GENERAL EDUCATIONAL NEWS AND COMMENT Under the auspices of the American. Council on Education a number of undergraduate students, awarded one thousand Hollar scholarships by the Committee on Foreign Travel, are spending their junior rear in the universities of England, France, Germany, and Spain. In an article entitled "The Junior Year Abroad" The Educational Record, April 1926), David Allan Robertson recounts the circumstances of arrangement and the situtions and impressions of some individual tudents in various fields of work. enforced self-reliance" necessary at the University of Munich led F. H. Lumley, rom Ohio State University, to comment: The University officials here have been very kind nd have helped me in any way they could. I had an nteresting talk with the rector, in which he informed ne, with a cheerful shrug of the shoulders, that it The ested with me what I would make of myself. After he tender way in which American universities nurse long their students, this seems very cold-blooded. However, it has a tonic effect. It is a direct challenge o the student to show what he can do, and I am sure many of them pick up the glove. Quite a contrast is he American system of cramming an education into he heads of students, by means of enforced attendance, onstant quizzing, and threatened expulsion. The freeom from prerequisites is another source of pleasure. Ohio State has a maze of courses, all tied to each other y chains of prerequisites. To ensure a well-balanced ollege course, the American student must plan his chedule before coming to college, or adopt one of the lready made outlines. A hitch, and his courses reemble the misplaced strata of rock after an earthuake. As far as I can see, German universities are ot nearly so particular-they leave it to the student o have secured a good foundation for the course he s going to take. Upon the student's confidence in his bility rests the choice of any particular course. That the European system has begun o have an influence upon administration n American universities would seem to be ndicated by a report in a recent issue of he Journal of Education: "In this age of liberalization in educaion nothing has approached the faculty action of Harvard University in saying hat, beginning in February, members of he senior class in good standing may use heir own discretion in attending classes and lectures. "The rule is as follows: Men on the dean's list, and all seniors in good standing, are trusted with greater responsibility and discretion in the matter of attendance, so far as this does not interfere with the collective interests of the classes to which they belong. "The only limitation seems to be that the seniors cannot extend their vacation under this rule. "It is rumored that if the seniors do not abuse this freedom it may go to the juniors at no distant day, and later to the sophomores. "Of course, there will be those who will look upon this as a tendency to lawlessness, but others will regard it as a long step toward personal responsibility." * * According to statistics published recently by the French Ministry of Public Education, there were 52,960 students regularly enrolled in the seventeen French universities on July 31, 1925. The University of Paris comes first with 22,521 students, the leading provincial universities being those of Lyons, with 3,476; Toulouse, with 2,819; Bordeaux, 2,790; Strassburg, 2,729; Grenoble, 2,347; Montpelier, 2,230, and Lille, 2,149. French and foreign students in French universities were distributed as follows among the various schools and departments: Faculties of law, 16,517; sciences, 11,272; letters, 10,299; medicine, 6,551; medicine and pharmacy, 4,260; pharmacy, 1,480; Catholic theology, 199; Protestant theology, 72; preparatory schools of medicine and pharmacy, 2,380.- School and Society. The Commissioner of Education of the United States has formed a Committee on Materials and Instruction. It is announced by the Bureau of Education, Department of the Interior, that the follow ing persons have accepted appointment on this committee: Miss Mary McSkimmon, president, National Education Association; Dr. W. B. Owen, president of the Chicago Normal College and past president of the National Education Association; Dr. Randal J. Condon, superintendent of schools of Cincinnati and president of the department of superintendence of the National Education Association; S. D. Shankland, executive secretary, department of superintendence; Hon. J. C. Wright, director, Federal Board for Vocational Education; Hon. A. B. Meredith, commissioner of education of Connecticut; Matthew Woll, American Federation of Labor; A. W. Whitney, National Safety Council; Dr. Charles H. Judd, director of the School of Education of the University of Chicago; Dr. C. R. Mann, director, American Council on Education; Dr. George A. Works, professor of rural education, Cornell University; Mrs. Susan M. Dorsey, superintendent of schools, Los Angeles, California; and John J. Tigert, commissioner of education of the United States. The purpose of this committee is to collect, analyze, and interpret materials which may be used by those who are engaged in curriculum study and curriculum reorganization. The first meeting of the committee was held in Washington on May 7. cago; Katherine Lee Bates, professor of English literature, Wellesley College, and author of "America the Beautiful"; Argelo Patri, principal of a public school. New York City; Mrs. A. H. Reeve, president of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers; Mary McSkimmon, president of the National Education Associa tion; Dr. John J. Tigert, U. S. Commissioner of Education; Edwin Lee Hulett, dean of St. Lawrence University; Mrs. William Brown Meloney, editor of the Delineator. Dr. John Dewey prepared an article which served as an introduction to the contest. His article on "What Is the Matter With Teaching?" was published last October in the American Educational Digest concurrently with its publication in the Delineator. The article was noteworthy and attracted wide attention. Thousands of letters were received by the Delineator, in which Mr. Dewey's statements were attacked and defended. Announcement is now made that the judges of this contest have prepared a report which shows that 3,283 answers in the form of articles were submitted. These articles were analyzed by the judges, and interesting tabulations were given out by Mrs. Meloney, the editor of the Delineator, who says that "these opinions, given by teachers, parents, and others interested in the development of education in America, constitute one of the most complete and valuable critical summaries yet compiled on this important subject." The tabulations in part follow: Last fall the Delineator offered prizes to the amount of $2,000 for the best articles on "What Is the Matter With the Teaching Profession and How May Its Evils Be Cured?" The prizes offered to teachers were $500, $300, and $200; to other persons who are interested in education prizes of the same amount were given. The following persons were appointed as judges: Dr. David Starr Jordan, president-emeritus of Leland Attitude of CommunityStanford University; Ada Comstock, president of Radcliffe College; Livingston Farrand, president of Cornell University; Superintendent William McAndrew, Chi STATISTICAL SUMMARY ANSWERS FROM TEACHERS AS TO WHY TEACHERS "Mass" teaching bad; no individuality possible.. Too many subjects taught by one teacher Total Loneliness Living conditions No place to entertain men Personal criticism and lack of freedom in private 321 128 37 Don't be ashamed of your profession Transfer teachers periodically to keep them from growing stale -American Educational Digest. A pamphlet by Dr. Benjamin C. Gruen1,032 berg entitled entitled Every-Child-What He 278 Better co-operation between home and school 168 Revise respect for culture and learning P. T. A. or mothers' clubs should function more widely Departmental, rather than grade teaching 166 105 173 284 76 Educate the public by a publicity campaign and heads of the schools More social life for teachers Total 1,553 mprove School Administration-"The System"Special classes for backward children 82 Simplify curricula 135 Equalize grade and secondary teachers' salaries.. 81 174 163 Reduced clerical work (Hire clerks to do it). 81 153 Frequent inspection by experts Needs and What We Have to Offer Him in Education has recently been reprinted from the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science of September, 1925. In a very succinct and interesting way the author attacks our misunderstanding of the meaning of "equality" for EveryChild or for men and women by interpreting it to mean "competitive advantage" or ordinary rivalry. "Our schools as well as our economic and political ventures assume that success consists of beating the others." We are not teaching our pupils to "spell well", but insist that they "spell best." He does not, however, object entirely to 33 using rivalry in teaching. He objects to the way it is taught. He recognizes the value of rivalry appeals used in schools, "not merely to stimulate the individual child to maximum effort, but also to arouse loyalty to the group.' rivalry as an ultimate criterion of values," and that we allow rivalry "to remain attached to values that are relatively unimportant instead of drawing them on to higher levels of appreciation." That is, jealousy is not bad when it is "of honor" instead of "prizes and ribbons", etc. "Education in rivalry", then, "is far from complete until every child is prepared to sacrifice honors and labels for the larger and the lasting welfare." In answering the question as to what Every-Child needs, the author says he "needs to experience both failure and success in his competitive relations with others; and he must have opportunity and guidance to help him transcend those rivalries that he will experience without our assistance. In discussing "What We Have to Offer Him in Education" the author says "a frank recognition of his individuality." That can be accomplished (1) by offering Every-Child "the widest possible range of experiences, and the freest possible choice among them"; (2) by modifying the method or "procedure of the school" and allowing the child to get his education "in his own way, and at his own pace"; (3 by a new attitude on the part of the teacher towards EveryChild's "initiative and activity" by acknowledging "the child's effort and performance on merit-regardless of what others do." It is encouraging to note that the recent movement in individual instruction copes with these problems to a large extent. * * * Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, is making a study of elementary courses of study which is far more complete than has been attempted elsewhere. Practically every latest course of study, state, county, and city, in the United States, is in the collection, and the most complete in every state, county, and city is singled out for commendation. Here are a few sample superior courses in various subjects: Long Beach, California, is prominent in language and grammar; Los Angeles in geography, literature, reading, and arithmetic; Berkeley, California, in history, civics, and elementary science. Other cities that stand high in more than one subject are: Denver, Baltimore, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Des Moines; Elizabeth and Trenton, New Jersey; Highland Park, Michigan; Oak Park, Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; Okmul gee, Oklahoma. There are some 30,000 courses of study in various subjects, all classified and so arranged that one can put his hand on any subject in any city. To attack the problems of crime, the law school of Columbia University has adopted a plan of studies unique in Âmerican law education. A research seminar will be established to apply the methods of science in promoting the administration of criminal justice throughout the country, which now, it was declared, is in grave need of sweeping reforms. In its new program of instruction and inquiry, a departure from the law school's century and a half of tradition, Columbia will co-operate with the National Crime Commission and other agencies, among them the proposed New York State Crime Commission backed by Governor Smith. Leading authorities in psychiatry, psychology and other phases of criminology will work with the law faculty.-Journal of Education. Instructors in printing in the Chicago public schools will be interested in the program of the fifth annual convention of printing instructors to be held at the U. T. A. School of Printing, in Indianapolis, June 30 to July 2. NEWS OF CHICAGO SCHOOLS Job analysis for teachers in Chicago ublic schools is being sponsored by the High School Teachers' Club through the lucational committee of that organizaon. Each teacher is asked to make an nalysis of his own work. The procedure ach is asked to follow is given below: Take sample copy as a guide and write or itemize | separate sheets of paper the duties discharged durg the day at short intervals, of say ten minutes, ting all regular work as well as interruptions and traordinary duties performed. It would be well to make this analysis on several pical days, such as 1. Ordinary teaching day. 2. A day at the beginning of term. 3. A day at end of month. 4. A day at end of five weeks or ten weeks. 5. A day at end of semester. 1. The All Year School. 2. Organization of supervision. 3. Extension of civic teaching. 4. Interruptions to teaching. 5. Records and reports of pupils. Should “A”, “B plus", "B", "C", and "D" be used instead of "S", "E", "G", and "F"? 6. Preservation in the upper grades of habits, accuracy, good penmanship, etc., secured in the lower grades. 7. Revision of the Course of Study. 9. Any other topics of value to the system. 0. New organizations. Should they be admitted to the Council? Supplementary-Also the following: “TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, CHICAGO: "RECOMMENDED, that beginning with June, 1926, e efficiency ratings of teachers in the Chicago public hools be 'Superior, Satisfactory, and Unsatisfactory, stead of Superior, Excellent, Satisfactory, Unsatis"REASONS: The efficiency rating filed in the office ctory, and Inefficient.' the superintendent of schools are for administrative rpose only. The information which the superintendt desires to secure from these ratings is whether e teacher is satisfactory in the position which she is cupying, whether she is unsatisfactory, or whether e is above the average and therefore worthy of prootion in the system. "The state law provides that 'promotions of teachers, incipals, and other educational employes shall be made r merit only. In order to carry out this provision the law, it is necessary for the superintendent to informed which teachers are above the general aver age and, therefore, worthy to be considered for promotion. The mark of 'Superior' indicates this, and the additional mark of 'Excellent can indicate no more. Furthermore, the two marks of 'Excellent' and 'Superior' tend to create useless dissension and rivalry between teachers in the system." * * With the lecture by Dallas Lore Sharp at the Studebaker Theatre, on April 17, the Chicago Division of the I. S. T. A. demonstrated that a theatre can be crowded by that organization for a lecture which is really good. The great success, according to leaders in the group, was due to intensive advertising of the event. On April 17, at the LaSalle Hotel, the Principals' Club gave a luncheon in honor of the emeritus members of that group affected by the recent ruling regarding principals and teachers seventy years of age. Each school had taken similar steps at an earlier date. Mr. Henry Geilen of the Chicago Normal College was the speaker at the annual spring dinner of the High School Teachers' Club, held at the Woman's City Club on May 15. He spoke on "Present Tendencies in Art". On May 6, D. J. Beeby, principal of Oglesby School, spoke to classes in Educational Measurements in the Chicago Normal College upon the uses which he finds in his school for standardized tests. He explained that he is using intelligence tests as a basis for classifying his pupils within a half-grade; as a partial basis for promotion (determining whether the pupil is working up to his ability); as a means of letting the teacher know at the beginning of the semester the mental caliber of each of her new pupils; and as a source of objective data upon which to base interviews with parents. Achievement tests he finds useful for assisting a teacher to compare her class with other classes and to measure the gain they |