-BUSINESS COLLEGE, Lexington, KY.-We refer you to the advertisement of the renowned Commercial College of Kentucky University, situated in the beautiful, historical and society-renowned city, Lexington, Ky. Write for circulars to its President, W. R. Smith, Lexington, Ky.

-The Tariff question is to be thoroughly discussed in the North American Review. Free Trade arguments will appear in the September number, and Protection views in October. The ablest writers on both sides have been engaged.

-The Teachers Co-operative Association, 38 Madison avenue, Chicago, Ill., have just issued a pamphlet entitled "How to Apply for a Position," and "How to Learn of Vacancies." It is a practical book for the use of young teachers, and gives the essence of what a letter of application should contain. It discusses the efficiency of Teachers' Bureaus, and also gives useful information as to the work of Teachers' Agencies. Price, 15 cents.

-PHYSIOLOGY IN SCHOOLS.-The following resolution was passed unanimously by Michigan State W. C. T. U., June 6, 1884 :

Resolved, That we may better guard our schools against books that do not teach a sound orthodoxy on the Temperance question, we, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Michigan, in our annual State Convention assembled, do approve the decision of our National Department of Scientific Instruction to endorse impartially on their merits all text books on Physiology and Hygiene, with special reference to alcoholics and narcotics, and urge our local Unions to exert their influence for use in the schools of their vicinity, of such books only as have this endorsement.

Second, Resolved, That we adopt the Hygienic Physiology by J. D. Steele, printed and published by A. S. Barnes & Co., New York and Chicago, and edited and endorsed by our National Superintendent of Scientific Instruction as a work best embodying Physiology and Hygiene with special reference to alcoholics and narcotics, and urge it upon local Boards of Education for school use in this State in accordance with recent legislation.

Third, Resolved, Believing that the wishes of this large representation of the intelligent Motherhood of this State concerning the text-book to be used in the education of their children on the temperance question, will have influence with the State Board of Health and State Board of Education, we respectfully urge these gentlemen to recommend Dr. Steele's Hygienic Physiology for school use in this State. We further ask that they will favorably consider any text-books for lower grades of schools on this subject, which, endorsed by our National Department, we may subsequently submit to them.

The Magazines.

THE CENTURY for August.-As usual with the "Midsummer Holiday Number" the August CENTURY is uncommonly attractive in pictures, fiction, and anecdotal papers. An outdoor quality, appropriate to the season, is noticeable in John Burrough's fresh woodland and field paper, "A Glance at British Wild Flowers," illustrated in a lively decorative style. Of midsummer character are two brief essays, “A Summer Holinight," by Edith M. Thomas; and the other an essay by Dr. Ed. Eggleston on "Americans at Play," in spite of a popular prejudice that we are an over worked, heavyhearted people. An authentic paper on "General Sam Houston," by Alexander Hynds, is full of anecdotes of that remarkable backwoodsman and pioneer statesman. Two portraits, engraved with special care for this article, are from an old daguerreotype and from a miniature showing Houston in his costume as a Cherokee chieftain. The first paper of a classical series by William J. Stillman, "On the Track of Ulysses," in which he describes his trip by yacht to the supposed places visited by

Ulysses during his adventures as described by Homer in the Odyssey. In the matter of stories, the most inveterate reader of fiction will find an abundance. The serious side of this number includes an important paper by Isaac L. Rice, who lays out "Work for a Constitutional Convention"; a striking paper by the Rev. Dr. Washington Gladden, on "Three Dangers" to Society, meaning Intemperance, Divorce, and Business Gambling.

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY for August.-Contents: In War Time. XV., XVI. 8. Weir Mitchell; Carpe Diem, E. R. Still; The Twilight of Greek and Roman Sculpture, William S. Liscomb; The Zigzag Telegraph, L. G Thompson; The Rose and the Oriole, T. W. Parsons; A Cook's Tourist in Spain (II); Dinkey, Mary Beale Brainerd; Nathaniel Parker Willis, Ed. F Hayward; The Edda Among the Algonquin Indians, Charles G. Leland; The Thunder-Cloud, James T. McKay: Bugs and Beasts Before the Law, E. P. Evans; An Old New England Divine, Kate Jannett Wells; The Anatomizing of William Shakespeare (III), Richard Grant White; Where It Listeth, Edith M. Thomas; Lodge's Historical Studies, A Modern Prophet, The Contributor's Club, Books of the Month.

LIPPINCOTT'S MAGAZINE for August.-Contents: Some Suburbs of New York (II)—West Chester and Long Island (Illustrated); Vivisection, by Albert Leffingwell, M. D.; Aurora (a story), by Mary Agnes Tincker; Personal Reminiscences of Charles Reade (first paper), by John Coleman; Some New Thing (a story), by W. W. Crane; A Word From a Woman Against Female Suffrage, by E. A. Bloodgood; Life in a Russian Province (two papers-II), by Sarah M. S. Pereira; My Chaperon (a story), by Henry Lewis; Confederate Postage-Stamps, (Illustreted), by Will M. Clemens; together with other short stories, poems, and articles of interest upon current topics. A new story by the author of "Phyllis," "Molly Bawn," etc., entitled A Week in Killarney, is commenced in this number.

POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY for August.-Contents: Hickory-Nuts and Butternuts, by Grant Allen; The Ghost of Religion; Retrogressive Religion, by Herbert Spencer; Some Rambles of a Naturalist; Scientific Philanthropy; The World's Geyser-Regions (Illustrated); Reparation to Innocent Convicts: The Chemistry of Cookery; My Monkeys; The Salt Deposits of Western New York; The Morality of Happiness; The Mystic Properties of Numbers; Sketch of Professor Felipe Poey (with portait). Editor's Table-Science and the Temperance Reform; Literary Notices; Popular Miscellany; Notes.

ST. NICHOLAS for August is a profusely illustrated and seasonable midsummer number. It opens with a charmingly written and illustrated article on "Old Shep and the Central Park Sheep." The frontispiece is illustrative of this paper.

Blanche Willis Howard writes a simple and pathetic story of German child-life, with a happy ending, called "Frieda's Doves." The two illustrations, The Corner of the Cathedral" and "The Dormer-window," are of scenes closely identified with the author's own life in Germany.

Celia Thaxter appears in this number in a new role-as the illustrator of Joel Benton's quaint poem, "The Curious House."

An interesting and instructive paper is that entitled "Paper: Its Origin and History," illustrated from drawings made at the mills where the paper is manufactured on which ST. NICHOLAS is printed. There is a thrilling account of a great fire in Constantinople, and of its inadequate fire department. Louisa M. Alcott contributes a summery "Spinning-wheel Story," called "The Little House in the Garden; the "Historic Boys" story is about "Baldwin of Jerusalem, the Boy Crusader "; while Maurice Thompson takes "Marvin and his Boy Hunters" through a quail-hunting trip and a bear adventure.

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW for August.-Contents: The Encroachments of Capital, Justice J. V. Campbell; The Origin of Comets, Richard A. Proctor; Are we a Nation of Rascals? J. F. Hume; Man and Brute, G J. Romanes; The Drift Toward Centralization, Judge E. G. Loving; The American Element in Fiction, Julian Hawthorne; Prohibition and Persuasion, Neal Dow and Dr. Dio Lewis.

THE AMERICAN NATURALIST for August.-Contents: The Glaciated Area of N. Americae, (Illustrated), G. F. Wright; On the Evidence that the Earth's Interior is Solid, Con., M. E. Wadsworth; On the Shedding of the Claws in the Ptarmigan and Allied Birds, L. Stejneger; On the Constitution of Some of the Appendages of the Mollusca, W. H. Doll; The Theory of Sex and Sexual Genesis, Con., C M. Hollingsworth; The Condylathra (Illustrated), E. D. Cope. Editors' Table; Recent Literature; General Notes-Geography and Travels, Geology and Palaeontology, Botany, Entomology, Zoology, Physiology, Psychology, Anthropology, Microscopy, and Histology; Scientific News; Proceedings of Scientific Societies.

OUR LITTLE ONES IN THE NURSERY for August has been received.

OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT.

R. R. FARR, Superintendent Public Instruction, Editor.

[The Journal is sent to every County Superintendent and District Clerk, and must be carefully preserved by them as public property and transmitted to their successors in office.]

PEABODY TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.-We are more than pleased at the success of the Summer Normals this year, the attendance at the four held aggregating one thousand and thirty-one teachers. It is impossible to estimate the great benefit to our public schools derived from these gatherings of teachers, and the instructions received by them. It cannot but tell for good in the school-rooms of these teachers.

The Wytheville Institute opened July 15th, and closed August 12th, and was held under the supervision of Professor E. V. DeGraff up to August 1st, and from August 1st to 12th under Professor W. B. McGilvray, whose report we give as follows:

Hon. R. R. FARR,

RICHMOND, VA., August 19, 1884.

Superintendent Public Instruction:

SIR, I have the honor of submitting the following report of Wytheville Normal Institute, which was held at Wytheville, Va., from July 15th to August 12th, inclusive.

Three hundred and three teachers-one hundred and eighty-two females and one hundred and twenty-one males—were in attendance. The exercises consisted mainly of illustrated lectures upon methods

of teaching, interspersed with singing and calisthenics.

Prof. E. V. De Graff, of Washington, D. C., had charge until August 1, and lectured upon Spelling, Reading, Penmanship, Language, and Discipline. Prof. W. B. McGilvray, of Richmond, Va., had charge the remainder of the session, and lectured upon Arithmetic, Geography, History, Grammar, School Management, and Hygiene. Each of these gentlemen gave two public lectures in addition to the regular work.

Prof. Little, of Washington, gave a course of lectures upon Drawing. Prof. Painter, of Roanoke College, delivered six lectures upon History of Education. Prof. Obenchain, of Kentucky, gave a lecture upon the Sun, and another upon Interest. Prof. T. N. Conrad, of Blacksburg, gave one lecture upon Arithmetic, and at night presented

the claims of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College. Rev. J. B. Greever, of Wythe county, lectured upon Discipline, Geography, and Grammar.

I have never seen a body of teachers more earnestly engaged in the work of an institute. The attendance was regular and prompt, and the interest was kept up to the very last hour. I was pleased to notice that those teachers, who had attended previous institutes, were the most eager to hear and note everything bearing upon their work. About one hundred and eighty-seven teachers were present at the closing exercises-a pleasant little entertainment gotten up by the teachers for the last hour.

These Portable Normals-containing the very gist of the new education, simmered experience, and illuminating method-are the very life of our public school system, and they are doing a work now that would not be done by any other instrumentality. They are the most efficient means of supplying the real and pressing wants of the system; and they must be the main reliance, yea, the only hope of the great body of our present teachers; no other means yet adopted will ever reach those in time to be serviceable. I sincerely hope that our Legislature will provide the means for perpetuating and extending Normal Institutes.

Very respectfully,

W. B. MCGILVRAY.

The Summer Session of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute opened July 15th, and closed after a most successful course of six weeks.

This was in charge of Professor James Storum, Principal of the Institute, assisted by his corps of teachers, report of which is made as follows:

Hon. R. R. FARR,

PETERSBURG, August 25, 1884.

Superintendent Public Instruction:

SIR, The Institute for colored teachers convened at the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute on Tuesday, July 15th, and continued six weeks. During this time all of the teachers of this Institution have given more or less of their time. The branches taught were chiefly Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, and History, together with methods of instruction. Considerable time was given to free-hand drawing, conducted by Professor Little.

Dr. H. L. Harris lectured before the Institute several times on Physiology, and Rev. York Jones on History.

The teachers seemed to be eager to improve the opportunity afforded them, and express themselves as being very greatly benefited. The number enrolled was one hundred and thirteen; fifty-three males and sixty females.

We have no official report as yet from the Harrisonburg or Farmville Institutes.

At the former there were four hundred and seventy-five teachers enrolled-two hundred and sixty-seven females and two hundred and eight males; and at the latter one hundred and thirty-eight enrolled-fifty-six females and eighty-two males.

The census of each teacher in attendance was taken, and the information, when compiled at this office, will be of a valuable an interesting character.

ANNUAL REPORTS.-Annual reports from sixty-one counties and cities have been received, which show a decided increase in enrolment and average attendance over last year. The attention of those superintendents who have not reported is called to a careful comparison of Tables I and 2 with Table 10 to be sure that the totals and averages agree. Superintendents are admonished to be very careful to see that their balances on hand of State, county, district and other funds, August 1, 1883, correspond with the balances reported by them last year on Table V, Form 352.