events and noted leaders and adorn the walls of the schoolroom.

Attention should be paid to all dates which are the anniversaries of great battles or discoveries. The principal of the school under discussion makes such anniversaries noteworthy events. Recitations by the boys, compositions, and appropriate songs celebrate the occasion. Let the pupils draw maps of the scenes of battles. In all cases discourage short answers. Do not ask questions to which a simple "No" or "Yes" will be sufficient reply, but always conduct the lesson in such a manner that most of the talking will be done by the pupils. Outside helps must not be disdained. This teacher made out a list of books for his boys to read and hung it up in his classroom. Within a week most of his pupils. had read one or more of the books on the list. From time to time, as teacher or pupils hear of a book of note, its name is added to the list. This teacher does not hesitate to acknowledge that the taste for historical reading thus cultivated in his pupils has been of incalculable assistance to him. A brief outline of our form of government, with the names of its departments, both state and municipal, and the names of the most prominent office-holders, and their duties should be a part of the history of each grade.-N. E. Journal of Ed.

THE OLD RED SCHOOL HOUSE.

BY E. M. M.

I Wonder how many are living,
Who hold in remembrance still
The little old red school house

At the top of Sangerville hill;

With the blackened stumps beside it
And the broad flat stone before,

And the earth all trodden hard and bare
Round the weather beaten door!

Within was a narrow entry

With plenty of nails arow, Where we hung our hats and bonnets And sleds in the time of snow. The dust motes swam in the sunbeam, Stirred by the rushing feet. By the rap of the rule on the door post, Summoned from play in the street. There was always a pail of water In the corner of the room, Where a good birch rod kept company With a homely hemlock broom. And the voices of school were broken Not seldom as you may think,

By the piping plaint of some little voice, "Please, may I have a drink?'' The floor was worn in hollows,

The seats were narrow and hard, The desks with ink were spotted,

And with jackknife carvings marred. The teacher's seat of honor

Was an old splint-bottomed chair; A desk with a ponderous padlock,

And a ferule rested there.

There was neither stove nor furnace,
But some ancient iron dogs,

In the broad, brick fireplace, sturdily
Held up the blazing logs.

And in place of map on the blackboard
A smoke-stained sheet of rules
Was wafered over the teacher's head,
"For the government of schools."'
Along their crack the classes

Ranged at the well-known call,
And promptly made obeisance
With bows and courtseys all.
They read in Webster's speller

How the milkmaid lost her gown,
Or the farmer from the apple tree
Pelted the urchin down.

The class in the English Reader
Sat in the high back seat;
They ciphered into fractions
And the tables did repeat.
They ruled with leaden plummets
Their home-made writing books,
And shaped with yellow goose quills,
"Trammels and tenter hooks."

What plays there were at noon-time-
What witching stories told!
How oft the "Ring o' Roses''
Rang out that ditty old!
Then up through the smutty clearing
To drink at the hillside spring,
And back the blazing fireweed

In trailing loads to bring.

The hill was steep and stony;

The small brown feet were bare That wearily climbed upward

Through summer dust and glare. But wasn't there fun in winter When the sleds swept down the hill And tumbled their loads together

On the bridge by Carleton's Mill.
The old-time scholars are scattered,
The old-time school house gone;
Nothing is left unaltered

As the tide of time sweeps on.
But if all the rest have forgotten,
There is one that remembers still
The little old red school house
At the top of Sangerville hill.

LANGUAGE WORK.

1. Copy that poem from your reader which you like best.

2. Write one or two reasons why you like it. 3. Copy a paragraph of prose, from the same book, which you think most interesting. 4. Write your reason for enjoying it. 5. Of what season did Tennyson sing when he wrote the following?

"Calm is the morn without a sound,
Calm as to suit a calmer grief,
And only through the faded leaf

The chestnuts pattering to the ground."

6. Write about something you saw or learned about out of doors last summer.

7. Write a sentence or more if you can about the season you like best.

8. Of what season did Bryant sing in the following lines?

"The melancholy days are come

The saddest of the year."

9. Do you think that season sad or merry? 10. Of what time did Tennyson sing in the following?

JOHNSON'S UNIVERSAL CYCLOPEDIA. Two volumes of the new edition of this Cyclopedia are now issued, and as an independent, original work of reference, it is unexcelled. Johnson's Cyclopedia in such great libraries as Harvard College, and that of Congress has been found after long years of experience the most useful of any. The plan of its projector, the late Horace Greeley, was to make it contain the maximum of matter in the smallest space, and have all the information vouched for by competent scholars. The first edition has now been published twenty years, and the great scholars who were its editors have passed beyond. Although the work had been revised

from time to time, it was found that a new edition from new plates with new illustrations was demanded - and President CHARLES KENDALL ADAMS, LL. D., of the University of Wisconsin, having acquired by his administrative ability in managing the affairs of Cornell University, and by his published works, an international reputation and a wide acquaintance among scholars, was selected as editor-in-chief, and he has organized a staff of department editors of thirtysix of America's greatest scholars.

As an illustration, in the department of Botany Prof. CHAS. E. BESSEY, Ph. D., of the University of Nebraska; in Philosophy, Psychology, ethics, etc., Hon. Wм. T. HARRIS, LL. D., United States Commissioner of Education, Washington, D. C.; in Zoology, etc., President DAVID S. JORDAN, LL. D.. of Leland Stanford Junior University, California; in Physics, Electricity and its Applications, Pres. EDWARD L. NICHOLS. Ph. D., of Cornell University; in Astronomy and Mathematics, Prof. SIMON NEWCOMB, LL. D., of Johns Hopkins University; in American Archæology and Ethnology, Major JOHN W. POWELL, A. M., of U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.; in Public Law Intercourse of Nations, Prof. THEODOre S. WoolnEY, of Yale University, etc., etc. President Adams has reserved for himself the departments of History, Politics and Education.

No cyclopedia ever had such an organized body of scholars as editors, and the execution shows the results of their labors. It will be good authority for the next half century and we advise teachers, and all those interested in educational matters to examine it.

It is thoroughly American, is fuller of American matters than any other work of reference, is new and original. Send to W. B. Stickney, A. M., Manager, Madison, for full particulars. In accordance with the terms of the sale recently announced D. Appleton & Co. are the publishers, under the name of A. J. Johnson Company. This alone is a guaranty of the mechanical excellence of the work.

Teachers and the people of Wisconsin in general should take local pride in this great work since the chief editor is a resident of Madison and President of our State University.

-SELECT WORKS of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, including his Autobiography, With Notes, and a memoir, by Epes Sargent, (Boston: Lee & Shepard, 502 pp.; 75c.). brings within the reach of all classes of readers the most interesting and important productions of one of the greatest of Americans. Bancroft says of him: "Not half of Franklin's merits have been told. He was the true father of the American Union. Franklin was the greatest diplomatist of the Eighteenth century." Those phases of his life and his services in the identification of electricity with lightning are much better known than his work as an author. He had a singularly clear, simple and forceful style, diligently formed in early life upon the study of Addison, and the good sense, good humor and practical utility of what he writes entitles it to a permanent place in our literature. Few more delightful or more instructive books were ever written than Franklin's autobiography, which forms about one-third of the present volume. It was written in his old age, in a familiar manner, abounding in anecdotes and shrewd remarks which afford the reader constant delight. It was written for the instruction of his descendants, and, unfolding as it does the manner in which the poor printer's boy trained himself and developed into one of the leading men of his time, it will long serve for the instruction and entertainment of American youth. Mr. Sargent has given us a very attractive and valuable memoir of Franklin, prepared from the most authentic sources, and has rightly judged that his independent account of the whole career, viewed in its historical relations, does not diminish at all the interest of this personal and familiar sketch of the earlier years of his life. Besides the memoir and autobiography the volume before before us contains a few political papers, a number upon scientific subjects gathered under the heading Philosophical Papers, his moral and miscellaneous papers, and considerable extracts from his correspondence. In fact there is gathered here all of his writing which the general reader will desire to know, the whole making the most satisfactory book about Franklin that we know of.

-THE CLASSIC MYTHS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, accompanied by an interpretative and illustrative commentary, edited by Charles Mills Gayley, (Ginn & Co.: 539 pp.: $1.65) is conceived as a preparation for English literature and an aid to understanding it. The author is professor of English language and literature in the University of California, and was led to the preparation of it by his experience of the ignorance on the part of young persons, even of college students, of that world of myth and fable which is assumed as familiar in so much of our best literature. This ignorance prevents them from properly understanding and enjoying the English authors. As a remedy he put his classes to reading Bulfinch's Age of Fable, and after a time put himself to adopt and recast that work. But this book, which is essentially new, came out of the effort. We shall most conveniently describe it by recognizing four chief divisions. The first treats briefly of the nature, origin, distribution and preservation of myths, and presents a short resume of the results of modern studies in this field. The second is a systematic and delightful account of the Greek mythology, treated in a scholarly but a popular manner, and enriched by somewhat extensive quotations from the poets. These are made with excellent taste, and constitute for young readers a sort of introduction to our literature. They give to any one a strong impression of the importance of a knowledge of the myths to one who would know our best literature. The third part is an account of the Greek heroes, which is managed in essentially the same way as the mythology. The fourth part is all too brief-an account of the Norse gods and of the Norse and German heroes. The book is abundantly illustrated; provided with quite an extensive commentary with references illustrative and interpretative and equipped with full indexes. Any teacher of literature will at once recognize the value of such a book, which will, we are sure, take rank as the best of its kind.

-ELEMENTARY WOODWORK, a series of sixteen lessons taught in senior grammar grade at Springfield, Mass., by George B. Kilbon, (Boston: Lee & Shepard; 99 pp. ; 75c. ) interests at first because it was prepared for grammar grades, by one who attained great success as an instructor. It is a first book in wood working, and exceedingly clever and practical. The question is often asked, "Is it Sloyd?" The reply must be "No." There are three well-defined systems of instruction in tool using at present claiming the attention of educators; that known as "Russian," which consists of instructive problems only; that known as "Swedish," which claims that every problem should be a useful article, and that known as "American," which is a combination of the other two, that is, the early problems of any given series as chosen for their educational values purely, while every series closes with one or more useful projects. Our Swedish friends were fortunate to find in their language a word coined which defined the new instruction, "Sloyd." Americans were not so fortunate and have been obliged to use two words, "Manual Training.' So far as these two names mean simply tool instruction they are to be considered as identical, but as ordinarily used they cover instead the kind or class, and order of problems used in giving that instruction, and in that sense their meanings are diverse. To those who favor the American system this book will speak for itself. The first six lessons in the book are too preliminary to be drawn. From the seventh onward, the problems are drawn under the direction of the drawing supervisor as a part of regular school work.

"

,

-FROEBEL LETTERS, edited with explanatory notes and additional matter, by Arnold H. Heinemann, (Boston: Lee & Shepard; 182 pp.; $1.25) adds a valuable volume to the already extensive literature of the Kindergarten. The letters here published have never been in print before, and contain expositions of his educational views, discussions of experiences and interesting glimpses of the man Froebel. There are not a great many of them, and the editor has added a tolerably full expository and illustrative commentary. A very charming introductory essay of thirty pages prepares the reader to understand to personnel and circumstances of the letters. An interesting chapter, "Froebel in his Study," contains passages from a book of quotations used by Froebel, and on which he wrote marginal notes.

Thus sayings of Aristotle, Cicero, Kant, Puffendorf and others are subjected to his comment, which is generally very pertinent. The volume concludes with an account of Froebel's wife, who was his devoted assistant, and of the concluding years of his own life.

-A PATHFINDER IN AMERICAN HISTORY, by W. F. Gordy and W. I. Twitchell, two parts in one volume, (Boston: Lee & Shepard; 112 and 295 pp.; $1.20 net) is the history teacher's guide, friend and helper. It begins with a consideration of the value of the study and the best way of conducting classes in it, passes on groups and topics for the different school years, develops lists of reference books, the literatures bearing upon American history; and in the second part develops in details the topics, with references, outside readings and suggestive notes full of hints for teaching and additional and valuable information upon the topics. It reminds us of King's "Methods and Aids in Geography," and we believe that teachers of history will find this book as useful to them as the other has proved to teachers of geography.

-A SCHOOL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, by William Swinton, being a revision and rewriting of Swinton's Condensed School History of the United States, (American Book Co.; 383 pp.; 90c.) offers an introductory chapter of twelve pages on pre-historic America, and a chapter giving some account of the settlement and growth of the three colonial centers, Boston, New York and Philadelphia. The editors say: "These, however, are narrative in style and intended to be read for information rather than studied as set lessons." The remainder of the book retains the chacter

istics of Swinton's Condensed History. Most of the maps

and all the lilustrations are new and excellent.

-DIE ERHEBUNG EUROPAS GEGEN NAPOLEON I, von Heinrich von Sybel, edited with notes by A. B. Nichols, (Ginn & Co.; 126 pp.; 66c.) supplies interesting and valuable material for rapid reading in the second or third year of the study of German. The lectures, three in number, are themselves full of interest, containing a sympathetic and comprehensive account of the great uprising which overthrew Napoleon, by one of the strongest and most philosophical of the German historians. The editor has added in the notes, such aid, linguistic and historical, as the student is likely to need for a full understanding of the lectures.

-THE American Book Company issue two new volumes in their "English Classics for Schools." One is Mathew Arnold's striking poem SOHRAB AND RUSTUм one of the finest pieces of narrative verse in the language, deserving to be studied for its perfection of form and nobility of sentiment. The introduction gives some account of Mathew Arnold and of the story of the poem. The other contains three of Emerson's essays: THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR, SelfRELIANCE, COMPENSATION, with an introductory account of Emerson.

-Circular of information No. 2, 1892, from the Bureau of Education bears the title BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, contains 450 pages, of which 200 are given to an account of Franklin and his ideas on education, and the remainder to a detailed history and description of the University of Pennsylvania.

-The REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION for 1889-90 is at hand. It is in two volumes, the first of which is devoted to reports of the European Educational Congresses and Systems of Education-a mine of valuable information-and the second and larger volume to the study of American Educational institutions.

-PIECES TO SPEAK, by Emma Lee Benedict, (Boston: Lee & Shepard; 113 pp.) contains poetical selections for young declaimers, arranged under the captions Nature Songs, The Ways of Some Animal Friends, Hearthstone Rhymes, Cold Water Songs, and Some Airy, Fairy Dramatics.

-EXERCISES IN GREEK PROSE COMPOSITION, based on Xenophon's Anabasis, by William R. Harper and Clarence F. Castle, (American Book Co.; 127 pp.; 75c.) is inductive in plan and designed as a means for learning the principles of the Greek language.

Vol. XXIII.

PREPARATORY departments to Normal Schools seem to be confined almost exclusive ly to Wisconsin. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota get on without them. What is the matter with the Wisconsin Normals?

THOSE who are interested in the new geometry and its criticisms of the old familiar Euclidian geometry will find a clear and simple explanation of the points at issue in the September number of the Educational Review in the article "The Old and the New Geometry." Prof. Waterman's account of the international educational congresses at Chicago and Mr. Bryce's lecture on the teaching of civic duty are also of special interest in this number.

INTEREST in the improvement of the County Superintendency ought not to lapse because of the failure of the move in that direction made a year ago. The action of the association indicated a strong opinion that some radical

No. 10

measure is necessary. Why may it not take the form of requiring educational qualification? Suppose, for example, that the law made none eligible who did not hold a first grade certificate or a state certificate, and provided legal means for declaring an election void because of incompetency of the person elected, and for holding a new election, or for appointment in such cases. Would not the ends in view be attained by such a law? Would there be serious objections to its passage?

LOOK to the condition of the out houses. These are often left in a deplorable state, even in neighborhoods where the schools are considered good. There is no adequate excuse for such premises. They are foul to the senses and corrupting to the morals, and it is a sad commentary upon our ideas of education that they can continue to exercise their depraving influence upon the young in connection with a public school. Have we forgotten that education is the formation of pure and noble character, and that silent influences are often more potent than all other agencies? If your board is indifferent to the matter take them to the premises and appeal to them on the spot to provide better influences for the children.

THE new and enlarged edition of Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia edited by President Charles Kendall Adams, and thirty-six of America's most accomplished scholars deserves frequent notice. It is refreshing to have a cyclopedia that is both new and accurate prepared by competent scholars instead of being compiled from even the best text books. Progress has been made in nearly every department of learning and this new work shows the advancement made in all. "Collegiate Education for Women" is one of the articles by President Adams. We notice "Ballot Reform" by Dr. Jenks of Cornell, and Dr. Babcock of the University of Wisconsin who knows more about milk than any man living contributes the article on milk.

THERE are now in Wisconsin a good many city superintendents devoting their whole time to the supervision of city schools. Ought not some organization to be effected in connection with the Wisconsin Teachers Asso

ciation which may serve to bring these men together for the discussion of the problems pertaining to their work? They are destined to be the moulders of our educational system in its most vigorous centers, and already exercise more influence on our growth than any school teacher can. It is of the greatest importance that they co-operate, and help to form public opinion as well as bring themselves into its currents so that they may profit from them. Is not a department of city schools, or of city superintendents desirable?

STUDENTS of science will find the department The Progress of Science in the Cosmopolitan magazine of especial interest and value. The September number, devoted almost exclusively to the World's Fair and giving the finest pictures and most satisfactory account of the show which we have seen, contains very instructive notes on some of its scientific features. In this connection we call attention of our readers to the very valuable articles on Recent Science by Prince Krapotkin, which the Popular Science Monthly is republishing from the Nineteenth Century. They present exceedingly suggestive summaries of some of the latest and most significant advances in scientific theory. Do not fail to read them.

WE call the special attention of our readers to the article, "Studies on Children, published in this number. Many eastern Normal Schools are already introducing such studies, and it is evident that an intelligent teacher can pursue them by himself in connection with his work. How completely such studies will change the attitude of the ordinary teacher towards his pupils is quite evident. The "Seminary Methods in History," gives in this issue details of actual experience in Wisconsin schools two years ago. This number concludes the article, which ought to prove useful to all high school teachers of history. Mr. Libby solicits further information from High School teachers as to similar work done in their schools. Address, O. G. Libby, Madison, Wis.

THE HIGH SCHOOL MANUAL.

The new Manual on the Free High Schools of Wisconsin has been issued from the office of the State Superintendent, and is a document of much interest and importance. It contains over a hundred pages, and consists of two parts. The first embraces the portion of the law of the state relating to this class of schools, legal forms for the steps necessary to the establishment of them, and the courses of study

recommended by the Superintendent, with a statement of the standard of admission. Special interest attaches to the last two items. For years it has been generally recognized that the minimum high school standard established by the State Superintendent was too low, practically allowing the first year of the high school to be devoted to grammar grade work. The schools of the state were actually above this standard, but fear was felt that to change it might work hardship to some feebler institutions. A large correspondence on the subject reveals the groundlessness of this fear, and a practical unanimity of opinion in favor of raisAccordingly, after the first ing the minimum. of January next, the minimum standard for admission to Wisconsin high schools will be the completion of the course of study for common schools as prescribed in the elementary manual, except state and national constitutions. This brings district and high schools into right relations to each other and ought to The result in strengthening both. most marked change in the courses of study is the increased emphasis placed on history and literature in all of them, and the introduction of science into the classical course, changes emAn addition to all the inently desirable. courses of somewhat indefinite definition is called "literary readings." The number of exercises in these is not indicated, nor the exact work prescribed, although the second part contains valuable suggestions as to what to do. The aim is to make the schools more directly minister to the growth of their pupils in a personal acquaintance with the classics of their own language.

The second part of the manual is an entirely new departure. It is a teacher's guide to the kind and extent of instruction to be given in the different branches. This has been prepared in consultation with professors at the university and normal schools, and with many leading high school principals. To adjust such directions to the actual needs of the high schools and high school teachers of a state is a matter of so great difficulty with no guiding lines of experience to follow that we can hardly hope for complete success in this first effort. It has, however, great merit, and will be recognized at once, we are confident, as a very valuable help in high school work, and a basis for further development in future editions. To the large body of high school teachers who have but little experience in the work which they are to undertake its indications as to the topics and the range of instruction and as to the best methods of procedure will be of great service. Those into whose hands it may come