could never exist if numbers had never been represented by written characters.

Of fractions I can only say now that in a course of primary arithmetic they should never be disjoined from whole numbers.

A. G. M., in N. Y. Teacher.

ARITHMETIC.-The numerical frame should be constantly used in teaching this branch in primary schools. By this apparatus, or by some other material objects, each particular combination of numbers in the tables should be illustrated before it is given out to be commited to memory. Before the child is made to learn and repeat the formula 4 and 3 are 7', he should be made to see that four things and three things are seven things; and so of other elementary combinatious. The practical questions in the Primary Arithmetic, with their pictorial illustrations, are designed to aid the child in acquiring intelligent ideas of numbers and their relations, as a preparation for memorizing the tables. These questions are injudiciously omitted by some teachers, who put the pupils directly upon the abstract tables, without attempting to develop ideas of numbers and numerical combinations. Those who adopt this course do so hoping to save time in fitting their pupils for promotion. But this method of proceeding is the poorest possible preparation for future success in the science of numbers. In the primary course of instruction much more time should be occupied with concrete numbers than with abstract. The first operations in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, should be performed with sensible objects, such as the balls on the numeral frame, beans, blocks, etc. The first steps of addition and subtraction should be taught together; and so of multiplication and division. Boston Report, 1864.

There is a great deal of sound sense in the above suggestions, which we hope our fellow teachers will consider well. We have been at work for some time in making as much as possible of a good thing and trying to devise some means by which all the pupils of a class may use the numeral frame at once, without the expense of buying one for each. The 'machine' is nearly ready for use, and the readers of the Teacher shall have the results of its working in due time,—that is, if they are worth giving.

QUERY.-Will some one of our readers explain how a board 4 feet long and 3 feet wide contains 12 square feet; or, in other words, how length multiplied by breadth produces area?

EDITOR'S DEPARTMENT.

EDITOR'S CHAIR.

SCHOOL GOVERNMENT.-It must not be lost sight of that a system of rules does not constitute school government: it only lays the foundation. Every thing connected with the school: the building,-its location, appearance, adaptation, size, means of warming and ventilation, arrangement for lighting, all the internal arrangements; the manner of classifying, and of conducting recitations; the methods of teaching; the personnel of the teacher, and his every act and look; the extra or miscellaneous exercises; the health and comfort of pupils and teacher; the kind of sports or recreation, and the manner in which they are conducted; the neatness of the room; in brief, each and every thing connected with the school has more or less to do with the government, either for good or evil. The teacher of judgment and tact will use all instrumentalities, so far as he can control them, to the best advantage, and make every thing aid in accomplishing the desired end. If we desire to accomplish an end, we must use the means.

Iowa Instructor.

ANECDOTE OF MR. FIELDS.-Mr. J. T. Fields, of the firm of Ticknor & Fields, publishers, of Boston, is reputed to have a wonderful memory and knowledge of English literature. The London Review tells this anecdote of him :

One day, at a dinner-party, a would-be wit, thinking to puzzle Mr. Fields and make sport for the company, announced, prior to Mr. Fields's arrival, that he had himself written some poetry which he intended to submit to Mr. Fields as Southey's. At the proper moment, therefore, after the guests were seated, he began: "Friend Fields, I have been a good deal exercised, of late, trying to find out in Southey's poems his well-known lines running thus [repeating the lines he had composed]. Can you tell us about the time he wrote them?" "I do not remember to have met them before," replied Mr. Fields, "and there were only two periods in Southey's life when such lines could possibly have been written by him.” "When were those?" gleefully asked the witty questioner. "Some where" said Mr. Fields, "about that early period of his existence when he was having the measles and cutting his first teeth; or near the close of his life, when his brain had softened and he had fallen into idiocy. The versification belongs to the measles period, but the expression clearly betrays the idiotic one." The questioner smiled faintly, but the company roared.

BOSTON.-The number admitted to the Girls' High and Normal School in Boston, from 1852 to 1861 inclusive, was 1064; the number graduated, 356, or near 30 per cent. Of the graduates 316 became teachers.

W.

FREE SCHOOLS were established in Boston in 1635, five years after the first settlement: Harvard College was founded the next year. Free schools were established in Rhode Island in 1791.

MARRIED-In Chicago, Dec. 28, 1865, by Rev. H. N. Bishop, D.D., Mr. B. R. CUTTER, Principal of the Washington School, and Miss LIZZIE A. NOYES, Assistant in the Skinner School.

SO WE GO.-M. Tabor, Esq., for many years a successful practitioner of the art pedagogic in Illinois, more recently the energetic general agent for the publications of E. H. Butler & Co., has removed to Menasha, Wisconsin, where, as one of the firm of Andrews, Tabor & Underwood, he is now engaged in the manufacture of 'Children's Cabs, Carts, Hand-Sleds, Log-Cabins, etc., etc., etc.' (so their card hath it. The readers of the Teacher will be doing a good service to the little folks by inducing dealers in the above articles in their vicinity to order their stocks from the aforesaid firm: they thoroughly understand the wants of children, and are prepared to supply them.

"THE SNAKE IT was that DIED.

A jolly old toper was walking, one day,

From the grocery home, o'er a broad open field;
Though dirty his face, his heart it was gay,

While thinking of pleasures his bottle would yield.

So singing he went, though his toes, every one,
Protruded far out of his ragged old boot;
But, screaming and cursing, he started to run,
As a rattlesnake fastened his fang in his foot.

His hut was soon reached, and his story was told.

His wife wrung her hands, and the neighbors came in,

And he, never ceasing to drink and to scold,

Soon was drunk, and as well as he ever had been.

Then, leaving the patient, the neighbors went out,
Each armed with a cudgel, to look for the snake;
And, after a few minutes' searching about,

Found him,-dead as a stone and stiff as a stake!

N.

A NEW WAY OF STATING THE CASE.-. - A writer in the Chicago Post thus describes the sequel to a public banquet which he attended: "The next morning the judge of the police-court sent for me. I went down, and he received me cordially. He said he had heard of the wonderful things I had accomplished at Bryan Hall, and was proud of me; I was a promising young man, and all that. Then he offered a toast: 'Guilty, or not guilty?' I responded in a brief but eloquent speech, setting forth the importance of the occasion that brought us together. After the usual ceremonies, I loaned the city ten dollars."

WITH an untruthful boy, trust him but with eyes open, and you do much to make him truthful.

MERCER COUNTY.-In population Mercer may not be the largest county in the state, but she can boast an intelligent and liberty-loving people. Her territory is dotted all over with churches and school-houses, which are the true indices of her intelligence. During the late war she sent as many of her sons to the battle field, according to her population, as any other county in the state. In a word, she is intensely loyal.

The Mercer County Teachers' Institute was held at Aledo, commencing November 27th, and continuing through the week. We had the pleasure of being present most of the session. The meeting was a success, because the teachers in attendance willed to have it so. Much credit, however, is due to S. B. Atwater, who has just been elected County Superintendent, for the timely efforts in arranging for this meeting. And with such colaborers as Messrs. Swafford, Harroun, Livingston, and others, we cease to wonder that the meeting should pass off with so much enthusiasm. By the way, three of the above-named gentlemen- Atwater, Harroun, Livingston-have been down in 'Dixie' the last three or four years, educaling their Southern brethren at the point of the bayonet and sword. They performed their duty bravely there, and now they have returned, covered with the honors of war, to battle with ignorance and its allies at home.

Mr. A. M. Gow, formerly of Rock Island, now, we believe, of Chicago, was present, and gave a lecture on the Relative Duties of Parents and Teachers'. The subject was handled in a masterly manner. The Word Method was brought before the institute, and was well presented. But we are of opinion that the system is unsound and false in philosophy. Teachers, like politicians, are fond of hobbies; and some times they ride them to death. Some are in favor of teaching the child the alphabet first; others prefer the word method or the phonetic system. The three methods in conjunction may be employed with advantage by the judicious teacher. At any rate, the child must not be left to grope his way in darkness, guessing what this word or that may be from its size and appearance. Principles must be taught. Especially the sounds of the letters must be early considered. Examples can be given where most excellent teachers have failed by adhering exclusively to the word method.

Although we had a good meeting and well attended, yet I was sorry to note the absence of teachers whom I had formerly met at those gatherings. Some schools, I believe, were in session in plain sight of the building where the institute met; and I learned that the cause of the absence of many was the unwillingness of directors to have the schools dismissed. This ought not to be. Without exception, the schools are the losers. Can not a law be passed compelling the closing of the schools and the attendance of teachers on such occasions? We commend this suggestion to the law makers.

One thing, in particular, I would not forget to mention: I refer to the festival, given, I think, by the scholars and patrons of J. E. Harroun's school, under the immediate supervision of Miss Angie Collier and another lady, whose name I do not remember. These ladies proved conclusively, to the satisfaction of the stomach of every one present, that they were qualified for other duties besides teaching. Mercer is a noble county, and has her full share of eminent teachers. Long may we cherish the remembrance of the teachers and friends of Mercer county. LOMBARD UNIVERSITY, JAN. 1866. J. V. N. STANDISH.

POPE COUNTY.-We are glad to receive the following:

Editor of the Illinois Teacher-Dear Sir: It gives me great pleasure to write to you in regard to our schools, and particularly of the organization of the Pope County Teachers' Institute.

The Teachers' Institute of Pope county, Illinois, held their first semi-annual meeting on December 27th, 1865, and continued during the 28th. Meetings had been held in September and October last, and the institute organized by adopting a constitution and code of by-laws for their government. Twenty-eight members were enrolled-eighteen males and ten females. A deep interest was manifested, and had it not been for the very bad weather, a very large attendance would have been had; but the members present went to work determined to do something. The semi-annual address of the President, Wm. V. Eldredge, though lengthy, was listened to with deep interest throughout, and was fraught with important and useful information to the profession. The principal points werethat a correct education is as easily acquired as an erroneous one; that no time is too soon to commence the work; and that the instructor himself must be instructed, and must have a thorough knowledge of the work he is engaged in, and also of the nature, wants and capacities of the minds intrusted to his care.

The essay of Mr. James T. Baker on Arithmetic was an earnest and excellent production. A number of other excellent essays were also read, and the history and present condition of our schools, by the County Superintendent, was received with great satisfaction.

A premium-list was made up for the first and second best sets of treasurers' books, also of directors' books and teachers' schedules.

The institute was a success, and will be productive of great good. The next meeting will be held on the 11th and 12th days of July, 1866.

GOLCONDA, JAN. 11.

THEODORE STEYER, County Superintendent of Schools.

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.-The Champaign county teachers are alive, and trying to stir. They held an institute in Champaign City, upon the 8th and 9th of December, which proved to be quite a success. Mr. T. R. Leal, County Superintendent of Schools, and a member of the State Board of Education, held over as president from a former meeting and took the chair. The day sessions were principally devoted to drill exercises upon the common branches taught in our schools, and the evenings to essays and discussions. Special attention was given to primary instruction. The Word Method of teaching reading drew out a very warm discussion and much telling of experience. Some had finely succeeded, others wholly failed, the difference probably owing to the teachers themselves and their manner of presenting it. What do others say?

Essays were read as follows: by Miss Osgood, on How to make school pleasant; Miss Craig, on All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; Mr. Haven, on SelfEducation; Mr. Burrill, on The Philosophy of Teaching; and Mr. Coffeen, on Some Little Things; — each of which had a professional ring.

Among the resolutions passed, one recommended the Illinois Teacher to the patronage of all interested in schools.

Taking all in all, a good work was done, and we parted feeling that an increased interest in the meetings would usher in a new dawn upon the educational cause with us. T. J. BURRILL, Secretary.

Mr. Leal was reëlected President.

PIKE COUNTY.-We are much obliged to Mr. Boltwood, of Griggsville, for the following:

Mr. Edwards,-Dear Sir: Knowing, by editorial experience on the N. H. Teacher in days gone by, that 'local items' are some times acceptable, I send you one or two for the Teacher.

The Pike County Teachers' Association, whose meetings were suspended for two years during the war, has been revived. Successful meetings have been held at Pittsfield and at Perry, and the subject of a County Institute is under consideration. Mr. Jon Shastid, of Perry, is President of the Association.