Resolved, That we extend our thanks to Messrs. L. DuP. Syle, Sup't Fisher of Alameda, Rev. J. N. Beard of Napa College, and State Sup❜t Ira G. Hoitt for their kind assistance during the week. Resolved, That we extend to Prof. C. W. Childs, of San Jose, our most grateful thanks in recognition of the interest and beneficial instruction which he has given our Institute. Resolved, That we duly appreciate the endeavors of the Suisun Band to enliven and entertain us; also all other music, instrumental and vocal, for any and all courtesies extended to us by the citizens of Suisun and Fairfield. Resolved, That we appreciate the interest taken by our county press in reporting the proceedings of the Institute and their endeavors to advance the educational interests of the county. Resolved, That we extend our thanks to our worthy Secretary and his amiable Assistant for their services during Institute. Resolved, That a vote of thanks be extended to E. E. Leake, of Dixon Tribune, and W. N. Bowen, of Solano Republican, for their kindness in furnishing free of charge a copy to each teacher in the county. Resolved, That, as we return to our respective places, we try to profit by what we have learned, thanking an Allwise Providence for all we have learned and enjoyed. J. S. BROWN, LOUISE K. BEHRENS, J. C. KENNEDY. SAN FRANCISCO PRINCIPALS' MEETING, MARCH 7th. Supt. Anderson took the chair at 1:30 P. M. Miss McKenzie of the Pacific Heights School in an essay on Modern Tendencies in Education," criticized the extreme views taken by some leaders of recent educational thought. She said that teachers, after a faithful day's work, have little energy left for professional study and need rest, entertaining literature and pleasant society. She thought disuse of text-books by pupils had been pushed to excess, and that our time in its rage for labor-saving machines had laid hold of the teacher and turned her into a machine to save the labor of the pupil. Dep. Supt. Babcock thought one reason why many teachers get mentally weary is because they are giving out energy and information all the time, without renewing the supply from other sources. Mrs. Mann of the Shotwell Street School opened the debate on the question, "Should children in our city, be compelled to attend the nearest school." She had investigated the practice of other cities and had found that the almost universal rule is to require pupils to attend the school nearest their homes. Particular information was given in regard to New York and Boston. In the latter city, no child can leave his own school and attend another without written permission of the chairman of the district committees of both districts affected, while, if his parents move from one district to another, he enters the school in his new district as a matter of right. It would be economy, for rooms are now hired to accommodate pupils who live within easy walking distance of other schools where there are unoccupied seats. It would do away with the feeling of jealousy now existing on the part of schools that for any reason are "unpopular." Mr. White of the Spring Valley Grammar School thought that in this free western land, the parents should have the unrestricted right to select any school they prefer. Mr Babcock showed, that this freedom of choice made classes of the same grade very uneven in number. Mrs. Walker of the Mission Primary said that she had suffered for years from the unfounded preference of parents for her school and was heartily in favor of districting the schools. Mr. Robertson of the Hamilton Grammar thought seats should be reserved for parents living near the school, but after those were filled, pupils might be admitted from any quarter. A vote was taken of forty-five in the affirmative to three in the negative. "The uses and abuses of diagraming" had been assigned to Mr. Edwards of the Potrero School. He favored diagraming because the child sees the expression of the thought in a new form and so gets a new view of the thought. The various lines of the diagram make a stronger impression on the mind than the words, phrases and clauses would make without them and so the dependence of various elements is more clearly understood. Mr. Hamilton of the Lincoln Grammar thought diagraming was of no use in teaching, except as a device in the higher grades to assist the teacher in examining a class. Mr. Edwards answered Mr. Hamilton and added that no scholarship was attained without technical grammar and a text-book in the hands of the pupil. Miss Robertson of the Powell Street Primary spoke of dictation. She said an exercise should be given every day, for the purpose of training observation, memory, and attention. Mr. Stone of the South San Francisco School answered the question, "What is the object of parsing?" He said the idea is to pull a sentence to pieces to see how it is made. He thought too much attention heretofore had been given to destructive methods, and that the recent increase in the amount of composition required had resulted in the great improvement of the schools. The program for April was then announced and the meeting adjourned. MISS KATE KENNEDY. IN MEMORIAM. In the death of Miss Kate Kennedy, which occurred on the 18th ult., the teachers of the State have lost both an earnest champion and a true friend. A native of Ireland, she inherited all the generous impulses of her race their love of liberty, their hatred of oppression, and their unconquerable opposition to tyranny. Under the guidance of a wise and good mother, and under the training of a father years ahead of his time, she developed originality and independence of thought, force of character and devotion to principle. From her earliest connection with the School Department of San Francisco, she identified herself with every educational movement which tended to elevate the profession. During a visit to Europe, made by her over ten years ago, her thorough knowledge of modern languages, made her at home with the people wherever she went, and opened to her sources of information, out of the reach of the ordinary traveler. Miss Kennedy devoted much earnest thought to the elevation of the laboring classes, and also gave much attention to the advancement of women. To her, they are indebted for the law which placed woman on an equality with man, in the school-room, by giving her equal pay for equal work. Chiefly through her efforts, the San Francisco Teachers' Mutual Aid Society was organized--she being its first president. The recent decision of the Supreme Court in her favor has given to the teachers of this State a standing they never had before. She never worked for self, she strengthened the weak, she scorned what was wrong. In the cause of truth and right, she braved everything, even that keenest weapon, ridicule. For the frailties of human nature, she had the broadest charity; for the opinions of others the utmost respect. In the face of these many facts, and the many left untold, one must admit, that hers was no common character, no ordinary life. Our Book Table. Two GREAT TEACHERS. Johnson's Me-a comprehension of fundamentals rather moir of Roger Ascham; and Selections than to a complete discussion of any of the from Stanley's Life and Correspondence topics considered. We consider the series of Thomas Arnold of Rugby, with Intro- to be a substantial addition to our Matheductions by James H. Carlisle, President matical literature. of Wofford College, S. C. Published by C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, N. Y. Our profession can never know too much of the lives and characters of the teachers whose names are found on the title page of this book. Much which is supposed by many to be new, both in matter and manner, was practiced and taught by Roger Ascham, and a study of the life of Arnold becomes a benediction when a mere tithe of his gentle spirit and far-reaching wisdom is an actual presence and possession. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL MUSIC COURSE. By NUMBERS UNIVERSALIZED. An Advanced "History HISTORY OF EGYPT. By F. C. H. Wen- LIPPINCOTT's NEW SERIES. THE SECOND THE THIRD READER. (By the same.) THE FOURTH READER. (By the same.) This series of readers contains some features which commend themselves. One is a number of illustrations designed for composition subjects. The whole series is well graded, well bound, printed on good paper and contains choice selections. It would make a substantial addition to the library for supplementary reading PHYSIOLOGY AND HEALTH; number one, for Primary Classes, number two, for Intermediate Classes. Studies of the Human Body and of the Effects of Alcoholic Drinks and Narcotics upon Life and Health. Ivison, Blakeman and Co., New York and Chicago. This volume is a continuation of Appleton's Mathematical Series now in process of clear style easily comprehended by children. These two little books are written in a publication. Parts First and Second are Such laws of health as are necessary for a bound separately or together to accommo- little child to know are plainly taught and, date teachers and pupils. The two books at the same time, the deleterious effects on embrace all algebraic subjects usually taught the system of alcoholic drinks and narcotics in our schools and colleges. The aim of are thoroughly impressed upon his mind. the author has been to lead the student to The illustrations are good. THE PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL. Official Organ of the Department of Public Instruction. VOL. VIII.VIT JUNE, 1890. No. 4. FORESTRY—ARBOR DAY OBSERVANCE. Of all the resources which nature has so lavishly provided for the use and enjoyment of man, none have been the objects of such wanton waste and reckless destruction as the forests of our own and other lands. In early conditions of society, before the arts, sciences and the spread of commerce had created a demand for forest products, people had no cause to consider it necessary to protect their native trees. But a time came when the mind of man began to anticipate a future famine in this direction. As the population multiplied, lands were occupied, and vast areas of timber melted away before the advance of civilization; then it was that the true value and industrial significance of timber lands became apparent; and a time was clearly forseen when such resources would entirely disappear unless intelligent efforts were made to stay the destructive influences at work, and permit such lands to renew their growth of trees. Were this subject to be viewed simply as to its commercial bearing, its claim to our consideration would be comparatively slight. It is, however, a question of great and transcendent importance, for to the presence or absence of forests may be attributed great and diversified changes of climate. The destruction of trees is known to cause great uncertainty in the rainfall of a country through a diminished humidity of the air. A great difference exists between the temperature of a forest and an adjoining plain. A forest is comparatively cool in summer and warm in winter, owing to the absence of strong sunlight and fierce winds. Over such stratum of air gather clouds, producing frequent rainfall. |