Circular of Information of the Bureau of Education, for ...

PRIMARY INSTRUCTION IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM.

Just as this circular is going to press I have received a number of documents relating to the French and Belgian systems of primary instruction. The eager desire for new ideas on the subject of elementary education which is every where manifest makes it seem desirable to bring the official statement of what is projected or in operation in those countries to the attention of teachers; accordingly translations of certain portions of the documents have been prepared as an appendix to this circular. The purpose in presenting this matter is not to advocate the servile imitation of what is foreign; the power and permanence of our system come from the fact that it is the expression of the will of the people, the adaptation of means to ends which they understand and approve; at the same time ours is a flexible, progressive system, and as such has a wonderful power of assimilating to itself whatever is valuable in the theory and practice of other nations.

While seeking the further advancement of our common country schools, we have no reason to ignore their past achievements and present excellence. If they may profit by ideas and practices adopted elsewhere, they have in turn valuable lessons to impart. This did not escape the notice of the royal commissioners on technical instruction, whose visit to this country is a recent event.

MR. MATHER'S OPINION OF OUR RURAL SCHOOLS.

Mr. William Mather, who was specially appointed to inquire into technical education in the United States and Canada, has thus expressed in his official report his impressions of our rural schools:

The district schools in the rural parts of the counties are conducted on the basis of the city schools, excepting that the recognized school period is twenty weeks in the year instead of forty. These schools have attracted some special attention in America on account of the general intelligence and aptitude for the industrial arts displayed by the scholars on entering upon employment in the cities. In the New England States especially (Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut), the absolute necessity for children over ten years of age to assist on the farm in the summer months has rendered it imperative to blend school and farm work in such a way that the parents may have assistance while the children's teaching is not sacrificed. The stony and somewhat sterile lands of New England require intense activity, industry, and skill on the part of the farmer to make a living. As hired labor is very dear, he depends on his own household for help. Every kind of work has to be done at home. Blacksmith's, wheelwright's, machinist's, carpenter's, and hydraulic work become as familiar to the farmer, in a rough and ready way, as ploughing, tilling, sowing, and reaping. All handicrafts, in a greater or less degree, are acquired. The farmer's boy is thus provided with an industrial training of the best kind in and around his home. His wits are sharpened, his perceptions developed; there is a large field for the immediate application of knowledge acquired at school on the one hand; on the other, the school exercises and lessons are more readily understood by a boy or girl having in daily life to deal directly with natural forces and laws. These county or district schools, associated as they are with agricultural and mechanical occupations, produce better results, as a whole, amongst the artisan classes than the city schools, the attendance at which is for the entire schoo!

year of forty weeks. My attention has been drawn to this fact by many employers and educationists, and it has been confirmed by my own observations. It suggests the importance of introducing into the elementary public schools of cities some industrial training. "Our brightest boys come from the country" is a phrase which has become very familiar to me in America.

HELPS FOR THE TEACHER.

In addition to suitable furniture, every country school ought to be provided with blackboards, outline maps and globe, numeral frame, set of geometrical forms, set of color cards, Webster's or Worcester's unabridged dictionary, encyclopedia, and gazetteer. To this extent, at least, material and reference books should be furnished out of the public funds.

No teacher should be without one or more educational journals, which are full of information on all points relating to the progress and conduct of schools.

It is, also, important that every teacher should have access to a carefully selected (although it may be a small) library of professional works. The following list of books appropriate for such a library is suggested by the librarian of the Bureau of Education:

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List of books suggested as appropriate for a library for teachers.