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Oh! banish the tears of children! continual rains upon the blossoms are hurtful.

RICHTER.

There is a tendency for men and women shut out from contact with greater men and women to exclaim, “no doubt, but we are the people, and wisdom will die with us."

On the other hand, in the little school-houses detting our fair land, there are teachers, who are doing good and honest work, underestimating the value of their efforts and so living continuously in an atmosphere of depression.

The remedy for both evils is coming into contact with the great minds of all time through books and through the life of the shop, the work bench, the street, the home and the church. There is no There is no one so humble in life that we cannot learn from him Travel is of inestimable value for broadening the mind.

Present subjects to children from many points of view. When a class as a whole fails to grasp a lesson the fault lies with the teacher. The lesson has been either too diffi cult, or not presented to the children in a manner suited to their advancement. Do not as a general rule follow the book method in teaching. The mists that have hung over a lesson are largely cleared away by placing the child in another position with regard to the lesson. Use synonyms of the words in the text-book not the phraseology of the book.

REMINDERS.

The air of the school-room should be pure and not too .dry.

No child should sit in a draught.

Bright willing children should not be urged on; nor should slow or lazy children be left in their own speed.

The light should come upon the child from the side. There is as much danger from too little light as from too much light in a school-room.

Short-sighted children should be given seats in front. Children with dull hearing should be placed where they can hear without straining the ear.

In school hours a teacher should deal with each child as though it were her own.

"The Murder of the Modern Innocents" is the title of an

article in the "Ladies' Home Journal." from the pen of Mrs. Lew Wallace. The abuses in the life of the child and the teacher, as set forth by Mrs. Wallace, are :

Overburdening the child with work under the guise of mental discipline.

Picking to pieces, in season and out of season, every object in nature, even to dead cats.

Making study hours too long.

Giving children the classics that were written for mature minds instead of the classics of childhood.

Forcing all children along the same lines of study, whether they have or have not aptitude for the work. Injuring through heredity the rising generation by excessive brain pressure.

Overworking

the teacher by exercise correcting, monthly and weekly reports, meetings' institutes, etc, until she has no judgment left.

The evils of over education-overtaxing of the memory with facts, and useless searching of books for answers to miscellaneous questions-are largely due to want of proper contact between the various educational governing bodies, the parents and the teachers. Where these are all working together harmoniously the evils are much diminished.

There is a suggestion in one of the educational papers that children might take as part of their home work a question each evening for discussion at the tea table. Some subjects are suggested as:

Why does cream rise on milk?

Ought the bottom of a tea-kettle to be polished?

Another paper asks teachers to take up a discussion of domestic poisons as matches, putty, vinegar in tin vessels, etc.

Let the brain of the child rest at meal times. Relegate the poison and similar questions to the mothers and the press. Our children are already sufficiently full of fears. With older pupils, when hygiene is part of the school course, and more directly important subjects have been discussed, it might be well to speak of these.

The only authorized Canadian Sys

tem of Vertical Writing

-IS

GRAFTON'S VERTICAL PENMANSHIP. Thoroughly Graded.

Vertical Headlines Throughout.

These Copy Books are beautifully printed on a fine paper specially made for the series.

Ruled vertical lines will be found in every book, thereby assisting the pupil to keep the writing perfectly upright. Endorsed by Teachers, Inspectors, School Commissioners and leading Educationists.

PRICE - - 8 cents each.

These books are now being used largely throughout the Province.

F. E. GRAFTON & SONS,

Publishers, Booksellers and Stationers,
MONTREAL.

MCGILL NORMAL SCHOOL,

32 Belmont Street, Montreal.

The Corporation of McGill University is associated with the Superintendent of Public Instruction in the direction of the McGill Normal School under the regulations of the Protestant Committee. The Normal School is intended to give a thorough training to Protestant teachers.

The complete course extends over a period of four annual sessions, an Elementary School Diploma being obtained at the close of the first session, a Model School Diploma at the close of the second, and an Academy Diploma at the close of the fourth. All these Diplomas are valid as authorizations to teach in any part of the Province of Quebec, without limitation of time.

None are admitted to the School but those who agree to devote themselves to teaching in the Province of Quebec for at least three years. To such persons, however, the advantages of the School are free of charge, and the sum of $1,200 is annually distributed in bursaries to aid in the payment of the board of the forty most successful pupils that do not reside at home during the School session. A small allowance for travelling expenses is made to those who reside more than ninety miles from Montreal.

All candidates who present certificates of having passed in Grade III. Model School Course, and all holders of Elementary School Diplomas, are exempt from examination for admission to the Elementary School Class. All candidates who have passed at the A.A. examinations, taking two-thirds of the aggregate marks, and who have passed in French, and all holders of Model School Diplomas, are exempt from examination for admission to the Model School Class. Holders of Elementary School Diplomas, desiring admission to the Model School Class, are examined in Algebra, Geometry and French only. The conditions of admission in other cases may be learned by consulting the prospectus of the School.

The next session of the School opens in September, 1899. Names of candidates will be enrolled on the 1st day of the month, examinations will be held on the 2nd, successful candidates will be received and lectures will commence on the 3rd.

Forms of application and copies of the Prospectus of the School may be obtained by application to the Principal, Dr. Robins. When issued, the Prospectus of the School will be sent to every Protestant minister of Quebec, as far as addresses can be found.

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