New-York tribune., 1878-01-03
NOTES ON EDUCTION.

The Tennessee Institute for colOred teachers
has had sixteen useful meetings during the past year
The college presidents who met in confer
ence at Columbus Ohio. last week, agreed IN approving
military drill in state institutions
The estimates for the Massachusetts, schools
this year. made 10y state Board of Education amount
TO S1O7 ,622 5O-$7. 900 less than last year
A Mechanic School for boys is proposed Tor
Oakland, Cal. One citizen promises to subscribe
$4,000 snd Others will be asked to contribute
The University of Minnesota will abolish lts
preparatory school in June, 1879 and the hgn scnoon
OF the state will be called upon to do the WORK o
ing the students for the University.
There were fourteen examinations for the
ladies' classes at University College London last session
and lis students entered. OF this NUMBER over my
obincd hrtclass certificates, and only Twelve icu W
obtain place.
DIR. McCOsh says that there are too many coi-
icces; but adds that he docs not share IN 'he
onuoston of some to colleges and whiie ne
,yng that their existence perhaps to be regretted
they were entitled to long they could be use
fu and supported
The Illinois State Teachers Association at
It's late meeting formally resolved that lit again indOrss,
with emphasis and without equivocaton the coeduc.-
tona system Of schools. primary secondary ana uni'e
sty now in successful operation in this State believing
that the true interests, physical, mental and moral OF
both sexes are better observed by this plan hah ny
tie system Of separate instruction"
II is said that in Cincinnati schools when the
children are examined by teacher say in mental arlth-
ec the that gives the promptest answer receives
the highest percentage of credit Ihe one NAV possess
as sound kr0wledge, and give correct an ahswer
the other but requires time to solve the problem
This method OF determining percentages runs through
tc examinations rectatiOns in all the studies, ana Is
bad for the cniidren's health making them nervous
fdcctty aud exhausted 1t is stupid practice
Professor G.. II. Howison. of the Massachu-
setts Instirc of Technology, declares that the Gus
tomary method Of teaching geometry is OF fault IN thn'
II leads the student into the habit OF simply going
through processes of syogsm, rather than advancing
toward new truth by a synthetic process, which alone
was the method of true development and discipline "t
the faculties would substitute what he called the
Imaginary process that is the by which the stu
dent should himself advance from propositions laid
down to new ones
There is Ill Berkshire County, Massachusetts,,
society known the ASassiz Association. formed by
rulls Of the Lenox High School, FOL the purpose OF
making scertinc investigations. They hold meetings
weekly and whcnever circumstances permit make eX-
cuIsoDs in search of specimens Memoirs become III
trcsted AMI the feeling that induces children to
collect stamps. coins. buttons etc. will induce them to
gahe pebbles insects flowers. etc Besides all is the
teacher gets composition IA week without the ru
rn having suspicion that he is writing but think
iIg is only report.
A Michigan teacher says that he recently at
ten;ed the annual examination OF class in the sixth
grade of union school Boys and girls. from ten to six
teen years OF reced with great fuency aud correct
ness descriptive accounts OF the lumber and commercial
interests the New-Eugand States When questioned
rs localities, girl Of sixteen said that New-Engand
was near Ireland Few could tell in what States mpOr
tan cities located, and the teacher expressed SIR
plise that ber pupils were ignorant on these points
However much this case exaggentes the evil or how
much it this teachers lack of ability still
II an example of a really existing evil. Teachers of
history physical geography or OF any study that 10
wolves a knowledge of local geography, inevitably find
Their pupils wanting in this respect
There are in Ohio six colleges, each having
norc tnan ten professors and teachers fourteen that
Lave each between i've and ten teachers and ten that
lave each than five members in their facilities. Not
one is reported rs having much $500 900. There
IRE ,rce colleges, however, which have each something
above 100000; colleges have each above $780,,
coo. Above $2OO,OOO there three colleges. of
Il.eac beng partially estimated; above 100000, five
colleges above $50 0Oo colleges; above $4,000,
f,ur institutions below $25 600, three and college
with property whatever worth reporting, As to the
.ct,l income Of these colleges from endowment funds
trd iuou there three that have above $4,000 an
Ilal income four having each between $4,000 and
10000: three between $4,000 and $4,000; ten 9th
err having s. 600 per annum, while three OF
iasse fan below $1,000 each
1 hat an effort will be made in the State
ltgsatu this Winter to abolish school districts and
90 up instead the township system, which prevails in
E~y-Eng gland and Pennsylvania, is the declaration Of
3,c Albany ErDress That paper thus goes to state
flo argum in favor Of the township system That.
h. creating board OF education, TO be invested
With all the possessed by district trustees.
vc @ould secure more efficient and enlightened local
spcvisio without increasing the expense maintain
he schools 1t also believed that better Gloss OF
teachers would be employed, and that rapid and
satisfactory progress would I've made ly the pupils.
DFbcr that the rate OF taxation for The support of
tc.oOls would be unifor1n that ate
pets would he made to the school commissioners and
Consequently to the State department OF public instrc
tOn and that many vexatous and disagrCcaDo neigh
borhOcd Cuarrels would be avoided.
At the meeting last week of the Indiana
teachers Burt of the Normal school, regretted
tie prevalent lack OF knowledge OF the English tongue
and literature He cited curious facts CLEANED from
TIE papers presented for examination the State Uni
vesiiy in which there very strange mixing up Of
Dationzlices In the names Of authors Macau ay and a
host OF other welhnown writers being Ameri
caus. while prominent American books attributed
Eeclish writer's Many persons asked their
fvofe authors mentioned at all others gave
tie names of thrdrate noveiss; number thought that
Shakespeare good and profitable reading but only
hsIf OF those examined able 10 say who was the
author OF King Lear" The eightyone persons taking
Iart in examination teachers the public
SCHOOLS aud OF them prominent in their several
counties Some could not whether LOngfellow
dead alive, and could any Of his writings
Nj. Burt added English has been shamcfuy neglected
Sn the schools, and many OF the reading books
impertnences The language treated too much
Rs II machine. DOT living thing to be deve-
oped; there is too great tendency toward the Latin
pronunciation Of words rather than fine uteranee OF
free so