mountain fastnesses of Utah, where a small fertile valley was almost shut in from the outside world, save for a few stray peddlers who occasionally found their way into this by-path of civilization, I would hear in the twilight times the distant tones of a trombone, played in an unusual manner. Little snatches of opera, symphony, or sonata would occasionally be wafted to our camp in the most tantalizing fashion. When we found that trombone it was in the hands of a man who was earning $40 a month as watchman at a tunnel that made its way thru the Wasatch range. He was a Swiss shepherd, who with his little family had made his way from the vicinity of Neuchatel, Switzerland, to central Utah. He could not read and write in his own language, but in the universal language of music that day laborer was perfectly at home; and a German, an American, and a Scotchman sat down and listened to this Swiss shepherd play "The Evening Star" as an artist would play it. It is a universal language, for we all heard the same thing, and felt the same, as the sweet tones of this classic were given to us by this $40 a month tunnel watcher the same as it would be given in New York's Metropolitan Opera House. He showed us the picture of a large band to which he belonged in the mountains of Switzerland. Some weeks later our camping party walked a few miles up the valley and came to a farm-house, where we found a number of people enjoying a Sunday afternoon. We joined them. In the party were several people connected with a railway section house in the neighborhood. The mistress of this section house, who was present, asked a young man if he would dance for us. He consented, and we saw a tall, finely built, intelligent looking American, who used good language, get up and "cut the pigeon wing" and do the clog dance, while an equally intelligent looking American marked the time for the dancer with a "pat-the-juba." This is a heathenish condition of things that should be remedied for the sake of our nation, to say nothing of our firesides and the individual. It is not the purpose of this paper to say how this shall be done; it deals only with what must be done. Therefore, we say, let the teacher in the rural districts be equipped from top to toe as a missionary in the wilderness of sin. Yes sin, for it is a sin to leave our country folk without the glorious sunlight of music. The great Bear River canal, that starts away up in Idaho, coming down thru Utah and Colorado, has honeycombed a barren cactus desert with an irrigating system until no more fertile soil exists than this one-time arid waste place. When we have a sight-reading, music-understanding public we will have paved the way for the orchestra to gain a foothold. These are not impossible ideal conditions, but are what should be, what will be, and speed the day when we shall find the little chart classes beginning this work that is systematically carried thru until we see "music" on every diploma given to the public-school lads and lasses of these United States! DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS EDUCATION SECRETARY'S MINUTES FIRST SESSION.-WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1902 The department was called to order at 2:45 P. M., in the Minnesota School of Business, by the president. Prayer by the Reverend J. M. Riley, of First Baptist Church, Minneapolis. The program for the session was carried out as follows: Violin solo-Master Walter E. Stenvig, “Ninth Concerto," De Beriot. "President's Address," I. O. Crissy, state inspector of business education, board of regents, Albany, N. Y. "Are Business Courses in Public Schools Inimical to Education?" A. E. Winship, editor Journal of Education, Boston, Mass.; Durand W. Springer, director commercial department, high school, Ann Arbor, Mich. "What Shall the Public Schools do for the Commercial Student, and What for the Business-Man Wanting Help in His Office?" H. M. Rowe, accountant, author, and publisher, Baltimore, Md. Discussion by H. E. Dann, director of commercial department, high school, Ithaca, N. Y., President I. O. Crissy, and Carroll G. Pearse, superintendent of schools, Omaha, Neb. "Length and Content of Commercial Courses in Public Schools," William E. Doggett, assistant principal commercial high school, Brooklyn, N. Y. Discussion by C. E. Stevens, director commercial department, South High School, Cleveland, O. "At What Age Should the Student Begin the Business Subjects, (a) When Expected to Complete a Four-Year Commercial Course in a High School? (b) When not Expected to Complete Such a Course?" J. H. Francis, principal Commercial High School, Los Angeles, Cal. [Subject presented ex tempore.] Discussion by Edward W. Stitt, principal Public School 89, New York, N. Y.; E. N. Bonnell, Central High School, St. Paul, Minn. Upon motion, the following committee on resolutions was appointed : C. E. Stevens, of Ohio. Adjourned. SECOND SESSION.-FRIDAY, JULY II The department was called to order by the president at 2: 45 P. M. The following program was presented : Vocal solo Mr. Crosby Hopps, "The Message,” Blumenthal. "The Preparation of Commercial Teachers for Work in the Public Schools," B. H. Meyer, professor of institutes, School of Commerce, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. Conn. 46 Requirements for Actual Business," George A. Booth, The Booth Preparatory School, New Haven, Discussion by J. M. Anderson, president Metropolitan Music Company, Minneapolis, Minn.; T. P. Twiggs, director commercial department Central High School, Detroit, Mich. "A Practical Commercial Course for a Massachusetts High School," E. E. Gaylord, director commercial department, Beverly High School, Beverly, Mass. "The Education of an Amanuensis," Selby A. Moran, Principal Stenographic Institute and teacher in high school, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Mrs. M. L. Veenfliet, principal Alpena Business College, Alpena, Mich. Report of the Committee of Nine, D. W. Springer, Chairman. The following report of the Committee of Nine was read and duly received by the department: MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., July 11, 1902 To the Department of Business Education, National Educational Association: Your Committee of Nine, appointed in conformity with a resolution passed at the Detroit meeting, respectfully reports progress as follows: This committee was assigned the work of preparing a monograph on Commercial Education which should formulate an efficient code of procedure for the conduct of such education in American public schools. The first meeting was held in Philadelphia, March 27, the only absentees being Messrs. Bookmyer and Francis. At a second meeting, held the following day, the committee was favored with the presence of Professor Charles DeGarmo, of Cornell, and Dean Haskins, of the School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance of the University of New York. Discussion of the general problem involved occupied most of the time of these meetings. It was agreed that the course of study outlined should be four years in length; that each member of the committee should formulate a commercial course suitable for public high schools and submit it to the other members of the com. mittee in time for examination before the Minneapolis meeting. The committee has held three sessions this week, attended by Messrs. Doggett, Gaylord, Rowe, Francis, Crissy, and Springer, and also an open conference meeting. Each member present has defended the course submitted by him, and criticised those offered by the others. The following general statements have been agreed upon as governing the committee in its delibera tions: The paramount factor in shaping commercial courses in public schools should be the welfare of the student who goes directly from the high school to his life work. It is expected, however, that such courses will provide a training of such character as will fit the student completing them to enter schools of commerce and industry now being established by many colleges and universities. We believe that, where possible, separately organized commercial schools are advisable; but we realize that in the great majority of places the work must be given in the regular public high schools as one of the several courses thereof. Commercial courses will include many subjects now taught in public high schools, altho the methods of presentation in some cases may not be those best adapted to the needs of the business student. We realize that in most schools it will not be possible to organize separate classes for the commercial studies with methods specially modified to meet the business student's wants. A discussion regarding the proper classification of such technical subjects as should be given in a business course, and the order of their presentation, has consumed much time, and it is expected that the committee will be able to report next year a commercial course of four years that will satisfactorily meet the wants of the high school. DURAND W. SPRINGER, Chairman, Director Commercial Department, High School, Ann Arbor, Mich.; WILLIAM E. DOGGETT, Commercial High School, Brooklyn, N. Y.; CHEESMAN A. HERRICK, Director School of Commerce, Central High School, Philadelphia, Pa.; Director Commercial Department of High School and Editor Business T. W. BOOKMYER, Principal Sandusky Business College, Sandusky, O.; ALLAN DAVIS, Principal Business High School, Washington, D. C.; H. M. ROWE, Accountant, Author, and Publisher of Business Text-Books, Baltimore, Md.; J. H. FRANCIS, Principal Commercial High School, Los Angeles, Cal.; State Inspector of Business Education, Albany, N. Y. Committee. The Committee of Nine was, on motion, empowered to elect one of its members as secretary of said committee, and William E. Doggett was chosen as such secretary. The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following report, which was unanimously adopted: Resolved, 1. That the thanks of the Department of Business Education be and they are hereby tendered to Chairman G. A. Gruman and the other members of the local committee for their care in providing excellent accommodations for the meetings, and especially to the proprietors of the Minnesota School of Business for their many courtesies. 2. That our thanks be extended to the president and other officers of the department for the excellent program provided. 3. That the Committee of Nine be continued, that the chairman have power to fill any vacancy, and that thanks be extended for the valuable work done by the members. The following officers for the year 1903 were then unanimously elected : President J. H. Francis, Los Angeles, Cal. TEMPLETON P. TWIGGS, Secretary. PAPERS AND DISCUSSIONS PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 1. O. CRISSY, STATE INSPECTOR OF BUSINESS EDUCATION, BOARD OF The work of the present convention of this department was practically laid out for it a year ago, when during the closing hours of the annual meeting the following resolution was unanimously adopted: Resolved, that the portion of the president's address which refers to the matter of program be referred to the incoming president, with the suggestion that as far as possible its ideas be carried out, and that a committee of nine be appointed to prepare a monograph upon commercial education. I was not present during the closing hours of that session; but from reports received from the retiring president, the mover of the resolution, and others who participated in the discussion of the resolution, I felt justified in interpreting its meaning to be that the monograph on commercial education to be prepared by the Committee of Nine should relate specially to business education in the public schools, and that the work was intended to include the formulation of a general course of procedure and detailed courses of study for business education in such schools. This conclusion was justified by precedent also, in the fact that in earlier years similar work had been done in the interests of the private business schools. At the Denver meeting, in 1895, on the suggestion of the late J. M. Mehan, president of the department, the memory of whose sterling worth and charming personality is cherished by all who had the privi lege of knowing him, a committee was appointed to formulate a course of study for the business colleges. Mr. Mehan became chairman of this committee, and an elaborate preliminary report of its labors, printed in pamphlet form, was placed in the hands of members of the department at the meeting in Washington, in 1898. The final report signed by the chairman was presented by ex-President Springer at the Los Angeles meeting, in 1899, and may be found, in full, in the report of the United States Commissioner of Education for 1898–99. This statement seems to me a sufficient apology for the close connection of the present program with the work of the Committee of Nine appointed in accordance with the foregoing resolution. In my circular January 22, outlining the work for the present year, I said: It must not be supposed that in this suggested program there is manifested any intent to limit this department of business education to the consideration of publicschool interests. The business-college men were first in the field, and must continue to maintain their interest in this department, whose papers and discussions circulate thruout the educational world. . . . . Between the private business school and the public schools having commercial courses there is perhaps, from the money side, a certain diversity of interests; but from the educational side the interests of the private school and the public school are much the same, and there is no reason for their not working together in perfect harmony to the advantage of all concerned. To this statement I now wish to add that, while the present program is essentially a program in behalf of the public schools, and especially of the high schools, which thruout the country are taking up the matter of business education in response to a constantly increasing demand, yet the work of the Committee of Nine is so broad, and the papers bearing on it cover a field so extensive, that this meeting cannot fail to benefit all who are interested in business education. Tho the public secondary school is the special subject of consideration, there is not an educational question involved that does not concern the private business school; and for this reason the representatives of private schools are most cordially and earnestly requested to participate in all the discussions of this convention. The committee particularly desire to have the benefit of their large experience in this line of work. Entire freedom of discussion (subject only to necessary time limitations) is invited and expected. In the selection of the Committee of Nine I have been governed necessarily by two leading considerations: First, to secure men who would serve, not merely in name, but with their best thought and with a keen sense of the responsibility involved; and, second, to secure men recognized as having large experience and intense interest in business education. Another, tho less vital, consideration was to have the members represent different sections of the country and also differing views regarding certain phases of the work assigned to the committee, while at the same time cherishing an earnest desire for the complete success of that work. It therefore gives me great satisfaction to be able to say that there is not a member of the committee whose appointment has not been approved by all of his fellow-members. It was evident from the first that the committee could not complete its work in a single year. Two meetings were held in Philadelphia, March 27 and 28, at which all but two of the members were present, and a definite line of work was laid |