PLAN OF WORK OF THE HERBART SOCIETY. This society is now completing its second year of aggressive discussion of important topics in education. It is the well-matured plan of the society to secure the best papers within its reach on the most vital problems of American education. These papers are printed beforehand and circulated to the members so that they may be carefully read and weighed before the time for discussion in the meetings. The publications may then be taken home and their practical value tested. This plan provides (what is not usual in our educational meetings) for very careful preparation of papers, thorough and complete discussion after thoughtful reading, and the later study, testing and application of the theories proposed. In this way it is believed that progress can be made toward the settlement of some of our vexed questions of education. PUBLICATIONS. The publications already out and definitely planned are as follows: First Year-Book for 1895 Concentration, by Frank M. McMurry. The Culture Epochs, C. C. VanLiew. Most Pressing Problems, Charles DeGarmo. Course of Study for Primary Grade, Mrs. Lida McMurry. First Supplement to the First Year-Book. Discussions of the Denver Papers. (Denver) A Descriptive List of English and German Works on Herbartian Pedagogy. Second Supplement to the First Year-Book Interest as Related to Will. Also the Discussion of this Paper at Jacksonville. Second Year-Book, 1896. (Buffalo)— Isolation and Unification as Bases of a Course of Study, by A Symposium on the Culture Epochs. Papers by Lukens, Present Status of the Doctrine of Interest, DeGarmo. List of Books. First Supplement to the Second Year-Book— Training for Citizenship, Jeremiah W. Jenks. Second Supplement to the Second Year Book (in prospect)— Discussion of Dr. Jenks' paper and other papers on the same subject. Third Year-Book, 1897, Milwaukee. (Planned) Moral Education. Papers by John Dewey, John Adams, MEMBERSHIP. Single membership in the National Herbart Society may be had by sending to the secretary one dollar per year (including the Year-Book and two supplements). Back numbers of the Year-Books may be secured from the secretary for 50 cents each; supplements for 25 cents each. Ordered in quantities there will be a reduction of 20 per cent. LOCAL CLUBS. A plan has been in operation for the formation of local clubs of those wishing to study the Year-Books and Supplements. Many such local clubs have been formed at Normal Schools, at Universities, by city superintendents, and in some cases by county superintendents. When four or more persons wish to form a local club the membership is fixed. at 75 cents for each person. They will elect a chairman, who will conduct the correspondence, receive the Year-Book and Supplements for the club, sending the money, and forwarding all questions and communications to the secretary of the National Society. COURSES OF READING. For those local clubs wishing to take up a course of reading in Herbartian pedagogy such a course is fully outlined in the First Supplement to the First Year-Book and also in the Second Year-Book. A descriptive catalogue of the leading books in English and German is given. The success of a local club depends largely upon the chairman, who should not only receive and distribute the Year-Books, but fix a regular time for meetings, appoint a member for each meeting who shall present a well prepared paper and assist in the discussions. In the discussion of important topics, such as concentration, apperception, interest, culture epochs, a series of comparative readings from several books should be planned. Those wishing to become members of the National Herbart Society, either singly or in clubs, should send their membership fee to the secretary, CHARLES A. MCMURRY, Chicago University, Chicago, Illinois. |