of an educational journal.-O. I. Woodley, secretary, Florida Educational Association, Winter Park. Georgia-Decision of Supreme Court (Hanks versus D'Arcy) makes it possible for the first time to support uniform system of schools and give equal educational opportunity. State-wide survey in progress.-N. M. Ballard, State superintendent. of schools, Atlanta. Had compulsory county-wide local tax for schools from one to five mills since 1920. Independent city systems might be exempt if not under county board of education. Hence rural schools. suffered as most of the property was in independent districts. Now decision of the State Supreme Court declares that the county commissioners have full authority to levy a tax of any amount for educational purposes over the whole county to be used by county board of education as it sees fit. Our rural schools can now get what money they need. Kyle T. Alfriend, N. E. A. State director and secretary, Georgia Educational Association, Forsyth. Idaho The improvement of rural education by changing the plan of the rural supervisors from the individual school visits to group meetings with demonstration schools in one and tworoom systems. Two group meetings are held in each county.-Elizabeth L. Russum, State superintendent of public instruction and N. E. A. State director, Boise. A Illinois-Progress in the rehabilitation of our teaching force and physical plant since the close of the war. successful fight in our last general assembly against the forces of reaction. We did not get much progressive legislation, but we held our own in all but two minor matters.-F. G. Blair, State superintendent of public instruction, Springfield. Schools have held their own in spite of attacks on school budgets to lessen taxes. Sarah L. Thomas, N. E. A. State director, Rockford. The preservation of the progressive school legislation enacted in the last sixyears in the face of a wave of reaction that produced several dangerous bills in the legislature. The increase of the The increase of the school-building tax-rate in Chicago from seventy-five cents to one dollar on the dollar of assessed valuation by a vote of the people at a time of sweeping reaction against high taxes.-R. C. Moore, secretary, Illinois State Teachers' Association, Carlinville. Indiana-The enactment of a teacher-training and licensing law, which does away with the practise of licensing teachers by written examinations. It provides for six different kinds of elementary teachers' licenses based upon special training and experience. It raises the standard of beginning grade teachers from twelve weeks beyond the high school to one year's consecutive training and requires them to continue in training until the minimum standard, two years of normal work, has been met, at which time the applicant may exchange her provisional certificate for a life certificate. It provides for first, second, and third-grade certificates for county and city superintendents. All licenses are issued by the State Board of Education. Benjamin J. Burris, State superintendent of public instruction, Indianapolis; H. L. Smith, dean, School of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington; and Charles O. Williams, secretary, Indiana State Teachers' Association. Iowa The passage of the Physical Education Bill by the Fortieth General Assembly.-May E. Francis, State superintendent of public instruction, Des Moines. In spite of economic depression the ranting of demagogues and political attacks upon some of the better features of our school laws, no backward steps have been taken. The mobilization of the teaching force of the State in an aggressive effort to secure a financially sound retirement system is the outstanding event of the field of teachers' organizations. "Hold the fort" is the watchword of the hour.-Charles F. Pye, secretary, Iowa State Teachers Association, Des Moines. Kansas (1) The enactment of an eight months' minimum term law, (2) abolishment of county high schools and creating in their stead community high schools, (3) giving certain third-class cities a superintendent, (4) creation of a State commission for the blind.J. W. Miley, State superintendent of public instruction, Topeka. Kansas has raised standards of certification of teachers, moved forward in financial support, improved high-school laws, given much attention to ruralschool improvement, increased membership in State association, and extended Smith-Hughes service.-M. E. Pearson, N. E. A. State director, superintendent of schools, Kansas City. The adding of nearly a thousand new members to the Kansas State Teachers' Association and the growing harmony among the school leaders of the State under the administration of State Superintendent J. W. Miley.-F. L. Pinet, secretary, Kansas State Teachers Association, Topeka. Kentucky-More than 8000 of Kentucky's 14,000 teachers in school during the summer of 1923 demonstrated that better salaries will mean better qualified teachers. The establishment of supervised administration promises to do more for better administration of rural schools than anything that we have done.George W. Colvin, State superintendent of public instruction, Frankfort, and R. E. Williams, N. E. A. State director and secretary, Kentucky Education Association, Louisville. Louisiana-The organization in the State Department of Education and the parish departments of education and by principals of schools to supervise sympathetically and in a businesslike manner classroom instruction. The result of this supervision is improved school work.-T. H. Harris, State superintendent of education, Baton Rouge. The establishment by the State of a school for the feeble-minded on the outskirts of Alexandria where pupils are taught that which they are best fitted to do; said institution is self-supporting.-Loretta R. Doerr, N. E. A. State director, New Orleans. The marked improvement in classroom instruction. This has been accomplished by the State and parish school officials centering their effort specifically on this definite phase of education.P. H. Griffith, secretary, Louisiana Public School Teachers Association, Baton Rouge, La. Maine-The passage of the Teachers Retirement Act which provides that teachers in service the first of July, 1924, may take their choice of a gratuitous pension of $300 or a contributory act. Members of the State department and of the normal schools may retire after twenty-five years on one half the average salary of the past five years.-Augustus O. Thomas, commissioner of education, Augusta, and Adelbert W. Gordon, secretary, Maine Teachers' Association, Augusta. The progress made in school consolidation through the standardization of conditions of conveyance; supervision of noon hour; school housing facilities; and professional qualifications of teachers. Great interest has been shown by the teachers in professional advancement. One fourth of the entire teaching force was in summer schools. Very nearly a sufficient number of teachers were in training to care for the annual turnover. Josiah W. Taylor, N. E. A. State director, State agent for secondary education, Augusta. Maryland-Supervisor in each county for every fifty rural or town teachers. Four hundred per cent increase in normal school students. One half of normal school graduates placed in one and two-teacher schools at higher minimum salary. Educational opportunity in poorer counties increased through equalization fund.-Albert S. Cook, State superintendent of schools, Baltimore. The State-wide test of the publicschool children of Maryland from the second to the eighth grades inclusive in reading and arithmetic.-Hugh W. Caldwell, secretary, Maryland State Teachers' Association, Elkton. Massachusetts-Special emphasis has been placed upon health service in the public schools through a series of nine regional conferences covering the State for the purpose of coördinating the administration of compulsory laws. for medical inspection, physical education, and school nurse service. Ninetynine per cent of the pupils in the public schools have the services of a trained nurse.-Payson Smith, commissioner of education, Boston. The defeat of the Mayors' bill, sccalled, which might have led to a reduction of teachers' salaries and a divided control of school finances.-Ernst Makechnie, secretary, Massachusetts Teachers Federation, Boston. Michigan-The real progress made toward securing a genuine equalization and distribution of public funds in this State. Our bill did not pass but it would have been passed had it not been for a political situation which arose in the last days of the session.-T. E. Johnson, State superintendent of public instruction, Lansing, and N. E. A. State director. The consolidation of the Upper Peninsula Educational Association with the Michigan State Teachers' Association and the launching of the Michigan Educational Journal, which are preparatory steps for a more thorough coöperation with the State Department of Public Instruction in the advancement of the progress of education and in procuring a square deal for the boys and girls of our State.-E. T. Cameron, secretary, Michigan State Teachers Association, Lansing. law providing for physical and health Passage of law requiring the teach- The preparation and publication by the State Department of Education, under the direction of the commissioner, of an elementary course of study adapted to the entire elementary public-school system in the State as a progressive, permanent basis and outline of study and training.-C. G. Schulz, secretary, Minnesota Education Association, St. Paul. Mississippi-The reëlection of the State superintendent of education with an overwhelming majority in a campaign in which a large amount of money was used to fight him, by those who believe there is a teacher trust and that we are spending too much money for education in general.-W. F. Bond, State superintendent of public instruction, Jackson. The overwhelming reëlection of State The development of standard ac- Missouri-Closer supervision of the high schools and rural schools which is possible by having additional help, so that we now have six high school and six rural school supervisors in the State. Minnesota-The enactment of the department, devoting their time to su pervision work.-Charles A. Lee, State superintendent of public schools, Jefferson. Increased appropriations for schools, including State educational institutions, increased interest in professional improvement as indicated by attendance at university, and State teachers' colleges.E. M. Carter, secretary, Missouri State Teachers Association, Columbia. Montana-Legislation raising minimum qualifications of teachers to four years of high school and twelve quarter credits of professional training after September 1, 1924.-May Trumper, State superintendent of public instruction, Helena. A definite stand has been taken for higher qualifications for teachers requiring a minimum high-school graduation plus twelve weeks of special training. The people of the State are beginning to appreciate the necessity of increased revenue for the public schools.-D. S. Williams, secretary, Montana State Teachers Association, Glasgow. Nebraska-The adjournment of the legislature without enacting any of the threatened legislation designed to cripple the public schools.-C. Ray Gates, N. E. A. State director, superintendent of city schools, Grand Island. The abolishment of teachers' emergency certificates, with a consequent impetus for better-trained teachers and an awakening of professional consciousness, which has brought about a better understanding of the relationship between the schools and the community. The opening of Omaha's technical high school has given a new vision to secondary education in the Middle West.-Everett M. Hosman, secretary, Nebraska State Teachers Association, Lincoln. Nevada Temporary certificates abolished. Teachers' salaries and school support have been slightly bettered. A movement for a representative assembly within the Nevada State Education Association. Increased interest was shown in membership in the National Education Association. Every teacher in the Fifth District Institute enrolled in both National and State associations.--W. J. Hunting, State superintendent of public instruction, Carson City. The teachers of Nevada offered a resolution to permit the use of the Bible in schools of the State under certain conditions.-Karl W. Mitchell, secretary, Nevada State Educational Association, Winnemucca. New Hampshire-In six years the number of regular students in our nor mal schools has increased as follows: 1918, 240; 1919, 290; 1920, 342; 1921, 357; 1922, 466; and in 1923, 608. In 1933, we expect to have a trained teacher for every New Hampshire school.E. W. Butterfield, State commissioner of education, Concord. New Jersey-The recognition of a common core in secondary educationnamely, health, language, and civics.John Enright, State commissioner of education, Trenton. Expanded school-building program; State-wide application of intelligence and achievement tests; rural-school consolidation; increasing amount of socialized recitation work and project teaching. Charles B. Dyke, secretary, New Jersey State Teachers Association, Trenton. New Mexico-Great improvement in rural schools as a result of: (1) The adoption of new certification rules, raising the qualifications of teachers; (2) repeal of law allowing county superintendents to issue temporary certificates. Isabel Lancaster Eckles, State superintendent of public instruction, Santa Fe. New York-New emphasis on professional growth in service. One teacher in every five attended summer session courses. Larger State appropriations for training rural teachers. Better rural supervision. State and local expenditures for public education approximately $200,000,000.-George M. Wiley, assistant commissioner for elementary education, Albany. The election of a New York City principal to the presidency of the National Education Association and the defeat through united professional effort of an attempt in the legislature to place the Board of Examiners of New York City under the control of a non-professional Board of Education by giving the latter Board the power to appoint a chairman of the Board of Examiners with large powers. The teachers of the State are still hoping to extend financial independence of boards of education to the larger towns and cities.-Ambrose Cort, N. E. A. State director for New York, New York City. North Carolina—The codification of the school law; the increased expenditure for public education to $23,000,000 in 1923; the $5,000,000 bond issue. for rural school buildings and the attendance of 12,000 teachers in the six to twelve weeks' summer schools. The North Carolina Education Association, now divided into six sections, holds sectional meetings with as large an attend ance at each sectional meeting as was formerly had at the one general meeting.-A. T. Allen, State superintendent of public instruction, Raleigh, and Robert H. Wright, N. E. A. State director for North Carolina, Greenville. North Dakota-The enactment of the children's code commission laws by the last legislature. Twenty child-welfare bills were passed. There has been remarkable increase in the number of standardized rural schools. Good results have followed the intensive drive against illiteracy made possible through a legislative appropriation.-Minnie J. Nielson, State superintendent of public Nielson, State superintendent of public instruction, Bismarck. Ohio Legislative authorization for the application of a selective process in determining admission to institutions which train elementary teachers, and a departmental regulation that all highdepartmental regulation that all highschool teachers without degrees must secure additional training each year until the deficiency is removed, as a condition of continuing in service.-Vernon M. Riegel, State director of education, Columbus. A request to the State Tax Commission for a survey of more than six hundred school districts to ascertain whether property is on the tax duplicate at a reasonable value, so that the State director of education may know what financial aid to extend to these districts; physical education is now being taught in all public schools of Ohio; supervisors of special subjects are being em-. ployed by many county boards of education.-F. E. E. Reynolds, secretarytreasurer, Ohio State Teachers Association, Columbus. Oklahoma-Standardization of rural schools through the model-school-scorecard plan; definite progress toward the eradication of illiteracy; adoption of an amendment to the constitution providing for $15 per child in average daily attendance, as State aid annually for the support of the public schools. M. A. Nash, State superintendent of public instruction, Oklahoma City. (1) State-wide aid for rural schools by legislative action through State Superintendent M. A. Nash. (2) Statewide movement in curriculum making for the rural schools. (3) The program for improvement of teachers in service and an adequate single salary schedule in the Oklahoma City public schools. (4) Vitalization of patrons' clubs and the State-wide Parent-Teacher Association.-A. C. Parsons, N. E. A. State director, Oklahoma City. The eradication of illiteracy in Oklahoma. There are twenty-five States in the Union which have more illiterates than Oklahoma. However, it is inexcusable that Oklahoma still has 56,864 illiterates. This matter is being attacked vigorously by the State Department of Education, the American Legion, the Parent-Teachers' Association, and the Oklahoma Education Association.-— C. M. Howell, secretary, Oklahoma Education Association, Oklahoma City. Oregon-The improvement in service of teachers through a monthly increase for men teachers of fourteen dollars and for women teachers of nine dollars; the equalizing of educational opportunity in rural sections through consolidation of school districts; establishment of union high schools and the adoption by three counties of the county unit for taxation and administration.J. A. Churchill, State superintendent of public instruction, Salem, and George W. Hug, N. E. A. State director for Oregon, Salem. Pennsylvania - The appropriation of eight million dollars more for the public schools than was ever appropriated for any biennium and the distribution of this appropriation so that the poorer districts might receive a large proportion in order to equalize educational advantages throughout the Commonwealth.-J. George Becht, State superintendent of public instruction, Harrisburg. The Legislature of 1923 not only appropriated $30,000,000 to balance the biennial appropriation of 1921, but also voted an additional $8,000,000 to keep our State program of education intact and to extend its provisions by giving additional State support to our less wealthy districts. State aid to these districts was increased from 50 to 75 per cent of the minimum salaries of teachers.-James H. Kelley, executive secretary, Pennsylvania State Education Association, Harrisburg. Porto Rico-The improvement of rural education through the creation of 300 consolidated schools; the introduction of the teaching industries in some of our graded schools; the widening of educational facilities through the newly created branch of extension work and examination, particularly designed for those beyond school age, who wish to improve themselves by systematic study at home.-Juan B. Huyke, commissioner of education, San Juan. (The rest of these reports will appear in the February JOURNAL.) WE Building Personality CAROLINE T. STEWART Assistant Professor of Romance Languages, University of Missouri E have heard a great deal about personality of late, and some of us would like to know just what the agitation in regard to it means. Personality is defined by some as a sort of combination of character, of professional attitude and of temperament—that is, as a composite of positive moral qualities, such as truthfulness, loyalty, and salutary influence on others; of willingness to coöperate, to take suggestions, and to carry a fair share of the load; and finally of those attitudes of disposition which we call cheerful or pessimistic, helpful or fault-finding, red-blooded or anemic, and so on. Next to religion, the important thing for a teacher is character, or personality, but a teacher can have most, if not all, of the good qualities listed above, added to scholarly attainments, and still, academically speaking, fail as a teacher, for, satisfied with his own personality, he may neither have a good method nor call forth in his teaching the personality of his pupils. We will dispose of the former point, that of method, quickly. As some one has said, the day of acquisition of method by a long process of trial and failure is past. Those who go out to teach any subject should be trained for the work in a good teachers' college taught by competent teachers. And now the other point, the appeal to personality. As Christianity gradually permeates an entire nation, changing it from materialism to idealism, so the appeal to personality will by degrees transform an entire class. The mountain boy from the Ozarks with the pathetic expression in his eyes which seems to speak of hard knocks all round, thinks you are "knocking" him again when, on handing back his paper, you say, "You are improving; you worked hard over that." An incredulous look comes over his face, when you add, “I mean it, I am serious in what I said." A load seems to fall from him and as he takes his seat he says, "I worked over an hour and a half over that." The eyes of that boy now take on an expression that you understand; one of growing self-confidence and of firm resolve to put forth his best efforts in that study. In this particular class the teacher was careful from the start to appreciate ef- At first it was not all a bed of roses, The sorority plague was there too, but she soon began working. Even the big square-shouldered boy who loves the out-of-doors forgot his restiveness, or kept it in the background; and the student next him, a hero-worshipper, worked in imitation. The boy of illegible handwriting who habitually enters the classroom from three to five minutes or more late, was there. He was not scolded. He was told how the teacher herself had once been a very bad penman, and how she reformed because an English professor refused to read her themes. Acting on the suggestion, he started some reforms in his penmanship, but for a time continued to be tardy. Finally, after those sitting near him in class had scored him sitting near him in class had scored him roundly and asked him why he always came late, he decided to get to class on time, and he did. Student sentiment see. cured him. A day or so after this decision, however, he handed in a paper with only four sentences out of twelve. In this instance student sentiment could not operate, for only the teacher would The latter returned the paper the following day with the comment, "Do you wish to finish this exercise?" appealing to his own personality, for, as Abraham Lincoln said, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. As a matter of fact, he never did finish that exercise, thus proving to himself that he was not going to be "bossed" or pushed, but he never handed in another exercise unfinished. The popular boy was there, too— skeptical and full of his own importance-but he was dealt with courteously, so that after the first few days he of his own accord stopped putting his feet up on a level with his knees, cast aside the reclining posture, ceased being absent every two or three days, and stopped talking in an undertone, or even a whisper, to his neighbor. We suspect that he had formed the habit of doing all these things out of blind protest against materialism, and that some day he will be one of those business successes of whom we shall say a word later. He was not industriously inclined, but he was intelligent, and he could write an almost perfect paper if his personality were not interfered with. In the same class was the type of student called by some teachers a "bonehead." For two weeks he did not answer a question, and he wore a vacant expression of constant bewilderment. He was seeing the word "good" on his neighbor's paper all this time. Finally, one day his paper came back with "good" on it. His lower jaw dropped; his arms fell; he stared at his neighbor and all around as if he could not believe his senses. Since then he has answered a number of questions and has received "good" on his papers several times. Another member of the class, a good mathematician and athlete, concluding that he could not master a language, did not study his lessons at all. He was called on regularly, was reprimanded in no way, and received none of the illtreatment he evidently expected. The teacher was not at all impatient, for it was a matter clearly outside the realm of her personality. She had to accept. respectfully what came, and could not compel more to be given than was offered. Seeing that his independence was respected and his right to form his own judgments, he at last decided to yield the point and study, since it was clearly to his own interest. Gradually the class papers came in with corrections better and better made. The teacher did not correct the sentences on the board all at one lap, so to speak, with a running commentary of her own. She faced the class and asked whether there were any mistakes in the sentence under discussion. Thus competition arose in seeing who could detect mistakes most quickly. Questions as to whys and wherefores and as to varying constructions were listened to respectfully and answered, and of their own accord the pupils weeded out the mistakes on their papers diligently. The teacher soon noticed in the class a growing sentiment of, shall we say, disgrace, when a paper came back without the word "good" on it; the owners of such papers did not hide them, but very soberly showed them to their neighbor, and together they quietly figured out how it happened. After that the teacher, wherever possible, wrote on each paper before returning it, if not "good," at least, "corrections good" or "improvement." In return, she received such communications as these: "Pardon use of pencil in the last three sentences. Ma plume est sèche"; from another student-the one who loves the outdoors-when he made a larger number of mistakes than usual, "I did this after midnight last night. I had to or not at all"; and from still another, "I didn't have these," referring to three sentences copied from the board. It goes without saying that after the work on the board, the subsequent looking over of the already carefully corrected papers is a pleasure. After using what we have here called the personality method, one understands the conspicuous business successes of men who in their school days were academic failures. They were all the time of superior ability, and, as said before, their chaotic attitude in school was, we think, a blind protest against academic methods. Some of the good results noted from the application of the personality method are the following-absences do not occur except from illness; the honor system is in force, coming in silently, to stay; tardiness does not occur except for some good reason; all exercises come in on time, neat and in entirety; all the members of the class are the teacher's friends instead of so many potential enemies; interest is secured; lessons are better prepared; reciting, even by timid ones, is willingly and better done. The present writer need hardly say that she is not in favor of sectioning classes on the basis of ability, nor of placing a limitation upon registration, placing a limitation upon registration, because she regards both procedures as at the opposite pole from the personality method. She believes that everyone can be reached; that at any rate the attempt to do so should be made, and that all methods are meaningless and sometimes harmful which do not take into account, first of all, personality. Those teachers who do not yet employ the personality method are not to be reached by threatened dismissal, but, in turn, by the personality appeal. The writer is aware that the "personality method" operates only indirectly to correct objectionable character traits in pupils. Students under this system will be exemplary in conduct because they are not antagonized. However, when they go out into life they will be antagonized, and they may fall by the wayside unless kindly warning has been given to them while in school. That is the province of the teacher's course, of the course in sociology, in civics, in philanthropy, and also of the various deans who come in contact with offenders reported to them. To be most effective, they too will have to let live, and to adhere to the constructive method of personal appeal. Selfcontrol is much more than restraint under antagonizing circumstances; it is positive, constructive action guided by intelligent decisions. In conclusion, the appeal to, or the calling forth of personality is the main thing in teaching. After that ranks method. Both are vital for efficiency, in teaching, but in our search after a best method, we should not forget that any method will fail of the best it may accomplish if it disregards the personality of the student. Annotation, Denotation, and Connotation O Annotation, how many facts are LAURA B. EVERETT will feel acquainted at once with Doctor Winfield's work. Winfield's work. He has performed his labor fully and faithfully. Not one syllable that could lend itself to annotation has escaped his careful scrutiny. A few of the notes that accompany a familiar poem of Stevenson's will give one an example of the thoroughness of Doctor Winfield's work: The friendly cow all red and white, I love with all my heart. The friendly cow. Notice Stevenson's sympathetic treatment of animal life. Cow. This word may mean chimneycap; a wedge; a brake. Here the author refers to the large milk-giving animal from which most nations secure milk and butter-products. Notice Stevenson's preference for Anglo-Saxon terms. He uses (Old English cu, cou,) the Saxon word cow in preference to the familiar and more childish form, Bossy, which, however, is from the Latin (bos). Friendly; the antonym for friend is antagonist. Give synonyms for friend and antagonist. All red and white. See Blenstein's Psychology of Color, volume vii, pp. 653-715. I love with all my heart. Do people love with hearts? In what sense is this a physiological fallacy? She gives me cream. (Cream, a thick oily light-yellow substance, composed chiefly of fatty globules.) In what sense does the cow give cream? In what form does cream appear? Comment on the time element. May cream be called a by-product of milk? Define by-product. With all her might. Might denotes energy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action. In this case, which? To eat with apple tart. Apple, a word of unknown origin, the fleshy pome of a rosaceous tree, of the family Malaceae. The Hebrew name for apple was tappuach. Discuss the apple in literature. What was inscribed on the apple thrown by Eris, goddess of discord? Tart. Origin and meaning of the word? Is it linguistically related to tortilla? Was the queen of hearts who THE Annotatory Compendium of made some tarts an historical character? Children's Poetry, edited and annotated by Archibald Baldwin Winfield, Bv. D., is a monumental example of what can be done in explanation and comment. Every teacher who has used editions of school books prepared by those who have never taught children, Published by Gog, Magog, and Company. Cream to eat with apple tart. Would this be a hygienic combination? Give the approximate number of calories in an individual apple tart. Supplementary reading-Cadmus and the Cow; The Cow of Super-Lunar Activities. |
