American Notes-Editorial

Two and a quarter million dollars spent for education, affecting children from the crowded streets of New York City to the tiny rural schools in the hills; benefiting over fifty-seven foreign countries from Palestine to the Philippine Islands; searching into fields of knowledge from the psychology of children's fears to a program of school buildings amounting to $5,000,000, that the children of one of America's big cities may be educated properly: such is the amazing story of achievement set forth in the annual report, just issued, of the Dean of Teachers College, Columbia University, Dr. James E. Russell.

Teachers College, the largest training school for teachers in the world, registered during the past year 8,828 students, coming from every state in the Union and from fifty-seven different foreign countries. Of this number over 2,000 were graduate students already. holding degrees from 378 different colleges and universities. In addition to the numbers given above, Teachers College carried extramural instruction to teachers at work in the field. Forty-two such extra-mural courses were given to 2,768 teachers in service in twenty different cities located in six states.

The importance of this training to American education can be understood when one realizes, to quote Dean Russell, that "the main purpose of Teachers College is to train leaders in the profession of education." The report of the Director of the Appointment Bureau shows the widespread service which graduates of the college are rendering. Nearly 5,000 requests for teachers and administrators have been received by the Appointment Bureau, 1,400 positions of educational leadership have been filled and the following requests for a principal of the American School, Tokyo, Japan, a high school principal in Juneau, Alaska, a director for the orphan schools under the care of the Near East Relief, and an assistant superintendent of schools in the Panama Canal Zone, indicate the four corners of the world served by the college.

The publication in the January issue of this magazine of an editorial as to reorganization of grade schools that might well be made, preparatory to appropriation for junior high school buildings, has brought several inquiries as to the practical working-out of such pro

cedure. In view of the fact that a "trying-out" period for pupils is a feature of proved success in junior high school experience, why should not a "trying-out" period for teachers (in effect, an elimination contest) be considered equally sound? Let us note the fact, at this point, that, quite apart from any considerations as to the junior high school, it appears to be a settled policy in several leading school systems to house "primary grade" and "grammar grade" departments in entirely separate buildings, supposedly for good reasons. Taking up the proposition in definite detail: (1) Segregate seventh and eighth grades in the centrally-located building of a group; (2) Transfer thereto as many teachers as may be needed, whose records as to health, spirit, natural ability and attainments justify it, and who aspire to appointment later to the junior high school; (3) Advise such teachers specifically as to technical requirements that must be met before appointment to the junior high school can be secured, and also as to the limit of time for meeting such requirements; and (4) Continue regular traditional grade school work ad interim. In view of the excitement that might be caused in some sections of the country, where "sweet tradition" still holds, perhaps the good judgment of school administrators might incline them to move cautiously in the foregoing matter, confining the reorganization to one group only, until outstanding success therein shall have removed all reasonable opposition. I have suggested that the teachers who compose this group should aspire to appointment to the junior high school. Immediately upon assignment and upon being made acquainted with the unique conditions of their employment, the "probationers" will form junior high school clubs, papers on all important aspects of the work being presented and discussed at lunch and at homes; junior high school lectures, delivered preferably on the premises, will prove most helpful; visits to junior high schools and from junior high school teachers will add to the now rapidly-increasing fund of information as to this comparatively new educational unitin short, a junior high school "atmosphere" will be created-all of which, however, will be made auxiliary to definite, scholarly, serious junior high school courses, for credits, under accomplished, experienced instructors. Because of limited and limiting facilities in certain sections of the country, the course will be necessarily deliberate and perhaps expensive. Nevertheless, a few teachers in due course begin to take on junior high school "stature," and for them the plan of giving a junior high school trend, even before the expiration of the "trying-out" period, to what would otherwise be grade school work, might well be considered. Bearing in mind normal-school methods as to pupil-teachers during practice days of the latter, it

would be most fortunate if an expert junior high school teacher could be utilized as critique for the most advanced of the "probationary" group. I observed that this procedure might be looked upon as an elimination contest; but I am inclined to ask, how many of these teachers, who willingly accepted the assignment and underwent the grilling experience described, do you think would fail to "come through"?

F. L. C.

In the matter of filling important posts in public school systems, wherein should the educational interests of "the child" rise paramount to pride of locale? Are these mere words used for political effect? In this connection the following deliverance from a superintendent of public schools constructs a platform upon which all others may well stand

"I stand squarely on the policy of adequate academic and professional preparation on the part of all appointees, whether teachers, principals or administrative or supervisory officers. Where the character of preparation submitted by a person not now in the service is more definite, more scholarly, more serious than that of those within the service and to this preparation is added an outstanding successful experience in administration, the executive of a school system must construe that it is his duty to obtain for the system the person who promises the best service for the advancement of education in the community which he serves." F. L. C.

Courses in Latin are enrolling more high-school students than courses in all the other foreign languages combined. The average daily time outside the class now given by Latin pupils to the preparation of their lessons is considerably greater than is required for any other subject in the secondary school. Latin students surpass non-Latin students in the mastery of other subjects, and the superiority seems to be due to something gained from the study of Latin rather than to greater initial ability. Records of 10,000 candidates for college entrance made in the 10-year period 1914-1923, inclusive, show that the Latin students do better by about 13 per cent than the non-Latin students in all subjects outside of Latin and Greek, and in general the greater the amount of Latin studied the greater the superiority. Approximately 22,500 teachers of Latin are employed in the secondary schools and the demand for well-trained teachers is steadily increasing. Nearly a million American young people are studying Latin, 940,000 in secondary schools and 40,000 in colleges. Of 609 colleges in continental United States 606 will

accept and 214 require Latin for admission to an A. B. degree. Greek occupies a less important place. About 11,000 high-school and 16,000 college students are enrolled in Greek. Only 20 colleges require a knowledge of Greek for admission to an A. B. degree course, though 559 will accept it. These are the main facts brought to light in a three-year investigation of classical subjects, conducted by the American Classical League, as reported by James F. Abel in School Life, a publication of the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Education. F. L. C.

Leave of absence "for study and observation" with half pay is granted teachers of Newark, N. J., after a service of 10 years, with the stipulation that they serve the system for three years after the expiration of such leave. Teachers who have served 20 years are granted a year "for rest and recreation" with half pay.

A great educator, addressing the National Educational Association at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1858, spoke in part as follows. With what power and force his words fall upon those engaged in the work even in the present day!

"As educators, we must not forget that education must be slow and careful in order to be sure. Time is an element of education, just as essential as it is in the growth and development of the body. It is a slow process for the mind to take, digest and assimilate mental food. In this fast age, we are inclined too much to fall in with the spirit of the times and resort to the process of forcing and cramming. The teacher must not yield to this demand for immediate results. The greatest artists have always been slow workmen, because they work, as did the great painter, for eternity. The strong and vigorous. intellect is of slow growth always. The lofty edifice to endure for ages rises brick by brick and stone by stone. When the foundation is brought to the level of the soil, the superficial may suppose that nothing is done, yet upon this foundation depend the value and permanence of the whole structure. A large portion of learning, and the very best portion of it, is to learn how to learn; and yet in the acquisition of this power there may be no apparent progress. . . . The teacher, accomplished for his work, may touch springs of action, and stir motive powers which will be felt in all the movements of society. He has a power next that of creation itself. He is the mindbuilder-the architect of character! What a responsibility! The formers of men-the molders of society! Such are we in our profession of educators." F. L. C.

Book Reviews

TEACHING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS. By H. C. Barber. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

"The present monograph attempts to tell simply and clearly just what is meant by the 'new mathematics,' what it is, why it is desirable, and how it may be successfully taught," says Professor J. W. Young in the Editor's Introduction. The attempt has been very successful. Some of the topics are: The New Arithmetic; The New Algebra; Approximate Computation; Simple Trigonometry, etc. The arithmetic is not so much a task in itself as it is a means for carrying out projects and solving problems. The pupil should feel that he is making use of his arithmetic, that he is moving ahead. Of course there is drill, but “Very often the best way to drill is not to do ten more of the same kind, but to set the old process to work in a new field." Then geometric figures are used to help the pupil's understanding of arithmetic. The author says, "One of the things which geometry has to say to the teacher of these grades is this: Illustrate frequently, illustrate fractions, illustrate per cent and ratios and square yards and problems." Formulas are brought in from the beginning whenever they will make the work shorter; also graphs and timed tests. The book should not only be read but be studied and discussed by all Junior High School mathematics teachers. It would make a good subject for a conference.-Robt. R. Goff.

JUNIOR MATHEMATICS, Book I, Part I. By E. R. Breslich. The Macmillan Company.

Another name for this little book might be intuitional geometry, since all of the chapters, except one, deal with observational, experimental, or constructional geometry. The exception treats of the formula, which involves the study of very simple equations. "Quantitative relations are to be studied in three ways: geometrically, as in length, area, and graphs; algebraically, as in formulas, equations, and functions; and arithmetically, as in tables and evaluation." The arithmetic is not in the form of motiveless drill, but consists of applications to easily visualized situations. Some teachers might object to the introduction of the trigonometric tangent in the seventh grade, although, theoretically, this is very desirable. The book is plainly the result of much study and experience. Judged according to the aims of Junior High School Mathematics established by the National Committee,, it would rank AA.-Robert. R. Goff.