leading to graduation simply because they do not possess and do not wish to acquire, or who because of their surroundings have been unable to acquire such knowledge of foreign languages as now is required. In the opinion of this board a state university should provide regular courses leading to graduation and degrees without foreign language requirements of any kind.

STUDENT CONTACT WITH STRONG MEN

Complaint has been made that many students are denied contact with the strong men of the university faculty. Investigation has shown that in certain subjects freshmen and sophomores do not come in frequent contact with the men under whom they are to do the advanced work of the junior and senior years. The Board of Public Affairs urges that these conditions be considered by the university authorities to the end that some plan be provided for bringing underclassmen into more frequent contact with the strong men of the faculty in all departments.

SIZE OF CLASSES

The investigation shows a large number of regular classes to have a membership of ten or less as follows:

5 and under (including those already mentioned)..209 classes 10 and under (including those already mentioned)..382 classes

The policy of maintaining classes of the size indicated should be continued if such are fully justified upon investigation. Reports should be made by the president each semester to the regents upon the number of small classes and the departments in which they are maintained.

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

The Activities of the Farmer. The farmer must produce, and he must sell his product. Agricultural colleges have in

the past directed their energy almost exclusively to the problems of production. They have been engaged in research work and in training students to judge and to improve soils, seeds and live stock; to plow, to sow, to cultivate, to harvest; to build barns, silos and warehouses in which to store and care for farm products-all of which are essential and of prime importance.

Instruction in Distribution. Important as these questions are, however, they touch only one phase of farm life, for abundant production without efficient marketing will net the farmer inadequate returns. It seems to the board that the Wisconsin agricultural college has been too much absorbed in production and, relatively speaking, has neglected distribution and the business side of farm management. This board recommends that the activities of the agricultural college be still further extended to include adequate instruction in distribution as well as in production.

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

No work performed by the University of Wisconsin is more distinctly its own than that of carrying education into every community in the state. This work should be continued and broadened, not only in the so-called scholastic branches but also in lines of social and civic welfare and in efforts to assist farmers and other workers in the analysis and solution of their problems. This board urges particularly such expansion as will aid in making country life profitable, and also pleasurable, attractive and interesting, not only to adults but also to the young, who require social advantages.

DORMITORIES

Living conditions in Madison, because of the restricted area of land available for building purposes, are such that the housing of students at reasonable rates is a pressing problem. The demand for commons and dormitories has been insistent for many years. It is the recommendation of the board that the erection of these buildings be considered in the future building plans of the university and given precedence.

POSITION HELD BY UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

That the administration of the university has been of a su perior order is evidenced by the position it holds both in the state and nation. Yet it is important that the state should critically examine its university. Its ideals are changing, its utility is brought in question by new and changed conditions of society, and there is demand for new departures and new methods to meet new needs. A study of "the efficiency of teaching and educational methods" is herewith presented to the end that the university may be made to serve more completely present and future needs of a great and growing commonwealth. The State of Wisconsin stands upon the threshold of a new era. It looks hopefully and confidently into the future. And in this future, as in the past, the university can and will play a vital part.

6. A TEACHER-TRAINING CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE CALLED BY THE BOARD OF NORMAL SCHOOL REGENTS

In May, 1915, there was held at Madison under the auspices of the Board of Normal School Regents a conference of city superintendents, principals of high schools, and presidents of normal schools, which virtually amounted to a survey of the normal schools. It was denominated by one of the superintendents as both a unique and important event in the history of education in Wisconsin, since it was the first time that the body of school men who work with the graduates of the normal schools were called into a conference to discuss their strength and weakness with the view of improving the work of these teacher-training institutions. The expenses of all in attendance were defrayed by the Board of Normal School Regents.

PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE

The meeting was called to order by Theodore Kronshage, president of the board. In a very frank statement he declared that the board of regents and the presidents of the normal schools were anxious to confer with the superintendents and principals to learn what the product of the normal schools was doing in the field, from the men and women who are the final

judges of the product. He declared that the one definite object which the board had had in mind for years was to improve the professional training of teachers in the normal schools, and that with this purpose in mind the board had during the previous year established in each of the normal schools departments for the training of primary, grammar and high school teachers, thus putting the training of elementary and high school teachers on the same professional basis as that of teachers of special work, such as kindergarten work, domestic science, industrial arts, etc.

He urged all superintendents and principals in this "survey" to be perfectly frank in passing criticisms upon the work of the normal schools, and declared that unless there was objection stenographers would take down what they had to say with the understanding that opportunity would be given them to edit the record after it was written out. This would make it possible for the board to get what educators call their "reaction" in this matter in cold, hard type and thus have the full benefit of it.

QUESTIONS DISCUSSED

The questions discussed by the conference, copies of which had been supplied the superintendents and principals before the meeting, were as follows:

(1) How should the subject matter and the instruction in the normal schools be readjusted so that the teachers going into the public schools may be better prepared to do the work required of them?

(2) What should be the purpose and character of the courses given at the summer sessions of the normal schools?

(3) Should provision be made for giving northeastern Wisconsin normal school facilities, say, in the next four or six years, thus completing the system of normal schools in the state?

Superintendent Burton E. Nelson acted as chairman of the conference. The conference was in session two days and one evening, and was characterized by the freest and frankest discussions of the fundamental work of the normal schools that could well be imagined. However, each speaker, while possibly criticizing the work of these institutions in some par

ticular, as a rule, offered constructive suggestions to correct weaknesses pointed out by him.

CRITICISMS AND SUGGESTIONS

The more important criticisms and suggestions made by members of the conference upon which there was a fair degree of unanimity were as follows:

Normal School Instructors. Every teacher in a normal school should concern himself directly with the training of teachers, not merely from the academic but also from the professional standpoint, and no subject in the courses for the training of teachers should be considered from the college standpoint.

There are too many instructors who know little or nothing about public school problems, and who, not having taught in elementary schools themselves, are not in sympathy with elementary school problems. Instructors also as a rule introduce too much lecture work and hence do not teach in a manner to be imitated or emulated by the young teachers going out to teach in the public schools. Since the best assistance that can be given prospective teachers is to have them "sit under a master of the art of teaching" all the teachers of a normal school, but particularly the teachers in the model schools, should be as nearly perfect as "the imperfections of humanity allow them to be."

Apparently the instructors in the normal schools are not sufficiently supervised by the presidents as to their methods of instruction.

Specialized Training. The board of normal school regents is to be commended for adopting the plan of training teachers specifically for the primary, grammar and high school grades.

"This," as one superintendent remarked, "may result in graduates addressing fewer applications to us like the following: 'Knowing that you have a vacancy in the first grade I hereby apply for that position, but if by chance that is filled I am willing to take any position in the grades or the high school.'

This new plan narrows the field of preparation thus giving students an opportunity of increasing their technique of teaching. However, an effort should be made to induce more