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designated, with a few general directions regarding matters in which the County Superintendent knows his teachers and schools to be most efficient.

The course of study which is most desirable, is one which gives the teacher something about which to think, as well as something to do; which awakens the teacher to newness of life; which gives him a sense of freedom; which maps out the course, points out the destioed harbor, and leaves him to be Cap. tain of his own ship.

SPRING INSTITUTES, 1879.
County.

Place.

Time. Duration. Conductor. Portage.. Amherst

March 10.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Graham. Dane (1st Dist).. Sun Prairie. March 24.. 1 week .. Prof. Graham. Fond du Lac.. Fond du Lac... March 31.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Graham. Green Lake..... Princeton .

April 14... 1 week .. Prof. Graham. Richland.. Richland Center.. March 17.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Salisbury. Rock (1st Dist).. Evansville

March 31.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Salisbury. Green.... Juda

April 14... 1 week .. Prof. Salisbury. Crawford..

Prairie du Chien.. April 21... 1 week Prof. Salisbury.
Colby.

March 17.. 1 week .. Prof. Thayer.
Clark.
Greenwood.

March 24.. 1 week Prof. Thayer. Monroe.. Tomah...

March 31.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Thayer. St. Croix.. Baldwin

April 14... 1 week Prof. Thayer. Outagamie... Appleton.

March 24.. 2 weeks.. Prof. Emery. Columbia. Portage.

March 31.. 1 week .. Prof. Hutton.

W. C. WHITFORD,
W. H. CHANDLER,
W. E. SMITH,

Institute Committee. MADISON, Wis., February 6, 1878.

Clark..

CORRESPONDENCE.

We are pleased to hear from a Wisconsin teacher in a neighboring State. We have frequently noticed that teachers who leave Wisconsin, by no means for. get her:

HARLAN, IOWA, February 22, 1879. SUPT. WHITFORD,

Dear Sir:- Enclosed please find $1.00 for the Journal. I have read it since 1870, and can not get along very well without it, even when outside the State. You will doubtless remember me when I tell you that I am a member of the class of "74" from Platteville. You were one of the examiners. I have taught since that time, two years in Wisconsin and two in Iowa. I have a school of 186 pupils now in three departments. We shall have four departinents in the -school during the summer. The country here is comparatively new, but is rap. idly settling up with people who are desirous of having good schools.

Our salaries are good, viz: $100 per month for principal, and $50 for assistants.

I am glad to learn that Prof. Graham will do some institute work in this State next fall. I assisted in the four weeks institute held in this place last fall. We had between sixty and seventy teachers in attendance, most of whom were very desirous of fitting themselves for more thorough teaching, and better work in the future. We expect a larger class next fall. Very respectfully,

W. W.G.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

GRUBE'S METHOD. Two Essays on Elementary Instruction in Arithmetic. By

Louis Soldan, Prin. St. Louis Normal School. Chicago: Vaile & Winchell. 44pp. Price 25 cents.

Grube's Method discards large numbers, for children, and teaches all the operations within the range of each of the small numbers, in succession, comparing each with the preceding one. The nature and benefits of the method can best be learned from the book. The writer proposes, if circumstances permit, to issue a primary arithmetic based on the same method.

SLATE DRAWING BOOK. Messrs. A. H. Andrews & Co., of Chicago, have issued a third edition of Pres. McGregor's nice little Drawing Book, which we have already noticed. The merit of the book is that the lessons are easy, prac. tical, philosophical, and progressive.

COWPER'S TASK. J. P. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, have added to their list of Annotated English Poems, Cowper's Task. The list now embraces Gray's Elegy, Goldsmith's Deserted Village and his Traveler, Scott's Lady of the Lake, and the Task, as above. It is a good healthy sign that these standard poems are called for in the study of English literature. THE ELEMENTS OF ENGLISH ANALYSIS. By. S. H. Carpenter, LL. D. Madison:

W. J. Park & Co.

This book appeared some months ago, but we take occasion to say, as it is ad. vertised on another page, that like every thing else from Dr. Carpenter's pen, it it is very terse and clear in statement, and accurate in treatment. A new system of diagrams is used, which is not so meagre as to be obscure, nor so complicated as to confuse. We think all teachers, who like to do good work, will like this. book.

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT of the State Board of Charities and Reform, a neat volume of 241 pages, discusses: I. The Board and its Work; II. Pauper. ism; III. The Labor Question, Tramps, the Insane, etc. (miscellaneous papers); IV. Crimes and County Jails; V. State Charitable and Correctional Institu. tions; VI. Private Benevolent Institutions. An appendix contains a report on the Delevan Investigation, and a Paper on Religious Instruction in Public Institutions. The Report, as a whole, is full of interest.

NO TES.

SUPT. CLARK, of the second district, Milwaukee county, writes: "I am pleased to report the schools in this district, as a general thing, in a prosperous condition. Much of this is owing to the institute of last fall.”

THERE is a strong movement in some parts of Massachusetts in favor of changing from the old-time custom of having teachers examined by the town school committee, to the plan of examination by county boards.

THE report is received that the legislature of Maine have voted to suspend the public schools of that state for one year. A people who pay their female teachers such stingy wages cannot have great respect for education.

PROF. Dwight KINNEY, principal of the public schools of Darlmgton, writes that they are in a most satisfactory condition. In the high school, 68 pupils were enrolled for the winter term. He expects that the attendance will be the same during the next term.

The city of Neenah has let the contract to erect a new high school building for $14,510.

The compulsory education law of this state does not go into effect before the first day of September next.

DECORATION Day, May 30th, was made a legal holiday by the legislature of the state, at its recent session.

GOVERNOR SMITH has appointed J. D. Wyatt, of Phillips, the superintendent of the schools of Price county.

THE cities of Seymour, Outagamie county, and of Ahnapee, Kewaunee county, were incorporated by the legislature.

SEVERAL county superintendents have already spoken for two weeks institutes to be held in their districts next summer and fall.

The annual meeting of the State Teachers' Association of Minnesota, will be held at Winona, in August next, with Prof. Whitman, of Red Wing, as the president.

THE erection of Marinette county leaves Oconto county without a superintendent of schools, as Rev. L. W. Winslow, the former superintendent, resides in Marinette county.

Supt. FLAVIN, of Dodge county, has issued a well-prepared and practical circular to the people of his district. It must aid greatly the school boards and the teachers in their work.

SPEAKER KELLY, of ihe Assembly, represents, in his district, people who speak twenty-three different languages all European. Some of these constituents never use the English.

PROF. JEREMIAH MAHONY, a teacher in one of the public schools of Chicago, has become associate editor of the Educational Weekly. He writes vigorous and readable articles.

SUPT. PHILBRICK, in charge of the educational exhibit of this country at the Paris Exhibition, declares that the Cincinnati exhibit of scholars' work sent to Paris “had never had a parallel in the world."

The school board of Oshkosh have voted to purchase cight copies of Nicodemus and Conover's map of the state. They are for sale at the office of the State Superintendent for $4 a piece. The state furnished this officer with 700 copies of the work, to be sold to the public schools and the public offices.

The National Educational Association holds its next annual meeting in Philadephia, the last week in July. Already the people of that hospitable city have commenced preparations to receive and entertain the large company of teachers who will be in attendance.

The public school at Oconomowoc has now enrolled 330 pupils -- the largest number ever in attendance. Of these, 58 are in Prof. D. 0. Hibbard's room, the principal. The improvement of the teaching in all the departments has been marked and satisfactory during the year.

The legislature of the state established three new counties this past winter: Marinette, New, and Price. The first is formed of the eastern portion of Oconto county; the second, of the western portion of that county; and the third, of parts of Lincoln and Chippewa counties.

A Joint meeting of the teachers of Kenosha and Racine counties was held January 25th, at Union Grove. About fifty teachers were present. Among other interesting exercises, a spirited debate was conducted, in the evening, on the subject of “ Compulsory Education; " Supt. Sproat, of Racine county, leading in the affirmative, and Supt. Mahoney, of Kenosha county, in the negative. The meeting was pronounced, by all, a success.

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The school superintendent of Delaware is required by law to visit annually every public school in that state.

Supt. MORGAN, of Winnebago county, has completed the visitation of his schools this winter, and finds them all in good condition.

Both Green and Waushara counties hold their usual long term institutes this spring: the former at Juda, and the latter at what place we do not learn.

The high school department in the north ward of Waupun, under the charge of Prof. E. D. Hicks, has over 40 pupils in attendance, and has not had a case of tardiness in two years.

SUPT. TOZER, of Polk county, has been quite ill this winter, but is now so far recovered as to make arrangements for his spring examinations, which work he will prosecute with his usual vigor.

Supt. Roby, of La Crosse, who, in addition to his other duties, taught in the second ward school as principal during the fall term, is now giving his entire time to the supervision of the schools of the city.

The people of La Crosse are highly gratified that the next annual meeting of the State Teachers' Association will be held with them. Every preparation will be made by them to render the meeting pleasant and useful.

PROF. MILLER, in charge of the public school at Waukesha, writes: "The attend. ance is greater than at any other time since I have been here. That of the outside pupils has doubled in the last eighteen months."

PROF. A. R. SPRAGUE, of Evansville, has the charge of an educational column, each week, in the Evansville Review. His articles are usually original, and are well written and sug. gestive. One of them appears in this number of the JOURNAL.

PROF. PARK, of the Elkhorn Independent, lately published a vigorous editorial in defense of the county superintendency. He takes the position that the progress which our public schools have made in the last fifteen years is due largely to the work done in that office.

SUPT. WALKER, of Manitowoc, looked in upon the legislature, as did a few other county superintendents, the last week in February. Both houses were under the pressure of important items of business, and gave these spectators a chance to see how they operate with their overcoats off. ;

PROF. KENASTON, of Ripon College, has instituted, this winter, a system of survey in ation, and appeared in the January number of the JOURNAL.

ascertaining the depth and character of the basin in which Green Lake is situated. He finds the water to be 193 feet deep in some places, and very little sediment in the bottom of the lake.

SUPT. NORTHRUP, of Connecticut, says that nearly 95 per cent. of the children, 4 to 16 years of age, in that state, are now attending the public and private schools. He avers that the law for compulsory attendance has combined with the provisions for free schools in securing this result.

Each of the five ward schools in La Crosse is presided over by a gentleman principal. From three to four hundred pupils are receive ed into each school. These principals, and the teachers under them, exhibit a good deal of earnestness in their work, and take a com. mendable pride in their schools.

The winter term of Ripon College has 150 students enrolled. The institution is supplied with a large and able faculty. The buildings are finely situated, and are kept in excellent condition. Care has been exercised to ornsment the grounds with trees and shrubbery. There is a wholesome appearance everywhere about the college.

Prof. J. H. TERRY, principal of the high school at Mineral Point, delivered an address, Washington's birthday, before the pupils and the citizens of the place, on “The Ancient and the Modern Statesman." It was published, last month, in the Iowa County Democrat. It is a thoughtful production.

SUPT. WYMAN, of Vernon county, regards his schools as now doing the best work they have ever done. He has visited most of them this winter. He has established the practice of placing each term before the pupils and teachers throughout the county some promi. nent subject, and then holding them to it, until the desired proficiency is reached.

The schemes laid and executed by both politicians and educators in the state, and by persons outside the state to defeat the textbook bill in the assembly, would form, if written out, an interesting item in the history of text-book legislation in Wisconsin. The mooted point among them is, “Who is to take the prize as the master of intrigue?”

PROF. A. A. MILLER calls the attention of the teachers of Waukesha and vicinity to Miss Swart's article on "The Function of Geography in a Course of Study," which he publishes in The Freeman, of that place. It will be remembered that this article was read before the holiday session of the State Teachers' Associ.

PROF. J. H. GOULD, of Madison, Wis., has arranged for the issue of several maps of coun ties in this state, to be printed either on card. board or thick paper. The plates of the maps are the same as those used by Snyder, Van Vechten & Co. in the Illustrated Atlas of this state, and are very superior. Accompanying each map is a full description of the area, situation, and boundary of the county it repre. sents. They are sold at retail at 30 cents per copy; at wholesale for one-half this price.

At the request of Prof. F. A. March, Presi. dent of the Spelling Reform Association in this country, Prof. T. R. Vickroy, a supervisory principal of the St. Louis public schools, has published - A Fonetic Furst Redur, printed in the Alfabet and Speling ov the Speling Reform Asoshiashun." It contains 48 pages, and can be had for examination or first introduction for 10 cents. It is issued by Van Antwerp, Bragg & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Send för a copy. On a single page of the book, we find 71 letters saved by the new mode of spelling.

The Herald, published at Racine, asserted, a short time since, that “It is the sons and daughters of the rich, and those who have leisure, who enjoy the benefits of the high school; and that the poor man, who has nothing but his little home, has to pay his share of the cost of educating the children of his rich neighbors." The Advocate, of that city, contained, a few days after, a list of the pupils in the Racine high school, with the following remark:

An examination of the above list shows that of these pupils the children of mechanics number 45; merchants, 25; farmers, 15; day laborers, 15; sailors, 11; manufacturers, 8; traveling agents, 6; lawyers, 3; real estate agents, 5; barbers, 2; doctors, 2; bankers, 2; clerks, 1: hotel-keeper, 1; clergy man, 1; architect, 1; teacher, 1. Total, 141. Are these the "rich" men of Racine?

AVERAGE wages of female teachers, for 1878, in the country districts of Wisconsin were $25.33 per month; and in the independent cities they were $36.53. The average monthly wages of female teachers throughout the state of Massachusetts, in the same time, were $33.01; of Pennsylvania, $31.32; of Vermont, $20.00; of Minnesota, $28.12; of Iowa, $27.84; of Maine, $15.92; of California, $68.24,

We found the high school at La Crosse occupying all the second floor of an elegant and commodious building, erected last year right in the heart of the city. Intermediate and grammar departments of the public schools are conducted on the first floor.

It was very

gratifying to step into the various rooms on an extremely cold day, and find the atmosphere in them warm, and kept pure by the excellent system of ventilation in use. Principal Durkee and his three assistants are doing good work in their classes.

In a recent attendance upon the chapel ex. ercises of the Beloit College, we found at least 120 young men present, the members of the different classes. We were impressed by their vigorous and intelligent appearance. It was a pleasure to meet President Chapin and his able associates in the faculty, and to note the superior work which is done by them in the institution. Permanence and scholarly at. tainments have been chief features in the his. tory of this college; and these, united with its earnest Christian spirit, will give it greater usefulness in the future.

THE University Press is mistaken when it attributes to our state normal schools the introduction of a bill into the legislature, this winter, to abolish the provision in the statutes which authorizes the State Superintendent to countersign the diplomas of the graduates of the state university in certain cases – these diplomas having then all the effect of an unlimited state certificate. What it terms the “nor. mal wing of the opposition " to the university worked strenuously against the bill, and secured its defeat. Neither did the “sectarian colleges "urge the passage of such a bill.

The Report on Spelling reform recommends, that whenever an amended orthography of the English language shall be proposed, of such character as to command for it the approbation of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and of such others as may be charged by law with the supervision of public iostruction in this State, and under such circumstances as to induce the probable co-operation of other States in its support, and such amended orthography shall be embodied in one volume, with any existing dictionary of the English language approved for use in our public schools, said Superintendent shall be author. ized to purchase said dictionary, embodying such amended orthography, for sale and for distribution in the public schools of this State; the sale and distribution of such dictionary to be subject to the same limitations as have been heretofore provided by law upon the purchase and distribution of dictionaries in our public schools; and that all legislation upon this subject shall be postponed, until such time as, in the opinion of said Superintendent, and others named, the conditions of this recommendation shall have been fulfilled.

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