Western School News MEETINGS The California Teachers' Association, Agnes Howe, San Jose, Cal., President; W. H. Hanlon, Martinez, Cal., Secty. Central California Teachers' Association, E. W. Lindsay, President, Fresno; Margaret Hanson, Secretary, Visalia. Northern California Teachers' Association, Lulu White, President, Redding, Cal.; Delia D. Fish, Secretary, Red Bluff. Meeting, Chico, October 24-27. Southern California Teachers' Association, J. H. Francis, President, Los Angeles; Mark Keppel, Secretary, Los Angeles. California Council of Education, C. L. McLane, Fresno, President; E. L. Armstrong, Oakland, Cal., Secretary. Arthur A. Chamberlain will conduct the institue in Bisbee, Arizona, October 2 to 4. Professor Chamberlain has prepared a fine series of talks for institute week. He is the author of "Standards in Education," etc., and joint author of "The Continents and Their People," and former Professor of Education and Dean of Throop Institute, and Treasurer National Education Association. His address is Faculty Club, University of California, Berkeley, Cal. Frank W. Thomas is the new principal of the Santa Monica High School. He comes to California from the University of Illinois, where he has lately acted as principal of the Academy and Training High School in the University and has been a teacher in the University summer school. He had previous experience as principal of the Tuscola, Illinois, High School. Mr. Thomas took his A. B. degree at Indiana University and his master's degree at the University of Illinois. Santa Monica is building a new high school that will cost, when fully equipped, about $250,000, making provision for manual arts, commerce, household and fine arts, as well as the traditional subjects. Dr. E. C. Moore, Mrs. Moore, Dr. Frederic Burk, Mrs. Kincaid, Mr. Denman, Chas. Wesley Reed and Mr. and Mrs. James Ferguson sat around the center table at the Commonwealth Club Saturday, September 16, when Reed spoke on the needs of the San Francisco School Department. Supt. C. L. McLane, president of the California Council of Education, has appointed committees as follows: 1. Rural Supervision—E. W. Lindsay, Lulu E. White, J. W. Linscott, Mamie V. Lehner, Edward L. Hardy, Dr. Ellwood P. Cubberley, Jas. B. Davidson, Chas. H. Camper, Chas. Shane. 2. Readjustment of Courses of Study and Certification of Teachers-Dr. Alexis F. Lange, Will C. Wood, Percy F. Davidson, C. H. Covell, Frederick Liddeke, Allison Ware, Delia D. Fish, Frank F. Bunker, J. A. Cranston. 3. Personnel and Duties of the State Board of Education or Commission-Duncan MacKinnon, Dr. M. E. Dailey, Dr. J. F. Millspaugh, A. L. Hamilton, Champ S. Price, T. J. Phillips, W. H. Murphy, O. W. Erlewine, A. N. Wheelock, Geo. W. Frick. 4. Industrial Education-Col. Harris Weinstock, Jas. A. Barr, Arthur F. Chamberlain. Geo. A. Merrill, Jas. E. Addicott, Ednah A. Rich, J. H. Francis, Horace M. Rebok, James Ferguson. 5. Health Supervision-E. Morris Cox, Hugh S. Baldwin, Geo. F. Leslie, Dr. E. B. Hoag, Alfred Roncovieri, A. N. Simons, Craig Cunningham, H. H. McCutcheon, Roy W. Cloud. 6. Playground Movement-W. W. Mackay, J. E. Rogers, Minnie Coulter, Dr. Everett C. Beach, Mrs. May Cheney, F. W. Conrad, Dr. Oliver P. Jenkins, Alex Sherriffs, Dr. W. F. Snow. 7. Codification of School Law-Mark Keppel, A. J. Cloud, J. E. Reynolds, J. D. Sweeney, Dr. Wm. Carey Jones, Agnes E. Howe, J. W. McClymonds. 8. Moral Education-Mrs. Clara L. Partridge, Noel H. Garrison, Mrs. Mary W. George, OOra Lovejoy, C. E. Rugh, A. S. McPherron, Dr. Milton E. Blanchard, H. O. Williams, Rose Hardenburg. 9. Teachers' Employment Bureau-D. R. Jones, Helen E. Matthewson, J. D. Graham, Mrs. Minnie R. O'Neil, D. T. Bateman, Lewis B. Avery, C. L. Biedenbach, A. J. Hennessy. * * * The Thursday, September 21, the California School of Mechanical Arts celebrated founder's day. It was a great day for the school. Prof. Merril announced the construction of the new building for the Lux Training School for Girls. widow of T. B. Guin also added $24,000 to the Guin Fund. The Lux million dollar fund will be a great aid to the school. Prof. Merril is doing a wonderful educational work for the partial training of boys and girls, and he is to be congratulated for the new funds that have been placed in control of the trustees for the enlargement of his work. * Dr. E. R. Synder of the State Normal School of San Jose has been elected vice-principal of the State Normal at Fresno, Cal. * * * Henry Payot, of the San Francisco Board of Education, has proposed the establishment of a high school on new lines. The following is the resolution: Resolved, that the new high school to be established in the northern part of the city be known as the Galileo high school of manual arts; that pupils be admitted to it who have completed the sixth grade; that the course consist of the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth years, with a graduate course when it shall be needed; that the aim of the school be to give the boys and girls an industrial and domestic education to prepare them for the shop and the home; that the academic work taught in this school shall be modified to meet these aims rather than for entrance to some higher institution; that the hand work shall consist of decorative and mechanical drawing, designing and modeling, making and reading of simple architectural drawing; of sewing, dressmaking, millinery; of home cooking, invalid cooking and care of the sick; care and feeding of children, and economical marketing; of metal andy forge work; of wood work, including cabinet work; of the elements of plumbing and electrical work, and of such other mental and hand training as may prepare the boy and girl at the age of 16 and 17 to earn a living or complete an apprenticeship. And further Resolved, that the sessions of this school be from 8:30 to 12 a. m. and from 1 to 4 p. m., and that the shops be opened from 8:30 to 12 Saturdays; and that not less than three hours' work each day be devoted to the manual arts. Gordon Teachers' Manual Book Notes "Book Four: The Progressive Road to Reading," by Georgine Burchill, Dr. William L. Ettinger and Dr. Edgar Dubs Shimer, 284 pages, illustrated, $.50. To make a brilliantly successful school reader in these days is a more difficult problem than it was twenty-five years ago. The reason is that the average young person of today has more reading material outside his school hours than he needs; story books, magazines and newspapers supply him with entertainment, some of which give him false standards of merit. He is usually bored by any attempt to make him appreciate extracts from the writings of the classic English authors. Book Four of "The Progressive Road to Reading" accomplishes the double aim of holding the pupil's eager interest and of inculcating a taste for reading that is really worth while. The authors have thoroughly understood the needs and demands of the modern child. They have put into this book just the things which boys and girls of the Fourth Reader age want-life, action and novelty. These stories and poems satisfy the child's curiosity to know something of the big world that lies beyond his own horizon. The scenes of most of the stories are laid in countries whose very names suggest adventure, romance, magic and mystery,-Arabia, Egypt, China, Iceland and Scotland are some of the strange lands whose customs and characters are interestingly pictured for the pupil. One of the most admirable features of this book is the variety of diction, which is richly idiomatic and carefully chosen; the teacher will find all of this material invaluable both for language work and for training the pupil to read aloud with intelligence and dramatic expression. The illustrations, full page pen and ink drawings, are by well known magazine illustrators and are of a quality far superior to most text-book pictures. Silver, Burdett & Company, Publishers. * * Holbrook's "Dramatic Reader for Lower Grades," by Florence Holbrook, author, of thus avoiding confusion; while in Parts II and "Washington's Farewell Address" and "Webster's First Bunker Hill Oration," edited by Frank W. Pine, M. A., English Master, The Hill School, Pottstown, Pa., cloth, 16mo, 117 pages, with portrait, price, 30 cents, American Book Company, Publishers. This is the latest addition to the Gateway Series of English Texts, prepared under the general editorship of Hen Van Dyke to meet the College Entrance Requirements in English reading. The two selections are supplied with annotations explaining clearly all historical and literary allusions, as well as outlines of the main topics. The introductions give the lives of Washington and of Webster, and make clear the circumstances connected with their addresses. Bibliographies are included for use in further reading. "Garner's Essentials of Spanish Grammar," by Samuel Garner, Ph. D., formerly professor of Modern Languages, United States Naval Academy, cloth, 12mo, 232 pages, price, $1.00, Ameri can Book Company. In this work only such features of the grammatical mechanism are treated as are essential for the reading of ordinary Spanish. Besides the clear exposition of grammar and syntax, the book includes exercises combining drill upon grammatical points with practice in translation and pronounciation, and at the same time provides ample work in memorizing. All the exercises are new, and are incorporated in the text. No ready-made conversation exercises are given, as the sentences have been chosen in great part with a view to their adaptation to oral practice. Special vocabularies accompany the first ten lessons, after which the student is referred to the complete vocabulary following the text. La Primera Meeting The School Woman's Club, La Primera, of San Francisco, with Mrs. M. L. Neal presiding, held its regular monthly meeting at a luncheon last Saturday. It was a most interesting and instructive meeting. A splendid paper was read by Miss Otto of the California School Mechanical Arts on "Vocational Training." 'Round the Year in Myth and Song," etc, price Eighty cities in Illinois use it-giving it six times the business of all 40 cents. American Book Company, Publishers. These little plays-well known stories done into dialogue-were written for children, who like to imagine themselves living with their favorite characters in forests, in palaces, or in fairy land. The sixteen plays contained in the volume are equally suitable for either reading or acting, and are adapted to pupils in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th year grades. The plays included are for the most part, based upon the popular nursery tales known to every child, such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Bears, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Gingerbread Man, etc. They were written in a style which will make them attractive to children, whether they are to be acted or merely used for the purpose of supplementary reading. The numerous illustrations show the actors and actions of the plays, and add to the interest of the book. "The Eleanor Smith Music Primer," by Eleanor Smith, cloth, 8vo, 128 pages, price, 25 cents, competitors. In Nebraska it has five times the business of its nearest competitor. It has 90% of the business in Indiana. It has 65% of the business of all cities in the United States. WHY The songs are unsurpassed in musical content. It makes instruction in music a pleasure. The material is closely related to the child's life and interests. It is in accord with the best modern pedagogical thought of the day. American Book Company. This primer presents It does not use old-fashioned cumbersome charts; we have dispensed a collection of first year songs, which are varied in origin and character, childlike in spirit, and very simple in structure. Songs expressive of the natural activities and interests of childhood predominate, while music of lasting quality has been chosen. There are many folk songs, as well as some from well known composers. Part I contains songs to be learned by note, while Parts II and III offer melodies and simple tunes for practice in sight reading and in writing music. The type used is large and clear, the accompaniment being in smaller type than the melody, MILLS COLLEGE Chartered in 1885 The Only Woman's College on the Pacific Coast Entrance requirements equivalent to those of Stanford and University of California, and the same number of units for graduation. Work recognized at both universities, course for course. Twenty-two departments. Laboratories for science with modern equipments, excellent opportunities for home economies, library study, music and art. Modern gymnasium in care of Director from Boston School of Gymnastics. Special care for health of students and provisions for outdoor life. Christian influences; non-sectarian. Alumnae in every city on the Pacific Coast. Mills College has a remarkable geographical situation. It is in a commanding position easily reached from all parts of the Pacific Coast. Within short distance of three cities and the great universities of the West. Secluded among the beautiful hills of the suburbs of Oakland, near the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay, this college has an ideal climate throughout the year. Its grounds comprise 150 acres under cultivation. Its faculty represents Radcliffe, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, Mount Holyoke, Amherst, Stanford University, State Universities of Illinois, Wisconsin and California. A Very Important Announcement Baldwin & Bender's READERS By JAMES BALDWIN, Author of Baldwin's School Readers, Harper's Readers, etc., and An Eight Book Series or a Five Book Series The appearance of this new series of readers is one of the most important events which has ever taken place in the educational world. The authorship of the series is conclusive evidence of its rare worth, of its happy union of the ideal and the practical. These readers are very teachable and readable. They are unusually interesting, both in selections and in illustrations. The selections are of a very high literary quality. Besides the choicest school-book classics, The illustrations constitute the finest and most attractive collection ever brought together in The pages are remarkably clear and beautiful. The type is from a new font, especially The chief design of the books is to help pupils to acquire the art and the habit of reading The contents are well balanced between prose and poetry, and the subject-matter is unusually varied. Selections relating to similar subjects or requiring similar methods of study or recitation, are grouped together. Many of the selections are in dialogue form and suitable for dramatization. Mills College is neither sectional nor denominational; it belongs to the whole Pacific Coast. Its property is held by a Board of Trustees representing varied interests; its students last year came from seventeen States and countries. It is not necessary for a young woman of this Coast desiring a woman's college to go to the distant Atlantic Coast. President, Luella Clay Carson, A. M., Litt, D., LL. D. For catalogue, address Secretary, Mills College P. O., Cal. To reach Mills College direct from San Francisco via Key Route boat. From boat take Oakland train, change at Poplar Junction for Twelfth and Broadway, there to car marked "Mills College." The New Cross-Continent Line For one hundred miles through the marvelous gorge of the Sierras-the Feather E. L. LOMAX Passenger Traffic Manager G. F. HERR Asst. General Passenger Agent SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Little Talks by the Way By EDWARD HYATT (Under this head Superintendent Hyatt will try to give some account of what he sees and hears and thinks in traveling about officially among the schools of California. It will be somewhat hasty and ill-digested, being jottings on the road. It will deal with personal experiences, and so may lock egotistic. It will be subject to frequent change of opinion, and will seem inconsistent. It is done as a free and easy means of communication between the school people of the State and the central school office. If it provokes retort or comment, that will be printed, too, provided that it be brief and interesting.) Trustee Institute The Ventura County trustees assembled in institute September 16 at the high school building in the county seat. County Superintendent Reynolds called the meeting to order and was elected chairman. He opened the proceedings with a most admirable address, which would make good reading if it were printed. Mr. Reynolds is a very quiet, modest man who never has a word to say for himself; but when he has a public duty, he prepares himself and sheds honor upon himself and his county in the doing He was followed by Superintendent Mark Keppel of Los Angeles, who was chief speaker from outside the county. Splendid High School Ventura is covering itself with glory in the erection of a splendid new high school, set in a generous 15 acre tract overlooking the sea. The building is of concrete and will cost $65,000. It is two stories high and in the classic style. It will be shaped for agricultural work. Professor W. H. Wagener, the principal, is devoting his whole. soul to this new creation, working by day and dreaming by night. He watches every bucket of cement and broods over every detail of the plan. Think of fifteen acres for a public school ground! It would have been impossible five years ago. We are advancing. Moving Pictures I was interested in observing that this new building is planned with facilities for stereopticon appliances in all the important rooms. Coming events cast their shadows before. When the schools use the principle of the moving picture show for imparting instruction in geography, history, agriculture and what not, then Ventura will be in the swim without the necessity of remodeling the building. Why not? The enormous popularity and power of the picture show ought to teach us school people something. We should in some way seize it and clean it and use it. SAN FRANCISCO, OCTOBER, 1911 Chairs vs. Desks We shall see the immovable school desk pass away and its place taken by tables and chairs, such as we use in the homes. I see many symptoms of the coming change in my walks abroad. Today comes a catalogue from a firm in New York offering a movable school chair, with writing board in front and box for books under the seat. The prices range from three to five dollars each. They can be readily moved by the pupils into a semicircle for class exercise or along the walls to clear the floor. It is a You have rebuilt your mart, And opened wide your doors. No hint of woe Or loss the stranger hears, again you show Your splendid hospitality-yet we know The ruins hid behind your buildings high, And tears are close e'en though your eyes are dry. This twentieth century courage is far more Than that your fathers showed in days of yore. -N. E. Journal of Education. (Katherine D. Blake is the lady that the California insurgents insisted on having for treasurer of the N. E. A. She was especially helpful to the teachers of San Francisco during the 1906 disaster-Editor.) fine scheme for the janitor, when he wants to sweep the room. Good Rural High School The Hemet High School, in Riverside County, has moved into an elegant new building, built in classic design, and set upon a ten acre tract of land. Its cost is $40,000. Principal Boughu has just issued an admirable manual for the school, containing its history, its aims, its activities during the past year and its intentions for the coming one. Its course of study and the rules and regulations of the Board of Trustees are also included. There are eight No. 10 members of the faculty, where ten years ago. there were but two. Good Idea From South The Virginia School Supply Company at Richmond, Va., advertises a good idea that ought to be a hint to some California manufacturer. It is ready-made jackets to go around school stoves of any size and shape, costing from $15 to $20. There is also a register to go in the floor under the stove, admitting fresh air, and costing $5 extra. The stove-jacketing idea is a great thing and the rural school people ought to study it and in some way make use of it. It is not properly understood or appreciated, up to date. Home Products League In San Francisco is a strong organization for promoting the use of products made in California. As a means to this end the League has just completed a gigantic task. in conducting a prize essay contest in the schools of the city. More than 150 prizes were awarded on October 7 to the successful contestants. I attended this event in the great stadium of Golden Gate Park, where President Taft is to dedicate the Exposition next week. It was a great event, and was well carried out by good speakers and skillful musicians. The prizes awarded were infinite in variety-cash, boxes of candy, electric irons, Shasta Water, sweaters, books, shoes, pictures, sacks of flour, dozens of neckties, stepladders, canned goods, and scores of other things besides. All the Go Institutes are now all the go. October is the great month for them. They cost a good deal of time and money and superintendents should plan them thoughtfully and prayerfully. They do well to guard against too much on the program. A continuous procession of unrelated lectures leaves confusion behind. Too much pabulum cannot be digested. Better get one or two people with a message and give them a chance to deliver it than to have a dozen professional speakers treading on each other's heels. A Safety Valve Some counties have gone stale on institutes. Always the same for twenty years, the teachers are tired of them, they growl |