New-York tribune., 1879-03-06
NOTES ON EDUCATION.


petition asking for a Constitutional amendment estao
fishing an educational test voters for the year 1890
1t is asserted that there are 10000 men in
Kentucky who are unable read and write, ana that
thirty-four counties the state support the schools o
the remaining seventy-six
The question of German in the schools has
no, vet been settled in Chicago The subject Of optional
studies has been referred committee OF five IN inc
School Board with instructions TO investigate exhaust
lively and report.
The educational part of the California Con-
sttution has been amended that whio II does hot
prohibit the teaching OF ancient and modern languages
in the public schools 1t denies all support for eosmo-
politan and high schools.
The amount raised for school purposes IN
Connecticut last year 81 2522ls 63 against S628-
l52 1868 This increase is said TO be ont OF all pro
portion 10 the increase in population during the ten
years speaks well for the popular interest III eau
CatOr.
Tie Hartford COurdpt is of the opinion that
the common school system needs little looking into,
and believes that II may b5 found that portion OF the
weary years in school devoted to teaching the fu
ture voter arithmetic (Which may be Of service TO him as
a couuter-in Of baOts might prohta0ly he gwen 10
teaching the boy something OF the political history OF
our country something Of the real sources Of Its pros
perry and The dangers that menace it,"
nary incapacy Of parents to discern the kind OF IN
struction best tod to the mental apntudes OF thelr
children They commit their children 10 famous schooi
as the ostrich lays her in the sand and imagine
that there their responsibility ends. That this schoo
might be the only rghtful school for their sons and that
school the ono most Rey to elicit their worst tenden-
cios is possibility mch never crosses their fancy.
The total school expenses of Colorado last
year amounted 10 $2I3 $50; the receipts were S-sl
ucrp la of
little over 10 per cent Only fve-eghths of the schoo
popuatiOu Is enrolled. The salaries OF female teachers
have decreased a little over per cent "ho lhoSe o
the male teachers have decreased II per cent The d
ference between the salaries Of the two is now only
81 95 The official educational report says that Tie
State University IS very successful
On last Saturday certain friends of Prince
ton College engaged TO pay Of lis DEBT amounting to
$4,000 on condition that no further debt would ever
be contracted the annual expenses OF tho college 20 he
kept hcncetorth within Us income. The Press Of Pha-
dephia saws that wlth its magnificent new buildings
and additional grounds paid for its special endow-
mcnts its increasing students, ana with an additional
s. yearly formerly paid for Interest at its dspo'a'
1t would that the college ought not TO find this
condition very oncrous one
A public hearing on q system Of technical
education was gwen by the Joint Standing Committee
on Public Instruction in Boston last week. II stated
that plan was already prepared and that all that was
wished the assignment OF school building ana
$4,000. Or. Bartol said that ono cause OF crime was
the deness which enforced by the system OF educa
ton which does teach how to do,only how TO say
things. Mr.. 6. p. Ruggles said that II asionished him
a. see how little knew about mechanical industries
lie added that the developing school and machine shop
intended the starting points O' the scheme and
that fifteen would be the proper age for boys to begin
their technical education.
Superintendent Wicltersham, of Pennsylva
MA in comparing the elementary schools Of Europe and
America says that the foregn schools ore more care
fully inspected their OF study Is better; their
terms longer: the teachers have made more special
preparation for their work, and more attention Is paid
TO moral aud religious instruction. The American
schools he thinks, surpass the European ones IN these
particulars: We have better schOohOuses, our school
furniture is superior, textbooks are better, our
schools thoroughly free, our teachers have more
tact and natural aptness for their work, and moro Is
done TO form Cbaracter-in America the school Is .
social force always moving upward
Superintendent Eliot, of Boston, in his re-
Gently published semlsunual report considers the fire.
quent or habitua use Of corporal punishment in the
schools confession OF some degree OF intellectual or
moral weakness the teacher himself and that this be-
lief borue by the fact that the best discipline and
the highest development OF the powers OF the pupils arc
found I'm those schools where corporal punishment is
unknown. Dr. Eliot that no teacher should be
winch the offence committed, and that he should
BE- required report not only the reason for the use OF
the rod but the for choosing this punishment IN
preference any other the effect of the pun
ishment upon the pupils conduct and behavior
The Summer School of Philosophy and Lit
erature, which Is 10 assemble at Concord, Mass, In
July Will have five regular professors and several spe
cial lecturers, among whom may perhaps be Mr. Emer
son. The five regular professors Mr A b. Alcott,
who will give ten lectures " Christian Thcism -;
Professor W r. Harris OF ST. Louis, whose subject will
be Speculative Philosophy; DR. H. X. Jones, Of Jack
sonvillc, H., VITO VIII lecture PlstOnic PhOsO-
ply ; Mrs Edna D. Cheney Of Boston, whose lectures
treat Of The History and Moral Of Art; and j. AWas
son, who will talk on Political Philosophy" The
school will continue for FIVE weeks. beginning July 10,
and two lectures Will he given each day. except Satur
day which viii be reserved for the special lecturers
About dity students will be received
The plans of the recent convention of
School CO,rmls lssoncrs and Superintcudents held at
Ithaca criticised by The Uhed Herald. II suggests
that instead of supersedng, as they proposed, the
Superintendent Instruction and the Board Of Regents
by Board OF Education appointed by the Governor,
the Superintendent should be appointed by the Board Of
Pegerts and should DISCHARGE all his present duties
under the supervision and control Of that board The
Herald goes complain that at present the Office of
Superintendent Of Public Instruction IL political Office,
awarded by the Legislature TO the best Wirc-puer,
with Conspicuous disregard Of an questions OF personal
fitness for its duties And adds these words. which
will be appreciated in many an American town and
city: our school system, whatever may be said TO
the contrary. vast political system and its emOlu
ents are quite much the SpOs Of any
other class OF Offices. We know how this II, in limited
way, in our own city, where the School Board plays
much important part IN politics Than the Police