solidated high schools, 668 were transported, whereas 262 whereas 262 were boarding pupils.

State Superintendent M. L. Brittain has prepared a new edition of his Blue Book of Character Stories, which is being sent to all county and city superintendents and high school principals in Georgia. Each virtue is illustrated by a well-chosen anecdote. Civic virtues. Civic virtues are especially emphasized.

Idaho The Idaho State Teachers' Association now numbers approximately four thousand members, which enables it to wield real power for improved legislation and school policy. Educational leaders in Idaho are working for the creation of the office of State high school inspector, the creation of the office of health inspector or supervisor, increasing the salaries of county superintendents, the securing of a State-wide tax of at least $20 per pupil, raising the standards of the teaching profession, the county unit, and simplification of the certification laws.

The following are county superintendents, who took up their duties in January: Elmore county, Mrs. Pearl S. Barber; Clearwater county, Evelyn S. Merwin; Gem county, Mrs. Ella Reed; Idaho county, Leonard Case; Washington county, M. Gladys Houston; Boise county, Mrs. Halley Skinner; Butte county, Mrs. Louise Pratt; Bear Lake county, Letha Dunford; Bonneville county, Jesse H. Neilson.

The Idaho State Department of Education has established at Lewiston State Normal School a bureau of educational tests and measurements to serve as a central agency and clearing house in this field for the entire State. C. L. C. L. Harlan, director of the bureau, has taught in the Universities of Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.

Twenty-three cities and towns of the State have been visited by the director or his assistant who have aided the local school authorities in making use of standard tests. Over thirty-five thousand tests have been given in reading, arithmetic, language and grammar, and in general intelligence. The results have been tabulated and put into such form as to make them available to every superintendent and teacher in the twenty-three school systems. In each place visited the superintendent and teachers were given complete instructions for conducting the tests and the children were actually tested by way of demonstration.

Illinois-The Illinois State Teachers' Association is urging the General Assembly to increase the State distributive fund from six to twenty millions and to enact laws which will strengthen the school system of the State.

Indiana-A special session of the legislature in 1920 passed a new minimum salary law, which makes $800 the minimum annual salary for new teachers in any school no matter how short the term or insignificant the school itself. Minimum daily wages are further determined by multiplying the general average on the teacher's license by a fixed number of cents, which number is increased as successful experience in

creases.

Indiana started a campaign for better schools in November, 1920. It is It is expected that much improved school legislation will result. The Indiana State Teachers' Association is working for the passage of a bill proposing larger State appropriation for local support of schools, and the distribution thereof on a new basis.

Iowa-During the fiscal year, July 1, 1919, to June 30, 1920, the State board of education examiners in Iowa issued 18,377 teachers' certificates of which 2304 were State certificates of some kind, 2460 high school training certificates, 10,405 uniform county certificates and 3208 provisional certifi

cates.

Kansas-The Kansas State Teachers' Association is advocating a reorganization of the State department of education in order to give greater latitude in the selection of heads of the department and in the payment of salaries. The Association is also urging the equalization of school taxes, the standardization of teachers' certificates, a compulsory teachers' pension law, the strength ening of the present compulsory attendance law, increased salaries for county superintendents, and the requiring of private and parochial schools to give the same certification and supervision now required in public schools.

some other than a per capita basis. State Superintendent George Colvin writes that the 1920 legislature enacted thirty-two school laws of which the following are the most important: a law to create a non-partisan county school board of five members elected from the county at large, with authority to establish districts, appoint county superintendents and teachers, fixing minimum school rate at twenty-five cents and minimum salary for county superintendent at twelve hundred dollars; a law fixing seventy-five dollars per month as the minimum salary for public-school teachers; a law providing for an educational survey by non-resident experts; a law providing that all teachers' certificates secured upon examination should be issued from the State Department. Heretofore, each county board had certificated teachers on examination. The law requires high school education and normal training for all applicants before they are eligible for examination; a law providing for the appointment of an attendance officer in each county, and making attendance at school compulsory between the ages of seven and sixteen, inclusive; laws providing for physical education as a part of the school course in all schools.

Louisiana-The 1920 legislature passed laws relating to the sale and lease of school lands, the publication of the proceedings of school boards, the Institution for the Blind, compulsory attendance of mentally or morally deficient children in special classes or schools, support of State educational institutions, school tax, the prohibition of hazing, compensation of members of parish school boards, creation of school districts, certification of teachers.

Two most important laws relate to public libraries. One creates a State library agency in the form of a library commission and the other authorizes all municipal corporations to maintain public libraries and appropriate money for their operation.

The New Orleans Parish School Board adopted in November, 1920, a new salary schedule, which is based on a minimum salary of $120 per month for elementary teachers. Regular increases are provided for additional experience and for college credit or de

grees.

Maine-The new executive committee of the Maine Teachers' Association has authorized the president of the As

sociation, Superintendent R. J. Libby of Gorham, to collect for the Association data relative to teachers' salaries, cost of living, and the like, in Maine and other New England States, for the use of superintendents of schools and other school officials in recommending school appropriations for the next school year.

Maryland-The 1920 session of the Maryland legislature enacted a minimum salary law for teachers, increasing the legal minimum about forty per cent and appropriated funds to pay one-half the necessary increases, requiring counThe ties to provide the remainder. classification of high schools was reorganized. Small high schools may now receive aid, whereas in the past aid has been given only to four-year high schools. Plans are under way for a State-wide educational program to be presented to the public in the fall of 1921 and then to the legislature.

Massachusetts-President Merle S. Getchell has announced a strong program for the meeting of the High School Masters' Club of Massachusetts which is to be held at Harvard University, March 24, 1921.

The Department of Education is arranging for a conference of rural superintendents of schools at Amherst, April 14, 15 and 16; of Junior High School principals at Bridgewater, April 20, 21

People of City School District

City Board of Education

CITY SUPERINTENDENT

OF SCHOOLS

THIS

Sr. High

Educ.

Div.

and 22; of superintendents of schools at Framingham, May 4, 5 and 6.

The Lynn Teachers' Club is working for more money for school purposes. Lynn schools, through special legislation, are allowed $7.50 per thousand of valuation. An increase of $2 per thousand is being sought from the legislature.

Michigan-Governor Groesbeck in his message to the legislature, January 6,

Separate City School Organization

City Administrative Officers

Principals and Teachers

Pupils

People of County School Distriot

County Board of Education

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT

OF SCHOOLB

Assistant Superintendent

Bohool Janitors

Pupils

County Librarian

Branch Librarians

said: "In a democracy all should receive the benefit of the best education obtainable, and while we are proud of our higher institutions of learning, we must not forget that after all the common school is the college of the average man and woman. It is such schools, and particularly those in rural districts, which should receive the attention of the legislature at this time. There are meas-. ures in course of preparation which, it is hoped, will afford better advantages in such districts. Their purpose is to hasten the time when more boys and girls will be given the equivalent of a high school course, so as to better prepare them for their future careers."

An adequate salary for the State superintendent of Michigan is on the legislative program for this winter. It is expected the budget will provide a salary of $10,000 for this important. office.

The Detroit Educational Bulletin for December, 1920 contains an age-grade and nationality survey of the Detroit schools, which has been prepared by the Department of Special Education and the Bureau of Statistics and Reference.

Mississippi-Constructive legislation, passed by the 1920 legislature, has laid the foundation for better educational conditions in Mississippi. This legislation includes a compulsory school law requiring the attendance at school for four months of children between the ages of seven and fourteen, a salary law

which doubles the maximum salary of first grade teachers and authorizes boards of trustees to employ teachers for a term not exceeding three years and to pay them monthly twelve months in the year. Salaries of county superintendents were increased from a maximum of $1800 to a minimum of $2500 and a maximum of $3850, while the salary of the State superintendent was increased 80 per cent. Other important laws relate to physical education, consolidation, free high school privileges, the use of school buildings for public gatherings, school bonds, and industrial education.

amendments,

Nebraska-Several proposed by the constitutional convention, were approved by the people at a special election, September 21. The English language is made the official language of the State, and common branches are required to be taught in that language in all schools; school must be maintained in all districts for the minimum term provided by law; school lands may be sold at auction as legislature may provide; State University regents are to be elected by districts instead of at large; no public corporation is permitted to appropriate aid in any form to any school not exclusively owned and controlled by the State or its governmental subdivisions; the upper limit of reform school age is changed from sixteen to eighteen years; the nor

mal school board of seven members is made a constitutional body; the State superintendent is changed from a twoyear to a four-year office, with a salary change from $2000 to $5000 per year.

Sixty-five cities in Nebraska paid their school superintendents $2000 or more during the school year 1919. Two hundred forty Nebraska cities are paying their superintendents more than $2000 during the present school year, according to W. K. Fowler in the December Nebraska Teacher.

New Hampshire-During 1919-20, with an increased expenditure of only 20 per cent over 1916, the following achievements were accomplished: (1) A thirty-six-week year for all children, thus insuring 6500 rural schools at least four weeks more schooling than before; (2) 526 or nearly one-half the school buildings in use improved or remodeled; (3) health supervision extended so as to reach 98 per cent of the public school children; (4) for the first time all teachers in the public schools have been certified or licensed, thus excluding those who do not meet minimum standards of education and training; (5) attendance at evening schools increased from 1500 to 6000; (6) a practical and uniform. method of accounting in the administration of district finances.

New Jersey-The 1920 legislature New Jersey-The 1920 legislature passed improving amendments to several school laws. County superintendents' salaries were raised to $4000. Helping teachers' salaries were increased and provision was made for the management and direction of continuation schools.

The Board of Education in Newark, N. J. has inserted in the budget a special item of $600,000 to cover the proposed $200 salary increase for all teachers. The Board is planning to equalize the salaries of men and women teachers. especially in the high schools, by giving the women $200 in addition to the regular $200 increase for next year. If the Board's plans go through all teachers will receive increases of from three to four hundred dollars next fall.

New York-A total of 866,463 pupils are enrolled in Greater New York's public schools, according to the annual. report of President Prall of the Board of Education.

North Carolina-The compensation of the State superintendent of public instruction is increased to $5000 by a bill

passed on January 11. The office was created in 1852.

The bureau of extension of the University of North Carolina has organized a division of design and improvement of school grounds. The division, under the leadership of Dr. W. C. Coker, will issue a bulletin of designs, suggestions, and plans for beautifying school grounds.

Ohio-The program of the Ohio State Teachers' Association as outlined in the Ohio Teacher for January calls for a membership of 25,000 or more. The Association has affiliated with the National Education Association and is planning to send a large delegation to Des Moines in July.

In 1920 the Ohio Association helped to obtain the passage of the school revenue law and the teachers' retirement law. The school revenue act provides not only for adequate revenues but for a State-wide tax of 1.8 mills to be distributed according to enumeration of the counties and one mill additional to be collected by counties and distributed within the county according to salaries, cost of transportation, and aggregate attendance. From the former fund $1,000,000 is to be reserved for distribution among the economically weak districts. Now, the ordinary school district can realize about 8.8 mills. Under this law, the minimum teachers' salary is $800, and salary schedules allowing for training and experience have been adopted by the majority of school boards.

A committee has been appointed for each of the six district associations to work with the executive committee of the Ohio State Teachers' Association on reorganization. The officers of the State Association are coöperating with the State Department of Public Instruction in revising the compulsory educational laws and in encouraging the recruiting of teachers.

The Association is now actively working for teacher tenure. A tentative teacher-tenure bill is being revised, preparatory to being presented to the State legislature. A legal adviser, who will assist in securing new legislation, will probably be elected by the executive committee for the calendar year.

Oklahoma-The Oklahoma Educational Association, through its State legislative committee, has proposed legislation for a scientific school survey of Oklahoma; for appropriations for weak school districts; for an increase in the maximum local district levy from 15 to

25 mills; for liberal appropriations for higher educational institutions; for the county unit plan; for systematic physical education and examination of all pupils; for better provision for the election of teachers, school board members, and superintendents; and for the distribution of State school funds on per pupil-day-attendance basis.

Movies and kindred amusements are costing the school children of Ardmore, an oil town of 20,000 population, $132,797, which is $11,672 more than the entire cost of the schools of Ardmore, according to a study made by the psychological diagnostician of the Ardmore schools. The investigation showed that eight children went to the movies seven times in the week; six went six times; twenty went five times; forty-two went four times; 114 went three times; 231 went twice; and 818 went once.

Oregon-The Oregon State Teachers' Association adopted a single salary schedule on December 30, 1920. This schedule, for all teachers, allows minimum salaries of $1200 to normal school graduates, $1440 to those with bachelor's degrees; $1680 to those with master's degrees, and provides an annual increase of $120 for six, eight, and nine years, respectively. No discrimination is made between grade and high school teachers except as training and successful experience are emphasized.

Pennsylvania-Governor William C. Sproul in an address to the General Assembly, January 18, recommended improved educational facilities for the 1,750,000 children of Pennsylvania. He suggested (1) that the State Board of Education and the College and University Council be abolished and a State Council of Education, including all in

dependent boards and agencies relating cation.

to public education, be established; (2) that a law be passed requiring proper qualifications for all teachers at salaries commensurate with such qualifications; (3) that the State normal schools be included in a budget system which would insure adequate financial support; (4) that attendance laws be modified to grant educational opportunity to every child in the State; (5) that such increased State aid be given public eduIcation as the condition of the revenues would allow; (6) that a bureau for the elimination of adult illiteracy be established. Pennsylvania has 418,000 illiterate adults, according to the 1920 census report recently issued.

45

CHOOLS lay foundations for eduLibraries encourage education as a life-long enterprise. This chart, compiled by the Bureau of Education in 1918, shows the per cent of population having access to free public libraries in the various States and in the United States. It reveals an alarming shortage of library facilities, which is even more striking than this table indicates, for there are many libraries which, while they carry the name, have neither the facilities nor the trained personnel required to make library service genuinely effective. The county library is now the accepted solution of the problem except in New England, where the town is preferred.

maintaining the schools in 1920 than in 1919. The average expense per child in attendance was $13.77 in 1919 and $15.48 in 1920.

In November a campaign for better schools was started. Regional conferences were conducted in seven cities. It was decided to urge legislation pro viding that the minimum school term should be eight months, that the min imum standard of qualification of teach ers (to be reached by 1925 or 1926) should be four years' high school and two years' additional training, that the minimum salary of teachers should be $1,200, and that the minimum county tax for school purposes for counties sharing in the State equalizing fund should be five mills on the dollar.

Texas-State Superintendent Annie Webb Blanton reports progress in education in Texas along many lines during 1920. A constitutional amendment removing the limit from the amount of tax that a local district can vote in support of its schools was passed by an overwhelming majority. Many new rural school buildings were constructed under the rural aid law, which appropriates $2,000,000 to aid rural districts which vote the maximum local building tax and wish to provide approved types of buildings. Laws were passed compelling the State tax board to levy annually a State tax of thirty-five cents on the hundred dollars for support of schools, making consolidation more practicable, and requiring teachers to register annually in the State department of education. The teacher certification laws were completely revised, granting a choice of subjects for examination, emphasizing professional training and providing for reciprocity with other States. Enrolment in summer schools was stimulated by the provision of the rural aid law which permits the State to pay half the increase of salary if the local school board will raise the salary of a teacher who spends the summer in study and returns to the same position in a rural school. Many teacherages were erected.

Utah-The compulsory school age has been raised to eighteen years. Boys and girls over sixteen years of age having completed the eighth grade may, when excused by the superintendent, engage in gainful work, provided 144 hours are devoted to school during the year. Provisions have also been made for a continuous school term for twelve