physical exercises would enhance the respect of the scholars for the teachers; and that, in this way, all danger of divided authority would be avoided. The teachers who are to instruct must themselves be instructed. The Earl is, therefore, obliged to demand that English training colleges for teachers will introduce gymnastics and Swedish drill into their curriculum, and that School Boards, in making appointments, will nominate only teachers, both male and female, who have passed an examination, suitable to sex, in the theory and practice of physical exercises. What it would mean to pass such an examination the Earl indicates by a statement of what a school teacher has to do in this respect before receiving a diploma in both Prussia and Saxony. This includes an essay on some theme relating to the teaching of gymnastics-a viva voce examination on this subject as well as on anatomy, physiology, and dietetics, and the demonstration of practical knowledge of the subject by personal performance and by instructing a class. Obviously then, the adoption of the Earl's proposals would involve considerable changes both in the training of the teachers and in the details of school work. The goal is nothing less than the perfection of humanity, as the Schoolmaster says, from whom we quote. Our methods must accordingly be determined not only by the permanent and invariable powers and capacities of the human being, but also by the varying circumstances in which we may be placed and the wants to which these give rise. To the Earl of Meath, therefore, we bid God-speed in his humane and beneficent enterprise. It is true, as he says, that the future destinies of the world will probably lie, in a great measure, in the hands of the sons and daughters of Anglo-Saxon blood. It is for us, therefore, to make sure that it cannot be said that, through our neglect, any of these children of the future, by reason of physical deterioration, were made incapable of the highest thought and action."

-The reading boy is not always the smartest boy in school, but he is generally the most intelligent. Indeed some teachers, especially the teachers of boarding-schools, have made it an objective point in their work to get their pupils interested in some book or other, knowing well that if their interest can be sustained in the perusal of one book, the achievement will in all likelihood excite the pupil to search for some other book from which profitable enjoyment can be obtained. To get their pupils in this way to read on their own account has induced some of our teachers to discuss on the Friday mornings, or oftener, the current events of the day, as a change to the moralityteaching enjoined by the course of study, and, as far as we have

been able to learn, neither pupils nor teacher have ever grudged the time taken for such exercises. One of our contemporaries, in discussing this new feature in school work, says: "The success or failure of the introduction of Current Events' into the school will depend almost entirely upon the tact and intelligence of the teacher. The teacher must read, not just one county paper and one general newspaper, but must have at hand many periodicals, in order to get, not only the minutiae, but also manysided views of events as they are placing themselves on the blank pages of time. Some of these events will be of little importance, others will stand out as great mile-posts in history, steppingstones in science, or creations in literature that shall make the minds of succeeding generations who read them broader, deeper, and better. We feel sure that under the guidance of a wellstored mind, a part of an hour so devoted each week will get the best out of current history, literature and science, and for such a teacher an excellent opportunity is afforded to aid and direct the child to the best in literature of the present and past.

-The co-operation of parent and teacher is a necessity in these times, if we would have the new methods of imparting instruction which are being advocated by our educationists introduced in our schools with the least friction possible. As the Educational Journal, of Toronto, says: "The teacher and the parent are working for the same object, and should find opportunities for becoming acquainted with and understanding each other, in order that their efforts may be harmonious. Intelligent and cordial co-operation between parent and teacher would solve many of the knottiest problems of school discipline, and would go far towards relieving the work of the teacher in this respect of much of its irksomeness."

-And in connection with this, the following shows in pertinent language why the teacher, in his zeal and persevering industry, is so often misunderstood. Prejudice is the up-bringing of ignorance, and if parents would only deal with facts, and if our school authorities would use their best efforts to place the facts before them, the teacher's task would become all the less irksome. As the article says: "The bringing of parents and teachers into closer and more friendly relations is much to be advocated. Amongst the uneducated classes the teacher is looked on almost as an enemy, and if he or she dares to correct a naughty urchin just half as sharply as he deserves, down comes an angry mother who 'won't have her Johnny spoke to in that fashion.' Even in higher circles parents fail to grasp the necessity for strengthening the teacher's hand as far as possible, and by explaining the

weak points of their children's character, to render as easy as possible the task of correction. A Parents' Meeting' has been instituted in connection with the Working Women's School' in New York. Once a month the parents of the pupils are invited to meet the teachers of the school to discuss methods of instruction, gain an insight into the plans of the workers, and help to carry them out.' The general purpose of the meeting is to bring the parents of these children and youth into vital communication with the management of the school, and thus reinforce this body by the experience and judgment of their home life. It is a marvel that this most sensible, even essential condition of good school-keeping has not become one of the recognized features of common school administration. If the 'New Education' means anything, its central idea is the adjustment of the methods of instruction and discipline in school to those that characterize a good family. The mother-idea is the germ of the Kindergarten and all superior primary school work; and the chief difference between the old and new educational dispensation is the natural and beautiful way in which the transition from the home to the school life is now accomplished. But, strange to say, even the well-to-do and intelligent parents of our communities, as a rule, are in almost absolute ignorance of the way in which their children are handled by the skilled teachers who work and are responsible for the new style of school training. How many even of the newspaper, clerical, parlor, and political critics of the people's school-not to say the educational reformers of the day-would be able to give an intelligible account of one day's work in an ordinary graded public school? Hence the ease with which the community can be blown up to a white heat, or sent off 'kiting' by any magnetic crank or brilliant theorist in education, and the most useful class of society, the superior teachers, be held under a constant fire of unjust, and often malignant criticism. Nobody seems to be to blame for this estrangement, which is one of the unfortunate results of the preoccupation of our new life, and the mania for specialization which is shutting us all up, each in his separate cell. The way out is for the more thoughtful women of the country, under a simple organization, to put themselves in friendly unofficial communication with the teachers of the children, according to the excellent arrangement of the 'Parents' Meeting' of the Working Women's School referred to."

-To find an example of the ignorance which begets prejudice or cynicism we have not far to go, not even when we look for it in a quarter where ignorance is supposed to have been

banished. The Saturday Review has a way of its own in treating nearly every subject of public interest, but who would have thought to have found its classical irony degenerate into the silly sarcasm of the unthinking crank, whose delight it is to speak disparagingly of everything connected with school-teaching. This is the way in which it has written of what it calls "the educational craze" of providing a university training for teachers: "Oxford men had better combine for the moment to upset a most mischievous proposition of adding to the present menagerie of their university a quasi-college for Board schoolmasters. You may render university education valueless in this way; you will not render primary education more valuable. Meanwhile, we hear that steps are being taken to establish an extensive and largely-endowed scheme for the preservation of children from all education whatever, except reading and writing. They have our heartiest good wishes."

Current Events.

It is pleasant to take note of the success of the Teachers' Institutes held during the second week in July at Sherbrooke, Inverness, Cowansville and Lachute. This year, on account of the International Convention at Toronto, the meetings were called together simultaneously. The attendance at Sherbrooke and Cowansville was much larger this year than last, while the interest at all the meetings was well sustained. The plan of utilizing the evenings for illustrated lectures was this year again carried out at Sherbrooke and Inverness. The usual public meeting was held at all the places, thus affording the communities an opportunity of taking part in the enterprise of improving our elementary schools.

-Last month we were called upon to perform the sad duty of referring to the death of the Rev. Dr. Weir, of Morrin College, and in this issue we have to take note of the appointment of his successor, William Crocket, Esq., M.A., late Superintendent of Education, New Brunswick. The venerable principal of Morrin College has been heard to say in former days that "Dr. Weir was Morrin College," and, indeed, much of the success of that struggling institution can be traced to the energy of the deceased professor of classics. Consequent on his death there has been a partial re-organization of the staff, and this, with the immediate prospect of endowment, is likely to give a new lease of educational influence to the institution. The new professor of classics comes highly recommended, while the new professor of

Hebrew is a gentleman well known as a ripe scholar throughout the Dominion.

-Of the school changes we have not been able so far to make anything like a full record. The same course we have decided to adopt this year as was adopted last year in collecting such information, and to save trouble we ask all the head-teachers of our Academies and Model Schools to send in to the editor of the RECORD, Quebec, a list of the staff connected with his or her school, in order that for the September number an alphabetical list of the names of the teachers of these schools may be prepared. We shall also be glad to hear of changes in our elementary schools by postal card. So far, we have learned that the vacancies in Quebec have been filled by the appointment of Miss Ferguson and Mrs. Dela Motte. Montreal has secured the services of Mr. Silver, of Waterloo, while Mr. Mabon, formerly of Inverness, goes to take his place. Mr. Moore, of McGill University, has been appointed to Inverness. Mr. Macmaster and Miss Macmaster, the former of Hemmingford Model School and the latter of Huntingdon Academy, have been appointed to Bedford, while Mr. A. B. Wardrop, formerly of Barnston, goes to the Lachine Model School. Miss Cochrane assumes charge of the Compton Ladies' College. Among the changes we notice the withdrawal of three of our best teachers from active work in the school-room, though we trust that the withdrawal is only for a time. Two of these gentlemen, Mr. Howard, of Bedford, and Mr. Dresser, of Aylmer, have decided to enter at McGill, while Mr. S. Campbell, of Sutton, has gone west to join his brother in commercial pursuits.

-The season of the picnic is about over, and those of us who have had our outing in the country during the recess of the holiday months will not fail to join gratefully in praising the efforts of those who have labored in behalf of those who, of their own resources, are unable to arrange for an outing for themselves. The movement inaugurated by the Montreal Star, and known as the Fresh Air Excursions for little folks of poor parents, has been imitated elsewhere than in Montreal, and the success attending the movement will no doubt tend to perpetuate it. Meeting, as most of our schools do, in September, the holiday season is over before the opening day; yet in many of our country schools the idea of a school picnic in September is worth considering, if only to inaugurate the school esprit de corps that ought to exist in every institution.

-The question is often asked, how can our school secure the highest possible grant, and it is at this season of the year, perhaps