The Comedy of TWELFTH NIGHT, or What You Will, has been added to the series of English Classics for Schools. The notes are few and on the page with the text. American Book Co. Price, 20 cents.

Here is a book whose reading will inspire to noble acts and high resolves. The author of "The Heir of Redclyffe" has gathered and narrated stories of all times and all lauds, and made them into a BOOK OF GOLDEN DEEDS. There are fifty stories and each is selected with rare judgment and told in a most entertaining manner. For supplementary reading this book must strongly appeal to all teachers, and as a home book it has a distinct place. It is lofty in tone, pure in sentiment, and dignified in expression. New York: Macmillan & Co. Price, 50 cents.

The full title of Prof. S. S. Laurie's latest work is INSTITUTES OF EDUCATION, comprising an Introduction to Rational Psychology; designed, partly, as a text-book for universities and colleges. Dr. Laurie is Professor of Institutes and History of Education in the University of Edinburgh, and his book is an arrangement and abridgement of lectures delivered to his pupils. The lectures are, therefore, didactic in expression but they are clear, concise and exhaustive. Part first is devoted to a consideration of the end, physiological conditions, materials and methods of education generally; part second to the philosophy of intelligence as yielding the methodology of education; part third to methodology; part fourth to applied methodology, or the art of intellectual education; part fifth to ethical education; part sixth to applied methodology as art of ethical education; and part seventh to school management, organization, etc. To the student of education, to the teacher, these lectures will prove of immense benefit. There is much room for treatises of this sort, and Dr. Laurie's work merits extensive use. New York: Macmillan & Co. Price, $1.00.

PERIODICALS.

It would be impossible adequately to describe the comprehensive and ever-varying contents of Harper's Weekly, Harper's Monthly, Harper's Young People and Harper's Bazar whic periodically come to our table. They should go into every home in the land, where fathers and mothers will enjoy and profit by the Monthly, the boys by the Weekly and the Young People; and the girls by the Young People and the Bazar, and the entire family by all. It is equal to a liberal education regularly to read such artistic and elaborately constructed publications as these. The Weekly Bulletin (5 Somerset St., Boston), has become The Weekly Review, and besides the regular catalogue of the contents of over twelve hundred different papers and magazines it will hereafter devote several pages to a comprehensive summary of the best and most interesting periodical arti cles, serving still more as a time saver to the busy literary or business men We wish it and prophesy for it a large success.-The February North American Review contains an interesting article by Hon. W. M. Springer on How to Revise the Tariff," and a large number of other articles on leading political questions, besides many on lighter topics. Among the latter is one by Erastus Wiman entitled The Hope of a Home" in which are set forth the advantages of Building Loan Associations.— Public Opinion (Washington, D C.), makes a feature of cash prizes for the best essay on prominent topics such as "What, it any, changes in the present immigration laws are expedient?" The competition is open to all.— The Harvard Quarterly Journal of Economics contains scholarly articles by Prot. W. J. Ashley, Claudio Jannet, Prof. Taussig and others, with full bibliographical notes for the last quarter. The University Press of the Univer sity of Chicago issues the first number of the “ Journal of Political Economy," containing a study of Political Economy in the United States, by J. Lawrence Laughlin, Recent Commercial Policy of France, by Emile Levasseur, Rodbertus's Socialism, by E. Benj. Andrews, and The Price of Wheat since 1867, by Thorstein B. Veblen. Francis A. Walker and other noted writers will contribute to future numbers. Price $3.00 per year. The Home-Maker Magazine for January shows the same continued improvement which has been so marked during the past year, making this now one of the most attractive of the home magazines.

EDUCATION

DEVOTED TO THE SCIENCE, ART, PHILOSOPHY AND

LITERATURE OF EDUCATION.

VOL. XIII.

MARCH, 1893.

No. 7.

No

SCHOOL SUPERVISION.

A. W. EDSON, A. M.,

Agent Massachusetts Board of Education.

O small part of the credit for the recent advance in all lines of school-work, is due to efficient supervision. This advance is noted in the training afforded teachers through normal and city training schools, educational literature, conventions, institutes, summer schools and teachers' associations, in the aims of teachers and in the methods followed, in the interest of the people and press in education, in the amount of money appropriated for buildings, supplies and salaries. The great question of the day, north, east, south, and west, is the condition and character of the public schools.

And the sentiment is rapidly growing that our schools, with all their varied and vital interests, need the most careful oversight and direction possible. School Boards, teachers and all friends of popular education recognize the value of competent supervision.

ENDS. The ends to be attained in the employment of skilled superintendents, may be briefly stated as follows:

1. To organize the schools and classify pupils, to see that the school machinery is kept in good working order, and that each pupil is placed where he can and will do the most possible for himself; in brief, it is to introduce order and system into all phases of school work.

2. To unify and strengthen effort, to make an intelligible whole from the kindergarten and lowest primary through the high school course.

3. To see that all text-books, supplies, apparatus, etc., are promptly furnished, and all repairs made.

4. To improve the methods of teaching and stimulate each teacher to do her best.

5. To elevate the profession of teaching.

6. To cultivate a healthy public sentiment on all school questions.

DIFFICULTIES. Granted that these are the ends to be attained, it may be well to note the difficulties that often meet a superintendent in the discharge of his many duties.

1. The first and chief difficulty is an uncomfortable School Board. In too many cases the members are elected by wards and on strict party lines. As a result, loyalty to party counts for more than special fitness for the place, and every act and vote is measured from a personal or political stand-point, the good of the schools being of secondary importance.

Again, many members are unwilling to forgo in a measure the honors and emoluments of visiting school committee men: they deem it their bounden duty to preserve their rights and privileges. Many Boards are not united in their choice of a superintendent and do not give him their undivided and hearty support. Nor do they agree at all on the questions that come before them for their consideration, each faction being jealous of its own rights, and suspicious of any measure proposed by the other. In such cases the superintendent is obliged to be silent, to keep in the background, lest he offend one party or the other.

Again, too often the schools are apportioned among the several members of the Board, each one having absolute control of his (?) schools in the appointment of teachers, care of buildings and in furnishing the necessary equipment. Unbusiness-like methods and poor teachers are sure to be found where this custom prevails. 2. The second difficulty is found in poor school-buildings, and in a lack of books and supplies. All this may be owing to the poverty of the town or the indifference of the Board,-more likely the latter, as most communities can afford to provide liberally for their schools. This they will do, if the agents of the town are thoroughly interested and are energetic in the performance of their duties.

A false economy has seriously crippled many schools. It should be kept in mind that "there is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." Bricks cannot be made without straw.

3. Again, a common and almost insuperable difficulty is poor teachers. Very likely they are "home talent," firmly intrenched in their positions, past growth and usefulness, unwilling to be taught and unsympathetic in their every attitude. In addition to natural ability and thorough scholarship, there must be a willing disposition and progressive spirit on the part of a superior teacher,

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a disposition to accept cordially criticisms and suggestions, and a spirit that prompts one to take advantage of every advanced step in education. It is the teacher, not the superintendent or committee, that makes the school.

4. Many and widely separated schools constitute another hindrance to the closest and most effective supervision. As a consequence, a large portion of the superintendent's time must be taken in travelling; and teachers cannot easily assemble for conference and instruction.

5. Again, the many perplexing questions sure to arise in the oversight and direction of a large number of schools,- questions of management, methods and policy, from teachers, pupils, parents, the School Board and people,- make the work of a superintendent difficult and delicate.

6. And, again, the utter impossibility of fulfilling the expectations of many friends of the public schools, is a constant stumbling block to the superintendent.

DUTIES OF SCHOOL BOARDS.-The law usually gives to the School Board of any town or city the determination of the number of schools, the care of the buildings and other school property, the authority to elect and dismiss teachers, to select textbooks and provide supplies, to prepare courses of study, to introduce better methods, to determine what children may enter, how long remain, and to see that the truancy laws are enforced.

To do all this, and do it well, requires time, intelligence, learning, skill, experience, and back-bone. But few committee men have the time, even if they have the ability. In fact the man of leisure is usually the man least fitted to do the work. A busy business man is often the very best man to serve on a School Board,— he insists upon the schools being conducted on business principles,

and is not likely to intrude his own personality into the work of teachers. Thus it happens that intelligent and well-informed School Boards recognize the necessity of employing an agent to relieve them of a certain share of the work and responsibility that would otherwise devolve upon them.

QUALIFICATIONS OF A SUPERINTENDENT. -1. A superintendent should be first of all a teacher of teachers, an expert critic teacher of large and successful experience. This implies that he should have a broad and deep scholarship; that he should be a reader and thinker in all lines pertaining to the science and art of teaching; that he should understand thoroughly the principles involved in good teaching and be able at a glance to detect any violation of these principles.

As the professional head to the whole educational system, he should be thoroughly acquainted with modern education at its best, be in thorough sympathy with it, and be able to inspire his whole teaching force with a true professional spirit.

He should visit the schools in other towns and cities in order to make himself familiar with the best types of schools elsewhere, attend institutes and educational conventions in order to get the views of other men engaged in the same business, and keep himself abreast of the times.

2. He should be a good executive and safe leader. The wise expenditure of large sums of money requires good business management. In the erection of new school buildings, in the repair and enlargement of old ones, the wise superintendent can make himself invaluable. School and building committees will naturally defer much to his judgment; he should have a judgment worth deferring to. As a leader in all lines of progressive school work, he should be at the helm to guide and direct. Rarely should he allow the people or teachers to be in advance of him: they depend on him to lead. It is his business to study the school problem from such a broad and philosophic standpoint, that he is able to lead wisely and progressively, and to educate his school Board and teachers to appreciate and demand better work and better results.

3. Again, he should be blessed with good health and untiring energy. Superintendency is no place for broken-down ministers, lawyers, physicians, or even teachers. The work demanded is arduous and unlimited, far more than most people at all realize.