PREFACE. ’ 
IN connection with the World’s Columbian Exposition, held at Chicago 
in the summer of 1893, to celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the 
discovery of America, a series of World's Congresses was planned. In the 
words of the chairman of these congresses, the object was ‘‘to provide 
for the proper presentation of the intellectual and moral progress of the 
world by a series of international conferences of the leaders in all the 
chief departments of human achievements.” The programme set apart 
appropriate sessions for each class of interests, the series commencing in 
May. Perhaps the most wonderful of all these congresses, in the magni- 
tude of its undertaking and the readiness of response on the part of invited 
representatives from all parts of the world, was the Religious Congress, or 
‘he ¢“ Parliament of Religions,” held early in September. It can safely be 
claimed that the Educational Congresses of the latter part of July held the 
next place in interest, and in numbers and character of representation. 
In response to the request of Mr. Bonney, chairman of the World's 
Congress Auxiliary, the National Educational Association of the United 
States appointed a committee of arrangements to invite representative 
>ducators from the different parts of the United States and from foreign 
nations to participate in this, and to make up a programme for the occa- 
sion. In the various stages of progress the Committee of Arrangements had 
occasion to congratulate themselves on the readiness and courtesy with 
which distinguished educators, at home and abroad, lent their support to 
she movement. This will be seen both by the lists printed in this volume 
containing the names of those who accepted the title of honorary vice- 
oresident, and more especially by the names of those who were present 
and assisted in the discussions, or presented valued papers. 
The Committee of Arrangements appreciated the importance of select- 
ing questions of international interest for discussion, questions that affect 
the management of schools in all parts of the world.* The efforts of the 
committee in this regard were responded to in a hearty manner by the dele- 
gates who visited the Congress, and nearly all of the questions proposed 
were discussed with unusual thoroughness. As a result of these joint 
>fforts, the committee is able to present more than one hundred and fifty 
well-prepared papers treating on all the many subjects that have exercised 
she minds of men in the higher schools or in the elementary schools of 
he civilized world. 
*On pages 26 to 30 of this Report will be found a fuller statement of the views that guided the 
committee in the selection of topics for discussion.