New-York tribune., 1901-07-03
TENDENCIES IN EDUCATION
MUCH INTEREST IN DISCUSSIONS AT
THE UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION.

A|hDN'~''''CN'
THE UNIVERSITY CONvOCATION.
Albany, July 2 (SpecIaD-It is doubtful If the
convocation of the University of the State
largely attended it to-day. Three
sons held, and at each session the Senate
chamber and the obbies outside of that big room
crowded with people. Many prominent edu-
Gators from this State and other States pres
ent One pleasant feature OF this thirty-nnth con-
vocation exhibition by dealers in works of
art OF hundreds of portraits and reproductions of
famous paintings and engravings. Many OF these
reproductions OF works of art now displayed
IN schoolrooms.
Bishop Doane presided to-day. The first address
made by Professor Elmer Ellsworth Brown, of
the University OF California. Berkeley His theme
was Present Tendencies I'm Secondary Education"
He said In part:
The discovery OF teachers is important
as the making Of teachers Inducements should
be offered to competent teachers 10 remain
in the profession. Boards OF education should
grant moderately liberal salaries. We cannot urge
too strongly that they discover superior men for
secondary schools. Within a few years have
places because Of petty Politics or because made
quate salaries compelled them for the sake OF their
the whole the tendency is upward. Let our best
men men fnd as great a reward in the teaching pro
The public high school has long been regarded
ure ohl"ark OF HeihocracS out WIN ihr CROWN or
schools Yet statistics do not show that the public
The public schools In fact are galning upon the
private schools. The efficiency of he
public schools acts against them II may be said
for II attracts pupils 70 them We seem to be com
ing TO the idea OF training FOR livelihood. The
engineers and the physicians are already upon that
plane. Each man VIII gain his education in n trade
school. The growth OF the high school. It 10
me. is the effort OF American youths TO tit them
selves for a business life The study OF American
secondary schools The growing unincaiior Of the
ment. AS schools grow more national they
should grow more humanistc. This has been de-
cade OF secondary school reforms. 1t has been one
OF the greatest epochs Of improvement. II Is the
public schools that have accentuated this move
ment.
REVIVAL OF HUMANISTIC STUDIES.
Professor A s Downing OF the New-York Train
Ing School for Teachers, commenting upon the
paper OF Professor Brown and his theme said
that he was delighted TO hear tha; the tendency
toward the humanstic studies. For several
years the tendency had been toward scientific
studies. He thought the laboratory method had led
to this revival OF interest in humaulsttc studies.
The laboratory method in the hands OF master
good one. but In the hands OF unskllful
teacher II led to failure Close power Of attention,
exact knowledge. were not developed It
giving that training 10 think wh,h was given by
the humanstic studies And the increase had
been very great in the humanistic studies The
tendency In secondary education was toward the
employment OF college bred men and women
teachers. There is certain preparation for
teaching beyond the college" said the speaker. Il
shall have TO take Issue with the statement that
teachers are born and not made n they have the
soul and culture and insight into child life they
can become good teachers"
Professor George II. Locke OF the University OF
Chicago. and Editor Of THE School Review" said
three tendencies had his notice. one was
the tendency TO regard the high school in
tegral part OF the public school system. This he
regarded a favorable symptom. The high school
should not be regarded peoples college The
American people demanded an equality of oppor-
tunity in education we have just opened at
Joliet" he said. "a model high school II is only a
small city. but the taxpayers willingly pay for It
That shows the tendency OF the day. Secondary
education aims TO train the producer All things
are yours, confronts the youth of America. The
community demands that the youth should be
trained to guide himself"
Charles II. Keyes, Superintendent OF the South
District Public Schools of Hartford. Conn., said
he found himself believing that the people thought
no high school had right to exist which did
rot attract and retain pupils from the grammar
schools. The high school," he said ''has come TO
stay. And / wish to say that 7 do not find that
the boy is seeking soft snap ! believe that
teachers born and made I think indeed, that
the Eastern cities will have trained teachers. l
believe there is great deal of value in a test OF
a pupils capability. A large proportion of
scholars is in the high schools preparing for the
work of life. The School of Mechanic Arts. at
Springfield. is the best school OF this type. I
think"
DANGER IN EXTREME SOCIALISM.
d
Rochester said that few teachers had fixed
creed. They seeking things. I'VE
vbrate from paternasm TO extreme individual
ism he said, 'and there is agreement. Our
present question is what form of paterra alism is
best. Twenty yfve years ago mathematics and
Greek were the main things in the high school
Then the taxpayer and demanded
tional teaching The State must fit its citizen for
life The elements of his business life must be
taught That is nearer socialism than people sis-
pect. Are ready to say that children must
choose a vocation? For one I would not.
The youth who enters high school hears this
statement: Choose your vocation for life and we
will put you In groove and shove you along 1
think present danger is that of an extreme
socialism In schools
Frederick Van Dusen principal OF the Ogdens-
burg Free Academy. spoke upon individual In
structon. He said ne favored the graded public
school. The American boy who has missed
public school training has missed great thing.
he said land that be said II he has not
accompany the graded system. The pupirs train
ing is improved by individual attention"
James Whine, principal of the Pouehkeepsie High
School, said he deprecated the theory that the
school rather than the home should be the centre
of interest. The school should supplement the
home There mutual dependence OF an
grades OF schools, and be glad to con-