BOSTON, MASS.

On October 7, 1911, the finance commission of the city of Boston presented its report on the Boston school system which had been made in response to the request of Mayor John F. Fitzgerald. The invitation was—

to conduct such an inquiry into the methods of the school and schoolhouse departments and the results attained as shall either satisfy the public mind of the need of these increased expenditures or suggest a specific policy of retrenchment.

The request for this investigation was made March 17, 1910. Twenty-seven additional questions were submitted by the mayor to the commission between the date of the request for the school investigation and April 1, 1911, the majority of which related to matters outside the school departments. This accounts for the unexpected delay in the completion of "a task of such magnitude as the investigation of the public schools."

The report presents a study of the historical survey of the development of the present system of schools, both educational and financial. It adopts a comparative method of studying its administration with. that in the leading cities in the United States, the school year of 1909 having been used as the period for investigation. The report (229 pp.) is presented in five parts, as follows: (1) Introductory; (2) development and growth of the schools; (3) financial review; (4) comparison with other cities; (5) conclusions and recommendations of the commission. It includes 15 statistical tables, 13 of which exhibit comparison with other cities; and three appendices, consisting of special reports on the Boston Normal School, the Mechanic Arts High School, and on salaries of elementary-school teachers.

The bulk of the report (pp. 10-99) offered a detailed study of the historical development, and especially of the recent growth of the public schools, so as to have full information of the conditions under which the increasing cost was made necessary. The critical investigation of the development from 1898 to 1911 resulted on the whole in a justification of the educational features of the system.

1. No thoroughly satisfactory comparisons of costs can be made between the Boston school system and those of other cities, because of the difference in the methods of school accounting, in the presentation of school data, and in school conditions. So far as such comparisons can be made, however, they are on the whole favorable to Boston.

2. Boston's schools have reached their present condition under the guidance of those wise counselors whose aim has been the development of a well-ordered system of centralized authority in which the school committee should legislate upon matters of general policy, while the details of administration should be cared for by paid officials trained in educational and business affairs.

3. The administration of the school committee, both on the educational and business sides, is entitled to the full confidence of the community. At no time in the history of the schools have they been conducted in a more intelligent or economical

manner than at present. In the matter of getting a dollar's worth of value for every dollar spent the school department contrasts very favorably with most other departments of the city. In fact, other departments might well study this department with a view to imitating it in regard to scales of salary, absence of unnecessary employees, economical methods of purchase, intelligent schemes of supervision and organization, merit system of promotion and exclusion of politics from appointments. The school department is not perfect in these respects, but when the other departments are brought to the same level, or nearly to the same level, the city will have made an enormous step in advance.

4. There is very little opportunity for retrenchment in school expenditures. Although the amount expended annually is large, the purposes for which the money is spent are definitely fixed by statute or by schedule, or by the actual necessities of the situation; for example:

(a) Salaries of instructora, janitors, and subordinates are established upon carefully prepared schedules, which can not in justice be reduced. To meet them, there is required each year more than four-fifths of the total appropriations. Salaries of officials are in addition, and an analysis shows that none of these is excessive.

(b) Pensions, the cost of physical education, of nurses, and of repairs are the subjects of special statutes, and the amounts authorized are not too large.

(c) Fuel, light, and power are necessities, which the finance commission believes are being provided economically.

(d) Books are also necessities, in the purchase of which there seems to be no practical way to effect material economies.

(e) Trust funds can not be touched, except for their own definite purposes. (f) All that remains is the item of incidentals, which includes supplies of all kinds other than books. This amounts to only about 3 per cent of the total school expenses, and any material reduction would not only be insignificant in amount, but harmful to the school system. The only just criticism that can be made here is that the financial needs of the schools have sometimes compelled a too great economy in this direction. 5. The large expenditures of recent years are due to an attempt to supply the deficiencies of previous years and to meet real needs. In response to popular demands many experiments have been made and are being made which have not yet fully shown their worth. Some of these experiments may fail; but all progress comes through experiment. There is nothing which is being done which is not worth serious consideration and a fair trial.

6. The introduction of advisory committees is excellent, if not carried too far. These advisory committees are not elected by or in any way responsible to the people; they are quite large, and are made up of busy men, whose early interest sometimes wanes, and the real control falls into the hands of a few energetic enthusiasts. The responsibility of final decision in all matters must rest with the school committee, and in weighing the advice given the question of how far the entire advisory committee has taken part in the matter should be considered. The history of the nonelected primary-school committee from 1818 to 1854, and its controversy with the elected school committee which created it, is a warning against the dangers that may arise in this direction.

The commission recommends:

1. That the names attached to the positions of auditor and business agent be transferred one to the other, so that each office shall have a name which properly describes it, and that the present confusion of duties may be avoided.

2. That the publication of two reports, one by the business agent and one by the auditor, be discontinued, and that there be substituted therefor a single report on school finances, which may be prepared by the two officials in cooperation, or may contain reports from each, but which shall contain no duplication of material.

3. That the schools be given jurisdiction over licenses of all minors, of whatever age, who attend school.

4. That the board of superintendents and other highly paid officials be allowed sufficient clerical assistance whenever it is required in the discharge of their duties. 5. That clerical assistants to the principals be appointed in the elementary schools. 6. That books be not allowed in the schools after they have been removed from the authorized lists; nor after they have become unduly worn or unclean.

7. That every care be taken to exclude incompetent teachers from the service; and to that end that a more complete and thorough system of visitation of schools and teachers be introduced, possibly through an enlargement and extension of the department under the supervisor of substitutes.

8. That the policy of reducing the quota of pupils to teachers in the high and elementary schools be continued, and that still further reductions be made.

9. That the existing policy of permitting the use of school buildings for other than school purposes be extended as funds become available.

10. That, if necessary, the legislature be asked to grant a larger appropriation for school purposes. This can readily be done without materially raising the tax rate, if reasonable economies so often recommended by the finance commission be introduced in other municipal departments. Waste due to political methods in other departments should not be allowed to absorb the money needed by the child.

EAST ORANGE, N. J.

On December 12, 1911, Prof. Ernest C. Moore, Yale University, presented to the special committee of the board of education to investigate the educational efficiency of the schools of East Orange, N. J., his report on the study of the schools of that city, which he made during 10 weeks' time. The examination was to be made "in any manner he deemed best," and his report was to be prepared "without consultation with the committee." The object of the inquiry was to pronounce upon "the educational efficiency" of the East Orange schools. The method adopted was that of personal visitation in the schools, conferences with members of the staff, and comparative studies with schools in other cities. The inquiry recognized that there is "no single test by which a system of schools may be judged." A few of the conditions which produce efficiency were studied and led to the detailed consideration of the following topics: I. The historical sketch of the school system; II. The community and efficiency of the schools; III. The board of education and the efficiency of the schools; IV. Cost as related to the efficiency of the schools; V. A general survey of the schools and their efficiency; VI. The teachers and their work; VII. A new course of study; VIII. The high school. An interesting feature of the inquiry was the examination of "all the pupils in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades in the four fundamental principles of arithmetic, English composition, writing, and spelling." Special attention was given to the high-school situation, because it was believed that any defects in the elementary schools would be apt to appear very clearly under the strain of the "transition" which pupils make in passing to the secondary teachers. The report includes 19 statistical tables. In making the 29 recommendations which are presented throughout the

report and summarized at the close, the aim was to estimate the work of the system by comparing it with the best school practice in the cities of similar size and conditions and to apply, so far as possible, the "principles of scientific management."

The surveyor's summary of recommendations is as follows:

In the case of the entire system it is specified:

1. That a systematic effort be made to secure a more active cooperation on the part of parents who have children in the schools.

2. That there be a more thorough systematization of the work of the board of education, the superintendent of schools, and the other officers of the system, such as shall specify the functions and responsibilities of each.

With respect to elementary schools it is recommended:

3. That changes needed to insure greater protection against fire be made.

4. That ventilation of buildings be improved.

5. That additional ground be added where most needed and that more library books, dictionaries, and encyclopædias be provided where they are needed.

6. That kindergarten children attend but one session.

7. That the school day for first and second grade children be made as short as possible consistent with the requirements of the school law.

8. That the hours of required home study be greatly reduced.

9. That emphasis be shifted from an examination system of schools to a system which uses examinations as mere incidental features of its work. That formal examinations be given at the end of each term and that all students be required to take them.

10. That regular reports on the standing of pupils be sent to their parents twice a year and irregular ones whenever they are necessary.

11. That the authority of supervisors of instruction in special subjects be strictly defined.

12. That principals be not required to teach so much, and thus be left more free for their work of supervision.

13. That meetings be held for the discussion of recent contributions to the literature of education.

14. That a systematic effort be made to further reduce the number of over-age pupils in the several grades.

15. That teachers do more individual work with backward children, and, if possible, that another ungraded room be opened for irregular pupils.

16. That an effort be made to secure greater permanence in the teaching staff by raising the salary of teachers.

17. That a new course of study be framed. Some changes which should be made are suggested.

18. That standards of quality be raised and standards of quantity be lowered. 19. That teachers do less and pupils do more in the daily work of the schools.

The situation regarding the high schools led to the following recommendations:

20. That a librarian be appointed at the high school and all needed books be supplied.

21. That all the shops needed for good technical work be equipped as soon as funds are available.

22. That a gymnasium, preferably an open-air one, be equipped at once.

23. That a male physician be detailed to make the health examinations of boys at the high school and that the physical directors make such independent examinations as they need to make to carry on their work to advantage.

24. That formal examinations be required only at the end of each term and that all students take them; that regular reports be sent home twice each year, irregular ones whenever necessary; that after repeated failures students be put into a lower class.

25. That the practice of having students return in the afternoon to do work which should have been done in the morning be abolished and that teachers arrange to hold regular office hours for the convenience of students who may wish to consult them. 26. That a systematic effort be made to cut down the number of failures in highschool work; that the chasm between the elementary and high schools be bridged. 27. That a six-year high-school course be established and that provision be made so that pupils who have finished six years of elementary school work may then elect either to take a six-year high-school course or instruction in a vocational course, which should be established, or go on in an eight-grade elementary school as at present. 28. That provision be made for vocational assistance.

29. That high-school students be required to give up membership in all academic secret societies and that the student organizations of the high school be built up.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD.

The department of church and country life of the board of home missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America has undertaken several sociological surveys to the end of advancing its own particular interests. In 1912 it published its report of the special study which was made of Montgomery County, Md., at the invitation of the Montgomery County country life committee. Two investigators, Mr. E. S. Eastman and Mr. H. N. Morse, were in the field from January to April. The survey included a special study of the schools, which was designed to be complete and accurate. Its plans were perfected through the assistance, among others, of Assisant Secretary of Agriculture W. M. Hayes, E. B. Wood, county superintendent of schools, and A. C. Monahan, of the United States Bureau of Education. The report (120 pp.) is well prepared, and includes 2 maps, 10 diagrams, 26 tables, and many pictures.

The topics include: Location and topography; economic conditions and resources; the business of farming; population; social needs; social welfare and organizations; recreation; Sandy Spring neighborhood; educational conditions; religious conditions and activities; and concludes with suggestions and recommendations concerning economic and educational conditions. The educational section (pp. 66-89) constitutes about one-fifth of the entire report. A fuller report of the educational survey was published by the Bureau of Education as Bulletin No. 32, 1913, Educational Survey of Montgomery County, Md.

A statement of the facts respecting the schools of the county includes a description of the county school system of Maryland, the detailed enumeration of the schools for the white and for the colored children, the material equipment (including grounds), the teaching force, the curriculum, the school budget, patrons, the education of adults, and the private schools and colleges in the county.