their own fun, I should say they should be obliged to attend or take the consequences. It is the most difficult thing I know anything about in educational work to hold a regular teachers' meeting that is both interesting and profitable."

We do not look upon Andrew Lang as one of the wisest of men; but we think him the most entertaining essayist of today. His essays are rarely profound but they are wholesome as well as entertaining, and may be read with profit.

But there is another view of him and his writings, presented in the following paragraph from the New England Magazine, by Walter Blackburn Harte:

I know just now it is rank heresy to hint at such a thing, but I have had a satiety of the Andrew Lang essay. Mr. Andrew Lang writes too much, and spreads himself over a multitude of subjects, a little too thinly. There is no robustness in him. He lacks vertebrate. He stands for no principle in literature, and though he has an easy fluency, he is not a great stylist. He is not a Doctor Johnson or a Goldsmith, a Hazlitt or a Bagehot, an Emerson or a Lowell. He is a sublimated journalist-a fad; a very clever fellow who could emulate Swift, and beat him, in writing about broomsticks, but he is but froth on the waves of these days. He is a wholesale commentator who has been mistaken for a creator. I never think of his work but what I am reminded of Sheridans

rivulet of print meandering through a meadow of margin; only in Mr. Lang's case it is a rivulet of Mr. Lang meandering through seas of classical quotations. He has made dillettantetism a fine art, and he has made it pay. Therefore his name should not perish, for although this is an ideal world for humbugs in all vocations, and even occasionally for the literary humbug, I do not recall another name in literature of whom the same thing can be said.

THE JOURNAL FOR NOVEMBER.

THE JOURNAL for November will contain several features of special interest, among which may be mentioned:

"The ethical influence of German schools," by E. E. Kenyon, editor of the Primary School, New York.

Extracts from a recent address by Dr. W. H. Payne. The discussion of "examination's will be continued by Dr. W. H. Payne, President of Peabody Normal College; Dr. Wm. M. Baskervill, of Vanderbilt University; Dr. W. T. Harris, United States Commissioner of Education; Professor George Francis James, of the University of Pennsylvania, and others. An article by Hon. W. R. Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tennessee. Notes of the Peabody Normal College Alumni in the various states. Clippings from

educational classics.

Exercises for the celebration of the birthday of James Russell Lowell, prepared for the JOURNAL. Observations among the Canadians, Miss Jennie Thornley Clarke, of Georgia. Several other papers of special interest. "Now is the time to subscribe."

A NEW DEPARTUE.

Beginning with the November number of the SOUTHWES TERN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION we hope to begin the publica

tion of a series of sketches-historic and otherwise-of representative Southern Academies and Colleges. We believe this will be interesting reading.

Another series of papers will be on the organization counties into active movements for the advancement of the cause of education these papers will not be abstractions, but will be the stories of such organizations written by persons well acquainted with the facts. From these stories it is to be hoped superintendents will draw conclusions that will be valuable in their own counties.

THE JOURNAL proposes to be worth to every reader a hundred times its subscription price.

PERSONAL.

Dr. Edward Eggleston, the novelist, was lately married to Miss Frances E. Goode, eldest daughter of Dr. S. M. Goode of Madison, Ind. The Goodes and the Egglestons are both. Virginia families, the founders of the American branches being among the earliest colonists in the Old Dominion.

Mrs. Lucy Ransom Warren, whom so many Southern teachers remember as one of the platform managers of Monteagle Assembly, is teaching in Belmont College, this city.

Professor George F. James, formerly Professor of Pedagogics in the University of Nashville, has been recently elected to a Lectureship in the University of Pennsylvania, in addition to his work with the University Extension Society.

Miss Virginia Wardlaw, of Dr. Price's College for Young Ladies, last year prepared a series of stereopticon illustrations for use in her literature classes that has more recently brought her very popularly before the public of Nashville as a platform lecture. She is prepared to give illustrations in Litera. ture, Art, History, Travels, Astronomy, Botany, Geology, Physics, Physiology, Zoology, in the wonders of the Micro scope; and in Bible subjects; and these entertainments have proven remarkably pleasing.

The current number of the Educational Echange Montgomery, Ala., contains a thoughtful article on the Peabody Nor. mal College by Mr. Tipton Mullins.

DR. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.*

The new and complete edition of Oliver Wendell Holmes' works will comprise thirteen volumes. The volumes of prose will be independently labeled, we presume, as, the four volumes which appropriately come first are simply entitled by their familiar names, The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, etc., without enumeration in a series. The size of the volumes and of type is the same as in the Riverside Lowell, the latest of these excellent editions of our great American authors. The covers are of a lighter red, and the title is in larger let· ters set on a dark: label; the top is gilt, but the usual ribbon for a bookmark is missing. The edition is fully worthy of the Riverside Press. While its total effect as a piece of bookmaking is not, to our eye, quite up to the level of the Lowell, the person must be hypercritical who will not welcome to his library such a goodly array as the whole set will make.

Dr. Holmes has, happily, lived to be the grandfather of his Autocrat, who began to be as far back as 1831. To the two former prefaces, each taking a retrospect of twentyfive years, he adds here a new one, gratefully acknowledging the continued hospitality which the Autocrat receives: "The expressions of personal regard, esteem, confidence sympathetic affinity, may I not add affection, which this book has brought to me, have become an habitual experience and an untiring source of satisfaction." Referring to the recent process of invention, Dr. Holmes believes, "It is not safe to speculate on what the last decade of the century may yet bring us, but it looks as if the wasted energies of the winds and the waters were to be converted into heat, light, and mechanical movement, in that mysterious form which we call electricity, so as to change the material conditions of life to an extent to which we can hardly dare to set limits."

Second prefaces, written this year, are a delightful feature of this new edition. The Professor volume, Dr. Holmes says, is one of those books, "which, if it lives for a number of decades, and if it requires any preface at all, wants a new one every ten years." The most theological of all Dr. Holmes' writings, the Professor has seen a great and happy change in the religious world since its first appearance: "The licensing of a missionary, the transfer of a professor from one department to another, the election of a Bishop-each of these movements furnishes evidence that there is no such thing as an air tight reservoir of doctrinal finalities." The latest preface to The Poet at the Breakfast Table repeats the original warning against a scientific dogmatism in religion: "The movement [the sub division of labor] is irresistible; it brings with it exactness, exhaustive knowledge, a narrow but complete self-satisfaction, with such accompanying faults as ped antry, triviality, and the kind of partial blindness which belong to intellectual myopia."

Two portraits adorn the "Breakfast Table" Series. The first, which will be new to most, represents the Dr. Holmes of 1857, and has in it not a little suggestion of Emerson,above the mouth. The second, in Over the Teacups, depicts the honored and undisputed autocrat, who bears sway by right of wit and love over American literature today. His voice never sounds unheeded by a grateful multitude who hold him in their hearts. All his readers will praise the perennial youth, who, in the latest of these new prefaces, can thus

What a lot Hamlet's would have been, had fortune thrown him upon his own resources for a livelihood! Under his hand nothing would have prospered. Into any vocation that he took up he would have seen too far to follow it eagerly. Changing from one to another, and finding none quite fit, he would have lived as thousands of men of imagination live now, and scarcely knows how. And, in good sooth, the hero of fiction, flung suddenly in the real world to make his own way there, would pretty generally have such a vagrant, unfruitful career as Hamlet's would have been; for the hero of fiction has pretty generally had imagination poured into him, as it were, by the barrelful, from the store of an author who himself has it so much to spare that his own lot has been one long conflict with practical narrow paths and practical stone walls.

Laertes was the man for business. He would have made trade "hum." The money markets and the stock exchanges would have lain at his feet. And when the great smash came as to Laertes it would be very likely to come, and unimaginative creditors refused extensions, he would have retired to his chamber and driveu a dagger into his heart with a good firm hand. "The Point of View," in Scribner.

READ THOUGHT-FULL BOOKS.

In this busy, encyclopedic, bookish age of ours, what and how to read is no idle question. Works of magic and vision, of depth and splendor, of immortal melody and real insight, of braod mental grasp and exquisite genius, are not issued every season with fish-spawn prolificness; and hence wise selection is absolutely necessary. Of ten million published leaves perhaps only one will stand the winnowing process and cruciel test of time. To consort with an epoch-making volume and to become saturated with its live, heroic, aggressive essences, is equal to a liberal education.-Rev. Philip Graff, Oakland, Cal.

PUBLIC SCHOOL OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION.

The fourth annual meeting of the Public School Officers' Association of Tennessee will be held in this city December 8, 9, 10. This association may exercise much power for good to the schools of the State. THE JOURNAL will record what is done. The association's officers are as follows:

Hon. Frank M. Smith, Knoxville, President.
Capt. W. R. Garrett, Nashville, Vice-President.
Prof. Frank Goodman, Nashville, Secretary.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

H. D. Huffaker, Chattanooga, Chairman.
Chancellor W. H. Payne, Nashville.
Miss Mollie Pierce, Dyersburg.

F. T. Watts, Garber's Mills.

E. M. Wright, Greenville.

The programme, which we have just received, is as follows:

TUESDAY-MORNING SESSION.

Opening at 9 o'clock. Prayer by Elder R. Lin Cave. Address of welcome.-His excellency, John P. Buchanan, Governor of Tennessee. Response-Superintendent M. R. M. Burke, Cleveland. President's Address-Hon. Frank M. Smith. Roll Call by Counties aud three-minute Responses by the representatives.

At 2:30 p. m. the several committees will meet in the committee rooms at the Capitol for the purpose of completing their reports. It is expected that each chairman will consult with the members of his committee and prepare a skeleton report to be submitted to the committee, and that each member of a committee will prepare a momorandum of such items as he may desire to have included in the report.

rates, or any general information, address Frank Goodman, Secretary, Nashville, care Goodman's Business College.

School Directors, members of Boards of Education in the cities and towns, Public School Teachers, and all persons connected with the Public School System are cordially invited to attend and participate in the deliberations. By order of the Executive Committee.

FRANK GOODMAN, Secretary.

A SCHOOL LYCEUM.

Teachers will be interested in a new step which The Youth's Companion has taken. That paper proposes to revive as an institution the old debating society which used to be so great a force in making young men intelligent citizens and in developing broad national leaders.

The plan proposed is an organization of national reach, called the Lyceum League of America. It is to consist of a system of local lyceums or clubs, connected with each other through a newly created lyceum department in The Youth's Companion. The lyceum department grants all charters and accepts the care of the movement. With each charter it furnishes free an equipment consisting of "Cushing's Manual," secretary's book and other needful helps. It suggests topics for discussion and gives aid in their study.

An important part of this aid ïs a carefully chosen list of books on American problems, which it places within the reach of clubs. Among the books are Bryce's "American Commonwealth," Fiske's "Civil Government," the "American StatesThere are also books man" series, Professor Ely's books, etc. for younger readers.

The aim of this undertaking is to train young men to think intelligently on the great problems of American life, and to impress them with the duties of citizenship. The work is to be above all partisanship. It is to be American in the broadest sense. It aims to give practical direction to the patriotic enthusiasm which the general school-flag movement has awakened—a movement inaugurated by the same paper. Incidental benefits will be parliamentary training and learnng how to think on one's feet.

This plan has been in process of elaboration for more than a year, we are informed. It has alreaby the endorsement of leading educators as a practical and timely scheme, for weich there is room in every school where there are boys or young

men.

IS HARTE A CRANK?

In the November issue of the New England Magazine, Wal ter Blackburn Harte makes a plea for a world without books. He thinks that education is not an unmixed blessing, as the greater the intelligence of individuals and peoples the greater is their capacity for suffering.

A Boston genius sends to the Globe a list of twenty-five books which contain "excellent material for deep thought and hard study." The Bible is No. 1 and a "Handbook on Etiquette," No. 4. Most Bostonians, however, are perfectly willing to get along without the Bible if they have the "Handbook on Etiquette" and Hoyle's "Games" on hand.N. Y. Sun.

MY INDIAN SCHOOL.

MISS ANNIE BUIE, MISSISSIPPI.

The old Missionaries had three objects in view in regard to the Indians. 1. To teach them to speak English; 2. To civilize them, and 3 To Christianize them. In order to accomplish this, large boarding schools were established in different parts of the Territory and to these were sent two or three children from every community. In addition to this, neighborhood schools were established for the benefit of those who remained at home. There is a District and also a Local trustee for each neighborhood school. The teachers are paid by the National Treasurer upon the monthly certificates of the District Trustee where the school is located. Such certificates are made out on the monthly report of the teacher when certified by the Local Trustee

All teachers are examined by a Board of Education of whom the Governor is a member, and can be employed by the Trustees. It was in the neighborhood school of Alikche, I. T., that I had my first experience in teaching Indians.

My school house was a large frame building which was used for a Court-House and church as well as a school house. The furniture consisted of benches, chairs, tables and stove. A very good blackboard, chart and organ were furnished me by the patrons of the school.

I had quite a "variegated" school consisting of 17 full blooded Choctaws, 9 half Indians and 11 white children.

The full blooded Indians could not speak a word of English and they would gaze at me with blank amazement when I spoke to them. I could not communicate with them as I did not understand their language, and I was at loss what to do until a happy ide a presented itself. I had in my school a little half Indian boy who spoke both languages fluently. I at once made him my interpreter and found him very helpful.

I would instruct the class in English and he would explain in Choctaw. He was very fond of explaining by objects, and one day while discussing the word 'rat' to a primer class he immediately produced from the depths of his trouser's pocket a "sure enough" mouse. The illustration proved very effective.

What English these children did not learn by association with their companions, they gradually acquired in the school After the language was learned, the sparkle of intelligence would shine as brightly in the little Indians faces as in the whites.

room.

The half Indians are very bright indeed; they seem to posess the mental capacity of the whites but their dispositions and manners are decidedly Indian.

It was hard to discipline the Indians. They were accustomed to wander at their own sweet wills at home, consequently most of them were stubborn. But by dint of using the "Milk of Kindness" and the lubrications of the gentle shilalah they became as lambs with the exception of one little fellow who persistently showed his pride in Indian blood by having one or two daily skirmishes with the "pale face," but I am happy to relate he never gained a single victory.

By means of an organ I taught them how to sing, and the enchanting sounds which they brought forth at first were very

much akin to the exhilirating music which is produced by blowing through a paper-covered comb They do not posess much versality but are quick imitators of nature.

We connected Mission work with our school and every Sunday evening we had our little Sunday-school and attended church once a month where we heard a very old Indian man preach in Choctaw. I think the three first objects of the old Missionaries more effective when they are combined or when the order is reversed.

A great deal is being said and done about the education of the Indian, but not until the homes are Christianized and their mode of living improved can they be educated in the true sense of the word.

population of the earth in the year 1900 will be 1,587 million in 1950 it will be 2,332 million; in 2000 3,426, in 2072 5,997 million. In 182 years from now the earth will have the greatest possible population it can support. Germany, Ra venstein says, which has now 59.4 million will have 200 million in the year 2072.

WHAT IS DELSARTISM.

Delarte taught that every muscle, and attitude of the body had a particular part to perform as an instrument for expressing the mind. To prepare himself for teaching how these were to be used, he studied anatomy five years, walked the wards of hospitals, studied in the street, everywhere he could find man under the sway of emotion, until he had discovered the anatomy of action. The aim of Delsartian gymnastics is symmetrical physical development; the first step is the reduction of the body to a state of passivity, from which it may be trained to move in harmony with nature's laws. It deals particularly with physical reform. The distinguishing difference between the system of physical training and others is that while other systems develop muscle, this process develops not muscle but physical expression. Delsarte observed that man's movements when governed by his higher, nobler impulses were not of the jerking, thrusting type, but was rather in the nature of curves and spirals, consequently if a man cultivated these movements until they were habitual would it not produce a better inner condition by reason of the reflex action of these elevating movements? This is denied by many who claim that the inside must first be cleansed.-School Journal.

THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY.

Members of the U. S. coast and geodic survey party that, for over two years, has been buried in the solitudes of Camp Davidson, a post established by the party on the upper Yukon river 2,000 miles from St. Michaels, on the coast, have returned. The object of the expedition was to establish definitely the boundaries of Alaska, about which there was a differ. ence of British and American official opinion. Lieut. Frederick Schwatka had made a "running" survey along the 141st parallel for this government, and Surveyor Ogilvie for the British government, but there was a difference of three miles in their establishment of the northeastern boundary. The Ogilvie survey was confirmed giving to the United States three miles more territory along the boundary than it was supposed to have. In addition to fixing the boundary, they secured a large collectior. of Alaskan small animals, birds, insects, and flowers. The prepared specimens have been sent. to the Smithsonian Institution at Washington.-School Jour nal.

VISITING BY TEACHERS.

The Nashville Board of Education has called about its ears an ominous buzzing. An editorial in The Banner so correctly puts the case that it is reproduced here and endorsed. Such a rule might not be so very unwise in a village school, but even there the teacher would best be trusted to the exercise of her judgment. But here is the editorial:

The City Board of Education at its meeting last night issued an order that all teachers in the city schools be directed to visit the parents or guardians of their pupils at their respective homes at least once in every three months, or oftener if possible.

As a public journal having regard for the public interests, the Banner would respectfully inquire of the Board of Education whether it has given full consideration to the burdensome requirement which by this order is added to the duties of faithful and hard-working teachers? Has the board duly considered what an additional amount of labor is imposed by this new and remarkable rule ?

We must believe that the board in this instance has done itself the injustice of acting hastily, and we cannot believe that it will insist upon an order which would compel the teachers of our children to devote the time which they have been allowed for needed rest and recreation to the fatiguing work of endless rounds of visitation.

Has the Board of Education forgotten that many of the teachers already have school tasks that they must perform at home, and that many af them with mind and heart in the responsible work entrusted to them leave not their work behind them in the school room, but after conscientious labor of preparation for the duties of the next day retire with weary. bo lies and brains for the night? Does the board realize what an additional weight of service it imposes upon these teachers when it requires them to undertake this round of visitation, which, in many respects, must be impracticable ?

Really, have not the teachers quite enough to do without having their tasks needlessly multiplied? Are they not faithful and earnest, and are they not entitled to rest and recrea tion? Are the public services which employ them at school and at home so slight that new tasks must be imposed, such as the lugging of great loads of the books of the pupils to and from school, and this new requirement which would keep the teachers on the run over town after school hours.

We have spoken mildly and we hope respectfully on this subject, and we have not mentioned some of the most potent objection to this new and ill-advised rule of the board. We trust the board will have the good sense and the courage to at once recind a rule which can be easily shown to be unwise and impracticable.

THEY DON'T YELL.

First Vassar Student-Say, girls, there's one thing we've forgotten. We haven't any college yell. All colleges have yells, you know. Second Student.-Why, of course, strange we never thought of it. Let's have one. Third StudentBut I don't see how we can yell without taking the gum out of our mouths. Fourth Student.-Let s let the yell go. It isn't very lady-like anyhow.

IT WAS IN BOSTON.

Small Boys (jumping on front platform)-"Hello, McDonald!" Car Driver-"Mornin' gents." School Boy.-"Here Jack, you take the reins; grab the brake, Ginger. Now, dri ver, just go over this page in the Anabasis for us before we get down to the high school."