EDUCATIONAL NEWS. A WEEKLY EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL Entered at the Post-Office at Philadelphia, Pa., as Second-Class Matter. Office 1020 Chestnut Street, Room 2. SEE THIS OFFER. PREMIUM BOOKS. EDITORIAL NOTES. One of the most absurd charges we have ever heard is that made against a teacher lately that he does not confine himself to the text-book but goes outside for his illustrations and anecdotes. The progressive teacher can scarcely understand how any sane man Editor could at this late date prefer such a charge in earnest without expecting to be condemned for his utterly senseless and imbecile notions of correct education. The efficient teacher cannot follow the text-book closely and do good work. Outside illustrations by a thinking teacher are not only a great aid but they are really a necessity in reaching the understanding of the pupil. There may be an exception in the case of mere memory rote work, such as the committing of the logarithmic tables, is such if a necessity, but we know of none. $1 50 75 25. Swineford's Literature for Beginners. 26. Hints and Helps on English Grammar. These books are all bound in cloth and well printed. They will grace any one's library. An illustration from the Popular Educator is appropriate. "An anecdote related of the late Professor Tyndall is in point. He was answering the ancient crux, 'Why is the sea blue ?' He had propounded the scientific answer to the problem; he went on to find some parallel which should fix it in his hearers' memories. And thus the blue eyes so much admired amongst the ladies of my audience owe their charm essentially to muddiness! Why do I give such instances? If I told you merely the dry scientific explanation, you would go away and straightway forget; but these illustrations stick in your minds, and you cannot forget them.'" If this method of illustration is necessary with adults how much more necessary does it become in the schoolroom where too often indeed the mistaken teacher strives to impress on the mind of the learner that a perfect recitation is the measure of progress and efficiency. "Grammar has had its day," says the teacher. We think not, if the assertion means that the study of been well taught, but this can be no objection to the grammar is likely to be abandoned. It may not have study itself. Geography in the main has not been well taught, nor has arithmetic, but the day of none of these is past, nor should the study of any of them be condemned on account of inefficient teaching. Let the fault be placed where it belongs. We might as well hope to put aside the teaching of arithmetic as preliminary to the higher mathematics as put aside grammar as the basis of the study of English. The Atlantic Monthly does not seem to have lost faith in the old education. According to the Popular Educator these are some of the virtues which the Atlantic claims for the education of the past: It is an easy thing to establish a code of rules and insist on rigid adherence to their behests, but if this rule were enforced in divine government and justice meted out unaccompanied by mercy, who of us would 1. The old district school and academy were not inherit a blessed state in the future? If God were not built upon theories. 2. They sought their teachers merciful as well as just our case as a race would be where these could best be found, namely, in the ranks hopeless. If God can be and is both merciful and of vigorous youth who were earning their way just, why cannot the teacher be godlike and temper through the colleges of New England. 3. They had justice with mercy? Why must every punishment be no curriculum, no notion of "time allotments" and a public one where the exposure can result only in a "harmonious development" and "logical sequence" hardening of the child's heart against the teacher? and the rest of it, but only a simple and direct way of Public punishment where better results cannot be getting children to read, write, and cipher at a very reached by the publicity is vicious. Teacher, if you early age, and to be ashamed if they did it badly. 4. have children of your own, you will understand and There never got into these schools the runious notion appreciate why you prefer not to have their weakthat a machine was going to do the work; there was nesses and faults held up to the ridicule of others. Is no machine. There was no "course" because there your obligation to the rights of others any less sacred? were no limitations of subject or time. Now comes a shadow that darkens the land-the A letter from Supt. Smith of Delaware County, Pa., "educator." The country school was unscientific; assures us that one of the attractions of the State the method must be made conscious of itself. The Teachers' Association will be an excursion July 4th hodge-podge of pupils of different ages must be next from Media to the Brandywine Battle-ground, broken up into grades. And so the graded school including a visit to the old Birmingham Friends' becomes the idol of the educator. The system, Meeting-House, three miles north of Chadd's Ford. whether teacher or pupil has anything 'particular in The expense of the trip will be one dollar, including him or not, will do the business. And so we have had the 'graded school' for a generation." admission to the meeting-house, which was used as a hospital during the battle. Farmers will convey 250 of the excursionists on hay wagons from Chadd's Ford to the meeting-house and back. A band will accompany the excursion, which will leave Media at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and return about 7. Those who expect to accompany the excursion should apply Personal Items. It is worry not work that wears. We would like to give some good advice that we cannot always take for ourselves. Do not expect to have a perfect school. It is right to be anxious for success both on your own account and in that of your pupils, but worry gives early in order to secure conveyance. no help in this direction, and the more nervous one becomes over the work the less probability is there that success will be complete. The advice may be David M. Geeting, superintendent of the Madison hard to take, we find it so to some extent in our own case, and yet we believe in it faithfully, and we know schools, is nominee on the Republican ticket for Sufrom experience that often the mountains of to-day perintendent of Public Instruction of Indiana. become the mole-hills of to-morrow, if we only are was born on a farm in the state of Ohio in 1852. Dr. Andrew Stephenson, professor of history and patient enough to wait. He jurisprudence in Wesleyan University, Middletown, Geologist. He graduated from the State University Conn., has accepted the chair of history in DePauw in 1887, having made the natural sciences a specialty University. in his course. Prof. J. B. Steere has presented the University of M. A. Stone is re elected at $2,100 at Stillwater, Michigan museum $600 worth of specimens from Michigan. the Philippine Islands. Prof. Andrew S. Draper, of Cleveland, has accepted Supt. George I. Miller, of Boone, Iowa, is compli- the presidency of the University of Illinois, at Chammented by a re-election and a contract for three years paign. He was elected to the position at the meeting with an advance in salary to $1800 a year. of the university trustees held a short time ago. Prof. Andrew Sloan Draper was born in Westford, Miss Harria Irene Bruckhart died near Columbia, March 6, aged 42. She was a graduate of Millers-Otsego county, N. Y., on June 21, 1848, and was ville School and afterwards taught school at Colum- graduated at Albany Academy in 1866. Taking up bia, Wilkesbarre, Strasburg, Lititz, Pa., and Blairs- the study of law, he graduated from the Albany Law town, N. J. Three years ago she was sent to the School in 1871, and began practice in that city. In Woman's College, Yokohama, Japan, as an assistant, under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, and later she became head of the school. Ill health finally unfitted her for the work, and she came home last February to die. Mr. George Francis James, late secretary of the ing the last year of its existence, when University Extension Society, has been elected Professor of Pedagogy in the University of the City of New York, in place of Dr. Jerome Allen, resigned. Mr. James was born August 18, 1867, at Normal, Ill., prepared for college in the Model High School of the Normal University and in the Preparatory School at Evanston, Ill. He entered the Northwestern University in 1832, and graduated at Michigan University in 1886. He pursued graduate studies for a year and a half at the University of Michigan, taking the degree of Master of Arts. 1879 he became a member of the City Board of Education, which office he held until 1881, when he was elected to the State Legislature. He was appointed a member of the Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims by President Arthur, and sat in that court durover 2,000 cases were tried. In 1886 he became Superintendent of Public Instruction in New York State. This office he held until 1892, in which year he was appointed Superintendent of Public Schools in Cleveland, from which position he now retires to accept the presidency of the University of Illinois Supt. E. B. Smith has been re-elected by the board of public schools in Normal, Ill. J. B. Stout, superintendent of schools at Summer, Ill., is a candidate for county superintendent of Law. rence county. Sara M. Riggs, of Nashua, Ia., for a number of O. C. Evans of Cape Elizabeth, Maine has been years assistant in English at the State Normal School chosen superintendent of the Belfast city schools, at a will graduate from Michigan University this next salary of $1000 a year. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College, and for the past three years has been superintendent of schools at Cape Elizabeth. commencement. Prof. Bedgood, late principal of the high school in Marion, Indiana, has recently taken charge of the high school in La Fayette. H. G. Woody, superintendent of the Kokomo schools, was elected president of the Northern Indiana Teachers' Association for the coming year. Mrs. Susan G. Patterson, principal of the High School, has been promoted to the superintendency of Professor Maxwell Sommerville, of the University of the Union City schools, Ind., to take the place of J. Pennsylvania, accompanied by Mrs. Sommerville, R. Hart, resigned. sailed on the steamship La Champagne last week to W. S. Blatchley, for several years past teacher of be gone over a year, contemplating a trip through geology and biology in the Terre Haute High School, India, Burmah, Straits of Siam and Japan before his was nominated on the Republican ticket for State return to America. 315 Hints. For History Review. Educational Intelligence. special mention. The World's Fair medal for wax-fruit models has been awarded to the Michigan Agricultural College. In June the Indianapolis High School will graduate a class of seventy-nine. A class of fifty was graduated in Have each pupil bring to class ten questions written on January. The work of the High School is of a superior separate slips of paper and signed. Mix all these well and kind. The laboratory work in the sciences is deserving of in a suitable box, and let the pupils in turn draw questions from the box to be read and answered. If any pupil is not able to answer the question he has drawn, he may call upon the proposer to answer for him, or be required to look it up for himself. If any pupil draws a question of his own proposing, he may call upon any member of the class he A report of M. Laskowski, professor at the University may choose to answer it. Keep a list of questions missed of Geneva, on women medical students, is highly encouragfor future use. The same plan may be pursued in other ing. During the past seventeen years 175 women have branches of study. If slightly modified each time, the been admitted to the faculty. Fifty were Poles, of whom above plan may be used frequently to great advantage. only four are known to have completed their studies. Exchange. Some Points for Young Teachers. West Chester, May 11.-A geological excursion went from Westtown Friends' School to Falls of French Creek, a distance of thirty miles, to-day, under the direction of 1. Do not talk too much. "In the multitude of words Professor C. Canby Balderston, instructor in natural there wanteth not sin; but he that refraineth his lips is wise." sciences. The party contained eighty members, including 2. Always speak kindly to an angry pupil. "A soft all the seniors of the school, several teachers, and numeranswer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up ous students in the lower classes. Every year the head of anger." the department takes the students on an excursion, but usually the numbers are much smaller. 3. Never be sarcastic. "There is that speaketh like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health." 4. Some pupils expect you to scold them. By all means let them be disappointed. "Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee." 5. Reprove and punish pupils in private; never personally in public. "Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself, and discover not a secret to another." 6. See nothing yet see everything. Take immediate action on very few misdemeanors. They are not half so bad as your imagination makes them. "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." 7. At the same time do not hesitate to act promptly when necessary. "A prudent man forseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." 8. Don't worry. Teach under "high pressure;" govern under "low pressure.' men." WHEN THE WAR BEGAN.-Johnny, who had been much interested in American history, thought he would "Fret not thyself because of evil test grandpa's historical knowledge, so, as the old gentleman sat reading his paper, Johnny began: 9. Never become discouraged, especially with serious difficulties. "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." "Grandpa, do you know what great war broke out in 1812? The old man slowly raised his eyes and looked at Johnny 10. "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, over his spectacles. when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." -National Normal Reunion. "Why," said he, "that was the year I married your grandmother." PENNSYLVANIA STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.-The thirty-ninth annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Teachers' Association will be held at Media, Delaware county, Pa., July 3d, 4th and 5th, 1894. We have just received from Prof. L. S. Shimmell, Secretary of the Executive Committee, the following attractive programme: PROGRAMME OF EXERCISES. TUESDAY, JULY 3D. IO A. M.-Opening Exercises. Needed School Legislation from the Directors' Standpoint--David F. Fortney, Bellefonte. Patriotism-Prof. I. K. Witmer, Lansford. The Music will be in charge of Prof. Jere March, Norristown. OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. President--Supt. Samuel Hamilton, Braddock, Allegheny county. Vice-Presidents-Miss Jennie Knott, New Brighton; Address of Welcome.-Congressman John B. Robinson, Supt. L. E. McGinnes, Steelton. Media. Responses.-Supt. Thos. Farquhar, Bethlehem, and Prof. C. B. Cook, Chartiers. Report of Wickersham Memorial Committee. Secretary--J. P. McCaskey, Lancaster. Executive Committee--Supt. A. G. C. Smith, Media, What can be seen in Philadelphia.—Col. J. A. M. Pass-Ticket Agent; Supt. J. M. Reed, Beaver Falls; Supt. E. more, Philadelphia. 2 P. M.-Inaugural Address-Supt. Samuel Hamilton, Braddock.. Report of the Legislation Committee. Forestry-Dr. J. T. Rothrock, West Chester, Supt. G. W. Philips, Scranton; Prof. H. B. Twitmyer, Honesdale; Prof. C. E. Knauffman, Tyrone. 8 P. M.-Evening session not yet provided for. WEDNESDAY, JULY 4TH. 9 A. M.-Elementary Science-Dr. S. C. Schmucker, Indiana, Pa.; Supt. D. A. Harman, Hazleton; Prof. A. H. Gerberich, Williamstown. Pol First Steps in Reading and Language-Mrs. R. S. lard, Allegheny; Prof. J. L. Snyder, Allegheny; Miss Nannie J. Machrell, Pittsburg. 2 P. M.-Place of Meeting and Nominating Officers. A Review of "The Committee of Ten"--Dr. E. T. Jeffers, York; Dr. Chas. De Garmo, Swarthmore. Duty of Superintendents and Directors on Charts and School Apparatus-Supt. J. M. Berkey, Berlin; Prof. John Cessna, Altoona; Mr. John D. Goft, President Delaware County Directors' Association. Mackey, Butler; and Prof. H. W. Fisher, Pittsburg. Enrolling Committee-Supt. J. S. Walton, Chester; Prof. L. H. Watters, Media; Supt. M. J. Brecht, Lancaster; Prof. A. F. K. Kraut, Lehigh; Prof. J. H. Michener, Philadelphia. Legislative Committee-Prof. M. G. Brumbaugh, Col. J. A. M. Passmore, Dep. Supt. J. Q. Stewart, Supt. George J. Luckey, and Supt. D. S. Keith. RAILROAD ARRANGEMENTS. The Railroad arrangements have not been completed; they will appear in the June number of The Journal, as will also announcements pertaining to hotel and other local arrangements. Superintendents and teachers will please have this programme published in their county papers, and thereby help to make the Media meeting even larger than that at Beaver Falls. As the National Association will be held at Asbury Park, New Jersey, the week following, the teachers of Pennsylvania can easily attend both, with little additional expense to what it would cost to attend either alone. What more delightful thing could one look forward to than the "lay over" at Asbury Park from Thursday evening, the 5th of July, till Tuesday the 8 P. M.—Banking in Kansas; How I found it, and how 10th, when the National will open! it left me-W. O. Fuller, Rockland, Maine. THURSDAY, JULY 5TH. 9 A. M.-The Great Tendencies in Modern EducationDr. N. C. Schaeffer, Superintendent Public Instruction. Physical Culture-Mrs. Louisa C. Preece, Minneapolis, Minn.; Prof. Albert D. Pinkham, Millersville. School Hygiene-Dr. E. D. Ressley, Media. 2 P. M.-Can and Should Agriculture be Taught in the Country Schools?-Prof. John Hamilton, State College. Drawing-Miss W. Seegmiller, Allegheny. L. S. SHIMMELL, Secretary Ex. Com. and Ticket Agent. |