New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-28
PRESENT STATUS OF EDUCATION.
MANY WELL KNOWN EDUCATORS IN
CHICAGO-OTHER SPEAKERS.

Chicago Feb. 27-Jhe annual conference Of the
Department Of Superintendent of the National
Educational Association opened in University
Han Of the Fine Arts Building to-day The de-
partment numbers among its members than
forty college presidents. and many professors and
superintendent Of schools and the large audience
which had gathered to listen to the opening ad-
dresses included of the distinguished
Of the educators in the country. Among those
present were President c ". Eliot OF Harvard.
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler Of the University
OF California: Dr. Nicholas N Butler Of Column
MA University: President David Starr Jordan of Le
land Stanford University, Superintendent + Benja-
min Andrews. Of Chicago; Miss Estelle Reel. Super
intendent of Indian Schools: Bishop Samuel Fall
lows, Professor Ira Remsen, of Johns Hopkins
University DR.. W. T Harris United States Com
missioner of Education; President A. s Draper of
the University Of Illinois. Professor Arthur Allen,
Of the University Of Colorado: DR.. James z. Rus
sell. Dean Of Teachers College. Columbia Univer-
sity; Superintendent L. H. Jones. Of cleveland;
Superintendent J, H. Van Sickle, of Denver, Col;
President +. O. Lyle Of the Pennsylvania Normal
School; Irwin Shepard. secretary National Educa-
tionaI Association: President W r. Harper of the
University of Chicago President Edwin A. Alder
man of the University of North Carolina and Pro-
fessor Charles De Garmo, of Cornell University.
The programme for the three days session IS an
elaborate one. The morning and afternoon ses-
sions Will be devoted the discussion Of subjects
of interest those actively engaged in educational
work. and will include number of papers by well
known educators
At the morning session the address of vel
come was given by DR.. z. Benjamin Andrews.
superintendent Of the Chicago schools. After the
response by the president of the department. \.
5. Downing, DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler. Of CO.
lUmbia University delivered address The
Status Of Education at the Close Of the Century
It in part follows
The two principles Of syogtiSn and OF an ndiyd
ton seem TO TO determine the status Of educa,
! ton at the close OF the century. Inc WORKING OF
7
! thousand ways. They lie behind and determine
every effort for Improvement End for progress The
diverse types of school higher and lower with their
widely different special ends and yet with IN com
reveal purpose TO cultivate and 70 adapt the
holding him touch with the life and the interests
/ OF his kind. The existence OF the wonder working
to a real as onrosed 70 sham indtvfd1IgIsn The
/ OF education. in Europe as well as in the United
/ Institution and social centre is additional evil
/ Gence, OF me Gomnance q the indlTidu9 3 Of
FrobeI rather than that or Rousseau ne QeInanGS
for the esta blishment Of proper system OF second
the secondary school systems of France and of Ger
many ma! IoI me cI2se- 3TleuIatlon 81 I9Wer seao2s
! United States. for making elementary school in
as possbe for bgngng forxard Studies Which give
adequate scope for expression in various forms and
70 its educational system simply and effectively
I an b 5sir ~ mi fI t o G ~
and TO progress toward the ideal of perfected
Edaeatiop 50 conceived and so shaped has made
/ ing tbs century education has definitely become a
! State function, not As Il dole. but duty Con-
seQUeutly. the public expenditure for education has
annually 500 000GG the common schools alone
or s. 81 per capita Of population. This is about
/ one-tenth OF the total wealth Of Indiana or OF
/ Michigan determined ~ the census Of 1890. In
! Great Britain and Ireland the total public ex-
penditure account Of education Is SIS 1000,
or g p per capita In France il is about S5Soo00lO.
/ or 8 60 capita. In the German Empire it is
over sl0so0oo9o or more than 81 per capita These
four great nations, therefore. the leaders OF the
worlds civilization this time, with total popu-
lation OF nearly two hundred and ten million. are
! spending annually for education sum consider
ably greater than $3.50 GOO
The annual expenditure of the United States for
/ Of the expenditures Of Great Britain. France and
Germany combined upon their powerful navies. It
is nearly fourffths of the total annual expenditure
/ Of the armed camps Of France and Germany upon
| their huge armies 1t IS sum greater by many
millions than the net ordinary expenditures of the
| United States Government in 1880. This expenditure
for common schools has nearly trebled since 1870
and during that period has grown from s. - TO 81 s.
Ter caDita OF population and from S15 20 SIS Sc
| for each pupil enrolled
The reading Of the paper was followed with the
! closest attention and at its conclusion a general
discussion followed, led by President Eliot of Har-
ward and Commissioner Harris. of Washington.