committee should not act wholly independently of the national associa tion, but that they should all work together in bringing an influence on Congress and in arousing the interest of the people.

General EATON. Perhaps a word of explanation may be desirable. At the meeting of this department last year, a committee was appointed to take preliminary action in regard to the representation of education at the Centennial in Philadelphia in 1876. This committee consisted of one member from each State and city represented.

Now, Mr. Wickersham, as I understand it, does not propose any interference with the action taken a year ago. That committee remains, and its members act in their several localities in awakening an interest in the coming Centennial and preparing for the exhibition there of their local educational interests. This committee, however, is too large and its members too widely scattered to be easily convened or to be able to act efficiently as a body; there must be a small working executive committee formed out of this larger body, if any practical results are to be ob tained. The judgment of the national association upon the action taken by this department seemed to be that this was a matter that came within the province of this department and that the association indorsed and approved the action that had been taken. The proposition now is to designate a certain number of the gentlemen of this committee to act as an executive committee. This action commits no one and derogates in no respect from the dignity and power of the general committee; it is simply a method of securing practical action, without which the larger committee will find itself powerless and useless. There must be some way of finding out definitely what is to be done and how to do it. The authorities of the Centennial must be communicated with, and this proposed small committee is, as I understand it, designed simply to effect a business-like connection between the educators who desire to exhibit and the authorities who control the action and facilities of the Exposi tion. I would be glad, before I sit down, to say a word upon another topic. When I introduced Baron von Schwarz-Senborn, I purposely refrained from the expression of such complimentary remarks as I should have felt justified in making. I wished the convention to form their

own conclusions, and I am sure that all who heard his views, the result of such wide experience, feel that it is a great privilege to have him here with us to-day. I wish further to pay my tribute to the grandeur of the conception of that wonderful Exposition as it impressed itself upon me when, officially, the invitation for America to attend and the programmes of the Exposition were placed in my hands.

The programme of the department of education produced upon my mind a most forcible impression. The breadth of view, the all-comprehending grasp of the subject, worked out with such perfection of detail, gave evidence that a mind of no ordinary caliber had originated this noble conception. It seemed to me as if the man that had worked out the programme of that vast Exposition had risen above the sphere in

which we move, according to the ideal of a grand principle of vision, and had looked down upon Austria, full of love for every being in the entire population, man, woman, or child, and had recognized the necessities of that people and the process by which their interests would be elevated and harmonized, and by which the whole nation was to be lifted in rank among the kingdoms of the earth. It seemed to me that the author had brought to this conception, not only this great love for the people and original ability for arrangement, but the experience of the world. That is to say, he had successfully endeavored to bring the experience of the world, which belonged to such an enterprise, down to the Exposition at Vienna, and had incorporated and expressed that experience there. It seemed the scheme of a great philanthropic statesman, planning first for the advancement of his own people, but broad enough to include all the people of the world, who were freely invited to come to Vienna and see the great results of civilization. I can never forget the impression made upon me by that magnificent programme, which not even the grand results of the completed design, which it was my good fortune to behold, could obliterate from my memory.

Doctor HAROLD rose to explain his position. He feared that the resolution, as offered, would be prejudicial to the object of the association, which, as he understood it, was to procure the funds necessary for a great national educational exhibition in 1876. He heartily approved of this idea and believed that the association could obtain the funds from Congress more easily by itself than by co-operating with the managers of the Centennial.

He alluded to the prejudices which had been excited against the Centennial, and which he believed still existed, and thought it wise for the association not to commit itself to the virtual approval of all that the Centennial authorities had done by connecting its appeal with that organization. I believe that never before was there so much interest felt in educational affairs in this country. I believe, by itself, no interest can so strongly appeal to the Congress of the United States. Every other interest seems to have been subordinate to this one, and indeed that may be said with reference to the progress of civilization all over the world. From all parts we hear the expression of that interest aud an anxious desire to promote the welfare of the people by increasing the facilities for their education. Then let your committee go, I repeat, untrammeled and independent, and ask for your quota of support from the Congress of the United States, and I am sure your petition will be recognized and welcomed, and heard and heeded.

A DELEGATE. I call for the reading of the resolution.

Mr. WICKERSHAM. I think I see the weight which properly belongs to the remarks of the gentleman in regard to this resolution. I confess that there is strength in his suggestions. I believe that some of them have already been duly weighed by those who favor the motion in its present form. Now, sir, it seems to me that it must be conceded that

the authorities of the Centennial are the parties with whom we have to do business. They are the real authorities that have collected and are disbursing the means so far provided; they are engaged in putting up this building; they are the officers of the Exposition; they have the control and management of the enterprise; and if we want to be represented there, if we want to occupy a part of their space, it seems to me that we must do business with them, whether they are agreeable to us or otherwise; and I will say, furthermore, right here, I don't attach overmuch importance to the foolish prejudice that has been sought to be raised against the men who are managing this Centennial. The only wonder is that there is not a greater prejudice existing against them; but, having some knowledge of these men personally, knowing quite intimately a number of those who are most active in this matter, I say here to-day for them that they are men above reproach. [Applause.] I stamp down into the earth the charges and prejudices that are brought against the distinguished men engaged in this noble work. Such charges and prejudices were brought to bear against the men who managed the Exposition at Vienna; the same charges and prejudices were brought against the men who had charge of the Expositions at Paris and London; and every man who stands up, who dares to stand up and do a great work for humanity and for his age, will meet with these foolish prejudices. Now, I don't think there is overmuch in them; and as we have to do business with these men, therefore it seems to me the proper thing for us to appoint a committee, which shall be a medium between this body and the authorities that have charge of the Centennial.

Shall we attempt to ignore this authority? The men who are putting up these buildings and assigning the space in them-can we afford to ignore them? Shall we undertake, as an independent body, to go to Congress and ask money for a great educational exposition? I think that, if we travel that road very long, when we come to deal with the Centennial authorities and talk with them about space, they will say to us, that as we have been going along upon an independent basis, that as we have been to Congress and elsewhere as an independent organization, we may make our exhibition outside of the Centennial grounds. I take it that that would be about the result. We have to deal with this matter on business-principles; let us, then, discard this foolish prejudice and look into this matter as it is. Let us appoint a small, active committee, that will transact this business for us; let us give to them authority in the premises and rely upon them to represent our interests in all preliminary matters. I am sure that will be in accordance with the general intelligent sentiment of teachers throughout this country. There is a general call for a central head to this matter. There is a general demand for a committee to take charge of the educational department of this Exposition in co-operation with the Centennial authorities. It is the desire to place at the head of that commission the head of the Educational Bureau at Washington. The propriety and fit

ness of this action cannot be doubted. Then the correspondence in regard to the subject throughout the United States can be properly directed and answered; and we wish the head of the Educational Bureau to act as the head of this organization; and then, with three or four or five competent assistants, we shall have an efficient and satisfactory working central committee. Let that committee be appointed under the terms of this resolution, and all doubt as to the success of the proposed exhibition will be at an end. That executive committee can go right to work preparing for the Exposition. They can communicate with the proper authorities at Philadelphia. They can make the proper application to Congress. The legislatures of the different States may then be called upon in authoritative form and with an assurance of success in behalf of this Exposition. The whole people of the country can be aroused in this way. We can go out into our several superintend encies and act understandingly, and with proper instractions, from time to time. Things will begin to assume shape and harmony. It seems to me that the expediency and propriety of this resolution are established acceptably, and that it is a waste of words to advocate its passage. Some such action must be taken, or we will have no adequate representation at the Centennial. The whole thing appeals to us as businessmen and as the intelligent friends of the educational interests of the country. In regard to the suggestion that was made by my friend on the right, if he understood me correctly, I wish to say a word or two. There will, no doubt, be as full a correspondence as possible, as is judicious, with all the superintendents in the different States, from the very beginning of practical work for the Exhibition, and there is neither time nor opportunity for calling all the superintendents together to co-operate in the details of this business; and we cannot wait for another meeting of the national association. At the meeting last year the national association appointed no committee. As suggested, they seemed to agree that what had been done here by this Department was proper and sufficient, and we cannot wait until August; we cannot wait until another meeting of the national association, before proceeding with this work. We want communication and co-operation with the Centennial commissioners at once. We want to know what space we are going to have. We want to know how much authority is to be accorded to us in the arrangement of our part of the exhibition in general and in particular. We want to know their views on this subject. It seems to me that we can do nothing less, if we are to go on with this work at all, than adopt some such resolution as this. It seems to me that this is precisely what we want. [Ap plause.]

At the request of a delegate the secretary read the resolution previously offered by Mr. Wickersham:

Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to act for this body with the authori ties of the Centennial in perfecting a plan for the proper representation of the educational interests of the country at the approaching national Exposition at Philadelphia.

Mr. ABERNETHY, of Iowa. It seems to me, if I apprehend this matter aright, that the chief purpose and duty of this committee will not be the securing or care of money. Not at all. The object will be to systematize and unify the educational representation at the Exposition. But I wish simply to express my approval of the views submitted by General Eaton. I am of the same opinion with him. I have come more than a thousand miles to attend this meeting, and I feel a great interest in the question which has been brought under discussion. I am glad it has been so thoroughly debated here to-day. Now, to show the point from which I view this matter, I will refer to the fact that we have a Centennial board or commission in our State; we are taking this year a census, which will be much more complete than any we have taken before, I think it will be the most complete census of any State in the Union, taking, of course, the last United States census as a basis. But a large number of items are to be added to it. The blanks are now in the hands of the officers, and they are taking a very full account of educational statistics; statistics as to the age of children and their advance in education, and in regard to all the school-agencies and the attendance-such statistics as we cannot get in our regular annual school-returns. The State-board, which had the preparing of these statistics, allowed me to suggest any topic which I thought might be properly named in this connection, so that we shall have brought all that I can think of as desirable in such a collection of statistical facts. Now, I say, we desire to co-operate with a central organization in this matter of the Exposition. Our State-board of managers are anxious in regard to it. They have made me the offer of the secretaryship of the groups comprising the educational districts of the State. It is made up of thirty-two groups; it is desired to represent our educational interests in as thorough a manner as the same interests were represented at Vienna by the Austrian government. Now, then, having been tendered the secretaryship, I came here desiring to know how our statistics could be best represented to illustrate our State-system. I understand that it is not desired that we should bring any of our school-houses to the Exposition. Is it desired that we should bring photographs of our best school-houses? As to books, the publishers of text-books will be represented, and I presume it will not be expected that we should furnish samples. So will it be, I presume, with schoolmanufactures: the manufacturers of school-furniture and the publishers of text-books will probably desire to represent those things. Now, what can we bring from our State? We can give a little brief history of our educational progress; our State-associations will prepare such a history, but it will only make up a few pages. What we desire to learn is, how we are to represent our educational progress, our educational status, at the Exposition. How shall we show the manner in which the work is going on and the standard which has been reached? How are Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and New York going to present their educational interests? If we had answers to these ques