like, which must otherwise be done out of school hours at the expense of teaching vitality. This community suffered a severe loss October 19th in the sudden death from apoplexy of Mr. Walter Crane, librarian of Braddock Carnegie Library. This loss falls especially hard on the schools, for the teachers and pupils had come to look on him as one of their staunchest friends and firmest allies. The schools never asked him for assistance in the way of providing suitable reading material for the children but that it was cheerfully furnished. Some of the work done by him along this line was unique, being done nowhere else, so far as is known here.

CHAMBERSBURG-Supt. Gelwix: A fine set of apparatus has been placed in the physics department of the high school. We are very grateful for this purchase, as we have long felt the want of some means whereby the subject could be more satisfactorily presented.

CHELTENHAM (Montgomery Co.)-Supt. Wagner: A portrait of Lucretia Mott was presented to our La Mott school by her descendants. Appropriate exercises were held. Gen. Louis Wagner, of Germantown, delivered an address on " Camp Wm. Penn," where 16,000 U. S. colored troops were recruited from '62 to '65, which was quite near the school house, and in which the Motts were much interested. The committee upon "more frequent promotions" of the Teachers' and Directors' Association has submitted a preliminary report to principals. Reclassification twice each year is to be made possible by omitting some one branch of study each year of the primary grades to allow time for the additional classes in sequence branches. The details of the plan are yet to be agreed upon.

Coatesville-Supt. Gordon: I am pleased to report our schools all in excellent condition, both teachers aud pupils doing satisfactory work. Our new high school is now fully completed. The teachers of our borough and of several of the surrounding districts have organized a local teachers' association, which will meet in our high school bi-monthly during the term. These meetings always prove to be interesting and profitable to all who attend.

CORRY-Supt. Fell: Our school year is divided into terms of three months each. Our first term closed November 24th. Pupils whose work has been satisfactory understand that they have passed, so far as this portion of the term is concerned. Pupils who attain a given standing, pass on their class record. Others not reaching so high a mark are required to take the examination. A high percentage of the pupils enrolled passed on their record. I believe this plan is an excellent one, as all pupils endeavor to escape the examination, if for no other reason than the reputation it affords. Still I thoroughly believe in examinations, for many positions of trust are filled by such

tests, and it is well to accustom our pupils to take them.

DANVILLE-Supt. Gordy: The success won by onr teachers in vocal music is operating to the great advantage of our schools, With the pupils it is one of the most popular subjects; and by its strong appeai to parents it has awakened in them a lively interest in school work generally. Music was added to our regular course of study last

summer.

EASTON Supt. Cottingham: The entire corps of teachers of this city recently organized themselves as a "centre," and arranged with "The American Society for the Extension of University Teaching," of Philadelphia, for a course of lectures on Shakespeare. Dr. Frederick Henrig Sykes, Staff Lecturer in English Literature, was secured to deliver these lectures. The first lecture of the course, on "The Life of Shakespeare," was delivered in the high school auditorium on Friday evening, November 21st, before an audience composed of our corps of teachers and about one hundred residents of the city interested in advanced literary work. After the lecture, steps were taken with the view of forming a "class" for study and discussion, many of the public auditors expressing a desire to join this class. The work promises, under Dr. Sykes' strong and scholarly leadership, to awaken a new interest in literary study amongst our teachers and to stimulate to greater efforts in the direction of literary culture, that will doubtless conduce to increased efficiency of all grades of work done in the school-room.

HARRISBURG-Supt. Foose: The special school which was opened last November and kept open until the end of the year, was opened again at the beginning of this term. The attendance was small at first, but has been gradually getting larger, until now the number of pupils is about twenty. They are all truants and cannot be induced to attend their former schools. Most of them attend this school quite regularly, and some of them prefer it to their former schools. A school of this kind has a very wholesome effect upon the attendance in the regular schools. Basket-making has started again this term in several of the grammar schools. The pupils who were engaged at this work last year did very well, but there is promise of better work in this line this term. An experiment will be made in malleable iron work. Both these subjects have a great fascination for boys and girls alike. They show a fondness for work of some kind early in their school life, and very many seek employment as soon as they reach the age of thirteen, partly from a love of some kind of manual labor and partly from the necessity of earning money.

HUNTINGDON-Supt. Barclay: The Board elected a regular supply teacher at a guaranteed salary; also a truant officer who is enforcing the attendance law. A professional reading course has been outlined, and the

teachers are following it. Our high school170 pupils-made 96 per cent. in attendance. The superintendent's office has been remodeled and fitted up with new furniture, fixtures, etc. On the day before Thanks. giving about $40 worth of vegetables, groceries, clothing, etc., were contributed by the pupils of the various schools for the poor fund.

LEBANON-Supt. Adams: During the week beginning October 27th we held our combined institute, consisting of the county and city teachers, in Fisher's Academy of Music. In previous years we had met in the Court House, but as this was found inadequate on account of the large number of citizens who wished to attend, we made the change and found that building more suitable. The large opera house was crowded during part of the week, and many of our citizens who in former years were unable to get in, this year attended most of the sessions so that not only the teachers, but also a large number of our citizens, were benefited by the instruction given by Dr. M. G. Brumbaugh, Dr. A. J. Kinneman and Profs. Henry G. Williams, and George D. Bible. Miss Harriet S. Shelley conducted the music, and Miss Louie M. Taylor, of St. Joseph, New Brunswick, delighted the audience throughout the week with vocal and violin solos, Miss Shelley also gave us a solo and some readings, both of which were much appreciated by the people.

MAHANOY CITY-Supt. Ehrhart: At the beginning of the school term it was found necessary to open two additional schools. For the past two months the enrollment and attendance have been the largest in the his. tory of the schools. All our teachers attended the county institute. At the regular monthly meeting of the school board all the primary teachers, thirty-four in number, were each granted an increase of $5.00 a month, making the salaries of these teachers, with the exception of a few beginners, who hold provisional certificates, fifty dollars per month.

NEW BRIGHTON-Supt. Wilkinson: Our teachers have organized a professional magazine club. By paying a small fee each week, we are able to take about 25 of the best educational periodicals. The Superintendent has published a neat 16 page paper, which goes to every home having children in school. We publish the reports of attendance, scholarship, etc., and various examples of school work. The paper has met a very cordial reception. We have had one resignation, that of Miss Arminta Bliss, who has been a faithful and successful teacher in our schools for seven years.

PHOENIXVILLE--Supt. Leister: One month ago an attendance officer was appointed in the interest of the compulsory school law. Much good in the way of more regular attendance has already been accomplished.

READING-Supt. Foos: Monthly examinations have been abolished. Heretofore

these and term examinations were the only means of determining the standing of pupils. Now each day's work counts equally. Promotions are made on two-thirds term work and one-third examination. For the first time a night high school was opened, with an enrollment of 155, for the study of German, geometry, physics, algebra, arithmetic, mechanical drawing, English, shorthand and bookkeeping. Prof. H. R. Brunner, of the boys' high school, is principal. It is a great success. Four lower grade night schools are also in operation. Several trees were planted on Arbor Day with appropriate exercises. A new eightroom building is nearing completion.

SCRANTON--Supt. Phillips: Through the efforts of Mr. T. J. Jennings, Chairman of the High School and Training School Committee, all the members of the Board of Control receive The Pennsylvania School Journal at the expense of the Board. Five new kindergarten schools were opened at the beginning of the term, making a total of thirteen in operation. Every teacher's salary was increased $50 a year at the annual meeting. Mrs. W. T. Smith has presented $50,000 to the city for a memorial manual training school. It has been given under the exclusive use and direction of the Board of Control. The foundations will be laid this fall.

SHAMOKIN-Supt. Howerth: Our teachers have secured a copy of Parker's "Talks on Teaching," which is being used as the basis of our work in teachers' meetings. Three evening schools for boys and one for girls were opened, with an enrollment of 117 boys and 21 girls. The Thanksgiving donations of the pupils, consisting of provisions, clothing, etc., were distributed to 112 worthy poor families of the borough.

SHARON--Supt. Grier: At our regular monthly teachers' meeting an address was delivered by Prof. S. H. Miller, of New Castle, on the subject of "Motor Activity in Education." Miss Eva Hamilton, of the borough schools, gave a review of her trip to Europe last summer.

SUNBURY-Supt. Shipman: The Thanksgiving offerings by the pupils for the needy and worthy poor amounted to $160. The distribution was made through church committees and about one hundred families were served. Most of our schools are now doing good memory work. Mr. D. H. Koch gave about sixty books to the high school.

WILKINSBURG-Supt. Allison: The board has purchased a set of Crowell apparatus for physics. The cost of the entire cabinet was $375.

WILLIAMSPORT-Supt. Lose: Scarlet fever and diphtheria have seriously retarded the work in four of our principal buildings. The time lost on this account aggregates 369 days. In three of these buildings conditions are very much improved, and it is likely that all the schools will soon be opened again.

These new geographies are thoroughly up to date and adapted for general use in ordinary schools rather than for a particular use in a highly specialized and organized ideal system. They are distinctive in the following particulars:

1. An adequate amount of material is included in each book to meet the needs of those grades for which it is designed.

2. The subject-matter is presented so simply that the pupil can readily understand it. and so logically that it can be easily taught by the average teacher.

3. Just enough physiography is included to

Novel in plan and in character, simple and teachable. Well graded, with frequent reviews. They correlate the leading features of the phonic, the synthetic, the word, and the sentence methods, but require no special preparation on the part of the teacher. They accomplish more than other systems attempt, and wherever used have produced phenomenal results. The numerous attractive illustrations are an important aid to the understanding and the development of the system. McMaster's Histories of the United States

Primary, $0.60; School, $1.00

Devote more space to social evolution than to war. The progress of civilization is graphically portrayed, with a clear, simple, vigorous. and well balanced style. The narratives are well-proportioned, and touch on all matters of real importance in the founding and building of our country. The maps are complete, and the illustrations numerous, interesting, and authentic.

Carpenter's Geographical Reader:

develop the fundamental relations of geog, raphy, and to animate and freshen the study without overloading it in this direction.

4. The simplicity of the older methods of teaching the subject is combined with just so much of the modern scientific methods of presentation as is thoroughly adapted to elementary grades.

5. The illustrations are new and fresh, reproduced mostly from photographs collected from all parts of the world with a view to helping out and explaining the text, and not for mere embellishment.

The system of writing here presented combines all the advantages of the vertical with the speed and beauty of regular slant writing. Every copy is sensible and significant, and correlates with other studies of corresponding grade. The inclination of the letters is at the angle naturally and unconsciously adopted by the child in writing.

Overton's Applied Physiology

Primary, $0.30; Intermediate. . $0.50
Advanced.

.80

These books combine the latest results in biological, medical, and chemical science, with the best methods of teaching. The logical arrangement and gradation of the subject-matter give these books a strength and individuality peculiarly their own.