child," "the formation of habits of careful observation, clear reasoning, and exact statements." "The accumulation of useful knowledge is to be regarded as subordinate to the much more important function of the development and training of the mind." "The amount of actual useful information contained in each lesson is as a rule very small, and could be told to the class in a few sentences with little trouble, but probably with as little benefit. The children, however, are to be told nothing which they may reasonably be expected to find out for themselves." "The teacher's part will be mainly that of a leader, seeking to concentrate the attention of the children. and to prevent the conversation becoming desultory, suggesting lines upon which the examination of the object should proceed, assisting the children by the simple experimental illustrations, and helping them to express themselves in clear and correct language." The book is not intended "to suggest to the teacher matter which he is to communicate to the children," but rather that "about which he is to lead the children to give information as the result of thought or observation.' All this is in accord with the best thought of the world, and so far the book is excellent; but when one turns to the subject-matter of the book itself, it is a disappointment. Lesson I is on a sheet of glass, and a review of the whole book shows that it is a sample lesson. Almost anything may be made an interesting and instructive object-lesson in the hands of a teacher who has the right sort of genius for it, and undoubtedly the topic in hand might be so treated; but instead of that it is exceedingly dull. "Children touch glass and ascertain that it is smooth and hard." As if children need to ascertain by observation that which they already know by previous experience, and which they acquired by the best of scientific methods long before they came under the stultifying process called education! In his preface the author says. he "can speak from a long experience of science teaching in elementary schools as to the educational value of practical object-lessons, of the character of those sketched in this book"; and one is disposed to add that the children can speak of such lessons as an intolerable bore. We are apt to find such lessons as these outlined by some supervisor for other teachers to carry out, but only those who come daily in contact with the child mind, and have the rare faculty of appreciating what it appreciates, appear to know that such unnecessary observations are quite as distasteful to children as to adults. The only thing in the lesson which could possibly interest children. of any age is the bending of glass in a flame, and the teacher is not advised to do this or to have the children do it, but merely to mention it briefly." The book from beginning to end is a catalogue of terms whose definitions are developed from objects. While it is true that, if a mass of terms must needs be defined in the shortest possible time, this method of cramming them is as good as any other, yet this kind of so-called science teaching is happily becoming obsolete in America. JOHN F. WOODHULL. NEW YORK COLLEGE FOR THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS. Cassell's Map-Building Series. Outline maps prepared by H. O. ARNOLD FORSTER.-London: Cassell & Co., 1890, sets of twelve maps. The relation of demand and supply was never more clearly attested than by the multiplicity of methods, aids, and devices for teaching geography which immediately followed the assertion, made a few years ago, that no other common school subject was so poorly, so mechanically taught. It would seem to show either that the statement was based upon limited observation or that invention had simply been awaiting its opportunity. Among recent devices Cassell's Map-Building Series appeals to us, partly because it is "English, you know," and partly because of its attractive appearance. It is not easy to discover why the term "map-building" is applied to this device, since the map, when placed in the pupil's hands, is complete save for the omission of names. The face of the map is divided into squares, each side of which represents ten miles. On the back are tables stating the direction and distances of cities from each other and from a given city; the distance "as the crow flies"; and the principal railway routes as to direction, termini, and intermediate stations. Knowing the location of one city, by the aid of the squares and tables the pupil can find a required city and write its name beside its symbol on the map. Accuracy depends upon the pupil's liberty to consult or power to remember the tables, and is only assured with one of these maps. Even should the pupil become independent of the tables, he knows the location of cities with reference to squares and not with reference to the contour and relief of the country. Possibly to the adult mind the dots which represent cities are endowed with life and adorned with the grace of architecture, but in the child's mind they will fail to produce the proper image if the device used in teaching diverts the mind from the actual to the symbol. Schools which deem it necessary or desirable to burden the memory of pupils with the facts indicated, will find that this device imparts an interest to work which in itself is dull. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, M. VIRGINIA FOGLE. TRENTON, N. J. IX. EDUCATION IN FOREIGN PERIODICALS. A Proposed Training College for Teachers at Oxford. FROM THE LONDON "SCHOOL GUARDIAN." The council of the University of Oxford have introduced a statute having for its object the establishment of a day training college, to be attached to the university, for persons under training as teachers in public elementary schools, who will be matriculated as members of the university. There will be eleven delegates for the training of teachers, including the vicechancellor and proctors, and they will have the power of admitting as members of the day training college such male candidates as shall be qualified for admission under the regulations of the committee of the Privy Council on Education, the number of students to be admitted in one year not to exceed twenty-five. None of the expenses of the delegacy are to be defrayed out of the university funds. The council has introduced this statute in order to enable the university to cooperate with the Education Department in the establishment of the day training colleges for which provision is made in the New Code of regulations issued by the Department. The council of the university, in considering the proposed scheme, have ascertained that the local committee, if constituted, will be able to make such arrangements for the students as will be likely to satisfy the Department. As regards expense, it will be necessary to appoint both a tutor and a normal master, but the 10 payable to the local committee would meet this expenditure. The sum of £25 will be given to each student as a contribution toward his maintenance, and considering that his whole expenses as a non-collegiate student of the university could be met for £60 per annum, the student or his friends would only have to provide £30 annually for the expenses of his training at Oxford. The new statute has been so framed as to insure that the student, while complying with all the regulations of the Educational Department, should be a bona fide member of the university, subject to the usual discipline of the university, residing and entering for the uni |
