two-fold effect of rendering the discipline in the schoolroom mild and free from petulance, while at the same time correcting the pupil's waywardness or negligence, and, besides these good effects, superadding a wholesome influence on the parent. This device is the suspension of the pupil for repeated and inexcusable absence or tardiness, or for persistent and willful violation of the rules of the school. The suspended pupil cannot return without a permit from the superintendent, and to obtain this the parent must visit him at his office during his office hour. This affords occasion for a friendly comparison of views between the superintendent and the parent regarding the whole case. If the parent cherishes ill-feeling toward the teacher, the superintendent may suggest a transfer of the pupil to another teacher. A transfer usually works a complete cure of these cases of brittle temper or blameworthy negligence. About five in a hundred of such cases, however, will need another transfer during the year to complete the cure. To the teacher who did not show sufficient patience, and thus caused the parent's ill-will, such transfers contain a gentle suggestion to correct his or her own petulance.

Relation to Pupils.

The moral, intellectual and physical wellbeing of the children should be considered as of more consequence than all else besides. If teachers use improper methods of instruction or discipline, it is the duty of the superintendent to bring about a change for the better. The superintendent's relation to the pupil is largely indirect. He works upon the school

through the teachers. But, in his visits from school to school, he may do much to inspire pupils to do their best, and he will always endeavor to impress upon all with whom he comes in contact, the importance of good schools and the advantages of a thorough education.

Relation to the Teachers.

The

The superintendent should be a friend and helper to his teachers. New teachers and timid teachers need his attention no more than do the self-contented ones. The relation of a superintendent to his teachers should be one of mutual confidence and helpfulness. superintendent's trust in his subordinates gives them confidence in themselves, and brings out the best that is in them. His patience with their inexperience or shortcomings awakens in them a desire for improvement. His justice in awarding praise or in condemning inefficiency, carelessness or conceit, will surely win. loyal support. The highest service he can render his teachers is to arouse their thinking,

to direct it, and to stimulate them to keep up to the times and to do their work with enthusiasm. But, unless he has scholarly habits himself, thinks clearly, and works with enthusiasm, he cannot accomplish this.

If the efforts of many persons are to be successfully directed to the accomplishment of a common purpose, they must be guided by one controlling mind. To a large extent it is the superintendent's duty to devise plans, the teachers' duty to execute them. But no perfunctory performance of allotted tasks will characterize a good teacher. The superintendent must hold teachers responsible for results, but he should allow them all possible freedom in developing their own methods. Any condition of work which relieves teachers of the necessity of devising their own methods, will inevitably make them parrots and machines. The superintendent should encourage whatever will increase the teachers' influence with pupils and parents; protect them from pressure and unreasonable criticism; and endeavor to re-enforce the power of the school by the influence of the home.

It is a part of the superintendent's official duty to become familiar with the faults and the merits of each teacher. He should not visit schools for the sole purpose of finding fault and of securing evidences of the inefficiency or indifference of teachers. Defects should be noted in order that what is lacking may be supplied if possible. But no false delicacy should tempt the superintendent to withhold a candid opinion as to the nature and By advice, consequence of glaring faults. suggestions and bold but tender criticisms, he should secure to every teacher the greatest success possible under the circumstances. He should plan his supervision so as to afford several tests of a teacher's work. and when he cannot bring a teacher to the requisite degree of excellence, or when he detects an unworthy or rebellious teacher, he should secure his removal quietly and without injury to the schools.

It is unwise to judge all schools and all teachers by a single standard. Methods and devices which are unsuitable for the conditions

existing in one school, may be entirely proper elsewhere. In many cases one way is no more right than another, and means and methods should be judged by results. As the execu

tive officer of the board, the superintendent must enforce obedience to the orders and stand

ing rules of that body, to require a proper use of the adopted text-books and conformity to the prescribed course of study, and to see that teachers perform all of their duties faithfully

and with a spirit of loyalty, earnestness and enthusiam. At times it is no easy task to determine to what extent a teacher's acts should be sanctioned by the superintendent. Teachers cannot long maintain efficient discipline without the moral and sometimes the physical support of the superintendent, but no sane man is willing to pledge himself in advance to sanction all that teachers may do. When teachers have followed the plain line of duty and have carried out instructions both in letter and in spirit, and have fallen into trouble in consequence, it would be cowardly to desert them in their extremity. Even when teachers have been somewhat injudicious under trying circumstances, when there was no opportunity for deliberation, they should be supported as far as is consistent with truthfulness and honor. On the other hand, when teachers go contrary to instructions or adopt methods of discipline that are open to grave objections, or assume powers that do not belong to their positions, they should be allowed to suffer the natural consequences of their folly.

The justice of the superintendent must appear in dealing with the faults of his teachers as well as in his estimate of their merits. Overpraise and misapplied praise are as unjust as is unmerited censure. To withhold friendly criticism at proper times, and then to visit judgment for faults which might have been corrected, is the rankest injustice. Such a course assumes that the teacher is conscious of her fault and willfully continues its practice. The proper time for the correction of a teacher's fault is when it can least weaken her influence over the school. As faults may appear more frequently in matters of discipline than of instruction, the superintendent who is discreet will not reprove in the presence of pupils.

Relation to the Board.

The superintendent is employed by the board of education for the purpose of executing their orders, and of exercising such powers and performing such duties as they may delegate or assign to him. When the superintendent's time is largely employed in the general oversight of teachers and schools, he is an officer of the board and not a member of the corps of teachers. As an educational expert, he should be a counselor of the board, as far as it is necessary or expedient, on all matters relating to the engagement, promotion, transfer or discharge of teachers, to the construction of courses of study, the selection of textbooks, the purchase of apparatus, and everything relating to the welfare of the schools. It is clearly under the authority of the board

to select teachers and text-books, but such selections are now rarely made without consultation with or the recommendation of the superintendent. The superintendent sometimes needs a great deal of tact to carry out the work satisfactorily and restrain the too progressive members of the board, and help on the too conservative members, and keep harmony between the two. In all his dealings the superintendent should be loyal to the board that employs him; he should labor faithfully, earnestly and enthusiastically to promote the educational interests of the community, and to secure such harmony and co-operation of the board, the teachers, the parents and the pupils, as will insure a successful and progressive administration. F. G. KRAEGE. Green Bay, Wis.

OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT.

REPORT OF FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL SESSION, WISCONSIN TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

Tuesday afternoon, December 28th, at the Grand Avenue M. E. church, Milwaukee, the first session of the fortyfifth annual meeting of the Wisconsin Teachers' Association was formally opened.

The first paper on the afternoon's program was that by Prof. W. L. Tomlins of Chicago, on "Music, Its Nature and Influence."'

The Rural School Problem.

Prof. Albert Salisbury of Whitewater, led the first discussion, which was on "The Rural School Problem." He agrees in nearly all particulars with Chairman Sabin of the N. E. A. committee, and his paper, illustrated by a number of well executed charts, was one of the most interesting of the session. The latter indicated a number of counties in the state where the location of the schoolhouses is in districts most thinly populated, and where the buildings are not more than a mile apart, with only six or seven pupils registered in the school. The charts showed conditions in Walworth, Rock, Sheboygan, Portage, Green, Wood, Sauk and Clark counties. The instance in the latter being a cross road whose four terminals have schoolhouses, with only ninety pupils registered in the four, when one schoolhouse at the crossing of the roads could easily accommodate all, saving in salaries and expenses enough to maintain the one royally, not to speak of the economy of time to the pupils in reaching the school.

Prof. Salisbury said in substance:

At least one-half the public school children of Wisconsin are in the country district schools. The majority of these 150,000 children will receive no higher training. They ask for bread; are we giving them a stone? It is often alleged that the country schools are retrograding. It is doubtless true that they are relatively, though not absolutely, poorer than thirty years ago. Nobody bears any ill-will to the country schools. Everybody wishes to do for them everything that can be done. The first question, then, is what ails the country schools?

One thing that ails them is that they are no longer taught by persons of maturity. The day of the young teacher is upon us. So the first problem seems to be that of teacher supply. But the really vital problem is that of demand. Whenever good teachers are really in demand the supply will be forthcoming. The superiority of city schools is due to the fact that they call harder for good teachers than the country schools do, and consequently they "get the best." This is chiefly because school administration in cities is

more intelligent and efficient. The 6,400 country schools of Wisconsin are administered by 19,000 petty local officials, most of whom have only a minimum of capacity or fitness. The ordinary country district affords little suitable material from which to select school officers, and exhibits little wisdom in the effort at selection. This difficulty is inherent in our minute territorial unit of school administration. Just so long as this unit is limited by the length of a child's legs, so long there can be no great improvement in our rural schools. It is, in

most cases, impossible to make school boards feel that a few children are worth caring for. Because the schools are small, the wages must be small. The great handicap of the rural schools, therefore, is found in the sparseness of population and the dearth of suitable persons to act as school officers.

The practical problem of all schools is how to get good teachers into the schools and keep them there.

The forefathers of Plymouth Rock and thereabouts taught some things too well in the way of local self-government. The small district system in school administration is democracy gone to seed. The small district once formed will never give up its autonomy no matter how few its children become. It will tenaciously survive if only as an aborted and obsolete organ, like the vermiform appendix.

This condition of things is not the result of neglect on the part of the state as a body politic. The state has done much for the country schools. The establishment of the county superintendency, the mill tax, and the development of the normal school system have all been in the interest of the rural schools. The city schools get the normal graduates; but the country schools get the undergraduates. But the next step to be taken is that for the rectification of our mistake in splitting up our territory into minute fragments by the small district system. The prime essential is to get schools large enough to warrant fair pay, insure greater permanency in the teaching force, and furnish a field in which good work will be possible.

Statistics recently gathered from the county superintendents show that there were, last year, 1,650 schools in Wisconsin, 26 per cent. of the whole, which had an enrolment of less than 20 pupils. Nearly 400 had less than 10 pupils. The actual attendance was still less, of course. Probably less than one-half of the country schools have an average attendance of 25 pupils, which I conceive to be the minimum number for effective results. To show to what extent the disintegrating tendency is indulged in the present system, I have prepared a number of maps to illustrate actual conditions in different counties of the state.

Maps on sheets six feet square were here exhibited to the audience and explained.

Too Many Driblets.

More than one school has been found enroling but one pupil each. In the wealthy county of Fond du Lac are 67 schools which pay only from $17 to $20 per month. The state is employing too many teachers, such as they are, and warming too many schoolhouses, such as they are. It is pouring out money in too many scanty streams, which soak into the ground and turn no wheels.

What now is the available remedy for this condition of things? We cannot condense the population and so approximate city conditions. Our only recourse is to increase the territory tributary to each feeble school, thus bringing in more resources and more children. In short, the only hopeful resort is consolidation. But we cannot annihilate distance. We cannot put seven-league boots on the children, so we must put wheels under them. The old Bay State has been first to see that free transportation of country children to school is true economy.

I see no possible solution of this prolem but the adoption of a larger unit of local school administration. The township system would reduce our army of local school officials from 19,000 to one-third that number, at most, and multiply by three, at least, the possibilities of intelligence and efficiency in the officials themselves.

It will be urged that all needful consolidation may be reached under existing laws, but such a belief is possible only to a very sanguine nature. Present laws touch the matter so feebly that to trust to their operation would be like sniffing smelling salts to cure lockjaw. To say that

"'what we need is evolution and not revolution" is to state a plausible half-truth. Social evolution is, more often than otherwise, partial revolution. In such a matter we cannot wait with eternal patience for the slow processes of geologic time; and we do not need to. Some minds look forward and count the cost so painfully that they never do anything but count the cost. There is a lion in the way."

It ought to be instructive to such cautious souls to recall with what ease and rapidity the voting methods of this country, State after State, were revolutionized, and that elaborate innovation, the Australian ballot, introduced when once a few enlightened minds had got hold of the idea. "The way to resumption is to resume.

The needful reorganization of territory can never be safely left to the voluntary initiative of local authorities. Sporadic action, here and there, will never meet the case; there must be a general advance.

The paper then proceeded to discuss the experience already had in certain counties of the State, with the township system; and argued therefrom its flexibility and adaptation to varying conditions. Extracts from letters of superintendents in those counties were presented as practical testimony in favor of the township system. The speaker then cited the investigations made by the committee of twelve, an expert commission established by the National Educational Association. This committee, after two years of study, reported at the Milwaukee meeting last summer; and a summary of their verdict in favor of the township system was quoted.

The address concluded with an appeal for extensive agitation and discussion of this subject, and advised "the appointment of a committee of six, half of whom should be county superintendents, to study this subject in all its bearings, as related to existing conditions in our State, and to report at the next meeting of this association."

J. H. Nattrass, of Shullsburg, followed President Salisbury, agreeing with him, and giving further instances of the need of immediate remedy in the rural districts. He was followed by Edwin R. Smith, of Manitowoc, who opposed him in some points and put forward a further plea for a new arrangement and disposition of school buildings.

The Institute.

The discussion on "The Institute: Its Purpose, Organization and Method," was led by S. Y. Gillan, of Milwaukee. He sketched the history of the institute, telling of its rise and growth, and indicating the country from the Hudson river to the Black Hills as the Institute belt, with a considerable development in Texas and on the Pacific slope: He said: "The existence of the institute proclaims the fact that the teacher's occupation is not a profession; at least that the majority of teachers have not yet reached a plane where they may wisely proceed alone. The institute then is, and in some sense must always be, a school in which those who are relatively immature and inexperienced are to be taught.

In the matter of organization there are two types, well defined and differing. New York and Minnesota have an organization representing a type which may be called the centralized or State plan, while Ohio presents a strikingly interesting example of the opposite extreme-a type which may be called the democratic or local. Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Missouri have this same type of organization. Mr. Gillan outlined the manner of support of the institutes, New York supporting it from the State "And I have been told fund and compelling attendance. by a keen observer," he said, "that the average New York institute moves on the dead level of a painful uniformity comparable in its monotony only to the movement of a hand organ. In the organizations in the other states, Wisconsin is unique, having both the central and the local systems.'

Mr. Gillan was followed in the discussion by John S. Roeseler, of Prairie du Sac, and E. W. Walker, of West Superior.

The Audubon Society's Work.

Mrs. Henry F. Whitcomb, of Milwaukee, closed the afternoon session of the association with a presentation of the work of the Audubon society, outlining its organization, growth and future in Wisconsin, comparing it with the

work of the society in other states, and setting forth its purpose and the practical work which it is accomplishing.

These resolutions were adopted by the association: WHEREAS, The semi-centennial anniversary of the admission of Wisconsin into the Union will be appropriately celebrated at the state capital, June 7, 8 and 9, 1898, and

WHEREAS, It is specially desirable and fitting that the educational interests of the state shall be represented in the exercises held at that time, be it

Resolved, That a committee of five, with the Hon. J. Q. Emery as chairman, be appointed to formulate a program for a meeting of members of this association to be held at Madison on June 7, 1898, such meeting to be devoted to the history of the educational movements in Wisconsin, their beginning, growth and development; and be it further Resolved, That an advisory committee of twenty-five be appointed to promote the success of such meeting.

Tuesday Evening.

In the evening Prof. Nicholas Murray Butler, of New York, spoke upon "The Scientific Study of Education." He said in part:

There are three lines of approach to the scientific study of education. These are the physiological, psychological and sociological. We may approach the study of this problem from the standpoint of the physical nature of the human being, the standpoint of his mental nature and from the standpoint of his present and future position as a member of the body politic, as a citizen, living under the limitations of law, order and community life.

I speak of the physiological part of the scientific study of education with especial earnestness. In all this later modern magnificent development it is the side we have far too often overlooked. It is an old sentiment that there should be a sound mind in a sound body. The sentiment is Greek; the building of an education fundamentally upon the physical health. They understood, too, something that has been lost sight of the educational value of play-and made allowance for the fact that, free, undirected activity of the human by the pouring out of his vitality in a thousand and one ways was a part of his true education.

In the psychological, I think the approach has been curiously misinterpreted. We have supposed that if we could only master psychology, we would once for all understand the human mind, and would have something that could at once be applied. Neither of these conclusions is true. The object of this study should be to make the teacher a naturalist, to know what are the general conditions under which the human mind acts. The real pur

pose of this study should be to enable us to not only do things, but to find out things.

The sociological standpoint is perhaps, after all is said and done, the most important of all: The study of education as a function of the community: the place of the school in the life of the community and in the life of the child: the relations between the school and the home: the function of the school in developing community life.

Mr. Butler said it was not possible, and never would be, to replace the home by the school. There must be the sympathy of the community in the carrying on of the work of the school, and that the danger had been of isolating the schools, instead of bringing them and their work in connection with the influence of the home.

Wednesday Morning.

A short business meeting of the association was held early in the general session at the Bijou, at which the principal business was the apportionment of committees, five of which were named as follows:

Finance Prof. George G. Shutts, Whitewater; H. G. Kraege, Green Bay, and H. W. Rood, Waukesha.

Resolutions-T. B. Pray, Stevens Point; L. D. Roberts, Shawano; C. H. Slichter, Madison.

Honorary members--J. B. Bird, La Crosse; J. T. Hooper, Ashland; H. L. Terry, Waukesha.

Membership-F. C. Howard, Waupun; C. H. Nye, Lancaster; C. P. Cary, Milwaukee.

Committee of six to report next year on the rural school question-Albert Salisbury, Whitewater; J. W. Stearns, Madison; J. Q. Emery, Madison; Anna Schaffer, Chippewa Falls; Frank W. Bixby, Hammond; David Throne, Afton.

W. J. Brier, state representative at the National Educational association convention in Milwaukee last July, gave a report of his expenditures, which showed $154.87 in his hands to be refunded to the treasurer. He was voted $250 for that occasion, and his actual expenses were only $95.13. He was given a vote of thanks.

The President's Address.

The first number on the program this morning was the annual address by President G. G. Williams of West Superior, who considered some of the problems of the elementary schools, with practical suggestions for their solution. President Williams is an interesting speaker, and his address was one of the most thoughtful and practical of the general session. He said in part:

To the consideration of a few things pertaining to the elementary schools I invite the thought of the association in the hope that together we may find the correct solution of these problems.

First, concerning the enlargement of authority of county superintendents.

The law requiring practical knowledge of school work and an educational qualification for the office of county superintendent of schools is a wise one that insures efficiency in the person elected to this important office. Competent supervision is an essential factor in a good system of schools. The statutes having provided for this, it remains to make the labors of this official more effective by enlarging his authority, and removing from the statutes all laws that reflect upon his honesty, good judgment or common sense. large the discretionary authority of the county superintendent and make him directly responsible to the people for the wise administration of the affairs of his office.

En

Second, in regard to the examination and certification of teachers.

For many years the laws relating to the examination and certification of teachers have remained practically as they are. These statutes were mostly enacted years ago and were suited to the ideas and usages of those times. In professional, commercial and industrial life the tendency is toward a constantly increasing division of labor. The business of teaching tends the same way. Here, too, present conditions require specialists for particular work. Only the other day it was considered entirely unnecessary to give any direction to the child's mental development, prior to his entrance into the primary school. Now the kindergarten has established the necessity of its training to the perfect development of child life. This has given rise to an entirely new class of teachers, of whom special training is required. A few years ago the primary school was the place where the untrained, inexperienced teacher was put to learn on the laboratory plan, the art of teaching, on the theory that anyone could teach a primary school and at the same time show whether or not she had sufficient teaching ability to warrant her promotion to a more responsible position in a higher grade. Good teachers could be and were made in this way, but it was found to be too expensive owing to the waste and destruction of too much precious material. Now the demand for trained teachers for the primary is not less than that for the intermediate and grammar grades. In response to the demand a large body of teachers have prepared themselves for this specific work. Others have made their preparation particularly for higher grade work. The law knows no difference between the kindergarten and an eighth-grade school, and applies the same test for a license to teach either. Would it not be more in keeping with the spirit of the times, and better serve the interests of all concerned, if the school should provide for issuing a kindergarten certificate, a primary certificate and a grammar grade certificate?

Plans for Improvement.

These certificates would be of little, if any, value except to teachers in graded schools. In the rural school the conditions are different and require an examination suited to their needs. The following outline, which is in accord with the recommendations of the committee of twelve on rural schools, is submitted for your consideration:

First. Provide for a state board of education of which the state superintendent of public instruction shall be a

member ex-officio. Have this board prepare all examination questions, fix the standard of attainments for a certificate of each grade. Second. Have all examinations held on uniform dates under the immediate direction of the county superintendents. All papers to be sent at once to the state department for inspection, marking and filing. The results to be certified to the county superintendent, who will issue the certificates for his county in accordance with the recommendations of the board. Third. Issue the same certificates now provided for by law, and under the same limitations, together with the special kindergarten, primary and grammar grades certificates, before mentioned, and such others as may be deemed desirable by the board. Fourth. Upon expiration, all certificates held by successful teachers may be renewed by the county superintendent issuing the same for a period corresponding to that for which it was originally given; provided, that if after five years' successful experience any teacher had done satisfactorily all the work required by the State Teachers' Reading circle, then a certificate shall be granted of the grade then held which shall exempt from further examinations for a certifcate of that grade in such county; but if after such exemption accrues a period of one year passes without such per son teaching, five consecutive months, then the exemption shall cease at the option of the county superintendent. Fifth. Every county superintendent shall endorse for the full period for which they are valid, when presented to him, all except third-grade certificates, and these he may endorse at his option. Sixth. The board of examiners may in their discretion accept the certified final standing in a subject from any Wisconsin state normal school, the state university, or any accredited college in the state in lieu of examination in such subject.

A law of this kind would secure a uniform standard throughout the state.

Prof. Williams argued in favor of a strong reading circle in the association and discussed its possibilities in the state. He also discussed the question of continuous sessions of normal schools, and declared strongly for it, particularly for the sake of the teachers in the country schools. He also urged that instruction be then offered in the elementary course. His suggestions were all practical, and were those consideration of which has been growing in importance for some time President Williams closed by saying that they were offered in the shape that they will be investigated by the association and possibly that the influence of the association be directed in securing their embodiment in the law of the state.

Fundamental Requirements.

The principal discussion of the convention followed President Williams' address, and was led by President L. D. Harvey of the state normal school. The subject was, "What Are the Fundamental Requirements for the Attain. ment of Ideal Results in School Work?" and President Harvey's discussion was on "The Mental Ideal," in which he first defined mental ideal results in public school work, and then gave some practical suggestions for attaining these. President Harvey said in substance:

"For a proper consideration of what are the fundamental requirements for the attainment of ideal results in public school work, it is necessary first to formulate some statement as to what may be regarded as ideal mental results. It is doubtless true that each individual must form his own ideals as to what these results should be and that any statement of them will not only fail to meet the views of all, but that those who might accept the statement would find upon comparison that different ideas lay back of the statement in each case. For the purpose of this discussion I shall state what I conceive to be ideal mental results as follows: First, storing the mind with such general knowledge as will be of use in the common affairs of life; second, such training of the mental powers as will lead the individual to utilize readily and effectively this knowledge when such utilization is necessary; third, such training as would impel the individual to extend his knowledge to meet the opportunities and demands of environment and to do it readily.

"The Moral Ideal" was discussed by Rev. John Faville of Appleton.

The last phase of the subject, "The Physical Ideal," was considered by Caroline Crawford of Stevens Point. She

had a double row of charts and pictures arranged across the stage and by means of them showed the work that had been accomplished in building up the physical conditions of the pupils of the normal school at that place. She said they had no difficulty in dealing with the pupils of the normal department as they seconded the efforts to correct those habits that tended to injure their health. It was also true in the lower grades that the parents of the children came to their aid when their attention was called to the subject. Coffee and pan-cakes were set forth as the greatest enemies to the health of the pupil. The effects of an improper manner of sitting down at a table or a desk was shown by pictures taken of pupils of the school, and the results of the methods of correction in use were given in tabulated form. Miss Crawford made a strong plea for a more careful attention to the details of correct living in the home.

Mrs. Eva D. Kellogg, of Chicago, a woman well-known for her identity with work and reform in public schools, spoke next on "Nature Study." Her talk was given without notes, and she considered the subject so differently from the accepted use of the term in school curricula that her address called forth enthusiastic applause. She inveighed against the present methods of introducing and teaching nature studies in the schools as common-place, mechanical, unworthy the great importance which every student attaches to the real nature study. She said that flower analysis, the learning of the orders of zoological division by sheer force of memory, and the deliberate memorizing of geological ages-all these are to be classed together as worthy school methods of fifty years ago and in no sense nature study. She advocated new methods, methods which should bring to the work inspiration and personal interest and knowledge, which shall establish comparisons, place things in their relations, give to the study of nature in the truest sense the significance which shall make the work one to be approached with reverence, as forming the basis of philosophy and an integral part of religious understanding.

The last paper on the program was by Miss Rose C. Swart, of Oshkosh, one of the best-known teachers of literature in the state. She spoke on "Literature and Supplementary Reading." The paper was the report of the standing committee on literature and supplemental reading, and detailed the results of the efforts to obtain information from superintendents and principals regarding the work along those lines. Of seventy-two county superintendents, only nineteen made replies to the questions asked by the committee; of forty-eight city superintendents twenty-four responded, and of 148 high school principals, forty-eight answered. The deductions made by the committee are that not enough attention is paid to supplementary reading; in the counties superintendents have not been long enough in office to have an influence on the work; town clerks have not complied with the library law; there is in some cases a home opposition to going outside the range of school books, and in other cases there is a deficiency in the teacher. Better work has been apparently done in the cities than in the country districts in this line, but the committee finds room for improvement everywhere.

Evening Session.

As a prelude to the session a concert was given at the Grand Avenue M. E. church last evening, which included solos by Mrs. D. J. Churchill, of Platteville, Charles B. Bronson, of Milwaukee, and a piano solo by Miss E. M. Richards, of Platteville.

It was 8:30 when Dr. Krohn was introduced by President Williams, and his lecture awakened the deepest interest. He said:

Dr. Krohn's Address.

"The object and aim of the American school is to develop the highest type of citizenship possible. What is the raw material, the child which we are to mould into the goal of American citizenship? What is he at 6 years of age; at 7, at 8, at 12? Is he possessed of the same faculties as the adult? The manufacturer knows the material that enters into the manufactured article. Yet as teachers we have not cared to enter into the knowledge of the raw material, the child, with which we have to deal. Before we can obtain the best results we must know their capacities at the differ