The second high school examination will begin Monday, May 28th. There will be no examination Wednesday, May 30th, that being Memorial Day. Saturday, June 2d or Monday, June 4th may be used as the last day of examinations; either of these days may also be used as clearance day. E. B. JOHNSON, Registrar.

The School of Agriculture, University of Minnesota, will hold a special term for women in Dairying and Domestic Economy, commencing June 5, 1894. Young women interested in these subjects, who can

spend four weeks at this school, will surely be great

ly benefitted.

By courtesy of President Shepard, Sec'y of the National Educational Association, we have received a statement of the leading subjects and speakers in the Department Programs in advance of the publication of the official Bulletin.

Among the subjects of deepest interest to our readers we have space to name:

Discussions of the report of Committee of Ten; the French System of Moral Education, by Dr. Joseph Baldwin; the County School by Dr. E. E. White; Self Activity, by Elizabeth Harrison; Defects of the Secondary Schools; Art Education and Manual Training, by J. Liberty Tadd. Our own state will be represented by Elizabeth C. Kent, of Minneapolis, who will read a paper upon Modeling in the Public Schools. Among prominent speakers are named Supt. R. E. Denfeld and Prof. Chas. B. Scott.

The Official Bulletin will be issued about May 15. Any who desire a copy or other information should address S. Sherin, Sec'y, Asbury Park, N. J.

Railroad rates and all other necessary information from the State Manager, Supt. R. E. Denfeld, can be secured by writing Sec'y S. A. Farnsworth, St. Paul.

We are informed that the work of the State Reading Circle has a more hopeful outlook than ever before. This is as it should be. Teachers cannot afford to stand aloof from an agency designed to keep them in touch with the best educational literature, in close sympathy with their fellows. County superintendents should press the claims of the Circle upon those most needing its aid.

The Department of Public Instruction has arranged for nearly fifty Summer Schools to be held at points accessible to the mass of teachers throughout the state. Teachers who attended last year will need little urging to induce them to attend again; but we wish to say to those of our readers who have not availed themselves of that privilege, that attendance on a well-managed summer school always pays. We speak from observation and experience.

THE UNIVERSITY SUMMER SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS.

In the Elementary Section, Elementary Botany, Physiology and Physics, History, Mathematics, Grammar, Music, Penmanship, Methods, and other subjects of importance.

Special courses will be given in Kindergarten and Physical Culture.

Lectures, Round Tables, Congresses, and Excursions, will be distributed through the term.

Circulars giving full information, and by which teachers may make selection of work, will be sent on application to State Superintendent W. W. Pendergast, St. Paul, or to the Registrar, E. B. Johnson, State University, Minneapolis, Minn.

The following changes and additions have been made in dates and instructors since circular No. 4, pertaining to Summer Training Schools, was issued:

At Blue Earth City Mrs. L. Bliss, of Henderson, will take the place of A. T. Larson. The date is changed for Hutchinson from July 16 to July 9. At Madison the date is changed from July 16 to July 9, and Wm. Robertson, St. Anthony Park, will take the place of E. E. Blanchard. Miss E. A. Gramling, Rochester, is added to the corps of conductors for that place. Mary L. Blanchard, Minneapolis, will take the place of John H. Cook, of Stillwater. A school will be conducted at Taylors Falls July 10, J. E. Modin, county superintendent; H. W. Slack, St. Paul, conductor, and A. T. Larson, Minneapolis, assistant. C. H. Congdon, St. Paul, goes to Buffalo, one week, beginning July 16; to Willmar, one week, beginning July 23, and to Redwood Falls, two weeks, beginning July 30. O. E. McFadon, Minneapolis, goes, for one week each, to Sauk Center, July 23, to Wadena July 30, and to Long Prairie Aug. 6.

APPARATUS IN DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

Said a director: "I have done buying things for our school. Nothing is cared for. That globe, bought two years ago, is so out of order that no one can use it. Those outline maps and reading charts are badly torn and defaced, when they should be nearly as good as new. Our dictionary is in pieces. No, we can't waste any more money."

The director who gave the above information was somewhat excited, and things were not quite so bad as he represented, still, there was ground for his complaint. Many districts in Minnesota have had similar experiences, and are so discouraged that good teachers often find it hard to get what their schools really need.

Where districts have failed to provide closets, tables, or even shelves for apparatus, reference books, etc., teachers who use reasonable care cannot be held responsible for damage. In such cases their duty may lie in the direction of persuading officers to make adequate provision for the preservation of apparatus and other property.

A district clerk writes: "One year ago I placed a mark on our globe and there it is to-day engraved in the same old dust. I learn that our wall maps were not unrolled during the past term, although there were two classes in geography. What think you of these things?"

Such complaints are common. They are heard all over the state, and we do not wonder that so many school boards have come to the conclusion that outlays for apparatus do not pay. We are of the opinion that they do not, as a rule, for the reason that so many teachers cannot or will not use apparatus. To have it is not enough. It may be ornamental but it is dead property.、

Our remedy would be to employ teachers known to be competent, and then hold them to strict accountability. The ability to use the globe and other apparatus commonly found in rural schools should be tested by the examiner and indicated in the certificate, so that trustees may know what to depend on. The incompetent should be set adrift.

NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Asbury Park is a charming ocean resort and the very best of accommodations for both the meetings of the National Educational Association and for the personal comfort of those who attend it will be provided. Minnesota teachers should be present in large numbers to profit from the very valuable program, to breathe the invigorating ocean air and to help Duluth secure the meeting for 1895. If Duluth is selected for '95 thousands will be able to gratify their desire to visit Yellowstone Park, - Wonderland of America. Very low excursion rates to the park would surely be made from Duluth and the Twin Cities after the adjournment of the association. Let us go to Asbury Park from Minnesota a thousand strong.

The much-talked-about Dr. J. M. Rice has come and gone. Minneapolis turned out to give him her customary welcome. On being introduced by Dr. Jordan, he began with commendable enterprise the discussion of "The Scientific Recitation." He first gave examples of the poorest recitations he had heard in America, and such recitations cannot be heard in the most neglected communities of our state. Over against these he set the best recitation he had heard in Germany. As a matter of course, the comparison was unfavorable to us. Germany would have to be far in the rear if such a method of contrast were not adverse to us. But all German schools are not at Jena, neither are all American schools in the back districts. There are two influences working in the schools in Germany-one the result of the most advanced philosophical discussion linked with utmost freedom, the other (and opposing the first), the repression by authority which permeates all their society. The one developes individuality, the other, uniformity; the one begets commanding activity, the other, obedience. The former influence works in universities and the latter in the public schools. Jena is experimenting and when some questions are settled the conclusions will be enforced in the public schools. But Jena is in advance of the ordinary German school, and it is unfair, un-American to make comparisons in this way, as Dr. Rice did. You might as well judge Philip Sheridan by his profanity, or Don Quixote by his ideas of chivalry. The fact is, and Dr. Rice admitted it when questioned afterward, we have on the whole the better schools. Germany excels in music, drawing, physical exercise, religion and numbers; we surpass in all other work. Our school is strong in amount of information; theirs in discipline and mechanical execution.

Results are in our favor. And since Germany has the recognized advantage of a profession of trained teachers, who have a sure tenure of office, a thoroughly developed national system, extensive appliances for demonstration and illustration, compulsory education with a fixed population, and longer hours of school, it is clear that there is a powerful something at work in our education that more than counterbalances their many advantages. It may be the pupils, or it may be the teacher; perhaps it is the method. But let us pass on; it was necessary for Dr. Rice to set up his straw man.

He next gave a verbatim report of the first lesson in mathematical geography. The three points which should characterize every recitation are, first, the announcement of the purpose of the lesson; second, the development of the subject; third, drill. He followed his principles. After a review of the shape of the earth as derived from what we usually give as proofs, the teacher stated that the purpose was now to measure the earth. This must be done by means of a great circle; they were to use a meridian. To obtain a meridian set up vertically a pole in the school-yard and when the sun is at its meridian set up another pole in the shadow of the first. The line connecting these will run north and south. Continue this line around the earth; it is a meridian. There are of these an infinite number. (They wrote in their books the definition of meridian.) The next step was to get the length of a degree. Direct a telescope at the pole star. Its altitude is, say 48°. Going north the star is seen to rise until you arrive at Eisleben when the altitude is 49°. Jena then is 48° north latitude and Eisleben 49° north latitude, and we have passed over one degree upon the earth's surface. Measure the distance. It is 69 1-5 miles. Multiply this by 360 and the result is the circumference of the earth. Divide this product by 3 1-7 and the result is the diameter. They were to copy the definition of latitude, the circumference and diameter of the earth, and these points were to be drilled upon.