THE HISTORY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS BY FLEMIN WILLET COX, JUNIOR A. B. University of Illinois, 1908 THESIS Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 1921 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/detaiis/historyofhighschOOcoxf ' 2 -\ UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS THE GRADUATE SCHOOL Sept, £0 I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION ENTITLED The History of the High Sohool Oonfere noe j)f Illi nois BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR Recommendation concurred in* *Required for doctor’s degree but not for master’s 7T--. •• ■.H '• v/.n .i- ^ ■« . t. » ff; ^ ^^9 , -^’r!;-/! % •i "fi»l o^t.; UAi'B >!fl - i ! iim -■ .■ f acJisarsgjp OUTLINE I. II. III. IV. Introductoiy Historical Sketch General Sessions Joint Sessions Section Meetings A. The Viork of the English Section as an Example . B. The V/ork of the Latin Section as an Example . General Conclusions HISTORY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GOHFEREIJGE OF ILLINOIS INTRODUCTORY HISTORICAL vSKSTGH A nuraber of leading American educators of today are striving to apply the principles of science to education.^ Too long has the educational world been subjected to guess, opinion, theory, and tra- £ dition. The criticism, that the schools are often victims of fads and fancies, is, in many cases, a just one. Teachers' meetings hold an important place in the dissemination of fads, fancies, opinions, theories, plans, devices, methods, and movements of the educational world. If, at a typical teachers' meeting, the attention of any com- petent observer is called to the subject, he cannot help but note that the work accomplished is small in comparison to the effort put forth. Teachers' meetings, too often, have consisted of programs in which the so-called inspirational address has predominated. This address may be given by one who has a real message, or by some one 4 who has, for a time, caught the attention of the public. There are numerous faults of the inspirational address. Sometimes, of course, it is sound, logical, and scientific, but often it is based upon theory that has never been proven. It often strains, and exaggerates facts to round out a rhetorical phrase or sentence. It commonly 1. Bobbitt, "The Curriculum”, p. 285. Judd, "Psychology of High School Subjects", pp . Ill, iv. Parker, "Methods of Teaching in the High School", p. 3. Johnston, "The Modern High School", p. 10. 2. Johnston, "High School Education", p. v. Bobbitt, "The Curricu- lum", p. iii . 3. Programs of Illinois State Teachers' Ass'n and Sectional Meetings. 4. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference", 1916, p.l2 .i,_ ^ T4 s. appeals to the emotions, which are easily aroused, and which as easi- ly subside. Another fault of the inspirational address may be seen in its effect upon the teachers. The part taken by them is one of passivity instead of activity. They are receptors and not doers. ^ The result of the typical teachers' meeting is the setting off of much oratory and impassioned speech, but the accomplishing of very little real work or experimentation. The High School Conference of Illinois grew out of the work of the High School Visitor, v/ho believed that it would be better for both the high schools of the state, and the University of Illinois, if each knew mors about the other. It was started with' some very def inite purposes in view. It was not intended to be merely another teachers’ meeting. These purposes might be considered as one expand- ing or developing purpose. The original aim of the Conference was to establish a feeling of cooperation and friendly relationship bs- 2 tween the high schools and the University. The cry of university domination has been long and loud. There is a just basis for com- plaint in the entrance examination system of the Eastern universi- ties.*^ The Vi/estern method of accrediting high schools, though of a more democratic nature, has also given some ground for complaint. The Conference was the result of an effort made, through cooperation with the high schools, to take away every reasonable complaint of univers- ity domination, and still to maintain adequate entrance requirements. 1. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference". 1916, p.lS 2. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference". 1910, p.5,7 3. Macdonald, "The Interest of the Public in the College Curriculum", Educational Reviev^, Jan. 1911. Quoted by Johnston, "High School Education", pp . 25, 26. ; -1 'Pn|nL '.V.' ^ ■ ■’ ■ ’*7'‘- . .‘' '. ■'■ f ••..‘IT'-FTR . ' ' r? !■ ■®, ‘ • - ‘ ,, ,^h . , v r > *•' ’’ ' ‘ .. . I ■•■■ ■• ■ TM • ' r ■ . ,. ■ i",;. ' '> r ^.>T|; . ^,V . -^ .r , f' ■,r '. r^T^'iv, ■■'/>.«•• ‘.L ii‘. 1j ' ' ‘ , c • . v ;' • "> >? ■' ■’ *■■• ' ■•'’'■■■■ ,,'’,v ’ ?3,.* ..^ ,.r i.'"' • i>,.:f; 7' , ^ ■■ >?■ ;5s<\ . • • - ■ ". ’^.V >- ft N-:, K - ' " ■ , ' , *‘:N' ‘ '■■ ; ijlVr".-'.', ■^.•'-’•.i- *.'^' •»«<>? ..«i.'''' rj^jr. -- r^' ';,ii ^.1.: ^ ,i Ir’^, ■ 4 '. ■ ■' :•' : ‘ fit' ■■>.". f ■ ■jii^ •'i:i.*ni3 ' :? .V. ..:, • • / I imyi'i'fp, K;’;Sal{‘'A •• •v;,''-'*^^P^- ■ "'^ij^ii '':Pil \.^- Jwi'.'i V -.v ■ • < . ^ '• ‘ ' t\ » ' > !• > ' '. - l» :, • (4« <»'mH tov.pi AL , .. -r*' ' ■■ '•■ )^;H 1. '■ ; . f •*. vT ^ >' '.••■ ■ T;-'*''*'* w'^ ■"■ -f P#|'»S2£l;.-si'?i#^ 36., ' ; V,; V. ' '4 ''' *V ( ’ ' ' M.' ^ ^ ** ■ -'*'^^■vl/ii>aSl} '(•!'; .0 ;. '^. . i-* . --' V‘ . ,;7 ^ -'^ }r . M ■^n*'*** '-*■'■ • ■S: , ‘A’ '■ ; . M«l :, 3. Its aim was to influence both the high schools and the University. To accomplish this original purpose, the Director was not content to organize a meeting of the ordinary type. This might have been done. The attempt to establish a more friendly relationship through complimentary speeches and social fraternization, might have been made with some degree of success. A sterner plan, however, was adopted. It was a plan of real cooperation, the working together of all concerned upon some definite problems until some results were obtained.^ It was an attempt to apply the scientific method to high school work in a more definite way than had ever been done before with teachers actually working in the schools of the state. This purpose is one of the significant things of the Confer- ence. It should be printed in capital letters and reiterated again and again because, unless it is sufficiently understood, the history and the work of the Conference cannot be rightly comprehended. The working out of this puipiose is what has made the High School Confer- 2 ence of Illinois the only meeting of its kind in the country. The specific objective of the Conference in the first place was the formulation of syllabi and courses of a definite character I for the different subjects in the program of studies. The next step was to test their value by using them in the schools of the state. In this way, the good parts could be marked, and the weak or v/orthles parts detected. The teachers who had thus used the syllabi or cour- ses for a year were in position to criticize and revize intelligently at the next meeting of the Conference. In this work all who would 1. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference", 1916, p.ll 2. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference", 1916, p.lO 3. Hollister, "Proceedings of the High School Conference", 1910, p. 7 <'•.1 ‘-i'r : ‘r-n ' • ■ ';■ • i^v’ ■: • .• ‘■- ,->.>■ '■■ ''^.- ■ ■'*'' 7' tf» i “ , « J ■’ 7 , ' ' ' ■ ' *’ ;4>- ' •’■‘Mr.*; i'if l.Ky;}> *■ ^ i>^-iv jA ' i •' V w ' •'- ' * */' *■' * V'ti V i I !3-> ,r>r . v'v '^Vi*,vu; .. '. V>f^rjr''57^^ ■[ '^’ * . 'K' ;;(vV- ■,' SI- * • j ' < 4 , . . __ I . . I ■-» •i*‘” 1.. f .i.4.t A ■S ' .* .i' if ' F',j''»’\'^ '7'. !^ir'ffi*?'j ’»• "•<' «ii[ (tw 7 ' F.^.T.-T* ;7' T,<; ,- ht^rhisi .: ; - ■ 4 )V 7 •' • ;‘. ', » . >#n* ', s'^-. if^ . .-I V I , ft .*•1^ •t" ;, ■;-f>'. j ,u i.^ / . ■ »/ ■» ' ' '. !• *■" * f *■■ A^;;; r. '- , / ■■<'''■ , !» f . ■ . f' ■': J '.?iM ‘■" L y. „ '•• ‘•■'■■' ; r. ■ v,,'5 ,7C( v ,, ,,.(V (#4.. 14.: ‘ ■' ■ ' ^ ‘ .'‘’^•.V-/:,; ,■. ' 1 ‘ f:-. -^.r- J\\{'ky/ ‘&.Uu'J^ itlj- v’-j ' ' ' '.' 1. .1 ' , .' I. ' 4 ■ r. . ; r;5 IuIaa r.jf •:\ ■ % I ^ » *' . 1 \ f . » X . » • L . . r . , ' . . 1 - WWi /n^ ' ■ w • ■ I. s' ■• K* *n^r , I 7 4. " 1 were invited, to participate. It was work in v/hich all v/ho wished coT-ild have a part. It had the advantage of definiteness which is lacking in much of school work. It was in harmony with the scientif- ic method of experimentation. It called for the collection of data from many sources. It called for real accomplishment instead of mere opinion. The starting point in each section was not so important, al- though it has been the custom to select it with as much care as nos- sihle, as the criticism, revision, and additions from time to time. Objection has been made that a syllabus is too often the v/ork of one man or else made to fit one particular book. This may be true, but if tried out by many, criticised, revised, and added to, by many, not once but several times, it becomes a work of scientific merit. The real work of the Conference has been the carrying out of this purpose. Syllabi, courses, outlines, and lists have been formu- lated. They have been used in the schools of the state. Criticism and revision have been frequent. Changes have been made because more definite knowledge has shown that changes were needed. Changed condi' tions in the educational world and the world at large have called for other- ad justments . Thus, to definiteness of work, is added the ad- vantage of flexibility , to make adjustment in a world of change. j In spite of the excellence of this purpose, and in spite of the work accomplished by this body year after year, it has been ex- tremely hard to hold the Conference to this purpose. Its whole ten- dency has been to revert to the usual kind of teachers' meeting. This is due to the fact that many have never grasped this dominating purpose. There are several reasons for this. (1) The personnel of the high school teaching force has changed almost completely, at 1. Hollister, ’’Proceedings of the High School Conference", 1916, p.l6 * '' Jf' I il' ■'^t’l^.'C . i ‘ .'Ifr’’-i"'^<^- ^•^.'•^’,>:-AJ, ! ; J. ■ ■ 'V 4 ■ v :. [ - ■* '^" * * t- ■ ^ ^ ‘'-’Ni IWijC^ i' ^ > '■ . ;:? '' ' Vj ' If'* ' V- \ j ■ '■' '"■ ' ■' ■■y- ■’■ 'i' *" ‘"*‘' .v"'' * t '*■■' - f *■■'4 It' h’ , hY-NJ 'f '' J>i*^?liiwK ' W {I. .''■',’^ 'V S' .| . 7i ' ’ "' ' ^ t' CT-. ,*|ii ,.; 's ■ _ ' H _fV4 4 ■ .;' ; . ■ ; ' ; ^’'' '• ,i ‘ 'I I' »j^«- •Jt / !»•< " ‘v ' ’. ' .''•. T4.I ' r-% *\Jis';.K^. ' ■• '•'•'.>£ B*? ■ ■•' ’> <* • 11’*^ • ,-irv^,- '. . , ^ ■' ‘■'*)vwwrp»k . . I.S :., :-a. r ‘t'HiS'Xikkj^i>* f' ^ ''-''v*' "^ g" — /.' j’fToi '» ■'’’'V'f'., u>ia. 5-; .' k\ ii^ f . -r •? ■ ♦’» : 4' •' ‘ '■ ■ '“ ' , 4 ’* G.;..j.iffiv: , . i ; /iLliiJi? 4 ■•'i' 4ti»i L..',::-” ^'*. nit*^- ■ '4, •:. • > ’>• .‘^■c.i^rit^’ .‘4 h‘> ft - ;;; T.v ::?:Wjja» 5 . least two or three times, since the Conference started. (2) The great growth of the Conference in nnmbers has tended to bring in many who are content to be receptors only, instead of colaborators in the real work of the Conference. (3) Then again, some sections have become large enough to become conventions in themselves. The Director has used all his influence to hold the Confer- ence to its great purpose. IIo one has seen the diverse tendencies >vith a clearer eye. No one has been more cognizant of the difficul- ties. He has reiterated the purposes again and again. He has re- peatedly pointed out the dangers. He has called the Conference back time after time to its high duty. Upon the early programs, the pur- nose v/as stated every year. By editorial comment, in the introduc- tion to the annual proceedings, and again and again at the general sessions, he reaffirmed the purpose of the Conference and pointed out the dangers to vahich it was exposed. The following from the editor- ial comment of the Proceedings of 1911 illustrates how this was done. ”In this day of meetings for stirring enthusiasm and getting inspiration, it is not easy for many of us to get the significance of real accomplishment as a means of arousing interest. Vve have re- peatedly said to teachers, principals, and university professors that we are not seeking large numbers, but workers; not a great body of those passively receptive, but earnest groups of those who are willin to be aggressors in the field of educational advancement. "It is natural, but a mistake, for a section committee to wait until fall and then 'make' a program. It is the all desirable thing to set up a problem at the Conference, or immediately after, and be prepared to report progress or a solution at the next session. There is then no need of making a program; it is already provided. i'J.s '’’ . ' 1 . ' ' '• C »../«'*.T4fc .-»t ■ ' -I# ■ cU • »■?,?■ .4®l'«> . •'*qjUtf t(te 'wUrt’ t .41 V •^•-' mr '••'’■^W*'’ ’ .. "\'4' ‘'"'^ ' ■'•'1^ FIT* ■ ■ > 1 •v\,' is ‘ , ■'’ •• ‘ -fm ? <»'■ -w'Zv.’ ■ .' ‘ .r^iSKi y Pr>r ■,:»■■■ ■«»% ' Ai I y- ■ , I - ’,' - /t, '■ ' ' 1 ^ ■: «t,»r i--‘ l.'.1j|i;^' ?*«:/■•.;. 6 . And v;hat is still more to the point, the hungry who oome to the meet- ing will then surely be fed. ’’Shall we not strive, more and more, to make the Conference a producer, rather than permitting it to become a mere consumer, as is too often the custom with our educational gatherings?” Although many attending the Conference never realized this fundamental purpose, indeed it seemed some of the sections never got a clear idea of it, nevertheless, the leaders in some of the sections that did excellent v/ork were guided by it in shaping their programs for real accomplishment. Professor H. G-. Paul, in reporting upon the work of a committee of the English section says, ’’The v;hole trend of these high school conferences has been to formulate a series of sylla- bi for the different high school subjects. Perhpas no subject has stood in greater need of such definite treatment than has English.” The plan of the organization of- the Conference was by sec- tions, controlled by committees. By sections, guided by committees, chosen by themselves, it v/as hoped to accomplish the real v/ork of the IJonference v.uth as little waste of time and energy as possible. The general meetings, at the beginning, were used chiefly for announce- nents , and the completion of discussions, and business for the gui- iance of the Conference. This organization by committee had another Durpose in view. It was hoped that thus, petty political wire pulling Tor recognition would be eliminated. Such, seems to have been the 1 jase. Later, as the developing purpose of the Conference came to include problems of articulation and administration, the objectives )f the work, and the considerations of new movements v/hich affected, lot only the whole high school curriculum, but that of the elementary 1. Hollister, ’’Proceedings of the High School Conference”, 1916, p. 11 •I'r.-uvif.* \r, ■ . ■ '«:.iT ■'■ . ‘ . '■ ^'V:;:;'¥M 'j;'f sM '-si r-,; . »•*< '../ill' '• f'"i . ' ■ 1 I ' 1 ' ' ■ ■ (I >f ■ ‘ , ' .!' ■ V:^iHl^4lS5‘:•: '’‘‘I. ■\ i rt f* ' ' ‘ •■«•' :■ 'J- . ’t, ' ■ -tl , ■ .,' ’ ■ r, ‘. . •> . -V' .'• ;.,i^ i ^ ;W‘ t ; ?■ •■‘^’ • ■*■' ^ -A* •■ k£4l®iwi'l-V.'i'r'jK^3M 'S- k'. V 'f‘,i ^;:.J A. '■ ■•■* I ''r v^‘ / ■; • ■■mm’'^ ' ■ y /# H 3^' . ' >V ■ >A ’J' ^^■P.Ji i «-C-^ ' * 39 ' • '• ,f.i ^4* -’M If »‘-'s» -■■ -; ' ■ 'V i »;,,• V'i>v :i'\Yv V '■■' ' JUPf.V,^' ■= *. • i' '4 'V&yiy fMV: fe ■'3si -s«w,. 7 . and oollege curricula as well, the general session ‘became of more relative importance. The work of the general conference committee asstuned greater importance with the greater need of guidance, artic- ulation and the initiation of new lines of endeavor. As the work of the Conference proceeded year after year, the purpose developed. It shifted from the consideration of the ma- terial of subjects of the program of studies alone, to the objec- tives to be attained by the use of the material. In fact time and again in the discussions, aims of various kinds, some good some bad, had been put forth. There came a time when it v^as necessary to find a touch stone by means of v/hich the value of these many and diverse aims might be estimated. In 1918 Dean Charters read a paper at one of the general sessions entitled, '’Vvhat Has Thus Par Been Accom- plished and Is How Available for the Readjustment of School Curricu- la", which, together v^ith the report of a committee of the I. E. A. entitled "The Reorganization of Secondary Education", furnishes, as many think, the required touch stone. There was one more slight shift in the developing purpose of the Conference. Prom a consideration of the objectives, it went to a consideration of the child, and the announced purpose of the High School Conference in 1919 is universal high school education for the children of all the people of Illinois. The steps leading to this objective are given thus by the Director in the Proceedings of the High School Conference of 1919 on page 10. "This objective we have called the universalization of high school education for the children of all the people in Illinois. In order to advance successfully towards this objective we found that many things should be done in order to clear the way and make real 8 . progress possible. First, there were needed readjustments to be made in the high school curriculum and in the curriculum of the schools leading to it. Second, existing conditions for the training and supply of teachers needed to be thoroughly canvassed with a view to providing for any deficiencies that might appear. Third, the pro- vision of schools, either part time or all year, for those compelled by economic conditions to be breadwinners would have to be carefully studied and provided for. Fourth, the problem of extension and en- forcement of compulsory attendance to include high school period rnus" have attention. And fifth, we must be sure that were in the state a sufficient number of normally conditioned high schools and so dis- tributed as to make attendance equitably feasible to all. If v/e add to this a careful survey of methods as affecting the economy, se- quence, and effectiveness of instruction we readily see that v;e shal] have here an objective that may easily comprehend all that such an organization can ever hope to accomplish.” The High School Visitor first recommended the establishment of a conference in his annual report to the President of the Univer- sity in 1903. It was recommended, that the conference be established ”on a cooperative basis with the various high schools of the state”, and that this conference have for its purpose ’’more definite lines of wark on the various high school subjects”. Ho action was taken at that time. The recommendation was repeated for the year 1904. Since the resignation of Mr. Draper had left the office of president va- cant, the recommendation came before the Council of Administration, which approved the plan, and appointed a committee of the Council, to wrhich Mr. Hollister was added, to affect an organization. To this committee, composed of Vice President Burrill as chairman. rc^A^- '‘~" •I svt/- '•''‘#w^^"'i'^’''"\ ^ ''i'; ;i«iip'4a 'I? I • ^ " ^'r '1 ’' 'V' — ■■ ^ tSW f \ ', ,j '*, ' ■ X', -*lV?^ *(} ' ' 'J i. % If VI ■ - •.■ - : r* i"' ■•i'^ vJWpW-V'..- 1 >rp ‘ .1. .: ^.'1, w: L. kV-' -f r ■. ■ '■ ^ . '; ;vy,^^ viir^* vR-W'*, WavRiiiv ' . ftU .. ■4;,' ■; -Vit ^ "l'i■'JL' V -- ‘ ...vr. ?;¥:%? ,:ri!^^ .’91 ^ ' H.\V’ 'OC'^A-f ^rLi'li;i‘ " ... i 3:^ ^ ' « tZ 4 .',. .’'■,:^j«i..^. ,- ’®i!SWlll2„. Uf V . '.’,T-' rs«'* j- r^p ;> V W tfiJ! il 9 . Deans Forbes, Kinley, and Clark, Mr. Hollister, upon request, submit- ted his plans for the first conference. Although an autumn date Y^as preferred for the meeting, the first one was held in February on account of the late date upon which the committee acted. The second was also held in February be- cause the new president, Edmund J. James, was inaugurated October, 1905. After the first two meetings, however, the Conference has been held in November, during the week end before Thanksgiving . Be- cause of this change of time in having the conference, 1906 has the distinction of having had two conferences. President James, before the second meeting, placed Mr. Hol- lister as head of the general committee and thus gave him more au- thority to carry out his plan, and at the same time made him respons- ible for the success or failure of this innovation. Mr. Hollister has remained at the head of the General Conference Committee and has seen it grow from its first enrollment of about seventy-five, to its latest enrollment of 2600. His hand has guided the work and he has endeavored to hold it to the early aim of making it a working con- ference . THE GENERAL SESSION The aim, at the beginning, was to make the work of the sec- tions the important featux’e of the Conference. This has continued to be the aim, but the great growth of the conference in numbers and the increase in the number of the sections has made it imperative that more time be consumed by the general sessions. The need of co- ordinating the work of the whole , so that different sections might not v/ork at cross purposes caused the general meetings to assume an : ^-i' ,.;^^ ., ■: - 1 ^ f ■ ’ * '' " 'ip *'"l]W^'"" T‘ ■ ’ ‘ ■ ’ ’ ^' ' ■':' w ' *\' '^'1 ■ f :;. ’ *■ • '"" ■^ ^ / ', , ■” r' ..‘ ,V^M;\u ik '' '■ ’ ' ' ■ - ■' ■ '■ r m - y* r-' , vc ' '4 '^* '' /.t . • •^••.•,) 'fe !'. . : V f •■ . . ■ .•“£»■■•;.'■ V “V.^' ^ '' ^'V t-vJ'‘W'v ‘VV,. '■'■ ‘ " ^ ,^ ■■' K '"V ,. vw-^T%' \‘^ ■f '».- ’ .'*^ .f '■, ‘ 'V. ;■ V' ‘ ■ , ' H. . 1 .'- ■ -:■ :'.' t'i lA lilt '•’■>' a.UK/j/r.;** .‘:.■‘'■■'.i■^^»'^ V ,: . NanoBMP '■’ ■.•« '■ ’. •vv.V' '* ‘%'W^'M- *' “' /J ■■ -.iL'-ii. '^. ^ . ,^i. Vt V ’•'• f>iS %• t ■\' , f <*_{*., I’^S 4^-' ■ptop-^rmi 10 . importance not forseen at the beginning. Large movements in Educa- tion which affected the work of many or even all sections were given a place upon the general program. Sometimes a speaker of national reputation spoke in a general session upon some phase of work of some particular section. This naturally called the attention of the whole conference to the work of this group and stimulated it to great er endeavor. The first Conference, in 1905, had a general session from 2.00 to 5.00 P. M. , Thursday; one from 7.30 to 9.50 P. M. Friday; and one from 9:00 to 11:00 A. M. Saturday. In the first general session, the Director effected an organization and in the other two, nothing v/as done beyond completing the organization and forming plans for the next conference. In February, 1906, a general session was held on Thursday afternoon commencing at 2; 00 P. M. Another was held commencing at 7:30 P. M. of the same day and a third at 7:30 P. M* , on Friday. There was no general session of Saturday. There was no set program for the first general session, but there was one number on each of the other tv/o. In the November meeting of 1906, no meet- ing was held on Thursday. The Conference started v/ith the section meetings at 9:00 A. M. , Friday. A general session with one number on the program, was held at 7:30 P. M. , on Friday, and one, with two numbers, on Saturday, commencing at 9;00 A. M. In 1907; the time of the beginning of the Conference was set at 7:30 P. M. Thurs- day. It closed with the session of Saturday morning. The three general sessions were permanently fixed at Thursday, 7:30 P. M. , Friday, 7:00 P. M. , and Saturday, 9:00 A. M. The grov/ing importance of the program of the general session may be seen from noting the number of prepared papers or addresses ^.r • >.>.vi .fW ' . #| w ; S : « b^'; - . ' s'. * ...A ,f!f. 'i" ■ "*1 ;ir».'ji wl ' L5Si-> ff '. v ^,« - ■ T ( ■■ '* • „ 4,.; i, ' i4' >'J‘M' k ■ « ' TflMK - i|j^-tiai -;lrf, ^ ^‘' '‘y ■ -4 * ’ ‘I i''’®" r , ^ V;> i *♦. ■■ ' '' , >,. '.' T \Y^ ■'''iWM’ ^[' ^ . 7 v , y i _ X '. k'V ■ » ' -i ' r '■ ' i -! ¥ ^ t ■' ""'■ *\ -♦'^< 33 ifi *' ' '* rTji ® r^j ' J # ' ' , - | T "^ ':f - ' jr.\‘:c r '’~ ■ g | tj ^'- r *'^'|^' '■*' ■-■ ■ "r •' T ’- - F «, . ■ i ?: 4 , Vi '-'"»', '" , rl v ^ ,. \ ; :- l | te _ ; J-“'f a ' ir < f > j T .'‘■■<1 ?! 11 given at each one. Conference 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 19 20 Thursday 7:30 P.M. 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 3 3 Friday 7:30 P.M. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 Saturday 9 :00 A.M. 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 3 THE JOINT MEETINGS Another means of harmonizing the work of different sections was the joint session. It was used, sometimes to thresh out con- flicting tendencies, and sometimes to bring about co-ordination of the work. The first joint session v;as in 1907, in the afternoon meeting, on Friday, between the English and Social Science groups. In 1906, the Social Science groups had recommended one-half year of English History, This meeting was clearly for co-ordination be- cause the subject discussed was, "The Relation of English History to The Teaching of English Literature”. The second joint session : M 5 M -«*r ^ ' kip; K^KIi 4 *''^* ' -A**' *' '*■'”■ ..V ,, 'i',’'!?' ' w*' *■ j" 'A'*'' • ::]i5 'V'^i .■;': .,?#/•!. A «■■:..•:■: ; Ju£^W> m iw *•: 5^* ■ Ji# ;.•>'>» A v.f JE: • •■ '■r.v '■*" ♦ .•••#• , ■ ‘ 5| rr^y^'vA.; '-*'- " ' . . :*'”’;'‘i$^iVt‘'*'''*: I t'^ . ■ I 12 . was in 1911, in the afternoon meeting, on Friday, between the Agri- culture and Biology sections. It also was a meeting for correlation, hut there was a possibility of differences of opinion to be ironed out between these groups. The topic for discussion was, "'A Critical Examination of The Pedagogical Condition and Principles Involved In The Introduction Of Agricultural Into Secondary Schools”, by L. P. Coffman. Mr. Coffman’s conclusion was that there is not enough cor- relation between the two to enable the biologists to teach Agricul- ture. He pointed out that Agriculture, though drav/ing upon the othei sciences, must have an organization of its own and be taught both as a science and an art. A committee was appointed in 1915 for the purpose of consid- ering the problem of a general science course as the first part of the science curriculum in the high school. In 1914, all the science groups, including Agriculture, Biology, Domestic Science, Geography, and Physical Science met in joint session, Friday afternoon. Here was a session whose objects were to discuss different viewpoints and to prevent the different sections from getting at cross purposes.^ The committee had arranged a program that they thought would bring out the diverse views and recommended further study, experimentation, and discussion. The discussion of the session revealed a wide diver- gence of views from the strong advocates, to the strong opponents of General Science. Nothing further seems to have been done concerning General Science until in 1916, when the Director of the Conference appointed another committee to make a report on the ’’Correlation of Science V/ork” . In 1917, this committee reported to the various sci- ence groups, and in 1918, another joint session was held by the sci- ence groups to try to find a place of agreement. After much ji 1. Committee Report, ’’Proceedings of High School ConferejiQe”1914 p.46 , l/»M. Hi ■»S£> • *'• ^ ■-*> . • *' ' , ' ••' ' "V a*T' J SJi 1 ■ A- . ■"' . . _, *^ -...V A', ' iStUL'^X ■■)• • i ,<'? f 4 ^': ^T-v.' ,-j> i-' L--r- •J. ■ ^ i - - -.■^'A\ ' : ■ ^■..j\V:i / ■'■ . # .-•'t" ' '■• ■ J» 7 ' I "' T: 1 ^ f,()' *«M:„;'; 4 '.r-.; 4 >;, a«':/ ■. ■ ^ k. *- k/.., ■ ■' ■ ' « -■■. ,, ' Vi -'/■. »’i. , T '1. t I . ♦ '• % - 'V. . * . ’ . ‘ . iiMS tl' ■ ' I * V : ..•*'V*op Ttr:MV ■• ■«' ■; /i. ' i ,, V*. - r'- 'r • .->i»" r ,iV'' '■•'JSii?' l«lt ,f 13 disoussion a resolution v/as adopted in favor of a general seience course of two years as an introduction to science, and a committee was appointed to formulate a course for two years. In 1919 another joint session v/as held, hut the committee had not done much work. The chairman, Mr. J. L. Pricer, reported what had been done, gave a tentative course for the second year, and advised the appointment of a new committee for the continuance of the work. In 1920, the sci- ence groups met in their respective sessions, and their programs made no reference to the General Science committee. In 1916, there was a joint session held, on Friday after- noon, between the Agriculture and the Physical Science groups. The object of this meeting v/as correlation as is shown by the two topics chosen for discussion, ’’The Influence of the European V/ar on Ameri- can Chemistry” by Professor Parr, and ’’Agricultural Development as Influenced by Chemistry” by Professor Robert Stewart. In 1918, a joint session of the language groups, including English, Modern, and Classical languages was held. Its purpose was coordination of the work. One recommendation of the committee was, ’’That the Latin teacher v/ill, to a greater extent than has hitherto been the case, call attention to the similarity of roots, not only in English and Latin, but also in French and Spanish. In the same v/ay, the English teacher will remind the pupils that certain English words are not so very different in appearance from Spanish, French, and Latin words.” Another paper urged the teaching of Latin in the seventh and eighth grades in order that the pupils might have a bet- ter command of English grammar and language. In 1919, another joint session of the language groups was held. The English group v/as not included this time. The purpose '•■‘f’ ' 1 ^ ;■ r- ^ " '-'^.^^'JH:':-:. <\p" I ■ ■ ■' ■' ■ ■ . • -'-■Tryjim'- -‘“■^ - v''^' ‘ -'‘H' .... r '"’’S; _ 1 V/ _. ■■ A, .i. ^'-wJ.' 'J^'.fL*. . .L' . A * . . 'lAi.y . 5 im^j. ., , ... .. c/. i:{.v .. , j.i,« 1, . <■ ■ "'■ '■«># '*•, ■'.rJ'ttJSC.' ‘llfc^j£ML«4i.r iV' ..T ,’tV; t.-y ' ■■'<}[ 4 ; -■ '/<:.{ _ ; y^lW. ■ Mi^ < ■"V y -.^‘ .'■■■■ i ^-' « W-, y.y.i}-*- ••• '-St ■ u r _. ' ■■ V '. 1-', BB>Vv 4 % ■ ■• '“ - , 4 ’■ ;",. '•• mw ?« 14 . of the meeting was entirely different. It was to discuss cross pur- poses. The main subject was the time, length, and order of the for- eign langmges in the program of studies. The influence of the pur- pose of the Conference was evidently controlling the action of this group, since it resolved to experiment to try to find a solution. The proposal was made and adopted, to try, in different schools, dif- ferent languages for beginning work. A THE DEVELOPIOTT OP THE SECT I OH At the first conference, which met February 16, 17, and 18, 1905, there were three sections. The section meetings were thus ear- ly given emphasis, because the conference consisted almost wholly of these three sections. The plan from the beginning was to consider every subject in the Program of Studies, but the three, English, Biology, and the Physical Sciences were chosen first because there seemed to be more urgent need for unification in these subjects than in the others. The name of the conference as it appears upon the printed program was ”A Joint Conference on English and on Science Work in High Schools.” The Second Conference which met February 8, 9, 10, 1906, was called ”High School Conference on English, and on Physical, Biologi- cal and Social Sciences.” Thus a Social Science section was added the second year, according to the plan of progressing through the Program of Studies. After the second conference also, in accordance with this plan of progressing through the Program of Studies, the Biological and the Physical Science sections were discontinued. The third conference which met Hovember 23, 24, 1906 was name! ”High School Conference on Social Sciences, Agriculture and Manual Arts.” ^ ^ . , , ,^y^, ^*i^i ''^i^' '■'■fi' '''M^'" -ivt - «r't" > ' si, V ■ 'P' II |> ■ ' ' ■ <<’’ ■::v < ^ ' *'4 T^im ^ ^ 'i . • r . >.:U"^:v: - ■ I ' ^ <.■ •*' < ' , ■ ' ‘5;iP: ^ ^*:V ■ ■/ K '*' .5 \A " 1 *'* *<*f •>^> »<•» * • '*' 'wjJi ’' ^ ‘ » fc ‘, v >, - . '/•'■•■■ v ? v . ,-.,^ • ^ * _ . ;•’ _ ^ «• “•.' ‘*! . ■. ^i^ii," '’vri * • /i^jilaiJ >*■ -■» ■ ' V'^,-'-r^: .:■' ' !>'AVC« V,Tv» tinf, .-fe!-'s 'i-'V.-' S WikM .' ■'■' ^ ' f ffli-,. Jp^ I'' H^*;. ■' ■ .^-:, Y ■ '• '•' .' ‘‘'•’ ,.' *>■» 1 . . ’ I -* ■ Ir V't , * 'V Vl ' "> , ;"*•„ ( 4 TyO ’ ' ' E 't PvsV •'■•’* ‘‘'■^'' J ^‘^ l ■".^ I ’ '^■*'^’ '■>*■•012 a ,'- '' urf'i-i nf'^u 1 'kw "' '4K4 Kf ' • .?> . I '-.- , ' f ;. ; i / v . *•, C * . . . . ■• • , ^ ; . . ' ,* <‘>. M'jt, t '' d'»^ • ■’ ■ ■ . '‘.';vjf« . .. > TY V)W5£»i-T(»l5aBMS»^ ' ■''"■:■ .' :' '. .:*iaS -■I'*'.'-; .'\m^■^.'''W^m■‘■ V ^■•i- .' .' ■ /f' ' .'» -‘jlBr', -■ lilt'-''' -'< ■' j^ .■ ' \*i '’kk.:. . ,-'t^- ^ 1^.'1 ^ i«i‘; f ;-k 15 . Sven English was omitted from this oonference, the sections being as named above. A note on the program -under the Agric-ultural Group said, ’’This group includes what was originally called a Biological group . The name given for the fourth conference was merely "Annual High School Conference." This name has been held from that time to the latest program, that of 1920, and showed that the conference had now become an established annual affair, and that its purpose was v;ell enough understood to omit from the name the subjects of the Program of Studies to be discussed. The Social Science Section and Manual Arts Section appeared upon this program. Agriculture and Do- mestic Science was the name of a third, showing a new subject appear- ing in connection with an old one. The English section was on the program again and Mathematics and Geography were other new sections. The first joint session was held this year between the English and Social Science Section. A new spirit of the conference v/as shown by the action of the English section this year in moving, "That a permanent organization should be effected, to be known as 'The Illinois Association of Eng- lish Teachers'". A committee was appointed to draw up a constitution that was adopted at the next annual meeting in 1908. In 1908, these sections were named upon the program: English, Social Science, Mathematics, Manual Arts, Geography, Agriculture, Domestic Soience, and Eoreign Language . Under English, appeared a sub-title, "Association of English Teachers". Domestic Science, for- merly with Agriculture, was now separated from it. The Foreign Lang- uage group made a newly-formed section, which in the afternoon, divi- ded into three groups. Classical, German, and Romance. The English section, this year, decided to issue a bulletin in order that the wori Mr- V ; ■ Jtfc:.'. -i^/ . 4?rt « . ♦?« » . '■» F ■'• *'F'^ i«. •- ,^*- i '- -ip I ■ ■■ * ;■•- yjc^ • «’'■ ui> : - 'y N1 k\vNy K\i Ffrvfc It f£i5^2e-:« y «yi i^ i". . ' , 16 . might have a stronger, closer organization. The bulletin has been issued until the present time, 1921. The sections of 1909 were English, Social Science, Mathema- tics, Agriculture, Domestic Science, Manual Arts. Geography was mis- sing from the list, after appearing tvi/ice. Biology appeared again under the name of natural History Section and Physical Science reap- peared under its old name. Foreign language was divided into tv/o sections, Classical and Modern Language, the latter was further di- vided into two groups, German and Romance. A committee of the So- cial Science group had been appointed in 1906 to v/ork upon the Com- mercial Subjects. They reported to the Geography section in 1907. The Commercial Section was organized as a separate group in 1909. By 1910, the section meetings, for the most part, had as- sumed a more permanent character. The organization of each one con- tinued year after year. The earlier plan of discussing some subject of the Program of Studies a year or two and then leaving them for some other subjects had given place to the permanent organization of sections. In some ways, this resulted in a loss. The following sections continued from 1910 to the present time; Superintendents and Principals (under the name of Administrative), Biology, Agricul- tural, Classics, Commercial, Domestic Science, English, Manual Arts, Mathematics, Physical Science, Social Science, Modern Lanugage . In 1911, the Geography section v/hich had not been on the program for two years appeared again and became a permanent section . A Music Section was organized in the same year. In 1912, a conference of County Superintendents and Village Principals v/as called to meet at the Friday morning session, at 9 A. M. From this conference, a per- manent section was organized which had a morning session only, until ■" ' ' — — r pi ■' ' ■■^W^‘~mm^:mi i '1 :...?; i ^ f A'".- ,r-, r ■ V , ^'’'“.??Vl ■ ■' ij u jBiii ■ ■’ 'I -/.-*J ‘‘t kp'. *'s\‘ -Si" --Swi " ■:■■*“■; J-¥. ?» 'J ► y *V,. li * ■.' .'A , . , -■’iiPaiK ..: tfVt.v>i.jWB.4'-;., • ,., ..k 4 ^ f-A-- •-, , .-' • • v / -1 ' ■ > ■ |,"f/2?;^‘ • ' ' Jj.;^i‘‘' V'Af-:; :■;' !•' ’'lu ^,’l* --’io" ^'''4'- A. V i ■■*. ■' ' V ,. - . _..V .i^ lilt:.. , ... P»« .* ®'' l4»V ' '■' '* ' ' ■^ ll ^ ¥*'*».* # -• * ■’ •' % ,-.A ■' . '^'L . • ' V'.'W ''■'^^' aiB ( i ' ■•■ VT'a )Ct ,\ i :* ■* .'<*>,’ ^ .'L ^;.'i \.%h, 6:v.ti .Jf'. LH^ • V'. ,-•• •. . . -■^^■■■■; . .. Vt|jii4^.A^t 17 . 1919. In 1919 and 1920, it hold both morning and aftornoon sessions < In 1917, a section on Physical Education was organized. In 1913, the afternoon session of the Administrative section was given over to the State High School Athletic Association, which, since that time, has held its annual meeting in connection mth the high school conference and has used either part or the whole of the afternoon session. In 1917, the executive committee of the confer- ence decided to ask the High School Principals’ Association of Illi- nois to organize as the Administrative Section of the conference. This Association held a meeting on Friday, November 23, and voted to do this, and it also voted to make the officers of the association the executive committee of the section. The next meeting in 1918 adopted a new constitution. The 1918 meeting was the fifth annual meeting of the association. It, as was the state athletic associa- tion, was organized outside the Conference, but voted to join it. In the program for 1908, the English section had the sub- title ’Association of English Teachers.” Although the association continued, nothing appeared upoj the program after that except, ’’Eng- lish section”, until 1912. Since that date, the sub-title ’’The Illi- nois Association of Teachers of English” has been upon each program. The language groups have shov/n a tendency toward further di- vision but have not, as yet, accomplished it. In the year 1910 and 1911, for the afternoon session on Friday, Modern Language divided into two groups, called Cermanic and Romance. This v/as repeated in 1913, 1914, but the groups v/ere called, the German group, and the French and Spanish group. In 1915 there were three groups, the Ger- man, French, and Spanish that met the first hour of the morning ses- sion on Friday. In 1916, there was only one group. In 1917, there 18 . were again two groups, and. since that time only one. In 1920, the Domestic Science session changed its name to Home Sconomics Section. As has been stated in the discussion of the purpose, the im- portant work of the Conference has been the formulation of syllabi, courses, and lists of various kinds, together with the discussion and revision of the same. The amount of work of this kind bulks large when listed in one group. The following table gives the char- acter of the work, when adopted, and where it may be found. i~ ~ — ^ ^ • 1 • 1 1 r r Subj ect Character Adopted l^'here found Physics Syllabus 1905 H. S. M. 1906-7* Chemistry Syllabus 1905 H. S. M. 1906-7 Algebra Syllabus 1908 H. S. H. 1909-10 Geography Syllabus 1908 Unknown European History Syllabus Before Apr. 1910 Published separately by University Domestic Art & Domestic Science Syllabus Before Apr. 1910 Published separately by University Geometry Syllabus 1911 Proc. 1911** American History Syllabus 1911 Published separately by University Zoology Syllabus 1912 Proc. 1912 Mus ic Syllabus 1913 Proc. 1913 Botany Syllabus 1913 Proc. 1913 Geography Syllabus for 1st. 1913 Proc. 1913 year * H. S. II. is High School Manual. ** Proc. is Proceedings of High School Conference. Sub .lect Character Adopted Where found Gorainercial Syllabus Bookkeeping two years Syllabus Commercial Arithmetic Syllabus Commercial Geography Syllabus Commercial English 1916 Proc. 1916 Geography Syllabus Commercial Law Syllabus Economics Syllabus Shorthand & Typewriting Syllabus for second year 1917 Proc. 1917 Botany Outline of Lab. Course as given F. 1906 H.S.M. 1907-8 Soology in Lloyd pp . 143-145 Outline of Lab. Course as given F. 1906 H.S.M. 1907-8 I'.Tanual in V'/hitney-Lucas Outline of One Year’s Course N. 1906 H.S.M. 1907-8 Training Agri culture Outline of Course 1908 H.S.M. 1909-10 Freehand Outline of Pour Years' Course 1910 H.S.M. 1911-12 Drav/ing Music Outline of Course in Music for 1912 Proc. 1912 Agriculture Two Years Outline of Course in Soils 1913 Proc. 1913 Agriculture Outline of Course in Animal Kus- 1913 Proc. 1913 Agriculture bandry Outline of Course in Horticulture 1912 Proc. 1912 Agriculture Outline of Course in Cereal and For- but see Proc. 1913 p. 85 age Crops 1912 Proc. 1912 Physiology Outline of Course for 18 ?/eeks 1917 but see Proc . 1913 p. 85 Proc. 1917 Drawing or Revision of Former Course 1918 Proc. 1918 Art Music Outline of Course in History of Proc . 1919 Music. Does not say adopted. 20. Sub.ieot Character Adopted Viihere found Spanish Minimum Hec[uirement for Course in Spanish 191G Proc. 1916 French Minimum Requirement for Course in French 1916 Proc. 1916 Zoology Minimum Essentials for Course of 18 Vi/eeks 1917 Proc. 1917 Botany Minimum Essentials for Course of 18 V-eeks 1917 Proc. 1917 Geography List of Books for Library 1913 Proc. 1913 Botany and Zoology List of Books for Library 1913 Proc. 1913 Commercial List of Books for Reference 1915 Proc. 1915 French Minimum List of Books for Teacher and for Library 1915 Proc. 1915 Spanish Minimum List of Books for Teacher and for Library 1915 Proc. 1915 Agriculture Report of Committee on Text and Reference Books 1915 Proc. 1915 Latin Report of Committee on Library Equipment 1915 Proc. 1915 Commercial Report of Committee on Books for Library 1915 Proc. 1915 Manual Training List of Books for Library 1915 Proc. 1915 Mathemati cs List of Mathematical Vilorks, Jour nals , and material 1915 Proc. 1915 Geography Minimum List of Books for Li- brary 1916 Proc. 1916 Manual Training Report of Committee on Text Books 1916 Proc. 1916 German List of Books for Eading 1916 Proc. 1916 Agriculture Additional List of Books for Library 1916 Proc. 1916 2l’ Subject Character Adopted Where found Biology Illustrative Material 1914 Proc . 1914 Music List of Musical Material for Library. Not adopted but prin- ted . — Proc . 1916 Biology Minimum Essentials in Biological xipparatus and Equipment 1918 Proc . 1918 Program of Studies Discussion in 1907 H.S.M . 1908-9 Program of S tudi e s Heport of Committee, Suggestions pp. 29-30 Proc . 1913 Elementary Science Regarding the Problem of, by Bagley Proc . 1915 Lluoh work was done in Latin and Jilnglish but, since a special study is made of the work of these tv/o subjects, no reference is made to them in the above table. Unfortunately a complete record of the Proceedings of the High School Conference has not been published. By good luck, the record of the first conference held in February, 1905, has been pre- served, but after that date nothing was published until 1910, from which time the record is complete. An abstract of the proceedings of the English section for 1909 may be found in Yol. 2, IJos. 2 and 3 of Bulletin of the Illinois Association of English Teachers. A few pa- pers of the earlier years are also preserved in the Bulletin. A com- plete list of the programs has been preserved and the trend of the work may be seen, if these are examined. It is worth while to scrutinize the Proceedings of the first Conference, to see v/hat kind of a start v/as made by this organi- zation. It is evident, that the plan of procedure at first, was to -'ll. V' rr^^sy- , ■ ''■ ' WU;-/ ■■^V ] -ii..>*V-^,r , r.. '/, wJWT ^*>*.. • ,.. . ■.1...K ■ M t/-. '•'*(>%!« |, r I-, .* 22 . do definite work upon three or four subjects of the curriculum, in section meetings, and then leave these and take up other subjects, un- til the v/hole curriculum had received attention. This plan was fol- lowed for a few years, but the Conference grevj in a different direc- tion and that was in the direction of the permanent organization of each section. The first conference, however, organized work in three sections. Biology, Physical Fcience and English. The Biology section started well for definite work by first inquiring into the objectives, J. G. Hutton of Beards town gave a paper on, "The Main Objects to be Attained by the High School Course in Zoology". Next, Dr. A. W. Pet- ers of the University gave an outline of vrork in Zoology such as might be tried out, criticized, and revised, according to proposed plan of work of the conference. Likev/ise in Botany, an outline was given by J. V/. Little of Danville. This outline gave consideration of the place of the text, laboratory work, note book, and the compound mi- croscope in the work. The order of procedure through the botanical material was given by Dr. C. P. Hottes of the University. Without taking into consideration the value of the outlines thus presented, it is important to note that they formed the basis for definite work, and if followed, by trhl , criticism and revision, they might grow in- to something of more scientific value. The Physical Science section began with an outline of exper- iments in Chemistry, by B. A. Sweet of Marshall. Wm. Redenbaugh of Quincy gave a paper on, "Method of Teaching Chemistry in the High School," and Charles Herman of Streator spoke on, "The Laboratory and Its Equipment for Teaching Chemistry." As to Physics, v/e find the first topic, "What Should be the Requirements of a Year's High School Physics?" by J. E. Cable of Harvey. Under this head was discussed the relative amount to be given to text book, laboratory work done by ■ '■■" - ■ --^..V.,. 7 A r y W' tL '. f 'fi I ■. . .» *■ '• ■ i" HK^Me!'': ' ' J J ' • ;aWi rj’’ HL: ’*i " 1 '-• * ** ■ I ''• ^!y , jil ’ y c : t6.vl. Ai t'l 23. th© pupils, and dGinons'tra'tions . Anoth©r "bopic discussed v/as , ’’Labor- atory Manuals, Direction Sheets, Dote Books, Reference Books and their Relation to Laboratory work, the Lecture and the Quiz," by P. R. Wat- son of the University. The last and very definite one was, "The Phys- ical Laboratory Equipment, Its Datujre and Extent", by C. H. Elliott of Centralia. Thus it may be seen that this section also made a ^ood start along definite v/ork in complete harmony with the general purpose of the Conference. This section took the further step in making a plan to follow up the work it had started. It appointed two commit- tees, one for Physics and one for Chemistry, for the purpose of form- ulating a series of suitable experiments for the High Schools, giving (1). the minimum amount of work, (2). the order of treatment, (3). the amount of apparatus required and (4). the cost of the same, as well as a list of houses where apparatus could be purchased. Another device, used by the Physical Science section, and also by the English section, to secure definiteness, was the passing of resolutions. After the papers had been read, and after the discus- sion of the mooted points which arose had been finished, resolutions were adopted which showed the crystallization of opinion arrived at by this conference. In this way, problems for the next conference were raised. The resoltuions give an insight into the character of this first conference. Chemistry Resolutions. Resolved that there should be, 1. A correlation of high school and university work in Chemistry. 2. A consideration of the relation of Arithmetic to Chemistry. 3. A consideration of the method of presenting the subject. Chemistry. . ‘ V;***^'- '..l' • _ .,. '■'■ I -.'■>’■ «| - ., -• . > :: '*■' '* : y-’^^ ■ % •■ -^•'V i •,.'-5v<'jf. « 4«^yr-vi)- ■*i'*i»r',-. •-{■■■ V - , "Vv iM ''' ■ I ' •' ■“■• .y’^^,:^^/;c^Si£, '^- ' '■ '-jiiiii ■■ \ -‘H MV '<■ ,!Ti ,r •■% ■ ... ■: >■ ‘j';5 'y ;.’■ -’t' ',’W k* ' ■ <'' 'i‘ i*i^" ■ '■* f'" ’ • rf i ■' .’ S*fcv-,ii!v' ’' -- »' .• , \ :y '. M§: ;' ' i ' ,,e^*{i />'■•' -r..r^" ■ f,< 25 . development of the different kinds of English work v/ill be discussed in tnrn. THE V'iORK OP THE ENGLISH SECTION AS AI^! EXAIIPLE No section was in greater need of the Conference than the English section. The outstanding v/ork of the Conference has been in the direction of definiteness. No subject in the high school curriculum is more indefinite than English, but not only as to the material of the subject, but also as to the methods of instruction. One of the most definite things in the English work was the list of the College Entrance Requirements, and paradoxical as it seems, it was too definite. The English work was not only indefinite but it was up in the clouds. It was dominated by its literature component, and this was the literature of the adult world of the college clas- ses, or to be more exact the college professor. The pedagogical tru- ism, that the material must be adapted to suit the mental life of the child, was largely overlooked by those who selected Pope for the enjoyment of the high school classes. The indefiniteness of the English was due, to a certain ex- tent, to the number of different subjects included under this head. English is, in reality, two distinct subjects, English Literature and English Composition. The attempt to treat them as one, to cor- relate the one with the other, or to make one the handmaid of the other, has increased the confusion. One of the beneficial results of the work of the English section, is that it has enabled the Eng- lish teachers to analyse the material of their subject and discover that it includes literature, composition both written and oral, spelling, punctuation, letter-writing, word study and grammar. They k'rt >■' fc\' ' ' .' ** 1*7 Im T-*-' i y M' mi . ;lJ' ;' r. u., '■.n,* y > iffe ?-^^' j .; ^ . r # ^ i ■ ■-A, ' ■ ^- ■■ ■ ,.yj-iiriPX!amjm^. I i ■^ f. V, K* -'/ rS i . i ' XK ■ , V ’,S.. U f ’! r ■ V . h > * ^ ' . ■ #• lif ' ' ' '■^ ’■ L>'? : ' ■ ' ' ' '■ ;,*%^ ‘ ; , ^r. J^^^' i-i - ■ .li; ’■ ■ i^.. : [; , r '. ■ ' ' .. •. ‘v' ' ■ t-'. ' » ' ■' ’ f*-.!'.:' , 'V: s'»LU.i/*j:Tt aaI.' '*-• ,'f- , »rf-' t i^!^.**«.i ’i,v, }/ i ■•'i^>;^rtt;(iii .-- tt;„. *.,., «k^f‘ 1 o f. l!', ■ "•>'« Lfii- i. ■ 'yi ■ ■ ' . j •' ' '• . , /> ’ f “' Y"' t:-7'T^?-*!^^''’': y^gP ^ 1 ^ ’’'■ i^nA-nj 1 )%m-. ■ft' I f : '■ - . ' V: '• I , • ', iwu’s'% r.f!}13^7»!W:'f'S,¥ii^^ yy ' • P ■♦I .i c* 'I ;. • Pm . •!» v" I » V X » j ' 1 /■ » . ■*ft>crw , j)\ W ,. "'■ ■ '* ' ' \-^> li ■ ’ i!ii W-v' ,\ 'f '’ , ^ i' *.\' 1^ I , ' ^ i Lj|r. ' * * ^TP»^' * , 27 . foreign language. Proposition 2. In the early part of the course, special em- phasis should he laid upon form and grammatical correctness in compo- sition although not to the exclusion of the study of literary clas- sics . Proposition 3. A good manual of rhetoric should accompany the work of the entrance course, to he constantly referred to as au- thority. Proposition 4. The selection of classics to he read should, as far as possible, lead the student to a pretty clear knowledge of the characteristics of the leading types of literature. Proposition 5. For the purpose of high school instruction, the study of the history of iCnglish literature is sufficient. Proposition 6. Throughout the high school course special attention should he given to oral composition and good oral expres- sion in reading.” The English section made its approach to the problem through the following topics: ”The Relation of English Literature in the Grades to that in the High School.” ”The Formal Study of English and American Literature.” ”The Teaching of Mon-Dramatic Poetry.” "Supplementary Heading.” "The Study of the Drama and The Novel.” "Theme Vi/ork.” "What Results May Be Expected from the High School Course in Rhetoric?” The emphasis given by the program to the two kinds of English work is shown by the fact that six numbers were devoted to Literature 28 . and two to Composition. It may also "be seen, that the viewpoint v/as largely from the standpoint of the material of the oonrse . The first paper in the work of the English section is a good example of what the Conference has worked to get av/ay from. In the first place, the speaker took the attitude of an advocate of litera- ture, as if that were necessary. He says, "Teachers have been accus- tomed to justify its (English’s) importance on the ground of its ne- cessity as a medium through which knowledge is gained. It has a higher claim than this; it is an end in itself and the results are immediate." In the second place the paper is bombastic, full of high-sounding phrases, very indefinite and very theoretical. It sel- dom names examples of what literature should be used in the grades, but gives characteristics of this literature in the phrases of a now largely discarded psychology. A good example of the bombast, but not a hint as to hov/ the results may be accomplish is found in this, "We have laid before us what seems to be one of the greatest duties of the teacher; for the artistic exaltation of the tastes and ideals of life are of infinitely greater service to mankind than the so- called utilitarial duties, important as they are." As to aims, there is presented this very indefinite target; "Notwithstanding that the general aim of literature, development of the appreciative faculty." Another view of evidently the same target is given by this, "The problem before us is to train the receptive faculty which on the part of the recipient corresponds to the creative faculty on the party of the literary genius." The preparation of the teacher of English was viewed from the standpoint of the material of the subject. The first recommenda- tion was regarding the manner of speaking and reading, the second was a list of authors with which the teacher should be familiar, and fc - \:.y ' " . . ■ i2- '1V^' ,.‘v4i ik 1 ^ 5 ^ %-v-c.. ' ' f; -T' N n ^ ^ .i' SJv ' ■' ''•>• ■' ■ •' \ :^T^' ■ '.,t' _J::'U, . ■ -'.VT* ' ' I . I|ji^t.;.. t, « ■ ■,>;■■'•■.' ' t Ji-., '■ ■ r ■ •> ' 1 - •;■.„ ■■ ’>.d \ i/' ^ ■’ 8 >^ V.' ' .%''.';tv » . '■■ -Jk $' ■■ .:■■ ' ■ '■■.■>.■:• - V ' V-'" :■■: ■- I 3! ‘\:1 ' ■' 'Ttva-W/ ’ ‘*»’v<.» v«.! ,J- :/••"■ -^ ■•'■ ■. ^ . ... . , >j /V *tbr ■ ;i fv .tniw-v- ?hi 'Vif? ■ v>’iir^ j I ..x'", r> i; ' v. .-rA-' 30 . v/ork in oollege. The English work in college has a logical organiza- tion from the standpoint of the material. LTr. l/Vhitford in discussing ’’The Teaching of Won-Dramatic Poetry” stated, ”By this method pupils v;ill know that the great developing body of lilnglish poetry begins somev/here and ends somewhere, that it has a soul continually progres- sing with history.” And further, "Pupils must feel unity in the com- position of poems, how Spencer unconsciously in lawlessness has def- initeness of plan in the Paerie Queen; hov^ consciously Milton gives two digressions in Lycidas v^rhich are so artistically connected with his pastoral that the elegy would be worthless without them.” Ob- viously this is beyond the comprehension of most high school pupils. Though the work on Composition was given only one fourth of the program, it is v^ell to note the attitude of this first conference upon this part of the subject. Like that of Literature, the aim was lofty, vague, beyond the reach of all but a fev\7 of the most highly gifted pupils, and organized from the standpoint of the material. Professor Baldwin in giving the purpose of instruction in English in the high school said, ”It is four fold: First, TO EWABLE THE STU- DENT TO VvRITS MD SPEAK blTH CLEARNESS, VIGOR, AND GRACE; second, to acquaint him at first hand v/ith a few of the best literary products of English and American thought; third, to cultivate a sense of lit- erary style; fourth, to inculcate a love of the best literature.” Miss Iddings of Bloomington, gave directions for teaching high school pupils to write description and referred to the writing of exposition and argument. One definite piece of work came out of the English section of this first conference. Miss Apgar of St. Louis gave a paper on "Sup- plementary Reading” and, upon request, furnished a list of books - V I i I r'r , . - ^ Ti i t , ;ir'- , Yj i y; -tirs/y i cM :, *■^f,,y:^yfj^l^ -,r /^'T.V^ ' r-Vvl^'y^ \ • .' r^ ‘ 'f “ M -1^'' i . * s Vs<‘ ''■f'WM- U'4tf>.^-J '. ■ -r*’- ^ ' ■ ‘■■-’ •.' r‘-' <..»,4- ^ ^ t ‘ • ♦* V 0 m * .T*'^^; i for snoh work. It was arranged in three groups, acoordin?r to years, the first year, the second and third, and the fourth year. Under eaoh group, there v/as a further subdivision according to type, poe- try, fiction, prose, essay or biography. This was one definite thing that could be tried out, criticized and revised. It was the basis of recommendations for supplementary reading in the High School Manual, issued the year of 1906-07. The list in the Manual differed from Miss Apgar's list in that fourteen of her list were omitted from the Manual. These were noticeably the more difficult or less inter- esting. This list continued to be recommended in the High School Manual for sever years. The English section, as did the Physical Science section, drew up a list of resolutions. The list was very long, sixteen in all, and some of a very excellent character, which much later in the history of the Conference were brought up for dis- cussion. One asked from the Committee of the College Entrance Re- quirements for more freedom in the choice of books. The one that brought definite results called for the appointment of a committee to prepare a ’’Progressive Course of Study in English Literature Based upon Type Forms”. The committee appointed at the first meeting pre- pared a course, presented it for discussion at the second meeting of the Conference, February, 1906. It was adopted and printed in the 2 High School Manual the following September. It continued in the High School Manuals of 1907-08 and 1908-09. At the second conference in February, 1906, the English sec- tion discussed the following subjects; ’’Course in English Literature Prepared by Committee.” 1. Miss Apgar, ’’Proceedings of High School Conference”, 1905, pp. 16-19 2. Course in English Literature, ’’High School Manual”, 1906-07. 'S isv: *4 ( rt’t%( ■'(' '|Krr*'*^''4 r > ‘- ,ji' t ' #4 ’• * ■■ Vt)i**'-T ^ ' .:; *4 '' 7jJ> / ». ^4. **' % ’• ' ‘ ,*»• . ■' i 'V '■"«» — r^j M-VV <\t|V |if^; -#i,» /’'.i l'?S > * . >w ,, « ^n__ > ►.Vi ;• •iAj-irf;; '’ V ' .V* Xt'- ’. /.. .f. lit 3 5 iOjf— ►*. i : ' ■ ' "' .;^ii 38 ’’Fourth Year English in Its Eolation to Freshman Oollege Work . ” ’’Method in High School Rhetoric.” In this program, it may be seen that two-thirds v/as devoted to literature and one third to Rhetoric. In the third conference held in Hovemher, 1906, there was no English section. In the fourth, held in 1907, the topics were, ’’Where only fhree Years of -rglish are Required for College Entrance, What is the Best Course to Offer for a Fourth Year of Elective r]nglish?” ’’Vvhat May Be Offered in High Schools in the V.ay of (a) Public Speaking, (b) Debate, (c) Dramatic Presentation? ” ’’The Relation of English History to the Teaching of English Literature.” The most imoortant action taken by this section in 1907 was the move for a permanent organization to be known as ’’The Illinois Association of Teachers of English”. This came from a general feel- ing that a continuous organization would be able to accomplish more than an interraittant one. A committee was appointed to report a con- stitution. At the 1908 conference, a short constitution was adopted in which the object of the association is stated thus: ’’Its aim shall be to foster the advancement and proper consideration of the study of English Literature and Composition in the schools and col- leges of Illinois.” A second important step was taken at the 1908 conference when it v/as decided to issue a series of bulletins, for the expressed purpose of a definite formulation of a course of study of English for secondary schools. The purpose of such a course was to promote greater uniformity in the curricula of the various 33 . secondary schools. Thus, the English section, after floundering for a number of years, began to move in the direction of definite v/ork. Of course, it could not clear itself entirely of the rhapsodies of a certain type of English teacher, hut these became fev;er and fev;er. Definite investigation of actual facts and conditions took the place of the mere opinion almost uniformly initiated in the English sec- tion, with the phrase, "It seems to me". The Bulletin was issued eight times a year, monthly from October till May. It, as a rule, announced the program of the Eng- lish section of the Conference, reported the meeting, and published papers of merit, delivered at the Conference. It announced the plans of the group and kept the teachers in close touch with the work by reminding them, eight times a year, by means of some interesting article bearing upon the actual work of the English teacher. In ad- dition to the work of the Conference, discussions of different pha- ses of the work were collected from sources outside of the Confer- ence program. It served as a medium to keep the English teachers in touch v/ith what other English groups were doing. A copy was distrib- uted free to each English teacher who was registered and to all oth- ers whose names might be secured. A copy v;as also sent to each high school principal. The Conference of 1909 may be said to have started the def- inite v/ork in English. A very valuable report was made by Professor Paul as chairman of the committee on, "Outlining a Course of Study". The report was largely the work of Professor Paul who sent out a questionnaire to the teachers of the state and, from time to time, sought advice from other members of the committee. No account of the work of the English section is complete unless it includes this report of Professor Paul. It was a survey of the field. It cleared &'* .' ,.J'»i!&7" ''oft- i«/ •-*t itstUiil’'. 'i 'mn C;4'*r ^'i:c k.i ’ VCfj :\^44a Sbk<‘.' fr1 V- ’ i 34 . the groimd and raised a number of questions for solution. The ques- tions raised occupied the section for a number of years, and upon some of them definite scientific work has been done. Professor Paul’s Report The field was first divided into that of Composition and Lit- erature. These questions were raised; Composition. ”1. Shall an attempt be made to correlate Composition and Literature?” ”E. To what extent should other teachers take part in teaching Composition?” ”3. liVhat proportion of time at our disposal shall be given to Composition and what to Literature?” There was found to be an almost common agreement among teachers of three-fifths to Literatirre and two-fifths to Composition. The committee were also in agreement in this matter. ”4. How may this time be distributed?” There was wide difference of opinion on this, although all might be brought to agree to one of these two plans: ”A. Two days a week to Composition and three to Literature.” ”B. Two semesters given wholly to Composition, one in the first year and one in the third year. The remaining time given to Litera- ture vjith some writing once a week.” In the discussion of this question, one of the great faults of the Composition work was pointed out, that the puoiPs do not feel that they are j I>T * i'.i.^_ _ m’- •;.:v" - Y' V' T- ^ ' '* 'i* '''''' 'I A ''•*' i'l ' ■'■ ^i.<‘ ~ ‘ ■■^ •< '/!' ‘*i1 'i ><'' ?V/Jh • 9 ‘ 5>, , - •, .,»?►** ■■ ,.•*, • •■ ' » .•■jfe‘’^‘ V' ’■ f'.'«y , rii 4' *|Wjf_*Wf*»y -w^iUe . >W * '*« aiKiif >« y jio, "l^•;ii^V•<^■^S^!|^'^ ' ■- ■•' '" . 'A' ' ’»'. ' ''■'•vlr ' ' A . f.hrf KAil>aW,XifWM’!v^V'i*^W • -W 35 making progress, that they never feel that they have completed or mastered anything in Composition. ”5. Shall grammar be included in the composition and if so when, and what shall be its nature?” "6. Shall there be placed in the fourth year a special course in spelling, punctuation, and letter writing to meet the demands of the business man?” ”7. Shall a distinct course in public speaking be in- troduced? ” Literature . ”1. Shall a text book in English Literature be used?” Almost all answer this in the affirmative. "2. V^fhat shall be the method of using it?” The commit- tee believed in dividing the work into great per- iods and centering the work around great names. ”3. Shall a text be used for American Literature?” ”4. What classics shall be selected?” The committee believed in the College Entrance Requirements as a basis and gave reasons. It also gave some gen- eral rules for selecting a book. General Rules for Selecting a Book. ”i. It must have intrinsic worth.” ”ii. It must be teachable.” ”iii. There should be samples of the different types. Epic Lyric and Narrative Poetry Drama Essay Novel Oration ”iv. It must be representative of great periods and great authors. 36 . ”v. Some American works should be included.” "vi. The book must be suited to the age of the pu- pil.” ”5. At v/hat place in the course, shall the various books be used after all selections have been made?” ”6. To what books on the College Entrance Requirements’ list have objections been made most frequently?” Professor Paul reported ”Vicar of Vi/akefield” , "Mid- summer Right’s Dream”, Milton’s Minor Poems for study”, and ’’Speech on Conciliation”. ”7. Hov/ many classics shall be studied a semester?” ”8. liVhat is the tendency in the selection of books?” The finding was that there v/as a tendency towards fewer selections for study and a greater use of supplementary reading. ”9. Ho\v far shall the instructor attempt to correlate the work ?/ith other subjects?” Professor Paul gave some discussion of each question, and the opinions of teachers and members of the committee were given when they could be secured. More important than the report was the rais- ing of definite problems upon which the section could v/ork. Follow- ing the reuort a number of these problems were discussed. These dis- cussions showed the section to be slowly working toward definiteness and forming plans to get data upon which to base solutions. There is evidence that many conservatives were present. They gave the old arg- uments for the traditional courses and methods, with no evidence to support, but mere opinion, invariably introduced by the weak and apol- ogetic phrase, ”It seems to me”. The most fruitful discussion cen- tered about, ”A Special Course in Grrammar, Punctuation, Spelling and Oral Composition” and ”The Selection of Books from the Required List” . 37 . To illustrate that the leaders of the English section were calling for definiteness, below is given what Mr. McGonn said con- cerning a special coarse in Grammar, Punctuation etc. ”’A Special Course’ -- at the least a little more specializa- tion v/ithin our field seems to me one of our crying needs. At pres- ent, we teach only ’English' , meaning by that magic word first of all criticism, in the sense of intelligent appreciation, and then composition, the two ’simultaneously’; during a part of the course, we include the history of English literature , or of American litera- ture, or both, also ’simultaneously'; and, if a proposition now free- ly advocated is adopted, we shall add English and American history, perhpas general history and civics, to the team we have to drive. All these ’simultaneously’. In the meantime, there are grammar, punctuation, and spelling, together with oral reading, a good deal of biography, and perhaps word-study, to be taught ’incidentally’. ’Simultaneously’ and ’incidentally’-- behind these pet v/ords of ours, lie the roots of our inefficiency. V/e are continually trying to do from six to ten things at once. That is one reason, too, why Eng- lish classes, not being able to see what they are doing or v/here they are heading, are so often discontented with the subject; and one reason, finally, for our general failure in results, complained of on every side by business men, newspapers and parents." The course that Mr. McConn called for, is the course that the work of the Conference took. The tendency was to analyze the mater- ial of English and to define its different parts more accurately. This paper will follow the development of the different lines of work separately, but the unifying principles throughout all the ^ M A' s » jfm- - y »- ^ ■.y-yV:- ,, - |r- I : ;«■ ; "A^S&Sj'-e- f ■ ■’ ••' r 8P V'V'-^"’ *** ■^.^i'' '. *' . ,*' '*•'' "'•^■.'v ... ' . '^SSsi^KJ tfS"' ,’■ ■ ’:'\^ vil^H^I . *■ ’'. 1 w) i#,‘'i;^' /| 38 . development is the growth tov/ard definiteness. In the early programs, the Literature received the major at- tention. In the latter programs, the Composition received the major attention. This was in line with the English development elsewhere. In the discussion of composition, oral composition was first advoca- ted prominently hy Professor J. M. Clapp in the April Bulletin of 1910. It is in the discussion and development of oral composition that some of the most distinctive work has been done by this sec- tion. That Professor Clapp looked away from the artistic material of the classics long enough to see the pupils that are usually found in the high school classes is evidenced when he said, ”Vie may admit, perhaps, that some blind feeling for artistic form in speech and wri- ting is instinctive, one of the 'inalienable rights' but we must ad- mit also, I fear, that v/ith most persons, everywhere, the instinct is well-nigh smothered by anti-literary, anti-artistic environment." He gave arguments for two kinds of oral work, oral composition or, as he named it talking, and oral reading. His argument was as fol- lows ; "I believe that in this work we have been for a generation neglecting a most important means. \Ve have been trying to teach writing, but we have omitted almost wholly to teach talking. Yi/e have been making our pupils analyze masterpieces of literature, but v;e have neglected a very obvious means of interpreting these books. V/hile we have been trying to explain to our classes the diction and the sentence-structure, the plotting and the character-drawing, the moral and the aesthetic significance of the great and subtile works, composed v;ith cunning manipulation of language, with severest obser- vance of the idiomatic laws of our difficult speech, have v/e not too often forgotten that our pupils have but slight command of the spoten I iX & •• », •ii . >«• ... •^ ' *: - i- >■< aid. S' 39 . language on which this elaborate superstructure called, literature is built? Their own talk, vrhich they picked up at home and which serves them through the day, is rough and careless, filled with slang and vulgarisms. If they do not talk correctly and gracefully, if they have only that rude instinctive sense of the artistic attri- butes of speech, how can they write? How can they appreciate the art of elaborate written language? Would they not be aided if they were given instruction in spoken language, as careful and as intelli- gent as is the instruction in writing? Is it wise to leave one en- tire side of literature study in the hands of the elocutionists? One is reminded of the plea of the old divine for the improvement of the music in the chirches, that he did not want the devil to have all the good tunes.” ”0ral exercises help the student to use language idio- matically and to recognize the idiomatic element in literature. Ex- ercise in talking helps him to write better, and exercise in reading aloud helps him to read books v/ith a qiiicker and more intimate com- prehension . ” At the Conference of 1910, a committee appointed to investi- gate public speaking reoorted upon the status of public speaking in Illinois high schools and gave recommendations. As a rule, it was found that little or no public speaking was being done and the com- mittee made the following recommendations: "I. It is the sense of this Association that every Illinois high school should make some provision for training its pupils in the proper oral use of the English language. ”11. It is desirable, that teachers of English should them- selves be fitted to give instruction in oral English, though there is no serious disadvantage in leaving such work to a special teacher, provided, that it be closely correlated to the work in written - -vvH4^ii^-k!i 40 . composition and literature. ”111. It is highly desirable, that all high school teachers of whatever subjects, should lay especial emphasis upon clearness and correctness in reading and reciting. ”IV. At least one-fifth of the high school work in English should be devoted to oral composition and reading aloud, with par- , ticular reference to the correction of faults in articulation, pro- nunciation, and voice quality. ”V. It is recommended, that in all institutions fitting tea- chers to give instruction in high school English, courses in reading and speaking be required as a pre-requisite, to endorsement for posi- tions. ”VI . This Association is in hearty sympathy vfith other pub- lic speaking activities within the school, such as debates, declama- tion and oratorical contests, dramatic performances, literary socie- ty v/ork, etc., provided always, that they be under the supervision of teachers, and that they be conducted sanely and without artific- iality and affectation. ”VII. It is believed that inter-high school contests, in- cluding debates, and oratorical and declamation contests, present grave dangers, but that if carefully superintended and strictly lim- ited in number, they may be found to ansv/er the double purpose of af- fording training in public speaking and lightening the over-emphasis likely to be placed upon athletic contests. ” Between the 1910 and 1911 meeting's, the Bulletin published, in April, a very important and influential paper. It was a report on "English Composition Teaching” by a committee of the Modern Lang- uage Association. This committee had used the scientific procedure in collecting data from many v/idely distributed sources concerning . 3 - ^1y Co'-tlO'Cr, rfir .'A jj. r;j j ■ ■ '■• '*^ n . 7 ^;‘ i».4j&]t' *»; . .V •■'i ; '.r '■■ ,. *A.. ;'. ^ -...'• .. ■- 1. .-. ' ’ ' ’-'y ■' ■O '!.• .,.• J.' ? J J 'Is # .'.' V.v;' vcc «:■ f ■> ;;• j .> ^ ' plS . '4|2 41 . composition teaching. Its results were startling. After the discus- sion of years concerning the amount of time to he given to composi- tion, whether devoting two days a week, or two-fifths of the time as advocated in some other manner, this report revealed that the English teachers had not been giving this amount of time to Composi- tion. It was an impossibility. The outstanding fact of the report was that the English teachers, strive as they might, even to the point of physical exhaustion, could not grade the papers in the Com- position work. The establishment of this fact alone called for an entire revision of the Composition work and accounted for much of the failure to get good results. To the question, in the investiga- tion, ''What is done with the excess manuscripts that cannot be read?” the follov;ing answers were given: a. Skim it mostly. b. Credit it unread. c. Destroy it. d. Use it for general class discussion. e. Turn it over to readers to grade. It is easy to see that every solution offered is unv/orthy. Teachers must find some way to require less written work. The ques- tion has been raised, ”Can oral work largely replace the written work in Composition?” An experiment on composition was arranged by a committee of the English section with J. M. Clapp as chairman. It reported at the Conference of 1913. The material of a semester’s course in com- position was arranged in such a way that one section of a first year English class might carry on the work as written composition and another section might carry on practically the same work as two- thirds oral and one-third written. This was a very interesting . JL- 42 . experiment and v/ill be discussed later under the topic "Scientific Investigations". The result, as will be seen, hovirever, gave an ad- ded argument for oral composition. In this course in oral composition, however, the authors could not wholly give up the type forms of narration, description, and exposition. Still, after the experiment had been tried, this recommendation was made: "The method should be in the early years at least, to say little about rhetorical distinc tionsregarding the four kinds of composition: narration, description, exposition and argumentation. In the first year at least, it does not matter wheth- er the boys and girls know the words, narration, description, etc., at all." The secretary of the Association, Professor Baldwin, went one step further. He said, "I vrould have the teacher go further than the suggestion of the committee, that the teacher should not bother the pupils the first year with the forms of discourse. I would have them throw formal rhetoric to the winds and instead give the pupil constant practice in the oral expression of ideas acquired by attentive reading of a carefully selected list of weekly periodi- cals . " The next development of the oral composition movement v;as to give attention to the mechanics of speech. At the Conference of 1914 Professor J. M. Clapp spoke upon, "The Speaking Voice". "Teachers of Snglish", he said, "are at last approaching one part of their du- ty which is most fundamental, but v/hich they have generally shirked, the improvement of the speech of their pupils". The next suggestion made by Professor Clapp was about ’oral forms’. It is a novel idea. He took the training of the telephone girl as an example. She is gi- ven a certain number of ansv/ers to apply to the questions that come to her most frequently. These are well .framed answers and she is .V- ■ .sf '.- ' ,f^jc:r ^ } \, n?^j \. ' - . -^ ■ - ' . ‘ 'I . ■ ' •■ -(p ' iM- Eia'; 43 . trained, to enunciate the word.s distinctly in a pleasant tone of voice. "Why not", ilr. Clapp asked, "help our pupils organize and give them drill in oral forms to answer much of the routine affairs of life?" Oral speaking called for training, not only during the class recitation, but outside of it. It was necessary to enlist the aid of the other teachers, and even that of the home. A consideration of this leads to the "Minimum iilssent ials" , "Better English Week" and related subjects which are discussed under another topic. The report of Professor Paul at the Conference of 1909, has been referred to as one that raised many questions, and as one that gave the direction of the work into the field of scientific investi- gation. Following this, at v/hat seems to have been the fit time for such a paper. Professor Bagley gave, at the opening of the 1910 Con- ference, a paper entitled, "Science as Related to the Teaching of Literature". He advocated the application of scientific principles to the teaching of English and he emphasized especially the impor- tance of securing data for the solution of problems. "Lata", he asserted, "should be secured by testing under conditions of control." This paper av/akened much interest and discussion. Mr. McConn was asked to present a definite problem, capable of solution by the co- operative statistical method described by Professor Bagley. This action shows that the English section had found their bearings and were fulfilling in a very excellent manner the purpose of the Con- ference . Mr. McConn proposed his problem and secured the promise of cooperation from a large number of teachers. Much had been said con- cerning v/hat classics should be read in the English course. Mr. Mc- Conn’ s proposal was simply to find out the pupils opinion concerning I '* *i/A I -'^'•j^''’ ^ • ”- ' " '^' . ' '• V .*^1' ' ' •V'l -*-■ ■ ■■■■ J ‘ ' •‘^' '• ^ .■'! ?■:’■ ' ■ ^ • .’ ■ t'-. ' ■•^ ... •■. On . ^ . ‘Ykn ,i>P' \ t ’iitiK **, • la.' Tin ‘r ’ a V-i;, . \ftJL -■ .■ ' — r%itr -Tn r ■■■ -;- T f^.- a -. - i ^ ,,. V- -.~ - • **. ••■ !>i u 44 . the books which they had read. The teachers were asked to take ten or fifteen minutes time v/ith their classes, sometime near the close of the first semester, and ask the pupils to rank in order of their preference the three or four books studied during the semester. This was to be repeated near the close of the second semester. The report of Mr. McConn upon this investigation was the imoortant topic of the 1911 Conference. After throwing out all that did not suit condi- tions, Mr. McConn had rankings from 5,803 sti:dents from 209 high school classes, which were tabulated and interpreted very carefully by him. His v/ork is a splendid example of the application of sci- entific method to the securirjg and the interpreting of data. The most important result of his work was the selection of two groups, those that were ranked highest, and those that were ranked lowest. The first ten books in order of their ranking- were given first by from one-third to one -half of those that read them and last by from one-tenth to one-seventh. Table of First Ten with Percentage as to Rank Tale of Two Cities 89% Last of Mohicans GO Ivanhoe 8Z% Hamlet 82%o Enoch Ard-en eifo Silas Manner o CO Macbeth 19% Lady of the Lake ll%o Merchant of Venice 74 . 8%o Idyls of the King l'd.8'fo 45 . The last twelve books were ranked first by from one-tenth to one-seventh and last by from one-third to one-half. Table of Last Twelve Books Vuith Peroentage as to Rank De Goverly Papers 59% Illiad 58, &% Twelfth Right 58% Palgrave 54^ Ghaucer CJI Franklin’s Autobiography 5Z>%> Macaulay’s Johnson 52 . 5%o Deserted Village 52% Ancient Mariner 52% Sesame and Lillies 51,5% Essay on Burns 50%) Emerson’s Essays 48^ Mr. McConn then raised the question, "Is there, then, any oharaoter- istic that is common to those ten diverse books at the top?" "Is there a common characteristic to be found in the twelve books of the other group?" "Are these two groups by any chance antipodal?" He suggested, that the popular books in this list were uniformly books containing vivid and dramatic presentations of human life v/ith strong ethical import while those that were distinctly disliked were those in which the primary appeal was aesthetic, stylistic, and those which conveyed their message indirectly through their beauty or their humor, or which presented human life not with bold plainness but del- icately, lightly, subtly. There v/as a stirring discussion of the value of the report. Mr. McGonn was asked if he thought the opinion of the pupils should ■'I t. f' I* n :* .. S ^', "■“•....i‘. «r^'.,. ' •. 53k^ .'i- >u ,' '4 [♦■•r^r ..V > ■ l‘ *vji '■■* i'. p, I I ‘•^2?r .. ki^:' * *i.‘. A' 4 J* ' ".c ^ * \ ■ ^Fit^tX lid : f(.t e V • J '.' - . «o, ,sa4lf7 rn>., **oi •<.';. ; s Q ■ : ' '>', ' '''niT* 46 . be regarded to such an extent that the diet should be modified. He replied that he would drop the last twelve from his reading list. There was strong opposition to this but Mr. MoConn replied with strong counter argument. The value of his report, however, does not lie so much in the interpretation, which is open to difference of opinion, as in the definite data. The result of the next investigation was reported to the Con- ference in 1912 by W. W. Hatfield, chairman of a committee appointed to make the investigation. The work was similar to that done by ilr. MoConn, but it was not so simple. The answers could not be so clear cut and chances for error due to a larger field investigated were greater. Three questions v/ere. sent to high school graduates. A num- ber of the high school teachers cooperated in the sending and the gathering of the ansv/ers . The questions were, ’^1. Y/hat parts of your high school training in speaking or writing English have been of most use to you in your business or social relations or in future study? 2. Vrfhat parts have been of little use to you in these ways? 3. Has your experience shov/n that there was something left out of your training that should have received greater emphasis? If so, what? ” A careful study of the report will reveal many things, but the following are some of the most striking revelations: The pupils believed that the most benefit was received from those things that furnished them v/ith the practical training for life. These were be- believed to be grammar, punctuation, spelling and the choice of v/ords. Letter v/riting occupied a high place and greater value was placed on oral than on v/ritten composition. Strongest disapproval was expressed for long themes, rewriting, dictation, and the study u ttt-i^, W.Si>W4iio' sr ' ; •, ^ '■■- . : 44 m 0 ' i^k,p .'.o?, I’ - ^•*rf^ ^ ; >•. V ■. ;j^i. . ..fco .u-(k J 47 . of models. No one would say that, what the graduates think about their own work, should be the only thing considered, but in solving the problems of English, a body of definite data such as given in the above report should be taken into consideration along vath other da- ta . /mother question was asked, the replies to which shed some light upon a question that received much discussion in some of the earlier conferences. It was concerning the relative amount of time given to composition and to literature. At that time, a resolution was adopted based entirely upon the opinion of the teachers, giving two-fifths time to composition and three-fifths time to literature. The question was, ''Do you think the division of time between compo- sition and literature is the best possible. Twenty-four asked for more literature, forty-one thought that no change v/as needed, and one hundred and thirteen wanted more composition. The important work in English of the 1913 conference was the report by Professor J. M. Clapp of the experiment of trying out a definite course in oral composition in the second semester of the first year. In another section, the usual work in written composi- tion v/as to be carried on. The work of the tv/o sections was to be tested by four test themes v/ritten at different times in the semes- ter, and by the opinions of the teachers. Enough teachers tried the experiment to show results. A longer use of the work by teachers that had gained experience v/ould no doubt show more striking results. The report is valuable because the test papers furnish a mass of def- inite data. It has been turned over to the Department of Education and it may be worked over again for further deductions. The committee made the following suggestions: V '■ ’:t',e>' "■'7 . «,,H/.' '.cJM .Ti' i,i5. •■..-■k.;,.,--,*.' not w o-'ifeja^ Tsv.a. ■ ■•• * ■ '- T ' vi*> iasSSy * • , ji yr . r,-/ • * .■ ■ •, m' f r^,y^ H'l#’ " *’•. ' ' ‘ '< ■ '. • * ' • ' t' Vi? • ‘‘Jii(‘' •* '"■ • • ’ \* •fib i'’^'-^> 6 ( ' ' '^. '/ •; .', Yt-', ’*‘"JE ''f- ■“ . *' - ^if 4 (i ; siaX' jK!*. - j^; ‘ *:ar ^ . .. * iwii'.vn .• km-. ««— '’• w 50 . q^uestions called for opinion, which is not a very definite thing up- on which to "base a scientific investigation. It revealed that, ”1. Most of the institutions of higher learning in Illinois were not doing a great deal tov/ards preparing students as special teachers of English and that they might well he asked to consider whether it were desirable and feasible for them to undertake more extensive and systematic work of this character. That almost every thing in the teachers' college course in English may and very often did prove of value to him in the class room; but, that the greatest help has come from general survey cour- ses, Shakespeare, American literature courses for teachers, and cour- ses in composition. "3. These teachers have found that among their courses other than English, their work in history has been of greatest value; next, their work in foreign languages, especially in Latin; and that their courses in philosophy and education have also proved helpful. Eewer of them testified as to the value of piitical and physical sciences. "4. Those who have taken courses in education requiring practice teaching have, generally speaking, found them very helpful; and a large majority of them favor such courses for teachers of Eng- lish, to be given preferably by a member of the department of English. The majority of them also believed that such a course would be equal- ly helpful in literature and in composition. There was no general agreement as to whether such a course would prove most helpful after, before, or during a period of actual teaching experience. Different answers emphasized the peculiar value of such work at various sta- ges of progress.. "5. Of the possible additions to the college curriculum, de- sirable for teachers of English, the chief demands were for five .jktr55^ e^‘ I i •' ■ T ;*AV* r;t?- V JA’3^ n‘ , ■* ' V'' * * ' '»-^ A *" I. ■ ' b >ic^%'ejii i-:^ Sf■^ ^ • • r-^^'M' ai A «C'ir'<5cX' :»> .. V.- -V .. , >.' • .. ' ’ -.■'■■Vi^^. " ■ ' ■: B%V • •‘- '•■’^- ■• *' ■•.. .. • ’K • L-' •. M' ■■ *’ •••;•’ - '<4|! ^l--t:-'|T 5’.Jf-X/,5^’ t^t ’iO P ^ <;;> yii> h.f> »f *- . <9 ks^ Rj*: - ,..■ ■■« V i. '> . 'v^avw , . ,h' Aii„-’ ■■ f.^ ■ii^^ aumfj ^js: \ i ;^:,;,*r.>,i _ w\-,_e«^< ,1 ., . .; »if|. ;,^v ,j^^^|!^;''j^ ijrf?i«fc«f.i.:';^;ijg5iy ^,iy>»*,.7« ,»*f I--TI ■I t lirit r I r ifi T -rii-iriv’ii. m::. n _ A = 1 ^ . . . V** K "ijfii. ’’:■ A. .rSr .■^.' * 51. courses; (a) an advanced survey of English li teratux'*e ; (b) a course in primitive literature; (c) a course in comparative literature; (d) one in contemporary English and American literature; (e) a course in oral reading. ”6. As an irreducible minimum for the teacher of English, the concensus of opinion favored the required of the bachelor's de- gree from some reputable college. The necessity at least of cour- ses in a survey of English literature, in Shakespeare, and American literature, in public speaking, and in something beyond freshman com- position was emphasized. Especially notable too was the insistence upon an ampler training in history, languages, philosophy, and educa- tion and upon the continuous growth of whoever would succeed as a teacher of English." The topic for investigation of the 1915 conference was a "Questionnaire on the Material Equipment of the High School for Eng- lish." The questionnaire revealed v;hat its authors think should be the material equipment and, as such, repays reading. It also brought out the general fact that the material equipment was very inadequate. It was a valuable contribution but not so vital as other investiga- 1 tions . The English section, from time to time, took some notice of the attempt to set up scales to measure the products of education. The topic concerning scales for measuring composition work has been upon several programs. One of the important results of the English Conference came as a by-product of an attempt to work out a set of themes as a scale for the work in ninth year composition. Miss Isabel McKinney of Charleston at the 1915 meeting reported upon this 1. Vv. M. Smith, "Proceedings of High School Conference", 1915, pp.l96 to 202. 52 * attempt which had heen made hy a group of English teachers. The at- tempt proved again how Vifidely teachers vary in grading papers. To lessen this variation a set of minimum essentials was mads. The set of minimum essentials was what attracted attention. Here was some- thing definite in composition. Here was an outcome, which suited the tendency tov/ard which the section had been working. The next year Miss McKinney, who with a group of teachers had been working on the subject, presented a further development of the idea of minimum essentials. She has requirements for the ninth and tenth grades. It was proposed that, after the pupils had had time to learn the re- quirements for their respective years, every theme handed in that did not conform to these elementary requirements be marked failing. In this v/ay the pupil might knovf why he failed and might easily avoid the error. Thus, the teacher would not be compelled to correct the same mistake over and over; and thus, the pupil v/ould have something definite in composition to master. The Conference after making a few changes, adopted the ’’Minimuna Essentials”^ and the minimum essen- tials idea. As important and as essential, as the adoption of the minimuni requirements, was the necessity of obtaining a wide-spread use of them. In 1917, a committee was appointed to urge the schools to adopt and use a common set of definite and elementary minimum es- sentials. For this reason the topic has been included under the head of English propaganda. The University had a large number of copies printed and furnished them to the schools at cost. The distribution has been very large and it is too early, as yet, to estimate the influence of this v/ork. It has been realized for a long time, that the English tea- chers needed the cooperation of the principals, superintendents, and 1. Bulletin of Illinois Association of Teachers of English. Oct. 1916 53. the other teachers. In the campaign for the adoption of the Minimum Essentials v/as included the request that the entire faculty require the observance of these essentials in all written work. The next step in English propaganda was the observance of Better English V.'eek. This, also, called for the cooperation of the entire faculty and of the student body. In places, the homes, news- papers, and civic organizations were enlisted. Details of the plan 1 were published in Bulletins. This is properly called propaganda be- cause the work must be made to look desirable to the pupils and oth- er teachers. An atmosphere of spirit must be developed that is fav- orable to securing better results in English. After the Better English ^'veek had been observed for several years, and in many places. Professor Paul called the attention of the group to the importance of drill. He urged that Better English be prolonged from a week to the whole term. He insisted that it must be persisted in until the result is habit. He suggests as a motto, -'Get that habit.’’ The influence of the idea of Minimum Essentials has been re- markable. In an editorial of the Bulletin of October, 1919, Profes- sor Paul says, "One of the most valuable things done by the Associa- tion is the adoption of a set of Minimum Essentials in Eorms for i.ritten \7ork in the ninth and tenth years." The idea has extended to other work. In an outline of the English Curriculum for the Oak Park High School published in the Bulletin in 19 EO, is a list of minimum essentials for not only composition but also for grammar, memorization, and spelling, for not merely two years, but for the entire four years . 1. Bulletin; Association of Teachers of English, Vol. 10, Ho. 4, Jan. 1918. Also Vol. 11, Ho. 5, Eeb . 1919. s,U' if^ . I|j ‘’f .V' '.’ .,.. ■ ’ f i , , •■ . '•> '., >:■ rf, * ;^LVin 1 . •“ '. * ■''C •' .. ■ - Vi »->j',i5?:'i'/.»:*'K ^ti*V’!l(S '•J^-^-*'^* • .. .r^ , ..." v 1\ SSS-'' I*®™™;! ..^'i' '■ V V. :.^v, A*' ■ ■ '■i*-'% 'B 55. technique, fine appreciation, wide experience and fund of knowledge might cause pupils to like and enjoy that finest flower of our lit- erature, lyric poetry. As did almost all the sections, the tSnglish likewise made list of materials ¥/hich are valuable for workers. Professor E. S. Jones of the University in three papers, in three different issues of the Bulletin,^ gave discussions concerning choosing subjects for themes, fhe most valuable part of his papers were the lists of sub- jects given. In his first paper he gave a list of one thousand sub- jects as an answer to the question, '’Vvhat Shall One write About?'’ In his second he gave five hundred ten subjects for description and in his third he gave six hundred fifty six subjects for narration. S Hr. F. K. Vi. Brusy gave a list of short stories. It is a good piece of work for reference. It shows a tendency to use a wi- der range of material and also to use more contemporary material. Its classification as to time and as to the nationality of the authoi is helpful. There are tv/o hundred eighty titles listed. Professor Paul was asked by the English section in 1913 to 3 make a list of books for high school English. He furnished an ex- cellent list arranged under different heads. Some books v/hich are especially desirable were starred once, some others most desirable and essential were double starred. His list of contemporary v/riters is especially valuable because here the English teacher, is often at sea. His list contained five hundred seventy five titles. Mr. F. K. W. Brusy also in the next issue of the Bulletin gave a list of 1. (a) E. S. Jones; Bulletin of Illinois Teachers of English. Jan., 1915. (b) Ibid, October, 1915. (c) Ibid, April, 1917. 2. F. K. VJ. Brusy: Bulletin of Illinois Teachers of English, May, 1916. 3. Paul, H. S. ’’Bulletin of Illinois Teachers of Engli sh”, Jan. 1917. ij fea ,«k ^;i’\;’"-; 7 ?' 7 i' . ■’ :-v w >*«sv 4 t ' n i?ifc /'.*.'• rf!, ' *v - • •■■'^ ••■ /it ; /■/ J f'<‘''^'\ I j' ’ '.t »S • VA ’.,\; ,i' :■ *, ■' K'.'s^'.' , •’■»; .1 I’^i ' . ',■.; .:■ j"';*l.', :j ;:i o o ' *i • ''* ‘1 fiki X- Js •■ •. c*^i. . ft. ■: fj,u ' T ['y . ' . ■ • J , «. '*. '*^-A V ' ■ ■' • ‘ A' ' -v . ■ : ,!■? J ,• ■ ' ^ - r . r> ok ,. ^ i V,/< ' ■ ■ '**►. !•■ r.. ‘i 1 - i .r •■ u ' 3 . .' ■,' i ifi • •‘;w itv; > r> O' », Vi j . ;; ; I- '.o'^ *f.i ei.; ;,ij(vJE ,■> .. <•*'. >VJ >!'•».» .S •: I ■• z ■ * M ' . ':'c m: ^ V t 1 .. . ,\V ' ,..• , '■ z . >• ’.V.. ' ' !-'" ’ '‘I"- ,» :iX' •v^r.’vf'' . " ’.f . ^ , - , ■’’y*'" ^■pXr -li twi-i' . V T! ■'rf''’'i<}i. ' I'i ' '.f ■ ’■ ^ “?■ -> .’. ■>■' i. •'*.■" '■ j'. '••:"'■*■. •.•'•■ '.- • fiJ-uKt* : , ' ' ' ■ ' . ,■■ ,l l/""' '' ’ .'• lo i rtu* / c ? J t' * ' *'■. 5' I G ■>. A 4 .*■ ii’ i ’ji G r 'jaJ'A'' * 1 ^' ■ ^ '' . .)• ' ^ V •j' t.‘-; -?k' _fr, '-' '"' ■ '■"■■'■■ f - >Zu 0 h/ 1 V . Li. 'V' .^■ ■ , I' 1 .. * ■ . \~. '. I ‘ I i'i ' i' ■■>••••*' ^ < J t: f ' . •■•■■'.: f* :*Oj'’i;.’j* -.u '■•’f ■’ ', •:(? 'o ■■■’■ !i . .': , I J • .in fi-^u I V. * ••' , .« ' ilf . -.iJ 1 .- .... ,• '. .'VmBHLBU} TT-t' - I II ■ ;wiriM iMiiMtMMMlIti ■ /'feM 10 , x.*j: ^''■, jL.' 60 . of second year Latin be able to assume as accomplished in the first year? That the pupil has learned the inflectional system of the La- tin languagre and understands thoroughly the syntax of nouns, pro- nouns, adjectives, adverbs; that he can readily classify subordinate clauses in lUnglish sentences; and that he has applied this knowledge to the mastery of about Wenty five pages of not too easy Latin. The systematic study of the uses of the subjunctive belongs to the sec- ond year but every subordinate clause of the Latin of the first year should be classified as a preparation for this study." This is a traditional ansv/er and a good answer to the question, "What is the matter with Latin?" The next question v/as , "Gan he make good the deficiency if this work has not been well done? The pupil who goes into Caesar with less than this preparation invites failure. If through absence, laziness, or dulness he has failed to make the work of the firs't year a safe foundation for that of the second, he should repeat the first year or drop out of Latin into some other course. There is no Latin salvation for the irregular, the lazy, or the dull. The kingdom is closed to them no matter how hard the anxious teacher may strive to carry them in." Vvhile good aims were often given, the discussion frequently pointed to the chief aim as 'read more Latin', One committee recom- mended the omission of interesting m:iterial because if such were in- cluded it would not be possible to translate so much Latin. This aim was also given, even in the third year. In answer to the ques- tion, "Vvhat has the teacher of third year Latin a right to expect?" the reply is given, a. Recognize forms with ease and accuracy, b. Use grammar as a book of reference, c, Find their way through such prose as Caesar, d. Apply the principles of Latin syntax to the translation of sentences based on Caesar." This last showed the tl'-i*. . ’ . • ' A, • -i *?■ • '■ \'j. < K ;%• • y-l^ , ivY it .V'J;. v t;. ^^4ypi'$*v.. ♦a'?^ 'M.' '"SS^ i; V'T«KSfilT' ^ ‘fir;’©?*#' 4 ^ f-' tv ’i. ' ■il, f. 7 ''f;;'\. 4 *gJTO 6 it*, a: ‘«««^ \ ^ /* i • *.jr<*1r# .W^v4 IkiL #»^lf' '^IlS. Aii ■^iSsil' • Hf /4l^ < 61 . aim. There was no thought of any value beyond that of the nestery of Latin material. This, in spite of the fact, that the majority never go beyond Caesar. A similar aim was given by Miss Hubbard. ”Vve are confronted in our first year work not by a theory but by a fact, by the stubborn fact that we are preparing our pupils for Caesar.” In other words the aim is, to read a Latin book. Arthur R. Crathorne of the department of Mathematics gave a paper in which he tried to show ’’Transfer of training” between Alg- ebra and Latin. He should have started with an Intelligence test and probably he should have found his correlation in each case was due to intelligence instead of ’’transfer”. Miss Helen A. Baldv/in in discussing aims said, ”If we could agree that our objectives are first, culture, second, mental train- ing, third, practical use, v/ith emphasis in the order named-~how lit- tle would be left for dispute.” She did not define culture nor say, 'Whose culture.' She gave as argument for mental training, the old one which consists of the opinions of a number of educated people. This hardly meets the standard of a scientific experiment. The committee upon second year Latin in discussing the me- thod of presentation gave this fine tradition of the idea that hard work is good because it is hard. "The legitimate interest is based on the joy of conquest, the ability to do today \ihait he could not do yesterday; it being our place to see that the task we set is worth while and possible.” The subject of Latin first appeared upon the Conference pro- gram in 1908 in the Foreign Language Section, which met for the firs' time in that year. The first subject discussed was the general one "The Unity of Purpose in the Study of Foreign Languages in High V' v;. ,, -' ’■ ■^‘ikv i) Vif y^fjU l‘ i'/|- K*1 V, ■; I , i , ■ •j >Tv ’■ • • ■ I ■ - ■ ;v- • ..X'-’ • X " ^ W ■'(* ^ ! ■ .1' f . ■ I'i ' i (^/V '< . - ' ’■ , ' '- ' ' .T- ’VO- :-l, ■•’jf 4^-;^ '/ ' . ' i •' r>vv:4^6* r yMilUl: t o ./f' ' .u ’ t< *;-f.-;^ * t o , 4 ‘ ■' •^■- ■' ' ^ ■ “'V’ . -'■ ■• :-5* '1 ■'• ' •* ■ (•■♦'T' < ■•'' , V i./ , ’^.vc' tt’jf’. -''I •>■?■. 1 ' ■ t . '. I ' ■T.' X. ,r. ■ , ■> •n - wipr, , Pm T .■ .' iw-t'fjJi.'i 1 'vi'” iJ, •■ v ../os‘; /••':. 'iii "■ . .. ■''■•-••'> f''vs;’?i- ".. ■'■■ '■•-;■'■ OJi i V 0 ■i 1 . ' Vi-|.fV ' f ^ . ■ . ,-r -y. , , j' >l so:i,i'v- . 4 , •‘Wi'* iV . ’0/ ;v » ,5L '■ J ' f “, •( •'■' •',*■'•■ i I tj S'' , ' '■ 1 -i » ■' *i '• flt^ , . '\ } I .. ... I'.:.' vr i ti^ r I k W/ ■.( . .. ,'» 1 'i;:v> ' (. ''t A , '■ ^■! .. k * . yv ., ii. ■.T'( .li; ;..' . K ^ A, *, .fr. t ^ • 'V I :•. ',('■■■. » ■ ■ . Sj'^w '» Lr: S /,*■>'' - ,c:(;TiS.o-‘U.>..';,.^. '' ,<■ '' •• f) . , *4.N i ■ - ’ * ,•■ .' ^ 1 > 'i-^ ‘■•V' 'i ..•i::vr' • ... .•r,Ti K.,' vjj" ' y^-^0 it f .' . >. '.IV '.■•'• ' ' '' :■ ■ ,' j?'-' C.,; ■ V . ^ - , f ' ' 1 ^ ' i 1 ■' ii\ ' ^ ■ -y j. ■.'■.-■■a ■ ■; • , • . r,*; y . . •>' e ■sift;,?-’ i ? . vi ( ' i ; ■■ ■■ ., ■- -Jufo . ,.t. %1. ' i v-1 -V' ■ . . ., ■ c o ", i !' •■*■"..' .' .'i.M“;a ''-1^' „,,ig ^ >■ ‘f',-', ■ V ,. -"a.. '■ ;A; ; f H- W' *iT>’.. i’vft * ■ '‘vi* ^ ,.j ,-:p'r .7 **V , , .--.i ' :: Tv: ... 'a ; . ' ■ ■ . v;g'- •" ' t , -i f .• I' ■ * ^ W, Wfcr ■ f’'-.'. 'U.'T'T ', .! ■ (1 ••ijV S* ^ '. v- w / : • OO' .«yti ' . : ' 4 : / .'■< , , '. . .a'r! iu^%' ;, • './■.,' f-.i . -' ‘ f^''» ' • ' • ‘ ■•■-^ ^ ^ „ ».. > . 1 ' . ' y.i O'... *' ’* ■ mmL«. ■: . <: ' .-ft> .. : >'* ,,i „ >.'. .. 62 . Schools." It was presented by Professor H. J. Barton. Unfortunate- ly, the proceedings for this year and the next were not published, and we have no knowledge of the work except what may be surmised from the program. The section, however, appears to have made a good start, because undoubtedly the aim or purpose of the work in any subject is a logical starting place for the discussion of the cur- riculum. In the afternoon this section divided into three groups. Classical, German and Romance. After this first Conference, the Latin group met as a separate section, under the name Classical Sec- tion . A committee was appointed at the first meeting to work out a course for the First Year Latin. This committee reported after two years, was continued for another year, and gave the final re- port in 1911. The recommendations of the Committee were, "1. We recommend a thorough mastery of a small amount of Latin rather than superficial work over a larger field--your committee believes that one of the most important principles of teaching is the sense of mastery; that it is peculiarly important that those who teach highly inflected languages keep this principle ever in mind. This sense of mastery on the part of the pupil promotes interest in a remarkable degree and is acquired when the pupil is able to read connected dis- course. Y/e therefore recommend that after tv>fo or three weeks spent on forms, he be given connected discourse based on the text already studied, but that this be given in detached sentences. 2. As to pronunciation your committee recommends that after teaching the soimd no great attention be given to it as a separate subject but that it be taught each day by means of intelligent oral reading of the text. 3. As to v«*iting Latin in the first year, v/e recommend that it be postponed for a few weeks but that it form an important part of the 63 . year's work because of its effectiveness in teaching accuracy in forms and constructions. Its purnose is almost solelfer to enforce these principles. 4. As to syntax, we suggest the importance of care, especially as the establishment of grammatical relations seems to have been left to us by the teachers of Itoglish . But there is no need of needless repetitions after the pupils have secured a clear idea. 5. V/e suggest the importance of good English in all transla- tion and that it be rigidly demanded. There is a great opportunity here, for promoting culture as well as popularizing the study in the minds of the general public. 6. The possibilities of increasing interest by means of games, pictures, and lantern slides should re- ceive the attention of every teacher of the classics. 7. As to vo- cabulary, we recommend that emphasis be put upon the intelligent memorizing of Latin Y/ords. As far as possible this should be done through association vi/ith the English cognate forms. 8. That the oral reading of Latin is an essential element of success.” In 1912, almost the entire program was given to the discus- sion of the second year work. There v;as a general opinion that the work for this year v/as too difficult. An inquiry among a number of pupils revealed these reasons. ”1. Preparation of lesson took too large a proportion of time." The suggestion vms made to spend one and one-half years in preparation and reduce the requirement to three or even tv/o books of Caesar instead of four. ”2. The present type of beginners books arranged on the spiral v;as not as good as the grammar-reader book of a generation ago. 3. Methods of teaching ft a. Young teachers did not knoY/ limitations of boys and girls of high school age. b. Proneness to be vague and indefinite in the assign- ment of the lesson of second and succeeding years. 4. Ilever a snap course. 5. Competition of other subjects, especially the utilitarian — — . '•* f " 2— • ■ " W ; '' KfrWIV '\ V-?S y ^''~? H ^ i '- ^ V w .. , ..ml ^'#^^’'^.€*':-.t;,:^^ ^ '• ■ 'A* ;J ■•..*' . ' i ■•> f • V •* TS*iV^ V ^v ■ -:' ',rf ■■ “ti : •'-'■h' • -,' ^ I'V - ^, v - '/. , I ‘iJ V ,,.;., ■•^'! ifyTr ' ; »*♦, , ;•, ; \- J»'. V ' , \ .? ' ^-‘ .“ . ■' *- (^ ' L . ' et ^ V ('' 6 i ;' n ^ T“■ ' ^ Jf r * Jf -*^ ', " ' ^ *’t • * ^ 4^,1''. • r>. • . I 'A •■vV"' '';:j. '■ V ‘ .;. '.rf' ' ' 1 . il /•■'.* *2jh '■ 'S-*' n»sl ' “'1 lii'i sLi' .Vjc,-ilt.' a- Jciitii® ! fV vii ‘ TrwtW'iM 64. ones . A number of suggestions to aid the Latin teacher in making Caesar more interesting were in harmony with the spirit of the Con- ference. They ware as follows: "1. Umphasis on English derivations. 2. Exhibits like Miss Sabin's of the Oak Park High School. 3. Sets of classical slides. 3. The Latin club and paper. 4. Use of quo- tations and mottoes. 5. Discussion of interesting points found in text and modern compari sons--such as methods of war, government, bridge building, socialism, geography, relgion, etc. 6. Synopsis of different books, with supplementary English narrative so that pupils may get an understanding of the historical sequence and know what he has read." A committee was appointed to consider the subject and report the next year. This renort was given in 1913.^ It is a very con- servative report. Its authors seemed to have forgotten the discus- sion of the former year in which the general opinion arrived at, was that the work in Caesar v/as too hard. This committee made the amount of work large and supported its work by references to college en- trance requirements, and syllabi, and courses of other bodies. In such a ?;ay is tradition passed along. The report was organized as follows; "1. a. Y;hat should the teacher of second year Latin be able to assume as accomplished in the first year? b. Can he make good the deficiency if this work has not been well done? 2. The material of the second years course. 3. The Method of Presentation. 1. Report of Committee on Second Year Latin. Procaadings of High School Conference 1913, pp . 101-103. 65 . 4. Vi/hat should the teacher of third year Latin he able to assume as accomplished by the work of the second year?" In 1914, a cojiimittee on third year Latin renorted through Miss Laura E. Woodruff. The conservatives do not seem to have had so much influence in the report of this committee although the work of the other authorities are referred to. This report was consid- ered under three divisions. "1. Literature to be read and method of procedure. "The regular amount of the traditional material is six specific orations of Cicero. The committee reported that Latin tea- chers were demanding a greater latitude of choice of material, but equal to the specified six orations in amount. The new material re- ported as making up part of the course at different places consisted of Cicero’s Letters; Cicero’s Le Senectute; Sallust’s Catiline and Jugnrthine War; Other Orations of Cicero; Book of John; Letters of Pliny, the Younger; Terence’s Phormio; Ovid. The purposes avov/ed v/ere to make the pupil capable of meeting and solving questions about the Homan v;orld and also of his own world by applying the les- sons of the past; to make him capable of independent thinking, to learn various meanings of words in English. There is a suggestion to reduce the amount by as much as one oration in order to do other work more thoroughly. "2. Systematic grammar should be studied by means of prose composition. Time may be saved if the prose follows text in words and grammar . "3. The supplementary work is very necessary. Some knowledge of Homan history, and characters is necessary to the understanding of the literature. It also makes it more interesting." In 1916 a report of a committee on fourth year Latin was f» ,! J V iy^' i-'r / , *V'-. .i.Jl<; I'.: vt! I : • /' r ,’ ^ — ^..' V ■■^1 f ■' '. *''ij 'X' . rr ^ * i { I *i r '* 1 K (i.i\l • ' y ^ ' ' >1 t 14 »- y .., 4 •,■ f fit ^ .'r . ■ S'- ■ .iJ .’’ |i * i- ' <'. I i t,' ' 'V ' ,■ ■■ .4|'> ■ •■ >> , v\. • ;; . i V*Wvv ' '■ 1 ' '* -f ' u> . 7 ; '. . »' r- ‘ y-"'' , v,..J I4 4 ,T 0 ■■-’ V' . 'l'' : ■ .r • ( t <• ■■ 66 . given by Miss Jessie I. Lnimis of Normal. The outline gave a good idea of the report. Few questions v»rere raised or left open. "1. The first six books of the Aenad furnish the chief read- ing for fourth year. "2. The generally accepted issues of the fourth year. Good English Translation Vocabulary drill, work in etymology etc. Syntax Scansion Sight translation Prose composition '^3. Often neglected issues of the fourth year. The geography of the Aeneid The mythology of the Aeneid The technique of the Aeneid Some supplementary topical studies in connection with the Aeneid Vergil’s similies compared with those of Homer Vergil’s influence upon English authors Vergil’s life The story of the last six books The Ectogues and the Georgies The Augus tan Age Other great epics.’’ Thus the four years of the Latin course v/ere discussed and outlined. If this section should novi^ revise these courses, using the scientific method of investigation and manipulation of data, they v/ould follow the best tradition of the Conference. The scientific spirit had some able exponents in this section Ml' “B : * ;w, iV '-t ■■■ •;« t ‘'' ' ' !!■ •.- f. d. ■ o' tji ■sf i s ; r- ij i* (,'#• ■'. J '■ ’-■:4f3 ■ » ' ' i’.’ ''V ' ' ■ V * ''<'■ ►Jy, *?. v'. ■ '/Bi'' *Mb ’"^W v ' ■ ''• M ’ 4 .S' '' '.s; itXli U.. rfi' ’■■•‘‘•>N---':'/ i‘-' . '-i >'-'’■»/•*•-. •■•’i'.' Mil* ■', I - .“Tv\V - .,. -• . .^,f.-«*-.iic-^;j,'t ■■> ! S..W •' ,i_vi '•<(■,.■ •'i'- »'4^’-i*'h.'^''>;»w,' ■ r ^ ' ■ ' ' >l®ki I ?u < .r .?, v-^ ' :.i u • • A"''' '. ■ '■ J* ■‘'j ■ ’ ^ ' ra T»'’ -f-v-. ,1 • ‘y § * 1 --, ” bV. and dominated much of the work. Professor Lillian G. Berry of the University of Indiana made some plain statements that it Behooves the Latin teachers to notice.^ "Instead of opposing the scientific educational investigator as an enemy, they should recognize him as an unprejudiced seeker af- ter truth. Teachers of Latin must learn to substitute evidence in questions of method of teaching, for biased opinion. They must ally themsevles with educational experts and make systematic measure- ments of results that shall become standard for the whole country.” And further, in urging scientific xvork she quotes Professor Knapp, "There is need of testimony of actual experience based on sound educational principles, the testimony must come from many quarters, it must come in ample volume, it must extend over some years. Pupils trained in the method must be subjected to tests, not merely by those Vi/ho have trained them, but by others." Also Miss Helen A. Baldwin in giving a report of a committee on curriculum reconstruction said, "The hypothesis wherefrom v/e start must be, that at least our grouns for present procedure are wrong, because we do as we do for no better . reason than that we were taught so--that is, tradition". She also quoted three steps in the proced- ure of Charters. 1. Aim of the study. 2. The subject matter that will best fulfil this aim. Order of presentation that best fits it for mastery. In the 1920 meeting, Mr. 0. U. Odell spoke on the subject, "Latin Tests". In speaking of Latin he said that not only the sub- I ject of Latin was being attacked but also the methods of teaching and the content. SiVhile the Latin tests v/ere not perfect, the use of them v/ould give teachers a measure of the different abilities re- quired to master the subject. He then named and described different 1. Berry, Lillian G. "Educational Measurements and the Direct Method of Teaching Latin." Proceedings H. S. G. 1915, pp . 142-9. i)Tf^n>r ^is-x*^ V, vv?. iFi:-mj-r^rm \m^ - ^ ■ >« ■ , :. "' f-i©!WMC ;>. .v -,flU * ■ '»'« w> ■ . v> M.r ..■.^• . 1 . . i ' y,';'* >'•' '■> ' ^ f» ’ ' ^ ..'’^ *Aw* ■ ‘V ^ ;. t fr li^ .ixi K AwxgD ^ ■’O’* I. *' '■ ■ '■ ■^'** ” i ^ ■iiVil *• '« ■•••'’^‘ .‘/- ’' .1 >■* lAt - .. ■ ;■. '/ . A-.i ■* . V ■ ' • • •■- / X$ Sm.^''-' ‘ 'f¥^ '#»'«- i-sSr - ',. ' ' ,!toi::- .'Ul &'■ . H W MM r-\. ■'J'-'l ■.■':^» '£r '*•■' '- ■'i»t.it.c-i-^- < '^np i *- 'i. ’ V'"^ ™ -'-■ ^ i ■ . . ■ ** » ■ f' Ni y> r . '• -‘* X' . ^ V. ^sv .*3 ti u ' .%. a .-. . y ,4 p ;• ‘ f ' ; ^ ;. ./» '^'il^ i,i^*^:^tV’^;;, ■ i fp« . • /v;eiV' *•’ '‘' •::• .../•< '•. vj.'S^'^'-j .*'■ I '' "&*' '**'*' "”' ^i. ■’ ' '» ' mEHEj '''? i '■; f "'y*^‘ ' ,',. >f . ' !', < V iS ' ., ’ . / «»., : a;6a:^i«V* l^^ 7 lfc.{^■\ :«. 1 ' ““' ‘'‘ UV >3 £»'.•.?■ Ml 68 . tests and told how and where each one had been used and the records made by its use. The Latin section at different times, discussed equipment and libraries and made good lists for reference. Early in the history of the section, in 1910, Miss Alberta Clark discussed 'The Travelirig- Stereoptican, Its Availability and Advantages for the Small High School.'/ The session appointed a com- mittee to try to get a plan started in Illinois. It is p.robably not too much to say that out of the discussion of this project, came the extension v/ork put out by the University under the care of Professor II. J. Barton. This series of lantern slides illustrating the Latin work has been of great value to the schools of Illinois that have used them. One of the most interesting exhibits of the whole Conference was the one prepared by Miss Prances E. Sabin. This was prepared in the Oak Park High School to answer the high school boy's question "What is the use of Latin?" Incidentally it was to answer the same question asked by other departments and the outside 7rorld. It was propaganda for Latin but marked as such, v/ith plain labels. It stood out clear and was not confused with other things. It also had the element of definiteness and it offered material for criticism. The exhibit consisted of a series of cards arranged under ten differ- ent heads to show the indebi tedness of English to Latin and Greek. One was a series of cartoons v/hich required the kno^Medge of Latin or Greek to be understood. Another showed how references to Latin and Greek were used in advertisements, another showed references in editorials. The exhibit aroused great interest. Many came from other sections to see it. Professor H. V. Canter gave a paper on "High School Equipment !tjte r.' 'N, ivsvl ;t^|J5, '^t' s'/.-- VV ' ■ ' ' • ‘ .. '•..'.■jr'S'itflitty. “'...lifijitilf ^ritri tjJ ill., .:,^; ««■ ;,i .'I t • J ^ ■ %4^m ' ':^ ■ ■ im ■.. , .J:s* .' . ,.i ^ '; ■■-'/ :Jh.‘, • ■ ‘'3S‘ ' ' ' ^ M o* ' iv , i •., i«: , : •<; / ? M ■* •%* - dSI - r- . 4 •■'>vv iV,>v' ip:';. , ' : A &.f f . |i^'' i'*i \ ^ " • -^LuV' ■' 4t< iV.^aAi4Wv W: '*•■.■?;•#■ ‘'■, \ ‘■k.'T,’ '■‘0 ; .e,'^, f * ■■ A-'.i;fa irf: KJ.fi . ■■ Iir,j,». '. . ■. ’»*: iv r j i ,; v.'J,*. ( «’.' . \-'\ \ 'LmB '■ - J ]i* ' .1* i. , li. -I ;i -*4' "i| ! !j^ <. 4'^? ’ -,’■ •. ' * !•* -' ^ '•’■ ' • •. *■. ff..^i^. ■•'•i' i’ i <■'' )H#i;’ ' ;tv*y V I'-! I ' I'l T ' V''‘'t >*7j ^\.i' S'(f k', VI t <' ■ •i.'i'i’,^’' i.' v-!l:.i»\}St •¥«£.<, i ■ ■ ■ >> ..A.:-.,iuVoa, ,.i!' ..ym . ¥liy 4 '■ t'.. ■ : .4 rf^.s'ii'iJi'-r'VjfjiJ^^ L- '¥: s. .. ''4 • •■ i. !i : .v‘s/ -j ..,■ ' ■i.% . . . i,y ' ^■'>1 ■’ ■vi'"^ " *':3Sh^ - JM ' .:', T" ''frv ':°l '. a yjaliiia ifer .3^ ■ t-i ■'■• ' ' •iC'.'V'^t ' " :»l^ Wt. J •. •. ffit >^4'< >') . St' i-^^iiA i*^'^ 1^ :-; .I.' *’.*1 r 1 .; • ' ' W't^'"-'<.j^‘" •■, ■ .’*>.'.'T,/;^i^'^ > I- '■' *Bfc A' ■■ 'A;,.' ■'ri; 4iJ«< , »r *ri^ ■ I'TO- - ^ 'V \'|*H i‘‘ . '■'( I*^*'f.'''^- '■'** ‘ ’-a ,u>*w !>iji ^tl^^ w4jli@ 4■ N6»irtv^i.i% R.L', '•■ "t4ii5^{M*aBfiiBI r ^ ,4iJ '* 70 . but just a large amount of Latin reading, Fabulae Faoile, Viri Romae , Eutropitus, llepos , Livy, and Caesar. They v;ere then tested tc see how well they were fitted to read Cicero. This experiment did not bring the expected results. The pupils of this section were not able to translate Cicero any better than did the pupils of the other sections, and they missed all the supplementary work. The experi- ment, however, converted the teacher to the belief, that the read- ing of the second year should be more varied than was usual. Mr. J. C. Brown, in 1915, gave a report of his investigation on, ”The Preferences of High School Pupils for the Various Subjects of the Curriculum.” This investigation did not se3m to be influenced by propaganda. In the Horace Mann School, Hewark, Hew Jersey, Latin ranked 10. In Decatur, /hlth the Boys, 16; v/ith the Girls, 11. Du- buque, with the Boys, 18; with the Girls, 6. Hackenrack, with the Boys, 18; with the Girls, 17. An exposition of the Laboratory Method of teaching Latin was given by Miss Ethel Luke of Springfield, but it v/as almost exclusive- ly about the method, and very little about Latin. ”The Ups and Downs of Supervised Study” by Grace Eldredge of Joliet, was an exposition of supervised study as applied to Latin. The paper showed the merits and defects of the method. ”The Latin Recitation in the Laboratory Method” was dis- cussed by Miss Julia E. Evans of the Proviso Township High School. She had been experiment ing with this, and had found it, not a com- plete success. She gives advantages and disadvantages. The disad- vantages, however, she thought could be overcome. This subject aroused interest and a committee v;as appointed to investigate the different forms of laboratory work in Illinois and to report at the next Conference. V'lV.'i'.V '■ I L- _Kf ‘ k‘ ^.' !a. /- O' r . c ^’* \j ' '• • >- -^v.i.J.AV ^ 'I T . ■ ifH •«!. pr , ■ !f>. ■•^-' 'IB .1 I '’■*^ ' • '' ■}■' '^aT ' ' -* 3 *’^.?jnK 08 1 . -. a'jis W!^S|j|i/ J^* ■ I n ' I ii . J I ; o , -:. ^uT ti^ f •' , tsir r •- jft:'' " -'*’' '1 ' ' ' V r ' ''.•7: .' I '• , I *‘ jlvlfe^* ■ , ‘:5f t '■ • J i - * % ' 4«- .t'i i 10 X- .' ',1 , '• ' '. I '; V' '4 ■>,'■ > ’ «'- ^ 7 : ■ ,^ V "'■ *-cTl V., v'. « I ’,iH .; V '■ .‘f '■v'f'j.tij-t' «t.^y,’:‘<; i' (Ml II * * - ’ ' '.i-^i/ju _ - -‘-s-j , .ifl®r' .fi)' 1^.. “ jdMM '' ^ /jb XAJHSr.ii »>1 I’Ai . . •.'i'. ’ ■ .i’. I- L, *'. .V J 71 GE1T3RAL CONCLUSIOIJS It might he worth while to inquire into these things that have hindered or prevented the Gonferenoe from doing more construc- tive work. Chief among these hindrances is one thing that also harms the work of the high schools, the rapid change in the person- nel of the teaching force. Since the average life of service of a teacher is less than five years, the personnel of the teachers has changed at least three times, in the history of the Conference.^ This has broken the continuity of the work. It has frequently been the case that those in charge of the v;ork vdio knew of the progress already made by the section, have dropped out, and new ones, unfa- miliar v/ith what has been accomplished, and to whom the purpose of the Conference is unknown, have twisted and have marred this work or even have dropped it completely and started something entirely dif- ferent. It has often been necessary to completely reorganize a sec- tion, and in this v/ay the progress already made has been lost. This breaking into the continuity of the work hinders it in its most vital part, because the work was not carried through to a conclusion. The start was made. Something vvould be organized, pre- sented and adopted. The next step is to try out, criticize and re- vise. To make the work valuable from a scientific standpoint, the latter part of the program is imperative, yet this is the part that frequently was not carried through to completion. Some schools nev- er tried the work at all, fewer criticized it, and often instead of revising what had already been done, the section commenced something entirely new. IJew teachers coming into the Conference were not familiar with its purpose and consoiiuent ly did things that ran counter to that 1. Littler, S. H. The Llobility pf, the Teaching Population, p. 38. ’ an unmiollsned master^s tnesih T ’ ^ i; ,\ ' If. >•■ ' •^ ?X^ . '.• 4 f’ • ■'■ , ■■‘u'v • ■ • ' i; '^■* ' 'v' *'V':'?^>,'^'f i»i.,>''''‘W . . 'TraSr <'■ li. ,, .vfl-' ''f> }M ■ * h I w 'i' )mw ' '. "’ ^'' ■' tvV'' ' 4 fo * ' • * - ’> ^ ;••'■•• ' '^^'■< ' S' ' . * oy f S« . -A... x;t | ,,'- ■ ■'■ ' ■vS*’SS^- ' '' ^ '•■■'■!,; . . '■? sr I'q .■ »w|s^ ' 's^ 'syt ‘ .: ■ ,■ . . •• •. ■■' ■ ,S., iv ,, .'!., ^ [ .T.-^ h . 1 ■' ^',»' ,' • ‘-’'i ‘; Vl ' ' tA ■ i> ?li ,-..y (.y, ;. _ ■■; y:.'y ' / O'.. ■■i 7 S/' J 5 ' ' ' 5 ''' - WSi- ,'. V *t' ‘;- ’^' v’^s ':. •• ^ I “■ ‘-f r r ■' . . «f* • ■! *i« •» tmi£^ iotI : fi;'^ «•■*< 7B. purpose. Different sections have at times given a program similar to the conventional teachers’ meeting, consisting largely of the inspirational type of address^ and did not investigating or experi- menting. In fact, some sections in trying to attract numbers have sought to import some distinguished speaker to inspire their sec- tion. Such inspiration seldom culminated in organization for work. It was recognized that there was a place for the inspirational ad- dress" and the director provided for a limited number, from time to time, but to devote the entire or even the larger part of the pro- grams to such v/ould absolutely defeat the purpose of the Conference. It was foreign to the purpose of the Conference at the begin- ning to attract large numbers. Consequently the very success of the Conference was a hindrance to its work. The attendance kept climb- ing and climbing from year to year without a slump, except in the year of 1918. On account of the influenza epidemic and the war, there was a great falling off in the attendance this year. The next meet, however, had a larger attendance than any previous year, and this in turn was outranked by the year of 1920. The large numbers in attendance made many of the sections too large for conference. They became in themselves conventions, and many could not help but be listeners. For this reason, the purpose of the Conference Y/as partly defeated because the discussion of the problems of the class room and the school as a ^vhole could not have general participation. Lack of coordination between the different parts of the organization has hindered the work. The general sessions were organized chiefly to give directions for the coordination of the work. But many teachers did not attend these, espec ially the general 1. Hollister, Proceedings of the High School Conference, 1916, p. 12. 2. Ibid. 1916, p. 14. ? Ibid. 1919, p. 10. meeting of Saturday forenoon, where plans were made for the next year. The organization of the sections tended toward specialization v/hich, while it made for more efficient v/ork within the section, of- ten caused the different sections to work at cross purposes. An ex- ample of this is that of the Geography section outlining a course for two years of work in Geography while the other science sections were organizing the science work in such a way as to take from Geog- raphy the half-year that had been alloted to it. It is an open ques- tion as to whether the organization of the administrative section did not do more ham than good. The constructive work of this section has been very small, and its organization has prevented the school executives, who, almost alone, are responsible for the making and the changing of the curricula and the policies of the high schools, from knov/ing of the good work accomplished by the other sections. For this reason much of the best v/ork of the conference has never found its way into many schools. The method of the T)ublication of the constructive work of the Conference has been a hindrance to its influence. It is buried in the mass of the proceedings, and, no doubt, many executives and a large number of teachers never have known of it. It would seem to be a task worth while if each section could have a committee sift the proceedings, choose v/hat is valuable, edit and present it in as at- tractive and as readable a fom as possible, and have it published for distribution for the teachers of the section and the administra- tors . 1. Hollister, Proceedings of the High School Conference, 1919, p. 10.