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     The Nebraska Education Commission, created by the state teachers' association and the superintendents' and principals' association, was authorized by said association and the state superintendent of public instruction to prepare a course of study for the elementary schools of Nebraska. In accordance with this direction, the education commission appointed committees and sub-committees to prepare copy on the various subjects to be included in the course. On receipt of the reports from the different committees, a publication committee was appointed and authority given them to select an editor, who took charge of the entire manuscript and edited the course of study. This course of study was established as the official course for the elementary schools in Nebraska by the state superintendent of public instruction. The completion of the course of study prescribed therein entitles the pupil to the provisions of the free high school law in Nebraska.

     This course of study attempts, and very successfully accomplishes, the object of correlating the various subjects studied with the environment of the child in the country school. In the subject of arithmetic, the problems given deal with the life of the home and the farm instead of problems foreign to his experience. The work in geography begins with the study of the child's home life and from that builds up and out to world geography. The subjects of nature study and agriculture are given special attention. The child is pot to studying the natural conditions with which he is surrounded. In the language study the work of nature study is correlated in all departments. Special attention is given in the new course to the very important subjects of manual training and domestic science. Directions are given for the organization and formation or boys and girls clubs in line with the work that has been carried on so successfully in all parts of the state.

     The quarterly review questions approved by the state department of education and furnished to schools by the county superintendents have done much to make the new course of study effective in the schools. These questions have been furnished the schools bi-monthly and have been the means of fixing a standard for all the schools of the state. No other one thing has done so much in introducing this course as has the use of these uniform test questions. Among other things it has so prepared the students for the eighth grade examination that the percentage of failures in the uniform eighth grade examination has been much less than formerly because of the fact that teachers and students having a definite standard, students would not attempt the examination until they were fully prepared.

     The question of consolidation has been agitated in many parts of the state and much interest shown in many communities. While as much as desired has not been accomplished in the way of actual consolidation of districts, the interest shown and agitation that has been made has done much to improve country school conditions. As a result of this interest, many new buildings have been constructed upon modern lines. Since the last report, more than 600 new rural buildings have been constructed in the state, aggregating in value more than $450,000. The amount expended for the repair and improvement of old buildings cannot well be estimated as no figures are available; but that the amount is very large is attested by the report of county superintendents of the increased interest in school improvement from all parts of the state.

     County superintendents report increased interest in the eighth grade graduation. Reports from city superintendents and high school principals show that there is a very large increase in the high school attendance on account of the free high school law. More than 6,000 pupils annually graduate from the elementary course and figures show that practically all of these pursue their work further in some of the high schools of the state.

     One of the greatest drawbacks to country school improvement in the past has been the lack of trained teachers. This has been largely overcome in the past biennium by the aid of the normal training courses in the high schools. County and city superintendents are enthusiastic over the work of the normal training graduate of the high school in the country school. Experience attests that these young people go out into the country with a better conception of the work required of them than ever before. The eight junior normal schools also have done a great work in the western part of the state in preparing teachers for the rural schools.

     During the biennium just closing, $75,000 has been distributed to the weak districts of the state. It has made it possible to give more than 10,000 boys and girls at least five months of school. That this is a godsend to the people in the newer part of the state is attested by hundreds of letters on file in the office of the state superintendent. This aid will have to be expended for some years, but it is hoped that in a very few years these districts will be able to maintain school from their own resources.

     Under the provisions of the free high school law, section 5, subdivision 6, School Laws of Nebraska, 1909, all grades above the eighth

grade in any public school district are deemed high school grades. "The course of study for the first eight grades shall be the course of study prescribed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or a course of study approved by him, and the course of study for the high school grades shall be the Nebraska High School Manual or a coarse of study approved by the state superintendent. Every pupil to be entitled under the provisions of this act to a free high school education in the ninth grade must have a certificate signed by the county superintendent of the proper county, that he has completed the course of study prescribed by the state superintendent for work below the ninth grade."

     Under the workings of this law, the county eighth grade examinations are state-wide in application. A student holding a certificate from a county superintendent is legally entitled to enter any approved high school in the state. It is evident that when the examination is not properly safeguarded some students who do not have the necessary preliminary training to do effective high school work may receive these certificates. Where such is the ease, discouragement comes to the student in his attempt to carry the regular high school work, and he is either forced to drop out of school or to remain doing inefficient work and repeating such work, which places an unjust financial burden on the home district which is paying for the free high school tuition.

     The Nebraska course of study for elementary schools is the course of study prescribed for the first eight grades. The test for completion of this course of study is the eighth grade pupils' examination from the questions issued by this department. The examination is held in each county under the direction of the county superintendent. Acting in accordance with the recommendation of the committee of county superintendents appointed by the county superintendent's section of the 1909 meeting of the Nebraska State Teachers' Association, the following regulations governing eighth grade examinations are established.

     The examination shall be held in each county at the county seat and at other central places in the county as directed by the county superintendent. Three examinations will be offered for the school year 1909-10, on the following dates:

Thursday and Friday, March 24 and 25.
Thursday and Friday, April 21 and 22.
Thursday and Friday, May 12 and 13.

     At least one examination shall be held in each county. The county superintendent at his option may hold examinations on any or all of the above named dates.

     The examination papers shall be marked by the county superintendent or by a committee appointed by him. Under no circumstances shall the papers be marked by the pupil's own teacher.

     The average passing grade shall be 75 per cent with a minimum passing grade of 60 per cent in any subject.

     It is recommended that eighth grade pupils should have the same rights in retaining grades as are accorded to teachers in the uniform state teachers' examinations.

     Each pupil receiving a free high school certificate shall pass examination in the subjects named in the examination program.

     9:00 to 10:30--Grammar.

     10:30 to 12:00--U. S. History.

     1:00 to 2:30--Orthography. Writing.

     2:30 to 4:00--Physiology.

     9:00 to 10:30--Arithmetic.

     10:30 to :00--Reading.

     1:00 to 2:00--Mental Arithmetic.

     2:00 to 3:30--Geography and Agriculture.

     1. The name of the subject should appear at the top of each sheet of each answer paper, the number (or name) of the applicant, the number (or name) of the school district, and the date of the examination.

     2. Where possible ink should be used.

     3. Answers should be written on one side of the paper only.

     4. A separate sheet of paper should be used for each subject.

     5. Answers should be in clear, definite terms.

     6. Answers should be numbered in the middle of the page to correspond with the questions.

     7. A complete solution of all problems in arithmetic should be given.

     8. Credits should be deducted for carelessly written or illegible manuscripts.

     9. Applicants should not be permitted to leave the room or to communicate with any one except the person conducting the examination, except on receiving permission from the conductor in charge; nor shall any pupil receive aid from any person or use any books, notes, or memoranda of any kind during examination.

     10. Applicants should not be permitted to ask "leading questions" of conductor during examination. The questions will be clearly enough stated for one who knows the subject.

     11. In counties where a large number take the examination and the marking is done by a committee, it is recommended that so far as possible all the papers written on any subject be marked by one member of the committee. This insures uniformity and facilitates the work of marking papers.

     12. Specific written instructions should be given each conductor at the central examination points. Provision should be made for a suitable room for holding the examination. In most counties, it has been the custom for the examinations to be held under the direction of the principals of the various town schools and under the direction of teachers at central points in the communities far distant from towns where it is advisable to hold examinations. Conductors should be instructed to see that every pupil taking the examination is given a fair chance to write on the examination, that no pupil takes an unfair advantage in any way, that every paper is properly marked so that it can be identified, and that the papers are promptly collected and submitted to the county superintendent.

     13. The necessary expense for conducting the examinations and marking the papers should be borne by the county. This is generally paid by an appropriation by the county board. The amounts reported from the various counties vary from $10 to $50 where a lump sum is given. Eleven counties report "bills allowed as needed."

     14. The endeavor should be to give every pupil a fair chance and every pupil an equal chance to show his qualifications and at the same time protect the pupil from being led to leave the work of the eighth grade before he has properly mastered it; to protect the high school from being compelled through the free high school law to receive into the high school pupils who are not properly prepared for the work; and to protect the home district of the pupil from paying free high school tuition for a pupil whose education could better be continued in the home district.

     Each county superintendent may at his discretion give preliminary tests in each school by which teachers may judge which students are qualified to take the final examination. Questions for preliminary examinations may be prepared by the county superintendent, or in case the county superintendent will hold only one or two state pupils' examinations the state examination questions prepared for the previous examinations may be used by the county superintendent for preliminary tests, such tests to bear no relation to the final examination except as a means of deciding which pupils are entitled to take it.

     In the preliminary examination, the county superintendent will direct the manner of holding such examinations, marking papers and reporting the same by respective teachers.

     No student should be admitted to the final examination except on the written recommendation of such student's teacher and no pupil should be recommended by any teacher except such pupils as have completed the full work as outlined in the course of study.

     Incomplete Examination. Provided, any pupil completing the work outlined for any particular subject or subjects may on recommendation of the teacher take examination in such particular subjects and satisfactory grades may be retained at the discretion of the county superintendent until such time as the student may complete the entire examination.

     The examination questions will be sent in bulk and in quantities according to request from the county superintendent. The question will be printed in such form that they may be divided into eight sections, corresponding to the examination program for each half day.. The county superintendent will prepare for each central point the number of sets of examination questions needed and send the same in sealed envelopes, a separate envelope for each half day's examination,. to the person appointed to conduct the examination at each respective point. The seal of question envelopes shall not be broken until the

time announced on the program schedule for each quarter day, and shall be broken in the presence of the pupils taking the examination.

     Any person admitted to the examination and receiving questions or a knowledge of the questions should remain in the examination room under the direction of the conductor until time announced for the close of the quarter concerned.

     In case there is local reason why any provision of the above named regulations cannot be successfully applied, on written statement from the county superintendent, giving conditions existing and reason desired for modification of regulations in any way, permission may be granted by this department for modification such as will relieve the local situation without endangering the integrity of the examination.

     According to the report of county superintendents last year 9,912 eighth grade pupils took the final examination. Of this number, 5,822 took examination or completed examination in all eighth grade subjects, and 5,026 received free high school certificates, Eighth grade graduating or promotion exercises were held in seventy-seven counties last year. In some counties the exercises were held in each school district where there was one or more eighth grade graduates. In other counties the exercises were held by townships at central points. In twelve counties, exercises were held by sections of the county at convenient points, and in thirty-eight counties central exercises including all the eighth grade graduates of the county were held at the county seats. Special eighth grade graduating exercises were also held in a number of the town and city schools. In a number of counties every town and city school united with the county superintendent in a general county eighth grade graduating exercise. This is a commendable plan, as it brings eighth grade pupils of both rural and urban communities together, helps them to form acquaintances and stimulates a desire on their part to continue together the work in the high school. These exercises, whether they be district, township, sectional, or county exercises, are instrumental in emphasizing the importance of the work of the common schools below the high school; and in arousing interest in both town and country communities in a common school education for every child. They are one means of stimulating the proper activity by not only providing for, but insisting on, the best degree of public school education within their possibilities for every boy and girl in the state. We are pleased to commend the holding of such exercises.

     The programs for these exercises should provide for some of the best music that can be secured in the county. The speaker for the

occasion should be one who will bring to the young people a word of encouragement for what they have done, will lead them to know the privileges which are theirs for continuing their education and help them to see that what they have so far accomplished is just a beginning of what they need and what they are entitled to.

     Common school diplomas can be issued by the county superintendent, to any and all pupils who pass a county pupil's examination, but free high school certificates can be legally Issued only to those pupils who successfully pass the state pupil's eighth grade examination under the prescribed regulations and who in addition thereto are entitled to the privileges of the free high school law. (See section 5, subdivision 6, school laws of Nebraska 1909.)

     All pupils entitled to and desiring privileges under the free high school law should take the examination for a free high school certificate. This applies to non-resident pupils attending in school districts organized under subdivisions 3, 6, and 14, where such pupils expect the home districts to provide free high school privileges for them the following year.

December 23, 1910.     

     To the Hon. Silas R. Barton, State Auditor:

     In compliance with the provisions of section 14b, subdivision 2, school laws, which provides that the state superintendent of public instruction shall, on or before the last Monday of December of each year, certify to the state auditor the amounts of state aid due the several counties, I submit the following statement, showing the counties entitled to share in this appropriation; with the amount due each county December 23, 1910.

     I hereby certify that the above statement is true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

E. C. BISHOP,          

State Superintendent of Public Instruction.     

     The inspection of the non-accredited high schools had its beginning with the passage of the free high school law in 1907. Superintendent J. L. McBrien, who was then state superintendent, appointed his deputy, E. C. Bishop, inspector of these schools. A system of reports was inaugurated which, together with the personal inspection by the inspector, and the inspection of these schools by the county superintendent, has been the means of unifying the work in the smaller high schools of the state.

     The county superintendent is recognized as ex-officio county inspector of non-accredited high schools. He is requested to carefully inspect each non-accredited high school in the county and report recommendations to the state department of education. The county superintendent, in the inspection of non-accredited high schools, compares the equipment, courses of study, the work being done, and the corps of teachers with the official report of the principal made to the state superintendent.

     At the beginning of each school year, three copies of the blank for report of high schools under the free high school law is sent to the principal of each non-accredited high school in Nebraska as listed in the directory of the preceding year. The principal of each non-accredited high school is requested to promptly fill out the three blank reports, mail one copy to the state superintendent, one copy to the county superintendent, and to file one copy with the school district records.

     This report gives in complete detail all the conditions as found in any given school. The report gives the subjects pursued in each school, the textbook used in each subject, the ground covered in the textbook, number of pupils in class, the teacher, the grade in which. taught, number of weeks pursued, total periods per week, and length of recitation. The report also gives the number of grade teachers, the number of high school teachers, the number of grades below the high school as well as the number of years in the high school proper. The enrollment of pupils in each grade below the high school is given, together with the enrollment of each grade in the high school. Complete information is given as to the financial resources of the district, together with the debts, both. bond and floating indebtedness. A complete report of all apparatus of all kinds used in the various grades of the school is required. A complete history of the qualifications of

all the teachers in the school is required. The items called for are salary per month, number of recitations daily by each teacher, total enrollment of room in charge, total years f experience, years attended at high school, normal school, and college or university, and the grade and date of issuance of the certificate held by the teacher.

     The free high school law makes the Nebraska high school manual the standard by which high school courses of study are measured. The principal points to be considered in the approval of high school courses of study are the following:

     1. Subjects given and arrangement of subjects in program of studies.

     2, Time of recitation given to each class? This should not be less than the minimum named in the high school manual, which is forty minutes.

     3. Equipment for successfully carrying out the work required. This applies especially to the science branches. Proper laboratory equipment and facilities are necessary to secure right results. Schools unable to provide proper facilities for science teaching should substitute other subjects which can be properly handled.

     4. Number and qualifications of teachers. The high school manual makes the following requirement as to minimum number of teachers:

     It is quality, not quantity, of work which brings real education. A strong ten-grade school doing efficient work so far as it goes is of greater service to the community than a weak eleven-grade school. Many boards of education have raised the standard of their schools by adding more teachers and better equipment for the number of grades already carried, or by cutting down the number of grades in order that the teaching force and equipment provided might be sufficient to do good work. Any school may maintain a course of study which may please the patrons better than the course of study which meets the requirements of the free high school law, but such school is not entitled to privileges under the free high school law.

     The law provides that 75 cents per week tuition be paid by the home district to non-resident pupils for high school attendance in approved high schools. In justice to the district paying the tuition, no school should expect to be approved for receiving pay for instruction where such instruction is not of the quality demanded by the law.  The school district compelled to pay 75 cents per week high school tuition should be assured that the high school receiving such tuition is giving 75 cents' worth of service per week. The advantages to a high school which complies with the requirements of the free high school law are important, among which are these:

     1. In order to be approved, the high school must maintain a high school of good standard. This benefits resident pupils as much as non-resident pupils.

     2. The 75 cents per week tuition is a help financially to the district in maintaining a good school.

     3. The graduates of an approved high school can go from such high school to advanced grades in other high schools and without break in their work receive full credit for all work done in the home school. This applies also to college entrance requirements.

     For the purposes' of the free high school law, high schools of the state are classified as follows:

     First Class -- Those meeting the full requirements as outlined in the Nebraska high school manual. This includes all three and four-year high schools accredited to the University of Nebraska, and all one and two-year high schools meeting the full requirements as to course of study, equipment and teaching force.

     Second Class -- Those failing in some minor points to meet the full requirements of the high school manual, but which, on account of small attendance or other reasons, are doing the proper standard of work.

     School districts organized under subdivision 3, and maintaining one or more high school grades with the required course of study, equipment and teaching force, can be approved under the free high school law under the same conditions as govern districts organized under subdivisions 6 and 14.

     High schools approved as first or second class schools will be entitled to collect tuition from nonresident pupils under the free high school law.

     Pupils completing high school grades in a first class high school are recommended to the county superintendent as eligible to county free high school certificates without further examination.

     The approval of high schools under the free high school law is for one year only.

     The county superintendent's office is the clearing house for each county in carrying out the provisions of the free high school law. The issuance of county free high school certificates, the inspection of free high schools, the settlement of questions relative to the attendance of nonresident pupils and payment of tuition therefor are important matters which require careful adjustment and well kept records, which will not only enable the county superintendent to have a complete knowledge of the record of each non-resident pupil of the county and of the work being done for such pupils by free high school districts, but which will enable school districts paying free high school tuition to know that the high school education for which they pay has been. properly given to the proper persons.

     It is a pleasure to note the improvement that has been made in the non-accredited schools which had before been attempting more work than was possible to be done with the number of teachers, and which have either omitted a grade or strengthened the work by adding additional force. The aim of the inspector has been at all times to give to the country districts that were paying for the tuition value received. This has served two purposes. It has given an opportunity for high school education to the country pupils and has improved the school for the resident pupils of the smaller high school districts.

     Number of schools approved by state superintendent under free high school law for the school year 1910-1911.

     The establishment of normal training high schools in Nebraska by the state legislature, April 10, 1907, marked a new era in the progress of education in our state.

     A proper demand for better qualified teachers and a higher standard of certification had been made by the public before this date.

     With the limited means then in operation for fitting teachers, it was not possible to prepare a sufficient number for vacancies constantly occurring in the army of 10,000. By using the faculties and equipments of the stronger high schools to give some normal training to pupils who wished to prepare for teaching, it was believed that the ranks of the teaching force might be kept supplied with teachers of a much higher grade of efficiency than those who had been certified during previous years.

     The excellent results obtained even in the short period of three years have fully justified the policy of the department of education that evolved the plan, as well as the wisdom of the legislators who enacted the law and authorized the appropriation that made the entire plan effective.

     That the public was ready for better teachers and that there were many pupils wishing to undertake the required preparation was evi-

dent at the close of the first year under the new law. June 1, 1908, sixty-five normal training schools graduated 550 from the training course; at the close of the school year 1909, ninety-eight schools graduated 763, and at the close of 1910, one hundred and nine schools graduated 894. January 1, 1911, one hundred and twelve schools have 2,020 enrolled in the junior and senior classes, 1,041 of these are in the senior class, most of whom will graduate. During the three years, 2,207 student teachers have graduated from the training classes.

     These graduates, on completing the course, receive a second grade county certificate, which is valid in rural and village schools. County superintendents are enthusiastic in their commendation of work done by this class of teachers. Many of them state that the standard of efficiency has been raised 20 to 30 per cent in their respective counties. The success of these teachers is so general and so well known that most of them are offered positions before they have graduated. So far as known, there has not been a normal training graduate unemployed during the school year for the past two years. County superintendents are continually calling for these teachers, but the supply is not sufficient to meet the demand.

     To these in position to know the facts, the explanation of the phenomenal success of these teachers is apparent. Most of them receive their training in the towns and smaller cities. They are largely under the personal supervision and instruction of superintendents and principals of those schools. These instructors are largely teachers of experience, most of whom came from the farm and have grown up through rural, town schools, normal and college or university. They have lived in the environments into which they are sending their graduates. They have a personal pride and ambition to see their pupils win. The classes are usually small enough so that each teacher knows intimately every pupil, and is therefore able to advise judiciously. The variety and the scope of the observation work done by these pupils is exceedingly helpful. All the grades in the town school are carefully observed. Some rural schools are visited and the entire work studied critically. To be under the guidance of such instructors and to be able to observe many teachers under such varying conditions are the strongest possible factors in developing the teaching and governing powers in one who is wishing to become a teacher. Add to these external influences the inherent qualities found in most of the normal training pupils, such as vigorous intellect, desire to succeed, a definite purpose, and in many cases a sympathy with and longing for rural life, and there is a combination of the most desirable elements from which to develop the successful rural teacher.

     School officers of rural and village schools recognize the new type of teacher and are proving their confidence and appreciation by paying better salaries. Thousands of rural districts are giving $5 to $10 per month more than they were three years ago.. Hundreds are paying $10 to $20 a month more than they were three years ago. School

officers are declaring that they are getting so much more and better work from the new type of teacher that they are willing to advance the salary.

     The normal training teacher is receiving many useful ideas along industrial lines while finishing her course of preparation. Agriculture, domestic science and manual training are vital subjects, part or all of which are within the reach of most normal training pupils. They are taking advantage of the opportunities offered in these essentials, and are making glad the hearts of rural patrons by introducing sewing, cooking, corn testing and raising, potato culture, as well as many other truly cultural and educational subjects, into the school and home life of their boys and girls.

     Since entering upon the duties of the department of normal training, December 1, 1909, 187 visits of inspection have been. made to the schools giving normal training. The methods, discipline and teaching power of over 1,200 teachers in the grades and high schools have been observed, together with the apparent results of their work as shown in. their pupils. The class of work of about 3,000 normal training pupils has been observed during this time. Their general ability, earnestness, maturity and responsiveness have been noted. Some of these training pupils have been visited while they were doing substitute work in grades for teachers who were absent.

     In many schools the efficiency of the corps of teachers can be improved, and in some of these schools suggested changes have been made. Boards of education have been ready to confer with the inspector concerning any matters which involve the betterment of their schools.

     These valuable results from normal training have been secured to the public with a very moderate amount of state aid. The average expense to the state per pupil graduating from the normal training class is less than $50. This, compared with the expense of graduating pupils from a regular state normal, is insignificant. New York pays $500 per pupil graduating from her state normals.

     Other states, where normal training is carried in high schools. provide more liberally than does Nebraska. Our state appropriation is $350 per annum to each school giving normal training to a class of not less than ten pupils. New York and Kansas each appropriates $500 per year for similar work, and Minnesota $750 per year.

     Better results can be secured in our state by requiring more thorough preparation of normal training pupils, but since this work is done for the good of the state, an appropriation of not less than $500 per year should be made to help defray the extra expense involved.

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