USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > Education in Indiana. An outline of the growth of the common school system, together with statements relating to the condition of secondary and higher education in the state and a brief history of the educational exhibit. Prepared for the Louisiana purchase exposition, held at Saint Louis, May 1 to November 30, 1904 > Part 7
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9. Describe an ordinary camera. Why is the image inverted? Be explicit.
10. Explain the compass. Why does one end always point north? Is this properly called the "north pole" of the compass!
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. (Any seren.)
1. Account for the shape of the earth.
2. What are isothermal lines? Why do they not coincide with the parallels?
3. Discuss the causes of ocean currents. How do they affect climate?
Discuss briefly the effect of climate on the distribution of plants and ani- mals.
5. Compare and contrast the relief of North America and South America.
6. Account for the arid condition of the Great Basin.
7. Give the history of the formation of coal. Locate the coal fields of Indi- ana.
8. Describe the gulf stream and give its climatic effects.
9. Account for the heavy rainfall on the southern slopes of the Himalaya Mountains.
10. Explain the formation of the rainbow.
CHEMISTRY. (Any seren.)
1. Distinguish clearly between chemical and physical changes.
2. Describe and draw a diagram of the apparatus necessary to obtain oxy- gen. How would you obtain oxygen!
3. What do you understand by "valence"? From the following formulas: HI2 So4, Hel, HNO3, Na Cl, Cu Cl2, give the valence of So4, Cl, No3, Na and Cu.
4. Explain and give the equation for the chemical reaction which takes place when CO gas is passed through lime water.
5. Is sulphur a metallic element! Ex- plain why you answer as you do.
6. What causes "hardness" in water? Give difference between permanent and temporary hardness.
7. If a room were entirely filled with pure hydrogen and an electric spark in- troduced at center of room, what would be the result? Explain fully.
8. By means of what acid can glass be etched! How is this acid kept?
9. If you desire to remove and keep moisture from a box, what would you use?
10. What do you mean by a reducing flame! By an oxidizing flame? What part of the flame is used in each case?
SOLID GEOMETRY. (Any seven.)
1. Show that if there are given four points in space, no three being col- linear, the number of distinct straight lines determined by them is six; if there are five points, the number is ten.
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2. State three methods of determining a płane.
3. Prove: If two intersecting planes pass through two parallel lines, their intersection is parallel to these lines.
4. Why is it that a three-legged chair is always stable on the floor, while a four legged one may not be?
5. Find volume of a cube whose diagonal is v 3.
6. Prove: Parallel transverse sections of a cylindrical space are congruent.
7. Prove: A place section of a sphere is a circle.
8. How many square feet In the surface of a cylindrical water tank, open at the top, its height being 40 feet and its diameter 40 feet!
9. How many points on a spherical sur- face determine a small circle!
PLANE GEOMETRY.
(Any seven.)
1. Define plane, proposition, theorem, postulate, corollary.
2. Prove: The bisectors of two adjacent angles formed by one line cutting another are perpendicular to each other.
3. Prove: Tangents to two intersecting circumferences from any point in the production of their common chord are equal.
4. If one angle of a triangle is 13 of a straight angle, show that the square on the opposite equals the sum of the squares on the other two sides less their rectangle.
5. How many diagonals, at most, has a general quadrilateral? A general pentagon! A general hexagon!
6. Prove: In any triangle any exterior angle equals the sum of the two in- terior non-adjacent angles.
7. Prove: All tangents drawn from points on the outer of two concen- tric circumferences to the inner are equal.
8. Draw a tangent to a given circle from a given point; the point is on the circumference.
9. Trisect a right angle.
RIIETORIC.
(Any seren, not omitting 9-10.)
1. Is it always best to adhere strictly to the rules for punctuation? Give reasons. What is the present ten- dency in punctuation?
2. "Sentences and paragraphs must have coherence." Define coherence as here used.
3. Write sentences illustrating the cor- rect use of notorious, noted, famous.
4. In what forms of discourse do the fol- lowing terms occur: Point of view; incident; conclusion.
5. What is a localism! Illustrate.
6. Use correctly the following words in sentences: affect. effect; aggra- vate, provoke.
7. Correct, giving reasons: The watch- maker fixed the watch. I have got a cold. Children love candy and ex- cursions. Can I borrow your pen- cil?
8. Define "triteness" as applied to writ- ing.
9-10. Write a description of at least 150 words. (Select your subject.)
ENGLISH LITERATURE. (Any seven.)
1. What was the plan of the Canterbury Tales? Who wrote them!
2. What is the marked characteristic of the literature of the Elizabethan age!
3. What great names are associated with the Lake School of writers?
4. Place the following authors in chrono- logical order: Swift, Spenser, Car- lyle and Wordsworth.
5. Tell what you can of the life and work of Addison.
6. Write not less then 100 words regard- ing Silas Marner.
7. Who wrote Marmion? The Ancient Mariner? Essay on Man? She Stoops to Conquer!
8. Give a brief outline of the plot in the Merchant of Venice.
9. Write not less than ten lines on Scott's narrative poems.
10. "A prince I was, blue-eyed, and fair in face,
Of temper amorous, as the first of May
With length of yellow ringlets, like a girl,
For on my cradle shone the Northern Star."
From what is the above quoted? Name the author.
AMERICAN LITERATURE.
(Any seven.)
1. What period of American literature may justly be called the Theological Era? Why?
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2. Name four authors of the Theological Period.
3. What rank does Washington Irving hold among American authors! Make four statements to verify your answer.
4. Who wrote The Embargo! The Vil- lage Blacksmith? The Hoosier Schoolmaster? The Gates Ajar! What do you know of one of these authors!
5. What is the subject-matter of litera- ture!
6. What is the characteristic line of thought in the writings of Thomas Jefferson? J. Fennimore Cooper?
William Cullen Bryant? O. W. Holmes!
7. Name four American authors who have embodied in their writings the po- litical elements of American life.
8. Name five American historians, one of whom is an Indiana man.
9. State briefly some thoughts you have received from Bryant's writings. State the same from Longfellow's, quoting from him.
10. Who wrote Snow Bound? Why is it so fascinating to read! What impres- sions, do you think, must have been made upon the author's mind that caused him to write it?
c. SCHOOL VISITATION.
The law says that the county superintendent shall visit schools while they are in session, for the purpose of increasing their use- fulness and elevating as far as praetieable the poorer schools to the standard of the best. Perhaps no other one thing has done so much for the schools as these personal visitations. The teach- ers who secure their licenses from these superintendents are always anxious to do good work and any suggestions offered are followed to the best of their ability. The superintendent has a great opportunity in this capacity to aid the teacher who is beginning his work.
The supervisory powers of the county superintendent do not extend over cities having duly appointed superintendents, but. they do extend over the smaller incorporated towns with no regular superintendents.
d. CIRCULARS.
In many counties the superintendents supplement visitation with cireulars giving specific directions as to the work they want done. These eirenlars are issued in some counties as often as once a week, and they serve to arouse interest and to make the organiza- tion more efficient. Two of these cirenlars are submitted here, one as a guide to teachers while visiting other schools, and the other giving directions in the regular work :
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
Office of HOMER L. COOK,
County Superintendent Marion County Schools.
Office day, Monday. Residence New Phone 4103.
Indianapolis, Ind., October 13, 1903.
Teachers:
Read first and second circular letters. How about the appearance of your pupils at this time?
Do you have devotional exercises every morning? Use the Bible. You will find that your day's work will be brighter and better by doing so.
Have you plenty of material for busy work?
I have found several teachers allowing pupils to keep their books open and recite from them during the recitation. If you will study the schedule of success items on your last county license, I think you will mark off ten for that one fault.
Talk county library to your pupils. Get a card for your own use.
Study course of study.
Begin to work for World's Fair exhibit.
Choose some particular subject on which your pupils can do good work, and keep the best of their daily work.
Quite a number of teachers have asked me what to do in a reading lesson.
My first assignment always has been to work out new and difficult words.
Next get the thought. Probably pupils can not do this in one day. If not, work on the thought until pupils have it. It is always well to have pupils work out pictures in poetry selections. Never allow pupils to read orally until you have worked out the thought of the selection. It is not absolutely necessary for pupils to read orally all of a selection. Read a paragraph or two orally and have that done well.
Teachers must make definite assignments. Ask questions and have them answered. Have pupils answer your questions in writing.
Some teachers say that they do not have time to make these assign- ments. If that is so, you teach many lessons for which you have made no preparation.
It is my judgment that it is more profitable for you to prepare your work and make definite assignments than it is to spend your full time on the recitation. For example, we will suppose that you have not pre- pared your reading lesson. You have fifteen minutes for that recitation. You have not seen the lesson at all. Take five minutes of the fifteen to prepare it; you will find that you will do more good in the ten minutes than you could have done in the fifteen. But a wiser plan would be to prepare your lessons at the proper time.
Some say, what shall we do if we do not complete the work outlined in the course of study? My answer is that you will get along more rapidly by preparing your work well than if you teach in the old way. Be concerned about how you teach instead of how much you teach.
I once had a parent ask me why his boy was not allowed to read. I had worked on Longfellow's "Rainy Day" one week, but was not ready for oral reading. The pupils had been reading every day, but he had the idea that he read only when he was allowed to stumble through the
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
verse mispronouneing half the words and not getting nor giving any of the thought.
Teach the following:
Eighth Year Julius Caesar.
Seventh Year .Commit Excelsior.
Sixth Year A Ruffian in Feathers.
Fifth Year How Little Cedric Became a Knight.
Fourth Year The Pine Tree Shillings.
. The Three Bugs. Third Year
Some teachers have asked what to do in second and third year arith- metie. Don't do much arithmetic work. The best educators of the country to-day advise that no arithmetic be taught until the fourth year.
In the second year, teach the pupil the relation between the symbol and the object. In doing this teach the relation of the object or objects to numbers as expressed by symbols. Use different objects in teaching numbers and the use of figures. Teach old-fashioned counting to one hundred. Teach the child to add simple problems. These directions are to be carried out during the entire year, and it is not expected that the teacher can do this work in less time. For third year work see Course of Study, page 61.
I have this suggestion for your institute work:
On institute days meet in sections for one hour.
Primary teachers meet to talk over the work for the primary grades. Principals and high school teachers meet and talk over your work. Teachers of one-room buildings meet with primary section. Take one hour for this discussion. Appoint your chairman and make a regular organization. I feel that you ought to do this every month and I am quite sure you will be greatly benefited by it. In the words of William Hawley Smith, "put the grease right where the squeak is."
Yours respectfully.
HOMER L. COOK.
I wish to recommend "The Story of Our English Grandfathers" as supplementary work for "The Ten Boys" and the "U. S. History." You can examine it at the office. I would be pleased to have the teachers examine it.
VISITATION REPORT.
This blank is prepared for the teacher's use who visits some school. Please fill these blanks carefully and honestly, and send the same to me. Take notes with pencil while visiting and make report later on this blank with pen. These reports will be examined by the county superintendent. HOMER L. Cook, Superintendent of County Schools.
1. Condition of yard, including walks, fences, pump, grass, out-buildings, trees and plants.
2. Condition of schoolhouse, appearance from outside, decorations. windows, blinds, blackboard, heating and ventilation.
.
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
3. Is the school provided with a clock, toilet articles, dictionary, cyclo- paedia, reading circle books of this year; any library whatever? Is the teacher making an effort through the trustee or otherwise to get these things?
4. Appearance of teacher and pupils.
5. Preparation of teacher for the day's work
6. Preparation of pupil.
7. Recitation .- Discuss the teacher's method, mentioning his strong and weak points as you see them. Discuss the results of the recita- tion
S. Discuss some particular lesson given. In this discussion give the subjeet-matter treated and the purposes accomplished. Point out definitely some of the strongest points in the recitation and also mention definitely some points that are not so good.
DISCIPLINE.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Write a summary including any special points not mentioned above of not fewer than six lines.
e. REPORTS.
The township trustees of the townships and the school boards of the towns and cities report annually to the county superintendents the school enumeration, which includes all persons between the ages of six and twenty-one years. They also make reports showing the financial condition of the schools and statistics regarding the teachers, libraries, value of school property, etc. From these reports the county superintendent makes a summarized report annually to the state superintendent of public instruction.
f. TOWNSHIP INSTITUTES.
Each township in every county holds a monthly meeting of its teachers-this meeting is known as the township institute. School- room problems and the teachers' reading circle work are discussed. Whenever possible the county superintendent attends these meet- ings, of which he is chairman ex officio. More than seven thou- sand of these meetings are held every year in the state, and it would be impossible to estimate the good results that come from them.
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
Here the teachers discuss their problems freely and thoroughly and through these frank expressions all are benefited.
g. COUNTY INSTITUTE.
The teachers of every county are called together annually by the county superintendents for a week's session known as the county teachers' institute. The work in these meetings is inspirational, professional, and academic and serves as a stimulus to higher life and better teaching. The best educators obtainable are em- ployed as instructors. In former years the work of institutes was purely academic and served as a preparation for the examination which usually was held at the close of the institute. In a few counties the departmental plan has been successfully tried. Just at present a movement is on foot to improve the institute and the educators of the state are studying the problem.
h. GENERAL DUTIES.
The county superintendent decides all questions regarding the transfer of school children from one corporation to another. He decides whether or not school districts when once closed shall be re-opened. His decision in these matters is final, but on other questions an appeal from his decision may be made to the state superintendent of public instruction.
The official dockets, records, and books of account of the clerks of the courts, county auditor, county commissioners, justices of the peace, prosecuting attorneys, mayors of cities, and township and school trustees, shall be open at all times to the inspection of the county superintendent, and whenever he finds any irregularity, or any misapplication of school funds it is his duty to institute suit in the name of the state properly to adjust such matters.
B. THE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
1. IHISTORY.
When the county examiners met in convention at Indianapolis in 1866 at the call of State Superintendent Hoss there was a resolution adopted calling for the creation by law of a county
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
board of education. This is the first expression of the need which was felt for some unity in the county organization. There was neither unity nor uniformity and it was felt that forces that were working at random ought to be working in harmony. Nothing came of this resolution directly, but in 1873 when the county superintendency was created, the law also authorized a county board of education. It is an ex officio organization and is com- posed of the township trustees, and the chairman of the school trustees of each town and city of the county, and the county superintendent.
2. DUTIES.
While the duties of this board are in the main general, the work it does is of larger importance than it seems to be. It really is responsible for the school spirit in the county, for the appearance of school property, and for the advancement made in education. When organized the law said that this board should meet semi- annually on the first days of May and September to consider the general wants and needs of the schools and school property of which they have charge, and all matters relating to the purchase of school furniture, books, maps, charts. The school-book law re- lieved it of its duty to adopt the text-books in the grades. It formerly also regulated the course of study which is now made by the state department and adopted and carried out by this board. It may adopt rules and regulations for the government of the · district schools. Another of its duties is to appoint on the first Monday in May of each year one truant officer in the county.
III. TOWNSHIP SUPERVISION.
A. TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE.
1. HISTORY.
The township, which is the real unit of the educational system of Indiana, had its origin in an act of congress in May, 1785, and has figured as an important factor ever since. In 1816, the state legislature provided that "upon petition of twenty householders in any township, there might be ordered an election, at which three trustees should be chosen to manage the schools of the township." Until 1852 the affairs of the township were not very well defined. Indeed two political divisions, the congressional and eivil town- ship, were maintained. With the new constitution a change was made; the congressional township was abolished and the civil township became the school unit and took on larger importance and uniformity in the affairs of the state at the same time. The three trustees were maintained, however, making the school ma- chinery very complex. The law of 1859 reduced the number of township trustees to one, making a great stride toward that sim- plicity that characterizes the school machinery today. Some of the claims made and allowed by educators for the township unit as it is in Indiana may be enumerated: (1) It reduces the school machinery to the minimum. (2) It makes one man responsible for the schools. (3) It makes uniform facilities in the township. (4) It stimulates a healthy educational tone in neighboring townships. (5) It makes adjustment of districts and transfers possible and easy. (6) It makes centralization of schools practi- cal.
2. ADMINISTRATION.
a. ELECTION, TENURE, QUALIFICATION.
The township trustee is elected by the people for a term of four years and can not be re-elected to succeed himself. The only
(74)
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qualification is that he shall be a citizen of the township. The office has come to be regarded of so much importance that the people generally choose good, honest, intelligent men as incum- bents.
b. GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DUTIES.
The township trustee has charge of the educational affairs of his township. He locates conveniently a sufficient number of sehools for the edueation of the children therein, and builds or otherwise provides suitable houses, furniture, apparatus and other articles and educational appliances necessary for the thorough organization and efficient management of the schools.
c. GRADED HIGH SCHOOLS.
When a township has twenty-five common sehool graduates a township graded high school may be established and maintained in the center of the township, to which all pupils who are sufficiently advanced must be admitted. The trustee may, with the assistance of a trustee of another township, establish and maintain a joint graded high school in lieu of a separate graded high school. The trustees of the two townships have joint control over such schools. If the township does not maintain a high school the common school graduates are entitled to transfers at public expense to a high school in another corporation.
d. CENTRALIZATION OF RURAL SCHOOLS.
Under the law, above mentioned, the township trustees have been doing much toward centralizing their schools ; large buildings are erected near the center of the township, to which pupils living at a distance are transported in wagons at public expense. This move is growing more popular every year as its advantages become known. The advantages of centralizing schools may be enumer- ated as follows: (1) When teachers have but one or two grades, pupils are better classified and the work is better organized. (2) Pupils are given the advantages of high school facilities which they otherwise could not have. (3) It is an established fact that a graded school ean be conducted with less expenditure than a number of separate schools. In making this assertion the expense of transportation is considered. (+) It is less expensive to the
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
parent to have children transported-the saving is in the eare of the books and clothing, and especially that of boots and shoes. (5) The children are carefully guarded on the road to and from school. (6) The ideal place for a boy is a home on the farm with high school privileges at hand.
e. REPORT TO ADVISORY BOARD.
The township trustee makes reports to the advisory board annually, on the first Tuesday of September, for the school year ending the thirty-first day of July, and as much oftener as the board may require a report thereof, in writing. These reports must clearly state the following items: (1) The amount of special school revenue and of school revenue for tuition on hand at the commencement of the year then ending. (2) The amount of each kind of revenue received within the year, giving the amount of tuition revenue received at each semiannual apportion- ment thereof. (3) The amount of each kind of revenue paid out and expended within the year. (4) The amount of each kind of revenue on hand at the date of said report, to be carried to the new account.
f. REPORT TO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
On the first Monday in Angust the trustee makes an annual report to the county superintendent, giving statistical information obtained from teachers of the schools of his township and embodies in tabulated form the following additional items: The number of distriets ; schools taught and their grades ; teachers, males and females ; average compensation of each grade; and a detailed report concerning the financial condition of the township funds and revenues for schools.
9. REPORT OF ENUMERATION TO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
The trustees of the 'several townships, towns and cities shall take or cause to be taken, between the tenth day of April and the thirtieth day of the same month, each year, an enumeration of all unmarried persons between the ages of six and twenty-one years, resident within the respective townships, towns and cities. The enumeration must be summarized, sworn to and then submitted to the county superintendent.
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EDUCATION IN INDIANA.
h. . TRANSFER OF PUPILS.
If any child resident in one school corporation of the state may be better accommodated in the schools of another school corpora- tion the parent, guardian or custodian of such child may at any time ask of the school trustee in whose township the child resides, an order of transfer, which, if granted, shall entitle such child to attend the schools of the corporation to which such transfer is made.
i. POOR CHILDREN PROVIDED FOR.
It is the duty of each township trustee and each city school board to furnish the necessary school books, so far as they have been or may be adopted by the state, to all such poor and indigent children as may desire to attend the common schools.
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