taking into consideration our small population. Many applications for divorces are from those who have a husband or wife elsewhere, and the number of divorces granted for causes arising in this State are comparatively few. 6. It has not resulted in unsexing women. They have not been office seckers. Women are gener. ally selected for county superintendents of schools-offices for which they seem particularly adapted; but they have not been applicants for other positions. 7. Equal suffrage brings together at the ballot box the enlightened common sense of American manhood and the unselfish moral sentiment of American womanhood. Both of these elements govern a well-regulated household, and both should sway the political destinies of the entire human family. Particularly do we need in this new commonwealth the home influence at the primaries and at the polls. We believe with Emerson, that if all of the vices are represented in our politics some of the virtues should be. It will be noticed from the above summary that two-thirds of the States making reports have laws giving to women either the right to vote for members of boards of education or to serve as members of such boards, or both; also that in these States, in the great majority of instances, such privileges have resulted in good to the schools. It is hoped that the women of Ohio will take advantage of the power granted them under the new law, and aid in removing from the management of the public schools that narrow partisanship which, in some localities, is their greatest curse. EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS. It is very gratifying to the progressive teachers of the State that the bill proposing to grant certificates for five years, without examination, to applicants who have had ten years' experience did not become a law. It is no doubt true that there are teachers in nearly every county of the State whose successful experience is such as to prove beyond question that they are deserving of special recognition, and having given evidence of good scholarship at different examinations, should, perhaps, be granted certificates without being asked to answer the regular list of questions, or, having reached a certain grade in the common branches, should be permitted to substitute for these branches some of the higher ones. In such instances county boards of examiners, under the present law, can act legally, and should act in such a manner as to encourage successful and progressive work on the part of teachers; but to grant immunity from examinations simply on account of length of experience would be a very dangerous precedent, and would, in many instances, do far more to encourage indolence and laziness than to reward progressive teaching and faithful work. Everyone knows that there are teachers in Ohio who have been pretending to teach for ten, or perhaps twenty years, and who are not as well informed to-day as when they began; and while it is the duty of every board of examiners to know the suc cessful teachers of their county and to give them every encouragement, it is also their imperative duty to rid the profession, just as rapidly as possible, of that class who will not work themselves, and hence are entirely unfitted for progressive work in the schoolroom. Liberality for the hard-working, earnest, successful teacher, but strictness for the lazy, indifferent, unsuccessful one should be the motto of every county examiner in Ohio. PUPILS' READING COURSE. There is no more important branch of study taught in the public school than reading. In fact, it is the key to all other branches, and should receive most careful consideration by both teachers and patrons of the schools. Section 3995 of the school law provides: In any district the board of education may appropriate money from the contingent fund for the purchase of such books, other than school books, as it may be deemed suitable for the use and improvement of the scholars and teachers of the district, and in the purchase of philosophical or other apparatus for the demonstration of such branches of education as may be taught in the schools of the district, or for either of such purposes; but not more than one-half of the amount herein authorized to be appropriated shall be expended in the purchase of such apparatus; such appropriations shall not exceed, in any one year, twelve hundred dollars in city districts containing cities of the first grade of the first class, three hundred dollars in other city districts of the first class, one hundred and fifty dollars in city districts of the second class, and seventy-five dollars in other districts; and the books so purchased shall constitute a school library, the control and management of which shall be vested in the board of education. The board of education of any city of the second class, fourth grade, having a free public library organized, in pursuance of law, may allow such free public library asso ciation the use and control of the public school library, subject, however, to such rules, regulations, and restrictions as said board of education may prescribe for the use and control thereof. In many communities of this State there is no public library, and thousands of children who are not so fortunate as to have libraries in their homes leave school with no fixed habits of reading good books, and hence fall an easy prey to the vicious literature which will, in all probability, be brought to their attention in some way. The State can not afford to have its children grow up in ignorance, and hence provides the means of education and compels attendance at school. Neither can it afford to have bad literature in the hands of the young, and the only sure way to avoid this is to furnish the best through the medium of school libraries. If every board of education in Ohio would take advantage of the power granted in section 3995, and place in the hands of all the pupils under their control the very best books, and then insist upon their being read with the same persistence with which they insist that arithmetic, spelling, writing, etc., shall be taught, in a short time a moral and intellectual revolution would take place. The selection of books suitable for such work is a very important matter. It is not sufficient that pupils should have access to a dictionary, encyclopedia, and other books of reference. These should be found and are found in every good library. Neither will books which can be read only by the more advanced pupils meet the demand. As a rule, the great majority of boys and girls never reach the advanced grades. If the problem is to be solved satisfactorily, something must be done for the children. I have no doubt that some members of boards of education, and in some instances parents themselves, hesitate to make the purchase of books because they do not feel competent to make the selection. In order to aid all such persons, the following course, adopted by the State board of control at its last meeting, is given. Every book in this list is safe, and I most earnestly recommend it to the favorable consideration of teachers, boards of education, and all friends of the public school: PUPILS' ELEMENTARY COURSE, 1894-95. REQUIRED. Fourth year-A primary.-Scudder's Fables and Folk Stories; Seven Little Sisters; My Saturday Sixth year-C grammar.-Sea Side and Way-Side, No. 3; Eggleston's First Book of American His tory; Big Brother. Seventh year-B grammar. -Hawthorne's Tanglewood Tales or Wonder Book; Whittier's Snow Bound, Among the Hills, and Songs of Labor; Beautiful Joe; Lucy Larcom's New England Girlhood, or one book selected from the following of Abbott's Histories: Alexander, Hannibal, Cæsar, Alfred the Great. Eighth year-A grammar.-Longfellow's Evangeline and Miles Standish; Sprague's Six Selections from Irving's Sketch Book; Fiske's War of Independence. HIGH-SCHOOL COURSE. REQUIRED. First year.-Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice; Irving's Alhambra; The Ancient Mariner; Enoch Third year-Shakespeare's Hamlet; Morse's John Quincy Adams; Webster's Reply to Hayne; PUPILS' ELEMENTARY COURSE. RECOMMENDED. Fourth year-A primary.—Sea-Side and Way-Side, No. 1; Ruskin's King of the Golden River; Lucy Larcom's Childhood Songs; King's Geographical Reader-First Book; Friends in Feathers and Fur; Frye's Brooks and Brook Basins. Fifth year-D grammar.-Sea-Side and Way-Side, No. 2; Higginson's Young Folks' History of the United States; Stories of Heroic Deeds; Stories of Our Country; Our Own Country; Young Folks Queries; Little Lord Fauntleroy; Neighbors with Wings and Fins; Curious Flyers, Creepers and Swimmers; Each and All; Our Fatherland. Sixth year-C grammar.-Arabian Nights; Black Beauty; Stories of Other Lands; Stories of the Olden Times; Boston Tea Party; Noble Deeds of Our Fathers; Young Folks' Whys and Wherefores; Alice and Phoebe Carey's Ballads for Little Folks; Miss Olcott's Little Men and Little Women. Seventh year-B grammar.-Rolf's Young People's Tennyson: Open Sesame II; Tom Brown at Rugby; Swiss Family Robinson; Shepard's Our Young Folks' Roman Empire; Laing's Heroes of Seven Hills; Dickens's Child's History of England; Lady Brassey's Voyage in a Sunbeam; Blaisdell's Stories of the Civil War; Kingsley's Madam How and Lady Why; The Young Folks' Series. Eighth year-A grammar.-Hiawatha; Sharp Eyes and Other Papers, Burroughs; Open Sesame III; Ballou's Footprints of Travel; Lamb's Adventures of Ulysses; Dickens's Christmas Carol and Cricket on the Hearth; Franklin's Autobiography; Kauffman's Young Folks' Plutarch; Johnson's Rasselas; Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare: Stewart's Tale of Troy; Kingsley's Town Geology. Information readers.- No. 1, Foods and Beverages, É. A. Beal; No. 2, Every-Day Occupations, H. Warren Clifford; No. 3, Man and Materials, W. G. Parker; Modern Industries and Commerce, Robert Lewis. These books can be used in the sixth, seventh, and eighth years. HIGH-SCHOOL COURSE. RECOMMENDED. First year.-Scott's Lady of the Lake; Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel; Scott's Ivanhoe: Shakespeare's As You Like It; Whittier's Poems, complete; Macaulay's Second Essay on the Earl of Chatham; The Five Gateways of Knowledge; The Spy; Cooper. Second year.-Morse's Life of Jefferson: Webster's Oration on Adams and Jefferson; Webster's Bunker Hill Orations; Shakespeare's Henry VIII: Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield; Bryant's Poems, complete: Dickens's David Copperfield; Hale's Lights of Two Centuries; Lodge's Alexander Hamilton; King's Ohio; Bulwer's Last Days of Pompeii. Third year.-George Eliot's Silas Marner; Tennyson's Poems, complete; Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables; Scudder's Introduction to the Writings of John Ruskin; Grimm's Selections from Plutarch's Lives; Thackeray's Vanity Fair; Schurz's Henry Clay; Uncle Tom's Cabin; Titcomb Letters; A Ballad Book, K. L. Bates; Palgrave's Golden Treasury of Songs aud Lyrics; Two Great Retreats; Fiske's Civil Government. At the last meeting of the Ohio State Teachers' Association the following resolution was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That the Ohio State Teachers' Association recognizes in the pupil's reading course one of the most efficient agencies in the hands of the teacher for the promotion of the intellectual and moral welfare of the children of the State, and would therefore urge its adoption by every school in the State. No membership fees are charged in this circle, and upon the completion of the four years' elementary course, or three years' high-school course, diplomas will be given free of charge upon the recommendation of the teacher or superintendent of the school with which the pupil is connected. OKLAHOMA. [From the Report for 1893-94 of Territorial Supt. E. D. Cameron.] GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. The two years ending June 30, 1894, have been a period of gratifying growth and advancement in the educational interest of Oklahoma. With the material progress of the Territory the cause of education has kept equal pace. The people of the Territory generally have not been without a proper appreciation of the great good to be obtained through the agency of the free public schools, and have shown a willingness to further its work commensurate with the means at their command. Difficulties have been met and overcome that would have baffled people less determined or with a faith less strong in the power of the common school for good. Inconsistencies in the law have often been the cause of annoyance and obstruction. Personal property alone has had to bear the brunt of taxation for school purposes in most districts, land titles being yet generally vested in the General Government. The vexatious separate school question, which seems to defy satisfactory adjustment, has been a source of continual strife and discord. Obligations incurred by the townships under the old system have also been a fruitful cause of trouble to those districts formed from the same territory. These are but a few of the many obstacles that have stood in the way of the people in their efforts to secure better facilities for the education of their children. That they have succeeded as well as they have is cause for satisfaction to all who appreciate the value of free public instruction. SUPERIORITY OF THE DISTRICT SYSTEM. The district system of school government has been in use sufficiently long to prove its superiority over the old township system which it displaced. A district is more wieldy and more cooperative than the township. A district is one neighborhood with common wants; a township may be several neighborhoods with varied wantsthe elements of strife and obstruction. The general plan of the law is, in my opinion, as well adapted to the conditions of Oklahoma as any that could be devised. In detail, however, the practical application of the law for two years has clearly shown the necessity of revision. Appended to these remarks will be found a brief of changes in the present law that seem to be demanded. SEPARATE SCHOOLS FOR WHITE AND COLORED PUPILS. There is no longer reason to doubt that the weight of public opinion in Oklahoma is in favor of separate schools for the education of the white and colored races. Nearly all of the counties have submitted the question to a vote of the people for determination, as provided in the separate-school law enacted by the legislative assembly. In every instance the proposition to establish and maintain separate schools for the two races has met with popular approval. The law provides that in all counties where the electors have voted to establish separate schools the county commissioners shall levy an annual tax sufficient to maintain such schools. As far as I am aware county commissioners have complied with this requirement. But here the law stops. Concerning all details it is silent. No provision is made for disbursing the separate-school fund, for establishing school districts for colored children, for the election of district officers, or for the erection of schoolhouses. The effect of this incomplete law is to deprive colored children of the privilege of attending white schools without providing adequate school facilities for their exclusive benefit. If the present law is to answer the purpose for which it was enacted it must be revised and expanded so that no doubt can exist as to its proper application. I am of the opinion that a general law providing for the establishment and maintenance of separate schools throughout the Territory would answer the purpose to a better advantage. LEADING INSTITUTIONS. The Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Normal School, and University are all in a flourishing condition. Each succeeding year has seen a satisfactory increase in the attendance at these institutions, and a continually growing appreciation of the work they are doing is observed throughout the Territory. Oklahoma is justly proud of these schools, and no effort should be spared to make them equal to the best of their kind in any of the States. One of the great needs of the Territory is an institution of higher education for the colored people. I earnestly recommend that provision be made for the establishment of one institution of higher education, combining the features of a normal school, an industrial school, and a university, for the exclusive use of the colored people of the Territory. Our colored citizens are rightfully and justly entitled to all educational advantages enjoyed by the white race. OREGON. [From the report for 1893-91 of State Supt. E. B. McElroy.] COMPULSORY SCHOOL LAW. The compulsory law passed by the legislative assembly and approved February 25, 1889, compelling the attendance of children in public schools, has largely failed in the primary purposes sought in its enactment. As to the necessity for a compulsory educational law there is no argument, and as to the expediency of passing some sufficient law in this line for the advancement of our schools there is no question. The objects sought by the authors of this measure were to secure greater intelligent citizenship by granting to children in the State an clementary education, and to see that the State secures a sufficient return for the investment of the public funds raised by public taxation. The annual enrollment and average attendance in the public schools in Oregon have been largely increased during the past few years, but the opinion is expressed here that no important part of this increase has been due to the compulsory law. Other agencies more powerful and more effectual have been at work to secure these important ends. As an illustration, one of the most efficient of these may be mentioned here. Prior to the session of the legislature held in 1889, school districts (in order to draw public-school moneys) were required to have a three months' school within each calendar year only; and this without any provision or regulation. This law has been amended so that the entire school funds received annually from the State and county must be expended within and during the year for which such apportionments are made, and, furthermore, that all such funds must be expended for school purposes only. This law has done more to increase the enrollment, average attendance, and general efficiency of our public schools than all other agencies combined. For, as will be seen, the tendency of this law is to reach the pockets of the people directly. SCHOOLHOUSES. It is important that our teachers be systematically drilled and taught in the whole field of ventilation of school buildings. The sanitary condition of the public school must necessarily be bad unless the sewerage system be carefully looked after. It is probable that the major portion of the disease prevalent among school children may be attributed to the carelessness and oversight in these two important particulars. When we come to consider that school children are confined for the most part for five hours in the schoolroom each day, and, in numerous instances, subjected to poor ventilation, cold drafts, bad drainage, and wretched sewerage, we may well conclude that contagious disease may be established because of the foul air in the schoolroom which the children are breathing and rebreathing, time after time, for several hours. In many of the cities and towns of our State much attention has been paid to these features, and the friends of public-school education are correcting, so far as prac ticable, the unfortunate mistakes that have heretofore marked the consideration of school buildings and outhouses during the past few years. Boards of directors, in preparing to build a schoolhouse, should take great care in the selection of a site. Swamps should be avoided, and it is not a good plan to build on the top of a hill. A moderate elevation with good drainage is to be preferred. Ordinarily the country schoolhouse is closed for four or five months in the year. It is therefore necessary that all such houses should be substantially built, with good doors and window shutters. The health and comfort of the teachers and children depend very much upon the immediate surroundings and upon the furniture and fixtures within the house. The influence upon the mind and character of children by beautiful buildings and beautiful surroundings is very great, and yet in our State we have hundreds of buildings with no attractive surroundings and no proper inclosures to make the interior of the buildings sufficiently comfortable for occupancy. The outbuildings should be carefully and substantially built. It is pleasant to note that much more attention is being given this important feature of school work. Many of our most intelligent and active school officers are awake to their duties in this respect, and usually give personal attention to the matter of having comfortable and convenient outbuildings. Much yet remains to be done in establishing a proper sentiment in favor of the proper care and keeping of school outhouses. We have barely hinted at what is meant in this connection. There are hundreds of school buildings scattered over the land whose outhouses are an absolute disgrace to civilization. And while we have a compulsory law applicable to school attendance, we certainly should have compulsory school laws that should apply to other features. There is no greater and more general public improvement that can be suggested as connected with our schools than that some uniform plan be adopted for building and caring for proper school outhouses. TEACHERS' EXAMINATIONS AND CERTIFICATES. The inefficiency, carelessness, and indolence of teachers, and the absolute necessity of uniform and constant advancement in the teacher's work, caused the legislature to pass, as they did, the rigid and advanced law governing teachers' examinations and certificates, February 21, 1857. This law established at once a high standard of work, and the law expected that teachers should prepare themselves for the profession of teaching before entering the same. The law presupposed that every teacher would prove to be an active agent in the service, and would take advantage of every possible means for self-improvement. During the biennial period subsequent to the enactment of the law of 1887 there was an immediate awakening among the teachers to the importance of their work and to the necessity of better educational qualifications if they remained in the profession, and there was an immediate strife for higher grades of certificates, and an effort to secure better educational books, papers, and other aids. As was expected, considerable criticism was heard from many of the old time, migratory teachers, who had been accustomed for many years to secure certificates without examination. The new law created a high standard in this, that it eliminated, for the most part, from the profession the teachers then known as spiritless, stupid, and indifferent. However, the vigorous criticisms of these indifferent teachers brought about, unfortunately, many liberal amendments to the law, establishing, for example, the lowest grade certificate known in any State-that is to say, a certificate of the third grade. This has been the cause, for the most part, during the past two years in lowering the proficiency of teachers and for the best good of our public schools. County certificates should be advanced at once to two gradesfirst and second. In addition to these, requirements for State certificates and State diplomas should be largely increased, and liberal legislation should be enacted for this more than anything else. It will tend to promote the efficiency of our teachers and will be a great benefit, not only to individual schools, but to the school system in general. PENNSYLVANIA. [From the report for 1893-94 of Hon. Nathan C. Schaeffer, superintendent of public instruction.} FREE TEXT-BOOKS. During the school year which closed on the first Monday of last June the act of May 18, 1893, which provides for the introduction of free text-books and school supplies, was carried into effect in all the districts of the Commonwealth with the exception of Pittsburg. The obstacles which in that city prevented immediate compliance with the act were overcome during the progress of the year, and in the summer vacation of 1894 upward of 125,000 text-books were purchased and prepared for use at the fall opening of the schools. Without doubt the introduction of free text-books has been the most important step of progress since the year 1867. One of the immediate effects was a large increase in the attendance. Several superintendents specify an increase ranging from 20 to 30 per cent. Others report better classification, better grading, and better teaching as the result of free text-books. Pupils can no longer plead a lack of the necessary books as an excuse for not studying all the branches required by law. |