This movement marks the beginning of a new form of educational gathering. It contemplates the consideration of education as a social and ethical force, and in its relations to other such forces. Inasmuch as the other departments of the school will be in parallel operation, the student will find ample opportunity for the study of the social problem of the day along converging lines of ethics, economics, politics, religion and education. This unity of the various elements of the school's work has proved exceedingly attractive to many persons of culture. The companionships there are peculiarly inspiring. Mingling with men and women eminent in their several callings, the student becomes conscious of the unity that characterizes all true effort for the social and ethical betterment of mankind. Education takes its place in his thought, therefore, as one of the sciences of conduct, and becomes correspondingly ennobled. The committee in charge of the department consists of Samuel T. Dutton, Ray Greene Huling, and Paul H. Hanus.

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IEUT. JOHN K. CREE, of the United States Army, begins in this number of EDUCATION a consideration of the important subject of military training in our colleges. When this discussion shall have been completed in the April number of this magazine, we believe that our readers will agree that a very strong plea has been made for such military drill, while incidentally Mr. Cree furnishes much valuable information in regard to our national military needs and resources. The enlargement of these resources and the extension of the opportunity for the study of military tactics to the majority of the young men in our higher institutions of learning, by no means implies a return to a general use of war as a means of maintaining our national prestige. The reverse is true; these things will rather make for peace and shorten the term of war, should one occur. Meanwhile the physical and moral effects of such training we believe will be most excellent. We bespeak a wide reading for these able articles.

HE city of Boston, so justly proud of her splendid educational facilities, public and private, is now reminded of the most imminent peril that threatens the common school in our great metropolitan centres; the danger of failing to furnish suitable school accommodations for the prodigious increase of school population. A recent investigation shows that all departments of its public schools are now crowded to the point of danger, and that as many as 3,500 children have no seat in a common schoolhouse. This fact, in connection with a large attendance on private and parochial schools, is like a search-light flashed upon the public ignorance of the vast

increase of school population in the city. The same condition is found in every American metropolis and probably in the large majority of cities of the second class through the country. Certainly, it is neither from indifference nor hostility to the cause of public education that this painful and perilous condition of affairs is almost universal. But the time is certainly approaching when this matter of suitable school accommodations for the rapidly increasing army of young America must be considered, not with the view of meeting a temporary deficit, but to provide against this constant peril.

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N our view, the only effective remedy will be found in a re-organization of the school boards of our cities, which will place in the hands of a compact body of competent men and women, elected by and directly responsible to the whole people, the entire school interests of the community, including its financial outfit. Of course there should be a limit here, as elsewhere, to excessive taxation and the reckless appropriation of funds. But the difficulty now is, that the city council, at best, rarely composed of men acquainted with educational needs, receives and acts upon the application for educational funds with other departments of whose importance the City Fathers are usually better acquainted, and which are pushed with a persistence rarely displayed even in a respectable Board of Education. The result is inevitable; that the most important public interest, the schooling of the children generally, is pushed to the rear or sidetracked, while every other clamorous claimant receives due consideration. If we mistake not, in more than one of the States this complete responsibility for the charge of the schools is vested in the Board of Education, and in others, like Massachusetts, the school committee has the power of fixing the salaries of teachers during the legal school months; under favorable conditions of public opinion, a great safeguard. But, certainly, a city like Boston, to say nothing of the more populous metropolitan centres, should no longer permit itself to be vexed with this chronic difficulty so apt to become a public nuisance; that the proper training of her future citizens should be left at the mercy of city councils, notoriously elected in the heat of a partisan political campaign, their members too often so pledged in advance to other interests, that they cannot even afford to know the needs or, if knowing, are unable to meet the just demands, of the children. We look to this reform in the school management of our cities as, beyond all others, the most important. Until a community has a comfortable seat in a wholesome and convenient schoolhouse for every child, the prolonged discussions of educators, superintendents and school men on the "enrichment of courses of study," the "cor

relation of subjects," and other not less interesting themes, would seem in advance of the time; betraying the cultivated insensibility to the common necessities of the common schooling of the common people that is always a besetting infirmity in the upper story of the Temple of Science.

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REFORM much needed, especially in the country schools, is a law, written or unwritten, which shall secure a more permanent tenure of office in the whole teaching force. No one who thinks can deny the value of a thorough mutual acquaintance between teacher and pupil. Young hearts and minds close tightly under the influence of timidity in the presence of a stranger. Some remain so a long time, under the influence of a deep-seated bashfulness. Only after long and thorough familiarity with the individuality of the teacher can there be the full and free flow of mental activity, uninterrupted by the restraints of strangeness and of constitutional diffidence. Again, the teacher must know the varying individuality of her pupils, and adapt her methods to the requirements of each. These things cannot be attained in a moment. It takes time to reach the point of greatest efficiency in teaching. But, as things are now, the smaller schools are largely mere training ground for the teaching force of larger places. A given teacher no sooner shows herself a little more successful than the average than she is the easy prey of some omnipresent and omniscient superintendent, and an offer of a few dollars more salary tempts her to resign, that she may avail herself of the better place thus opened in a neighboring town or city. There is nothing to prevent this happening over and over again in one school year. We know of one school in which three different teachers have been employed, for the same set of pupils, in a single brief term. This is a grave evil, about equally pernicious to pupils and teachers. Something ought to be done; some moral, if not legal, requirement ought to compel teachers to abide by their positions at least until the end of the school year, unless prevented by physical disability. The present system is loose and wasteful. We invite discussion as to how this needed reform may best be secured.

Henry Wells, whose indomitable energy originated the express business west of the Hudson River and extended it to California, was the founder of Wells College. The Wells-Fargo Express Company also perpetuates his name. The first president of this company, Col. Edwin B. Morgan, of Aurora, N. Y., was, during the lifetime of Mr. Wells, closely associated with him in all that pertained to the interests of the college, and has been its chief benefactor.

Wells Seminary (now Wells College) at Aurora, on Cayuga Lake, was opened to students in 1868 in that building which Matthew Arnold said, with its environment of lawn and trees, suggested some fine old English country seat. South of this building are Morgan Hall, the present home of the Music School and the Scientific Department, and the handsome dwelling presented to the college by Mr. Wells for the use of the president. In 1888 the main building of the college burned. Immediately, friends of the institution rallied loyally to its aid. The new library and its first 1300 volumes were given by the Alumnæ and former students of Wells. Through the kindness of friends and Trustees of the institution, and particularly through the generosity of the family of Col. Morgan, the old building was replaced by a larger and more imposing structure.

Without, the College has a reposeful aspect, but within, if there is repose, it is " repose in energy," for here, as elsewhere, work for a degree means steady and persistent effort. The A. B. degree is granted to those who have pursued the regular course of study for four years. The Master's degree is conferred for graduate work.

Proximity to Cornell University and to the Theological Seminary at Auburn, render it possible to secure as special lecturers at Wells eminent specialists in various departments of college and university work. The monthly concerts of the Music school are a pleasant feature of the College life. Sometimes the concerts take the form of students's recitals. Again they furnish the opportunity of bringing some great artist to delight a most appreciative audience.

The social atmosphere of the College is very pleasant, as the ever-hospitable tea table in the cosy rooms of the students might seem to testify. In addition to the usual out-of-door sports, tennis, rowing, walking, coasting, there are all the diversions which one might expect to find among a lot of clever girls. There are class receptions, theatricals, tableaux and masques, while each holiday brings its own characteristic festivity.

Easily first among the red letter days at Wells is Thanksgiving Day. Then former students come back to visit dear Alma Mater, gather around her hospitable board, exchange experiences, enjoy reminiscences, and chant the praises of Wells as they sing:

After such a reunion guests return to their homes and students to their tasks, with a new sense of the joys of College life, and a hearty appreciation of the significance of the College motto: "Habere et Dispertire," to Have and to Bestow.