by Mr. Finch, Sup't of the Kenton Schools, is evidence that there exists a professional spirit in the county which will make the next annual institute larger and better. The institute held at West Union, Adams county, enrolled between fifty and sixty members. The principal instructor was Prof. Eli T. Tappan, of Ohio University, who united with his lectures recitations in the theory and practice of teaching, and discussions on various educational topics participated in by the members. A good interest was awakened in professional improvement. Prof. T. will accept our thanks for the list of subscribers received.

MARION CO. INSTITUTE, IND.—A very successful institute was held in Indianapolis, during the five days commencing December 17th, 1866. Over one-hundred members were enrolled-a result quite remarkable owing to the fact that the institute was held in a large city and was attended chiefly by teachers from the country. We noticed here the same earnestness and professional spirit which we have found at all the institutes we have attended in Indiana. Much attention was given to composition, oral grammar and object lessons. Classes in object lessons were taught by graduates of the Oswego Training School. The institute was under the efficient direction of Pleasant Bond, County Examiner. Hon. G. W. Hoss, State School Superintendent, gave several acceptable lectures.

HANCOCK CO. INSTITUTE.-Mr. Editor: The Hancock county teachers' institute has been in session during the present week. It opened on Dec. 25th, and closed Dec. 28th. It was a grand success. There were present one hundred and ten teachers. The greatest interest was manifested by the teachers, and a great and glorious work was done. Our camp fires are burning brightly, and faithful sentinels are at the outposts. Messrs. T. W. Harvey, Nestlerode, and Vanhorn gave instruction. Mr. Harvey delivered two of his admirable lectures before delighted audiences. The Educational Monthly was not forgotten. Eighteen subscribers were obtained, whose names will reach you in a few days. Resolutions, advocating the establishment of a normal school in each congressional district of the State and the election of county superintendents, were passed. Truly yours,

Findlay, O., Dec. 29, 1866.

E. MILLER.

A HINT FOR OUR GRAMMAR SCHOOLS.-" Paris Gossip" in the Nation, Jan. 1867, says:

"The Minister of Public Instruction has just issued a circular advising the teachers of the public schools not to torment their pupils by cramming their youthful heads with grammatical rules, learned by rote, but to inculcate the principles of correct and elegant diction by the less arid methods of dictation and the aualysis of interesting reading lessons, thus indoctrinating them gradually and practically into the intricacies of grammatical law, without the infliction of the headaches, penal tasks, and weariness of the flesh, to which the learned and genial Minister alludes with an evident commiseration that makes one suspect he must have suffered many things in his boyhood under the rule of pedagogues."

Exactly the doctrine which the MONTHLY has been preaching ever since I became acquainted with it—and thus the world is "marching on."

T. E. S.

LAKE MIRAGE, ETC.-Mr. Editor: Perhaps your readers may be interested in a brief notice of two meteorological phenomena observed at this place within a few weeks past. Teachers who attended the meeting of the Association in 1861, will recollect that Elyria is twenty-six miles west of Cleveland, and distant ten miles in a direct line from Lake Erie. At no point within eight miles of us is the lake visible. A remarkable mirage occurred on the morning of the 13th of November, the whole shore from Cleveland to Sandusky Bay looming above the horizon, and the lake with steamers and sail-vessels becoming distinctly visible, and apparently not more than a

PROFESSOR HOUGHTON, of Trinity College, Dublin, has published some curious chemical computations respecting the relative amounts of physical exhaustion produced by mental and manual labor. According to these chemical estimates, two hours of severe mental study abstract from the human system as much vital strength as is taken from it by an entire day of mere hand-work. This fact, which seems to rest upon strictly scientific laws, shows that the men who do brain-work should be careful, first, not to overtask themselves by too continuous exertion, and, secondly, that they should not omit to take physical exercise on a portion of each day, sufficient to restore the equilibrium between the nervous and muscular system.-Exchange.

FEMALE TEACHERS WANTED.-We are frequently applied to for first-class female teachers to take charge of or assist in high schools. Teachers of experience, thorough scholarship, and refined manners are wanted. The salaries offered are from $500 to $1,000. Per contra, we are more frequently applied to for first-class positions by teachers concerning whose ability and success we know very little. What we desire, in all cases, is satisfactory evidence of competency.

FORT WAYNE.-The number of children in Fort Wayne, Ind., between 6 and 21, is 6,493, only 1,580 are enrolled in the schools.

BANCROFT.-The ninth volume of Geo. Bancroft's History of the United States has recently been issued by Little, Brown & Co., of Boston.

MCGUFFEY'S Readers have been adopted by the Board of Education of Baltimore for exclusive use in the pubiic schools of that city.

JOHN HANCOCK, formerly and for many years Principal of the First Intermediate School, Cincinnati, is now connected with the publishing house of Sargent, Wilson & Hinkle. His connection with Nelson's Business College and The News and Educator closed the first of January.

CAPT. A. C. FENNER has resigned his connection with the Dayton Schools, formed eighteen years ago, to try his fortune in business. We reciprocate his good wishes in our behalf.

MASON SEAVY, Principal of the State Street Grammar School, Columbus, has resigned to enter upon business in Illinois. We enter our protest against this straggling.

A. S. KISSELL, one of the prominent and enthusiastic teachers of Iowa, has been elected Superintendent of Public Schools of Minneapolis, Minnesota, at a salary of $2,500 a year.

C. B. RUGGLES, late principal of the Western School, Springfield, O., is traveling agent for Ingham & Bragg, Cleveland, O. He is succeeded at Springfield by Mr. Allen Armstrong, late of the Columbus High School.

HORATIO N. ROBINSON, LL.D., author of Robinson's Series of Mathematical Works, died at Eldridge, N. Y., January 19th. He was formerly a resident of Ohio,

and several of his books were first published at Cincinnati.

PROF. PAUL CHADBOURNE, of Wiliams College, author of Lectures on Natural History, has been elected Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin.

REV. ALEX. CLARK, editor of "Our Schoolday Visitor," formerly called "Clark's School Visitor," is preaching in Pittsburgh.

JOHN STUABT MILL is editing the posthumous works of Henry Thomas Buckle.

ALGEBRA BEFORE HIGHER ARITHMETIC.-In the new course of study adopted for the Norwalk High School, the first year (one recitation daily) is devoted to elementary algebra; the second to higher algebra; the third to higher arithmetic; and the fourth to geometry and trigonometry. The practice of taking up algebra before higher arithmetic, is rapidly gaining ground in our best schools. In a few schools higher arithmetic is pursued after geometry.

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.-George H. Bissell, a graduate of Dartmouth College, has given $24,000 for the erection of a new gymnasium. He is a believer in muscular education.

W. MCCLINTOCK, late Principal of the Waynesville Union School, is in charge of the Covington High School. Salary, $1,200.

Col. HOMER B. SPRAGUE was inaugurated Principal of the Connecticut Normal School, July 19, 1866.

WANTED. A gentleman of experience to superintend the New Lisbon, (0.) Union Schools.

Address

ERASTUS EELLS, Sec. of Board.

BOOK NOTICES.

JUVENILE MENTAL ARITHMETIC. By JOHN F. STODDARD, A. M.
THE AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL ARITHMETIC. By the Same Author.
RUDIMENTS OF ARITHMETIC. By the Same Author.

PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC. By the Same Author.

Stoddard's Arithmetics except the Rudiments, have been before the public from thirteen to eighteen years and their extensive use has fully attested their merits. Some interesting points, now generally presented, are claimed to have first appeared in Stoddard's works. Finding the least common multiple of fractions and the greatest common divisor of fractions are examples. Our historical knowledge of arithmetic furnishes us with no proof that such processes had ever been given previous to the publication of Stoddard's Philosophical Arithmetic first published about fourteen years

ago.

All the Arithmetics whose titles are given at the head of this notice, are revised editions except the Rudiments which was copyrighted in 1862. The last copyright of the first bears the date of 1865, of the second, 1866, and of the last, 1865. The new Juvenile Mental differs from the first edition copyrighted in 1849 in the omission of the Music Tables and the insertion of the new tables in weights, measures and currency. The size of the work is not increased and it is still wholly deficient in illustrations. The typographical execution of all of the revised works has been improved; that in the New Practical is not surpassed by any other arithmetic yet published. The American Intellectual so long and favorably known, has been much improved in its typography and by the insertion of the metrical weights and measures recently legalized by Congress. The Rudiments is intended for pupils just entering upon the study of written arithmetic. It comprehends the fundamental rules, Common, and Decimal Fractions, Reduction, and Compound Numbers, together with a brief discussion of Percentage and its application to Gain and Loss, and Interest, Involution, and the simplest parts of Evolution. A judicious collection of contractions in multiplication is also given.

The New Practical occupies a prominent place among the works on written arithmetic. It contains new tables including the Metrical System of Weights and Measures together with many new definitions and analyses. All the good qua

mer editions are retained. We have not space to refer in detail to this work, but shall say that no teacher who collects a number of arithmetics for examination should fail to include Stoddard's New Practical Arithmetic in the collection. Its beautiful typographical execution can not fail to prepossess one in its favor.

These works are all published by Sheldon & Co., New York.

ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC. A Manual. By ALEXANDER BAIN, M. A., Professor of Logic in the University of Aberdeen. American edition revised. New York: D. Appleton and Company. 1867.

Part I. of this work is devoted to Style in general comprehended in chapters on Figures of Speech, Number of Words, Arrangement of Words, the Qualities of Style, the Sentence and Paragraph; Part II. kinds of Composition comprehended in Chapters on Description, Narrative, Exposition, Persuasion, and Poetry. The appendix comprising almost fifty pages, contains analyzed extracts from Forbes, Locke, Dr. Campbell, Cowley, Addison, Robert Hall, Gibbon, Sir Walter Scott, Carlyle, Robertson, Hobbes, Dryden, Samuel Bailey, Macaulay, Adam Smith, Demosthenes, Campbell (the poet), Coleridge, Byron, Dyer, and Thomson. The cursory examination of the work that we have given, leads us to think that the author has discussed in a masterly manner the topics referred to, and we feel safe in calling the attention of all teachers seeking for a good work on rhetoric, to this work by Prof. Bain. As a sample of Prof. Bain's method of discussion and illustration we select at random the following:

The Balanced Sentence. When the different clauses of a compound sentence are made similar in form, they are said to be balanced.

The style of Johnson abounds in this arrangement:-"Contempt is the proper punishment of affectation, and detestation the just consequence of hypocrisy." "He remits his splendor, but retains his magnitude; and pleases more, though he dazzles less.

66

Junius affords numerous instances: -"But, my lord, you may quit this field of business, though not the field of danger; and, though you cannot be safe, you may cease to be ridiculous. " They are still base enough to encourage the follies of your age, as they once did the vices of your youth." "Even now they tell you, that as you lived without virtue you should die without repentance."

It will be seen that the sameness in these balanced clauses lies partly in the grammatical structure, and partly in the sound, or alternation of emphasis. The meaning is different, and the words are more or less varied.

A FRENCH GRAMMAR. By Edward H. Magill, A. M., Submaster in the Boston Latin School. Boston: Crosby and Ainsworth.

The first hundred pages of this work are occupied with a discussion of the letters and sounds, and the etymology of the nine parts of speech; the following sixty-eight, with the syntax of the parts of speech; the following fifteen, with idioms, phrases, &c.; the following sixteen, with an English-French vocabulary; and the following sixty-eight, with a French, English, and Latin vocabulary. The exercises are not so numerous as those in Fasquelle's French Grammar and consist entirely of English sentences to be translated into French. In this respect we think the work is inferior to Fasquelle's, but superior in the presentation of the grammar of the language in connection with the exercises, instead of reserving a great part for the latter part of the work detached from the exercises. The author says, 66 Experience has taught that when a principle is stated abstractly, with the briefest and simplest illustration possible, it is better to require the student to apply it for himself, even at the cost of more time and labor at first, than to place before him numerous illustrations, which he is but too apt to imitate mechanically, as models, entirely overlooking the principle. The study of a modern language conducted upon the method here indicated becomes a source of discipline second only to the study of ancient languages."

Without reference to details we feel warranted in saying that Magill's French Grammar will be found to rank among the best as yet published in this country.

Prepared for Teachers and Parents. By of the English and German Academy, JAMES N. MCELLIGOTT, L L. D. New 1867.

OUTLINES OF A SYSTEM OF OBJECT TEACHING. WILLIAM N. HAILMAN, A. M., Principal Louisville, Ky. With an Introduction by York: Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman & Co. The author of this work starts out with the guiding principle, that it is the chief aim of school-education to teach pupils how to form ideas and how to express them, and the system of teaching which realizes this two-fold aim, he calls, but not without protest, Object-teaching. Object-teaching is held to be not a mere subject of instruction, not lessons on common things, nor even object-lessons, but a method of teaching established courses of study. This method or system of teaching is briefly elucidated by its application to three branches of study, viz: Grammar, Geometry, and Natural History. These branches are selected not because the system is applicable to them alone, but because its principles and processes can thus be most clearly and completely illustrated. The lessons given and the order in which the successive steps are to be taken, are developed with clearness and care, and well accomplish their purpose. Teachers will find this volume instructive and suggestive, and a careful study of it can not fail to correct much of the misconception that is prevalent, respecting both the nature and scope of object-teaching. The Introduction written by the late Dr. McElligott, ably presents the three phases of object-teaching. He maintains that its true aim is the training of the powers of the pupil, and that the system requires a clear comprehension of its principles, and skillful practice.

The work contains one hundred and sixty pages and is printed from clear and open type.

PRINCIPLES OF LINEAR AND PERSPECTIVE DRAWING, for the training of the Eye and Hand. Adapted for the USE of Public and Private Schools. By WILLIAM B. FOWLE. New York: Published by A. S. Barnes & Co. 1866.

This little manual of ninety-four pages is a free translation of a work prepared years ago under the direction of the National Bureau of Instruction of France by order of the Emperor Napoleon. The original work was designed for use in the National Schools and was largely devoted to the drawing of mathematical figures. The first lessons consist in drawing straight lines of different lengths and in various positions. Then angles are introduced, and finally the drawing of plain figures and outlines of geometrical solids. A very few pages are devoted to the elements of perspective drawing, and a chapter is added of problems in Arithmetic and Geometry.

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW. Published by Tickner & Field's, Boston, Massachusetts. Terms $6 a year.

This Standard Quarterly has for more than fifty years maintained and advanced the standard of American letters and scholarship, and defended the principles on which American institutions rest. It has not been unfaithful to the pledge implied in its great name, and those among its founders who still survive may look back with honorable satisfaction to the share they had in the establishment of a journal which has held so high a place, and acquired so creditable and well-deserved a reputation. It addresses itself to the limited though still large class in the community who are themselves the leaders and formers of public opinion; and holds up a high standard of thought, of learning, of style, and aims-by vigorous and independent criticism-to improve the public taste.

The January number contains the following articles: I. Captain John Smith. II. Languages and Dialects. III. Daniel Webster. IV. The Sources of the Nile. V. The