ness of the functions of routine and initiative. His experiments are not yet conclusive; but there is no strong reason to doubt his conclusion that persistence in routinal manipulation, does not blunt the edge of spontaneity and initiative.

The fight for Democracy has aroused endless discussion as to its forms. The Political Democracy has been compared with the Social Democracy and both have been superseded in the mind of the public by the Plebiscitary Democracy. A few timorous spirits have even doubted the wisdom of our Constitution. Radical elements are busy sowing the seeds of discord and disloyalty to a government "for the people" and are openly repudiating a government "by the people," as typified by the present administration. Our schools are doing little to combat a seditious press; our youth are being sent in the world, exposed to gas attacks of anarchistic forces, without the gas mask of countervailing views of genuine democracy. Democracy is not content with winning safety; it must win efficiency.

It must not find itself in the throes of a "happy confusion" when brought face to face with a crisis. The country is extracting little happiness out of this confusion, this duplication of effort unrelieved by a chastened Renascence; and if our schools do their duty by the country, we will never lapse into "confusion.' The Conscription Act is giving a new meaning to Patriotism and to Democracy. Schools must read a new meaning into citizenship. Ungrudging service in fields, compatible with one's experience, effective co-operation for the maximum good, a sublimation of Service as comprehended in the word Duty, and a belief in the attendant wastefulness of the recurring periods of "happy confusion," will do much to make Democracy a safe and happy form of government. A citizenry moved by the springs of selfinterest, can ever again hope to maintain its independence; and the school must undo what an indifferent government, lulled by a fancied isolation, ideally "splendid," has suffered to grow up.

I

WAS talking last night with a man who has a country place in New Jersey, and he expressed himself forcibly regarding the lack of patriotism on the part of the farmers in his vicinity. He said the fathers did not buy Liberty bonds, did not subscribe one cent to any charitable fund, not did their sons enlist. It only corroborated what I had been thinking all summer regarding the country people living in the vicinity of our summer camp in Pennsylvania. I wanted. to be just to them and tried to remember one single instance in which any of my neighbors had done one thing in the name of patriotism, and I had to admit that there was nothing to be said in their favor.

The farmers in our region can hardly be called farmers. They have a little patch of stony land, a couple of cows, a team, two pigs, four dogs and from two to six cats. They eke out a bovine existence by taking summer boarders, allowing their wives to do all the work, while they take the money. They live well, their table is always bountifully supplied, thanks to the work of the children in the garden, which supplies them with vegetables for both summer and winter

the wives being experts in the art of canning. They are Americans for many generations, and have only a feeling of contempt for "furriners" altho they might take a lesson from the few Italians who have settled on some of the abandoned farms, and have made a practical demonstration of what can be done with the old places.

The fathers and mothers live in a past generation. They are illiterate, many of the women hardly able to read or write. The only literature in the house is the weekly paper from the nearest town, over which the father pores, reading slowly and audibly to himself, once in a while giving a piece of news to the wife. They take everything the paper says as Gospel truth, the final verdict in any argument being, "I saw the piece in the paper." I never realized before the power of the country paper.

Generally only one paper is taken, and they do not have the opportunity as in the city, of hearing the views of opposing factions. I do not believe the editors themselves realize the wide influence they wield or they would use their power at this time of their country's need to rouse their readers to a

more active interest in the things that are so vital at the present time.

The fathers and mothers have an active hatred of the English. They quote stories of the revolutionary period and of the War of 1812, and when the English stopped the American boats, they gloated over the fact, and kept the papers to show me the items with an "I told you so" air. I think the manner in which history is taught in the country school is one of the causes of this hatred which is being handed down to the present day children. The War of the Revolution and the war of 1812 is taught with thoroness, by teachers coming from homes where their fathers and mothers have this deeply rooted dislike of everything and everyone foreign, especially the English.

They are all deeply resentful that we are sending food to the Allies, and do not see the necessity of feeding them, while they have to pay fourteen dollars a barrel for flour. They cannot be made to see that this war is their war, and that the Allies must win to preserve their safety. They feel secure in their hills, and say that even if America is attacked, it would only effect New York and the rich

man.

They are not eager for their sons to enlist and use all their small brain power to figure out ways to have them exempted when drafted. They say "If the Germans came here, then perhaps we would fight, but our boys must not go across the water to fight for other people. The Government has no right to send them out of the country." Many of the boys would have enlisted for the excitement of the thing and to get away from home, not

from any feeling of patriotism, but they are stopped by the tears of their mothers and the commands of their fathers.

These parents are willing to have their sons go to the cities and work in the amunition shops because of the high wages. In fact, from my eight years in this district, I feel that the farmer is actuated in all things by a purely economic reason. If any cause does not immediately affect his pocketbook for the better, he is against it. Every motive is a mercenery one. Perhaps it is owing to the hand to mouth existence they have led for generations trying to get a living from soil that refuses to yield much beyond a fine crop of stones, but whatever the cause the question of the almighty dollar is the uppermost one in the minds of the man of the soil. He never subscribes to any charity, and it would be a clever salesman who could sell him a Liberty bond unless he was shown where the Government paid more interest than the local bank. Both men and women are very bitter towards the Government, seeing only the very patent fact that the cost of provisions has soared. That they are asking city prices for their vegetables and poultry, and city prices for their labour, does not influence them in the least. They are against the war. Yet, if he could see where he would economically benefit by the war, I am sure my Pennsylvania farmer would be perfectly willing to sacrifice his wife's relations.

The teachers in the schools have a unique opportunity of influencing the children and bringing a certain amount of pressure on the parents, but in nearly every case the teacher is from the same

class of home as that from which her pupils come. She is in the school to teach "readin', ritin' and 'rithmetic" and feels her duty done if the boy or girl can spell his way thru the fourth reader or figure up the cost of ten bushels of potatoes at $1.80 a bushel. She is not there to inculcate lessons of patriotism nor instill in the minds of her charges a feeling of love for their country.

This country teacher wields as great an influence over the minds of the boys and girls as does the country paper over the minds of the fathers and mothers, and she misses her opportunity thru ignorance.

They still have institute week in our district where all the teachers meet at the County seat, and have a week's conference. It would pay the State to have some one go to that institute and give a talk to the teachers. Show them what a wonderful influence they wield. Inspire them with the greatness of their profession. Let them understand that they are forming the minds of millions of our coming citizens. Teach them that it is not only book knowledge that these children need, but ideals. They need to be taught that there is such a thing as honor.

The minds of the country boy and girl is plastic wax that can be moulded at will, and the teacher has the opportunity of making the coming generation into patriotic men and women, filled with noble ideals, or leaving them no farther advanced than are

their fathers and mothers. It is she who can make them love their country, honor their flag, and be willing, if necessary, to die in a cause that they believe is right. The future of our country, more than we realize, is in the hands of the country teacher.

The Albert Teachers' Agency of Chicago, which for the past fifteen years has been doing business at 623 S. Wabash Ave., has moved its quarters to the new Kimball Building, 25 E. Jackson Boulevard. The constant increase in the business of the Agency has made this removal necessary.

The Agencies' new pamphlet "Teaching as a business" contains interesting chapters on salaries as affected by the war, and much information of value to teachers and others engaged in educational work. Sent free to any address.

To bring its business nearer to many of its clients the Agency has established branch offices at 437 Fifth Avenue, New York City, under the management of S. A. MacKenzie; Spokane, Washington, C. R. Harmeson, Manager; and Denver, Colorado, John Girdler, Manager. These places have been chosen because they are large centers of population in which there are many good schools. The men at the head of these Agencies have had successful experience in the educational field and are believed to possess aptitude for Agency work.

I

WISH this wish may come true in every home thruout the land, be it in a lonely mountain hut, in a prairie cottage at the cross roads, in the village on the bleak uplands, or in the polyglot metropolis at the world's greatest port.

I wish that every father, mother or guardian would make the education of his children the most important business of his life thruout the year 1918.

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I wish that every denatured jail masquerading under the name of "the home" or "the school" would discard its worn out traditions along with its instruments of torture commonly known as chairs, desks, tables, and then let the children's bodies and spirits develop according to Nature's plan.

I wish that every child, old and young, may receive his education thru plays and games; for woe be unto a people that have forgotten how to play and laugh! They will become like unto a Diesel motor, powerful, efficient, heartless, souless!

I wish that childish laughter and shouting be allowed the freedom found in that children's paradise "the movies:" for woe be unto the children who must wait until Daddy Grouch or Teacher Vinegar give the signal to laugh.

I wish that property rights would give way to children's rights everywhere and forever.

I wish that every town, township, and city in the land would dedicate to

all its people a Temple of Health in which God's sunlight and fresh air may nourish humanity's choicest Flowers-the Children; for be not deceived with "gymnasiums" in the cellars of your schools. They are but denatured dungeons from whence cometh health even as from a pillbox!

I wish that training children to get beautiful healthy bodies ruled over by strong, healthy minds be the actual practice and fact thru the whole scheme of education in the home, the school and the church; for what profiteth it a man if he understand all knowledge and all mysteries and be a dyspeptic, neurotic?

I wish that school politicians be interned for the period of the War on Ignorance even as traitors and alien enemies are interned for the duration of the war with European autocracy.

I wish that real patriotism be taught to the generation in the schools and most especially to the generation out of the schools; else it be unsafe to dwell in democracy.

I wish that every man, woman and child be taught his rights in his country, as he is taught his decalog; and then of all things I wish he be fed on his duties as regularly as he receives his daily meals, to the end that his duties become bone and sinew of his citizenship. He must know that for every right there is a duty, and he must do his duty to the last full measure of devotion in keeping sacred and in