New-York tribune., 1883-12-20
NOTES ON EDUCATION.

The Connecticut State Normal schooi n'S ,i'o
400 nnpils during the past year. 1he new Duldhg
,oentv occupied by the school is one OF the Dest Oh
;,s Lind II is probable that another year VIII soon
he added to the course
TN, Paterson IN j. Press argues for the aholition
sv.,ing schools in that State. 1t says that since
the massage of compulsory educational law All
children may obtain necessary education in the day
scbools To this The NecGrk Adrertiser replies thai
e all children affected by the compulsory law were
"a be taken away from the evening sch"ois, there
,voud still be enough left TO justify their naihteh-
anee Moreover the studies, IL says are more erect
nal as a rule than those of the day Schools lhe
nnpils are more III earnest, and work with De'ter
viii and more directness OF purpose. Inc ti's en-
,rtannd nv some that the schools are attended by
those who TO avoltt the penalties ol re T"n-
paisory education statutes Is hcolreet. Nv Nv ave-
are not enforced with 50 much stricthesS as thS
would imply.
An educational journal called The School has inst
been established in the province OF Tueuindn III the
Argentine Republic.
THE Rochester Union Is not at all satisfied with the
efficiency of the present school system OF this coun-
nv and tells some honely truths ia this style ." III
is one of our popular American errors-perhap'
airs would be the better wOrd-that we are 'he
hest educated people in the world. Ihls DolSt mas
been reiterated at every Fourth of July celebration
and delighted audiences by young fellowsjust learn
ing to speak and by other fellows VINO ought 10
know better; by school commissioners at board
meetings. bv callow students and by fussy peda-
gogues of both sexes at all times. 1t Is not true III
any sense, even to the narrowest, which Is under
stood to mean the ability to read and write only as
such accomplishments used to be taught in the good
old district schools There is glt-edging OF truth
about it, and that is all and it is as deceptive as
pant on the cheek, which counterfeits the beauty II
has not That is statistics show we spend about
SIOOOO0,0O0 annually i'll the pretended cause OF
edueation-to keep up the public schools in thirty
eight States and ten Territories. And if the mere
expenditure of money is an assurance OF education'
certainly are beating the w0ftd-in IaGt, us
taneing all nations England, Scotland and WaIeS,
sources less than $25, ,6O6,OO0 But with ali :ur
gilt-edgng il appears that we nave over o,oou,ooV
people from ten years old ana upward VINO WI cahn"e
read and write, and more than hall 0t them are
whites and nearly ve-ninths OF both coloTS are ma
tive Americans! This scrapes oft all the gliding and
ought to change the text and tone OF our spread
eagle orators on Independence Day
At recent meeting of the Industrial Home, of
Boston. Mr. Robert Swan expressed the hope that
Industrial education for girls might be carried one
step further by the introduction Of classes IN cook
ing central kitchen could be established to
which the girls of the public schools might go on
certain days. One, and perhaps the Chief reason
why young women choose to work for mere pit
tance IN stores when they could earn large wages at
cooking is that they actually do not know anything
about cooking and have no opportunity nor ia tne
wears which they have now reached, tlnc to learn
the art.
The annual report of the California State Uni
yersity Just issued, shows that extensive improve
ments have been made during the past year IN the
departments of industrial education and mining
The shops and laboratories have been equipped with
4 a nj In RI lR
mecanical laboratory skilled mechanic has been
enployed and the mining laboratories now offer TO
students every facility for the assays of all kinds OF
ores bullion etc. The appropriation made by the
last Legislature will be at applied to the con
struction of metallurgical laboratory with COM
pete equipment. The physical laboratory received
this year only $3.50, while the same department oil
Harvard College has recently expended @ll0,oOo
and has an annual income of $4,000. The import
anee of the chemical department would justify an
immediate expenditure OF $4,000. A printing
office is also needed. The secretary suggests that
the next Legislature be asked to appropriate
$40 600 to be spent annually at the discretion OF
the Regents, and also TO appropriate 9ooOVO LOT
museum building New ana mo more 11t ene6'Ve hs nea'ig
inventory of the personal property contained III the
several buildings, has been made and It Is valued al
100000. 1t has been insured tOr the sum Vi |
$4,000.
Mr. James Sawin, principal of one of the public |
Oehools of Providence r. L., tried an interesting |
experiment a short time ago. His pupils were much |
addicted TO the reading of the vicious dime novel"
literature that is prevalent. One afternoon he |
lectured them on the subject, and read to them |
portion of the old Homeric tale of The Golden
Fleece The children followed him with rapt at |
tentOn. Later in the day he began TO read to them
from an ordinary boys |" fash" story without
however telling them what it They soon be-
gan TO manifest signs of impatence, which at last
could not be ignored. When Mr. Sawn asked them
what the matter they answered that the story
he was reading was no good |" and requested HIM
to- finish The Golden Fleece" The result has been
that an excellent school library has been estab-
lshed which contains abundance of good, healthy
literature for boys and girls and it is we'll patron
lied This is practical way OF reaching the evil OF
vicious juvenile literature, and there is no reason
why many other schools should not adopt it.