THE music of church bells has become a matter of life to wander about at evening, and listen to the chime poetry. I remember, though somewhat imperfectly, of his bells; and he grew dispirited and sick, and a touching story connected with the church bells of pined for them till he could no longer bear it, and a town in Italy, which had become famous all over left his home, determined to hear them once again Europe for their peculiar solemnity and sweetness. before he died. He went from land to land, stopping They were made by a young Italian artisan, and were in every village, till the hope that alone sustained him his heart's pride. During the war, the place was began to falter, and he knew, at last, that he was dysacked, and the bells carried off, no one knew whith- ing. He lay, one evening, in a boat that was slowly er. After the tumult was over, the poor fellow re-floating down the Rhine, almost insensible, and scarce turned to his work; but it had been the solace of his expecting to see the sun rise again, that was now set spoke to him, but he gave no answer; his spirit, in the glad requiem of the beloved bells, had followed the last sound of the vesper chime.-Willis. ting gloriously over the vine-covered hills of Germany. | lay motionless in his painful posture. His companion Presently, the vesper bells of a distant village began to ring, and as the chimes stole faintly over the river with the evening breeze, he started from his lethargy. He was not mistaken, It was the deep, solemn, heavenly music of his own bells; and the sounds that he had been thirsting for years to hear, were melting over the water. He leaned from the boat, with his ear close to the calm surface of the river, and listened. They rung out their hymn, and ceasea, and he still Harmonious words render ordinary ideas acceptable; less ordinary, pleasant; novel and ingenious ones, delightful. As pictures and statues, and living beauty too, show better by music-light, so is poetry irradiated, vivified, glorified, and raised into immortal life by the influence of harmony.-Landor. Normal School Round Table con No. 3 There were 630 more Normal graduates THE Normals held in Room No. of teaching in 1898 than in 1897, and 554 ference 5 the Academic Building of Pennsylvania College. Principal D. J. Waller, Jr., acted as chairman of the meeting, Principal G. M. D. Eckels, who has kindly furnished the following report, was elected Secretary. In answer to the question, "Was the Normal School System of Pennsylvania established in response to popular demand?" Principal Philips said that there was evidence in the plan of the system that it has been copied after the English system of training schools. The question was further discussed by Principals Waller and Eckels, and by Drs. Noetling and Hull. The prevailing opinion was that the Normal Schools grew out of a strong sentiment in favor of better public schools. Question: "What has accrued to popular education in the State from the work of the Normal Schools?" Principal Philips opened the discussion and gave the following interesting facts concerning the influence of Normal Schools upon the public schools. "The total number of Normal School graduates teaching in the public schools of the State in 1898 was 5,339; in 1897, 4,709; in 1896, 4,155. "The total number of graduates from these schools to July 1, 1875, was 12,284. more graduates teaching in 1897 than in 1896. In 1893, 2,870 Normal graduates were teaching, an increase of 2,469 in the last five years. In 1888, 1716 Normal graduate were teaching, an increase of 3,623 in the last ten years. In 1898, about 22 per cent. of the teachers were Normal graduates. In 1888, only about 8 per cent. were Normal graduates, and the increase is now 2 per cent. each year. The number of undergraduate Normal students who are now teaching is rapidly growing less. In 1896 there were 4.427 teachers who had attended Normal schools, but had not graduated; in 1896 there were 4,243; in 1898, 3 938, a decrease of from two to three hundred per year. In New York (1897) 2,927 (or less than 12 per cent.of the teachers) were Normal school graduates; Pennsylvania, same year, about 20 per cent. were Normal School graduates. "The Normal Schools directly and indirectly have greatly improved teachers and teaching, schools, methods of teaching, etc. They have improved the private schools by compelling them to adopt the same thorough methods. Their injuring the private schools is mainly by their aid in developing the public schools and especially the graded public schools. The teachers of the Normal Schools and their graduates and former students have been a very large factor in every educational movement of the State; in the superintendency, institutes, graded schools, high schools, lengthening school terms, increasing teachers' salaries, etc. "I do not have statistics to enforce this; I do not need them. You all know that they are true. Take out of Pennsylvania the direct and indirect influence of its Normal Schools, and the State would be educationally very poor indeed." Dr. Waller spoke of the effects of the Normal Schools upon the text-books in use in the public schools. He also spoke of the wisdom of the founders of the Normal School system as evidenced in the breadth of the system. Question: "Has the Normal School kept pace with the Public School?" Prof. Speigel, of Arnold, Pa., said that the chargé had been made in the western believes that not enough work is done in the Junior year. Principal Davis said that a failure to pass an examination before a county superintendent was not always sufficient evidence that the applicant did not know anything. Dr. Hull Isaid that the Normal Schools are devoting more time to the Junior work than ever before, and as a result the work must be improving in thoroughness. Question: "What should be the position of the Normal Schools with regard to the the graduates of High Schools?" Principal Davis, of Clarion, thought there should be a closer union and a clearer understanding between the Normal School and the High School on this question. Prof. Strong, of Latrobe, said that the high school course should be shaped to suit the Normal Schools. Principal Philips spoke of the lack of uniformity of standard among high schools. High school graduates cannot, as a rule, get provisional certificates from county superintendents. Prof. Speigel said that the missing link between the high school and the Normal School is the grammar school. The question was further discussed by Principal. Waller, who quoted from Dr. Harris' article in the June number of the Educational Review. Principal Eckels said that no opposition should be manifested by the high schools to having their graduates submit to the same examinations as those who are trained in the Normal Schools. This plan puts all on an equality who apply for admission to the senior class of a Normal School. Question: "Should the attendance of Normal Schools be limited to advanced students to those who are prepared to devote themselves entirely to professional subjects?" This question was discussed by Principals Philips, Waller, Davis and Eckels, the general opinion being that we are not now ready for this step, and probably never will be. There were over twenty persons in the conference. Seven Normal Schools were represented. The conference was very interesting and profitable. Dr. Waller was elected to take charge of the Round Table conference on Normal Schools at Williamsport next year. THE COLLEGES. HE conference of Colleges was organ of Franklin and Marshall, as chairman and Prof. J. A. Himes, of Pennsylvania College, as secretary, to whom we are indebted for this brief report of attendance and proceedings. Those who were present were Pres. A. E. Gobble and Prof. A. M. Wonder, of Cent. Pa. college; Pres. Geo. Edward Reed and Prof. O. B. Super, of Dickinson college; Pres. H. U. Roop, of Lebanon Valley college; Pres. John S. Stahr and Prof. J. E. Kershner, of Franklin and Marshall college; Profs. Thos. C. Houtz and Herbert A. Allison, of Susquehanna university; Prof. Enoch Perrine, of Bucknell university; Prof. M. G. Brumbaugh, of the University of Penna.; Pres. H. W. McKnight and Profs. E. D. Breidenbaugh, H. B. Nixon, E. Huber, C. H. Huber and J. A. Himes, of Pennsylvania college. The discussion on the points of contact between colleges and public schools was then opened by Prof. M. G. Brumbaugh and participated in by Presidents Reed, McKnight and Stahr and by Professor Super. The question, "Can the Relation between the Colleges and Public Schools be better adjusted and a more uniform Standard of Requirements for admission to College be secured by Legislation ?" was discussed by Pres. Reed, followed by Pres. McKnight, Profs. Perrine, Super, Breidenbaugh and Brumbaugh. The subject, "The Study of English in the Public Schools as a preparation for entrance into College," was discussed by Profs. Kershner and Huber. The following resolution was adopted by the conference: Resolved, That the Conference request the Executive Committee of the Association to appoint a Symposium for next year on the matter of securing a better adjustment of the curriculum of the High School to that of the College. THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND THE ACADEMIES. HE conference was opened at two o'clock by the chairman, Dr. E. T. Jeffers, Principal of York Collegiate Institute, with some remarks from which it appeared that the Academy was the pioneer of the higher education in the State. Nine academies or schools still exist that were founded before 1800. The Friends, the Moravians, and the Presbyterians started schools wherever they settled. From Tennent's Log College grew Princeton University and Dickinson College. Pupils from the Log College started Academies at Fagg's Manor, Nottingham and Pequea, among others. A pupil from Fagg's Manor went west, founded an academy in his log house at Canonsburg, and from that in McMillan's day grew Jefferson College. So everywhere the Academy was the pioneer of classical education, and the higher always insures the lower, as the greater includes the less. This is what has been. What the Academy is, what it is to be, it is our province to discuss to-day. The first paper was by Mr. Wayne H. Bowers, a graduate of Chambersburg Academy, who came as a substitute for the Principal, on "The Relation of the Academy to the Community." The paper was excellent. After showing how much every community needs just what a good classical school provides, and that the Academy furnishes the education needed, the speaker, said, "It is well-nigh impossible for a community not to advance in general culture which has before it the constant example of its youth thus increasing in mental stature and attainments. The best results of an Academy, however, the ripest fruits of its labors, are not brought forth in perfection until it is itself mellowed by age, and its sons rise up to call it blessed. When the Academy begins to have a long list of alumni, when its own graduates return as college | and university graduates to take the position to which they are entitled in their respective communities, then the greatest measure of good that has been done appears. We all understand what an amount of respect and esteem is involved, in the best sense of the term, when a place is spoken of as being a 'college town.' Now I wish to contend that there is such a thing as an 'Academy town,' and that the difference between a college town and an academy town, at the most, is one of degree only and not of kind." He then referred to Chambersburg as an illustration of a community, superior to most others in general culture and in the number and excellence of its scholarly men, all due to the good work of his Alma Mater, which celebrated, two years ago, the 100th anniversary of its founding. The second paper, by Miss Katharine M. Shipley, A. B., of the Misses Shipley's Preparatory School of Bryn Mawr, on "The Study of English in a Preparatory School," was read most effectively, and is as follows: STUDY OF ENGLISH IN PREPARATORY It seems to me that in teaching English, the first necessity for the mind is a flexibility which results in ease and range of motion, flexibility becoming in this case a wide and ready sympathy. In the study of literature the teacher must adapt herself and her methods to the successive authors under consideration, and, even more important, to the individuality of her pupils. Without stopping to try to prove my point, I should say there is no subject of which this is so true as of English. There is no subject in which the teacher is face to face with the personality of the pupil as in the study of English literature and English composition. An added motive with the teacher in gaining this flexibility of mind is that the pupil inevitably reflects, in some measure, the mood of the teacher. When literary criticism unites to itself æsthetic criticism, the teacher must guard against a danger. She must never pose. She must be absolutely free from any affectation. She must always observe simplicity. Beyond this, as far as methods are con cerned, let the teacher love her subject with all her mind and love her pupil with all her heart, and to a great extent the methods will take care of themselves. As to the attitude of the student toward the author he is studying, it must be a receptive attitude. He should be quiet awhile from his own thoughts and imaginings that he may hear the message spoken. It may be said, “You are describing a very passive state of mind. Do you wish a young person to be tossed to and fro by every wind?" In answering this objection, I should quote a sentence from a French writer who says, "The experience of many opinions gives to the spirit a flexibility, and confirms it in those that it believes the best." This attitude toward the author, which seems to me a necessity for the pupil, does not result for him in a mind empty of opinions. I remember, when about to graduate from Bryn Mawr College, talking to one of my professors of some of the things I had gained during my college course. But," I complained, "what I should care about and what I crave is originality." "Originality," he answered, at your age usually consists of a lack of ideas.' At the moment the remark seemed to me a paradox, later I believed it true. To put the young pupil into possession of ideas-the general ideas on the questions that have occupied the human mind, life and love and death and immortality-is the first function of the study of literature. If a mind is to be expanded, broadened in culture, it must be filled with these ideas; and we must send the young people to literature as the treasure-house of ideas, the ideas that have been the rich possession of those, above all, whom Shelley calls "the kings of thought." 64 But the teacher should see to it that a receptive attitude of mind is not the only, not the chief, not the final attitude for the pupil to adopt. The second and most important end of the study of literature in the development of the pupil's mind is to give him a power to think, to think independently; and for this end I believe the study of literature is excelled by no subject. In teaching literature, class discussiona sort of Socratic question and answer-is for the teacher the most difficult, but for the pupil perhaps the most valuable of the many ways of filling part of the recitation period Such discussion must not drag. The recitation period should be regarded by teacher and pupil as a rare opportunity when every moment is worth its weight in gold. This discussion must not degenerate into a mere conversation based on personal tastes. As one of the Leipzig professors said to me in defence of the absence of purely literary lectures in their university, "Why, you know, our German professors feel that they cannot expose themselves to the charge of Shakespeare small-talk." The mind of a pupil of sixteen is not the mind of a Gerinan professor, and small beginnings in the way of thought must be expected. Some thought, however simple, must be roused, and some expression, however crude, must be got from the pupil, A teacher must often put matter into the brain of the pupil, or must start an idea to working before she is too exacting as to manner of expression. Slang, for example, should certainly be discouraged. Generally, it isn't funny; more conscientiously considered, it narrows the pupil's vocabulary; but when it comes as the expression' of a thought, straight from the heart, it may pass on occasion unreproved. I remember such an expression one day from a good, sensible girl, but not trained in character analysis. I said, after we had read through the first murder in Macbeth, "What do you think of Lady Macbeth?" "O, I don't know," she said. "Well, what impression does she make on you? What do you think of her qualities as a woman? What do you think of her attitude to her husband? What do you think of her attitude toward the murder?" "Oh, the murder," she said, "I think she she was 'right in it.'"' When the pupil's interest in character has been aroused, he likes to have all doubtful points settled, but it is well that he should feel the responsibility of drawing his own conclusions. After entirely finishing the play of Hamlet, the pupil almost invariably asks, "Well, please tell us, Was Hamlet mad?" I always answer, "How do I know? You have the same access as I to our source of knowledge on this point." When the thought is intricate, it is a pity for the teacher to explain until by judicious questioning the pupil has been led as far as may be toward the explanation. This takes more time, but the time is well spent. In the case of obscure references in mythology and history the teacher will often do well to offer the explanation at once. If a pupil is to gain a constantly fresh pleasure in the reading of his literature, he must not be held responsible for all the notes in the modern editions. The teacher must constantly seize the opportunity to let fall by the way her seeds of culture. In the matter of single words that are obscure to the pupil, the teacher had better frequently take the place of the glossary, and here too let fall her information, but in an easy, natural way. In the handling of words pupils are very ready to feel a pleasure, and an incipient appetite for philology can early be whetted. Take the line from Macbeth "To alter favor ever is to fear." If on a first reading the pupil cannot explain, remind him that he is familiar with this use of the word "favor;" that we have practically the same use of the word when we say “a child favors her mother," when it says in the Bible of David that he was "well-favored and of a ruddy countenance." Favor there is countenance and to "alter favor" is to "change countenance." If I may take a moment just here, I would |