A. Write to Geo. L. Weed, Principal of the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, at Delavan, Wis. Q. How are pauper children supported within the bounds of a district, to be regarded? A. Under Chap. 156, Gen. Laws of 1873 (p. 16, School Code), they are to be considered residents of the district, for school purposes, and the proportionate amount of the expense of instructing such as attend school is to be defrayed by the county or town board, as the case may require. Q. Cannot religion be taught to the children one hour each day, as well as a foreign language? A. It is not the province of the public schools to teach religion, if by that is meant any special religious dogmas. The Constitution forbids "sectarian instruction." This is not intended, however, to forbid teaching children, by precept and example, to "fear God and do right." A COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT should induce parents to visit the schools; he should inspect the premises and outbuildings; he should examine the school records and see that they are properly kept; he should inspect the text books of the pupils to see that they are neatly preserved; he should give especial attention to the system of government; he should see that the programmes of reci tation and study are carried out; he should criticise the methods of instruction; he should breathe into the teachers' meetings the breath of life; this will require some lung power and far more brain power. As the source of the fountain gauges its height, so the Superintendent's mental altitude gauges the general level of these gatherings. The topics in these meetings should be a careful review of the work to be done by the several grades with special attention as to those points in any branch which will be of practical utility, drill upon subjects upon which teachers are deficient.-Sam'l Shaw. EDITORIAL MISCELLANY. To the readers of the JOURNAL and the friends of Education generally throughout the State: In entering upon the duties of the office to which the suffrages of the people of Wisconsin have unexpectedly elected me, it is proper, and it may be anticipated, that I should, in this issue of the JourNAL, present some more or less formal words of greeting. These are alike due to the JOURNAL from its new editor and to the educational interests of the State from its new Superintendent. Called to the office after a distinguished line of able and successful men, and from thoughts and pursuits largely different from the duties now before me, it is with some diffidence that I have ventured to assume responsibilities so grave and which have been so well borne by my predecessors. A profound interest, however, in the cause of education, to which I years ago devoted my life, and the belief that an honest and faithful attempt on my part to serve that cause in our State will receive the sympathy and support of all its true friends, encourage me to hope for be due to earnest purposes and to insuch a measure of success as may at least dustry. I come into office when the condition of our State, educationally, is encouraging. There has been much recent progress, and I believe there is now going and in the conditions of general instrucon a healthy growth in public interest tion. Considering her age, Wisconsin direction as any of her sister States. probably has as good a record in this But we should not be deceived by this into the belief that we are in all things sults are absolutely and wholly good, pursuing the best methods, that our rethat there is not still need of much wisdom and labor and patience in a search for better things. Indeed, I see so much yet to be gained, that it seems to me the battle is not half won. Let us not, in our search for the truth, teachers, individually and collectively, look at other States, no more or even for editors, preachers, lecturers, for all less advanced than this. Let us rather who love republican institutions. intelligently and candidly observe the facts in our own. To what extent this is duty, witness the present condition of society in our Southern States,-witness the beginnings of an unenlightened and dangerous Communism in the great cities of our Northern States. No people can long govern themselves unless they are both enlightened and virtuous. Spain, without the requisite The public schools, especially in the country districts, are still to a large extent confessedly poor. The teachers are young, inexperienced, untrained, and are perpetually changing. Teaching is almost universally regarded as a merely temporary expedient. School buildings are inconvenient, unattractive, and ill conditions, has just tried self-government ventilated. Attendance is very irregular. A diversity of text-books creates unnecessary confusion and weakness in the schools, and imposes unnecessary burdens upon the people. In many portions of the State there is a lack of local higher schools which should serve to stimulate those beneath them-the district schools, and to feed those above them-the University and the Normal Schools. From this and other causes the Normal Schools are obliged to do much work out of their legitimate sphere of professional training, and the University is not yet emancipated from a real or fancied necessity for giving preparatory instruction. These are some of the less satisfactory features of our condition. They are unquestionably to a considerable extent due to the youthfulness of our State; but need we leave their reformation wholly to time? Cannot some of them be improved by wise legislation? Believing that they can, I shall in due time urge, with what I hope may be a proper union of boldness and caution, certain measures of remedial legislation. and so far has failed. France has so failed at least three times. Are we, in the light of history, reasonably sure of our stability as a Republic? Less than twenty-four hours ago there sat, in the vacant chair now opposite me as I write, a man educated in the best schools of Germany, but long resident in this country, a scholar, a thoughtful, shrewd man of affairs,-who assured me it was his belief that our "experiment" could not possibly outlast another century. To hear an expression of such sentiments from similar sources is no uncommon experience. I have better hopes of the Republic, but those hopes are based on nothing except the universal and progressive culture of the masses of our people,-culture both intellectual and moral. Teachers, Friends of Education, there are duties before us to which, as we value our country, our institutions, the heritage of our children, we must prove true. Let our words be earnest and hopeful and wise, but let our deeds be stronger and better than our words. E. S. THIS NUMBER of the JOURNAL exhibits less variety than will its successors. A good deal of space is necessarily taken up with the Papers and Proceedings of the Educational Meetings. We design to add some new features to the JOURNAL which will appear in due time. But the defects I have mentioned are partly such as no legislation can remedy. Their cure lies in a more enlightened public opinion, in a denser population, and greater aggregate wealth. Time, and the earnest, persistent efforts of the enlightened friends of popular culture, through the press and from the platform, will bring the desired change. Here is Our new dress, we hope, will please work and here is duty for professional | our readers. We have adopted the double column, as being more economical in | university, we may add all the colleges— space and easier for the eye. We are using new type and a fine article of paper, and intend that the contents of the JOUR NAL shall accord with its improved appearance. To this end we ask the aid of our friends in the way both of contributions and additions to the subscription list. Various circumstances have delayed the issue of this number, but we shall make efforts to get back again to the first of the month, as the time of publication. THE MEETINGS IN DECEMBER. The gathering of teachers during the holiday week was especially noticeable, for its comprehensive and practical character. The various educational institutions of the State were more generally rep. sented than at similar meetings heretofore and the papers and discussions were unusually able and searching; to which it may be added that a vein of good common sense was generally apparent, and but little riding of hobbies. President REYNOLDS is entitled to much credit for his skill and industry in getting up so good a programme. We have begun the publication of the papers presented, and shall continue it in future numbers. From the minutes of the Secretary, Mr. EMERY, and from the excellent report in the State Journal, by Dr. CARPENTER, we are able to present a very full account of the proceedings. The convention of county superintendents was more fully attended than could have been expected, when so many were going out of office and so many new ones coming in. The proceedings, a tolerably full account of which we are able to give, were eminently practical, and will be read with interest. It will be seen from the sketch of the debates in both meetings that there is a growing sentiment in favor of something to supply the "missing link "between the common and graded schools on the one side, and the normal schools and the on the other. Dr. CHAPIN, President of Beloit College, Dr. CARPENTER, of the university, and A. F. NORTH, retiring superintendent of Waukesha county, among others, were emphatic upon this point — the need of county academies. The other great want of our system, that is, some sort of town organization, is also more and more felt, and the conviction is growing that it must ere long be placed upon the statute book as a positive and not merely a permissory feature of our school laws. "Compulsory attendance upon school " met with little favor, the speakers generally regarding such a measure as unnecessary or inexpedient, at present. THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS. — Of the sixty-three gentlemen elected for the next term-1874-5, twenty-three were incumbents during the previous term, and ten, namely, BURLINGAME, of Columbia, CHANDLER, of Dane, 1st district, MORGAN, of Green, SPENCER, of Green Lake, KIRWAN, of Manitowoc, GREENE, of Marathon, FOLEY, of Milwaukee, 2d district, MEARS, of Polk, REGENFUSS, of Washington and CHIPMAN, of Waushara, had served more than one term. Messrs. MALONE, of Racine, LUNN, of Sauk, and BALLARD, of Walworth, had been a short time in office by appointment, while Messrs. KENYON, of Juneau, AXTELL, of Pepin, STEWART, of Waukesha, and BURNHAM, of Waupaca, had formerly served a term or two. The remaining thirty-three, more than half, are new to the business. We recently had the pleasure of spending a day in one of the best regulated Normal Schools in this or any other State. The place was Whitewater. The day, as fate willed, was the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. In addition to the usual exercises, more or less under the inspiration of Minerva, we were unexpectedly and pleasantly regaled with a favor direct from the Muses, to whom perpetual and very acceptable sacrifice and exhibitors who were in attendance must be offered from that favored temple at the Universal Exposition, and appears of learning. If this is in any sense enig to have been a decidedly successful and matical, its meaning will be seen in pleasant affair. another column, where, indeed, the seeker will find much more than a mere expla nation. Among the speakers at the close of the banquet was Dr. HOYT, who responded to the Fifteenth Regular Toast, on "Educa tion, the Security of our National Future." We shall try to find space in our next issue of the JOURNAL for the eloquent and logical speech made on the occasion by our distinguished fellow NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION. We have read with much interest the reports, reaching this country from time to time during the past year, of the discovery, by Dr. HENRY SCHLIEMANN, of the veritable site of ancient Troy and the un-citizen. earthing therein of sundry works of art which the Doctor proclaimed to belong to the regal treasures of Priam. This-We learn from the President, S. H. discovery, if genuine, would entitle Dr. SCHLIEMANN to rank with LAYARD and DI CESNOLI, and would win for him the enthusiastic gratitude of all lovers of Homer and Virgil. A recent German announcement in forms us that the Doctor has in preparation a book upon his excavations in Troy, which will contain a photographic atlas of 216 plates representing his discoveries. It is stated that no less than 8,750 different objects, golden prisms, coins, cylinders, rings, beads, etc., and called by him the "Treasury of Priam," were found in a large silver vase. It is further stated that "all the photographs are being prepared under his direction in Athens. Meanwhile the printing of the German as well as of the French text is going forward in Leipsic without delay, so that the appearance of his work, anxiously expected by archæologists, can be looked for at no distant date." WHITE, of Peoria, Ill., that the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the National Educational Association will be held in Detroit, Mich., on the 4th, 5th and 6th days of August, 1874. The Governor of the State, the Mayor of the City, the State and City Superintendents of Public Instruction, and the Board of Education of the city of Detroit, have extended a very cordial invitation to the Association to meet in that place. Free use of assembly halls has been proffered, and announcements concerning programme, facilities for travel, hotel accommodations, etc., will be made in due season. A CHANCE TO DO GOOD.-The Superintendent of the Industrial School for Boys has opened a Reading Room for them, and asks contributions. He says: "About forty volumes of very suitable bookseight magazines and some dozen papers have been furnished by the Secretary of To all this we simply say that we fear the Board of Managers and the Superinit is too good to be true. tendent of the School. These constituted Christmas Presents on the day the Room WE have received from Dr. J. W. HOYT, was opened, and we most respectfully but now in Europe, a copy of a neat little earnestly invite all friends of education pamphlet entitled "Celebration of the to aid in this enterprise. If you wish to Ninety-seventh Anniversary American do a lasting good at small expense, please Independence at the 'Blumen-Saele,' in furnish this Reading Room with some Vienna, Austria, July 4th, 1873." The good book, magazine or paper, or give celebration was originated and planned us the means to purchase one. All the by a number of American Commissioners reading should be carefully selected. A cabinet of natural curiosities would add materially to the attractive, refining and elevating influence of the Reading Room, and constitute a rare source of enjoyment and permanent good to these wayward sons of Wisconsin." Contributions may be addressed to A. D. HENDRICKSON, SUperintendent, Waukesha, Wis. WAUSHARA COUNTY.-A correspondent says: The schools in Waushara county are at work with energy. Teachers seem to be inquiring for better methods of teaching and governing, and making | their schools what they ought to be. An association has of late been formed for the western part of the county, which meets once in two weeks and gives promise of being of great benefit. The meetings are well attended and interesting. H. W. ROOD is its President, and OWEN MUNZER, Secretary. We are also sustaining an Educational column in our county paper. Our excellent superintendent, THEO. S. CHIPMAN, now serving his fourth term, is doing much to raise the standard of teachers, by holding County Normal Institutes twice in each year, and by attending to the interests of our schools generally. MANITOWOC. (The Joint District.)—Our schools are in a flourishing condition un. der the able supervision of HOSEA BARNS, Esq., and his assistants Miss M. Frances Barr, Miss Anna Cuddy, Mrs. Carrie Green, Miss Ella Sackett, Miss Annie Burnet, Miss Jennie Hodges, Miss Fannie O'Connor, and the kind motherly Mrs. E. M. Barns. JOHN LANTRY, Clerk. ROCHESTER SEMINARY.-The Principal of this flourishing school, J. H. GOULD, * BOSTON TEA PARTY. BY MRS. H. F. G. AREY. Tune "Auld Lang Syne." One hundred years to-day, dear friends, The tea that made a nation strong When Britain, with harsh laws, pursued Our course o'er sea and land, And on her stalwart cxiles laid Oppression's iron hand, We spurned indignant from our shore And back to haughty England bore, (Chorus). A century since to-day, dear friends, A century since to-day, The tea that made a nation's strength Was steeped in Boston Bay. We taught our English lips to sing It swelled our hearts, it fired our veins And served through weary years of war, Where'er the path of honor leads We follow with a will; It stirs our sturdy exile race To deeds of valor still. We snuff it in the morning breeze, [Chorus.] In thinking of those rare old days And crush from out the land's highways We'll sing with unpolluted lip The anthems of the free, And many an hundred years we'll sip [Chorus.] *This song was sung with no little zest by the informs us that the winter term opened pupils of the Whitewater (Wis.) Normal School on Dec. 16, under very favorable auspices. ANY man who attempts to live a Christian life, no matter what his creed, is my brother, and one house is large enough for both of us. Tuesday, the 16th Dec. LIFE is a book of which we can have but one edition. Let each day's actions as they add their pages to the indestructible volume, be such as we shall be willing to have an assembled world read. |