In the classroom visitation, in the private conference, in whatever relation, the Superintendent's object is to help the teacher teach. Failing in this, he has lost his opportunity. He holds his position by virtue of the Board's belief that he is really worthy to be at the head of the teaching force of the community. And his inability to help his teachers teach is the surest evidence of his incompetence.

It is well to confer with teachers about contemplated changes in the course of study. A competent and experienced teacher is prepared to give expert advice in this and her interest in the proper carrying out of the course of study is heightened thereby. She will enter with more enthusiasm into a plan in which she has had some part in the preparation. Whatever will promote the active and willing cooperation of the teachers with the Superintendent in his plans for the educational betterment of the community is to be encouraged.

RELATIONS WITH THE PUPILS.

Passing now to the most important persons in the whole system, what has the Superintendent to do with the children? It is possible for the average Superintendent of enrollments of 1,000 or less, if he continues in that community a year or more, to know by name all, or nearly all, of the children. Having a map of the room locating and naming every child, he may, when in the room, associate the faces of the children with the names on the map and easily learn them. A tremendous lever power is thus placed in his hands for their effective discipline. Then, too, the children appreciate being called by name, when you meet them on the street. And, I would not give the morning salutation of these vivacious young Americans for the recognition of the noblest dignitaries of the land. One day a boy said to his Superintendent, "We like the way you know us boys. One Superintendent we had here did not know a half dozen boys."

The Superintendent should remember his own experiences of childhood, and be all the time able to look at all questions from the children's standpoint as well as from his own. Though a man, long since having put away childish things, he must still think as a child, seeing the little ones before him not "as in a glass darkly, but face to face." In the smaller

schools where the Superintendent is also principal, the very gross violations of school discipline will have to be settled by him. In such cases, it should be his ambition to be entirely just, to look at the matter from every standpoint, and to convince all concerned of the justice of his decision. One day some boys were asked whether they were afraid of their Superintendent. They replied: "No, we are not afraid of him, but we understand that when he tells us to do anything, he is not going to tell us a second time. He don't bluff. We don't mind doing what he tells us, because he always treats us right." Children love strongly and they hate just as strongly. They are just as human as grown folks and some times more so, They are quick to recognize either justice or injustice.

When visiting a room, the Superintendent should enter quietly, thus teaching them by example to work quietly. He may inspect casually their work at their seats, occasionally making some suggestions as will reinforce the work of the teacher. He may direct the change of a boy to another seat which fits him better. He may direct the removal of a mischievous boy to a location more conductive to that boy's selfcontrol. His attitude in the schoolroom should be kindly and gentle. While the Superintendent should at all times wear the dignity of his position, yet one may become so dignified as to become haughty, or even despicable in the eyes of the pupils. The Great Teacher is the one whose example is to be emulated, so simple in his manner, easily accessible, eminently gentle, yet altogether just, without hypocrisy, full of good works. So far as is humanely posible, that should be his bearing.

SETTLING CONTROVERSIES.

The Superintendent's position frequently brings him to act the part of arbiter between teacher and parent. Nowhere else will he need a greater discretion. The teacher, every day in the presence of inferiors, is apt to be opinionated and dogmatic. The parent's love for the child blinds him to the true facts in the case. Thus a controversy of no mean proportions is possible. Both sides heard in the presence of each other and of the child over whom the trouble has risen, the case usually settles itself to the satisfaction of both parties. A controversy of this kind, unless there is something back of it, cleared of misunderstand

ings, generally reduces itself to so small a thing as to be perfectly puerile. If friendly relations are not immediately reestablished, why, a delay of the Superintendent's decision, until anger on either side shall have cooled, cannot do any harm, and each may be prepared for a decision that will, if need be, curb both the teacher's opinionatedness and the parent's blindness. Parents should be fully informed of the difficulties into which their children have fallen or are likely to fall. The parent's interest in the school centers in the child. He sends his child to school to be educated. His own time is so devoted to business and his energies are so absorbed therein, that he trusts the teacher properly selected and efficiently supervised to do the work for him. He gives little time or thought to the matter; he trusts it all to the teacher and the Superintendent. But the coöperation of the parent, in the matter of both instruction and discipline, should in some way be elicited. When pupils, through neglect or inability, are in danger of falling out of their classes, their parents should be fully informed of the facts in the case, in the hope that they may stimulate their children to greater effort, and that they may be prepared for possible failures by their children. Neglect on the part of teachers to notify parents of such things, either by personal interview or on forms to be obtained from the Superintendent's office, is just cause for complaint against the teacher. Parents should be informed, too, of bad conduct on the part of their children. Of course, every little thing that goes wrong should not be reported; but when children persist in misbehavior, for which the ordinary mode of punishment seems inadequate, or which promises to go from bad to worse, the parent should be given the full facts in the case. To the most effective coöperation between teacher and parent let the Suprintendent give much attention.

The Superintendent is always on the hub, as it were, of the school system. Everything revolves about him. At all times, the School Board, the teachers, the pupils, the patrons, and the press look to him. At one time he must be judge and advocate, legislator and executor, pedagogue and clerk. His is the work of shaping policies far in advance, of reconciling disgruntled citizens and teachers, of being all things to all men.

A letter received by Mrs. Ella Flagg Young upon the occa

sion of her recent election to the superintedency of the Chicago schools, contained the following words:

"Wishing you all sorts of patience, philosophy, humor, indifference, good luck, steadfastness, health, persistence, clearheadedness, sympathy, diplomacy, persuasiveness, positiveness, gentleness, clairvoyance, independence, friendliness and charm, which most happily combined and intelligently used for public service, will be for you a wonderful equipment."

[ABSTRACT OF PAPER.]

THE RELATION OF NORMAL SCHOOL MUSIC TO PUBLIC SCHOOL WORK.

MARY STUART BUTLER,

Southwest Texas State Normal School, San Marcos, Texas.

OUTLINE.

I. Introduction.-1. Society a complex system.

II. Present status of music in the public schools.-1. Statistics and illustrations.

III. Preparation necessary for grade teachers.-1. Ability to sing easy songs; 2. Ability to read at sight melody or a har mony part; 3. Mastery of scale construction, key signs, meter signs, various tonalities, transpositions, etc.; 4. Knowledge of elementary composition; 5. Familiarity with lives of great composers and their works; 6. Discriminating discernment of good music.

IV. Reflex action of advanced Normal School status on public school music valuation, and vice versa.

V. What shall we do about it?

THE RELATION OF NORMAL SCHOOL MUSIC TO PUBLIC SCHOOL WORK.

From the normal schools there comes a cry, pitiful and pleading, for students who have had more nearly adequate training, or at least some little, training in the subject of music. And from the public schools there comes a cry, more nearly sounding like a petulant demand, asking that teachers that come from our professional schools be prepared to give proper music

training to their pupils, either under the guidance of a supervisor or without that welcome assistance.

It shall be the purpose of this paper to show, first: that the present efficiency of normal school music work is below what it should be. Second: that if the condition of normal school music be improved, the status of music in all the ramifications of the public school system will be raised. Third: that, with more general attention paid to music in the public schools, there will be a proportionate reaction upon music in the normal schools. And lastly: what shall we do about it?

Judging from the statistics as obtained by Mr. Manchester, of Converse College, S. C., nine per cent of the normal schools report that various percentages of their students give ten hours or more per week to music. One of these schools is the Crane Normal Institute of Music, Pottsdam, N. Y., another is the Catholic Normal School, Wisconsin, in both of which cases music is evidently made a major subject.

Twenty-two per cent of the normal schools report that some of their students give five or more periods a week to music. These few normals, and the various schools to which their graduates go, are very much to be congratulated upon the generous treatment accorded their music departments.

At the head of the list of fortunate ones should probably be placed the public schools of Cincinnati. Three generations ago, in 1835, the revered Charles Aiken and his assistant, William Colburn, began their work of teaching the children to sing. And steadily, during these generations, has music been accorded its rightful place in the heads and hearts of those children. Through the eight grammar grades, four years of the high school, as well as in the Teachers' College, and University, has music gone hand in hand with the "three R.'s." And what is the result? The observer finds there a music-loving people, conservatories of music that rival those of Boston and Greater New York. Notable among the musical attractions is the famous Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, second to none in the United States. There is, besides, the well attended May Festival, whose support from the music lovers of the city is of so substantial a nature as to make it possible for the Festival management to engage as its soloists a galaxy of the greatest stars of the musical world. In fact, Cincinnati has become,