MEMORY AS A LIFE FACTOR BY HARRIET B. STILES One grows almost weary of the endless plea for making the pathway of school-life easy and pleas ant. Pleasant it should be if we are to bring about the best results, but it is from the cry of "Easy" that I rebel. hold it before him so that memory may recall facts which bear upon that picture, and so he may intelligently answer the question asked? We hear many, many times of the great value of the old-time mental arithmetic. It did have a great value, but in my judgment that great value Popular opinion is many times not wholly did not lie in the process of reasoning as is so wrong, but very far from wholly right. Can we become a nation of thinkers if we are brought up on ready-made thought? Does not much of the so-called "development work" simply take from the child the power to develop for himself? Some of it there must and should be, but as a teacher of long experience I think it is frequently used entirely too much. I fear that much too frequently, when the child is asked a question, he at once says to himself: "What did our teacher tell us about that?" If he cannot recall the statement he gives up trying to answer the question. If the teacher be a trained teacher and therefore competent to lead the natural activity, the natural inquisitiveness and the natural constructive ability of the mind of the child into the right paths so that the mental picture is brought before the child and from that picture the child determines his answer, all is well. Do we as teachers always remember that our duty is to impart power, not simply to give information? Do we fully realize that our success in any enterprise depends upon our ability to recall accurately that which has, so to speak, only passed before us, the written sentence-the spoken words or the view of the object, and that this view may be from nature or from art; that only a small part of our real knowledge is secured by actually committing the facts regarding it? Do we realize that many times we dwarf the child's power to produce the mental picture and often made prominent, for written work requires the same reasoning. Its value lay in the training of the memory to hold, combine and reproduce accurately. Watch your pupils in their seat work, and see how they depend upon pencil for every step. Geography is one of the most inclusive of studies and yet so poorly taught in many schools, simply because of the inability or unwillingness of the teacher to make it a cultural study; to train the child to draw from memory a picture of the thing being considered, and to study that "memory picture" just as he would study the book picture or his own memory picture, were he to put that same picture before his eye by pen, pencil or brush. I hold that the power to recall and form mental pictures should be trained and trained systematically. By memory, you will bear in mind, I mean that power to recall a mental picture. Think of the power of the great poets,-think how they are thrilled by a sunset, or it may be a tiny flower, and how that thrill must be recalled, when, perhaps years afterward, they write the poem which in turn thrills some of us? Why not all of us? Lowell tells why when he says: "The glory of the sunset sky into my soul has passed." There is nothing, to my mind, which will bring such large returns in after years, as the training which will enable a person to accurately recall the past by something of the present. He who enables my child to gain knowledge and then to accurately express that which he has gained, has rendered my child great service, be the amount gained large or small. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY Our one and supreme job, the one purpose to which all others must give way, is to bring this war to a successful conclusion. To accomplish that, let each one of us feel himself personally responsible, let each one of us work as if our life depended on the result. And, in a very real sense, does not our national life and our individual life depend upon the outcome of this war? Would life be tolerable if the power of Prussianism, run mad and murderous, held the world by the throat, if the primacy of the earth belonged to a government steeped in the doctrines of a barbarous past and supported by a ruling caste which preaches the deification of sheer might, which despises liberty, hates democracy and would destroy both if it could? * * * The accursed thing (we must destroy) is not a nation, but an evil spirit, a spirit which has made the government possessed by it and executing its abhorrent and bloody bidding an abomination in the sight of God and man.-Otto H. Kahn, New York. HOW OUR DISTRICT CAME TO VOTE BONDS FOR A NEW SCHOOLHOUSE BY MRS. MARGARET S. MC NAUGHT It is frequently stated that Americans are, as a people, deficient in imagination; that facts must come concretely into their own lives before they are realized as facts. This may account sometimes for a seeming lack of interest on the part of a community in improvements in its school conditions. It is not so much that people are cold and apathetic as that their imaginations have not been called into action. Psychologically the steps to be taken for this purpose are these: Attract attention; with attention comes interest. Then give material for imagination, so that they may picture the conditions. It is impossible to make an image out of nothing. I like to believe that most people do what is right when they know what is right. It is often because we have crude images or hazy images that we have wrong ideas. Better school conditions can be brought about when the people know how much the teachers and children really care, how hampered and limited they feel and how happily and effectively they could work if they were better housed and equipped. Two or three wide-awake teachers and a group of live boys and girls can do much to change the opinions of a community by putting facts before them in such a way as to make vivid pictures of real conditions. The following account of "How we did it" is an illustration. It was sent me by a young teacher in one of the northern counties: "We needed a new schoolhouse. There was no doubt about it in the minds of those who lived in it daily. Two years ago bonds for a schoolhouse had been defeated. Conditions, bad then, were worse now, and something had to be done. Notices were posted for a new election. There were approvers, opposers and neutrals. It was necessary for the people who realized the conditions to act and to act effectively. These people were the teachers and the children. "The first move was the construction of an "The next appeal was to the moving picture audiences. Slides were made of children from the various grades, with such slogans as 'We must have a new schoolhouse!,' 'Won't you vote for a new school?,' 'We need a new school!,' and, last of all, the slangy but very effective 'You bet we do!,' with a view of the overworked janitors. Interest had been awakened. "Like many politicians, we made the greatest effort the day before election. We had a daytime parade in which each child was transformed into an appeal for votes. The little ones wore the soldier 'Vote Yes' paper hats, while the heads of the older boys and girls were conspicuous in 'sandwich boards' bearing the same suggestive words. Rhythm, color, dramatic and artistic effects, fun, music and much noise were utilized in our effort to create imagination and arouse enthusiasm. There were all sorts of psychological appeals. "As we marched through town, led by the drums and horns of our tallest 'sandwich' boys, the enthusiasm we had kindled began to burn. "At night we made the last supreme effort, a demonstration with Japanese lanterns and transparencies. Our streets are hilly and conveniently twisted so they showed off the bobbing signs to the prettiest and most effective advantage. When we sang the songs we had composed appropriate to the occasion, mild enthusiasm gave place to strong excitement. Automobile horns honked noisily and a great storm of applause greeted each group of young standard bearers as they turned the numerous corners, swinging their lanterns, and themselves shouting lustily. "The next day we won our new schoolhouse by an overwhelming majority!" THE BIRDS OF GOD At dawn Your thoughts, like birds of God, Sang to you at your play. Tonight The horrid beasts of war Have driven God's birds away. O child, You are too young for fears, And oh, too young for sorrow, But clasp your little hands And pray That all God's birds of yesterday May sing again tomorrow. -Frances Shaw, in Poetry. Little Rock Enterprise.. Wonderful Record.. Measuring Results of Physical Education.. The Greeley Idea...... High Tribute to Art... Great Library Activity. Thomas in Maine 98 98 99 99 99 99 100 100 100 100 101 102 102 103 104 104 104 105 106 To Mrs. Mary H. Hunt is chiefly due the wonderful achievement of the no-license-prohibition -bone-dry campaigns of recent months and years. Only those who knew her intimately in the early days when she merely saw the vista of her vision, can appreciate how completely the present laws and their enforcement are due to her foresight and devotion. Scientific temperance teaching by the use of text-books has been the great initial force. Twenty-three states are already already bone-dry. Eleven other states are partially affected by the best temperance laws ever enacted. The law bars from prohibition areas, whether states or smaller corporations, all mail matter containing advertisements or solicitations for orders for intoxicants, a provision designed to aid in enforcing the anti-shipment feature by suppressing the activities of mail-order houses in dry territory. Justice and postoffice department officials are enforcing the statute. There are heavy penalties for violations. The language of the anti-shipment section is very comprehensive, imposing a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for six months, or both, on any person who shall "order, purchase, or cause intoxicating liquor to be transported in interstate commerce except for scientific, sacramental, medicinal mechanical purpose into any state or territory, the laws of which state or territory prohibit the manufacture or sale therein of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes." or The same penalties are prescribed for violators July 26, 1917 of the anti-advertising section. For a second offense in either case the penalty is made one year's imprisonment. In promulgating the order for enforcement of the anti-advertising section the following states are wholly affected: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. Those partially affected are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio and Texas. The following are affected at future dates: Alaska, January 1, 1918; Indiana, April 3, 1918; Michigan, April 30, 1918; Montana, December 31, 1918; Utah, August 1, 1917. LITTLE ROCK ENTERPRISE We have had occasion to refer several times to the unusual enterprise of the high school teachers and students of Little Rock, Arkansas, but their latest achievement breaks all previous records. The Arkansas Democrat of Little Rock, one of the leading daily papers in the state, turned its pages over to the senior class of the high school for a day, and the boys and girls got out a twelvepage daily paper, under the leadership of the teacher of English. The class selected from its number an editor-inchief,—a girl—, three associate editors, a managing editor under whom were ing editor under whom were a make-up editor, telegraph editor, state news editor, two copy or desk editors, a city editor with a staff of five restaff of five, a business manager, a circulation porters, a sporting editor, society editor, with a manager, with a staff of four, and an advertising manager with a staff of three. One of the seniors over her name made a statement of the school work, whose success led The Democrat to do so heroic a thing journalistically as to turn its pages over to high school boys and girls. "The course of study in the Little Rock High School the closing term has been of a very practical nature. The most puzzling worldly problems have been discussed in the most practical and ecolife, preparing them to meet future life trials more nomical ways, giving the students a wider view of successfully. "It seems difficult to get away from the old idea that 'reading and writing and arithmetic, taught to the tune of a hickory stick,' are the principal essentials of schooling. People are now learning to apply additional ideas in a practical way to help solve the many puzzles that come up in our everyday life. "The students have realized the necessity of such work and have seriously thought out the answers and reasons for each question. Some of these questions that have been asked of the pupils are: "How much have I cost my parents? Have I repaid this amount? How can I repay this amount? What could I do to earn my own living if I were thrown on my own resources now? What fields of labor are open to the high school graduate? Which is the better, the credit system or the charge account system? "Together with these questions the means and needs of economy have been thoroughly discussed and talked about in the classrooms. "The journalistic work has had much serious and thoughtful consideration and the ability of the future newspaper men and women has been put to a thorough test. This work is now taken up in connection with the senior course of English composition. All English classes are now divided into two sections: (1) Those pupils who intend to go to college, who are given such work as will prepare them for their college work later, and (2) those pupils who do not intend to go to college, who are given the more practical work, which will benefit them more in later life and give them the opportunity of having the advantages of a college education." WONDERFUL RECORD The fabulous results of the club work of the United States Department of Agriculture in the southern states has been often and everywhere told, but the work of the Bureau, started much later, in the twenty-eight northern and western states is less familiar. Last year there were 198,759 working members of the rural life clubs supported in whole or in part by the United States Department of Agri culture. There were 111,167 in garden and canning clubs; 16,942 in sewing clubs; 14,490 in corn clubs; 10,975 in poultry clubs; 9,552 in potato clubs; 9,105 in cooking clubs; 8,139 in bread making clubs; 8,073 in pork clubs; 2,708 in baby beef clubs; 2,246 in handicraft clubs. Massachusetts led with 48,201 enrolled. Indiana followed with 25,741; Washington, 16,398; Iowa, 14,946; Oregon, 13,805; Minnesota, 11,070; Wisconsin, 8,471; Nebraska, 6,986; Idaho, 6,555; Michigan, 5,547; Kansas, 5,060. In corn clubs Minnesota led with 2,300; Iowa, 2,100; Indiana, 1,392. In potato clubs Wisconsin led with 2,278. The nearest rival had but 780. In gardening and canning Massachusetts led with 43,123, and the nearest rival was Indiana, with 21,504; Washington had 10,297. In poultry clubs Wisconsin had 1,456; Oregon, 1,192, and Massachusetts, 1,033. All this is certainly a wonderful record for the United States Bureau of Agriculture. MEASURING RESULTS OF PHYSICAL With regard to aims, administration, subject matter, methods, and results there is probably more variability in physical education than in any *Minimal Essentials of Physical Education and A Scale for Measuring Results of Physical Education." By Louis W. Rapeer. For sale by the author at State College, Pennsylvania. Price, 10 cents, other subject of the school curriculum. There is probably no objective means available for determining minimal essentials in this field, similar to the method of Dr. Ayres in analyzing correspondence to discover minimal essentials in spelling. Mr. Rapeer thinks we can bring together certain tentative essentials by methods of analysis, consensus, expert opinion, and practical commonsense experience, such as have been used in regard to various phases of the curriculum; and he is sure that we cannot discover minimal essentials in this field until we construct and standardize a fairly satisfactory scale for measuring the results of physical education, such as health, normal growth, several types of physical ability, and bodily development. In his pamphlet Mr. Rapeer considers the problem of determining minimal essentials of physical education; seeks an empirical statement of certain minimal essentials in this field, and attempts the construction of a tentative scale for measuring some of the results of physical education. THE GREELEY IDEA Superintendent G. E. Brown of Greeley, Colorado, has started a movement which several of us have talked about as necessary, but he is the first, so far as we know, to idealize and realize it. The sugar-beet world is a world all by itself. It needs all the boys it can get from about April 15 to July 15, and from September 15 to November 1, but it has no use for them industrially from July 15 to September 15. When these boys come to school November 1 they fit nowhere, as they have lost all school work from April 15 to November 1, and they can get no certificate to stay out to work. There are all sorts of troubles for school au thorities, for parents, and for employers. This year, with the Food Conservation campaign, no one would care or dare to take these young people out of the beet fields. In this emergency Superintendent Brown opened a special school from July 15 to September 15, and made it an opportunity school, giving these youth-mostly foreign born-just what they need to fit into work in November. That is, he bridges the spring and autumn school work in the two months. He also gives adult foreigners what they desire and need. The employers have done their part by paying to the city $400, which the city pays out in transporting the laborers from the beet field camps and neighborhoods to the school. While Superintendent Brown has worked out the scheme he gives much credit to Judge H. N. Brooks of Greeley, who first suggested it as a solution of the compulsory attendance difficulties. HIGH TRIBUTE TO ART The public school art work of San Francisco, under Katherine Ball, has always received highest praise from art critics far and near, but of late the recogniti is most unusual. The following press announcement is merely suggestive of the appreciation of the work: Nearly two thousand visitors were attracted to the Palace of Fine Arts yesterday by the opening of the children's room, where exhibits were on display of color work done by grammar school pupils. "The initial exhibits represent the work of a class of forty-eight pupils, each of whom has given individual color treatment to the same general pattern. "J. Nilson Laurvik, superintendent of the Palace of Fine Arts, pronounced this to be one of the most interesting exhibits of its kind he has seen in years. The children's room, he said, is to be continued as a special feature of the Palace, the plan being to have different schools represented in successive weeks." Plans for the administration of the California School of Fine Arts, formerly known as the Mark Hopkins Institute, for the coming year, as announced by the directors, indicate not only that the institution is to maintain itself as one of the foremost sources of artistic instruction in the country, but that it is coming to be more and more the centre of the artistic life and activity of San Francisco. In the personnel of the faculty for the year 1917-18 the school is to be possessed of an array of instructive talent probably surpassing that of any previous year. Miss Katherine Ball, for many years in charge of the art department of the San Francisco public schools, will take over the branches of normal art and instruction. The results accomplished by Miss Ball and her special talent and long experience make her addition to the faculty one of exceptional value. GREAT LIBRARY ACTIVITY J. F. Daniels, who had his first library practice in a state normal school, Greeley, Colorado, is doing some heroic things in the Riverside, California, public library, where in seven years he has increased the number of volumes from 20,000 to 70,000, and operates not only the city public library, but makes it a county library, a library for school service, and does elaborate extension work for the specific benefit of orchardists, agriculturalists, and home makers. Mr. Daniels also conducts a summer library school, a winter library school, and an eleven-months long course. The financial support comes from several sources. The city levies a tax of 13.5 cents on the $100 of assessed valuation, which yields less than $13,000. The county pays $5,000 from the general fund under a contract for county branches. Twenty-three school districts pay about $1,900 under contracts for special school service. Library school students pay about $2,000 a year for instruction and the remainder of the income is taken in as fines, loss and damage, etc. The total income ranges from $23,000 to $24,000 approximately, of which a little over half comes from city taxes. The Library School students come from Hawaii, Alabama, Vancouver, Toronto, Texas and all the western states. More than 250 students and teachers have been connected with the school. THOMAS IN MAINE Hon. Augustus O. Thomas, state superintendent of Nebraska, when the democratic land slide hit him last November, is now state superintendent of Maine. We have known no man to get the rural school spirit agoing with more intensity and sanity than he had it agoing in Nebraska, and we are sure that he will intensify the rural school devotion in Maine, which is already near concert pitch. JAMES A. PAGE James A. Page, at ninety-one years of age, has said "goodbye" to earthly things. No other man has ever occupied the same place in the educational life of Boston as was held by Mr. Page, long principal of the famous Dwight School. He was regal in appearance, courtly in manner, wise in counsel, attractive in speech. No man is left of the great schoolmaster leaders in Boston when "Master Page" was in his prime. It is more than traditional to say, "There were giants in those days." TUTTLE TO KINGFISHER Kingfisher College, Kingfisher, Oklahoma, has great hopes of progress and prosperity under the leadership of Dr. Henry W. Tuttle of Grinnell College, Iowa. No denominational college better deserves success, and no man would be more likely to bring it success. Mark Kepple, county superintendent of Los Angeles County, is one of the best fighters we have ever known in the school world. He fights to win, and he fights because he loves the game. He never had a better cause and never made a better fight than in the Referendum directed against the legislative bill of 1913. We regret error in stating price of "Courtis Standard Practice Tests" in advertisement of World Book Company in Journal of July 19. The correct price is $3.60 for twenty pupils. The Brookline Survey, though the results are printed in mid-summer, appears to be creating more interest or sensation than any that has ever been made hereabouts. No plea for individual freedom will protect any college or university professor whose devout loyalty to the United States is questioned. The best argument for evolution is that it is easier to believe it than to disbelieve it. Report of N. E. A. August 2 and 9. |