The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-13

| teachers so much to be thankful for will
| ever go into effect. The appropriation for
| next year will not justify 1t, and what
| the future has in store no one knows
In the meantime many men object to the
federation, and certain ladies, probably
seeking the good will of the men. re-
preach the members with failure and de-
clare that they are trying to do "some-
thing that they know nothing about and
for which they are untitled" So they
have their troubles too.
COMMITTEE OF ONE. HUNDRED.
Those good citizens, serving voluntari-
ly as an educational commission have
presented a report, making suggestions
of changes that will he actively opposed.
The commission proposes that a super
intendent shall be chosen for ten Q0)
years, but subject to removal by three
fourths' vote of the board; that the nun.
Der of assistant superintendents be great
ly reduced; that teachers shall be subject
to REORGANIZATION; that only English
shall be taught in the grades; that the
superintendent shall appoint "a faculty.
from the various branches of the educa-
tional departments to act as advisory
board and that the city shall purchase
text books and furnish them to the pu-
pills at cost, the selection of text books
to be left to the superintendent ana the
faculty" h97
But little progress has been made, a
serious wrangle having resulted from a
motion that the board of examiners
should be named by the president of the
University of Illinois. Although TINS
passed by a majority vote, 1t is most I'M
probable that it will ever be enacted into
law, or be adopted by the poaro OF
education in this city. There are serious
objections to any such arrangement. The
commission also insists that the course
of study must be greatly simplhed'
which of course is a very proper thing,
but how?
THE CHICAGO SYSTEM.
For the year ending June, 1899, the
school population of the city (between
the ages of six and twenty-one9 was
575, 375, and the enrolment in the schools
was 242,607, for which was required a
teaching force of 5,5S5. So vast are the
interests involved, so varied are condl-
tons, so great the territory, that perfect
uniformity and a well defined system ap-
plying the same principles and the Same
tests to every school or to every locality
is quite impossible. The district is sub
divided into many smaller districts,
practically under the control of an as
sistant superintendent. Great latitude
is allowed the principals, aid it is quite
impossible to form a general opinion re-
lating to the whole system by visiting
few schools. I shall not therefore treat
the system in detail, nor shall under
take to define it's scope or limitations.
Doubtless there are many excellent
schools; perhaps there are some poor
ones. 1 am sure that I am in accord
with the leading principles of the sys-
TEN, and yet feel that possibly many
mistakes have been; made. Not all,
however, that have gone forth from the
city should be claimed either for or
against the system. tt is many years
since Col. Parker fresh from controver-
sizes in Massachusetts, came to the Cook
county normal. He possesses a COM
handing personality; he is man whom
we all love and honor. He has proba-
bly, attracted to himself more attention
from the outside than all the rank and
file Of the city's teaching forces COM
bined and do no one an injustice when
I say that he has not ,been,, nor claim
ed to be, the representative of Chicago
methods-that u.s. those in actual use.
There was on his part much destructive
criticism, doubtless largely justified, but
he offered no constructive theory so es-
Sential to successful teaching He was
heralded as the prophet of the new edu-
cation, and he attracted large follow
ing, who neither understood Col Parker
nor his new education.' Many were
but too glad to observe his advice in
respect to discarding certain means
heretofore in accepted use, but they had
nothing to substitute. Other methods
were fiercely assailed. Spelling. reading.
grammar and arithmetic suffered great
~. The underlying principle of the
new faith is something like the fol-
lowing: Education is not instruction.
1t is life" A most beautiful sentiment
out pr1thee thee, gentle reader"
what does it mean?
Tn ha oro1yae,
(this is purely figurative) :gour modern
socrates = genial. beaming, benevolent.
may his shadow never grow less-sat
surrounded by his disciples, who came
from all over the land, and discoursed
upon the philosophy of modern pedagogy.
Alas! he was without a Plato to under
stand his counsel and to report his dfa-
Iogues. And what went forth often tend
ed to mystif1cation, more often to vanity.
Here and there in the city empirical proc
eSSeS Supplanted hitherto standard meth
DDS, but l am of the opinion that this
extended to but few schools, and did not
aHect the entire system. In some schools
the teaching Of household arts and man
ual training were introduced as tangible
evidence OF movement in the right d.
rect1on, but neither of these are new
though possibly new to Chicago. Along
with these came other innovations more
or less affecting all schools, and the cry
or fads" by parents and 'complexfty''
by teachers was raised and it was con-
t1nued, growing louder down to the pres
ent day. Teachers will not concede more
than "complexity" and parents are con-
tent to declare that it matters not what
you call 1t, but they want less non
sense and more actual teaching" What
then is the trouble 9iAHl concede That too
much is required of children, and every
branch OF study Is in turn attracted by
somebody. Who shall Simplify for us
| tell US what to drop and what to place
first, and how to continue doing the
| greatest good to the greatest number?"
In the meantime, this new education
| that is not instruction, but is life, has It
made that life gentler and sweeter.
truer, nobler, more self-sacrificing, more
considerate? DR.. E. E. White is llnuues
| t1onably the highest authority on practi-
cal pedagogism the world today, and
| as the conclusion of this letter and the
text for the next will you kindly insert
| the following from the New York School
| Journal:
DIR. WHITES CRITICISM.
No man is more competent to give an
opinion of practical value than DR.. E. E.
White. He says:
THE public schools are not doing a
| 1.-THE of what they should do to give
| our boys and girls refined and beauti-
fui manners. I say it strongly, for on
this one point I feel deeply the lack of
training in the schools
| And again l thank no teacher for tell
| Ing my child pagan fairy tales. Pagan
ism has gone through human filth and
| degradation. No class of stories needs
greater winnowing than these myths
| from the Greek and Hindu writings. It
is not necessary to go through this TO
reach the beautiful and elevating.''
The classic myths have place in hu-
| know what those