Evening star., 1898-07-07

ucl, So lie pTOfltS are ilCi cdScu lfOAi
fifty to one hundred thousand dollars. WHO
can deny that he has earned a salary Of
$4,000 a year, while the workman earns
but a small sum in comparisonf Brain
products cannot be exhibited like those of
factory, but brain waste is worse than
waste of raw material Waste of effort In
the school Is worse than waste of steam
and labor In the factory. A poor superin-
tendent is too dear at any price, but good
superintendent Is worth many times his sal
airy. By preventing the waste of time,
money and effort, by getting done what
ought to be done, by excluding school pol
itics and other politics from the appoint
ment of teachers and from the manage
ment of the schools, by efficiency In the
discharge of his duties as executive, exam
frer, visitor and counselor, by the creation
of public sentiment that demands good
teaching above all other considerations. he
may earn his salary many times every
year, and feel secure In his tenure of office
even after his strength begins to wane.
The supply of teac hers was the nsXt sub
ject discussed. The committee report stat
ed that although there large increase
in the interest in education, still large num-
bers of rural school teachers now entered
upon their work with no professional prep
aration, Skillful teachers might be easily
retained If the rural school year was made
full school year of nine or ten months.
Then there should be more ample provision
for a supply of rural teachers. These views
were strongly comme nded by several mem
bers of the council including President
John w. Cook of the Illinois State Normal
University and Superintendent Charles B.
Gilbert of Newark, N. ].
The discussion of the report of the COM
nittee was concluded at the session this
AFTERNOON, the general subject being en-
struction and Discipline in Rural Schools,
divided under the following heads:
l. The advantages arising from grading
small country schools are more than coun-
terbalanced by the disadvantages of
teaching together pupils widely separated
in ability and aC0OirementS
2. Whenever practicable. the pupils Of
small outlying districts should be trans
ported at public expense to the town cen
ter. This plan may embrace all the pupils
of the school or only the older and more
advanced.
8. With the limitations suggested in the
report the montorial system can be en-
pioyed to advantage in rural schools.
4. Where rural schools are maintained,
written examinations for the older pupils
should be held at stated times in town CEN
tiers by the county superintendent or other
competent officer, adequate records of the
results OF the examination being preserved
for future reference.
8. For those who have left school, school
extension in the form of recommended
nome reading under the care of the teacher
of the district should be organized and ai-
rected by the town or county superintend-
ent.
The discussion was opened by President
K G. Boone, State Normal School, Ypsi-
lanti, Michigan.
Rural Schools
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Boone
said: instruction ard discipline together
constitute one aspect of the school, wheth-
er in the urban or rural districts. The sup
Elementary aspect is that of organization
The former comprise teaching and the sew
eral purposaful exercises directed by the
teacher for educational ends. The latter
regards matters of general organization
and the various mechanical and prudential
arrangements designed to make the teach
ing exercises effective. OF the two the lat
ter Is an incident of the first and depends
upon the first for its significance and the
form which it assumes
the most important matters in the pres
t ent stage Of development of the rural
schools are the employment of we'll quail
ihed teachers and the use of sensible and
Wen digestei methods.
School Extension.
School extension for 1al districts has.
in one way or another, been introduced and
successfully carried out in Indiana,
through the Young Peoples Reading Circle,
which is under the immediate direction of
the school teacher; in Michigan, in part
through the local schools and in part
through the graEge organization. In other
states something has been done.
Through these agencies much more has
been accomplished than would have SEEM
ed possible. In the course of a half dozen
years .OdDltS OIL TeddlnS nave been liked
among the young people that have not only
been worth cutivating in and for them
selves, but they have reacted in a whole
some way upon the school work; libraries
nave grown up in the schools as a result;
home libraries have been begun or en-
iarged, and the general intelligence has
been increased
With most astonishing success the ex~
pertinent has been tried in some districts
of choosing the home readings from matte-
especially suited to the interests of the
district. Because children live in the coun.
try one must not therefore conclude that
they understand the genius of the country
or the conditions of its progress. To effect
this result should be one aim of this rural
school extension
The closing session of the council will be
held at 43O this afternoon, when the re-
pert of the committee on reorganization
Will be made and the election of officers
held.
Features of Yesterdays Sessions.
After The Stars report closed yesterday
the Hygiene of Instruction was discuss
ed by Dr. G. w. FitZ, professor of physi-
ology and hygiene and medical visitor of
Harvard University. and Prof. Edward r.
Shaw, dean of the School of Pedagogy In
New York University
In the course of his address Prof Fitz
sald children in the primary schools were
making continual mental effort to grasp
Ideas beyond their stage of development
dilu uIiiatufal 10 tne!r processes OF thought.
Ihey are harasssd by logical abstrac-
tions,' he said, "by the over-crowding of
the memory with unintellgible matter; by
the absence of all physical activity or by
the substitution of dull and formal gym
nast1cs, such as the Ling system for spon-
taneous pay; by the necessity of keeping
still during the time that every other child
is reciting, that is. during three -fou-ths of
the school period; and by the sympathetic
reaction Of the inevitable nervous irrita-
ton OF the teacher who must keep from 40
to 90 little folks doing something, if only
making show of attention, while one
Child is being taught
'Thsy are physically depressed and re-
tarded in growth by the confinement of
school hours, by the bad air universally
found in school rooms and by the nervous
tension of restrained activity.
Needs of the Child.
Tine ideal scnool requirement must be
based upon the childs need at eacn year of
his work, and this need must be discover
ed and met by the school completely as
to make good the deficiencies in home con-
ditions. The cbild's natural inquisitiven ass
confidence in his own powers and eagerness
TO test them, should be made to contribute
TO his advancement crushed hv the