ing, all lovers of school spirit and band music regret that with the passing of Technical triumphal processions and parades, will lose its identity as a unit group. Nevertheless that they have manifested as the Tech Band. WHO WANTS TO EXCHANGE IDEAS? [Here is a letter from a supervising principal who is evidently doing things and best of all, he's open minded-wants to exchange ideas with some of the rest of you. And doesn't his letter sound as if he enjoyed making things hum!] "Attached you will find several copies of the bulletin issued weekly to our teachers; also a copy of the monthly bulletin issued to the members of the Parent-Teacher Association. Both of these bulletins have been found to be very effective. Also attached you will find a copy of our school paper which for the first time is issued in newspaper rather than book form. It will be issued monthly this year instead of bi-monthly as heretofore. "Plans for the new Junior Senior High School have been approved by the Department and it is hoped that work will be begun shortly after the new year. We are preparing for the new building by introducing gradually the courses we hope to offer more completely when we get into the new building. Last semester hand sewing was introduced; this semester new Singer machines were added to the equipment; next semester we expect to add elementary work in cooking. This semester the boys have Mechanical Drawing for the first time. Also for the first time this year we have a physical director who is organizing the work in the district. During the fall this work was given outdoors, now it is being conducted indoors, and arrangements have been made with the American Legion for four hours per day during the winter months. "The Banking system was introduced into our schools op Armistice Day, 1924. Our weekly deposit is over $500 on the average, and in the December issue of the Thrift Gazette for the first time we head the list of schools in our class. This work is carried on by the Commercial students under the direction of the teacher of bookkeeping and is very popular throughout the district. "Last year for the first time students were grouped according to ability from the first grade through the Junior High School and departmental work extended down into the sixth and fifth grades. We feel that this is a move in the right direction and expect when we get into the new building to use the present building for a departmentalized intermediate school made up of the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. "If anyone is working along the same lines and cares to exchange ideas, correspondence I will be welcomed. It seems that the JOURNAL offers a splendid medium for forming such contacts." (Signed) R. J. W. Templin, Supervising Principal West Pittston Schools, West Pittston, Pa. January 17, in addition to being the first day of National Thrift Week, is the date of Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Celebration of this event gives the much needed "high-spot" which January has previously lacked. Children will easily assimilate thrift knowledge when it has as its background the life and work of "Poor Richard." An additional impetus for the teaching of thrift in the schools is provided this year by the nation-wide essay contest which is being launched by the National Thrift Committee in cooperation with the International Benjamin Franklin Society. Through the courtesy of a member of the executive board of the International Benjamin Franklin Society, J. Robert Stout of New York City, awards amounting to five hundred dollars will be given for the best papers written by high school students on the subject, "The Many Sided Franklin." A condition of this contest is that the paper must be read at a high school assembly during National Thrift Week. Although the papers submitted in this contest are not restricted to the thrift activities of Benjamin Franklin in any sense, it is still true that the interest aroused will provide a fine pivotal point for much good work in the realm of thrift education. Mr. Stout, the donor of this award, beside being a great admirer of "Poor Richard" is a most active worker in the juvenile field and an enthusiast for thrift education among boys and girls. He believes that the appeal to the imagination which the life of Benjamin Franklin makes will provide the necessary interest from which action comes and that thought will follow as a natural sequence. A point to remember is that each day of National Thrift Week is one with a specific purpose. Each day is productive of a new thrift idea. The days of the week are designated as follows: January 17, Sunday-Share with Others Day January 18, Monday-Thrift Day January 19, Tuesday-Budget or Home Econ omy Day January 20, Wednesday-Insurance Day January 21, Thursday-Own Your Home Day January 22, Friday-Safe Investment Day January 23, Saturday-Pay Bills Fromptly Day The National Thrift Committee, 347 Madison Avenue, New York City, has prepared a "One Dollar Thrift Package" which will be sent to anyone interested. It contains a variety of material which can be used in the classroom during National Thrift Week and as a part of this package, the "Teachers' Thrift Portfolio," which gives detailed explanation of many ways to obtain classroom correlation on thrift. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE LOGICAL PLACE TO TEACH THRIFT Americans have learned to earn but not to save. As the youth of the land have not learned lessons in thrift such training in their formative years cannot be overestimated. We must learn the educational value of thrift. No nation is stronger financially than the wealth of her people. Unless a nation has a genuine appreciation of thrift it cannot hope to hold a position in the world as a leader in the fight for lofty ideals. According to a table prepared by Dr. Henry Williams, the United States is at the bottom of a list of fifteen countries as a nation of savers. The most direct method of dealing with the problem of thrift is through the schools. The schools are in a position to render distinguished service to the nation by establishing habits of thrift in the minds of those who are soon to direct its affairs. should contribute in a large way toward making the future men and women in America a prosperous and thrifty people and better citizens. This From the viewpoint of the school, the installation of the school savings system means thrift, and thrift from the school standpoint is a term of very broad meaning. Thrift in all its aspects touches life in every form. In fact thrift in its widest sense touches us vitally throughout the whole term of life. To teach thrift effectively, therefore, means to make thrift a habit which will work automatically like all other habits. The school has as one of its primary tasks the forming of habits in children. Since it takes a long while for a child to acquire a habit, we must depend largely upon the school to surround the child with the necessary influences and repetitions which will eventually make thrift a habit. ATTRACTIVE SCHOOL GROUNDS OF POCONO TOWNSHIP SCHOOL The Board of Education of Pocono Township, Monroe County, appreciates the value of well planned school grounds. The school, which is comprised of a consolidated elementary school and a high school, is housed in a modern building. The water from a mountain stream, which flows through the school year, has been used to form a small artificial lake with water falls. There are twelve acres in the school grounds. STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER CEN TENARY 1826-1926 The one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Stephen Collins Foster, founder of American folk music, is to be celebrated this year by a nation-wide observance. Foster was born on July 4, 1826. As schools are not in session during the summer months, many school districts plan to honor Foster's memory on January 13, the anniversary of his death, with programs made up of his music and the narration of the most interesting events in his life. The following is a suggestive list of material that may be used in the making of programs: Chorus "Old Kentucky Home" "Massa in the Cold Ground" "Swanee River" The above selections may be found in any community song book. Orchestra "Gems of Stephen Collins Foster"-C. Fischer, Cooper Square, N. Y. "Sunny South"-J. H. Ramick, 219 West 46th Street, N. Y. Phonographic Records of Foster Songs CHORUS "Dixieland Memories"-Orpheus Male Chorus-Edison "Medley of Foster Songs"-Peerless Male QuartetVictor QUARTET "My Old Kentucky Home"-Columbia Male Quartet SOLOS Columbia Quartet-Columbia "Gwine to Run All Night" H. MacDonough-Victor John McCormack and Male Chorus-Victor Anna Case and Criterion Quartet-Edison "Oh, Susanna"-Reed Miller-Vocalion "Massa's in De Cold, Cold Ground" C. Lazzari-Edison Marguerite Dunlap-Victor Lucy Gates and Columbia Quartet-Columbia Oscar Seagle and Columbia Quartet-Columbia "Oh Boys Carry Me 'Long"-Louise Homer-Victor "Old Black Joe" Louis Graveure-Columbia Clarence Whitehill-Victor Christine Miller and Quartet-Edison "Hard Times Come Again No More" Louise Homer-Victor "Nellie Was a Lady"-Alma Gluck-Victor "Old Folks at Home" Nellie Melba-Victor A. Gluck (obligato by Zimbalist)-Victor Elsie Baker-Victor Anna Case-Edison Virginia Rea-Brunswick Henry Burr-Columbia Motion Picture A one-reel film which tells the story of the writing of "Kentucky Home"-Fitzpatrick Pictures Inc., 729 Seventh Avenue, New York City. Tableau Song Scenes from Stephen Collins FosterCommunity Service, 1 Madison Avenue, New York City. Biography Biography of Stephen Collins Foster-H. V. Milligan, G. E. Schirmer, New York. PATRIOTISM AND EDUCATION Lincoln's Birthday-February 12 February is the month of Lincoln and Washington, the two great emancipators; the transformers of the early ideals of this nation into tangible accomplishments. In commemorating the respective birth anniversaries of these commanding figures of our history, men, women and children of the present vision with renewed appreciation our nation's struggle for liberty and democracy and the resultant equality of opportunity to all-the opportunity to emerge regardless of environment or circumstances. Abraham Lincoln, the child of poverty and democracy; George Washington, the scion of wealth and aristocracy, yet both arose in this freedom-loving land to the highest office within the gift of the nation. The month of February may, therefore, be well termed the patriotism-rejuvenating period. H. G. Wells has said that "Civilization is a race between Education and Catastrophe." The nation that cherishes the memory of Lincoln and Washington shall not fail in its duty in civilization's race and will rear its childhood in the environment of the ideals as established by these men. We did not fail on Flanders Fields-neither shall Catastrophe triumph. The heritage of our heroes we will eternally treasure. We are accomplishing this by setting up an education which gives inspiration to our patriotism, that stimulates ambitions and ideals for service. This system we shall jealously guard and foster as a memorial to these men; it thus becomes a patriotic factor; it eliminates class and engenders a universal love of country; it becomes a foremost proponent of national ideals; it evaluates truth for truth's sake, concerning itself with equality of opportunity and measuring results in terms of ability to serve. In the World War, through those who stood for it, this same force proved a citadel to national morale. It is making Americanism the foundation-stone; it is untiring in its advocacy of universal culture, irrespective of origin, status or environment. The work of our yesterdays has been done. The task of the tomorrows is still in our hands, in which education must be recognized as the foundation of future progress, the enemy of crime, the backbone of morals, the conservator of the home and the essential of citizenship. This is our task-the translation through education of these ideals into realities. Lincoln and Washington-"May more such men be ours."-Better Schools League, Inc. Note: A comprehensive bibliography of plays, stories, poetry and biography on Washington and Lincoln was published on pages 296,297 of the January 1925 issue of the PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL JOURNAL. THE COLLEGES AND THE INTELLIGENCE TEST How can we protect young folks against a foredoomed failure-by recognizing before they are admitted to college those intellectually or_temperamentally unfitted to succeed there? How can we help our students to find for themselves definite purposes in life? How can we help our students really to help themselves? These are questions for which many educators find partial answer in the intelligence test. Yet there is division of opinion on this subject when it comes to incorporating the intelligence test in the College Entrance Examination. Psychological tests for the admission of students, already used by some colleges independently, will be offered for the first time next June to all the members of the College Entrance Examination Board, it was announced recently. However, some colleges, notably Harvard and Bryn Mawr, will reject all psychological or "intelligence" tests for such pur poses. Forty colleges are members of the College Entrance Examination Board, which for twenty-five years has drawn up the traditional written examinations not only for its own members but also for 150 other institutions. The board decided at its annual meeting in the Columbia University Library recently to adopt the "intelligence" tests which were used during the World War. Some professors call the action "the most important development in educational cooperation in the history of this country." "Most of the Eastern institutions maintain from their experience," declares L. P. Hopkins, director of personnel at Northwestern University, "that psychological intelligence tests, even poorly administered, give a better prediction of success in the institution than high school records." OF INTEREST TO LECTURERS The Official Information Bureau of Switzerland, 241 Fifth Avenue, New York City, invites all lecturers, educators and other persons expecting to lecture about Switzerland before public audiences to avail themselves of the attractive lantern slides and motion picture films which the Bureau loans free of charge to such people. Descriptive and illustrated literature about the land of the Alps is also at the disposal of persons wishing additional material for their lectures. J. G. MARCH ADVANCED On November 6 Dr. Francis B. Haas appointed J. G. March county superintendent of schools in Tioga County. Mr. March has lived and worked in Tioga County since early childhood. He has been connected with the schools of Tioga County since 1890. Having served as the first assistant county superintendent in Tioga County, he brings to the office of county superintendent such an intimate knowledge of schools and school affairs in his county as is possessed by few new county superintendents. He is well known to the school men of the State with whom he takes an active part in promoting constructive school work. INDIANA'S GOOD HEALTH WEEK The Indiana State Normal School organized and successfully conducted an outstanding health project during the third week in October. The program was as follows: Slogan "Let's Make Health Contagious" Monday, Fresh Air Day 1. Each student went into the open sometime during the day. Each handed to the hall teacher in the evening a record of the number of minutes spent in the open. 2. Each student ventilated the sleeping room. 3. A check inspection was made covering the above. 4. Faculty members ventilated classrooms and are continuing the practice daily. Tuesday, Health Inventory Day 1. All students, not previously examined, re 2. Students were advised as to health handicaps and remedies were suggested. Wednesday, Food Day 1. Special menus were prepared and calculated for three meals. 2. Few people know how much should be eaten to supply one day's energy requirement. A sheet of paper showing the amount of food needed to supply 2,200 to 2,300 calories was supplied each student. 3. Students were urged to eat the required amount to ascertain whether or not the proper quantity of food is being eaten. Girls usually eat too little. 4. The following notice was given to heads of tables: A paper will be placed at your plate showing dietary requirements for students. Please co-operate by being at your place on time for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so that you can serve the required amount as indicated on paper. Thursday, Exercise Day 1. It was requested that no one be found inside the dormitory between five and six o'clock. 2. An opportunity was given for participation in team and recreative games on East Campus from four to six. 3. Horseback riding was conducted by members of the faculty. 4. A hike to the Lodge left North Door at 4.15. Friday, Good Posture Day 1. A demonstration of posture took place in 2. Secret service women reported girls who General Activities 1. Each girl was asked to grade herself on her health and efficiency. 2. Her room mate also rated her. 3. At the end of the week the health officers compiled and published the results to show how students rate in health. MOVING PICTURES The following list of pictures is recommended as especially good by the National Committee for Better Films: Are Parents People? Not So Long Ago. |