needed reform in the method of teaching history. My introduction to the subject was through being assigned a certain number of paragraphs from Ridpath's higher book to be committed to memory, word for word. In about three years, under six or seven different reigns, I plowed my weary way through the volume. The only thing that I remember is, "The chief cause of the Civil War was the different construction put upon the Constitution by the people of the North and South." I was kept after school to learn that.

As history deals with people as well as events, we get also the biography of many who have left footprints on the sands of time." In my sixth grade I have history alternating with "physiology under the new law," four days per week, giving that period on Friday to a literature class, which is really a composition class with literary subjects. With so much to do nowadays in so short a time, it is necessary to get as much as possible and as great a variety as possible out of this work. In this literature class we use a few minutes at the beginning for drill in articulation. The literature lesson is first a sketch of the life of a poet or writer, which has been read by the pupil during the week and written out in his own words. The following lessons are extracts from the works of that writer, treated in the same way. My class of last year took besides shorter poems by Longfellow, "The Courtship of Miles Standish," one chapter constituting a lesson. They next studied Whittier. When they became sufficiently acquainted with him for the purpose, the class held a debate regarding the relative merits of the two poets. The leaders, who chose their sides, were the two standing highest in rank in the literature class. During the campaign we had variety in the way of finding all that we could about McKinley for one lesson and Bryan for another. After that the candidates seemed to us like real live men. Some of the "male citizens" of the class intimated that they would like to vote. This year the class has become acquainted with O. W. Holmes, Hawthorne, Tennyson, Lowell, Bryant; have read and made an abstract of Macbeth. Bayard Taylor is our newest friend. We have found Cyr's Third and Fourth Readers very helpful in this work. The Second Reader of this series is used in the primary department in the reading class, in connection with readings by the teacher from Longfellow's poems.

In the fourth and fifth grades a gem," which is a quotation from some standard writer, is placed upon the board one for each grade — on Friday morning. This is carefully

copied, omitting not even the least important mark, and the papers passed in on coming to the reading class. A few each time are called on to repeat the selection. The papers, with the record-book for the grade, are passed over to the deputy that is, a member of a higher grade who inspects and marks them. The un satisfactory papers - those below 75%, each mistake taking off 5% are returned to be done over. The 100's are copied by the owners in the "Treasure Book." The deputies appreciate the dignity of their position, do very careful work, and develop their judgment and power of criticism. No perfect pupil fails to write his verse in the Treasure Book;" the poor papers are done over until satisfactory to the teacher.

We have varied the work this year by having the pupils find during the week something worth committing. The selections, neatly written, with the author's name given, are deposited in a box kept on the desk for that purpose. These are examined on Friday by the teacher, and the best, in her judgment, placed on the board, with the name of the contributor above it. We have memorized "The Psalm of Life" and "The Beggar" by taking them in parts as memory

gems.

On Fridays these two classes alternate in literature and sight reading from the supplementary text-books. At first I read to the class, asking those who wish to reproduce the story; later requiring all to reproduce it. I use for the fourth grade selections from "Hiawatha," the first being "Hiawatha's Fishing," or Hiawatha's Childhood," as an introduction to the hero. In the fifth grade, parts of "The Holy Grail" and "The Passing of Arthur." After a few lessons of this kind to arouse their interest, I teach them how to begin an outline, as:

ration for the story, and from the finishing chapters of a continued story in Youth's Companion, or a similar paper, Conclusion for the ending. We are now ready to fill in the outline. I read a paragraph or verse, call on some one to tell what it tells us; then on that pupil or another to tell as briefly as possible what it is about. This becomes No. 1 of the outline. Sometimes we get an outline of the same paragraph from each member of the class or from several volunteers, and take the best. We call that the best that expresses the most in the fewest well-chosen words. The succeeding paragraphs or verses are treated in the same way. The outline, as it grows, is put on the board by the teacher and copied by the class.

The next time the class brings the outline and we prepare to write the story in proper form. First we dispose of the title as nearly in the center of the first line as we can write it. We learn that its first word should begin with a capital and all the other important words also. We leave the second line blank and proceed to rule the margins. We recall the margins and indentations in printed sheets and books, and learn these two rules:

I. Never write in the first margin.

2. Never begin a paragraph in a margin. Remembering that what we say about No. I of the outline is paragraph 1 of the story, and so on, we write a part of it, leaving the pupils to finish it by themselves.

The plan pursued in history, sixth grade, is similar, using Pratt's Stories. What is given in one class is brought to the next written out by each pupil. Usually the pupils read the abstracts; the class criticises delivery, language, subject-matter, etc. Sometimes the story is read, a moment given between paragraphs, in which each one writes his own outline. Difficult words or new names are placed on the board. Sometimes the entire story is read without outlines, and the pupils go at once to the board and write it from memory. We occasionally vary the work by giving the pupils their abstracts previously corrected by means of marks agreed upon. Each stands, names the errors in his paper and corrects them.

We occasionally have a debate in this class. In one of our latest the affirmative supported the Emancipation Proclamation as of the greatest importance to the nation; the negative holding the Declaration of Independence greater. The leaders were regularly nominated, seconded and elected by the class, the teacher acting as chairman. Their sides were chosen alternately. The usual formalities in debate were strictly ob

served; each side took notes and endeavored to break down points in opposition; the leaders summed up, and one of them promptly arraigned the other for attempting to bring in a new point strengthening her side. The contest was so close that the judges a teacher from another department and two prominent citizens-found it difficult to render a decision.

I wish that every teacher might read the Regents' new course of study for high schools and the circular letter to teachers of such schools, both issued last year. But this literature is supposed to belong to the high school, you say. The teachers in the lower grades must build the foundation of the structure. Lift pupils "above the petty cares of daily life into the upper realm of life, the realm of ideas and ideals," even for half an hour, and they are permanently one step the beautiful good and the beautiful

nearer

true."

Teachers, try literature work in your grades and district schools even if but once a week or once in two weeks. It will bring new interest into your school. It may prove to many of your pupils the well of clear, cool water," in which on "looking in they see the stars." Never mind if you can't do very much. Don't be downcast if you don't get satisfying results at first. The seed must be planted and watered before we can look for increase. It is all the better if you cannot follow my plan exactly. This is my way of doing. My purpose in giving it is to give you an idea which you will work out in your own way, into which you will put your own individuality. Give of the best you have, leaving the results for others' reaping if so it be.

"Others will sing the song,
Others will right the wrong,
Finish what I begin,
And all I fail of win.

"What matter, I or they?

Mine or another's day, "So the right word be said

And life the sweeter made?"

The meaning of song goes deep. Who is there that, in logical words, can express the effect music has on us? A kind of inarticulate, unfathomable speech, which leads us to the edge of the infinite, and lets us for moments gaze out into that. Thomas Carlyle.

We should learn, not for the sake of the school, but for the purposes of life. — Seneca.

1

The indefinite charge against some Rochester school principals of excessive drinking, and the present trial of one of them by the School Board on very flimsy evidence, will probably prove to be a case of much smoke and little fire. But such events are unfortunate, and do harm to the whole profession. Is it not about time that men who are intelligent enough to be teachers in a State requiring such high qualifications in other respects should give up entirely liquor, tobacco, cuspidors, etc.? No clergyman can hold his place with such habits, and the best men in law and medicine abstain from them, because they know that such abstention means increased efficiency, and also because of a high-toned spirit of professional pride. How much more ought teachers, exemplars of our youth, refrain from such habits? Frankly, we have very little respect for the school men who persist under any circumstances or in any places in indulging such

tastes.

We have seen nothing more to the point in regard to the Sampson-Schley controversy as to the real victor over Cervera than the following story: Ex-Governor Proctor Knott and a Danville lawyer were discussing the rival claims of Sampson and Schley to the credit of smashing Cervera at Santiago. The lawyer took the ground that the honor was Sampson's alone, and showed a tendency to ignore Schley. The Governor listened. Your position on this contro versy settles a point of conscience that has worried me many a long day," he said. "One day, many years ago, I was walking through the woods with a boy friend, when we saw a rabbit run into a sinkhole. We stood around a while, and I left to get some fire to smoke him out, telling the boy to keep watch while I was away. When I came back the boy had the rabbit. I promptly took it away from him, claiming that it belonged to me because I had told him to catch it if it came out. That was fifty years back," continued the Governor, and you are the first man who has ever agreed with me that the rabbit was mine."

The Proposed Consolidation Bill.

The conference held in Albany, February 6th, by the heads of the two educational departments of this State and some other gentlemen of high educational standing, is said to have evolved a

plan to let the Educational Code go through as nearly in its present shape as it can, and afterwards endeavor to secure the passage of a bill consolidating the two departments and dividing their work, giving the universities, colleges, private and professional schools and libraries to the Regents proper, and the high school and common schools public taxation lic Instruction.

in fact, all schools supported by to the Superintendent of PubThe latter is to be elected by the Board of Regents for a term of four years. The existing Board of Regents is to be increased by the appointment of eight additional Regents by the present Governor, who are to serve until they are seventy years of age. These are to take the place of the present State officers, who are ex officio members of the Board of Regents. This will make the Board of Regents then consist of twenty-three members. But as members of the body thus constituted die off, no successors will be appointed until the number has been reduced to fifteen.

This in substance is the plan proposed. It is undoubtedly the work of Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, and to the extent that it consolidates the two departments, removes the Department of Public Instruction from the changes of politics and eventually reduces the number of the Board of Regents, it has our unqualified approval.

It is an open question, however, whether the Regents ought to be appointed by the Governor or elected by the Legislature, whether all direction by the people through the representative part of the State government in regard to their schools even though it be indirect, should be taken away. We believe, from the hearings we have attended on different matters before the Legislature this winter, that the sentiment of the public and of legislators as well has gone as far as it will go in the matter of centralization of power, and that the pendulum is actually beginning to swing the other way. We also think it unwise to have as large a Board of Regents as fifteen, and deem it a mistake, while the opportunity is at hand, not to provide for some representatives on that board from the various spheres of the educational work of the State.

These, however, are matters on which honest differences of opinion may exist. But we can find no reason or excuse, (nor have we been able to learn of any from those proposing this feature of the proposed bill), for the " packing" of the proposed new board with eight new members of Governor Roosevelt's appointing. If the present board is too large, eight more active members will make it more so. If its number is to be reduced now is the time to do it, not ten years.

hence. If the object is to overcome by the weight of numbers a refractory minority in the Board of Regents, it is too bad to be obliged to make such an otherwise salutary measure a medium with which to win anybody's battles for them.

We dismiss the thought that there is any politics in the proposition, or that this "packing" has back of it the idea that future Governors cannot be trusted to appoint as competent and suitable persons as Governor Roosevelt. It certainly does seem unfair, however, to bar the people of the State, through their chosen representatives, even in the executive branch of the State government, from having any voice from them reach the Board of Regents for the next ten or fifteen years to come. And we believe it will be very hard to convince those not thoroughly acquainted with Dr. Butler and the men behind this measure that there is no politics in it. For this reason the bill with this obnoxious feature ought not to pass. No measure of such vast importance to the schools of this great State should be so framed as to create political oppɔsition and thus assure its certain upsetting, with the consequent disturbance to the school interests of the State, upon the accession to power by the party feeling aggrieved by the plans of those ostensibly working in the cause of educational reform.

We speak almost by the card when we say that the proposed bill will not go through unless the features indicated are changed, and should it by any accident go through it will not stand long should the present minority regain power. In the name, then, of the schools that we all want to benefit let the bill be so drawn as to attain the objects its promoters profess to desire and yet avoid all suggestion of either partisan or cliquish advantage.

Greater New York Bills.

The general hearing given by the Senate Committee on Cities to all the educational interests of Greater New York on various school bills affecting that city, on the evening of Thursday, February 16, was the occasion of one of the most spirited and instructive educational discussions that it has been our good fortune to listen to. The honors of the evening, as far as cleancut and vigorous speaking as well as intelligent treatment of educational problems, were borne off by the reform members of the New York Borough Board, Messrs. Agar, Burlingham and Eustis, and by Mr. Chadwick of the Brooklyn Borough Board.