a very great help to the understanding of Spanish so uttered, and the practice of doing so will, to some extent at least, save the student that disheartening experience of helplessness in the presence of native speakers of the language which has been so often commented upon.

"Composition," or more properly in the beginning, translation from English into Spanish, should without doubt be prepared in writing, but it should for the most part be presented orally in the classroom, without reference to the written copies, which the teacher may collect and revise at his leisure. The traditional practice in this respect, that of having the work written (or, still worse, copied) upon the blackboard and thereafter corrected by the instructor for the benefit of the class, is not entirely without value, but does not produce results commensurate with the time spent upon it; certainly not, if it is to be repeated day after day. With the exception of written accents, a possible confusion of b and v (not likely with American students) and the addition or omission of an occasional h (also rare), the student who can speak a sentence correctly can be depended upon to write it. The former is certainly the more difficult as it is the more useful accomplishment.

When we reach the point where real composition begins, that is, when the student begins to express ideas of his own in language original with him, the work should, if possible, be placed in the hands of a native Spaniard, who will seek to impress the rudiments of an acceptable Spanish style upon the written essays of his pupils. It has proven practicable to divide the work of the second year into two classes, called respectively "reading" and "composition," the former meeting three times and the latter twice weekly, the membership of the two being the same. Classes may be distributed among instructors, to make the most advantageous use of their several abilities.

Parallel with the work of the second semester of this year may be profitably introduced a class in conversation as such. This class should meet daily, but as practice rather than preparation is the desideratum, it should be regarded as somewhat in the nature of a laboratory course, and should not carry to exceed three hours credit.

The objection is anticipated that this program requires the student to devote an undue amount of time to the subject under consideration. Measuring the college course in terms of semester hours. the language which it is desired that the student shall learn to speak will have consumed 23 out of a total of 120 hours. It is not

thought that the result can be accomplished with less. Nor is it fair or reasonable to expect that it should be. The student who wishes to acquire an adequate grasp of any of the subjects usually taught in universities will hardly expect to do so in less time than this. It is perhaps on this point that criticism of the results of modern language teaching has been somewhat unfair. Does the student who has studied, let us say chemistry, for two semesters really know anything about chemistry in any practical or professional sense? Is he in a position to make use of that science in the field of industry or can he appear with credit in an assemblage of chemists? Hardly so. Our institutions of higher learning are filled with dabblers, and whether they dabble in chemistry or in Spanish makes little difference. Those who wish to make a serious use of some branch of learning will naturally specialize in it to some extent, and the proportion of the four years' course consumed by the program outlined above (somewhat less than one-fifth) might fairly well be called a minimum.

It should be borne in mind that the by-products of these two years of language study (assuming that we are considering the ability to speak Spanish as the main end in view) are not unworthy ones. The student will have had the benefit of the mental discipline provided by a systematic study of grammar; he will have acquired the ability to read-and to translate if he wishes-anything written in modern Spanish; he will have read a certain number of representative works of a great modern literature; he will be well prepared to study that literature seriously if he wishes to do so; he will be able to write acceptably a language second in utility only to English. He is not, of course, a specialist in Spanish, but he does possess certain attainments in that language that are of a positive value. If he cannot give a reasonably good account of himself in the presence of a Spaniard who knows no English, either he is hopelessly dull or his teachers have proved themselves incompetent. By the phrase "to give a reasonably good account of himself" is meant that he can actually converse in Spanish on ordinary subjects, not with perfect fluency nor with absolute accuracy of construction at all times, but sufficiently well to make himself perfectly understood, and that he in turn shall understand whatever is said to him. This much can be accomplished in two years.

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

ARTHUR L. OWEN

INTELLECTUAL RELATIONS BETWEEN SPAIN

AND THE UNITED STATES

PLANS PROPOSED BY THE JUNTA PARA AMPLIACIÓN DE ESTUDIOS

[The Junta para Ampliación de Estudios, or Board of Extension of Studies of Madrid, has taken active steps to promote closer intellectual relations between Spain and the United States. A note was directed early in 1919 to the government at Washington, through the Spanish government, wherein were indicated some of the proposed plans for intellectual aid and collaboration. This note was followed by the appointment of a special delegate of the Spanish Ministry of Public Instruction, Señor José Castillejo, who visited the United States during the months of June and July in the name of the Junta. Various universities, colleges, and schools were visited by Señor Castillejo and educators were consulted. The results of his visit were very gratifying, and the two notes which follow were sent to the universities, colleges and schools of the United States before leaving for Spain. The visit of this official delegate of the Junta has aroused much enthusiasm in the intellectual relations between Spain and our country. The plans which are submitted in the following notes are very praiseworthy. and it is to be hoped that the American educators will take active steps toward the realization of the projects. HISPANIA, the official organ of The American Association of Teachers of Spanish, will lend all possible aid. Our teachers of Spanish are deeply interested in all the plans submitted, and their coöperation is certain. In order, therefore, to give the matter in question the necessary publicity, we take pleasure in publishing herewith the two notes which Señor Castillejo has recently sent to our universities, colleges, and schools.-THE EDITORS.]

CHARACTER AND FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD OF EXTENSION OF

STUDIES OF THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IN MADRID

Since 1907 there has taken place in Spain an important reform movement in general education and in scientific production. There had been fundamental errors in the pedagogical politics of Spain such as (a) the making of reforms in the regulations instead of reforming the teaching body, (b) the carrying into public instruction of the instability and passions of political life, and (c) the maintenance of isolation from the scientific and pedagogical movements in other countries.

In order to remedy these defects, there was created in 1907 a permanent committee composed of scientific men and of some political men from all the parties, under the presidency of Dr. Ramón y Cajal, the highest scientific authority in the country. There was given to this committee, which is called The Board of Extension of Studies, a certain degree of autonomy and the Parliament has put at its disposal each year resources which now reach the sum of $160,000 annually.

The work which has been accomplished up to the present time by this committee may be grouped under the following general heads:

1. It has sent scholars to study in the universities and laboratories of various countries of Europe and America. Previous to the war the number of scholarships was more than one hundred annually; since the war about thirty. These scholarships are given to professors, scientific men and young graduates of the Spanish universities who desire to complete their preparation in foreign countries. In making the selection there is taken into account the aptitude of the persons and the importance of the studies, without giving any preference whatever for reasons of sex and without taking into account religious or political affiliations. In Rome the Board has organized a Spanish School of Archeology and History, which suspended its work upon the outbreak of the war, and will continue it shortly.

2. It has organized in Madrid several departments of scientific laboratories and seminaries, placing at the head of them some of the best qualified Spanish professors, and grouping about them young people who have distinguished themselves as scholars in foreign countries and Spanish graduates who wish to prepare themselves to go to foreign countries. The work of personal investigation is carried on in these laboratories. The principal departments are: Philology and Literature; Social and Political History of Spain; History of Spanish Art; Arabic and Hebrew Literature; Philosophy; Mathematics; Physics; Chemistry; Physiology; Geology; Paleontology and Prehistoric studies; Zoology; Botany; Histology. These laboratories are being equipped with apparatus and books.

The results of the research of these laboratories and seminaries and of the scholars are published in books, pamphlets, and periodicals. There have appeared up to the present time more than one hundred and twenty volumes of publications.

3. It has opened in Madrid Halls of Residence for University students. One hundred and twenty men and seventy women students are already living in these halls, and they are provided there not only with lodging and meals but also with libraries, laboratories, and a certain amount of tuition to supplement the teaching given in the University.

4. Under the direction and control of the Board, an official high school has been established in Madrid where new methods, plans of study, and experiments have been introduced. The government wishes this school to be both a laboratory for the reform of the other high schools and a training college for high school teachers. In this new high school the Board has joined forces with the American School for Girls formerly opened in Madrid, and American teachers do the teaching of English language and literature, collaborating in games and in the educational work.

5. In order to meet a growing interest in Spanish language, literature, and art in other countries, the Board has organized in Madrid (a) courses in grammar, phonetics, Spanish literature, and Spanish art, dedicated especially to foreigners, one of which courses is given during the summer; (b) courses to prepare Spanish graduates who may desire to teach the Spanish language and literature in foreign schools or universities.

The Board of Extension of Studies, desiring to promote closer relations with the United States, has sent to the government at Washington, through the Spanish government, a note in which are indicated some of the forms of reciprocal aid and intellectual collaboration proposed between the two countries.

A delegate from the Ministry of Public Instruction in Madrid has visited several universities and corporations of the United States in order to urge the importance of such relations. As a result of this visit he wishes to submit to the consideration of professors and scientific men of this country some projects which he considers practicable and to ask their opinion concerning them.