DO YOU WANT TO SEE A rational, common-sense language book? A work which avoids the weakness and puerility of "language without grammar" as well as the dry monotony of "grammar without language," and presents a golden mean,-interesting, suggestive, inspiring? A book which has a frame-work of sound theory, clothed with beauty of illustration and attractiveness of detail? Something that will develop original thought in the child, while making him conversant with the best examples of style and the best usage of the English language? SUCH A BOOK IS Tarbell's Lessons in Language. Part I now ready: Introduction price, 40 cents; Part II in press. Allowance for old book, 15 cents. Read what President Albee, of the Wisconsin State Normal School, says of it: "It constitutes the best basis for a child's progress in culture in language known to me. Its lessons are not merely consistent and progressive, which could be said of several other elementary texts in language; but in addition, they constitute a linguistic center which calls for exercises upon the child's varied fields of knowledge. While these lessons pursue several lines of language training, they avoid the scrappiness usually attendant upon variety and maintain a consistent aim to the close." Send for Descriptive Circulars. GINN & COMPANY, Publishers, BOSTON, NEW YORK, AND CHICAGO. Western Department, 110-112 Wabash Avenue, Chicago. VOL. X., No. 4. $1.00 per Year, 10 Cts. per Copy. FOR TEACHERS' PREPARATION. APRIL, 1891. ISANFORD NILES, Ed. and Pub., The IDEAL MUSIC CHART is the only Music Chart published that contains material so carefully graded that each succeeding exercise may he sung at sight. An Un-musical Teacher, if successful in teaching other branches, can succeed with the Ideal Music Chart. THE FIFTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE LAKE MINNETONKA SUMMER SCHOOL WILL OPEN AT EXCELSIOR, LAKE MINNETONKA, MINN. CONTINUING FOUR WEEKS. FACULTY. William H. Payne, LL. D., Chancellor of the University of Nashville | Mrs. A. S. Beede, Institute Instructor, (Twenty Lectures) Psychology and Pedagogics. Civics, Physiology, History and Arithmetic. English Grammar, Algebra, Geometry. Music, "National Music Course." ACCOMMODATIONS.-Arrangements have been made by which first-class board, with rooms, can be secured at from $4.00 to $6.00 a week, if application is made by July 1st. EXPENSES.-Tuition for the term $10.00. Physical Culture $2.00 extra. Arrangements are being made for a one-fare rate on railroads. For catalogues and further particulars address, H. B. McCONNELL, Director, Sauk Centre Academy and Business College. The normal term has been made a permanent feature of the school. The large number of teachers in attendance during the first year and the general satisfaction given students and patrons generally, indicate a still more successful term next summer. Briefly, the objects of this term are: To afford teachers an opportunity of reviewing or pursuing any study mentioned in our catalogue, including shorthand and typewriting, and the Academic and Commercial courses. To give students of high schools and colleges an opportunity for advancing their class standing, or making up back studies, and to afford teachers a means of obtaining a thorough drill in the theory and practice of teaching. In our teacher's training class the normal method of presenting the different branches will be given. Our methods are fast becoming very popular and many are being attracted to the schools for this class alone. The flattering success thus far achieved is due to the fact that each one who comes here has the advantage of just such work as he desires. Here, as in no other school, the bright student is not hampered by class restrictions, the less active is not unduly crowded forward, but each individual's advancement is measured only by his capabilities. The normal term is not simply a review term, but a combination of the regular school year with the review classes and features of general interest to teachers added; hence a student entering at any other season of the year may pursue his course without interruption. There will be no fall vacation, so that one may enter at any convenient time and stay as long as desirable without inconvenience. THE SUPERIORITY OF OUR NORMAL TERM. Nearly all schools in this and other states are organized upon the basis of institute work. This is of much value to the advanced teacher in improving his methods of teaching, but is practically useless as a means of advancement in any particular course of study. During this term the Academy presents the best features of institute work in connection with the regular Academic course. The Fact in the Thing; The Law in the Mind; The Method in Both. If you know your subscription to have expired, renew it at once. NOTIFY the publisher at once of change of postoffice, always stating the old office as well as the new. SUBSCRIPTIONS not paid in advance will be charged $1.25, except renewals which are paid within three months of the expiration of the old subscription. Such will be charged $1. No paper will be discontinued until all arrearages are paid, unless the subscriber is known to be irresponsible. ADVERTISEMENTS.-Respectable and trustworthy advertisements will be admitted to these columns. Rates will be furnished upon application. ENTERED at the postoffice at Minneapolis, Minn., as second class matter. ADDRESS all subscriptions, etc., to Residence, 1601 University Ave., S. E. SANFORD NILES, Minneapolis, Minn. PAGE Golden Days.. Popular Educator.. Mistakes in School Management Dandelion Song... Mathematical Geography.-No. 2. Memory and Reproduction Outline for Study of Page Value of Literature in Teaching Morals. How Keep the Children Busy A Good Habit.... Noon in the Country School. 100 A Game of the Senses. 101 OPEN LETTER BOX: FOR RECITATION: .101 102 Arbor Day Song.. 102 An April Shower. 102 103 In Spring.. 103 Mary and the Swallow. Pussy Willows in an April Snow Storm. The Oak.. QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS: PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE: EXPIRED. 103 105 NOT A BLACK MARIA. The method of getting around in the city of Venice is through the use of small boats called gondolas, and all painted black, 103 the sombre color being maintained through some superstition that dates back several hundred years. These little boats are 103 skilfully manoeuvered among the many islands and through the winding canals of that beautiful city of palaces, transacting the various interest of commerce and carrying the people to the market, church or opera. Compare such means of transportation with those afforded in the United States at present, particularly since electric powers have been developed, and you no doubt feel that the days should be long to accomplish much. Wonderful advantages are experienced by the American people-it only taking a few hours now to travel between St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago, St. Louis or Kansas City, or between any two points in a single state. The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway reaches all points in Central Iowa, Central Southern Minnesota, and reaches Watertown, S. D., as well as running through trains to Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, etc. Call on any Railway Agent, or address C. M. Pratt, General Ticket and Passenger Agent, Minneapolis, Minn. The subscriber who finds this paragraph marked may know that his subscription expires with this number. We hope all such will renew at once. If you wish your paper discontinued give us prompt notice; otherwise we shall continue to send it. Please notify us of errors in our account with you. School Boards contemplating changes can learn the address of the best Western and Eastern teachers, willing to make a change, from The Teachers Co-operative Association, 70 Dearborn St., Chicago, Orville Brewer, manager. We can assure all who write them of confidential and honorable treatment. Editorial Notes. Articles for insertion should be sent in by the 20th day of each month. Personal items may find place up to the 25th. When a subscriber wishes School Education discontinued at the expiration of the time for which his subscription is paid, he should notify us by postal card or letter. When such order for discontinuance is not received, we continue to send the journal taking it for granted that it is desired. Please remember that this is our rule. See terms, when not paid in advance. Some one has said that, "Arbor Day is the only anniversary facing the future. All others turn to the past. This blesses posterity, and leaves adulation of the ancients to birthday festivals." It is hoped that the readers of SCHOOL EDUCATION will do all in their power to secure the observance of the day, especially in the bleak prairie sections of the state. Suitable selections for reading and recitation are printed on another page. as a voluntary holiday. It is said, in the article referred to, that the trees planted, if placed two feet apart each way, "would cover eleven hundred square miles of land." Right at this point it may be interesting to know what Minnesota is doing. Turning to the late Report of Supt. Kiehle, we learn that the number of trees planted on Arbor Day, 1889, was 9890; on Arbor Day, 1890, 8492, some 423 districts observing the day. Of the remaining districts, 747 are reported as having houses situated in natural groves, while 2,640 have no trees on their school grounds, or, if they have, their district clerks have not found them. On the last Arbor Day, 21 districts in Goodhue planted 549 trees; 23 in McLeod, 400; 7 in Otter Tail, 415; 16 in Meeker, 441; 15 in Brown, 383; 12 in Le Sueur, 376; 9 in Murray, 368; 18 in Redwood, 338; 28 in Winona, 312; 19 in Fillmore, 222; 17 in Martin, 225; 13 in Wabasha 262. Several other counties come well up to these figures, but space will not allow us to name them. REPORT OF STATE SUPT. KIEHLE. Considerable space has already been given to the Report of State Supt. Kiehle, for the school years ending July 31, 1889, and 1890; but as many of our readers may not see the Report, the following items of general interest are gleaned from its pages: The officers of the Department of Secondary Education, National Educational Association, have issued a circular letter in which they say, in speaking of the meeting at Toronto, July 14-17, 1891: "The Secondary Department, consisting of High Schools and Academies-the "finishing and fitting" schoolswill again come grandly to the front. Last year the programs embraced practical subjects; the papers were valuable; the discussions lively; and the social intercourse amongst members, bound together by strong fraternal feelings, was especially pleasurable. This year we must improve in each one of these particulars. To secure this end, to further develop this department which has accomplished such excellent results, your cordial and active co-operation is respect-employed in 1889, at an average of $40.58 per month fully solicited." Teachers wishing full information should address Frank E. Plummer, President, Des Moines, Iowa. THE ORIGIN OF ARBOR DAY. We learn from the Scientific American that the idea of Arbor day was first conceived by Hon. J. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska City, Neb., who, at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, held at Lincoln, Jan. 4, 1872, offered the following: "Resolved, That Wednesday, the 10th day of April, 1872, be and the same is hereby especially set apart and consecrated for tree planting in the State of Nebraska, and the State Board of Agriculture hereby names it Arbor Day," etc. More than one million trees were planted in Nebraska, on the day named; and between 1872 and 1888, nearly two thonsand seven hundred and fifty millions" were set out under the operations of that resolution, and the proclamations of Governors, calling upon the whole people to observe Arbor Day Out of an estimated school population of 452,345, the total number enrolled in the public schools during the year 1890, was 221,186. Of this number, 59,774, or a little over 27 per cent, failed to attend school the required number of days and were not entitled to apportionment. There were 1,804 male, and 6,111 female teachers for the former, and $30.81 for the latter. For 1890 the record shows 2,114 male teachers, at $42.00; and 6,733 female teachers at $31.09 per month. The number who had taught in the same district for three consecutive years or more was, for 1889, 975; for 1890, 1,086, or nearly one in eight. The number who had taught in the same district two years was 808 and 885; while those who had taught one year in the same district numbered 1,946 and 1,929. Of the whole number who taught during 1890, 917 were graduates of a high school, 706, of a normal school, and 268, of a college. Those who had attended a high school numbered 1,916; a normal school, 1,653; a college, 647. These figures show that over 30 per cent of the teachers employed last year received their education outside these institutions. The amount expended for libraries during the two years was $13,695. The whole number of volumes in school libraries was 56,555, valued at $54,936, or less than 25 cents to each pupil enrolled. The amount paid teachers, 1889, was $2,145,257; 1890, $2,464,711. The permanent school fund has reached $8,955,920. |