that while he should identify himself with politics; by taking an active part with any particular political party he may arouse opposition to himself and place serious obstacles in the way of his usefulness as a teacher. And yet he should not be indifferent to anything, bearing so directly upon the good order and the well-being of society. It is incumbent upon him, not only to cast his vote, but to use his influence in behalf of law and order. The character of men chosen to occupy official stations, determines the character of local governments and general administrations, upon which public morals largely depend. The teacher is therefore bound by a wise and judicious use of his influence to shape and determine results at the polls of election. He should not be committed so much to party success, as to the selection of good and worthy men. He may not descend to electioneering and lobbying, but in many honorable and discreet ways he may throw light on the truth, and thus secure support and following for those men who stand committed to the most judicious course; and who have declared in favor of a strict and impartial execution of ordinances and laws. It must be left to the good sense of each teacher to determine for himself, what he should do, in view of the circumstances by which he is surrounded. The question is frequently asked: should a teacher concern himself with the selection of men to serve as members of the board of education, by whom he is employed? It is natural and proper, that he should be interested in a matter so important, and at the same time so vitally connected with himself and his work, but unless there are special and imperative reasons why he should not remain ́silent, it will be wise of him to trust to the good judgment of the people. Who ever may be chosen must occupy an intimate relation both to the teacher and the school, and much, yea everything depends upon the degree of harmony existing between them. If the teacher should have unfortunately opposed the man who is elected, he will have placed himself in an embarrassing position, and probably long before he is able to relieve himself of the embarrassment he will himself have been relieved of his position. His advice and counsel will often be sought in private and confidential ways, when he may express a preference if he has any founded on good and sufficient reasons. Personal considerations should not be allowed to influence his action further than possibly to determine his own vote. Fitness or unfitness for the place should only be taken into consideration. Finally whatever is attempted in the way of controlling such elections, should be done largely through the instrumentality of others. Every teacher numbers among his trusted friends those with whom he may advise. He only need suggest to them that certain results are desirable aud necessary and they are ready to co-operate, to secure such results and relieve him of a delicate responsibility.

In closing this paper, may we not urge upon teachers the importance of standing in readiness to assume their proper share of public responsibilities. It ought not to be said truthfully, that the teacher moves in a groove out of which he cannot rise. Or that he is a man of one faculty and one idea. He owes it to himself to take a high stand among men-able, competent and willing to discharge the whole duty of a citizen and content to do nothing less. It ought not to be necessary to argue the importance of an active participation in all things pertaining to citizenship, on the part of a class which ranks so high in intelligence and purity of life A class, by common consent engaged in one of the noblest callings among men. Especially does this appear if we reflect that we live in a country where every citizen enjoys such exalted privileges and may exert such a potent influence in shaping the laws and determining the character of the government; and since the chief end of government and society is the perfect security and the ultimate good of mankind, it would seem that no honorable calling, be its nature what it may, could release any one from duty and responsibility or furnish any excuse for indifference to these

great ends. Finally let the teacher magnify his office, by his deportment as a citizen-and by every means exalt his profession to that high place which its great usefulness entitles it to occupy, and to that place of honor, which will draw to it the noblest men and women not for the time being but as a life work, from which the attractions of mercenary callings, shall not be able to entice them.

Supt. J. J. McConnell, of Atlantic, discussed this subject as follows:

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : I understand this topic to relate to the responsibility of the teacher as a member of civil society. The teacher, by virtue of his professional relation to society, does or may exert a great influence, and conscquently rests under a great responsibility.

In a society, constituted as ours, a man's responsibility in this regard is measured by the actual or possible extent of his influence in molding those over whom this influence is exerted to those forms of life which will secure the highest good of society. We will get the best idea of the teacher's responsibility as a citizen by noticing the object of our educational system. In brief and without argument, the public school system has been organized, and is supported for the purpose of fitting the youth of the country for a place in society, for the responsibilities of life, for the duties of citizenship.

The teacher ought then to be what he expects his pupils to become. He should be an active supporter of all measures that have for their object the advancement of the interests of the community in which he lives.

He should be a man who forms his opinions on all questions from his own convictions, and in his actions is governed by his own will.

Teachers are as a class remiss in the discharge of the duties that devolve upon them.

There is a sentiment, all too prevalent, shared by teachers and by society in general, that the teacher should hold himself aloof from an active participation in civil matters. It is a sentiment that isolates him from the active life of society, and in my judgment neutralizes very largely the molding influence which he ought to exert. The State Teachers' Association of Iowa is practically without political influence, and, as I believe, because the public school teachers do not meet the measure of their responsibilties as citizens of this commonwealth.

There are some conditions of the teacher's life that perhaps explain this state of things. I will allude to but one, his entire dependency upon public favor for his livelihood. It is a condition which cannot be avoided, and it creates a tendency against which the teacher must earnestly contend if he succeed in maintaining his manly independence and his individuality.

What shall be the character of our citizenship in the future is a question that is to-day pressing for an answer. It is being asked by our best men with much anxiety. Whatever it is to be, it is to develop from incongruous and conflicting elements. Europe is to-day a seething cauldron of sedition, and by our large immigration the principles that threaten the thrones and endanger the empires of the old world, are being rapidly transplanted to this continent. Our first and our highest duty is to mold into a new creation these incongruous elements; to teach those who come to us to forget their allegiance, in every sense, to the nations they have left, and to fall in love with our institutions, to which they have come for protection.

We need that our schools should teach patriotism more than we need that they should teach arithmetic, grammar or history.

In the work of determining the standard of our citizenship the public school will inevitably be a factor, and the public school teacher an active agent.

A general discussion of this subject by the members ensued, and occupied the Association until the hour for adjournment.

EVENING SESSION-7:30 P. M.

The Association was called to order, and music given by Quartette, “Jingle Bells."

Hon. James F. Wilson, of Fairfield, delivered a lecture, of which a brief synopsis is appended, on

THE MORAL ELEMENT IN EDUCATION.

The world is a great university. In it we all are professors and students. None of us know so much that we cannot learn from others. The curriculum is as varied as the races of men; and its divisions and sub-divisions are as diverse as their hopes and fears. The courses which it presents are multitudinous, and its special studies are without number. Whoever succeeds in any one of them gets his reward. Whoever fails in all is brushed into the rubbish heap as of no account, and is soon forgotten. No one ought to fail, and no one will if every other does his duty by him. But here is the point, at which, in a certain sense, we all fail. For no man has ever done his full duty to other men. We all too often imagine that there is a cool refreshing in the damps of selfishness, only to find that moral malaria has fallen upon us. No man makes permanent gain by being unjust to others. This is an inflexible rule. There is beauty and poetry in its inexorable lines. It has strength superior to human laws. It has greater cunning than the most devious ways of men, it tells off offenders with greatest precision. It causes wrongdoers to fear other men and mistrust themselves. It is written on the banner of conscience and never goes down in a conflict. At some time and in some way we must all learn this lesson. It is the moral science pre scribed in the regular course of the great university in which we teach and are taught.

This rule applies not only to individual, but to aggregate action. Associations of men have no more right to infract it than individuals. A nation has no immunity to do wrong, and oppressive and unjust laws sap the foundation of national life. The same law applies to international relations. In this case the rule operates in a broader field, but it is the same. A man may not do wrong to his fellow; a government may not do wrong to its citizen or subject; a nation may not do wrong to another people. All the miseries of men and nations come from infrac tions of this law. It is no new rule. It has been the same from the beginning. The field of intellectual truth widens from age to age, but "morality admits of no discoveries." The rule is not hard. It is simply just. It is no respecter of persons, nor of times, nor of conditions, nor of localities. It prompts individuals, counsels governments, cautions nations. Sooner or later we all come to know this. If we do not get our knowledge in the course of our technical education, it comes to us in the experiences of later life. If not in the home or school, then in the great university where men always remain undergraduates. To learn it early is a great advantage. And this is one of the most important missions of our public schools. Moral instruction should be given in them from the very first. There should be text-books on the elements of moral science even in the primary schools. We need in every school-room teachers devoted heart and soul to the work. Teachers of spotless lives, who can train their scholars, both by precept and example, in integrity and self-control. It is said by some that moral instruction should be rele gated to the family and the church. The objection is a bad one. Not only do these influences fail to reach many children, but it ignores the interest which the commonwealth has in the character of its children.

This consideration is of incalculable importance to us. In no other country is it of equal force. The pupils in our common schools are the embryonic masters of our politics, state-craft, commerce, trade, and of our social, moral, educational and religious life. Wealth, station, powereverything which resolute endeavor can hope to acquire are within the reach of all. Every phase of moral obligation and resultant duty devolves on all alike. The entire range of the three divisions of moral science I have mentioned lies outstretched before every pupil in our common schools. In the light of this fact nothing seems clearer to me than that the course of instruction which I have indicated should be enforced, and that our teachers should be fully imbued with the spirit which our exceptional position invokes, and keenly alive to the duties and responsibilities by it imposed. Already we have politically outgrown the danger of a foreign war. In less than half a century we will be a colossus among the nations of the earth. If we shall grow in love and practice of right and justice, as we will in strength and power, we may enforce peace throughout the world.

Let not this prospective magnificence puff us up, nor draw us away from those rigid lines of preparation through which it must come if it comes at all. Those lines cannot be wrought except by a worthy people. Nor will so great an estate ever be entrusted to the administration of an unworthy people. It is a trust, and the trustees must be competent to its execution. Intellectual qualifications alone are not sufficient. There must be associated with these that sturdy moral element which directs intellect to right action. This element must be planted in our children by the public schools-the great controlling agency which molds the character of our future citizens. Justice and uprightness in the nation can only be secured by these qualities in the individuals which compose the nation. To train these units of the State in intelligence, in integrity, and in usefulness-this is the great mission of the teacher-his privilege, his glory, and his heavy responsibility.

At the close of the lecture, a hearty vote of thanks was tendered the speaker for his very able and instructive address.

THIRD DAY'S PROCEEDINGS-MORNING SESSION. President Calvin called the association to order at 9 A. M. and announced an anthem, "Shepherd of Israel," by quartette. Rev. Mr. Simons conducted the devotional exercises. Song, (by 5th and 6th grade pupils), "Put my Little Shoes Away.'

The Committee on the President's Address reported as follows:

We cordially endorse the able inaugural address of our President, Prof. Calvin, sympathizing with its vigorous yet conservative spirit, and commending its simple, robust English, as well as its pertinent, thoughtful suggestions. We commend to the special attention of the Association the following seed-thoughts drawn from the address:

I. The school does not create genius, but merely affords the conditions of its healthy development. No school can impart the essential elements of greatness."

II. Common sense and the spirit of truth are more potent to make a good school than mere methods and machinery.

III. In rightly interpreting the range of their work, the public schools should make, as the supreme test of their efficiency, their adaptation to "confer upon the child the rare and priceless ability to speak his native language correctly, to read it with ease, precision and underderstanding, and to write in correct, idiomatic, fluent English what he sees and thinks and feels."

IV. In the accomplishment of its aim, the school should give diversified industrial training, founded upon a correct knowledge of science. V. Industrial training is comparatively fruitless when public sentiment fails to dignify labor.

VI. Science taught by an ignoramus is worse than useless.

The Committee on Nominations presented their report as follows: For President: Prof. R. A. Harkness of Decatur Co., Co. Supt., R. A. Mathews of Jasper Co., or Supt. M. F. Arey of Fort Dodge.

For Vice Presidents: Co. Supt. Hendricks of Tama Co., Miss Duncan of Atlantic, Miss Lillibridge of Muscatine, Miss Rousseau of Washington, and Prof. I. H, De Long of Pella.

For Member of Executive Committee: Prof. C. E. Bessey of Ames, Prin. C. A. Lisle of Burlington, or Prof. S. J. Buck of Grinnell.

For Recording Secretary: Prof. James E. Harlan of Cornell College. For Treasurer: Supt. D. W. Lewis of Washington.

For Corresponding Secretary: Supt. J. M. McLean of Montgomery County.

The report of the Advisory Board was referred back to that board with State Supt. Akers as chairman.

Prof. H. H. Freer of Mt. Vernon read his paper on

HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPLY OUR COLLEGES WITH PROPERLY PREPARED STUDENTS OF COLLEGIATE GRADE?

Mr. President and Members of the Association: That the topio assigned to the writer of this paper, is one of great importance is shown by the frequent references to it by the Commissioner of Education, and the discussions of the subject, by many of the leading educators of the country. That the question proposed is comprehensive in its character, is evident from the fact that an intelligent answer will require a survey of the whole field of secondary instruction. The head of the National Bureau of Education, in one of the earlier reports, says that "the whole subject of secondary education, its institutions, studies and methods need investigation and discussion," From remarks in subsequent reports and the difficulty experienced in obtaining complete statistics, it is certain that the growth of schools preparing students for college, has not been at all gratifying to the friends of higher education.

In 1873 President McCosh addressed the National Association on this subject and earnestly advocated the fostering of preparatory schoolsPresident Porter has given expression to similar sentiments. In a discussion of this question had by the President of Harvard and others, it was agreed that outside of New England, the great problem was that of secondary or preparatory schools. The lack of such schools in some of the States is very marked. Maryland, a few years since, offered free board, books and tuition in one of her colleges to fifty young men, but that number prepared to enter the freshman class could not be supplied by all the schools fitting for college in that State.

No doubt that within four or five years some advancement has been made in secondary instruction, particularly by the high schools, but still the greatest weakness in our educational system is the small number and poor quality of students entering the college. This weakness is not a necessary condition as it does not, to the same extent, exist in Europe. In Germany the gymnasia are of a superior character, and even in England the great public schools such as Rugby and Harrow are almost as well known as her great universities.

In our State the common schools and the colleges are more perfect in their methods of instruction and administration than those intermediate schools through which pupils must go, in order to pass from the school