,,learning ,,to ,,be ,a ,,schoolmaster by ,,thomas ,r4 ,,cole ,superintendent of ,schools1 ,seattle ,formerly ,assistant ,state ,superintendent of ,schools1 ,village ,school ,superintendent1 and ,city ,high ,school ,principal ,new ,york ,the ,macmillan ,company #aibb ,all rights reserved4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,copyright1 #aibb1 ,by the ,macmillan ,company4 ,set up and electrotyped4 ,published ,august1 #aibb4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,foreword ,in ,learning to be a ,schoolmaster the author has related some of his personal experiences1 which he trusts will be suggestive to those who are just entering the teaching profession4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,table ,,of ,,contents ,i4 ,entering the ,teaching ,profession #a ,,ii4 ,getting a ,position #g ,,iii4 ,before ,school ,opens--,after ,getting the ,first ,superintendency #ac ,,iv4 ,teachers' ,meetings #ag ,v4 ,meeting with the ,school ,board #bb ,,vi4 ,school ,activities #bh ,,vii4 ,the ,janitor--,his ,relation to the ,school #ci ,,viii4 ,how the ,principal ,can ,help the ,teacher #dd ,,ix4 ,the ,school and the ,community #ef ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,entering ,,the ,,teaching ,,profession ,little did ,i think1 during my college days1 that ,i should ever become a teacher4 ,it would have made me unpopular to have said so1 even if ,i had had any designs in that direction4 ,my college mates1 who were planning to be lawyers1 engineers1 or commercial men of prominence1 considered teaching creditable only as a fill in job4 ,i joined them in their happy aspirations and tried to think ,i was preparing for something4 ,just what that something was1 ,i was unable to say4 ,finally the day of graduation arrived4 ,i was ready to go out into the world with a college diploma1 but was unprepared for a definite position4 ,my false aspirations had failed1 and ,i was looking hopelessly about for something to do that would save my pride4 ,i must not accept just a mere job1 and to escape that humiliation ,i became a teacher4 ,it certainly was not a very creditable manner for a young man to enter a profession1 to say nothing of the doubtful compliment of such an entry to the teaching profession4 ,such a confession1 however1 could be made by many of my associates of fifteen years ago4 ,the situation that confronted me after deciding to become a teacher temporarily1 and two ways of meeting it1 can be illustrated by the experiences of two young men who entered the teaching profession under similar conditions4 ,a few years ago ,i made a trip to a neighboring state to visit a friend who was engaged in farming4 ,on a sunny ,july morning ,i arrived in an enterprising village a few miles from his home4 ,while sitting on the porch of the hotel waiting for my friend1 ,i met a man whom ,i had known years before4 ,he recognized me4 ,after stating that he was president of the local board of education1 he invited me to go out to their school building1 which was being remodeled4 ,one of the first rooms that we visited was the study hall4 ,we found the janitor busily engaged in arranging the seats4 ,he said he didn't know just which way the desks should face1 as no one had told him1 but he remembered that the pupils needed plenty of light1 so he was facing the desks toward the side of the room which had the most windows4 ,we then went to a room set apart for manual training work4 ,there was one bench in evidence and ,mr4 ---- told me that the board had not decided on the kind of benches or tools to buy1 as the superintendent had not said in what grades the manual training work would be offered4 ,in fact1 he said1 the superintendent forgot to tell us anything about the building equipment before he left for his vacation4 ,we next visited a room which1 he explained1 might be used for a gymnasium2 but1 since the superintendent had made no plans for using it1 they were leaving it unfinished4 ,we looked through some of the grade rooms which had been in use for years4 ,the seating was in bad condition1 as little or no care had been taken to keep the proper distance between the desks and the seats4 ,some of the third grade seats were out of alignment at least four inches4 ,i pointed out the irregular distances between the seats and the desks and asked my guide if it were due to the different sizes of the children4 ,he said1 ,i think so4 ,i made no comment1 as remarks were unnecessary4 ,as we left the building he said1 ,i guess our superintendent is more interested in something else than he is in his job here4 ,this statement proved true4 ,now for the second young man ,i have in mind4 ,at one time it was customary for me to represent the state superintendent's office at county school board meetings that were held during the summer months in the different parts of one of the leading middle western states4 ,on this particular trip1 ,i was forced to stop over in a small town for about two hours1 in order to make connection with the train that would take me to my destination4 ,i was now really interested in education and thought it would be well to visit the school building4 ,the first thing to attract my attention was the well-kept lawn1 with flower beds along the walk that led from the street to the building4 ,this was somewhat unusual for a school yard4 ,i noticed that the front door was open1 and entered the building4 ,after looking through the well-kept lower rooms1 ,i ascended the stairs to see the high school portion of the building1 which contained eight rooms4 ,upon reaching the second story landing1 ,i heard some hammering in one of the rooms and proceeded to locate it4 ,i soon found myself confronted by a young man about twenty-five years of age1 whose face gave the expression of accomplishment4 ,he enthusiastically told me that he was interested in the agricultural conditions in the surrounding districts1 and was preparing boxes and equipment to offer a course in agriculture to the boys in and out of school who might wish to elect it4 ,the course1 he said1 will be offered outside of the regular school hours1 at a time that will be best suited to those who may wish to attend4 ,i hope to make it an evening class1 and that the fathers may also become interested4 ,he told me about the short summer course he had taken at the state agricultural school and the help that he expected to get from the dean through booklets and suggestive lessons4 ,he then invited me to go through the rooms of the building4 ,when we reached the fifth and sixth grade room he said1 ,in this room ,i have corrected a condition that caused the failure of one or more teachers4 ,when ,i was elected here a year ago1 the president of the board told me they had been unfortunate for years in securing a satisfactory fifth and sixth grade teacher4 ,the teachers had all failed because they were unable to maintain good order4 ,i was asked to secure a teacher for the room1 which ,i did1 after careful investigation4 ,it was less than three weeks1 however1 after the semester started1 when the restlessness of the pupils became apparent4 ,i was at a loss to know the source of the trouble until a bulletin from the state superintendent's office reached me1 which gave suggestions as to the care and equipment of school grounds and buildings4 ,i noticed in this bulletin that the correct distance between ,no4 #c seats is twelve inches4 ,i thought immediately of our troublesome fifth and sixth grade room4 ,it took me but a few moments to discover that the distances between the seats in this room ranged from twelve to fifteen inches4 ,i observed how the pupils were forced to sit on the edges of the seats in order to work at the desks and soon became tired and restless4 ,the desks were changed immediately and the teacher problem in this room was solved4 ,that experience was a lesson to me1 and since then ,i have given much time and attention to making the building attractive and comfortable for the teachers and pupils4 ,it was quite evident1 as we went from room to room1 that he had put the lesson into practice4 ,i shall never forget that young man4 ,three years later he was at the head of one of the largest consolidated high schools in the state1 and when ,i met him at the meeting of the ,department of ,superintendence in ,detroit in #aiaf he told me that he had recently been appointed to take charge of one of the state agricultural schools4 ,one man had made school teaching a job2 the other had made it a profession4 ,,getting ,a ,,position ,many young men and women enter the educational field without giving due consideration to the type of work they are best fitted to do4 ,a large percentage of the teacher failures belongs to this class4 ,i am often interviewed by candidates who are seeking positions4 ,when ,i ask them the kind of work they can do the best1 ,i occasionally receive the reply1 ,in what grades do you have the greatest number of openings8 ,others will say1 ,i am prepared to teach any of the grades4 ,i have no preference1 for ,i am as good in one as ,i am in another4 ,in the case of some candidates the last statement is likely to be true4 ,boards of education usually grade applicants on three main points3 personality1 preparation1 experience4 ,the first two1 every candidate who has completed a normal school or college course possesses to a greater or less degree4 ,the third must be gained by actual work in teaching4 ,a pleasing yet forceful personality is one of the leading factors in any teacher's success and it should be cultivated to the greatest possible degree4 ,i feel that ,i was influenced in a large measure to complete my high school education by the attractive personality of the principal of our village school4 ,his predecessor by harsh and dictatorial discipline had driven many boys out of school1 and ,i came near being one of them4 ,i found my ideal in the principal who succeeded him2 and when ,i meet the inspirational teacher--the teacher with a personality that attracts young people--,i can see the picture of that splendid young man who gave me the first real desire for an education4 ,a teacher should always be desirous of making a good personal impression1 yet ,i have seen young women seeking positions waiting at the big counter in the superintendent's office who were dressed more suitably for a social function than for a business call4 ,not long ago we were greatly in need of a commercial teacher4 ,a young woman of otherwise good qualifications made application4 ,her attire was somewhat extreme and we decided it would be well to have her visit the principal of the school who needed the teacher4 ,he reported that he could not use a teacher to instruct young men and women in commercial work who lacked one of the first requisites of business--dress sense4 ,the time is rapidly drawing to a close when mediocre preparation will be accepted in the field of education4 ,the teacher for elementary or high school work must first secure a good general education4 ,specializing in one or more subjects based upon a fragmentary educational foundation is the cause of many failures in the teaching profession4 ,one of the chief weaknesses of such teachers has usually been found to be in ,english4 ,in reading applications ,i have often noticed statements of this character given by one of the references3 ,mr4 ---- is good in his particular subject1 but his use of ,english is so bad that ,i cannot recommend him for a position where he comes in contact daily with young people4 ,i can recommend ,miss ---- for a position1 as for example penmanship teaching1 but that is the only thing she can do as her educational vision is very limited4 ,after a teacher has secured adequate general education and finds his bent1 he should then give particular attention and study to his chosen field4 ,a teacher1 however1 should never cease to utilize every opportunity of broadening his general education4 ,to do so means a narrowing of his viewpoint and the power of associating his special subject with the larger field of education4 ,in filling out application blanks teachers are sometimes careless in giving the information requested4 ,failure to do this often results in obtaining little or no consideration for the position desired4 ,the references named should be responsible persons who know of the applicant's real qualifications and teaching work4 ,it is always well for an applicant to secure the permission of the people chosen as references before using their names4 ,a superintendent is much more likely to understand a teacher's motive for applying elsewhere if he has been interviewed4 ,when the motive is understood1 he is in a better position to serve the applicant as well as the officials to whom the applicant has applied4 ,the large majority of superintendents encourage their teachers to feel that they want them to improve professionally and are ready to assist them in doing so4 ,not long ago a young man came to see me about a promotion4 ,i asked him in what line of work he was best fitted for advancement4 ,he said he didn't know1 but he wanted the job that paid the most money4 ,it was interesting to note his idea of the teaching profession as contrasted with that of a young woman who had interviewed me a short time before concerning a possible opening in one of the high schools4 ,she had taught for two years and realized the need of further specialization in her chosen field4 ,to obtain this training1 she had spent a year's time and her savings in taking post-graduate work4 ,i was interested in the frank statement that she gave concerning her teaching experience1 which she confessed had been very ordinary in character4 ,it was also pleasing to note the feeling of gratitude she had for those who had encouraged her to take the post-graduate training4 ,we had no opening for her at that time1 but ,i took her name and address in order that she might be considered for vacancies that might occur later4 ,it so happened that a few days later a superintendent from a near-by town called to see me1 and stated his need of a high school teacher who could teach mathematics1 ,english1 and history4 ,it was quite a range of work1 but ,i thought of my visitor of a few days before and made an appointment for her to meet this superintendent4 ,after the interview was over1 she came in with tears in her eyes1 to tell me that she had declined the offer4 ,she said she was financially much in need of a position1 but she could not again go into a classroom to teach work in a department that she was ill prepared to handle4 ,a short time later one of our teachers resigned4 ,the place was given to this young woman4 ,she has proved to be one of our best classroom teachers1 and has been an inspiration to the other instructors in her department4 ,self-examination and study had caused her to realize the real strength1 as well as the limitations1 of her teaching power1 and she made the most of it4 ,,before ,,school ,,opens--,,after ,,getting ,,the ,,first ,,superintendency ,four years as a high school teacher had given me an opportunity to study the educational field4 ,during that time ,i had made a practice of attending county1 sectional1 state1 and1 whenever possible1 national teachers' meetings1 so that ,i might become acquainted with current school problems and with the men and women who were educational leaders4 ,after considering carefully my possible qualifications for administrative work1 ,i decided that to secure the superintendency of schools in a small town was the proper educational step for me to take4 ,by an application through regular channels ,i succeeded in being elected to the coveted position and thereby gained what ,i was seeking--administrative opportunity4 ,as the election had been given me without a personal application1 ,i decided to invest eighteen dollars in a trip to my new field of labor during the spring vacation1 so that ,i might get acquainted with the general school situation4 ,the first important discovery that ,i made was that the superintendent who was leaving had the ill will of a part of the community1 but still had the loyal support of the teachers4 ,my problem was to get his coperation so that ,i could enter the work with as little friction as possible1 and to obtain general knowledge of his plans of school administration4 ,both these factors were very essential to a succeeding superintendent4 ,he gave me the coperation and information most willingly--a service which ,i have never ceased to appreciate4 ,i met the members of the board as individuals and was received very cordially by them4 ,no doubt they were interested in seeing me and appreciated the interest ,i showed in getting acquainted with the work in advance4 ,we moved to the town during the middle of ,august4 ,as soon as we became settled1 my attention was turned to the work of the new position4 ,i had already given a close study to the grade and high school programs and course of study4 ,copies of the different courses of study offered in well-organized neighboring schools were also obtained in order that ,i might get a broader view of the school conditions in that section of the state4 ,ten days before the opening of school ,i placed a notice in the town paper inviting all the high school pupils who had attended school the year before to call at the building and see me4 ,a considerable number responded to this request1 and through these pupils ,i received a large amount of valuable information4 ,one of my first tasks was to prepare a high school program which would permit the pupils to carry the work that they should pursue in accordance with their chosen courses of study4 ,we had only three teachers for the high school1 including myself1 which narrowed the range of subjects that might be offered each semester4 ,before attempting to make a program ,i compiled a list of names of all the pupils who had attended high school the year before1 with the lists of the subjects each pupil had completed4 ,i then made a statement of the subjects that each pupil should take during the ensuing year4 ,this gave the necessary information for making a program4 ,when school opened each pupil was given a slip of paper showing the credits he had made to date and the subjects for which he was to register4 ,by checking carefully1 all conflicts were eliminated and the first day of instruction went off without delay or friction4 ,this was worth much to the school and to me4 ,not all my time1 however1 was given to the making of a high school program4 ,i prepared a tentative time schedule for the subjects in the elementary grades4 ,this schedule1 with a few minor changes1 was afterward adopted by the grade teachers4 ,the business side of the school was especially interesting to me4 ,i believed then1 and still believe1 that a successful superintendent must be a close student of school costs4 ,he must know and keep constantly in mind the amount of money available for school expenses and be able to recommend how that money can be expended to the best advantage4 ,too often the superintendent1 by the nature of his tenure1 is forced to plan only for the one year--a policy that is wasteful to the district and harmful to the general efficiency of the school4 ,in order to secure a comprehensive idea of the school supplies on hand and what would be needed1 ,i asked the janitor to assist me in making a complete check of all the books and supplies in the building4 ,this work proved very helpful to me later and was alone worth the two extra weeks ,i had given to my new position4 ,with the school program made1 supplies checked1 and a good preliminary acquaintance with the board members and school conditions1 ,i left the building on ,friday evening preceding the opening of school feeling ready for the year's work to begin4 ,,teachers' ,,meetings ,a teacher said to me recently1 ,i wish ,mr4 ---- had remained at ,a---- as superintendent4 ,we always had splendid teachers' meetings when he was with us4 ,this comment interested me and ,i asked her the character of the meetings4 ,she replied1 ,we had regular sectional meetings once a month and a general teachers' meeting every six weeks4 ,the sectional meetings were for the purpose of giving and getting definite suggestions that would be helpful to the teachers of each individual group4 ,the general meeting was always a happy gathering4 ,mr4 ---- would make his message cheerful and inspirational and we left those meetings with a spirit of wanting to do more than we had ever done before4 ,what this young woman said is true4 ,teachers want meetings that give something tangible and definite to assist them in their work4 ,the first teachers' meeting that ,i ever conducted was held about a library table where we could all look at one another and get the feeling of fellowship4 ,a few definite points that the teachers needed to know on the first day of school were prepared and everything else was left for subsequent meetings4 ,it was my business to help the teachers get started and lighten a part of their regular work1 rather than to add to their burden things unnecessary at that time4 ,one of the best talks ,i ever heard delivered by a superintendent was given to the new teachers a few years ago at the opening of the school year4 ,he gave the teachers a hearty and sincere welcome and told them nothing about what their duties were to be4 ,he advised them to say but little at first about what they had done at their former places1 but urged them to listen and to learn our ways and then1 with that knowledge in mind1 to help by suggestions to make our schools better4 ,how very differently is such a welcome received by teachers from that given by a superintendent who feels that he must place before the teachers1 at the first meeting1 an outline in detail of what is expected throughout the year6 ,the latter plan was unfortunately followed by a superintendent of my acquaintance4 ,he went to his new position in ample time to get the school conditions well in hand and everything boded well for his future4 ,his first teachers' meeting1 however1 ruined his chances of succeeding in that place4 ,as one teacher reported1 ,he talked about everything in the educational catalog that had nothing to do with the opening weeks of school1 and the teachers left the meeting with an adverse opinion concerning him that he was unable to change4 ,the meetings he held throughout the year were of the same rambling type4 ,the result was that he failed to secure the cooperation of his teachers and was asked to resign at the close of the year4 ,this is an example of one who knew much--talked much--but gave little assistance of any constructive value to his teachers4 ,as a superintendent ,i always found it profitable1 after the school year was well started1 to hold sectional meetings for teachers of the lower grades1 intermediate grades1 grammar grades1 and high school4 ,each section met every two weeks about a table and took up definite topics of the teachers' own choosing4 ,the result was that our course of study and the methods of work were constantly being improved and the teachers were causing the improvement4 ,a general meeting for all the teachers was held from time to time when a good speaker could be secured or when ,i wished to present a phase of school work that should be understood by all4 ,during the past year a series of meetings of the ,english teachers in one of our high schools demonstrated what can be accomplished if the topics for discussion are of a concrete nature4 ,the teaching of the ,english classics has been somewhat varied in plan and the results accomplished have not always been satisfactory4 ,the ,english teachers realized this and suggested that we make the classics the subject of professional study for the year4 ,the classics selected were3 ,lady of the ,lake1 ,ivanhoe1 ,old ,testament ,stories1 ,silas ,marner1 ,idylls of the ,king1 ,birds and ,bees1 ,clive and ,hastings1 and ,emerson's ,essays4 ,a teacher was chosen to discuss each of the classics according to the following outline3 #a4 ,spend thirty minutes in explaining the methods used and the results expected in the teaching of the classic4 #b4 ,provide a written outline which gives the main points a teacher should keep in mind in teaching the classic1 copies of the outline to be provided for distribution at the time of the meeting4 #c4 ,be prepared to make a typical assignment of a lesson in teaching the classic4 #d4 ,state where supplementary material can be obtained to aid in teaching the classic4 #e4 ,answer questions4 ,at the conclusion of the year the general expression of the ,english teachers was that the meetings held were among the most profitable professional gatherings that they had ever attended4 ,the same definite plan could well be followed with other subjects4 ,there is still another type of meeting of even greater importance to the superintendent and teachers4 ,that meeting is the personal talk that the superintendent should have with each teacher1 as often as possible1 to enable him to learn how her work is getting on and the difficulties she is meeting1 and to welcome any suggestions she has to make4 ,such talks will give a superintendent a key to the real school situation1 and the teacher will appreciate his close1 personal interest as shown by his suggestions and encouragement4 ,,meeting ,,with ,,the ,,school ,,board ,a few days previous to the opening of school at ----1 a member of the school board dropped in one morning to see me4 ,in the course of the conversation he said that the board would meet the second evening after the opening of school1 and invited me to be present1 if ,i cared to come4 ,i thanked him for the invitation and assured him that ,i should be glad to attend the meeting4 ,at the teachers' meeting on the ,saturday before the school opened1 ,i gave each teacher a blank1 and asked for a report at the close of the first day of school1 somewhat as follows3 #a4 ,number of pupils enrolled4 #b4 ,number of boys and number of girls and their respective ages4 #c4 ,number of pupils who were attending school for the first time4 #d4 ,supplies1 if any1 that were needed immediately4 ,from this information1 which was easily obtained by the teachers1 ,i compiled a definite report which showed the school attendance the first day compared with the opening days of the two previous years2 the grades having largest number of retarded pupils2 and the extra supplies that would soon be needed4 ,the report concluded with a brief statement of my appreciation of the hearty coperation that ,i had received from the teachers and pupils4 ,i wrote the report very carefully and placed it in my pocket1 hoping that it might be presented at the board meeting4 ,the first board meeting meant much to me1 for ,i was desirous of having the members feel that the success of the school depended very largely upon having the administrative head take an active part in the deliberations4 ,i was present promptly at eight o'clock1 the time set for the meeting1 and the gentleman who had invited me explained to the other members how ,i happened to be present4 ,before the close of the meeting1 the president of the board asked how ,i liked the place and how many ,i had found it necessary to strap the first day4 ,i replied that ,i was well pleased with the school conditions1 and that if there were no objection ,i would like to read a short report that might be of some interest to the board4 ,there was no objection and ,i read the report4 ,at the conclusion of the reading1 one member of the board said1 ,by ,jimminy1 ,i have been on this board for seven years and that is the first time ,i have ever heard a report like that4 ,i move1 ,mr4 ,chairman1 that we thank the superintendent for bringing in the report1 that we file it with the secretary1 and that we extend a standing invitation to him to attend all our meetings4 ,the vote in favor of the motion was unanimous4 ,i went home that evening feeling that ,i had been well repaid for the time spent in compiling the report4 ,from that time on ,i made a regular monthly report at the board meetings1 which resulted in the extension of my authority4 ,i was soon permitted to order supplies when needed1 if the requisitions were approved by the secretary of the board4 ,this was a great help to the school4 ,it saved much delay1 and we always knew what we could get and when we could expect it4 ,the teachers often spoke of how much more definitely they could plan their work4 ,great care was exercised to purchase only such supplies as were needed1 and we turned in many of the worn-out books as partial payment for new texts4 ,hence1 at the end of the year the cost of school supplies had been cut nearly in half as compared with that of the previous year4 ,it was a matter of pleasure to have the board realize that a superintendent might be a business man as well as an educator4 ,the next extension of authority was in regard to the employment of teachers4 ,it had been the general policy of the board to engage and discharge teachers without consulting the superintendent4 ,i anticipated this by making1 at the end of the fourth month1 a report as to the general efficiency of the teachers4 ,not a word was written in the report that the individual teacher concerned did not know4 ,the members of the board expressed themselves as being much pleased with the teacher report idea and ,i was told that ,i would be asked to recommend the teachers when the time came for their election4 ,this confidence of the board was a great inspiration to me1 and helped me more than anything else to decide that ,i would remain a schoolmaster4 ,my experience with the board in another community is equally suggestive4 ,during the five years previous to my superintendency at this place1 the board had voted against the introduction of manual training each time it came up for discussion4 ,i was interested in having manual training introduced1 but before making a formal request of the board1 ,i decided to give the subject a very careful study4 ,i spent a number of ,saturdays going from town to town to inspect the manual training equipment and courses of study4 ,at that time1 manual training was very much in the experimental stage1 and ,i found something new at each place4 ,after settling upon the plan that ,i considered best suited to our accommodations1 ,i arranged to have an evening meeting of the parents at the school building where an exhibit of the regular school work was displayed in each room4 ,during the evening a talk was given on the topic of manual training by a neighboring superintendent1 who was especially well qualified to discuss the subject4 ,i wanted to create a public sentiment in favor of manual training before asking the board to introduce it into the school system4 ,at the next regular board meeting ,i presented a definite1 written plan for the introduction of manual training1 stating the space in the building for it1 the grades that would be given the work1 the number of times per week that it would be offered1 and the cost of the benches and tools4 ,without a moment's hesitation1 the leading member of the board said1 ,i have objected to the introduction of manual training for five years1 not because ,i was opposed to the subject but owing to the fact we never had a report made to us as to its cost1 where it could be placed in the building1 or the grades in which it would be offered4 ,i move that the recommendation be adopted and the material purchased as designated in the report4 ,the motion was adopted without a dissenting vote4 ,i have had many other experiences with school boards similar to those cited above4 ,school boards have not always purchased everything that ,i have requested1 but ,i have found in the vast majority of cases that if the board has faith in the superintendent and feels that he knows what he wants1 and what he will do with it after he gets it1 he will not have much difficulty in obtaining what the school really needs4 ,too many superintendents go to board meetings with no definite report as to what is being done in the schools or what is really needed to make them efficient4 ,this inability or failure to assume leadership causes the board to lose confidence in the superintendent1 and soon reacts detrimentally upon the school system4 ,,school ,,activities ,not long ago a teacher asked me in what manner a person with executive ability has the best opportunity of showing it4 ,i replied1 ,ask your principal for the privilege of taking charge of some school activity4 ,i dare say more principals and superintendents have been found through their ability to handle student activities than in any other way4 ,too often teachers who are really capable of doing executive work object to this extra duty and thereby miss the opportunity of demonstrating their real capacity for leadership4 ,they also lose at the same time one of the most fruitful and pleasant experiences in school work4 ,i could give many illustrations of teachers who have found themselves through being associated with student enterprises4 ,some superintendents feel that student activities are a waste of time1 and in a measure this is likely to be true unless the activities are carefully supervised4 ,in one of the towns where ,i was superintendent1 the school had had no student activities during the preceding year except football and baseball4 ,the teams had been coached by an outsider who was intensely interested in having a winning team but cared little for the value of athletics to the boys or to the school4 ,with this condition in mind1 ,i called the boys together and asked them how it would appeal to them if we formed an athletic association and had rules governing athletics similar to those followed in the larger towns in that vicinity4 ,the boys agreed to the plan and elected a committee to prepare a set of rules that were to be submitted to them for approval4 ,after a couple of meetings1 the committee outlined the rules in accordance with the general high school athletic regulations1 and they were formally adopted4 ,the results of the formation of the association were threefold3 ,first1 good scholarship and deportment were required of all pupils who participated in athletics4 ,second1 no money could be expended except with the approval of the faculty adviser4 ,third1 the coaching of all athletic teams was placed under the direction of the superintendent4 ,the last point did not necessarily eliminate the assistance that might be secured from outside coaches1 provided they were made directly responsible to the school4 ,the new plan for athletics worked splendidly with the exception of a few vigorous protests from boys who were debarred from playing on account of poor scholarship4 ,sufficient money was saved during the year to pay back the amount that had been advanced for athletic supplies and we were able to complete equipments for first and second football teams for the succeeding fall4 ,the boys were proud of this accomplishment and when ,i occasionally hear from some of them1 they often remark1 ,we put ---- on the map in athletics4 ,the second activity needed was a literary society4 ,there had been no such organization in the school for five years4 ,the janitor told me that the last literary society had ended in a rough-house and he hoped that was the end of it for all time4 ,he further declared he was not in favor of coming to the building in the evening4 ,i told him that we would attend to the opening and closing of the building if we started the organization1 and that ,i hoped we could get along without any rough-housing4 ,the pupils in ---- had little or no opportunity for group evening entertainment and heartily welcomed the suggestion of forming a literary society4 ,officers were elected with the understanding that they would be given full charge of the organization1 subject to the regulations of the faculty adviser4 ,meetings were held twice a month on ,friday evenings at #g3cj4 ,no program was arranged that required more than one and a half hours' time4 ,it usually consisted of a debate1 music1 school news1 and readings4 ,the school auditorium held about #aej people and on many occasions the room would be crowded in order to accommodate those who wished to attend4 ,many of the parents made it an opportunity for meeting the teachers4 ,it might be mentioned that the janitor never missed a meeting and was one of the most interested listeners4 ,after getting the athletic association and literary society organized1 ,i interviewed the editors of the two local papers relative to getting some space for school news4 ,both were glad to publish any information concerning the school that ,i might wish to furnish4 ,student editors were then elected for the different high school classes and the upper grade rooms4 ,the news items were given to me on ,wednesday of each week to be edited and sent to the papers4 ,the school news had its immediate effect1 and greater interest was taken in the school by the pupils and patrons4 ,the literary programs which appeared in the papers every two weeks gave much prominence to that activity4 ,the newspaper publishers were not slow to see the effect the school news had in increasing their subscriptions1 so we all had reason to be pleased with the results of the enterprise4 ,there are many other valuable school organizations that have not been mentioned4 ,the number of activities should depend largely on the size of the school4 ,the real purpose and local value of each activity should be given careful consideration before it is organized4 ,much harm can come from poorly supervised student enterprises or from a student organization that is permitted to take more of the time of pupils and teachers than is justified4 ,the time for the preparation of plays should be limited and the work should be distributed among as many pupils as possible4 ,the centering of effort on one debating team or on a first athletic team may help1 or the showing that a school will make against competitors 7although ,i doubt it71 but such a plan will not develop the power and training within the school that should be desired4 ,i quote the following from a report of a ,seattle high school principal regarding extra-curricular activities3 ,the extra-curricular activities in a high school can be divided into two classes1 the minor and the major activities4 ,the minor activities are such as arise out of a desire to vitalize certain studies2 the ,science ,club1 the ,short ,story ,club1 the ,french ,club are illustrations4 ,for the most part these meet only once or twice a month for an afternoon program in which students who are interested participate themselves or occasionally invite some outsider to take part4 ,teachers desiring to stimulate greater interest in their specialties are usually enthusiastic supporters of such clubs4 ,the programs are informal1 held after school and requiring comparatively little effort on the part of the teachers2 and those teachers who are alive to their work welcome the opportunities which these small clubs offer in the way of stimulating interest and adding zest to studies4 ,furthermore1 these informal gatherings afford teachers and students an opportunity to meet outside the classroom and become better acquainted1 which is always an important factor in successful school work4 ,no teacher worthy of the name is averse to such organizations4 ,it is difficult to find a single objectionable feature in them4 ,of course1 they require some after-school time occasionally1 and some planning on the part of the responsible adviser4 ,no conscientious teacher begrudges this extra time and effort and every enterprising teacher finds enough in them to compensate him liberally for his efforts4 ,the major activities such as class organizations1 glee clubs1 dramatic clubs1 athletic associations1 boys' and girls' clubs1 the school paper1 the ,senior ,ball1 the ,junior ,prom1 and the interschool debates offer more problems in the nature of care4 ,they take in larger groups1 are more formal or more pretentious1 and demand a larger amount of time from teachers directing them4 ,not only that1 but they also require a larger organizing capacity on the part of the advisers4 ,not all teachers can assume sponsorship for such organizations4 ,these activities are to the school what the ,fourth of ,july parade1 the ,elks' big-brother picnic1 and the ,wayfarer are to the city4 ,a city could get along without these activities and save itself a deal of hard work and expense4 ,but enterprising men consider them worth ten times the effort and expense to the community as a whole4 ,some undesirable features follow in the wake of all these large city enterprises4 ,streets become congested1 the police have to do double duty2 there may be some accidents1 some thefts1 some people overworked4 ,but in life unpleasant things are organically connected with the pleasant and if you would have the one you must have at least some of the other4 ,in like manner the major school activities benefit the entire school4 ,they have the effect of welding the large school into something like a homogeneous unit4 ,they develop school pride and school interest4 ,a large school can no more get along without these and be a live institution than can a church without its young peoples' societies and programs1 its men's club suppers1 and its ladies' aid societies and be a live church organization4 ,but aside from welding the school into a unit of effort and purpose1 these organizations1 like the minor activities1 serve to socialize the institution1 to bring pupils and teachers together in a way that the classroom does not afford1 to 'bring out' students1 to discover latent talents1 and to spur students on to a maximum standard of excellence4 ,aside from their socializing value1 these organizations have an ethical purpose4 ,group interests are developed through them which teach pupils to work together for a common end4 ,school enthusiasm and loyalty are developed which broaden in later years to interest in and loyalty to community and nation4 ,teachers have not introduced these activities as a rule4 ,they came in response to a recognized need4 ,no more can teachers put them out4 ,they can1 however1 help to direct them into proper channels1 supervise them1 and keep them within proper bounds1 all of which is a task worthy of a real teacher4 ,those instructors who can recall the turbulent days of the secret societies and cliques1 of the unsupervised and unmanaged athletics1 have no doubt that progress has been made1 and are ready to help to keep up the good work4 ,the objectionable features of the major activities are naturally more pronounced4 ,it is easy to make too much of such activities1 to make them too pretentious1 to consume too much time with them so that they sometimes interfere with the curricular work of the school4 ,as a rule principals and teachers strive to keep these activities within reasonable bounds4 ,sometimes they find themselves involved in a bigger undertaking than they planned for4 ,however1 unbounded ,american enthusiasm is in no small measure to blame for the overdoing of some of these activities4 ,organized athletics in all schools are here to stay4 ,in fact a much larger participation is noticeable each year4 ,even grammar schools1 churches1 business houses1 and other corporations have their teams4 ,athletics1 however1 beneficial as they are1 can be overdone and in some respects are being overdone4 ,so with all the other extra-curricular activities4 ,they must be properly directed and sanely managed4 ,this sane management and proper direction must be encouraged by the public as a whole4 ,necessarily1 too1 such activities as have proved their worth will have to be provided for by the employment of teachers who are capable of handling them and wherever they are a large drain on the adviser's time and effort1 that1 too1 must be taken care of4 ,improvements and adjustments in looking after these activities are sure to come as the result of increased experience4 ,that there is much room for improvement along these lines no one doubts4 ,let those who have experience and can offer constructive suggestions do so freely4 ,their suggestions will be gladly received1 for nowhere in the high schools of the country has that problem been solved4 ,there is another form of organization commonly associated with high school activities for which the high school management is in no wise responsible and over which it claims no jurisdiction4 ,it is the social and club dances managed entirely outside of the schools and chaperoned or patronized by people not connected officially with the schools4 ,these purely social activities are the most time-consuming and costly of all4 ,many of these formal and informal functions occur every week in the long dancing season1 and because they are patronized by boys and girls of high school age are mistakenly called high school functions4 ,many parents are deceived into the belief that the schools are sponsoring these club dances4 ,for these the schools assume no responsibility and should not be blamed4 ,,the ,,janitor--,,his ,,relation ,,to ,,the ,,school ,a few months ago the vice-president of a large manufacturing establishment invited me to accompany him and the president on a trip to their factories4 ,having heard that the president of the company was a self-made man1 ,i was anxious to learn something about his plan of business administration4 ,when we reached the office of the first plant1 ,i was impressed with the cordial greeting the president gave to all the employees4 ,their attitude toward him was equally cordial4 ,i recognized one of the clerks1 who was a former school pupil1 and made use of the acquaintance to ask some questions concerning the management of the factory4 ,he said1 ,we feel like a family here4 ,mr4 ---- gets everyone from the errand boy to the manager to take a personal interest in the business4 ,as ,i went about the big establishment with one of the workmen1 ,i was impressed with the truthfulness of the statement4 ,that evening when ,i was conversing with the president1 ,i mentioned the fine coperative spirit that ,i had noticed among his men4 ,he said in reply1 ,i learned a long time ago as a day worker that in order to get the largest returns from your men1 you must treat them all well and feed them well4 ,some managers forget1 in these days of keen competition1 that the lowest salaried employees are often the persons who make a business a success or a failure4 ,i thought how simple was his formula of success1 yet how few possess the inspirational power of leadership to follow it successfully4 ,the same principle applies equally well to the school business4 ,i shall never forget the ,august morning that ,i reported at one school building to begin my duties as superintendent4 ,i had not seen the janitor1 and proceeded to air the office1 dust the chairs and desk1 and get the place in readiness for work4 ,the noise attracted the attention of the janitor1 who finally appeared at the door1 and after giving me a cold1 casual inspection1 introduced himself by saying1 ,i am the janitor1 and left the room before ,i could engage him in conversation4 ,i had heard of him before--how he considered the superintendent nothing more than a boss whom he must endure4 ,it was no surprise to me1 therefore1 when he left the room without waiting to become acquainted or offering to assist in the house cleaning4 ,later he brought to the office some mail that had been accumulating during the summer4 ,i thanked him and asked him to be seated4 ,we talked over a few matters of interest and then made a trip through the building4 ,i carefully avoided saying anything about the janitor's duties4 ,before leaving that afternoon1 he met me in the lower hall and said it was not customary to keep the office cleaned during the summer1 but if ,i intended to be at the building again before the school opened1 he would sweep it out4 ,i told him that ,i had a few things that ,i should like to do during the two weeks' interval before the opening of school1 and would probably be at the building daily1 but ,i could easily look after the cleaning of the office during that time4 ,he looked at me with some astonishment4 ,i don't know whether it was due to the statement that ,i expected to have something to do at the building for two weeks before school opened1 or because ,i was willing to clean the room4 ,he said nothing and1 with a good evening1 we parted at the end of the first day--with the question of coperation or no coperation somewhat unsettled in the janitor's mind4 ,when ,i reported for work the next morning the office had been thoroughly cleaned1 which ,i considered quite a victory4 ,as the janitor did not make his appearance during the forenoon1 ,i went in search of him to inquire about some record books4 ,he then proceeded to tell me what he thought of the teachers and superintendents in general and how ,i would do well if ,i could find anything1 and showed me a closet in a teacher's room that was filled with a pile of books1 supplies1 and record sheets4 ,i listened to what he had to say1 and then suggested that it might be well if we put some shelves in the closets1 and arranged all the books and supplies in an orderly manner before the teachers reported for work4 ,i told him ,i was interested in what the closets contained1 and if he would build some shelves1 ,i would do the rest4 ,he was sure that the shelves would do no good1 and that his time and mine would be wasted4 ,we said nothing more about it at that time1 but the next day ,i started on a closet-cleaning crusade4 ,i do not know when ,i have received greater value for the time spent4 ,two days of work gave me an educational and business insight into the school that was invaluable4 ,i learned the courses of study and the texts that were used in all of the grades4 ,after three days' delay1 the janitor decided that ,i had done a fairly good job1 and that he would put in the shelves4 ,i gave him some assistance and the books and supplies were listed1 recorded1 and put into place4 ,this work was appreciated by the teachers1 even though we had entered their private domain1 and1 ,i dare say1 gave them a feeling that good housekeeping would be expected throughout the year4 ,the janitor had now learned to know me fairly well4 ,he found that we could work together1 and by the time that school opened we were quite friendly4 ,i was amused some months later when a teacher told me of the account the janitor had given her and the other teachers at the opening of school1 of the new superintendent4 ,when ,i reported at the end of the year the splendid services the janitor had rendered1 the members of the board were so well pleased with the change in ,rosy that they raised his salary for the ensuing year4 ,i am not sure but that the raise in salary pleased me more than it did him4 ,the help that ,i received from this janitor throughout the year is no exception to the general rule4 ,i do not wish to give the impression1 however1 that all the janitors with whom ,i have worked have been efficient1 but ,i do wish to say that ,i have received from each of them a much greater degree of coperation when ,i caused him to feel that ,i was his co-worker and not his boss4 ,,how ,,the ,,principal ,,can ,,help ,,the ,,teacher ,the principals of our city schools have for two years been carrying on a series of monthly evening meetings which have proved to be highly interesting and instructive4 ,the topics chosen have been along lines that directly affected the work they are doing4 ,one of the meetings was devoted to the subject ,how the ,principal ,can ,help the ,teacher4 ,the topic was assigned to two principals1 who prepared questionnaires which were sent to all the teachers in the city4 ,the questions asked were along three lines3 7#a7 ,what can the principal do to help the teacher in a professional way8 7#b7 ,what can the principal do to help the teacher in an administrative way8 7#c7 ,what can the principal do in making his personal relationship to the teacher more effective8 ,replies were received from about fifty per cent of the teachers and were classified as follows4 ,percentages indicate the number of teachers giving the replies which they follow3 ,i4 ,in a professional way4 #a4 ,assistance with the exceptional child1 #cg4 #b4 ,interpretation of the course of study1 #bi4 #c4 ,as a professional leader1 #bj4 a4 ,the recommendation of good professional literature1 #ah4 b4 ,sound advice1 #aa4 c4 ,assistance by teaching1 #f4 ,,ii4 ,in an administrative way4 #a4 ,furnishing supplies and equipment1 #ej4 #b4 ,definite directions1 #bh4 #c4 ,distribution of building load1 #ac4 #d4 ,regime so planned that interruption of classroom instruction is minimized1 #i4 #e4 ,management of halls1 basements1 and playgrounds1 and of difficult disciplinary cases1 #ab4 #f4 ,teachers' meetings1 #e4 ,,iii4 ,in personal relationships4 #a4 ,the higher human qualities1 #fj4 #b4 ,constructive criticism1 #af4 #c4 ,poise1 #g4 #d4 ,helping teachers in self-analysis and mannerisms1 #a4 ,i shall discuss briefly some of the main suggestions made by the teachers4 ,i4 ,how the principal can help the teacher in a professional way4 a4 ,assistance with the exceptional child4 ,in these replies it will be noted that thirty-seven per cent of the teachers advocated assistance with the exceptional child4 ,this gives further emphasis to the need of greater attention being given to the classification of pupils in the public schools4 ,the use of tests and measurements has demonstrated the wide range of abilities that can usually be found in different pupils of the same grade4 ,the teacher with from thirty-five to forty-five pupils must handle the work of her room more or less in groups1 which often fails to reach the retarded or the accelerated pupil4 ,too often the teacher through her efforts to give extra assistance needed by the backward pupils gives them a disproportionate amount of time4 ,the entire class suffers from such a procedure4 ,it is unfair to the ninety per cent of pupils of average ability to have one fourth of the teacher's time given to the other ten per cent of the pupils in the room4 ,how to care for the special pupil is a difficult problem4 ,no plan thus far advanced seems to meet it entirely4 ,the ungraded room with an auxiliary teacher has proved to be fairly satisfactory in schools sufficiently large to justify such an arrangement4 ,the principal in the smaller school as well as in the larger must give greater attention to the use of intelligence tests as an aid in classifying the pupils so that they can be better graded according to their ability4 ,no teacher should be required to keep a pupil in her room indefinitely who is not mentally able to do the work or who is a constant disturber4 ,the ninety and nine who can do are more important to save than the one lost sheep who may never be able to do if saved4 b4 ,interpretation of the course of study4 ,twenty-nine per cent of the teachers called attention to the need of greater assistance in interpreting the course of study4 ,i am not surprised to get this expression from the teachers1 as they are sometimes given at the opening of the term a new course of study with little or no explanation of the plan back of it or how it is to be administered4 ,i question if any course of study entirely new in content should be put into operation until the teachers have had at least a semester's time to study it thoroughly and get explanations from those who have been instrumental in working it out4 ,a good illustration of the difficulty in getting satisfactory results from plans new to the teachers has been demonstrated by some of the results obtained with the problem and project methods4 ,it is very easy for a supervisor to pick out some good problems and illustrate them before the teachers and thus leave the impression that all topics can be handled in a similar manner4 ,the teacher goes back to her classroom and attempts to follow the directions given4 ,some of the teachers have gone so far as to attempt to make every lesson in geography or history a problem lesson regardless of the nature of the topics to be covered or the reference material or textbook assistance that is available4 ,the results from such a procedure are certain to lead to a poorly connected1 piecemeal knowledge by the pupil of the subject as a whole4 ,a semester of practical study of the problem method for any given subject before introducing it would give the teachers1 and ,i dare say the supervisors1 a better knowledge of what can reasonably be expected to be accomplished4 ,it is this failure to be able to reach that visionary goal that discourages teachers and causes them to lose confidence in many methods that are excellent in themselves if they are used with moderation and sense4 ,after a course of study has been in operation for a few months it is well to ask some of the teachers who have been the most successful in getting satisfactory results to explain what they have done and how they have done it4 ,small groups can then discuss such a report with much profit to all4 ,i have never experienced any difficulty in getting large attendance at a teachers' meeting if the program provided concrete help for the group in the work they were doing4 ,this is indeed a rich field for the principal to cultivate4 ,supplementary books are often purchased and sent to the teachers as a means of interpretation of a subject4 ,they1 too1 need explanation and discussion4 c4 ,as a professional leader4 ,the desire for professional leadership is coupled with the need of interpretation of the course of study4 ,there is probably no more damaging contribution to the teaching profession than the presence now and then of school executives who give but little1 if any1 of their time to the professional inspiration of the teacher4 ,the teachers in a building with such a principal in charge soon lose their spirit of wanting to serve and become a part of a routine business organization4 ,the lack of holding power of such a school is soon apparent4 ,some principals and department heads feel that they make a sufficient contribution professionally when they say to a new teacher1 ,i am glad you are to be with us4 ,if you have any trouble1 come and see me4 ,this is one of the best invitations one could possibly give to get a teacher to remain away4 ,the best evidence that a principal can show that he wishes to help the teacher is really to help her1 and1 best of all1 to find means to help her without being asked4 ,not long ago a teacher who wished a transfer came to see me4 ,he said1 ,i have been in ---- building for five years1 during which time ,i cannot recall having received any professional suggestion from the head of the department4 ,he sees that ,i have ample supplies and textbooks1 but that is merely routine work4 ,what ,i need is to be encouraged and shown how ,i can grow4 ,i wonder how many teachers have had a similar experience4 ,two years ago ,i visited an algebra teacher who happened to be assigned to a portable building4 ,he had five classes daily in the same subject4 ,i had known this teacher for a number of years and had regarded him as an average instructor4 ,on this visit ,i said1 ,you are out here by yourself and ,i would like to see what kind of record your pupils can make at the end of the year in the competitive tests which will be given to the algebra pupils in all the city high schools4 ,his face brightened and he said1 ,all right1 ,i welcome the invitation4 ,six months later the test was given and his five classes of pupils made more ,a and ,b grades than all the algebra pupils combined in any other one building of the city4 ,to-day1 this teacher is easily one of our best instructors in mathematics1 and he has recently prepared suggestions as to the teaching of mathematics by the supervised study method which have proved to be of great assistance to the other teachers4 ,he simply caught the spirit2 his pupils also caught it1 and the results were assured4 ,it did not require professional suggestion to arouse this teacher1 but rather a real chance of recognition to show what he could do4 ,,ii4 ,in an administrative way4 a4 ,furnishing supplies and equipment4 ,one half of the teachers have apparently suffered from the delay that so often occurs when school material is not ready when it is needed4 ,sometimes conditions arise due to the shifting of pupils or other unforeseen difficulties which make a delay in the furnishing of supplies and equipment unavoidable4 ,in the large majority of cases1 however1 there is no excuse for the delay other than ,order too late1 ,board held up requisitions for investigation1 ,copy of outlines not ready to be printed1 etc4 ,no efficient business establishment would make a practice of permitting highly paid help to remain idle a part of the time waiting for necessary material4 ,in the schools the loss is much greater than in business because it affects the work of the pupils1 who form bad habits early in the semester which are hard to correct later on4 ,some principals make a practice of keeping their stock rooms in perfect order4 ,pupils often assist in this work4 ,this makes it possible to keep a close check on where material can be found and how soon the supply will be exhausted4 ,such a spirit of order is contagious and teachers and pupils are unconsciously encouraged to give greater attention to the proper use of school material4 ,thousands of dollars are saved annually in some school systems having free textbooks and supplies by the careful checking and transferring of the supplies4 ,we must not forget that some of the most valuable lessons for the girls and boys come from experiences gained in other avenues than those learned from textbooks4 b4 ,definite directions4 ,the lack of a well-defined plan of administration is called to the attention of the principal by one third of the teaching force4 ,it is sometimes astonishing to note how little some of us practice what we preach to the pupils and the teachers about the need of being punctual and definite in the work to be done4 ,not long ago1 a questionnaire was sent to the teachers of the high schools asking for suggestions for the handling of school activities4 ,one of the outstanding replies was--make a definite schedule for activity needs and assemblies4 ,one teacher stated it as follows3 ,i will plan my work with the classes for tomorrow with the expectation of having a full period for its recitation and development4 ,on the following day1 without a moment's notice1 the bell is likely to ring for an assembly which will mean a shortening of all the forenoon periods about one half4 ,my plan of work for the day is practically ruined and the worth of the period to the class is lost4 ,while it is not always possible to foretell the time of an assembly or school meeting1 it is generally known by the principal a day or more in advance4 ,a knowledge of the schedule of such meetings on the part of all the teachers a month in advance would often save much confusion and embarrassment4 ,rules covering tardiness1 the issuance of report cards1 school discipline1 and general building routine should be definitely understood by all4 ,much of the friction between teachers often arises from lack of well-understood building rules or of enforcement of rules that have been made4 ,,iii4 ,in personal relationships4 a4 ,the higher human qualities4 ,the last item of the three main suggestions by the teachers was the subject of the greatest unanimity of opinion4 ,the human element is one of the greatest prerequisites to successful leadership4 ,time and again ,i have heard teachers say1 ,i do not want to ask ,mr4 ----4 ,may ,i take the matter up with ,mr4 ----1 for he is much more approachable8 ,the irate parent is usually quickly calmed when he is met with a feeling of friendly welcome that puts him at ease4 ,it is hard for the majority of people to tell their troubles to anyone1 much more so to tell them to a superior in authority who has an outward coat of formality that is difficult to penetrate4 ,too much of the principal's time is often given to looking for the difficulties that arise in the administration of a school with a view to checking them4 ,this naturally gives the teacher the impression that such a principal is always looking for trouble1 and he is not1 as a rule1 a welcome visitor4 ,the principal should endeavor to find something the teacher is doing that is worth while and to give it the proper recognition4 ,no principal1 however1 can see what to commend unless he keeps closely in touch at all times with the work the teachers are doing4 ,idle flattery is far worse than no praise at all4 ,the kind word or a pleasant good morning sincerely spoken by the teacher has always meant much to me4 ,why should not a similar expression on the part of the principal be equally refreshing to her8 ,it is one of the biggest dividend-paying investments a principal can make4 ,try it6 ,,the ,,school ,,and ,,the ,,community ,never before in the history of ,america has the public school been such an important factor in the life of the child4 ,in fact1 to some extent it has become too great a factor and the home has permitted or even forced the school to take over certain responsibilities that cannot well be delegated4 ,the high school enrollment is gaining at a tremendous pace and with the rapid growth comes the problem of greater diversity of student ability to serve4 ,twenty years ago the best of the students in the elementary schools continued their education in the high school4 ,this made a much simpler problem in the providing of courses of study and equipment4 ,to-day1 however1 many of the children who enter the high schools are able to pursue only such subjects as will fit them for industrial or commercial occupations4 ,unless a reasonable amount of such work is provided1 these pupils soon drop out of school and add to the large army of untrained workers4 ,the adjusting of boys and girls to proper vocations is one of the big problems confronting the home and the school4 ,the patron often fails to understand what the school has to offer and the pupil1 with little or no definite knowledge as to what he is best fitted to do1 struggles along hoping that through the aid of the school he may find himself4 ,in fact1 this country's future depends to a considerable degree upon the educational adjustment that can be made for its boys and girls during the upper grade and high school period of their lives4 ,it is no wonder1 then1 that vocational guidance departments1 trade schools1 part-time schools1 and continuation schools have come into prominence during the last decade4 ,one of the first things to be done in any community is to study the industrial and commercial conditions in that locality and then attempt to offer such special subjects as the district can afford4 ,the students must be encouraged to learn what the requirements are for certain vocations4 ,some schools have provided special courses of study along vocational lines1 while others use student club organizations as a means of giving information to the pupils4 ,a good example of the club organization was worked out recently in one of our high schools4 ,the eight hundred high school boys in attendance were divided into three groups4 ,one group consisted of those interested in the study of opportunities offered by the different professions2 the second group1 those interested in commercial work2 and the third group1 those who wished to enter the industrial and engineering field4 ,one of these groups met each week on ,tuesday morning1 forty-five minutes before the opening of school4 ,an outside speaker1 actually engaged in one of the vocations1 would address the meeting and answer questions4 ,special provision was made to see that the speaker gave the information needed1 and he was asked to answer the following questions3 #a4 ,how did you happen to enter the profession8 #b4 ,what are the advantages that you have experienced in your profession8 #c4 ,what are the disadvantages that you have experienced in your profession8 #d4 ,what is the remuneration in your profession8 #e4 ,if you were to attend high school again1 to what subjects would you give special attention in order to make yourself better fitted for your profession8 ,the interest that was created by these meetings and the value of the work accomplished went beyond the expectations of the principal4 ,many of the pupils changed their programs for the succeeding term so that they might select subjects that would fit them better for the vocations they expected to follow4 ,other pupils stated that it was through what they had learned at the meetings they had decided to change the vocation they had previously had in mind4 ,many of the student difficulties are due to the unfamiliarity of the parent with what the school has to offer4 ,i recall one instance in which a gentleman called at the office and openly criticized the high school for not offering work whereby his daughter could learn something that would be useful to her in earning a living4 ,i listened to his complaint1 and then asked him if he would spend five minutes in going about the building with me4 ,he refused at first to do so but finally consented to my request4 ,i took him to the sewing rooms1 the cooking rooms1 the art rooms1 and finally to the typewriting and office-practice rooms4 ,he was astonished to see that the very subjects he was criticizing the schools for not offering were available at any time for his daughter if she wished to take them4 ,he apologized for his attack on the school and assured me that henceforth he would give attention to the work his daughter pursued in school4 ,a few years ago the mayor of the city was invited to address the pupils at an assembly4 ,at the conclusion of the program ,i asked him to spend a few minutes viewing the work offered in the school4 ,after some hesitation he accepted the invitation1 and before he left the building he said1 ,i am ashamed to say it1 but ,i have lived in this city for twenty years and this is the first time that ,i have had any idea of the work that our high schools are offering4 ,i feel very much better prepared now to champion the cause of education4 ,it is easy for some patrons to feel that a high school education is useless because now and then they see a boy or girl fail in a position who had previously had some high school training4 ,they forget that the high school of to-day is called upon to serve a much more diversified group of pupils than ever before1 and it is not always able to determine in every case just the type of work that the boy or girl needs in order to make a success in life4 ,the schools are making strenuous efforts to give each individual pupil a chance to adjust himself to a vocation4 ,the junior high school organization1 classification of pupils according to ability1 tests and measurements1 and vocational guidance are all means to this end4 ,the schoolmaster of tomorrow must realize that there is much good in the education of the past1 but that the changing conditions in our social and industrial life must be met with similar readjustments in the program of education4