THE SOUTH DAKOTA EXHIBIT. State Superintendent G. W. Nash was appointed by the South Dakota World's Fair commission to take charge of and have general supervision of collecting a suitable educational exhibit for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. October 1, 1903, he sent to county superintendents and others having supervision of schools a letter which contained extracts from Circular No. 2, issued by Hon. Howard J. Rodgers, chief of the department of education. An earnest appeal, asking for a systematic preparation, was made at this time, and instructions as to place and date of shipping material were given. The Chicago and Northwestern and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway companies kindly transported the material without expense to the exhibitors. A committee of three, consisting of Mr. M. A. Lange, Miss Clara Cressy, and Mr. C. C. Bras, was appointed by the superintendent to meet at Mitchell and to examine, select, and arrange such a part of the exhibit submitted as would show a clear and concise plan of the work done in the schools of this State. From Mitchell the exhibit was shipped to St. Louis and was duly installed by Mr. George R. Farmer, the efficient secretary of the South Dakota commission, and Mrs. Lillie S. Cooper, of the Springfield normal, who was afterward director in charge. The exhibit was most desirably located in block 1 of the Palace of Education and Social Economy, the name of South Dakota appearing in large bronze letters in front. The interior was divided into three compartments and was covered with exhibits of school work of all grades. Many photographs were in evidence and were examined very carefully by visitors. Several counties were well represented by photographs of their district school buildings as well as those of villages and towns. The following counties were represented: Aurora, Beadle, Bonhomme, Brown, Buffalo, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Davison, Day, Deuel, Fall River, Grant, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lawrence, McPherson, Marshall, Meade, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Spink, Turner, Union, and Yankton. The exhibits from these counties consisted of written work in all grades, including German, Latin, and Science; photographs of the buildings and different departments: collections of notebooks, water-color sketches, maps, and handwork in the form of rugs, hammocks, baskets, and sewing, raffia, and woodwork. The written work included actual daily school work of the pupils, and in several instances was bound in neat volumes. The exhibit clearly indicates what systematic effort on the part of those who supervise can accomplish. It shows the strong as well as the weak places in our teaching, and suggests remedies for defects. TENNESSEE. BY B. A. ENLOE, DIRECTOR. THE EXHIBIT. The excellence of Tennessee's educational exhibit is not disclosed by a casual glance. Every inch of available space is utilized. Beginning at the right of the entrance the visitor finds the exhibit of Bristol and at the left the exhibit of the city schools and the university schools of Memphis. Between these extremes are found, in order, the displays of the schools and colleges of the whole State, so far as they appear. The drawings in the Bristol exhibit possess peculiar excellence. The drawIngs of Tarbox School, of Nashville, are fine, also, and this school displays a bicycle model and a replica of the tomb of Andrew Jackson which are not surpassed by similar work shown at the exposition. The next exhibit is that of the public schools of Knoxville. This display bears testimony to the excellence of the system, the superintendent, and the teachers of the schools of this city. The colored people of Knoxville are also represented; and besides them, the colored schools of Memphis and the Roger Williams University, of Nashville. The exhibits of the models of Knoxville, of Knox County, and of Jackson, deserve especial attention. Of the exhibits of Jackson, the specimens of manual training and the maps deserve special mention. The exhibit of the Industrial School of Nashville is prominent. The specimens of work are numerous and good. The knives, tools, and horseshoes made by the boys seem equal to similar articles for sale in the stores; and the girls' work, notably the drawn work, compares favorably with the Mexican drawn work. The manual training specimens of the Hamilton County schools are also good. The literature exercises of the Columbia Female Institute deserve mention, and constitute one of the best exhibits in the display. They are illustrated by pictures suited to the text, and are bound in leather in a very unique way. Of the more advanced institutions of learning, the exhibit of the Buford College is, perhaps, the most extensive. Among its most salient features are paintIngs in oil, water color, and pastel, hand-painted china, a burnt-wood screen, herbarium, and Bible work. Other schools whose exhibits show excellence are: Mrs. Forest Nixon's School, of Lawrenceburg, exhibit of original music composed by the pupils; the Shelby County schools, and the University of Tennessee, whose model of its grounds and buildings occupies the center of the space, and is an ornament as well as an object lesson. TEXAS. BY W. L. LEMMON, SECRETARY OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION. ORGANIZATION. The schools of Texas are maintained by funds from three sources: (1) State permanent endowment, (2) State taxation, (3) local taxation. The State permanent fund is a proud inheritance to Texans, and a subject of great interest to citizens of other States less fortunately provided. State Superintendent Lefevre makes the following showing of this fund September 1, 1903: Cash, uninvested___ Interest-bearing bonds Land notes ____ Leased lands, valued at minimum price of $1 an acre.... Total ED 1904 M- -60 $21, 624 10, 298, 415 18, 546, 580 10, 666, 704 39, 533, 323 In addition to the thirty-nine and a half million dollars, now producing income, the permanent school fund holds upward of 7,000,000 acres of unleased land, now unproductive of income, but having great possibilities for the future. In addition to this, the county permanent funds amounted to $6,867,293, so that the following is the showing for the permanent endowment of the public schools: State fund.. County funds... Total $39, 533, 323 6,867, 293 46, 400, 616 The income from permanent endowment funds for the year ending August 31, 1903, according to State Superintendent Lefevre, was as follows: From State permanent fund_---- Total $1, 349, 240 345, 036 1,694, 276 The scholastic census for the same year enumerated 759,358 children; therefore the permanent endowment yielded $2.22 per capita of the census enumeration, or $2.75 per capita for the actual enrollment in the public schools (613,323) of pupils within the ages of the census (8 to 17 years). State apportionment.-To the income from the State's permanent fund are added the proceeds of State taxation for the public schools, which amounted to $2,518,830 for the year ending August 31, 1903, and which, together with the income from the permanent fund, gave a total of $3,868,069 for State apportionment. This yielded, for the census enumeration of 759,358 children, an apportionment of $5 per capita; or for the actual enrollment in school of pupils within the ages of the census (613,323), $6 per capita. Such an endowment is a fine foundation for a school system, but it may prove enervating or stimulating according to the spirit of those who enjoy it. In the early days of the State history too much dependence was put upon it. There is no better mark of the educational quickening of more recent years than the rapid spread of local taxation to supplement this county fund and State apportionment. Statistics for rural schools that vote local taxes are not available, but the movement is known to be widespread. Independent districts (villages and towns that have more than 200 population) that vote greater local taxes than those allowed common districts have grown from 142 in 1901 to 327 in 1904-that is, every week for two years and a half some village or town has assumed the larger privileges and responsibilities of the independent district. Owing to a constitutional inhibition Texas provided no public funds for exhibits at the exposition. Funds were provided from voluntary subscriptions of citizens and corporations. The State Teachers' Association appointed an educational commission, composed of the presidents of the university, the normal schools, the agricultural and mechanical college, and the association, together with the State superintendent, a city superintendent, a county superintendent, and a professor from a private school. This commission was instructed to make investigations and was given power to act. Through its secretary it solicited funds for an educational exhibit. Most of the funds used for the exhibit were secured or contributed by pupils and teachers in our schools. So far as I know, Texas was the only State whose educational-exhibit fund was secured by voluntary contributions from the schools of the State. Nothing else connected with the Texas exhibit was as significant of the profoundly patriotic and progressive spirit of the education work of the State as the manner of providing the funds. But while this method applied a high test to the educational spirit of the State and afforded a proof of the high quality of it, it was a very faulty method when results in the exhibit itself are considered. Uncertainty as to the time and the amounts of the contributions existed up to the very day of the opening of the exposition, so that no broad or permanent method of organization of the work was ever possible. The exhibits from the different towns and schools were sent in spontaneously and independently; but necessarily, viewed from the standpoint of philosophical principles, or even from that of methodical, practical organization and generalization, the exhibit as a whole was without form and void. It is true, however, that individual exhibits from some cities and from some of our State institutions were complete and well rounded and illustrative of the best modern conceptions of the functions of such educational units. In the main it may be said that the exhibit amply proved that Texas is an alert student of educational progress; it is trying all things that other States are trying; it is holding fast to the three R's, and has laid hands on the three arts--liberal, industrial, and fine-and the exhibit displayed worthy specimens in all departments. UTAH. BY HORACE H. CUMMINGS, DIRECTOR OF THE EXHIBIT. THE EXHIBIT. The educational exhibit from Utah occupies a booth about 30 by 27 feet and is displayed upon the walls and in cabinets and glass cases, etc. It consists of samples of pupils' work in all the lines of the most advanced school work and methods. A row of photographs of modern schoolhouses along the sides form an upper frieze which illustrates the fact that Utah has $39.93 per capita invested in school property, while the per capita tax for the annual maintenance of the schools is equally high in proportion. Below this frieze are found on one side samples of art work and charts illustrating history, geography, and nature study, while on the other side is arranged a display of manual-training work, sewing, basketry, and colored paintings. Nine leaf cabinets on each side, with bases and shelves containing photographs, written work, sewing work, designs, drawing, and other art work, complete the display on the sides of the booth, one side illustrating elementary schools and the other secondary and parochial schools. The end of the booth is occupied chiefly by the display from the State Normal Training School, consisting of an upper frieze of nature-study art panels, underneath which are three rows of plaster casts of things and scenes illustrating class work, and then a number of original designs for clay work, tiles, sewing, etc., and a design for a large rug, with sections of the same in process of weaving. A model of a mine and cases filled with specimens of clay work, sewing, weaving, etc., complete the training-school exhibit, and, with a fine roll-top desk made by pupils of the Snow Academy, cover the end of the booth to the floor. A hexagonal case filled with work from the State school for the deaf and the blind finishes the list of exhibits. Space for an exhibit was secured at so late a date that very little time was allowed the schools to prepare any special work, but the display shows that Utah has an efficient school system extending to the remotest parts of the State, employing the latest methods, and using the best text-books, supplied free to the pupils. A class of second-grade children from the school for the deaf attracted a great deal of attention during their two months' work at the fair. The latest and best methods were employed, with the result that all the children had learned to speak orally and read lip movements. The daily class work attracted large crowds of the general public and afforded experts and teachers interested in that kind of work a valuable object lesson. The exhibit most instructive for workers in elementary education was the normal training school exhibit, which illustrated a new and unified course of study worked out by the faculty of the State normal school. It seeks to provide as follows for the correction of the common defects in the usual school work: First. To utilize instead of suppressing the natural physical activities of the child and make them cooperate with his mental activities. Second. To encourage original effort on the part of the child instead of prescribing in detail all his school work, as is usually the case. Third. To unify the whole school work, so that each recitation is seen to be related to the rest of the school work, instead of teaching each branch as a separate, disconnected study. Fourth. To provide many opportunities for the children to do and say nice and kind things to others, and thus cultivate the altruistic tendencies in their natures in the best way. Fifth. To socialize the work of the schoolroom and furnish the same incentives to work as actuate the pupil in life, while it places the usual formal studies in a similar relation to the main school work that they occupy in life outside of the school. The central subject in each grade, respectively, and out of which the formal studies naturally grow, is as follows: First year: Home environment and relations; lessons on things already somewhat familiar to the young child. Second year: Shelters. Study of the house; birds' nests and animal shelters; adaption to the needs of their occupants. Third year: Foods; obtaining, preparing, serving, kinds, cost, etc. Fourth year: Clothing; necessity, kinds, uses, where obtained, and how prepared; animal coverings, adaption. Fifth year: Sources of supply. As the pupils have become familiar with the three great necessities whence spring most of our activities for life, they next study the sources of supply of the things needed for shelter, food, and clothing. Sixth year: Manufacturing these supplies; evolution of machinery, effects, etc. Seventh year: Transportation and commerce; getting the manufactured products to the consumers; evolution of the means and methods of transportation on land. Eighth year: Navigation and foreign commerce; relation to other countries; evolution of ships, etc. Ninth year: The world's great empires and what made them great. It is believed that the proper development of these topics in accordance with the principles already stated gives the child a comprehension of the things which engage the attention and labor of the average citizen during his life, and therefore prepares him better for life than the ordinary course of formal, unrelated "recitations" usually given. The so-called "common branches" are by no means neglected, but are taught more intensely than before, since a more natural motive stimulates the pupil. He does much reading, for example, in his |