News Notes 



CALIFORNIA 



The last California Blue Bulletin published by The State Department of 

 Education is especially interesting. It begins with a stirring paragraph by 

 Dr. Margaret S. McNaught of which the following is a part: 



Truly these are days to work in, days to grow in, days to lead in. Never 

 before has education been viewed so seriously by the great mass of the people 

 and never before have the schools been so interesting to them. Proudly the 

 teacher takes a place among the worthiest citizens of the nation, a recognized 

 important factor in solving the problem of Americanization without which we 

 can have no true democracy. 



May we all work heartily and wisely to Americanize not only those who 

 have come to make their homes with us from foreign lands, but also our own 

 native-born boys and girls, for "American" has a deeper meaning than "bom 

 in America." 



The following items are of special interest: 



The school system of this state and of this country will become efficient only 

 when we eliminate the waste material from the content of the various subjects 

 of the curriculum. Every subject and every part of every subject taught in 

 the elementary schools should be brought before a court of inquiry and should 

 be made to defend itself on the grounds of social utility. 



The Industrial Arts and Gymnasium Annex of the Orland Union High 

 School shows what the adolescent can produce. When it became apparent 

 that it would be necessary to provide a building for Physical and Industrial 

 Education, Mr. Busse, the instructor, proceeded to interest the students of 

 his manual training classes in the project. Through the constructive thought 

 and earnest labor of these students the project was completed at the end of two 

 years. Most of the ideas for the building originated with the students and the 

 details of these ideas were worked out in drawings by them. It is a monument 

 to the success of each boy who contributed to its creation. "Such industrial 

 projects have a profound influence on the boys engaged in them. For the first 

 time, many of these boys found their entire physical and mental forces concen- 

 tered on one purpose. Those who have watched the growth of this building 

 under the laboring hands of these student workmen realize that it has made 

 demands upon the will, the independence, and the ingenuity of each of these 

 pupils. 



Certain sections of the state are demanding trained teachers. In San 

 Benito County nearly 90% of the teachers are professionally trained. During 

 this year some of the country teachers will receive $96 per month. There are 

 but two schools of the county that will pay less than $76 per month. 



Professor W. E. Ringle of The State Manual Training Normal School of 

 Pittsburg has been in France since early in September. He is working under 



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