and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading, If the people understood it must have been good reading. Nehemiah says first "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly." Three thousand years have not changed the rule. Distinct articulation and correct pronunciation should be looked after first. Five minutes of each day can be devoted to a lively, clear, distinct articulation of the sounds of the letters. One child can bring to the class words ending in "ing;" another child words ending in "d;" another, words containing certain vowels, etc. Considerable attention ought to be given to the vowel sounds. Children are apt to speak them as Americans take their dinners--a little too hastily. Last but not least in the phonic training, I would have the children shown the harmonies of words similarly made.

For extra drill in pronunciation the teacher might have on the board columns of words from the reading, syllabicated and diacritically marked, to be used as a "pronouncing down" exercise when the teacher sees fit to relieve the monotony of things.

"Much drill is necessary, no matter which method of teaching reading may be used. The aim is to gain ability to recognize and pronounce words without conscious mental effort. When a child has mastered the multiplication table the symbols 2x9 suggest the result without mental effort; so in reading the association of sounds and symbols ought to be perfect."-McLellan,

I thoroughly believe in drill and drudgery, and I believe, too, that the teacher who can't pronounce from the heart the new Beatitude, "Blessed be drudgery," can't teach reading.

The second clause in the Bible rule is "and gave the sense. In order that the child may understand and give the sense, the teacher should study the lessons with him. Have before the reading lesson a language lesson upon the subject matter, but I don't mean by a language lesson a stretching of one paragraph over three or four days. We do dawdle so much time away in our so-called language and preparation work, and then look anxiously for articles in the school papers on "How to secure attention in the reading class."

The chief thing for a teacher to do in preparing the child of a second or third reader class to read a paragraph is to know that the child has made for himself the picture the paragraph describes, and three or four minutes is long enough in which to do it.

I said the teacher should study the lesson with the child, but before that she should study it with herself. She ought to supplement the lesson. If it is about a lighthouse, she might tell the class about Grace Darling. If the lesson is from one of the well-known writers, tell the class something about the author and read another selection. Of course, we are not to read for the children, but we can read with them and take our turn. The children do so enjoy it. If the teacher has a happy, sunshiny room in her heart she should open it for the reading class if she doesn't for any other, for there is nothing in method or the lack of it that has the power of sunshine.

The highest heaven of wisdom is the same distance from us all, but it can be reached only by methods native to ourselves.

LATIN AND GERMAN BELOW THE HIGH SCHOOL.

SUPT. W. H. HONEY, MONROE, MICH.

The modern school system embraces the three departments of primary, secondary, and higher education. In Michigan the development of the schools has allowed the primary to encroach upon the time properly belonging to the secondary, and the secondary upon that of the higher. The result is that the University is doing at least two years of secondary work, and that the High School does not round out the education of its pupils as it should. It is thus seen that neither the High School nor the University is able to do its proper work; for, on the one hand, those who do not go to college, on completing the secondary courses, are completely deprived of two important years of school life; and, on the other hand, those wishing to take an advanced course are compelled to delay their entrance upon it for a like time.

The remedy for this state of affairs is to revise and strengthen the secondary school curriculum. It must take upon itself the two years of secondary work now done at Ann Arbor. It will thus become independent and complete in itself. Its graduates will be prepared, at not too great an age, to enter at once upon their professional studies in the schools of law, medicine, technology, etc.; or to take up real university work immediately on graduation from the high school; or to enter upon the active duties of life with an education substantially complete. The High School might then be empowered by law to grant the lower degrees, while the University would still have at its disposal the two higher degrees.

But the additional requirements made of the High School will of course demand more time. How this is to be gained will now be considered. Many of those here present, without doubt, have passed through the entire graded system from the first grade to graduation. From my own experience I believe it fair to suppose that if the question were asked of high school graduates, "In what grades is the work of the school really found," the answer in a large majority of cases would be "In the first two or three grades, and again from the ninth on." When thoughtfully considered this answer indicates the weak place in our school system. Real, hard, thought-developing, thought-requiring work is not introduced early enough into the course after the first difficulties of reading, writing, and numbers have been encountered and mastered. The term "Grammar School" has been applied to this comparatively barren period of school life. Twenty years ago the work of the grades from the fourth through the eighth did not even include United States history. Reading, writing, spelling, grammar, geography, and arithmetic formed the entire course of these important five years. With the single exception of the United States history there are but few schools where any effort has been made to liberalize and strengthen this program. The meagerness of this course is probably due to the historic development of our union schools. Springing as they did in many cases from district schools they naturally retained the studies of those schools, the High School being added rather as an extension of the system than as an integral part of it. But with the advance of intelligence and education among the people a change is needed. The secondary work should begin in the ideal school with the fourth grade.

The subjects now confined in most schools to the grades above the eighth should be boldly introduced into the lower grades. The introduction of history, algebra, geometry, science, Latin, Greek, German, physics, manual training, and drawing, each at its own proper time and in its own proper measure, would revolutionize these five lower years, would give the children ample material for thought, and would greatly increase the influence and estimation of the schools among the people. It would seem necessary also in the interest of thorough work to specialize the secondary school more than has been done in the past. There should be the Classical High School, the Scientific High School, and the English High School.

Those desiring information on the scope and function of the secondary school should refer to an article by President Eliot found on page 1005 of the Report of the Commissioner of Education for 1886-87; to an article in the "Academy" for April, 1890, by Prof. Nicholas Murray Butler; to the programs of German and French schools; to the official publications of the Prussian Minister of Public Education; to the official publications of the French Minister of the Department of Education, and to other documents of our own Bureau of Education. By turning to page 77 of the University Calendar for 1890-91, it will be seen that about half the work required for graduation is prescribed, and a little inquiry into the nature of these required courses will show that in nearly every case they partake of the nature of secondary studies.

With these preliminary statements of the changes necessary in our school courses, the meaning of the title of this article will be more clearly apprehended. In considering the subject, "Latin and German below the High School," it seems both fair and necessary to allow to this paper the privilege of showing not only the way and manner of introducing these subjects below the ninth grade, but also the effect of such introduction upon the grades above the eighth; fair, as there is no other paper upon the program of the Association whose subject matter will thus be infringed upon, and necessary because the benefits to the upper four years of the course form one of the great justifications for the changes recommended in this article. This paper will therefore outline the entire Latin and German work of the High School as it would appear after the revision of the

course.

The following diagram gives a bird's eye view of the new language

courses:

Latin..

Greek..

German..

French

Program for a Classical High School (part pertaining to languages).

It will be noticed from the above diagram that German is introduced in the fourth grade, and is continued through the twelfth, with three recitations a week for the fourth and fifth grades, and two recitations a week for the remaining grades. Latin first appears in the sixth grade with five recitations a week in that and the seventh grade, and four during the rest of the course. Greek is given three recitations a week in each of the upper five grades, and French three hours a week in each of the upper four grades.

The German course thus covers nine years. The first four should be given to the building up of a vocabulary. The declensions and conjugations should be thoroughly learned during this period, and the pupils should show the ability at the close to read easy German with fair facility. They should have developed also a feeling for the language, enabling them to pronounce its words with rapidity and accuracy, and to understand the language when spoken to them within the limits of their vocabulary. They should also learn during this time to use the language to some extent in conversation.

It should be noted here that the main object of pursuing a modern language should be to enlarge the mental horizon by opening to the pupil the ways of thought and the knowledge of another people. Any system of instruction, therefore, which fails to give a fair degree of mastery of a modern tongue is false and wrong at the very foundation.

The last five years of the German course should be mostly devoted to the cultivation of German literature, and to the systematic study of German grammar without, however, losing sight of the main aim of the study of the language, as stated above. It need not be asked that the German course give conversational facility for this can be done perhaps only by residence in Germany; but certainly the pupil, at the end of the course, should feel that he has a certain command over the language, which could readily and shortly, on occasion, be developed into practical use of it.

The Monroe high school now has in actual operation a four years' course in German, of five hours a week, thus covering the same number of hours as the above diagram. It seems reasonable to think, with the preliminary five years' work as given, that the greater part of the reading given in our course, as well as the grammatical drill required could be accomplished in the time stated in the diagram. The Monroe course was furnished by Prof. Calvin Thomas of the University. The ninth grade is occupied with the study of the Grammar and Reader. The tenth grade reads Freytag's "Journalisten," and "Aus dem Staat Friedrichs des Grossen," and Schiller's "Wilhelm Tell"; the eleventh grade, Hart's "Goethe's Prose," Goethe's "Iphigenie auf Tauris" and Lessing's "Minna von Barnhelm"; the twelfth grade Schiller's "Wallenstein," and "History of the 30 Years' War," and Freytag's "Soll und Haben." Optional and additional work are Fouque's "Undine," Hoffmann's "Historische Erzälungen," Goethe's "Hermann und Dorothea," Lessing's "Nathan der Weise." Stein's "Exercises" are used in the twelfth grade.

Let us now turn to the Latin. An examination of the "Jahresbericht des Königlichen Gymnasium zu Leipzig" shows a nine years' Latin course. The first two years are preliminary. In these two years the forms are thoroughly fixed in mind, something of a vocabulary is gained, practice is given in writing and speaking the language. "Cornelius Nepos" furnishes the third year's Reading; "Cæsar" the fourth year's; "Cæsar," "Cicero," and "Ovid" the fifth year's; "Cicero," "Sallust," "Ovid," the sixth year's;

"Cicero," "Ovid," "Vergil" the seventh year's; "Cicero," "Tacitus," "Terence," "Horace," the eighth year's; "Cicero," "Terence," "Tacitus," "Horace," the ninth year's. The length of this paper does not permit a complete transcription of this course, but this very brief outline falls far short of showing the thoroughness with which the work is done. The selection of the reading in any given author is so made as to give a good idea of his entire works. The grammatical work is skillfully divided, and is never neglected. Constant practice is given in writing and talking Latin within the circle of the author. Parts of the various authors are memorized. For the lower grades special exercise books are provided.

In Monroe we have six year's course in Latin of five hours a week. The reading for the course is as follows: Grade seven, "Viri Romae;" grade eight, "Cæsar;" grade nine "Ovid" and "Cicero;" grade ten, "Cicero," Sallust," "Vergil;" grade eleven, "Vergil," "Livy;" grade twelve, selections from less known Latin Poets, "Plautus" or "Terence," and "Cicero." Besides a systematic study of Roman Literature is made from a text-book. Geography and mythology receive attention. Grammar and Latin Prose run parallel with the Reading. This course was formulated by Prof.

Francis W. Kelsey of the University.

According to the University calendar courses 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Latin are required for graduation. These courses include "Livy," Prose Composition, "Catullus," "Terence," "Cicero," "Horace," "Roman Literature" with selections. It is evident that this entire work could be done in the high school, should the course be lengthened as recommended in this article.

A few words need to be said about the methods to be used in the classical work. The true purpose of this instruction should be to enable the pupil to connect himself with the civilization of ancient times in such a vital way that he may understand the present. The classes should not be made the medium for mere gramatical drill. The grammar should, of course, be carefully studied; but it should be studied as a means to an end, that end being the thorough understanding of the author in hand. The teacher should constantly bear in mind that the pupil should have power in Latin, when the course is finished. It seems reasonable to expect that this lengthening of the course would make possible such an aim as this in the Latin work.

Such a change in the course as this paper recommends would also be of great benefit to the schools through the superior class of teachers which it would bring into the work. The high school teacher of Latin should be thoroughly versed in Latin Literature, should be able to write Latin with considerable fluency, and should have a thoroughly clear conception of the ends to be accomplished by this study. It is evident that the greater variety of reading which such a lengthened course as has been considered would require, would compel a much wider scholarship on the part of the teacher. Here is one of the greatest evils of the classical work. Too many teachers are content to grind over the same reading material from year to year. Not a single fresh piece of Latin is read year after year. What enthusiasm can such teachers have?

It would seem as if, even with the present contracted course, the University would be doing a very great service to the cause of classical education, if it could from year to year change the reading required, so that the teachers might be compelled to read more Latin. How teachers can be content to let year after year go by without exercising the powers they have attained in mere mechanical facility of translation, when such a