worth the asking. There is not a nation where scholarliness is held in higher honor. The significant thing is the attitude of the public mind toward the new learning. And in this, there is no mistaking the facts. I hold in my hand a letter from a missionary in the far western province of Szechuan, addressed to the manager of a publishing house in Shanghai, who permitted me to copy it. This letter came overland 400 miles to Chungking, then down the Yangze by boat, taking longer to go from Chentu to Shanghai than it took me to come from Shanghai to New York and back again to Minneapolis. Let me read an extract or two:

-Herewith another order for books.

DEAR MR. Please note especially that calling for 200 copies of Chapin's Geography. Yesterday 30 copies of Chapin arrived, part of my order for 100 by telegram. They are going like hot cakes, all for cash, and at a good profit. There seems no earthly use in getting up small orders of standard books-they are only an aggravation to the people. There is a wild scramble for a few hours or days, and we get blamed for not bringing a decent lot while we are at it. It is exactly the same with regard to these English-Chinese Primers and First Readers. I am afraid this telegraphic order for 80 copies won't last a week. I haven't advertised anything yet, except magazines-what will it be when I begin to advertise books? There were only 195 copies of the Review of The Times in my last lot; if there had been 250 copies I could easily have disposed of them.

This same Szechuan missionary, who is only one of hundreds of such disseminators of knowledge, unable to await the slow process of freight, has recently ordered four lots of books sent by mail, on which the postage alone amounted to over $320.

This is but an example of the intellectual quickening, all over China, of the desire for western knowledge, thru the medium of translations. The native presses of Shanghai are working to their utmost capacity. The Presbyterian Mission Press has now fifty new books in hand, and has its whole capacity engaged for six months ahead. One important element in the supply comes thru Japan, where, as you know, a large variety of western books have already been translated into the vernacular. The Japanese book-language, having in it a considerable element of Chinese, is much more readily turned into Chinese than western languages; and large numbers of Chinese books are appearing, translated from Japanese translations or compilations.

Native newspapers and periodicals, published under native auspices and treating of current themes, are now read in all the sea and river ports and far inland. I suppose there are now no less than fifty dailies published in Chinese. Their telegraphic news is frequently in advance of that of the foreign press, and their editorial comments on public questions are, in many cases, as trenchant, as rational, and as keen in historic citation as those of any metropolitan journal in America.

I need not add, after what I have said of the demand for modern

This is a semi-monthly review of current events published by a missionary society; two weeks later the order from Chentu had increased to 400 copies.

books and newspapers, that the schools are filled. At all the colleges the applications for admissions each year are far in excess of the capacity of the institutions. This is true of both the great lines of the new education, viz., the acquiring of English, especially by the younger students, as an instrument to further acquisition; and the pursuit of modern knowledge, thru the medium of translations, by those who are too old or have not the time to master English first. Unquestionably, however the government may vacillate, the people are fronting the light; and in this new educational activity China is again proving her inherent constitution as a democracy—the people rule.

And, here, my friends, I reach the special theme of my mission to you-the work of the Educational Association of China. It had its germ in a committee of missionary educators known as the "School and TextBook Series Committee," organized in 1877. In 1890 it was reorganized under its present naine, and holds a national convention once in each triennium. Nearly all of the fifty-odd missionary societies now operating in China are represented in it, its membership comprising English, Americans, and Germans.

As might be inferred from the circumstances of its origin, one prime element in the association's work has been the preparation and publication of suitable text-books of science in Chinese. Its book sales-quite apart from those of other agencies--have amounted to more than $27,000, of which nearly half must be credited to the last three years; the stock on hand December 31, 1901, was valued at $13,336.

Another peculiar field of activity grew out of this publication work. In promoting the preparation of scientific text-books in the vernacular, the association found itself confronted with the problem of framing technical terms for a language which was wanting in most such terms, and which is also wanting in precision. Committees on uniform terms in science and on proper names in history and geography have done most laborious and valuable service, the former committee reporting, at the recent triennial meeting, the preparation of a list of no less than twelve thousand terms, covering all branches of science. Finally, another peculiar problem is that of the Romanization of the Chinese sounds; that is, the expressing of them in the quasi-phonetic symbols of our alphabet, which has been taken up with zeal and intelligence; this subject was, in fact, the one which claimed the greatest interest at the meeting this year, for, when properly worked out, Romanization goes far toward taking. from the Chinese mind a weight of memoriter drudgery which has been no insignificant factor in checking its progress.

The association at its recent meeting directed its executive committee to prepare a memorial to be presented to the various mission boards represented in the .field, appealing for trained specialists to be sent out expressly for educational work. Normal schools are being called for to

educate the rising teachers. Primary education needs a few trained specialists, who will conduct model schools for imitation by the Chinese. The great demand now in China is for a trained native teaching force, and this requires the best teaching ability of the West. China's educational system is in its nascent period. Our association, by providing, thru its various institutions, both the supply of teachers and the best general ideals of educational organizations, is in position to influence profoundly the coming Chinese system of national education. In this great opportunity and responsibility we invoke your interest, and, for the inspiration which we have already gained from you, we tender our grateful acknowledgment.

DEPARTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENCE

CHICAGO MEETING, 1902

SECRETARY'S MINUTES

FIRST DAY

MORNING SESSION.-TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1902

The Department of Superintendence was called to order in University Hall of the Fine Arts Building, Chicago, Ill., at 9:30 A. M., President G. R. Glenn, school commissioner of Georgia, in the chair. Prayer was offered by Dr. W. F. King, president of Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Ia.

Professor Paul H. Hanus, of the department of theory and practice of education, Harvard University, read a paper on “Obstacles to Educational Progress." The discussion was led by W. K. Fowler, state superintendent of public instruction, Lincoln, Neb.

Superintendent E. G. Cooley, of Chicago, then read a paper on "The Value of Examinations as Determining a Teacher's Fitness for Work." The discussion of the paper was opened by W. W. Stetson, state superintendent of public schools, Augusta, Me. Others participated in the discussion, as follows: Miss Margaret A. Haley, of Chicago; Superintendent F. Louis Soldan, of St. Louis; Superintendent Charles R. Skinner of New York; Superintendent L. E. Wolfe, of Kansas City, Kan.; Superintendent J. F. Keating, of Pueblo, Colo.; Superintendent J. M. Greenwood, of Kansas City, Mo.; Superintendent C. G. Pearse, of Omaha, Neb.; and Dr. E. E. White, of Cincinnati, O.

The committee appointed by the department at its session in Chicago in 1901, on constitution and by-laws for the department, made a report thru its chairman, Superintendent Aaron Gove, Denver, Colo., as follows:

STATEMENT

In the absence of a constitution, the Department of Superintendence has had a varying policy, and its early aims and purposes have been frequently forgotten. Special committees have been created from time to time to do certain things which would have been done better by permanent constitutional committees changing but part of their membership annually. The president of the department has had no constitutional guide, and the programs have frequently reflected the personality of the president rather than any established aim and policy of the department. In inviting attendance of all classes of teachers the tendency has been to offer programs that scatter discussions over all classes of educational topics rather than to the concentration upon topics relating to supervision. The conviction of the committee is that the department should withdraw from this practice of scattering its efforts, yet continue its policy of welcoming to its meetings all who are interested in the discussion of the problems of superintendence.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENCE OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I-NAME

This organization shall be styled the DEPARTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENCE OF THE NATIONAL EDUCA. TIONAL ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE II-MEMBERSHIP

Active and associate members of the National Educational Association who are engaged regularly in supervising educational work, as state, county, city, district, town, and village superintendents, including assistant and associate superintendents, may become members of the department upon signing the constitution and by-laws, providing that active members of the National Educational Association only shall have the

right to vote and to hold office in the department; also providing that nothing in this section shall be so con. strued as to deprive in any way those who are at present active members of this department from taking part or participating in and sharing fully the duties, responsibilities, and privileges of such membership.

ARTICLE III-OFFICERS

1. Officers.-The officers of this department shall consist of a (1) president; (2) first vice-president; (3) secretary. Each to serve one year.

2. Executive board.- An executive committee of five, consisting of the president, first vice-president, secretary, the retiring president of the department, and the permanent secretary of the National Educational Association.

3. Committee on nomination.—A standing committee of seven on nomination of officers, consisting of the president of the department as chairman ex officio, and six members to be elected by the department, whose term of office shall be three years, the terms of two members expiring each year. The terms of service on the first election shall be determined by lot. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate one or more names for each vacancy to be filled, and to report to the department at the close of the morning session of the second day of the annual meeting.

4. Committee on program.— A standing committee of five on the annual program, consisting of the president of the department as chairman ex officio, and four members to be elected by the department to serve two years, the terms of two members to expire each year. It shall be the duty of this committee to prepare an annual program and supervise its execution. Only subjects directly relating to the supervision of schools shall be placed upon the program; but, in assigning essays, the committee will not be limited to members of the department.

5. Election of officers.-The election of all officers shall be by ballot and shall occur at the close of the morning session of the second day of the annual meeting, at which time the report of the nominating committee shall be presented.

ARTICLE IV-MEETINGS

The place of meeting shall be determined by the voting members of the department on the morning session of the second day of the annual meeting, and two-thirds of the members present shall be necessary for a decision. Should the department fail to reach a decision before the adjournment of that session, the executive committee shall determine the place of meeting for the next ensuing year.

The executive committee shall have power to call special meetings of the department.

This constitution may be altered or amended at the regular meeting by the unanimous vote of the members present, or by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided that the alteration or amendment has been substantially proposed in writing at the previous annual meeting.

AARON GOVE,

R. G. BOONE,
W. H. MAXWELL,

Committee.

After the reading of the report, President Glenn stated that the report would be referred to the directors of the National Educational Association.

Superintendent Gove appealed from the decision of the chair, insisting that, if the report was to be of any value to the department, it should be acted on immediately; to refer it to the directors of the National Educational Association would be to prolong its consideration one year. Superintendent E. H. Mark, of Louisville, Ky., desired the report examined by a proper committee before voting upon it. Superintendent Gove's appeal from the decision of the chair was then put to the department. The chair was not sustained. A motion was made and seconded that the committee's report be made the special order for Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock; the motion prevailed.

The meeting then adjourned until 2 o'clock P. M.

AFTERNOON SESSION

The afternoon session opened promptly at 2 o'clock, President G. R. Glenn in the chair. After several announcements of a miscellaneous nature, the program of the afternoon was taken up.

Dr. D. L. Kiehle, professor of pedagogy in the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., addressed the department on the subject, "The Practical Application of All Learning to Better Living." Professor George E. Vincent, of the University of Chicago, and Superintendent N. C. Schaeffer, of Pennsylvania, led the discussion of Dr. Kiehle's paper.