The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-30


fashioned; but are they useless because
Of that? Let me call your attention TO
q very important fact. Not an argu-
ment will be heard here to-day against
the ideas herein set forth that Is not
based on a fact or series OF facts re-
called and recollected by memory, and
he who has the greatest power to recaA
will have the weightiest weapon at nus
command.
It is true that 1t is tout Of date but
who says that facts true in the ages
long ago are none the less true to-day
He would be rash. indeed, who would
deny the power OF gravitation because
1t Is old, at the same time jumping from
the upper story Of the Call" building.
1t Is behind the times" but who says
the times are right, that everything
new is an improvement, that the
novel is beneficial because Of it's IN
fancy7 The law of thought, of growth
Of mental acquisition Is eternal. The
assault against natures laws is not
new, it is old, 1t is weak, 1t is foolish.
From the known to the unknown, from
the simple to the complex, from one to
one-plus, is the law of all real educa-
ton. It Is more than a law, 1t Is a
fundamental principle. Memory is the
royal stairway that leads to the higher
landings and we ascend just so far as
we mount her successive steps.
am not unmindful of the logical
conclusion to be drawn from the prem
Uses here set forth.
/ know that the plan logically fol-
lowed would bar our young men and
our young women from entering our
university as accredited" students, but
/ know this, too. that our universities
would be immeasureably stronger in
material and In power if the whole
scheme were abolished and the old FASH
toned plan Of examinations which show
ed acquisition and power on the part
OF the applicant were again adopted.
As a. result Of this system OF promo
Hon, through opportunity" our grades
and divisions and classes and forms are
filled with immature material, neither
6tted by accumulated fat nor by devel-
oped power. Graduation to such means
the shell minus the kernel. They re-
ceive little because their capacity is
small, and it is small because there is
no self enlargement
They will add but little to the world
in the aggregate because the individual
stock is so small. If the law Of hered-
ity holds, what must the future have
In store?
THE DISCUSSION.
Superintendent E. M. Cox of Santa
Rosa discussed the question of examina-
tions. He thought that some of the
questions sent out for examinations
were absurd; that the end sought was
to give the pupil power and general
knowledge, rather than to load him
down with facts. He commended that
the present system did not develop
leaders, but made them mediocre and
repressed. He thought we wanted a
plan of promotion which the pupil
could obtain by the acquiring of knowl-
edge. His ability to do the required
work should determine the time for pro-
motion. Even small towns should be
able to have this come every few
months. He read number of Stats
tics from various cities to prove his
position. He said that for the past
three years the Santa Rosa schools
had promoted three times year. He
advocated system Of promotion that
would take into account all that af-
fects a child's progress. All pupils
should be required to 60 over the same
ground, but not in the same time. The
interval of one year Is too long and
an injustice to both bright and dull
pupils. The promotion of a pupil at
any time should depend on the judg-
ment Of the teacher. There should be
no tendency to crowd promotions.
Superintendent Foshay noticed that
one important point developed by SUI
perintendent Crawford was the &C.
QUESTION of power. Superintendent Cox
called 1t the development of power. In
a few. weeks $4,000 pupils would be
quietly promoted in Los Angeles with
out friction or show. He thought that
no system Of promotion will be devised
that will suit every one before the
millennium. While he agreed that writ
ten examinations were essential, he did
not believe that promotions should be
made solely on them. The work OF
grading them Is wearing on the teach
ers' vitality and caused many deaths
among pupils. We should educate our
boys and girls for knowledge and cit
tzenship. Character is more important
than learning. Let US teach pupils to
be manly and truthful and courageous
Very few could probably say that they
had never cheated on examination and
the teacher could not feel like giving
one pupil 20 per cent. and another 60
when she knew that the latter had
cheaten in order to obtain it. Our work
to-day should be to train up the pupils
to be men and women Of integrity. God
grant that the teachers may do 1t. In
his department pupils are really pro-
NOTED every day, whenever they are
fit, although there are stated times for
formal promotions. Good behavior and
growth should determine
superintendent c. L. McLane of F'res-
no said the object Of our public school
system Is to fit the pupil for right liv-
ing; 1t is not to fit him to take a place
in society. 1t is not the end of educa-
ton to prepare the individual for some
thing in the future; it should have to
do with the present. No system O,
marking or close supervision will make
up for lack of training In pedagogy In
the teacher. One might as well set ur
standard for physical station as for
mental station. The test for promotion
OF the pupil should not be on what he
knows, but Of what he does. The teach
er should be the Judge from day tc
day.
He had made a comparison of the re-
suits In the schools Of various counties
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