of a successful originator, not only becomes a public benefactor, but attains rare judgment and taste and practical learning.

Thus we see how broad and deep is the range of the sciences on which rests each of the industrial arts, and a further inspection would reveal that a still broader basis of practical knowledge, comprising literary, psychological and scientific branches underlies every one of the professions. In view of these facts I see not how a purely practical education can be open to the objection that the culture it supplies would be cramped and narrow because of the paucity of studies it embraces.

Closely akin to our subject is the question how far courses of study can be so adjusted as to form a progressive series wherein every branch should have a manifest bearing upon future activities general or special, and wherein the extent to which each branch is pursued would be determined by the comparative closeness of its relation to the purposes of the life that is to follow. I need not say to an audience like this that in such an arrangement those studies which give fitness for the duties incident to our common moral and social relations would precede, and require but one common course, while the studies that prepare for any of the innumerable pursuits would follow and require many courses. But this interesting phase of our subject must yield to the limited time allotted to this paper. I will only add in passing that the question of increasing the element of utility in the curricula of higher education is now engrossing the attention of educators and philanthropists all the world over, and that in consequence special schools are rapidly multiplying and colleges and universities are organizing many elective special courses while retaining and readjusting the general ones.

The radical element in education is in fact now maintaining that knowledge is valuable chiefly for its uses, that discipline is a sure incidental result of great moment indeed, but depending more on the manner of studying than on the matter studied, and that in the making of courses the main question is what branches are most available hereafter. The day has arrived when learning joins hands with the present civilization, wherein discovery, invention and scientific progress are wonderfully predominant. The actual in culture is transcending the verbal, the useful, the ornamental, and all dilettante learning is yielding to the advent of practical ability and practical sense. The full orbed man, that glittering bubble of a poet's fancy, makes way for the real dweller upon earth, the husband, the father, the citizen, the worker, and the worshiper, all the inevitable outgrowths of the human soul. From the halls of learning are departing all studies, however fascinating, which obscure the grandeur of coming duties, duties whose fullfilment demands the pure life, the loving heart, the earnest faith, the clear head, the skillful hand, all directed by the energy that never relaxes. Let education give over the futile endeavor to realize ideal completeness, that darling delusion of the old time teacher. For what age or system has ever given birth to the prodigy who could at once out-sing Mozart, out-pray Moody, out-speak Webster, out-write Macaulay, out-wit Jay Gould, out-conquer. Napoleon? For this is he who is perpetually dreamed of as the product of a full orbed culture. This is the vagary which the poet apostrophises who muses on visionary perfection. This is the impossible picture whose original Diogenes sought with a lantern, and whom education could make about as easily as you. could whistle down the cyclone or such the ocean through a straw. But on these ponderous questions whereon opinion has oscillated between the old and the new, let me not be misunderstood. I value beyond price, and revere beyond utterance all the great divisions of knowledge which are the product of human reason and research. Of the whole immense catalogue I know not one which if judiciously pursued would not coutribute its moiety to intellectual culture. But human knowledge, which in the old classic days was the merest rivulet, has since gathered into its

widened and deepened channel a thousand tributaries, whose united waters pour into and permanently fill an ocean so vast that the individual mind can do no more than explore a single nook or two in its im measurable shores. Out of a variety that far overleaps the most extensive curricula a wise radicalism is demanding with intense logical force and fervor that our courses of study shall be gathered and adjusted by liberal eclecticism, an eclecticism which sorts out and settles for every course in just proportion those branches which lie nearest to actual living, and which are at once the offspring and the guides of modern civilization. Let language and mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, literature, engineering, political economy, sociology, philosophy and the like, each take rank in the lecture room precisely as it hastens and helps the purposes of a large and successful life, and let all else, though it be clothed in the colors of the rainbow, and heralded by the music of Orpheus, be rigidly excluded.

Discussion followed by Professor Knapp of Ames, Professor McBride of Iowa City, Superintendent Parish of Des Moines, President Welsh, Mrs. Thomas and others.

County Superintendent Frost of Cass County, introduced the following resolution which was adopted.

Resolved, That this Association favors the establishment of such Normal Schools in this State as can be adequately supported, and so located as to accommodate the different portions of the State.

The Advisory Board appointed last year was continued, with State Superintendent Akers as chairman.

EVENING SESSION.

After a charming duett by Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Lofland, President Calvin introduced President-elect Harkness, who addressed the Association in a few happy remarks.

Vice-President Messer, of Keokuk, then took the chair, and introduced Bishop J. F. Hurst, of Des Moines, who delivered a powerful address on "The Use of the Imagination in Teaching." It was highly figurative and was delivered in a masterly manner. audience were held spell-bound with the lofty periods of the address, and all were sorry when it closed.

The

On motion of Prof. Calvin, a hearty vote of thanks was tendered the Bishop for his very able address.

'Jingle Bells," a song by the quartette, was received with great applause.

The Association then authorized the publication of the minutes and papers in the Iowa NORMAL MONTHLY, on the same terms as last year. The following report of the Treasurer was read and adopted:

Dec, 29, By expenses of Advisory Committee

Appropriation for publication
To balance..

38.20

50.00

161.16

$315.80 $315.80

D. W. LEWIS, Treasurer.

A telegram of greeting from the Illinois State Teachers' Association was read, and the President was authorized to respond. There being no further business, the Association adjourned sine die. JAMES E. HARLAN, Secretary.

County Superintendents' Section.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28.-Owing to the absence of the President and Secretary, Supt. P. L. Kindig was called to the chair, and Ed. M. Rands was chosen secretary. Matters pertaining to programmes for future meetings were presented by Dr. Pickard, and left for future consideration by the association.

On motion of R. W. Leverich it was decided to meet again at half-past eight, Thursday morning, Dec. 29. The following committee was appointed on programme: W. E. Elder, R. W. Leverich and S. E. Wilson.

During the absence of the committee on programme, a general discussion of legislative matters was participated in by members present.

Superintendents Speer of Marshall County, Lapham of Chickasaw County, and Hendricks of Tama County, were constituted a committee on nominations.

2. Sal

The following programme for next meeting was reported by the committee. and adopted: 1. Examinations and Certificates. ary of County Superintendent and his Duties. 3. School Laws. The association then adjourned to meet at the appointed time. THURSDAY, DEC. 29.-The association was called to order by acting President Kindig, and the minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. On motion of W. E. Elder, it was voted to elect a committee of three to prepare lists of examination questions for the spring months, and three for the fall months. The following were elected committee for the spring lists: Superintendent McLean of Montgomery County, Supt. Boyes of Dubuque County, and Supt. Elder of Monroe County. For the fall lists: Supt. Leverich of Muscatine County, Supt. Frazee of Mills County, and Supt. Miss Blackburn of Benton County.

The question "Are our certificates properly graded ?" was discussed by Superintendents Leverich, Dooley, Boyes, Elder, Mahoney and Kindig.

"Salary of county superintendents and their duties," was thoroughly discussed by Supt. Wilson. The salary in Iowa was compared with the salaries paid in other States. As this was shown to be much smaller than paid elsewhere the following was adopted:

Resolved, That a committee of two be appointed to prepare a plan for increase of salary of county superintendents, and that every superintendent in the State be conferred with in relation to the matter.

The chair appointed as that committee, Supt. Wilson of Page County and Supt. Frost of Cass County. The nominating committee made the following report :

For President-Supt. Kindig of Mahaska County, Supt. J. S. Frazee of Mills County, or Supt. Wilson of Page County.

For Recording Secretary-Supt. E. M. Rands of Mitchell County. For Corresponding Sec.-Supt. Miss Blackburn of Benton County. For Vice-Presidents-Supt. McLean of Montgomery. County, Supt. Mathews of Jasper County, and Supt. Shattuck of Poweshiek County.

For Treasurer-Supt. Mrs. A. H. Smith of Ida County.

For Executive Committee-President of the Association, Superintendent Mathews of Jasper County, and Supt. W. E. Parker of Buchanan County.

Supt. Wilson of Page County, was elected President by ballot, and the remaining officers nominated by the committee were then declared elected. Adjourned sine die.

ED. M. RANDS, Secretary pro tem.

Latin Teachers' Section.

At a meeting of the Professors and Teachers of Latin, Prof. A. N. Currier of the State University, was chosen chairman, and Supt. A. Armstrong of Sioux City, secretary. Prof. S. T. Boyd of Parsons College, Prof. A. N. Currier of the State University, and Supt. M. F. Arey of Ft. Dodge, were chosen as an executive committee to prepare work for the coming year.

The following topics were selected: Primary Instruction, Methods of Instruction, and Pronunciation. Prof. R. A. Harkness of the Garden Grove Academy, and President of the State Association was appointed to prepare the paper on Primary Instruction; Supt. M. F. Arey on Methods of Instruction, and Principal L. B. Cary, of the West Des Moines High School, Pronunciation.

The interest manifested by all present was truly encouraging to the lovers of classical instruction.

S. T. BOYD, Chairman Ex. Com.

College Presidents and Professors' Section.

A meeting of College Presidents and Professors was called on Wednesday at the close of the morning programme. In pursuance of a plan prepared in this meeting and perfected in a similar meeting subsequent, an organization was effected based upon a certain series of resolutions of which the first provided for the election of a President and Secretary as officers of the organization. The object of the organization is to further the mutual acquaintance of the college teachers of the State, and to promote the discussion of topics in which such teachers have special interest. President King, of Cornell, was elected President, and Prof. McBride, of Iowa City, Secretary for the present year. T. H. MCBRIDE, Secretary.

SCHOOL OFFICERS' DEPARTMENT.

Sundry Rulings.

1. If it is.desired to transfer any surplus in the school house fund, unappropriated, to either of the other funds, action should be taken by the electors, as provided by sub-section 4, section 1717, S. L., 1880, at their annual meeting, since without instruction from the electors the board may not make the transfer.

2. At any legally called meeting of the electors, they may direct that the German or other language shall be taught as a branch, but the law provides that all other branches shall be taught in English. See section 1763, S. L., 1880.

A

3. Our Supreme Court have decided that a board of directors may not insure school property, without a previous vote of the electors authorizing them to do so. Sec. 8, N. W. Reporter, 102. If the electors of any district desire to have the school property of the district insured, they should not fail at their annual meeting to so instruct the board.

4. The attention of all school officers is called to suggestions given on pages 199 and 232, of the Iowa NORMAL MONTHLY for February and March, 1878, regarding the March meetings of electors and boards. The changes in the law since that time may be referred to as follows: Sections 1719 and 1808, S. L., 1880, providing how a tie vote for sub-director or director shall be determined; section 1717, sub-section 4, providing for the transfer of school house funds unappropriated; and chapter 133, page 80, S. L., 1880, providing for the sub-division of independent districts.

J. W. AKERS, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

DES MOINES, Iowa, January 16, 1882.

As our school-boards have doubtless observed, State Supt. Akers recommends them to consult the instructions for the proper conduct of the March meetings of the sub-districts, district townships and independent districts, given in our issue of March, 1878. We have resolved to reprint these instructions, amended to agree with subsequent legislation, in our next issue. Every school-board in the state should have these instructions at hand, and thus avoid mistakes which may cause trouble and expensive litigation.

Our correspondents will please excuse our apparent neglect of the news items they have sent us and the questions they have asked. It was all on account of the State Association, and in our next issue we hope to pick up all dropped threads and attend to everything that we have been forced for the last two months to neglect.

A pointed criticism need not necessarily be written with a fine pointed pen; one of Esterbrook's medinm or broad-pointed pens will answer as well.