LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Class PAPERS ON SCHOOL ISSUES OF THE DAY. VI. OPPORTUNITIES OF THE RURAL POPULATION -FOR- HIGHER EDUCATION. BY JAMES H. CANFIELD, President of the National Educational Association. READ AS THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SECONDARY EDUCATION BEFORE THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION, JULY, 1889. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYRACUSE, N. Y. : C. W. BARDEEN, PUBLISHER, 1889. ' THE SCHOOL ZULLETffl FUBLICATIG. School Records and Reports, 1. The Bulletin Class Register. Designed by EDWAKD SMITH, Superin- tendent of Schools, Syracuse, N. Y. Press-board cover. Three Sizes, (a) 6x7 ? fortermsof twenty weeks; (b) 5x7, for terms of fourteen weeks. When noc otherwise specified this size is always sent. Pp. 48. Each 25 cts. (c), like (6) but with one-half more (72) pages. Each 35 cts. This register gives lines on each of 12 pages for 23 names, and by a nar- row tea/puts opposite these names blanks for one entry each day for either 14 or 20 weeks,' as desired, with additional lines for summary, examina- tions, and remarks. Nothing can bo more simple, compact, and neat, wl 're it is desired simply to keep a record of attendance, deportment, and standing. It is uaed in nearly two-thirds of the union schools of New York. & The Peabody Class Record, No. 1, with 3 blanks to each scholar each day for a year. Boards 4*^x9>, pp. ICO, $1.00. No. 2, with 5 blanks to each scholar, 8x11, $1.50. Like No. 1, but gives 3 or 5 blanks each day. 8. Ryan's School Record, 112 blanks to a sheet, per dozen sheets, 50 cts. k. Kellers Monthly Rerxn^t Card, to be returned with signature of parent or guardian, card-board 2^x4, per hundred, $1.00. 5. Babcock's Excelsior Grading Blanks, manilla, 3x5, with blanks on both Sides. Comprising () Eeport Cards; (6) Grade Certificates for each of 9 grades; (c) High School Certificate (double size). Price of (a) and (6) $1.00 a hundred; of (c) $1.50 a hundred. 6. Shaw's Scholar's Register, for each "Week, with Abstract for the Term. Paper, 5x7* pp. 16. Per dozen, 50 cts. Each pupil keeps his own record. 7. Jackson' 's Class Record Cards. Per set of 90 white and 10 colored cards, with hints, 50 cts. Only imperfect recitations need be marked. 8. Aids to School Discipline, containing 80 Certificates, 120 Checks, 200 Cards, 100 Single and Half Merits. Per box, $1.25. Supplied separately per huucivcd: Hair Merits, 15 cts., Cards, 15cts., Checks, 50cts., Certificates, The use of millions of these Aids, with the unqualified approval of teach- ers, parents, and pupils, is assurance that they are doing great good. They save time by avoiding the drudgery of Record keeping and Reports. They abolish all notions of "partiality" by determining the pupil's standing with mathematical precision. They naturally and invariably awaken a lively paternal interest, for the pupil takes home with him the witness of his daily conduct and procrr. They are neat in design, printed in bright colors. The Ceriific; prizes which children will cherish. The Single Merits and Half Merits are printed on heavy card board, the Cards and Checks on heavy paper, and both may be used many times hence the system is cheap, as well as more at- tractive than any other to young children. 9. Mottoes for the School-Room. By A. W. EDSON, State Agent o!' ehusetts. Per 'set of 12 on heavy colored card-board 7x4 inches, printed on both sides, $1.00, post-paid, $1.10. These mottoes are ' Never too Late," " Above all. be Useful," " Say No," " God Bless our School," " Avoid Ai\ & er," "Be Good, Bo Good," "Think, Speak, Act the Truth," "Fear to Do Wrong," "Misspent Time is Lost Forever," "Speak ths Truth," " Act Well Your Part," "Strive to Ex- cel," "Try, Tiy A train," " Be Diligent, Prompt, and Useful," Think Good Thoughts," "Learn to Study," " Before Pleasure Comes Duty," "Think First of Others," " Care to Lo Right," " Order is Heaven's First Law," "A Will Hakes a Way," "Study to Learn," "Hold Fast to Honor," "God Sees Me." (12) C. W. BAKDEEN, Publisher, Syracuse, N. Y. (A paper read before the Nat^J^l^Mncil of Edfcat^n, at Nashville, Tenii., July, 1889.) ' OF THF. ONIVERSr REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE RURAL POPULATION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. [PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY JAMES H. CANFIELD.] After a careful survey of the field assigned to the Committee on Secondary Education, it was determined to make an investigation of the opportunities and inducements offered the rural population of this country for securing the advantages of higher education. Accordingly three forms of circulars ^ere prepared, each having a suitable prefatory note explaining the work of the committee, and asking for information and for a free expression of opinion. The first of these circulars was addressed to State Superintendents of Public Instruction, and contained the following inquiries: 1. The school population of this State is . Of this about per cent, be- longs in the district (rural or ungraded ) schools. The minimum course of study required in these rural schools includes the following branches: . 2. The following higher branches may be taken up in such schools: . 3. Does your statute compel, or permit, the creation of township high schools, union high schools, or city high schools? 4. What are the opportunities offered the pupils of rural districts in your State for academic (or preparatory) work? The second circular was sent to presidents of State educational institu- tions, and ran as follows : 1. Institution, . 2. Total attendance, . Number in preparatory classes, . What propor- tion of your students come from rural districts and from small towns in which there are no high schools? . 3. Why not more? 4. Why do you maintain preparatory classes? 5. What are the requirements for admission to the lowest preparatory class? 6. Does the average rural (district) school fully prepare students for the lowest preparatory class? 7. Where are most of your candidates 'for freshman class prepared? 8. What opportunities are offered the people of the rural districts in your State for academic (or preparatory) work? 9.* What is the average annual expenditure of the State for the university? 10. What proportion of this comes from endowment, and what from annual ap- propriations? 11. What is the average annual attendance at the university aside from those in the preparatory department? 12.* What are the average annual fees, if any, per capita annual attendance? * Questions 9-12 were designed to inform the committee of the interest felt in higher education. It will be sufficient for the purposes of this report to state that the answers showed what may be fairly considered liberal appropriations for such work, and small tuition fees. Higher education can be re- ported as receiving very general encouragement. 193393 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. 13. In your judgment, is there any break in the possible connection of the rural (district) school with the university? 14. If yes, how can this best be remedied? The third circular was more general in form, and was intended for city and county superintendents, principals of high schools, and other educators sufficiently well and favorably known to entitle their views to more than ordinary consideration. Following are the questions asked : 1. Has your State University a preparatory department or preparatory classes? 2. Why? 3. Does the average rural (district) ungraded school fully prepare students for the preparatory classes? 4. Has your State a system- of city high schools ? 5. Is tuition generally free in these city high schools ? 6. If no, what are the average annual fees per capita of attendance? 7. How many such high schools are doing what might be called first-class aca- demic work, including languages and higher mathematics? 8. How many such high schools are able to prepare students to enter the fresh- man class of the State university, or of any educational institution of similar rank? 9. Can pupils from rural districts enter these high schools freely, or in limited numbers? Without fees, by payment of ordinary fees, or by payment of special fees? 10. Is any special effort made to attract pupils from the rural districts to these high schools? Are such pupils welcomed, or repelled? 11. Are cities compelled by law to establish these high schools by any limit of population, or other condition? 12. Have rural districts any voice in establishing such high schools, or in their management? 13. Is there any statute by which either township or county high schools may be established for the use and benefit of the children of rural districts? If yes, please give its substance. 14. Have schools been established under these provisions? If yes, with what suc- cess? If no, why not? 15. If township high schools have been tried without success, has it not been chiefly because of too narrow a field from which to draw either pupils or means of support? 16. Is it your opinion that secondary or academic schools should be so provided by the State as to offer every opportunity and inducement to pupils from the rural districts? 17. If no, why not? 18. If yes, should this be left to the chance of city building and city improving? 19. Should the people of the rural districts have legislative permission and in- centive to make the necessary provision? 20. Considering such questions as necessary expense and consequent taxation, the diminishing per cent, of pupils who pass from grade to grade and then to higher work, and the fact that in so many States the county is the unit of local government, ought provision, if any, to be made for township higti schools or for county high schools ? 21. Need (ought) the necessary legislation to in any way affect the present high- school system? 22. Is there necessarily danger that a county high school will become simply the local high school of the community in which it is established? HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE* RUBAL POPULATION. 3 23. Is there in truth a State system of public instruction, unless it is Huxley's Educational Ladder "one end in the gutter and the other in the university" with all possible provision for intermediate work, "with every round complete"? 24. Remarks. NOTE. The committee desired not only to secure information, but to awaken thought and discussion. It will be seen that some of these ques- tions were shaped more for the latter end than simply to secure statistical information. Whenever the committee thought it possible to secure more than one re- port on the same subject, the three circulars were sent to the same person thus crossing and re-crossing the ground in a way to insure accuracy as to facts, and breadth and variety of opinion. The responses to these inquiries have been very gratifying, both in the large territory from which reports have been received, and in the manifest care with which the blanks were filled. Often the interest was sufficient to lead the correspondent to add matter not covered by the queries, or to ex- press at considerable length his opinion on some given point. The follow- ing will serve to illustrate the wide range of the individual and institutional observations and experience which has been cheerfully placed at the service of this committee: Reports were made by the Superintendents of Public Instruction of the following States and Territories : Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Dakota, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin 27. In addition to the returns on the blanks, the last official ( printed ) report of the superintendent was sent from each of the following: Arkansas, Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsyl- vania, Texas, Wyoming 8. From the Presidents of State Universities and State Normal Schools were received reports representing: Alabama, Colorado, Dakota, Georgia, Illi- nois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mis- souri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont 20. The City Superintendents reported, as follows: California Los Angeles; Georgia Atlanta; Idaho Moscow; Illinois Lake View; Indiana Attica, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette; Kentucky Paducah; Mas- sachusetts Boston, Worcester ; Minnesota Minneapolis ; Missouri Kansas City; Montana Helena; Nebraska Edgar, Lincoln ; New York Albany, New Berlin, Syracuse ; Ohio Cincinnati ; Rhode Island Prov- idence; Tennessee Clarksville; Texas Fort Worth; Utah Ogden; Washington Tacoma ; West Virginia Morgantown ; Wisconsin Fond du Lac; Wyoming Cheyenne; 28. Twenty-seven County Superintendents reported, from the following : Call- NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. fornia, Dakota, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Ne- braska, Wisconsin 10. In addition to these, were reports from eight presidents of colleges not under State control, from nineteen professors or instructors in State or de- nominational institutions, and from three editors and publishers. The total number of separate reports received is two hundred and sixty-three. As these correspondents were not chosen haphazard, but with all possible care, the returns will be seen to have special value. The nature. of the questions and replies is such as will not readily admit of tabulation. Later in this report an effort will be made to arrange and summarize certain statements made in answer to some of the more categori- cal queries. STATE SUPERINTENDENTS (29). The reports on per cent, of children in rural or ungraded schools vary, naturally enough, according to the section of the country from which they come. The South, which has just undertaken public (general) education, can show little advance in matters of system ; from eighty to ninety per cent, of its school population is to be found in the ungraded schools, which is doubtless practically all that is actually in attendance. The Western States show from fifty to sixty per cent, in such schools ; and the New Eng- land and Middle States from twenty to thirty per cent. From data fur- nished by these reports and secured from other sources, the average of twenty-three leading States is a trifle above sixty per cent. The minimum course of study required in the ungraded schools seems to universally include reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, and arithmetic. Nearly all States add United States history. Very many include physiology, quite generally with special reference to use of narcotics and stimulants. Florida adds manual training. California adds vocal music, elementary book-keeping, industrial drawing, and practical ento- mology. Oregon adds "familiar science," "elements of citizenship," vocal music, and drawing. Michigan reports no required minimum ; the question as to what shall be taught being left entirely to the district board. The permissive course in ungraded schools seems to .very generally in- clude algebra, geometry, physiology,. book-keeping, and drawing. Florida adds Latin. Oregon adds chemistry, botany, general history, and English literature. There is a very general reference of the permissive course to the county or district authorities, with power to act. As to whether the statute compels or permits the establishment of high schools, Massachusetts is the only State reporting a compulsory law. In this State "every town may, and every town containing five hundred fami- lies or householders must" maintain a high school, in which shall be taught " general history, book-keeping, surveying, geometry, natural philosophy, chemistry, botany, the civil polity of this commonwealth and of the United States, and the Latin language." HI GHEE EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 5 With respect to the opportunities offered the pupils of the rural districts for academic (or preparatory) work, the reports very generally agree that there are few, if any, outside a fee school, the existence of which is a matter of chance, and in which room is always doubtful, as preference is given resident pupils, and very few cities build beyond their own needs. Under the Minnesota plan, which will be described later in this report, sixty-three State high schools are in existence. Indiana reports "a good many town- ship graded schools." Several States seem to think the want is met by "several colleges and universities with preparatory departments." The very general opinion of our correspondents in State offices seems to be that there is a wide gap between the rural school and higher institutions, to bridge which neither opportunity nor inducement is offered. STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING (20). As nearly as can be determined from reports to this committee, and from other reliable data," of nearly four hundred institutions of higher learning in the United States, only sixty-five have freed themselves from the embar- rassment of a preparatory department. Eleven of these more advanced institutions are directly under State control, forming not quite half of the State universities reported by the United States Commissioner of Edu- cation. Five-sixths of all the so-called colleges and universities in the United States and jnore than half the State universities still find it neces- sary to do academic (preparatory) work. If there is a normal school State or other not doing a large amount of academic work, its existence is unknown to your committee. The reason universally given for this continuance of work which simply embarrasses those properly engaged in higher instruction, and the support of which is sometimes gravely considered a misappropriation of trust-funds, is simply that there is no adequate preparation for higher institutions offered under the State system. This is the answer returned, in apparent good faith, by every institution reporting. It seems to have been difficult for our correspondents to make very accu- rate estimates of the per cent, of students coming from rural (or ungraded) districts. Upon two points, however, there is substantial unanimity: (1) Such students are present in higher classes in perceptible numbers only where there is a preparatory department, the largest number under other circumstances not exceeding twenty per cent.; (2) with one exception, the reason for this small enrollment is given as " want of opportunities and in- ducement to prepare." This one exceptional reason is, "Because the people who seek higher education are relatively more numerous in cities and towns than in rural districts." But, query: (1) Is this statement true? Your committee incline to a contrary belief i. e., that in proportion to popula- tion, cities do not furnish a greater number seeking higher education than rural districts furnish. (2) If the statement be true, is it not because of the opportunity offered in cities, which is rarely known in rural districts? NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. The requirements for admission to the lowest preparatory class generally indicate that the university is striving through its preparatory department to keep touch with the most elementary schools the rural and ungraded schools. The effect of this on the universities or colleges and on the high schools, which are in existence, but thus largely fail of recognition is readily seen. Where the preparatory departments are retained, nearly seventy-five per cent, of the upper-class men are prepared by the University itself, thus show- ing again but slight contact with such high schools as have been established, and therefore but slight influence over them. Where there is no prepara- tory department the rural population has small representation, and the work of preparation is reported to be done at private schools, or at high schools in the nearest town, generally upon payment of term fees. With one voice these twenty representatives of higher State institutions declare that "there are no opportunities offered the people of the rural dis- tricts for academic (or preparatory) work, except as they may go to private schools, or (that whiqh is practically the same thing) to high schools in ad- joining cities, provided (1) such high schools have been established ; (2) that provision has been made for the admission of non-resident pupils; (3) that there is room for non-resident pupils; and (4) that certain fees are paid, very generally." Asked if, in their judgment, there is any break in the possible connection of the rural (ungraded) school with the university or higher education, twelve of these correspondents answer emphatically, " Yes." One says, " No." One says, "No serious break." One says, "No break in the possible connection, but in the actual." One is in doubt. The others are silent, though their answers to the next question seem to imply that they recognize the gap in the system. As to a remedy, the opinion is somewhat divided. There is frequent repe- tition of the rather vague statement : " Make better use of the schools already established," or the even more vague advice, "Make the public schools better." Kansas says, " Students from the rural schools should be admitted to the high school of the nearest city." Minnesota has its own system of city high schools with State aid, and refers to this as successful. Tennessee says emphatically, " By good county high schools, and not humbug * col- leges.' " Michigan says, "By establishing a high school in each county." Indiana feels that the local high schools need restricting to a purely academic basis, the present tendency being to imitate small colleges. Illinois says that there must be a link found, as in that State not one-half of one per cent, of the population of school age is in institutions even by courtesy called colleges. MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS (207). The miscellaneous or general reports represent the following States: Alabama, 4 ; Arizona, 1 ; California, 8 ; Colorado, 5 ; Connecticut, 3 ; Da- HIGHEE EDUCATION OF THE EUEAL POPULATION. 1 kota, 4; District of Columbia, 1 ; Florida, 2; Georgia, 3; Idaho, 2; Illinois, 11; Indiana, 15; Iowa, 11; Kansas, 6; Kentucky, 7; Maine, 3; Maryland, 3; Massachusetts, 7; Michigan, 9; Minnesota, 8; Mississippi, 3; Missouri, 6; Montana, 2; Nebraska, 8; Nevada, 4; New Hampshire, 3 ; New Mexico, 2; New York, 7; Ohio, 8; Oregon, 4; Pennsylvania, 4; Rhode Island, 5; Tennessee, 6; Texas, 7; Utah, 1; Vermont, 3; Virginia, 4; Washington, 3 ; West Virginia, 2; Wisconsin, 11; Wyoming, 1. It will be seen that these reports cover the Union as completely as can be expected, unless such a re- port as this is to be made by officials whose duty it is to look after such matters. Your committee believes that in point of intelligent apprehension of what was sought by the circulars and of intelligent replies, these reports surpass those generally known as " official." * The first two questions in the general circular were answered much as would be anticipated. Where State universities have no preparatory de- partments, the reason generally assigned is that there are a sufficient num- ber of well-conducted high schools to do the preparatory work. That the word "sufficient" is used rather carelessly, is shown by a consideration of some of the later replies. Where there is a preparatory department it is said to be because students cannot secure good secondary instruction else- where, or cannot secure it without great inconvenience and expense. A number of special statements are made, however, to a few of which as being rather suggestive your attention is directed. The committee is content to quote without comment: "Our city high schools are rather finisli- ^i^-schools than ^m^-schools, hence we have a preparatory department." "It is hard to say why our preparatory department is continued on funds set aside for purposes of higher education. This has never been defended." "We have no preparatory department, as we think it our place to encour- age rather than discourage the high schools of the State." There is a certain brutal frankness in the statement, " We maintain a preparatory department in order to keep up a show of numbers ; " yet this comes from one of the most advanced State institutions. " We have no preparatory department, because the freshman class is graded down to touch the country district schools." "We continue our preparatory work, because a large number of those desiring to enter can have no other access to means of preparation." ''Our university still has a preparatory department, because it is more of a gram- mar school than a university." "Our preparatory department has been discontinued, because we determined that it was not within the purpose of our endowment." Even with preparatory departments, the answers to question 3 show that the district (ungraded) schools do not fully prepare for admission, the nega- tive replies being to the affirmative as four to one. In the States from which the affirmatives came, it was generally noticeable that the requirements for * It should be remembered that not all the questions were answered in each report, though the re- ports are very complete. 8 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. admission were about the same as those for a teacher's certificate of the lowest grade. If a single State in the Union has a system of city high schools, the fact has escaped the notice of your committee. Even where some intelligent effort has been made to grade the district schools and unify their work, the cities have apparently gone on their own way, the " way " being right in their own eyes, at least. This seems to be largely due to the absence of any common standard of anything to grade to or to grade by. It may be remarked in passing, that where no preparatory work is done by the State, the local schools show stronger tendencies toward unity and harmo- nious action. Tuition in city high schools is generally free to all resident children. In a very few instances, reports mention slight fees for instruction in languages. The number of high schools "doing first-class academic work, including languages and higher mathematics," is reported (always with reservation) by States as follows: Alabama, 8; California, 7 (State Superintendent), " Not more than two " (a report from a member of the faculty of the State University) ; Colorado, 4 ; Connecticut, 22 ; Dakota, 18 ( Secretary of Ter- ritorial Board of Education); District of Columbia, 2; Florida, 15; Geor- gia, 20 ( probably including private academies) ; Idaho, " Possibly that at Boise City " ; Illinois, "All will claim this," " From two-thirds to three- fourths," "Thirteen give full preparation for the freshman classical course" (State Superintendent); Indiana, "Very few," "Ninety-nine are commis- sioned by the State Board to send graduates to the State University" ; Iowa, 70; Kansas, "The University recognizes sixteen, with thirty-one others not quite complete in course"; Kentucky, 4, "None, really, outside of Louis- ville"; Maine, "Nearly all city high schools"; Maryland, 10; Massachu- setts, "All in cities or towns of more than 4,000 inhabitants"; Michigan, 35, "Twenty, perhaps, have a full classical course"; Minnesota, 30 (State Superintendent), "Sixty-five city high schools receive $400 each per annum from the State, on condition of furnishing free tuition to non-residents of the city " ; Mississippi, " None," " Possibly 50, including private academies " ; Missouri, "Not more than four"; Montana, "Really none"; Nebraska, 10 to 15 ; Nevada, 5 ; New Hampshire, "All city and most town high schools" ; New Mexico, " Possibly a half-dozen trying, mostly parochial schools of the mission class"; New York, "All"; Ohio, "Fifteen, but generally without Greek," 159 (State Commissioner);* Oregon, 1; Rhode Island, 3; Teunes- * Explaining this apparent discrepancy, the State Commissioner of Ohio writes: "There must be a difference in the definitions of ' first-class academic work.' Inasmuch as Ohio colleges do not require Greek for admission to college classes, provided candidates can offer equivalents in other branches for instance, in extra Latin or mathematics I have not considered Greek, nor do I consider it with- out these limitations, ' essential to first-class academic work.' The schools I have numbered among the 159 all teach Latin, many of them German, and all of them physics and advanced mathematics, by which I mean algebra, geometry, and most of them plane trigonometry. I do not say that all the schools in my enumeration teach enough of these to prepare pupils for entrance into college ( I am sure a great many of them do not), but they are doing work looking in that direction, and work which in my opinion may be properly classed under the head of first-class academic work." HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 9 see, " Possibly four, but Greek, French and German are not taught" ; Texas, possibly 15; Utah, "None"; Vermont, 1, "There are 27 academies and pri- vate schools " ; Washington, " None, a recent legislature having enacted that 'no other language than English nor mathematics higher than algebra' shall be taught in such schools"; Wisconsin, 65, including all academies, "11 prepare in all courses for the university, and 34 in the modern classical course";* Wyoming, "None." The committee made an effort to secure the sphool population of each of these States, but found this to be almost impossible. However, a glance will serve to show how inadequate in nearly all the States is the work in secondary education, even when regarded from the standpoint of quantity only. As to question eight, it may be sufficient to say that the reports show that of the schools just reported, a very large proportion are not able to fully fit for freshman classes. This is true in every case given above, where it is not specified that a high-school graduation is recognized by the State university, or other institutions of similar rank. Non-resident pupils attending city high schools are generally charged fees, which seems natural and proper enough. The exceptions seem to be Minnesota (where the State contributes to the support of the city schools), Florida, Mississippi, and Wyoming. In these last there seems to be no set- tled principle only the fact that fees have not yet been charged. That non-resident pupils are welcomed, that any special effort is made to attract them, seems much in doubt. There are many correspondents who answer in the affirmative, but there are more who are guarded. " We can- not welcome them we are overcrowded now." " They are received rather grudgingly our seats are full." " Few cities build beyond their own needs: how can they take in others?" "We are not able to build for outsiders; it does not pay." "They are generally a burden in more ways than one." Such is the tenor of a large number of returns. Even in Minnesota there is not sufficient room, and the proportion of those in attendance from rural districts is very small. Your committee finds no State in which cities are compelled to establish high schools, except Massachusetts. Nor can we find that the rural popu- lation has any voice in establishing or managing city high schools. f The general status of secondary education in the United States, as gathered from the reports and from other sources, seems to be as follows : Alabama. No public high schools recognized in the public-school system. Such schools rely entirely on local support. Arizona. The territorial laws are silent on the subject of high schools. * Latin is the only language required. fin this connection should be noted a somewhat converse condition, i. e., while county superin- tendents have no jurisdiction in cities, the cities share in their election, and thus very generally de- termine the choice of the highest official for rural schools, in which the city has no interest whatever. 10 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. Arkansas. Graded schools are provided in several cities at public expense, and a few cities have high schools, but there seems to be no close organization, nor any recognition of these as a part of a system. California. No State school money aids schools of higher than gram- mar grade. High schools exist in cities, sustained by special local levies. The statute permits any district to establish by popular vote a grammar school, which shall prepare for entrance to the scientific courses of the Uni- versity. A few such schools have been established, but with indifferent success, chiefly because the district constitutes a field too narrow from which to draw either pupils or support for higher work. At the recent session of the State Legislature a bill was introduced to authorize counties to establish county high schools. The movement was regarded with much favor, but your committee cannot learn the fate of the measure. "The law should cer- tainly be mandatory as to one good school in each county." Colorado. Cities are considered school districts, come under the general district law, and thus receive their share of public school money. High schools exist in the cities. The law also permits two or more contiguous rural districts to unite in establishing a high school, but the support must come from local levies. No such schools exist. Connecticut. The statute is simply permissive as to town schools of grade higher than elementary. Such schools have been very generally established. Dr. Henry Barnard writes: "There are some general advantages connected with a wider constituency for secondary education such as the mere fact of students leaving rural homes for the larger life and different surround- ings of a city or town. ... A very eminent teacher in Massachusetts, just about a hundred years ago, proposed a system of county academies (aided by public grants, and being about the same thing as a county high school) as being indirectly the very best institutions for fitting school-mas- ters. It was in this form also that Professor Olmstead made the earliest suggestion (1816) for an academy for school-masters in Connecticut. . . . About 1846, in an address delivered at Chicago before the Northwestern Educational Convention, I, myself, touched incidentally on this very point in the assertion that if, in the State system, we were not to have a high school in every city (or town), we ought at least to have one in every county, which would give certain special advantages over any mere local high school." Dakota. The statute is permissive, and high schools may be established in townships subject to decision of the resident voters. As a condition prece- dent, there must be four or more properly-equipped rural schools, and an assessment of $200,000. Delaware. The State makes no provision, but some cities maintain high schools. District of Columbia. The federal school system includes high schools. Florida. County boards are authorized to open high schools wherever the condition of education requires them. HIGHEB EDUCATION OF THE BUBAL POPULATION. 11 Georgia. The State law makes no provision, but some cities maintain high schools, " really the result of private enterprise." Idaho. Statute is permissive as to cities, but no other reference is made to high schools or secondary education. Illinois. School boards in incorporated cities and villages are con- structively authorized to establish high schools, and school townships may have them by popular vote. Only ten such schools have been established, and two of these have been discontinued. Our correspondents generally agree that the township is too narrow a field from which to draw pupils and support for a good high school; though other reasons lack of interest in higher education, local jealousies between country and village, etc. are also assigned. Indiana. The statute permits township trustees to establish graded schools. Many such schools have been established, and when in densely populated townships, with at least fair success. But again our correspond- ents agree with quite remarkable unanimity, that the average rural town- ship is too narrow a field from which to either draw pupils or support for a school of really high grade. "A school above the district school yet organ- ically connected with it, must prove a great impetus to both pupil and teacher. The trouble now is that students in district schools have no idea of more advanced work; think that the common school is sufficient. The high school is a sure and necessary corrective of this. I do not see how it can be successfully maintained in rural townships. The West at least needs good county high schools." Indian Territory. No report. Iowa. The statute is permissive as to both county and township high schools. Guthrie county has a county high school which is reported as suc- cessful. A letter from the superintendent of that county gives the following reasons why the school meets with recognition and approval : 1. It helps keep up among the people a high estimate of the value of education. 2. It is the connecting link between the common school and the college. 3. It is the head of the school system of the county, and is a constant incentive to better work below. 4. It educates a large number of teachers for the country schools. There seem to be but few township schools, and these are generally graded schools and not high schools. The usual reason is given for the practical failure of this position of the statute, "the township is too narrow a field." Kansas. The statute is permissive as to county high schools and union district graded schools. City high schools are maintained by the usual local levies. Several attempts have been made to establish county high schools, but they have generally failed because of local jealousies in select- ing the location. Dickinson county, however, has established a county high school at Chapman. An unusually commodious building has been erected, 12 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. and the school opens in September. The interest taken in this movement by the rural schools is great, and the beneficial effects in the way of stimu- lus to proper grading of all country schools and increased ambition and activity on the part of the district school teachers have been manifest from the day the ground was broken for the foundation of the new building. " If every city or town is not compelled to maintain a high school and open it freely to students from the rural districts, then there should be a county high school offering special opportunities and inducements to such pupils." Kentucky. Cities and towns maintaining a system of common schools are considered school districts, and thus receive their share of State money. Some cities have established high schools. The statute seems to be silent on this point. Louisiana. No report. ~Maine. The statute is permissive, and a large number of towns have high schools. The State duplicates the amount expended by each town to the extent of $250. There is no systematic relation between these and the district schools, each often infringing on the proper work of the other. Maryland. The school system includes county and district high schools, and these are more or less complete in each county. In referring to those which have been "successful," our correspondents mention the county schools only. State aid is also granted to some extent to some sixteen academies. Massachusetts. Any town may establish a school for instruction in higher English branches. Towns with 500 families must have such schools, includ- ing ordinary high-school branches. Towns of 4,000 and upward must add instruction in Greek, French, astronomy, geology, rhetoric, logic, intellect- ual and moral science, and political economy. Michigan. The law permits city schools and union district graded schools. An effort is being made to adopt the township system, with an enabling act for establishing township high schools. Minnesota. The boards of education of any city, town, or village of 500 population or more may establish such grades of school as seem expedient. There is a State high-school board, which controls the appropriation of State aid granted certain city high schools on condition of instruction fur- nished non-residents free ; but not more than five schools can be so aided in any county in the same year. Mississippi. The report is indefinite, but refers to preparatory depart- ment of State University in such a way as to lead to the inference that this is the only preparatory work provided by statute. Missouri. Cities, towns and villages organize as school districts, and schools of higher grade may be established. No such schools exist outside of cities. Montana. No report. Nebraska. The statute permits the district board of any district of more than 150 children of school age to establish a high school, subject to a vote of the people. No worthy secondary schools reported outside of cities. HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 13 Nevada. A village, town, or incorporated city constitutes a school dis- trict, and high schools may be established " wherever funds are sufficient to sustain them." New Hampshire. If two-thirds of voters so agree, any town or district having 100 children 6-16 years of age, may establish a high school. Such schools have been established, and have been successful. New Jersey. The statute seems permissive only. New Mexico. " Our Territory has no high schools, and no system of pub- lic schools worthy of name. There are but three months in the year of free schools, and these of the poorest order. After a three-years experience in a township school in Indiana, as a matter of personal opinion I am strongly in favor of county high schools." New York. The law authorizes union district schools, and permits these to adopt academies which are within the district as academical departments. The State assists such departments by direct appropriations. " The rural district schools are entirely independent of each other, and of any higher school whatever. The only promotion within reach of a pupil* in these pub- lic schools is offered by the regents of the University, who provide that at the regular examinations in the academies, pupils from the public schools may be admitted and examined along with the scholars in the academies; and if successful, they may secure the same 'pass cards/ certificates, or even diplomas, as are granted to academic scholars. From the nature of the case, however, but few seek such opportunity beyond the preliminary branches, and probably none beyond what is known as the intermediate." North Carolina. The State law apparently makes no provision whatever for higher instruction, except that in townships of 5,000 inhabitants or more graded schools may be established ; but the tax for their support is not to exceed one-tenth of one per cent, and 30 cents poll. Ohio. The statute simply permits the establishment of high schools at the discretion of each board of education. A few such schools have been established in rural districts, and are reported as successful.* Oregon. In districts with 1,000 or more children of school age, high schools must be maintained at least six months in each year. Pennsylvania. The statute permits district directors at their discretion to establish schools of different grades, and under this, city high schools have become very general. Rhode Island. School districts or union districts may establish schools of higher grades. South Carolina. The law seems silent. Tennessee. Township boards may establish schools of higher grade, and some such schools have been created. There has been but indifferent suc- cess; "the territory is too small," and "rural school boards have not 'busi- ness ' enough to work this plan." * As to city high schools, see page 8 of this report. 14 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. Texas. No provision for county or township high schools. The last State Superintendent's report urges the establishment of county high schools. Four leagues of land were granted for this purpose to each county in the State by the ante-bellum constitution, but the reconstructed constitution di- verted these lands to the support of the common schools. Utah. Districts having a population of 1,200 or more may by popular vote establish graded schools. Pupils under 18 years of age cannot be ad- mitted. Vermont. The law permits the establishment of central graded schools in villages and towns, but outside of towns no response has been made to such permission. Virginia. District boards may provide higher instruction, with consent of county school board. A few such schools have been established, but with very little success. "Territory too small from which to draw pupils or support." Washington Territory. The law does not recognize schools in which languages other than English or mathematics higher than algebra are taught. West Virginia. No report. Wisconsin. Districts may establish high schools, and maintaining these not less than three months are entitled to receive from the State half the amount actually expended for instruction in higher branches. Only four such schools are reported in operation. Wyoming. The statute is permissive as to city high schools, and grants school boards in rural districts the same power. No such schools have been established outside cities. There is very general agreement among our correspondents that second- ary or academic schools should be so provided by the State as to offer every opportunity and inducement to pupils from rural districts ; that this work should not be left to the chance of city building and city providing ( this expression was unanimous), but that the people of the rural districts should have legislative permission and incentive to make the necessary provision. The few who disagree to these propositions are generally those from older and more densely populated States, where the highest form of educational work done directly under State aid and supervision is academic, and where large towns are many in number and but short distances apart. Among other assenting and dissenting voices, the following may be quoted : "I do not believe in State aid in secondary education unless pupils are to be granted manual training." " It is simply absurd to establish a university, the crowning feature of a State system, and then fail to provide secondary schools accessible to all classes of students." "There is no more reason why secondary education should be in fee schools and dependent on the chance provision of cities, than that primary instruction should be managed in this way." " The town system is better in our New England States, but the West needs county high schools." "I think the chance of city building, HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 15 etc., is better at present than the chance of county building. I would give the people of the rural districts the chance, however." " Bring the elementary schools to a first-class grade first, then give us the rural high school." " We should have the county high school, with a mandatory law." "As a rule I think the city high schools are sufficient. It is the cost of board, and not of tuition, that keeps children out of these schools." " We think our county high school a profitable investment. It is to us what the State Normal is to the State. Over 200 of the young people of the county attend the school at some time during each year. A majority of our teachers attend it before they teach, or while they are teaching. The school does more for us directly and positively than all the colleges of the State. Many of our young people attend some college after graduating from here, who would never have done so had they not received the inspiration at the county high school. It is true it takes the bright pupils from our country schools occasionally, and weakens the school at the time, but a desire is awakened in those that remain to fol- low, which more than supplies the loss. A county high school properly managed will do much for a county by raising the standard of the teachers." " In Illinois, I see no reason why the county, not the State, should not pro- vide at the county seat a public school of high grade, in precisely the same way that it provides a court house, a jail, etc. The county commissioners could do all necessary legislation, under suitable State laws." " There should be county high schools, but only as supplementing township graded (or high) schools." "A high school will in my opinion always have community sup- port only, certainly very little other worth mentioning. I therefore favor the township or joint township high school. The State should aid in the support of such schools." '*'! do not believe in furnishing secondary edu- cation by the State, etc., because I do not think enough of our poorer classes avail themselves of the privileges of free higher education to compensate for the extra taxation. Besides, it educates people beyond their natural posi- tion in society." " I believe in the township high schools, but they can only be maintained by aid from the State to the extent, say, of one third or one- half their entire expense." "I cannot indorse free secondary schools; the burden of the necessary taxation would be too oppressive." " Only the town high school can be that most desirable thing a home school. Just as soon as a student leaves home, it is to attend a boarding-school, no matter what the name." " The city high schools really do not touch our rural people at all. Everyone knows that. We need the county high school, supported and controlled by the people who use it." " The county high school is an imperative necessity." "The distance limitation tells against city high schools, especially in large cities ; and this would tell against county high schools." " Let us have the county high school. Education is cheaper than a standing army." " I have never yet seen a well-equipped and well-taught township (rural) high school." Our correspondents cannot see that legislation looking towards either 16 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. county or township high schools need affect the city high schools already existing, or prevent others from being established as rapidly as needed. City high schools are wholly local, and naturally come entirely under the municipal law. The community in which any school of high grade is lo- cated is always the ready recipient of its advantages ; but those who have answered the question touching this matter do not believe that this would be true in any special or unusual degree of a county school. All institutions of learning must exist somewhere in space; and the thought (or argument) of local benefit as applied to county schools seems rather tenuous. Yet your committee agree with a correspondent who wrote that "it will require care and watchfulness on the part of trustees to prevent any appearance of absorption by the locality, which might be fatal to the best interests of the school." To the last question there has been but one answer, an emphatic "No." There is no State system which includes only the primary work; abandons the secondary schools to cities and secures no uniformity in these, leaving them to shift for themselves under temporary and local influence, and with no connection with the lower; and either does nothing in the way of higher training, or establishes a so-called university, in which funds de- signed for college training are spent in elementary work, or else the institu- tion is on stilts, almost wholly separated from the great mass of the people, for whose benefit it was primarily intended. All our correspondents recog- nize the "educational ladder" as the ideal system, to be kept constantly in view as a correct standard, and an attainable one ; and several wisely sug- gest, that though there may be a half-truth and a seeming wisdom in calling first for the primary schools and these of superior quality, the higher work is absolutely essential to the well-being of the lower. They agree with the well-known saying of Metternich : "All reforms begin at the top." Atten- tion is also called to the fact, that judged from the standpoint of a tangible, practical, every-day life, the higher studies are more valuable than the lower. From the "Remarks" we make a few extracts. "The 'educational ladder' in this State was left so very weak in the middle that it broke en- tirely in two some years ago. The result is that both ends are growing weaker and more inefficient every year." " Every child of school age should be able to see clearly and follow with the minimum of sacrifice and the maximum of incentive the path from the primary schools to the close of a university course. The State owes this to its children but more than this, it owes it to itself as a matter of self-preservation." "A complete system, as suggested by the ' ladder ' question, is a necessity in every State if merely as a standard and assurance of continued general education." "To know the beginning and end of learning, one must certainly know that which lies between." "It seems to me that the 'ladder' system is not wanted, and is really harmful, when we think that the average person has little or no use for university training. One fault or trouble of to-day is that so many are HIQHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 17 'educated' above the plane on which nature intended them to move. In- stead of being a successful farmer or mechanic, many, by a smattering of a university knowledge, are spoiled. The new Northwest contains many of such 'educational' tramps and 'educational' nobodies, whom a good com- mon-school education left in a condition to succeed in the middle walks of life ; but the university has spoiled them forever, because they are no longer willing to occupy ' middle ground,' and are incapable of anything higher."* "The Minnesota plan has very decided merits, I think. Instead of estab- lishing a new high school in the county, substantial encouragement is given to those already in existence, which do a prescribed amount of work and make tuition free. This concentrates the efforts on fewer localities, and guarantees better results. There are many counties where high schools are so numerous that it would be altogether superfluous to attempt the estab- lishment of more. I doubt if it would be practicable to have a school in any place in this county outside the city. If, however, some of the villages outside should undertake it under the Minnesota plan, these schools might be helped, and many who could not attend school in the city might be able to attend these other schools. It is evident that special legislation would be necessary in almost every State to make this kind of school a success. It would require a proper board of directors, and provisions which are not found in the statutes of most of the States. In the large and sparsely-set- tled counties of the newer States, a county school of this kind might be made a greatjagency in higher education ; and for these new counties the sugges- tion seems to me one of great value, and entirely practicable. I am much impressed with the excellence of the Minnesota plan." "I accept the 'lad- der' theory, but the secondary schools must be more than mere fitting- schools ; they must keep in mind the needs of the large number who cannot do higher work." "A State university worthy of the name must imply a system of high schools, under State supervision, near the people, and espe- cially the rural people, who not only sadly neglect their own interests, but have always been sadly neglected by the State." " We have no State sys- tem in the United States, with very rare exceptions; only collections of local systems, which generally have very little real system even there." "If there was as little system in the business world as in the educational world, there would be universal bankruptcy in sixty days." " There should be full and complete provision for the preparation of all for the university, if simply to surely give the one in one thousand the coveted opportunity." "The connecting link is as 'missing' in our educational system as in Dar- winism." "Few would climb that ladder in any event. That end of the ladder which is in the 'gutter' is the one more nearly connected with the *This is an old story argument it can scarcely be called. The position has been traversed again and again. It requires some courage to-day to announce that the "tramp scholar" is a tramp because of the schools. If in. very exceptional cases this is true, it is evidently not the fault of the system, but of some individual school or teacher. The "tramp scholar" of a later life will generally prove to have been but a "tramp pupil" earlier in life. 18 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. people, and the one which should receive our undivided attention and con- stant vigilance. If the first years of school-life are firmly rooted in intel- ligence, patriotism, and self-respect, the university will not suffer, neither will our Government, from the ignorance of its people; but let every round be complete, if possible." " One of the greatest needs of the present and of the future is what I shall call by the unfitting name, 'gutter schools/ i. e., a system (it ought to be a 'system') of schools to do middle-grade work in a brief space of time after pupils learn to read to teach them while they can be in school an outline of what they will use when grown. The ' county high school ' is in many places a sort of separated and separat- ing institution, giving a higher education to many who could not attain to its grade otherwise; 'gutter schools' would serve a similar, yet more valua- ble, purpose in educating such as attend school for a brief period only of their 'school years.' I believe in educating a little as heartily as in educat- ing much. County high schools serve as one round of Huxley's ladder, but they serve a nobler (if not a better) end, by giving many a 'higher' educa- tion than they could otherwise obtain. We need width more than we need height in our educational work in America at present. Our systems are fairly perfect where they work under favorable conditions; but the academy is a thing of the past, and the graded school is becoming too attenuated and long-drawn-out for the laboring poor of the masses; hence, we more and more need county (country) high schools and the city and country ' gutter schools.'" Your committee feels that the evidence collected shows that I. The State systems are still very generally partial and chaotic. II. For all secondary education, the mass of the rural population is gen- erally dependent upon chance, or the favor of some city. III. With few exceptions no opportunities or inducements worthy of the name in the way of secondary or higher education are offered the rural pop- ulation. IV. Where efforts in the way of systematic secondary education have been reported as made, outside of cities and towns, but are not and cannot be considered as even fairly successful, it is because 1. They are too limited as to territory, population, and resources; or, 2. The organization is not sufficiently close and complete there being too much irregularity in the work of the lower schools; or, 3. The people of the rural districts have no voice in the management and control of such schools, and hence indifference takes the place of interest. From the facts as thus reported, your committee considers the following to be legitimate conclusions or suggestions : I. The district or rural schools should be graded. II. To grade successfully there must be some standard to which to grade some point which will limit and define the work. HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 19 III. This limit should be the lowest class recognized under secondary education. IV. Secondary education should have the same general characteristics that have given primary education its strength and its hold upon our peo- ple: (a) The schools should be free schools and not fee schools. (6) The schools should be as near as possible the homes of those to whom they minister. (c) Those whose children are to receive the benefit of this instruction should participate in the control and management of these schools. (d) The establishment and maintenance of such schools should not be haphazard, a matter of accident or convenience merely; but should be fixed, sure, and systematic. V. As it is an admitted fact that only a small per cent, of those who reach these schools can ever pass beyond them, the secondary schools should combine good academic training with work which is more strictly prepara- tory. [NOTE. It should be understood that a model secondary school will give at least such instruction that its graduates can enter the freshman class of colleges of good standing. It ought to do more than this.] VI. The secondary schools should in turn grade up to the lowest class in the university of the State in which they are situated if such an institu- tion exists. If higher education is not a part of the State system, then the secondary schools should grade up to the best academic standard that the people can be urged 'to accept. VII. In establishing secondary schools the natural order seems to be: (a) In new and in sparsely-settled States or counties the county high school. (6) As cities come into existence, the city high school in addition to that of the county. (c) As the rural population grows more dense, the township or union dis- trict graded school with courses which lead up to the county high school, the grade of which can then be advanced. [NOTE. There are comparatively few States in the Union in which township or union district high schools can be successfully maintained.] VIII. Statute law should be mandatory to the extent of securing at least one high school of high grade in each county. IX. It should be permissive as to cities and townships, at least within cer- tain pretty broad limits of population ; but when such schools are estab- lished, they should come under laws which will secure some uniformity in courses of study though not necessarily in the extent of such courses and in general management. X. A State system worthy of the name will freely offer every opportunity 20 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. and inducement to its entire school population to pass, by systematic methods, easily apprehended by those who are to receive the benefits, and under pop- ular control, from the lowest seat in the primary school to graduation by a college or university of high standing. [NOTE. The following memoranda were indorsed on the original report, and are printed to avoid any color of "suppression of opinion:"] Would it be possible to limit the work of a large city high school to the standard of a county high school, or town high school ? Baker. If possible, not just. Jones. It is sometimes a crime to urge a pupil to further pursue ideal education. Baker. Ideal education calls for ideal pupils. Jones. Can provision be suggested whereby in small counties containing large cities the rural population shall have a right to attend the city high school? This would of course require certain State interference. Jam.es. In not a few cases the city is the convenient business and educational focus of the county. In such cases the county and the city should be in close sym- pathy. Jones. DISCUSSION. (REPORTED BY ROBERT ALLYN.) W. E. SHELDON, of Massachusetts : I hope the committee will be allowed the usual privilege of being catechised. Mr. Canfield took the chair to answer queries. MR. SHELDON: I believe in "free, not in fee schools." How can these be secured in counties of large areas and sparse populations? MR. CANFIELD : The simple question is this : What are you going to do for the people in these large counties, in these sparsely-settled counties, in the way of secondary education? Are you willing to do anything? In the condition which you presuppose, there are no cities. Shall the people of these counties have opportunity and incentive for secondary education, and through that for higher education? If so, shall they be compelled to await the chances of city-building, which at its best gives them no recognized or legal status? If not, shall they have the legal right to organize and support a secondary school of their own ? The details of such a movement are not in question here now. MR. SHELDON: But why do you speak of counties, rather than of other civil divisions? MR. CANFIELD : The committee refers to the county because in a large number of States it is a recognized and useful political unit ; and especially because it is the political unit next above the township ; and our correspond- HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 21 ents are almost unanimous in the expression that the average township does not furnish resources or pupils enough to make a successful high school. This requires density of population and accumulation of financial resources, which cannot be expected in the townships of a vast majority of States for years to come. S. S. PARR, of Indiana: Forty years ago there were systems of county academies public schools in our State. These started in many of the large towns; but denominational schools started as rivals, and later, with some town high schools trying to supplement the free schools, almost drove the academies out of existence. The trend in education now is in the direc- tion of the township, rather than county schools. It is doubtful whether it is best to recommend the latter. MR. CANFIELD: At the time of which the gentleman speaks thirty or forty years ago our school system as a system was in its infancy. It was just struggling into existence and recognition, very generally against the influence of private and sectarian schools. It is not at all surprising, there- fore, that a system of county academies should be, as the gentleman said, " choked out by private and denominational schools." But the fact proves nothing as to the present. The township and city high schools came in later, as did the gentleman's referenced them. They held the ground in such a way, that the question of secondary education has not gone back in a vital way to the people of the rural districts and to-day a valued corre- spondent in Indiana writes "two-thirds of the people, in the rural districts in this State, have neither opportunity nor incentive for secondary education." MR. PARR (referring to a remark by a member) : Indiana can take care of herself, and even Posey county. Denominational schools have injured our city high schools, and town free schools must come to the front. The higher educators ought to find out the natural trend of things, and conform to it. G. P. BROWN, of Illinois: The educational system of Indiana grew from the top from the university. This is historically true. The high school is needed to supplement the common school. WM. A. MOWRY, of Massachusetts : I do not rise to discuss the question. I signed the report as a member of the committee, but question some of its suggestions. I came from a State where there are good town high schools. The county high schools must be largely local, supplying, in the first place, the wants of the towns where they are located ; but I do not yet see how the county high school can be more successful than the town and city high schools. MR. CANFIELD : The committee has simple taken the facts, as reported to it. The facts show that there is virtually no legal recognition, or at least no adequate statutory recognition, of secondary education in the United States. The facts also show, as Mr. Mo wry would have seen had he read 22 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. his own report, that there are "very few States" in which the conditions of townships, in pupils or resources, permit the maintenance of successful town- ship high schools. "W. T. HARRIS, of Massachusetts: I commend the report of Mr. Can- field as one of the best, both in form and matter, that has ever been pre- sented to the Council. The question of secondary education is one of the most important educational questions of the day ; not so much, however, the increasing of accommodations for it, as the direction of it toward prep- aration for higher instruction. It is believed that the nation furnishes fewer students in colleges and universities pro rata, than it did forty years ago, while the number in the secondary schools has increased out of propor- tion. Our whole nation, and especially our cities, are suffering from the deficiency in college-educated men. It is to be considered that this is due to the rise of the public high school in the place of the old denominational academy. The high school aspires to be a sort of finishing-school ; and its teachers do not keep before their pupils the desirability of entering college after graduating from it. In consequence of this, the senior year of the high school is inferior in its educative influence to the other years. In the preparatory school the senior year is by all means the most valuable in its effects, because there exists a strong tension of effort to prepare oneself to pass the examinations for college. It would be a great advantage to the pupils of our high schools if each one was required to choose, at the begin- ning of the senior year, some college, whose entrance examinations they were to pass, as a condition of receiving the diploma of the high school. They need not of course enter the college, but their efforts, during the year, to qualify themselves to do so, would be very salutary. Moreover, the teachers of the high school would be compelled to study carefully the col- lege demands, in order to prepare their pupils to meet them. They would in- vestigate the methods of higher education, and would be set in the way of growing themselves. The effect of such an arrangement would be to increase four-fold the number of pupils from our high schools that enter college. Comparatively few of the pupils, in selecting the college whose examina- tion they would take, would expect to go on beyond the high school; but as their interest in the preparation increased, their thoughts would naturally dwell on the college course; and when finally they had passed the entrance examinations, pupils and parents would, in numerous instances, resolve that the college course should be undertaken. This arrangement would improve the educative quality of high-school work, and, at the same time, would largely increase the number of college-educated men in all our cities and towns. The value of this on our national life cannot be too highly esti- mated. Our political, our business, and our social life are all revealing deep questions relative to the welfare of the community. Anarchy on the one hand, and Socialism on the other, are setting forward their claims against the existing social forms and established laws. In many a specious shape HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION. 23 they win adherents from among the half-educated, or the naturally restless and discontented, in our population. The high-school graduate is far more able to grapple with such questions than the graduate of the elementary school; but he is as far below the average college graduate in ability to do this, as the elementary graduate is below him. It is evident that four years of severe discipline, added to secondary instruction, cannot fail to produce a greater maturity of mind. The higher studies involve the history and rationale of institutions, philosophy, literature, political economy, logic, and precisely such insight-giving studies as furnish the much-needed education for the leaders of public opinion. It is to be hoped that this question may be discussed, in some shape, every year in this Council. D. L. KIEHLE, of Minnesota: Let me explain the Minnesota plan in regard to State high schools. They are organized and controlled by the local board of education. They are received under the supervision of the State high-school board upon application, and receive from this board the sum of $400 per annum on condition that the high school is supported ac- cording to the rules of the board. These rules require the following con- ditions : 1. The principal must hold the certificate of the State board. 2. The school must support an approved course of study. 3. Examinations must be held in every subject, when completed, with questions furnished by the State board. 4. Each school must make a term report of attendance, work done, etc. 5. Each school is visited annually by a representative of the State board. 6. Each school must give free tuition to non-residents capable of entering the high school. The advantages of this system are very great. The school gets 8400 to begin with ; it is stimulated and improved by its responsibility to the State; the county is supplied with high-school advantages; students receive certifi- cates which entitle them to admission to the freshman class of the Univer- sity, and are thus directed and encouraged toward a higher education. S. H. PEABODY, of Illinois: A large majority, probably two-thirds, of the young people of Illinois who have passed beyond the work of the pri- mary school but have not reached that of the college or university, have no legal standing in any school supported at public charge. The cities and larger towns support high schools of varied grades of excellence, from those which are such only in name, to those of the first class in the larger cities. But the pupils from the rural districts have no rights in such schools. To some they are welcome on payment of a reasonable fee ; to others they may be admitted only at an exorbitant price, really meant to be prohibitory; from some they are entirely debarred. Two, three or more rural townships may unite in supporting a secondary school ; but the districts are sparsely settled, and this solution does not practically occur. The political unit next larger than the township is the county, a unit by which general public busi- 24 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. ness is transacted much more commonly than is done in the Eastern States, and one to which we of the West may naturally look for the working out of a problem of such evident importance. E. E. WHITE, of Ohio : I simply wish to emphasize the necessity of doing something to bring secondary education within reach of country youth. The city and town high schools have destroyed most of the old academies, in which so many of us received our preparatory, or secondary educational in- spirations; and yet they do not take the place of the academy, so far as the educational interests of country youth are concerned. The schooling offered by the common school does not fit country youth to enter, with advantage, the high school, which is a part of a finer graded system. Besides, the cost of board in cities, the social life and habits of city youth, and the absence of home direction and control, make the city high school not the best school for country youth. The fact is that country youth are not going to the city and town high schools for secondary education, but to normal schools, pre- paratory departments of colleges, etc. If city and town high schools are to be depended upon for secondary education, there must be an adjustment be- tween these high schools and the common schools of the county. What is needed is the organization of secondary education, as the able report shows. Whether the high school is to be a county institution, or not, I do not at- tempt to decide; but there must be high schools within reach of country youth, and adapted to their needs and conditions. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF -THE SCHOOL BULLETIN PUBLICATIONS.- Music in the School Boom. 1. The Sonq Budget. A collections of Songs and Music for Educational Gatherings. By E. V. DE GRAFF. Small 4to, paper, pp. 76. 15 cts. This book owes its popularity to two causes : (1) It gives a great deal for the money. (2) The songs are not only numerous (107), but they are the standard favor- ites of the last fifty years. This is why the book contains more music that will be used than any other book published. For in all other books that we know of. two thirds of the tunes are written by the compilers, who are of course partial to their own productions. Sup't De Graff wrote no songs of his own, but gathered those which his long experience as a conductor of teachers' institutes had shown him to be the most generally familiar and pleasing. In fact, the success of this book has been due to the fact that only those songs were admitted that have proved to be universal favorites. This in- volved a large original outlay, as much as fifty dollars having been paid for the right to use a single song. But the best were taken wherever they could be found and at whatever C9st, and the result is a school singing-book of popularity unexampled. For instance, a single linn in Cleveland, Ohio, J. R. Holcomb & Co., had purchased of us up to Feb. 15, 1888, no less than 9730 copies, 4500 within the last six months, besides 2100 of the School Room Chorus. %. The School Eoom Chorus. A collection of Two Hundred Songs for Public and Private Schools, compiled by E. V. DE GRAFT. Small, 4to, boards, pp. 148. 35 cts. This is an enlarged edition of the Song Budget, with twice the number of songs. The plates of the last edition are so arranged that it is identical with the Song Budget as far as page 68, so that both books can be used to- gether. The Budget and Chorus are particularly adapted for Teachers' Asso- ciations and Institutes. At these prices every meeting of teachers can be sup- plied with one or the other, while the fact that the tunes are standard favorites makes it easy for any audience to join in the singing at sight. 3. The Diadem of School Songs : containing Songs and Music for all grades of Schools, a new system of Instruction in the elements of Music, and a Manual of Directions for the use of Teachers. By WM. TILIINGHAST. Small, 4to, boards, pp. 1GO. 50 cts. This book, of which Dr. French, the veteran institute -instructor was associate author, gives an exceedingly simple and practical system of in- struction as well as a valuable collection of songs. U. HatJ a Hundred Songs, for the School -Room and Home. By HATTIE S. RUSSELL. IGmo, boards, pp. 103. 35 cts. These songs are all original, but without music. 5. The School Vocalist ; containing a thorough system of elementary instruction in Vocal Music, with Practical Exercises, Songs, Hymns, Chants, &c., adapted to the use of Schools and Academies. By E. LOCKE, and S. NOURSE. Oblong, boards, pp. 160. Price 50 cts. 6. The School Melodist. A Song Book for School and Home. By E. LOCKE and S. NOURSE. Oblong, boards, pp. 160. Price 50 cts. 7. The Song Life, for Sunday Schools, etc., illustrating in song the journey of Christiana and her children to the Celestial City. Small 4to boards, pp. 176. Price ;">.. Nos. 5, 6, and 7 are books that have had their day, but of which we have a few hundred copies of each on hand. These we will sell at 10 ets. each ; If to go by mail, 6 cts. each extra. They contain much good music. ~ C. W. BARDKEiST, P**I>ii]iier, Syracuse, N. Y. I MVKRSITY OK < 'A I- 1 FOllN I A Ul'.UAKY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW 19 121QT7 The unr popularity ( Song Budge sales of have pro exceeded tl any other s music-book lished, has it no easy tt prepare a si collection t low it in sc where its had becom miliar. The here given final choice more th; thousand i had been sel from every able source especially f] rowed dowi difficult to : tance. But and though A large book. Effo voices, avo; making the. the accomp somewhat corresponds creasing ins the, school- believed to all over the tion, it is to To hun representat turns earnest thanks, and hopes they may find reward in the use of this new century of songs. C. Vv r . BAKDEEN, Publisher, Syracuse, N. Y. 30m-6,'14