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the writer, it is clearly the most satisfactory arrangement of work in ar exposition of the scope of the present one.

The total appropriation for the exhibit was $20,000. This amount was expended approximately as follows:

Installation; booth, wall cabinets, furniture, floor coverings, etc-----
Salaries of director and assistants, and maintenance at St. Louis-
Freight, express, cartage, telegrams, etc‒‒‒‒‒

Material used in preparation, etc----

Traveling expenses

Printing, etc____

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$6,000

7,250

1,800

3,000

1, 200

550

200

20,000

In an educational exhibit, probably more than in any other, the necessity of personal explanation to supplement the work exhibited is necessary. Throughout the summer there were present trained attendants to explain the work exhibited and to give full details of systems and institutions from which the exhibit material had been sent. These attendants spoke the principal foreign languages, which in itself was of much advantage to foreigners, greatly aiding them in grasping the ideas set forth and the methods exemplified.

There were many features of widespread interest, one of which was a series of 35 statistical charts bearing upon educational activities generally and setting forth startling facts as to the wonderful growth of New York's educational system. Another was an educational map showing the location, grade, construction, and normal capacity of every institution of learning within the borders of the State. Various methods of instruction which are peculiar to certain cities or localities were fully set forth; e. g., the system of individual instruction as carried on in Batavia; the complete system of free kindergartens and the progressive methods in vogue therein in Albany; manual training throughout the grades as carried on in Jamestown; high school athletics, as exemplified at Ithaca; physical training as carried on in Syracuse. An exhibit from the State School of Clay Working and Ceramics at Alfred, which is the only school of its kind receiving State aid, was an especial feature.

The whole aim of those in charge of the exhibit was to show the work in education which is being done in the Empire State in all its forms and phases, and therefore the exhibit was not confined to the work of the public schools, as was quite generally done. Space was given to typical private institutions throughout the State to show the assistance which they are giving to the cause of education in general. In fine, there were interesting exhibits in place, not only from 24 cities and numerous villages both in elementary and high school work, but also the most complete and representative exhibit of rural school work that has ever been gathered in the State of New York; a composite exhibit of the normal school work of the State; a collective exhibit from the training schools and classes; concise displays from several of the smaller universities (the larger ones, such as Cornell and Columbia, having been granted separate space by the exposition authorities); interesting exhibits from technical and trade schools and business colleges; a composite exhibit from the Indian schools of the State; an interesting exhibit from the schools for defectives, including the blind and the deaf and dumb, and an alcove devoted to the work of summer schools and extension courses, as best exemplified at Chautauqua. The exhibit made by the education department of the State in visual instruction, as carried on by lantern slides, to aid in the teaching of geography, history, and kindred subjects, received ED 1904 M-59

hearty commendation from educators generally, but particularly from foreign visitors. Nowhere else in the world is it carried on with the same careful attention to detail, nor is the same perfection of slide making reached, as in the State of New York.

The exhibit from first to last demonstrated beyond peradventure the beneficial results accruing from a strongly centralized, powerful, and at the same time most liberal administration of educational interests. Under the fostering care and conservative guidance of the governing authority, standards have been steadily raised. The qualifications of instructors and the compensation of teachers have been constantly advanced. School buildings have been enlarged and improved with such rapidity that statistics show, in the year 1903, the value of buildings and sites in the State to be double what it was in 1893, a decade ago.

Under the impetus given by the State's policy of duplicating moneys raised locally for libraries and apparatus, school equipment is at the highest point of efficiency. A compulsory education law has been uniformly enforced, both in city and country, with a minimum of friction. In fact, the close relationship existing between the central authority and all educational activities has clearly made for superiority of educational work.

NORTH DAKOTA.

BY W. L. STOCKWELL, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

THE EXHIBIT.

North Dakota's educational exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition gave a very excellent idea of the educational progress of the State. While not elaborate, a careful examination of the same would disclose the fact that she is not necessarily behind many of the older States in the character and quality of her school work.

A committee was appointed by the State Educational Association consisting of the following members: President J. H. Worst, of the agricultural college; President Geo. A. McFarland, of the State normal school, Valley City; Supt. Mattie M. Davis, Fargo; Miss Mazie Clemens, Jamestown; Supt. W. E. Hoover, Park River, and State Supt. W. L. Stockwell. This committee was empowered by our State commissioner, IIon. David Bartlett, to undertake the preparation of the exhibit. Immediately after the appointment of this committee circulars were sent out to the educators of the State, calling their attention to the desires of the committee and asking their cooperation. The plan of the committee was to have an exhibit which would represent intelligently the work of the schools, from the rural schools to the university, including every department of education. The exhibit was not intended to be an exhibit of individual schools so much as a representation of the work of the State as a whole. In order that a more definite idea might be given of the work desired by the committee a preliminary exhibit was held during the State Educational Association of 1903 at Grand Forks. A large number of rural and graded schools sent exhibits, and the committee was enabled to call attention to the features which it particularly desired to have represented.

The work of collecting the exhibit was seriously handicapped by the lack of

funds with which to employ a person to take charge of the preparation and collection of the exhibit. As a result each school sent in its exhibit to Fargo, and, after the exhibits were all in, the committee had the task of going over the same and selecting those features which would more particularly represent the work of the State.

The booth assigned to North Dakota was of necessity small, having not much above 1,500 square feet of floor space. The plan of arrangement might be considered as an open booth, with cases containing the mounted exhibits placed around the outer margin, leaving the interior of the booth for the placing of show cases displaying the industrial features of the exhibit.

The institutions of higher learning were all represented. The State university, the agricultural college, the State normal schools at Valley City and Mayville, the manual training school, the school for the deaf, the school of science, the Fargo College (Congregational), and the Red River Valley University (Methodist), furnished comprehensive exhibits. All of the large graded schools, including those of Fargo, Grand Forks, Grafton, Jamestown, Valley City, Devils Lake, Park River, Larimore, Hillsboro, Wahpeton, Lisbon, Cando, Langdon, Carrington, and many others were represented. The rural schools of Walsh, Cass, Barnes, Sargent, Wells, Pierce, and Pembina counties were represented. In brief, all the phases of educational work of North Dakota were fairly exhibited.

The department of public instruction sent an exhibit, including charts showing statistics with reference to education, maps showing the locations of all schools in the various counties, exhibits of teachers' examinations, together with various publications, such as courses of study, school laws, high-school manuals, and copies of the various blanks which are used by the department of public instruction.

Another prominent feature of the exhibit was photographs. In this the committee endeavored to follow out the idea suggested by the head of the educational exhibit. The photographs represented buildings, interiors, groups of students at work in laboratories, groups of the faculties of the higher institutions; in fact, everything which could be represented by a photograph. This feature of the exhibit was one which enabled the visitor to form a very comprehensive idea of the equipment of the educational institutions in North Dakota, as well as a very excellent idea of the type of men and women who are found in our institutions as instructors, and of the class of young people who are being instructed in our schools.

Art work, as done in our schools, was very well represented. This included work in charcoal, crayon, pen and ink, and water color. The industrial features of the exhibit were from the engineering department of the university, the agricultural college, and the manual training school through specimens of work in wood and iron and mechanical drawing of all kinds. The industrial work from the graded schools was shown by specimens of basketry, mat weaving, and other work of a similar character. The actual work of the class room was shown through the medium of bound volumes of school work.

The lack of funds handicapped the committee in the inauguration of many features which gave a very decided character to many of the other exhibits. The committee having the exhibit in charge, however, feels that the display was in every way creditable, and gave to the visitors an excellent idea of the educational progress of our State, showing, as it did, that North Dakota has the same educational tendencies and is making the same educational progress as are found in practically every other Commonwealth of our country.

PENNSYLVANIA.

BY NATHAN C. SCHAEFFER.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

The law providing for the establishment of a system of common schools was enacted in 1834. It was amended in 1836. By its provisions every township, borough, and city was made a school district under the management of a board of directors or controllers. In the townships and smaller boroughs the number of directors is six. In most of the larger boroughs and the cities the number varies according to the number of wards into which the municipality has been divided.

The power to fix the amount of tax for school purposes is vested in the school board in all cities except Philadelphia, where the levy is made by councils. The maximum annual tax for school maintenance is 13 mills, but the law allows an additional tax for building purposes, which must in no case exceed the amount levied for school maintenance. A tax not exceeding 1 mill may be assessed for library purposes.

School boards are vested with power to select school sites, build schoolhouses, grade the schools, employ the teachers, adopt the text-books and the courses of study, furnish free text-books and supplies, and organize in townships as a board of health during the prevalence of epidemics or contagious diseases. They are further charged with the duty of enforcing the law which makes attendance at school compulsory for all persons between the ages of 8 and 13, and of others between 13 and 16 who can not read and write the English language intelligently or are not regularly engaged in some useful employment or service.

Orthography, reading, writing, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, history of the United States, and physiology and hygiene must be taught in every district. Provision is made for such other branches as the board of directors may see fit to include in the curriculum. In addition to these branches the teachers must also bave certificates of scholarship in elementary algebra and civil government; and no teacher is permitted to give instruction in branches not enumerated on his or her certificate.

The act creating the office of county superintendent was passed in 1854. Subsequently laws were enacted permitting cities, boroughs, and townships of 5,000 inhabitants to elect separate superintendents. The salaries of the county superintendents are paid out of a legislative appropriation, while those of the other superintendents are paid out of the treasuries of the school districts which elect them.

Before a school superintendent can be commissioned, it must be evident to the State superintendent that he possesses the literary and professional qualifications required by law. The term of office is three years. The election of the county superintendent is held at the county seat on the first Tuesday of May by a convention of school directors. No other State, county, or municipal election is held at the same time.

The system of holding annual teachers' institutes puts the whole responsibility for the success of the institute upon the superintendent, whose visits and examinations have made him familiar with the needs of his teachers, gives him funds adequate for securing the best available talent in the whole country, provides for the closing of the schools during the institute week, and gives the teachers the same compensation as if they were teaching.

The act providing for the establishment of State normal schools was passed in 1857. During the last year the thirteen State normal schools received $130,000 for maintenance and tuition, at the rate.of $1.50 per week for every student willing to sign a pledge to teach two years in the public schools. The aggregate value of the buildings and equipment of these schools exceeds $4,000,000. The course of study covers three years.

The school department was made a separate department of the State government in the year 1857. Before that time the secretary of the Commonwealth was ex officio superintendent of common schools. The State superintendent is appointed for a term of four years, by the advice and consent of the senate.

For many years there was no definite high school policy. Cities and boroughs, indeed, organized and maintained efficient high schools, but it was only in 1895 that a general high school act was passed. In 1901 the policy of aiding township high schools by State appropriation was inaugurated. During the school year 1903-4, 163 township high schools received aid in this way, and the number is rapidly increasing. The courses of study cover from two to four years, according to the needs and resources of the community in which the high school is located. The total number of high schools in the State is 630.

The growth of the system has exceeded the most sanguine expectations of its founders. According to the statistical report for the school year ending June 1, 1903, it gave employment to 31,449 teachers, and furnished school facilities to 1,193,669 pupils. The total expenditure for that year was $24,354,888.23. estimated value of the school property was $68,523,701.44.

THE EXHIBIT.

The

The educational exhibit of Pennsylvania presents the ordinary work of many schools in their different grades, with courses of study, etc. The kindergarten and manual training schools are particularly well represented. Photographs are, of course, a prominent feature of the display. A fine oil painting of Thaddeus Stevens, loaned by the Lancaster school board, is prominent upon the wall at one end of the section and properly challenges the attention of the visitor. It is here to commemorate the great fact in the school history of Pennsylvania that, in 1835, he prevented the repeal of the law for the establishment of common schools which had been enacted the year before, mainly through the efforts of another son of New England, Hon. Samuel Breck. Over the pillared entrances on each of the inner sides of the inclosure there is a splendid showing of historic portraits loaned by the department of public instruction; on one side Samuel Breck, Thomas II. Burrowes, Henry L. Diffenbach, and charles R. Coburn, and on the other, facing these, J. P. Wickersham, Elnathan Elisha Higbee, David J. Waller, and Nathan C. Schaeffer. These lifelike portraits, heavily framed in gold, in pleasing contrast with the dark background upon which they hang, occupy a commanding position and attract much attention. The committee on education of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, in June, 1903, appointed as director of education for Pennsylvania at the exposition Supt. Addison L. Jones, of Westchester, who at once formulated plans for the collection and installation of an educational exhibit from the public schools. The plans were submitted to and accepted by Col. James H. Lambert, executive officer of the commission, and the committee on education. A circular letter containing addresses by State Supt. Nathan C. Schaeffer and Colonel Lambert to school officers and teachers, and rules for the preparation of exhibits, was prepared and sent out to all superintendents and other school officers early in September, 1903.

At a meeting of the normal school principals and the directors at Harrisburg

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