itant" to occupy the house, as provided in section 435, the meeting was itself unlawful. But such meetings had been held there, from time to time, the board acquiescing therein, and sometimes attending them, and some of them were present, when the distubance was made. Was the reason for the discharge sufficient? A. The meeting was a lawful meeting, and entitled to the full protection of the law. The board, by their acquiescence in the use of the house, had made themselves liable for any injury to the property. Those who disturbed the meeting, were liable, under section 4597, and their discharge, for the reason assigned, was unwarrantable. CORRESPONDENCE. MESSRS. WHITFORD & PRADT: - Noticing a request in the JOURNAL for April, for some plan to ascertain the per cent. of pupils attending school, I expected to find communications in the May number relating to the subject. Being disappointed, however, and finding the request repeated, I venture to make the following suggestions, which, if not adopted, I hope will call forth criticisms and suggestions from others. I agree with others that a uniform method for obtaining the same is very desirable, and if a plan be agreed upon before making the annual report, I will abide by it whatever it may be. In finding the rate per cent. of attendance for the whole year, it is evident that the total number enrolled can not be taken as the base, and the average daily attendance as the per centage. Many pupils are enrolled but for a short time, and when withdrawn can no longer be considered as pupils so far as to effect the per centage of attendance, and many are enrolled but a short time before the close of the term, or year; can we consider them as pupils before they are en rolled? The question to be answered is this: What per cent. of the number enrolled attend during the time of enrollment? To find this for the year it is convenient to find the per centages for each month or term, where monthly or termly reports are required of the teachers, and then find the average for the year; but it may also be found for the year provided it be taken from the teachers' register. I would suggest the following plan: I. Find the average daily attendance. II. Find the average daily absence. III. Average daily attendance, plus average daily absence equals average enrollment. IV. Average daily attendance multiplied by 100, divided by average enrollment, equals per centage of attendance. NOTE. In finding the average daily absence, pupils are not to be counted before they are enrolled nor after they were withdrawn. Watertown. C. F. NINMAN. EDUCATIONAL NEWS. We invite the attention of our readers to the following report on the Kindergarden in this country, by the French Commissioners of Education, who visited the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876: Infant schools, or salles d'asile, which in France precede the primary school, form no part of the public school system of the United States. The few infant schools which exist are private establishments, or else free institutions, without legal recognition. Nevertheless, since 1871, Kindergardens on the Froebel plan have been attached to some of the public schools of Boston and St. Louis, and these establishments are every year gaining ground in a quite marked manner in all the States. The obstacles still encountered by the kindergarden arise partly from American domestic manners, and partly from the prejudice which this German importation arouses in the minds of certain superintendents. 66 Woman in America is much less employed than she is in France, Belgium, and England, in industrial employments that take her from her household. Home, Sweet Home" is for the Anglo-Saxon a species of worship (culte), and in this sphere the wife is to maintain order, peace, and happiness, by attending to her husband and children. It is not to be thought of that she should go to a place of employment in the morning and stay there till evening. The hearth inust not be cold, nor the house forsaken. And this is the motive that withdraws married women from from public-school teaching. For what would become of her "home," and who would take care of her husband and children, when she was at school — generally considerably removed from her abode? The Hon. Mr. Wickersham, Superintendent of Pennsylvania, expressed to us his astonishment when he read in the report of M. Greard for 1874-5, that the city of Paris included in its public educational establishment about 25,000 children from two to six years of age. He observed to us that in America the mother was the first instructor of her children, and that generally she taught them to read before sending them to public school. In the kindergarden exhibits at Philadelphia, we noticed every where the application of Froebel's ideas: to interest children while amusing them, to incite and direct their attention, to accustom them to represent or put together objects of their own devising. But with Americans the practical spirit is too strong for them readily to accept what does not offer an immediate result. One of the objections they urge against the kindergarden is that it does not teach reading, writing and arithme. tic (the three R's). Indeed, these institutions are not likely to meet full acceptance in the United States until it shall be shown that the general training they give to very young children will induce rapid school-progress, until it shall be shown that children bring from the kindergarden a certain stock of practical notions. Besides there is the question of expense, and how, as Mr. Harris asks, can $16 be gotten for the education of a child of from 3 to 7 year of age, when this costs only $10 or $12 for a pupil of from 7 to 10 years of age? * Accordingly, we see that if the kindergarden as an institution of public edu cation has made its way at but a few points in the United States, it is an object of an active advocacy and has the sympathy of eminent educators. The appli. cation it has already received tends to free the Froebel system of any too exclusive form, and to adapt it to the wants and genius of the country. This same result we should seek to attain in France, with the view of infusing life into our salles d'asile, and awakening the faculties of the child, instead of putting them to sleep by merely mechanical modes of procedure. * * * THE annual examinations of the State University begin Tuesday, June 10th, and close the following Monday. They promise to be unusually interesting, and give evidence that the Institution has enjoyed a most prosperous year. The following is the programme of the exercises of the commencement week, which will be held, unless otherwise indicated, in the Assembly Chamber of the State Capitol: BACCALAUREATE SERMON. By Pres. Bascom, Sunday, June 15th, at 3: P. M. CLASS DAY EXERCISES. Monday, June 16th, at 10 A. M., on University Campus. ADDRESS BEFORE THE LAW CLASS. - Monday June 16th, at 8 P. M., by Hon. Moses M. Stong. ALUMNI ORATION AND POEM. - Oration by Arthur Chetlain, Esq., 1870. Poem by Mrs. Clara J. Porter, 1865. Tuesday, June 17th, at 8 P. M. COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES. PRESIDENT'S RECEPTION. Wednesday, June 18th, at 9 A. M. PROF. W. H. RICHARDSON, principal of the public schools in the Twelfth District, Milwaukee, has the charge of the Primary Section in the Exhibitory Department, during the annual session of the State Teachers' Association, at La Crosse. In a circular he describes the kind of work desired, as follows: CLASS A. Work of the first six months, copied by the teachers, designed to show the kind of work done by children before they can write or draw. CLASS B.- Pupils' work after they have learned to write and draw, designed to show the skill of hand and eye as developed by Kindergarten methods during the first year of school. Class A will include as far as possible copies of the following: 1. (a), Forms of Beauty; (b), Forms of Life; (c), Forms of knowledge, laid by pupils with blocks, tablets and sticks. 2. Colored designs mounted. 3. Diagrams showing how number, direction, etc., are taught with the above material. Class B differs from the above in that all work is to be performed by the pupils themselves. It is also more comprehensive and includes: 1. Forms drawn from using blocks, tablets and sticks as patterns. 2. Original forms designed and mounted by pupils. 3. Colored désigns formed from folding, cutting and mounting colored paper. 4. Free hand drawing, both copy and design. 5. Language. Written spelling of words learned in connection with talks and plays. 6. Examples showing a knowledge of the various numbers less than ten. IN a certain county in this State, the spring examinations for certficates brought out the following answers from some of the applicants: U. S. History "Gen. Hull was cashiered for surrendering Detroit," "Schuy ler Colfax is ex-Governor of Wisconsin." Another states that he was a general in the Confederate Army. We learn from a large number that Benj. Franklin invented electricity; also that he was President of the United States, and did a great deal of good for the public by being in many battles. The Geneva Award impeached Andrew Johnson." "Principal cause of the War of 1812 was the slavery question." Result-"The battle was won." ་་ Geography-We are told that the capital of Michigan is Little Rock; of Pennsylvania, Petersburg; also, that Wisconsin is twice as large as Australia. "The best route from Fond du Lac to Sydney is through the Arctic Ocean and Behring's Strait. One would suppose that teachers ought at least to have some knowledge of their own State, but what is our astonishment on learning that Devil's Lake is in Sioux county; Wausau in Wausau county; Sparta in Sparta county; Green Bay in Green Bay county; New London in Green county; Portage City in Portage county. For the five most important lumbering towns in Wisconsin, Mosinee, Jenny, Kenosha, and Racine are mentioned. STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. The Twenty-Seventh Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Teachers' Association will be held at La Crosse, Opening Tuesday Evening, July 8, 1879. PROGRAMME. TUESDAY EVENING. LECTURE: Ideal Aims-Rev. G. P. Nichols, D. D., Milwaukee. WEDNESDAY MORNING. 9:00 o'clock - Opening Exercises. Address of Welcome-Joseph W. Losey, Esq., La Crosse. President's Address - Business. Paper - An Educational Problem - Supt. C. W. Roby, La Paper The Teacher's Duty to Himself - Miss Emily M. B. WEDNESDAY EVENING. LECTURE: Relation of the Higher to the Lower Education - Rev. James J. Blaisdell, D. D., Beloit, SOCIAL BANQUET: Gastronomical and Intellectual. Paper-Compulsory Education - Supt. O. B. Wyman, Viroqua. The Education of the Blind Mrs. Sarah C. Little, Janesville. Grammar Profitably Taught - Prof. G. F. Schilling, Delavan. Paper The New Education - Henry Sabin, Clinton, Iowa. THURSDAY AFTERNOON. Excursion by Steamboat to Winona, Minnesota. Return in the FRIDAY MORNING. 9:00 o'clock.- Opening Exercises. Paper - The Philosophy of History Rev. A. O. Wright, Fox In Memoriam - STEPHEN H. CARPENTER - Pres. W. D. Parker, In Memoriam - Hon. WILLIAM STARR- Supt. W. C. Whitford, Reports, election of officers, miscellaneous business. All papers presented will be open for discussion. 3- Vol. IX.-No. 6 It is expected that the lecture on Tuesday evening will be given at the Baptist Church. The lecture and banquet on Wednesday evening, at Germania Hall. The day sessions of the Association will be held at the High School building, and the collections of the Exhibitory Department of the Association will be exhibited at the High School building. Hotels at La Crosse will entertain teachers at reduced rates. The rate at the Robbins House and at the International Hotel will be $1.50 per day. Ladies desiring accomodations at private residences, will make application as early as practicable to Supt. C. W. Roby, La Crosse. Actual members of the Association who pay full fare going to La Crosse, will be entitled to return at one-fifth fare, as usual, during the week of the meetings, as follows: All Wisconsin railways to Wisconsin stations. River division of Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. to St. Paul. Winona & St. Peter R. R. to Mankato. Southern Minnesota R. R. to Mankato. Keokuk and Northern Line Packet Company's boats to Dubuque and to St. Paul. Diamond Joe Line of Steamers to Dubuque and St. Paul. By this arrangement we are enabled to extend a general invitation to Minnesota and Iowa teachers to attend this meeting of the Association, and to assure them of a hearty welcome. The musical societies of La Crosse will furnish music at the banquet on Wed. nesday evening. The music at the day sessions will be in charge of Prof. J. J. Cleveland. W. H. CHANDLER, President. A. A. MILLER, Secretary. JAS. MACALISTER, Ch'm Ex. Com. June 4, 1879. THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Conductors of the Teachers' Institutes will be held at La Crosse, in the school building of the Second District, July 7th and 8th next. PROGRAMME. Monday, July 7th, A. M. Organization. Institute work: (a) Objects - Hon. W. H. Chandler. (b) Reading: (a) Expression - Prof. J. Q. Emery. (b) 4. 11:10 o'clock. - Grammar: (a) Forms and Functions of Verbs - Prof. A. (b) Sentential Analysis - Prof. Henry D. |