of condensed information on Mechanics, Statistics, History, Medicine, Astronomy, Finance, Mythology, Education, Mathematics, The Bible, Politics, Agriculture, Religion, Science, Temperance, Trade, etc., etc. In fact, there seems to be something for everybody and nothing that some one will not be glad to know. It is embellished with a number of colored diagrams, and is by far the most valuable and complete Pocket Cyclopædia we have yet seen. It is offered for sale at the exceedingly low price of 25 cents, for which sum in stamps it will be sent postpaid by the publishers, A. H. Andrews & Co., Chicago.

-Harper's Young People for 1885 forms a magnificent gift book for the young. It presents great variety, both in matter and in illustrations, and is put up in very handsome cloth bindings. Call at Randolph & English's and get a copy. Price, $3.50.

Messrs. Ginn & Co. announce for early publication Those Dreadful Mouse Boys, second edition; The Leading facts of English History, by H. D. Montgomery; Mediaval and Modern History, by Prof. Myers; and in the Series of Classics for Children, Ruskin's King of the Golden River.

-Call at West, Johnston & Co's and secure one of the Longfellow, Emerson, Holmes or Whitney Calendars. Price $1 each.

-Inkstands, paper-cutters, pictures, paper-weights, card cases, &c., &c., at Walford & Son's.

Notes.

A Teacher's Institute, under the direction of Superintendent J. W. Simmons, was held at Floyd C. H. on the 19th and 20th of November, 1885. There were sixty-two teachers in attendance. Rev. W. R. Coppedge, Principal of Oxford Academy; Messrs. George W. Owens, W. H. Naff, Thos. L. Moore, C. D. Hylton, Clayton Cummings, and others, took prominent parts in the exercises. Miss Carrie Smith, assisted by the young ladies of Oxford Academy, furnished music for the Institute.

-Beckwith, Parham, & Anderson keep their Circulating Library supplied with the latest publications. Subscribe, and so help yourself and a much needed enterprise.

The publishers of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary have just added a new and valuable feature-a new Pronouncing Gazetteer of the World-containing over 25,000 titles, briefly describing the countries, cities, towns and natural features of every part of the globe. A choice Holiday Gift. See advertisement in this number.

-Pompeii, illustrated with superb engravings, and Ivanhoe, splendidly bound, and full of appropriate pictures, can be had of Beckwith, Parham & Anderson at reasonable rates.

The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science for 1886, H. B. Adams, editor, will treat of American Municipal Government. Among

the monthly monographs will be the following: Dutch Village Communities on the Hudson River, Rhode Island Town Governments, Pennsylvania Boroughs, Introduction to State Constitutional History, City Government of Baltimore, Philadel phia, Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco and New York.

—Beckwith, Parham & Anderson have on hand numbers of splendidly illustrated books, and a full stock of handsomely bound standard works.

Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co. announce for early publication Studies in General History, An Application of the Scientific Method to the Teaching of History, by Mary D. Sheldon. It will be accompanied by a Teacher's Manual.

line.

-Walford & Son can supply all kinds of handsome books and bric-a-brac in their

Messrs. Ginn & Co. announce Andreas, Prof. Baskervill, as Vol. III of their Library of Anglo-Saxon poetry, under the editorial care of Prof. J. A. Harrison, of Washington and Lee University. Also, the Second Edition, revised, of Beowulf, by Profs. Harrison and Sharp.

-Randolph & English offer a large and varied stock of Christmas goods.

Messrs. A. S. Barnes & Co. have just issued an Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, by Prof. James A. Harrison, of Washington and Lee University. Prof. Harrison, with his accustomed energy and care, has brought the results of his thorough scholarship to make this an accurate and reliable guide—a much-needed aid to the students of Anglo-Saxon.

-An unusually large assortment of toy books at Randolph & English's.

-Handsome Teachers' Bibles at T. J. Starke & Sons'.

The Magazines.

The December number of the SOUTHERN BIVOUAC has a description by General C. C. Gilbert, U S. A. of the opening of the Battle of Perryville, accompanied by a colored map showing accurately the position of the various divisions of the armies. The same number of the magazine contains a paper by Colonel W. H. Swallow, C. S. A. on the Battle of Gettysburg, which is also accompanied by

an accurate map.

Hugh N. Starnes, of Georgia, contributes an interesting illustrated article on the invention of the Cotton Gin.

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY for December. Contents: The Princess Casamassima. Henry James; Southern Colleges and Schools, Charles Forster Smith; Corydon to Thyris; Childhood in Modern Literature and Art, H. E. Scudder; Quatrains by Different Hands, I. Milton; The Shadow, John B. Tabb; II. The Night-Blooming Cereus, Charlotte Fiske Bates; III. Disappointment: Time, Thos. S. Collier; IV. The Bust of Kronos, William H. Hayne; A Country Gentleman, M. O. W. Oliphant: The Idea of God, II. John Fiske; To S. O J., Invitation to a Walk, Edith M. Thomas; Two Halves of a Life; Life in St. Petersburg, Edmund Noble; The New Portfolio, Postscript: After Glimpses, Oliver Wendell Holmes; Louis Agassiz; Shakespeare's Fellows.

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY for 1885 promises to be of special interest. It will have serial stories by Charles Egbert Craddock, Henry James and William H. Bishop. No more appetizing announcement could be made thau that James Russell Lowell will write, both in prose and poetry, for the ATLANTIC for the coming year. John Fiske, who has made a special study of the period from the close of the American Revolution to the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, will contribute six or more papers shedding much and welcome light on that period of our history. Mr. Hamerton, the eminent English writer, promises a series of papers comparing the English and French in their

characters, customs and opinions; and Mr. Aldrich, who has written some of the best short stories in American literature, will furnish some more for next year's ATLANTIC. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Boston.

ST. NICHOLAS for December.-Frontispiece: Portrait of a Little Girl " From a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds The Little Christmas-tree. Poem. Susan Coolidge. Little Lord Fauntleroy, Chapter II Frances Hodgson Burnett. Initial and two illustrations. The Snow-storm. Verses New Bits of Talk for Young Folks. I. (H. H)Helen Jackson. Enough for Two. Picture. Santa Claus on a Lark Washington Gladden. Two illustrations. How Fishes Climb Hill. Two illustrations. "A Right Royal Christmas to You" Christmas Card. My Echo Poem. Ilitstrated and engrossed. School-life at Rugby. Eight illustrations A Morning at Rugby during Vacation-time. Five illustrations; and a fullpage portrait of Dr. Thomas Arnold. Putting This and That Together Sky Sailing Poem. One Little Rhyme. Verses. The Christmas Number. Picture. "Benevolent Boy!" Jingle. Illustrated. Christmas before Last. Frank R. Stockton Five illustrations. The Considerate Crocodile. Jiugle Illustrated and engrossed. A Romance Verses. Illustrated The Rajah's Paper-cutter. Mrs Kriss Kringle. Verses. Edith M. Thomas. Our Holiday Party. "Keep off the Grass." Picture Among the Lawmakers. Ch XXVIII From Bach to Wagner. IX Chopin. Sixteen and Six. Verses. Illustrated and engrossed. The Smallest Dog in the World. The Adventure of a Mouse H. P. For Middleaged Little Folks. (Illustrated.) Jack in-the-Pulpit. (Illustrated.) For very Little Folks. Verses and illustrations.

THE DECEMBER CENTURY-The frontispiece is a striking portrait of the late Helen Jackson ("H. H."), with which is given an appreciative account of her life and writings, by a New England writer, followed by seven new poems, her last work in verse. G. P. Lathrop draws entertaining word-portraits of the Gardiners of Gardiner's Island, under the title, "An American Lordship," and the sketches, by Harry Fenn, give charming glimpses of their island estate Mark Twain contributes a chapter of autobiography, entitled "The Private History of a Campaign that Failed," which is humorously illustrated by Kemble. It describes the writer's short service as a Confederate volunteer, and is the perfect type of a satirical war paper. The sketch has historical value as showing the fluctuations of opinion at that time, and the unmilitary character of some of the earlier campaigns. The writer's well-known map of Paris is not funnier than the maps he has sketched for his contribution to THE CENTURY War Series. Captain Ericsson furnishes the serious war paper of the number, which is both important as a contribution to history and interesting to the get eral reader. since it describes the principles of construction of the original Monitor and the performances of "The Monitors" as a class, all from the point of view of the inventor. The pictures illustrate fully the battle incidents, as well as tho mechanical side of the paper. The Loss of the Monitor" is briefly and most graphically described by a survivor, Francis B Butts. The Shah and his palaces are described incidentally in an attractive illustrated paper on "The City of Teheran," by the Hon S. G. W Benjamin, late United States Minister to Persia

LIPPINCOTT'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE A Popular Journal of General Literature. With the issue for January, 1886, important chances will be made in the literary character and typographical appearance of Lippincott's Magazine, which, while more than maintaining the former standards of excellence, will, it is expected, materially increase its popularity and widen its sphere of usefulness. The distinctive features of Lippincott's for the coming year will be as follows: It will be a live periodical, interesting itself in all the current topics of the day, literary, artistic, political and social, and enlisting to their discussion the ablest pens in England and America A fair hearing will be accorded to all sides of a controversy, though the magazine will strictly preserve its own neutrality. It will be especially strong in fiction. By special arrangement it will be the authorized medium through which the choicest stories, essays and sketches by transatlantic authors will reach the American public simultaneously with their appearance abroad

It will number among its American contributors such writers as Julian Hawthorne, Harriet Prescott Spofford, Jhn Bach McMaster, Brander Matthews. etc., etc. It will be the cheapest first-class magazine issued in America. Recognizing the needs of the time for good literature at moderate prices, the publishers have decided to lower the subscription price, commencing with the new volume, to a sum that will place Lippincott's Monthly Magazine within the reach of all. 25 cents per copy. $2.00 per annum, in advauce

THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW for December may be called an historical number, both from its topics and its contributors. It opens with an article by Colonel Fred Grant, entitled "Halleck's injustice to Grant." This article explains how Halleck so misrepresented General Grant, after the capture of Fort Donelson, that General McClellan authorized his arrest! It is an extraordinary revelation and is told almost exclusively in extracts from dispatches, many of which were suppressed.

"Rome and the Inquisitions" is a learned Catholic defence of the charge of cruelty against these ecclesiastical tribunals-outside of Spain

Gen Fry, in his "Acquaintance with Grant," describes the cadet life of the future "General of the Army," and vindicates Gen Fitz-John Porter

Senator Boutwell and Gen. Rosecrans contribute two articles-on Johnson's plot and on Grant's mistakes, which are too important to discuss in a paragraph.

Mr. Rice, the editor, contributes the closing article on "A Disfranchised People," which, he claims, the citizens of Delaware are

POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY for December. The Scientific Study of Religion; Postal SavingsBanks; The Refracting Telescope (illustrated); Thomasville as a Winter Resort, by E. L Youmans; The Spirit and Method of Scientifi Study; The Social Life of Arctic Birds, Neuter Insects: Masson's Interpretation of Carlyle; Relations of Science to the Public Weal, II. by sir Lyon Playfair, M. P., F. R S The Uniformity of Nature, by the Bishop of Carlisle; Sketch of Prof. Alpheus Hyatt (with portrait); Correspondence: A Significant Analogy-Corporations and their employees; Editor's Table: President Lesley's Address; The Epidemic at Montreal; Party Government.

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.]

Superintendents' Conference.

Pursuant to adjournment, this body will meet in Richmond on the first Tuesday in February, 1886. The Legislature will be in session at that time, which will prevent the Conference from having the use of the Hall of the House of Delegates and the Senate Chamber. A suitable hall can be secured in which to hold the sessions of the Conference, but none with accommodations sufficient for the Conference and the school exhibits can be obtained. This, I regret to say, will compel us to dispense with the exhibition of school work, which was the most interesting and instructive feature of our last session. This, however, should not retard the work in the school room, but each superintendent should arrange to hold an exhibition in connection with his county institute, thereby giving each teacher a chance to give a practical illustration of what is being done in his school in the way of actual advancement.

The following resolution was adopted by the last Conference:

Resolved, That we believe the Conference would more fully accomplish its end by having the President to select, some time before our annual meeting, the subjects for discussion at that meeting, and appoint a member to open the discussion, and that such opening address shall not exceed twenty minutes.

In accordance with the requirements of this resolution, I suggest the following subjects, and respectfully designate the gentlemen whose names follow the questions as the ones who shall "open the discussion."

I have not determined the order in which the questions shall be considered, nor the time-these will be fixed by the committee on programme:

The teacher's relations to the community in which he is employed. -Rev. GEORGE W. DAME.

Are county institutes for the improvement of teachers, as conducted, beneficial to our public free school system?-Rev. A. P. FUNKHOUSER, Superintendent.

The best method of conducting county institutes.-H. SHEFFEY ROLLER, Superintendent.

Should the State make an annual appropriation to conduct the Summer Normals?-E. C. GLASS, Acting Superintendent.

The relations between school superintendents and district trustees, and how should the latter be appointed?-A. A. McDONALD, Superintendent.

Should school trustees receive compensation for their services ?— Captain J. G. BOARD, Superintendent.

Is the conferring of medals in our public free schools as an incentive to study, beneficial?-Professor W. F. Fox, Principal Richmond High School.

Text-books-How should they be used?-Major A. G. PendleTON, Superintendent.

Should the State provide for life certificates to teachers, and how should they be awarded?--WILLIAM F. CARNE, Superintendent.

This list will do for the present, and I hope it will put Superintendents and other members of the Conference to thinking; and, if a subject of interest and importance suggests itself to them, that they will forward it to me, so that it can be given in the next JOURNAL.

I do not mean by this action to hamper the Conference or to shape its line of work, but simply to meet the requirements of the resolution. I hope the gentlemen named to open the discussion on the different questions will make good use of their twenty minuteswhich, of course, does not prevent any other member from engaging in the discussion for such a length of time as the Conference may allow.

I earnestly appeal to every superintendent and all other members to be present. It will be the closing of my official term, and I am anxious to see that the system is in perfect order before I turn it over to my successor.