matter in successive years in elementary school. In the reorganization, therefore, it seems important to avoid the repetition of civics in successive junior high school years. The urge for community civics comes from those who feel that too much training in citizenship cannot be had, especially in view of the fact that many junior high school students leave at the end of the ninth year, and therefore miss the advanced citizenship training of the senior high school. Others believe that Ancient History taught in units that have socializing value has developing power quite unsurpassed and that the cultural contacts of this subject are highly educational. Still others substitute a sort of world history. Good-natured discussion and investigation on the part of the committees is proving highly educative and will eventually evolve something in the way of a unified and enriched course in social studies. In the meantime "Community Civics", by Howard Hill, is being used in the ninth year, while those desiring to elect Ancient History are being given that opportunity. A satisfactory course in social studies, one that shall unify geography, history, civics and occupations somewhat more than is now the case, remains to be accomplished, although no one is in doubt as to the large place these studies should have in every school, especially in view of the up-setting conditions of the great war which have revealed weaknesses in our national character and in our moral relations that were not so apparent formerly. The tendency toward radicalism that creates questions in the minds of even the very young as to the actual merit of our form of government; the shocking revelations of vulgar selfishness, brazen greed and dishonesty even in high places; the sudden change in social conditions growing out of the rapid development in industry and the consequent massing of human life in large congested communities which afford scant space for even the physical activities of childhood; and finally the economic readjustments that

rob the home of many of its former help-ful ministrations: all these factors and influences call for tremendous emphasis on those studies and activities that tend to develop social understanding and sympathy, community morale and highmindedness.

In preparing and administering this part of the course of study, two difficulties are almost insurmountable, one the dearth of adequate texts and the other the lack of teachers trained to appreciate social values and able to organize and vitalize instruction through the right sort of subject-matter and activities. Definite progress is being made in both these particulars. Textbooks are improving noticeably in furnishing more vital material organized in a more understandable way than was formerly the case. Teachers, too, are seeing the problems and responding whole-heartedly to the demands upon their time and energies to help the junior high school students into a larger social consciousness and into at least an elementary understanding of social problems through the regular studies of the school and through multiplicity of activities in student self-government and in school clubs designed to meet the social needs.

As was mentioned above, very especial attention is being given to developing prevocational courses. These vary greatly to meet the needs of localities, although there are some constants, such as food and clothing for girls and woodshop and print shop for boys, the latter existing not primarily to make printers or to print forms for the Board of Education but as an aid to school consciousness and as a factor in development of the school community through its paper and other forms of publicity. The print shop becomes, of course, a valuable adjunct to the departments of English and art.

Five factors enter into the instruction in shop courses: a definite aim, actual participation in some home and community activity, occupational information, occupational observation, and com

mon sense guidance and advice.

In some schools elementary electricity and automobile repairing are offered. There is thorough analysis in order of difficulty of the sorts of jobs boys may be expected to do satisfactorily, as: jobs involving body and radiator work, tire repair, chassis work, etc., etc. There follows a statement of what the boy should know in each type of repair. For instance, in the case of tires they should know why tires deteriorate; how to make simple repairs on the road; care of inner tube; best kind of patch; why part should be cleaned before patching, etc., etc. Nothing makes a greater appeal to the boys who love the action and the experience of taking machines apart and putting them together. No city in the world has more automobiles proportionately than Los Angeles. Nowhere are traffic problems so complicated, all of which matters are taken up as a part of the automobile instruction.

In one of these schools there has existed for years a class in chef cookery. Numbers of boys have here received ele mentary training of a sufficiently thorough character to make it possible for them to qualify as junior workers on transcontinental diners.

The curriculum as being worked out in Los Angeles takes cognizance also of the varying capacities of children. Slowly there is being evolved an enriched program for those who can profit thereby, and one of basic essentials, though not meager material, for those who need to move at a more leisurely pace. In the case of the latter there is being done a piece of work in educational self measurement that is quite worth while. A series of lessons in the several subjects outlines by question and suggestion the material to be covered in such fashion as almost to constitute a compendium for selfdirection and intensive drill work.

As the committees have one by one completed their work (and it should be here stated that the actual writing of the course of study has been a joint undertak

ing of the teachers, certain parts or features being assigned to different committee members), the manuscripts have been reviewed by Mr. Arleigh C. Griffin of the Educational Research Department, approved by the superintendent, and finally have been printed in simple, inexpensive form in one of the school print shops. Each monograph contains the course of study in a single subject for both the junior and senior high schools. One artistic soul made no comment upon the merits of the work itself but uttered severe censure of the garb in which the several subject monographs, some twenty in number, appear. By intention this curriculum is put forth in inexpensive form, since the whole project is tentative and the material will all be worked over when desirable changes shall have been agreed upon. Typographically it is most imperfect, with mistakes that would be inexcusable in a work designed to be permanent. Some of the monographs are exceptional pieces of constructive curriculum work, others are only indifferently well done, and others are manifestly deficient. This difference is due to the degree in which the several committees have a vision of what was to be done.

Of one of the monographs I desire to speak briefly-the one called "Character and Conduct". In this, the instruction in behavior is developed not as a separate entity but through the several subjects and activities of school life. To quote the monograph: "There can be no separate and individual curriculum for character building. Whatever is to be accomplished in character teaching must be done through the regular school subjects and through interest developed in the various school organizations and activities." Eleven objectives are laid down as a tentative list of the abilities to be acquired through a character building program, among which are the ability to maintain good health, to develop satisfactory relationships, to carry on a vocation, and to cultivate a spirit of reverence. There follows a careful account of the way in which

these objectives may influence the instruction in every way and the way in which the instruction in each subject may carry over into character building. In other words, upon the teacher of each subject is laid a definite responsibility to assist in character building through the material and activities of her subject.

The course of study in shop work may illustrate the teacher's obligation to hold in mind certain objectives that will influence behavior: it stipulates that the student should acquire abilities that will enable him to work with any group by learning:

(a) To assist others in big jobs.
(b) To be considerate of others in the

use of machines and materials.
(c) To work with others in experiments
and reading.

(d) To respect the rights of others in the shop.

Authority is granted each other to aim at developing reverence through her particular subject. The following outline tends to show the ways in which reverence should be developed through the study of social science. It notes that the pupil 1. Should develop an appreciation of the good and the beautiful in everyday life.

2. Should learn to see the work of the Creator and to respect the inspired handiwork of man.

3. Should develop reverence for the ideals of great people.

4. Should learn to respect all religions because of the sincerity of the converts and followers.

5. Should learn to respect the primitive religions which were reaching out after Deity.

6. Should study the development and influence of the Christian religion. Some school projects of a highly interesting character have been worked out in consonance with the unifying and cooperative spirit of the course of study. One such culminated recently, a playlet

called Aladdin's Lamp. This was a product primarily of the English department, evolved during weeks of study of fairy tales, myths, legends, and folk lore. In its production, however, the art, music, home economics, shop and physical training departments were equally concerned, since it involved careful studies and workmanship in color, design, costuming, stage accessories and settings in oriental posturing. The whole was motivated through being worked out in a realm of thought and action essentially interesting to boys and girls of junior high school years.

In the meantime through a joint publication every junior high school makes contributions to every other of the most significant activities or experiments being carried on in the respective schools. This publication, printed in one of the school print shops, is entitled "How". The last "How" contained information on the following subjects:

1. A ten-week plan in English.
2. Lesson plans in junior high school
supervised study.

3. How I mark tests.

4. A better English campaign.
5. Homogeneous grouping.

Finally, we have not achieved in Los Angeles. We are, however, honestly trying to adjust education to the present day needs of children of junior high school age. We believe that these children need a more sympathetic, liberalizing program than the one track schedule of the old elementary school, one that opens up the riches of life for them to gaze upon, to explore and to appropriate. Whatever has been tested anywhere and found best, we are anxious to try in a sincere desire to improve the educational material and experience of our children. One thing we have fairly well learned and that is that to get anywhere, we must have a goal. Objectives in education have become a real thing to us, not a panacea, but something as indispensable as a target to the marksman.

and meet the standards to follow; nor, that the six-year school should not be organized where administrative convenience or necessity demands it. But such schools would not be regarded as standard.

II. ORGANIZATION

2. A six-year school shall be organized into two units so that the work of the 7th, 8th and 9th grades shall meet all the standards of the junior high school relative to curriculum, training of teachers, and articulation with the senior high school-grades 10, 11, and 12.

(a) Neither the six-year school nor the two-year (7th and 8th grades) junior high school is favored except as an administrative necessity.

(b) In school systems enrolling fewer than 500 pupils in grades 7 to 12, the committee feels the organization should be of the six-year type with the distinction clearly drawn between the junior and senior division at the end of the 9th year.

III. BUILDINGS

3. Facilities should be provided adequately for instruction in academic subjects, in the practical arts, in health education, and in such subjects as may require the laboratory method. Adequate provision shall be provided for assembly programs, social activities, and for the supervision or direction of study.

IV. PREPARATION, OF TEACHERS

4. The minimum academic training of teachers of academic subjects shall be two-thirds of the junior high school equivalent to graduation from a college Central Association which requires for or university accredited by the North graduation one hundred and twenty hours in advance of a four-year high school be teachers of good training, experience, course. The remaining one-third should and maturity. These provisions shall not

be retroactive.

5. The minimum professional training of new junior high school teachers after