Dr. SAMUEL KNEELAND has been appointed Secretary of the Mass. Institute of Technology in place of Dr. Thos. H. Webb, deceased. Prof. GEO. A. Osborne, of the U. S. Naval Academy, has also been appointed Professor of Navigation and Nautical Astronomy, Mr. W. W. BAILEY, son of the late Prof. Bailey, of West Point, Assistant in the Laboratory, and Mr. E. C. F. KRAUSS, Assistant Teacher of Modern Languages. The institution numbers 140 students.

Mr. CHARLES HUTCHINS, for the past nine years an honored and successful teacher in the Dwight School, of this city, has resigned his position to accept one of even greater importance, -a business agency under the American Missionary Board. Mr. Hutchins is eminently the man for the place. His large circle of friends will rejoice, with him, that he is accounted worthy of a more responsible, and in several respects, a better situation. We look upon his success in his new field as certain.

RODNEY G. CHASE, Usher in the Dwight School, has been elected to the sub-mastership. Mr. Chase has been in the city but a short time, yet has already made his mark.

WENDELL HOOD, late Principal of the High School in East Randolph, has now the charge of a large school at Red Wing, Minn.

CHARLES A. MORRILL, sub-master of the Lincoln School, has resigned that position, which he has held since the organization of the school.

Miss SARAH S. RICHARDSON, for six years a successful teacher in the Punchard Free School, Andover, has resigned her position of 1st Assistant, and Miss Wilder, of Andover, succeeds her.

GEORGE N. BIGELOW, late Principal of the Framingham Normal School, has been elected Principal of the Putnam Free Academy, Newburyport, in place of Hylas Wheeler, who resigns on account of continued ill health.

Prof. JAMES P. WICKERSHAM, Principal of the Pennsylvania State Normal School, at Lincoln, has been appointed Superintendent of Common Schools for the State, Gov. Curtin.

Prof. CHADBOURNE, of Williamstown, has been appointed President of the Agricultural College, at Amherst, in place of Mr. French, resigned.

OBITUARY.

It is with no common feelings of sadness that we announce the sudden death, by cholera, of our excellent friend and esteemed co-laborer, Mr. Charles Ansorge. On Sunday, October 28, at four o'clock in the afternoon, while sitting at the organ of which he had the charge, he was seized with the terrible disease, and at ten o'clock in the evening his spirit calmly passed into the "better land."

This sudden departure of a good man has filled the hearts of many with profound grief. The friends of education in Massachusetts, among whom he long lived and labored, will deeply deplore his death. It seems fitting that this journal, to which he devoted for years a large portion of his time and energies, should bear some record of his life and his noble qualities of mind and heart.

Mr. Ansorge was born November 13, 1817, in Spiller, a town in the province of Silesia. His father, who for several years served in the Prussian army, fighting against Napoleon, began early to give him a thorough education, especially in the science and art of music. The pupil made such rapid progress in his favorite study, that at the age of eleven years he played on the large organ of his native town, at the regular church service. When twelve years old, he commenced his preparation for college life, and in due time he entered the institution at Bunzlau. He graduated thence with high honor, receiving a first premium in Latin and also in music. Soon afterwards he accepted a situation as a school teacher in Petersdorf (about ten miles from his native place), where he labored two years with success. He was then called to a higher position, in Glogau. Here he found a large school, a wide circle of refined friends, and a field of great usefulness. To his arduous duties as a teacher, he added the care of editing a public journal. In common with many of the literary men of Prussia, he entertained, and, as a true patriot, boldly defended, political views, which, as they favored the liberties of the people, proved offensive to the government. In consequence of having written certain articles in support of his liberal sentiments, he was summoned before the courts, was tried, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and the loss of citizenship. During the three days allowed between the announcement of the sentence and the beginning of its execution, Mr. Ansorge, bidding farewell to Fatherland, October 12, 1849, speedily made his way to England. His wife having there joined him, they sailed for America. Arriving in New York, and not thinking favorably of that city, they came to Boston. Here Mr. Ansorge soon made numerous friends, and found an agreeable field of labor. He accepted the situation of organist and chorister in the Rev. Nath'l Hall's church, Dorchester, which he retained thirteen years, until his departure to the West. He was for four years the teacher of music in the Asylum for the Blind, at South Boston. In both of these situations, his success was eminent. As a professor of music, both in his public performances and in his private instructions, he maintained a high standard. Avoiding the light and showy music of the day, he practised and taught the noble styles of the grand old masters. Simplicity, beauty, and strength were the characteristics of his professional efforts.

While devotedly attached to his stated occupation, he lost none of his interest in the cause of public education. He early connected himself with the Norfolk County Teachers' Association, of which he proved an earnest and highly useful member. At the meetings of this society, and at the annual conventions of the State Teachers' Association, Mr. Ansorge frequently participated in the debates; and all who had the privilege of listening to his remarks, know with what clearness and compactness his wise thoughts were uttered. He never spoke at random, but always after a due consideration of the subject in hand, dealing with

fundamental principles of education, and, when occasion required, with the exact modes of applying them.

Notwithstanding that Mr. Ansorge was of foreign birth, and that his chosen profession was not that of school-teaching, so much did his zeal and intelligence in educational affairs command the respect and confidence of the teachers of Massachusetts, that he was chosen as one of the Resident Editors of the Massachusetts Teacher. For several years he labored with enthusiasm for this journal, and always with a skill, intelligence and fidelity that received the unqualified approval of its friends.

Having visited Chicago in the summer of 1863, to attend the annual meeting of the National Teachers' Association, he was so impressed with the advantages presented by that growing city to competent teachers of music, that he resolved to avail himself of the opportunities there offered. To the extreme regret of his many friends in Massachusetts, he soon bade them farewell, and entered upon his new field of labor. His success therein was quickly and abundantly secured. As in the East, so in the West, he gathered friends on every hand, and the .longer he remained, the more firmly he became established in public and private regard.

But, alas! while in the full tide of happiness and prosperity, he has in a moment ceased from his labors and triumphs, and "the place that once knew him will know him no more."

Mr. Ansorge was, in the broad sense of the term, a true man. He was thoroughly earnest in all that he said and did. Professionally he sought for real, not for apparent merit. As a lover of popular education, he was always progressive, striving for a fuller development of sound principles, and for the application of improved methods of instruction. Socially he was a man whom it was a pleasure to know. Ever courteous, kind and genial towards all around him, he received their esteem and affection. As a friend he was reliable and self-sacrificing. Himself of a happy spirit, it was his delight to give happiness to others. His influence in all the relations of life was steadily and strongly exerted in behalf of knowledge, virtue and truth.

A good man has gone to his rest. Let us cherish his memory and emulate his example.

D. B. H.

BOOK NOTICES.

AN INTRODUCTORY LATIN BOOK, intended as an Elementary Drill-Book on the Inflections and Principles of the Language, and as an introduction to the Author's Grammar, Reader, and Latin Composition: by Albert_Harkness, Professor in Brown University. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 12mo, pp. 162.

A LATIN READER, intended as a Companion to the Author's Latin Grammar; with references, suggestions, notes, and Vocabulary, by Albert Harkness. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 12mo, pp. 212.

Without disparagement of any

other works, we think it may be said that classical teachers are substantially agreed that Prof. Harkness' is now the best

Latin Grammar -as great an improvement on " Andrews and Stoddard” which has so long reigned, as that was on old Father Adam who reigned before them. The study of Latin in the hands of the best teachers is day by day losing its routine character, and becoming a living study, and a real mental training; and when we consider how important an element the language has contributed to our own, and what an excellent means of arriving at general principles its simple structure affords, we are far from believing or wishing that its study should be discontinued in our high schools or colleges. A good elementary knowledge, at least, of the language ought to be considered a necessary part of the mental outfit of every well educated man, whether he be scholar, or man of science. The study of the language stands on a totally different footing from that of Greek· That much of the teaching of Latin is execrably bad, that the language is begun too early, and pursued in a dead, mechanical way, which merely disgusts the pupil, is unfortunately too true. We therefore welcome every new text-book prepared on better methods, and with more philosophical views, and such we believe are those of Prof. Harkness.

The books, like all the school publications of the Messrs. Appleton, are favorably distinguished by clearness of the type, and excellence of materials. HILLARD'S PRIMER. Edited in Pronouncing Orthography by Edwin Leigh. Boston: Brewer & Tileston. 16mo, pp. 48.

FIRST LESSONS IN READING: A new method of Teaching the Reading of English, by which the ear is trained to discriminate the elementary sounds of words, and the eye to recognize the signs used for these sounds in the established orthography. By Richard Soule and Wm. A. Wheeler. Boston: Lee & Shepard. 16 mo, pp. 98.

Here is a capital opportunity for the employment of that inductive method of studying educational problems recommended by President Hill in an extract which we printed in our last number. Two new methods for overcoming the difficulties, which so thickly beset the beginner in the art of reading, are presented, each the fruit of the zealous labours of earnest men, and the problems to decide are which has the most merit, and whether either essentially shortens the road through the intricacies and irregularities of English orthography. We think the only true way to decide these questions is to institute a series of careful experiments, under circumstances as equally favorable as possible, and to note the results as compared with those from the ordinary methods. We believe ourselves that the little books contain something really valuable, and we trust their methods will be fairly and fully tested. We do not feel qualified to decide between them or to determine beforehand how great will be the benefit derived from them.

The book of Messrs. Soule and Wheeler-names well known to students of English-has been prepared upon the plan and with the concurrence of the Rev. Mr. Zachos. Mr. Leigh's book has upon its cover testimonials from Mr. Calkins, Assistant Superintendent of New York, Mr. Philbrick, Superintendent in Boston, Dr. Lothrop and others of the Boston School Committee, President Hill, Dr. Geo. B. Emerson, Gen. Fisk, of the Freedmen's Bureau, and others.

HINTS TO YOUNG MEN, ON THE TRUE RELATION OF THE SEXES, by John Ware, M. D. Prepared at the request of a Committee, and published under their sanction. Boston: A. Williams & Co. 16mo, pp. 65. The name of the admirable author of this little tract, is evidence enough that a delicate subject will be handled with wisdom and good judgment, and if any further guarantee were required, it would be furnished by the names of the committee who procured its publication: Theophilus Parsons, Samuel G. Howe, Alexander H. Vinton, George B. Emerson, and J. B. Waterbury. It is now reissued in a very neat form, and the publishers offer to send copies for 40 cents, and will supply clergymen and others interested in its wide dissemination for 30 cents. We hope that it will again find an extensive circulation.

A FOURTH READER. Of a grade between the Third and Fourth Readers of the School and Family Series. By Marcius Willson. New York: Harper & Bros. 12mo, pp. 312.

Mr. Willson's series of readers is distinguished from others by containing a large amount of practical instruction in Natural History, Natural Philosophy, Physiology, etc., and on that account seems to us exceedingly well adapted for use in Common Schools of a grade below the High School, as it gives the only opportunity for the acquirement of that kind of knowledge in such schools,-a knowledge of vastly more importance to the children than anything they will learn from many of the selections in our ordinary school reading-books. The present volume has some nice illustrated lessons about insects along with the more miscellaneous selections. These last are taken largely from living writers, as we think they should be-from Mrs. Stowe, Jean Ingelow, and that English lady who writes so nicely for children, Mrs. Gatty, from Fanny Fern and Donald E. Mitchell, Dickens, &c., &c. It is, like all its companions, illustrated with neat wood cuts.

PRINCIPIA LATINA, Part II. A First Latin Reading book, containing an Epitome of Cæsar's Gallic Wars, and L'Homond's Lives of Distinguished Romans: by Wm. Smith, LL. D., re-edited by Henry Drisler, LL. D. New York: Harper & Bros. 12mo, pp. 375.

We have always been of opinion that Cæsar's Commentaries was a very unsuitable book for beginners. To study it thoroughly and rightly is a task for a pretty mature scholar; and skimmed over in the manner of school-boys, it is a very dry and uninteresting task. We are glad therefore to see our old friend "Viri Romæ " in a new dress, and with a critical apparatus adapted to the wants of these times. There is a dictionary, a full body of notes, a short treatise on Military Antiquities, and the Editor has prefaced the work by a little essay on Latin school-books, by that admirable and veteran teacher, Prof. Pillans, so long at the head of the famous High School of Edinburgh. The book is clearly and compactly printed, and presents a very neat appearance.

AN ADDRESS delivered at Brattleboro', Vermont, by invitation of the_Agricultural Society of Vermont, Sept. 7, 1866, by John A. Andrew, Boston White & Potter. 8vo, pamphlet, pp. 44.

Our readers will find in another part of our number an interesting discussion on the subject of imparting miscellaneous information in schools, teaching what in