the JOURNAL, to speak for the school system, and be generally helpful. Monday evening, before the formal opening, was spent in delightful reunion at the home of Mrs. Wilson, where geography in costume, and a literary salad furnished ample play for originality, and tested memory and scope of reading. During the sessions F. A. Bennett gave a practical talk favoring vertical writing; Miss E. Von Dorston gave the most thorough and helpful talk on "Busy or Seat Work" that it has been my pleasure to hear. The charm of it lay in the fact that she illustrated every step by showing the teachers specimens of her appliances and gave them just the information they needed as to cost, etc. The address of W. B. Smith on "Tonic Sol-Fa" was that of an enthusiastic and practical teacher combined, and was given with such exuberant good nature as to completely enlist the teachers. Mattie Lee gave a delightful talk on "Composition," Adella Gay on "Drawing," and Ella Bennett on "Physical Culture." Principal Hayman, of the High School, read a suggestive paper on "English in the Country. Schools," Howard Ford, of the County Board, addressed himself to the State Geography," and T. N. Clevenger delivered a short oration on the "Temple we are Building." The evening lectures were deliv ered by Geo. R. Kleeberger on "The Heavens Above us," and P. M. Fisher on a "Trip Across the Continent." Geo. F. Myrick spoke on the "Course of Study for Country Schools," and furnished recitations, to the delight of the audience. The teachers were strongly represented on the program, the accessories were carefully attended to by the Superintendent, and the result was a helpful session. F. SAN DIEGO, Nov. 26-28 inclusive, in the M. E. Church, San Diego. The discussions covered the four subjects, Language, Mathematics, History and Science. The thoroughly practical side of the Institute work was the consideration of the above subjects with reference to their presentation in the County Course of Study just placed in the hands of the teachers. This course undertakes to present a scheme for the correlation of studies, with the anticipated result of decreasing the number of daily recitations, and eradicating artificial and arbitrary distinctions between subjects, thus unifying and rationalizing school work. Four members of the County Board, Assistant Supt. Mrs. Russell, Mrs. Withington, F. P. Davidson, of the San Diego High School and Hugh J. Baldwin, each prepared the outline of work in a different subject; the separate outlines were thoroughly discussed. in executive session, and as a result the Course is an advance move ment in a direction of which much has been said in recent years in the Institutes of the State, but little or nothing practical has been done. P. M. Fisher, of the JOURNAL, gave several day talks, and he and Superintendent Wagner delivered evening addresses. A feature of the Institute was the introduction of Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, ex-State Superintendent, whose wit and humor in reminiscence convulsed the audience. Prof. John Dickinson participated in the last day's session, and spoke in the evening to a delighted house on the theme, “Life from Stone to Man." The general opinion of the teachers seemed to be that on his favorite lines, "Prof. John" stands alone in ability to clothe Science in charming vesture. Prof. Elmer E. Brown delivered a thoughtful address on the importance of following some definite line from year to year in Institute work, and at an evening reception spoke on the value of an ideal, with a beauty of diction and an earnestness of purpose that both pleased and stimulated. Professor Lange, on the same occasion, spoke on "Language," and stood the cross-fire of many questions. The Institute was well conducted, there being special hours for the consideration of kindergarten, city school and high school work. Superintendent Wagner introduced bis successor, W. J. Bailey, in considerate and manly fashion, and the big-heartedness that was prevalent in the management made the session a very pleasant one. A reception was given one evening at the Coronado Hotel, at which the teachers presented Superintendent Wagner with an elegant gold watch and chain, as some expression of their appreciation of his helpfulness and regret at his retirement. The presentation speech was made by Miss Mary Gale. NAPA.-The Napa County Teacher's Institute was held Oct. 24, 25, 26, in the Masonic Hall at Napa. There were present as lecturers and instructors, President Jordan, Professors Earl Barnes and Mary Sheldon Barnes, of Stanford University, Prof. Elmer E. Brown, of the University of California, President J. N. Beard, C. B. Ridgeway, and H. A. Surface, of Napa College, Miss Edith A. Cooke and J. R. Coe, of Napa county. On Wednesday evening a delightful musicale arranged by Supt. Anna E. Dixon was given. It was a treat long to be remembered by all who were present. Mrs. Olive Reed Batchelder and Miss Charlotte Gruenhagen, of San Francisco, and Miss Daisy Cressy, of Oakland, charmed all by their sweet music. They were ably assisted by excellent local talent. On Thursday evening President Jordan gave his entertaining lecture, "The Passion Play at Ober ammergau," to a crowded house. The day sessions were very interesting—a glance at the list of instructors shows that they could not have been otherwise. The interest of the townspeople in the proceedings of the Institute was evinced by the crowded hall at all of the sessions. This is the last of a series of very successful Institutes arranged and managed by Supt. Anna E. Dixon. It is greatly regretted by teachers and people throughout the county that her term of office is nearing its close. She has been indefatigable in her efforts to advance the interests of education, and she has been eminently successful. By her bright manner and excellent business ability she has made many friends who will be sorry to have her leave. She has especially endeared herself to the teachers by her kind words and ready assistance. Last but not least will she be missed by the school children, all of whom know and love her, and were always delighted with her visits. She declined a proffered renomination, and with it certain reëlection to the office she has so ably filled. Miss Dixon expects to enter Stanford University next semester, making History her major study. The best wishes of her hosts of friends go with her. THE TEACHING FORCE.-The discovery and training of promising candidates for the position of high school teachers present special problems. We must secure high school teachers who are in sympathy with both the schools below and the schools above, who are in touch with enlightened public sentiment, well read in the history and theory of secondary education at home and abroad, familiar with the common studies of the high school curriculum and in some measure master of at least one of those studies, earnest in the pursuit of high ideals, and devoted to the advancement of the true interests of the school and of every pupil in it. It is a part of the business of the pedagogical department of a University, acting in concert with other departments, to discover and train such teachers.—Outline of paper by Prof. Elmer E. Brown, State Association, Santa Cruz. تس EDITORIAL. Look up, and not down; Look out, and not in; Look forward, and not backward; -E. E. Hale. The State Association. The twenty-eighth annual session of the California Teachers' Association opened at 2 P. M., Wednesday, December 26th, in the First Congregational Church, Santa Cruz. To expedite matters, the minutes of the last session were referred for examination to a committee, and it was also ordered that the same committee report upon the minutes of the session at its close. The chair appointed P. M. Fisher, F. K. Barthel and Miss Maggie Schallenberger a committee on amendments. to the Constitution. Geo. R. Kleeberger, President of the Association, then delivered the annual address, which, as was anticipated, was a carefully considered effort, couched in plain language, and earnest in its demand for improved methods, schools and teachers, and for wiser, more unselfish control. The character and scope of the address may be indicated by the following extract: Educational progress seems sure, but it is too slow. The schools of to-day are the best the world has ever seen, but they ought to improve more rapidly. The public itself, the product of the public schools, is painfully conscious of its faults, and is demanding much more educationally than it has known in the past. Numerous changes for the better are but the necessary response to this demand. But meantime civilization has advanced with wonderful strides, and progress in educational effort does not seem to have kept pace with the remarkable development of the material and spiritual conditions of the last three decades. The unsatisfactory results of school effort are plainly manifest. Plainly the difficulty is that there are no schools which meet the wants of the times. There have been times when the public opposed progressive steps in education, but now there seems to an intelligent cry from both within and without the schools that there shall be a more general application of improved educational means, the efficiency of which has already been abundantly demonstrated. It frequently happens that while intelligent citizens are asking for better schools, the active men of affairs, the ward politicians, are making the conditions such as bar the path of educational progress. So long as public economy always begins with reducing school appropriations, so long will schools fall far short of the best, and so long as a political pull controls the appointment of teachers, so long will the best culture and character be too rare at the teacher's desk, and so long will an unregenerated public be the inevitable product of the school. If all teachers would discharge their full duty in the best possible way, even under present conditions, the conditions would rapidly grow more favorable. Teachers who would have their services more highly appreciated in a money sense must make their labor produce more valuable results. So long as teachers will resort to political methods to secure positions so long will political bosses feel free to fill the school-rooms with incompetent favorites. If teachers would be free from the thralldom of political tricksters, they must refuse to practice or profit by political intrigues; must imbue their pupils by practice as well as by precept, so that in the next generation a race of cleanhearted and clear-headed men shall come upon the scene and sweep the boss from the face of the earth. Teachers, stand firmly against the encroachments and blandishments of the sharks who would prostitute the public schools to further their vile purposes. Is it not a proper function of the Association to raise its voice in protest when the State educational institutions are turned over to boards of control composed of men who use a public trust as a means of paying off private and political favors, thereby contaminating the fountain-head of political progress? There should be a higher conception of the ends of education than ordinarily prevails. Professor Kleeberger spoke at length on child culture, and made suggestions as to improvements in the schools to obtain the best reresults: "The curriculum should broaden the child's environment, and to do so there should be co-relation of related subjects and concentration of the child's efforts upon a few lines of research and thought. It is time for California to protect herself against the teachers who do not make reasonably adequate preparation for their high office." His reference to the mismanagement of school affairs in the furtherance of selfish political interests was generously and heartily applauded. It was evident that the audience recognized that in this direction lies our greatest fear. The program was admirably arranged, in that it considered few subjects and devoted half a day to each. It was to be regretted that the first session was necessarily shortened, and that the discussion of "The School Curriculum," by Professors |