mechanical routine, the lock step, the dead common school tone, of which we hear some complaint. But election of studies in the high schools is yet far away, and must come gradually if at all, as experience makes clear the wisdom of it and the way to it.

A REMARKABLE development is now taking place in our normal schools, which in time may lead to important changes in their policy. The proportion of high school graduates in attendance upon them has increased very rapidly within three years. The Milwaukee school, which has only the advanced two years' course, has reached an enrollment of between five and six hundred; and the Oshkosh school, the largest in the state, shows that almost one-third of its normal pupils are high school graduates. This movement ought This movement ought to go on steadily until one after another all the schools can be put on the same basis as that at Milwaukee. As the high schools grow in numbers and efficiency it becomes less and less necessary that the normals should duplicate their work. When one of them reaches an enrollment of a thousand it is time to ask whether that is not large enough, and whether the interests of the schools of the state and of the tax-payers are not better subserved by cutting off the lower classes, and turning the energies of the institution more exclusively to the professional training of teachers. The time for asking this question seriously, is evidently not far away.

THOSE Whose efforts led to the establishment of the county superintendency expected the office to be one of the leading formative agencies in the educational work of the state. They provided that the superintendent should annually conduct an institute for the instruction of teachers, and conduct meant to teach, not merely to get the teachers together and manage the business matters of the gathering. Thus the superintendent was to be the expert, the teacher of teachers, as well as the supervisor of the schools under their charge. Moreover, they expected him to deliver addresses upon educational subjects in various places in his county, and thus to become a force in forming and directing the opinion of his county in school matters. An office of such weight and dignity would naturally be attractive to thoroly educated Graduates

of colleges and normal schools, after gaining some experience in teaching, would naturally seek to enter the superintendency, and thus the influences of these centers would be directly felt by the people, and tend to the uplifting of our rural schools. Perhaps the conception was

not wholly chimerical, and in the increase of graduates which we are witnessing, may soon be realized.

This

AMONG the changes recommended by the educational commission for the improvement of the Chicago schools are some of general interest. The reduction of the school board from twenty-one to eleven members is in line. with the report of the committee of fifteen, and with the best modern thought. A large board makes the doing of business more difficult, and diminishes personal responsibility, thus increasing the chances for politics and improper influences. Still more significant is the appointment of a business manager for the schools, and the making his term of office and that of the superintendent six years. concentrates responsibility and assures the holding of the office long enough to make possible the working out of a policy so as to show its practical results. These important officers thus have a measure of independence, and can make themselves felt in the administration and perfection of the school system. The separation of the business and the professional sides of school administration is hereby fully recognized, and the importance and peculiar character of the latter cannot fail to be more fully recognized in consequence. It is to be hoped that the report will bring about these reforms.

AN IRRATIONAL ECONOMY.

Changes in principals of high schools have been more numerous than was anticipated at the opening of the season, and mostly in the smaller high schools, as usual. The dominant reason for them is the desire on the part of school boards to cut down expenses. The principal who has been for some time in charge of a school has gained a slight increase of salary from year to year in recognition of the satisfaction which his services have given; at length a period of "economy" comes, and he is allowed to go so that the school may return in its expenditures to the salary with which he began. A new man must be tried, who may or may not be adequate to the duties, but who in any event must spend a year or two in becoming thoroly familiar with the needs of the schools and in adjusting himself to the situation and the pupils to himself. If unsuccessful he is dismissed at the end of a year. If successful his salary is advanced, and he must go in two or three years in order to "economize." No sensible man will approve in theory such a plan for the management of schools; but how is it to be remedied?

Where no other important conditions enter into the change of principals it may be safely affirmed that the economy is a false one. A saving of two or three hundred dollars is hardly appreciable in its effect upon the rate of taxation. It belongs in fact to the petty economies, not beneath consideration indeed, but not to be made at the risk of sacrificing any important interests. This fact is so evident that a community is justified in suspecting that such a reason when alleged is merely a cloak to cover other, and perhaps not altogether praiseworthy, motives. In fact it seems proper always to enquire, what does this move really mean? The maximum and minimum of salary can be fixed with reference to the resources of the community in such a way as practically to eliminate this cause of changes of teachers, and ought to be so fixed in every community. There are at times. valid reasons for changing the principal of the public schools, but we seriously question whether the saving of the difference between a maximum and a minimum salary once properly determined can ever be accounted a satisfactory reason. S.

IDEALS OF TEACHING ENGLISH.

Nowhere have we seen a more suggestive and valuable paper on teaching English than the discussion by Dr. Richard Jones, in the New York "Examination Bulletin No. 13, June, 1897," which bears the sub-title, "College-Entrance English." In this issue of the JOURNAL we publish some extracts from the Bulletin which will enable an intelligent reader to understand clearly the different ideals of work in English which prevail at some of our leading institutions. We may state the differences presented in the extracts in the form of two questions: Should the aim of this work be appreciation of literature or skill in composition? and should the training be in minute and scholarly criticism of literary masterpieces, or in an appreciation of their general scope, meaning and organization? The Bulletin brings out very clearly, by presenting sets of examination questions from various colleges, the fact that a student prepared so as pass at Harvard might fail at Yale, and vice versa. This fact makes the work of the secondary schools peculiarly difficult, since they are usually not feeders to one college alone, but must aim to prepare for all.

The pres

sure of these schools, preplexed as they are by such contradictory ideals, compels the continual discussion of the teaching of English.

It is a great advantage to have these different aims clearly set forth and illustrated. The

teaching of English has been, and too often still is, quite lacking in distinctness of aim. It staggers about, wasting time without attaining in general any clear cut result. The teachers do not know exactly what they are trying to do, and consider themselves successful if they are able to make the recitation period not wholly barren of interest. Progress out of this condition begins by recognizing some distinct aim, and devising means for attaining it. When several are brought to light we are compelled to examine the claims of each and to determine their relations to each other.

We are not able to set aside as unimportant any of the aims suggested. Indeed it seems to us that a thoroly satisfactory teaching of English requires an effort to attain them all. Nor, although training for one exclusively will not prepare for examination on another, are they on that account contradictory or necessarily mutually exclusive. Good composition, appreciation of literary workmanship, minute and scholarly criticism, and a thoro grasp of the scope and structure of the literary whole, may all reasonably be demanded of one who has received proper secondary training in English. They sustain and support each other, and are to be all sought at all stages of school training. No one will claim that they can be quickly acquired, nor that they should be sought together in a single recitation period. Composition has already secured for itself a distinct recognition in our programs, and needs now to be more fully and intelligently correlated with the work in literature, that the two may appear in their proper relation as complementary to each other. The exact criticism is the more difficult to cultivate properly. It implies a basis of grammatical and linguistic knowledge attained slowly and with difficulty, but giving as a general culture result something of the same quality as comes from classical training. This minute criticism so easily runs off into trivialities, suffocates in dry-as-dust details, dissipates with scattered and unorganizable information, that much knowledge and skill is required to make it successful.

It is with a view of this difficulty, as it seems to us, that the distinction is made in the literature lists for college preparation between books to be read and books to be studied. Out of the first ought to be got at least that knowledge of the scope and structure of the work, of the relation of the parts, of the development of character, which constitutes the first, most indispensable and most important claim of a work of literature upon its

reader. This he may get while neglecting many of the verbal and grammatical details, and the habit of getting this is fundamental to profitable reading. It is therefore to be cultivated assiduously. Great help toward it is afforded by the minute and critical study of a few important productions, a study which adds to the appreciation of the general literary structure a more or less detailed verbal, grammatical, rhetorical, historical and allusional analysis of the work in hand. It is not supposed that the secondary pupil will attempt to make this study exhaustive, as a language specialist might. The aim is rather to make him aware of the fields of knowledge which lie untilled around him, to make literature richer and more full of meaning to his eyes, and to cultivate to some extent the habit of minute study. This work requires therefore thoroness of knowledge and ripeness of judgment on the part of the teacher.

This necessarily brief and superficial glance at the matter will, we feel sure, amply justify the claim that large special preparation is needed by the teachers of English in our high schools. S.

THE NEW READING.

In the first place note the spread of the reading habit. It is vigorously pushed into the hamlets and remote districts of our state by the traveling libraries. The library commission is not only sending out books, but magazines, and papers like the Youth's Companion, which penetrate to isolated homes, and set agog with interest children who have hardly known what a book is. The crossroads schoolhouse no longer confines itself to mumming text-books, but has some reference volumes, some books to lend for home reading, some pictures and magazines-old it may be, but modern in matter and illustration. The public libraries of our cities are growing in numbers and still more remarkably in the extent to which they are used. Magazines and newspapers are so numerous that no one can keep up with their names-dailies, weeklies, monthlies, quarterlies, and so on. Books are multiplied as never before. Thus the reading habit is spreading into new fields and expanding in old ones. Families of moderate means have really a long list of publications which they read. And here is the N. Y. Independent, a weekly issue of seventy-five pages as large as the Century magazine, sold for five cents.

The Outlook preceded it in this change of form-weekly magazines, we have to call them. A man sits down by the evening lamp

and reads two or three of them before he goes to bed. A child draws a book from the public library one morning and returns it the next. He has read it thru. Grant it, then, the reading habit is both spreading and expanding, and that rapidly.

In the second place it is changing in character. The reading is more and more for information instead of for amusement. Story papers and story magazines are still published, but their world is not increasing. Novels still constitute the bulk of the circulation of the public libraries, but they go to women and children. The trend of demand is shown by the periodicals, and may be expressed by a word -timeliness. Up-to-date information, discussions, topics, even poems, constitute their chief attractions. The continued novel is under partial eclipse. Even the short story, like the poem, takes a subordinate place. Many try their hands at it, few attain decided success. But the timely article, travel sketch, discussion, bits of history, and so on, they are the attraction that sells the publication. Just now we want articles and books about Cuba, Manila, Honolulu, naval warfare, Spain, the Armada, John Paul Jones, Imperialism, and so on.

This means that the interests of all of us have become world wide. The life and problems of the present have a hold upon the masses as never before. The world unity, secured by cables and telegraphs and printing presses, more and more completely asserts itself in the daily life and thought of each and all. It is obvious, too, that these tendencies are not passing fashions, but are destined to grow deeper and stronger. One who is to live in the coming century must read more, more widely, more comprehendingly, and more comprehensively than his father did. The school must teach this art more effectively, must develop as a more rapid, more discriminating and more multifarious reader, the child who is to live in the twentieth century.

THE MONTH.

WISCONSIN NEWS AND NOTES.

S.

-Mayville is erecting a new and commodious high school building which, it is hoped, will be ready for occupancy in September.

-Robert E. Rienow, who graduated at the university in 1894, and was for three years principal of the high school at Fox Lake, and afterwards at Brodhead, has been elected pro

-The board of regents of normal schools estimate the running expenses of these institutions for the coming year at $311,088.

-The total enrollment at the Oshkosh normal school last year, exclusive of the preparatory academy, was exactly one thousand, of whom 727 were in the normal department. Of these 224 were high school graduates.

-We note with gratification that Prof. C. H. Sylvester, who two years ago resigned his position as institute conductor at the Stevens Point normal school, is to resume work in that school next fall. He will not be institute conductor, but will have charge of English literature work in the school.

-Mr. F. E. Bolten, who graduated at the university three years ago, and after a year of graduate study here, went to Germany and spent a year in the university at Leipsic, returning to this country and gaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Clarke university this year, has been elected professor of psychology in the Milwaukee normal school.

-The Wisconsin Free Library Commission issues statistics of free traveling libraries in the United States. It appears that the movement for their establishment arose in New York in 1893, and that state now has the largest number of them, 687. Next follows Ohio with 264; Minnesota has 125; Wisconsin 159. In all there are 1,657 in the United States.

-Milton college this year issues a catalog of eighty-four pages. It contains an interesting historical statement tracing the growth of the institution from its beginning as a select school in 1845. It was incorporated as a college in 1867. The attendance last year was 135, of whom 47 are in the preparatory classes, and 53 in the college. The school of music. has an enrollment of 90.

-The State Board of Examiners, at the July examinations, awarded county superintendent's certificates to nine candidates, as follows: Ella B. Barker, River Falls; Nellie E. Barker, River Falls; Mrs. Frances Boughton, Manitowoc; Clara Filholm, Manitowoc; Walter E. Gleason, Verona; Matilda Hanson, Manitowoc; Mrs. G. B. Rhoads, Hartland; G. H. Robertson, Glendale; M. A. Torphy, Barneveld.

-The Milwaukee normal school, with only the advanced course of two years, had last year a total enrollment of 630. Almost four hundred of these-394-were in the normal

all high school graduates, and a glance at the roll in the catalog assures one that between a third and a half of them come from without the city of Milwaukee. Indeed, the summary by counties shows only 197 for Milwaukee.

In the Stevens Point normal school the senior class of this year, thirty-nine in number, contained only six graduates of high schools, and in the junior class of ninety-three there are but thirteen. In the remainder of the school, 284, there are but twenty-two high school graduates. The illustrations in this catalog are many and interesting, presenting views of the building, equipment and work

of the school.

-We regret to notice that Hon. W. N. Hailman, formerly of Milwaukee, leaves this year the position of superintendent of Indian schools, which he has filled for many years with so much acceptance. He has done an important work in bringing the government schools to bear more closely upon the home life of the people, and in improving the teaching in the schools. He is to be succeeded by Miss Estelle Reel, formerly state superintendent of Wyoming.

-We learn that Miss Jessie Nelson, who graduated this summer at the University, is to teach elocution at Racine; Miss Edessa Kunz, of the same class, is assistant in English and history in the third ward high school at Appleton; Miss Florence Vernon, who has been at Neenah, goes to Edgerton; Miss Anna Tarnutzer goes from New Lisbon to Prairie du Sac; Miss Fanny Ellsworth becomes assistant at Oregon; C. G. Babcock becomes assistant at Oregon.

-The new catalog of the River Falls normal contains plans of the building in process of erection for the school, but no general view or elevation of it. We understand that the building is now enclosed, and will probably be ready for occupation with the opening of the new year in September. The enrollment of the school reached 451 last year, with 263 in the normal department. The catalog contains no indication as to what proportion of these are high school graduates-presumably a smaller proportion than in in the normal schools in the southern and more developed portions of the state.

-The catalog of the Whitewater normal school contains two excellent cuts of the new building, one from the east and the other from the west side. Only in this way can the wings on either side of the main building be

shown. The building and grounds are now, perhaps, the most attractive of any in the state. Especial attention has been given to the latter which contain a large and interesting variety of shrubs and trees. Each of these has its name attached to a small iron post near-by, so that the yard becomes a valuable means of instruction. The total enrollment of the school is 534-with 386 in the normal department. No means of ascertaining the number of high school graduates is given in the catalog, which we think unfortunate.

-We have received a seventeen-page pamphlet containing an address by Supt. Roeseler, of Sauk county, entitled, "Is it profitable to teach psychology and pedagogy to third grade rural school teachers?" This experiment has been tried in Sauk county more thoroly and for a longer time than in any other part of the state. It is interesting, therefore, to find him reaching the conclusion: "My opinion is that the most profitable institute work is professional work. There should be academic work done with the object of making clear psychological and pedagogical processes." The address keeps close to the practical experience of the superintendent in managing this instruction, and will therefore be found interesting and helpful to other workers in this field.

-We have learned of the following appointments of principals of high schools: Jay Hamilton takes the school at Cumberland; Albert Hedler that at Augusta; Myron E. Baker becomes principal at Poynette; E. C. Gotham assumes charge at Centralia; Mr. Hancock at Shullsburg; G. H. Hambrecht becomes superintendent at Grand Rapids; Mr. McDowell, who has had charge of a ward school at Merrill, takes the Pewaukee high school; M. Odland becomes principal at Springfield; Mr. Cornelius, who has been first assistant there, takes the principalship at Wauwatosa; Mr. Kelley goes to Marshall; Mr. Freeman to Barron; A. C. Finn takes charge of the school at Thorpe; David Jones of that at East Troy; Mr. Callahan of that at New Richmond; Mr. A. Buell, formerly assistant at Janesville, of that at Brodhead, and Mr. G. G. Williams of that at Washburn; A. W. Tressler, a graduate of Michigan University, becomes principal at Ripon.

-The enrollment at the Wisconsin summer school has reached 204, although at this writing the second half of the general course has not opened. This will naturally bring many new students. The general course has proved very

inspiring and interesting. The classes in drawing have made unexpected progress, and shown how valuable even a short course in this subject may be under an enthusiastic and capable teacher. The model class work, with Miss Robbins and Prof. Galbreath, has also proved exceedingly interesting and practical. In physical culture there was a large class who thoroly enjoyed and profited by the instruction. Altho the attendance in this general course was less than had been hoped for, great satisfaction is expressed by all who availed themselves of it. The increased attendance upon the school as a whole is especially gratifying as reports from summer schools east and west of us show a smaller enrollment than in former years, due perhaps in part to the war and the pressure of other interests.

-At the Milwaukee meeting last year of the N. E. A., a committee was drafted by the library section to recommend lists of books and editions suited for reading and reference use of pupils in the several grades of the pub-. lic schools. The committee has prepared and issued two lists, one for rural schools having only meagre libraries, containing about fifty titles; and one for graded schools in small villages containing more than twice as many. They are distributed into grades, and for use in the class-room, to be read to the pupils by the teacher, and to be read by the pupils at their homes. The multiplication of such lists not only affords guidance to those selecting books for children and for school libraries, but also brings children's literature under constant critical study, which certainly ought to result in improvement in it. Standards are thus set up and the success of writers in making their books sell will depend very much upon their coming up to these standards. In another way, homes and young readers will become more critical even when going outside the lists. Thus the result ought to be very beneficial.

-Candidates for the republican nomination for state superintendent are already carrying on a vigorous canvass. haps, was Mr. L. E.

First in the field, per

Gettle, who has been library clerk in the department during the four years of the present administration, and was well known as principal of the high schools at Edgerton and at Evansville previous to his appointment to his present position. Supt. J. S. Roeseler, of Sauk county, has also announced himself a candidate, and has a strong following. He is a graduate of the state university, was principal of the high school at Sauk City for five years, and has been twice elected superintendent of Sauk county, where