New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-06
NOTES ON EDUCATION.

An optional German division Is oeihg lo'ine"
m the senior class at Amherst
Tbcra are 1862 CELEBRATES in Illinois be-
,vecn the ages Of twelve and tweuty.one.
Roston University has received S12,ooo as
the nucleus OF ProIossorship in the College OF Lnera
Arts and 81 900 the nucleus of fund Tor inc cnu"
nept OF a womin's profcssorship in the same coHere'
Kentucky has a school population OF 4'o'-
600 Tn, pro rata sum has deer eascd from - % ~
81 GO; the estimated fund for this year Is VI
which sum nearly $4,000 20 to the superintendent anu
the County Commissioners
Wisconsin's total school receipts for the past
wear were 81 ,793.627 81; expenditures SiV'o-o'
6oj so Tho public schools were attended by l'V"-'-
90 rrnis The nu nber OF persons III the state ne
vcen the ages OF five and tive years was lol2
coo
The annual meeting of the Association OF
School Comms siOucrs City Supcrineudens oil 'ps
State will be ned in Ithaca on the 1sih l9h ana -n
OF this month. Among the addresses VIII ne one W
President White Of Cornell University on lhStru'o"
IN Political and social science and one by PROFESSOR
North, Of Hamilton college, on O"T inA'" '''''
Guagc'
The California Constitutional Convention
has 50 amended the educational article as TO exclude
all foreign languages from the primary aud grammar
schools OF the state. 1t also provides that the cA'
books adopted shall continue in use for MOI less tu"h
four wears. IL declares the University to bea per
petuaI institution of this stntc" its officers are 10 Lou
Office for such the Legislature may pTesVfuc' IL
is 10 be Kept from all ontca influences
The rapiditv with which colOred children
have learned read and write since the schools nave
been opened 10 them is said by Tie charleston NcrS ana
Courier to be highly creditable The children appear 10
have passion for learning ana their parents are justly
proud Of their accomplishments forN-four "h'eS are
said TO attend the South Carolina public schools against
children There Is UlHtItntc Ot
- per cent I'm the attendance with difference of 80 per
cent in the population
It's the opinion of The Educational weekly
Tint educational men are who ought to shape
AZ not absolutely control all legislation upon cduc"h
matters" Well, hardly, unless 1t Is propose" 10 idNe
our school systems formal more igd ana less III
kpiring than they already Educational men a'c
100 near the subect-hoy want perspective The con
troll of educational matters shoald rest with Thought
full practical, educated parents who are without the
drawback of official connection with the schools.
Both Wisconsin and Illinois have recorded
legal decisions the choosing OF studies by parents
ar teachers. The Wisconsin Court saws: "lt ia I'M
reasonable TO suppose that any scholar VINO ATTENDS
school can or Will study all the branches taught III
them From the nature of the case some choice must
be made, ana some discretion exercised as 10 the
studies which the different pupils shall pursue The
parent is quite a. likely make wise ard judcorS
selection as the teacher A. all event IN cases OF of
ference opinion between the parent and teacher upon
te subject We see no reason holding that The views
Of The teacher must prevail" The same CONCLUSIONS
are arrived at IN the Illinois decisions.
1t is the complaint of The National Journal
" Education that the teachers OF the country
don't talk enough about school matters with the
families OF their pupils. II they Will only " come ont
from the sccusion Of their present lic and reasonably
improve tue ohours with the parents and the people
In general they can Nh country in educa-
a., lad fbcNl
time visit parents explain school work, and with all
their wealth offcmnlne attraction win over the mas
Culipe ignorance. narrOWness, and incOrrgiOihy VI
their districts if they they cannot form into assocl
tous OF outside missionary work that viii tell even IN
the most exclusive circles they say what the more
thoughtful people do not believe. With all fair allow
for the LACK OF professional training among these
women-tcachers they do know great deal more than
nnetenths of the betternOrmed people in Their local.
ties concerning these things.
The public schools arc with q good deal OF
reason called paradise of red tape" by me boston
Herald Teachers, il adds are compelled 10 give much
OF their valuable time 10 filing up "blanIs y with
statistical formation for State and town officials, and
10 swell the archives OF some board We ma inc
teachers FESTIVE under such requirements which not
only use up school time but their Ouofschoo hours,
md fully convinced that their pansaking reports are
destined 10 pigeor-hoe we lind the scholars
harassed ana hurried through written EXAMINATIONS on
paper OF stated SIZE in order that the school commit
tee may have volumes OF schoo-hoy manuscript
for exhibjio1-their Handwriting ruined by hasty writ
Ing their instruction neglected for such a secondary
purpose. Teachers have not unfrequently admitted
and regretted that they devote the
Time teach their pupils how TO read distinctly ana
lnelgeny because 0: the extraordinary requirements
Tor ornamental slnles-for studies which 40 child OF
lender wears is able to understand whatever nay Oc its
special advantage later or in lie.
The Wisconsin State Textbook Commits
zion have presented to the Legislature report i'll the
form OF bill requiring that the local school officers In
ell parts of the state shall, N the provided in
the BILL within thirty days previous 20 the third Monday
Of November, make IN estimate OF the nuInber Of
each kind af books required by the school schools
under their charge in addition 10 the copies OF said
books then in use during period OF three years sue
rceding the first day Of the ensuing September. The
tult Of this estimate is 10 be forwarded to the State
Board created by ho bill, basis of action the
part OF that body CA receipt OF these reports, the
board advertise FOR BIDS for furnishing the books
needed according to those estimates. This advertising
shall be repeated in three years. And, whenever
an award is made to any bidder the Commission is to
enter into with such bidder TO supply all books
Of the kind awarded required hy the pupils of the pub
lie schools Of this state OF less for three years
price for each book series OF books not exceeding
sing spelling REFORM advises thai ploosists shouli
lead the way and that when Soma practical complete
and thoroughly conmendablc system shall be adopted
and dictionary published upon those principles, that
dictionary shall be purchased and distributed by the
State as Wcbstcr's Unabridged il at present. and
school work aud Official documents be made as far
ear fl.r