charters and Stevenson of Illinois University; Hosic of Chicago Teachers College; Bobbitt, Rugg, Freeman and Gray of Chicago University; Coffman of Minnesota University; Russell and Horn of Iowa University; L. D. Stone of Iowa Teachers College; Monroe of Emporia State Normal School; Thompson of the University of Colorado; Courtis of the Detroit public schools; H. L. Smith of Indiana University; Withers of the St. Louis public schools; Brown of Ohio University; Woodley of the Huntington, West Virginia, Normal School. In the meeting on "Problem Attack" large attention was devoted to the discussion of the merits of various terms, such as problem, project, project-problem, culture unit, social participation unit, life topic and participation project. In the sessions devoted to the Economy of Time a group was constituted with Horn of Iowa as chairman, with the responsibility of preparing for publication a series of studies setting forth the experimental evidence on economy of time in learning. Each person assisting with this formulation is to provide one original study of his own, or from someone else, pertaining to economy in learning, and is to summarize critically the printed material and the original studies yet in libraries bearing upon the same topic which the original study he presents pertains to. This will be a very valuable publication and is promised by May or June. Arrangements were also made for issuing a volume of original studies pertaining to the minimum essentials in the elementary school subjects. It was decided that this formulation should contain an original study pertaining to each subject previously reported on in the Fourteenth and Sixteenth year books and to any one of the subjects not previously reported on concerning which it is possible to secure a study, and that the original study pertaining to each subject should be preceded by a critical summary, this critical summary to cover both published and unublished material of merit pertaining to the question of the minimum content of the subject. VOCABULARIES One of the sanest studies of vocabularies that we have seen says that the agricultural laborer uses about 1.500 words. Intelligent artisans have a vocabulary of 4.000 words, while educated persons are familiar with, if they do not use 8,000 to 10,000 words. In a recent review Dr. Jacobs said "that the average well educated American can control from 30,000 to 35,000 words." But given an individual with a vocabulary of 10,000 primitive words, it is a simple matter for him to increase his stock of words by the use of prefixes and suffixes. From four to six derivatives may be formed by the use of these from nearly every primitive word. If proper names be added to either of these totals (40,000 to 60,000), they might yield a total of 50,000 to 70,000 terms. Every well-read person of fair ability and education will be able to define (First Week of January.) M. Judges iv, 4-16; v, 1-7. Threefold Alliance of Deborah, Barak and the Lord. T. Judges v, 8-23. "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength." W. Psalms xxxvii, 1-24. "Trust in the Lord and do good." T. Psalms xxxvii, 25-40; lii. "I have not seen the righteous forsaken." F. Psalms v; lvi. "Let those that take refuge in Thee rejoice." S. Psalms lxi; lxii. "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." S. Psalms xxviii; xxx. "The Lord is my strength and my shield." The trouble is, you are still under the spell of the old scholastic tradition, and are unconsciously training all the children to be "literary," one way or another. -Frank Crane, Symposiumist. SELECTIOS FOR OUR COUNTRY BY OWEN SEAMAN To steel our souls against the lust of ease; To bear in silence though our hearts may bleed; To go our quiet ways, subdued and sane; This be our part, for so we serve you best, THE FIRE DIVINE -Selected. BY EDWARD WILBUR MASON Who works with glee in the red glare Has healthfulness and strength to spare, Who sweeps a room with right good cheer Who builds a mousetrap or a song, He has a joy both sure and long- -National Magazine. "Our golden age lies before us, and not behind." Brooding doesn't help your cause,-get to work; Nothing gained by picking flaws,-get to work. Weak are trampled by the strong? You a victim of man's wrong? "Stand the storm. It won't be long❞— Get to work. -C. F. Deems. "Courtesy is the eye which overlooks your friend's broken gateway, but sees the rose which blossoms in his garden." None. but one can harm you, None but yourself, who are your greatest foe. "Be patient, oh, be patient! go and watch the wheat-ears grow So imperceptibly that ye can mark no change nor throe, Day after day, day after day, till the ear is fully grown, And then again, day after day, till the ripened field is brown." -Selected. We're to see the sun as always shining, and always shine ourselves, and our training consists in going where there isn't any brightness and being bright, and going where there isn't any happiness and making happiness." -Sunshine Jane's Creed. MADE STARS BY MARY CAROLYN DAVIES If there isn't any star within your sky, Why, a make-believe one, swinging white and high, If you put it where you'll see it every night, If there isn't any sunshine in your day, If you've never tried to make your sun that way, This sunshine-making's hard, but you won't mind. "SAYLER PARK"-WHERE IS IT? Early this year Dr. Winship came to Cincinnati, and without consulting "Yours Truly," proceeded to write up "Sayler Park" and print "it" in the Journal of Education. All sorts of inquiries have come to me from various parts of the country, as far away as California, wanting to know where we are and what we are doing that we should get newspaper notoriety. The "firstly" can be answered easily, but it will no doubt be years before the "secondly" can be answered fully and satisfactorily. Years ago there was a cluster of villages down the river below the city, made up of Fern Bank, Home City, and Delhi, with a long strip of country holding them to Cincinnati. Each village conducted its own small school at great expense to the few taxpayers. In time better judgment prevailed, and knowing that the entire territory would soon be annexed to the city the people agreed on the name Sayler Park, in honor of the late Nelson Sayler, who had been one of the most prominent and generous citizens of the community. Dr. Winship indicated in his editorial on Sayler Park "Old and New," that I had a predilection to crankiness. Since I was a small boy and had to turn the windmill in my grandfather's barn I have known that it takes a crank to make some things go 'round. On the ninth day of September, 1916, the superintendent sent me, a new "old" man, to Sayler Park, and told me little about the situation. On the other hand he gave me the open track and let me use all the steam I could command. Once during the year when I was blue, I went to him for comfort and he said: "See Mrs. Wooley." Later I came to feel that he had done the wisest thing. possible, but I must write of her later. The total enrollment for the year was 365, with an average attendance of about 300-a bad showing, I am sorry to say, but an improvement on the former years. The community must be educated on the matter of attendance. During the first week of school I began a study of our classification, and found, to my amazement, that many of our children were two, three, and some four years retarded. To me this was a feature that I had not dreamed of finding in such a suburb. In looking about over the community I found what seemed to me several reasons for the condition. One of the government dams in the Ohio River is located at Fern Bank and most of the employees are families who have moved about from place to place, and the children have had no fixed abode. When they went to a new place the inevitable happened when the children entered school. The school from which they came was considered not up to the standard (whatever that is) and they were demoted. When a child has moved two or three times, his last state is worse than his first. Will the time ever come when "you'uns is as good as we’uns”? With just the river between us and Kentucky, we frequently get children from two or three southern states, who have attended all sorts of schools, public and private. We had one girl in the seventh grade last year who had been in a private school, a convent, and part of one year in a small college in the South. Then again we get some colored children from over the river, who have had no schooling scarcely, and these have to be reckoned with. Incidentally this is one of our problems and it will be a long time before we find the solution. Nobody here wants them-not even the teachers, but still we have them. Some of them are without fathers, some are without mothers, and many of them are practically homeless, right here in this great state of Ohio. Many of them fifteen and sixteen years of age, and not able to do the work of the third grade. If they get through the grades there is no place for them. We must give them more industrial training, and prepare them for service to which they can turn for a livelihood. Then we have a class of pupils that. come from good homes, many of whom are brilliant, yet they have received worse treatment than any of the other classes. No one here seems to have discovered that it is useless for many children to spend eight years in the grades, just because the course of study calls for that number of years. Six years is all the time needed for the work by many children, and they should not be denied the privilege of doing it in that time. I hope soon to tell the readers of the Journal something of my classifications, what we have done, what we are doing, what we hope to do, and best of all something of the work of Mrs. Wooley. URGENT APPEAL M. F. Andrew. Gentlemen: I think that the following should be brought to the immediate attention of the public through your Journal. An urgent appeal has just been sent out by Major Murphy, Red Cross commissioner in Paris, for 1,500,000 sweaters, 1,500,000 mufflers, 1,500,000 pairs of socks and 1,500,000 wristlets. What is to hinder the boys and girls of the grammar schools and the girls of the high schools throughout the country from helping knit these garments for our boys who are to spend the winter months in the trenches? The public schools of our country are attended by about forty million_pupils. A large percentage of these pupils are already receiving credits for time spent in school and in many cases out of school sessions in learning to sew, cook and accomplishing other practical duties of like nature. Under the supervision of the classroom teacher, the special teacher or the parents, a boy or girl is not liable to make mistakes and thereby spoil material. Think of the millions of garments that could be knitted each month by our school children if such a movement were properly directed and organized. A few days ago I visited a third grade and found that the boys and girls in that grade had accomplished a great deal in that line. The teacher asked all to stand who had knitted a garment with the result that nearly every pupil in the room stood, fifty per cent. of them boys. I saw some of the work and it was absolutely perfect, which fact opened my eyes as to the possibilities of organized work in the schools along this line. Why not allow credits for time spent in the classroom and out of the classroom for work that will fill a great and vital need such as this? A half hour a day spent by millions of boys and girls will mean millions of hours a day and fill a need that is daily growing more urgent. Our sailor boys are taught how to knit, why not our school boys? How proud they will feel when they are told that each completed garment is to be speeded to the front to relieve the sufferings of our soldier boys. Efficiency is the watchword of present day success. Here is an opportunity to make efficiency count and play a great part in winning the war. Keith C. Brown, West Hartford High School, Some strand of our own misdoing is involved in every quarrel.-Stevenson. |