Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-01-30

was unusually large because Of the
special attraction of the evening, Mr.
Calvin ?. Kendall, State Commission
er of Education for New Jersey, who
had been announced to speak on the
development of modern education
in the state and nation.
The commissioner brought with
his appearance of strong physique
and character, that of a great heart
for the half million or more children
in his school family. 1t is evident
that his choice, by President Wilson,
then Governor, for the high office
which he holds, was justified. 1t
would seem as though the Commits
ioner carried the children of whole
state in his mind.
The welfare of the children for the
1873 school days in the year, or total
of one hour out of six waking hours
as well in fact as the other 1872 days,
and the other five out of the SIX hours,
seemed to be the concern of the Com
missioner. The $4,000 New Jersey
teachers, short lived though they
prove to be, that is, to- the teaching
service with their ranks yearly dec
mated" and as regularly recruited
by about 1000 fresh teachers, evl-
IDENTIFY have their interests and wei
fare in good hands. So have the
school places, the buildings and
grounds and building equipments.
Moral Influence in Schools.
The Commissioner laid great en-
phasis on the moral influence of the
school; in it's intoxicating habits of
good behaviour; in teaching that
nine o'clock every morning comes at
exactly the same time-sixty minutes
after eight. By its methods, the
school discourages dawdling and
wool gathering, and the spending
of thirty minutes, on examples for
twenty.
The child before it goes to school,
learns a vast amount from its par
ents by asking questions; when 1t
goes to school, this is reversed.
Lecturer In Good HumOr.
"You all look so serious" said Mr..
Kendall, chat it makes me suspect
that you are feeling like one of my
boys, think it was in Elizabeth, the
other day who while he was reading,
was asked what he would rather do
than anything else. go home," he
promptly averred. Home is a pretty
good place, and | will try not to
keep you away from it too long. AT
Freehold, Monmouth county, one OF
the boys, speaking for the class, was
asked what he considered of greater
Importance, the subject being I'm
tied States History, or the various
college colors. Boylike, he said that
it depended upon where one was
| if in school, then history was the i'm
portant thing; if not, then the Other
was the thing.
HumOr i'm School Life.
part of my object of mentioning
these Incidents, is to illustrate thu
importance and the need Of more
humor in school life There SHOULD
be a joke at least once in forty min
l
utes. AS in the life of the world
there must be sport to make thing
go eaiser though this is not to b.
taken too literally.
"The schools should teach prompt
ness, reverence for authority; tn
American people as a whole NIGH
heed this, obedience to law in thi
case, school law, order, neatness
And this has nothing to do with tn
courses of study.
"Now in regard to the machiner.
for creating these results. Th
main elements of the machinery
spread, in this case, over the hun
| uIcuS VI Stludlc IllllCS VI CliS oletOS "
New Jersey, are seven:- the schoo
houses, the teachers, quality o
leadership, organization, mode1
cources of study, board of education
quality of public sentiment.
Taking these one by one, | fee
that as Commissioner am justified il
saying that as for school houses
New Jersey leads the country, will
the possible exception of California
"For each of the half million ode
children there is SIP invested; tn,
amount of investment has doub
led in ten years time. The most eX
pensive high school in the state il
the one and a quarter million dolla
building in Jersey City. | SHOULD
say that the limit to perfection il
school buildings had been reached
with the exception of ventilation
but this has not been perfected any
where. Schools must have gooC
lighting for their pupils, so that theil
eyesight may be kept at its best