exposition of Froebel's philosophy? Do we gauge our power by the number of high-sounding phrases to which we can give utterance, or by our ability to say great things in a simple fashion? One of the chief evidences of greatness, next to his modesty, of one of the greatest philosophers of today, Dr. John Dewey, is his power to say profound things in so simple a way that the adult mind can understand them, even if there has been no special preparation in psychology and pedagogy. Yet they contain food for thought for the wisest and most learned. Is there not here a suggestion for us and for our students? It is evident that we must supplement the work done in English in the grades below the normal school. Our first and greatest need is for more training in oral expression. Written language is not the chief end of man; the use of oral language exceeds that of written fifty to one, and it often happens that the student who can write fairly well cannot speak with correctness and ease. Could not the class work sometimes be so subdivided topically that, while each student studies the whole, she will also be responsible for a clear, logical statement of her own topic? The basis on which work should be judged should be simplicity, a grasp of the subject-matter, and a growing power of expression. There should be frequent opportunities for telling stories, both to the children and in class. There should be training in the power to judge of the literary quality, dramatic force, and ethical value of the story, as well as in the choice of material and power to adapt. Enough practice in telling should be given until grace, unconsciousness, sparkle, and elegance combine to make the whole. There can also be practice in writing stories, but I confess to a hesitancy in the use of the immature story written by the novice. It may be good practice in English, but it usually lacks the virility that makes for life, as is shown in myth and folklore. Frequently a great amount of written work is required as a review or summary. Cannot a part of this be done orally? I recognize the difficulty when we are dealing with large classes. On the other hand, when our students leave us, they are frequently asked to state their position as kindergartners, and to give a reason for the faith that is in them. How many can in clear, forceful statements convince a doubting school board that the kindergarten is the beginning of the "plan of salvation;" the mothers that it is not a day nursery, but a place for soul culture, mental development, and physical growth? Should we not, therefore, definitely prepare for this work, and require brief, pointed, correct oral statements that will epitomize the class work? Any work can be much strengthened by the use of illustration, and we should train in a greater wealth of comparison, drawn from life, from the physical and human side, and from nature. This would not only illuminate the statements, but would give a deeper insight into life, and an understanding of its laws, and make clear and vivid the ideas. There should be more giving of plays in class by students, and less by teachers. Conditions should be given for the students unaided to work out the forms, introductions, and conduct of the play from start to finish. This should be followed by a critical estimate of the play on whatever basis of criticism the teacher deems most vital; but the aim should be to select and judge of essentials and nonessentials. It should be a cutting down into the core of the matter, to discover the weakness or strength of the work, and to give the reasons for either. One means of training is in the mothers' meeting. To explain to untrained mothers the philosophy of Froebel, to help them to an understanding of their children's natures, on the basis of pedagogy and commonsense, all in words of one syllable, is a most excellent way of discovering if the teachers themselves know what they are talking about. Another suggestion is for the students to make character studies of different children, to be given orally before the class, using their pedagogy as a touchstone to reveal the springs of character and action. To summarize briefly: The greatest lack seems to be a low power of expression, especially in oral work; poor spelling and construction; an inability to grasp the vital points; lack of appreciation of values; and rambling, scattering statements. The greatest needs, then, are: A marked extension of oral combined with written work; deliberately planned training in making clear, definite, brief, and correct statements; simplicity of expression on the part of both trainer and trained; greater power of illustration; and more use of simile and metaphor. DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION SECRETARY'S MINUTES FIRST SESSION.-THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1902 The joint session of the Elementary and Kindergarten sections was held in the First Congregational Church at 2: 30 P. M., Superintendent R. A. Ogg, president of the Elementary Section, presiding. Miss Grace Morehouse sang: (a) "Every Night;" (6) "At Night;" (c) "The Swing." Miss C. Geraldine O'Grady, president of the Kindergarten Section of the National Educational Association, and Mrs. A. H. Putnam, president of the International Kindergarten Association, were invited to the platform. At the request of President Ogg, a motion was made and carried to appoint a committee on nominations. The following committee was named: J. W. Carr, of Indiana. Miss Sarah C. Brooks, of Minnesota. David E. Cloyd, of New York. The program of the session was as follows: "Practical Value of Teaching Agriculture in the Public Schools," Joseph Carter, superintendent of schools, Champaign, Ill. Discussion by Jesse D. Burks, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York; Miss Corinne Marcellus, director of kindergarten, Hartigan School, Chicago; Miss Elizabeth Harrison, principal of Chicago Kindergarten College, Chicago. The Adams School, grades six to eight, D. H. Painter, director, sang: (a) "Soldiers' Chorus from Faust," Gounod; (b) "Up, Sailor Boy, 'Tis Day," Bullard: (c) "The Star Spangled Banner." In the last number the great audience joined. "Myth and History- The Use and Limits of Each," Miss May H. Prentice, teacher of history of education, Normal Training School, Cleveland, O. Discussion by Miss Stella L. Wood, superintendent of the Kindergarten Normal School, Minneapolis, Minn. The department adjourned. SECOND SESSION.-FRIDAY, JULY II The meeting was called to order at 2:45 P. M. by President Ogg, and was opened by a song, "Frühlingsstimen (Waljer) "- Strauss, by Miss Harriet Hiscock. The president announced the intended shortening of the program to one paper and its discussions, as follows: "The Use and Abuse of Method' W. A. Millis, superintendent of schools, Crawfordsville, Ind. Discussion by W. H. Hatch, superintendent of schools, Oak Park, Ill.; D. B. Parkinson, president of Southern Illinois State Normal School, Carbondale; A. W. Rankin, inspector of graded schools, Minneapolis, Minn.; Miss M. Adelaide Holton, Minneapolis, Minn.; Miss Adda P. Wertz, Carbondale, Ill.; Superintendent John E. Richeson, East St. Louis, Ill.; Superintendent E. H. Mark, Louisville, Ky.; Miss Folger, Minne- Vice-President - Frederick Treudley, Athens, O. Upon motion the report as read was received and adopted and the nominees declared duly elected as officers for the ensuing year. The department then adjourned. ADDA P. WERTZ, Secretary. PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS THE PRACTICAL VALUE OF TEACHING AGRICULTURE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS JOSEPH CARTER, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, CHAMPAIGN, ILL. In discussing this topic, only the rural schools and the schools of those villages and towns whose people were farm-reared, and whose interests are still largely agricultural, are considered. In these schools, containing about 70 per cent. of the public-school children of our country, it is believed the teaching of agriculture would be of great practical value. Perhaps to a considerable part of the remainder agricultural teaching, correlated with nature study, would add to the educational value of nature study by giving it greater definiteness of purpose, but no consideration is given in this paper to that phase of the subject. AGRICULTURE DEFINED Agriculture is the art of raising products from the land. Its chief contribution to the wealth and welfare of the world is the production of food-corn and wheat and rice and potatoes from the farm; grapes and berries and melons and beans and radishes, and apples and peaches and pears, from the garden and the orchard; cattle and sheep and swine from the pastures; milk, butter, and cheese from the dairy; eggs and fowls from the poultry yard. Besides food, clothing is a product of agricul ture - leather and wool and cotton and silk. To agriculture belongs forestry the raising of trees to build our houses, make our furniture, adorn our parks, and beautify our homes. To agriculture also belongs. floriculture the growing of plants for their flowers. Agriculture in its wider sense means not only the production of all these things, but their preparation for the market and the marketing of them. It is both an art and a business. As an art it is probably closely related to a greater number of sciences than any other vocation. It deals with physics on a hundred lines. Its foundations rest on geology. It depends upon many branches of biology-botany, zoölogy, entomology, and physiology, both of animals and plants. Chemistry does it mighty service. For it climatology must be understood, and bacteriology seems to be at its origin. IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE But is agriculture of enough importance to entitle it to a position on our school program? It would be a waste of time to tell this department of the vast importance of agriculture, for all know that thru agriculture the world is fed and clothed. This is the foundation of all prosperity. When the agriculturist prospers, men laugh as they toil, women sing as they work, and happy children grow into robust manhood and womanhood; long railroad trains cross the continent loaded with the products of his labor, and mighty ships plow the briny deep as they carry these products to other lands; when he is prosperous thousands of factories give employment to millions of men whose wages build happy homes and opulent cities. Nor do you need to be told that were our agriculture to fail, were the earth and the air and the sky and the plant and the animals to fail to respond to the skill of the husbandman, the myriad streams of commerce would stop their beneficent flow, ships would rot at their docks, locomotives would rust in their roundhouses, the walls of cities would crumble, and the land become a desert or a wilderness. You know that the world empires have risen only where food and clothing were abundant, and that when these have failed desolation and barbarism have returned to the land. You have heard that the shipment to foreign countries of a thousand millions of dollars worth of agricultural products annually is giving this United States a foremost position among the nations of the earth. This has changed the balance of trade and is giving this nation wealth beyond the dreams of avarice. The greatness of America is in her agriculture. AGRICULTURAL TEACHING NEEDED Do you ask, "If we are doing so well, why try to do better? Why teach agriculture in the schools?" History admonishes us to do this. The valley of the Euphrates was once as fertile as any of our lands, but for 2,000 years it has been a desert. The corn of Egypt fed the conquerors of the world, but neglect and ignorance of agriculture brought its husbandmen to the verge of starvation centuries ago. The history of the Aryan race admonishes us to do this. The root of the word “Aryan' is the same as the root of the word "arable"--plowable. We are the race that plows. We soon exhausted the fertility of our Asiatic home and also the soil of the Mediterranean peninsulas-Greece, Italy, and Spain. A few hundred years were ample time for us to make the life of the agri |