S UPT. EDWARD HYATT, of Riverside County, issued the following unique postal card: RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, March 15, 1900. TO ALL TRUSTEES AND EX-TRUSTEES OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY. Dear Friends-One of the main features of this year's County Institute is a Trustee Day, for Wednesday, March 28. On this day the teachers will all be dismissed to visit the schools of the neighboring County, so that the entire time and talent and energy of the institute may be spent in trying to make a profitable session for you, the men who really shape aud control the schools of the county. It is a lopsided proceeding, to talk all the time at the teachers and to do nothing for their trustees. A teacher can do but little fo the improvement and advancement of her school without the intelligent c operation of her trustees. No better thing could be done for a school system than to give its trustees opportun ty to hear, see, discuss, compare the educational ideas that are now changing and influencing the educational world. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has consented to come all the way from Sacramento to consult with our t ustees; the editor of the official educational journal comes from San Francisco to give an address; the County Superintendent of Los Angeles will tell his experiences; the enthusiastic head of the Department of Education in one of the great universities will speak; the trustees themselves will disciuss live issues in school management; altogether, it will certainly be a day that no trustee can afford to ms. You are urgently invited to attend this session at the Riverside High School on Wednesday and to go home with me to lunch at noon. I shall be very greatly disappointed if every district in the county is not represented. If the trustees do not attend, the day will be a failure and the money and time wil be wasted Tue, it is hard to leave one's work for this purpose, but we must all sacrifice something for the general good; and experience shows that when we pick up and go, willy nilly, the private business does not really suffer much after all. Where there's a will, there's a way. Of course you are invited to all the other sessions and lectures of the institute; but more particularly to this trustee-meeting, because without you, it would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. Very Respectfully Yours, EDWARD HYATT County Supt. of Schools. About seventy trustees representing over sixty per cent of the districts in Riverside County, responded. Thos. J. Kirk, Superintendent of Public Instruction; J. H. Strine, Superintendent of Los Angeles County; J. A. Rice, Deputy Superintendent of San Diego County; Harr Wagner and others spoke. Sixty-five accepted Mr. and Mrs. Hyatt's invitation to dinner. It was a six-course dinner, prepared entirely under the supervision of Mrs. Hyatt. The trustees asked many questions of Superintendent Kirk, who was always ready with a response. It will go on record as the best trustee-meeting held in the State. Lyman Evans of the Board of Trustees of the city of Riverside, also District Attorney of Riverside County, made a ringing speech for the right of the people in the selection and certification of teachers on a broader basis than that prepared by the Furlong-Beattie certification bill printed in the January number of the JOURNAL. He also criticised the personnel of the Education Commission. Mr. Reynolds, a citizen of Perris, California, suggests that the legislature empower each county to insure its own school buildings, thereby saving hundreds of dollars each year to the school fund. Miss Lulu Claire Bahr, County Superintendent of San Bernardino County, held a trustees meeting on Tuesday morning, April 3d. It was well attended, Superintendent Kirk, Superintendent Hyatt, Prof. E. P. Cubber.ey, Harr Wagner and others addressed the meeting. The trustees were interested and the meeting was a decided success. I The Trustee and the Teacher. J. H. STRINE, SUPERINTENDENT OF LOS ANGELES CO. T IS occasionally necessary, on the part of the teacher, to adopt heroic measures in dealing with certain pupils in order to preserve the dignity of her own position and to prevent an infringement of the acknowledged rights of other pupils. In instances of this kind it is so common for interested parents to see the matter as represented by the child, and to attribute the punishment to prejudice or some other unworthy motive on the part of the teacher that the trustee, if called upon, needs to fortify himself against pitfalls and snares, and presume that the teacher is right until he has carefully investigated Of Interest to School Boards. 45 the matter and found the teacher in error. In this way he not only assists in maintaining the standards of the school, but in strengthening the hands and heart of the teacher and thus enabling, her bravely to meet and dispose of other breaches of dis cipline at a less expense of energy and womanly dignity. On the other hand should the trustee-on account of the prominence of the family affected, or some other indefensible reason-exhibit sympathy for the complaining pupil, he at once not only weakens the authority of the teacher, and lays the foundation for disrespect and insubordination on the part of the pupils, but makes himself morally responsible for the possible downfall of the teacher. I have in mind a case of discipline in which the pupil-a young man-called a meeting of the trustees and had his punishment reduced to one-half of that assigned by the principal. What would have been the effect on the school if this action of the trustees had been final? and it was final so far as the trustees, at this meeting were concerned: but the principal insisted upon another meeting and when it was called informed the trustees that unless they reconsidered the matter he should go before the school and explain that the trustees were responsible for the change. The trustees, seeing that they had made a mistake, decided to reconsider. In this case one of the trustees was secretly working against the principal because he had twice refused to grant special favors to this trustee's children. In another instance, the pres dent of a board of trustees called a meeting for the express purpose of dismissing an assistant teacher who could not make an angel of his wayward son, and might have succeeded if the principal had not insisted, before the board, that the assistant teacher was doing what was right, and that the boy deserved to be severely punished or turned out of school. This same trustee, who had been a teacher himself, made the absurd statement at the meeting referred to, that a person was not fit to teach children unless he could successfully manage all pupils without any sort of punishment. But as a rule I am glad to say that trustees are inclined to stand' by their teachers. It is the exception that tends to demoralize the school. 46 The Western Journal of Education. EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, TEACHERS' INSTITUTES, ETC. Educational Associations. The National Educational Association, Charleston, South Carolina, July 7-13, 1900. John Swett, State Director, Martinez, Cal.; Irwin Shepherd, Secretary, Winona, Wis. The California Teachers' Association, San Francisco, Dec. 26, 27, 28, 1900. J. W. McClymonds, President; Mrs. M. M. FitzGerald, Secretary. Northern California Teachers' Association, Nov. 1, 2, 3, Marysville. F. S. Reager, President. Teachers' Institutes. San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo, Western School News. The Manual Training Schoo's of Santa Barbara observed the anniversary of the death of Miss Anna C. Blake, with appropriate ceremonies. The faculty of the Los Angeles Normal School celebrated President Pierce's forty-ninth birthday with an informal luncheon. The Washington State Board of Education will adopt text-books in May for all grades for a term of five years. Supt. R. H. Webster of San Francisco has estimated that $1,289,029 will be required to maintain the city schools for the next fiscal year. The Teachers' Annuity Society of San Francisco will hold a festival at Glen Park on May 1st, to raise funds for the society. It promises to be very successful. Charter Day at University of California was fittingly observed by an address given by Whitelaw Reid, editor of the New York Tribune, and an address by Benjamin Ide Wheeler. President David Starr Jordan has just returned from a tour of the East. He was the guest of Gov Roosevelt in New York, of Pres. Eliot of Harvard, and of the State Association of Indiana. Arnold J. Tompkins, author of " Philosophy of Teaching and "Philosophy of School Management, " and President of Cook County Normal School, has been doing Institute work in the Northwest. Supt. Meredith, of Kings County, Washing. ton, secured him for his County Institute. Prof. Joseph Le Conte of the University of California, delivered an address for the Humane Society of San Francisco, on April 5th. When asked whether he believed in vivisection, said, "I would kill a hundred fleas to protect one dog and I would kill a hundred dogs to protect one man." Henry Clay Faber of Stanford University, who died April 6th, of appendicitis, was Curator of the Museum at Stanford University, a teacher in various sections of the State, a candidate for Superintendent of Schools of Santa Barbara County, in 1894, and of Santa Clara County in 1898. He was a good citizen and a progressive teacher. Harold W. Fairbanks of Berkeley has been delivering a course of popular lectures on geography at the Y. M. C. A. Building, San Francisco. He also aid some excellent work for the Marin County teachers last month along the same lines. Prof. Fairbanks has made a special study of the physiography of the Pacific Coast. A Record of Institutes. The Riverside County Institute held a five days' session at Riverside, March 26th to 30th. Supt. Kirk was present and addressed the trustees on "The Duties of the School Trustee." P. W. Kaufman of Ventura addressed the trustees on the subject, "The Boy We Teach." D. R. Augsburg delivered a series of talks on drawing. Prof. Elwood P. Cubberley gave several professional talks, and a summation of addresses by teachers on Tompkins School Management. Harr Wagner delivered his lecture, "Uncle Sam Jr.," and gave several talks on methods. The part of the program which calls for special mention is the day set apart for school visitation. This was arranged in a systematic manner. The teachers visited Redlands, San Bernardino and Colton. Each teacher gave a report on the day's observation. The other feature of special note was the systematic manner with which the teachers studied Tompkins' School Management, and applied the study to practical purposes. The day the teachers visited the schools, the Superintendent conducted a trustees meeting. The able leadership of Supt. Hyatt and his practical Institute talks also call for special mention. Lulu Claire Bahr of San Bernardino County, called her Institute April 2d-6th. Prof. Elwood P. Cubberley, Supt. Thos. J. Kirk, Harr Wagner, Mrs. H. L. Lunt and the teachers of the County took an active interest. The Institute was particularly noted for the careful consideration given Tomp kins' School Management. The teachers had carefully prepared to discuss the various subjects under the leadership of Prof. Cubberley. The high school assembly room was made attractive and instructive by the drawings of pupils, arranged by Miss Parish The Kings County Institute, Washington, was held March 26th to 30th. Its most notable feature was the presence of Arnold J. Tompkins. Supt. Meredith planned to bring his teachers in contact with Eastern thought and method as represented by Prof. Tompkins and succeeded. Supt. Robt. Furlong held his Institute March 26th-30th at San Rafael. Supt. Minnie Coulter, Sonoma County; City Supt. of Santa Rosa, E. M. Cox; City Supt. of Oakland J. W. McClymonds; Prof. H. T. Ardley, D. R. Augsburg, Frederic L. Burk, Harold W. Fairbanks were the instructors. A notable feature of the Institute was the arrangement of a visiting day to the San Francisco schools. Supt. Furlong was one of the first to inaugurate the plan of having teachers visit other schools during Institute week. His teachers have visited Alameda, Oakland and San Francisco. Supt. T. O. Crawford of Alameda County held his Institute March 26th to 30th, in the city of Oakland. There was certainly a surplus of talent. Among the speakers were the following: Dr. F. B. Dresslar, Dr. Elmer E. Brown, Prof. C. C. Plehn, Pres. Benjamin Ide Wheeler, Dr. Joseph Le Conte, Prof. Kendric C. Babcock, Harold W. Fairbanks, C. W Mark, P. M. Fisher, A. W. Atherton, Supt. of Public Instruction Thos. J. Kirk, Prof. G. M. Stratton. A day was spent at Berkeley, ard it proved one of the most enjoyable and instructive days of the Institute, There was also a symposium on the subject: "What Should be Taught in the Public Schools." Pacific Coast Bureau of Education Room 31, Flood Building, S. F. During eleven years this Agency has grown steadily in favor. Its services are free to school officers, who in applying to it for a teacher can rely implicitly on a satis factory one being recommended. Teachers desiring positions or promotion should communicate at once with the Bureau. Terms very reasonable. THE A. VANDER NAILLEN Beware of Ointments for Catarrh than Contain Mercury as mercury will surely destroy the sense of smell and completely derange the whole system when entering it thru the mucous surfaces. Such articles should never be used except on prescriptions from reputable physicians, as the damage they will do, is ten fold to the good you can possibly derive from them. Hall's Catarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, O., contains no mercury, and is taken internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. In buying Hall's Catarrh Cure be sure you get the genuine. It is taken internally, and made in Toledo, Ohio, by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testimonials free. Sold by Druggists, price 75c. per bottle. Hall's Family Pills are the best. Pacific Grove Summer School Session of 1900. COURSES given by members of the Faculties of Stanford and University of California in PEDAGOGY, PHYSICS, MATHEMATICS, ANCIENT and MODERN LANGUAGES, HISTORY and ART. Railroad Rates to Students Reductions in fees on Preceding years. Beautiful location. Board and Rents reasonable. Courses last eight, six, and four weeks, beginning June 18th, July 2d, and July 16th, respectively. For further information. ɛee circulars. Local Secretary, PACIFIC GROVE, CAL. Wanted! School of Practical, Mining, Civil, Mechanical Agents and Salesmen Electrical Engineering, Metallurgy, Cyanide Pro- 933 Market Street, San Francisco, Cal, year. for School Supplies and Furniture DURING VACATION MONTHS...... C. F. WEBER & CO. Give reference. 300-306 Post Street, San Francisco. 210-212 N. Main Street, Los Angeles, Cal· 48 The Western Journal of Education. SOUTHERN PACIFIC SUNSET COMPANY is a Vast Playground IT has more than 200 resorts, mineral springs, and camping retreats, representing every conceivable condition necessary for the successful pursuit of health, pleasure and recreation, from the very highest to the very humblest inclination or purse. The time to decide upon a summer vacation trip is now at hand. Residents of California are favored beyond measure in having such a matchless variety to choose from as the Great SierrasTahoe, Yosemite, Kings River Canyon-the Shasta Region, Santa Cruz Mountains, the South Coast, and Southern California. 95 per cent of California's pleasure haunts are reached, directly or indirectly, by the lines of the Southern Pacific. Carefully compiled and beautifully illustrated folders and pamphlets, containing valuable information about all parts of California, are published by the SOUTHERN PACIFIC. Apply to any agent for the following, or, if by mail, enclose a two-cent stamp for each: Fine Map Folder of California Shasta Resorts Resorts and Attractions on the Coast Line Lake Tahoe Yosemite Geysers and Lake County ⚫ California South of Tehachapi Pacific Grove Summer Outings Del Monte Souvenir Shasta and the Crags. OGDEN & SHASTA COMPANY E. O. MCCORMICK, Passenger Traffic Manager. T. H. GOODMAN, |