Two such units, one representing the art of Japan and the other modern table china, have already been assembled and installed. Several other units are planned and will be arranged as soon as practical conditions warrant. In the meantime the program of simple graded technical exercises which now has been in operation for several years is continued as hitherto. The museum material furnishes objects for drawing, supplies ornamental motives and types of design, and it affords the background and the elements for adaptations and recombinations in what is called original design. Predominant as is the place of art appreciation (as distinguished from art creation) in the lives of all but artists and designers, it would not serve our purpose to displace these elementary technical exercises and to do away with the opportunity for the pupil to handle color and draw for form and proportion. These are the only sure means to secure the attention of the class to the works that are before them. Without them the quality of appreciation would degenerate at once into passive acceptance, guesswork, boredom, and affectation. Pencil and Water-Color Easiest Mediums These technical exercises reflect the general purpose of the course. Throughout their work from the first grade to the eighth, the pupils work in pencil and watercolor, the easiest mediums in which to study, and those of most general use. The subjects and the order of their presentation are shown in the following table. They are the same in all grades below the high school. We should teach more subjects-modeling, for example but we find the time allotment too short. Lettering, and the composition of lettering, is one of our most valuable studies. As drawing, as design, and as an obviously useful form of art it appeals to all. At first the children learn the alphabet and to spell their own names in large capitals of the simplest skeleton form, using pencil and brush. By the time they enter the fifth grade they are using a modified Serlio alphabet with thick and thin elements, serifs, etc. This alphabet has been redrawn, a zinc plate made and printed on standard 4 by 6 inch cards. At no time is the crude block letter tolerated. The use of the ruler, except for guide lines, is taboo. Order of Subjects-Second Term Weeks 1, 2, 3.. 4, 5, 6.. 7, 8. 9, 10.. 11, 12, 13, 14. 15, 16....... 17.. 18, 19. Lettering. Color exercises. Drawing of objects in pencil. Design elements. Design problem. Drawing of objects in pencil. Drawing in color (flowers or still life). In color the work begins with the identi fication of color, the comparison and classification of tints and mixtures (textile samples, etc.) as to redness, yellowness, etc., and with elementary brush exercises. It leads in the upper grades to exercises in proposing new schemes for existing patterns (cretonnes, etc.) The aim is to train the child to satisfy his own increasingly refined color sense by exercising his faculty on problems of obvious meaning and applicability. Theory of color or of design is held good only so far as it makes the child more definitely conscious of these elements in the work of art that is before him. Theory may do this by aiding in classification or by supplying the nomenclature. On the other hand any theory that is proposed with the aim of enabling the pupil to produce satisfactory patterns or proportions or pleasing color by rule and not by A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Lettering and the composition of lettering is a valuable study developing his own sense of color or design is educationally vicious, however true it may be as a theory. Our interest lies in the child and its life experience, not in the result on paper. The remaining subjects are treated exactly as they are treated in the best professional schools, due allowance being made for the extreme simplicity of subject and handling called for by the immaturity of the pupils. Cards of Historic Ornament Motives In this, our course does not differ greatly from some of the serious methods in use elsewhere. One further detail alone is perhaps worth mention. Until the museum plan can be extended to all the schools in the system (and this can not well be done except where there is a special art room and a special art teacher) we have found it useful to have small plates of historic ornament motives printed on cards of the standard 4 by attempt to classify the motives according to style; the historic interest should come later; easy motives of various styles are on the cards for the earlier grades, harder ones on those for the older pupils. In the lower grades squared paper is used and color schemes are derived from textile need study the same patterns; a few units samples and color prints. No two pupils of each of various motives are drawn by each pupil; color schemes are exceedingly varied and the work of any class shows work of greatest variety and freshness of treatment. All these ornamental motives have a long history of development and abundant present use, and the child who has become familiar with them and adapted some of them to his own purposes will have tangible proof that rhythm and harmony, essential indeed, are not the whole essential of good ornament. 6 inch size. On these cards there is no When a child has been led through such a course as is here outlined he has been made conscious of the availability of works of superior design and workmanship, and has learned that a museum need not mean a collection of rare and exotic works representing other epochs and other civilizations, but in his own experience it has meant a collection of high grade products gathered from the open markets of the world. He is then prepared to bring into his own home or into his own business these better things, and as a business man to think of quality production as one of the high aims of human industry. Czechoslovakia maintained in December, 1924, 1,416 infant schools, 1,047 kindergartens, 366 nursery schools, and 58 crêches. These schools were attended by 89,282 children.-Emanuel V. Lippert. Teachers and Principals are Factors Speculation Based Upon Unproved Data Not Sufficient Basis for Educational Reforms, O ARTHUR J. JONES Professor of Secondary Education, University of Pennsylvania NE of the most persistent criticisms of education as a profession is that it is based largely on speculative philosophy; it is a matter of opinion, of trial and error, of subjective judgment, where one man's opinion is as good as another's. Consequently, the business man, the parent, or the man on the street often feels that his opinion on the schools is as good as that of anyone else. The teacher, the principal, and the superintendent are often looked upon as theorists, with little, if any, understanding of life as it really is. This stage in the development of education is rapidly passing. The fact that it is passing is due largely to the widespread interest in research into educational problems of all kinds. Research aims to discover truth; it is not satisfied with a priori reasoning, nor subjective judgments, nor mere speculation based upon insecure and unproved data. Educators everywhere are looking for facts, for truths upon which to base educational reforms. They want to know whether the new method actually brings better results, not what some people think about it. They want to find whether the sixty-minute supervised study period actually improves the quality and quantity of the pupils' achievement as compared with the old forty-five minute recitation period. Must Have Means of Knowing Results True progress can come only when we devise ways and means of finding facts and measuring results. This is especially true of education because it is so complex and the results are so often delayed. We have for so long merely "carried on" and followed in the footsteps of those who have gone before that we have been too content to take it for granted that the objectives we set up are actually accomplished when in reality we are completely in the dark and have no means of knowing what the results are. This attitude of mind that relies upon tradition and authority, combined with the complexity of the problem, has served to delay the scientific search for truth in education. Although we have not progressed very far into the field of real Publication sponsored by the National Committee on Research in Secondary Education. scientific research in education at least Research Formerly Confined to Laboratory The expert comes to the school and Bureaus of Educational Research in our Certain Investigations Impossible in Laboratory But helpful and indispensable as this is, by its very isolation it can not carry on certain types of investigation nor reach valid conclusions regarding schoolroom practices. Of necessity these laboratory experiments are performed on selected groups, often of adults, and use material unlike that employed in the classroom in which the particular element under investigation is to be found. Data taken from the school by the expert are analyzed out of relation to conditions of the actual classroom. Much research can be carried on only in the classroom where the process of education is actually taking place, where the conditions are normal, and the agencies concerned are functioning naturally. In many ways it is this kind of research that promises the largest returns. For example, which of these two methods is more effective in reducing tardiness, keep ing those who are tardy in after school or making the first period in the morning very attractive? Are the results in actual achievement greater when some time is given to teaching pupils how to study than when they are thrown on their own resources? Do pupils gain appreciably more from five periods a week than from four if the same content and methods are used and other things are equal? Must Assume Share of Responsibility The teacher and the principal, then, become very important factors in educational research. In the near future, they must assume their proper share of this responsibility. There are many obstacles in the way of research on the part of the teacher and the principal. One of these is lack of time and energy for the work. The teaching load carried by teachers is often so great as to preclude any possibility of time for research. Principals and boards of education are still too often obsessed by the traditional factory point of view. The teaching load is stated in terms of the number of recitations held per day or per week. "Vacant periods" are so much lost time so far as the school is concerned. The principal is often so loaded up with petty duties that could be performed as well and often better by a secretary, that he has no time for finding the truth about the school. Teachers do not Know the Technique Probably the greatest deterrent to research in the school is the fact that principals and teachers do not know how to do it. Many teachers are eager to try out some plan, to investigate some phase of school work, but they do not know how to begin-they have no conception of the difficulties involved, nor of the conditions that must be established in order to make sure that the data are accurate and the conclusions valid. Many otherwise splendid investigations made by teachers and principals are made valueless because conditions essential to research are disregarded. Unfortunately, these often find their way into reputable educational journals and teachers are often confused or led astray by conclusions or recommendations based upon them. These in brief are some considerations which prompted the National Committee on Research in Secondary Education to undertake the preparation of a bulletin outlining methods of research and making practical suggestions for procedure to high school principals and teachers. A preliminary draft of this bulletin prepared by a committee under the chairmanship of the writer has been completed and is in process of revision with a view to publication as a bulletin of the United States Bureau of Education. The committee hopes that this bulletin will be of real service not only to high school teachers and principals but to educational research in all its phases. How One Delaware County is We believe that one of the chief purposes of education is to teach good habits, and we think that thrift is a desirable habit which the schools should foster. In November, 1925, we sent a questionnaire to every bank in Sussex County asking the following questions: (1) What is the smallest sum that you will accept for an initial deposit? (2) What is the smallest sum that you will accept as a deposit after an account has been opened? (3) Do you have small banks which you loan to children? (4) Do you have any thrift advertising material? (5) Can you, if requested, furnish thrift speakers for the schools? With this questionnaire we sent a brief letter explaining our plan to encourage school children to save money. A similar letter was sent to each teacher. After the answers were received from the banks we tabulated them and sent a circular letter to every teacher in the county telling her to what extent the banks in her vicinity would cooperate with us in our thrift education. We suggested to the teacher that she put the names of children opening bank accounts on the bulletin board. Teachers were told that we would ask for reports from time to time on the progress they were making in our thrift campaign. It was also suggested that teachers would volunteer to bring children's savings to the village banks when they came to town if it was inconvenient for the children to come. We have just received a report from a one-room rural school which is 7 miles from the nearest railroad station. In October this school had an enrollment of 17, scattered through the 8 grades. The enrollment is now 21. The children have $700 in the savings account bank in the town 7 miles away. Their parents are farmers of moderate means, and the children earned nearly all the money. We think this is a good record for a small rural school.-Albert Early, Rural Supervisor, Georgetown, Del. Evening Institutes for the Diffusion of Culture Curriculum Embraces Ancient and Modern Literature, Languages, Art, Philosophy, Economics. Each Institute under a Full-Time Head. Classes Meet in Secondary Schools. Students Must be More than 18 Years Old 66 "L By a LONDON CORRESPONDENT ITERARY INSTITUTES" under the direction of the Education Officer of the London County Council have become an agency for the diffusion of culture whose worth is beyond estimate. There are 12 literary institutes now in London, the largest being the City Literary Institute with nearly 2,000 students. Each is under a full-time head. These institutes, which began in 1919, are concerned with the spread of cultural knowledge "the humanities"-as distinct from the vocational knowledge taught in technical schools. The curriculum is largely decided by the wishes of the student; it embraces almost all branches of ancient and modern literature, elocution, the drama, modern languages, the appreciation of art, architecture and music, history, philosophy, aesthetics, artistic hobbies, and the social, political, and economic sciences. The institutes are attended by more than 7,000 men and women, grouped in about 350 courses of study. Library schemes have been inaugurated and books are obtained in single New York Schools Restoring Denuded Forests Reforestation is becoming a popular Two school project in New York State. thousand trees have been planted each year for the past three years by pupils of the Cold Brook School, and the work will be continued this year. A good beginning has been made upon the school forest of Watson, Lewis County, which will ultimately cover 98 acres; trees are planted at the rate of 10,000 a year. Pupils of the Spencerport High School are planning to reforest 22 acres of a 12-acre tract. A school forest has been started by the agricultural department of Walton High School. A plot of 5% acres was purchased last year on Pine Hill, covered a century ago with a virgin white-pine forest. About a third of the plot has already been set out, and the remainder will be reforested during the next two or three years in order to train students in practical forestry. This work is promoted by the State Conservation Commission, which supplies young forest trees free for planting on publicly owned land and at a nominal volumes or sets from the County Hall, the borough libraries, and from the Central Library for Students. The institutes have their headquarters as a rule in local secondary schools; the tuition fee for the year is 6 shillings for the first subject and 3 shillings for each additional subject. No one under 18 years of age is admitted. "It is impossible" say the writers of a booklet recently issued by the education officer, "to estimate the social influences which the institutes are already exerting. But it is clear that with the spread of adult education profound changes will be wrought in the structure of individual, family, municipal, and national life. That these will be in the direction of greater social happiness can not be questioned." "The institutes have grown to their present size," it is said, "by the quiet influence which each student exercises on his or her circle of friends. Husbands bring their wives; sons and daughters sometimes persuade their parents to enroll. Every student becomes inevitably a missionary of popular culture." price to individuals. The Arbor Day number of Bulletin to the Schools, issued by the University of the State of New York, was largely devoted to descriptions of such efforts. New Equalization Laws in Two States Legislation to promote equality of educational opportunity in every part of the State has been enacted recently in Georgia and in Tennessee. Georgia will provide a fund to supplement county school funds in counties not able to support adequate schools by a five-mill local, or county, tax. This is in addition to the regular State school appropriation which is apportioned on school enrollment to the several counties of the State. Fifty-three counties in Tennessee levied as much as 50 cents on the hundred dollars for elementary schools in order to share in the State equalization fund, so that their school term may be 8 months. Seventy-three counties out of the 95 will have the advantage of an eight-month school term. Home Economics in the High-School Health Program Rich Opportunities to Teachers of Home Economics in Developing Fine Type of Homemakers. Special Emphasis in Correlation with Four Departments. Personal Example of Teacher a Potent Influence E By CAROL M. DAVIS Teacher of Home Economics, Highland Park (Mich.) High School VERY GIRL in the Highland Park High School is reached through the home economics department. The course is required in the seventh, ninth, and eleventh grades, and health instruction is given in all of them. As a background for the health instruction, the normal girl is held as the model. Usually the normal girls in the class are lined up, and the best example of health in every respect is chosen by the pupils. The proper mental attitude must be incorporated in the minds of the underweight and overweight girls so that the positive view of health may be upheld. A note of caution is sometimes necessary in order that the girl may understand the scientific reasons for mak ing the effort to be healthy and well. Another precaution in mental attitude is to assure these girls that they are not stigmatized or labeled as different from the other girls, but that the school is doing everything possible to help every girl to be the finest example of health. In the home economics department there are weight scales which are moved each week to each of the three kitchens, so that each kitchen has the scales for at least one week-the same week every month. Each girl is given a card which is filled by her and returned to the teacher, who keeps them on file in her desk. The card has a place for name, date, height, actual weight, normal weight, difference, loss and gain, and remarks. On the back of the card each girl makes an entry of the minimum healthy weight for herself. For example, if her normal weight should be 120 pounds, 10 per cent would be 12 pounds; 12 pounds subtracted from 120 pounds leaves 108 pounds. The girl, then, could weigh from 108 pounds to 120 pounds and still be within the range of health. Some physicians use a 7 per cent standard; but, of course, good judgment must be exercised by the nurse or physician. If a girl has three or four pounds difference in weight, then she sees that she is still of normal weight. Harm may be wrought by over-emphasizing weight as a standard, for health should be the standard; but through the weighing an interest in health is awakened first, just as through the mechanical process of cooking an interest in other things is aroused. The use of the weight card by the girl herself is just another means of awakening her interest. A Workable Chart is Available When the day of weighing comes the period can be spent in discussions on health. Miss De Planter, of the Philadelphia Child Health Society, has prepared an interesting and workable chart applicable to girls in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. It shows the various phases which include good nutrition and health. With this incentive, then, the individual cases become separate problems and the home economics teacher can be college, as well as teachers, may rest here twice a day-mid-morning and midafternoon. A light lunch of milk and crackers precedes the rest period. They have the lunch in a room adjoining, which is lighted by a skylight and the windows from the physical-training department. Light lunch precedes the rest period of real personal service not only in watching over the physical growth of these girls at a very critical period in their lives but in instilling in them an inspiration to make real efforts for gain in weight, correct eating habits, or in the maintenance of already perfect health. There are four departments with which the home economics department in Highland Park make special emphasis in correlation: Record made of Underweight Pupils First, the nurses department. The names of the girls who are 10 per cent or more underweight or any girls who the teacher thinks need attention for poor physique, poor posture, defective vision, etc., are given to the nurse. Previously, at the beginning of the semester, all seventh-grade children are weighed and measured by the nurses. Those who are 10 per cent or more underweight are recommended for our "nutrition room." Those who need care and can not be accommodated in the nutrition room are asked to report to the nutrition teacher once a month for advice. Second, the nutrition room.-This room is ideally located on the third floor with an eastern and southern exposure. Those two sides are entirely of glass windows which can be adjusted for all sorts of weather or to allow the sun to come in directly upon the children. In this room are enough cots to accommodate more than 100 children in a day. No classes are held here. Girls and boys of all ages, from seventh grade up through junior In order to get time in the schedule for these two periods, physical-training class is dropped but credit given. If the girl has home economics class at the time she should go to "nutrition" she is excused from one of those periods-home economics has two 45-minute periods. The girl does lose something in practical work, but she is actually putting into practice health habits which are lasting and probably more important than what she is missing. The other members of the class feel, too, that the department considers the practice of these habits very important. Credit is given in home economics with an additional grade in "nutrition." This is put on the report cards with other subjects. The mark in nutrition indicates how much effort has been made to rest well and to learn to like the foods which are desirable. The noon meal is supervised by the lunch-room director, who is trained in home economics. She gives a menu at a special price of 25 cents, and this allows for 2 or 3 choices. Foods which promote growth and tend toward bone and tooth development are emphasized by the lunch-room director and in home economics classes. Sometimes the nutrition teacher (an elementary classroom teacher formerly) has been able to interest some of them to take cod-liver oil regularly at home. Parents' Consent Necessary to Entrance Those in the nutrition room are weighed regularly once a month and cards with the plotted curves are kept by the nutrition teacher. The students enter only with the consent of their parents. A printed letter is sent to the parents to be signed if consent is given. Under this plan, the students go to the regular classes with their classmates and are able to keep up the same standard of work without the stigma of ostracism. Very seldom is anyone with physical defects allowed to attend. The heart cases, of course, are recommended and occasionally a student is accepted with some defect if he promises to have it corrected within a short time at vacation time perhaps and in the meantime can keep up his work. Often, some one just recovering from an illness is recommended and is able to renew his health much more quickly than otherwise. The gains have been most gratifying; only one or two last semester failed to gain. |