They are made to talk Geography and History, rather than recite it. History and Geography go together. She takes a small globe, and sticks pins in the larger circles, to show their different rates of motion. She reads from the New Testament and asks questions in a familiar manner, repeating the questions from day to day till they are perfectly familiar with them.

She gives out synonymous words to spell, and brings out in what they differ. This was a fine exercise. She makes them furnish their own sentences in parsing, which they did with great readiness. She repeats different sentences, simple and compound, and has them tell what kind they are. She calls out some one of her large scholars to take a First or Second Reader, go before the school, and read a story, as she would tell it. This is a most admirable exercise, and worthy of imitation. She uses outline maps with great success. They write compositions quite frequently. She teaches abbreviations practically, and makes them give the abbreviations for all the titled men in the town or county. She trains them in gymnastic exercises from time to time. They repeat the Lord's Prayer and some portions of the Decalogue in concert. All these exercises were passed over in one afternoon, in a backward school, yet in a remarkably prompt and thorough manner. Precise and exact as she was, her order was not of the cast-iron stiffness so painfully distressing in some schools. Every scholar seemed flexible and happy. Her tone of voice was animated, and her whole soul was engaged in her work. It is only a few times in one's life that one can witness such an exhibition. I have written out minutely what I saw, with the hope that other teachers may derive hints for their own use. They are written in the same order in which they were prepared. No teacher, however well trained, can visit her humble school, without being well paid for the effort.

PRANG'S CHROMOS.

SOME Weeks since, L. Prang & Co. in a communication to the masters of the Boston grammar schools, generously offered to give one of their best chromos to each grammar school in the city, on condition that it should be framed and hung upon the wall. The offer has already been accepted by a large number of the schools. The Adams, Bowdoin, Brimmer, Comins, Dwight, Everett, Franklin, Lawrence, Lewis, Rice, Shurtleff, and Washington have selected the "Yosemite Valley," the retail price of which is $25. The Chapman has selected "The Birthplace of Whittier," which sells for $15. Pictures to the value of $335 have thus already been presented, and as many more will soon be distributed to the remaining schools. Some of the masters, feeling that this would be a good opportunity to still further decorate their walls, have secured by purchase, at a liberal discount from regular rates, several additional Chromos. The Shurtleff has "Easter Morning," " Sunlight in Winter," "Life Boat," and "Sunset on the Coast." The Lewis has "Sunlight in Winter," "Birth place of Whittier," and the "Life Boat." The Rice has the two first of these and "California Sunset," and "Autumn" in addition. Other schools are arranging for further purchases. We call attention to these facts for the purpose of commending the liberality of the donor, and of expressing the hope that all our school-rooms may ere long become attractive and pleasing by similar decorations. G. B. P.

INTELLIGENCE.

STATE NORMAL SCHOOLS. The semi-annual examinations of these institutions came off last month. They were varied in their character, and exceedingly interesting. The graduating classes did credit to themselves and teachers. A large proportion of the graduates enter at once upon the work of teaching. These schools were never in better condition, never doing better work. The new boarding-houses not only prove a convenience to the scholars, but will add to the efficiency of the schools.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY. The vote of the Corporation, appointing a Dean of the College Faculty, has been concurred in by the Board of Overseers. Prof. Ephraim W. Gurney is the appointee. He has been a long time connected with the college, and is every way exceedingly well fitted to perform the duties of the new office. Those duties are as follows:

"He is to preside at the meetings of the faculty in the absence of the President; to administer the discipline of the college; to take charge of all petitions of undergraduates to the faculty; to keep the records of admission and matriculation; to furnish such lists of students as may be required by the faculty or the several teachers; to prepare all scales of scholarship, and preserve the records of conduct and attendance; to submit each year to the faculty lists of persons to be recommended for scholarships and beneficiary aid, and likewise a list of those who appear, from the returns made to his office, to have complied with the regular conditions for the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in general to superintend the classical and administrative business of the college."

The President, relieved from the necessity of attending to all the details of college government, may now devote himself to the great duties of his office. These are thus defined: :

"To call meetings of the corporation, and preside at the same; to act as the ordinary medium of communication between the corporation and overseers, and between the corporation and the faculty; to make a report to the overseers at their annual meeting on the general condition of the University; to preside on public academic days; to preside over the several faculties; to superintend the official correspondence of the University; to acquaint himself with the state, interests and wants of the whole institution, and to exercise a general superintendence over all its concerns."

THE SUPERIOR COURT OF OHIO has issued an injunction restraining the execution of the order of the Cincinnati School Board forbidding the use of the Bible in the public schools, on the ground that the exclusion of all religious instruction from the schools is contrary to the Bill of Rights.

BUREAU OF EDUCATION. The educational work of the Freedmen's Bureau will probably be transferred to this department, and the Freedmen's Bureau abolished. The President has appointed GEN. JOHN EATON, of Tennessee, Commissioner of Education. The appointment has not yet been confirmed, as Mr. Barnard desires a little time to close up his affairs. Gen. Eaton is a graduate of Dartmouth College, went into the late war as chaplain, was

placed in charge of "contrabands," has rendered good service in the Freedmen's Bureau, and latterly has been Superintendent of Public Instruction in Tennessee. His report in regard to the schools of that State for the two years ending in October last is before us, and shows him to be a practical man, and thoroughly alive to educational interests. We trust he will be found the right man in the right place.

PERSONAL.

A. H. BUCK, formerly master of the Roxbury Latin School, who has spent the last two years in Germany, has been elected master of the High School, Amherst. Salary, $2,500.

GEORGE W. MINNS, teacher of a private school in Boston, and formerly superintendent of schools in San Francisco, has accepted the invitation to perform the duties of Professor of Mathematics in Washington University, St. Louis.

D. P. CORBIN, of Willimantic, succeeds C. E. Willard as principal of the Asylum Hill Grammar School, Hartford, Ct. Salary, $2,200.

ARTEMAS WISWALL has left the Cochesett Grammar School to take charge of the Florence School, West Roxbury. Salary, $1,500.

J. GARDNER BASSETT is Mr. Wiswall's successor.

JAMES A. FRANCIS has left the Centre School, West Bridgewater, to teach in Assonet.

J. MARTIN DILL takes his place in West Bridgewater.

P. A. GAY has resigned his position in the Westboro' Reform School, and is teaching at Milton Lower Mills. Salary, $1,000.

BOOK NOTICES.

A. WILLIAMS & Co. send us from the "old corner bookstore" the Harpers' publications, as follows:

PLAUTUS: CAPTIVI, TRINUMMUS, RUDENS. With English notes, critical and explanatory, by C. S. Harrington, Professor of Latin in the Wesleyan University.

The three plays here given are selected as the best of the author's comedies. The classical student will not neglect these earlier forms of Latin style, nor fail to become acquainted with an author whose plays were so popular with the Romans, and so celebrated among ancient critics. Especial attention has been given to the metres, and references are made to the grammars of Harkness and Andrews & Stoddard. The notes seem sufficiently full, and will be valuable to the student.

THE ANDES AND THE AMAZON. By James Orton, Professor of Natural History in Vassar College.

This volume is the result of a scientific expedition to the equatorial Andes

and the river Amazon, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute, and gives us the most reliable information in regard to regions heretofore but little explored. It is exceedingly interesting, and abounds in illustrations. Rev. J. C. Fletcher writes the Introduction.

THE LIFE OF MARY RUSSELL MITFord.

Told by herself in letters to her

friends. Edited by the Rev. A. G. K. L'Estrange. 2 vols.

Miss Mitford's acquaintance with authors and literature, and the easy and free manner in which she expresses herself in her letters, make these volumes very entertaining as well as edifying. A woman of genius, of marked characteristics, her opinions, tastes and feelings, as she displays them to her friends, excite especial interest. The reading world will be thankful that she wrote so many letters of sufficient value to be preserved.

ADVENTURES OF CALEB WILLIAMS. By William Godwin, Esq.

This novel was originally published in 1794. It has held its place as one of the best in our language. It is now published in cheap form, paper covers, but well printed.

HIRELL. A novel. By the author of "Abel Drake's Wife," etc.

A good story.

ONLY HERSELF. A novel. By Annie Thomas. Author of "False Colors," "Playing for High Stakes," etc.

MORAL, INTELLECTUAL AND PHYSICAL CULTURE, or the Philosophy of True Living, is sent us by the same firm. Prof. F. G. Welch, instructor in the department of physical culture in Yale College, is the author, and Wood and Holbrook, New York, the publishers. Price, $2. Gymnastics, the laws of health, mental and moral culture, choice extracts, proverbs of all nations, make up the four parts of this book. This system of gymnastics is that of Dio Lewis, with some additions of his own. The book contains much that is excellent, and deserves a wide circulation.

WOOLWORTH, AINSWORTH & Co. find Boston too small for their extensive business, and have transferred their publishing house to New York. Well, success attend them. There is more worth in their firm than in most firms, and we hope they will continue to publish worthy books.

FRENCH PROSE AND POETRY, by Edward H. Magill, Professor of Ancient and Modern Languages, in Swarthmore College, Pa., is certainly one of that class. It forms a good compendium of French literature, has a treatise upon French versification, and many valuable notes, explanatory and critical. It has been prepared for scholars who have made considerable progress in the study of French.

CESAR DE BELLO GALLICO, by J. H. Hanson, Principal of the Classical Institute, Waterville, Me., has some marked features. It has evidently been prepared with much care, and the copious notes will supply all necessary help to the student. The vocabulary contains all the words, including proper names, to be found in Cæsar, Sallust's Catiline, and Cicero. The references are to the various Latin grammars most in use.

PAYSON, DUNTON & SCRIBNER'S SYSTEM OF PENMANSHIP has undergone revision, and now appears newly engraved and improved. Probably no system of penmanship has been so extensively used in the public schools of the country as this. The copies before us are very finely engraved, and the hand is a little larger than in the old books.

No. 4 OF BARTHOLOMEW'S NEW SERIES OF DRAWING BOOKS has been issued, and is a decided improvement upon the old. Increased interest is manifested in drawing. This series well meets the wants of the schools.

BARTHOLOMEW'S PRIMARY SCHOOL SLATE, with a series of Progressive Lessons in Writing and Drawing. The frame is grooved for the reception of the copies, and holds them at the proper angle. There are four series of cards, each containing eighteen. This is a capital arrangement, and cannot fail to please both teacher and pupil.

THE TEACHER'S GUIDE, prepared by Miss Jane H. Stickney, Superintendent of the Boston Training School. accompanies Bartholomew's Drawing Cards. This will afford useful hints to teachers giving instruction in elementary drawing.

HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SOCIETY of the City of New York, with portraits of its Presidents. By Wm. Oland Bourne. New York: William Wood & Co.

This society was incorporated in 1805. There were then in New York a few "charity schools," which were mostly under denominational control; but there was no general system of free schools for the education of the children of the poor. To supply the means of education to this class, who were growing up in ignorance and crime, was the object proposed by this society. DeWitt Clinton was its president for twenty-three years, and its affairs were generally managed by men of large influence and great moral worth. Under its auspices, the present public school system of the city of New York was established, and the history of the society is in fact the history of education in that city. In 1853 the society was dissolved, and all its property and schools were transferred to the Board of Education, established ten years before. It had done a noble work, and the volume before us is therefore one of great interest to the historian and educator. It is an octavo of 750 pages. From Lee & Shepard, 149 Washington street.

AMONG MY BOOKS. By James Russell Lowell, Professor of Belles-Lettres in Harvard College. Boston: Fields, Osgood & Co.

Prof. Lowell must be placed in the first class of critical writers. There are few better specimens of Criticism in the English language than the papers here brought together. Their subjects are "Dryden," "Witchcraft," "Shakespeare Once More," "New England Two Centuries Ago," "Lessing," and "Rousseau and the Sentimentalists." The publishers have presented them in a very handsome form.

PRINCIPLES OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE. By Catharine E. Beecher and Harriet B. Stowe. New York: J. B. Ford & Co.

Something new under the sun. A text-book for young ladies, to teach them the principles of domestic science, and prepare them for the perform