"The Basis of Practical Teaching" will be discussed by the author, Dr. E. B. Bryan, President of Franklin College, for the benefit of the teachers who are required to attend the Township Institutes. His first article will appear in our August issue. Dr. Bryan is justly recognized as one of the ablest and most practical institute instructors in the United States, and we are proud of the fact that he is a graduate of both the Indiana State Normal School and Indiana University. He has a national reputation as an educator, having served most efficiently as Superintendent of the normal schools in the Philippine Islands. Our Journal will also contain articles upon "Essays in Application," adopted; for the Indiana Teachers' Reading Circle. These articles will be prepared by a most successful teacher of literature. A full announcement will be made at the various Teachers' Institutes Indiana. TWO NEW DEPARTMENTS In view of the fact the new grammars have been adopted for the public schools of Indiana weshall add the following departments: PRIMARY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ADVANCED ENGLISH DEPARTMENT These two departments will be especially edited and every teacher in both the country and city schools should be a subscriber for the Educator-Journal. The editors selected are not only proficient in English, but are recognized as very successful teachers. They are familiar with the needs of the country teachers especially, and their articlest will prove most helpful and inspiring to the teachers of the new grammars. We offer no worthless premiums to induce inexperienced teachers to subscribe. We are endeavoring to assist in the elevation of the profession of teaching by the publication of an educational journal of high rank. We make no appeals whatever, to those teachers who do not subscribe for school journals upon the basis of real merit. We prefer to have for our patrons the teachers who are thoroughly loyal to their profession, and we are pleased to state in this connection that we have upon our subscription list a very large per cent. of those teachers who have been students in both the Indiana State Normal School and Indiana University. CLUB OFFERS The Educator-Journal and The World To-Day will be furnished for one year each at the remarkably low price of $1.60 to those subscribers who may pay in advance. No time subscriptions will be received by either our agents or us at the special price quoted above The World To-Day is a large and beautiful magazine containing the very latest in current history, literature, art, education and science; and its regular price is $150 per year. It is a monthly review of all the history-making events of the world. Every progressive teacher wants to know what the great busy world is doing. He must know the history of the present as well as of the past, that he may properly teach geography, history and kindred subjects. The World To-Day contains numerous illustrations of a high order. They are pictures of notable events at home and abroad, famous scenes, prominent people, works of art and new inventions. In short, it is not a "yellow journal," but one of educational value for wide-awake teachers. Events are treated as living, moving forces in the world's progress. Those paying cash in advance at the various County Teachers' Institutes can obtain, therefore, both the Educator-Journal and The World of To-Day for $1.60. The regular price for both publications is $2.50. SPECIAL COMBINATION OFFER For Cash Subscriptions Sent Directly to Us The EDUCATOR-JOURNAL and REVIEW OF REVIEWS and any two of the following dollar publications will be furnished for one year upon receipt of three dollars ($3.00): Woman's Home Companion $1.00 Success Cosmopolitan 1.00 Pearson's Harper's Bazaar $1.00 $1.00 No time subscriptions received at these special prices, and no agent will be authorized to secure such subscriptions either at the County Teachers' Institutes or elsewhere, as we cannot afford to furnish four standard publications for less than $3.00 in cash. This offer is, therefore, for those teachers only who may remit us directly. Address THE EDUCATOR-JOURNAL COMPANY COMMERCIAL CLUB BLDG. 28 S. MERIDIAN ST. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Three New Books THE ELEMENTS OF PHYSICS. By S. E. Coleman, S. B., A. M. (Harvard), Head of the A book in every respect modern and practical. Being simi- 12 mo. 458 pages. THE PRINCIPLES OF RHETORIC. By Elizabeth H. Spaulding, A.B., Instructor in English, Price, $1.25. The keynote of Spaulding's Rhetoric is common sense ap- Cloth. 283 pages. Price, 90 cents. ALGEBRA FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. By Webster Wells, Professor of Mathematics in the Massa- This book enables students to complete Quadratics during Half Leather (also special pocket edition, in limp binding). 462 pages. Price, $1.20. D. C. HEATH & COMPANY, BOSTON CHICAGO NEW YORK $1.00 a Year August, 1906 12 Numbers The Educator-Journal ENTERED AT THE INDIANAPOLIS POSTOFFICE AS MAIL MATTER OF THE SECOND CLASS THE EDUCATOR-JOURNAL CO. No. 28 South Meridian Street, 606 Commercial Club Building, Indianapolis, Indiana WM. H. WILEY, President J. W. WALKER, Business Manager C. F. PATTERSON, Treasurer VOL. VI. AUGUST, 1906 No. 12 THREE GREAT FORWARD MOVEMENTS IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RURAL SCHOOLS A. G. Brumfiel, Superintendent of Grant County Schools, Marion, Indiana The "Educational Plant" might be taken to mean the entire educational system in all its parts and details-school officials, teachers, the course of study, apparatus, text books, buildings, grounds, etc. Then again it might be taken to mean only the buildings, grounds and the necessary permanent equipment. I have taken it in the second and narrower sense and this paper will be confined to a few remarks concerning the improvement that might be made in the selection of sites, erection of buildings, and in equipping them for use in the rural district. The modern community is tending toward the abolishment of the district school, collecting the teaching force into one large, central building, and transporting the distant pupils to it, thus not only saving considerable expense for fuel and other items, but at the same time giving to the pupils many advantages that they could not get in the rural school. This, I think, is the greatest improvement that the rural school plant needs at the present time, and I would like to make school consolidation my theme, and I believe it is within the province of this paper to do so, but it is a phase of the subject that will be more ably presented by my brother from Montgomery county. Although, as I said, the tendency in the modern community is toward consolidating the small rural school, yet country schools will have to be built for many years to come, and there are a number of important points to be observed in the selection of a rural site, such as the character of the soil, the condition of the neighboring lots of land, the proximity of hills, trees, or buildings that would tend to shut out the light. Usually it is the expense of the land and the central position of the lot that are the prime factors in the determining of a school site, but this should not be so. The greatest attention and care should be given to the healthfulness of the site and the architectural possibilities that it may possess. If possible the architect who is to construct the building should be consulted in regard to the lot before the final selection is made. The character of the soil bears an important relation to the healthfulness of the site. Land which consists largely of clay is always to be avoided, because it takes up moisture and holds it, making the surroundings damp and unhealthful. Peaty soil also holds moisture, and should it be necessary to locate on either clay or peat the greatest care and skill must be exercised in draining the lot. Sand and gravel are easily drained, and therefore should be selected if possible. The general slope of land in the vicinity of a school lot should be such as to insure perfect and proper drainage. Swampy land, duck ponds, piggeries, or any other conditions that would give rise to temporary of permanent moisture, naturally are not the chosen companions of the ideal school lot. At certain times of the year, when the organic matter is in a state of putrefaction, such places would give rise to |