Page images
PDF
EPUB

The subject is not as far advanced at Cambridge as at Oxford, but an Ethnological and Archæological Museum has been established there, and lectures on anatomical anthropology, on the natural history of the races of man, on the arts and implements of primitive man, etc., are maintained. The subject is also included in the scheme of examinations at Cambridge, candidates who take anatomy as their subject for the second part of the Natural Science Tripos having both paper work and practical examination in anthropology. London has magnificent collections of material for anthropological teaching, but so far they are not utilized for that purpose.

In Scotland, the Universities Commission recognized physical anthropology as a branch of human anatomy in their scheme for graduation in pure science. The examination on this subject embraces a knowledge of rare characteristics, as found in the skull and other parts of the skeleton, in the skin, eyes, hair, features and general configuration of the body; the methods of anthropometrical measurement, both of the living body and the skeleton; the possible influence of use and of external surroundings in producing modifications in the physical characters of man, and an acquaintance with the "types" of mankind and the structural relation of man to the higher mammals. "These regulations," says Mr. Flower, "came into operation in the University of Edinburgh in 1892." Prof. Sir William Turner of this university delivers a special course of twenty-five lectures on physical anthropology and ten practical demonstrations on osteometry. The Museum under his charge is rapidly increasing. As yet the number of students taking the subject is small. The other Scotch universities have not established specific courses on the subject. Trinity College is the only place in Ireland where anthropological work is done. The Museum has a particularly valuable collection of skulls.

A considerable part of the address from which the above facts have been gleaned was devoted to the subject of anthropometry and its applications, especially in the recognition of criminals. In 1892 the Association called the attention of the Government to the system of the measurement of criminals in successful operation in France, Austria and other continental countries, with the result that a committee was appointed to inquire into and report upon the method employed. The report was duly issued and in June last it was announced that the recommendations of the committee had been adopted by the House of Commons, and that "in order to facilitate research into the judicial antecedents of international criminals the registers of measurements would be kept on the same plan as that adopted with such success in France and also in other continental countries."

HERE AND THERE.-GERMANY.

Dr. Bosse, Minister of Public Instruction, Prussia, announced in May last that he would shortly present before the Chambers a bill regulating the salaries of teachers. An interesting feature of the measure is the means proposed for insuring a graduated increase in the minimum salary. The minimum is to be fixed by the law, and will be at the charge of the commune. This amount is to be increased periodically by a sum proportioned to the length of service.

For the payment of these supplementary sums all the communes of the same district (regierungsbezirk) contribute to a common fund from which the increase is derived. Communes too poor to raise the requisite contribution to this common fund will be assisted by the State.

The new regulations issued, May 31, by the minister, respecting the reorganization of girls' schools and the examination of women teachers show conclusively that the efforts of the "association for improving the education of women" have not been in vain. Heretofore women have only been admitted to the examinations for teachers of elementary schools and of the lower classes of secondary schools for girls. Thus it has come to pass that all the honorable and lucrative positions in the endowed public schools for girls are secured by men. By the new regulations every post in secondary schools for girls is thrown open to women. Candidates for the higher positions must pass the examination for elementary teachers or an examination in pedagogics (Vorste herinnen Prüfung ) and a second examination (Ober lehrerinnen Prüfung), which presupposes a training similar to that of the German Universities. Although the universities are not open to women, preparation for this examination may be obtained by private instruction or at the Victoria Lyceum, Berlin, and the courses of lectures arranged for women at the University of Göttingen. The regulations carry little promise of any farther concessions as to university privileges for women. The uniform curriculum prescribed for all the public high schools for girls omits Latin and Greek. Nine years are to be devoted to a course of general instruction in which the mother tongue, history and literature are prominent subjects, and which includes also English and French. Special studies, preferably the history of German poetry and of art, universal history, modern languages and natural science, may be taken the tenth year.

ITALY.

Signor Baccelli, who after an interval of a few years has been reappointed minister of public instruction, shows the same progressive spirit as characterized his former administration of the office. One of his most important measures has been the establishment of relations between the elementary and the secondary schools. During his former incumbency of the office he instituted an examination for the fourth class of the elementary schools. Candidates who passed this examination successfully secured a diploma (licenza elementare) which entitled them to be admitted into secondary schools without further examination. This measure was repealed under the ministry of Signor Villari, but has been restored by Signor Baccelli. The examination is now placed at the close of the fifth class of the elementary school. The minister is also interested in measures for increasing the pensions of teachers.

FRANCE.

The government appropriation for secondary instruction includes 30,000 francs ($6,000) to enable students (boys or girls) to reside at foreign schools for the mastery of the respective foreign languages. As the amount is small, competitive examinations have been instituted as a means of deciding upon the claims of candidates. Each academic

district is authorized to select two or three candidates for this examination. They must be chosen from students who have already secured State scholarships, and who have pursued successfully the course leading to the bachelor's degree. In the case of young women the final diploma of the lycées for girls is accepted as an equivalent for the degree.

ENGLAND.

From the latest report of the "National Association for the Promotion of Technical and Secondary Education," it appears that no less than 69 technical schools are in process of erection in different parts of England. The estimated expenditure for the building and equipment of 43 of these is £690,000 (about $3,400,000). Thirty-two technical schools hitherto managed as private ventures have recently been transferred to the local authorities.

The appointment of women as members of the Royal Commission on Secondary Schools has already been noted in these columns. Farther recognition has been given to the sex by the appointment of four women to serve as Honorary Assistant Commissioners in selected districts.

A. T. S.

AMONG THE BOOKS.

To accommodate readers who may wish it, the publishers of EDUCATION will send, post pai d on the receipt of price, any book reviewed in these columns.

A MEMORIAL OF ALBERT GALLATIN PALMER, D. D., prepared by Edward T. Hiscox, D. D., is the life of a well-known Baptist clergyman of Connecticut, who served his fellow men with distinction as preacher, pastor, poet and scholar, and who passed from earth June 30, 1891. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1894.

THE FIRST FIVE CHAPTERS OF A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, for the use of schools, constitutes Number 62 Extra, in the Riverside Literature Series, published by Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston.

Bulletin Number 9, Part Three, of MINNESOTA BOTANICAL STUDIES, contains chapters on the Mucoraceæ, the Minnesota grasses and the North American species of Astralgus. Minneapolis: Harrison & Smith, State Printers.

FIRST STEPS IN ARITHMETIC and GRAMMAR SCHOOL ARITHMETIC, by William M. Peck, are excellent text-books on the subject of which they treat, and will lead the student up by easy steps, making the study a pleasure instead of the drudgery that many have found it. New York: A. Lovell & Company.

The latest issue in the International Modern Language Series is BURG NEIDECK, a novel by W. H. Riehl, edited, with introduction and notes, by Charles B. Wilson. It is one of the best of Riehl's stories and will be capital reading for the classes in German. Boston: Ginn & Co.

Henry C. Johnson, President of the Central High School, Philadelphia, has revised and enlarged, for use in American Colleges, Schuckburgh's edition of Cicero's LAELIUS. This edition contains an introduction in which are given the facts relating to Cicero and a brief discussion of the essay, copious notes, an especially prepared vocabulary and a biographical index. Every help that a student could expect is given, and the edition is a model of its kind. New York: Macmillan & Co.

Prof. Allen C. Thomas of Haverford college, Penn., has prepared A His TORY OF THE UNITED STATES, which bears the imprint of the well-known Boston firm, D. C. Heath & Co. The author aims "to give the main facts of the history of the United States clearly, accurately and impartially." And this we think he has done reasonably well. It is no slight task to cover the history of such a country as ours, from the times of Columbus clear down to the close of the Exposition last year, in a single volume of somewhat over four hundred pages. This book is well paragraphed and indexed, and is very fully illustrated.

To Heath's Modern Language Series have recently been added Joseph Victor Von Schessel's EKKEHARD, long recognized as one of the masterpieces of German prose. It is somewhat abbreviated for school use, but the value of the work is thereby in no way lessened. Carla Wenckebach, Professor of German in Wellesley College, has given painstaking care to this edition and the notes and introduction are scholarly and helpful. To the same series is added, also, Wilhelm Heinrich Riehl's DAS SPIELMANNSKIND and DER STUMME RATSHERR, in one volume, edited, with introduction and notes, by Abbie Fiske Eaton. Boston: D. C. Heath & Co.

It is a hopeful sign of the times that there should be a demand for THE LIFE OF ROBERT Ross; the brave young patriot whose blood was shed in the interests of a municipal reform at Troy, N.Y., on March 6th, 1894. Young Ross was in his twenty-sixth year, of Scotch descent, a splendid specimen of physical manhood, a mechanic and a fireman. He belonged to the church and to various religious organizations including the Society of Christian Endeavor. He was shot and basely murdered by Bat Shea, now in jail, a condemned murderer- a tool of the saloon and of the corrupt element in Troy politics which has long held control of that city. Ross's martyrdom has mightily aroused the Christian and moral sentiment of Troy, and is likely to accomplish great good, not alone in municipal reform. The story of his brave, honorable young life is well presented by Rev. James H. Ross, author of this book. The introduction is by Dr. Josiah Strong. This book will do good by arousing the earnest young manhood and womanhood of the land to fight corruption in every form. Boston; James H. Earle, Publisher.

[ocr errors]

The thought-awakening Arena presents an article in the September number which is of interest to educators. It is ou "Public Schools for the Privileged Few," by Charles S. Smart The author ably argues that the public money should be spent chiefly on the primary rather than on the secondary schools, since only about 3 per cent of the youth enrolled in the public' schools ever reach the higher grades.- Harper's Magazine for October is a strong number. Special features are: "Dahore and the Punjaub", a journey in British India by Edwin Lord Weeks, with fifteen illustrations; and "The Streets of Paris", by Richard Harding Davis, with -eight pictures by C. D. Gibson.- Scribner's Magazine has a notable article by H. G. Prout on "Railroad Travel in England and America," to be followed in November by the same author with an article on "English Railroad Methods"; Mr. George A. Hibbard pleasantly concludes the series on American Summer Resorts with an interesting sketch of the charms of Lenox Mass. An Intra-Mural View is an artistic little book sent out by the Curtis Publishing Company of Philadelphia, giving glimpses of the interior of the offices of the Ladies' Home Journal. The Household for October commends itself to the ladies as one of the very best home journals. This number incloses some beautiful water-color supplements.- We acknowledge the receipt of Notes on the Development of a Child in the University of California series; and a Catalogue of Books in the Pedagogical Section of the University Library, from the same source.The Watchman has followed the example of most of the other leading religious weeklies in adopting the magazine form, which, with new and large type, makes it very attractive. From the Puritan Publishing Company, Boston, Mass., we have received copies of The Presidents of the United States and the Ladies of the White House, each being a collection of photographs arranged on a single large sheet of heavy paper suitable for hanging on the wall of school room or office. The likenesses are said to be excellent and the publication will be useful to young students of United States history. 50 cents each.

EDUCATION,

DEVOTED TO THE SCIENCE, ART, PHILOSOPHY AND

VOL. XV.

LITERATURE OF EDUCATION.

NOVEMBER, 1894.

INSPIRATION IN EDUCATION.

No. 3.

PRES. JOHN E. BRADLEY, ILLINOIS COLLEGE, JACKSONVILLE, ILL.

The constant temptation of the teacher is to substitute the means for the end. The arithmetic, the science or the language is taught for its own sake, and the success or failure of both teacher and pupil is measured by the actual knowledge of the subject which the pupil has acquired. Even if the purpose of education is correctly apprehended, it is often ignored. The teacher forgets that the branches taught are but instrumental and subsidiary. The real question is not how much history or German does the pupil know, but what influence has the acquisition had upon his habits of thought, his tastes, his ruling purposes.

The English psychologist, Dr. F. W. H. Myers, has told us many wonderful things about the "sub-linnial consciousness," the inner self,-which is so important a factor in our daily life. It is in this deeper self that our habits and preferences and settled opinions lie embedded. It is these which constitute our individuality, our identity, and which like underlying strata cause the elevations and depressions of an outward life. All true education affects this sub-conscious self. That which can be measured by pages in a text-book, or tested by examination papers, is but a very superficial thing. At the best, it stands related to real education as the blossom is related to the fruit. It is prized for its potency or promise, but it is by no means sure to yield strong, well-ripened character. Its value depends upon the influence its acquisition and assimilation have upon the underlying self. The wise teacher seeks constantly to measure his work by this higher test.

« PreviousContinue »