bus C, I, (a)). Earlier than the sixteenth month, however, no instance of attention to color has been recorded that could certainly be distinguished from mere attention to brightness. The Baldwin experiment, as modified in our Syllabus (B, II) affords a means of carrying back decisive evidence as far as the second halfyear of life. But in order to be of value, the observations must be quite numerous, running into the hundreds for each child. They are not difficult to make, however, and are very important,— more so than those of Syllabus C, I, since the latter deal with a period somewhat better known already. Nevertheless, our knowledge of color vision in the second year rests on a single series of observations only which may prove not to be of a typical case, and is greatly in need of corroboration or correction.

The results of this color investigation also will be published; and it has been suggested that in case they confirm strongly the opinion that black and white outline, not color, is suited for the earliest picture books, our Association should make the effort to secure the publication of a book or series of books, illustrated with vigorous outline sketches of animals and figures, taken from designs of good artists, and should try to give circulation to such books. They would, of course, be intended for the earliest nursery use, not for kindergartens; at three years old, there is no doubt. of the presence of well-developed color vision, and some color interest.

4. SPEECH. SYLLABUS B, III; C, II.

It would seem almost unnecessary to point out the immense value to psychology, anthropology, and pedagogy, of all knowledge connected with the beginnings of speech. Still, in these days, when we are so much urged to teach by "things, not words," (a protest against letting the tremendous power of the spoken word sweep us away utterly,) we are in danger of forgetting all that language means to humanity. The process by which the mind has come to create this flexible and perfect system of vocal symbolism, corresponding to and externalizing all the transactions of thought, is doubtless the most wonderful one of all human achievements, and has been the subject of a great deal of study as a chapter in psychology. It was the discovery of the speech-center in the brain, more than any other thing, that brought brain-physiology and psy

chology into alliance, and it is from undeveloped or deteriorated speech conditions that the study of mental disease can draw its firmest conclusions. It was undoubtedly in the development of speech that our race passed over from brute to human status, and in the study of what speech really is, and what conditions of mind produce it and are produced by it, that the whole key to the comparative psychology of men and animals lies (see Lloyd Morgan, Romanes, and Wundt). Nor is there any other place where the imperfect beginnings of speech, the transition stage in mental condition, can be studied, save in the human child; the rudiments of speech that do undoubtedly exist in the lower animals have stopped hopelessly and finally at a low stage of development beyond which a human baby passes swiftly and surely. It is true that the beginnings of speech in a baby are greatly influenced by imitation of adult speech, and depart far from the primitive beginnings; yet they retain traces of these that are quite distinguishable, with care and caution. In the following particulars, we should be able to draw conclusions quite safely from a record of the early vocabulary and idiom of a baby:

(1) We should be able to trace somewhat the process by which a vocal sound comes to stand for an idea,— a process which is no doubt greatly hastened by imitation, but cannot be created by it.

(2) We should learn which ideas first come to be associated with the spoken symbol, and are therefore the simplest and most ele mentary psychologically; for where the child has heard thousands of spoken words about him all his life, it may be considered certain that it is the constitution of his own mind, not the effect of circumstances, that decides which first come to be grasped and used by him, or at least, which class, adverbial, substantive, or verbal, ideas, specific or general ones, words of inner feeling or of outer sense perception,- and in what order these different types of expression become possible to him.

(3) We should get many hints on philological questions, especially those connected with the origin and early development of language, for instance, the ancient question whether imitative sounds or instinctive ejaculations form the basis of language,— whether there is any primitive type of idiom, underlying variations of language, and cropping out in baby-talk, in defiance of

teaching and example,- how phonetic variations come about,and so forth.

(4) We should get a great insight into the mental condition of the child himself, at each stage of the development of his speechpower what degree of abstraction is he capable of now, and again a month later, and a half-year later; what stage of memory and power of association has he reached; what are the ideas that have impressed his attention most, and made up the content of his thought? Such questions his vocabulary answers for us as nothing else can. On this better knowledge of the content and powers of his mind we can base a better comprehension of the pedagogy adapted to this early period.

In all these directions we need a great many comparative data, drawn from many children. For with speech, there begins to be much individual variation in the course of development; the wealth of ideas in the little mind, and the flexibility and complexity of combinations possible among them increase with a rush, and it takes much comparing and sifting to find which are the essential traits of the development occurring in all children. The way to make the observations has been well marked out, and a good beginning of material is already in hand, for the beginnings of speech are too interesting and important to have escaped observation. It is only necessary to go on gathering, examining, and comparing, in order to get many important generalizations. Many lists of words used. in the second year have been made, no other phase of development has been so well recorded. Unfortunately, however, it seems probable now that the most of these lists have been imperfect, the very first attempts at words have not been caught, or the number of words used at a given age has been underrated, or a word has been missed at its first appearance, and dated out of its proper order. There is no doubt that to keep a perfect list of all words used up to two years old, with date of appearance, pronunciations, peculiarities of use, is very laborious, and requires incessant vigilance, and the help of more than one person; but if this is too great a task, a list of the first 50, or 100, or 200 words could be obtained without great difficulty, and will be very useful; the first hundred words are more important for our purpose than the second thousand. The observation is a fascinating one to every mother; the vital importance of

the development is instinctively perceived in the most unlettered household, since it is when he becomes an articulate human being that the baby enters fully into social relations with those about him, and everybody lingers bewitched over his essays at speech, and appreciates the novel resources of language that he stumbles on.

All material received by our committee can be readily used, perhaps in several different quarters. Mrs. Mary Corser Gale, of our Association, has already in hand a research on the development of speech in the second year. Romanes' book on Mental Evolution in Man shows the anthropological use that can be made of all such data.

THE PROBLEM OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

[The sub-committee for Massachusetts on Conference with the Federated Clubs, in its desire to accomplish the utmost possible for the improvement of the elementary schools of the state, asked the counsel of nine educational experts, who have presented the following report.]

REPORT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

To the Joint Committee of the Collegiate Alumnæ and the Federation of Women's Clubs of Massachusetts:

Your Committee appointed to suggest ways and means by which the various women's organizations represented by your Joint Committee may effectively aid in improving the public elementary schools, begs leave to offer the following remarks and suggestions:

The problems of the public schools may be broadly distinguished as those which relate to organization and administration, and those which pertain to the strictly educational phases of their work. Although the two are intimately connected, the solution of the former is more particularly the work of public-spirited citizens, while that of the latter must be left largely to educational experts. Moreover, educational thought has made so rapid progress in the last few decades that in most communities the problems pressing for solution are of an administrative rather than of a purely educational character. It is found very frequently that well-established educational principles cannot be carried into practical effect because of administrative or financial difficulties, or because of an unenlightened public sentiment or a lack of public spirit. It is the belief of your Committee that in the solution of these practical difficulties and in the removal of these obstacles to progress, the various women's organizations of the state can be of the highest service.

PART I. PROBLEMS OF ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

1. The problem of securing superior men and women to serve on school boards. The school boards of our larger cities have as