given orally, as much time being allowed as the one questionedd desired.

1. State, in brief, what advantages of education you enjoyed, both in the elementary and high courses.

2. Have you, since graduation, devoted your attention, as a student, to any particular branch or branches of science or learning?

3. What has been your experience as a teacher? Have you adopted teaching as a profession?

4. What have you done to advance the interests of your profession, and to improve your own professional education?

5. What have you written on the subject of education?

6. Name some of the principal works on the subject of education which you have read. Any of the "English Educational Blue Books?" What ones?

7. What is your idea of the nature and objects of liberal education?

8. Give an account of the secondary education in Prussia. the Real School.

organization and character of Describe the Gymnasium and

9. Give your opinion of the main objects to be kept in view, and the method and means to be used, in teaching the English language and literature in a High School.

10. Define Psychology. State, in general, the uses of this study, and, in particular, its relation to the science and art of teaching.

11. What is the most elaborate and comprehensive American text-book on intellectual philosophy?

12. What is the most general classification of the processes of reasoning? Define each kind, and give an example of each.

13. What is the difference between venous and arterial blood? State precisely in what organs of the human system these two kinds of blood are found; and what is the essential step in respiration? 14. What sciences tend to cultivate the inductive habit of mind; and what the deductive habit of mind?. .

15. When and where was the general body of geometrical science constructed?

16. What are some of the arguments in favor of the study of Geometry as a branch of general education?

17. What are Sir William Hamilton's views of mathematics as a means of general culture?

18. Give your ideas of drawing, both in its relations to general education, and to technical education.

19. Name one or two of the most important discoveries of the present times in the science of physics.

20. What do you understand by the doctrine of correlation of physical forces? Give an illustration of it, or any account of its history and development.

21. How should History be taught in a High School, and what should be attempted in this branch?

22. How, and to what extent, should the Constitution of the United States be taught in such a school?

23. What are your views of School Government,- the ends to be aimed at, and the means and motives to be used?

24.

Give an account of the Bureau of Education.

The following questions were handed in by different members of the Committee, and put to the candidates:

1. Have you paid any attention to the science of language as connected with the early history and sub-divisions of the human race, and are you familiar with the works of German, English and American philologists ?

2. What are the proper limits of education for individuals?

At the close of the examination, the committee made choice of George W. Howison as the first candidate whose name should be presented to the Board; George W. Minns as the second, and Edwin P. Seaver as the third. At a meeting of the full Board, held at City Hall November 9th, Dr. Lothrop offered an elaborate report, presenting the names of the three candidates. In compliance with the rule, the names of the other gentlemen examined were also read. After the reading of his report in behalf of the . sub-committee, a ballot was ordered, with the following result: Whole number of votes Necessary for a choice

Charles M. Cumston had

85

43

43

At a meeting of the High School Committee, held at City Hall on Thursday, November 11th, George H. Howison was elected master, in place of Mr. Cumston, promoted to the Head-Mastership. He received eight votes out of the twelve which were cast. It is probable that no one event connected with our public schools for many years has excited so much general interest. Strong feelings have been awakened, and many emphatic words have been spoken by the friends of the several candidates during the exciting canG. B. P.

vass.

Editors' Department.

THE MASSACHUSETTS TEACHER.

THE present number of the Teacher closes another of its volumes. For twenty-two years, in sunshine and storm, — with a large balance of sunshine, it has made, without a single failure, its regular visits to thousands of teachers in various parts of the country. It has carried words of counsel, encouragement, and information to all classes of educators. It has done what it could to promote the general educational welfare; to secure respect and just compensation for teachers; and to elevate the standard of schools with regard to material accommodations and appliances, to the qualifications demanded of teachers, and to the character of the work done. Many of the most eminent educators of the State have from time to time served as its editors.

During the first year of its existence, the Teacher was published semi-monthly, each number containing sixteen pages of reading matter. Since the beginning of 1849, it has been issued monthly, in numbers containing from thirty-two to forty-eight pages. It has been edited in various ways; first by an editorial committee, consisting of twelve gentlemen, each of whom in turn had the exclusive charge of one number; then by a Board of monthly editors, who successively furnished the most of the material for each issue, and a Board of

three resident editors, who supplied whatever was necessary, and attended to the printing; then by a single editor, under the supervision of a committee of three persons; and lastly by a Board of three editors, aided by twelve contributing editors. With the exception of one or two years, when the editors received a trifling compensation, the work of editing and managing the Teacher has been done gratuitously. Fortunately for some of the editors who served in bygone years, the self-constituted Board of grumblers performed their arduous duties, also without charge.

Some of our readers who have grown up since 1848 may like to know who were the men that originally had the management of this magazine. The first editorial committee consisted of Samuel W. Bates, Boston; Oliver Carlton, Salem; George B. Emerson, Boston; Charles Northend, Salem; Ariel Parish, Springfield; C. S. Pennell, Charlestown; John D. Philbrick, Boston; Thomas Sherwin, Boston; P. K. Sweetser, Charlestown; Gideon F. Thayer, Boston; Benjamin F. Tweed, Charlestown; and William H. Wells, Andover.

Mr. Bates retired from the school-room some years ago, and engaged in the practice of law in Boston. Mr. Carlton is still teaching in Salem, apparently enjoying the mental and physical vigor of youth. Mr. Emerson still resides in Boston, greatly respected for his past services in behalf of education, and his noble character as a Christian citizen. Mr. Northend has of late years done good service for the schools of Connecticut. He is the author of several valuable educational works. Mr. Parish, long time the Principal of the High School in Springfield, has for several years been the Superintendent of Schools in New Haven, Conn. Mr. Pennell is, if we mistake not, one of the professors in Washington University, at St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Philbrick, well, everybody knows about his numerous good works, and that his working power is still in its prime. Mr. Sherwin, after a long and noble life, has gone to his reward. Mr. Sweetser is still living in the vicinity of Boston and has been for several years an honored trustee in Tufts College. Mr. Thayer, having passed a long life as an earnest educator, closed his earthly career a few years since. Mr. Tweed is now professor in Washington University, St. Louis. Mr. Wells, for a while Principal of the Normal School at Westfield, and afterwards the energetic Superintendent of Schools in Chicago, is now the chief agent of an important Life Insurance Company at Chicago. These men were all good and true, ready to labor for the interests of education beyond the limits of their

own school-rooms. The enterprise which they initiated has done much towards improving the condition of every teacher in the Commonwealth, and placing all our schools, both public and private, upon a higher plane. Let their labors be held in grateful remembrance.

Had we the requisite time and space, we should be glad to trace the history of the Teacher in detail from its first year down to the present. We leave the preparation of its complete history to the editor, who, three years hence, shall issue the last number of the twenty-fifth volume.

As editors for the year now closing and for last year, we cordially thank all persons who in any way have rendered us assistance. We thank those who have contributed to our not many in number pages. We thank those who have cheered us with words of encouragement. From widely different parts of the Union we often have received flattering commendations like this from a distinguished teacher in Georgia: "It [the Teacher] is one of the most interesting of the educational papers. I look for its coming with much interest, and count each number worth more to me than the price of subscription." For all such evidences of appreciation and good-will, we are deeply grateful.

We wish to thank, also, those superintendents and teachers who have made personal efforts towards enlarging the circulation of the Teacher. In many cases, these efforts have met with great success. The cities of Boston, Salem, Worcester, deserve especial mention for what they have done this year to increase our subscription list.

It is safe to state that an unlimited amount of thanks is in store for the reward of the many teachers who, it is hoped, will promptly volunteer to assist in making a large addition to our present number of readers. If one person in each town of this Commonwealth would say to himself or herself, "I will see what I can do for the Massachusetts Teacher, and thus for the good of schools, and I will do it forthwith," our journal would at once be placed on a broader basis.

It should not be forgotten that the Teacher is the property and the organ of the State Teachers' Association, and that whatever promotes the prosperity of the former benefits also the latter. The success of the Association has of late years been beyond precedent. Formerly a convention of a few hundred teachers was regarded with satisfaction; now, several thousands assemble at the annual gatherings, and a corresponding increase of interest among teachers is manifested.