material from the ,google ,print        
project47            ,,on ,,the ,,firing
 ,,line   ,,in ,,education    ,,by      
,a4 ,j4 ,,ladd   ,professor of          
,education1 ,state ,university of ,north
 ,dakota      ,,boston   ,,richard ,g4  
,,badger   ,,the ,,gorham ,,press       
,,copyright1 #aiai1 ,,by ,,richard ,g4  
,,badger    ,all ,rights ,reserved      
,made in the ,united ,states of ,america
    ,the ,gorham ,press1 ,boston1 ,u4   
,s4 ,a4     ,,preface   ,of the ten     
studies making up this little volume    
only one1 the last1 aside from the      
,introduction1 was designed primarily   
for publication4 ,each of the others had
 a definite personal audience in mind   
while being prepared4 ,still1 nearly all
 have later found their way into print1 
and some have been reprinted in other   
periodicals and quoted quite extensively
 in still others4 ,many letters of      
appreciation1 too1 from strangers who   
have chanced to read this address or    
that1 have come to the writer4 ,these   

facts1 together with expressions of     
appreciation upon delivery and with     
definite suggestions from many for      
publication1 have finally led the writer
 to feel that possibly their gathering  
together might be worth while4 ,but in  
fairness to himself1 as well as to      
others1 also in the interests of        
accuracy1 he is prompted to give an     
additional reason for venturing upon the
 hazardous undertaking of offering cold 
meats to people not overly hungry4 ,not 
words of praise alone1 no matter how    
warm1 would justify such a decision1 for
 one can never take such expressions at 
quite their face value--'tis so easy to 
make pleasant remarks6 ,so the matter   
was thrown back to where it belonged all
 the time--upon the writer to decide the
 case on the merits of the various      
discussions as dealing with present-day 
educational problems4  ,while separate  
addresses1 upon different topics1 given 
at different times1 and with no thought 
of connection1 they all do bear upon one

 great matter of universal              
interest--that of education4 ,the title1
 ,on the ,firing ,line in ,education1   
belongs specifically to but the first of
 the topics discust4 ,still1 it is      
appropriate to the entire group since   
the various matters handled are         
fundamental and the positions taken     
considerably in advance of common use4  
,but we are clearly moving in the       
general direction indicated--'twill not 
be long now before the main army has    
caught up1 and then the firing line will
 be still further advanced4  ,i have a  
very definite conviction that1 at any   
financial cost1 we should provide thru  
the school for the physical as well as  
for the psychical and the moral         
development of the child4 ,this is not  
to take the place of the home--merely to
 supplement the work of the majority of 
homes4 ,only thus can we adequately     
educate all4 ,i believe1 too1 that in   
any scientific view of the educational  
process the sense organs are paramount  

in importance1 and therefore urge their 
care and training4 ,that the positions  
taken in the various addresses upon     
these and other matters are sound has   
been pretty well demonstrated during the
 last two years when the demands of war 
have faced us4 ,this is made clear in   
the ,introduction that follows4  ,i am  
under obligations to the various        
periodicals in which these studies have 
appeared for permission to use them     
again in this form4 ,i also appreciate  
the courtesy of ,mr4 ,badger1 the       
publisher1 in allowing me to use certain
 simplified forms of spelling1 thus     
departing from the usual                
over-conservative practise of           
publishers4 ,is not this1 too1 one of   
the firing-line activities8    ,a4 ,j4  
,,ladd    ,grand ,forks1 ,north ,dakota1
   ,march1 #aiai   ,,contents           
,,chapter                               
,,page         ,,introduction--,,have   
,,the ,,schools ,,been ,,discredited    
,,by ,,the ,,revelations ,,of ,,the     

,,war                                   
#ac      ,i4 ,,on ,,the ,,firing ,,line 
,,in ,,education                        
#cg          ,social ,betterment1 the   
,dominant ,motive in         ,education 
#ch          ,child ,study              
#dc          ,physical ,education       
#ej          ,the ,educational ,survey  
#ea          ,vocational ,guidance      
#ec          ,the ,educational          
,psychologist                           
#ef     ,,ii4 ,,the ,,relation ,,of     
,,the ,,state ,,university ,,to ,,the   
,,high         ,,schools ,,of ,,the     
,,state                                 
#fc          ,the ,elementary ,school   
#fe          ,the ,high ,school         
#fg          ,the ,state ,university    
#ge    ,,iii4 ,,the ,,university ,,and  
,,the ,,teacher                         
#hi          ,the ,kind of ,teachers the
 ,university ,should         ,employ    
#ia          ,the ,university ,teacher  
in his ,classroom                       
#id          ,the ,university's         

,attitude ,toward the ,preparation      
of ,teachers for the ,schools of the    
,state                     #aje         
,,iv4 ,,the ,,eye ,,problem ,,in ,,the  
,,schools                               
#aae      ,v4 ,,the ,,home1 ,,the       
,,church1 ,,and ,,the ,,school          
#acc          ,the ,home                
#acd          ,the ,church              
#ada          ,the ,school              
#aej      ,,vi4 ,,noblesse ,,oblige     
#afc     ,,vii4 ,,improvements ,,in     
,,our ,,public ,,schools                
#ahe    ,,viii4 ,,local ,,winter        
,,sports                                
#bjc      ,,ix4 ,,the ,,function ,,of   
,,teachers ,,college                    
#bag       ,x4 ,,credit ,,for ,,quality 
,,in ,,secondary ,,and ,,higher         
,,education                             
#bdc          ,,index                   
#bfa     ,,introduction  ,,have ,,the   
,,schools ,,been ,,discredited ,,by     
,,the ,,revelations ,,of ,,the ,,war8   
,from ,school and ,society1 ,april #e1  

#aiai   ,knowing that ,i was about to   
publish a book on education in which the
 ,great ,war1 now happily closed1 was   
not taken as the point of departure1 a  
friend said to me one day1 in substance1
 ,aren't you taking undue risks just now
 in putting out a book on education that
 isn't based upon a program of          
reconstruction8 ,haven't all our        
so-called educational principles been   
dis-credited8 ,shall you get any readers
 if you do not admit educational failure
 thus far1 and proceed to discuss a     
change of front1 made imperative by     
recent revelations8 ,and the editor of a
 well known educational journal1 in     
asking me for an article1 recently1     
said1 among other things1 ,i should be  
glad to have an article upon some phase 
of reconstruction after the war1        
educational1 social1 philosophical1 as  
you may like4 ,here is the next great   
battlefield of the future1 and if the   
educational forces do not redeem        
themselves here1 it is my opinion that  

we shall become a greater laughing stock
 than we have ever been before4  ,to    
both of these statements ,i desire to   
take exception4 ,to be sure1 the war has
 taught us many lessons bearing upon    
education2 to be sure1 it has revealed  
shortcomings1 limitations1 and          
weaknesses4 ,but it seems to me that it 
has also made clear that we have been   
working along right lines4 ,our         
fundamental educational principles have 
not been dis-credited4 ,there is no     
far-reaching educational failure to     
admit1 nor is there any serious         
shortcoming from which the educational  
forces of the country have to redeem    
themselves4 ,laughing stock1 does the   
gentleman say8 ,oh no6 ,far from it6    
,let us not get panicky6 ,some          
weaknesses brought to light8 ,certainly4
 ,but in the analysis1 later to be made1
 let us see if1 for the most part1 they 
do not but demonstrate the soundness of 
our educational principles and the      
far-sightedness of our educational      

leaders together with the               
short-sightedness of the present        
critics1 in that had suggested          
recommendations been followed these     
weaknesses would not have existed4 ,let 
us give here but one illustration1 and  
that briefly4 ,we all admit that the    
medical examinations for the war found  
too many physical defects1 and too many 
men thereby incapacitated for efficient 
military service4 ,but would not the    
results have been very different if1    
during the last generation1 the         
suggestions and strong recommendations  
of educators relative to physical       
education in our schools been acted upon
 by the public8 ,ah6 ,the fault was not 
with educational principles2 they were  
sound4 ,the educational forces of the   
country knew what was needed1 but a     
parsimonious public would not follow    
intelligent leadership4 ,we could say1  
all along the line1 ,i told you so1 if  
we felt so inclined4 ,instead of being  
the laughing stock we could--if the     

matter were not too serious--throw the  
laugh upon the other fellow4 ,the       
purpose of our schools has never been to
 produce soldiers at the drop of the    
hat1 and so they have never been        
blighted by military training4 7,may it 
never come67 ,their task has been to    
produce men and women of character and  
purpose and ideals--men and women of    
initiative who could become anything    
called for by an emergency4 ,and nobly  
have they succeeded1 as evidenced by the
 successful prosecution of the war4  ,in
 view of all that the ,united ,states   
has done to assist in bringing the war  
to its successful close1 from the       
adoption of the selective draft down    
thru the management of the training     
camps1 the operation of the railroads1  
conservation of food and fuel1 to the   
knitting of a pair of socks and the sale
 of a thrift stamp1 what shall be said  
of the success or failure of our        
schools8 ,every man1 woman1 and child in
 this gigantic work1 from ,president    

,wilson down to the colored bootblack   
who saved his nickels to buy a stamp1 or
 to the little girl who voluntarily went
 without her sugar1 has been a product  
of the schools4 ,thru the instruction1  
the discipline1 and the training given  
in those schools1 they became the men   
and women who could rise to the         
emergency and do the things needed4 ,and
 they did4  ,no college or university or
 professional school ever taught ,mr4   
,wilson how to be ,president of the     
,united ,states during these troublous  
days2 nor ,mr4 ,mc,adoo how to manage   
the railroads2 nor ,mr4 ,pershing all   
about war2 nor any local worker how to  
lead the ,red ,cross work1 any more than
 the lower schools have taught the boys 
who went into the trenches how to use   
the gas mask and how to go without food2
 how to shoulder arms and how to march4 
,but the schools all along the line did 
help to give them ideals1 did train them
 in team-play2 did instil into them the 
principles of democracy and the love of 

country1 so that when the need came they
 arose as one man to repel the foe4 ,and
 the study of arithmetic1 geography1 and
 grammar2 of chemistry1 physics1 and    
medicine2 of ,latin1 ,greek1 and history
 has1 in each case1 made its            
contribution to the preparation of home 
workers1 soldiers1 scientific experts1  
financial managers1 and statesmen--has  
helped to make each an individual of    
initiative4  ,under the guidance of our 
educational leaders1 following          
principles that they had workt out1 the 
schools of the country were moving      
quietly along1 each one of the #gej1jjj 
teachers doing faithfully the work at   
hand day by day4 ,we had never thought  
of war as a possibility for us1 and of  
course preparation for it had not been  
made1 in the slightest degree1 a part of
 the work of the schools4 ,but when war1
 with all its horrors1 was finally      
forced upon us and we needed statesmen  
and scientists and military leaders to  
guide and direct1 they were at hand in  

the graduates of our colleges and       
universities--broadly trained men       
capable of assimilating1 or learning1 or
 in other ways gaining quickly1 the     
specific form of efficiency needed in   
the particular activity assigned4 ,and  
when we needed soldiers they were at    
hand in the person of our boys of the   
schools1 both common and high1 from     
every nook and corner of the land--boys 
and men who merely needed direction and 
leadership1 capable of at once falling  
into line and quickly taking on the     
professional phase of their training4   
,could we have asked our schools to do  
more8 ,the supreme test had come1 and it
 was being met in a manner gratifying to
 all4 ,the boys and the girls1 the men  
and the women1 on the farm1 in the      
store1 in the home1 in the workshop1 in 
the schools and colleges1 have responded
 ,here am ,i4 ,show me what you want me 
to do1 and ,i will do it even unto      
death4 ,it was done1 and they did it4   
,the schools had nobly demonstrated     

their efficiency4  ,to be sure1 all this
 was not done without making mistakes4  
,not all the products of all the schools
 were able to rise to the occasion and  
to be depended upon in our hour of need4
 ,when the great national search-light  
was trained upon the product of the     
schools1 seeking leaders of infinite    
variety and number1 and likewise hosts  
of followers to do definite and         
difficult things1 many deficient ones   
were discovered--some deficient in      
mental caliber1 some weak in moral      
fiber1 some lacking in physical stamina4
 ,and right here is to be seen the only 
serious failure of our schools4 ,not    
every boy1 not every girl1 had been made
 as efficient as could have been        
desired4 ,but1 happily1 in our great    
numbers enough were found to do even the
 stupendous work at hand1 and to do it  
well4 ,in spite of moral lapses1 not a  
few1 in spite of instances of mental    
incompetence1 far too many1 and in spite
 of physical handicaps1 distressingly   

large--in spite of all this1 ,i say1 the
 ,united ,states surprised the world    
with the quickness with which we pulled 
ourselves together1 and with the        
marvelous efficiency with which we      
mobilized all our resources4 ,many      
losses of course there were--losses of  
men1 losses of days1 losses of dollars4 
,but when all is said and done1 the     
losses were slight when compared with   
the accomplishments4 ,credit to whom    
credit is due6 ,but because of these    
losses unthinking men immediately began 
to criticise the schools4 ,they should  
have been trade schools1 or industrial  
schools or military schools--any kind of
 schools that they were not4 ,and how   
clearly it was being demonstrated1 we   
were told1 that the time formerly spent 
on music and drawing1 art and           
literature1 algebra and geometry1       
history and ,latin1 had all been wasted6
 ,how much better it would have been if1
 instead of these frills1 the children  
had been given practical subjects6      

7,practical4 ,save the mark4 ,one is    
tempted here to go off on a by-path and 
discuss the topic1 ,what is ,practical87
 ,thus the criticism of the             
unthinking--of the laymen who went off  
at half-cock4  ,and this criticism was  
deepened and strengthened and extended  
and made more vehement1 again by the    
unthinking1 when the fine results of the
 ,plattsburgh experiment were revealed1 
in which1 thru the processes of         
intensive training1 men were quickly    
whipt into shape for new1 and difficult1
 and responsible undertakings4 ,and the 
equally good results that came from the 
officers' training schools1 in which    
college boys by a similar program were  
metamorphosed1 almost at over-night1    
into capable army officers1 had the same
 effect4 ,how signally had the schools  
failed6 ,and these long years spent in  
school and college1 dawdling over the   
frills1 had been to no effect1 whereas a
 few weeks under intelligent educational
 direction accomplishes marvels4  ,and  

the same has further illustration4      
,ministers of the ,gospel selected for  
chaplains1 physicians and surgeons      
chosen for medical service1 nurses for  
the ,red ,cross1 engineers for various  
forms of engineering1 and many others   
have all been given this short period of
 intensive training and1 to their credit
 and ours be it said1 all responded     
quickly4 ,but the conclusion drawn by   
the unthinking has been1 all along the  
line1 that the later efficiency of these
 men which has gained for us the        
plaudits and the gratitude of the world 
was due to this short period of         
intensive training1 under men who were  
intelligent enough to know just what was
 needed and just how to go about to     
secure it--men not hampered by any      
pedagogical nonsense or grown stale over
 a long attempt to discriminate between 
the infinity of nothingness and the     
nothingness of infinity 7as one might   
summarize a rather common criticism71   
rather than to the former years of      

patient toil1 and discipline1 and       
accomplishment which had really laid the
 foundation so well that all were able  
thus to respond4 ,the common school1 the
 high school1 the college1 and the      
professional school was dis-credited1   
one and all1 in favor of a short-cut    
method analogous to the so-called       
,business ,college1--a short-cut method 
that could result only in disaster if   
applied without the appropriate         
preparation4  ,how long it does take    
people to realize that real education is
 a slow process6 that it takes years and
 years and years of varied experiences  
for the processes of assimilation and   
development to bring about the fine     
fruitage of stable character6  ,and the 
,government1 too 7,i suppose we can     
criticize ,washington just a little now 
without serious danger of being sent to 
jail71 must have had the same point of  
view in regard to the general management
 of education since1 during the war1 it 
did not entrust its educational war     

program into the hands of the ,national 
,bureau of ,education4 ,it did have the 
,war ,department and the ,navy          
,department and the ,treasury           
,department manage their respective     
phases of war activities4 ,why was not  
the ,department of ,education called on 
to direct the educational work8 ,had it 
been1 the ,s4 ,a4 ,t4 ,c4 fiasco1 as    
well as some other blunders1 would      
doubtless have been avoided4 ,but the   
thought 7or was it the lack of thought87
 must have been that most anybody       
outside of the teaching profession would
 know better how to get educational     
results than any one from within4 ,a    
similar point of view is generally      
discernible in the election of boards of
 education in towns and cities thruout  
the country--any one is satisfactory    
save those who know definitely what     
should be going on inside of the school 
house4  ,perhaps all this was to be     
expected4 ,i rather think so4 ,but ,i   
confess to surprise when ,i find such   

criticism being echoed from within--from
 men who should know better1 as1 for    
example1 the two quoted at the beginning
 of this article4 ,the explanation1 ,i  
suppose1 is that1 timid in nature1 they 
have become panicky and lost their      
bearings4 ,perhaps they were suffering  
from a mild form of brain-storm1 and    
have temporarily slipt back into the    
ranks of the unthinking4  ,let us       
analyze the situation and see if we can 
discover just what the war did reveal as
 to the short-99comings of our          
educational system4 ,let us then try to 
locate the responsibility4  ,one of the 
most serious of the educational         
shortcomings thus revealed is a high    
percentage of illiteracy--nearly eight  
per cent1 ,i understand1 the country    
over4 ,the seriousness of such a        
situation can scarcely be overestimated4
 ,it was serious in time of war--the    
inability of a soldier to read orders1  
or to follow written directions1 or to  
make written reports1 especially when   

one takes into consideration the myriad 
forms of war service just recently used1
 would limit his possibilities of       
service and cripple himself and all his 
companions4 ,but illiteracy is even more
 serious in times of peace1 for then    
such individuals are not immediately    
under the direction of intelligent      
officers and thus prevented from the    
disastrous results of their own ignorant
 actions4 ,think for a moment of what it
 means in a democracy and for a         
democracy to have one out of every ten  
7disregarding children7 of the possible 
directing forces of the government      
unable to read or write6  ,but when we  
add to this statement of mere illiteracy
 the fact that a large percentage of    
these illiterates are of foreign birth  
or extraction and have never learned    
either to speak or understand the       
language of their adopted country1 the  
situation is seen to be even more       
serious in potentiality1 both in peace  
and war4 ,our authorities have been too 

lax1 it seems1 in not requiring that all
 children of foreign extraction1 whether
 foreign or ,american born1 be educated 
in the ,english language4 ,in           
communities thickly settled by alien    
peoples they have too often allowed the 
schools to be conducted in the          
vernaculars of the people--a ,german    
school here1 an ,austrian school there1 
and an ,italian school over yonder1 and 
so on4 ,and it goes without saying that 
in schools in which children are        
instructed in alien tongues 'tis not the
 ,american spirit that is inculcated nor
 ,american ideals that take root4 ,no   
one would challenge the statement that  
here is a defect in the execution of our
 educational program1 and one that must 
be remedied at any cost4  ,still another
 serious weakness as revealed by the    
merciless hand of war is that of        
physical shortcoming4 ,a large number of
 men were rejected for service and a    
still larger number accepted only for   
limited service because of physical     

disability as shown by the medical      
examinations4 ,i have not the figures at
 hand1 but 'tis common knowledge that   
the situation is considered grave4 ,eye 
defects1 ear defects1 defective teeth1  
weak lungs1 flat feet1 round shoulders1 
spinal curvature1 unsymmetrical         
development1 and many other defects were
 discovered in great numbers4 ,perhaps  
nothing but a rigid medical examination 
by a military officer would ever have   
opened our eyes to the real situation4  
,but this did4 ,the revelations came as 
a surprise to nearly all except the     
educational leaders of the country4     
,they have known1 all the time1 what the
 situation has been and1 for a          
generation1 have been trying to combat  
it4  ,again the question is raised as to
 whether these defects1 or weaknesses1  
of ,american education1 in both fields  
mentioned1 as serious as they have been 
seen to be for war1 are not even a more 
serious menace when looked upon from the
 point of view of peace1 and therefore1 

even tho the war has been won1 of such  
commanding importance as to demand our  
immediate and continued attention4  ,one
 might go on and name other shortcomings
 in the working out of our educational  
program that have been more clearly     
brought to the surface during the       
critical days of our warfare4 ,but this 
article is not intended to be a catalog4
 ,the two mentioned are fundamental and 
far-reaching4 ,illiteracy and physical  
disability6 ,weakness along these lines 
strikes at the very roots of national   
life and of individual well-being4 ,and 
if1 as a nation and as individuals1 we  
are ever going to enter into our        
inheritance1 these defects must be      
remedied4 ,but before trying to discuss 
remedies1 it will be well to locate     
responsibility4 ,are our basic          
educational principles unsound1 or      
merely our educational practises        
unsatisfactory8 ,are the educational    
leaders of the country all wrong in     
theory8 ,have their heads been so high  

among the clouds that they have not seen
 the real boy and his homely task8 ,or  
have they seen clearly and mapt out     
wisely1 whereas the public1 relatively  
unthinking upon technical matters and   
always slow to act in new fields1 has   
not been ready to follow8 ,is it in     
theory or in practise where the real    
shortcoming is to be found8 ,the answer 
to the question is vital4 ,if in theory1
 then is the situation serious indeed   
for that would mean that our psychology 
is wrong--that our whole philosophy of  
life and of government has been built   
upon error4 ,truly1 then1 after all     
these years1 the educational forces     
would need to redeem themselves so as   
not to be a greater laughing stock than 
we have ever been before4 ,but if the   
weakness lies merely in our practise1   
not yet having been able to attain to   
our ideals1 then1 tho serious1 it would 
be but child's play1 comparatively      
speaking1 to put ourselves right4 ,we   
should need to take courage1 redouble   

our efforts1 and all that1 but should   
not need to start all over again4  ,how 
shall we account for the illiteracy     
revealed among both alien and native    
born8 ,not by faulty methods of teaching
 can it be explained1 nor by anything   
else that teachers have done or have not
 done4 ,illiterates have not attended   
the schools4 ,it is due either to       
insufficient legislation or to          
non-enforcement of laws1 doubtless more 
the latter save in the case of adult    
aliens4  ,from the very beginning of our
 colonial life1 early in the #agth      
century1 universal education has been a 
part of both our educational and our    
governmental creeds4 ,a program of      
compulsory education was early found    
necessary1 early adopted1 and never     
abandoned4 ,beginning in ,massachusetts 
and going south and west1 following     
considerably behind but then keeping    
almost even pace with settlement and    
development after statehood had come1   
legislation has decreed that every child

 born into the land or coming into it by
 immigration shall enjoy the advantages 
of education1 at least to the extent of 
knowing how to read and write the       
,english language4 ,every state in the  
,union has compulsory attendance laws   
upon its statute books4 ,these laws are 
not as thorogoing as they should be in  
many cases but yet1 even as they are1 if
 enforced1 they should leave almost no  
illiteracy among people whose childhood 
has been spent in this country4 ,for the
 least satisfactory laws--those of some 
of the ,southern states1 ,georgia1 for  
example1 require school attendance for  
at least four months of each year       
between the ages of eight and fourteen4 
,but illiteracy1 even among our own     
people1 has been revealed--too much of  
it4 ,the laws have not been enforced4   
,there is the sore spot4 ,why have they 
not been enforced8 ,but of that later4  
,the education of adult aliens is       
another matter1 and a very different    
one4 ,as a problem it is almost new4    

,that is1 it has been only in relatively
 recent years that it has been          
recognized as such4 ,true1 for several  
years some of the states most largely   
affected1 such as ,massachusetts1 ,new  
,jersey1 ,new ,york1 ,pennsylvania1 and 
others have been wrestling with it1 but 
not very much has yet been attempted    
toward introducing the compulsory       
features4 ,and private agencies1        
philanthropic1 industrial1 religious1   
political1 and others have also done    
good work4 ,but all that had thus far   
been done had accomplisht little more1  
at the outbreak of the war1 than to open
 our eyes to the existence of a problem4
 ,and in our leisurely way we were going
 about its solution4 ,but war came4 ,the
 ,european nations were aflame4 ,we had 
many ,europeans in our midst4           
,investigations were made4 ,the         
universal draft was adopted4 ,the       
revelations were startling4 ,it was     
discovered that in #aiaj there were in  
the ,united ,states #b1iec1jaa white    

persons of foreign birth1 #aj years of  
age and over1 unable to speak the       
,english language4 ,of these #ef1hje    
were from ten to fifteen years of age1  
#ccj1iid between fifteen and twenty-one1
 and #b1efe1bab twenty-one and over4    
,note the number1 more than two and a   
half millions1 twenty-one years of age  
and over--men grown1 fathers of         
families1 many of them--unable to speak 
the language of their adopted country6  
,and of these #ghh1fca were             
illiterate--unable to read or write in  
any language6  ,nothing short of legal  
requirements on a large scale1 and      
rigidly enforced1 absolutely free of    
cost to the immigrant1 can ever remove  
the menace4 ,the law-making bodies of   
the country1 both ,state and ,federal1  
must act and act quickly or this growing
 menace will get beyond our control4    
,and the long catalog of physical       
defects--what shall be said of them8    
,shall they be charged against the      
educational forces of the country8 ,are 

they a disgrace from which we must      
redeem ourselves so that we shall not   
become the greater laughing stock8 ,it  
is perfectly evident that somebody has  
blundered because the whole sad list of 
defects is1 speaking broadly1 preventive
 and1 for the most part1 also           
remediable4 ,but where lies the         
responsibility--upon the home1 the      
school1 or society8 ,of course1         
primarily1 upon the home2 the child     
comes from the home1 goes to the home1  
is a part of the home1 is under the     
immediate control of the home4 ,but yet1
 many homes1 especially homes of alien  
peoples1 are not sufficiently           
intelligent to have entrusted to them   
matters of such far-reaching importance4
 ,and many others are not financially   
able to have proper attention given4    
,but the school does know4 ,and it1 or  
what it represents1 is abundantly able  
financially to handle the matter4 ,it   
knows clearly how the child with        
physical defects is hampered in trying  

to perform its school work2 it knows1   
too1 how seriously the entire work of   
the school is interfered with when there
 are many such in the room2 and it also 
knows the handicap under which such     
unfortunate children face life when     
school days are over4 ,and the school   
knows1 too1 the preventive and          
remediable natures of these defects4    
,possessing all this knowledge1 why has 
it not acted8 ,to make a long story     
short1 it has acted4 ,to the extent of  
its authority and with all the influence
 and power at its command it has acted1 
has been acting for many years1 and is  
still acting4 ,for more than a          
generation the educational forces of the
 country have been engaged in a         
nation-wide educational campaign        
designed to make clear to the homes of  
the country and to the voters of the    
country the growing seriousness of the  
situation4 ,on the lecture platform and 
from the ,gospel pulpit1 in the         
educational press and in the popular    

magazine1 aye1 in the daily newspaper1  
in private conversation and in public   
discussion1 in season and out of season1
 they have labored unceasingly to       
acquaint the public with the facts and  
to urge preventive and remedial action4 
,to the unselfish work of these leaders 
of educational thought and action1      
supplemented by the generous assistance 
of the medical profession1 is due the   
fact of our present-day intelligence in 
regard to the matter4 ,educators have   
been deeply interested1 thoroly alive1  
and intelligently at work4 ,how they    
have agitated the matter of better      
ventilation and better lighting of      
schoolhouses6 ,how they have pleaded for
 medical inspection and appropriate     
medical treatment of school children6   
,how they have urged the employment of  
the school nurse6 ,how they have workt  
for the playground and the gymnasium and
 for sane methods of handling the same6 
,but they do not form the court of last 
appeal4 ,they have no authority4 ,they  

all stand in about the same anomalous   
position as does the man nominally at   
the head of the educational activities  
of the country--the ,united ,states     
,commissioner of ,education4 ,they may  
gather statistics1 make reports1 and    
suggest action4 ,but that is all4 ,tho  
possessing full knowledge of the        
situation1 tho knowing just how to      
proceed to usher in a better day1 they  
are not permitted to take any action4   
,responsible8 ,of course they are not   
responsible4 ,redeem themselves8 ,from  
what1 pray8 ,laughing stock8 ,how long1 
oh6 how long1 will our great army of    
teachers1 three-fourths of a million    
strong1 be unappreciated1 belittled1 and
 maligned6  ,who1 then1 is responsible8 
,in the last analysis there is but one  
answer--the public itself4 ,since the   
community at large as well as the       
individual afflicted is1 in the final   
outcome1 a sufferer in every case of    
physical disability1 as also in that of 
illiteracy1 it is its duty1 as a mesure 

of self-protection1 at least1 to assume 
direction4 ,adequate information is at  
hand as to desirable methods of         
procedure4 ,demonstrations a-plenty have
 been given to prove that the program   
suggested is feasible1 inexpensive1 and 
beneficial4 ,this has been brought about
 thru the action of a few small groups  
who have thus presented clear and       
convincing object lessons4 ,but why must
 we say a few8 ,why is not such work    
nation-wide8 ,that is a longer story4   
,it follows4  ,the ,united ,states of   
,america is a ,republic--a              
representative democracy--a government  
in which all the people participate4    
,and the government of the ,united      
,states is a ,federal government4 ,it is
 made up of a group of ,states1 each one
 exercising supervision and control over
 its local matters4 ,and education has  
thus far been considered a local matter4
 ,and in many ways that soverenty has   
been still further divided4 ,we have as 
a smaller unit of school organization   

the county1 and a smaller one yet1 the  
township1 and1 in many states1 a still  
smaller one1 the school district1       
containing1 in many instances1 only a   
few square miles of territory and1 of   
course1 a very limited population4 ,but 
in some respects1 within certain limits1
 each of these small units is a law unto
 itself1 having much to say as to the   
length of the school term1 the character
 of the teaching1 and many other phases 
including such as the one under         
consideration4  ,for these reasons it   
frequently happens that side by side are
 school districts1 or townships1 or     
counties1 with widely differing         
educational programs4 ,here is one with 
attractive buildings1 well ventilated   
and well lighted1 well equipt in every  
way1 in the hands of competent teachers1
 with physician and nurses subject to   
call4 ,but just over the imaginary line 
is another with nothing quite           
satisfactory4 ,they are just living up  
to the strict letter of the ,state's    

requirement and that is all4 ,not one   
dollar is being spent that represents   
the community's voluntary contribution  
to the welfare of its child life or to  
the future well-being of humanity4  ,and
 why8 ,just because we are a ,democracy4
 ,just because our action must be the   
united action of many1 representing the 
average intelligence of the entire      
governmental unit and not that of its   
most intelligent members4 ,for this     
reason a democracy is always slow to act
 along new lines4 ,the majority of the  
people have to be convinced of the      
wisdom of the new mesure4 ,and education
 is itself always a slow process4       
,people change their minds slowly4      
,slowness of action is one of the prices
 we have to pay for our democracy4 ,on  
the other hand1 an absolute monarchy can
 act quickly1 for there may be but one  
individual to assimilate the new idea or
 to be convinced of the wisdom of the   
proposed change4  ,these facts are      
easily made clear by historical         

references1 and1 happily1 in the very   
matter under discussion--educational    
procedure4 ,in the eighteenth century   
,prussia1 under the two great           
,hohenzollern kings1 ,frederick ,william
 ,i and his son1 ,frederick the ,great1 
the two ruling from #agac to #aghf1 made
 most rapid strides in education4 ,both 
were practically absolute rulers1 but   
they were benevolent and far-sighted1   
and the educational reforms that they   
inaugurated were basic and far-reaching1
 such as state-control and support1     
compulsory attendance1 and the          
professional education of teachers4     
,being absolute in authority1 all they  
needed to do was to promulgate the      
decrees and order their execution4 ,the 
result was that1 educationally1 ,prussia
 immediately forged ahead of all the    
other ,european countries4  ,england1 on
 the other hand1 was a limited monarchy4
 ,her king could not have acted thus    
even if he so desired4 ,such mesures had
 to have the sanction of ,parliament1   

which would have to hark back to an     
enlightened public opinion since        
,parliament was a representative body4  
,and public opinion1 especially in      
matters of education1 is slow of        
creation4 ,as a matter of fact1 even tho
 the ,english people were much in       
advance of the ,germans in civilization 
and in all the refinements of life1 it  
was not till #ahcc that ,england as a   
government took her first step looking  
toward the education of her children    
thru appropriating money4 ,and the grant
 of that ,act was only a paltry #bj1jjj 
a year to be used by two religious      
societies for the erection of school    
houses4 ,and it was an entire generation
 later1 even #ahgj1 before they adopted 
the necessary principles of compulsory  
attendance and local taxation4 ,more    
than a hundred years behind ,prussia1   
,england was1 in the management of      
educational affairs6  ,another          
illustration of the slow action of      
democracy is nearer at hand both in time

 and space1 even in our own country4    
,for one reason or another1 rather1 for 
many reasons1 education was at a        
low-water mark in the ,united ,states   
the latter part of the eighteenth and   
the first part of the nineteenth        
centuries4 ,thoughtful men1 progressive 
educators1 prominent statesmen1         
searching for the cause and for the     
remedy1 found the one in the poor       
character of the teaching being done and
 the other in the establishment of the  
,state ,normal ,school patterned after  
those of ,germany4 ,this was first      
suggested in #ahaf in ,connecticut and  
pretty faithfully kept before the people
 of ,new ,england thereafter4 ,but in   
spite of every effort1 including a      
campaign of education and the           
establishment of private normal schools 
for the purposes of demonstration1 it   
was not till #ahch that the             
,massachusetts legislature could be     
induced to act4 ,and she would not have 
done so then had it not been that a very

 prominent man of ,boston1 a friend of  
the cause1 ,mr4 ,edmund ,dwight1 showed 
his faith in the movement by making a   
generous contribution out of his private
 funds4 ,note1 too1 this action from    
another point of view--the amount of    
,democracy's initial contribution toward
 this new great movement in ,america3   
,mr4 ,dwight's gift of #aj1jjj was      
evenly matched by that of the wealthy   
state of ,massachusetts6 ,and the       
#bj1jjj was the amount planned for the  
establishment of three new normal       
schools and their maintenance for three 
years6 ,that amount to-day would        
scarcely build a coal shed for each of  
three new normal schools6  ,but ,i am   
not advocating monarchical methods even 
to hasten so good a cause as educational
 improvement4 ,i am merely accounting   
for our slowness of action in needed    
reform4 ,for several reasons ,i should  
be decidedly opposed to adopting such a 
program of centralization even if we    
could4 ,in the first place1 not every   

absolute monarch would act as did       
,frederick the ,great4 ,there are few   
benevolent despots4 ,in ,france during  
the seventeenth centuries the ,louises  
were just as absolute as were the       
,fredericks in ,germany4 ,but they were 
not interested in education for the     
people4 ,again1 ,germany's system of    
education1 tho objectively efficient1   
has been far from satisfactory because  
not based on sane moral principles4 ,and
 that fact1 by the way1 has finally been
 ,germany's undoing4 ,now1 we can       
scarcely conceive of ,democracy erecting
 an educational structure on an         
unsatisfactory moral foundation4  ,and  
still again1 the action of an absolute  
monarch1 in all such matters as         
education1 tho perhaps temporarily      
rapid1 is not permanent4 ,remove the    
guiding spirit and it slips back4 ,an   
illustration will assist4 ,again        
,germany furnishes it4 ,the little duchy
 of ,gotha1 just south of ,prussia1     
serves us4 ,during the ,thirty ,years'  

,war ,gotha had suffered greatly4 ,near 
its close1 in #afdj1 ,duke ,ernest the  
,pious became its ruler4 ,he had at     
heart the good of his people4 ,he       
believed that education could be a very 
important factor in their upbuilding1   
and at once put into effect a           
progressive program4 ,his people were   
greatly bettered and his duchy became a 
fine object lesson for other ,german    
,states4 ,but ,duke ,ernest died4 ,and  
his educational reforms1 not springing  
from the people themselves1 followed him
 not long after4  ,a few years ago      
,president ,diaz1 ,mexico's benevolent  
despot of nearly half a century1 died4  
,and his people1 never having been      
taught how to rule themselves nor       
practised in the art1 went to pieces4   
,democracy is slow but she is apt to be 
sure4 ,her action in educational matters
 is often provokingly dilatory1 but she 
holds what she gains and thus continues 
to progress4 ,she does not take a step  
forward until she is sure of her ground1

 but then she stands firm4 ,her actions 
are the results of deliberate thought   
based on adequate data gathered from    
actual experiments and not to be shaken4
 ,democracy would not give up universal 
education nor take one step backward in 
the matter of compulsory attendance to  
secure it4 ,she would not part with her 
elementary normal schools for anything  
in the world4 ,and when once she sees   
her duty clear she will add to her      
school workers1 in every community1 the 
physician1 the nurse1 and the playground
 director4 ,she will do it and1 quickly 
noting improvements1 soon wonder why she
 had not done it long before4  ,since so
 much emphasis has been placed on the   
conservative nature of ,democracy and on
 its consequent slowness of action1 a   
word should be added as to its          
possibilities in emergency4 ,tho we were
 slow in entering the ,great ,war1 once 
our duty was clear we acted with a      
promptness1 a unanimity1 and an         
efficiency that surprised both friend   

and foe1 giving heart to the one and    
consternation to the other4 ,tho a      
democracy1 we invested our chief        
executive with a power and an authority 
beyond that possest by any monarch in   
the world4  ,so let us not be           
discouraged4 ,the situation is not as   
bad as it might be4 ,our fundamental    
principles are sound4 ,we are working   
along right lines and accomplishing good
 results4 ,our shortcomings1 our        
weaknesses1 our failures1 if you wish to
 call them such1 are seen only when our 
record is compared with a perfect score4
 ,the schools have not yet attained to  
#ajj per cent efficiency2 that is1 the  
country over4 ,here and there1 under the
 favorable conditions of an intelligent 
citizenry willing to follow expert      
leadership even to the extent of        
providing adequate funds1 are schools   
and departments of schools of           
approximately #ajj per cent efficiency4 
,and these1 as ,democracy's experiments1
 assure us of other advance steps4 ,they

 are object lessons4 ,thus ,democracy   
always advances4  ,finally1 what shall  
we say8 ,what shall we do8 ,not to      
redeem ourselves1 oh1 no6 not that6 but 
to approximate the #ajj per cent        
efficiency all along the line8 ,what8   
,why1 knowing that we are headed aright1
 keep steadily forward with our eyes on 
the goal1 refusing to be stampeded by   
the unthinking critic of whom ,democracy
 always has a plenty4 ,take courage6    
,speed up6     ,i  ,,on ,,the ,,firing  
,,line ,,in ,,education  ,president's   
,address delivered at the ,annual       
,banquet of the ,fortnightly ,club1     
,grand ,forks1 ,north ,dakota1 ,june #d1
 #aiag   ,the plan of the military      
campaign is worked out in the quiet1    
away back in the rear1 sometimes at     
considerable distance from the place of 
actual hostilities4 ,it is worked out   
quietly1 usually slowly1 and attracts   
but little attention4 ,but when worked  
out and ready to be put into operation1 
the plan is taken forward and activities

 begin4 ,supplies are gotten ready1 men 
stationed1 guns loaded1 the firing line 
is formed4 ,here is where the battle is 
to be fought1 where an attempt is to be 
made to carry out the plans formed in   
the quiet1 back there in the rear4      
,activity characterizes the scene4      
,advances are being made1 new things    
being done4 ,every effort is put forth  
to realize the plans4  ,it is not       
different in education4 ,in the quiet of
 the laboratories and the study1        
thoughtful men consider conditions1 form
 plans1 and develop theories of         
educational betterment that have to be  
tried out1 out in the open4 ,a firing   
line has to be formed1 a place where new
 things are to be done different from   
the regular conventional activities4    
,the humdrum1 prosaic1 traditional1     
everyday work goes on1 in the main1 all 
around but at these points where some   
advances are being tried1 a new and it  
is hoped better program tested4 ,all    
eyes are centered1 all minds eager4 ,the

 analogy is not inapt4  ,it is my       
purpose to discuss briefly some of the  
things that are happening on our        
educational firing lines4 ,i want to    
bring to your attention first1 however1 
the plan of the great educational       
campaign upon which we have entered1 the
 goal before us at the present time1 and
 then take up a few of the relatively   
new and typical positions being taken by
 leaders of educational thought1 having 
the realization of that goal in view4   
,this will present to you some of the   
things that are actually being done in a
 few progressive communities and point  
out possibilities for others4   ,,social
 ,,betterment1 ,,the ,,dominant ,,motive
 ,,in ,,education  ,if ,i interpret     
aright the present-day educational      
thought1 the dominant motive in it all  
is social in character4 ,that is to say1
 in all of our plans for the education  
of children we keep them in mind as     
future members of society1 acting with  
one another and all working together for

 the common good and for the betterment 
of the race4 ,and around this motive1 or
 back of it1 or being used by it as a   
means1 can be grouped all the           
significant educational practises of the
 time4  ,formerly the motive was largely
 psychological4 ,that is1 the school    
effected its organization1 chose its    
curriculum1 worked out its program1 and 
decided upon its methods in order that  
it might assist the child in the        
development of its instincts and        
capacities1 thus enabling him to realize
 his own personality4 ,the great ,french
 educator1 ,rousseau1 living in the     
eighteenth century1 was responsible for 
this movement and it was a notable      
advance beyond the haphazard and aimless
 practise of the time4 ,pestalozzi1 the 
great ,swiss educational reformer1      
,froebel1 the ,german apostle of        
childhood1 and ,herbart1 the            
psychological genius of the ,fatherland1
 were disciples of ,rousseau and worked 
out from his point of view1 trying to   

put it into practise in the             
school-rooms4  ,and here was the firing 
line in education for many a long day4  
,true1 none of these later men ignored  
social relationships as did ,rousseau4  
,true1 a strong case could be made out1 
if one should wish to defend the thesis1
 that these distinguished followers of  
,rousseau1 even tho carrying out his    
program in the main1 were likewise      
inaugurating the new sociological       
movement4 ,but yet it was not           
sufficiently clear to dominate even in  
their own minds4 ,the individual stood  
out beyond the mass4 ,he filled the     
stage4 ,nor did they clearly pass it on 
to others4 ,as a matter of fact1 what   
the immediate followers of these men got
 from them was the theory of            
individualism in its better form4  ,the 
best definition of education that can be
 given from this point of view is the   
development of an inner life4 ,that is  
what ,rousseau wanted to bring about and
 ,pestalozzi and ,froebel1 and our own  

,colonel ,parker of more recent times1  
the modern apostle of childhood1 had the
 same vision4 ,and so to ,froebel and   
these others1 likewise1 the school was  
an institution in which each child      
should discover his own individuality1  
work out his own personality1 and       
develop harmoniously all his powers4    
,true1 in that environment and doing all
 that1 the child is going to learn the  
relationships of society1 and thus the  
school might become a means for social  
progress as well as the instrument of   
individual development4 ,but this was   
incidental4 ,the development of the     
inner life was the goal4 ,fashioned in  
the quiet1 in the study1 away from the  
haunts of man1 this became the program  
and the rallying cry1 and out on the    
firing line it was striven for4 ,on the 
educational battlefields of both ,europe
 and ,america1 where redoubts were being
 stormed and advance positions taken1   
this was the one great end in view4 ,it 
eventuated in the child study movement  

of the present generation that is now at
 its height and that has done so much to
 mitigate the severities of the old time
 school room practises and likewise     
greatly aided in putting education on a 
scientific basis4  ,the immediate       
followers1 ,i say1 of the great         
,european quartet of educators had the  
above worthy goal in view2 but with     
their followers1 many of them1          
especially the noisy ones1 the modern   
sophists1 it degenerated into a theory  
of pure individualism of the most       
selfish type4 ,the theory of getting on 
in the world1 every man for himself1    
became rampant4 ,the school came to be  
looked upon as an institution in which  
children could learn how to get ahead of
 the rest of the community1 and         
education as merely another weapon to   
use in making society contribute more to
 purse and pleasure4 ,and on the firing 
line1 formed by these noisy agitators1  
mistaken by many as educational leaders1
 these were the things striven for4 ,but

 this aberration was only temporary4    
,the real educational leaders1 in trying
 to realize the goal of ,rousseau and   
,pestalozzi and to do it having to      
combat this movement of wildcat         
educational speculation1 gradually came 
to see a more important truth even than 
the one they were seeking4 ,as on many  
another firing line1 victories by the   
wayside have clarified our vision and   
given us new perspectives1 and a goal1  
not at first recognized1 looms large    
upon the horizon4  ,for thru all this   
struggle we have learned that the first 
business of the public school is to     
teach the child to live in the world in 
which he finds himself1 to understand   
his share in it and to perform it       
because1 after all1 unless people learn 
to adapt themselves to other individuals
 and communities1 disorder and chaos    
follow4 ,in it all we have come to see  
that education is the best instrument   
for regenerating society4  ,not         
individual development1 then1 the       

selfish view of ,rousseau1 not even the 
harmonious development of all the       
faculties1 the one-sided1 somewhat      
restricted1 or undeveloped1 view of     
,pestalozzi and others of his followers1
 surely not individual efficiency for   
personal gain1 the selfish view of crass
 materialism1 but social efficiency is  
the present-day motive in education4    
,and the definition of education takes  
on a different color4 ,not merely the   
development of inner life but in        
conjunction with that or in addition to 
it1 the development in the individual of
 the power of adjustment to an ever     
changing social environment4 ,and       
likewise the school becomes more than a 
place in which the child can discover   
himself4 ,aye1 it is the instrument that
 democracy has fashioned for realizing  
its broad and humanitarian ideal4       
,democracy is ever striving for closer  
and more harmonious relation between its
 members1 a greater degree of social    
justice1 and the school is its efficient

 means4  ,these two tendencies1 the     
psychological and the                   
sociological1--only two since the narrow
 individualistic was never accepted and 
is now being rapidly eliminated--these  
two are not antagonistic nor mutually   
exclusive4 ,the difference is largely in
 point of view or emphasis4 ,one may say
 that they are but the two sides of the 
same shield but the fact remains that   
there are two sides4 ,there is a        
difference and the change came as       
suggested4 ,and the change has modified 
conditions on the firing line4 ,ever    
since ,mr4 ,spencer asked his suggestive
 question1 what knowledge is of most    
worth1 the question of educational      
values has been raised and the          
curriculum has come under close         
scrutiny4 ,the result has been a        
modification4 ,the purely linguistic and
 literary1 that which does not function 
directly for preparation in life and    
society1 is slowly giving way to that   
which deals with the facts and forces of

 nature and of social institutions4     
,thus far ,i have tried to make plain   
the great educational campaign in which 
we are engaged1 as seen on the firing   
line1--to point out the goal before us1 
universal education1 of course1 and     
social efficiency for each member of the
 group4 ,that suggests at once as a     
definition of education1 the one made   
famous by ,herbert ,spencer more than a 
half century ago1 ,preparation for      
complete living4 ,that was good as a    
start in the new direction1 but one of  
the most prominent generals of our      
educational forces now commanding at the
 front1 ,john ,dewey of ,columbia       
,university1 has suggested a            
modification which brings it up to date 
and gives the key-note of explanation to
 the tactics now in vogue out there in  
the front ranks4 ,he says that instead  
of being the preparation for life1      
education is life itself4 ,some without 
trying to probe deeply into the thought 
back of the trenchant expression1 have  

said that this was a mere play upon     
words4 ,but ,dewey is not a man who     
plays with words4 ,what he meant by the 
statement is that the child is best     
prepared for life as an adult by living 
the right kind of life as a child4 ,that
 is by living a life that has real      
meaning to him now1 a normal natural    
life1 putting forth those activities    
that spring from within1 not merely     
sitting behind a narrow desk trying to  
memorize wordy descriptions of          
complicated facts thought to be useful  
to him later on4 ,and when we go out and
 see what they are doing on the firing  
line we shall see just that being done4 
,,child ,,study  ,but perhaps ,i should 
guard against a possible                
misapprehension4 ,in eliminating the    
materialistic point of view in          
individualism--narrow individual        
development for personal gain--we have  
not thrown aside the goal of development
 suggested by ,rousseau and ,pestalozzi4
 ,advanced educational thought has that 

prominently in mind--the discovery of   
the child's latent powers--his          
possibilities--his tastes--his bent and 
the development of the same4 ,but while 
with them that was the goal1 the end in 
view1 and a somewhat selfish one1 even  
tho not crassly materialistic1 it has   
become1 with us1 a means to a larger    
end1 namely1 social betterment4 ,the    
child must be known and developed to    
enable it to be able to contribute its  
largest quota to the welfare of society4
  ,with this general direction of       
educational activity made plain1 and    
incidentally the character of the       
activities along the entire battle      
front1 let us pass to a consideration of
 a few specific activities that will    
illustrate the general movement4 ,let us
 bear in mind that we have in view1 in  
the first place1 the individual child   
whose tastes and aptitudes we must      
discover and1 on the basis of discovery1
 whose fullest development1 consistent  
with the rights of others1 we must seek4

 ,and the reason for this1 you know1 is 
that only as this is done and he is     
prepared to do that kind of work in the 
world for which his tastes best adapt   
him--only thus can he be made the most  
efficient member of society possible4   
,because1 as ,plato said1 centuries ago1
 ,society is but the individual writ    
large--a collection of individuals4 ,the
 foundation of all things in social life
 is the individual4  ,now1 ,i'll admit1 
at once1 that that is not the program of
 the rank and file of the schools4 ,it  
should be1 but it isn't4 ,what the      
schools are trying to do1 in the main1  
is to teach the children a lot of facts 
that tradition says would be well for   
them to know when they become adults1   
wholly irrespective of the child's      
present attitude toward these           
facts--whether or not they have meaning 
for him4 ,what the high schools are     
trying to do is to teach the relatively 
few who survive this grade program1 in  
addition to these elementary            

tradition-directed facts of knowledge1 a
 lot more of meaningless matter         
prescribed by the colleges and listed   
under that alluring title1 entrance     
requirements4 ,and as a result of these 
programs the schools are sending        
altogether too many of their boys and   
girls into society unacquainted with    
themselves1 and ill-fitted for any      
useful occupation1 and therefore out of 
sympathy with the serious work of the   
world4 ,they are misfits in the social  
and economic world and are obliged to   
take their places in the ranks of the   
lowest-paid of unskilled labor--and work
 up if they can4  ,now1 what is being   
done on the firing lines to remedy this 
situation and to usher in the new day8  
,well1 first1 in our normal             
schools--institutions established and   
maintained for the simple purpose of    
preparing young people for teaching     
children--great emphasis is being placed
 upon the study of the child4 ,it is    
felt that only as the teacher           

understands the child mind and the laws 
of its development can she direct that  
development aright4 7,that's a sensible 
point of view1 isn't it8 ,and yet it is 
only on the firing line in educational  
practise that we find it recognized4    
,without that factor of equipment1 the  
teacher is teaching subjects1 not boys  
and girls47 ,in many normal schools     
child study is one of the required      
subjects--no one may graduate or be     
recommended for a teaching position who 
has not taken it4 ,it should be required
 in all--and will be a little later on4 
,no person should be allowed to occupy  
the position of teacher of children who 
has not made such a study--and proved   
himself efficient in it4 ,boards of     
education should demand it even if some 
normal schools do not yet require it for
 graduation4 ,it is far and away the    
most important part of the teacher's    
professional equipment4  ,and then in   
our schools of education and teachers   
colleges--institutions set apart for    

preparing teachers for our high schools 
and for administrative positions--the   
study of adolescence is receiving       
increasing attention4 ,the high school  
boy and the high school girl are being  
made the subjects of close1 careful1    
scientific study4 ,it is thought that in
 order to deal effectively with these   
young people the high school teacher    
should understand those marvelous       
changes--physical1 mental1 and          
moral--thru which they are passing4 ,how
 else can one know how to check where   
checking is needed 7and it usually is   
needed somewhere along the line72 to    
guide where the pathway is obscure 7and 
every adolescent is sure to pass thru   
valleys of darkness during the high     
school course72 and to inspire where    
inspiration is lacking 7and with some it
 is lacking a good deal of the time7--in
 a word1 how else than thru a knowledge 
of the situation can one be the         
philosopher1 guide1 and friend that the 
adolescent always needs8  ,do you know  

that about one-fourth of all students   
who enter the freshman classes of our   
high schools1 thruout the ,united       
,states1 drop out before the close of   
the first semester8 ,do you know1 too1  
that the elimination continues right    
along until that one-fourth is made more
 than one-half before graduation day    
arrives8 ,now1 these boys and girls     
enter full of hope and expectation1     
eager and ambitious for what the high   
school is supposed to do for them2 they 
do not plan to drop out before          
completing the course--nor do their     
parents plan to have them do so4 ,why do
 they do it8 ,what has changed their    
point of view and sent them from the    
school1 sad and disappointed1 and their 
parents dissatisfied with both school   
and child8 ,what is it8 ,do you want me 
to tell you8 ,the situation has been the
 subject of investigation in many places
 thruout the country1 and the conclusion
 reached by thoughtful men and women1   
unbiased students of educational        

practises1 is that1 while many          
influences combine to bring about that  
unfortunate result1 the chief cause of  
this high mortality is the unsympathetic
 attitude of high school teachers toward
 the adolescent4 ,but1 you may ask1 why 
unsympathetic8 ,because they regard them
 as fickle1 unstable1 and irrational1   
and so have but little patience with    
them4 ,i'll admit that the adolescent   
seems all that at times1 but that is    
only on the surface4 ,the developmental 
changes--physical and moral--thru which 
he is passing often make the life during
 this period one of turmoil4 ,from      
fourteen to eighteen--the normal high   
school period--is frequently called the 
storm and stress period of life4 ,not   
having made a study of the situation1   
high school teachers1 in the main1 do   
not know the fundamental scientific     
facts1 and therefore can not account for
 actions1 points of view1 signs of      
waywardness1 lack of appreciation1 poor 
lessons1 etc41 etc41 that sometimes     

characterize the youth while a student  
in the high school4 ,they often lay to  
an unclean mind what springs from a     
perfectly normal development of the sex 
function2 they are sure that moral      
perversity is the basis of actions that 
are more correctly explained by         
reference to a moral nature merely in   
the process of development2 they think  
that pure laziness alone explains the   
lack of vigorous work1 whereas the boy  
is growing so fast that he has no       
strength for anything else2 they scold  
him for being awkward and say it is due 
to carelessness and a slip-shod mind1   
because they do not know that the       
muscles sometimes grow faster than the  
bones1 making accurate co-ordination a  
physical impossibility2 in a word1 to   
general1 all round cussedness they      
charge behavior that should be referred 
to high blood pressure1 aching bones1   
the knitting together by fiber growth of
 the various brain centers1 and finally1
 to youthful enthusiasm1 all of which   

are perfectly normal signs of developing
 youth4 ,they do it because they do not 
know any better4 ,they are ignorant of  
many things that touch1 and vitally1 the
 young people with whom they are        
working4 ,but how could it be otherwise8
 ,they have never given any reflective  
thought to the matter4 ,the term        
half-baked that they often apply to the 
adolescent in disgust1 or in coarse     
jest1 is1 from this point of view1 more 
applicable to themselves4  ,that1 ,i    
say1--the unsympathetic attitude of the 
high school teacher toward the          
adolescent--is the chief cause of the   
high mortality of high school students4 
,that1 coupled with another1 that       
springs from the same fundamental       
situation--ignorance of the needs and   
points of view of the adolescent--tho   
not so chargeable to the individual     
class teacher as to the school system as
 a whole1 local1 state1 and national1   
pretty nearly cover the ground4 ,the    
other cause to which ,i refer is the    

course of study and program of          
activities that are so ill-adapted to   
the tastes1 and needs1 and capacities of
 adolescent boys and girls--studies and 
activities that have no real meaning to 
them and that fit them for nothing      
definite save college entrance where the
 same old process1 meaningless to many1 
often goes on for another period4  ,what
 is being done on the firing line to    
better such conditions8 ,a good deal2   
quite a good deal4 ,normal schools and  
schools of education here and there1 the
 former more than the latter1 are now   
giving attention to the matter1         
requiring in some cases and urging in   
others1 prospective teachers to become  
intelligent in regard to the lives they 
are to direct4 ,it is being done at our 
own institution as at others4 ,this year
 ,dr4 ,todd has given instruction in    
child study to nearly one hundred young 
men and women who are looking forward to
 teaching in the grades1 and ,i have had
 a group of some thirty-five or forty   

prospective high school teachers and    
superintendents who have been making a  
careful study of adolescence4 ,i        
guarantee that these people will not    
make the crude and unfeeling blunders   
that ,i have mentioned as too common    
among high school teachers1 as they run4
 ,these are firing-line activities4     
,they were nearly new a dozen years ago4
 ,my introduction of such courses in our
 ,university was smiled at indulgently  
by some of my colleagues and sharply    
criticised1 especially the work in      
adolescence1 by others4 ,they are not   
yet required of students preparing to   
teach1 but have evidently demonstrated  
their value since1 tho in no sense snap 
courses1 they have become very popular4 
,as illustrative of this work let me    
refer to a notable recent action of the 
legislature of ,iowa4 ,it has just      
passed an ,act appropriating to the     
,state ,university #be1jjj a year for   
the purpose of financing what is called 
a child-welfare campaign4 ,the plan is  

to make an exhaustive scientific study  
of the child from both the physiological
 and psychological points of view1 to   
the end that it may be better known and 
thus more satisfactorily guided in its  
educational career4  ,one other thing1  
in this same connection1 is being done  
on our firing lines all over the        
country--something that is hoped will   
set the people at large1 parents and    
citizens generally1 to thinking sanely  
on educational matters and ere long     
rectify our blunders as to subjects of  
study and general school activities and 
thus result in sending the children out 
efficient workmen in suitable fields4 ,i
 refer to addresses and discussions such
 as this and others1 to articles in     
newspapers and magazines1 and the       
educational press1 and to even more     
extensive and thoro discussions put out 
in book form from time to time for the  
laymen4  ,the old darkey says1 ,the     
world do move4 ,we sometimes think it   
moves very slowly1 but yet it do move4  

,tho we can't see it move1 we can1 by   
looking back1 see that it has moved4    
,,physical ,,education  ,another thing  
for which we are fighting out on the    
firing lines is an adequate system of   
physical education4 ,this would include 
periodical medical inspection of every  
child from the kindergarten up2 it would
 also include the school nurse and the  
visiting nurse1 and1 as well1 free      
public clinics for ear1 eye1 nose1      
throat1 and tooth difficulties4 ,it     
would also include1 for mental and moral
 as well as physical ends1 well-equipt  
playground and gymnasium facilities     
under the direction of men and women    
expert and skilful in those fields--and 
these would be in operation the entire  
year4  ,the physical education of the   
child and adolescent should be as       
carefully planned1 as scientifically    
workt out in a positive way1 as the     
intellectual4 ,why not8 ,because you    
know--every intelligent person          
knows--that the physical is the basis   

for the mental and the moral4 ,you      
know--we all know--that a sound1 a      
healthy1 a sane life can not be developt
 in an unsound or a diseased body4 ,then
 why are these activities merely on the 
firing lines and not a part of the      
regular program8 ,because ignorance1 and
 prejudice1 and selfishness1 and        
stubbornness1 and penuriousness are     
still keeping many people in the        
trenches4 ,but they will be dislodged4  
,just as sure as fate they will be      
driven from cover4 ,they are fighting a 
losing battle4 ,they are standing in the
 way of an irresistible movement that is
 sure to engulf them4 ,if there were    
time ,i should like to describe just    
what is being done along this line in   
some places and give the reflex         
influence of the same on the community4 
,it has surely meant a new heaven and a 
new earth to many a child1 and          
glimmerings of the same to many a       
community4 ,but ,i pass to less         
spectacular matters1 continuing to      

discuss principles rather than          
illustrations4   ,,the ,,educational    
,,survey  ,another matter of interest   
these days is the educational survey    
that has been taken up by many          
progressive communities4 ,the plan is1  
as many of you know1 to subject the     
school system of a city or community to 
a searching investigation in order to   
discover1 if possible1 its weak points1 
if it has any1 to the end of their      
betterment4 ,experts are brought in who1
 without fear or favor1 examine the     
system from all possible points of      
view--location and arrangement of school
 buildings including heating1 lighting1 
and general health conditions1 adequacy 
of playground and athletic facilities1  
the extent to which the schools are     
satisfying community needs in the way of
 equipt workmen and the needs of the    
young people for equipment for suitable 
work1 the cost of the system1           
attendance1 methods of teaching and     
supervision1 course of study1 etc4      

,outside experts are brought in for     
various reasons3 known to have no       
personal interest in the outcome1 their 
reports are likely to be received with  
greater respect2 and1 too1 a local      
committee1 thru nearness and very       
familiarity1 would fail to notice       
features1 good as well as bad1 that     
might at once attract the attention of  
strangers4 ,many cities1 ranging from   
#bejj to half a million people1 have    
already availed themselves of the survey
 with1 in the main1 very gratifying     
results4 ,not only have cities used the 
survey1 but other units of educational  
administration4 ,there have been a few  
very significant and interesting rural  
school surveys by counties in several   
states4 ,a similar study has been made  
of several ,state universities1         
,wisconsin1 ,iowa1 ,nevada1 for example4
 ,i notice that the legislature of      
,minnesota has just arranged for a      
survey of theirs4 ,you all recall that  
such a survey was made of all the       

institutions of higher education of     
,north ,dakota only a short time ago4   
,the general feeling is that it was well
 worth while4 ,such and even more       
extensive surveys have already been made
 in five other states--,oregon1 ,iowa1  
,washington1 ,colorado1 and ,wyoming4   
,the end sought in each and all of these
 surveys1 whether city schools1 higher  
institutions1 or state-wide systems1 is 
greater efficiency--larger service to   
society4 ,a survey of this character is 
usually followed by a detailed printed  
report that is generously distributed   
resulting in greater interest in the    
schools and a more intelligent          
appreciation of their work and their    
needs4   ,,vocational ,,guidance  ,much 
has been said in recent years about     
vocational education4 ,the schools have 
been severely criticised for not        
teaching trades4 ,many have demanded    
that that be the dominating motive in   
all our schools1 especially in the high 
schools4 ,the educational press1 for the

 last decade1 has kept the matter in the
 limelight4 ,books have been written    
calling attention to the heavy dropping 
out of school of pupils even before     
reaching high school age wholly unfitted
 to do anything above the most menial   
and lowest-paid work4 ,they have argued 
strenuously and sometimes logically for 
better things4 ,to this program the     
objection has been raised that children 
in these early years are not yet ready  
to choose their work of life2 that they 
do not yet sufficiently know            
themselves--their own tastes and        
capacities for such serious choice2 it  
has also been urged that to place before
 children such attractive objective     
features would result in swerving many  
from the normal pathway of their        
development and check it midway4 ,the   
result has been what might be called a  
compromise1 and the firing-line         
activities have been somewhat modified4 
,not vocational education but vocational
 guidance is now more nearly the        

thought4 ,and this has a much larger    
content1 a background1 a more scientific
 basis1 and one organically connected   
with the larger movement of which ,i    
have already spoken--the social motive  
in education supplemented by the        
individual involving the discovery and  
development of taste and capacity4  ,i  
have already called attention to the    
high mortality of high school students4 
,the reasons ,i have given are the lack 
of sympathy that the teacher has with   
the adolescent and the lack of meaning  
found in the work being done4 ,the same 
facts account for the heavy elimination 
that takes place in the upper grades of 
the elementary school4 ,but both are    
being remedied to some extent4 ,the     
first thru the child-study movement and 
the second thru the matter of vocational
 guidance4 ,and the two are very closely
 connected as one can see at a glance4  
,thru the child-study movement the      
teacher comes to know child nature so   
well that direct application can be made

 to the individual child and an intimate
 knowledge gained of his tastes1        
capacities1 ambitions1 and dominant     
interests4 ,this will enable her to give
 the subject matter definite meaning in 
the early years1 and1 later on1 when    
vocations begin to attract1 the guiding 
may be intelligent and the final choice 
a suitable one4 ,from the beginning of  
the adolescent period there should be   
opportunities furnished by the school or
 thru its co-operative effort for       
children to test themselves in various  
lines--academic lines1 vocational lines4
 ,they should1 in a word1 be            
vocationally tempted in as many         
different directions as possible so as  
to come to know themselves so well that 
the final settling will not be          
haphazard4 ,in these ways they should be
 guided into their vocations1 definite  
ones1 just as early in life as they can 
be adequately prepared for them4 ,for   
example3--if his tastes and capacities  
fit a certain boy for merely a          

mechanical pursuit that requires but    
little academic learning1 such as       
carpentry1 plumbing1 blacksmithing1     
brick laying1 etc41 he should1          
relatively early in the adolescent      
period1 be thus guided1 and not forced  
to attempt an academic course that can  
have no possible meaning to him4 ,this  
would send him out1 a productive member 
of society1 happy in his work because   
suited to him and efficient in it       
because fitted for doing it well4 ,if1  
on the other hand1 tastes and capacities
 fit for academic or professional       
careers1 such as medicine1 law1         
teaching1 or engineering1 the principle 
would remain the same but the program   
would differ4 ,the academic work1       
meaningless to the prospective plumber1 
or dressmaker1 would be full of meaning 
to the embryo lawyer or teacher1 and the
 period of preparation much prolonged4  
,such are the points of view that       
teachers should hold1 and such the      
opportunities that schools should offer4

 ,and it is all being found out on the  
firing lines4 ,this program is being    
carried out to some extent in many      
places in different parts of the        
country4 ,the time is not very far      
distant when something of the kind will 
be demanded in all our towns4 ,for out  
in the front ranks the high school is no
 longer regarded chiefly as a           
preparatory for college4 ,out there it  
is seen to possess a much larger        
function--assisting the child--every    
child--to form its own acquaintance and 
to begin the planning of its future4 ,in
 other words1 the thought on the firing 
line is that the high school is an      
institution established by a community  
for community purposes--to take its     
young people--all of them--and guide    
them thru the difficult and transitional
 period of adolescence1 directing1      
inspiring1 shaping1 checking1 developing
 for the largest manhood and womanhood  
possible and providing the community    
with efficient workmen in various lines4

   ,,the ,,educational ,,psychologist   
,while there are many other activities1 
significant and interesting1 that might 
well be considered in such a treatment  
as this1 ,i shall close with a very     
brief mention of one more--the place and
 work of the educational psychologist in
 our modern system4  ,one of the most   
significant of the newer movements in   
educational procedure is that termed    
educational mesurements1 perhaps better 
called the mesurement of intelligence4  
,about a generation ago it began to be  
observed that many children did not pass
 thru the grades with the regularity    
that was thought normal or desirable4   
,many were obliged to repeat            
grades--they did not pass1 to use the   
language of the schools4 ,the more the  
matter was investigated1 the more       
serious was it seen to be4              
,investigation has gone on until at last
 carefully gathered statistics tell us  
that almost1 if not quite1 one-half of  
all the children in the schools fail to 

progress thru the grades at the expected
 rate4 ,for some reason1 or for some    
combination of reasons1 they are        
retarded from one to three years4 ,and  
of the #djj1jjj1jjj annually spent to   
carry on the work of the schools it is  
estimated that from #dj1jjj1jjj to      
#ej1jjj1jjj go every year in attempts to
 teach these retarded ones what they    
have already tried but failed to learn4 
,here was a double loss1 a financial one
 of large proportions and a human one of
 much more serious import4 ,why the     
retardation8 ,and what could be done to 
check it8  ,thoughtful consideration was
 given to the matter with the following 
revelation3 it was seen that in         
educational procedure all matters of    
grading1 promotion1 even choice of      
subject matter where there was a choice1
 were being handled on the basis of     
results of tests of                     
information--possession of knowledge    
facts--rather than of ability or        
intelligence4 ,this might not be so bad 

if the knowledge sought in these tests  
were knowledge necessary to have in     
order to function adequately in the new 
or advanced environment4 ,but usually no
 such relationship could be traced4 ,it 
was but another illustration of no      
present meaning connected with the work 
of the school4 ,a remedy was sought1 and
 is being sought1 in trying to          
substitute for the information test a   
test of intelligence4 ,it is generally  
admitted that neither one is an adequate
 mesure of the other4 ,a child may have 
a very high grade of intelligence and   
yet make a very poor showing in the     
ordinary schoolroom test for knowledge1 
not that he has been unable to learn    
such facts but merely that his interests
 and attention have not been thus       
focust4 ,on the other hand1 it is       
entirely possible for one of low-grade  
intelligence to receive a very          
creditable mark in a test for           
information since it is frequently a    
test of verbal memory1 that great       

simulator of intelligence1 as ,binet    
calls it4  ,one of the most interesting 
of the books bearing upon this new      
educational movement is ,the            
,measurement of ,intelligence by        
,professor ,terman of ,leland ,stanford 
,university4 ,in the thoughts just      
exprest ,i have used material found in  
this book4  ,so1 for a few years now1   
educational psychologists have been     
trying to work out a series of tests of 
intelligence1 so that children may be   
located on the basis of their general   
intelligence1 or ability to accomplish  
results4 ,the results so far are very   
promising as tending to eliminate much  
of the loss mentioned above4 ,and out on
 our firing lines the educational       
psychologist is being looked upon as a  
necessity in any system looking forward 
to real efficiency4 ,it is thought that 
thru the saving he could effect in the  
two directions cited his regular        
employment would be a matter of economic
 foresight4 ,a few years ago it was the 

school physician who was being fought   
for out in the front ranks4 ,he is now a
 fixture in every up-to-date school     
system1 and it is the psychologist for  
whom battle is now being waged4 ,and it 
is only a question of time when his     
position will be secure and the line    
pushed forward for another attack4  ,i  
have discust with you briefly some of   
the interesting points of view of the   
education of to-day4 ,i have tried to   
place before you1 first1 what ,i think  
to be its dominant motive--social       
betterment1 made effective thru         
discovery and development of the        
individual's tastes and dominant        
interests4 ,to show how this program is 
becoming established and worked out1 ,i 
have touched upon various new lines of  
activity in sympathy with and           
contributing to the general movement4   
,thus ,i discust briefly the great      
child-study movement having for its goal
 knowledge of the individual child as a 
basis for its educational treatment4    

,following this ,i spoke of physical    
education--its beginning in many places 
and the great need for extension4       
,another activity named was the         
educational survey by means of which a  
community may have its own educational  
activity tested by impartial experts    
that its real efficiency may be known4  
,then followed brief discussion of the  
new movement for vocational guidance    
that is doing so much where being used  
to make the youth efficient and happy in
 his chosen and appropriate field of    
activity4 ,i closed the discussion with 
a mention of a still newer movement     
having the same great ends in view--the 
employment of the educational           
psychologist4 ,firing-line activities   
all of these are1 each vigorous and     
active in the great movement for        
educational betterment4     ,,ii  ,,the 
,,relation ,,of ,,the ,,state           
,,university ,,to ,,the ,,high ,,schools
 ,,of ,,the ,,state  ,an ,address       
delivered before the ,annual ,conference

 of the ,north ,dakota ,superintendents 
and ,principals at the ,university of   
,north ,dakota1 ,may #ah1 #aiaf   ,this 
is a topic of great interest to us      
all--to you in the field and to us here 
on the campus4 ,the work of the two     
institutions is so closely related1 each
 depends so much upon the other1 that   
participation in the activities of one  
bespeaks interest in the other4 ,but    
before we can discuss at all            
intelligently the matter of relationship
 it will be necessary to look at the two
 separately--objectively1 as it were--to
 note the function of each and its place
 in the educational system of the       
,state4 ,what is the university8 ,what  
is the high school8 ,and what is the    
work of each8 are questions that must   
first be answered4  ,in the first place1
 of course1 the two are but parts of a  
still larger whole1 neither being an    
independent1 self-sufficing entity4 ,the
 larger whole is the educational system 
of the ,state1 of which there is one    

other part equally important with the   
two named1 even the elementary school4  
,and all three parts forming the whole  
are creations of the ,state1 devised1   
controlled1 and maintained for a very   
definite purpose--namely1 the welfare   
and happiness of our people4  ,while it 
is true that the three parts are        
correlative1 each supplementing the     
others and the system incomplete without
 all three1 it is also true that they   
are co-ordinate1 no one of the three    
being1 per se1 in authority over any    
other1 nor any one subordinate to       
another4 ,let me put before you1 very   
briefly1 that we may all be thinking    
together1 the system in its outlines and
 then discuss each of its parts1 trying 
to discover its function and its node of
 work4 ,then we shall pass to the matter
 of relationship4  ,the system as a     
whole covers and tries to provide for   
the entire school life of the           
individual4 ,the elementary period1 or  
department1 includes1 in the main1 as   

now organized1 the work of the first    
eight years of the child's school life  
and ministers to it from the age of six 
to fourteen years4 ,the secondary1      
beginning where the elementary closes1  
carries on the work for four years and  
is followed by the higher1 the colleges 
and the professional schools--the       
university4  ,it may clarify matters    
somewhat and thus give us a clearer     
perspective1 if1 before1 entering upon  
the discussion1 ,i account for the      
system as we have it to-day4  ,our      
,colonial forefathers in the ,old ,bay  
,state1 back in the #agth century1 in   
providing to meet the situation that    
prest upon them1 unconsciously laid the 
foundations for an educational system   
that expanded with their expansion and  
developed with their development4 ,but  
before taking the initial steps they did
 not wait to analyze the entire         
situation and upon logical or           
philosophical grounds map it out in its 
entirety4 ,they had no such thought4    

,they needed ministers of the ,gospel   
and1 since a knowledge of ,latin was the
 one sure gateway to that profession1   
they established a ,latin school almost 
as soon as they had set their own       
dwelling places in order4 ,this was in  
#afce1 and ,harvard ,college followed   
the very next year to complete the      
preparation4 ,it was an afterthought and
 came eleven years later when they      
legislated for an elementary school4    
,and even tho we can see1 in what they  
had then produced1 the fundamental      
factors of our present somewhat         
complicated system1 the people who were 
responsible for its organization were   
only dimly conscious of the significance
 of it all4 ,they builded better than   
they knew4 ,the broad outlines can not  
be improved4 ,details1 of course1 are   
ever changing as local conditions       
change1 but from the very nature of     
things1 the elementary1 the secondary1  
and the higher schools have remained    
with us1 each for a quite definite      

purpose and all working together for a  
common end4 ,let us look1 therefore1 for
 a moment1 at each of the three and see 
for what it stands and what it should   
attempt to do4   ,,the ,,elementary     
,,school  ,the fundamental purpose of   
the elementary school in a democracy is 
well stated in the first legislation on 
the continent touching elementary       
education1 tho not mentioning the       
elementary school4 ,it was in the       
,massachusetts colonies in #afdb4 ,the  
,general ,court passed an ordinance of  
which the following quotation gives the 
substance3  ,this ,court1 taking into   
consideration the great neglect of many 
parents and masters in the training of  
their children in labor and learning1   
and other employments which may be      
profitable to the commonwealth1 do      
hereupon order and decree that in every 
town the chosen men appointed for       
managing the prudential affairs of the  
same shall henceforth stand charged with
 the care of the redress of this evil   

444 and for this end they1 or the       
greater number of them1 shall have the  
power to take account1 from time to     
time1 of all parents and masters1 and of
 their children1 concerning their       
calling and employment of their         
children1 especially of their ability to
 read and understand the principles of  
religion and the capital laws of this   
country2 and they shall have power 444  
to put forth as apprentices the children
 of such as they shall find not to be   
able and fit to employ and to bring them
 up4  ,here was compulsory elementary   
education1 that children might know how 
to read1 might understand the principles
 of religion and the capital laws of the
 ,state1 and also that they might be    
taught to work4 ,and why8 ,for their own
 present and future welfare1 and that   
they might be profitable to the         
commonwealth1 the document reads4  ,it  
was for all the children of all the     
people4 ,the same thought is with us    
to-day and1 analyzed and stated in our  

present-day terminology1 may be put     
about as follows3  ,the elementary      
school is for all the people and aims to
 do for all three things3 first1        
exercise a positive directive influence 
over the child's physical development2  
second1 carry on1 in a more systematic1 
scientific manner the training of the   
sense organs already begun by the home1 
thus opening up the life to the beauties
 of nature1 art1 and other forms of     
truth1 and so providing for the         
development of the inner life of each in
 accordance with inherent leaning and   
capability2 and1 third1 equip them with 
the tools of knowledge and give such    
knowledge facts and develop such points 
of view as will enable each to become a 
self-directing1 constructive1 and       
contributing member of his democratic   
community4  ,attendance upon the        
elementary school should1 in the        
interests of all as individuals and of  
the ,state as an organization1 be       
compulsory4   ,,the ,,high ,,school     

,the high school should likewise be for 
all1 tho for a somewhat different       
purpose4 ,while attendance should not be
 compulsory1 the aim should be to make  
it universal4 ,for a somewhat different 
purpose1 ,i said2 ,i should perhaps have
 said for an added purpose1 because ,i  
would have the three ends of the        
elementary school kept constantly in    
view as fundamental bases4 ,but1        
assuming that these things have been    
well done1 the chief purpose of the high
 school should be to discover the       
child's latent powers1 his dominant     
interests1 and then1 so far as these are
 wholesome1 help him plan his education 
in their general direction4 ,i might put
 it briefly thus3 the chief function of 
the high school should be to help the   
child to become acquainted with himself 
and begin the planning of his future4   
,let us look at it carefully and see if 
it is not sound4  ,at the conclusion of 
the elementary school1 at the age of    
#ad1 the boys and girls are still       

children2 they are developing1 not      
developed1 in either body or mind4 ,they
 have not yet reached1 in the main1 the 
period of rapid acceleration of physical
 growth1 intellectual expansion1 or     
moral development2 they are just        
reaching it2 they are now in the early  
stages of that wonderful period of      
adolescence when the boy is being       
transformed into the man and the girl   
into the woman4 ,they are neither       
children nor adults1 yet manifesting the
 characteristics of both4 ,they do not  
know themselves1 nor does any one else  
know them intimately4 ,how can they8    
,they are not yet formed4 ,they are in  
the process of formation4 ,what will    
emerge as a result of the process1 we   
know only in broad outlines--not at all 
in minute detail4 ,so many factors are  
at work and there are possible so many  
combinations of factors that no one can 
tell2 for it is during the period of    
adolescence that hereditary             
characteristics show themselves4 ,up to 

this time the child is a child of the   
race2 during this period it becomes the 
offspring of its parents4 ,and the      
factors of heredity--father1 mother1    
ancestry--are mingling and clashing and 
combining with the factors of           
environment1 and what the outcome is    
going to be1 nobody knows1 in specific  
cases1 in advance4  ,this is the period 
when the heart1 the lungs1 and the brain
 are being transformed1 modified1 whipt 
into shape for the performance of the   
duties of adulthood4 ,it is a period    
when1 in the intellectual realm1 because
 of what is taking place in the         
physical1 concepts are being clarified1 
relationships traced1 ideas formed1     
things seen in the right perspective1   
and real reasoning begun4 ,it is the    
period when1 in the moral field1 because
 of what is being accomplished in the   
physical and the intellectual1          
principles are being apprehended that   
will finally enable the individual to   
distinguish between right and wrong1 to 

organize on principle rather than upon  
expediency his relationships with his   
fellows1 and eventually to become a free
 moral agent1 self-controlled and       
self-directed4 ,it is the period1       
therefore1 when ideals are being formed1
 habits fixt1 character shaped1 life    
plans matured1 and professions chosen4  
,and so1 with such an individual and    
during such a period1 what other        
function of the high school can begin to
 compare1 either in importance or in    
appropriateness1 with the one stated8   
,it may be objected that ,i do not      
include in this function of the high    
school that which has been during a     
large portion of its history its        
foremost work--preparation for college4 
,the seeming omission has not been      
accidental4 ,i say the seeming omission 
because1 even tho not specifically      
stated1 it is there1 for all who should 
be encouraged to prepare for college4   
,but it has not been made prominent     
since1 in my judgment1 it is of minor   

importance4 ,note again the function as 
suggested--to help the child know       
himself1 find out what he wants to do   
and what he can do best1 and then begin 
getting ready for doing it well4 ,if the
 specific form of future activity       
decided upon in a particular instance   
should call for the contribution of the 
college1 then of course the plan        
mentioned would include appropriate     
preparation4  ,but from what point of   
view should the high school be regarded 
and for whom should it be planned8      
,should it be for the relatively few who
 go beyond1 or for the great majority   
who do not8 ,it is a fair question and  
admits of but one answer4 ,the high     
schools of the ,state must1 of course1  
give adequate preparation for entrance  
into the ,state university4 ,some of    
them must--not necessarily every one4   
,it must be the preparatory school1     
since both are ,state institutions and  
the only ones occupying the field4 ,but 
it should do vastly more than that4     

,being of the people1 by the people1 and
 for the people1 it should be so handled
 as to serve all1 not merely a few1 of  
the people4 ,it is perfectly plain1     
therefore1 where the emphasis should be 
placed4  ,please do not misunderstand   
me2 ,i am not looking upon this from any
 narrow point of view1 ,i am not        
thinking merely of getting these        
children ready for jobs--certainly not  
all of them4 ,i am not advocating the   
transforming of our high schools into   
trade schools--not at all4 ,what ,i am  
urging primarily is a different point of
 view--and so enlarging and modifying   
our high school activities and equipment
 that all our children1 instead of only 
a few1 may find there a congenial       
atmosphere and activities suited to     
their tastes4 ,if their tastes lie in   
the direction of carpentering1 or of    
plumbing1 or of dress-making1 well and  
good2 let them be thus developed and    
prepared to go out into their community 
somewhat equipt for remunerative toil   

and for community service4 ,why not8    
,are they not as worthy as those who    
have tastes and ambitions or a more     
literary character and who1 therefore1  
look forward to the chair of the        
teacher1 the office of the lawyer1 or   
the practise of a physician8 ,and is not
 the community under as much obligation 
to the one as to the other8 ,some fear  
that such a program would lessen the    
number preparing for college1 that work 
of this objective character would be so 
attractive that all would choose it4    
,these fears are groundless4 ,children  
are not all built that way4 ,at any rate
 it would not lessen the number who     
ought to go to college--who are adapted 
to that kind of work4 ,it would1 of     
course1 greatly increase the number     
attending high schools--holding those   
who now1 because of lack of interest in 
the work offered1 drop out of school    
entirely and thus swell the ranks of    
unskilled and unintelligent labor4 ,and 
that is greatly worth while4 ,my own    

feeling is1 too1 that out of the greatly
 increased attendance of the high school
 an even larger number than at present  
would find their way to the university1 
and that they would be better equipt in 
point of view and purpose than are many 
who enter under present conditions4     
,this suggestion is made not to keep    
boys and girls out of the university1   
but to send them there with a purpose4  
,but there is oftentimes a              
misapprehension as to these two possible
 programs for the high schools4         
,preparation for college and preparation
 for life are by no means antagonistic4 
,preparation for college is the only    
kind of preparation for life for him who
 goes to college4 ,and for him who1     
during his high school course1 plans to 
go to college1 but who at its close1    
finds himself unable to do so1 for      
economic or other reasons1 it should    
still be the best possible preparation  
for life that he could have made1 and it
 will be if1 as ,i am urging1 it has all

 the time been based upon his own nature
 and seeking his normal development in  
the direction of his dominant interests4
 ,and preparation for life should be the
 very best kind of preparation for      
college1 for him who later changes his  
plans and goes to college as well as for
 him who does not1 since the college    
itself should be regarded as merely     
completing preparation for life4 ,but a 
great many1 the majority1 no doubt1 will
 not go to college1 should not go to    
college1 or to put it better1 perhaps1  
need not go to college4 ,the activities 
of life1 psychical as well as manual1   
for which they are best adapted by      
native endowment1 and in the performance
 of which they will1 therefore1 be      
happiest1 and thru which they will1     
therefore1 contribute most to the       
welfare of society1 do not need for     
their satisfactory performance school   
preparation beyond the high school      
period4 ,in other words1 a great many   
boys and girls should not be urged to go

 to college4 ,they should not if they do
 not have within them those             
characteristics of leadership which1    
developed1 will make them leaders4 ,the 
college graduate who1 in later life1 is 
a street car conductor1 or a ,pullman   
porter1 or what-not1 has largely wasted 
the time and money spent in college4    
,and this is not because these          
occupations are not honorable1 but      
because they do not call for that kind  
of preparation4 ,and the kind of an     
individual who is at home as a street   
car conductor does not usually profit   
greatly by the work of the college4 ,i  
will not put it as ,david ,starr ,jordan
 is said to have done1 that ,it does not
 pay to give a fifty-cent boy a five    
thousand dollar education4 ,it is not a 
question of dollars and cents--rather   
one of fitness and of fitting4 ,the     
so-called fifty-cent boy who may have   
been given the five thousand dollar     
education and because of its            
inappropriateness degenerated into a    

ten-cent man1 might have been made into 
a thousand dollar man if he had been    
given the right kind of education4 ,the 
boy who has the instincts of a          
blacksmith1 who likes the shaping of    
iron and the shoeing of horses and the  
smell of the forge1 will be a far       
happier and more useful member of       
society as a blacksmith than1 made over 
by the college1 as a lawyer without     
clients1 a physician without patients1  
or a teacher always hunting a new       
position4  ,i have discust the high     
school1 as you see1 from the point of   
view of the developmental needs of the  
children of the community4 ,the outcome 
would have been practically the same had
 ,i looked upon it from the standpoint  
of the industrial needs of the          
community4 ,i fully believe that a high 
school should be to-day just what it was
 originally planned to be back there in 
the first half of the nineteenth        
century--a school higher than the       
elementary1 controlled by the community1

 in co-operation with the educational   
leaders of the ,state1 serving the needs
 of the community1 fitting its boys and 
girls for service in the community and  
discriminating1 if at all1 in the favor 
of the group of boys and girls who are  
not going to college1 since that group  
is much the larger4 ,since boys and     
girls are nearer to us than industrial  
needs1 ,i have chosen to look at the    
problem from that angle4  ,i am well    
aware that my point of view in this     
entire matter is not quite in accord    
with the present-day program4 ,the      
,american high school still has         
preparation for college as the one      
dominant object4 ,its curriculum is     
planned for that end4 ,it is rated at   
first1 second1 or third class1 depending
 upon the degree in which it meets      
college entrance requirements--not upon 
the degree in which it serves the       
community needs or develops the         
community's children4  ,i realize fully 
that the change suggested would involve 

quite a decided rearrangement of the    
ordinary high school program4 ,with the 
time at my disposal it will be          
impossible to discuss the matter in     
detail1 but it should be touched upon   
briefly to get the matter of            
relationship clearly before us4  ,the   
first change would be in the matter of  
organization3 instead of having the     
elementary school1 as now1 covering     
eight years and closing with the child  
at the age of #ad1 it should cover but  
six years1 sending the child to the high
 school at about the age of #ab1 at     
which time1 approximately1 begin those  
physical and psychological changes      
earlier spoken of1 as belonging to      
adolescence4 ,and that thought has taken
 root1 as we all know1 in the junior    
high school movement4 ,six years is long
 enough to do well all that the         
elementary school should be expected to 
do4 ,it certainly is as long as children
 can be held interested in the kind of  
work thought necessary for the child1   

and as long as he can be happy in the   
atmosphere of the ordinary elementary   
school4 ,it is long enough for the      
laying of foundations4 ,it is time      
something else should be taken up4      
,planning to meet the needs of          
adolescents1 we must take the           
adolescents as they are--many of them   
not primarily students of books1 but    
individuals of ceaseless activity1      
physical as well as mental1 vastly more 
interested in the doing of things than  
in the learning of lessons4 ,and we must
 provide a means whereby they can learn 
to do all sorts of things that have to  
be done in the community4 ,the subject  
matter1 the methods of handling young   
life1 the atmosphere1 the activities1   
and the ends in view1 should be so      
changed or modified1 or supplemented as 
to be appropriate to the new and        
changing personalities to be affected by
 them4 ,the details would differ with   
different communities but the principle 
is adaptable to all4   ,,the ,,state    

,,university  ,with the functions of    
these two departments thus clearly in   
mind1 let us look at the next in        
order--the ,state university4           
,fortunately this discussion need not   
detain us long since there is a quite   
well recognized unanimity of opinion in 
regard to its work4  ,while the ,state  
university does many things1 and some of
 them well1 and while it can be said to 
have many ends in view1 its one         
all-inclusive function is to prepare    
leaders for society4 ,it must prepare   
leaders in law1 that justice may be     
done2 leaders in medicine that health   
may be preserved2 leaders in engineering
 that the ,state's resources may be     
developed2 leaders in education that the
 youth of the ,state may be educated2   
leaders in research that the boundaries 
of knowledge may be pushed out--leaders 
all along the line that character may be
 formed1 statesmanship developed1 and   
the welfare of the people secured and   
preserved4 ,and the preparation of all  

these is not1 primarily1 that those     
prepared may achieve fame or amass      
fortunes1 but that society may be better
 served4  ,we are all agreed1 in the    
,united ,states1 that elementary        
education should be universal4 ,many are
 now taking the position that ,i have   
already advanced that secondary         
education should likewise reach and     
serve all4 ,but all stop at that point4 
,no one even suggests a college         
education for every boy and girl4 ,and  
the reason is found in the above        
statement of the function of the        
institution1 since not all are suited to
 leadership4 ,it takes only the         
relatively few who stand out clearly in 
their high school experiences as        
possessing the characteristics of       
leadership1 and these few it develops1  
equips1 locates4  ,coming a little      
closer to our subject--tho ,i think we  
have not been very far from it at any   
time--let us inquire as to this         
relationship along some more specific   

lines4  ,it goes without saying that the
 relationship should be very cordial4   
,the two institutions are creatures of  
the ,state1 partners in the important   
work of educating the children of the   
,state4 ,each has its own work to do1   
and neither has been given any authority
 over the other4 ,at the same time each 
depends upon the other1 neither being   
able to do its own work without the     
other's assistance4 ,they should work   
hand in hand1 each assisting the other  
in every possible way to realize its    
largest usefulness to the community and 
the ,state4 ,in general1 the high school
 should send its students to the        
university well equipt to do the lines  
of work for which they respectively     
apply4 ,and the university1 knowing in  
each case just what that work is to be1 
and the difficulties it presents1 should
 be the judge as to the details of that 
equipment4  ,on the other hand1 the     
university should not make requirements 
for beginning its work that are beyond  

the capacity of the ordinary high school
 student4 ,nor should it definitely     
require or legislate against specific   
subjects upon which there is no general 
agreement among educational leaders4    
,something is wrong somewhere1 in the   
matter of educational values1 when some 
colleges absolutely prescribe for       
entrance certain subjects for which     
others will give no credit at all3 for  
example1 at the present time #ia        
colleges in the ,united ,states require 
at least one unit of natural science and
 #h colleges will not accept a single   
unit2 again1 #ac require #b units of    
natural science and #bb will not accept 
the two4 ,until we know a little better 
than we do at present what we are doing 
and why we are doing it1 it might be    
well to move slowly in legislating for  
or against specific subjects4 ,the      
university should keep in mind the fact 
that the high school has other duties to
 perform--and possibly more important   
ones--than preparing a few students for 

the university4  ,i am glad to say that 
in this matter of entrance requirements 
the two institutions are gradually      
coming closer together4 ,the university 
is coming to have greater respect for   
and more confidence in the high school  
and its work4 ,whereas in the earlier   
days all entrance work was rigidly      
prescribed1 now1 in nearly all of our   
higher institutions1 several units are  
open to free choice from a list of      
accepted subjects4 ,in a goodly number  
these units may be chosen from any      
subjects offered by an approved high    
school4 ,and1 too1 there are five       
institutions of good standing that allow
 the entire #ae units to be thus chosen4
 ,our own1 as you doubtless know1 is    
much more generous in this matter than  
the great majority4 ,it gives a margin  
of #e units to be thus selected4 ,i     
think there are but #i institutions in  
the whole country more liberal4 ,as you 
know1 too1 in all our colleges save     
,engineering we specifically require but

 #d units--#c in ,english and #a in     
mathematics4 ,from the others free      
election among groups is allowed4 ,the  
movement here and elsewhere seems to be 
in the direction of requiring the       
completion of a full four-year high     
school course1 with increasing          
flexibility as to specific subjects4    
,and that seems wise4  ,it gives me     
pleasure1 at this point1 to say that the
 relationship between the ,university of
 ,north ,dakota and the high schools of 
the ,state has ever been most cordial4  
,i think there has never been a time    
when the two1 tho differing at times in 
details1 have not co-operated in the    
most frank and cordial manner to bring  
about the best good of both and to      
secure the best service to the ,state4  
,neither one has been selfish1 trying to
 secure undue advantage over the other4 
,where domination of the university over
 the high school can be seen--as it most
 certainly can be seen--and even tho1 as
 ,i have said1 the work of the high     

school is what it ought not to          
be--mainly a preparation for the        
university--this ,university and these  
high schools are not at fault4 ,it is   
not a local situation4 ,it is           
nation-wide1 and even nation-wide as it 
is1 it does not include1 consciously and
 directly1 the ,state universities4 ,the
 older colleges and universities did    
dominate1 but the relation between the  
,state university and the high school   
has ever been cordial4 ,they have always
 recognized their partnership and have  
acted in accordance with it4 ,but yet we
 have all been caught in the maelstrom1 
and it would be difficult for any one   
institution or any one ,state to get out
 of it4 ,so no immediate or rapid change
 can be expected4 ,large bodies move    
slowly4 ,the change will come1 but it   
will come gradually thru claiming a     
little here and granting a little there4
  ,but before leaving this topic of     
entrance requirements1 ,i desire to     
refer to one of its broad factors and   

touch1 incidentally1 upon the large     
matter of university attendance in      
general4 ,in discussing the high school1
 and again the university1 ,i have tried
 to make clear the fact that not all    
high school students should be urged or 
expected to go on to the university4    
,remember that the high schools should  
be made to serve all the youth of the   
,state but that the university's work is
 to take but the choice ones of these1  
or1 better yet1 the scholarly output of 
the high schools1 and equip them for    
leadership in society1 and the point is 
clear4 ,it is a new problem but coming  
to be a very real one4 ,going to college
 is getting to be the fashion--almost a 
fad in some places4 ,we all know that a 
goodly number of students1 boys and     
girls alike1 enter the universities1    
,east and ,west1 every year who have no 
characteristics of leadership1 who are  
not fitted for real university work1    
either in academic equipment1 maturity  
of judgment1 point of view1 or          

earnestness of purpose4 ,many of these  
young people are wholly worthy1 well    
meaning1 and ambitious in a weak way1   
but they have been misguided4 ,they have
 listened to the attractive preaching of
 the popular but unintelligent gospel of
 college attendance for all and1 caught 
by the glamor--the foot-ball1 the track 
meet1 the declamation contest1 the      
fraternity pin1 the ,junior prom1       
etc4--have answered the hail of ,all    
aboard for the ,university6 without     
knowing what university work really is  
or what it is for4  ,the college and the
 university are also coming to be       
thought a convenient place for rich     
fathers to dump their incorrigible sons 
and marriageable daughters for a few    
years4 ,and in some sections these rich 
fathers are increasing in numbers at an 
alarming rate4 ,the presence of all such
 people 7they can not be called         
students7 in various classes is a drag1 
and the wheels of the institution are   
clogged4 ,these people themselves are   

soon disillusioned but ashamed to quit2 
the home people are dissatisfied with   
results2 the university is unjustly     
blamed for not developing them into     
leaders--there is trouble all around4 ,i
 am not speaking of our own institution 
alone2 others are experiencing the same 
difficulty and are seeking a way out4   
,michigan ,university1 for example1 is  
now urging its alumni to discriminate   
carefully in sending students to their  
,alma ,mater2 it wants only those fitted
 by nature as well as by the preparatory
 school4  ,as said above1 this is coming
 to be a real problem and difficult of  
solution4 ,what shall be the            
relationship of the university to the   
high school touching these various      
classes of its graduates8 ,should it    
receive them all8 ,if not1 where shall  
the line be drawn8 ,and who shall draw  
it8 ,shall one factor of the entrance   
requirements be the recommendation of   
the high school principal or            
superintendent8 ,would it be well for   

the high school to have two distinct    
grades3 one for local graduation and a  
higher for university entrance8 ,that is
 done in some places4 ,the entire matter
 is worthy of careful thought of both   
high school and university4  ,with the  
discussion of one more point of contact1
 the preparation of teachers for the    
high schools1 ,i am thru4  ,if1 as      
stated above1 the great function of the 
,state university is to provide leaders 
for society1 then1 in a broad way it is 
easy to answer the question as to what  
it should do for the preparation of     
teachers for high schools--it should    
prepare them4 ,for where else is        
clear-headed1 unselfish leadership more 
needed than in the high schools from the
 students of which are being selected1  
thru direction and competition1 the boys
 and girls who are to pass out to the   
colleges and then into the world as     
leaders8 ,we all know that that is what 
happens4 ,the man or woman1 untouched by
 college or university1 who yet occupies

 a responsible position of leadership is
 an exception to the rule4 ,and where   
else than in a university can           
preparation for high school teaching be 
secured8 ,but of what sort should be    
this preparation8 ,the answer to the    
question in general has long been       
clear--it should be professional as well
 as academic in character4 ,mere        
acquaintance with the subject to be     
taught is no longer held adequate by    
people at all intelligent along         
educational lines4 ,and during the      
progress of the movement that has       
demonstrated to us the need of          
professional preparation1 there has been
 worked out also1 along somewhat general
 lines1 the details of this preparation4
 ,we are now1 the country over1 in      
approximate agreement that it should    
cover the ,history of ,education1       
,philosophy of ,education1 ,psychology1 
including the study of adolescence1 and 
,methods of ,teaching4 ,institutions    
differ somewhat in minor matters within 

these broad fields1 but the development 
of the movement in the ,united ,states  
has resulted in approximately the above 
program--professional preparation for   
all teachers in the high school and that
 along the four lines suggested4 ,but   
the movement has gone much farther than 
suggested by my statement4 ,the results 
are found in something more             
authoritative and more permanent than   
tentative agreement among educational   
leaders1 or even among educational      
institutions4 ,the law-making bodies of 
the land have taken a part1 and by legal
 enactment have required about what ,i  
have suggested4 ,the ,state of ,north   
,dakota1 for example1 requires          
professional equipment of every teacher 
within its borders--no1 not quite1 it   
does not require it of its teachers in  
the special schools--the reform school1 
the schools for the deaf1 blind1 and the
 feeble minded--nor in its institutions 
of higher education1 including the      
normal schools and the ,university4 ,and

 in this ,north ,dakota does not differ 
from other states of the ,union4 ,but it
 is strange1 isn't it8 that the state   
absolutely requires professional        
preparation of all its elementary and   
secondary teachers and yet does not     
require it of those whom it engages to  
equip them8 ,some of them have it1 of   
course1 and the majority of those who   
give the specifically professional      
courses1 but the greater number of all  
teachers in the higher institutions are 
lacking in this respect4 ,that doesn't  
mean that all university teachers are   
poor teachers4 ,many of them have       
learned how to teach in the crude and   
expensive school of experience4 ,they   
have1 at last1 the professional         
equipment1 but gained at high cost4     
,perhaps this lack of professional      
equipment accounts1 in a mesure1 for the
 admittedly poor character of much of   
the teaching in our colleges1 normal    
schools1 and universities4  ,but to come
 back to the high school and the        

preparation of high school teachers4    
,what does ,north ,dakota require1 and  
how does the ,university meet the       
requirement8  ,all teachers in          
classified high schools1 save special   
teachers of music and drawing1 are      
required to hold certificates that      
presuppose proficiency in psychology1   
history of education1 principles of     
education1 school administration1 and   
methods4 ,special teachers in music and 
drawing are required to have covered in 
professional lines only psychology and  
pedagogy4 ,but in cases where the       
certificate is granted on the basis of  
college work instead of on results of an
 examination1 the law requires that the 
applicant shall have covered at least   
two year-courses1 or sixteen semester   
hours1 of professional work1 and it     
recommends that this be distributed     
among the four great fields3 history of 
education1 principles of education1     
methods of teaching1 and school         
management4  ,the ,school of ,education 

has been organized within the           
,university for the specific purpose of 
preparing teachers for the high schools 
of the ,state4 ,to graduate from the    
,school of ,education and thus receive  
the ,b4,a4 degree and the ,bachelor's   
,diploma in teaching1 which is          
accredited by law as a first-grade      
professional certificate1 and also to be
 recommended for teaching specific      
subjects in the high-school1 an         
applicant is required1 first1 to have   
specialized1 academically1 in the       
subject to be taught4 ,the amount of    
work required for this specializing     
varies with the different subjects1 but 
in most cases it is from #bj to #bd     
semester hours4 ,recall what is meant by
 the work of a semester hour and you    
will easily see how broad our academic  
requirement is4 ,it means that in       
addition to one's high school work he is
 required to carry the subject in       
practically daily recitation for from   
#b-a_/b to #c years in the ,university4 

,to some that may seem too much1 but we 
feel that the first requirement for     
teaching in the high school should be a 
thoro grounding in the subjects to be   
taught4  ,the academic matter thus      
disposed of1 let us note the            
professional4 ,for this1 in its various 
phases1 we require #bj semester hours   
covering psychology1 history of         
education1 secondary education1         
philosophy of education1 and methods of 
teaching academic subjects in which the 
student has been specializing and which 
he expects to teach4 ,the course in     
methods includes observation and        
practise teaching of the same subjects  
in the ,model ,high ,school under expert
 supervision4 ,many of our students     
voluntarily take more than #bj hours1   
but that is all that is required4 ,we   
have cut down the professional          
requirement to the minimum so as to     
leave ample opportunity within the      
course for thoro mastery of the subjects
 to be taught1 and also for general     

culture and the development of          
broad-mindedness1 not being willing to  
send teachers into the high schools as  
narrow specialists4  ,were there time ,i
 should like to go more into detail in  
regard to these various requirements and
 try to show the contribution of each2  
but ,i must pass on to speak of another 
way by means of which the ,university   
enables students to meet the legal      
requirements for teaching in the high   
schools--thru the ,college of ,arts4 ,a 
student who graduates from the ,college 
of ,arts and who has had1 during the    
progress of this course1 #af hours of   
,education is1 upon application to the  
,state ,board of ,education and the     
payment of a fee of #e1 granted a first 
grade professional certificate4 ,but    
this method of preparation is seen to be
 quite unsatisfactory when contrasted   
with the one just outlined4 ,the ,arts  
student is a relatively free lance1     
practically wholly so in the choice and 
arrangements of his professional work4  

,in the ,school of ,education the       
program is for all the professional     
subjects1 save general psychology1 to be
 taken after the beginning of the junior
 year and so immediately prior to the   
actual work of teaching1 and too1 when  
the student is relatively mature4 ,but  
with the ,arts student1 it may all be   
taken much earlier1 during relative     
immaturity and making a long period     
elapse between it and the work of       
teaching--quite long enough for the     
influence of the professional           
atmosphere1 always valuable in such     
matters1 to be wholly lost4 ,the        
question of the professional work of the
 ,school of ,education student is       
carefully planned to meet the ends in   
view4 ,each course has its definite     
contribution4 ,the ,arts student may1   
and often does1 select courses that are 
not the most appropriate for high school
 teaching3 for example1 instead of a    
course in adolescence he may select one 
in child study which deals only with the

 child in the grades4 ,instead of a     
special methods course in the subjects  
he plans to teach in high school1 he may
 select a course in methods in          
elementary subjects2 and he may not take
 any course in secondary education nor  
have any practise teaching in the ,model
 ,high ,school4 ,the work may be--quite 
often is--ill-arranged and of little    
value as a professional preparation for 
high school teacher4  ,i have dwelt upon
 this contrast because the ,university  
and its ,school of ,education has       
suffered by the laxness of this second  
mode of preparation4 ,some of the people
 who thus go out are not good           
representative products of the          
institution's professional activity4    
,just a closing word as to this phase of
 the subject4 ,you see what we are      
trying to do and how we are trying to do
 it4 ,from the work of the young people 
whom we have sent you from time to time1
 how successful have we been8 ,our work 
as to time and content of courses and   

our general equipment are about the same
 as found in similar institutions in    
other states4 ,we differ somewhat1 of   
course1 in personalities and in         
individual point of view but1 taking    
everything together1 we are doing the   
best we know how with the material that 
you send us as students4 ,how does our  
product suit you8 ,what criticism have  
you to make and what changes to suggest8
     ,,iii  ,,the ,,university ,,and    
,,the ,,teacher  ,an ,address delivered 
at the ,university of ,manitoba1        
,winnipeg1 ,canada1 ,march #cj1 #aiaf1  
in the ,exchange ,lectureship existing  
between the ,university of ,manitoba and
 the ,university of ,north ,dakota4 ,it 
was printed in the ,american            
,schoolmaster1 ,december1 #aiaf         
,having accepted the kind invitation of 
the ,university of ,manitoba to be one  
of the exchange lecturers from the      
,university of ,north ,dakota1 for the  
current year1 ,i made inquiry as to the 
nature of the different groups of people

 whom ,i should be expected to address4 
,i did this so as to be able to select  
appropriate themes for discussion4  ,for
 this gathering1 therefore1 semi-popular
 in character and made up1 as ,i was    
told it would be1 of the more thoughtful
 and intelligent people of the          
community1 ,university1 and city1 ,i    
selected as my topic for discussion1    
,the ,university and the ,teacher4  ,to 
a group of educated men and women who   
have visions--people who are            
characteristically looking beyond the   
present and trying to plan for the      
development of a great democratic state 
and for the welfare of a free people1 ,i
 know of no line of thought more        
appropriate or suggestive4 ,this is true
 because in such a state and with such a
 people1 the state or provincial        
university is the recognized leader of  
thought and action4 ,and this is true   
since the one great function of such an 
institution is to take the choice youth 
and maidens from the various sections of

 the state and1 thru the work of the    
class room day in and day out1 week by  
week1 year after year1 give them        
knowledge1 shape their opinions1 mold   
their characters1 and develop their     
minds1 and then send them back into     
society as recognized leaders of the    
next generation4  ,the topic is doubly  
suggestive when we stop to inquire as to
 what makes a university or any other   
institution of learning--what it is that
 really gives it its reputation1 its    
character1 its influence4 ,what is it1  
anyway8 ,its towering brick walls8 ,its 
libraries and its laboratories8 ,its    
athletic prowess8 ,its beautiful campus8
 ,why1 no1 of course not4 ,not any one  
of these nor all of them combined1      
complete and extended and excellent as  
they may be1 or as useful as they all   
are1 ever yet made or ever can make a   
great university4 ,a real university1 or
 any other institution of learning1 is  
made up of the men and the women who    
form its student and its teaching       

bodies4 ,the character of the           
institution1 its very life blood1 is    
drawn from them4 ,their points of view1 
their motives1 their scholarships1 their
 visions1 their aspirations1 make it    
what it is in every instance4  ,you     
recall that ex-,president ,garfield's   
description of a university included    
only two factors as essential--the      
teacher and the student4 ,the external  
equipment--buildings1 libraries1        
laboratories--what not--is merely a tool
 in their hands4 ,please do not         
misunderstand me4 ,i am not inveighing  
against these things2 they are          
necessary4 ,what ,i am insisting upon is
 that not things but teachers make a    
university4 ,and so my topic1 ,the      
,university and the ,teacher1 launches  
us at once into the midst of a great big
 thought4 ,so big1 indeed1 it is1 that  
it goes without saying that it cannot be
 adequately handled in the brief space  
of a single address4 ,only certain      
phases of the large topic can be touched

 upon at all1 and they treated but      
briefly4  ,but1 after all1 the function 
of a speaker1 certainly upon such an    
occasion as this1 is not merely to give 
information4 ,it is not to speak with   
finality upon any subject4 ,is it not1  
rather1 to direct the thoughts of the   
listeners along worthy lines8 ,for any  
good that shall result from the meeting 
together of speaker and audience will be
 the direct outcome of their thoughts   
and not of his words4 ,so1 after having 
thus spoken briefly of the university as
 a whole--of its place in the state1 its
 great influence and that of its        
teaching body--,i invite you to think   
with me as ,i touch the subject here and
 there briefly discussing these three   
sub-topics3 #a4 ,the ,kind of ,teachers 
the ,university should ,employ2 #b4 ,the
 ,university ,teacher in ,his           
,classroom2 #c4 ,the ,university's      
,attitude ,toward the ,preparation of   
,teachers4 ,our first discussion1 then1 
will be of   ,,the ,,kind ,,of          

,,teachers ,,the ,,university ,,should  
,,employ  ,a few moments ago ,i said    
that the one great function of a ,state 
,university was to provide the ,state   
with a competent leadership4 ,that      
involves1 however1 a subsidiary function
 of such great importance1 especially as
 we regard the teaching force1 that an  
added word is needed both to prevent    
misunderstanding and to make clear the  
line of discussion of this sub-topic4   
,the development of a competent         
leadership is the all-embracing function
 of such an institution1 but that can   
not be done save as the institution is1 
at the same time1 thru some or all of   
its teachers1 keeping fully abreast1 or 
well in the lead1 of the discovery of   
new knowledge and of new applications of
 knowledge in the various fields of     
human endeavor4 ,and this is true       
because men can not be leaders in any   
field of action unless they possess the 
fullest and latest items of knowledge   
obtainable in that particular field1 and

 again because real leadership can not  
be developed save thru the use1 as      
educative material1 of the fullest and  
latest4  ,what kind of teachers should  
the university employ8 ,clearly1        
teachers who can do these two things3   
men of open and enquiring minds1 men of 
imagination1 men who are hungry and     
thirsty for knowledge1 men of           
research--men of the laboratory and the 
library4 ,but that is but one side2 we  
must also have men of vision1 men of    
great breadth of view1 men of broad     
human sympathies1 men who can take this 
knowledge1 old and new1 and with it1 as 
educative material1 help to shape       
opinions1 and mold characters1 and      
fashion destinies1 thus transforming    
crude1 unstable1 and immature youth into
 men and women of virtue1 and knowledge1
 and courage1 and sanity1 and poise1    
into whose trust1 therefore1 can be     
placed the guiding of a great1 free1    
developing people--men of the classroom1
 teachers and inspirers of youth4  ,the 

question may well be asked if ,i mean   
two groups of teachers1 a research group
 and a teaching group1 neither one      
acting within the field of the other4   
,not necessarily and certainly not      
absolutely4 ,to quite an extent the two 
functions should overlap since each     
supplements the other4 ,the man of      
research should also be a teacher in    
order both to keep his human sympathies 
alive and as a spur to still further    
search4 ,and every teacher should be1 to
 some extent1 a man of research so that 
thru his own joy in discovery he will be
 able to kindle a like fire in the minds
 of others1 thus keeping the spirit of  
discovery alive and active in the land1 
and also that he may invite his students
 to drink at a living stream instead of 
a stagnant pool4 ,the teacher who is not
 also a student1 and continually working
 at it1 is usually but a poor teacher4  
,but while all this is true1 it is      
probably true also that no person is    
equally successful in both fields4 ,some

 men are primarily teachers--are in     
their element in the classroom engaged  
with the problems of the student but    
only indifferently successful in the    
laboratory1 while others1 at home in the
 laboratory1 are somewhat out of place  
and ill-at-ease in the classroom4 ,i    
shall not attempt to say which of the   
two functions is the more important or  
the more useful4 ,both are needed and1  
as said before1 both are needed1 to some
 extent1 in each4 ,but1 in the main1    
where characteristics are marked1 the   
shoemaker should be allowed to stick to 
his last4 ,it is a very wise procedure  
that is more and more being followed at 
the present time1 in ,american          
universities1 of recognizing such       
differences and making provision for    
research professorships that include no 
teaching duties whatever4 ,the          
percentage of these should be small1 of 
course4  ,what kind of a teacher should 
the university employ1 then8 ,the       
teacher who is eager to push the        

boundaries of human knowledge a little  
beyond the point yet reached and who    
also greatly desires to take knowledge  
as an instrument and with it develop    
boys and girls and equip them for       
leadership in the great world of action4
 ,so far as possible the two kinds of   
service should be performed by the same 
person1 but yet that is immaterial--the 
material thing being that both kinds be 
performed4  ,what kind of teachers      
should the university employ8 ,why1     
teachers who not only desire to do these
 two things1 but who also know how to do
 them4 ,if one is to do research work1  
he should know how to do it1            
economically and efficiently4 ,his      
preparation should have included a      
certain amount of reflection upon the   
reasons for research and of training in 
the manner of conducting the same4      
,likewise1 if he is to be a teacher1 he 
should be well grounded in the theory   
and art of teaching4 ,if he is going to 
shape opinions1 mold character1 give    

points of view1 develop human minds1    
then it goes without saying that his    
preparation should have included a very 
thoro study of the human mind in its    
various relationships1 activities1 and  
stages of development4 ,if a teacher is 
expected to equip young men and women   
for the duties of life as leaders in the
 great social1 economic1 and political  
activities1 he must also possess great  
stores of knowledge1 and likewise know  
how to impart that knowledge so that it 
will become equally the possession of   
others4   ,,the ,,university ,,teacher  
,,in ,,his ,,classroom  ,the second of  
my three topics1 ,the ,university       
,teacher in ,his ,classroom1 is an even 
more intimate one than the one just     
treated4 ,it is so intimate that perhaps
 discretion would be the better part of 
valor1 but since ,i am at a considerable
 distance from the people and the       
institutions ,i am discussing1 ,i feel  
that ,i can proceed with comparative    
safety4  ,there is abroad at the present

 time considerable hostile criticism of 
our higher education4 ,our graduates1 it
 is said1 are not able to connect up2 it
 takes them two or three years after    
they get out to find themselves2 they   
first have to get rid of a lot of       
theoretical notions that have been given
 them before they can learn the         
practical things of life4 ,president    
,foster of ,reed ,college1 ,oregon1 puts
 it thus3 ,it is possible to graduate   
from almost any college without an idea 
in one's head4 ,professor ,wenley1 ,head
 of the ,department of ,philosophy in   
,michigan ,university1 had about the    
same thought when he gave me his        
original definition of an ,american     
college as ,a so-called institution of  
higher learning whose chief             
accomplishment is the inoculation of    
innocent youth against education4 ,or   
shall we put it in the words of our     
friend ,mr4 ,dooley3 ,nowadays when a   
lad goes to college1 the prisidint takes
 him into a ,turkish room1 gives him a  

cigareet an' says3 ,me dear boy1 what   
special branch iv larnin wud ye like to 
have studied f'r ye be our compitint    
perfessors8  ,such are some of the      
caustic remarks that we occasionally    
hear4 ,of course the situation is always
 exaggerated in such criticisms2 but1 as
 the old saw puts it1 ,where there's so 
much smoke1 there must be some fire4    
,where does the trouble lie8 ,all sorts 
of guesses have been made1 and some     
careful investigations entered into in  
an effort to discover the cause4 ,the   
outcome of all such consideration1 so   
far as ,i am able to learn1 throws the  
responsibility upon the teacher rather  
than upon the institution as a whole1   
and upon his teaching ability rather    
than upon any lack of knowledge4 ,we    
cannot teach1 it is said4 ,in spite of  
the knowledge that we possess1 we do not
 know how to present that knowledge so  
that another can gain it4 ,nicholas     
,murray ,butler1 the brainy ,president  
of ,columbia ,university1 says1 ,the    

teaching of many very famous men in     
colleges and universities is distinctly 
poor2 sometimes it is even worse4       
,these are rather interesting statements
 and worthy of thought4 ,what is meant  
by teaching1 anyway8 ,teaching involves 
a double process and two persons1 both  
active upon the same matter4 ,both must 
be successful for either to be4         
,teaching is causing to learn1 and when 
there is no learning1 there can have    
been no teaching4 ,learning is not      
merely the correlative idea of teaching1
 but is one of its constituent elements4
 ,no matter how much an instructor may  
know1 no matter how much he may say nor 
what he may do1 if he doesn't cause the 
student to put forth those mental       
activities that result in learning1 he  
doesn't teach4 ,and it is claimed that1 
in many cases1 our university           
instructors do not know how to do this4 
,he knows but he does not know how to   
cause another to know1 is a common      
criticism4  ,i suppose it is true1 tho  

loyalty makes me rather dislike to admit
 it1 that with us the poorest teaching  
in our entire educational system is done
 in colleges and universities4 ,my own  
observation both as a student and as a  
teacher all along the line leads me to  
say that1 in the main1 our best teaching
 is done in the elementary grades1      
second best in the high schools1 and    
poorest in the higher institutions4     
,another puts it thus3 ,we have         
excellent teaching in the lower primary 
grades and in the graduate schools1 but 
between these two extremes1 we can call 
it teaching only by courtesy4 ,another1 
the president of a ,state ,university1  
is reported to have said1 ,i have       
resolved never again to turn my         
undergraduates over to young ,ph4 ,d4's4
 ,it takes five years to make a         
commonsense teacher of a raw doctor     
fresh from three years of graduate work4
  ,if these statements are true1 and ,i 
am afraid that there's much of truth in 
them1 the situation is rather serious4  

,still1 it isn't at all surprising when 
one takes the whole matter into         
consideration4 ,for relatively few      
university instructors have given any   
attention to the matter of teaching     
itself4 ,they have studied the subject  
matter with which they are to deal4     
,they have become proficient so far as  
knowledge is concerned4 ,no fault can be
 found with them touching the matter of 
erudition4 ,but they have not given any 
reflective thought to the art of        
teaching4 ,they have not made a study of
 the human mind in its development in   
order to know how it receives knowledge 
as mental nourishment1 and to understand
 the assimilative process2 they have not
 given themselves to a systematic and   
scientific study of human life so as to 
know how to handle it in its various    
moods and characteristics4 ,how         
differently these good people would have
 planned if they had expected to        
practise ,law1 or ,medicine or to enter 
the ,ministry6 ,in every such case they 

would have made professional preparation
 for their work4 ,isn't it strange that 
any one should think that this          
profession--the most important--could be
 practised with success in its higher   
realms1 by people who have never given  
its practise one moment's attention8    
,president ,butler1 in giving reasons   
for poor college teaching1 says1 ,too   
few instructors are interested in       
education4  ,i am reminded of ,socrates'
 shrewd parody of a supposed speech of  
,euthydemus who1 totally ignorant of    
statecraft1 desired election to an      
important position in the government of 
the city of ,athens4 ,it is suggestive  
here3 ,i1 ,o man of ,athens1 have never 
learned the medical art from any one1   
nor have been desirous that any         
physician should be my instructor2 for  
,i have constantly been on my guard1 not
 only against learning anything of the  
art from any one1 but even against      
appearing to have learned anything2     
nevertheless confer on me this medical  

appointment1 for ,i will endeavor to    
learn by making experiments upon you4   
,comment is unnecessary4  ,there are    
three kinds of knowledge that every     
teacher should possess1 that every      
successful teacher does possess3 first1 
knowledge of the subject matter with    
which he deals2 second1 knowledge of the
 human mind which he is trying to       
stimulate2 and third1 knowledge of the  
way to bring these two together in a    
helpful manner4 ,of the three1 ,i am    
afraid that university instructors have1
 in the main1 but the first4 ,at any    
rate1 all they know of the other two is 
of an empirical character and what they 
have picked up incidentally4 ,there are 
exceptions1 to be sure4 ,every worthy   
institution has them1 striking          
exceptions1 too1 some of them are4 ,a   
few of our older men have become good   
teachers thru practise and experiment1  
and an occasional young man now comes   
with professional preparation4 ,but yet1
 as in so many other matters1 the       

exceptions merely prove the rule4  ,thus
 equipt1 or rather with this serious    
lack of equipment1 the young university 
instructor begins his work4 ,if he is1  
to use the words of the university      
president just quoted1 a raw doctor     
fresh from three years of graduate work1
 he probably begins by copying the      
methods of procedure of his own recent  
instructors4 ,he tries to set these     
immature boys and girls at research     
problems and1 in classroom1 tries to    
impart information by the lecture       
method4  ,how well ,i remember such an  
instance in my own freshman days4 ,i    
fell into the hands of such an          
instructor in ,greek4 ,we were reading  
that most charming of ,greek            
stories--,the ,odyssey4 ,textual        
criticism was this man's hobby1 and we  
were put to work trying to compare      
texts1 to delve into the intricacies of 
form and structure--trying to improve   
upon ,homer6 ,such information as we    
could not find he gave us1 in the formal

 lecture1 day after day4 ,but when we   
got it1 we did not want it because we   
did not know what to do with it4 ,now1  
,i am not quarreling with textual       
criticism4 ,it would have been all right
 for that young doctor 7he was younger  
than ,i was at that time7 to deal with  
the facts of textual criticism1 with    
some people1 at some time1 but it was   
all wrong for him to attempt to give    
those facts to us in our freshman year  
in the ,college of ,arts4 ,they were not
 adapted to our intellectual needs4     
,they did not fit into our mental       
stomachs4 ,we could not keep them down1 
or in1 or something4 ,but the pathetic  
fact was that the instructor did not    
know that they did not fit4 ,i1 being   
older than many in the class and thus   
appreciating better the barrenness of   
the ,greek pasture in which we were     
trying to graze1 finally managed1 by a  
little skilful maneuver1 to escape and  
to join another group that happened to  
be in the care of a real teacher who    

knew not only ,homer but1 as well1      
freshman boys and girls1 the reasons for
 teaching ,homer to freshmen boys and   
girls1 and how to do it4 ,he was        
acquainted with both the science and the
 art of teaching4 ,oh1 how green was the
 pasture here1 and how abundant and how 
nutritious the food6 ,in all my         
university experience ,i recall nothing 
more delightful4  ,but this is ancient  
history8 ,yes1 ,i know it is4 ,but yet1 
,i am sorry to say1 history repeats     
itself4 ,those three great mistakes that
 that young doctor made in my ,greek    
class some twenty or more years ago are 
being made this very year by young      
doctors and by old doctors and by many  
who are not doctors at all1 in one      
subject or another1 in well-nigh every  
college or university in the ,united    
,states4 ,our instructors do not know   
well enough how to adapt knowledge to   
human needs2 they have the erroneous    
notion that the chief function of an    
educational institution is to impart    

information2 and1 too1 many of them are 
afflicted with the lecture craze4       
,touching these three mistakes1 let me  
say1 briefly3 first1 as to the          
adaptation of knowledge3 the word       
education is derived from the ,latin    
educo1 educare1 and means to nourish1   
and nourishment1 physical1 mental1 or   
moral1 is never secured save as the food
 is adapted to the organism4 ,and just  
as much care as our scientific          
dietitians give to our dining-room      
service1 our university instructors     
should give to the mental and moral     
pabulum that they serve to their        
students1 especially the lower classes  
if not the entire body of               
undergraduates4 ,they should know this  
knowledge as mental nourishment2 they   
should know the condition of the mind1  
and they should know how to select and  
prepare this food for digestion and     
assimilation4  ,as to the second        
mistake1 the undue emphasis upon the    
mere imparting of knowledge3 let me     

quote a few words from ,president       
,wilson1 uttered when ,president of     
,princeton ,university3 ,we should      
remember1 said he1 that information is  
not education4 ,the greater part of the 
work that we are doing in our colleges  
to-day is to impart information4 ,i am  
afraid that he is correct4 ,i am very   
much afraid that that is mainly what we 
are doing4 ,but it is wrong4 ,the       
greater part of our work should not be  
to impart knowledge4 ,it should be to   
assist in interpreting the knowledge    
that the student himself gets--to fit it
 to his own life needs and to help him  
learn how to study and how to think for 
himself4 ,in other words1 this          
information in which we deal should not 
be an end in itself1 but a means to an  
end4 ,and that end should be            
development1 mental power1 point of     
view--character4 ,to be sure1 we must   
deal in knowledge facts 7do not1 ,i beg 
of you1 misunderstand me7 but not for   
the mere possession of those facts4     

,and lastly the lecture craze1 under the
 domination of which otherwise sensible 
people get into the habit of supplying  
information to students who already know
 how to read instead of telling them    
where to find it and then discussing it 
with them4 ,how common it is6 ,but why8 
,simply because it is easy4 ,how much   
easier it is than to conduct a real live
 recitation in which there is the give  
and take1 the action and reaction1 of   
eager vigorous young minds1 where the   
instructor is the agency of             
interpretation and the inspiration6 ,to 
conduct such an exercise with from      
thirty to fifty bright college students 
and keep them on the alert is no lazy   
man's task4 ,it requires brains and     
skill1 whereas anybody can do the other 
thing6 ,president ,foster is correct in 
saying1 ,there should be fewer lectures 
444 the easiest of all methods of       
instruction4  ,again let me give an     
illustration drawn from my own sad      
experience1 just to show what at least  

some of this lecturing is4 ,this1 you   
see1 is getting to be a confession as   
well as an exposition4 ,i was taking a  
course in the ,history of ,philosophy4  
,it was given by a man well known in the
 educational world1 then and now4 ,he   
was well thought of both as a teacher   
and a man4 ,he read his lectures from   
manuscript4 ,we were supposed to put    
into our note books every golden word   
that dropt from his inspired lips4 ,and 
the most of us tried to do so1 and in   
the effort got down some that were not  
golden4 ,i did as the rest did till one 
day1 fresh from the lecture1 ,i went    
into the library and chanced upon a copy
 of ,burt's ,history of ,greek          
,philosophy4 ,i opened it and shortly   
found the very discussion1 and some of  
the very sentences1 word for word1 that 
,i had just copied with so much labor   
into my note book4 ,and they were in    
print1 too1 so much easier to read than 
my note book writing6 ,i at once sent to
 the publisher for a copy of the book   

and took no more notes in that course4  
,nor did ,i take any more courses under 
that instructor4  ,and so it was in a   
course in history--only there the kind  
old professor was nave enough to tell us
 the name of the book from which he got 
his lectures4 ,and again1 let me say    
that history repeats itself4 ,am ,i     
wrong in my criticism8 ,let me quote    
from one whose words carry more weight  
than do mine--,nicholas ,murray ,butler1
 ,president of ,columbia                
,university--7,ed4 ,rev4 ,apr41 #aiae1  
p4 #cii73 ,to use--or rather to         
abuse--the academic lecture by making it
 a medium for the conveyance of mere    
information is to shut one's eyes to the
 fact that the art of printing has been 
discovered4 ,the proper use of the      
lecture is the critical interpretation  
by the older scholar of the information 
which the younger has gained for        
himself4 ,its object is to inspire and  
to guide and by no means merely to      
inform4  ,i do not mean to condemn the  

lecture method absolutely4 ,there are   
certain lines of work in which it is    
quite necessary4 ,this is true in some  
advanced courses1 especially in the     
sciences1 where an instructor is doing  
both lines of university work--carrying 
on research and giving his advanced     
students the results of his findings4   
,of course these have not yet been      
embodied in a text or other printed form
 and cannot be thus given4  ,and this   
same justification can be urged for some
 of the work in our professional schools
 where both the material used and the   
end sought are different4 ,in still     
another line of work the lecture is     
permissible--if it deal with a          
relatively new subject or with new      
phases of an old subject not yet covered
 by a satisfactory text4 ,but here it   
need not continue long because some     
enterprising instructor will soon       
satisfy the need4 ,the formal lecture   
has therefore no place in the earlier   
and but slight place in the later years 

of undergraduate work4 ,its place should
 be taken by the text and reference book
 and the class discussion4 ,one of the  
finest accomplishments that we can help 
our students to gain is the ability to  
master the book4  ,then1 in conclusion1 
touching the matter of teaching1        
fidelity to truth compels me to admit1  
tho reluctantly1 that much of it is very
 poor4 ,it satisfies the external       
demands and that is about all4 ,it is   
not of a character to kindle enthusiasm 
nor to develop high ideals of           
scholarship4 ,much of it1 ,i said1 not  
all4 ,every institution has some good   
teachers1 some very excellent ones1 but 
no institution is overstockt with       
species of that genus4 ,the great       
majority of our undergraduates are      
poorly taught4 ,that examination        
mortality is not greater than it is is  
due to two fine qualities1 one in the   
student body and the other in the       
instructors4 ,it speaks eloquently of   
the initiative of the students1 and     

demonstrates that instructors can be    
fair even if they can't teach4 ,many    
times we know that we are to blame for  
the poor work of the student and1       
knowing it1 will not visit the penalty  
upon the unoffending head4  ,the reason 
for this lamentable situation can be    
traced to two practises3 ,in the first  
place1 up to the present time1 as said  
before1 very few prospective college    
teachers have made any professional     
preparation for their work as teachers4 
,in the second place1 it is the almost  
universal custom to place the freshmen  
and sophomores1 by all means our largest
 classes and the ones in greatest need  
of skilled teachers1 in the hands of    
young instructors who have not yet      
learned how to teach4 ,relief will come 
thru two changes2 first1 when either the
 ,state or the governing board of the   
college shall demand professional       
preparation of every one allowed to     
occupy a teaching position1 just as we  
do now for positions in the elementary  

and secondary schools4 ,and if any one  
should raise a question as to the value 
of such preparation1 my only but        
all-sufficient answer is to point to the
 universally recognized improvement in  
the character of teaching in those parts
 of our educational system since that   
requirement was put into effect4 ,and   
the second needed change is this--for   
,presidents seeking teachers to ask     
candidates two questions instead of one 
as heretofore3 first1 of course1 the    
question should be1 ,what do you know8  
,satisfied as to that1 let the second   
come clear and strong1 ,can you teach8  
,and until an affirmative answer is     
demonstrated1 let the appointment be    
withheld4 ,it might be salutary1 too1 in
 dealing with the forces on the ground1 
to follow ,president ,foster's          
suggestion given in these words3 ,it    
would be well if more teachers were     
dismissed because they fail to stimulate
 thinking of any kind4  ,i come now to  
the last of my three sub-topics1   ,,the

 ,,university',s ,,attitude ,,toward    
,,the ,,preparation ,,of ,,teachers     
,,for ,,the ,,schools ,,of ,,the ,,state
  ,fortunately1 its discussion need not 
detain us long4 ,what should be that    
attitude8 ,if you will analyze the      
relationship existing between the       
teachers of a state and that state's    
progress and development1 and then      
recall my brief discussion of the       
function of a ,state ,university--to    
provide leaders--the answer to the      
question is at once apparent4 ,the logic
 of the situation is clear4 ,for what   
other body of people in a state are so  
clearly the state's leaders as the      
teachers8 ,always intellectually and1   
for the most part1 in these days1       
morally and physically1 the teachers in 
our schools mold the coming generation  
and guide it into paths of progress and 
accomplishment4 ,this is true of the    
teachers of a state more than of any    
other group of people within its borders
 not excepting the ministry4  ,we have1 

in the ,states1 a system of ,state      
,normal ,schools maintained for the     
purpose of preparing teachers for the   
elementary schools4 ,each state of the  
,union has from one to a dozen of these 
institutions4 ,north ,dakota has three4 
,the course of study covers from one to 
two years' work in advance of a         
four-year high school course4 ,in the   
,east it is usually two years1 in the   
,west1 one4 ,this work is partly        
academic and partly professional and is 
always supposed to include a certain    
amount of practise teaching under expert
 supervision4  ,the elementary teachers 
thus provided for by the normal schools1
 there are left for preparation at the  
university teachers for the secondary   
schools1 for city superintendencies1    
special teachers of various kinds1 and  
teachers for college and university     
positions4 ,and this latter is a work1  
it seems to me1 the ,state ,university  
must perform4 ,they are already doing   
this1 to quite an extent1 for the high  

schools2 a few are doing it well and the
 rest are working in that direction4 ,a 
few1 too1 are taking up the more        
advanced phases of the work and are     
competent to prepare for college        
teaching4 ,the movement is strongly on4 
,it may not be uninteresting for me to  
trace this movement briefly as it has   
developed with us4 ,for it has been a   
development4 ,our system of education   
was not planned at the beginning from a 
careful theoretical study of our present
 or prospective educational needs1 but  
has grown up1 little by little1 step by 
step1 to meet and satisfy from time to  
time present and pressing needs4  ,the  
movement for the professional           
preparation of teachers began in the    
first quarter of the nineteenth century 
in ,massachusetts4 ,that state1 with    
others1 was suffering from an           
educational declension that had been    
going on for a long time4 ,matters were 
getting serious4 ,finally1 a few        
clear-headed1 far-seeing leaders made an

 analysis of the situation hoping to    
bring about a betterment of conditions4 
,they quickly put the finger upon the   
sore spot--the poor quality of teaching 
being done in the schools4 ,a remedy was
 sought4 ,it was found in the ,european 
,normal ,schools1 an institution devoted
 to the professional preparation of     
teachers for the elementary schools4 ,an
 agitation was begun for its            
establishment on this side of the water4
 ,after many weary years the efforts    
were crowned with success when1 in      
#ahch1 the ,state ,legislature of       
,massachusetts planned for the equipment
 of three4 ,thru their work the         
character of the teaching in the        
elementary schools was at once improved4
 ,other states followed the example and 
this new institution soon began its     
westward sweep1 following the           
development of the country4  ,this early
 work1 however1 had in mind the         
improvement of teachers for only the    
common schools1 rural and urban4        

,indeed1 at that time no one even       
suggested that any other teacher needs  
special preparation4 ,but when1 after   
the ,civil ,war1 the high schools began 
to develop so markedly1 the problem of  
teachers became a pressing one4 ,since  
teachers with normal school preparation 
were everywhere being recognized as     
superior to all others in the elementary
 schools1 it was the most natural thing 
in the world for those in charge of the 
new high schools to demand professional 
preparation of their teachers4  ,but    
where could it be obtained8 ,not in the 
normal schools1 because it should be of 
different character than that planned   
for elementary teachers4 ,to make a long
 story short1 the universities and      
colleges took the matter up and provided
 the professional work thought necessary
 by adding ,departments of ,education4  
,michigan ,university was the first to  
act when1 in #ahgh1 the ,regents        
established a chair called the ,theory  
and ,art of ,teaching4 ,the example was 

followed by others1 and1 tho limited in 
scope and experimental in character1 it 
was at once seen to be justified in the 
improved character of high school       
teaching4 ,improvements were sure to    
follow4 ,the next step was the expansion
 of the department of education into the
 ,teachers ,college1 or ,school of      
,education1 as it is getting to be      
called1 which is now recognized as a    
professional school of equal rank with  
the ,school of ,law or the ,school of   
,medicine4 ,an essential element of its 
equipment is a high school for          
observation and practise under expert   
supervision1 just as an elementary      
practise school is an essential part of 
a well equipt normal school4  ,new ,york
 ,university1 in the city of ,new ,york1
 was the first to move in this          
direction4 ,this was in #ahij4 ,for     
fifteen years progress was slow and     
halting and confined to private         
institutions4 ,but it was justifying    
itself4 ,in #aije the ,university of    

,north ,dakota effected the larger      
organization1 the first of the ,state   
universities to do so4 ,during the last 
five or six years1 however1 several     
others have fallen into line including  
such institutions as ,missouri1         
,wisconsin1 and ,minnesota4 ,the        
institutions that have not yet effected 
this change and thus organized schools  
of education still maintain their       
,departments of ,education and thus try 
to satisfy the need4 ,the ,university of
 ,north ,dakota was also one of the very
 first to make use of the high school   
for observation and practise1 and in all
 lines of development has been          
recognized as occupying an advanced     
position4 ,other institutions1 older and
 larger1 contemplating a change1 have   
frequently advised with us4 ,if this    
mention seems borne of institutional    
pride1 ,i trust that it will also be    
regarded as pardonable4  ,thus the      
movement--not the result of a           
theoretical formulation1 but a situation

 forced upon us by the logic of events4 
,it is as logical1 however1 and as      
irrevocable1 as tho produced by         
deductive reasoning4 ,an explanation of 
a statement made earlier in the paper as
 to the relative teaching abilities of  
elementary1 secondary1 and higher       
teachers1 can now be seen in the periods
 of development of the corresponding    
professional schools4  ,what should be  
the attitude of the university toward   
the education of teachers8 ,let us      
follow the development a little farther4
  ,during the last few years another    
very interesting phase of the movement  
has begun to show itself4 ,you will     
recall that as soon as professional     
preparation demonstrated its usefulness 
in improving the character of elementary
 teaching1 it was demanded for teachers 
in the secondary schools4 ,and now that 
it has proved efficient in that field1  
it is being demanded in the field next  
higher--the colleges and universities4  
,and this demand1 like the others1 is no

 longer confined to professional schools
 or educational journals--to the people 
from the inside4 ,it is being taken up  
by laymen1 even the daily papers1 and   
prest with some vigor4 ,to give the     
point of view1 ,i give a single         
quotation from an editorial in a recent 
issue of the ,minneapolis ,journal3     
,none of our graduate schools require   
any course in education or teaching     
methods1 or any previous experience in  
teaching work for a ,ph4 ,d4 degree1    
except1 of course1 in the field of      
education1 where theory is cultivated1  
if not practised4 ,may it not be found  
that the best method to increase the    
teaching efficiency of the undergraduate
 instruction in colleges and            
universities will be to provide every   
graduate student with definite and      
detailed instruction in teaching methods
 for his chosen subject8  ,this demand1 
thus clearly voiced1 and coming from    
many sides1 will continue until granted 
as has been the case with each of the   

others4 ,and as a result the teaching of
 our undergraduates will be improved4   
,to do this added work1 however1 will   
not require another institution4 ,the   
present universities1 thru their        
,schools of ,education1 amplified and   
strengthened1 will supply the need4     
,just as the ,university1 thru its      
,medical ,school1 provides its community
 with skilled physicians and public     
health officers to secure and preserve  
public health1 and thru its ,law ,school
 performs a similar service in sending  
out men who become competent lawyers and
 judges to secure the administration of 
justice1 and thru its ,college of       
,engineering1 its engineers to safeguard
 property1 public welfare and life      
itself1 so1 thru its ,school of         
,education1 it must provide its teachers
 for all these and other advanced       
fields4 ,and all this service must be   
performed not that individual citizens  
may be better prepared to make a living1
 amass a fortune1 or achieve fame1 but  

that the community may be served4  ,so  
the ,school of ,education1 now given    
equal rank with other professional      
schools of the university1 must ere long
 be recognized1 by virtue of the work   
thus forced upon it1 as1 in a very      
definite way1 superior to them all in   
opportunity and responsibility4     ,,iv
  ,,the ,,eye ,,problem ,,in ,,the      
,,schools  ,a ,paper read before the    
#aiad meeting of the ,north ,dakota     
,state ,association of ,opticians4 ,it  
was printed in the ,may1 #aiad1 issue of
 ,the ,optical ,journal and ,review1    
also in the same issue of ,the ,keystone
   ,i do not know how fully people      
appreciate the importance of the eye as 
an agent1 or factor1 of human           
cultivation4 ,judging from the amount of
 work it is being made to do in our     
schools and in nearly all our processes 
of education1 we might perhaps be led to
 feel that its importance is fully      
appreciated1 indeed1 that it is being   
looked upon as the sole factor1 or      

agent4 ,but1 on the other hand1 this    
very excessive use1 especially in the   
early school years1 leading1 as it does 
in such a large percentage of cases1 to 
serious impairment of vision1 almost    
tells us that its great value is not    
appreciated4 ,if it were1 should we be  
likely to abuse it as we do in these    
early years and thus render it incapable
 of performing its larger1 fuller use   
later on8 ,the attitude seems rather to 
be that its conservation is not thought 
to be necessary4 ,that1 however1 springs
 from ignorance rather than from studied
 disregard4  ,but let us look for a     
moment at the processes of education and
 note where the eye comes in4 ,if there 
is anything upon which leading educators
 are now practically agreed1 or upon    
which they tend to agree1 it is that    
education as a process is a matter of   
development rather than the learning of 
knowledge facts4 ,now1 that development 
is analogous to the growth and          
development of the plant1 that is1 it is

 brought about thru nourishment4 ,in the
 plant this nourishment is taken in thru
 the roots1 becomes absorbed and        
assimilated and thus ministers to growth
 and development4 ,in the child1 looking
 at it from the physical point of view  
and having in mind psychical1 not       
physical1 nourishment1 the sense organs 
serve this purpose4 ,did you ever stop  
to think that the sense organs form the 
only connecting link between the great  
outside world1 which serves as raw      
material for the nourishment1 and the   
inner life of the child1 the development
 of which we are seeking8 ,did you ever 
stop to think that these sense organs1  
the eye1 the ear1 the nose1 the tongue1 
and the surface of the body as the organ
 of touch1 form the only possible avenue
 of approach to that inner life8 ,cut   
off1 or close up1 these avenues and no  
development of this inner life would be 
possible in the slightest degree4 ,thus 
considered1 these same sense organs1    
simple as they seem to be1 leap into    

importance that almost staggers one's   
thought4 ,the most priceless possession 
of any child1 ,i often say to my classes
 in education1 is made up of their eyes1
 their ears1 their noses1 their tongues1
 and their finger tips--simply because  
thru them is poured the nourishment that
 sustains psychic life and ministers to 
the development of the same4  ,of these 
five sense organs1 the eye is1 par      
excellence1 the one of value4 ,more     
psychic nourishment is poured into the  
laboratory of psychic life thru this one
 channel alone than thru all others     
combined4 ,indeed1 one of our most      
eminent scientific psychologists after  
making most careful investigation of the
 matter1 estimates that the eye's       
contribution is about #gd as against the
 other #bf that comes thru all the other
 sources4 ,if this relative value of the
 eye be even approximately correct1 how 
eminently important it is that it be    
studied with close scientific accuracy1 
that it be guarded with the utmost and  

intelligent jealousy1 and that it be    
cared for with the most scrupulous      
fidelity6  ,but what is the situation8  
,the ,optician and the ,oculist have    
made the most careful1 scientific study 
of the eye4 ,they know it thoroly1 both 
its possibilities of service and its    
limitations4 ,and they have told the    
rest of us all about it4 ,but let us see
 how intelligent we are in the use of   
the knowledge they have given us4 ,they 
tell us that the eye of the child is    
undeveloped and that in the undeveloped 
state it should not be much used on     
small or close work4 ,in other words1   
the child's eye is far-sighted4 ,but at 
the age of six years we place the child 
in the school room1 put a book in its   
hands1 and compel its use1 eyes or no   
eyes1 as long as the child remains in   
any institution of learning4 ,why1      
gentlemen1 we have gone mad on this book
 proposition4 ,we act as tho we think   
that it is only in the book that        
knowledge can be found4 ,we act as tho  

we think that it is only thru the       
printed page that psychic nourishment   
can reach the inner life of the child1  
whereas1 as a matter of fact1 both the  
knowledge and the nourishment that are  
appropriate to the child in all its     
early years are better obtained thru    
direct contact with the great outside   
world itself and by direct communication
 from the lips of the teacher4 ,if this 
fact were fully appreciated and acted   
upon1 we should1 in two very definite   
ways1 conserve this very important      
organ2 for we should use the eyes upon  
objects at a greater distance thus      
preventing unnecessary strain1 and allow
 other organs of sense to share with the
 eye in the work of gathering           
information and of appropriating mental 
nourishment4  ,please do not            
misunderstand me4 ,i am not             
underestimating the place and value of  
books1 nor decrying their use4 ,they are
 the storehouse of knowledge and the    
source of inspiration1 but not for      

children4 ,our young children in school 
and out of school read too much--are too
 much tied to the book4 ,thru this      
prolonged and close use of the eye upon 
small and nearby objects for which1 in  
its undeveloped condition1 it is not    
fitted1 the organ is permanently        
weakened and rendered incapable of its  
legitimate use later in life when the   
book is a necessity4 ,and again1 this   
excessive use of the eye causes an      
atrophy of the other organs that is     
really serious4  ,nor is this all4 ,the 
,optician and the ,oculist have studied 
the matter so carefully and know the eye
 so thoroly in its various stages of    
development that they know exactly the  
size of type that children of various   
ages should use4 ,and they know1 too1   
the kind of paper that should be used in
 books for children4 ,and they have told
 us all about it4 ,but we systematically
 disregard all this information gained  
with such painstaking care1 and instead 
of using the large clear type and the   

unglazed1 soft tinted paper recommended1
 we persist in tolerating the           
unsatisfactory merely because it is a   
little cheaper4 ,penny wise and pound   
foolish we surely are4 ,what we save now
 we shall have to pay later on with     
compound interest besides compelling our
 children to undergo physical pain and  
mental handicap4  ,and yet again4 ,we   
are told by our scientific friends the  
relative amounts of window and floor    
space that the schoolroom should have in
 order to be adequately lighted6 ,not   
one in ten has as much window space as  
it should have1 and a good portion of   
what has been provided is frequently    
covered up by shades thru the teacher's 
perverted notion of relative            
values--seeming to have greater         
appreciation for certain so-called      
artistic effects than for eye comfort   
and safety in work4 ,and then again1    
these scientific friends of ours have   
told us that there should be in the     
schoolroom no cross lights2 that the    

light should not shine upon the         
blackboards nor into the faces of the   
children1 but that it should come only  
from the rear and the left and from     
above4 ,they have found out1 too1 and   
told us1 the proper shades of color for 
the walls--scientific knowledge1 all of 
it1 and therefore thoroly reliable4 ,but
 how systematically do we disregard all 
this valuable information6 ,in the      
construction of a new school building   
there is nothing that should receive    
more careful and scientific             
consideration than the matter of        
lighting1 but too often the architect is
 either entirely ignorant of the entire 
matter1 or else is selfishly interested 
in so-called architectural effects4  ,i 
do not mean that we all disregard all   
these things1 that we have no school    
houses properly constructed1 no school  
books properly printed1 and no teachers 
intelligent and sensible in their       
handling of boys and girls4 ,not at all4
 ,during the last twenty years we have  

made long strides in advance along many 
of these lines in many places4 ,but the 
bright spots are still the exception and
 not the rule4 ,the friends of children 
and of the race need to keep vigilantly 
at work4  ,now1 let us look at the      
matter from another point of view4 ,let 
us ask what are the results of this     
persistent and widespread disregard of  
the normal conditions under which the   
eye should work and of the fundamental  
laws of eye development4 ,what do we    
find8 ,why1 we find just what you are   
prepared to expect after considering the
 above disregard4 ,we find that1 whereas
 at the beginning of school life the    
percentage of school children suffering 
from visual defects is relatively small1
 that percentage increases as we ascend 
the grades4 ,in other words1 the        
regular1 systematic work of our schools 
is all the time weakening the eyes--all 
the time causing serious visual defects4
 ,gulick and ,ayers came to this        
conclusion as one of the results of     

their exhaustive investigation1 made in 
#aijh1 which culminated in the well     
known work on ,medical ,inspection of   
,schools1 published at that time4 ,this 
is all the more striking since they     
found that the prevalence of other      
physical defects steadily decreases as  
the years pass4  ,an investigation      
carried on in ,jefferson ,city1         
,missouri1 in #aijg-aijh1 illustrates   
the point under discussion2 #bj of all  
children in grades one to three         
inclusive were found to have defective  
vision1 whereas in grades nine to twelve
 inclusive #dj4e were found thus        
handicapped4 ,in some parts of ,germany 
the increase in defective vision as     
children ascend the grades is seen to be
 much more marked than in our own       
country4 ,in one particular study that  
comes to mind1 a study of               
short-sightedness alone 7published1     
however1 some years ago7 it was shown   
that the increase was from practically  
none at all to approximately #ajj4 ,in  

other words1 the work of the schools had
 made practically every child           
near-sighted4 ,and the general tendency 
seems to be in this direction4 ,indeed1 
,i know of but one study in which a     
contrary tendency has been observed4    
,and that was in a rural district--,st4 
,louis ,county1 ,missouri--where a study
 was made about four years ago4 ,under  
the conditions observed there1 the      
frequency of short-sightedness seemed to
 diminish with increasing age4 ,and the 
reasons for this local tendency1 being  
so directly contrary to the general     
tendency1 men have been trying to       
understand4 ,various suggestions have   
been made such as the atmosphere of the 
rural as against the city districts     
being1 in the main1 more favorable from 
hygienic points of view2 or the fewer   
pupils in the classes in school1 thus   
enabling the teachers to give more      
personal attention so preventing undue  
eye-strain2 and the shorter school year 
maintained in the country giving the    

children less prolonged periods of      
eye-strain4 ,but whatever be the        
explanation of this interesting         
exception1 it yet remains true that the 
regular work of the school1 week in1    
week out1 year after year1 causes the   
eyes of our children to deteriorate1 or 
at least the two go hand in hand with   
grounds for a very strong suspicion in  
the minds of those who have expert      
knowledge of the general situation that 
the one is the cause of the other4      
,with this point established1 namely1   
that the work of the schools is but     
ill-adapted to the structure the nature 
of the child's eye1 resulting in steady 
deterioration1 let us try to see how    
widespread is such deterioration and how
 serious4 ,this can best be done briefly
 thru the use of a few statistics taken 
from the results of investigations that 
have been made as to the physical       
conditions of our school children4 ,from
 these results ,i disregard all figures 
save those that bear on the matter of   

visual defects since that is our one    
topic of discussion4  ,in ,cleveland1   
,ohio1 in #aijf-aijg1 a very exhaustive 
and illuminating investigation was made 
under the general supervision of ,dr4   
,wallin1 one of the most eminent        
authorities on the relationship of the  
physical and the mental in the work of  
our schools4 ,dr4 ,wallin called to his 
assistance many experts1 both medical   
and physical1 and his report was a very 
noteworthy one from many points of view4
 ,i touch only two or three points here 
and there4 ,in one school1 the          
,mayflower1 located in a fine residence 
section of the city1 #igb pupils were   
examined1 and #bj of them found to be   
suffering from some rather serious form 
of eye defect4 ,in an ,east ,end school1
 another of the so-called better class  
of schools1 #ffh children were examined 
and #cb4d found with defective vision4  
,even more startling than these were the
 results found in a school of about the 
same size in what was called a congested

 district of the city4 ,six hundred and 
sixteen were examined and #ga4a found   
defective4  ,another very significant   
fact was brought to light by this       
investigation--the disregard paid to the
 whole matter by parents and teachers4  
,perhaps ,i should not include teachers 
in speaking of this disregard since they
 have1 at best1 but advisory power4 ,in 
the ,east ,end school1 out of the #ffh  
children examined1 #baf1 or #cb4d were  
found defective1 but only #dc1 or #f4d1 
were being relieved by the use of       
glasses4 ,and in the congested district 
the disparity was even more striking    
since out of the #dcg1 or #ga4a of the  
entire number who had visual defects1   
only #aa1 or #a4h1 were being relieved4 
,in one investigation made in ,new ,york
 ,city in #aijh1 #a1ddb pupils were     
considered1 and #db found suffering from
 eye defects4 ,in ,jefferson ,city1     
,missouri1 in #aijh1 the results of the 
examination of #a1jjj white children    
showed #cf4e suffering from somewhat    

serious visual defects2 and many others 
in lesser degrees4 ,of these #a1jjj     
children1 #daj1 or #da1 were found to   
need the assistance of glasses1 but only
 #ch1 or #c4h1 were being thus assisted4
  ,in ,los ,angeles1 ,california1 in    
#aiji1 #e1jjj children were examined1   
and #fa found to be suffering from the  
same trouble4 ,again1 in ,philadelphia1 
in #aiji1 the well-known ,dr4 ,risley   
found1 in an examination of #b1dbb      
children1 that #dd4g were continual     
sufferers from some form of eye trouble4
 ,i could easily cite similar results   
from many more studies1 but surely these
 are sufficient4 ,these are startling   
facts1 and very serious when we think   
merely of this one fact alone without   
considering it in its relationship to   
anything else4 ,but when we stop to     
consider the fact that these sufferers  
are children1 in the schools1 and are   
thus handicapped in their work of       
education--in their efforts to fit      
themselves for the struggle of life--it 

assumes even larger proportions and     
becomes truly appalling4  ,what does it 
mean8 ,why1 it means1 in terms of the   
school man1 retardation and elimination4
 ,to the layman those words may need    
interpretation4 ,retardation means the  
checking of a pupil in his educational  
progress thru the grades1 necessitating 
the spending of a longer period than    
that which is considered normal4 ,for   
example1 a normal pupil is one who      
enters school at six years of age and is
 promoted each year regularly2 or a     
pupil whose age and grade correspond to 
this standard4 ,thus1 the standard age  
for a second grade pupil1 during the    
year1 is #g years2 for a fourth grade1  
#i years2 and for an eighth grade1 #ac  
years2 or in every case1 five more than 
the number of his grade4 ,if one is     
older than the number of his grade plus 
five1 he is retarded by the amount of   
the difference2 thus a twelve-year-old  
child in the sixth grade is retarded one
 year since a sixth-grade child should  

be but eleven years old4 ,somehow he has
 lost a year4 ,thru failure to do       
satisfactory work such a child has had  
to repeat the work of some one of his   
grades4 ,elimination means the dropping 
out of a child from school altogether   
before the regular course is completed4 
,we find relatively little elimination  
in the lower grades since the compulsory
 attendance laws require attendance4    
,but just as soon as the upper limit of 
age is reached there is much of it4  ,i 
do not know how closely you have        
followed this matter of retardation in  
the schools and elimination from them1  
but ,i think sufficiently to render it  
unnecessary for me to discuss the matter
 at length4 ,let me refer to but one    
study which is typical as showing the   
seriousness of the situation4 ,in #aijg1
 ,mr4 ,s4 ,l4 ,heeter1 at that time     
,superintendent of ,schools in ,st4     
,paul1 ,minnesota1 working under        
instruction of his ,board of ,school    
,inspectors1 made a very careful        

investigation as to the matter of       
retardation in the schools of that city4
 ,you may be surprised to learn some of 
the results4 ,he found more than        
one-half1 exactly #ef1 of all the       
children in the schools at least one    
year behind normal grade1 and many of   
them much more than one year behind4 ,to
 be exact3 #ab1fgb children were below  
grade4 ,of these1 #f1cbh were one year  
behind2 #c1fej were two years behind2   
#a1fhi were three years behind2 #fea    
were four years behind2 #bba were five  
years behind1 and #acc were six years   
behind4 ,now1 what is the cause of such 
a serious situation8 ,mr4 ,heeter1 in   
his report of his findings1 speaks as   
follows3  ,there are evidently many     
causes of this phenomenal               
retardation--yet it seems likely that   
one of the largest factors 444 is       
physiological1 and that more attention  
given in our schools to the bodily      
conditions of our children will throw   
new light on our educational problems1  

and even on the subject of backward     
children1 and of delinquency itself4 ,it
 appears1 he goes on to say1 that the   
schools have been too exclusively       
concerned about the minds of children   
and too little concerned about their    
bodies4 ,much time and energy and money 
have been wasted in trying to make all  
children equal in mental power1 without 
regard to physical inequalities1 until  
now waste products are clogging our     
educational machinery4 ,and ,mr4        
,heeter's conclusion is that of all who 
have studied the matter with any care4  
,let me now show the relationship       
existing between the two1 that is1      
between retardation and physical        
defects4 ,i can do it briefly by        
referring to the work of ,dr4 ,cronin in
 ,new ,york ,city4 ,this is but one     
instance1 but it is typical of          
conditions4 ,a few years ago1 as chief  
,medical ,inspector of the schools of   
,new ,york ,city1 ,dr4 ,cronin read a   
paper before the ,school ,hygiene       

,association of ,america in which he    
made the statement that an examination  
of all children reported as backward by 
various teachers revealed #ie of them as
 physically defective4  ,thus1 in a     
hasty way1 but ,i think correctly1 ,i   
have thrown the chief burden of         
backwardness in school1 or retardation1 
upon physical defects4 ,but our special 
topic is eye trouble4 ,how much of this 
burden must be referred to this specific
 source8 ,it is difficult to say        
exactly4 ,but knowing as we do the great
 prevalence of eye defects among school 
children1 from #bj to #ga1 you remember1
 depending somewhat upon locality and   
environment2 and knowing1 too1 the close
 relationship existing between the eyes 
of our children and the work of the     
schools 7this school work1 you know1 is 
nearly all done with the eyes4 ,it      
should not be1 but it is72 knowing all  
this1 it is not beside the mark to say  
that a very large percentage of the     
retardation must be laid at its doors4  

,and what are we going to do about it8  
,what should be done8 ,the reform is    
easily seen to be a many-sided one4 ,it 
is educational--our teachers should come
 to know that the book is only one1 and 
not the chief one1 of the many sources  
of knowledge open to the child2 it is   
physiological--we should all know the   
eye better than we do1 its normal use   
and its limitations2 the reform is      
architectural--our architects and boards
 of education should realize that the   
seating and the lighting of school      
houses should receive most careful      
consideration2 the reform is            
economic--we should come to appreciate  
the unwisdom of being penny wise and    
pound foolish1 and recall the old saw1 a
 stitch in time saves nine2 the reform  
is medical--we should get our people to 
see that thoro and regular medical      
inspection of all our school children is
 the only sensible method of procedure4 
,and so ,i might go on naming phase     
after phase of the problem4 ,it is so   

many-sided that we can not hope for its 
immediate and perfectly satisfactory    
solution4 ,but there are certain quite  
specific ends in view that should at    
once and all the time be kept before us4
 ,touching the matter of medical        
inspection1 our state law1 instead of   
being merely permissive should be       
mandatory1 and should be made to apply  
to every school community in the state4 
,of course1 the cry of expense would be 
at once raised1 but it could easily be  
shown1 were there time at my disposal1  
that it would be an economic mesure     
rather than one increasing the cost of  
our schools4 ,because every time that a 
child repeats a grade in school1 that   
year's school work in the life of the   
child has cost the city or school       
community twice as much as it should4   
,whenever1 as in the case of ,st4 ,paul1
 already cited1 a child is two1 three1  
or six years behind normal grade1 there 
is an extra heavy burden of taxation    
placed on the city4 ,medical inspection1

 wherever it has been made effective1   
has resulted in lowering1 very          
materially1 the amount of retardation4  
,and it is looked upon as saving the    
community very much more than it has    
cost1 saying nothing at all about the   
added effectiveness of the child for the
 work of the school nor of his greater  
happiness4 ,this statement could easily 
be substantiated were there time4 ,but  
that is not necessary4 ,it is so        
apparent that he who runs may read4     
,but the time when we can expect such a 
law to be put in force is1 ,i am afraid1
 considerably removed from the present4 
,large bodies move slowly2 we must have 
patience4 ,we must keep steadily at it  
preaching the good gospel of reform4    
,but in the meantime can we not hasten  
the glad day of full and complete       
medical inspection1 and at the same time
 bring relief to a very large number of 
little sufferers1 by throwing emphasis1 
whenever the opportunity offers1 upon   
the phase of the subject that is before 

us this morning8 ,the eye trouble is the
 chiefest of all those of a physical    
nature4 ,it has far more to do in       
causing retardation of our boys and     
girls than any of the other physical    
defects1 and therefore should receive   
its own prompt and vigorous attention   
irrespective of everything else4 ,upon  
this one point let us have immediate    
relief and keep it up as rapidly as     
possible4 ,let us adopt some program of 
action which will bring relief as       
quickly as possible to children         
suffering from visual defects4 ,for ,i  
have no sympathy with the position taken
 by that foolish mother 7perhaps ,i     
should be charitable and merely say     
ignorant mother4 ,i think she was both  
ignorant and foolish71 who said to me   
when ,i was urging her to have glasses  
fitted for her little girl1 ,why1 ,mr4  
,ladd1 ,i can't bear to think of ,mary  
wearing glasses4 ,i am going to keep    
them away from her just as long as she  
can possibly get along without them4 ,i 

replied1 ,my good woman1 if you have any
 regard for the comfort and well-being  
of your little girl1 or if you care for 
her progress in school1 instead of      
keeping glasses away from her as long as
 possible1 you should see to it that she
 has the best that can be procured just 
as soon as they can be of the slightest 
assistance4 ,i went on to tell her that 
it was entirely possible that the use of
 the glasses at that time for a year or 
two might enable her to do without them 
permanently later on4 ,but she did not  
get them2 of course not4 ,they would not
 have added to the attractiveness of the
 little face4 ,how hard it is for the   
unreflecting to deny themselves a       
present pleasure1 whether in money or   
pride1 for a future good6     ,v  ,,the 
,,home1 ,,the ,,church1 ,,and ,,the     
,,school  ,an ,extension ,lecture       
delivered in many places in ,north      
,dakota and ,minnesota   ,it goes       
without saying1 ,i am sure1 that these  
three great institutions--the ,home1 the

 ,church1 and the ,school--fundamental  
as they are in the life of each1 and    
even of civilization itself1 can not be 
adequately handled in the brief time    
given to a single address4 ,but yet ,i  
think that in that time we can account  
for each1 roughly trace its interesting 
career1 and locate it in our complex    
life of to-day with function briefly    
stated4 ,and in it all1 or out of it    
all1 directly or indirectly1 ,i think we
 shall see the relationship existing    
between the three4 ,this relationship1  
so strong and so vital1 the appreciation
 of which is so necessary for           
constructive action and large results in
 life1 ,i particularly desire to make   
appear4 ,and it is this relationship    
that gives appropriateness to the       
handling of the three in a single       
address tho each1 from a different point
 of view1 might well be made the center 
of an entire evening's consideration4   
,the home1 the church1 and the school6  
,what troops of memories arise around   

each as we turn our gaze backward6 ,how 
sweet and sacred appears the home as we 
recall mother and father1 sister and    
brother1 in the old home setting in the 
early days of our pilgrimage6 ,how      
solemn and hallowed seems the church as 
we go back in thought to our first      
connections with it in ,sunday school1  
in its communion service1 and to our own
 entrance as members6 ,and how          
fascinating and joyful1 even the        
sometimes tinged with regret or         
apprehension1 the school as we retrace  
our pathway over the years of its       
associations6 ,the home1 the church1 and
 the school--but the first of these is  
the home4   ,,the ,,home  ,let me ask   
you1 therefore1 to think with me first  
of the home--of that institution which  
in its very inception1 more than any    
other1 was ,god-inspired2 that          
institution which from its very         
beginning up to the present hour has1   
more than any other1 reflected the      
spirit and purpose of ,god--that        

institution whose center is the child   
and whose function that child's         
development--the home4 ,it is the most  
ancient of all the institutions of man4 
,organized and set apart at the very    
dawn of human life1 when the morning    
stars were singing together1 the divine 
,voice gave it sanction and stated its  
function3 ,be fruitful and multiply1 and
 replenish the earth4 ,and the          
institution1 as the ages have passed1   
has never once lapsed and never         
repudiated its origin or its work4      
,still it has advanced so far and       
improved so much in outward appearance1 
at any rate1 and developed so greatly   
that1 as we know it to-day1 we may      
almost call it a modern institution1 so 
modern indeed and so different from all 
others as to merit the name of ,american
 institution4  ,students of history have
 so laid bare the conditions of living  
and of home life in the past as to      
reveal to us the fact that the home1 as 
we know it and love it1 did not exist   

prior to our own day4 ,in all former    
periods1 even tho glorious to look back 
upon1 some of them1 golden days as they 
were of the world's upward struggle1 we 
search in vain for our kind of a home4  
,the home of the ,american workman      
to-day is provided with more comforts   
and conveniences1 has in it more of the 
elements of culture and refinement1 is  
more eloquent of love and the higher    
life than was the home of the ruler of a
 few generations ago4 ,and the chief    
factors in it all1 those which bind all 
together and give meaning1 are the      
honored place given the wife and mother 
and1 springing from that1 love1 love of 
parent for child and child for parent4  
,for we all know1 when we come to think 
of it1 that our love of home and dear   
ones is ever our motive for action as we
 explore new fields and mark out new    
paths1 overcome obstacles and surmount  
difficulties--in a word1 carry the      
banners of civilization to new heights6 
,the home of all people1 in all ages of 

the world's history1 but especially as  
we know it to-day1 is the one thing for 
which men live and work4 ,stop the first
 man you meet on the street1--rich man1 
poor man1 beggar-man1 thief1 doctor1    
lawyer1 butcher1 priest1--any man1 going
 along with a preoccupied mind1 thinking
 of the case he is to plead1 the trade  
he is to make1 the book he is to write4 
,get into this man's mind1 down below   
this particular thing that is on the    
surface of it1 and down there there is  
one picture that you wilt always find1  
the picture of a cozy corner somewhere1 
of a woman sitting by the table or      
before the fire1 of two or three growing
 girls1 and a boy or two that look like 
him4 ,meet him wherever you will1 find  
him in whatever occupation1 or in       
whatever stage of spiritual or          
intellectual development2 whenever you  
get under his jacket1 whether it be a   
blouse or a tuxedo1 you'll find this    
picture hanging on the wall of his      
heart4 ,ninety-nine men out of every    

hundred say1 with ,robert ,burns3    ,to
 make a happy fire-side clime     ,for  
weans and wife1   ,that's the true      
pathos and sublime     ,of human life4  
,and the young man of to-day1 looking   
forth into the years that are to come1  
picturing himself as and where he would 
like to be1 who sees himself alone1     
without the joys and companionship of   
wife and child1 the young man who       
doesn't plan to have a home of his own  
to which he can lead the choice of his  
heart and in which he may multiply1 thru
 the development of his own offspring1  
his powers of usefulness1--such a young 
man is a selfish monstrosity4 ,and the  
young woman who isn't longing for a home
 of her own--for a little kingdom in    
which as ,queen1 she may rule jointly   
with a chosen ,king in loving           
ministration to their natural           
subjects--such a young woman is an      
abnormal specimen4 ,the desire of every 
little girl for a doll1 the craving of  
every boy for an animal pet1 is but the 

manifestation of the deep-seated        
instinct of parenthood4 ,do nothing to  
stifle it4 ,minister to its growth and  
development4 ,and young man--young      
woman1 you who have left behind the days
 of knee trousers and short dresses1 and
 with them have laid aside the doll and 
the pet1 think it not weakness when you 
find yourself irresistibly drawn by the 
sweet smile of an innocent babe or by   
the childish prattle of one a little    
farther on4 ,be not ashamed when1 under 
such influence1 you picture yourself the
 center of a home1 and in this          
connection think of him or her whom you 
would like to have share it with you4   
,it is the sweetest influence that can  
ever come into your life4 ,rightly      
regarded and used1 it will do more for  
your happiness and usefulness than any  
or all others that will ever come to    
you4  ,but when the crucial moment      
comes--when the die is to be cast and   
the promise asked and given that will   
bind the two lives together1 halt for a 

moment until one asks and the other     
answers this ,woman's ,question4   ,,the
 ,,woman',s ,,question    ,do you know  
you have asked for the costliest thing  
,ever made by the ,hand above--   ,a    
woman's heart and a woman's life        
,and a woman's wonderful love8    ,you  
have written my lesson of duty out2     
,manlike you have questioned me2   ,now 
stand at the bar of my woman's soul     
,until ,i question thee4    ,you require
 your mutton shall always be hot1       
,your stockings and shirts shall be     
whole4   ,i require your heart to be    
true as ,god's stars      ,and as pure  
as ,heaven your soul4    ,you require a 
cook for your mutton and beef4      ,i  
require a far better thing4   ,a        
seamstress you're wanting for stockings 
and shirts1      ,i look for a man and a
 king4    ,a king for a beautiful realm 
called home1      ,and a man that the   
,maker1 ,god1   ,shall look upon as ,he 
did the first      ,and say1 ',it is    
very good4'    ,i am fair and young1 but

 the rose will fade      ,from my soft  
fair cheek some day2   ,will you love me
 then 'mid the falling leaves      ,as  
you did in the bloom of ,may8    ,is    
your heart an ocean so strong and deep  
,i may launch my all on its tide8   ,a  
loving woman finds ,heaven or hell      
,on the day she is made a bride4    ,i  
require all things that are grand and   
true1      ,all things that a man should
 be1   ,if you promise me this1 ,i would
 stake my life      ,to be all you      
demand of me4    ,if you can not do     
this1 a seamstress and cook      ,you   
can hire with little to pay4   ,but a   
woman's heart and a woman's life        
,are not to be won that way4  ,yes1     
,bobby ,burns was right when he said1   
,to make a happy fire-side clime1       
,for weans and wife1   ,that's the true 
pathos and sublime      ,of human life4 
,exactly what is ,god's ultimate purpose
 for the human race1 ,i think no one    
knows4 ,and ,i am not sure that we need 
to know4 ,where clear vision is not     

granted we walk by faith4 ,but even if  
the ultimate end is not clearly         
portrayed1 even if we are kept in the   
dark as to the great outcome1 we do know
 pretty well ,his method of procedure4  
,a careful study of the past and a      
critical analysis of the data now at    
hand looking to the future enable us to 
grasp with some clearness the leading   
outlines of the program4 ,from          
generation to generation1 from century  
to century1 from age to age1 as time has
 rolled on1 there has been a gradual    
moving onward and upward1 a steady      
improvement both in the refining and    
civilizing of man's own being and in    
bringing that being into sympathetic    
relations with the external world1 that 
is1 a gradual development of man's own  
powers1 and an ever increasing control  
of the forces of nature4 ,in spite of   
the fact that this progress has been1 at
 times1 painfully slow1 it has never    
once ceased1 and during the last century
 it has moved on with constantly        

accelerating speed until to-day the     
human race stands upon the highest point
 ever reached4 ,i have absolutely no    
sympathy with that narrow pessimism     
which is always talking about the good  
old times4 ,all in all1 there never was 
a time in the history of the world when 
man knew so much as to-day2 there never 
was a time when his life was so         
ministered to by the forces of nature2  
never a time when his heart was so      
tender1 when it responded so quickly to 
human suffering1 never a time when all  
forms of evil were so quickly condemned 
nor when so much good was being done4   
,the long program seems to have been for
 each age and each generation to hand on
 to its successors the legacy received1 
but increased and strengthened and      
bettered4 ,how much longer this upward  
movement is to continue1 how much more  
the race is to know and do1 how much    
better it is to be1 no one knows4 ,god's
 ultimate purpose1 ,his great object in 
view--we may not be able to grasp1 but  

certainly it is not difficult for us to 
note the general direction of the       
movement4 ,it is upward4  ,in all this1 
wherein does the home come1 and what is 
its function8 ,is it not1 has it not    
been from the very beginning the ,divine
 agency used for doing this great work8 
,was not the home instituted1 endowed   
with the divine power of love1 and      
consecrated for the perpetuation of the 
race8 ,be fruitful and multiply and     
replenish the earth4 ,true1 as many     
times pointed out1 our toils and our    
struggles1 our earnings and our         
productions1 incidentally give us       
pleasure and satisfaction and power1 but
 yet even these are but a means to an   
end1--that parents may beget1 rear1 and 
educate their children in such a way    
that they can carry the banner of       
civilization a little higher--lift      
society to a higher level and draw      
mankind nearer to ,god4  ,so it is that 
the center and circumference of the home
 is the child4 ,in the child the home   

finds its meaning1 its excuse1 and its  
justification4 ,it exists1 then1 that   
the child may be adequately prepared for
 doing its great work in the world4     
,whatever else it may do1 on the side1  
it has one great problem4 ,the child6   
,the child6 ,the best crop the farmer   
raises1 the best article the            
manufacturer puts on the market1 the    
best ware the merchant handles1 the best
 case the lawyer pleads1 the best sermon
 the minister preaches--or at least that
 which gives meaning to all of          
these--the child6 ,the fruit of all the 
past and the seed of all the future4    
,god bless the home and ,god bless its  
best fruitage--the child6   ,,the       
,,church  ,thus the home--,god's simple 
yet mighty agent in ,his great work of  
developing the human race4 ,its work was
 accepted and for a time all went well4 
,such preparation1 mostly physical1 as  
the child needed for its future work the
 home gave without difficulty4 ,but this
 simple life could not continue         

indefinitely4 ,one of the fundamental   
principles of life absolutely forbade   
man's standing still4 ,the laws of      
growth and development pushed him on4   
,whether he would or not1 he was        
compelled to move forward1 just as the  
acorn1 obeying the law of its being1    
changes its form1 its size1 and adds to 
its complexity4 ,little by little man1  
obeying these inexorable laws1 began to 
develop4 ,his mental1 his moral1 and his
 physical natures gradually assumed new 
forms--new needs and desires were born4 
,more and more his vision became        
expanded until he could see into and    
mesurably appreciate the forces of      
nature4 ,his life was becoming more     
complex4 ,now1 this larger life1 this   
greater complexity of life1 in addition 
to its own complexity1 added materially 
to the work of preparing the child for  
playing its part in this great onward   
movement4  ,such preparation as was     
needed by the child of the primitive    
home to equip it for playing its part as

 an adult would no longer suffice4 ,the 
home must now do something more than    
satisfy the needs of the body--provide  
food1 clothing1 and shelter1 and        
incidentally give opportunity to learn1 
mostly by imitation1 how to do this for 
another generation of children4 ,the    
spiritual life needed attention and1 as 
well1 the intellectual4 ,competition was
 growing keen1 and each felt the need of
 a better equipment that he might play  
his part well in the larger life that   
was surely before him4 ,and this larger 
outlook upon life was itself growing by 
what it was feeding upon and making its 
own demands for better things4  ,but the
 home was handicapped4 ,it felt the     
need1 but with all other things that it 
had to do1 had no time to take up these 
new duties4 ,and again1 the most of the 
homes1 even if time had been abundant1  
did not know how to do the new work4 ,so
 it set about finding a solution to its 
problem4 ,this was found in the         
principle of the division of labor4 ,it 

was seen that time would be saved and   
results much more satisfactorily reached
 by delegating to persons definitely    
prepared and set aside for that purpose 
certain phases of this work4 ,so the    
church was instituted and1 a little     
later1 the school4 ,to the church was   
delegated1 speaking broadly1 the        
religious and moral development of the  
child and to the school1 the            
intellectual development4  ,it was      
exactly the same principle that1 later  
on1 took from the home the weaving of   
cloth and the making of shoes and other 
industrial pursuits4 ,with this added   
complexity of life1 the homes could not 
profitably carry on all these varied    
activities--be1 in addition to a home1  
also a tailor shop and a shoe factory1 a
 church and a school4 ,and so the homes 
of a community combined1 selecting one  
man particularly adapted to that work to
 make all the shoes for the community1  
another the cloth1 etc4 ,and1 in like   
manner1 earlier in history1 one was set 

aside to minister to the spiritual life1
 and one to teach the children4 ,both   
were offshoots of the home1 delegated by
 the home to do a certain very definite 
portion of its work4 ,each took         
directions from the collective home and 
looked to it as the source of its       
authority4 ,and such it was4 ,the point 
is this3 the home was the original      
educational institution and1 as well1   
the original religious institution4 ,at 
first it alone performed the work of all
 three3 it was our home1 our church1 and
 school all in one4 ,it finally         
established the others and merely       
delegated work to these supplemental    
agencies1 so1 at any time1 it may       
withdraw that work from them4 ,it is    
master of the situation4 ,this          
withdrawal may be done either by the    
collective home or by any individual    
home4 ,if any home represented here this
 evening1 for any reason whatever1      
wishes to resume the religious function 
and alone direct the religious          

development of the children1 no one can 
say it nay4 ,and it is the same in      
regard to the school4 ,if any parent    
here wishes to withdraw his children    
from the school and himself1 either     
directly or indirectly1 provide for     
their intellectual development1 he has a
 perfect right to do so4 ,our compulsory
 attendance laws are satisfied when     
evidence is furnished of the child's    
advancement4 ,of course the church and  
the school1 in this primitive stage1    
were both exceedingly                   
crude--corresponding to the crude       
notions of religious and intellectual   
development then held by man1 yet       
playing the same great part as now in   
the drama of life4 ,i suppose it is true
 that these differentiations were at    
first only semi-conscious1 but          
nevertheless they were real             
differentiations and had large influence
 upon the development of man4  ,to trace
 the development of the church thru its 
early stages is not necessary for the   

purpose of this address1 so ,i pass at  
once to the establishment of the        
,christian church which is in reality   
our representative of the same          
fundamental institution4 ,like the home 
and the school1 the church began in a   
very humble way1 and during the progress
 of the centuries passed thru many      
vicissitudes and underwent many changes4
 ,let me speak very briefly of four     
stages1 or periods1 of the history of   
the ,christian church3 first1 the       
primitive stage1 that period of about   
#cej years following its birth when1 in 
the main1 motives were pure1 ambitions  
unselfish1 and ideals high4 ,but1 tho it
 was founded to provide the means of    
securing the religious development of   
the child and the race thru the         
perpetuation and extension of the       
teachings of ,christ1 and tho it was    
launched forth into its great career in 
the spirit of love and meekness and     
fellowship that characterized ,his life1
 it was not long1 as history counts     

time1 before that worthy function was   
entirely lost sight of1 that spirit     
wholly cast aside1 and the new          
institution entered upon its second     
period1 becoming a mere political       
machine which1 in its utter disregard of
 rights and justice1 in the shrewdness  
and daring of its schemes1 and in the   
blackness of its methods1 almost        
surpassed even our own most skilful     
efforts in those directions4 ,my kingdom
 is not of this world1 ,christ had said1
 and yet the church1 founded upon ,his  
teachings and led by men pretending to  
be ,his true representatives1 had       
become1 in very deed1 a kingdom of this 
world4 ,the possession and use of       
worldly power by the church had so      
blunted its moral sense that ,dante1 in 
the early part of the fourteenth        
century1 felt forced to exclaim1 and    
exclaimed with truth3                   
,the ,church of ,rome1   ,mixing two    
governments that ill assort1   ,hath    
missed her footing1 fall'n into the     

mire1   ,and there herself and burden   
much defiled4  ,but ,dante's criticism  
and other forces brought to bear drew   
back the erring leaders to some slight  
conception of their function and to some
 slight effort toward the performance of
 duty1 tho neither conception nor       
performance took them back to their     
pristine merit4 ,and the church entered 
another historical stage1 the third1 and
 one whose dominant thought and purpose 
prevails even up to modern times4       
,indeed1 so recently has it passed that 
its dark outlines are even yet          
discoverable as we glance backward4 ,in 
this new conception of the church and   
its work we find the function of the    
institution to be not religious         
development of the individual and of the
 race1 as it had been at first1 but     
merely technical salvation4 ,and the    
institution may be pictured as a great  
lifeboat thrust out into the storm to   
save from destruction those who can be  
drawn within--while all others perish4  

,you remember the painting of the       
picture1 foreground and background1 how 
the emphasis was thrown upon the world  
to come6 ,this world was not man's home4
 ,he was a sojourner here1 a wanderer4  
,his citizenship was in ,heaven4 ,he was
 a pilgrim passing thru a strange and   
weary land1 and the only purpose of the 
pilgrimage was a preparation for the    
life to come4 ,the nature of man himself
 was corrupt4 ,the world around him was 
evil4 ,alone and unaided he was         
powerless4 ,he was lost both for this   
world and the next4 ,the storms of life 
were about him1 the great waves were    
ready to engulf him4 ,but the church1 as
 a lifeboat1 was thrust out into the    
breakers1 and upon certain stipulated   
conditions was ready to take him in4    
,the church was represented as having   
received direct from the hands of ,god  
the keys of heaven and hell1 and as     
being able to open the gates of a better
 world to all true believers4 ,but true 
believers1 you know1 were no longer the 

pure followers of the crucified ,christ1
 simply those who would accept the      
man-made dogmas of the church4 ,no      
matter how full of error the church was1
 no matter how corrupt her leaders1     
there could be no safety outside of her 
fold4 ,accept the dogma1 salvation was  
sure2 once within1 all was well4        
,religious development was not sought4  
,the character of the life1 previous or 
prospective1 mattered not4 ,acceptance  
of the dogma was the only requirement4  
,so she taught--having departed ,oh6 so 
far from her character and program when 
given existence by the home and started 
out on her beneficent work4 ,and so     
tight had her grip become that none     
dared dispute her claims4 ,the child had
 outgrown her mother1 that is1 the      
church had1 in its own conception1      
outgrown the home1 and it repudiated her
 control4 ,indeed1 she held the         
keys--she was the ark of safety4  ,i    
have dwelt upon this because1 with      
varying degrees of emphasis1 that has   

been the conception of the church from  
medieval times almost to our own day4   
,indeed1 ,i am not sure that it has     
entirely passed even at the present     
time4 ,there are doubtless some people  
who continue thus to regard the church1 
and there is more than one branch of the
 institution whose definitely formulated
 statements of belief can be interpreted
 in no other way however much1 as a     
practical fact1 the members have        
departed from them4  ,there are some    
branches of the church that still teach 
that the child1 newly born into the     
world1 fresh from the hand of ,god1 is  
already corrupt1 prone to evil1 of its  
own volition choosing evil in preference
 to good4 ,and1 believing that1 they    
require the parents when presenting the 
babe at the altar for holy baptism1 to  
affirm that that pure and innocent babe 
has inherited an evil and corrupt       
nature1 and that it was conceived and   
born in sin4 ,a monstrous doctrine1     
violating not only every parental       

instinct1 but as well all the principles
 of psychology and ethics4 ,yea1 verily1
 the ,dark ,ages are not yet wholly     
past6 ,yes1 there are doubtless some who
 still look upon the church as a        
lifeboat1 and who think that that       
lifeboat should offer safety and        
protection to those alone who already   
have on the life preserver4 ,in other   
words1 there are still some who seem to 
think that church membership should be  
granted only to those whose character   
and belief already assure them of       
abundant entrance into the heavenly     
kingdom and who1 therefore1 do not      
really need church membership4  ,but    
yet1 on the whole1 as a working         
conception1 we have discarded the       
lifeboat idea and are now regarding the 
church rather as a great school1 so to  
speak1 in which all the children of men1
 thru the grace of ,god and mutual      
helpfulness1 may gradually develop the  
,christian character and eventually come
 to be the very elect of ,god4 ,no      

longer is it being regarded as merely an
 ark of safety1 a lifeboat1 ministering 
to the few1 but as a great social       
beneficent institution shedding abroad  
upon all people its life-giving light   
and lifting all men nearer to ,god2     
true1 giving her choicest blessings to  
those who come closest and partake most 
fully of her nature1 but yet like the   
sun which shines upon all and both by   
direct and indirect rays warms and      
lightens all4 ,between the two views1   
what a contrast6 ,and that change can   
not be better seen than by a contrast of
 the methods of work--the methods used  
to replenish the ranks1 to offer the    
boon of membership to those deemed      
worthy or to those whom such boon could 
help4  ,the old evangelism--you remember
 its key-note1 the old revival meeting1 
in which skilful word painting presented
 the two extremes1 heaven and hell4 ,and
 when the emotional nature was wrought  
up to the desired pitch and fear to the 
right degree1 a choice was              

demanded1--conversion1 it was called4   
,the newer evangelism--,christian       
nurture in the home and school1 and the 
various agencies of the church--is not  
as spectacular as the old4 ,it doesn't  
make as much noise nor draw to itself so
 much attention4 ,nor do results so     
readily lend themselves to figures and  
tabulation4 ,it does not bring about    
certain times when large accessions are 
made to the church membership1 feeling  
rather that a continuous stream1 tho    
smaller1 indicates a more healthy       
growth4 ,but it recognizes the fact that
 human nature is not necessarily        
depraved1 that1 on the other hand1 the  
,christian life is the natural life and 
that the child under the sweet          
influences of the home and school and   
church passes naturally from one stage  
to another often not knowing when the   
transitions take place4 ,christian      
nurture--a continuous process--in which 
development is the key-note1 not        
conversion1 a sudden transformation1 a  

terrible wrenching of the whole being1  
is the church's present method of       
growth4 ,oh6 the old has not entirely   
gone--here and there we occasionally see
 evidences of its presence4             
,professional evangelism we call it     
to-day4 ,i ran across it in a recent    
trip ,east4 ,a big1 barnlike structure  
had been erected which was called the   
tabernacle4 ,its floor was of sawdust   
sprinkled on the ground4 ,here for about
 a month a professional evangelist had  
harangued the curious crowds in         
immoderate1 and oftentimes immodest     
language4 ,wit and sarcasm and slang and
 emotion had been freely used in his    
efforts to make sinners hit the sawdust 
trail1 to use his own spectacular       
language1 as well as to extort money    
from the pockets of the attendants4 ,he 
left the town #e1jjj richer than when he
 entered and also carried with him1 as  
advertising material1 a long list of    
so-called converts4 ,a travesty on the  
sacred work of the church6 ,but such    

methods are to-day the exception and not
 the rule1 and the exceptions merely    
prove the rule4  ,and to-day church     
membership is graciously held out to all
 who need help in the work of perfecting
 character--to all who need assistance  
in leading the ,christian life1 as well 
as to those whose battles have already  
been fought and won4 ,the question asked
 is no longer1 ,have you attained8 but  
rather1 ,do you wish to attain8 ,when an
 individual1 child or adult1 seeks      
entrance at the doors of an educational 
institution1 the only condition imposed 
is assurance of his desire to be a      
learner4 ,the doors swing open4 ,and    
thank ,god the church is at last coming 
to the same position4 ,and so we see her
 to-day well started upon the fourth    
stage of her development1 accepting as  
her one great work that given her at    
birth so long ago--the religious        
development of the child and the race4  
,,the ,,school  ,the ,american school is
 a wonderful institution4 ,in its       

absolute universality and impartiality1 
in its fine spirit of democracy both of 
teachers and pupils1 there is nothing   
like it elsewhere in the world4 ,it is a
 product of the genius of our people4   
,product8 ,yes1 but1 also1 successively1
 the most influential cause of the      
genius of our people4 ,from the first1  
in a somewhat remarkable degree1 we have
 been a people knowing no social classes
 or distinctions4 ,the caste idea1 so   
prevalent in ,european countries1 has   
ever been repugnant to us4 ,and our     
schools1 emanating from such a people1  
have had a powerful reflex influence in 
shaping the people and keeping those    
fine ideals ever before us4 ,but let us 
go back and see whence it came--trace   
the connection between the complex1     
highly influential institution of to-day
 and the simple offshoot of the home of 
primitive times4 ,just when it was first
 instituted1 nobody knows2 but in       
essential features it is very ancient4  
,long before the beginning of the       

,christian era1 as a supplementary agent
 of the home having in charge that one  
portion of its work1 it was a           
well-recognized and highly esteemed     
institution4  ,i have already called    
attention to the great changes that have
 taken place in the home and in the     
church as the centuries have passed4    
,the school likewise has changed1 and is
 to-day as far removed from its original
 prototype as either of the others4 ,it 
has changed because the home has        
changed1 and in its changes has kept    
pace with the changing ideals and added 
complexities of home life4 ,at the very 
first1 only the essentials--teacher and 
boy--were present3 no building1 the     
great out-of-doors furnished the room   
and the friendly tree the only          
protection from sun and storm2 no course
 of study1 no book--the teacher was all 
in all4 ,but this stage passed and the  
next1 that continued so long and is more
 characteristic1 followed4 ,here we find
 the building and the book as well as   

the teacher and the boy4 ,the boy's one 
task is to transfer the contents of the 
book to his own mental storehouse and   
the teacher's function to see that the  
transfer is made4 ,knowledge was the    
main element of the child's preparation1
 that the home demanded of its school4  
,and this often but ill-fitted him for  
the performance of the duties of life4  
,this period continued for many         
centuries1 down almost to the present   
time4 ,but another and a greater        
followed--a period in which not merely  
knowledge was demanded as an outcome of 
the school's activities1 but something  
else very different1 including that1 it 
is true1 but finer and greater than     
that--something toward which they are   
the contributing agents--a somewhat     
harmonious development of the entire    
life--physical1 mental1 and moral4      
,little by little1 as time has passed1  
the home seems to have been throwing    
added burdens upon the school until now 
it sometimes looks as if the school is  

expected to give the entire preparation 
of the child--moral1 physical1 and      
manual1 as well as mental4 ,it sometimes
 seems as if the home had gone off on a 
vacation and left the school to do its  
work4 ,now1 that statement implies a    
criticism of the home4 ,on the other    
hand1 it is frequently said by          
unfriendly critics of our public schools
 that the schools are all the time      
reaching out and1 in a grasping way1    
more and more taking unto themselves the
 sacred rights and privileges of the    
home1 even setting themselves up in     
authority over the home1 aye1 even      
alienating the affections of the        
children1 making the home of none       
effect4 ,where does the truth lie8 ,has 
the home been so negligent of its duty1 
or has the school forgotten that it is  
the creature of the home8 ,which is the 
usurper8 ,that is an interesting        
question4 ,we can not go into it in     
detail1 but let me suggest that it has  
all come about not so much from the     

unwarranted assumption of the school1   
nor the conscious and wilful neglect of 
the home as from the unconscious working
 out of a great principle fundamental in
 human development--namely1 that the    
three phases of a child's life--the     
physical1 the moral1 and the            
intellectual1--can not be separately    
developed4  ,at first the home had the  
three lines of work4 ,soon it delegated 
two of them to other agencies and then1 
thru inexperience or thoughtlessness1   
made the fatal mistake of withdrawing   
supervision1 assuming that no oversight 
was necessary4 ,unwise and              
short-sighted6 ,no individual would thus
 deal with any other interest4 ,the     
farm1 the store1 the financial interest 
of any kind1 even the thing that        
ministers to the pleasure of life1 often
 receives more personal attention from  
the parent than does the school4 ,and   
this situation is not peculiar to our   
own day4 ,when ,i was a boy1 in another 
and distant state1 we used to sing a    

song called ,the ,parent and the        
,school4 ,the various verses showed that
 parents were in the habit of visiting  
every other known place--the theater1   
the concert1 the fair1 the sea1 the     
neighbors1 and each verse closed with   
the refrain1 ,and why don't they visit  
the school8 ,they should1 but they did  
not then1 nor do they to-day4 ,somehow1 
all along the line1 the home has seemed 
to think that if it should satisfy the  
physical needs of the child in providing
 food and clothing and shelter1 the     
school should develop the intellectual  
and the church the moral natures in     
different places and at different times1
 and under different conditions1 and    
that in some mysterious manner the three
 could become satisfactorily blended    
into a harmonious life4 ,impossible6    
,the three natures are so clearly       
interrelated1 each depends so much upon 
the others1 that the separate and       
independent development of any one is   
impossible4  ,the spiritual depends upon

 the intellectual as the house rests    
upon the foundation4 ,its mental        
pictures1 its concepts1 its beliefs1    
come out of it1 and are marred1         
misshapen1 untrue1 just to the extent to
 which that is faulty4 ,intelligence is 
necessary to religious belief and       
religious life4 ,and the intellectual1  
in its foundation laying1 can not stop  
short at that point any more than a     
plant can stop growing when its roots   
are well developed4 ,the process once   
well begun is pushed on by the force    
from behind and must enter the higher   
realm4 ,so ,i am not surprised that the 
school at times seems to be in charge of
 the entire work4 ,and physical         
conditions have so much to do with      
success in both fields that they must be
 considered by both4 ,the three         
processes are not only interrelated1    
they are interlaced1 intertwined1 as the
 strands of a braided cord4 ,and just as
 the cord would be incomplete1 just as  
it would lack strength1 if any of the   

strands were to be omitted1 or if the   
braiding were to be haphazard1 so the   
life would be incomplete1 one-sided1    
weak1 should these three processes not  
go on side by side under the fostering  
care of an intelligent unifying agency4 
,indeed1 if there is any one thing that 
has been demonstrated beyond the        
peradventure of a doubt by modern       
research in the physical and psychical  
realms1 it is the significant fact that 
life is a unity4 ,the physical1 the     
intellectual1 and the moral are like the
 three leaves of the clover4 ,and just  
as with the clover we must apply the    
nourishment to the root and not to the  
separated branches1 so with the child we
 must so select and use our educative   
material that the three-fold development
 shall result from the single           
application4  ,a simple illustration or 
two will help to make the point clear4  
,all children study arithmetic in       
school4 ,it is an intellectual activity 
and so clearly belongs to the school4   

,why do all study it8 ,because for the  
practical duties of life they need to   
know how to handle numbers4 ,it is a    
practical study4 ,yes1 but there is     
something else that the subject is      
supposed to yield or the extended time  
given to it could not be justified4 ,it 
yields large fruitage in the development
 of the power of concentration and      
intellectual keenness4 ,yes1 but better 
than that4 ,all mathematical subjects1  
in that they require absolute accuracy  
and definiteness in their operations1   
are particularly helpful in developing  
those fine moral qualities of honesty1  
integrity1 and upright dealing4 ,again1 
history is taught in the schools as an  
intellectual subject4 ,in intellectual  
development alone it is worth all it    
costs4 ,but over and above the value as 
a mental quickener it is to be placed as
 a builder of character1 and ministering
 to the development of the moral and    
even the spiritual life4 ,nowhere else  
can the young so well learn that        

righteousness exalteth a nation and that
 sin is a reproach to any people4 ,in no
 other way so well as by the study of   
history can desired examples of noble   
character be placed before the young for
 imitation4 ,take but one other         
illustration1 that of gymnastics and    
athletics--the entire program of play4  
,for physical development8 ,yes1 but in 
addition to that and finer than that1   
intellectual development of a high order
 thru the keener activity of the senses1
 the quicker and more accurate vision1  
the developed judgment1 and finer       
discriminations4 ,yes1 but better even  
than mere intellectual keenness there   
result from such activities the rare    
moral qualities of tolerance1 respect   
for others1 and self-control4 ,and so ,i
 might go on and give illustration after
 illustration4 ,it is not necessary4    
,you catch my point4 ,i am merely trying
 to demonstrate two facts3 first1 that  
the great breadth of the work of the    
school--embracing as it does1 the       

development of the entire nature of the 
child1 mental1 moral1 and physical1     
instead of merely the mental1 that which
 was given her at first1 is hers now not
 because of the home's neglect nor      
because the school has been unduly      
ambitious and grasping1 but because we  
have come to see that life is a unity   
and can not be cut up into parts each   
separately developed4 ,and secondly1 ,i 
have tried to show that the school does 
interest itself in the moral life of the
 pupil4 ,as a matter of fact1 the school
 does more to develop morality and to   
lead toward a sane religious life than  
all other agencies combined4 ,our modern
 ,american school is a wonderful        
institution4  ,but in spite of the fact 
that the school is broad in its         
ministrations1 it can not stand alone4  
,all three institutions are needed4 ,but
 the three must work together and in    
harmony and intelligently1 each         
assisting the others4 ,and one of the   
three must act as the centralizing1 the 

unifying1 the combining agency and bring
 order out of that which would otherwise
 be chaos by recognizing the value of   
each contribution of each of the others1
 assigning it to its proper place and   
thus aptly blending the work of the     
three4 ,now1 which shall be the         
centralizing force8 ,really1 is there   
any question8 ,must it not be the       
original institution--the home--the one 
which saw the need of the others and    
called them into being--the one upon    
which the responsibility finally rests8 
,and even tho many individual homes are 
weak1 wholly incapable of doing         
themselves all the varied kinds of work 
needed1 yet the collective institution  
can and must act4 ,and even the         
individual home1 efficient or           
inefficient1 should1 much more than it  
does1 thus act within the limits of its 
own jurisdiction and up to the limits of
 its own power4  ,and to whom does the  
school belong1 anyway8 ,to the ,board of
 ,education8 ,is it the private         

possession of the teachers8 ,does it    
exist to give teachers positions8 ,why1 
no1 of course not4 ,it is yours1 and    
yours1 and yours4 ,they1 both ,board and
 teachers1 are your servants1 hired men 
and women1 if you and they please--hired
 for pay to do your work1 just as much  
as are the clerks in your stores1 the   
harvest hands on the farms1 or the maids
 in the kitchen4 ,a different kind of   
work to be sure but1 nevertheless1 we   
are workmen for pay4 ,and we need       
watching just as much as do the other   
workers4 ,but let us put it in this     
way--we need intelligent1 sympathetic   
co-operation1 as an opportunity and as a
 spur for our best work and as a joy in 
it all--your constant kindly interest   
and your intelligent co-operation4 ,i   
suppose that the situation is quite     
different in a city of this size from   
what it is in the large centers4 ,i     
remember of talking1 at one time1 to an 
audience of teachers in a large city4 ,i
 was astounded to learn that those      

teachers did not know1 by sight even1   
the parents of one-half of their pupils1
 and many of them had been in the       
schools for a period of from three to   
four years4 ,whose fault was it8 ,the   
teacher's or the parents8 ,why1 what is 
the school8 ,and whose is it8 ,and what 
is it for8 ,whose fault was it8 ,the    
question does not need an answer4 ,it   
answers itself4 ,but ,i urged those     
teachers to visit the homes--to become  
acquainted with the parents of their    
pupils so that they could know the      
atmosphere surrounding them and thus be 
better able to guide their development  
and minister to their varied needs4 ,but
 ,i did not thus urge them because they 
had1 up to that time1 neglected their   
duty1 rather because there seemed no    
prospect that the homes would embrace   
their opportunity and take the          
initiative4  ,i fancy that here in the  
smaller place where everybody knows     
everybody it is very different4         
,doubtless there is not a teacher here  

whose acquaintance has not been made by 
both parents of every child in her or   
his room4 ,probably there is not one who
 has not been entertained in every home 
represented in the room4 ,this should be
 the situation not primarily because    
parents owe teachers such attention1 not
 because any such social responsibility 
rests upon them1 but rather because the 
relationship thus created gives parents 
the best possible opportunity to        
co-operate with the school in doing that
 portion of the home's great work4 ,no1 
parents do not owe it to the teachers1  
rather do they owe it to their children 
and the next generation4 ,i am urging   
this program because it is the only way 
by which you can get the most and best  
service from the schools4  ,it is true  
that parents may not understand all the 
subjects that are taught in the schools4
 ,parents may not be acquainted with the
 methods of teaching so that they can be
 intelligent critics of schoolroom      
procedure4 ,never mind4 ,that is not    

necessary4 ,you do know boys and girls4 
,many of you could give us teachers     
valuable suggestions on the best ways of
 dealing with boys and girls4 ,and there
 isn't one of you who could not assist  
the teacher in the work with your own   
children4 ,and then there is another way
 to look upon it4 ,it is altogether     
possible that this closer acquaintance  
with the school and with the            
teachers--with men and women who have   
made a careful1 scientific study of boys
 and girls and of the art of            
teaching--it is altogether possible1 ,i 
say1 that this contact might react      
helpfully upon you and the home4 ,you   
might possibly get suggestions from us  
that would help you in the home4 ,the   
closer contact might be mutually        
helpful4  ,and so1 in this necessarily  
hurried manner we have passed in review 
these three great age-old yet very      
modern institutions--the home1 the      
church1 and the school4 ,we have seen   
whence each has arisen1 have noted the  

pathway trod1 and caught a glimpse of   
its present-day function4 ,and the close
 relationship1 too1 must have become    
plain as we passed along4 ,no one of the
 three1 we have seen1 could stand alone4
 ,each depends upon both the others and 
likewise lends them both assistance4    
,for sane1 all-round1 constructive work 
in any one field1 the contributions of  
all are seen to be needed4  ,let us1    
therefore1 take an account of stock1 as 
the business man says1 and note our     
individual attitude and responsibility4 
,as representing the home1 let us look  
upon the other two as creatures of our  
own building still requiring direction  
and fostering care4 ,let our attitude   
toward them be neither patronizing nor  
coldly critical4 ,as representing the   
church and the school1 let us not forget
 the source of our being4 ,we should not
 ignore the home nor attempt to dominate
 it4 ,let us1 rather1 seek to carry out 
its program1 rendering a good account of
 our stewardship4 ,thus and thus only   

can the great work originally entrusted 
to the home be accomplished4     ,,vi   
,,noblesse ,,oblige  ,a ,convocation    
,address delivered at the ,university of
 ,north ,dakota1 ,january #bi1 #aiaf    
,there is no audience before which a    
speaker should have greater reason for  
apprehension than an audience made up   
largely of university students4 ,there  
is no audience for which a speaker      
should more carefully choose his        
thoughts and the words for their        
expression than a university audience1  
nor one more worthy of earnest          
treatment4 ,on the other hand1 there is 
no audience that a speaker can address  
more inspiring than an audience made up 
of young men and women in the heyday of 
young life preparing for better and     
larger usefulness4  ,all this is true   
because there is no other audience that 
can be gathered together whose future   
work can begin to compare1 in           
far-reaching consequences1 in           
possibilities for usefulness1 with that 

of such an audience4 ,there is no other 
company of people of equal number within
 whose keeping there is more of         
potential weal or woe for coming        
generations4 ,and these things are true 
because university students of to-day   
are the world's leaders of to-morrow4   
,this is not so trite a saying as the   
one that declares that the boys and     
girls of one generation are to be the   
men and women of the next1 but it is    
just as true and just as significant4   
,indeed1 ,i suppose it can not be called
 a trite saying in the true sense of the
 term4 ,it has not been uttered so many 
times1 is not now being used so         
commonly1 as to indicate its universal  
acceptance4 ,it is not so obviously true
 as to preclude challenge and argument4 
,it is my purpose very briefly to       
examine the statement and from the      
conclusion reached connect the same with
 the thought of a beautiful proverb that
 has come down to us thru a long lapse  
of years--,noblesse ,oblige--our        

privileges compel us4  ,so far as ,i    
know there is no way of seeing the      
future save thru a study of the facts of
 the past and the indications of the    
present4 ,the university students of a  
generation ago--where are they to-day8  
,positions of leadership to-day--filled 
by whom8  ,exhaustive and thoroly       
satisfactory statistics are not at hand1
 but such as we have speak eloquently in
 favor of the statement in question4    
,practically our only reliable          
statistics touching the matter are      
gathered from our biographical          
cyclopedias4 ,a few years ago a very    
interesting study was made of the data  
found in the current issue of ,who's    
,who in ,america4 ,this book1 you know1 
is made up of short biographies of such 
persons living at the time in the       
,united ,states as have become real     
factors in the progress and achievement 
of the age1 in other words1 of men      
recognized as leaders in thought and    
action in the educational1 political1   

military1 and business realms4  ,of the 
whole number mentioned in the issue     
studied educational data were given of  
#aa1jai4 ,of that number #a1aaa had     
enjoyed only elementary school          
advantages2 #a1iff had added to these   
only the advantages of secondary        
education1 but #g1idb had come from the 
colleges and universities4 ,in other    
words1 more than #gb of these leaders   
are shown to have received their final  
preparations for leadership within      
college walls4  ,figures as interesting 
have been gathered thru a use of        
,appleton's ,cyclopedia of ,biography4  
,a few years ago careful study was made 
of an edition just then out and it was  
found that of the college graduates of  
,america one out of every forty had     
gained sufficient distinction to merit  
recognition in that cyclopedia1 whereas 
only one out of #aj1jjj non-graduates1  
the public at large1 had received such  
distinction4 ,in other words1 the       
college graduate had #bej chances to the

 other man's one for achieving          
leadership4  ,moreover1 the higher      
institutions of learning have furnished 
every one of the ,chief ,justices of our
 ,supreme ,court1 #ge of our            
,presidents1 #gj of the membership of   
our two highest courts1 and more than   
#ej of all our ,congressmen4 ,the last  
state-men is very significant when one  
recalls our method of selecting         
,congressmen--our political machinery   
and its devious modes of working4 ,i    
have no authentic data of other fields1 
but all that one needs to do to satisfy 
himself practically as to other details 
is to call to his service his own       
knowledge of the general situation4 ,in 
the communities with which you are      
acquainted1 among the people whom you   
know either personally or by reputation1
 what are the facts8 ,who are the       
leaders8 ,where college people are      
found1 are they leaders or followers8   
,there are exceptions1 of course4 ,there
 come to you at once the names of men1 a

 few of them1 who1 thru the exercise of 
their own inherent strength1 unaided by 
college or university1 have risen to    
deserved greatness4 ,i have only to     
mention the names of our immortal       
,lincoln1 or ,england's present ,david  
,lloyd ,george1 in the field of         
statesmanship1 or of ,lord ,strathcona  
or ,sir ,william ,van ,horne1 or ,james 
,j4 ,hill1 railroad kings and empire    
builders1 in the business world1 or of  
,luther ,burbank1 in the realm of       
science1 to make the fact of exceptions 
perfectly clear4 ,but they are          
exceptions--that's the point--and       
exceptions merely prove the rule4  ,and 
even as to the few it is scarcely       
necessary to say that their positions1  
tho of leadership1 are1 generally       
speaking1 subordinate ones1 they        
themselves even while leading in certain
 limited fields1 are following the      
leadership of others in broader fields  
which include their own--and the ones   
followed are they of the broader        

training4 ,this is especially true of   
men who have achieved success in the    
business world or in the political      
field4 ,their success1 their leadership1
 is often more seeming than             
real1--depending as it does upon their  
advisers--broadly educated men4 ,take   
,lord ,strathcona1 for example1 or ,mr4 
,hill1 as typical illustrations2 with   
all their far-sightedness and their     
recognized ability1 what could they have
 done1 even in their own field of       
activity1 had it not been for the       
trained physicist1 the skilled chemist1 
and the engineer--products of the       
university--who gave them their rails1  
built their bridges1 designed their     
engines1 and in many ways made it       
possible for them to realize their      
dreams8 ,they would have been powerless4
 ,tho leaders1 they followed1 and their 
kind always will follow1 the university 
student4 ,they may hire this student and
 pay him his wage1 but they are still   
indebted to him for leading them onward 

and upward4  ,from a hasty survey1      
therefore1 which1 however1 ,i am        
satisfied would yield the same fruitage 
no matter to what extent pushed1 our    
statement seems to be justified4  ,but  
let us look at it from another point of 
view4 ,how is the matter regarded by    
those of the present time most deeply   
interested in the future well-being of  
man and of the nations of the world8 ,by
 those people and those forces who feel 
the responsibility of providing         
leadership for the next generation8     
,what steps are being taken to reach the
 end--to provide the leaders8 ,on any   
hypothesis other than the one assumed in
 my initial statement can you account   
for the lavish expenditure for the      
endowment and maintenance of higher     
institutions of learning that so        
characterize our generation8 ,from one  
side to the other of our broad land1    
aye1 from distant lands and from the    
isles of the sea comes the same         
testimony3 benevolent individuals seem  

to vie with one another in the          
munificence of their gifts for higher   
education4 ,even soveren states and     
great nations1 under the guidance of    
far-seeing leaders1 are planting these  
institutions and1 in a truly generous   
manner1 providing for their present and 
future needs4  ,that the college is the 
only source from whence can come our    
supply of leaders is a real conviction  
in the minds of men the world over1 is  
shown by a recent incident in           
war-stricken ,europe4 ,it was only a few
 months ago and during the terrible     
campaign in ,eastern ,poland1 even while
 shells were bursting and men were      
dying1 that the ,central ,powers stopt1 
as it were1 in the mad rush of wanton   
destruction1 to re-establish and        
reorganize the old ,university of       
,warsaw4 ,more than that1 they added to 
the old institution two new faculties1  
or colleges1 as we would call them4     
,strange1 isn't it8 ,in the incident ,i 
can see but this logic3 a recognition of

 the fact that1 with the forces of      
destruction reaping such an awful       
harvest1 their civilization was doomed  
unless some step could be taken1 not1   
primarily1 to check the present war but 
rather to provide1 at its close1 an     
adequate supply of leaders4 ,that seemed
 to them the only way to prevent a      
permanent impoverishment and a dropping 
back into a state of1 at least1         
temporary semi-barbarism as was so      
common during the early ,middle ,ages   
under analogous circumstances4 ,and the 
step taken by those shrewd1             
coldly-calculating war lords was the    
strengthening of the forces of higher   
education4 ,one reason why1 during the  
,middle ,ages1 there was this frequent  
dropping back is the fact that this     
relationship between leadership and     
education was not recognized4  ,under   
the powerful impulse of this conviction1
 namely1 that the well-equipt college as
 a part of the broad university         
community is the only source of         

leadership1 men and states and provinces
 and nations are sacrificing for higher 
education as never before4 ,new         
institutions are being founded and old  
ones strengthened4 ,magnificent         
buildings are being erected with        
seemingly little thought of cost        
provided only that they serve their     
purpose4 ,libraries so thoroly equipt as
 to leave nothing desired1 laboratories 
unsurpast in completeness1 vast         
gymnasiums containing every possible    
apparatus for bodily development1 and   
other facilities of every kind and      
description1 all irrespective of cost1  
are daily being added4 ,and better than 
buildings and grounds1 more vital than  
equipment and endowment1 are the trained
 minds and pure hearts that1 in ever    
increasing numbers1 are being freely    
offered on the same shrine4 ,abilities1 
and training1 and attainments that in   
the world of business would yield their 
possessors independent fortunes1 or in  
the fields of authorship or politics    

result in honor and fame1 are here      
freely offered4 ,the material return    
rendered for such service is the merest 
pittance absolutely needed for family   
support1 and the immaterial1 but one's  
enshrinement in the heart of an         
occasional grateful student plus the    
consciousness of having done one's duty4
 ,can such a generous outpouring of     
material and spiritual treasures be     
accounted for on any hypothesis other   
than a recognition of the great world's 
needs and a firm belief that those needs
 can be best satisfied thru an educated 
leadership8 ,nay1 verily1 all these     
things are being done because the best  
thought of the day feels1 both          
instinctively and with reason1 that only
 thus can the kingdom of ,god come among
 men4  ,what unique1 important1 and     
responsible position the ,state or      
,provincial ,university occupies among  
civic institutions6 ,what splendid      
opportunities for usefulness are his who
 is the executive head of such an       

institution6 ,aye1 and what weighty     
responsibilities rest upon him6 ,fellow 
teachers1 what manifold opportunities   
for usefulness are yours1 and what      
weighty responsibilities rest upon you  
by virtue of the fact that you are      
teachers in such an institution6 ,and my
 message to you is the same as to the   
student body--,noblesse ,oblige6 ,freely
 have you received1 freely must you     
give4 ,tho the state does not1 nor ever 
can1 adequately pay you for your best   
services1 still you must not falter4    
,you must continue to live up to your   
own high ideals of your noble           
profession4 ,the very acceptance of such
 positions in such an institution       
carries with it the obligation of       
performance--,noblesse ,oblige6  ,but   
who are these college and university    
students who have such a large and      
important future before them and for    
whose training and development1 because 
of that future1 such elaborate          
preparations are being made8 ,the       

university man--who and what is he8     
,likewise the university woman8 ,let us 
answer the question simply and briefly  
by merely saying that1 tho sometimes    
rude and crude because immature and     
undeveloped1 they are yet the keenest1  
the brightest1 the most far-seeing1 the 
most promising young men and women of   
the land4 ,they are the choice souls    
found1 one here1 another there1 one in  
the hamlet and another on the farm1 one 
in the city and another on the prairie1 
one in a palace1 another in a sod house4
 ,they are a picked lot selected not    
only from the so-called upper ranks of  
thought and action1 but as well from the
 highways and by-ways of our broad land1
 chosen because of intellectual strength
 and moral fiber1 because of high ideals
 and lofty purposes2 chosen by          
themselves1 it may be true1 but chosen  
nevertheless1 thru their equipment of   
mind and heart4 ,the very fact that you 
are here and others are not is testimony
 sufficient to your greater worth4      

,exceptions1 to be true1 there are1 but 
none too many prove the rule4 ,i am not 
saying these things in a spirit of      
flattery1 not at all4 ,i am merely      
stating facts1 and thru these facts     
trying to help you catch the vision--to 
see your opportunity and accept the     
responsibilities4 ,but note the         
significance--those already best equipt 
by the superior quality of their brain  
matter and of their mental fiber and of 
their moral nature and who therefore    
without further preparation would easily
 distance the others1 are here giving   
themselves even better equipment4 ,there
 can be no question as to the relative  
position of the two classes in the years
 to come--the one class is to furnish   
the leaders1 the other the followers4   
,the one is to form the ideals1 to set  
the standards1 to decide upon policies1 
to mark out courses1 the other to try to
 reach the goals set4 ,the two classes  
may be equally good morally1 equally    
worthy of respect and honor because     

equally faithful in the performance of  
duties suited to their tastes and       
abilities1 but yet1 from the very nature
 of things1 the one going ahead1 the    
other following behind4 ,and in the     
years to come your competitors will be  
not from among the non-college men and  
women--you have already put yourself out
 of their reach--but from among those   
who1 like yourselves1 ambitious for     
better and greater things1 are to-day1  
in this and other similar institutions1 
using every means1 straining every      
nerve1 to attain the highest possible   
degree of efficiency for future service4
 ,you are not only to be leaders1 but in
 some way you seem to know it           
instinctively and to be putting         
yourselves in a state of readiness4     
,but does some one raise the objection  
that this theory of leadership does not 
seem to be in harmony with the spirit   
and genius of our ,american             
institutions2 that under a democratic   
form of government all are equal2 that  

all men1 irrespective of intellectual   
attainment1 share equally1 not only     
before the law but in the very making of
 law2 that in ,america all men are      
rulers8 ,all this is true theoretically 
and1 to a certain extent1 practically1  
but it does not lessen the need of      
efficient leadership2 it increases that 
need1 or1 at any rate1 it makes it      
necessary that the number capable of    
efficient leadership be greatly         
increased4 ,the very fact that all have 
a voice in the government1 that all do  
share1 consciously and potently1 in its 
exercise and in its responsibilities1   
speaks more loudly than anything else   
can of the need of wise leadership4 ,if 
the great mass of people were not       
factors1 they would not have to be taken
 into account4 ,they might need drivers 
but not leaders4 ,but being factors and 
yet1 in the main1 not being capable of  
adequate analysis of our most complex   
and highly intricate problems1 they must
 be provided with safe and efficient    

leaders4 ,i believe in the honesty1 in  
the good intentions1 and in the good    
sense of the common people4 ,but ,i do  
not believe in their ability to detect  
relations1 to draw wise conclusions1 and
 to formulate policies touching the     
complicated political1 social1 and      
economic conditions of our times4  ,it  
is a well-recognized fact that1 as some 
one has said1 speaking broadly1 the     
striking disadvantage under which a     
democracy labors1 as contrasted1 let us 
say1 with certain types of autocracy1   
lies in its inability to plan           
effectively with reference to remote    
goals4444 ,what we call 'far ahead'     
thinking is difficult for the           
individual1 but it is vastly more       
difficult for the group1 and its        
difficulty is intensified in both cases 
if it demands large measures of present 
sacrifice4 ,no1 democracy must be led4  
,leaders they must have4 ,if honest and 
disinterested ones are not at hand1     
selfish and dishonest ones will be      

accepted4 ,i grant that leadership is   
not the greatest need of democracy1     
that1 of course1 is a higher level of   
knowledge and intelligence1 but ,i do   
claim that leadership is1 and always    
will be1 the greatest present need of   
democracy1 since it is only thru that   
leadership that the higher intelligence 
can be reached1 without loss1 and in the
 shortest possible time4  ,but again1 do
 you point out certain great victories  
of the common people1 so-called1 when   
they have risen in the power of their   
might and1 in the exercise of their     
right1 have put down men who had assumed
 the right to lead them and were leading
 them astray8 ,do you point to the      
,state of ,missouri of a decade ago1 and
 to ,new ,york ,city again and again1   
and to ,england a generation ago1 as    
illustrations8 ,true1 in all these cases
 and in many others1 notable victories  
had been gained by and for the people4  
,but is it not also true that in every  
such case the people won victories      

because wisely led8 ,think you that     
corruption and violation of law would   
have been so checked in ,missouri a     
decade ago and the breakers of law been 
so thoroly punished1 had it not been for
 the clear-headed work of that fearless1
 public-spirited ,joseph ,w4 ,folk8     
,does not ,charles ,s4 ,whitman come to 
your mind when the great struggle in    
,new ,york ,city is mentioned8 ,and     
,hiram ,w4 ,johnson in ,california8 ,and
 when we recall the victories of the    
people in our own ,motherland across the
 sea1 do we not have at once a mental   
picture of the ,grand ,old ,man1        
,william ,ewart ,gladstone8 ,had it not 
been for these leaders or others who    
might else have taken their places1 half
 of the people whose votes helped win   
the victories would never have known    
that there were such victories to win4  
,they would never have realized the     
extent to which they were being wronged 
and mis-ruled4  ,certain conditions were
 not quite satisfactory4 ,all people    

felt1 half unconsciously1 that rights   
were not being respected1 that justice  
was not being done--that something was  
wrong somewhere--but that was about all1
 about as far as they went or could go4 
,but these leaders1 who1 in years gone  
by1 in the colleges and the             
universities1 had been trained to search
 for causes1 to see relations1 and to   
draw conclusions1 had scented danger    
from afar4 ,and to the task of ferreting
 out the evil and of finding remedies   
they devoted the strength of their      
splendidly equipt minds and the purity  
of their strong hearts4 ,following up   
the lead of surface manifestations they 
finally unearthed corporate greed1      
political domination1 and ,satanic      
selfishness in such kinds and amounts as
 to be really appalling4 ,but they did  
not stop there--they searched for       
remedies and then went before the people
 and told them a plain simple tale of   
what they had found--of how grossly the 
people were being wronged--and they     

outlined programs of reform4 ,the people
 believed them2 they rallied to their   
standards1 accepted their leadership1   
and won the victories4 ,and such        
victories1 in greater or less degree1   
are being won all over the land1 thank  
,god6 ,and back of every one of them you
 can find1 if you search1 a smaller or  
larger edition of ,folk1 ,whitman1 or   
,gladstone4  ,and how about the future8 
,are all the victories won8 ,no more    
such work to do8 ,ah6 the question does 
not need an answer4 ,then who are to be 
the leaders8 ,why not you8 and you8 and 
you8 ,depend upon it1 they are going to 
be college men and college women1 and   
who more capable or worthy than         
yourselves8  ,there are two ways in     
which ,i want you young people to look  
upon this matter2 in the first place1   
from the point of view of your own      
personal interests4 ,here are           
opportunities for advancement1 openings 
the filling of which will bring to you  
worldly success1 and honor and fame4    

,both by natural endowment and by       
special training you are fitted for the 
work4 ,seize1 then1 the opportunities   
and make the most of them1 because the  
world and they that dwell therein belong
 to him who knows how to use them4 ,from
 one point of view this is perfectly    
legitimate1 and ,i urge it4 ,it is not  
only one's right but one's duty to make 
the most of himself--to advance his own 
interests4 ,the program becomes         
censurable only when it absorbs all     
else--when one's own interest is sought 
at the expense of the interest of other 
people instead of in connection with it 
or as a step in its realization4  ,now1 
the other way in which ,i want you to   
regard the matter is from the point of  
view of the interests of the people at  
large4 ,let me put it like this3 here is
 your body politic1 the people of ,north
 ,dakota1 #fjj1jjj strong1 or1 better   
yet1 the people of the ,united ,states1 
some hundred million in number1 partners
 in ownership of our magnificent        

country1 co-laborers in its             
administration1 and sharers in the work 
of their own government and in the      
working out of their destinies--each    
with a share and an influence and each  
expected to participate4 ,but so        
complicated are the matters needing     
consideration1 so difficult of solution 
many of the problems arising1 and so    
infinitely vast the whole undertaking   
that the great majority of the people1  
thru either immaturity or lack of       
training1 often do not know what is best
 to do4 ,and again1 skilful             
manipulators1 dishonest self-seekers1   
are ever at hand with plausible theories
 calculated to befog the untrained1     
deceive the unsuspecting1 and to lead   
them all astray4 ,taking everything into
 consideration1 the situation is        
extremely difficult4 ,in a plain word1  
these untrained people1 the product of  
the elementary schools1 can not see far 
enough ahead to know that oftentimes the
 policy that seems most attractive is   

full of danger for the future4 ,they are
 not qualified to weigh1 and estimate1  
and decide4 ,but there is a class among 
them1 college-bred men and women1 a     
small class1 relatively1 that is        
qualified4 ,thru long years of study1   
and investigation1 and reflection1 in   
institutions freely provided and        
generously maintained by the people now 
in need1 they have attained such a      
knowledge of affairs and such an ability
 to cope with intricate problems as to  
make them efficient leaders--leaders    
capable of guiding aright the noble ship
 of state thru difficult and tortuous   
channels beset1 on every side1 by       
dangerous rocks and calamitous          
whirlpools4 ,and among that class of    
efficient leaders you1 young men and    
young women of the ,university of ,north
 ,dakota1 will soon be numbered4 ,how   
shall you respond to the call of duty8  
,your ,state1 by virtue of what she has 
done and is now doing for you1 has a    
right to expect unselfishness and       

unstinted service in her own interests  
and in those of mankind4 ,shall she get 
it8 ,will you rise to the occasion and1 
even at a sacrifice of personal comfort1
 ease1 esthetic enjoyment1 money1 give  
to her what is her due8 ,will you       
remember ,noblesse ,oblige8 ,of course  
you will4 ,for there is a               
well-established principle1 clearly     
stated in ,holy ,writ and sanctioned by 
the ages1 that of those to whom much    
hath been given1 much will also be      
required4 ,noblesse ,oblige--your       
privileges compel you4  ,because the    
theory of the old motto1 ,paucis vivat  
humanum genus1 for the few live the     
many1 is no longer maintained4 ,the many
 do not live for the few4 ,the reverse  
is true4 ,the few live for the many4    
,but yet1 the service is not            
unrewarded--only a portion of the reward
 has come first4 ,in your equipment you 
are being paid in advance4 ,david ,starr
 ,jordan has happily clothed the thought
 in these words3 ,it is in the saving of

 the few who serve the many that the    
progress of civilization lies4 ,in the  
march of the common man1 and in the     
influence of the man uncommon who rises 
freely from the ranks1 we have all of   
history that counts4  ,and here ,i might
 stop4 ,but a general statement1 more or
 less abstract1 needs practical         
illustration3 the how1 the when1 and the
 where are perfectly legitimate         
questions for you to ask4 ,let us then  
throw a hasty glance upon some of the   
great activities that claim men's       
attention1 and discover some of the     
openings awaiting you4  ,the teaching   
profession will draw heavily upon your  
ranks--that profession1 full and rich in
 opportunities for usefulness beyond any
 and all others1 is more and more       
looking for you1 and waiting impatiently
 for your full equipment and thoro      
readiness4 ,all of the higher positions 
must come to you and others like you4   
,no others are1 or will be1 adequately  
prepared4 ,in nearly all of our states  

the legal requirement for a high school 
teacher and1 of course1 for the high    
school principal and city superintendent
 is the completion of a full four-year  
college course including a certain      
specified amount of professional work4  
,in some of the states1 indeed1 the     
requirement is of a full year beyond the
 undergraduate course1 or the possession
 of a ,master's degree1 with the        
emphasis of this added year thrown upon 
the subjects to be taught and the manner
 of handling the same4  ,so the facts   
are borne upon us that the desk of the  
high school principal1 the office of the
 city superintendent1 the chair of the  
college professor1 the position of      
college and university president1 is    
soon to be offered you4 ,are you ready  
for it8 ready in academic equipment8    
ready in professional attainment8 ,and  
are you equally well prepared in that   
even finer element--the possession of   
your soul by the spirit of ,noblesse    
,oblige8  ,i can not say1 of course1 to 

which of you here to-day a college      
presidency is to be offered1 nor the    
professor's chair1 nor any other        
specific position4 ,nor can ,i say just 
when the offer will come4 ,but ,i can   
say1 and with assurance1 that all these 
positions and all others of leadership  
in the educational field will be offered
 to college men and college women1 and  
in all probability as soon as they are  
well ready for them4 ,moreover1 it can  
doubtless be said that they will be     
apportioned fairly on the basis of merit
 and fitness4 ,and then you will have in
 your hands the shaping of the destinies
 of a great free people with all the    
emoluments1 the opportunities1 and the  
responsibilities that should accompany a
 work of such moment4  ,and the ,gospel 
ministry can no longer look elsewhere4  
,if it is to continue to wield its      
mighty influence for good1 and to play  
its magnificent rle of leadership in our
 developing civilization1 especially    
among our rapidly increasing educated   

classes1 it must more and more come into
 its rightful inheritance1 so long      
withheld1 of that broader conception of 
brotherhood and ,christianity that      
forgets the letter of the law in        
magnifying its spirit--that puts life   
before dogma and character before creed4
 ,and this1 fellow students1 can never  
be without the broad university         
equipment4  ,we have traveled far during
 these latter years4 ,and no longer do  
we consider it sufficient that the      
minister of the ,gospel know merely his 
,bible and his theology4 ,in addition to
 these1 aye1 as a basis for these1 it is
 now demanded 7that is1 if he be        
accorded a position of real leadership  
among thinking people7 that he know as  
well his history and his sociology1 his 
psychology and his biology1 and indeed  
that he be acquainted with all the      
fields of human knowledge4 ,not only    
that1 he must know life as it is lived  
to-day1 and the thoughts and emotions of
 men as they are manifested in the give 

and take of actual life4 ,and none of   
these can be obtained within the narrow 
confines of the old theological         
seminary4 ,the modern university is the 
only institution in which the minister  
of the future can get it all and get it 
in the right order and in the correct   
admixture4 ,in the laboratories1 the    
libraries1 and the classrooms he will   
delve deeply into the realms of science1
 literature1 and art1 and there and on  
the campus1 in its varied activities1   
touch hands and exchange thoughts with  
the future lawyer1 teacher1 physician1  
engineer1 business man1 what-not1 and   
thus gain tolerance1 humility1          
catholicity of spirit1 and the spirit of
 true democracy4  ,thus circumstanced   
during his preparatory years1 he will go
 out capable of seeing things in their  
proper perspective4 ,that's the kind of 
man that the ministry is calling to-day1
 and the call will be louder and more   
incessant as the years pass and the     
education of the people progresses4     

,that's the kind of man we already have 
in some of our leading pulpits1 and they
 are exerting a tremendous influence in 
all departments of life4 ,but the supply
 is limited4 ,there's not enough to go  
around4 ,many more are needed4 ,our     
universities must furnish them4 ,will   
this institution do its share8 ,will    
some of you young men1 with your        
well-trained bodies1 with your          
finely-disciplined minds1 with your     
highly-cultured natures1 with that fine 
balance of powers that means so much and
 that can accomplish so much for the    
world if thus used--will you turn aside 
from the beaten path that would be sure 
to lead to fame and power and worldly   
success and enter the more difficult but
 more useful field of the ,christian    
ministry for the simple purpose of      
serving mankind8 ,you are the kind of   
men we want1 and ,i am sure that you    
will not disappoint us4  ,and so ,i     
might go on1 did time permit1 and point 
out attractive and responsible openings 

in many different activities--the fields
 of engineering and journalism1 the     
professions of medicine and law1 the    
great world of business1 even politics  
7should ,i not say1 rather1 and         
especially politics874 ,it is not       
necessary to go farther into detail4    
,you catch my thought4 ,in one and all  
of these1 positions of leadership are   
calling loudly for men and women of     
large knowledge1 of trained minds1 of   
broad outlook1 and of splendid visions2 
and these characteristics are the       
fruitage of nothing less than the broad 
and comprehensive foundations laid in   
the college and the university4 ,and you
 who have them are1 by the very fact of 
possession1 under obligation to use them
 for the public weal4 ,how is it1 young 
man1 young woman8 ,are you going to     
mesure up to the twentieth century      
standard8 ,will you carry with you from 
this hall when you leave to-day1 and    
from this institution when she honors   
you with her diploma1 and out into the  

great activities of life1--will you     
carry with you1 ,i ask1 and make the    
basis of your actions in life1 the      
thought of these two little words that  
have been engaging our attention this   
morning--,noblesse ,oblige8     ,,vii   
,,improvements ,,in ,,our ,,public      
,,schools  ,a ,paper read before the    
,commercial ,club of ,grand ,forks1     
,north ,dakota1 ,january #bd1 #aiaa1 and
 printed in the ,grand ,forks ,daily    
,herald1 ,january #bi1 #aiaa   ,in      
accepting an invitation to speak upon   
the topic assigned1 ,improvements in    
,our ,public ,schools1 ,i come not as a 
hostile critic1 not even as an impartial
 observer viewing and commenting upon   
something belonging to another4 ,rather1
 ,i come as a sympathetic friend to talk
 about an institution in which ,i am    
vitally interested and of whose good    
work ,i am proud4 ,indeed1 ,i am to     
discuss a great business industry1 if   
you please1 in which you and ,i are     
joint stockholders and for whose success

 we are alike responsible4 ,and1 too1 ,i
 have been for so many years a teacher  
and so closely connected with           
educational work that ,i feel akin to   
every other man and woman engaged in    
that occupation4 ,knowing how easy it is
 to make mistakes and thus fall short of
 attaining our high ideals in this most 
trying and most difficult work1 ,i am   
temperamentally inclined to magnify the 
difficulties and to overlook the        
shortcomings of educational workers4 ,to
 be sure1 in speaking upon              
,improvements1 ,i am admitting that     
improvements are possible4 ,but the best
 friend of a person or an institution is
 one who talks frankly and honestly1    
admitting weaknesses1 if such there be1 
and suggesting assistance4 ,such an     
attitude can not well be interpreted as 
a criticism either of men or mesures4   
,a gentleman met me on the street a day 
or two ago and said1 ,i understand that 
you are going to find fault with our    
schools next ,tuesday night4 ,what for8 

,i want you to understand that our      
schools are all right4 ,let well enough 
alone4 ,a few days ago one of the local 
papers said of the schools1 ,the public 
schools of ,grand ,forks are recognized 
as the finest in the ,northwest and the 
school system is up-to-date in every    
respect4  ,and that idea seems to be    
chronic4 ,such expressions are common in
 our papers and from many of our people4
 ,the impression sought to be given is  
doubtless that of ,let well enough      
alone1 or ,hands off4 ,now1 ,mr4        
,chairman1 while this feeling clearly   
betokens a general confidence in the    
management of the schools of which those
 directly in charge may well take pride1
 nevertheless1 it is not an altogether  
healthy condition of affairs4  ,while ,i
 believe in a wise conservatism as      
against an unthinking radicalism1 ,i am 
in no sense of the term a stand-patter4 
,the individual who has earned this     
picturesque title1 ,i care not whether  
in the halls of ,congress or in the     

ranks of the educators1 is a foe to     
progress4 ,a stand-patter is such       
because he is in a rut and either too   
lazy or too corrupt to get out4  ,things
 ought not to remain long as they are in
 any business1 in any enterprise1 in any
 institution4 ,civilization never stands
 still4 ,the most dangerous attitude of 
mind that a man can hold is that of     
complacency1 that of perfect            
satisfaction with things as they are4   
,the good is always a foe to the best4  
,no1 gentlemen1 our schools are not     
up-to-date in every respect1 not        
altogether the finest in the great      
,northwest4 ,the ,northwest1 you know1  
is a pretty big place and has some      
pretty enterprising towns4 ,but no      
individual town has1 in all respects1   
the finest schools in the ,northwest1 or
 in any other place4 ,our schools are1  
like those of other cities1 just a good 
strong average4 ,like every other       
system1 it contains some good teachers  
and some not so good2 some up-to-date   

methods of instruction are being used   
and some which should be improved2 some 
features there are to be strongly       
commended and some1 doubtless1 that     
should be discontinued4 ,and more than  
this1 gentlemen1 you have no right to   
demand1 or expect1 from your            
,superintendent and your ,board of      
,education4 ,they will be the very first
 to endorse all that ,i have admitted   
above4 ,indeed1 that they do not hold   
that exaggerated opinion is clearly     
apparent from the fact that they are    
even now considering improvements4 ,and 
may the day never dawn when we shall see
 no needed improvements for our public  
schools6 ,should such a time come1 it   
would simply mean that in matters       
educational our eyes have become dimmed 
and that we are rapidly falling behind4 
,had the men of this city been          
stand-patters touching the city1 ,grand 
,forks would not be to-day what it      
is--the surprise and the admiration of  
every intelligent visitor4 ,were you men

 here to-night1 in your civic           
relationship1 stand-patters1 the promise
 of the future would be less bright than
 it is4 ,during my early connection with
 ,grand ,forks ,i often wondered as to  
the secret of its enterprise4 ,i was not
 long in discovering1 however1 that it  
was found in the spirit of this         
,commercial ,club2 a spirit1 it is1 of  
hope1 of civic pride1 of optimism1 yet a
 spirit of almost divine discontent4    
,you have all the time been proud of    
your city1 but yet not satisfied with   
it2 not satisfied1 because you saw      
visions of a finer city into which yours
 might grow4 ,your city was not         
up-to-date--to help make it so you      
needed a street railway system2 what did
 you do8 ,worked for it and--got it4    
,not yet up-to-date8 ,a great auditorium
 was needed2 you put your hand into your
 hip-pocket and lo6 it arises in1 what  
was it1 thirty days8 ,the goal not even 
yet in sight8 ,no1 because better       
pavement was imperative--and it came4   

,still something lacking8 ,an up-to-date
 street lighting system--you put some of
 your men to work on it and it is now   
our pride and our neighbors' despair4   
,and so ,i might go on1 ,i do not need  
to4 ,only let me say that it will be a  
sad day for ,grand ,forks when we shall 
think that we have really reached the   
goal--when there is not something toward
 which we are striving4  ,i am glad     
that1 in this same spirit1 you have now 
turned your gaze to the school house4   
,let us apply there the same principle  
of free1 intelligent discussion and     
hearty1 generous co-operation1 each     
trying to outdo the other in loyalty and
 generous support1 hoping1 eventually1  
to make our schools the finest in the   
,northwest1 and up-to-date in every     
respect4  ,but this is a pretty big     
subject for treatment in an after-dinner
 talk of from #ae to #bj minutes4 ,it   
involves so much1 embracing within its  
scope1 as it may1 everything from       
finance to theology4 ,the very function 

of the school1 in the large1 might well 
be considered under such a topic1 and   
scores of details4 ,i might well talk   
upon the education of teachers as ,i do 
before my classes1 or upon educational  
psychology--vital subjects all1 but     
scarcely appropriate here4 ,it is1      
indeed1 a large and interesting subject1
 lots of places to catch hold4          
,manifestly1 ,i can treat it only       
superficially4 ,all that ,i can do is   
merely in the line of suggestion1 trying
 to direct your attention to some of the
 general features1 somewhat objective in
 character4  ,the first suggestion ,i   
have to make is along this very         
line--the greatness1 the many-sidedness 
of the educational problem and the need 
of general community intelligence in    
regard to it4 ,indeed1 there are many   
aspects of the school work1 countless   
number of details touching books1       
courses of study1 immediate and remote  
ends1 as well as the larger             
philosophical bases1 in which the public

 is deeply interested but imperfectly   
informed4 ,many a parent is ignorant as 
to what the schools are trying to do1   
and why8 ,not comprehending the end in  
view1 unintelligent as to the means     
being used1 and with little time or     
ability to investigate1 friction often  
arises4 ,the public and its educational 
system1 the homes and the schools1 the  
teachers and the parents1 should in some
 way be brought closer together and an  
opportunity given for their mutual      
understanding4 ,there are various ways  
in which this opportunity is given in   
different places3 thru mothers'         
meetings1 in some2 thru home and school 
societies1 in others2 thru the          
establishment of what some call visiting
 days1 in others1 etc4 ,great good is   
sure to result from a systematic use of 
any one of them4  ,but we in ,grand     
,forks are a very busy people2 clubs and
 societies without number claim our     
attention and secure our membership2    
public meetings for the discussion of   

charities1 health1 morals1 foods1 etc41 
saying nothing about church and social  
demands1 are already taking us too often
 from homes in the evening1 so that ,i  
hesitate to suggest another such        
activity even in the interests of so    
important a matter as the public        
schools4 ,but believing very firmly as  
,i do that the largest success of our   
schools can be secured only thru a      
cordial co-operation of the homes and   
the schools1 and believing also that    
this co-operation rests upon            
intelligence as to the aims of the      
schools and the means that are being    
used1 ,i am going to suggest a way of   
meeting the difficulty--namely1 the     
utilization of another educational      
agency of large influence and           
philanthropic spirit--,i refer to the   
,press4 ,it is not my purpose to present
 here an extended eulogy of the ,press4 
,that is not necessary4 ,you all know   
what a mighty factor it is in shaping   
public opinion4 ,i merely call attention

 to the fact that it is an educational  
institution2 that it appeals not1 as do 
the schools1 to the children1 but to the
 parents of the children3 and then that 
in ,grand ,forks it goes into almost    
every home in the city4 ,i suggest that 
this agency be used to bring about a    
frank1 open discussion1 and therefore a 
better understanding1 of the function   
and the work of our public              
schools--local1 state1 and national4    
,for our people1 in addition to being   
busy1 are both intelligent and          
enterprising4 ,they know the value of   
the ,press4 ,they are great readers4 ,i 
have been surprised1 again and again1 at
 the large circulation enjoyed by both  
our enterprising dailies4 ,i have also  
been surprised to know how closely all  
our people keep in touch with local     
happenings chronicled there4 ,an        
educational column in one or both of the
 local papers in which the work of the  
schools1 from taxation to lead pencils1 
could be discust1 would be an innovation

 of great value4 ,an open forum1 so to  
speak1 it might be1 in which questions  
could be asked and answered1 and also   
contributions made from the larger field
 of educational effort4 ,of course ,i do
 not suggest this as a place for the    
airing of personal feelings1 of petty   
details1 of minor matters1 rather1 an   
opportunity for discussing with and for 
an intelligent and enquiring people     
great educational questions1 fundamental
 principles1 and broad1 humanitarian    
policies4 ,all such matters1 because    
fundamental in the development of       
civilization and because of universal   
interest1 should and could be handled   
with frank simplicity4 ,such a          
discussion1 constructive in character1  
could not fail of doing great good--of  
being very helpful to teachers and      
parents alike4  ,another suggestion that
 ,i want to make and an improvement that
 ,i am going to urge touches very       
closely the matter of efficiency of     
systems of education4 ,now1 the         

efficiency of an educational institution
 or of a system of schools is often     
mesured by the success of those         
completing its course of study--of those
 profiting1 to the full1 by all that it 
offers4 ,that is the point of view taken
 by those people who so greatly praise  
the work of the old district school of  
our boyhood days1 back ,east4 ,they     
point to this man and that one1 men who 
have achieved eminent success1 whose    
only schooling1 perhaps1 was received in
 the little red school house and        
therefore claim that it was a great     
institution for the making of men4 ,but 
therein lurks a fallacy4 ,great men have
 issued from the little red school      
house1 it is true1 but they became great
 not because of1 but in spite of1 the   
fact that the school house was little   
and was red4 ,in pointing to such men as
 these1 as products1 they forget the    
great silent multitude of boys and girls
 who were in the same little red school 
house but who were never heard of after 

they emerged4 ,the pathetic feature of  
the old district school was the great   
number of children who fell by the      
wayside4 ,and so1 to-day1 no educational
 institution should be rated as to      
efficiency by considering the success   
merely of those completing its courses4 
,to form a correct estimate we must     
consider as well all those who entered  
and dropt out before completion4  ,no   
system of schools is really efficient in
 which any considerable percentage of   
the children drop out before completing 
the elementary course of study4 ,no     
system of schools is satisfactorily     
efficient which is so managed as to     
require1 or even allow1 any considerable
 percentage of the children to repeat   
grades1 that is1 to fail of promotion1  
making it necessary to go over the work 
the second time4 ,or1 to put it in other
 words1 in which any considerable       
percentage of the children are doing    
work in grades lower than their ages    
would suggest4  ,this is the matter of  

retardation of which we are hearing so  
much in these days1 and in regard to    
which ,grand ,forks1 as well as other   
cities1 suffers4 ,in my judgment1 there 
are two main causes of retardation3 poor
 teaching and physical defects of the   
children4 ,there are two ways by which  
satisfactory teaching can be secured3 in
 the first place1 by securing the best  
teachers available1 and this1 ,i am very
 sure1 our ,board of ,education and our 
superintendent always try to do4 ,in the
 second place1 by improving the quality 
of work thus secured thru expert        
supervision on the part of the          
superintendent and the principals of the
 various schools4 ,and this ,i am sure  
is not done to the extent that it might 
be were matters differently arranged4   
,if another suggestion that ,i shall    
make later on is adopted1 however1      
provision will be made for this         
improvement4  ,physical defects on the  
part of the children ,i named as the    
second cause of retardation4 ,and the   

remedy for the major portion of this    
cause is found in my next               
suggestion--medical inspection of our   
school children4  ,estimating the       
conditions in ,grand ,forks on the basis
 of what has been discovered in many    
other places in which medical inspection
 is in operation1 from #be to #hj of the
 children in our schools are suffering  
from physical defects of some sort that 
interfere1 to a greater or less degree1 
with the work of the school4 ,there is  
no doubt in the minds of well-informed  
people that here is found a very        
fruitful cause of retardation1 as seen  
both in grade-failure and in early      
dropping out of school4 ,and very many  
of these defects are removable and1     
therefore1 the retardation preventable4 
,now1 the only seemingly valid reason   
that ,i have ever heard urged against   
the employment of the school physician  
is that of expense4 ,it does cost       
something1 ,i'll admit4 ,all good things
 do4 ,the necessary expense1 however1 is

 often overestimated4 ,but let us see if
 we are not1 even in hesitating at the  
expense1 whatever it may be1 wholly     
illogical4 ,the city assumes the duty of
 educating the young1 but if many of the
 young are not in a condition to receive
 that education1 should we not logically
 see that the hindrances are removed8   
,we enact compulsory attendance laws2   
should we not1 where necessary1 make it 
possible for the physically defective as
 well as others1 to profit by such      
attendance8 ,otherwise1 are we not      
wasting money8  ,i have mentioned the   
expense1 but there are two ways of      
looking at that4 ,i am now going to     
advocate medical inspection as an       
economic mesure--as a money saver4      
,every child who repeats a grade is     
costing the city more than it should for
 its education4 ,that is clearly        
apparent4 ,how much that amounts to1 in 
the aggregate1 in ,grand ,forks1 ,i do  
not know4 ,but it is probably no small  
item4 ,i have no doubt that1 in the long

 run1 the saving would pay the school   
physician4 ,and then we should be       
clearly ahead in all the years saved by 
the various children1 as well as the    
greater happiness and usefulness        
directly resulting from the improved    
situation4 ,on the whole1 it seems to me
 and to many others with whom ,i have   
talked that the next step forward that  
we should ask our ,board of ,education  
to take is the adoption of medical      
inspection4  ,another phase of the      
subject to which ,i desire to call your 
attention is that of the                
superintendency4 ,and it isn't exactly  
like the old maid sister telling the    
mother of half a dozen lusty boys how to
 bring them up because1 in addition to  
spending years in the study and teaching
 of educational matters1 ,i have        
occupied the superintendent's office and
 tried to do his work4  ,historically1  
the superintendent of schools represents
 a development from the ,board of       
,education1 not from the teaching body4 

,originally1 he was looked upon as the  
business manager of the ,board1 rather  
than an educator by profession4 ,quite  
specifically1 he was1 at first1 often   
one of the regularly elected members of 
the ,board1 designated by the ,board to 
attend to the details of the work1 to   
keep the educational machine properly   
oiled1 his selection seldom being       
dictated by any particular qualification
 of a professional character4  ,but in  
this matter of education as in other    
matters1 great changes have arisen4 ,in 
those days teaching was not looked upon 
as a profession4 ,it was merely a       
calling1 a trade1 a temporary activity  
requiring no special preparation4       
,anybody could teach and could teach any
 subject4 ,education was not recognized 
as a science4 ,the function of the      
school was merely to give knowledge and 
it was not looked upon1 as to-day1 as a 
great social institution1 largely       
responsible for the welfare of society  
and even for the stability of           

government4 ,and as touching the child1 
not interesting itself with the         
formation of right habits of action1    
with the development of character1 in a 
word1 so handling the child and his     
environment as to bring about both the  
normal development of his inner life and
 the adequate shaping and preparing of  
that life to satisfy the demands that   
will later be met4 ,not at all4  ,but   
great changes have arisen4 ,education   
has become a science1 and its           
activities1 its processes1 are being    
based upon definite scientific          
principles4 ,we are to-day demanding a  
professional preparation of all our     
teachers4 ,we require them to know      
something about the child mind and the  
laws of its development4 ,we expect them
 to know why they teach this subject and
 that1 that is1 the educational values  
of the various subjects1 and the best   
manner of administering this educational
 food4 ,education1 ,i say1 is now looked
 upon as a science1 closely allied to   

and continually assisted by its sister  
science of sociology1 definitely based  
upon and springing out of the sciences  
of psychology and physiology1 and even  
having its roots deep down in the       
sub-soil of biology4  ,together with    
this change of thought as to the        
function and work of the school1 there  
has been a corresponding change as to   
the superintendent and his work4 ,while 
we are not completely emancipated from  
the old rule of cut and try1 from the   
old mechanical routine1 the country as a
 whole has taken some long strides in   
advance4 ,while some boards of education
 still look upon their superintendent as
 a chore boy1 that idea has1 on the     
whole1 long since been abandoned4 ,and  
the best educational thought of the     
country to-day regards the              
superintendent primarily as an educator1
 having to do with the inner1 rather    
than the outer1 phases of the school's  
activities4 ,and our most progressive   
centers are looking upon him as a       

specialist1 an educational expert1 and  
demanding in him an educational and a   
professional equipment commensurate with
 the larger1 more difficult1 and most   
important work4 ,he must be intimately  
acquainted with the sciences most       
closely related to his own and capable  
of drawing upon all the others for      
contributory assistance4 ,and then1 in  
carrying out the thought of this larger 
view and so shaping matters of detail as
 to profit by the superb equipment      
provided in the new superintendent1 he  
has been freed from the routine work    
formerly done by him1 thus giving the   
opportunity of studying the local       
problems and planning their solution4   
,now for my definite suggestion4 ,it has
 taken me a long time to get to it1 but 
,i believe it is worth the time4 ,i want
 you to look upon the superintendency of
 your schools as the largest1 the most  
difficult1 and most important position  
within the bestowal of the city4 ,the   
mayor's job doesn't begin to compare    

with it4 ,and then after you have so    
rated the position1 ,i want you to free 
the man who holds it from all hack-work1
 from the details of business           
management1 from anything and everything
 that now prevents him from making a    
careful1 scientific1 investigative study
 of fundamental educational problems    
that confront him right here in ,grand  
,forks4  ,and what are some of those    
problems1 do you ask8 ,superintendent   
,kelly could doubtless name a score of  
them that he is waiting to get at but   
can not for want of time4 ,let me       
suggest a few that are confronting our  
superintendents all over the land4 ,nor 
can ,i do more than mention them4 ,i    
name first this matter of retardation of
 which ,i have already spoken4 ,why is  
it that so many children fail of        
promotion and so have to repeat grades1 
thus adding to the expense of the       
schools8 ,it no longer satisfies to say1
 ,because they do not study--the        
question is1 ,why do they not study8 ,is

 it the fault of the child1 the home1 or
 the school8 ,and1 whosoever it is1 how 
can the difficulty be removed8 ,you     
would not in your business suffer a     
daily loss thru unnecessary             
friction--thru the unsatisfactory       
working of your machinery4 ,you demand  
the largest and best output possible for
 the money expended4 ,why not the same  
in the biggest business enterprise of   
the city--your schools8 ,but to prevent 
the friction1 you must know the cause4  
,i want the superintendent to have time 
to investigate these matters4 ,all this 
applies as well to those who drop out   
before completing the course as to those
 merely repeating a grade4 ,an analogous
 question3 ,why do so few1 relatively1  
of the graduates of the eighth grade    
enter the high school8 ,and why do so   
few of those who enter complete the     
course8 ,again1 is it because they can  
see no real connection between the work 
of the high school and the work of      
life--because it doesn't seem to fit    

them for anything8 ,these things should 
be investigated and1 when reasons are   
found1 the remedy applied4 ,we should   
know the facts4 ,but all these matters  
take time1 and the days are only so long
 and a man's strength always limited4   
,exhausted by hack-work1 no man can do  
constructive thinking4 ,and so we go on 
in our waste of money and energy and    
life4 ,the waste of soil1 the waste of  
tools1 in our farming communities1      
doesn't compare with this waste in      
seriousness4 ,let us adopt the          
principles of scientific conservation4  
,and now1 in keeping with the topic     
given me to discuss1 ,improvement in    
,our ,public ,schools1 ,i have given    
three quite definite suggestions3 ,in   
the first place1 ,i have recommended the
 utilization of the ,press as an agent  
of improvement4 ,that is1 ,i have asked 
that there be established in one or both
 of your daily papers an educational    
column in charge of some competent      
person thru which the public could      

become better informed on school matters
 and thus able to co-operate more       
intelligently in the upbuilding of the  
schools4 ,in the second place1 ,i have  
urged that mesures be taken looking     
toward the adoption of regular and      
systematic medical inspection of all    
school children4 ,and lastly1 ,i have   
urged you to look upon your             
superintendent of schools as an         
educational expert rather than a        
business man4 ,and1 regarding him as    
such1 ,i have asked you to free him from
 the petty details of office work and   
all mechanical drudgery so that his     
training and his abilities could be used
 for educational betterment4     ,,viii 
,,local ,,winter ,,sports  ,a ,paper    
read before the ,franklin ,club of      
,grand ,forks1 ,north ,dakota1 ,december
 #a1 #aiaj1 and printed in the ,grand   
,forks ,daily ,herald1 ,december #d1    
#aiaj   ,it is no longer necessary to   
offer an extended plea for a recognition
 of the value of physical training4 ,the

 human race1 in its upward climbing1    
long ago passed the stage where the body
 was looked upon as a hindrance to the  
soul in its aspirations4 ,we have       
likewise gone beyond that higher stage  
in which the attitude toward the        
physical being was merely negative1 and 
have clearly reached an altitude upon   
which we recognize a well-defined       
relationship between the physical man   
and the mental and spiritual man4 ,we   
know now that only as each is healthy   
and thus in a condition to do its own   
work well1 is the other able to act     
normally4 ,as the great ,english        
philosopher1 ,locke1 said1 ,a sound mind
 in a sound body is a brief but full    
description of a happy state in this    
world4 ,this is a well-recognized       
article of our educational creed1 not   
only1 but even the conservative         
religious workers have accepted the     
principle1 and we find inscribed over   
the entrances to our ,christian         
,association buildings the word body as 

well as the word more commonly found in 
such connection1 spirit4  ,but to go    
back just a moment3 let us consider it  
from the standpoint of mere physical    
betterment4 ,we know that a muscle      
unused means a muscle undeveloped1 and  
that1 on the contrary1 intelligent1     
systematic use1 with a definite purpose 
in view1 will accomplish wonders in     
physical development4 ,we know something
 as to what a physical trainer can do   
with a bunch of raw foot-ball material4 
,we know how the gymnasium can          
metamorphose a loose-jointed1 lop-sided1
 stoop-shouldered1 shamble-gaited young 
fellow4 ,we know what the brisk         
recruiting officer can do with the      
awkward squad4 ,in the one case as in   
the other1 the physical training stands 
him upon his feet2 it takes the kinks   
out of his back2 it throws his head up2 
it unties the knots in his legs2 it puts
 fire into his eye4 ,the good red blood 
courses thru his veins1 and even shows  
itself in his cheeks4 ,he walks with an 

elastic step4 ,every organ of his body  
is doing its duty4 ,he no longer needs  
liver pills1 digestive tablets or wizard
 oil4  ,i said mere physical betterment1
 didn't ,i8 ,well1 you can not have mere
 physical betterment4 ,in every case    
suggested above1 there is something     
better than physical improvement4       
,without knowing why1 or how1 the young 
fellow1 after the training suggested1 in
 addition to being a more perfectly     
functioning animal1 a better working    
flesh-and-blood machine1 is several     
rounds higher up on the ladder of       
manhood4 ,he looks you in the eye4 ,he  
gives your hand a regular ,stearns grip4
 ,he dares to say that his soul is his  
own4 ,and why8 ,because the life-giving 
oxygen is getting down into the         
long-neglected corners of his lungs4    
,because his heart is forcing this      
purified blood thru his veins building  
up his system and incidentally throwing 
off the waste and poisonous matter1 so  
that1 relieved of the dregs1 the bodily 

organs can really function4 ,and if that
 is true of the gizzard it is likewise  
true of the brain4 ,he can feel more    
keenly1 think more wisely4 ,but all this
 can be done by physical exercise alone4
 ,some of the best of these results can 
be obtained by the use of the mere      
punching bag2 by running around the     
house1 if you run often enough and fast 
enough2 all alone with the dumb bells or
 ,indian clubs1 if you keep at it long  
enough1 or even by walking out to the   
,university on the railroad tracks and  
saving your street car nickels4 ,but    
taken thus1 these exercises constitute a
 mere medicine4 ,and people don't take  
medicine until they have to4 ,and for   
some strange reason they won't take this
 kind even then unless some doctor      
prescribes it in consideration of the   
payment of a good sized fee4 ,why is it8
 ,simply because we prize things in     
proportion to their cost8  ,now1 we want
 these results and even better ones4    
,and we don't want to pay the doctor's  

fees for this or any other kind of      
medicine in order to get them4 ,what are
 we going to do about it8 ,isn't there  
some sugar coating that we can put on to
 these physical exercise pills to make  
them a little more palatable8 ,can't we 
in some way make ourselves believe that 
we are eating candy instead of taking   
quinine8 ,for you know that we grown-ups
 have not lost all our powers of        
imagination4 ,how often we play make    
believe1 even yet6 ,i'll tell you what  
we can do4 ,let's have this same        
physical exercise idea but introduce    
into it the element of sport which      
,webster defines as that which diverts  
and makes mirth4 ,let's do these stunts 
for the fun of it instead of as a       
medicine4 ,we'll get the results1 just  
the same1 and thus get double pay for   
our pains4 ,i fancy that the skiing and 
the skating1 the snow-shoeing and the   
curling of which we are to hear1 all    
have that element tucked away somewhere 
in their anatomy4  ,but you may ask me  

what more there is than the results     
already mentioned to be gotten from     
these physical exercises1 if we succeed 
in covering up the quinine with ,mr4    
,webster's molasses4 ,i've used ,indian 
clubs and dumb bells by the hour2 ,i've 
walked to the ,university in season and 
out of season2 ,i've even run around the
 house--and as a result have experienced
 the exhilaration that comes from such  
vigorous discipline4 ,i've been better  
for it1 physically1 and therefore1 of   
course1 mentally4 ,more oxygen1 better  
blood1 firmer bodily tissue including   
better nourished brain cells1 have done 
their beneficent work4 ,but yet1 as ,i  
look back and see myself going thru     
these various maneuvers1 ,i am fully    
confident of the fact that all this time
 ,i was also doing something else--that 
my poor brain cells1 which really needed
 recuperation more than any other part  
of my body1 that these brain cells were 
still at work1 that ,i was all the time 
carrying on a more or less strenuous    

train of thought as exhaustive as tho ,i
 were seated in my study chair1 or      
standing before my class in the         
recitation room4 ,more than one lecture1
 or address1 have ,i worked out while   
walking to and from the ,university4    
,now1 one of the most important things  
for us to do is occasionally to stop    
thinking1 or at least to stop thinking  
along our accustomed lines4 ,we should  
give those few brain cells that are     
being made to work over-time a chance to
 rest once in a while4 ,we are living   
too fast4 ,our lives are too intense4   
,we are running our machines under high 
pressure1 and some of them are already  
showing the results altho they are      
almost new4 ,unless there is a change1  
new ones will have to take their places 
ere long4 ,the rate of speed of the life
 of the modern ,american business and   
professional man1 the rate of speed of  
the life of the modern ,american society
 woman1 is something terrific4 ,we are  
wearing ourselves out before our time4  

,modern life is so complex1 so exacting1
 so wearing1 that we are losing all the 
joy of living4 ,we are at our own       
firesides so seldom and for such short  
periods that we scarcely know our own   
little ones4 ,longfellow's ,children's  
,hour that came as a pause in the day's 
occupation1 is almost wholly unknown in 
most ,american homes4 ,there is no pause
 in the day's occupation4 ,the          
occupation goes right on till after     
these children are soundly asleep in    
their beds and begins again before they 
are awake in the morning4 ,and all this 
is true even of us1 right here in this  
select circle1 the favored ones1 many   
would call us4  ,but ,i am not giving a 
diatribe on ,american life1 so will not 
pursue the matter farther4 ,all that ,i 
am trying to do is simply this3 to call 
attention to the fact that we are living
 fast--faster than our physical and     
mental make-up can long stand2 that we  
have already reached the danger point4  
,and what are we going to do about it8  

,well1 we shall have to do many things  
before the problems are all solved1 the 
difficulties all met4 ,as a slight      
relief1 and to answer a question raised 
a little earlier in the paper1 ,i am    
suggesting the sports--those activities 
that both rejuvenate the physical man   
and also divert and make mirth4 ,into   
these we can not carry our teaching and 
our preaching and our making of social  
calls4 ,the goods of the merchant1 the  
notes of the banker1 the briefs of the  
lawyer1 the annoyances of the teacher1  
and the cares of the housewife1 alike1  
would all have to be left behind4 ,the  
mind could rest while the body and the  
spirit are being recreated4 ,an hour a  
day1 in the open air1 with fears and    
anxieties and schemes all cast aside1 in
 companionship with kindred spirits     
similarly divested of that which        
troubles and makes afraid1 all engaged  
in recreative sports1 would do more to  
make us physically well1 morally strong1
 and civilly decent than all the pills  

of the doctors1 all the texts of the    
preachers1 and all the keys of the      
jailers6  ,in keeping with the          
world-wide movement in this direction   
our own people1 in their civic capacity1
 have already acted and have thus become
 the possessor of splendid park         
facilities which offer ample            
opportunities1 when fully developed1 for
 a sane out-of-door life of a population
 many times as large as ours at the     
present time4 ,and as we all know1 the  
,park ,board has entered intelligently  
and systematically upon this matter of  
development and improvement4 ,much has  
already been done4 ,very much more is   
fully outlined in the minds of the ,park
 ,board4 ,i think it is their           
purpose--and ,i fully believe that they 
will carry it out--to proceed in this   
matter of development just as rapidly as
 the people show1 by their use of the   
facilities progressively offered1 an    
appreciation4  ,nearly all the work done
 thus far1 such as clearing away the    

rubbish1 making the shady retreats      
usable1 fitting up picnic grounds1      
caring for the tennis courts1 golf      
links1 and other game reserves1 as well 
as erecting pavilions and other         
conveniences1 has looked toward putting 
the grounds into condition for summer   
use4 ,and the response on the part of   
the people has been gratifying4 ,as     
rapidly as the parks have been put into 
shape1 they have been generously used by
 an appreciative people4 ,it has done my
 heart good1 many times1 especially on  
,sundays in the hot summer months1 to   
see the numbers of people1 and the      
people1 who were really using the parks4
 ,they have been the people1 in a large 
mesure1 who can not easily get elsewhere
 the best things that the parks give4   
,thus far1 as said1 the plans for       
development have looked mainly toward   
summer use1 ,but ,i am especially glad  
to note a recent improvement that shows 
that the ,park ,board has the winter use
 of the parks also definitely in mind4  

,i refer to the new skating rink in     
,riverside ,park4 ,it is a most         
commendable institution4 ,i very much   
hope that it will be extensively used1  
not only by the people living in that   
part of the city1 but by those of all   
sections4 ,it belongs to all of us4     
,here is an opportunity for a most      
delightful winter sport freely offered4 
,if appreciated1 as shown by its use1 ,i
 have no doubt that it will be          
duplicated next winter1 and on a larger 
scale1 in ,lincoln ,park4 ,and if we    
show that we appreciate this1 other     
features will be added4  ,perhaps ,i    
should stop here1 but ,i can not lose   
the opportunity of saying just a word to
 connect this topic with the great      
playground movement1 and therefore in   
behalf of providing facilities for      
winter and summer sports alike1 for our 
boys and girls--our young people4  ,do  
you realize fully that the boys and     
girls of to-day--yours and mine1 yes1   
and just as truly those less            

favored--those into whose lives there   
comes but little cheer1 into whose      
stomachs there goes but little          
nourishing food1 and into whose lungs1  
but little oxygen--do you realize1 ,i   
ask1 that these boys and girls are to be
 the men and women of to-morrow1 with   
all the responsibilities of the world   
resting upon their shoulders8 ,do we    
want them to enter upon the duties of   
life stoop-shouldered1 flat-chested1    
spectacle-eyed8 ,do we want them to be  
anmic1 pessimistic1 nervous wrecks8 ,do 
we want them to be mental weaklings and 
moral cowards8 ,do we want them even to 
approximate these conditions8 ,no8      
,then1 with all our provisions for their
 wants and their needs1 let us be sure  
to develop those things which minister  
so largely to the development of the    
opposite characteristics4 ,prevention is
 not only cheaper than cure1 it is also 
better4 ,let us see that our parks are  
developed with provisions for our boys  
and girls as well as for the adults4    

,let us see that playgrounds are        
scattered over our city and provision   
made for both winter and summer sports4 
,in addition to the ,riverside ,park    
skating rink1 ,i wish the ,city ,council
 or the ,board of ,education would      
establish one on the grounds of the     
,winship school1 another at the ,central
 building1 and still a third on the     
,belmont grounds4 ,this could be done at
 nominal cost4 ,what a splendid         
opportunity it would give to all the    
children of the city to engage in this  
most healthful and invigorating sport6  
,it would give them their needed        
entertainment and relaxation in the     
pure1 invigorating1 out-of-door air4 ,it
 would surround them with an emotional  
atmosphere that is at once normal1      
natural1 and spiritually health-giving4 
,instead of these conditions1 what do we
 find8 ,many of our young boys and girls
 and very many of those a little        
older--those just entering upon manhood 
and womanhood1 when both emotional and  

physical atmosphere count for so much in
 the forming of habits and the choosing 
of ideals--many of these future men and 
women are finding their entertainment   
and their relaxation 7and mind you1 at  
the close of a day in school or in the  
evening after a day spent in the poorly 
ventilated office or store7 in the      
moving-picture show or at the           
vaudeville4 ,and in these places the air
 is apt to be both hot and impure1 and  
all the physical conditions enervating4 
,the emotional atmosphere1 too1 is sure 
to be abnormal1 unnatural1 and          
spiritually deadening4 ,we find here1   
and in too large quantity to be a       
negligible factor1 the atmosphere1 the  
conditions1 the associations1 that help 
greatly to breed incorrigibles1 truants1
 and laggards in our schools2 that      
develop juvenile delinquents1 hasty     
marriages1 and early divorces2 that send
 into the world paupers1 grafters1 and  
criminals4 ,not all the conditions are  
such in all such places1 it is true1 but

 as affecting young life these are      
usually the dominating ones4  ,i am not 
condemning the theater4 ,it has its     
legitimate place1 and a large place it  
is1 in normal1 healthy1 ,american life4 
,i am merely declaiming against these   
lower forms as usually conducted for    
commercial gain--these perversions of   
the true theater idea--these            
institutions that deal so largely in the
 sensational elements and appeal so     
strongly to the passions4 ,i am told    
that the cheap theater is the poor man's
 club4 ,i very much doubt if that is its
 chief function or1 rather1 that its    
chief result is a wholesome quickening  
of the better nature of this poor       
man--that its chief accomplishment is to
 send him back to his home kinder1      
truer1 and stronger1 thru either the    
relaxation or the instruction1 to       
grapple with the difficulties of life4  
,i greatly fear that1 as usually        
conducted1 its influence upon the adult 
is at best but the temporary slaking of 

an unhealthy and never-satisfied thirst1
 and that upon the child and the        
adolescent it is a distinct blunting of 
all the finer sensibilities and elements
 of character4 ,but even these lower    
forms are not all bad4 ,there is enough 
of good in them to warrant an attempt at
 improvement rather than elimination4   
,they can be improved1 made clean1 and  
wholesome1 and thus become a positive   
factor in the development of right      
character4 ,i doubt if it will be done1 
however1 until some other motive than   
personal gain shall be responsible for  
their management4 ,still1 as they are1  
they might be very greatly bettered if  
in some way those most deeply interested
 in the outcome could have a choice in  
the selection of the material to be     
used4  ,one of the best ways to         
counteract the harmful influence of the 
poorly conducted moving picture show and
 the vaudeville is to develop something 
better to take their places4 ,let it be 
something that contains the life-giving 

principles1 something that will appeal  
with equal force to the impressionable  
youth1 and yet be clean and wholesome   
and natural4 ,shall we not look upon the
 public playground for the children1 and
 the park system1 for all1 as a         
promising hope8 ,and1 properly          
developed1 would they not soon come to  
act on the young1 both physically and   
psychically1 as a prevention1 thus      
making a later cure unnecessary8 ,and   
upon adults1 might we not reasonably    
expect their use to tend toward making  
less attractive1 and so to the eventual 
abandonment of1 many of these practises 
and forms of entertainment and          
recreation that are now so sapping of   
both physical and psychical life8       
,,ix  ,,the ,,function ,,of ,,teachers  
,,college  ,an ,address delivered before
 the ,north ,dakota ,state ,teachers    
,association on ,december #bg1 #aijf4   
,it later appeared in the ,january and  
,february1 #aiaj1 issues of ,education  
,among the various educational          

institutions of the ,united ,states     
to-day1 the one which1 as it seems to   
me1 is attracting the most intelligent  
attention on the part of our educational
 thinkers1 and the one upon the right   
solution of whose problems depends1 in a
 high degree1 the success of our entire 
educational system1 is the institution  
for the education of teachers4 ,for we  
all have come1 finally1 to accept as    
true the statement of the old ,german   
writer1 ,school reform means            
schoolmaster reform1 also that other1   
used so effectively in the days of our  
own early educational revival1 ,as is   
the teacher so is the school4 ,and we   
are ready to-day to admit that those    
statements are true whether applied to  
the ungraded rural school with its      
noticeable lack of needed equipment1 to 
the perfectly graded school of the city 
with every facility that human ingenuity
 can devise and money procure1 or to the
 college and university where           
scholarship and culture are supposed to 

make their abode and contribute of their
 fullness4 ,for ,i care not1 and you    
care not1 what be the physical and      
material equipment of the school2 ,i    
care not1 nor do you1 what be the       
scholastic attainments of the one called
 teacher2 if he isn't able to teach1    
that is1 to cause to learn1 we all know 
that the school1 in just the mesure of  
his inability1 is a failure4 ,one thing 
further we all know1 and that is this3  
one plank in our great educational      
platform is belief in the necessity of  
an institution set apart for the        
preparation of teachers4 ,we are        
irrevocably committed to the idea4 ,it  
is a part of our educational creed4     
,fortunately1 in our educational        
evolution we have left far behind us the
 stage when the wisdom of that          
institution was seriously questioned4   
,our pedagogical forefathers1 valiant   
explorers1 discoverers1 heroes1         
educational statesmen--,carter1 ,mann1  
,page1 ,sheldon and others--have left us

 this priceless heritage4 ,it remains   
for us to-day merely to analyze the     
institution1 agree upon the respective  
functions of its various types1 and then
 apply ourselves with intelligent vigor 
each to the solution of his own         
problems4  ,as we look around us1 we    
clearly distinguish three distinct types
 of the institution under discussion4   
,the oldest1 best known1 and most       
numerous is called the state normal     
school4 ,it dates from the time of      
,horace ,mann and ,edmund ,dwight1 the  
former of whom recognized the need and  
knew how to inaugurate the movement1 the
 latter1 having unbounded faith in ,mr4 
,mann1 provided the funds4 ,nearly every
 state in the union has now one or more 
intelligently at work4 ,all that have   
not1 have practically the same thing    
under another name--normal departments  
in connection with the state            
universities4  ,the next type1 in order 
of time and numbers1 as well1 is found  
in connection with the higher           

educational institutions of the country4
 ,it has various names1 as ,department  
of ,education1 ,school of ,education1   
,division of ,education1 ,pedagogical   
,department1 ,school of ,pedagogy and   
,teachers ,college4 ,probably the name  
most common in the past has been        
,department of ,education1 or           
,pedagogical ,department1 tho in the    
developed form it is changing to ,school
 of ,education or ,teachers ,college4   
,of these1 there are at work1 according 
to the #aiji report of the ,commissioner
 of ,education1 #aga4 ,that is1 there   
are #aga colleges and universities      
maintaining at least a department1 or   
chair1 of education1 and giving         
professional instruction of college     
grade4  ,the third type1 latest in      
appearance and as yet fewest in number1 
but with fair promise of rapid increase 
and great usefulness1 is the county     
school1 called ,county ,normal ,training
 ,class in ,michigan and ,county        
,training ,school in ,wisconsin1 in     

which two states the movement is at its 
best4 ,indeed1 ,i do not know of any    
other state in which the work has been  
thus definitely organized4 ,of these1   
,michigan had1 a year ago1 forty-one1   
and ,wisconsin1 twenty4 ,possibly in    
this connection one ought to mention the
 good work being done in high schools in
 several states1 but seen at its best in
 ,nebraska and ,new ,york4 ,yet this    
work is but an adjunct to the high      
school1 and does not so clearly approach
 a separate institution4  ,of these     
three types it is the second which is   
the subject of the present              
discussion--whose function ,i seek4 ,it 
is really immaterial whether we use1 in 
the discussion1 the appellation of      
,minnesota and say ,college of          
,education1 or that of ,harvard and call
 it ,division of ,education1 or that of 
,columbia1 ,missouri1 and ,north        
,dakota1 and say ,teachers ,college4    
,for they are all one and the same      
institution with but slightly different 

systems of organization4 ,i use the     
latter term because more familiar and   
more likely1 ,i think1 as time passes1  
to prevail4  ,but these three types are 
so closely connected that the function  
of one cannot be clearly seen alone4    
,therefore ,i propose very briefly to   
examine the establishment of each so as 
to learn why it was called into         
existence--what function it was         
originally expected to perform4 ,i shall
 then briefly examine present           
conditions1 trying to discover if any   
changes have taken place in the general 
educational situation of sufficient     
moment to make necessary a rearrangement
 or readjustment4 ,finally1 ,i shall    
draw my conclusions as to present       
functions1 and with a more careful      
analysis of certain factors state the   
reasons for those conclusions as briefly
 as possible4  ,first1 as to state      
normal schools3 it is1 of course1       
entirely unnecessary to go into details 
as to organization or early work of this

 institution in our country4 ,i am      
stating what is known to all when ,i say
 that ,horace ,mann in ,massachusetts1  
,henry ,barnard in ,connecticut1 ,david 
,page in ,new ,york1 and ,william       
,phelps in ,new ,jersey had one and only
 one thought in view in working for the 
establishment of normal schools and for 
the development of their work4 ,they1   
one and all1 were seeking some means for
 providing better teachers for the      
common schools4 ,no one1 so far as ,i am
 able to discover1 at this time even    
suggested that any other teachers needed
 a special preparation for their work4  
,to be sure1 the ,american high school  
was hardly under way when the normal    
school movement was inaugurated1 in     
#ahci1 there being then but half a dozen
 in the entire country4 ,ten years later
 there were but eighteen4 ,there was1   
however1 in those days a large number of
 academies giving secondary instruction4
 ,but there was no thought of looking to
 the normal schools for academy         

teachers1 they came from the colleges4  
,indeed1 generally speaking1 the        
academies and high schools as then being
 developed1 were offering a higher grade
 of academic work than the normal       
schools1 and they were rather assisting 
the latter in the production of         
teachers4 ,this was especially true in  
,new ,york1 a movement having there been
 inaugurated by which1 thru financial   
aid from the ,state1 many of the        
academies were offering normal school   
instruction and sending out into the    
rural schools and city grades a very    
creditable product4 ,and the character  
of the movement in the ,east has        
continued to be the character of the    
movement as it has swept ,westward4 ,i  
think there has not been established in 
the ,united ,states a single state      
normal school whose function has not    
been understood to be the preparation of
 teachers for the common schools4 ,and  
by common schools ,i mean the first     
eight grades of the public school1      

including both rural and urban          
communities1 for it has been only in    
recent years that we have carefully     
discriminated between the two4  ,next1  
let us look at the teachers college4    
,bear in mind that ,i use the term as   
referring to the institution1 or        
department1 under whatever name it may  
be known1 that is doing professional    
work in the preparation of teachers in  
connection with colleges and            
universities4 ,in taking up the topic1  
attention needs first to be called to   
two facts3 the rapid development of our 
high school system and the high degree  
of success already attained by our      
normal schools4  ,after the close of the
 ,civil ,war our high schools began to  
multiply--rapidly from #ahgj to #ahhj1  
by leaps and bounds from that time to   
the present4 ,in #ahgj there were #agj2 
#ahhj1 #hjj2 #ahij1 #b1ebf2 #aijj1      
#f1jje2 and in #aijh1 #h1ifj4 7,annual  
reports of the ,commissioner of         
,education47 ,but no sooner had the high

 school movement obtained good headway  
than the serious problem arose as to the
 supply of teachers4 ,and so well1 on   
the whole1 had the normal school done   
its work that it had more than justified
 its existence4 ,thru its work the      
character of the teaching in the        
elementary schools had been greatly     
improved4 ,teachers1 with normal school 
equipment1 were everywhere recognized as
 superior to those otherwise trained or 
not trained at all4 ,very naturally1    
then1 when the problem of high school   
teachers arose1 professional preparation
 was demanded4 ,but where could it be   
obtained and how8  ,the state normal    
schools1 true to their function of      
preparing teachers1 tried to satisfy the
 additional demands placed upon them4   
,they added to their equipment1 modified
 and extended their courses1 and in     
every way did all they could4 ,indeed1  
they did all that was done in a         
professional way for nearly a           
generation4 ,but the high schools were  

increasing1 both in numbers and in      
academic requirements of students and   
teachers4 ,city school systems were     
being developed and extended in a most  
unprecedented manner1 calling for       
skilled superintendents1 supervisors1   
grade principals1 special teachers1     
etc41 until1 finally1 thoughtful men    
began to see that the impossible was    
being asked of the state normal schools4
 ,for two reasons1 it was seen1 they    
could not do the double work2 in the    
first place1 they had more than they    
could do in their original sphere of    
providing teachers for the elementary   
schools1 and secondly1 their academic   
possibilities1 even increased as they   
had been in attempting the work1 were   
clearly seen to be wholly inadequate4   
,it was discovered1 also1 that1 in spite
 of the efforts being put forth by the  
normal schools1 the higher teaching     
positions--superintendencies1 high      
school principalships1 etc4--were going 
to men of collegiate attainment1 even at

 the sacrifice of professional training 
which was then being recognized as very 
desirable4  ,what was to be done8 ,to   
make a long story short1 the            
universities and colleges1 with their   
more extended courses1 better equipment1
 and stronger faculties1 took the matter
 up and added educational departments in
 which could be given1 with but slight  
additional outlay1 both the academic and
 professional equipment thought to be   
needed by the high school teacher4      
,this work was first clearly suggested  
and outlined at the annual meeting of   
the ,michigan ,state ,teachers'         
,association in #ahgj4 ,dr4 ,w4 ,h4     
,payne1 then city superintendent of     
schools at ,adrian1 ,michigan1 read a   
notable address upon the subject1 ,the  
,relation ,between the ,university and  
,our ,high ,schools4 ,eight years later1
 the ,regents of ,michigan ,university  
established a chair of ,theory and ,art 
of ,teaching1 and to it called the man  
who had1 by the address just mentioned1 

offered a practical as well as a logical
 solution of the difficult problem4     
,the example thus set by ,michigan      
,university was soon followed by        
others--,cornell1 ,ohio1 ,illinois1     
,harvard1 ,chicago and others1 until now
 this new department is found in nearly 
every prominent college and university  
in the land4 ,these are our teachers    
colleges or1 rather1 the sources from   
which they are springing4 ,for1 to be   
sure1 not every pedagogical department  
found in a higher institution of        
learning1 tho doing in a general way the
 same grade of work1 should be called a 
teachers college4 ,tho having its roots 
in these1 the teachers college proper   
differs from the most of them in several
 ways4 ,the pedagogical department of a 
college1 and too1 a thoroly reputable   
college1 may be1 and usually is1 merely 
one of the many departments of the      
institution1 represented on its faculty 
by a single professor and offering but a
 limited range of professional work--a  

few courses in the history of education1
 principles of education1 and pedagogy1 
usually4 ,a teachers college1 on the    
other hand1 has an organization and1    
sometimes1 a financial status of its    
own4 ,its relationship to the           
institution as a whole is getting to be 
the same as that of the other           
professional schools4 ,the movement is  
toward a separate faculty1 headed by a  
dean1 and representing all the different
 phases of both academic and            
professional work4 ,while many of the   
members of the faculty do1 and may      
continue to1 give courses in the other  
colleges1 they have a distinct1 organic 
connection with the teachers college4   
,the teachers college is also getting to
 have1 as a vital part of its equipment1
 a model high school bearing to it the  
same relationship that the model1 or    
practise1 school bears to our normal    
schools4 ,while this fulness of         
organization and equipment has not yet  
been reached by a large number1 it has  

by several1 among which are ,columbia1  
,missouri1 ,chicago1 and1 approximately1
 ,north ,dakota1 with many others moving
 rapidly in the same direction4  ,just a
 few words1 now1 as to the third type   
mentioned1 the county normal school3 ,as
 already suggested1 the line of         
demarcation was not early drawn between 
the urban and the rural school4 ,but    
cities grew2 city school systems were   
developed2 the normal schools1 in spite 
of rapid increase1 were not able to keep
 up with the rapidly increasing demands4
 ,and1 since the field for normal school
 graduates has ever been an open one1   
they have located where the remuneration
 has been the most generous4 ,now1      
cities and villages are1 generally      
speaking1 the centers of intelligence as
 well as of population and wealth4 ,the 
people of these communities have        
appreciated the superiority of          
professionally prepared teachers1 and   
they have been able to pay the added    
price4 ,the result has been that they   

have appropriated practically the entire
 output of the normal schools4 ,none    
have been left for the rural schools4   
,and again1 with these economic changes 
there came to be more and more clearly  
seen1 as the years went by1 a           
difference1 internal and somewhat vital1
 between the schools of the rural and   
the urban communities1 making in some   
ways a different sort of preparation    
desirable4 ,now1 the state normal       
school1 growing with the movement1 and  
ever keenly alive to its opportunities  
for usefulness1 noting clearly the      
location of its product1 very wisely    
began to modify its work so as to make  
it better suited to the needs of its    
main customers--the well-graded schools 
of the city and village4 ,and so it has 
resulted that1 even if the normal       
schools could supply the demands for    
both country and city teachers1 so far  
as numbers are concerned1 the           
preparation given is not the most ideal 
for the former4 ,and just as when       

professionally trained secondary        
teachers were needed a new institution  
was created for their preparation1 in   
very recent years an institution has    
appeared to satisfy this new need1 one  
whose function is as clearly announced1 
and one which seems to fit into the     
situation as well1 and we have the      
county normal school of ,michigan and   
,wisconsin1 as mentioned above4         
,whether we shall see a rapid extension 
of this new movement1 making the county 
normal school as fixt an institution as 
the state normal school has become1 and 
as the teachers college bids fair to    
become1 or whether1 thru consolidation1 
the distinctive type of our rural school
 shall disappear and our state normal   
schools be increased in number to meet  
the larger demands1 only the future can 
tell4 ,this latter1 however1 will not be
 in our generation1 and ,i confidently  
look for the former4 ,i believe the     
general adoption and adaptation of the  
county normal school idea would be one  

of the most economical and speedy means 
of solving some of our most serious     
rural school problems4 ,and ,i also     
believe that it should be our next step1
 if we can take but one step at a time1 
toward professional education of        
teachers4  ,if ,i have analyzed aright  
the present situation1 and have been    
fair in my all too brief account of the 
rise and development of these           
institutions1 we see that we have in our
 midst to-day1 as a result of the       
development of our educational system1  
and to keep pace with it1 the           
development of the idea so long ago     
adopted--the value of the professional  
preparation of the teacher--three quite 
distinct types of an institution for    
such purpose4 ,enumerating now in order 
of grade of work rather than of         
historical development1 we have 7#a7 the
 county normal school1 whose function is
 solely the preparation of teachers for 
the rural schools--sixty-one of them    
found only in ,michigan and ,wisconsin1 

sending into the rural schools of those 
states about #hjj fairly well equipt    
teachers each year2 7#b7 the old state  
normal school of historic fame1 whose   
function is the preparation of teachers 
for the elementary grades of our city   
and village schools--#aie there were two
 years ago--and they sent out into the  
schools approximately #aj1jjj teachers1 
mostly graduates2 7#c7 the teachers     
college1 found always in connection with
 a college of high rank or of a         
full-fledged university1 offering work1 
both academic and professional1 of full 
university grade and covering the full  
university period of four years4 ,the   
number cannot be stated definitely1     
because the process that is transforming
 the old pedagogical departments into   
teachers colleges is at such varying    
stages of development4 ,its function is 
best stated in the words of the         
institution in which it was founded     
7,calendar of the ,university of        
,michigan for #aijd-aije1 p4 #abf73--   

#a4 ,to fit university students for the 
higher positions in the      public     
school service4       #b4 ,to promote   
the study of educational science4       
#c4 ,to teach the history of education  
and of educational systems      and     
doctrines4       #d4 ,to secure to      
teaching the rights1 prerogatives and   
advantages      of a profession4        
#e4 ,to give a more perfect unity to our
 state educational system1      by      
bringing the secondary schools into     
closer relations with the               
university4  ,higher position in the    
public school service meant1 in the     
main1 in the early days1 city           
superintendencies and high school       
principalships4 ,to these1 others have  
been added1 one by one1 owing very      
largely to the great success of the     
movement and the growing appreciation of
 the value of professional preparation  
for occupants of such positions1 until  
now they include city superintendencies1
 high school and grade principalships1  

subject supervisorships1 high school1   
normal school1 and college              
instructorships4 ,already the leading   
teachers colleges1 the ones at          
,columbia1 ,missouri1 and ,chicago      
universities1 are being definitely      
looked to for these later added and more
 responsible workmen4  ,thus far ,i have
 but stated historical facts known to   
all who are reasonably well informed    
touching the history of education and   
current educational practise in our     
country4 ,i have done this all too      
briefly1 ,i am well aware4 ,but the     
reason that ,i could do it briefly is   
the fact that the readers of this       
journal are well informed upon the      
historical phases of the subject4 ,all  
that ,i needed to do was to cull out and
 bring to the fore the pertinent facts4 
,but the question now arises1 is this   
differentiation logical8 ,are there any 
reasons1 psychological1 economic1 or    
otherwise1 for such differentiation8 ,if
 there are1 it is going to continue1 and

 these types of the institution which   
now seem to have been given each such a 
definite and separate work to do are    
going to be relatively permanent4 ,if   
not1 we shall continue to cut and try1  
undoing to-morrow what was done to-day1 
and chaos will result4  ,this           
institution1 with its various types1 is 
not one that has evolved from a careful 
theoretical study of our present or     
prospective educational needs1 but one  
that has grown up1 little by little1    
step by step1 to meet and satisfy from  
time to time the present and pressing   
needs of the larger system of which it  
forms a part1 and for the service of    
which it was called into existence4 ,but
 is it not true that oftentimes the     
logic of events--the movements of       
history--reveal to us our fundamental   
principles1 outline for us our policy of
 action1 and even write out for us our  
program of procedure as correctly and   
even more irrevocably than philosophical
 formulation could do8 ,is not that     

especially likely to occur under such a 
form of government as ours8 ,i think it 
has occurred in the present case4  ,it  
is interesting to note in this          
connection the fact that the logic of   
events has led us1 in our efforts to    
solve the difficult problem of the      
education of our teachers1 to           
practically the same solution as that   
already reached by ,france and ,germany1
 which countries proceeded more nearly  
along the pathway of theoretical        
philosophical formulation4  ,i believe  
that at least two of these institutions1
 the state normal school and the        
teachers college1 have come to stay1 and
 with practically the functions outlined
 above4 ,of the county normal school1 as
 said before1 ,i do not feel quite so   
sure4 ,i am led to the belief in the    
relative permanency of these types of   
professional school1 not only by a      
knowledge of the history of their       
development1 but also by the conviction1
 formed by a somewhat careful study of  

the entire problem1 that there are      
fundamental reasons1 psychological as   
well as economical1 for the             
differentiation4 ,in other words1 my own
 somewhat careful study of the entire   
situation brings me to the same position
 that the logic of events has brought us
 all4  ,as to the county normal school3 
it is so apparent as scarcely to need   
mention that the teacher of the rural   
school needs a preparation differing in 
many ways from that needed by the       
teacher of the city grades4 ,the        
environment1 physical1 psychical1 and   
social1 is so different that a teacher  
equipt to do thoroly good work in either
 one place might signally fail in the   
other4 ,and the present economic        
situation speaks with nearly the same   
insistence4 ,even if our state normal   
schools were sending out teachers       
ideally equipt for service in the rural 
communities1 the remuneration there     
offered is1 and for an indefinite time  
will remain1 so low as practically to   

keep them out of the schools4 ,either we
 must have special institutions for the 
preparation of the teachers of the rural
 schools1 or else those schools must1 in
 the main1 continue to do without       
professionally prepared teachers4       
,turning now to the other type1 it is   
equally clear to me that the very       
character of the work in the elementary 
and secondary schools should be         
different one from the other1 different 
as to discipline1 ends in view1 subjects
 of study1 and methods of handling the  
same4 ,in the elementary school the     
pupil is a child1 with the mind1 the    
tastes1 the ambitions of a child1 and he
 should be allowed to remain a child4   
,the ends in view are right habits1     
right ideals1 and knowledge facts4 ,in  
the secondary school the student is an  
adolescent1 with the mind of an         
adolescent1 having peculiar and erratic 
tastes1 changing ambitions1 and         
conflicting emotions4 ,he is neither    
child nor adult1 but passing thru the   

most dangerous and critical period of   
his entire life4 ,the ends in view are  
no longer merely habits1 ideals1 and    
knowledge facts1 but1 added to these1   
and now more important for emphasis     
because presumably right principles have
 already been established1 breadth and  
fixity of character1 self-acquaintance1 
scholarship1 and culture4 ,tell me that 
the atmosphere1 psychical and spiritual1
 and the training1 academic and         
professional1 that will produce the     
ideal teacher of the child will also    
produce the ideal teacher of the        
adolescent8 ,nay1 verily6 ,you might as 
well tell the florist that the ,american
 ,beauty rose and the ,snow ,flower of  
the ,northern forest will both reach    
perfection if grown side by side4 ,then 
surely we need different kinds of       
institutions4 ,i cannot better conclude 
this thought than by using the words of 
,dr4 ,wm4 ,t4 ,harris found in the      
introductory paragraph of an article on 
,the ,future of the ,normal ,school4    

7,ed4 ,rev41 ,january1 #ahii1 p4 #a47   
,dr4 ,harris says3 ,i have tried to set 
down in this paper the grounds for      
commending the normal school as it      
exists for its chosen work of preparing 
teachers for the elementary schools1 and
 at the same time urging the need of    
training schools with different methods 
of preparation for the kindergarten1    
below1 and for the secondary school1 the
 college and the post-graduate school1  
above the elementary school4  ,the      
reason just given1 the psychological    
one1 is alone sufficient for believing  
that the differentiation is logical4    
,but let me add another1 almost equally 
effective--an academic reason1 directly 
academic and at the same time indirectly
 economic4 ,this is found in the        
following words1 taken from ,dr4        
,payne's ,contributions to the ,science 
of ,education4 7,am4 ,book ,co41 #ahhf1 
p4 #ech47 ,if there is any              
well-established principle of school    
economy it is this3 ,the scholarship of 

the teacher should be considerably      
broader than the scholarship of his most
 advanced pupil4 ,nobody now questions  
the statement4  ,upon the basis of that 
principle there is little criticism to  
be offered of the academic equipment of 
our normal school graduates as teachers 
in the grades4 ,no normal school now    
completes its work with less than one   
full year beyond the completion of a    
four-year high school course1 and two   
years beyond is rapidly getting to be   
the standard4 ,so that normal school    
graduation gives the prospective teacher
 of the grades at least four years of   
academic1 and from one to two years of  
professional and academic work beyond   
the point to be reached by his most     
advanced pupil4 ,to be sure1 more would 
be better--a longer experience and a    
closer acquaintance with the great      
character forming subjects1 such as     
literature1 history1 philosophy1 etc4   
,this would give breadth of view1       
clearness of perception1 and a right    

perspective--elements of incomparable   
value in the equipment of the teacher4  
,but yet1 in view of our economic       
conditions and of a general lack of     
understanding and therefore of          
appreciation in the lay mind of the most
 vital and fundamental work of the      
teacher1 we cannot yet hope for teachers
 ideally equipt4 ,and our present       
standards1 if insisted upon and the work
 thus far be thoro and clear and        
faithful1 will give us increasingly     
better results and eventually lead to   
conditions more nearly ideal4  ,but this
 judgment as to criticism must be very  
different when we look upon these       
graduates as possible teachers in the   
high school4 ,the scholarship of such a 
teacher there would be but little1 if   
any1 broader than the scholarship of his
 most advanced pupil4 ,while there is   
to-day no uniform legislation touching  
the requirements as to qualifications of
 high school teachers in the ,united    
,states1 each state1 and even each      

school1 being largely a law unto itself1
 there is getting to be a very decided  
uniformity the country over as to       
practise1 and in many ways this is much 
more significant than formal legislation
 would be4 ,for without compulsion1 the 
whole people1 each section and each     
state1 independent of all others1       
seemingly by the very necessity of the  
case1 have fixt upon the same minimum   
standard of qualification for high      
school teachers4 ,and that minimum is   
the completion of a full four-year      
collegiate course of instruction1       
including--indeed1 in many cases1       
plus--a certain emphasis to be placed   
upon the subjects to be handled1 and a  
certain amount of time devoted to       
strictly professional subjects4 ,to be  
sure1 in some states legislation has    
spoken1 as in ,minnesota1 requiring     
completion of collegiate work1 and      
practically so in ,north ,dakota1       
requiring completion of such work for   
superintendencies and high school       

principalships1 and strongly            
recommending the same for all teaching  
positions in the high school4 ,in       
,california a step farther has been     
taken in requiring1 in addition to that1
 a full year of graduate study4 ,the    
tendency1 in several states1 seems to be
 in the direction of the position taken 
by ,california4 ,and with that tendency 
,i am in sympathy4  ,this movement      
upward1 however1 ,i do not want to see  
go any farther4 ,i deprecate the        
tendency1 seen in some quarters1 of     
setting up as the symbol of the standard
 of qualification for the high school   
teacher1 the doctor's degree4 ,i do not 
want the boys and girls of our high     
schools taught1 or rather directed in   
their upward development1 by mere       
specialists--doctors of philosophy1 who 
know everything about nothing1 and      
nothing about everything4 ,nor do ,i    
want them directed by men and women who 
are obliged to cipher on page twenty    
while the class is working on page      

nineteen4 ,but ,i do want them directed 
by men and women who are thoroly        
acquainted with the subjects which they 
teach1 and who know how to handle the   
same2 but especially by men and women of
 broad1 liberal culture1 men and women  
whose lives have been enriched by the   
best there is in literature1 history1   
art1 science1 and philosophy1 and who   
know life1 and are in warm sympathy with
 young life4 ,teachers thus equipt are  
able1 from their high vantage point1 to 
reach out here and there and take as    
educative material that which will      
contribute to the beautiful and strong  
development of each case at hand4 ,and  
such an equipment1 on its academic side1
 comes not short of the master's degree1
 or its equivalent4  ,my authority for  
the statement made above as to the      
growing uniformity of practise in       
requiring as minimum qualification for  
high school teachers a full collegiate  
course1 and as to the tendency in       
several states toward requiring1 in     

addition1 a full year of graduate study1
 is found in an extended correspondence 
with normal school principals and city  
and state superintendents representing  
the entire country4  ,these facts as to 
present-day requirements seem to me to  
fix somewhat definitely the matters     
under discussion4 ,our normal schools1  
with possibly two or three exceptions1  
are not equipt to give the extended     
qualification now demanded for the high 
school teacher4 ,barring the two or     
three1 the best of them do not pretend  
to carry the student more than two years
 beyond high school graduation4 ,and    
whether it be one or two years1 the work
 is1 as it ought to be1 mainly          
professional--not academic4 ,indeed1 the
 presidents of many of our strongest    
normal schools insist that they do not  
do any strictly academic work4 ,and if  
the lack is so great touching high      
school teachers1 how much greater       
touching positions still higher4  ,to be
 sure1 the work of the normal schools   

might be sufficiently extended to enable
 them to do this additional and advanced
 work4 ,new buildings might be erected1 
laboratory facilities increased1        
libraries enlarged1 additional and      
stronger teachers provided1 etc4 ,but is
 it necessary8 ,is it wise8 ,is it      
likely to happen with our legislators   
holding the purse strings so tightly    
tied8 ,to all such questions the answer 
must inevitably be negative4 ,it is not 
necessary because not really needed for 
the preparation of elementary teachers1 
while for the preparation of secondary  
teachers other agencies are at hand4    
,and if not needed the unwisdom of such 
an extension can scarcely be questioned4
 ,certainly not1 if1 as urged above1    
different kinds of institutions are     
needed for the preparation of the two   
grades of teachers4 ,then1 if both not  
needed and unwise1 it is not likely to  
happen in any case where legislators are
 intelligently informed as to the       
situation4  ,to indicate the feeling    

among many of our leading educators     
touching this point1 it might be        
interesting1 in closing1 to give a brief
 summary of the correspondence mentioned
 above4 ,this inquiry1 was directed to  
all our state superintendents1 to forty 
of the leading normal school principals 
representing all sections of the        
country1 and to fifty-two leading and   
representative city superintendents4    
,the following questions were asked3--  
7#a7 ,are your normal schools at the    
present time equipt to give             
adequate preparation to prospective high
 school teachers8       7#b7 ,if you    
think they are not1 would it be wise to 
add to their      present equipment such
 facilities as would enable them to give
 such      preparation1 or can that work
 be better done in some other way8      
,,replies ,,from ,,state                
,,superintendents  ,to question 7#a74   
,thirty-eight replies were received1 of 
which twenty-nine were negative and nine
 affirmative4 ,of the nine1 however1    

only one came from a state in which     
normal school facilities are at all     
superior to what may be termed a fair   
average1 and in that state these        
facilities are found in only one of the 
five normal schools1 whereas1 in five of
 the nine1 these facilities are inferior
 to what may be termed a fair average4  
,in two of the nine1 tho the state      
superintendents gave affirmative        
answers1 the consensus of opinion of the
 normal school principals was negative4 
,in a word1 the nine affirmative replies
 indicate individual opinions1 and      
result from a limited perspective4  ,to 
question 7#b74 ,twenty-nine replies were
 received1 of which fifteen were        
specifically negative1 five specifically
 affirmative1 and nine implied a        
misunderstanding of the question4 ,but  
nearly all of the nine1 as well as the  
fifteen1 stated definitely or clearly   
implied that such work should be done in
 the colleges and universities4         
,,replies ,,from ,,normal ,,school      

,,principals  ,to question 7#a74        
,twenty-eight replies were received1 of 
which twenty were negative1 and eight   
affirmative4 ,of the eight1 three were  
from states having but one normal school
 each1 and perhaps1 therefore1          
admittedly strong2 two from states      
having each one school much superior to 
the others of the same state1 and       
referring specifically to that school4  
,of the remaining three1 one was from a 
new state in the ,northwest1 one from a 
,southern state1 and one stated that    
only in some branches was the equipment 
sufficient4  ,to question 7#b74 ,twenty 
replies were received1 of which sixteen 
were negative1 and four affirmative4 ,of
 the four1 not one said that all should 
be so equipt4 ,each suggested that      
perhaps it would be well thus to extend 
the equipment of one school in a state4 
,,replies ,,from ,,city                 
,,superintendents  ,to question 7#a74   
,thirty replies were received1 of which 
twenty-eight were negative1 and two     

affirmative4 ,the two were from a state 
in which is to be found a single normal 
school1 and that1 one of the best4  ,to 
question 7#b74 ,twenty-eight replies    
were received1 of which twenty-six were 
negative1 and two affirmative4  ,to be  
sure1 correspondence upon this point was
 not sufficiently extended to be        
conclusive1 but yet my correspondents   
were1 in the main1 leaders in their     
respective lines1 and therefore         
represent the best educational thought  
and practise of the times4 ,the summary 
speaks clearly and to the point1 and to 
the same point1 note1 that the logic of 
events has already brought us4 ,the work
 of the normal school should continue to
 be1 as it has been from the beginning1 
devoted to preparation of teachers for  
the grades1 while prospective teachers  
in the high schools should seek their   
preparation in the teachers colleges1   
under whatever specific names known1    
where the professional phases of the    
work will be as much emphasized1 but be 

different1 and be differently handled as
 befitting the different character of   
the work to be done1 and where they can 
receive the broader academic outlook and
 equipment absolutely essential to an   
adequate handling of the larger and more
 difficult situation4                   
,,note4--,since the appearance of the   
,january number of ,education1      my  
attention has been called to the fact   
that in naming      institutions giving 
early attention to the preparation of   
secondary      teachers ,i omitted some 
that should have found a place in such  
an      enumeration4 ,it is true that   
several others might well have been     
mentioned4 ,on page #bhf1 line #e 7page 
#bbd1 line #c of this work71 ,i         
might well have added the ,school of    
,pedagogy of ,new ,york                 
,university1 also ,clark1 ,stanford1    
,california1 and ,teachers ,college1    
,columbia1 and again1 and others4 ,and  
on page #bhi1 line #ah 7page      #bbh1 
line #ah of this work71 ,i certainly    

should have added the      ,school of   
,pedagogy of ,new ,york ,university and 
,clark ,university1      possibly       
others1 for the work is progressing     
rapidly4 ,but it was      the movement  
,i had in mind rather than the specific 
contributions      of various           
institutions4 ,the omissions were not   
born of any desire      to withhold from
 any institution the credit that it     
deserves4       ,since this matter is   
again open1 let me add an interesting   
fact in      regard to the ,new ,york   
,university ,school of ,pedagogy1 just  
mentioned4 ,if ,i mistake not1 we have  
here the first real teachers            
college1 that is1 the first instance in 
which we see a ,department      of      
,education1 having merely equal standing
 with other departments      in a       
university1 become1 thru definite action
 of that university's      governing    
body1 a professional school of equal    
rank with the other      professional   
schools of the ,university4 ,this change

 was made on      ,march #c1 #ahij4     
,judging by results1 it has been amply  
justified4 ,the      institution is     
doing a large and splendid work4--,,the 
,,author4     ,x  ,,credit ,,for        
,,quality ,,in ,,secondary ,,and        
,,higher ,,education  ,from the         
,educational ,review1 ,march1 #aiji1 and
 the ,western ,journal of ,education    
7now the ,american ,schoolmaster71 ,may1
 #aiji   ,in the ,educational ,review   
for ,may1 #aijh1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,b4 ,secor had
 an article under the caption1 ,credit  
for ,quality in the ,secondary ,school4 
,mr4 ,secor says1 in his opening        
paragraph1 ,the present system of giving
 credit towards graduation in use in the
 secondary school1 takes account mainly 
of the amount of work done4444 ,the     
student who barely passes his work gets 
just the same amount of credit towards  
graduation as the one who passes high in
 the nineties4 ,it is to be expected1   
then1 that the student 444 will reason  
something like this3 ,i will be         

graduated if ,i pass my work in the     
seventies just the same as if ,i pass it
 in the nineties4 ,what is the use of   
wasting time and effort in securing a   
high average8 ,he then suggests a system
 of marking which would not only fix a  
minimum of quality1 but would also      
recognize different degrees of quality  
by giving more credit toward graduation 
for high quality than for low1 which    
system1 he thinks1 would also tend to a 
strengthening of the intellectual life  
of the secondary school4 ,mr4 ,secor    
does not claim to be the originator of  
the idea1 giving to ,president ,hyde of 
,bowdoin that doubtful honor4 ,he also  
refers to two articles in the           
,educational ,review1 one in the issue  
of ,april1 #aije1 written by ,professor 
,thomas1 of ,columbia ,university1      
speaking of the system as just          
introduced into that institution1 and   
the other in the issue of ,december1    
#aijf1 by ,professor ,kennedy1          
describing the system as then in use in 

the ,university of ,north ,dakota4      
,after these references have been cited1
 the system is discust from various     
points of view and its extension into   
the secondary field favored1 tho1 in his
 closing paragraph1 ,mr4 ,secor says1   
,now the plan here proposed does not    
claim perfection4 ,it may not even be a 
workable scheme when put to the test4   
,mr4 ,secor's article is but one of many
 evidences that the experiment now being
 tried in a few of our higher           
institutions of learning1 of attempting 
to estimate and adequately reward       
quality as well as quantity of work done
 by students1 is attracting considerable
 attention4 ,it is not at all strange   
that these experiments are attracting   
attention1 for the idea is taking and   
its justice seemingly so apparent4      
,because of this interest ,i desire to  
examine some parts of ,mr4 ,secor's     
article and in the process of that      
examination briefly discuss the         
so-called ,credit-for-quality idea4 ,i  

shall be materially aided in such       
discussion by my experience with the    
practical workings of the system in the 
,university of ,north ,dakota1 and shall
 take the opportunity of letting the    
educational world know how the system is
 working and how it is being regarded in
 the institution in which it has been   
receiving its most extensive and thoro  
trial4 ,for while the system did not    
originate here1 it was here first put   
into operation1 and for years an        
earnest1 honest1 heroic effort has been 
put forth in its behalf4 ,i might say1  
parenthetically1 that the details of the
 system ,mr4 ,secor suggests are almost 
identically the ones that have been in  
use in this institution4 ,they were     
found to be faulty1 however1 and have   
been materially changed4  ,i have read  
and re-read ,mr4 ,secor's article with  
both interest and apprehension2 with    
interest1 because the                   
,credit-for-quality idea has been       
engaging my thoughtful attention on both

 its practical and its theoretical sides
 for a considerable time2 with          
apprehension1 since the article seems to
 recommend the system for use in our    
secondary schools4 ,i am sorry the      
recommendation has been made for the    
conclusions ,i have reached from my     
double study are very different from    
those being held by ,mr4 ,secor4 ,i     
seriously question the wisdom of        
extending the system at all1 even when  
dealing with students of college rank1  
much more seriously1 then1 when applied 
to those of the secondary school who are
 four years younger1 much less mature1  
and therefore less able to profit by the
 meritorious features and at the same   
time withstand the weakening influences 
attendant upon the system4 ,indeed1 ,i  
think its adoption in the secondary     
schools would be nothing short of a     
calamity4 ,another reason why ,i feel   
impelled to speak is that reference is  
made in ,mr4 ,secor's article to the    
working of the system in the institution

 with which ,i am connected as highly   
satisfactory4 ,in justice to the system 
itself and certainly in view of its     
suggested extension1 that impression    
should not be allowed to go forth       
without modification or correction4 ,i  
shall attempt1 therefore1 in this       
discussion1 to do three things1 tho ,i  
shall not try to separate the three     
spatially3 7#a7 to discuss this marking 
system on its merits2 7#b7 to report to 
the educational world our findings after
 an experience with it of five years1   
and 7#c7 to urge against its extension  
into the secondary field4  ,let me say1 
at the outset1 that ,i have been        
connected with the ,university of ,north
 ,dakota for three years--the last three
 of the five during which the system has
 been in use4 ,i have had all the time  
from one hundred to one hundred         
twenty-five students4 ,the grading has  
had to be done three times a year1 since
 our school year1 up to the present     
time1 has been separated into three     

terms4 ,let me also make plain the fact 
that in all ,i say ,i speak upon my own 
responsibility1 not for the institution 
nor for its faculty1 tho it is true that
 nearly1 if not quite1 half the faculty 
hold practically the same views         
regarding the system4  ,it is true1 as  
,mr4 ,secor says1 that the present      
system of giving credit towards         
graduation used in our secondary schools
 takes account mainly of the amount of  
work done4 ,it passes upon quality1 as  
he says1 only when it fixes a passing   
mark4 ,it may also be true1 as he takes 
for granted1 that it would be desirable 
to give credit towards graduation for   
quality as well as for quantity1 but of 
this ,i am very much in doubt1          
especially in dealing with secondary    
students4 ,it does not sufficiently take
 into consideration the value of        
content1 and that1 it seems to me1 is a 
factor that should not be disregarded4  
,i think ,i value as highly as most men 
the discipline1 or mental power1 gained 

by close application2 likewise1 the     
habit of thoroness gained thru doing    
work well2 but yet1 in addition to those
 acquisitions1 ,i confess that ,i also  
place high value upon knowledge as a    
possession4 ,in other words1 ,i want the
 student1 both high school and college1 
to know something4  ,i will gladly      
admit1 however1 that it is very         
desirable to secure from the student    
quality as well as quantity4 ,that1 ,i  
am inclined to think1 is the main thing 
that ,mr4 ,secor is really after4 ,he   
thinks the best way1 or1 at any rate1 a 
very good way1 to get it is thru the    
device of giving extra credit toward    
graduation for the higher grades of     
work4 ,my experience with the system    
does not lead me to that conclusion4    
,interest in the subject matter itself  
is always essential to the doing of a   
high quality of work4 ,and such interest
 in the subject matter of school studies
 is scarcely secured by anything so     
artificial as rewards smacking of the   

market4 ,so far as it can not be secured
 directly1 and resort must be made to   
artificial incentives to secure it1 ,i  
think that incentives can be found much 
more in keeping with the general spirit 
and purpose of education than the       
constant appeal to the commercial value 
of the grades being obtained4 ,the      
ordinary monthly report card sent to the
 home1 on which the quality of work     
being done in the various subjects is   
indicated by excellent1 good1 poor1     
etc41 and even by the too common per    
cent1 is artificial stimulus enough4    
,every teacher knows what an incentive  
the report card can be made4 ,to be     
sure1 teachers differ greatly in their  
ability to use this card skilfully1 but 
so used it can exert great power4 ,not  
long ago ,i discust this                
,credit-for-quality matter with a class 
of about thirty university students1    
mostly freshmen1 and1 somewhat to my    
surprise1 ,i discovered that with the   
majority of them the chief reason for   

desiring the ,a and ,b 7our marks for   
extra credit toward graduation7 was not 
that they bore the extra credit1 but    
that the descriptive terms excellent and
 good secure extra appreciation from the
 home when term standings are reported4 
,this might not be true of any large    
percentage of university students1      
certainly would not be of the upper     
classes4 ,added years have made them    
shrewder4 ,under the influence of our   
system they have become keener to       
appreciate a bargain4 ,but it certainly 
would be true of a very large percentage
 of secondary students4  ,considerable  
experience in the secondary schools     
leads me to doubt very much that the    
typical high school student reasons as  
,mr4 ,secor suggests in his first       
paragraph4 ,some do1 of course1 and so  
do some university students1 but not the
 great body of either4 ,barring a small 
percentage1 students as they run1 in    
both high school and college1 are an    
earnest lot of young people4 ,they are  

in these institutions for a purpose4    
,they are seeking1 so far as their      
vision extends1 well-developed manhood  
and womanhood4 ,their chief desire is   
not to slide thru4 ,the two immediate   
ends normally in view are consciousness 
of progressive growth and appreciation  
from parent and teacher4 ,how eager the 
majority are for this appreciation is   
well known to all4 ,all the stimulus    
needed1 in addition to what the subjects
 and the student's own desire furnish1  
the resourceful teacher has at hand     
wrapt up in his own personality4 ,if any
 other stimulus is needed it can be     
given by a grading of diplomas as is now
 being done in many high schools and    
colleges4 ,i hold that to add to the    
marks now in common use what may be     
called a monetary fringe is both        
unnecessary and really subversive of the
 true ends of the school work4 ,as      
teachers we should seek to elevate      
ideals1 not to lower them2 to furnish   
right motives1 not wrong ones2 to place 

before the developing youth high        
incentives1 not low ones4  ,mr4 ,secor  
says1 the proposed plan is superior to  
the present system in that it gives a   
natural and not an artificial incentive 
to high scholarship4 ,by what process of
 reasoning he reaches the conclusion    
that mere marks and honors are more     
unnatural and artificial than the same  
marks and honors with a commercial tag  
appended1 ,i fail to see4 ,the truth of 
the matter is1 both are artificial4 ,as 
incentives1 both are low1 but it stands 
to reason that the latter is much lower 
than the former4 ,the best friends of   
the system here1 in the ,university of  
,north ,dakota1 admit that1 as an       
incentive1 it is both artificial and    
low4 ,mr4 ,secor goes on to say1 the    
system 7that is1 the                    
,credit-for-quality7 puts a premium on  
thorough-going scholarship by enabling  
the student to come up for graduation   
without being forced to study so many   
subjects that he is not able to do any  

of them well4 ,if our secondary school  
courses are so arranged as to force the 
student to study so many subjects that  
he is not able to do any of them well1  
then something is radically wrong with  
the courses of study4 ,but no evil can  
be remedied by introducing a greater4   
,as a matter of fact1 the application of
 the system does not lead to            
thorough-going scholarship1 at least not
 in the ,university of ,north ,dakota   
where1 for five years1 an honest and    
faithful effort has been made to secure 
that result4 ,in all our discussions ,i 
have never heard one of its friends make
 that claim for it1 altho the charge has
 been repeatedly made that it is        
destructive of scholarship4 ,the writer 
goes on to say1 he 7the student7 may    
substitute depth for breadth1 if he so  
desires1 and is encouraged to do so4    
,shall we1 in the secondary schools1    
encourage depth8 ,yes1 to be sure1      
relative depth1 but not too much of it1 
and not then at the expense of breadth4 

,for is not the high school student in  
that stage of his development when he   
responds to the sense of breadth rather 
than that of depth8 ,we could not make  
of him a student of research if we      
should try4 ,let us not try4  ,in the   
last paragraph of the article referred  
to we find a hint of a lack of thoro    
conviction on the part of the writer    
himself4 ,it may not even be a workable 
scheme when put to the test1 he says4   
,let me say that here1 after five years'
 use1 it is not proving to be           
satisfactorily workable even with       
students of college grade1 and by a     
recent faculty action it has been       
entirely eliminated from our preparatory
 department4  ,this lack of conviction  
on the part of ,mr4 ,secor calls to mind
 an interesting bit of history connected
 with the movement4 ,as said before1 it 
did not originate in the ,university of 
,north ,dakota4 ,dr4 ,william ,de,witt  
,hyde1 ,president of ,bowdoin ,college1 
is responsible for the suggestion4 ,he  

sketched the plan in an ,outlook article
 of ,august #bnd1 #aijb1 but evidently  
lacking the courage of his conviction   
did not introduce it into his own       
institution1 preferring1 seemingly1 that
 the experiment be made elsewhere4 ,this
 has been1 from the start1 very         
suggestive to me4 ,i have some          
admiration for ,president ,hyde's       
shrewdness4 ,the ,university of ,north  
,dakota fell into the trap thus         
skilfully set4 ,and it is easier to fall
 into a trap than to get out of it4 ,as 
a matter of fact1 the system is more on 
trial now1 after five years' use1 than  
ever before4 ,other institutions would  
do well to await further developments4  
,in attempting to analyze the situation 
at the ,university of ,north ,dakota1   
let me again refer to ,mr4 ,secor's     
article4 ,he says1 ,the plan1 with some 
modifications1 is at present being used 
in the ,university of ,north ,dakota and
 in ,columbia ,university with results  
that are reported to be highly          

satisfactory4 ,to substantiate his      
statement he refers1 in a foot-note1 to 
the articles in the ,educational ,review
 from which he got his information4     
,now1 the conclusion that ,mr4 ,secor   
reaches from reading these articles is  
hardly warranted by the articles        
themselves4 ,i fear he read too much    
between the lines4 ,let us see3         
,professor ,thomas wrote of the         
,columbia system more than three years  
ago1 and only a couple of months after  
its adoption2 nor does he say anything  
as to its success1--in fact1 he could   
not1 for there was nothing to say4 ,he  
merely explained the new system and gave
 voice to his expectations4 ,the        
,columbia system may be proving highly  
satisfactory1 but surely that article   
does not say that it is4 ,and when the  
other article is analyzed1 the case is  
found to be somewhat similar4 ,professor
 ,kennedy wrote on the system in the    
,university of ,north ,dakota nearly two
 years ago1 fully two academic years1   

for the article appeared in ,december1  
#aijf1 before the close of the first    
term of the year #aijf-'jg4 ,now two    
years in the life of an experiment of   
this kind is a long time4 ,and          
,professor ,kennedy in writing his      
article1 did not put the case as        
strongly as does ,mr4 ,secor from       
reading it4 ,all that he said of its    
successful working was3 ,we 444 thus far
 can truthfully say it is working itself
 out in desirable results--in more and  
better work than under the old plan4    
,from these data1 given when they were1 
,mr4 ,secor is certainly not justified  
in saying that the plan 444 is at       
present being used in the ,university of
 ,north ,dakota with results that are   
reported to be highly satisfactory4     
,professor ,kennedy's statement was his 
individual judgment at the time he wrote
 his article4 ,a considerable number of 
his co-laborers would not then have     
agreed with him4 ,he probably would not 
write even as strongly as that to-day4  

,if he should1 a still larger number    
would disagree4 ,he might write as      
strongly of his own belief in the       
theoretical soundness of the system1 but
 that is quite another matter4 ,as a    
matter of fact1 during the last two     
years the weaknesses of the system have 
become so much more apparent that many  
members of the faculty then favorable1  
or at least hopeful1 have at last come  
to despair of ever being able to        
eliminate the objectionable features and
 strengthen the weak points sufficiently
 to warrant its retention4  ,professor  
,kennedy's article goes into detail as  
to the adoption of the plan1 and clearly
 states its various changes up to the   
date of his writing4 ,in our efforts1   
since then1 to improve and strengthen   
it1 various other changes have been made
 so that1 as a matter of fact1 one who  
knew it in its early history only would 
hardly recognise it as planned for use  
next year 7quite different in detail    
from that now in use7 save in the       

fundamental principle4 ,that remains the
 same2 the institution desires to secure
 a better quality of work from its      
students2 it also desires to enable the 
student of exceptional ability or       
unusual industry to cut short his period
 of undergraduate study4 ,to accomplish 
these ends it continues to use its      
so-called ,credit-for-quality system of 
marking4 ,this is done1 altho a large   
and steadily increasing number of the   
faculty members feel that it does not do
 the first and that it overdoes the     
second4  ,as to these ends3 ,i think    
that no one on the faculty really feels 
that1 on the whole1 we are getting a    
better grade of work than should        
reasonably be expected without the      
system2 or1 to put it in another way1 no
 one would be bold enough to say that   
our students are doing better work than 
the students of similar institutions    
that do not use the system4 ,on the     
other hand1 it is true that some who    
have come among us since the adoption of

 the system give the comparison the less
 favorable turn4  ,thru the operation of
 the system many can and do shorten     
their course2 too many1 ,i feel4 ,too   
many who have neither exceptional       
ability nor unusual industry1 unless it 
be ability to work the ,prof4 and       
industry in that laudable enterprise4   
,the course that normally takes four    
full years can be shortened from a      
portion of a term to a full year4 ,prior
 to ,june1 #aijh1 the time saved could  
reach to a full year and a half4 ,true1 
no one had actually completed a course  
in two and a half years1 but one young  
lady's time was only slightly in excess 
of that and the excess was fully        
overbalanced by the time she gave to    
outside work--to library assistance for 
remuneration1 and to journalism4 ,and   
that gait was being struck by others4   
,it only remained to be seen how long   
the wind would hold out4 ,it was clearly
 possible4 ,but the faculty became      
alarmed4 ,clearly recognizing the above 

stated possibility and being wholly     
unwilling thus to lower its high        
standard1 it passed a resolution that   
arbitrarily limits the number of credits
 a student may receive in a given time  
to such an extent as to prevent         
graduation in less than three years4    
,but several have gained1 and others are
 gaining1 sufficient surplus to enable  
them to complete their work in three    
years4 ,from fifteen to twenty per cent1
 it is estimated1 are enabled to shorten
 their course to that extent4 ,now some 
of these are thoroly good students1 and1
 assuming that the system is sound in   
principle1 well deserve to profit       
thereby4 ,but others are just ordinarily
 good students1 scarcely above the rank 
and file4 ,in addition to those who     
complete their work in three years1 some
 thirty or forty per cent more shorten  
it by lesser amounts1 ranging all the   
way down to an inappreciable period4    
,but aside from the system's failure in 
reaching one of its ends and its too    

great success in reaching the other1 it 
has developed numerous and unfortunate  
evils that many regard as exceedingly   
serious1 and revealed weaknesses that   
seem well nigh impossible to eliminate4 
,space allows scarcely more than an     
enumeration of these1 but a mere        
enumeration is better than to deal      
wholly in general terms4 7#a7 ,in the   
first place1 ,i should say that the     
,credit-for-quality system of marking as
 used by us places before the students  
unworthy ideals4 ,students of university
 rank can be led to seek knowledge for  
knowledge's sake1 truth for truth's     
sake4 ,they can be taught to see farther
 ahead than the close of the term1 and  
something more precious than an extra   
three-tenths of a credit4 ,but this     
thought has already been sufficiently   
treated earlier in the article4 7#b7 ,it
 leads to faulty methods of study and   
unsatisfactory final results4 ,in the   
preparation of the lessons1 a good      
recitation1 rather than thoro           

understanding of the subject matter1 is 
too apt to be the objective point4 ,many
 good students have told me that they   
find it difficult to resist the tendency
 to subordinate understanding to memory4
 7#c7 ,it may lead1 often does1 to      
unwise election of courses4 ,some       
teachers mark higher than others4 ,under
 the influence of our system students   
are very quick to learn these individual
 characteristics1 and those who have    
developed the itching palm know how to  
profit by that knowledge4 7#d7 ,it      
places students who receive extra credit
 for quality at a disadvantage in       
seeking to enter other institutions of  
learning4 ,the credits thus gained will 
not be recognized4 ,this would operate  
only in making the transfer during the  
undergraduate period1 but it does       
there4#a 7#e7       #a ,experience has  
shown that ,i was in error in the       
statement of     this sentence4 ,it has 
been found to operate to the            
disadvantage of     our students        

entering other institutions in graduate 
as well as     undergraduate            
departments4 ,graduate schools have     
become very     particular1 some of them
 not being satisfied without passing in 
review well nigh the entire former      
school life of an applicant1            
apparently to assure themselves that no 
short-cuts have been made4     ,this    
fact is an interesting confirmation of  
the position of this     article        
relative to the importance of           
content--when it pleads for             
quantity1 as well as quality4      ,this
 entire matter is made clear by         
referring to one instance4     ,others  
could be cited4 ,one of our graduates1  
,miss ,ethel ,j4 ,may1     a very strong
 student1 profited by the so-called     
credit-for-quality system to such an    
extent that she shortened her           
undergraduate period of study by an     
entire year1 receiving her     degree   
with honor4 ,then she taught for a few  
years with signal     success1 later    

returning for graduate work4 ,for her   
,master's degree     she spent an entire
 year in study1 since the system did not
 operate     in the graduate department4
 ,again she taught with success1 later  
entering the ,university of ,illinois as
 an applicant for the     doctorate4    
,here it was that her troubles began1   
and all because she     had thus        
profited way back in her undergraduate  
days4 ,she was told     that the year   
saved would now have to be made up--that
 the period     of study for her        
doctorate would have to be at least     
three years1     and this in spite of   
the fact that she held the degree of    
,master of     ,arts from a state       
university of the first class1 and was  
planning to     continue along the same 
lines of work4 ,after considerable      
discussion     and institutional        
negotiation1 this much of a concession  
was made3     ,if your work proves to be
 excellent1 your shortage will be       
disregarded4 ,so she went to work with  

that incubus1 or     stimulus--whichever
 you wish to regard it--over her4       
,neither she nor     her committee knew 
how to plan her work1 not knowing       
whether it was     to be for two years  
or for three4 ,and not until the very   
close of     her year's work was her    
status determined--full credit then     
being     granted for her former        
degrees4 ,miss ,may's sane comment now  
is1 ,i     would not advise any one to  
try to shorten the regular four-year    
undergraduate period of study4          
7,author #aiah7   ,it is demoralizing to
 both students and teachers4 ,i refer to
 the inevitable outcome of such a       
system2 some students 7sometimes few and
 sometimes many7 develop considerable   
skill in working the ,prof4 ,teachers   
offering elective courses are constantly
 under great temptation and students are
 shrewd enough to know it4 ,and again1  
under the same count3 it is freely      
claimed by both teachers and students   
that the cheating in examinations1 of   

which we doubtless have our share 7some 
claim much more than our share1 tho     
personally ,i doubt it71 is very greatly
 increased if not largely caused by our 
system of marking4 ,in hopes of         
remedying this some of the students are 
now urging the adoption of the honor    
system of conducting examinations4 7#f7 
,it is impossible to create uniform     
standards corresponding to our various  
grades4 ,there are as many standards for
 each grade as there are instructors4 ,a
 grade of work for which one instructor 
would give an ,a 7#a4c71 another would  
give a ,b 7#a4b7 and still another a ,c 
7#a4j74 ,standards can not be fixt4 ,to 
show how greatly they differ1 in marking
 the work for the first term of this    
year one instructor gave only seven per 
cent of his students extra credit1 while
 another thus rewarded more than seventy
 per cent of his4 ,this range1 however1 
is abnormal4 ,but a range of twenty-five
 per cent to sixty-five per cent is not1
 even tho the two instructors have      

approximately the same students and do  
approximately the same grade of work4   
,other evils and weaknesses might be    
mentioned1 but these are sufficient to  
show the tendency4  ,on the other hand1 
what strong paints can be urged as an   
offset8 ,the only ones ,i have ever     
heard offered are3 7#a7 it is an        
incentive1 and 7#b7 it does enable      
students to shorten the period of       
undergraduate work4 ,i grant them both1 
but ,i hold that the incentive is a low 
one--much lower than we need to use--and
 that the shortening of the course is   
far from being an unmixt blessing4  ,let
 me again refer to the matter of        
content1 upon our value of which1 to    
quite an extent1 our estimate of the    
merit of the ,credit-for-quality system 
must rest4 ,the young people in our     
colleges and universities1 in planning  
for lives of usefulness and success1    
place themselves in our hands for       
direction and guidance4 ,knowing that we
 are older1 wiser1 more learned1 and    

more experienced than they1 they ask our
 advice and1 in the main1 follow it4 ,to
 the incentives we use in dealing with  
them1 they respond2 the motives we      
supply urge them on2 the standards of   
value we erect for them1 they use2 and  
the ideals we place before them1 they   
try to reach4 ,all this places large    
responsibilities upon us4 ,are we wise  
in telling from fifteen to twenty per   
cent of these young people that three   
years is all the time that it is wise   
for them to spend in college work8 ,they
 will all remain the full four years    
unless we plan differently for them4 ,to
 be sure1 there is no magic in the      
number four as numbering the years of   
one's college course1 nor in three1 nor 
in two1 nor in any other number4 ,but   
would not any normal student who spends 
four years in the college atmosphere1   
mingling with college people1 both      
students and teachers1 doing college    
work1 drinking from the pure fountains  
of literature1 of history1 of           

philosophy1 of science1 of art1 et      
cetera1 be broader in range and more    
fully equipt for the varied and         
complicated duties of life and for      
life's enjoyment1 than he would be with 
only three years thus spent8 ,and is not
 the fourth year by far the best of the 
four8 ,why shall you and ,i discourage  
him from doing that which we know to be 
well for him and which he is willing to 
do8 ,why deny him the rare fruitage of  
that fourth year8 ,why say to him when  
he is just ready to enter into the      
enjoyments of his student life1 you     
would better go8 ,after all1 is it not  
this very three-year student with his   
finer ability1 his keener insight1 and  
his greater industry who can most       
greatly profit by the extra year8 ,shall
 we not rather encourage him to stay    
longer and delve deeper and reach to the
 very heart of things8 ,whether looked  
at from the standpoint of the student's 
own advantage1 or from that of the world
 at large1 which is to profit by his    

equipment1 is it not really the         
four-year or even the five-year student 
who would better be excused at the end  
of the third year8 ,instead of being in 
a hurry to send our choice students     
away1 let us get them to do their high  
quality of work just the same1 but to do
 it during four years instead of three4 
,they are the very ones who will most   
readily respond to such appeals and they
 will so respond unless we put other    
notions into their heads4 ,it is        
sometimes urged1 in justification of the
 ,credit-for-quality idea1 that one     
student in three years can accomplish   
more1 in gaining both knowledge and     
mental power1 than another in four4     
,there is no doubt about it4 ,some can  
do more in two years than others in     
four2 some in one1 and some with no     
college work can easily outstrip others 
with the best advantages4 ,shall we say 
to such an one1 you do not need to go to
 college--it would be time wasted8 ,by  
no means4 ,above all others we want him 

because he can most largely profit by   
what he gets1 and we shall reap the     
reward later on4 ,but supposing one     
student at the close of his third       
college year is better able to make his 
way in the world than another at the end
 of his fourth year1 that is not the    
question at all4 ,the function of the   
college is not to bring students to a   
level1 but to develop each one to the   
utmost4 ,each should be considered      
separately and the question asked1 the  
longer or the shorter term--which will  
do the more for him8  ,some other       
developments here can hardly fail to be 
of interest4 ,originally planned to     
operate in our entire institution1      
exclusive of the ,college of ,law into  
which it was not allowed to enter1 this 
system has gradually been eliminated    
from all the colleges save the ,college 
of ,liberal ,arts and ,teachers         
,college4 ,true1 in these colleges of   
exclusion the matter of content figures 
more prominently than in the others--the

 curricula are more fixt--but that is   
far from being the only reason for the  
exclusion4 ,and even more suggestive as 
touching the secondary school extension 
recommended by the article under        
discussion1 is our recent action        
excluding the system from our           
preparatory department1 now being       
transformed into a model high school for
 ,teachers ,college4 ,this elimination1 
likewise1 was in part due to the fixt   
number of courses demanded of all       
secondary schools1 but yet1 not largely 
so4 ,when this matter came up for       
decision it needed no emphasis upon that
 point to carry the recommendation4 ,it 
would have carried without those        
conditions4 ,the strongest advocates of 
the system did not1 by a single word1   
urge its retention in the ,model ,high  
,school4 ,all felt1 seemingly1 that it  
was not well suited to students of that 
grade4       ,,note4--,the reason for   
repeating this article here is largely  
historical1 tho interest in the matter  

discust occasionally crops      out even
 yet4 ,it will be of interest to some   
who have not otherwise      heard of it 
to learn that the ,university of ,north 
,dakota long since      discarded the   
system4 ,it was voted out completely    
early in the year      #aiaj4 ,and thus 
was realized ,professor ,kennedy's      
apprehension      exprest in his        
,educational ,review discussion of      
#aijf3 ,we have1 ,i      grant1 had our 
doubts and fears1 knowing well that many
 a promising      theory lies high and  
dry on the shoals of the past4          
,,index    ,academies1 #bba             
,adolescent1 #df-di1 #ed-ef1 #fg1 #fh1  
#gd1 #ha1 #he1 #bai1 #bca    ,adults1   
#baa1 #bab1 #bac    ,aliens1 education  
of1 #be    ,alien people1 #ba           
,appleton's ,cyclopedia1 #afe           
,arithmetic1 #aed    ,ayers1 #abj       
,barnard1 ,henry1 #bbj    ,bay ,state1  
,old1 #fd    ,binet1 #eg    ,boards of  
,education1 #de1 #aef1 #aie    ,bowdoin 
,college1 #bdc1 #bej    ,burbank1       

,luther1 #aff    ,burns1 ,robert1 #acf1 
#ach    ,bureau of ,education1 #ai      
,butler1 ,nicholas ,murray1 #if1 #ig1   
#ajc    ,california1 #bcc1 #bcd         
,carter1 #bah    ,child1 the1 #dc1 #dd1 
#de1 #fh1 #aaf1 #aag1 #aba1 #adj1 #ada1 
#adg1 #aea1 #aed1 #aie    ,child ,study1
 #dc1 #de1 #di1 #ed1 #eh1 #he           
,child-,welfare1 #di    ,church1 #acc1  
#ada-aei    ,civil ,war1 #ajg1 #bbb     
,college1 #fi-hb1 #ajd1 #aaj1 #afe1     
#afg1 #bag-bcg      ,law1 #bfj          
,liberal ,arts1 #hd1 #ii1 #bfj          
,college1 ,preparation for1 #ga1 #gc    
,teachers1 #de1 #bai-bch                
,commissioner of ,education1 #bg        
,community ,service1 #gc                
,connecticut1 #ca1 #bbj    ,county      
,training ,school1 #bai                 
,credit-for-,quality ,system1 #bdc-bfj  
,cronin1 ,dr41 #abe    ,dante1 #add1    
#ade    ,democracy1 #bi1 #ca-cd1 #da1   
#fe1 #aga1 #agb1 #agc1 #ahj             
,department of ,education1 #bj          
,dewey1 ,john1 #db1 #dc    ,diaz1       

,president1 #ca    ,dooley1 ,mr41 #ie   
,dwight1 ,edmund1 #ca1 #bah             
,education      ,boards of1 #de1 #hd1   
#aef1 #aie      ,bureau of1 #ai         
,department of1 #ajh1 #aji1 #bah1 #bai1 
#bbc      ,elementary1 #fe1 #ge         
,history of1 #ha1 #hb1 #hc1 #hd1 #bbg1  
#bbh      ,motive in1 #ch               
,philosophy of1 #ha1 #hd      ,physical1
 #ej1 #ff1 #aee1 #bjc      ,principles  
of1 #hb1 #hc1 #bbd      ,professional1  
#ha      ,school of in ,north ,dakota1  
#hb-he      ,school of1 #hc-he1         
#ajh-aaa1 #bah      ,secondary1 #ge1    
#hd1 #he1 #afd      ,universal1 #bd     
,educational mesurements1 #ef           
,educational psychologist1 #ef1 #eh1 #ei
    ,educational ,review1 #bdc1 #bea1   
#bfj    ,educational ,survey1 #ea1 #eb1 
#ei    ,elementary ,school1 #fe1 #ff1   
#fg1 #gc1 #gd1 #aje1 #ajf1 #ajg1 #ajh1  
#bcj1 #bca    ,england1 #cj1 #agc       
,entrance requirements1 #dd1 #dh1 #gf1  
#hj    ,ernest1 ,duke1 #cb              
,euthydemus1 #ih    ,eye1 #aae-aah1     

#abj1 #aba1 #abi    ,federal            
,government1 #bh    ,folk1 ,joseph ,w41 
#agc1 #agd    ,foster1 ,president1 #ie1 
#ajb1 #aje    ,france1 #cb1 #bbi        
,frederick the ,great1 #cj1 #cb         
,frederick ,william ,i1 #cj    ,froebel1
 #ci    ,garfield1 ex-,president1 #ij   
,georgia1 #bd    ,germans1 #cj1 #ca     
,germany1 #cb1 #abj1 #bbi    ,gladstone1
 ,william ,ewart1 #agc1 #agd    ,gotha1 
#cb    ,government1 the1 #ai    ,grand  
,forks1 ,north ,dakota1 #ahf-aii        
,greek1 #ii1 #ajj    ,gulick1 #abj      
,harris1 ,dr4 ,william ,t41 #bca        
,harvard ,college1 #fe1 #bai1 #bbd      
,heeter1 ,s4 ,l41 #abd1 #abe            
,herbart1 #ci    ,high ,schools1 #dd-dg1
 #ec1 #ee1 #fc-hf1 #ajg1 #ajh1 #bbj1    
#bbc1 #bcc1 #bcd1     #bdg1 #bdh        
,high ,school ,teacher1 #df-di1 #hj-he1 
#agh1 #bbb1 #bbc1 #bbh1 #bcc-bch        
,hill1 ,james ,j41 #aff    ,history1    
#aed1 #aee    ,history of ,education1   
#ha1 #hb1 #hc1 #hd1 #bbd    ,home1 #bf1 
#ff1 #acc-aei    ,homer1 #ii1 #ajj      

,hyde1 ,president1 #bdc1 #bej           
,illiteracy1 #bj-bd    ,individualism1  
,theory of1 #ci1 #dc    ,iowa1          
,legislature of1 #di    ,jefferson      
,city1 #abj1 #abc    ,johnson1 ,hiram   
,w41 #agc    ,jordan1 ,david ,starr1    
#gb1 #agg    ,kennedy1 ,professor1 #bdd1
 #bea1 #beb1 #bfj    ,law1 ,school of1  
#ajh1 #aaj    ,leadership1 #ge-ha1      
#afc-aha    ,lecture method1 #ii-ajc    
,lincoln1 #aff    ,literature1 #bcb1    
#bcd1 #beh    ,lloyd-,george1 ,david1   
#aff    ,locke1 #bjc    ,longfellow1    
#bjg    ,los ,angeles1 #abc    ,louises1
 the1 of ,france1 #cb    ,mc,adoo1 ,mr41
 #bah1 #bbj    ,mann1 ,horace1 #bah1    
#bbj    ,massachusetts1 #bd1 #be1 #ca1  
#fe1 #ajg1 #bbj    ,medical ,inspection1
 #bb1 #bg1 #aic1 #aid    ,medicine1     
,school of1 #ajh1 #aaj    ,methods of   
,teaching1 #ha1 #hb1 #hc1 #hd1 #he