62 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. X. No. 235 



for the dormitories, thus saving present expense for schoolrooms, 

 which are placed in the lower story. 



At the time of the last report to the association, April 30 of the 

 present year, the school was in operation with eighteen pupils, 

 with a prospect of having the full quota of fifty as soon as its 

 equipment is complete. 



Mr. Bond reports the Crow children at the school as docile, af- 

 fectionate, intelligent, and happy under their new surroundings. 

 They are quick to learn, and interested in their studies and in their 

 occupations. They are to be taught, under the contract with the 

 Indian Bureau, the various industries which will fit them for the 

 duties of civilized life. One of three boys who had run away, and 

 who, as the ringleader, was refused permission to return, offered to 

 submit to punishment if only allowed to come back. 



An interesting feature of the work at this school is, that, of the 

 six teachers and officers in charge, three are Indians who have been 

 students at Carlisle and Hampton. 



It is intended to add a kitchen, blacksmith-shop, carpenter-shop, 

 and slaughter-house. The slaughter-house is a necessary adjunct 

 of an Indian school, in order that the Indian boys may be taught 

 how to kill animals for food mercifully, and also how to cut them 

 up scientifically instead of hewing and hacking them as they 

 now do. 



The curriculum is not yet completely systematized, but probably 

 half the time will be given to industries, and half to the schoolroom 

 exercises. The industrial training will include blacksmithing, car- 

 pentry, farming, and butchering for the boys, and house-work, 

 sewing, and cooking for the girls. The outlook for the school 

 seems excellent, and, if the hands of the teachers are upheld by 

 sufficient funds, an excellent work will be accomplished. 



THE NEW JERSEY TEACHERS' READING-CIRCLE. 



The results of the first year's work of the New Jersey teachers 

 in the reading-circles call for the highest commendation, and indi- 

 cate a thorough organization and faithfulness on the part of the 

 members. 



The plan of organization, and methods of work, should be known 

 in every State : in fact, the Board of Control in New Jersey is glad 

 to inform other reading-circles of its successes and methods in re- 

 ciprocation for information kindly sent when their organization was 

 in its incipiency. 



The committee on constitution sent to all the States in the Union 

 having reading-circles, then numbering thirteen, and received much 

 information which greatly aided them in formulating their report. 

 The result was an organization differing materially in some essen- 

 tial points, and yet containing good ideas from many States. The 

 features that have contributed to its success are the following : — 



I. The Board of Control. — The election of this board was 

 peculiarly fortunate. It consists of four officers, the State superin- 

 tendent being president, and one director from each congressional 

 district, thus affording complete representation. The work of the 

 board is intrusted to the following committees : i. Finance, 2. 

 Course of Reading and Books, 3. Circulars and Printing, 4. Cer- 

 tificates and Diplomas, 5. Local Management. A great part of the 

 success of the circle is due to the last-named committee. Its 

 duties are to supervise the work throughout the State, appoint local 

 managers, instruct them in the work, encourage the formation of 

 local circles and the enrolment of members, hold meetings of man- 

 agers and members, send speakers to county associations and in- 

 stitutes, and keep up the interest and enthusiasm in the State. 

 Another very important part of the work of this committee, which 

 has contributed very much to the success, is the intimate communi- 

 cation with the local managers in cities and counties, which is 

 carried on by the secretary, Mr. B. C. Gregory of Newark, who has 

 done more work than all the other members of the Board of Control 

 put together. He is an indefatigable worker, an accurate statis- 

 tician, a skilful organizer and administrator, and an enthusiast on 

 reading-circles, being a Chautauquan, and the secretary also of the 

 Chautauqua Teachers' Reading-Union. This tribute is due to Mr. 

 Gregory, because the New Jersey circle could not have attained 

 such success without him. 



The committee on local management divided the State into dis- 



tricts, to be supervised by the members of the board. By this 

 means the work was easily pushed and encouraged. Where the 

 best results have been attained, much credit is due to the county 

 superintendents who have co-operated with the committee in 

 spreading information and encouraging the local circles. Where 

 work has been done, it was well done. Unfortunately there are a 

 very few counties where the county superintendents are dead edu- 

 cationally, and the committee have not had time yet to push their 

 work. 



Another very important work of this committee his been the 

 district meetings. Soon after the circle was organized, meetings of 

 city and county managers were held in four central places for the 

 purpose of giving instruction and for conference. During the last 

 spring another series of meetings was held in six central places,, 

 when all members and friends of education were invited. At each 

 meeting an address was given by some distinguished educator, in 

 addition to the addresses of the chairman and secretary and the 

 reports of local managers. These meetings resulted in much good 

 in unifying the work and cementing the bond of common interest. 



The duties of the other committees are essential, but do not 

 come into relation with the organization. 



II. The County and City Boards of Managers. — The duties 

 and responsibilities of the local managers, city and county, are 

 very important, and the success of the work depends very much 

 upon them ; in fact, no success can be looked for except through 

 them. They must enrol members, encourage meetings, and keep 

 the work moving. They must arrange programmes, direct the 

 method of reading, and keep up the enthusiasm. 



III. The Local Circles. — Experience shows that the work can- 

 not be successfully carried on without meetings and local circles. 

 It is impossible for the majority of teachers to pursue a course of 

 reading alone. They need the inspiration of numbers, a proper 

 comprehension of the matter ; and the fullest appreciation of it de- 

 pends upon discussion, analysis, and amplification. The cities and 

 counties that show the best results have maintained regular 

 meetings. 



IV. The Course of Reading. — In making the courses of read- 

 ing, the Board of Control, appreciating the needs of the teachers, 

 provided professional works, embracing the history, principles, and 

 methods of teaching, and reading of a general character, including 

 history and literature. The books are arranged in groups, which 

 enables members to select a purely professional course or one partly 

 professional ; but no selection can be made by the omission of a 

 single educational work. 



The object of the reading-circle is to induce teachers to continue 

 systematic study in these lines, and it has put into their hands some 

 of the best educational literature available. The course is attrac- 

 tive, entertaining, and inspiring. 



The second year's course is now being read, and the third year's 

 course has been arranged. Both provide for professional and 

 general reading. The popularity of the course, and the success of 

 the work, may be seen by the fact, that, out of about 3,250 teachers 

 in the public schools of the State, the secretary reports 1,980 mem- 

 bers of the reading-circle. The State superintendent says that its | 

 influence is being felt in the remotest districts, and that it has 

 created a greater interest in education than has ever before been 

 known in the State. C. E. Meleney. 



EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL. 

 Prejevalsky's Journeys in Central Asia. 



Up to the last few years, our knowledge of Central Asia was ex- 

 tremely deficient. Though in the middle ages many travellers 

 crossed the arid highlands of Mongolia and Tibet, among them the 

 famous Marco Polo, though numerous reports on the routes fol- 

 lowed by the Chinese silk-caravans exist, the geography of that 

 region was actually unknown. It is only of late years that scientific 

 travellers succeeded in entering Central Asia ; and among them 

 Prejevalsky, the Russian general, is most prominent from the extent 

 of his journeys and the valuable results of his expeditions. His 

 most important discovery is that of the mountain-range connecting 

 the Nan Shan system with the western Kwen Luen, which feeds 

 the Khotan and Yarkand Rivers. He proved that the Kwen Luen 



