268 A STUDY OF FORTY NORMAL SCHOOLS 



dren's schools. The foregoing fragmentary work is unco-ordi- 

 nated, feeble and wholly unequal to the needs. Here as else- 

 where the subject suffers from extra demands that require 

 something to be side-tracked temporarily this being the choice. 



Next to complaints about time, that in some cases must be 

 translated to mean incapacity to use effectively the time assigned, 

 came the justification of unwise work on the ground that stu- 

 dents must be prepared to answer the questions asked in exami- 

 nations for licenses to teach. If we include this statement from 

 new graduates, it was much the commonest. Several graduates 

 told me that they did not take this course "it wasn't any good" 

 they read over a child's textbook answering the questions 

 usually asked, and "got through all right." Compilations of 

 "questions usually asked" are at hand as in other "professional 

 schools." 



These facts led to a study of many sets of examination ques- 

 tions for licenses. Some contained no questions on physiology 

 and hygiene, although the law specificly requires it taught in 

 children's schools. In several hundred questions on it 93 per 

 cent, were on anatomy, less than 7 per cent, on function or 

 health. In certain States the number of questions on this subject 

 equalled the number in each of several other departments 

 perhaps 10 in each; in the majority of examinations two to four 

 questions (usually in anatomy) were inserted under the head of 

 "science." 



Ten of these forty schools specially claimed to teach "school 

 hygiene." In three it was elective, and not all elected it. In the 

 remaining seven it received hardly more than academic men- 

 tion in one, or possibly three or four lectures on pedagogy 

 (usually). It seemed chiefly perfunctory compliance with an 

 edict. Three schools were beginning experimental studies in 

 it progress in a hopeful direction. 



In certain schools, particularly city normal, "method" only 

 is taught, not "content" or "instructional" studies, i. e., their 

 graduates obtained their knowledge of hygiene from high school 

 (where if elective they may not have elected it) or from gram- 

 mar grades. The question asked in two such schools, "How 

 many elected/' was answered "Not one-third," or "About one- 

 third." 



The best instruction found was in home economics in seven 

 schools of 40, reaching only women, and them in part ; in certain 

 laboratories (biologic, chemical), not always required; and in a 

 few departments of physical training (very limited in scope, 

 uncertain, and by lectures only), depending more on the phy- 

 sician in charge than on established demands. Each of these 

 courses was good in its special limited direction. But no school 



