county commissioner of schools and countersigned by the teacher of the district where such pupil completed the eighth grade.

4. Only pupils who have pursued the studies of the eighth grade at least six months shall be permitted to take the examination, and no pupil's manuscripts shall be forwarded to the county commissioner of schools unless such pupil shall present a certificate from his teacher stating that such pupil has conformed to the above rule.

NOTE. This is not to be construed as preventing other pupils from writing the examination.

5. These examinations should be conducted in three conveniently located places in the county and managed by the county board of examiners, one for each place. If this plan is not possible, the commissioner shall divide the county into convenient districts containing one or more townships, and should hold the examination at some centrally located place, a village preferred. When possible, the principals of the village or graded schools should conduct the examinations so located.

6. When the principals of such schools cannot be secured, each examination should be conducted by a person designated by the county commissioner but in no case should such person have his own pupils in the examination, nor should the teachers be permitted to examine their own pupils or mark their papers.

7. It is not desirable that teachers attend the examinations with their pupils; but in case they do attend, they must not communicate with those who are writing nor sit with them during the examination. Conductors of the examination should enforce this rule.

8. Immediately at the close of the examination the papers, enrollment. cards, and certificates of having completed the eighth grade should be sent, under seal, to the commissioner.

9. This Department will prepare the questions, enrollment blanks, and recording registers, and will forward them to the commissioners.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CONDUCTOR.

1. Begin the work promptly at 9 o'clock, local time.

2. Observe the following order in giving out questions.

FIRST DAY.

a. m.-Orthography, Spelling, Arithmetic.
p. m.-Penmanship, Government, Reading.

SECOND DAY.

a. m.-Physiology, Geography.

p. m.-History, Grammar.

3. Pupils taking examination must sit alone.

4. Pupils should use legal cap paper, unless some other kind is furnished.

5. Questions will be distributed to all candidates at the same time and no recess allowed till that set is finished.

6. Have the pupil fold the papers from the bottom upward one-half, fold again in same manner, then write his name and topic across the end of the folded paper. This is important.

7. Send papers and enrollment cards to commissioner by first express at his expense.

8. It is a good plan to write the schedule for each half day on the board. 9. I would suggest that the principals who conduct the examinations talk with the pupils, become acquainted, and encourage them to attend high schools.

10. Examiners may carefully explain points not understood by the applicants in regard to form of work and general meaning of questions; but care should be taken not to answer too many questions or to give aid in any

way.

11. Fifteen questions requiring short, explicit answers will be given in each subject. The purpose of this is to cover a wider range of each subject.

NOTE. The examiners should observe these suggestions carefully and read to the pupils such as relate to their work and duties.

The following reasons may be given for these suggestions:

1. Thoroughness and accuracy are demanded in all school work. These stand first. The purpose of the eighth grade examination is not to see how many can be crowded and crammed through.

2. Each pupil should stand on his own ability and merit. He is not to be "coached."

3. Absolute honesty, fairness, and justice must be observed and followed in all cases.

4. The examination should be sufficiently difficult to really test the pupil's ability, and time enough should be given to write it carefully. The tendency to rush pupils through the grades and out of school is one of the evils that the eighth grade diploma has engendered. This should be checked. The number of graduates is not the best or highest test of the efficiency of our schools.

5. We must insist on a thorough knowledge of the "common branches." These are fundamental.

6. The eighth grade diploma should mean something. It should stand for ability to think. When a pupil has received one he should be perfectly able to enter any high school and do the work satisfactorily.

7. The examination in reading will be based upon Hiawatha, by Henry W. Longfellow.

Very respectfully,

L. L. WRIGHT.

CIRCULAR No. 11.

STATE OF MICHIGAN,

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

LEGALLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN MICHIGAN.

Every teacher in Michigan must hold a certificate of qualification, granted by some legal authority. The following are the different kinds of certificates given by the various boards of Michigan:

STATE CERTIFICATES.

Examinations for state certificates are held during the last full week in March and the second full week in August of each year at Lansing and Marquette. The following are the subjects: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, botany, chemistry, geography, geology, zoology, physiology, physics, United States history, civil government, general history, grammar, rhetoric, orthography, literature, theory and art of teaching, school law, penmanship. Latin or German may be substituted for zoology, geology, or chemistry. Such certificates are granted only to those persons who have had at least two years experience in teaching in Michigan.

NORMAL SCHOOL CERTIFICATES.

Certificates issued from the rural, graded, and life certificate courses of the four State normal schools are legal certificates in the state.

UNIVERSITY CERTIFICATES.

The State University grants life certificates on the completion of its pedagogical and literary courses.

COLLEGE CERTIFICATES.

The denominational colleges of Michigan offer a pedagogical course and on its completion the State Board of Education grants college certificates to graduates of such course. Such certificates are good for four years and after three years of teaching may be re-issued as state life certificates.

COUNTY CERTIFICATES.

The county board of examiners issues two classes of third grade certificates, A and B. To obtain these certificates it is necessary to pass an examination in the following subjects: arithmetic, reading, grammar, geography, civil government, United States history, orthography and spelling, theory and art of teaching, physiology, school law, state course of study. This certificate is good for one year.

To obtain a second grade certificate it is necessary to pass an examination on all of the foregoing subjects and any two of the following four: General history, botany, physics, or algebra. The applicant must also have taught successfully at least seven months in order to receive a second grade certificate. This certificate is good for three years.

Applicants for first grade certificates shall in addition to third grade branches be required to pass an examination in general history, botany, physics, algebra, and geometry. In order to receive a first grade certificate the applicant must have taught at least twelve months. Two trials in the same year may be given applicants for first and second grades, but each applicant must write at least all of the subjects named for third grade on first trial.

When the papers of an applicant for a first grade certificate are sent to the Department of Public Instruction and there approved, such certificate is indorsed by the State Superintendent and becomes good in any county in the state for a period of four years, and may be renewed under certain conditions.

COUNTY NORMAL CERTIFICATES.

The certificates granted by the various county normal training classes of the state are good for three years and renewable. Such certificates may be transferred from one county to another.

CITY CERTIFICATES.

In cities employing a principal of the high school and a superintendent who gives not less than one-half his time to supervision the board of education is authorized to examine its own teachers and grant city certificates.

KINDERGARTEN, MUSIC, AND DRAWING CERTIFICATES.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to grant kindergarten, music, and drawing certificates to persons who are graduates of approved institutions.

CERTIFICATES APPROVED FROM OTHER STATES.

The State Board of Education has authority to recognize normal school diplomas which operate as life certificates to teach in the state where granted, and state certificates granted on examination which operate as life certificates in any school in such state, also state life certificates issued from universities. College or university diplomas, degrees, or any form of limited certificate cannot be recognized. The Michigan State Board of Education is authorized to recognize the foregoing described certificates from the following states: Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Rhode Island, Virginia, Delaware, North Dakota, Vermont, California, Nebraska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Montana.

FILING OF CERTIFICATES.

Every certificate must be filed with the county commissioner of schools, or in the case of cities with the secretary of the board of education, and the institute fee paid before the holder is a legally qualified teacher and entitled to draw public money.

Lansing, Michigan,
August 11, 1908.

L. L. WRIGHT,

State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

KINDERGARTEN, MUSIC AND DRAWING CERTIFICATES.

The subjects of music, drawing and kindergarten instruction have become recognized parts of the course of study of nearly all our graded and city schools. The first of these to be introduced was the kindergarten, the law authorizing it being passed in 1891. In 1901 the legislature provided the means for recognizing kindergarten, music, and drawing teachers and granting certificates to the same. The statute placed this power in the hands of the State Superintendent, and he is also given power to approve institutions where special courses are given in these subjects. During the year 1908 and ending June 30, 1909, the State Superintendent has issued 92 kindergarten certificates, 147 music certificates and 97 Certificates drawing certificates. These certificates are based upon the com- issued. pletion of the required course of study as provided in the statute and upon the approval of the State Superintendent of the institutions where the instruction was secured, and they qualify the holders to teach these subjects for life in the public schools of the State. For the information of superintendents and teachers I give herewith a list of the institutions whose courses of study have been approved by the State Superintendent and whose graduates are recognized in Michigan. The following is the list:

Grand Rapids Kindergarten Training School.

Indiana Kindergarten and Primary Normal School.

Indianapolis Kindergarten Training School.

Keble Kindergarten School (Syracuse, N. Y.).

Lucy Webb Hayes National Training School (Washington, D. C.).

Michigan State Normal College (Ypsilanti).

Milwaukee Mission Kindergarten School.

Milwaukee State Normal School.

Minneapolis Kindergarten Association.

Northern Indiana Normal School (Valparaiso, Ind.).

Northern State Normal School (Marquette).

Oberlin College Kindergarten Training School.

Oswego Normal School (New York.)