characteristics of the man? If a teacher is fitting those under his care for "complete living," surely one duty is to make every effort to discover the future environment of that life. Not to determine in absolute detail of action, the pupil's after life, but to help him to a larger and better appreciation of the nobility and necessity of labor, is the teacher's privilege.

Occasionally a pupil desires advice as to his future work and when the teacher suggests an' occupation for which he believes the pupil has the ability and adaptability, the answer comes back. "I don't believe I could do that." The difficulty may be that the pupil dreads the labor of that calling or the necessary preparation. Here is the teacher's opportunity to inspire in that pupil, a love for work and an appreciation of the advantages resulting from the pursuit of an honorable calling; further, to impress upon him the necessity of thorough preparation and persistence in application.

One remark often made by a teacher known to the writer is, "If I give my pupils nothing but what is in the textbook we study, my work is a failure." Textbooks are among the teacher's most valuable tools, but he must remember they are only tools, the right use of which, as of all other tools, must be one of his chief concerns. Neither the dull routine of "reciting" an assignment from a text, nor the promotion of the personal whims of a teacher constitutes a school, but the promulgation of living knowledge by a live teacher before active pupils, fills the requirement of a school in the real sense. Supplemental to this, and of vital importance also, is the inspiration of a teacher's well-ordered daily life. Not what we profess and preach and

advocate, but what we live, counts for inspiration.

One means, found by the writer, to be more successful than the textbook in promoting knowledge and giving clear ideas concerning the occupations of life, was a series of lectures given to his high-school by the different professional and business men of the village. In the first half of the present year, eight lectures were given, representing, at least, four different occupations. Some chance remark of a pupil concerning these may lead the teacher to see the tendency of some mind toward one of these occupations. It is then that words of counsel and inspiration will have the greater effect. It is then that the mind is ready and most receptive to such words.

A young teacher had just attended his first session of a normal school when one of his acquaintances who was older and already engaged in professional work, said to him, "Why don't you go to college at DFor want of time, but few words more were said on the subject, but the young teacher soon took occasion to call on his friend for further information and inspiration. But try as he would, he could get nothing further, and was forced to less reliable sources for advice.

Advice may be cheap, as is the common saying, but the right kind in the right place, is invaluable and no teacher should fail to be ready to give it at the right time, neither should he shun the duty when the occasion comes. "Cheap" advice comes from cheap and unreliable sources. The teacher should be the one principal and reliable source of advice as to the pupil's future professional path. Why? Because in the cases of more than half his pupils he has a better knowledge of the

pupil's inclinations, ability, and character, than even the pupil's own parents. It is a true, though unfortunate condition, that parents often allow their children to follow immature conclusions regarding what they shall do or, worse still, to be led by injudicious and unwisely chosen associates.

In reply to the question "What do you intend to do when through with school?" the following may be taken as sample answer: "I expect I shall be what my father is." "I should like to get into business." "I want to be a music teacher." "I should like to teach school if I thought I could pass the examinations." "I want to be a doctor, but I haven't the money to go to college." "I don't know." "I haven't any idea what work I am fitted for." Too often the last two answers are predominant among all those obtained. Political economists tell us that a nation's wealth is in proportion to its ability to look forward and provide for the future. Will not the same principles hold true for preferment in professions, as for advancement in finances? Surely a decided improvement could be made in the personnel of all professions including school teaching, if those entering them should plan their work and lives farther ahead and not be compelled to rush into work with insufficient preparation. A farmer will plan for a year or two years

ahead to market stock, five years to build a house or barn, and twenty years to mature an endowment policy and buy a farm, yet often will fail to plan or provide six months in advance for the future welfare of his children.

A

Teachers' institutes have ceased to give their members academic work and have rightly become professional and inspirational in nature. teacher's work in shaping a pupil's future occupation must be of this latter class inspiration to make the most of his life, whatever be his occupation. It is often true, that it takes as much preparation and inspiration to make a good farmer as to make a good lawyer or minister. The pupil who is fitted and whose surroundings are conducive to farm work, is as much entitled to encouragement and advice from his teacher as one whose inclinations tend toward what are known as the higher professions. No definite time or place can be specified for determination of one's life work. Some are ready early, some later. The skillful teacher will note from a pupil's work that his thoughts are on things in the future and just as he would draw out an important principle in mathematics or science, so will he bring out the desires of the pupil and lay down for his conduct, those laws and rules of action which he is sure to need.

JANUARY 8, 1907. HON. E. A. JONES, State Commissioner of Common Schools, Columbus, Ohio. DEAR SIR: Your letter of recent

date requests opinions on four questions which I will take up in order: First. Section 4022a provides that when pupils live more than one and one-half miles

from the school to which they are assigned in the district in which they reside, they are entitled to attend a nearer school in the same district, or if there be no nearer school in said dis trict, they may attend. attend the nearest school in another school district, in all grades below the high school, and the Board of Education of the district in which they reside is compelled to pay their tuition.

When this is the case and one of the pupils or a parent of a pupil is a tax-payer in the district in which said pupil attends school, can the amount of school tax paid, as specified in section 4013, be credited on the tuition bill which the Board of Education has to pay? This question must be answered in the affirmative. Section 4013 R. S. provides :

"When a youth between the ages of six and twenty-one years or the parent of such youth owns property in a school district in which he does not reside, and said youth attends schools of said district, the amount of school tax paid on such property shall be credited on the tuition of said pupil."

This statute does not limit the credit to cases where the tuition is paid by the pupil himself. Section 4022a, requiring the Board of Education to pay the tuition of the pupil in the case put by you, was passed at the same time as section 4013.

Second. Has the Board of education of a school district authority to provide for the pensioning of its teachers under section 3897b R. S. if less than one-third of the teachers of such

district have accepted the pro-
visions of that act?

Section 3897b R. S. provides that the school teachers' pension fund shall be under the management and control of a board of trustees, a certain number of whom must be elected by the teachers who have accepted the provisions of the act. The statute further provides:

"The first election to be at a meeting to be called by such superintendent when one-third of the teachers of the public school district shall have accepted the provisions of this act."

Section 3897c R. S. provides for notice to all school teachers of the resolution passed by the board, declaring the advisability of creating a school teachers' pension fund and requires the teachers to notify the board in writing in thirty days whether they consent or decide to accept the provisions of the pension

act.

"And from and after the election of the board of trustees herein provided for, the sum of $2.00 shall be deducted from the monthly salary of each teacher who may have accepted the provisions of this act," etc.

A legal board of trustees cannot be elected until one-third of the teachers have accepted the provisions of the act. The board of education has no authority to manage the pension fund nor to delegate its management to any other board than the one expressly provided for by the statute above referred to. If onethird of the teachers of the district do not notify the Board of Education of their acceptance, the board has no authority to take any further action toward the establishment of a pension fund.

Third. In the event that no special appropriation was made for the payment of state aid to weak school districts provided for by S. B. 103 (98 O. L. 200) can this deficiency be paid from any other fund or is there any other way through which state assistance can be furnished to meet the requirements of the law before the next session of the General Assembly?

There is no state fund out of which the payments referred to can lawfully be made, the General Assembly having neglected to make any -appropriation. Boards of education. in districts which are entitled to state aid may contract to pay teachers $40.00 per month, but such contracts should expressly provide that the payment of the full salary is contingent upon the subsequent appropriation by the Legislature. There is, of course, no certainty that the Legislature will make such appropriation.

Fourth. When a board of education of any school district makes a levy of only six or seven mills or any rate less than the maximum, and as a result, does not have sufficient funds to pay the minimum salary for eight months and can continue the school only seven months, at the $40.00 rate, can said board of education be compelled to meet the requirements of the law? If so, what should be the mode of proceedure?

The act to provide state aid for weak school districts does not require boards of education to make the maximum levy. It encourages 'boards of education to keep their schools in session for the full eight months by providing that in case the 'board, after making the maximum levy, has not sufficient funds to pay

$40.00 per month for eight months the state will make up the deficit.

Section 4007 R. S. provides that each board of education

"shall continue each and every
elementary day school so estab-
lished not less than (twenty-
eight) thirty-two nor more than
forty weeks in each school year."

etc.

This statute is mandatory in form. It must, however, be read in connection with other statutes in pari materia, and section 3969 R. S. passed on the same date as section 4007, provides:

"If the board of education in any district fail in any year to estimate and certify the levy for a contingent fund as required by this chapter, or if the amount so certified is deemed insufficient for school purposes, or if it fail to provide sufficient school privileges for all the youth of school age in the district or to provide for the continuance of any school in the district for at least seven months in the year * * the commissioners of the county to which such district belongs, upon being advised and satisfied thereof, shall do and perform any or all of said duties and acts in as full a manner as the board of education is by this title authorized to do and perform the same." etc.

* *

Reading the two statutes together, my conclusion is that the requirements of section 4007 R. S., that schools shall be continued for eight months, should be construed as directory rather than mandatory. It is undoubtedly the duty of boards of education to keep the schools open for eight months in the year if the funds available render it possible to do so, but I regret to say that under

It is a source of gratification to every Ohioan, to know that the schools of his native state rank, in point of excellence, among the foremost in the country. The boy or girl who completes a course in one of our high schools, has a fair education even if he goes no further. Yet with all their commendable features, there seems to be one respect in which the high schools of Ohio are deplorably weak, and that is in the fact that so few of them include the study of French in their curricula. Unless the writer is in serious error, of the large number of high schols in the state, there are but fifteen which offer courses in French. On the other hand, most of these schools provide at least a two years course in German, and many of them have a four years course. It is not the purpose of this article to decry, in any sense, the value of the work in German, nor to seek to displace it by French. That would be both unnecessary and unwise; unnecessary, because the presence of the one need in no way preclude that of the other; and unwise, because to supplant one study by another would not be to broaden the scope of the high school, but to restrict it. The study of both languages is valuable, and in schools

of the standard of those of Ohio, there should be room for both.

Many people have the erroneousidea that French is not what they call "practical." That misused, misunderstood word has been the slogan of the Philistines for years, and the bugbear in the path of educational progress. Unless, forsooth, the exact value of a given thing can be computed in dollars and cents away with it, it is not "practical!" But the study of French, even from this narrow standpoint, is very valuable. With the exception of English, French is undoubtedly the most universally spoken of all the modern languages. One who has a knowledge of French and English will, in: most cases, be able to travel almost anywhere, without suffering any inconvenience in the way of making himself understood. That alone is no small consideration. To the objection raised, that the average highschool pupil is not apt to travel very extensively, it can be replied that no one knows as to that, and even if he should never stir from his own town, he would have everything to gain and nothing to lose in being equipped with a knowledge of French. But can the average course of the high school course give a complete train