pedagogical training. Such State examination would have the effect of elevating the scholarship also of such teachers. The successful passing of such an examination might be made a just ground for paying a teacher more salary than is paid to others doing the same kind of work, but who could not pass this examination.

The most perplexing question in the administration of a school system and the greatest obstacle to the reform and improvement of schools is the financial question already referred to. Many desirable reforms could easily be made in schools if it were not for the expense. It would be well, for example, if, instead of giving each teacher fifty pupils or more, we could limit the number to thirty, but the increase in the annual expenditures for teachers' salaries which such a policy would make necessary, and the further increase in the matter of erecting additional school-houses, is at present an insurmountable obstacle in the way of this reform. In a city, even of 600,000 population, such a change in school administration would probably increase the current expenditures by not less than half a million dollars, and would involve immediately the erection of new school-houses at a cost of over two million dollars. The fact that our public schools are entirely free makes the financial problem the more difficult. If we could charge a tuition fee, for example, in our high schools of about thirty dollars a year, as is done in most foreign countries, we should be able to improve the quality of the teaching to a marked degree without increasing our public expenditures. I think it is largely due to this fact that foreign higher schools are better than ours. Such a policy could not be inaugurated now, even if it were on the whole desirable, and we must solve the problem of improving our higher schools by developing a public sentiment which will be willing to bear heavier taxes for the sake of better schools.

4

REPORT OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE ALUMNE.

GENERAL REPORT.

The first session of the Twentieth Annual Meeting of the Association of Collegiate Alumnæ opened at half-past two o'clock, October twenty-fourth, in one of the rooms of the Twentieth Century Club, Buffalo. A brief address of welcome was made by Mrs. Hill, the Vice-President of the Western New York Branch. The Secretary-Treasurer's report was then read and approved; and it was voted that its financial portion be referred to an Auditing Committee to be appointed by the Chair.

The Report of the Membership Committee was then read by Mrs. Pearmain, and approved by the Society. It was voted that cordial thanks be tendered the Committee for their efficient and indefatigable work. The Report of the Committee on Finance and Publication was given by President M. Carey Thomas and approved. The Report of the Committee on Fellowships was read by Mrs. Hall of the Chicago Branch and approved.

The Report of the Internal Committee of the Council to Accredit was read by the Secretary-Treasurer, and was immediately followed by the Report of the Special Committee (Miss Puffer, Chairman), read by Mrs. Elizabeth L. Clarke. A discussion followed the reading of these two reports. It was stated on the one hand that a feeling prevails abroad to the effect that our Association limits the liberty of women studying in Europe; on the other hand, that our present methods should be continued in order to guard the privileges thereby gained for some, if not for all. Attention was called to the necessity for more general discussion before voting upon the recommendations of the Special Committee,* which were, (1) to revise the form of the German circular letter, giving distinct information regarding the purpose of the Committee; (2) to advertise our existence among American Colleges; and (3) to ask graduates going abroad to aid the cause by obtaining certificates. Miss Talbot, therefore, moved that the work of the Council to Accredit be made a topic of special consideration at the next annual meeting, and that meantime the matter be held in abeyance. Both reports were then accepted.

The Report of the Committee on Corporate Membership was then read by Prof. Emma M. Perkins. The Chair explained that the requirer ents of By-Law V. were, accidentally, not complied with this year, and that, therefore, a suspension of rules would be necessary in order to admit the University of Illinois, which was unanimously recommended by the Committee. After some discussion, it was moved to suspend the rules. The query was raised whether the By-Laws of an incorporated body may lawfully be suspended. By the objections raised, the motion to suspend was lost. President Thomas then moved that it shall not be considered legal for the Association of Collegiate Alumnæ to suspend a By-Law unless notice of such change has been

*See Report, p. 70.

given with the call for the meeting. The motion was carried. It was then voted that the report of the Corporate Membership Committee be accepted, and that courteous explanation concerning postponed action be given both to the Committee, and, through them, to the authorities of the University of Illinois.

Mrs. Hall, of the Chicago Branch, gave notice of an amendment establishing Miss Thomas' motion (i. e., that it shall not be Legal, etc.")

66

No report was presented by the Committee on Collegiate Administration. The Report of the Committee on Educational Legislation was read by Mrs. Trelease, and accepted. The Report of the Committee on the Study of Development of Children was read by Miss Sutliffe, and accepted. Two reports of the Sub-Committee on Conference with the Federated Clubs - those for Illinois and Massachusetts were read respectively by Miss Talbot and the Secretary-Treasurer, and accepted.

It was stated that the Publication Committee had decided to have certain addresses, mentioned in the Report of the Sub-Committee for Massachusetts, sent out as enclosures in the next Magazine number.

The Report of the Special Committee on the Buffalo Exhibit was read by Mrs. Howe, and accepted.

After certain announcements for the evening had been read, the meeting adjourned, on motion.

On Thursday evening, October twenty-fourth, the Association met at the Twentieth Century Club.

After a brief address by the President, Professor Leach, Professor H. Morse Stephens, of Cornell University, gave an address upon "The Educational Crusade in the Philippines," and Dean Laura D. Gill, of Barnard College, read a paper upon “The Northern Trip of the Cuban Teachers," which is printed elsewhere in this issue. In a brilliant discussion of analogies between the problems of America in the Philippines and of Great Britain in her Indian Empire, Professor Stephens asserted that education is, in effect, the religion of America. As in England, the central point of every village is its little church, of the city its cathedral, so in the United States the center of the village is its schoolhouse, of the town its high school, and of the city its college or university. It is the one thing upon which all America, differing so widely in religion, and even morality, agrees. Therefore, it was as inevitable that the invasion of the soldier into the Philippines should be followed by an invasion of "schoolma'ams," as that the Spanish military conquest of the islands should have been followed by an incursion of monks with the cross. With a faith as sublime as that of the Crusaders, America has calculated, to the last text-book and the last dozen pens, the cost of making educated Americans out of the Filipinos. It is a magnificent audacity, but comical to the point of pathos. Had she not been so sure of her all-conquering education, America might have profited by the experience of England with Asiatic India. Great Britain has been for seventy years trying to make Christian Englishmen out of Hindoos. As far back as 1830 war was waged between the Orientalists led by Warren Hastings, who favored the subsidizing of existing native institutions, and the preservation of native languages, and the Anglicists, under Macaulay, who demanded English schools or nothing. Macaulay, with his extraordinary powers of invective, won the day. But

=

ened far a

o elsewhere

not have been

se an increase

asen the salaries of Fork. Where salaries In the poorest teachis citen impossible the atter. Each teacher gment of those who

er cuid, therefore, be dealt The consequence of such a

fers to rop out and good ones Castle to ruse all the salaries in the nev vill command, in large Nety in the country would be summu Jurken of such a policy. If there supertor college-bred women disorce of the elementary schools in geeaven that would affect the whole be practically carried out wherevnciescme educational and political

ure, raise the standard of teaching in the is scruting rigid State examinations, which roval on superior teachers that would be teligent school committees. Such examinatre made compulsory, because many communities pay for the services of teachers who can pass them. ver superior teacher ought to have the opportunity to win se me personal endorsement which the passing of such examination would bring. The teachers of our elementary s are weakest on the side of scholarship. The normal schools e one their work admirably in recent years in giving them

pedagogical training. Such State examination would have the effect of elevating the scholarship also of such teachers. The successful passing of such an examination might be made a just ground for paying a teacher more salary than is paid to others doing the same kind of work, but who could not pass this examination.

The most perplexing question in the administration of a school system and the greatest obstacle to the reform and improvement of schools is the financial question already referred to. Many desirable reforms could easily be made in schools if it were not for the expense. It would be well, for example, if, instead of giving each teacher fifty pupils or more, we could limit the number to thirty, but the increase in the annual expenditures for teachers' salaries which such a policy would make necessary, and the further increase in the matter of erecting additional school-houses, is at present an insurmountable obstacle in the way of this reform. In a city, even of 600,000 population, such a change in school administration would probably increase the current expenditures by not less than half a million dollars, and would involve immediately the erection of new school-houses at a cost of over two million dollars. The fact that our public schools are entirely free makes the financial problem the more difficult. If we could charge a tuition fee, for example, in our high schools of about thirty dollars a year, as is done in most foreign countries, we should be able to improve the quality of the teaching to a marked degree without increasing our public expenditures. I think it is largely due to this fact that foreign higher schools are better than ours. Such a policy could not be inaugurated now, even if it were on the whole desirable, and we must solve the problem of improving our higher schools by developing a public sentiment which will be willing to bear heavier taxes for the sake of better schools.