The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-08
National Council of Education Listen
to Noteworthy Addresses by Sew
eraI Eminent Teachers.
TAXATION AND THE SCHOOLS
THEIR RELATIONS CONSIDERED BY
SEVERAL OF THE SPEAKERS.
'sThe Function of knowledge i'm Edu-
Section-Dr. Harpers Address.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 7-Methods of ed
ucation, with the injection Of international
relationships, formed the chief themes in
the initial sessions of the National Council
of the National Educational Association to-
Gay. while the dilatoriness of the Indian in
the acceptance of civilization occupied the
attention of the Indian section.
DR.. w. r. Harper president of the Uni
versity of Chicago. delivered address be-
fore the National Council tonight in re-
view of the educational progress of the
year He alluded to Yankee supremacy in
various branches of pedagogy, and in con-
clusion painted a picture of an Anglo
American alliance in the fields of enlight-
eminent and humanity, describing the
scholarship bequests of Cecil Rhodes and
the Carnegie endowment of a national uni
versity at Washington as the greatest edu-
cational events of the last decade. In part
Dr. Harper spoke as follows:
.The most serious drawbacks to the ad-
yancement of the work in the elementary
schools along the line of the educational
theories of recent times has been the utterly
inadequate scholastic training of the teach
ers who undertook professional investiga-
ton. This need of broader scholarship has
nowhere been more deeply appreciated than
among the teachers themselves, and in
testimony of this statement we need only
recall the interest and support of that great
multitude of elementary teachers who
spend a part of their vacations in the sum
mer schools and colleges. 1t is not meth
cd of study simply that these teachers
hunger for; IL is rather information on spe-
oial subjects in which they have discovered
their weakness.
''The Southern Educational Board, which
was the outcome of the Capon Springs
conference, held in Wiston-S Salem, n. c.,
in 1901, has already shown it's strength and
its power to accomplish good results For
the first time in the history of Southern
education a comprehensive undertaking
has been launched founded upon true prin-
ciples. That educational work in the South
should have to do with the education of
the white man as well as the negro; that
1T should be worked out for the most part,
by Southern men; and that il should begin
with the public school in the South, are
principles which appeal directly to the COM
mon sense of every intelligent thinker. 1t
is confessedly true that the Southern States
have not received their proper share of
the great gifts for education. Twenty-Five
per cent. of the population of our country
should receive larger proportion than 3
per cent. OF the general contributions to
education. The Southern board will surely
have the sympathy and cooperation of
every friend of education in the North as
well as in the South. for a true interest in
sound education. The distinctive interest
OF this board Is in the public school, and
1t is particularly concerned in those forms
of education which look toward thrift. in
dustry and usefulness This fact will
&
of the principles of the new education.
I'm connection with the curriculum of
the secondary schools several tendencies
may clearly be noted. Some of these
progressive; some Of them may. perhaps
be regarded as characteristic of movement
backward. In the latter class belongs the
disposition 10 give up provision for in
struction in Greek. That there exists such
a disposition cannot be denied. 1t seems
to grow out of the desire TO make way for
more practical subjects but the fact is
that many people desire Greek to-day
as at any time in the past. The more prac-
teal subjects are called for by another
class of students. The introduction of busi-
ness and industrial courses is rapidly in
creasing the number OF high school stu
dents. but these new students are in ad-
/ dition TO those who otherwise would take
up high school work
lis the Introduction OF courses Of instruc-
tion relating TO commercial and industrial
subjects moving perhaps at too rapid a
rate? We must not forget that years are
required 10 develop new subject for prac-
: teal educational results. Are we throw
ing aside those subjects whose education
al value has been tested beyond question
for the sake OF introducing new subjects
which, at all events. for a long period must
prove to be of lesser value p
In closing, DR.. Harper said: The two
greatest single events in the history of
higher education during the past year-in-
deed. during the past ten years-are those
connected with Mr.. Rhodes's proposition for
American and colonial scholarships at OK