State Parks, which during the past year was organized on a definite business basis to promote State park development. The national parks form the third main group. These areas are of necessity limited in number, since the policy governing the creation of national parks provides that they must contain scenery or other natural features of the first order, and that only the outstanding example of each type of exhibit shall be included in such a park. It is believed that areas of lesser importance from a scenic standpoint should be considered for State parks. Educational Development Has Taken Place It happens that the majority of the national parks are located away from large centers of population. These parks serve a threefold purpose to preserve the beautiful or unique in nature for all time, to offer convenient fields for study of natural phenomena, and to provide opportunities for recreation. In order to assist visitors in studying the natural features of the parks an interesting educational development has gradually taken place. Nature guide service has been provided, so that parties may be taken afield and the objects of interest encountered along the trails explained; lectures on park subjects are given in the evenings in hotel or camp lobbies or around the open campfire, and museums are being established wherein the visitor may study intensively the natural features observed in the park. In addi A particularly interesting phase of the educational development was the inauguration during the past season, of the Yosemite Field School of Natural History, which gave a seven weeks' intensive field course in natural history. tion to its work in botany, zoology, and other sciences, every student in this unique school had practice in teaching, leading parties afield, giving nature talks around the campfire, and writing nature notes. In developing the national parks for use by the public, every precaution is taken to preserve them as nearly as possible in their natural condition. Winter Sports Offer Attraction Formerly the national parks, especially the northerly ones, were considered available for use only in the summer. Now, however, it has been found that outdoor recreation can be enjoyed in the winter as well as in the summer, and the parks are coming into their own as coldweather playgrounds. Definite winter seasons have been established in several of them, and snowshoeing, skiing, tobogganing, and other sports are enjoyed by thousands of hardy outdoor enthusiasts. Skiing tournaments bring in large crowds of winter visitors, and the annual outings of several mountaineering clubs draw many more. In the East's one national park ice boating is added to the other winter attractions. Wild Animals Abundant in Winter Another interesting feature of the national parks in winter is the abundance of wild life. As the storms drive them down from their summer ranges in the mountain fastnesses deer and elk in particular appear around park headquarters and afford a fascinating opportunity for study. Considering the nature of the national parks, the West is fairly well provided with these reservations, although a few important areas remain that should be brought within the national-park fold. East of the Mississippi River, however, in the area of greatest congestion in population, there is but one national park, the Lafayette, and all of the land included in this was donated to the Nation by public-spirited citizens. Urgent need exists for the creation of several others, and investigations are in progress, under authority of Congress, of other areas in the East suggested for park purposes. A preliminary survey of the entire southern Appalachian region resulted in a recommendation to Congress that the Shenandoah National Park, in the Blue various organizations could cooperate and coordinate their endeavors along Alpine horn for signaling to parties on the glaciers, Mount Rainier National Park Ridge Mountains of Virginia, be created immediately, because of its magnificent scenery and accessibility to big centers of population; and that the Smoky Mountain National Park, in the Big Smokies of Tennessee and North Carolina, to include the most superb scenery of the southern Appalachian Range, be later established. The present investigation is for the purpose of determining the boundaries that should be established should these two parks be created, securing options, and receiving definite offers of donations of lands and moneys. The Mammoth Cave region of Kentucky is also included in the surveys. It is understood that the report of the investigating committee will be in the hands of the Secretary of the Interior in time to present to Congress when it convenes in December. With all these factors interested in promoting outdoor recreation, I believe that in the near future adequate city, county, State, and National parks will have been provided to care for the people of our own time, as well as for those of the generations to come, when urban congestion will be even greater than it is today. Many Organizations Foster Outdoor Recreation The beneficial effects of outdoor recreation and the necessity for this kind of exercise are stressed now more than ever before. Throughout the country hundreds of organizations, local and national, have been organized to foster the outdoor movement, which goes forward with everincreasing momentum. The calling of the National Conference on Outdoor Recreation by President Coolidge in the spring of 1924 gave it new impetus by providing a medium through which these Kindergartens an Important Factor in Americanization Need for kindergarten training in public schools is especially great in districts where families with children live in two or three rooms. In the kindergarten the children acquire habits of application, obedience, self-control, and cleanliness, and are prepared for the greater restrictions of the grade school, states David B. Corson, superintendent of public schools of Newark, N. J., in his annual report. Nor is its value only disciplinary and social. The children learn to work with their hands, they get a knowledge of form and color, memory and imagination are developed, their powers of observation and initiative trained, and their best and highest ambitions aroused. To the children of the foreign born the kindergarten is particularly beneficial. The reaction on the home is marked, and it is an important factor in Americanization. Combine to Reduce Illiteracy A census of illiterates in the United States will be taken within a year by the General Federation of Women's Clubs, which is cooperating with the Interior Department, Bureau of Education, to reduce illiteracy before the taking of the 1930 census. The Chamber of Commerce of the United States, the American Legion, the American Red Cross, the American Federation of Labor, and other organizations are lending their aid in the movement to give every man, woman, and child in the country at least the rudiments of an education. Camp-fire lecture by a nature-guide ranger, Yellowstone National Park Attention to Needs of Hard of Hearing Investigation by American Federation of Organizations for the Hard of Hearing. Aural IT By MRS. JAMES F. NORRIS T IS well known that many children suffer from impaired hearing, and that this handicap is often entirely unknown to teacher and parent who look upon the child as a "problem," not realizing the defect in hearing, When hearing tests are given annually, the child with a defect can be singled out and often he can be cured. For those children whose hearing is temporarily or permanently impaired, instruction in speech reading should be added to the regular school curriculum. In some cities the public-school authorities realize the needs of the semideaf child, and provide properly for them, but many school officers consider that when a school for the deaf is in operation the problem is entirely solved. Too much stress can not be laid on the difference in the needs of the child born deaf or acquiring deafness before it is old enough to speak, and of the child who can hear and understand speech under certain conditions but is handicapped because at times he does not quite get all that is said to him. The deaf child lacks one of the God-given senses and is subnormal; the hard-of-hearing child is stirred by the emotions caused by hearing the sounds of life and is normal. In only a few ways does his sense of hearing fail him. Special Schools and Special Classes The deaf child should be sent to a special school and be given training in speech and speech reading and voice conservation. In the first years of his training he is unable to compete in his studies with the child who hears. After this wonderful art of speech reading is attained the Ideaf child is often able to continue his education in the high school or college with the child of normal hearing. The hard-of-hearing child does not need to be taught speech; he has already learned it from hearing his parents talk. His time should not be wasted in classes with deaf children who have this to learn. He needs to hear speech, and more speech, in his work and in his play in order that he may retain what he has; and he needs to hear normal voices and to learn to Portions of report made at Sixth Annual Convention of the American Federation of Organizations for the Hard of Hearing, Minneapolis, June 22, 1925. pitch his voice in the same way. By no Therefore this hard-of-hearing child With a little of speech-reading instruction it is possible for the hard-of-hearing child to pass from grade to grade each year. We have definite proof that this is so. Attention to Deafness Economically Sound following as the result of my inquiries, which have involved extended correspond ence: CALIFORNIA Fresno.-Eight deaf and dumb, 4 hard of hearing; next year these two classes will be divided. Los Angeles.-Survey, 1924-25, by school authorities; lip-reading lessons given at centers. San Francisco.-May, 1924, survey by teachers in 7 schools; 10 per cent of those tested below normal. October, November, December, 1924, survey by department of health; 4,376 examined, 241 ear defects, 147 diminished hearing, 94 deaf. Lessons in speech reading. COLORADO State law requires examinations of hearing. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington.-Whisper test, under auspices of school authorities, in 1923; 1,200 with defective hearing in first 7 grades; speech-reading teacher in 1923; lessons at 9 schools. ILLINOIS Chicago.-Statement by commissioner of health: In 1924 survey, 153,671 examined, 1,402 defective hearing, 631 discharging ears. Statement by president of Chicago League for the Hard-of-Hearing: In 1922, 1,093 children were examined in Sumner School by Doctors Pierce and Theobald; 62 tubotympanic catarrh. Report of May, 1925, of survey under auspices of Chicago league with cooperation of board of education: Seven schools examined; 7,538 total children; 655 could not hear whisper test at 25 feet; 205+ need medical care; 95+ hard-of-hearing cases discovered. KENTUCKY Louisville.-Special classes for hard-of-hearing children to be established by superintendent of schools on September 1, 1925. MARYLAND Baltimore.-In 1924 a partial survey was made in elementary schools. Whisper test under auspices school authorities; 5,000 examined; 4 per cent had defeetive hearing. Speech-reading instructor; classes 1 hour per week per child. Whisper test; those below par tested with audiometer. MASSACHUSETTS State Law requires yearly survey. Boston. In 1924, 472 cases of defective hearing were reported to superintendent, in addition to those in school for deaf; 53 hard-of-hearing children given speech the deaf. Cambridge. In 1921, 222 had defective hearing; in 1922, 239 had defective hearing; in 1923, 164 had defective hearing; in 1924, speech-reading teachers were employed; whisper test. In cities where the hearing tests are followed by preventive clinics a child's deafness may be retarded or the hearing reading instruction 2 hours per week at day school for restored to normal. Otologists agree that much of the deafness in adult life could have been prevented by proper treatment in youth. Statistics would prove, we feel sure, that the cost to the State of annual examinations, preventive clinics, and speech-reading instruction would be economically sound. Fall River. Three hundred had defective hearing; speech-reading teacher goes to 5 centers; 70 children in classes. Latest figures, number reported with subnormal hearing, 339; number examined by physician 103; number in speech-reading class, 78. Doctors Sheffield and Borden conduct clinic free of charge; many parents attend. At an early age children progress rapidly Lynn. First speech-reading class in 1918; teacher goes to 5 centers; 50 pupils enrolled. In 1922-23, 14,997 were examined, 220 with defective hearing; 1923-24, 15,182 examined, 184 defective hearing; 1924-25, 12,634 School authorities in many cities are realizing the needs of the hard-of-hearing child and are eager to know what other cities are doing to meet the problem. The board of managers of the federation therefore requested me to collect the needed information. In response I present the MICHIGAN Flint. In 1923, survey in elementary school under auspices of school authorities; speech-reading teacher goes to 10 centers, serving 13 schools, €8 in class. Detroit.-Board of health reports 403 cases in 99 schools; 73 recommended for further examination by aurist; 330 to remain in hearing grades and given speechreading instruction; survey not yet complete. MINNESOTA Minneapolis.-Seventy deaf and hard-of-hearing children cared for in special classes. NEW JERSEY Bloomfield. In 1923, 11 cases defective hearing reported to school superintendent. Newark.-Ninety of all degrees deafness in school or deaf. NEW YORK Buffalo.-Survey annually in grade and high school. In 1923, 17,919 boys examined, 161 defective hearing; 15,608 girls examined, 91 defective hearing; 1 speechreading teacher, 1 class operated for 4 years, and 1 for 2 years. Time Has Come to Abolish the Ugly Should be a Place for the Influence of Nature and of the Beautiful. Children's Play is New York City.-On "health day" each year teacher Beautiful, Even in a Desert; but Playgrounds Need Not be Unattractive. Gardens Add gazes into ear canal. In 1923 Doctor Harris surveyed 1 school; 1923-24, 1 school surveyed by New York League for the Hard-of-Hearing; 1924, Doctors Hays, Palmer, and Austin surveyed school No. 171; 54 examined, 23 defective hearing. New York League for the Hard-of-Hearing offers free speech-reading lessons to children of above clinic; 1923-24, 32 in attendance; 1924-25, 37 in attendance. Rochester. In 1909 clinic started by Doctor Bock; 1916, speech-reading teacher appointed by school authorities; 4 or 5 schools surveyed in past 3 years by speech-reading teacher; Whipple test; 1,700 examined in junior high schools, 2 per cent placed in speech-reading classes; 1,577 in grammar schools, 3 per cent in speech-reading classes. In 1921, school No. 18 examined by Doctor Bock; 1924, supervisor of special education held meeting to consider thorough survey. Syracuse.-One hundred cases defective hearing reported to school authorities by nurses and physicians; 8 totally deaf attend speech-reading class. For past two and one-half years a private school has offered free instruction. Class started by Syracuse Speech Reading Society grew from 2 to 17; allowed to meet in a school building. June, 1925, work already done is noted by authorities, and board of education appoints Miss E. G. Delany extension teacher for hardof-bearing school children. OHIO Columbus.-In 1924-25 survey 200 reported by school physician to need special care. Cleveland.-In 1923-24 survey by board of education; 39,016 examined in elementary school, 529 defective hearing, in addition to those in school for the deaf. Classes in speech reading; largest classes in high school; more than 20 in one school. "It is most important that medical care should be administered now." "In many cases remedial measures have been highly satisfactory." "City dispensaries respond gladly in giving free treatment." Springfield. In 1924-25 survey; 9 eligible for defective-hearing class; class to be started April, 1925. Toledo.-Complete survey to be made by school physician in fall of 1925. Lincoln School surveyed 1925 by Doctor Winger, otologist; service gratis; 50 children examined, about 15 treated. Lip reading promised in fall 1925 PENNSYLVANIA Erie. Twenty-six elementary schools examined; class in speech reading in 1 public school. Philadelphia.-In 1924, 10 districts examined; 419 serious defects; 17 totally deaf children placed in 1 school under supervisor of speech-improvement work; 7 teachers. In November, 1920, 15 children; now more than 100, of whom one-third are totally deaf; two-thirds varying degrees of hearing and differing types of deafness; aim to preserve their voice and give them speech reading. Pittsburgh.-Ears examined yearly by school medical department; 1922-23, 38 schools examined; 540 new cases of deafness, 575 old cases. RHODE ISLAND State law requires yearly test. In 1923-24, 37 towns and cities (2 not in) report 76,107 examined; 2,018 hard of hearing. More than $40,000,000 for school buildings has been expended by Massachusetts during the past five years, and more than half of this amount was for the erection of junior high school buildings. T to Their Beauty By JOSEPH LEE President Playground and Recreation Association of America THE CHILD, his playground is a number of things-workshop and social center, safety zone and land of adventure. Also, it should be a place to bring to him unconsciously the influence of nature and of the beautiful. America has many beautiful playgrounds, thanks to the work of park and recreation departments and other bodies. But often the playgrounds are the most hideous and homesick looking places in town. Of course a drab and sun-baked playground is much better than none at all. Children's play itself is beautiful even in a cinder desert. But there is no reason why any playground in America should be of that sort. Early in the play movement the acquisition of space was the urgent consideration. Hastening to meet the need for playgrounds in their congested areas, many cities did not give much thought to beautifying them. Later, the importance of leadership was stressed. Land and leadership for play are still needed all over America, especially in the 400 cities of more than 8,000 population which, as yet, are making no provision for public recreation. But now it is time to abolish the ugly playground. One thing almost every playground might provide, which furnishes both play and beauty, is a space, preferably along the edge, for children's gardens. There is no better play or better education than raising plants and vegetables. There is no more searching lesson in the rights of property than the experience of having the potato you have watched for a month stolen by some other boy; and taking care of growing things, whether they are flowers or babies, should be a part of everybody's education. Luxuriant Gardens Replace Bare Cinders For beauty, I remember a picture I took on a playground we once had in Boston, which until we took it was a bare space of cinders in a tenement district. The picture showed the girls picking ears of corn among cornstalks higher than their heads. In the next row of gardens were California sunflowers from which each child gathered a bunch of flowers almost every day. And besides park features on the playground there should be playgrounds in the parks. The great landscape painters have included plays and dances in their scenery. The effect of solitude, it is true, is one of the elements in great landscape making. But often solitude is unobtainable. Another and equally satisfying form of beauty is childrens' play. Teaching First Aid to High School the location of pressure points, the use Students The Carlinville High School physiology class has to its credit on the records of the Illinois Mines and Minerals Bureau 343 first-aid graduates. These graduates hold the certificate or diploma issued by the bureau to first-aid teams. The examinations are conducted under the auspices of the Federal and State bureaus, representatives of both being present. The work is given in connection with the regular high-school course in physiology as the laboratory work of that course. Two periods a week, 90 minutes long, are given to each class, and three periods a week are devoted to the recitation work in physiology. The laboratory and recitation are kept in as close correlation as possible. The various phases of the work may be summed up briefly in the following: The danger of bleeding, and abuse of a tourniquet and its proper application; the kinds of wounds, the danger of infection, the treatment, and the proper application of dressings and bandages; the danger of shock, the overcoming of shock by application of heat, friction, external and internal stimulants; kinds of fractures, the handling of fractures, methods of applying splints and the best forms of slings; kinds of burns and their treatments, putting out fires, rescuing from fires; electric shock, the rescuing of one shocked, the treatment for overcoming electric shock, and the dressing of electric burns; asphyxiation by gas, water, or choking, artificial respiration methods and accompanying treatments; various classes of poisons and correct method of treating each; stretcher work and other methods of carrying injured by one, two, or three carriers. Beatrice Eva Hoehn. All Universities in Ecuador Closed by Discontent for Many Years Because of Low Standards Resulting in Excessive Numbers of Ill-Trained Doctors. Expectation that Institutions Will Remain Closed Several A Years. Action Causes Hardship to Individuals By R. M. de LAMBERT LL UNIVERSITIES in Ecuador were closed by a governmental decree dated August 11, 1925. The universities were located at Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, and Loja. The educational system of Ecuador is divided into primary, secondary, and superior courses, the first corresponding largely to the first eight grades of the American system, the second, called "college," corresponding nearly to the high schools in the United States, and the third, comprising the universities of Ecuador, corresponding closely to the lower colleges in the United States. Degrees of bachelor are granted for completion of the secondary courses, and masters' and doctors' degrees are granted in the universities. All of the educational system is directly under the control of the central government in Quito. For many years past there has been discontent with the so-called superior education. It has been most respectable to study for the degree of doctor of law or doctor of medicine, and although many efforts have been made by Congress and otherwise to make the courses more difficult and have the candidates for degrees more thoroughly prepared, the degrees still have remained too easy of attainment. The result is that the country is flooded with doctors, the majority of whom are unable to earn a living at their profession and many of whom do actual harm by attempting to practice a profession for which they are not fully prepared. Primary Education Will Reap Benefit One of the items on a program for the present régime was the elimination of superior education and the spread of primary education. Therefore it was no great surprise when the decree closing the universities was published. The decree states that the universities of the country are to be closed temporarily. There is no explanation of the term "temporarily," but it is the general belief that the Ecuadorian universities will remain closed at least several years if the present intentions of the administration are carried out. This decree causes some hardship to individual students, for it is put into Official report to Secretary of State. effect before the examinations and granting of degrees for work done during the past school year. Naturally after the students have spent some years working almost solely for degrees, there is considerable ill feeling when they are deprived of the fruits of their labors. However, the Government probably had that very thing in mind when it issued the decree, for it is the desire to cut down the number of doctors in the land. It is likely that one result of this decree will be the sending of more students abroad for higher education, but of course the majority of local university students could not afford to pursue their education abroad. [NOTE. In a report of G. A. Bading, United States Minister, dated September 14, 1925, it is stated that the announcement has been made that the reorganization of the University of Guayaquil is in progress; a new president and many new professors have been appointed by the central government, and classes are expected soon to be opened.-Editor] High-school students in Santa Barbara, Calif., have the opportunity, through a series of half-hour semiweekly periods, to take short courses on cultural and general subjects that are not included in their regular courses. These short courses are offered in astronomy, art appreciation, ethics, psychology, logic, history of California, popular science, technique of games, music appreciation, community singing, conversational Spanish, conversational French, current topics, office study, use of the library, the slide rule, and chemistry arithmetic. Compulsory Insurance for Teachers and Pupils Bavarian Schools of Certain Classes Must Make Contracts with Specified Company. Premiums are Nominal for Children BY By CHARLES B. CURTIS Y DECREE of the Bavarian Ministry for Public Worship and Education all higher State schools, advanced and elementary agricultural schools, and technical schools will have to insure their teachers and pupils for the school year 1925-26 with a specified company in accordance with a contract made with that company by the ministry. Such teachers and pupils as are at present insured with other companies need not be insured with this company until the beginning of the school year 1926–27. Insurance Will Cover School Injuries The yearly premiums will vary from 1.50 marks ($0.36) to 0.75 marks ($0.18) per person according to the type of school attended. The insurance will cover injuries received in the building or on the ground of the school, upon excursions made by the schools, or when going to or returning from school. Broadly speaking, the insurance will cover all costs of treating a teacher or pupil who has suffered an accident for a period of one year from the time of the accident; in the case of loss of a limb, etc., the company will pay a lump sum in addition to the cost of medical treatment and hospital charges. In the case of disability, certain payments will be made up to the age of 17 years, after which a single payment of 10,000 marks ($2,382) will be made to pupils. In case of death within one year, funeral ($238.20) will be paid. The figures as to expenses not to exceed 1,000 marks teachers are somewhat different, larger payments being usually provided. Official report to Secretary of State. AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK is intended not so much to stress the need of education as to bring about a better understanding between parents and educators. Many people who are extremely anxious that their children get an "education" think they have done their duty if they keep them in school until they graduate. They neglect to see that the children make the best use of their opportunities. Education Week should help to make the parents acquainted with the work of the schools. It should arouse a determination in the parents to cooperate with the teacher. It should emphasize to pupils and parents that acquiring knowledge and learning to think are more important than merely getting a passing mark. Above all the parent, more than anyone else, must assume the task of seeing that the child receives the particular kind of training which will develop his talents and fit him for his life's work. Education should both give us culture and make us useful, patriotic citizens.-Theodore Christianson, Governor of Minnesota. |