The "religious habit" does not make the teacher. Nor is the teacher like the poet-born, not made. The church authorities are insisting more and more everywhere that the teachers in the parochial schools understand the art and science of education; that no teacher be employed in a parochial school who is not duly qualified. Among the resolutions passed at the second annual conference of the parochial schools, held at Philadelphia, October 28 and 29, 1903, and presided over by the Right Rev. Bishop Conaty, D. D., was the following:

Realizing that the teachers make the school, we urge that every effort be made to have all our teachers secure certificates of proficiency from diocesan school boards or normal or regent examinations, so that the public may know that none but competent teachers are in our schools.

At this same conference one of the strongest papers presented was that of the right reverend chairman “On the training of teachers." The very great importance of this branch of school work was dwelt upon, since the efficiency of the school largely depends on the efficiency of the teacher. In most dioceses there are examining boards for the parochial school-teachers. To-day normal schools exist in all the novitiates of the religious teaching communities. The Catholic idea of the ideal teacher is one in whom moral character, intellectual training, and professional skill cooperate in harmonious action for the success of the class and the individual pupil, one who day by day becomes the better teacher precisely because day by day he or she becomes a more diligent student, a more successful solver of the pedagogical or psychological problems that present themselves within the realm of the class room.

To secure such ideal teachers, or at least to make the combination of necessary qualities less rare, is supposedly the end aimed at in normal school training.

Our religious teaching communities justly claim to have been the first to establish normal schools for teachers, though from some of the histories of education, or from the data advanced by lecturers in schools of pedagogy, one would never be led to suspect the fact.

The late Brother Azarias, in "Beginnings of normal schools," Educational Essays, page 246, writes:

Alain, speaking of primary education in France during the two centuries preceding the Revolution, says: "In reality the first normal schools were the novitiates of the teaching orders established during the past two centuries." (L'Instruction Primaire en France avant la Revolution, p. 129.)

Shortly after Blessed de La Salle had organized the Brotherhood of the Christian Schools, the fame of the schools taught by them in Rheims spread far and wide. Several of the clergy in towns and hamlets applied for a single brother to take charge of their schools. This could not be, as the founder had established the rule that not less than two brothers teach in any school. Accordingly, he offered to open, under the title of a "Seminary for Schoolmasters," an institution in which young men would be trained in the principles and practices of the new method of teaching. The school was opened in 1684. This was the first normal school ever established. ("Beginnings of normal schools," Educational Essays. pp. 250, 251.)

The need of competent teachers led to the establishment (by St. John de La Salle) of the Teachers' Seminary, the parent of the modern normal schools. (Compayré's History of Pedagogy, p. 277.)

There is wanting, however, in many of the novitiates a very important feature of the normal school, properly so called, and that is a model or practice school, wherein candidates for the office of teacher may see the most approved methods in the various grades practically demonstrated by experienced, skillful teachers; and wherein they also, at certain periods, may make their first essays in teaching, under efficient supervision. The helpfulness of such a model school can hardly be overestimated. While observing the work of the experienced teacher, novices would receive inspiration for their future life work, and in their efforts

to teach, under sympathetic, skillful guidance, would acquire like skill and become more confident of their own ability.

That the untried teacher should, alone and unaided, begin to experiment with a class of pupils is unjust to the children and disheartening to herself. Pedagogical ability should have been acquired before she assumes sole charge of a class. Now, with a model school to supplement by actual practice the theory taught in the novitiate we might reasonably hope to strengthen the efficiency of the teachers in the parochial schools. No doubt the teaching communities will supply this want and thus remove the evils arising from the employment sometimes of inexperienced teachers.

CATHOLIC TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

There is one very commendable feature of parochial school work which has been adopted within the last few years and is at present followed generally throughout the country, and that is the holding of diocesan teachers' institutes. This work was begun under the direction of an able and experienced teacher, Mrs. B. Ellen Burke.

Many of the teaching orders of sisters had long desired to avail themselves of the advantages of general educational meetings, in order to unify and strengthen their work; but being burdened with duties, no religieuse could be spared from the schoolroom to begin the organization of institutes, associations, and conventions. It therefore became a plain duty for the laity to aid the sisters until such time as their numbers had increased sufficiently to permit them to carry on the work themselves.

The work was begun in 1895, under the auspices of the Paulist Fathers, in New York City, and has been continued for the various teaching orders ever since. It has spread into every diocese of the country. The "sisters' institutes" are generally held during the midsummer vacation and are conducted by men and women distinguished in their different branches of knowledge. They are specialists in the subjects assigned to them.

The general nature of the work done in these institutes is along the lines of methods of teaching the common subjects usually taught in elementary schools. Not less than two and usually four or five instructors are sent to each institute. The work has been eminently successful, and has been approved by the bishops and archbishops of the various dioceses in which it has been carried on. It has been found very beneficial to the school and helpful to the teachers.

INSTITUTE PROGRAMME.

Herewith is appended the programme of a week's institute given in St. Paul, Minn., August 7 to August 12, 1899. The exercises opened with an address by Archbishop Ireland:

Dr. N. C. Schaeffer, superintendent of public instruction in the State of Pennsylvania, in his sixty-ninth annual report, for the school year ending June 2, 1902, referring to this subject, writes:

The sisters in charge of the parochial schools of the Catholic Church spend the greater part of their vacation in some form of preparation for the year's work. Even at the annual retreats time is given to self-examination as a lever to raise the individual to higher planes of effort. The best scholars in the Jesuit and other colleges deliver lectures to fit teachers for work in the elementary schools. What the church does for her teachers the State can afford to do for its teachers.

It may be well also to note that the Catholic University of America opened an institute of pedagogy in New York City on October 1, 1902. The instruction treats of the history of education, the principles and methods of education, psychology, American history, and literary work.

SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS.

The parochial school-teachers, besides the many periodicals and papers treating of educational matters, find great aid and assistance in two Catholic publications specially issued for their benefit. The first is the Review of Catholic Pedagogy, published at Chicago. The high character of the subject-matter and its general excellence have secured for it a generous welcome from our teachers. There is also published at Milwaukee an excellent monthly, the Catholic School Journal, which is found to be popular and quite helpful.

EDUCATIONAL RESULTS.

So we see there is to-day in the United States a thorough organization of the parochial school system; that it is well equipped to carry on its work, and that steps are being constantly taken to advance still further the work. We need Catholic high schools to complete the system, and we need unification of methods and of the course of study. These will soon come, for they were the subjects chiefly discussed at the recent parochial school convention held in Philadelphia, in which twenty-five dioceses of the country were represented. The result of the deliberations of this body of educators were embodied in the following recommendations:

First. Recognizing the importance of united effort to advance the cause of Catholic primary education, we believe that interchange of ideas and comparison of methods and results will lead to a better understanding of our needs and a surer solution of the many difficult problems that confront us. Encouraged by the splendid response to the call for a conference on the part of the promoters of Catholic parochial school interests, the conference, representing 25 dioceses, earnestly bespeaks a more extended cooperation with others of this association, so that its membership may embrace representatives of every diocese in the United States.

Second. We rejoice to note the growing sentiment outside of the Catholic Church in favor of the principle of the religious element in education. In order that our non-Catholic fellow-citizens, as well as those of our own faith, may realize more keenly and appreciate more justly the sacrifice that Catholics are making to provide their children with the benefits of what we conceive to be the only true education, viz, religious combined with secular instruction, we suggest that the cost of equipping and maintaining our parochial schools be brought to their attention from time to time in the public press.

Third. We recommend that careful study be made of the best means for the complete organization of our parish schools.

Fourth. Realizing that the teachers make the school, we urge that every effort be made to have our teachers secure certificates of proficiency from diocesan school boards or normal or regent examinations, so that the public may know that none but competent teachers are in our schools.

The other day the members of the Moseley educational commission from England visited a number of the Catholic parochial schools of Chicago. The Record-Herald of that city writes:

The visiting educators were surprised at the number of these institutions and their large enrollment, and were favorably impressed by the fact that the textbooks used are largely the same as those studied in the public schools.

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"We learn that there are 100,000 children attending the parochial schools of the city," said Rev. A. W. Jephson, a Protestant clergyman and a member of the London school board. This we regard as an important phase of the educational problem. The brightness of the pupils was in some instances surprising. At St. Stanislaus School a Polish boy of 10 years was especially well informed on American history. At the St. Charles Borromeo and St. James schools we found the children well advanced for their ages."

And the same favorable impression of the work done in the parochial schools of the present day is created everywhere in the minds of all fair-minded persons who visit them.

Intellectually, Catholics are showing the results of the training given in their parochial schools and higher academic institutions. In number and efficiency these schools are bound to grow every year. In January, 1902, there were 3,835 parochial schools. In January, 1903, there were 3,978, an increase of 143. One salutary influence these schools have already exerted, and will exert still more strongly, is found in the manifest tendency of many denominations to imitate to some extent the Catholic system.

For a long time Catholics were alone in their stand for denominational schools, but the logic of events has brought to their side many Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, and even Baptists. The orthodox Jews are the last to get in line. At their national convention, held during the past summer in Philadelphia, the rabbis strongly advocated the establishment of schools wherein the children of their faith might learn the principles of their religion while being taught the rudiments of the three R's. Thus is the position of the Catholic Church being daily vindicated.

Recently there was incorporated in Chicago an association of educators, including such distinguished names as William R. Harper, president of the University of Chicago; Charles L. Hutchison, vice-president of the Corn Exchange National Bank; Prof. George A. Coe, of the Northwestern University; L. Wilbur Messer, secretary of the State Young Men's Christian Association, and George L. Robinson, of the McCormick Theological Seminary.

The avowed object of this body, which represents all shades of religious belief, is to maintain a position in the field of religious education corresponding to that of the National Teachers' Association in the field of education in general. And it is declared by this association that "efforts will be made from a new view-point to obtain religious and moral education in the public schools."

President Hadley, of Yale, in an address delivered in Philadelphia within the last few days, boldly announced that "a way must be found to blerd religious and secular instruction in the schools." And he added: "I do not believe that you are going to make the right kind of a citizen by a godless education and then adding on religion afterwards. That idea is wrong. Education and religion must go hand in hand."

Within the past year President Eliot, of Harvard, in a magazine article, deplored the fact that "our educational system had not solved any one of the great problems that trouble the country at the present time;" that vice and crime had increased instead of diminishing with the extension of our public school system. At the National Educational Convention held in Boston last summer several of the most prominent delegates avowed their conviction of the

"necessity of religious instruction in the public schools." So we see there is a very decided change in public opinion on the school question, and a pronounced trend in favor of the principle that underlies the Catholic system of education.

Goldwin Smith, in a letter to the New York Sun, December 13, 1903, discussing this subject of religion in the schools, says of Canada that: "There appears to be a growing disposition here on the part of those who can afford it to send their children to voluntary and religious schools." And he adds: “Under our purely secular system intellect is outrunning character, with bad consequences to the child and to society."

"Whatever we wish to see introduced into the life of a nation," says the German, William von Humboldt," must first be introduced into its schools." Surely we want civic virtue and morality in the life of the American people. Can we get these without introducing them into the schools? And can we have a saving morality and civic virtue without religion? All bodies of Christians the world over unite in saying, No; we can not. Why not, then, introduce religion into the schools?