placing of accent, and due attention to the importance of certain words in the sentence, or the rhythm of the language.

By practicing various exercises, to be designated later, the vocal organs will become so flexible that there need be little trouble with the consonants. The letter "s" should be given with a fine hiss, in place of the thick sound so often heard. "R" is slightly rolled or trilled at the beginning of a word or a syllable, but not at the end.

To insure correctness of the vowel sounds, rules and diacritical markings should be studied. This might, at first thought, seem to be an endless task, but in reality, the value of diacritical markings can be learned very quickly. The rules governing the sound of the same vowels in different positions will require some attention. A knowledge of these is quite necessary if one wishes to be sure of herself. For instance, in the word "particular,” the "a" in the first syllable has a different sound from the "a" in the last syllable.

་་

Rules tell us whether we shall say "orange" or "ôrange," "current" or "cûrrent," and so on indefinitely. I doubt whether any native American ever correctly pronounces "girl," "bird," "her," "vērb," " arly," and other words containing the "tilde" "e" or "i," unless he or she has been taught to do So. "Airly" for "early "in the speech of the Irishman is more nearly correct than the "ûrly" of the American. "Gûrl” and “bûrd” for “girl" and "bird" are simply abominations.

The proper placing of accent is of the greatest importance. Reference is not made to such errors as the use of "ex-quis'ite" for "ex'-quis-ite," "ex-tant"" for "ex'-tant," or " de-cade"" for "dec'-ade," but rather to errors made by persons who are well informed on the subject of pronunciation. Few place the accent properly in such words as "primary," "secondary," "dictionary," "secretary," and many others of like ending. These words have but one accent, and that is sharply on the first syllable. The other syllables are to be pronounced with even stress, the "a" before "ry" having an obscure sound resembling that of "u" in "bŭt.”

Instances of common errors of speech might be multiplied indefinitely. These are particularly noticeable in public

speaking. I was surprised at hearing even Bryan, the "silver-tongued," pronounce "government" as if it were spelled "govůmůnt." Senator La Follette, on the other hand, pays great attention to correct enunciation. But then, he contemplated being an actor at one period of his life.

Those who are seeking to improve their appearance and bearing, as thousands are, must not neglect their speech. Harsh voices and incorrect pronunciation will immediately obliterate the good impressions made by elegance of appearance. Then, too, there is a moral aspect to the case, as well-modulated voices are often the result of well-controlled emotions.

The duty of teaching children to speak correctly largely rests upon parents, in these days when reading is almost a lost art, as far as school training is concerned. Readers, with their diacritical markings of words and their exercises in modulation and articulation are shelved. Children read masterpieces nowadays, stumbling through them in such a fashion that it is hard to tell what language is being used. I have carefully followed a pupil from the first grade up to the high school, and anything worse than his articulation cannot be imagined. He has some literary knowledge, to be sure, and quite thoroughly appreciates the beauties of Snowbound, Silas Marner and other works; but, alas, he cannot read two lines of any of them in pure English. He is not a stupid boy, either, but he has never learned to read, or write for that matter, as both branches are quite neglected in the modern schoolroom.

MR

Editorial

ERE numbers can only suggest, they can by no means portray, the magnitude of the school interests of the country. It is impressive to read that when the clock struck nine on a day in September 30,000,000 children in the United States faced their teachers again for a new school year. In Greater New York alone there were 650,000 of them. When we consider the great number of earnest men and women who are devoting their lives to the task of instructing and guiding this host; and the fathers and mothers who are toiling for their support; and the citizens who are pouring out millions of treasure to furnish them with schoolhouses, books and the numerous other items of equipment necessary to an education, we can easily realize that the schools constitute one of the most important of human interests. The average citizen should remind himself frequently of these considerations, that he may not grow indifferent to his obligations, nor relax his efforts to furnish the very best possible advantages to this great number of men and women of to-morrow to whom we are about to commit all the precious interests of our land. The larger aspects of the school problem sometimes become obscured when we are debating the tax rate in the town meeting, or discussing ways and means in the committee room.

IT

"T is a lamentable fact (if it shall indeed prove to be a fact, as the Investigating Committee reports) that more than one third of the school children of America are behind grade because of physical defects that could be remedied. Committees have been at work throughout the summer in all the principal cities, under the general direction of Chairman Burlingham; and their report is to be published in the American Statistical Journal. According to these investigators "twelve million children of the United States have physical defects more or less serious, which should receive attention from parents and physicians." If the percentage recorded by the Board of Health in New York in examining 140 families is maintained throughout the country, and the committee thinks it will be, "as adenoids and impaired vision, malnutrition and defective breathing are found in rural as well as urban schools," there must be 1,440,000 ill-nourished children, 5,615,000 with enlarged glands, and 6,925,000 with defective breathing in the United States. In New York City the estimated figures are: Malnutrition, 48,000; enlarged glands, 187,000; and defective breathing 230,800.

We are personally inclined to doubt if the percentages obtained in New York, or in fact in any or all of the large cities where population is congested and life is more or less artificial and therefore unhealthful, will hold throughout the country. New York politicians have learned, often to their sorrow, that it is the "up-state vote" that has to be reckoned with. However, the number of backward and defective children is impressively large at best. The report referred to will give a comprehensive plan for dealing with the problem. Elements in this plan will be "a thorough physical examination of all children of all schools; notification to parents followed when necessary by second notices and visits to inform and persuade parents to take proper action; enforcement of existing laws and securing proper authority to compel parents who refuse to take necessary steps; periodic re-examination of school children; physical examination of children when applying for work-certificates; enforcement of health, tenement-house and child-labor laws, and the establishment in connection with boards of education of departments of school hygiene, to see if school buildings are so constructed and conducted that they produce or aggravate physical defects, and that the curriculum be so devised as neither to produce nor aggravate them; to teach hygiene so that children will themselves cultivate habits of health."

This movement to study scientifically and help systematically the unfortunate, ill-nourished and defective children is one of the richest products of the Christian civilization of the twentieth century. It stands out in striking contrast to the old Spartan custom of strangling the weaklings; and to the less ancient, but not less cruel one, of despising and neglecting them. But its best results can only be achieved by hearty co-operation on the part of parents with the teachers, physicians and other officials who have the matter in charge.

WE

E would name good physical health as the second qualification of our ideal teacher. (See editorial paragraph in September EDUCATION.) There are thousands of teachers who are doing heroic service who do not possess this qualification; but they can never measure up to the ideal. Nevertheless all can strive for a fuller possession of it. Much can be accomplished by persistent, conscientious effort directed along right lines.

The first thing is fully to appraise this asset of good health. It is the basis of all large undertakings. There must be a constant renewal of the vital forces that energize the world's activities or business would cease and society be annihilated. Nowhere is a large measure of this vital energy more necessary than in the schoolroom. Without it the

brain cannot act normally. Its absence will result in loss of the balance or personal poise, which is the key to the proper discipline of the schoolroom. Lacking it the teacher will become nervous and irritable.

All these things will lead to irreparable loss to the pupils. They will study less successfully, form characters of a lower order, and be generally less adequately prepared for good citizenship and useful, happy living. Realizing these grave results of bad physical health, the teacher who is a chronic invalid should give up teaching. Those who are able to improve should do all in their power to do so; and those in good health should take careful forethought lest they lose the gift which they so happily possess.

Unfortunately, the health conditions surrounding the profession of teaching are not the best. The teacher is confined in a close room, the air of which is too frequently, in spite of modern methods of ventilation and heating, breathed over and over again by many pairs of lungs; it is too hot one hour and too cold the next. In the room are human beings from all kinds of homes with varying hygienic conditions. Great concentration of mind upon the lesson is required, and at the same time great diffusion of watchfulness to keep order and see that all are properly employed. The result is an extraordinary tax upon the nervous system. The insubordinate and the dull pupils are constantly "on the mind" of the teacher, who frequently does not spare herself, but prolongs her work far beyond school hours, and leaves herself little time or strength for recreation and recuperation. This is perhaps generous, but it is not wise. The larger results should be kept constantly in mind. Something given up that one would like to do to-day, and to give up which seems now a loss, may insure a longer service and a greater efficiency day by day. It is unwise for a teacher who is temporarily ill to force herself to report for duty for the sake of appearances or to save a curtailment of her salary. This is an injustice to the pupils and to the taxpayers, and a real injustice to herself as well. Far better turn the class over to a substitute for a day or a week and rest the jaded nerves and lay in new energy for the coming days.

The teacher should study constantly the laws of health, seek wholesome out-of-door exercise, covet sunshine and fresh air, be given to athletics in moderation, love nature, and find recreation elsewhere than in hot theatres and crowded ballrooms. She should demand good wholesome food, take plenty of sleep, and cultivate a cheerful mind. Then she will at least approximate to the ideal. And she herself, her pupils and society will be the gainers.