The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-01
EDUCATIONAL WORK ADVANCED IN 1911 Much Progress Is Made in
 Many States roo MANY HOLIDAYS Tendency Is to Keep the Young in School More Than Has Been
 the Case is the
 Past
roo MANY HOLIDAYS

| dSt
 Washington, December 31.-(Special)-- ''Nithout question the year 1911 was pro ductive of more educational legislation of value than any previous year in the history of the nation. F'orty-three leg islatures were in session. and in all of them, practically without exception, an attitude of marked friendliness was shown to the cause of the public edueatloh. This is the statement with which James c. Boykin, editor in the United States bureau of education, begins his forth- coming government monograph, entitled "Educational Legislation in 1911,' from the advance sheets of which this article is taken. MT. Boykin continues;
 nThe public school system no longer occupies a place of minor importance in the deliberations of legislative bodies. and the ehairmanship of a committee on ed- ucation now offers opportunities for dis tinction and effective work that arc not excelled. No figure was more conspicuous in the Pennsylvania legislature in the last session than Senator Tustin, and none was more prominent in New Jersey than Senator Frelinghuysen; and so It was generally Education is recognized as the greatest work of the state and leadership in it's affairs IS eagerly sought py men of the highest type.
 'V'he mast year was one of peace, pros- peritv and unusual freedom from politi- cal strife-West Virginia and Tennessee were the Sonly states in which political differences reached an acute stage. The general conditions. therefore, were fa- vorabe for there was no overshadoWlng interest to distract popular attention; tine time was ripe for substantial educa- tional advances: able men were ready for u cir advocacy. and the results are apparent upon the statute books as the high water mark of legislative achieve ment in behalf of education
 Among the larger developments In education during the past year Is tho beginning of movement to lengthen the school term by reducing the mum Der of holidays. subject which MT. Boyxin deals with as follows:
 Too Many Holidays
 Tn Rome, in the time of the re- public, 64 days in every year were de- voted to public festivals recognized by law. The American republic has not reached such a number of holidays, but it's schools surpassed it long ago. The summer vacation, the Saturday holiday, short sessions or no sessions on stormy days teachers institutes. visiting days. sundry legal holidays and days of spe- cfal observance have so lessened. the actual school time that scarcely more than half the days in the year as a 9 are given to regular school work.
 is d fact so universal that it rare
 cites comment; yet 1t was not so
 e earlier days.
 JeNenty years ago. or thereabouts, |. e schools of Buffalo were in session all the year around; those of Brooklyn, Baltimore. and Cincinnati, Il months' New York city, 49 weeks; Chicago, 4S weeks; Philadelphia, 251 days; Detroit, 259 days; Washington, 23S days Boston, 22i days, etc. The change has come about so gradually that 1t has scarcely been noticed. &
 "The most recent movement that af- feSts the situation in this regard is for the adoption of Columbus Day as a public holiday. Nine states, namely, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Ne braska, Oklahoma. Oregon, Texas and Vermont, have during the past year designated October 12 as a legal holi- day to celebrate the discovery of America.
 But signs of a reaction have begun to appear. The Dengari law in Cali fornia reduces the number of school ilOlluttA u f'dlbl tottidstS D. ary l, May 30, July 1, December 26 and Thanksgiving Day. All other legal hol- idays must be observed by appropriate exercises, but not by closing the schools. Similar action was taken in the legislature of Michigan. but in that state Labor Day is classcd as a hol- iday.
 New Subjects
 Additional subjects of instruction placed in the public schools include moral and humane education in Delaware; first aid to the injured in Massachusetts, and a special course in state history in Wis consin.
 'The salaries of school teachers have heep raised in number of states, among ttsa New York, Indiana and Wisconsin.
 Est only is the teachers salary show ia , tendency to rise, but her prospects
 sthement upon a living annuity when Ae sefulness is past are growing stead iss ghter.
 4h each succeeding year it becomes ne apparent that the superannuation ef chers past the period of usefulness is af tined 10 become an essential feat ff tho American school system. The
 a of inquiry and experiment is rap
 ssing, and the laws of 1911 disclose
 rec Of uniformity which indicates g he lessons of the past have been
 
 the matter upon basis of per-
 ce and effectiveness.
 as become apparent that salary de-
 IS within any reasonable limit are
 ffcient to maintain q retirement
 md that contributors and receipts airs a1id picnics are too uncer- ~<alu to form the basis of an enduring sys- tenn. ' The logical solution is that the same authority that pays the salaries must pay the pensions, and the tendencies of the time are all in that direction.
 .',rhe host important legislation of the year in lthis connection was in New york. Wtconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and yermontA but other enactments are of sisnifcart in less degree only because they are tss general in their scope.
 ensolidating Schools
 "For sob time the practice has been growing, fecially in rural communities, of consoliqing a large number Of weak sshools inl given district into a smaller number oiEong ones. Mir. Boylxin notes that nnqr of state legislatures have passed lawn 1911 which directly facil- itate this ftice. Thus additional pro- vision was 1de during the year for the free transph ton of pupls living at q distance TN the consolidated school. South Dako oted to pay a child's own parents iofH Hlging him to school the amount or compensation varying from 10 Ito 45 cents per day of actual atteHce. In Minnesota the
 school boalH consolidated district
 was authof to pay reasonable
 amount TOT W1 and lodgiuo in lien of