SPECIAL NOTICE.

Having been told that a person has visited one or more counties of the State and has represented himself to be Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, notice is hereby given that I have sent out no deputy, and do not intend to do so. Therefore, if any person, traveling over the State, represents himself to be my deputy or agent, or claims that he is acting under the authority of this Department, he should be regarded and treated as an impostor.

J. H. SMART, Supt. Public Instruction.

SUPERINTENDENTS' CONVENTION HELD AT INDIANAPOLIS APRIL 7, 8 and 9, 1875.

The following programme was carried out: The Convention spent the forenoons of Thursday and Friday visiting the schools of the city, and the afternoons and evenings of those days in considering such questions as would be of mutual interest to the superintendents of the State. The subjects discussed were classified under the three general heads of Instruction, Supervision and Theory. The subjects under the head of Instruction were, Language Lessons, What should be done with dull Pupils? Moral Discipline, Spelling. Under Supervision, Promotions, Duties of Superintendents to Teachers, Attendance Reports, Monthly Reports to Parents. Under Theory, Valid causes of Suspension and conditions for the readmission of Pupils, Examinations and Estimates, How should Recesses be Conducted? Grading and Nomenclature of Grades. The discussion of the several subjects was entirely informal, and hence a few of the more important points reached is all that will be attempted. Language Lessons. In the discussion of this subject, W. A. Bell said, that in many cases the lessons amounted to nothing, because of the irregular and unmethodical way in which they were presented-there must be some definite plan, definitely followed-the attempts of teachers to follow the meager suggestions of superintendents were not generally satisfactory. The average teacher, by following closely any one of at least half a dozen text-books on this subject, will secure far better results than is at all likely to be secured by attempting to follow the unwritten suggestions of the best superintendent in the country. The main point is to get system and drill.

D. W. Thomas said, that Language Lessons were taught in all the grades of his school below the high school; oral lessons in the first, second and third years; in the fourth, fifth and sixth years with books in the hands of teachers, and in the seventh and eighth years the pupils used books, had daily recitations in all the grades, time about equal to that given to geography; had not systematized the course fully in the

lower grades where oral instruction is given, but in the other grades obtained satisfactory.results; thought the primary object of Language Lessons to be the development of mind and the expression of thought.

H. S. McRea said, he had not gained very high results in oral Language Lessons; thinks course of Language Lessons necessary; would teach abbreviations, use of capital letters, business forms, etc.; has teachers talk to pupils for the sake of getting them to talk; at commencement of eighth year pupils are expected to know the parts of speech and analyze simple sentences.

D. E. Hunter commences the systematic study of Language Lessons in the fourth grade; teachers do not teach long enough to do systematic work in lower grades, and often are not able to follow the spirit even of the text-book.

Supt't. J. H. Smart contended that the object of these Language Lessons was misunderstood nine times out of ten. The primary thing is not so much to teach the pupils to read as to understand and interpret what they are reading. A child can be taught to talk, and he need not necessarily be a good reader; but when a child learns to read well and intelligently, it will be found that in almost every instance he will turn out a good talker. Language should be taught in connection with geography, reading, grammar, and all the regular branches, and from the very beginning a child should be forced by careful and judicious teaching to interpret the meaning of what it goes over. Reading, for instance, should not be merely an elocutionary exercise. When a reader comprehends his subject, the elocution will come naturally and easily. It is not so much the technical construction of sentences as their meaning that a pupil should be able to master.

J. J. Mills could not wholly indorse the theory advocated by Mr. Smart; said that carrying it to its logical conclusion would do away with the study of language, as a branch, altogether. He did not believe it expedient to dispense with text-books on the subject.

George P. Brown insisted that the primary object in the study of language is to enable the child to express his thoughts correctly, and that to do so he must think them correctly; hence the child must be taught how to think. For example, in teaching a child to describe an object he may be taught to give, 1. such properties as are learned through sight; 2. such as come through the other senses; 3. to limit it as to time and space; 4. to speak of it as whole, having parts; 5. as a part of a whole, 6. as an effect; 7. as a cause, etc., etc.; thus not only teaching the child to describe the object methodically and therefore completely, but at the same time teaching him to think logically. Messrs. Hunter, Cox, Swift, and others engaged in the discussion, and the matter was summed up in the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, 1. That formal language lessons are of primary importance in a common school curriculum.

2. That the object of language lessons are, first, to teach the pupil

to express his thoughts orally with accuracy and fluency; second, to teach the pupil to express his thoughts in writing with neatness and elegance; third, to teach the pupil to master the thoughts of others as represented to the eye or to the ear.

3. That a prerequisite to the successful attainment of these objects is a consistent and systematic drill in the thinking process.

4. That these should be given in accordance with a progressive course of study, the work for each year being systematically arranged and made preparatory to the work of the succeeding year.

5. That these lessons should begin with the first year of school, and that the first lessons should be exceedingly simple, and should consist mainly of conversations about familiar objects, or about what has been learned from the reading lessons.

6. That a practical knowledge of English grammar is essential to the proper expression of thought, and that it should be taught as a means to that end.

7. That it is of the highest importance to the success of teaching language in primary grades, that a manual be placed in the hands of the teacher containing the subject-matter to be presented, with copious exercises and the details of the methods of presenting the same.

What to do with dull pupils was next considered, which elicited a short and pithy discussion, in which nearly all present engaged. The general opinion seemed to be that the best way to get along with dull pupils, who are striving to keep up with their classes, was to exercise a due degree of charity towards them, and encourage them in every legitimate way. It is impossible to infuse brightness into a normally dull child, and in cases where there are failures in particular branches in examination, the proper course to pursue would be to promote such pupils, other things being equal. This is one of the evils of the graded schools, and there must be a little elasticity in the system. It would be Wrong to force a dullard to keep pace with a smart student, and it would be the grossest injustice to keep a bright child back for the accommodation of dullards. The question is a delicate one, and the exigencies cannot always be met, or the case governed by arbitrary rules. All pupils should not be expected to reach the same standard of proficiency, and teachers should not be worried when some fall behind.

Promotions. It seemed to be the general opinion that in the towns and smaller cities, especially, it is better to have a step between the A and B classes of the same grade, so that pupils who, for any cause, cannot keep up with their classes need not be put back an entire year, and so that pupils who are able to advance more rapidly than the class in which they are, can do so more readily. The time for promotion was then discussed and the following resolution unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that pupils should be promoted whenever they are prepared for it, without regard to time. Duties of Superintendents to Teachers. In the discussion of this subject the following points were made: 1. That there should be the utmost

frankness on the part of the superintendents; 2. that general criticisms might be made in teachers' meetings, but that special faults should be pointed out in private; 3. that much of the lack of success in teaching comes through a want of a knowledge of the branches taught and of the philosophy of methods, and it should be the duty of the superintendent to instruct the teachers in these respects; 4. that superintend ents themselves are often at sea as to any fixed methods and principles, and hence cannot criticise or assist teachers successfully; 5. that public general criticisms are frequently not taken by those for whom they are intended; 6. that the work done in teachers' meetings be made the basis for individual criticism; 7. that superintendents should not tell the faults of teachers to others; 8. that teachers should be criticised on distinct points, such as order, neatness, skill in imparting instruction, work on blackboard, etc. If the teacher understands that he is to be criticised and marked on these points, he feels that he has something definite to to work for. This plan is practiced in Indiananapolis, Terre Haute, and other places, with good results.

Grading and Nomenclature of Grades.-[See Editorial on this subject. ED.]

Attendance Reports.-The subject of attendance reports was next considered, and, on motion of Mr. Wiley, of Terre Haute, the following was unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That this convention of superintendents readopt the following rule for making reports of attendance, and urge its universal use:

In all cases of absence from school, whether with intention of returning or not, whether the absence be occasioned by sickness or other causes, including suspension of pupils, but excepting solely the case of transfer to some other school in the same system, that the pupil's name be kept on the roll as belonging for three whole days, and dropped uniformly in case he does not return on the seventh half-day.

The subject of "Recesses" was next considered, the meeting regarding the principle of "indoor recess" as being inferior to the other method. Causes for Suspension and Readmission of Pupils.—Many causes for suspension of pupils were enumerated, among others the following: Absence, habitual tardiness, the use of profane or obscene language, fighting, impudence, and the indefinable little mean things done by pupils in the school room that disturb the school and annoy the teacher.

Conditions of Readmission.-Acknowledgement of wrong doing and assurances on the part of both pupil and parent that the conduct of pupil will be correct in the future.

Upon the subject of examinations and estimates, it was thought that written examinations and average standing in recitation should form the basis for promotions, but that there were other elements, beyond per cents., that entered into the problem which no superintendent could afford to disregard.

The superintendents, with one or two exceptions, were of the opinion

that monthly reports to parents were beneficial and paid for the extra labor reqired to make them out.

Moral Discipline.-George P. Brown spoke at some length on the subject of teaching morals in our schools. He said that this subject had a psychological basis, which fact should be recognized in every effort to teach it. That in every moral act the three powers of the mind, viz., the intellect, sensibilities and will were introduced, and that it was important that the pupil recognize the fact that to the last of these the responsibility mainly attaches, because the action of the will is manifestly under the control of the individual, and it is the only power that is immediately under his control. It is also important for him to know that it is a law of mental activity that as the mind once acts it tends to act again, and that a constant repetition of the same act establishes a habit of thus acting. If then, the habit of right doing is once firmly established, there is little temptation, comparatively, to choose to do that which is known to be wrong, and the power may be said to be principled in the right. In a similar way, the habit of wrong doing may be formed. The application of these principles to the various social and civil relations of life, as set forth in the Ten Commandments, will constitute the chief part of the work of the teacher. This method is applicable especially to the higher grades, but there is no reason why a modification of it shall not also be adapted to the needs of the elementary schools.

The members of the convention, without exception, expressed themselves well pleased with what they saw and heard in the schools of the eity.

Among the more noticeable features of the schools were, the cheerfulness and promptness with which the pupils conformed to the regulations of the school, the neatness of the school rooms and the school work upon the blackboards, the accuracy of thought and expression both of pupils and teachers, the rapid but quiet and apparently easy way in which the recitations were conducted, and the absence of communication among the pupils. D. W. THOMAS, Secretary.

THE Boston School Board has under consideration two new rules, one of which raises the age of admission to primary schools to six years, the other reduces the hours of work in them to three each day, with a recess of thirty minutes from half past ten to eleven, so that the daily session will begin at nine and end at half past twelve o'clock. This is a sensible plan-Harper's Weekly.

All of which we most heartily indorse. We believe that where a child has good home advantages, he should not be sent to school until he is seven years old, especially if he is to be confined indoors the whole school day. Five years, the school age established in most of the states, is certainly too young.