UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK:

(THE JOURNAL is indebted for this beautiful half-tone to the courtesy of the Evangelist.) POST-GRADUATE DEPARTMENTS OF LAW AND PEDAGOGY.

Supt. W. S. Sutton, of Houston, Texas, is one of the most progressive city superintendents in this country and the success that has rewarded his efforts has attracted many visitors to his schools. The principal means he employed, and continues to employ, to promote the professional advancement of his teachers are the monthly institutes. THE JOURNAL has already made note of the plan on which they are conducted. Each meeting is carefully prepared. Circulars are sent to every teacher announcing the subjects to be discussed and giving suggestions as to what to study. The course of pedagogic study given in EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS is followed and has been productive of most satisfactory results. On pages 476 to 478 are given extracts from Supt. Sutton's recent annual report which give an idea of the valuable work done at the Houston institutes. These extracts are noteworthy in many respects. The helpfulness of the lesson plans will be appreciated by a large number of readers.

The emphatic endorsement of the place of military training in public schools by Lieut-General John M. Schofield has stirred up that matter anew. In Cincinnati the discussions are particu

larly lively just now; some of the labor unions having placed themselves in opposition to the system, and an organization having been formed with the special object to drive it out of the schools. The Brooklyn Standard Union writes: "So far the movement for military training in the public schools in this city has not met with much encouragement, though the most casual observer must admit that there is much to commend it. A manly bearing, good physical development and elementary knowledge of the duties of a soldier are thus imparted without necessarily interfering with regular studies. The matter is certainly worthy of very careful consideration."

A school for the instruction of charitably disposed women in the best methods of kindergarten and child saving work, is the most recent among the good things proposed in educational lines. It is to be established in Chicago, under the direction of Rev. F. M. Gregg, manager of the International Children's Home Society.

Representatives of twelve of the lead.ng Southern educational institutions have organized in Atlanta an association having for its object the promotion and the extension of higher education in

the South. Every one of the great Southern colleges and universities is represented in the new organization. A resolution was passed favoring the introduction of Greek and Latin in the public schools. It was also agreed that colleges with preparatory departments or classes are not to be considered colleges, but to be ranked with academies and seminaries. The standard for admission into the colleges will be raised and made definite, so that there will be no doubt about the fitness of the students who begin their collegiate course.

Wisconsin.

It was at first reported that the county superintendent of Outagamie county had canceled the certificates of the nuns engaged in teaching in the public schools in the towns of Freedom and Little Chute for the reason that they wore the garb of their order when teaching, and Bishop Messmer, of the Green Bay diocese announced his purpose of vindicating the right of such teachers to wear the dress they deemed proper. It now appears, however, according to the Milwaukee Sentinel, that the nuns not only wore their peculiar dress, but that they conducted the schools precisely as Catholic parochial schools are conducted. The schoolrooms were decorated with Catholic pictures, with crucifixes, and provided with a copious supply of holy water. The school curriculum included the teaching of the Roman Catholic creed. In fact the schools were the parochial schools of the towns, the public school buildings being abandoned for the church buildings, and some Catholic parents in adjoining towns, where the public schools were not thus conducted, sent their children to the Little Chute and Freedom schools in which the Catholic religion was taught and the teachers paid from the public school fund. It is said this system has been carried on for the past fifteen years or

more.

Under these conditions it is difficult to see how the opponents of Supt. Ziegler can have any hope of winning their case by appeals to the supreme court. Strict separation of church and public schools is the American idea and no violation of its spirit must be permitted.

What Charles Nordhoff Says.

In the New York Herald Charles Nordhoff complains of our school system. It is well to know what can be said against it: "We now pay one hundred and fifty millions per annum for free education, so-called. If all but the primary schools were a olished, and practical trade schools established, conducted on a method fitted to make mechanics and not learned professors, the taxpayers, the wage-workers of the country, would in a few years be relieved of the support of a great army of incompetent and too often corrupt politicians, of incapable lawyers, doctors, professors and clergymen, and of ignorant and expensive agitators and tramps, who live on the industrious and producing class.

"Our present educational system is the most powerful 'combine,' except one (the protection combine') in the country. A ' combine which includes writers and publishers of school books, who make fortunes out of it, and professors and masters or principals of graded and other high schools and free colleges who make a living out of it, and don't know how to earn their living in any other way; and a vast army of teachers who meekly follow the lead of their superiors, and can't well help themselves, because in all the cities powerful political' influences also are bound up with this system, and will defeat it against all attacks, and a poor teacher already too often needs a 'pull' to keep his or her place in the public schools.

"The misdirection of our state educational system, which trains our youth to be incapables and turns them out on the world unfit to earn a living by manual labor, is one of the potent causes of general discontent and impoverishment in our country.

If a

"Our public school system is dangerously behind the age. young man now-a-days wants to live he must know how to do something and do it well. The state, if it really wants to serve its youth by educating them, must, not for their sakes alone, but in the interest of the whole community, offer them such a training as shall give them when they have got it at least a fair chance in the hard struggle for life. Do you suppose there would be such a multitude of poor fellows crowding into such places as street car drivers or conductors, for instance, if it were and had been a part of our state scheme of education to give a practical mechanical training to the pupils? If that system had made mechanics instead of clerks, if it had trained our youth in "tool practice' instead of- very perfunctorily-in useless brain work, we should, as a nation, be far better off, and, what I think of greater importance, a very much smaller proportion of our people would to-day be lame ducks.'

"Half a dozen or a dozen skilled mechanics-carpenters, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, gardeners, and farmers-are of more importance to a growing community than ten thousand such helpless young men, without muscles or skill of hand, as our antiquated and misdirected public school system keeps turning out on a cold world."

Northern Illinois Association.

(Continued from Nov. 16.)

HIGH SCHOOL EXTENSION.

In the high school section the principal center of interest was the problem of how best to extend the benefits of the high school to those who have been compelled to go to work early. The paper that attracted extraordinary attention and was declared the most helpful ever presented to the section was that of F. A. Manning, of Moline, on "High School Extension." Mr. Manning gave a detailed description of the plan adopted in Moline to broaden and deepen the social and intellectual life of the high school pupils and of those who leave school at an early age and then wish to take up some studies. The plan is on the idea of the university extension movement, and appeals to those desirous of fitting themselves for a higher intellectual life. The room in which the paper was read was crowded with high school principals and teachers, some of them having to sit "double" on the chairs. All were eager to hear of Moline's work in this direction, and there was such an applause after it was read and such able discussion followed that it is likely many high school teachers will adopt similar extension plan in their own cities. Many wanted Mr. Manning to publish his paper in pamphlet form to make the plan more widely known and thereby encourage the extension of the movement in other high school districts. JOURNAL will in a later issue publish the greater part of this excellent piece of work.

HIGH SCHOOL COURSES.

THE

Prin. J. E. Bangs, of the Pontiac high school, opened the discussion on the question, "Should Shorter Courses be Offered by High Schools Maintaining Full Four-Year Conrses?" Supt. Orville T. Bright, of Cook county, is of decided opinion that the courses should not be shortened. But Mr. Bangs holds a different opinion, and his paper started a fierce discussion. Mr. Bangs said in

part :

"Our course of study came to us as an inheritance, a legacy which has been improved upon. The value of the full four years' course cannot be overestimated. But we are confronted by a condition that deserves careful consideration. According to latest reports, only 3 per cent. of the pupils in school are in the high school, 1 per cent. in college, and 96 per cent. in the elementary school. Of those in high school about 12 per cent. are preparing for college. Of this number about three per cent. graduate in a classical course, or one-fourth of those who began. Three per cent. of 3 per cent. gives us about one in 1,000, or, in other words, one pupil out of 1,000 in our public schools succeeds in reaching the position of a classical graduate from the high school. The people pay $155,000,000 a year for education and have a right to demand that they have value received for their money. The rate of one to 1,000 is too small. We must offer shorter courses. It is for the benefit of the pupil."

H. F. Hendricks, of Savanna, spoke on "What Modifications of our Courses of Study are Desirable for Those not Intending to go to College." He made a strong plea for better English in the high schools. He said that the professors of the University of Illinois declared that many of the candidates for admission to the university were found weak in language work, and that many made sad work of their composition.

Miss Catherine Reynolds, of Aurora, also argued the necessity of having good English courses in high schools.

The fear that the high schools are not giving sufficient attention to the study of English seemed to be troubling many minds. The city and county superintendents gave almost their whole joint preliminary meeting on Oct. 24 to the discussion of this question.

Supt. W. H. Hatch, of Oak Park, said:

"English is sadly neglected in the high schools. Pupils leave before they know how to write a good business letter, simply because they are not taught to de so. There is a sad lack of handling English in the hign school. Every pupil should learn how to write grammatically and well and should have a good start in English literature. English should be more enlarged upon in the high school so as to fit the pupil for his life work."

Mrs. Robert H. Wiles, a member of the Freeport board of education, and one of the first to recognize the benefit to be derived by school boards joining with the teachers in their conventions, said:

"There is a growing tendency to increase the feeling in the public mind that the high school course is only intended for those who are going to college. This should not be."

Supt, I. M. Bridgeman, of Polo, urged the necessity for an English course for all those pupils who did not or could not go to college.

Supt. Gilbert, of Austin, said:

"I should like to know which is the best student, the one who studies Latin or the one who devotes his time to the English course? The study of foreign languages helps him for his own and Latin is the key to the situation. I know boys who can write better English because they had learned Latin than those who had only taken the English course. The trouble is, however, that the universities do not send out men who are fit to teach English. They are full of rhetoric and English literature, but they are not able to train children."

"Why not put the teachers of good English in the primary

grades?" asked Supt. H. L. Chaplin, of Sterling. "Many parents cannot afford to send their children to the high schools, and these pupils ought to be trained as much as possible for their work in life,"

Supt. W. L. Steele, of Galesburg, opened the discussion as to whether pupils should receive diplomas who are unable to complete their regular high school mathematics, but are capable in every other respect. He said that only twenty out of a hundred cared to take the higher branches of mathematics. "Yet I would not say," he continued. "that because a child does not know the binomial theorem it does not know anything of nature. I am in favor of mentioning in a diploma what has been won by the pupil. If children wish to drop a subject and take up another, my plan is not to give them any credit for the subject they drop. It is far better to handle the child than the subject. Let us keep in sympathy with the children all the time."

School Board Section.

The plan of having teachers and boards of education meet at the same convention has proved a success.

W. E. Ohls, of Elgin, was the chairman of the school board section. W. S. Mack opened discussion on Should Boards of Education Require a Formal Examination of Applicants for the Position of Teacher?" He maintained that teachers' qualifications could only be determined by observation of their daily work with classes.

Mrs. Robert H. Wiles, of Freeport, said she thought a great deal depended on examinations, as without them it would be impossible to tell anything about teachers coming from a distance. She approved the New York law requiring teachers in the city schools to have had three years' experience in teaching.

Cyrus Kehr also believed in the working of the New York state law.

Mrs. Hollembeak said the Elgin board had several teachers now in whose contracts a special clause had been inserted by which they were compelled to resign if their work was unsatisfactory.

The question "Should the District Furnish all Text-Books Free?" was introduced by J. J. Davis, of Aurora. He instanced some objections and obstacles, but thought these counterbalanced by the profits:

"1. It would increase the attendance. 2. Pupils would remain in school longer. 3. More and better work would be done. 4. It is more econom. ical. 5. Better text-books would be used. 6. Compulsory educational laws could be much better enforced. 7. This would practically solve the problem of uniform state and county text-books."

All the board members present expressed themselves as in favor of the free text-book system.

For several years past the fifth and sixth classes in the Fairmont school have been collecting curiosities for their museum cabinets, and point with pride to two valuable and well-filled cases. Recently Mr. Washburn, a former committeeman of the school presented the fifth class with an Indian bow and a well filled quiver from Northern New Mexico. The pupils value these new acquisitions very highly.

The school committee in the various towns and cities is elected by ballot. They prescribe the course of study to be pursued, they elect the superintendents and supervisors, who are simply their executive agents. They select all teachers and instructors and fix the salaries of these. In most, if not all, of the cities, their term of office is three years. A large percentage of all the moneys raised by taxation is placed at the disposal of the members of the school boards, and nowhere is there lodged a veto power on their action. They establish all rules and regulations for the government of the schools; and they are not asked to make oath that they will perform their duties to the best of their ability.

GREENFIELD.

The Franklin county teachers' association met at this place, Oct. 25. Fully 200 teachers were present, besides every superintendent in the county and many members of school boards. The entire faculty of Arms academy was present and Powers institute and the high schools in Ashfield, Conway, Greenfield, Orange, and Sunderland, were well represented. Supts. E. W. Goodhue,

Mrs. Hallock, state instructor in temperance hygiene said among other good things:

"Physiology has long hung suspended by a single thread called 'Information. It has been isolated from all other studies, as has temperance instruction. Interest the children by means of pictures in the relation of the lower animals to each other and to the human frame. Lead them to observe the object of all structure, and to appreciate the wisdom of creation's plan. Comparative study from the lowest to the highest grade produces the best result. Practical lessons on the use of food may be brought out by the study of grains and fruits, and the moral nature uplifted by thoughtful research in regard to the effect of pure air and water on the human system."

State Agent Fletcher gave a most practical and helpful talk which he entitled "Cautions." Referring to the relation of books, subjects, and children, to teaching he said:

Teaching is causing to learn; its essentials being mental ability in the pupil, with nature, books, and teachers as external influences. The scholar of to-day must be a reader as well as an observer. Literature, what men have felt, and history what they have done, come to us as inspiration or warning through the books we read. Books help to utilize the time of the pupils, and economize time and expense in education. Too much confinement to books leads to memorizing details, narrowness of thought, neglect of observation and original thinking. Text and reference books must be wisely and judiciously connected with object teaching. The mind recognizes only ideas and thoughts, products of its own activity. It requires learning and skill to present the right object in the right way, and secure attention, thought, and expression. Special preparation must be made for object teaching or it will be shallow and illogical. The teacher must study the child. To hold attention and get thought and expression, the child must have something to do; he learns to do by doing, body and mind together. The child who learns only to forget, is not gaining material for future use. Christ, the great teacher, recognized the value of books when he read the Scriptures and referred to them in his talks to the people."

Miss Flora E. Kendall, who is superintendent of schools in Athol gave a talk on primary reading :

"The secret of good reading," she said, "is attention. Children do not go to school to be entertained. Reading lessons should be tested without the book, pupils telling what they have read, using good language, and with careful thought. Upon this study are dependent all others. Both silent and oral reading have a place and should be restricted to it. The good reader is the one who most appreciates good reading." Miss Kendall is superintendent of schools in Athol, which town furnished an attendance. Supt. I. Freeman Hall, of North Adams, gave two interesting talks on "Geography." He said:

"Geography in the lower grades is the result of observation and should produce mental development. Train a child, with his crude observation, to discriminate between objects of the same class; to use system in his expressions. Take the class out of doors and incite an interest in giving time on Saturdays to discovering in the familiar landscape the terms to be learned in books." Mr. Hall spoke of the need in high and grammar school work of teaching thoroughly what may be called structural geography; first, in connection with the surface of countries. He illustrated these points by a globe specially prepared by one of his teachers. to show the main features of continental structure. He recommended the following works for teachers' study: Huxley's "Physiography," Geike's "Physical Geography," Chesholm's "Commercial Geography."

Supt. Dartt of Charlemont, gave an address on "Manners and Morals." He said:

"Individual greatness consists in moral character. The central aim of the public schools is moral training. Punctuality is one of the moral virtues and no allowances should be made. Accuracy, truthfulness, industry are all needful. Pupils should be inspired to do difficult things to get courage. Absolute obedience should be taught, not only for the school, but for all life. The whole world is waiting for higher aims and living and the schools must meet the demand."

Supt. Carroll, of Worcester, was listened to with great interest on the "Unity of Common School Studies."

His central thought was that at the outset children should acquire language to express their thoughts and what they had learned in all directions in the best way, and that all the studies should be related to each other by the use of all of them to help in the command of language. In all studies the teacher should be able to bring to bear the knowledge of all other studies, to illustrate and to make plain any reference or obscure

term.

Miss Mary A. Jordan, professor of literature in Smith college, spoke on "Preparatory Work in English."

"There are," she said, "certain demands made in composition that tend to discourage the student and cause him to discriminate against it. He feels that his effor s are not appreciated and he becomes unnatural in his effort to be understood." Miss Jordan made a plea for short exercises and a broader acceptance of all literary work from pupils as well as a more thorough training in preparatory schools.

The following officers were elected for the year: President, Supt. L. A. Mason, of Orange; vice-presidents, Supt. Warren, of Northfield; Supt. Barton, of Hatfield; Miss M. E. Hersey, of Ashfield; secretary, Miss Elizabeth March, of Turners Falls; treasurer, Miss Mary E. Arms. of Greenfield; executive committee, Principal Holbrook, of Shelburne Falls; Miss Nellie Pierce, of Greenfield; Miss Emerson, of Orange. The convention voted in favor of two meetings a year instead of one. The vote showed how much the good things offered at this meeting were appreciated.

Tennessee.

For the Chattanooga manual training school which has proven. a failure a large number of tools, anvils, lathes, engines, etc., were purchased by the school board at a cost of about $3,000, these are said to be going to destruction for the want of use. Various plans have been proposed as to their disposal, but nothing definite has as yet been decided upon. Some people think the whole outfit should be given to some manufacturing enterprise as an inducement to locate in Chattanooga. Others want them to be saved for the proposed reformatory for negro children. The Press of the city is asking for suggestions to be brought to the attention of the board of aldermen.

Florida.

The Florida Citizen has extracts from several papers relative to the results of the examinations held this fall. In ten counties 318 persons were examined and 124 passed-that is 39 per cent. It remarks, either the attainments of the applicants are too low or the standard is too high, or hedged about with unnecessary difficulties.

Stockton, Cal.

The board of education has re-elected Jas. A. Barr as superintendent of schools and increased his salary by $500. The figure itself is not startling, $2,000 being, if anything, below the average for a city of 20,000 people. The significant fact lies in the voluntary action of the board. These five men form a unit for aggressive action that has rarely been equaled since the famous trustees of Quincy. Massed behind the energetic young superintendent they suggest the formidable Yale wedge, though operating in a greater cause. Throughout Supt. Barr's administration, his measures have been supported almost without exception by this body of men. And theirs has not been the assent that would indicate a good natured lack of comprehension, but rather the virile response that springs from a well advised enthusiasm in a progressive movement.

School Director Bogue, in his nominating address spoke strongly of the faithfulness and efficiency of the incumbent. The speaker felt that Mr. Barr was a part of the schools of the city and they couldn't do without him. He had worked night and day, his whole aim being for the good of the schools. Mr. Barr had made a national reputation for himself and for the Stockton schools, and he was known in educational circles everywhere as an advanced worker. The director said he had known Mr. Barr as a boy in Stockton when he drove a grocer's wagon and had watched his course as he worked on and upward until he had won fame by his true worth. He knew how Mr. Barr had secured his education and he admired him for his pluck and his success.

During the administration just closed the Stockton schools have made a strong advance. Nature study, manual training, and drawing have attained permanent places in the course of study. Radical changes have been effected in the subject-matter of arithmetic and language. The school library catalogue lists 8,000 volumes of the choicest literary and scientific nature, including all of the recent children's literature.

A system of grading and promotion was adopted last year on the grouping plan, which is a direct advance toward that great desideratum, individual promotion. Through a large reading of professional books and journals, the city teachers keep closely abreast of modern educational thought, and they are strongly stimulated by the infectious enthusiasm of their leader.

In view of Stockton's three new railroads in process of construction and the status of its schools, THE JOURNAL finds every reason to congratulate that coming city of the Coast.

Chicago.

The school board is determined to sue all of the elevated railroads of the city whose structures run close to school-houses. The claim was made that these tracks have caused a material depreciation in the value of school property and that the companies are liable for damages. There are said to be twelve schoolhouses affected, and the amount of property damage is roughly estimated at more than $200,000.

A college preparatory class has been organized in the Washington school.

Twenty-five thousand dollars will be available on January 1, for the extension of manual training in the public schools. The school board's committee on English high and manual training will report next month how this sum is to be expended and will also present a plan for securing the technical teachers.

The organization of the board of trustees of the teachers' pension fund, which came into force Sept. 1, will take place Nov. 27. On Nov. 16, the teachers of the city elected two representatives, who are to act for them at the meeting on the 27th.

Eugene Field's name has been placed with that of J. W. Scott

on the records of the board of education for bestowal on one of the school buildings soon to be finished.

Mr. Thomas Cusack asked the board to purchase fifty cots to be placed in the school buildings for children to lie upon when they grow faint or ill. The cost of the cots would have been only 25 cents each, but the board refused to buy them.

Boston.

At the school board meeting held November 12, several important matters were disposed of:

The special committee appointed to consider the matter of inviting the National Education Association to hold its next session in Boston, reported that the educational interests of this community would be greatly subserved by its being held here, and orders were passed leaving the matter to the special committee, and asking the city council for an appropriation of $5,000 to be expended in making preparations for the meeting to take place

here next summer.

An order was unanimously passed that Pres Pettigrove be requested in behalf of the school committee to petition the legisla ture for the passage of an act to provide that all abandoned school-houses and sites be sold by the board of street commissioners, and the proceeds be placed to the credit of the school committee, to be expended for new school-houses and sites and for furnishing new school-houses.

The committee on salaries reports in substance as follows:

"A committee of masters of the grammar schools has been given two hearings, and the committee on salaries has been so impressed with the justice of their arguments that an increase in such masters' salaries has been unanimously recommended.

"The chief arguments in favor of the increase are that salaries in other publlc positions in state and city have been increased during several years past, probably owing to increased responsibility, and it is urged that added responsibilities of grammar school masters entitle them to similar recognition; that average salaries of positions in other professions comparable with that of master in a grammar school are much higher, that the duties and responsibilities of such a master entitle him to a distinctive and specific rank and salary.

"The proposition is that the minimum salary of a master of a grammar school be fixed at $2,580 for the first year of service, with an annual increase of $60 for the succeeding twelve years, so that a maximum salary of $3,300 shall be reached for the thirteenth and subsequent years of service.

"The effect of this plan will be to place twenty seven of the masters on the eighth year of the scale, $3,000, causing an increase next year of $3,240; seventeen masters on the seventh year of the scale, $2,940, causing an increase next year of $1,025. There are nine masters who will continue to receive their present salaries until their years of service entitle them to an increase."

Fall and Winter Associations.

Nov. 21-23. Vermont State Teachers' Association at St. Johnsbury.
Nov. 28-30. North Central Kansas Teachers' Association at Beloit.
Nov. 29-30.
Central Kansas Teachers' Association at Hutchinson.
Nov. 29-30. Southwestern Kansas Teachers' Association at Arkansas

City.

Nov. 29-30. Nov. 29-30. Nov. 29-30 Nov. 29-30.

Nov. 29-30. Dec. 25-27.

Dec. 25-29.

Northwestern Kansas Teachers' Association at Hill City.
Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association at Tiffio.
Massachusetts State Teachers' Association at Worcester.
Michigan Schoolmasters Club at Ann Arbor.

Eastern Ohio State Teachers' Association.
Kansas State Teachers' Association, Topeka, Kan.
Illinois State Teachers' Association, Springfield, 111.
Dec. 25, 27, 28.-Idaho State Teachers' Association at Moscow.
Dec. 26,-27,-28. Missouri Colored Teachers' Association, at Palmyra.
Mr. Joe E. Herriford, Cuillicothe, Prest.
Dec. 26-27.
Dec. 26-28.
Dec. 26-28.

Southeast Missouri Teachers' Association, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Wisconsin State Teachers' Association, Milwaukee, Wis.
North Central Missouri Teachers' Association, Salisbury,

Mo'
Dec. 26-28. Southwest Missouri Teachers' Association, Carthage, Mo.
Dec. 26-28. Northeast Missouri Teachers' Association, Mexico, Mo.
Dec, 26-28-Montana State Teachers' Association at Anaconda, W. E.
Harmon, president, V. J. Olds, secretary.

Dec. 26-28. Indiana State Teachers' Association, Indianapolis (State House).

Dec. 31-Jan. 1-2. Iowa State Teachers' Association at Des Moines. R. C. Barrett, pres.; Carrie A. Byrne, chairman ex. com.

Dec. 31.-Jan. 1-2.-Southern Educational Association at Hot Springs Arkansas. Pres't. J. R. Preston, State Supt., Jackson, Miss., Sec'y. Supt. James McGinnis, Owensboro, Ky., Tres:urer J. M. Carlisle, State Supt. Austin, Texas.

Dec. 31,-Jan. 1,-2. Nebraska State Teachers' Association, at Lincoln. W. H. Skinner, Nebraska City, Prest., Lillian N. Stoner, Valentine, Sec'y. Jan. 1-2. Western Arkansas State Teachers' Association, Hot Springs, Feb. 18-20. The meeting of Department of Superintendence at Jacksonville, Fia. President, Supt. L. H. Jones, Cleveland, Ohio.

Ark.

Solid Through Trains.

NO CHANGE OF CARS OF ANY CLASS.

Entire trains consisting of Baggage Cars, Buffet Sleepi g Cars, and Elegant Day Coaches, Lighted by Gas, Heated by Steam; and with all the modern improvements, are run between New York and Chicago Every Day in the year via West Shore and Nickel Plate Roads. Superb Dining Cars west of Buffalo and coaches in charge of Uniformed Colored Porters. For lowest rates via this popular route apply to your nearest ticket agent or address F. J. Moore, Gen'i Ag't, Nickel Plate Road, Buffalo, N. Y.

Letters and Queries.

What and Who.

Most grammarians say "what" can be a relative pronoun when it can be changed into "that which." I can not accept this. I do not believe it is even a relative. It is agreed that a relative introduces an objective clause, and "what" never introduces a relative adjective clause. It seems to me that "what," together with some other pronouns, is clearly an indefinite and should be disposed of as such; always 3rd per. and singular number (never plural. The clause in which "what occurs should be regarded as used substantively and never adjectively; as, "I know what I saw." "What I saw" and "I say what I think;"here "what I think" are substantive clauses, objects of the verbs know and say.

The interrogative "who" is by grammarians put in singular and plural without change of form.

Yet good usage does not sanction the use of such sentences or questions; as, "Who are at the door?" "Who come there?" I can't understand how the answer to an interrogative pronoun can ever determine the gender, person, or number of the pronoun. I don't think interrogative pronouns can agree with the answer or so-called subsequent in gender, person, and number.

For example, (1) "Who is at the door?" Ans. 1. If “who " receives its person and number from I, it is plain that "who" is Ist per. and the verb is should be changed to am, because the verb gets its person from its subject. Then the sentence should read, "Who am at the door?" But this is incorrect, and the person of who" does not come from I. The answer is not a part of the question and has nothing whatever to do with the construction of any term used in the question.

(2) "Who comes there?" Ans. "The boys." For similar reasons comes" should be come.

I raise these two points about "what" and "who" for information. I G. T. would like to be set aright by reason, and not by tradition. Enid, Okalahoma Territory.

The Florida School Law References.

This Florida School Law, of which so much is now being said and written, is only one in a series of steps for the disfranchisement of the negro race. A few years since the first step was taken when State Suot. Sheats drafted a bill that passed the legislature and received the governor's signature.

This made provision for three grades of county certificates, and a state diploma. The third grade was good for one year, the second two years, and the first three years, in each case not renewable. Aside from the benevolent schools, the negro has only the state normal at Tallahassee, with a capacity of about eighty pupils from which to secure his education. How then was he to prepare to pass from third to second or first grade? It is believed it was not intended he should. The next step was taken at the last session of the legislature. A bill was then passed that had for its object the driving of white teachers from the negro schools.

It forbade the educating of the two races in the same school, public or private; also white teachers from boarding in the buildings with the students. It was especially designed for the school at Orange Park.

This school is under the care of the American Missionary Association, and its doors are open to all. The superior advantages offered by this school have drawn many white pupils to it. We understand that the American Missionary Association while complying with the law intends to test its constitutionality in the courts. B. P. Orange Park.

The pupil should have a fine pointed pencil, a ruler divided into eighths, twelfths, or sixteenths, and draw a right-angled triangle. It is well for the teacher to explain the old 6, 8, and 10 rule," that is, that the sides of all right-angled triangles are in this proportion as (3, 4, 5; 12, 16, and 20, etc.) Let him measure 6 half inches for one side, 8 for another, and 10 for the hypotenuse, and then construct squares on each of these sides. The problem is to show that the two small squares are equal to the large

In the figure given it is not easy to use the square on the side ru, so another of the same size is constructed on the right side of the large square.

(1) Cut along the line rs, leaving a little hinge at s, and turn the square over and down on the large square, see Fig. 2. (2) Divide the small square into four parts, D is one-third and A, B, C, are each one-third of the remainder. Cut along m n, leaving a little hinge at ; cut along op, leaving a little hinge at a. Spread out these parts; (see Fig. 3) carefully, and turn the square thus recast over on the large square; its parts will exactly fill up the vacant places left when the other square was applied.

(3)

A large sheet of manilla paper may be used, and the sides be 3 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches, respectively.

The teacher who has never tried this kind of busy work can not imagine the pleasure the pupils take in making these demonstrations. It is not an intellectual enjoyment of the truth perceived but a pleasure in reaching with tools some end that demands effort and ingenuity.

What good papers and magazines would you advise us to take (student ranging from the first to tenth grade) for the pupils to read at school and home, they to raise the money. C. B. SIMRell.

Tobyhanna Mills.

There ought not to be a very great deal of general reading done by pupils; they must study their books and read somewhat collaterially in books and cyclopedias. But they should know current events and the best thing in the world for that is OUR TIMES, 30 cents a year, published by E. L. Kellogg & Co, New York.

For younger children St. Nicholas is a capital magazine; $3.00 a year, published by the Century Company, New York city. The Youth's Companion is deservedly well known; $1.75 a year, published by Perry Mason, Boston. There are other papers and magazines, but we doubt the use of miscellaneous reading, continued stories. There is too much of this in their houses now.

The best way, in our judgment, is to mark out collateral reading in geography, history, and nature; reduce the paper and magazine reading to a minimum; keep track of what is of importance in the world by using OUR TIMES.

How did it come that the inhabitants of this country were called Indians and who gave them that name ? F. G.

The aim of Columbus was to reach India, and when land was discovered he supposed he had reached India and the natives were mistakenly called Indians. Wonderful stories had reached Europe about India. The Portuguese sailed down the West African coast and reached India in 1498 after a voyage of eleven months.

How many inhabitants has Denmark?

The recent census has shown that Denmark has nearly 2,500,ooo inhabitants, of whom 18 per cent, or 410,000, live in the captal, Copenhagen.

How will the boundary between Venezuela and British Guiana be determined? The English claim that their line extends far west of what Venezuela allows. M. MAREUS,

A grammar school pupil.

Holland owned the portion now owned by England; Spain owned Venezuela. The frontier will be found in treaties and diplomatic correspondence between Holland and Spain. The Venezuelans have repeatedly proposed to submit these documents to arbitrators, but England thinks more is to be gained by a bluster. These documents make the Essequibo the boundary. England wants the line to be such as will give her the gold fields.