It gives me pleasure to report that the organization of the Elementary Department, as an integral part of each State and Provincial Association, with an Elementary Superintendent at work, is almost complete throughout the entire field. The only exceptions are Alaska and Newfoundland, not yet fully organized, Quebec and Old Mexico, where the Elementary work is under the care of the General Secretaries, and New Mexico, now looking for an Elementary Superintendent. Office-Library The centralization of all departments in the Chicago office has strengthened the affiliation of the Elementary Department with the others. During the triennium Miss Annabelle Owens has served as the faithful Office Secretary. A library of books and lesson helps pertaining to Elementary grades was started early in the triennium. Through the kindness of the various publishers this has grown rapidly until five shelves have been filled. The publishing houses have been most generous in supplying several books, also samples of graded lesson helps, to all State and Provincial Elementary Superintendents. Elementary Committee No full meetings of the large Elementary Committee have been possible, but many personal conferences have been arranged with individuals or small groups of the committee. Because of their experience in Elementary work the services rendered on the committee and in the field by Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Lamoreaux, Mrs. Hamill, Miss Allen, Mrs. Walker, and Miss Palk, have been especially valuable. Every plan has been submitted to the entire committee for their information, suggestions, criticisms or approval. As Chairman of the Committee, Mr. . H. Mills has given much time and thought to the work. International Elementary Superintendent For six years preceding this triennium two women as International workers were available for Elementary work in the field. During the present triennium only one has been employed. Her field work has been distributed over forty-four states and provinces. Previous acquaintance with the entire field, the General Secretaries and Elementary Superintendents, made it easier to continue the work as planned and developed by Mrs. Barnes. World's Convention The World's Convention at Washington afforded a welcome opportunity for special meetings with State and Provincial Elementary Superintendents, thirty-two of whom were present, together with many well-known specialists and lesson writers. The Elementary conferences provided the first opportunity for general discussion of the new Graded Lessons and Graded Union problems. More than five hundred attended each Elementary session. Leaflets and Literature Sent Out The varieties of work associated with the Elementary Grades make it necessary to carry a larger number of leaflets than any other department. Several new ones have been written. The introduction of the Graded Lessons necessitated changes so that several have been revised and others will be re-written in the early future. Special News-Letters and a Message were printed and distributed to the Unions, and miscellaneous copy prepared for issues of International News-Letters and state papers. Reports The reports from the field are encouraging, with marked increase in several phases of work. Cradle Rolls have increased sixty per cent. There are more separate departments and separate rooms for Beginners, Primary and Junior, than ever before. Elementary Superintendents The name "Elementary Superintendent'' has been almost unanimously adopted in place of the former name, "Primary Secretary." Because of the hearty and faithful coöperation of the splendid and efficient band of sixty-seven State and Provincial Elementary Superintendents, the work is progressing. With scarcely any exceptions they are graduates of a teacher-training course. They belong to ten denominations; twenty-five of them are here; their opportunities for promoting the work differ greatly. Thirteen states employ Elementary Superintendents on salary for the entire time, which enables them to attend conventions and institutes, and to know their county helpers personally. Six of these paid Superintendents devote part time to superintending another department or to general office work-in fact all are ready to assist in general fieldwork, or wherever most needed. During the triennium five of the State Elementary Superintendents have been called upon to act as General Secretaries for several months, or a year, because of emergencies caused by death or resignation of a General Secretary. Ten others work on salary for part of each year, varying from a few hours each week to eight months. By far the larger number, thirty-four, give voluntary service without other remuneration than the blessing which comes from helping others, and they want to help more. Their only expressed regret is that they cannot get into the field to meet the county workers. Their vision is greater than their opportunity. Nearly all could go if their expenses could be assured. Most of them are supplied with stationery, postage and a limited quantity of leaflets for distribution; others have paid their own expenses. Special mention should be made of Mrs. J. A. Walker, who began in March, 1892, to serve as Primary (now Elementary) Superintendent in Colorado. Without salary she has devoted half her time each year to field work, besides assisting very often in the State office, a gift of almost twenty years of continuous service. She has rendered valuable assistance on special occasions in several other States. The work is growing in more remote portions of our field. As a result of the tours of Mr. Lucas, Elementary Superintendents have been ap pointed in Barbados, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad. We have an Elementary Superintendent for Hawaii, and Mr. Frank L. Brown brought back from his recent trip the name of the newly appointed Elementary Superintendent for the Philippines. Standard of Excellence This has furnished a definite aim, which some have attained, and toward which others are striving: 1. A Cradle Roll (birth to three). 2. Beginners Department (or class), children 3, 4 and 5. 3. Primary Department (or class), children 6, 7 and 8. 4. Junior Department (or class), children 9, 10, 11 and 12. 5. Separate room or separation by curtains or screens for each department. 6. Blackboard, or substitute, used in all three departments. 7. Beginners Lessons for children under 6. 8. Graded Lessons (or Supplemental with the Uniform Lessons) for the Primary. 9. Graded Lessons (or Supplemental with the Uniform Lessons) for the Junior. 10. Each teacher a graduate or student of a Training Course, or a member of a Reading Circle, or Graded Union. State Map To encourage the workers to present vividly a general idea of the conditions of Elementary work, suggestions were sent to each State and Provincial Superintendent for the preparation of a map to be displayed at various conventions and to be included in the exhibit at San Francisco. The Superintendents responded most heartily and have reported new interest aroused among county workers wherever these maps have been displayed. They show where County Elementary Superintendents have been appointed; which ones have sent fresh reports; where Graded Unions are located; the counties in whose conventions Elementary work has been presented, and the counties visited by the State or Provincial Elementary Superintendent. Elementary Buttons and Colors Considerable enthusiasm and originality have developed regarding the Elementary button and colors, green and white, and their use is increasing in many interesting ways: for printing programs, leaflets and stationery; decoration of rooms, choice of flowers and table decorations; ribbons for tying Cradle Roll and promotion certificates. The meaning is appropriate to Elementary Grades: "First the Blade." Graded Unions The name "Graded Union" has been generally adopted. The transition to Graded Lessons proved too difficult for some, especially the smaller Unions with limited membership. And yet some of these have learned to emphasize the principles and practice of teaching rather than the methods. The Unions that have lived and flourished are the ones which have planned for definite and continued study of the various phases of teacher-training, missionary methods, story-work, hand-work, and graded temperance teaching. The diagram used in the General Secretary's report shows the distribution of Unions in forty-eight States and Provinces. Some, which lost their identity as Graded Unions, have merged into splendid training classes or regular conferences of Elementary teachers. The overcoming of obstacles has inspired some of our city Unions to a phenomenal growth. The old-fashioned Union of two or three sections seems easy compared with those now giving help each week to eight or nine different groups. Los Angeles and Birmingham head the list with Unions numbering three hundred and sixteen and three hundred and one. All the workers unite for the study of the training lesson, then divide into nine groups or sections to consider the special topics or lessons of the various grades. Thirty-seven Unions have added sections for Intermediate teachers and some have added Senior and Adult sections. Several have added a monthly story-tellers' league. About three months ago the first Graded Union for men was organized in Birmingham. Its officers are all men and the present membership is eighty-seven. They study together a course in lesson construction, after which they divide into four sections for superintendents, adult, senior and intermediate teachers. Both Graded and Uniform lessons are presented in the Intermediate section. To show the permanency of Graded Union work, an Honor Roll has been prepared by length of time and membership, which appears in this report. There are one hundred and seventy-nine active Unions with a membership of 7,239. Seventy-three have continued their meetings longer than five years, Newark, New Jersey, being the oldest, organized fortyone years ago. Fifty-one have a membership of fifty or more. Throughout the country nearly every specialist in Elementary work has received much of her inspiration and training through her affiliation with some Graded Union. Through the influence of the Graded Unions many |