graceful carriage and an elastic step. There has been a "conservation and not a dissipation of energy" in the training. The pupil is the picture of health and vigor, the results of daily exercise and of the growth arising from the proper management of the body between the periods of these daily trainings.

The teaching of the right habits of breathing must not, of all things, be neglected, for proper breathing is the very foundation of physical culture. A conscious effort may be made to improve but right habits do more to improve the form of our bodies than this effort. How necessary then for children to acquire the correct habit of taking long breaths and of gradually increasing the lengths of respiratory movements. Such a habit is obviously better and productive of more lasting results than mere exercise at stated intervals. A small chest is partly the outcome of improper breathing. Chest expansion is the result of increased size of the lungs, and to increase this size forced respiration must be put in practice. Out of this practice will grow habits that will bring to the pupil more lung power, more heart power, and more vital power than out of almost any other practice. Ine chest is broadened, the shoulders set off to a better advantage, and both are improved in quality and size. Since a greater part of outdoor work tends to produce round shoulders and make the back broader than the chest and since the general position of the pupil in school gives very little opportunity to keep the chest full and deep, we find the out-of-door boy, while often healthy, not so sturdy and robust as he might be and the in-door boy not so strong his outdoor neighbor. If both would look to exercise tending to chest expansion and right habits of breathing, the result would be not only to keep

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them well when they would otherwise break down with sickness, but would insure them a ripe old age-one of usefulness and helpfulness. The health of the pupil must be looked after. As John Locke has said: "A sound mind in a sound body is a short description of a happy state in this world. He that has these two has little more to wish for; and he that wants either of them will be but little the better for anything else. Men's happiness and misery is most part their own making. He whose mind directs not wisely, will never take the right way; and he whose body is crazy and feeble will never be able to advance in it." To this end the exercise must be graded and limited so as to produce "a due balance between energy that supplies and energy that wastes." The health will not keep up no matter how strong the muscles if the vital supply is not so great as the demand of the musIcles that waste.

Physical culture should continue through life. The system in our public schools should be so simple that the child may repeat the exercise every day, no matter where or how he is situated. As little apparatus as possible should be employed. Exercise to which a few minutes of each day may be devoted is what we want, for it is this continuance that gives it value.

Under mental pressure and bodily neglect the physical life will become degenerate and the capacity for enjoyment in life limited. Physical culture is a human expression for human needs. It stands against spiritual oppression on the one hand and physical deformity on the other and our final aim as teachers should be in teaching this subject, "a complete development, a manhood permeated with strength and strength controlled by manhood."

The association was called to order Friday morning by President Corson, who said: "We must recognize that in the education of the children, there is no more important factor than the reading circle, and we must also recognize that in this reading circle there is no more important factor than Mrs. Williams, the president of the circle. I take pleasure in introducing Mrs. Williams, who will take charge of the meeting."

MRS. WILLIAMS: I do not wish to detain you very long about this work. I wish to ask Mr. Burns, our secretary, to read his report.

MR. BURNS: My fellow-teachers, I shall read my report to you from the OHIO EDUCATIONAL MONTHLY. We are required to publish the report in that, and I presume you have all read it before you came here. I shall, however, go over the principal features of the report that you may hear the facts to be considered. (Reads report.)

MRS. WILLIAMS: I have two or three things that I feel called upon to say. I suppose that some of the younger members of this association may not be familiar with the growth of our reading circle.

It originated in 1882 at a teachers' meeting. After the reading of a paper, Dr. Hancock moved a committee be appointed to consider the matter of a reading circle. In 1883 the report was received and a board of control appointed. They were given the management of the reading circle, and wisdom has been shown by making that board reasonably permanent. I believe there is only one member of the board who has been on continuously from the beginning. There are only two that are

now members of the board who were members in the beginning, but it has been able to work out its plans very well. I think if you will go back to 1882, and think over the work in the schools at that time, and note the changes that have been wrought through the influence of the reading circle, you will agree that it has done good work. It has wrought wonders in our schools. I am astonished as I talk to little people to find how many books they have read; as they grow up they become familiar with a large number of books. When they come to Delaware to meet me, they will say, "Oh! yes! I know you, I read the teachers' course," or "I read the children's course."

The best people read this course, but there are some back counties, and we think it would be a good idea to send a missionary to these counties. I think you will all agree that the courses have been excellent.

I want to say for this board that their work has been a laborious one; they have worked hard to make it a success. Our members read and outline more than fifty books every year and often make notes on them. When they come together in their annual meetings they have a fund of information at their hand, and for their guidance. You will see that the reading course has been worked out very carefully. Some teachers put this course into their schools. I think I am safe in saying that this course is worthy of your confidence.

They are excellent guides for teachers in the buying of books. The board of control will always be glad to receive suggestions from any superintendents or teachers in regard to books that they would like in the course. Every sug

gestion received by this board of control will be considered and will receive attention at their hands.

I want to congratulate you upon another thing, and that is that this reading course has been free from criticism in regard to selection of books. I think the book publishers will testify to this. All books have gone in on their merit. We often have letters asking what would be necessary to get certain books in the list; we have said to them, "send the books and we will examine them. If they are worthy of a place in our list, in our judgment, they will be put in." The only thing you have to do is to send the book. Publishers understand this, and respect us for it. We have endeavored to keep ourselves free from favoritism.

We have done well financially. We do not receive a large amount of money, but we have succeeded in keeping inside of the expenses, and gathering up a little each year, a part of which we have turned over to you, and in case we need it we can get it from you. We hope to still have a further balance to turn over to the association.

I want also to mention the valuable services of the Commissioner. I think he has always talked of the reading circle in every institute which he attended and he has done it so earnestly that everybody seemed to know he was in earnest. He has given us the use of his journal to further the interests of our circle.

I also want to speak of the services of Mr. J. J. Burns. He has been corresponding secretary and has been obliged to write many letters to every county in the State. The correspondence has become quite heavy, but yet he has very faithfully performed his duty.

I also want to express my best wishes and thanks to many superintendents and teachers who have always spoken a good word for the reading circle.

In many cases superintendents have asked their teachers to read this course As a rule teachers have complied with his request. I heard of one small town in the State where the teachers protested against reading the course, and wanted the board of education to pay them for their time spent in reading the books.

I want to ask the services of all institute instructors. I wish they would bring this matter to the attention of the institute early in the session that they may organize and send their report to

us.

The examiners in the counties of the State can help us very much if they will. I wish that they might have all teachers in their counties read this course. I an certain that they would read it if they knew that they were to be examined upon it. I desire to express my thanks to all our friends everywhere who have given us aid in this matter. I trust that you will continue to give us all the aid and encouragement that you can during the coming year.

A French writer on education has correctly said: "Among all nations the direction impressed on education depends on the ideas which the people form of the perfect man.”

In

These ideas differ widely among the people of different nations, the difference of opinion being based on the real or supposed needs of the citizen. Among the Israelites of the primitive period the "perfect man" was the obedient and faithful servant of God. order to become a true worshiper, in their opinion it was not necessary that the child be learned. So instruction in morals, religion, and patriotism made up his school life. Reading and writing were learned by the children of the wealthy only, and in the entire period preceding the advent of Christianity, no account of public schools is found. Among the Spartans the powerful athlete and skilled soldier formed the ideal man. Their greatest concern was the developing of physical strength and military skill in their youth. Consequently, running, jumping, and other exercises tending to build up the muscular system, constituted their school work. Their plan of education sacrificed mental culture to strength of body, yet it brought about the qualities in man they most desired.

In China the people have a remarkable reverence for all things old and they are very much devoted to their ancestry. The strict adherence to tradition places a limit on the amount and kind of education given the youth of that country. Instruction is marked by mechanical processes and routine work.

Without multiplying illustrations it may be seen that in education as in all other social affairs, prevailing custom is the result of opinions based on what the people believe to be best for the citizens. This does not necessarily imply absolute unanimity of opinion, for if that were required nothing would ever be accomplished nor even undertaken. There is always, however, agreement. on certain fundamental principles without which there can be no stability at all.

On what rests the public high school? As a part of the system in Ohio it has. not yet reached the age of fifty years, and as an American institution it is but a century old. It is often remarked with much confidence that the nature of our government makes it necessary that the masses of the people be educated beyond the elementary stage, that the exercise of the right of citizenship carries with it interests of so great weight and of so vital importance to the nation,. that it is only the citizen with a trained mind that can rightly perform these sacred duties.

While the training of young people that they may intelligently perform the duties that may devolve upon them as citizens is properly a function of the high school, such view means that the department of public high schools was brought into existence as a political contrivance. Such theory makes these schools mere "agents of the State devoted to mere political ends."

Another explanation for the existence. of high schools lies in the increasing complexity of our civilization with each succeeding decade. Because of this.

fact the citizen who would understand the questions of his time and successfully solve them, must be prepared to analyze more difficult problems than earlier times demanded. In the past the minds of the people have been turned largely to things material. The in

crease in wealth has been enormous. Fortunes such as the world rarely knew before have been accumulated in a time scarcely covering the period of one's active business life. So glittering has been the wealth of successful ones, that business or wealth-getting has proved a tempting field. As a result many rush into the struggle only to be disappointed by failure. Why do they fail? Because "they wander about in a world not realized." So great is competition that it is only by relying on that insight into affairs which is the result of a keen intellect and a profound judgment that one can hope to conduct one's affairs properly.

The preparation of pupils to go into the world with such understanding that they may be better equipped for business is unquestionably an end to be sought, but this object alone reduces the value of these schools to a mere money consideration. But there are other results to be attained. These schools are concerned with the training of intelligent beings in all their relations to a complex and diverse civilization, and in relation to themselves. Said Horace Mann: "The theory of our government is, not that all men, however unfit, shall be voters, but that every man, by the power of reason and the sense of duty, shall become fit to be a voter. Education must prepare Our citizens to become municipal officers, intelligent jurors, honest witnesses, legislators, or competent judges of legislation-in fine, to fill all the manifold relations of life." This last expression will bear emphasis at a time when there is so great a tendency on the part of

students to value in dollars and cents each study placed before him.

The founders of this government entertained lofty ideas concerning mankind. They expressed a strong interest in the mass of the people when they asserted their belief in the doctrine of equality. They believed that man is great as man be he where he may or what he may. It was the adherence to such principles as these that led to the desire for an institution providing a higher and more liberal education than was possible in the common school.

Very early in the New England States the academy was established, but it was an incorporated institution founded and maintained by private enterprise. Expense for tuition and board made attendance impossible to a great number of those who should have been benefited. The people believed that so far as the right to know one's self and one's connection with "all the manifold relations of life," is concerned, all are equal. These facts led to the organization of public high schools. In their relation to the public they resembled the elementary schools then in existence, in that they were free to all.

As an organization what is its place in the school system? Shall it be made to take the place of the academy in kind and amount of work done, or shall it pursue a course free and independent? This much discussed question is not likely to meet a final settlement at once. Opinions as to the best solution still vary too greatly. A speaker before the school and college conference held in Chicago three years ago said: "The high school is between two fires. More than any other portion of our educational system its work is marked by divided aims, and this through no fault of its own, but through opposed demands made upon it. About the function of the primary school at one end and the university at the other, there is