DEPARTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENCE.

SECRETARY'S MINUTES.

FIRST DAY.-FORENOON SESSION.

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 1890.

The Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association met at 10 o'clock, February 18, 1890, in the Hall of the College for the Training of Teachers, No. 9, University Place, New York City.

The meeting was called to order by the President, Andrew S. Draper, State Superintendent of New York.

The President stated that for reasons which seemed amply sufficient, the usual welcoming and inaugural addresses would be omitted.

A communication was received from Richard T. Auchmuty, inviting the Department to visit the New York trade schools; also one from E. Richard, of the New York Turn Bezirk, inviting the Department to witness their exercises. Both invitations were accepted with thanks.

Regrets were received from James H. Canfield, Lawrence, Kansas, President of the National Educational Association, and from Jesse B. Thayer, State Superintendent of Wisconsin.

Harvey M. LaFollette, State Superintendent of Indiana, read a paper on the subject: "School Statistics as the Basis of Legislative or Official Action: What Should Be Collected, and How?"

The subject was discussed by Fred Dick, State Superintendent of Colorado; A. E. Winship, of the Journal of Education, Boston, Mass., whose paper in his absence was read by W. E. Sheldon; L. R. Klemm, of Cincinnati; D. L. Kiehle, State Superintendent of Minnesota; John Hancock, State Superintendent of Ohio; Supt. James MacAlister, of Philadelphia; Supt. S. A. Ellis, of Rochester, N. Y.; Supt. Henry A. Wise, of Baltimore, Md.; J. H. Hoose, of Cortland, N. Y.; John Eaton, of Marietta, Ohio; and George P. Brown, of Bloomington, Illinois.

The following resolution, including an amendment made by Henry A. Wise, was offered by Mr. Brown:

That a committee of three, of whom the National Commissioner of Education shall be the chairman, be appointed to consider the whole question of school statistics, and report at the next meeting of this Department, and that Superintendents throughout

the country be urged to coöperate promptly in aiding to secure complete and reliable records.

Resolution adopted unanimously, and the following committee appointed: W. T. Harris, Commissioner of Education, George P. Brown, and James MacAlister.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The Department reassembled at 2:30 o'clock P. M.

Mr. Sheldon moved the appointment of two committees: one on Resolutions, and one on Nominations, in view of the following resolution, adopted at the Nashville meeting, in July last:

"By Supt. H. S. Tarbell: That the annual meeting of this Department be held in Washington, D. C., or such other place as the Executive Committee select, and that the officers elected at this time hold office until the close of the winter meeting." Mr. Sheldon's motion was adopted.

J. W. Patterson, State Superintendent of New Hampshire, then read a paper on "State School Supervision: What is the Best Plan of Organization?" The discussion of this subject was carried by John Hancock, of Ohio; E. O. Chapman, State Superintendent of New Jersey; D. L. Kiehle; E. H. Cook, of New Jersey; W. B. Powell, Washington, D. C.; J. M. Greenwood, of Kansas City, Missouri; Jas. M. Milne, of Oneonta, N. Y.; M. A. Newell, of Maryland; B. G. Northrop, of Connecticut; and Zalmon Richards, of Washington, D. C.

EVENING SESSION.

The Department reassembled at 8 o'clock.

The President announced the following committee on resolutions: Edwin B. Seaver, Boston; J. M. Greenwood, Kansas City, Mo.; John Eaton, Marietta, Ohio; M. A. Newell, Baltimore, Md.; Geo. Howland, Chicago, Illinois.

A communication was received from Supt. John Jasper, of New York City, inviting the members of the Department to inspect the city schools at their convenience, and regretting his inability to be present at all the meetings of the Department, official business being the hindering cause. The invitation was accepted with thanks.

The President called attention to the death of Hon. E. E. Higbee, late State Superintendent of Pennsylvania, on December 13, and paid a high tribute to the sterling qualities of heart and mind of this most excellent man.

Brief papers on the American educational exhibit at the International Exposition of 1892, had, on the invitation of the President, been prepared by the following gentlemen: John Eaton, U. S. Commissioner of Education ; James H. Canfield, President National Educational Association; Albert P. Marble, ex-President of the National Educational Association; Aaron Gove, ex-President of the National Educational Association; *E. E. Higbee, State Superintendent of Pennsylvania; Charles Kendall Adams, President of Cornell University; Henry Sabin, State Superintendent of Iowa; James Mac

*Died December 13, 1889.

Alister, City Superintendent, Philadelphia, Pa.; George Howland, City Superintendent, Chicago; Charles W. Bardeen, School Bulletin, Syracuse, New York; C. Wellman Parks, Commissioner in charge of Educational Exhibit, Paris Exposition, 1889.

These papers, having been printed, were distributed, and the Department proceeded to the further consideration of this subject. The discussion was opened by W. E. Sheldon, followed by Nicholas Murray Butler, President of the College for the Training of Teachers, New York City; Thomas B. Stockwell, State Superintendent of Rhode Island; John Hancock, Thomas J. Morgan, W. T. Harris, James MacAlister; and G. Stanley Hall, of Worcester, Massachusetts.

The President called attention to the desirability of having some definite action taken by the Department upon the matter of exhibits.

E. H. Cook moved that the whole matter of school exhibits be referred to the Committee on Bureau of Education* to report at a subsequent session of this meeting.

E. E. White thought a special committee desirable.

John Eaton moved to amend Mr. Cook's motion by instructing the Committee on Bureau of Education that it is the sense of this department that the whole matter of National School Exhibits should be placed in the hands of the United States Commissioner of Education.

This amendment was accepted as a part of the original resolution.
Mr. Cook's motion, as thus amended, was unanimously adopted.

SECOND DAY.-FEBRUARY 19.

MORNING SESSION.

The Department reassembled at 10 o'clock; President Draper in the chair. A telegram was read from Charles D. Hine, State Superintendent of Connecticut, regretting his inability to be present, on account of illness.

The Committee on International Copyright reported through its chairman, W. E. Sheldon, submitting the following resolution:

That the members of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association hereby record our cordial sympathy with American authors in the effort they are now making to obtain from Congress an international copyright law. We cannot too strongly express our sense of the necessity of such a measure, both as an obligation of justice and as a stimulus to American literature, and to the spread of American ideas at home and abroad.

Resolution adopted unanimously. On motion, the Secretary was directed to forward a certified copy of same to the chairman of the Congressional committee having the bill in charge.

*This committee was appointed at the Washington meeting, last year, and consisted of E. E. White, of Ohio, chairman; A. P. Marble, of Massachusetts; A. S. Draper, of New York; M. A. Newell, of Maryland; and Henry Sabin, of Iowa.

Mr. Robert U. Johnson, Secretary of the American Copyright League, was introduced, and spoke as follows in reference to the measure now before Congress:

I shall not insult the intelligence of a body of educators by entering upon an argument in favor of international copyright. The subject has been discussed for fifty years, and so generally during the last six years that its ethical relations are thoroughly known and conceded. But in support of this resolution I desire to state what you are entitled to know the precise provisions of the present bill; for although one may favor the principle of security to authors, he may not be convinced of the wisdom of the different measures offered in its name. The warmest friends of the reform have felt obliged to oppose some plans -- notably the royalty-copyright project. First let me say that the present bill is the outcome of the most intelligent knowledge of the book business, directed to the reconciliation of the different interests affected by the bill. It is a compromise measure, in which particular preferences are subordinated to the general principle, practically worked out so as to cause the minimum of disturbance to the book trade. Every interest has conceded something. and the bill is cordially supported by the body of American authors, book publishers, employing printers, and workmen in all the printing trades, and by a large and intelligent public sentiment. The bill provides for the extension of the benefits of our domestic copyright law to foreigners for such works as may be published in this country simultaneously with their appearance in the country of their origin, and which shall be printed from type set in this country- -a provision which insures that the American market shall be supplied by those familiar with the demands of our people. As in the present domestic copyright law, the importation of the foreign edition of such works as may be copyrighted is prohibited, except two copies for use and not for sale a provision to permit colleges, libraries and collectors to get special English editions. We believe, however, that the bill will tend to a uniformity of the text of English and American editions of copyrighted books, while of books not copyrighted the English editions may freely be imported. Editors of newspapers may also import copies of foreign periodicals containing copyrighted material for use in quotation. The bill therefore is in no way a hardship upon the press. Indeed, the newspapers of the country are overwhelmingly for it, as are the other literary crafts.

The chief obstacle to the success of this bill and this reform is the inertia of Congress, and this we earnestly ask you to help us overcome not only by this resolution but by special personal letters to members. Unfortunately there are some members of Congress who have little idea of the functions and uses of literature, and who think as little of the qualifications necessary to authorship as did the woman who felt sure her daughter could write a good love story because she had been “jilted twice." We must reach this class by making the demand for this bill overwhelming. I hope this resolution will pass unanimously. I shall be glad to reply to any inquiries by members of the Association.

D. L. Kiehle addressed the Department in relation to the meeting of the National Educational Association at St. Paul in July next. He was followed by Supt. J. E. Bradley, of Minneapolis. Mr. J. A. Lovett, speaking for the people of the South, addressed the Department briefly upon the same subject. Superintendent W. H. Maxwell, of Brooklyn, N. Y., then read a paper on "City School Systems: What is the best plan of Organization?”

The discussion of the subject was continued by H. S. Tarbell, S. T. Dutton,

L. W. Day, Aaron Gove, John E. Bradley, H. S. Jones, E. E. White, A. S. Draper (John Hancock, of Ohio, having been called to the chair), W. H. Bartholomew, R. K. Buehrle, and Henry A. Wise.

The President resumed the chair, and asked the pleasure of the Department as to the afternoon meetings. It was decided to follow the program, which called for separate meetings of State Superintendents, City Superintendents, and County Superintendents.

The President announced a meeting of the State Superintendents at the Grand Central Hotel at 3 o'clock P. M.

The Committee on Nomination of Officers was announced, as follows: Aaron Gove, C. W. Cole, A. P. Marble, John Hancock, W. B. Powell.

President Draper was, at his own urgent request, excused from service on the Committee on Bureau of Education, and Mr. Bradley was appointed in his stead.

Dr. Butler extended a very cordial invitation to the members of the Department to attend a reception tendered by the trustees and officers of the College for the Training of Teachers, at the close of the evening session.

EVENING SESSION.

The Department reassembled at 8 o'clock.

A paper was read by Merrill E. Gates, President of Rutgers College, on "Popular Criticisms and Suggestions concerning the Work of the Schools: How far should this influence extend?"

The subject was discussed by Joseph Estabrook, State Superintendent of Michigan, and by Jerome Allen and John Kraus, of New York.

A communication from Charles J. Majory, Corresponding Secretary of the New York Association of Normal School Graduates, was received, and referred to the Committee on Resolutions.

THIRD DAY.-FEBRUARY 20.

MORNING SESSION.

The Department reassembled at 10 o'clock; President Draper in the chair. W. A. Mowry moved that the Executive Committee of the National Association be asked, for this year at least, to restore the former time of meeting if practicable, making the date from July 15 to July 18, instead of that now announced.

The above resolution was discussed by John MacDonald, of Topeka, Kan.; Mr. Mowry, Mr. White of Ohio, and President Draper.

The resolution was adopted.

H. S. Tarbell introduced a resolution indorsing the plans of the Government for the education of the Indian. Referred to the Committee on Resolu

tions.

W. E. Sheldon offered a series of resolutions in relation to the importance