County Boards have power to grant special certificates, rated for three years, which will entitle the holder to teach such special branches as may be required by City or County Boards of Education. The wants of the schools may be such as to require reading and elocution to be made special branches. Ordinarily it may be otherwise. Very truly yours, G. A. JOHNSON, BALANCE IN STATE FUND. Q. If a balance remains in the State Fund at the close of an eight month's school, may it be used to pay off the accrued indebtedness of the district, or must it be used for salaries only? A.-The State money over and above the Library Fund must always be applied to the payment of salaries of primary and grammar teachers and to nothing else. It is better to pay this out first, and then whatever balance is left at the close of the year will be available for district indebtedness. FEE FOR RENEWED CERTIFICATES. Q.-Is it legal to charge a fee for renewing certificates in any of the counties of California? A.-I think Section 1565 of our School Law authorizes such charge. A renewed certificate is, in effect, a new certificate. PENAL CODE FOR LIBRARIES. Q.-As Trustees are generally unfamiliar with the law, from which they undergo much embarrassment at times, do you think it would be proper to put the Penal Code into the school library? A.-I do not think it is necessary or advisable to put the Penal Code in school libraries. A copy of the School Law is furnished free to every school library in the State. This contains the duties of the Trustees, Superintendent and teachers; the Constitution of the State and such provisions of the Penal Code as have any bearing upon the duties of school officers. In short, it contains all the laws which ordinarily bear upon the management of the schools. You should have a copy of the School Law in your library but if you have not, your County Superintendent will supply you with one. It is of course necessary for Trustees to familiarize themselves with their duties. CENSUS MARSHAL. If a School Trustee or District Clerk acts as Census Marshal, he cannot under the law receive any pay for such work. CHANGE IN CITY SUPERINTENDENTS. A. L. Kellogg has been elected City Superintendent of Santa Clara Schools. Will Superintendents kindly notify this office of any other changes that may have occurred in City Superintendencies. ARBOR DAY. FLAG DAY. The observance of an Arbor Day in accordance with our suggestion and the enthusiasm so generally displayed in regard to flag raising, has been especially gratifying. The results in regard to the former movement have been greater than we hoped for, for the initial experiment, and we have no doubt that another year will develop still more satisfactory efforts towards beautifying the school premises. As for the flags, we feel assured that their numbers will constantly increase. The love of the Stars and Stripes when once aroused is a wave that will not be staid. The flag raisings are the outward expression of the belief, that has for some time been forced upon us, that the patriotic sentiment has not been sufficiently cultivated in our public schools. They will help school officers and teachers in their duty of systematically arousing and guiding the feeling of patriotism, and open the way to an interested study of Civil government. Ist. INSTITUTES. Lake County, April 29th--May 2nd. The elementary geography will be ready for distribution on July Will the Superintendents of all counties, advertising for textbooks, this year, mail a copy of the paper containing the advertisement, to this office? Two summer schools for teachers are announced for July and August. One at Pacific Grove, the other at Santa Monica. MEMORIAL DAY. The patriotic sentiment that is being aroused all over the State in behalf of our country's flag, will receive an additional stimulus by means of appropriate exercises for Memorial Day. The following suggestions and excerpts may be found useful. Place above the blackboard one or more small flags draped with black cloth and write underneath for repetition by class On another part of the board, under the heading, "Our Nation's Heroes," write in two columns the names of deceased soldiers who were prominent in the war, with this stanza between : "Our country! on thy spotless shield Oh! keep their memory fresh and green, Oh, deck with fadeless bays their names, Incidents in the lives of our great generals, facts in regard to regiments, soldiers or battles, may be added at will. Songs suitable for the occasion: America; Star Spangled Banner; Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean; The Red, White and Blue; Speed our Republic; Battle Hymn of the Republic; The Soldier's Requiem, Tenting To-night; The Nation's Dead. The observance of Memorial Day originated at the South before the close of the war. It was inaugurated by Southern women, who, by degrees, established the custom each year, in early spring, of decorating with flowers the graves of their dead. When the war ended, the custom had become quite general, and by common consent, the 30th of May had been fixed as the day for its observance. At the North the day was first formally established by General John A. Logan, Commander-in-chief of the G. A. R. in an general order, dated May 5th, 1868. The words of the order are as follows, and may be used as a recitation. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating, the graves of comrades who died in defence of their country during the late rebellion. We are organized for the purpose of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion. What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellion's tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed ground. Let pleasant paths unite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present, or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and undivided republic. If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remains, let us, then, at the time appointed, garland the passionless mounds with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us, in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us, a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude,—the soldier's widow and orphan." THE CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR. The civil war was the result of a number of causes extending back through many years of controversy, to the difference in climate, in occupation and in habit of life and thought. Among the more immediate causes were, a difference of opinion between the people of the North and the South, as to the right of the States to secede or be independent, and the strong public sentiment in the North against the institution of slavery-a belief that it was wrong and ought to be abolished. The Civil war began with an attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina by the Confederates. The first gun of the war was fired by Edmund Ruffin of Virginia, on Friday, April 12th, 1861, at 4 A. M. At seven o'clock A. M., Capt. Abner Doubleday fired the first shot from Fort Sumter in defense of the post. The attack lasted thirty-four hours. The barracks were set on fire by the shells, and the garrison, exhausted and nearly out of provisions, were obliged to surrender. No lives were lost. ITS END. This war continued for four dreadful years and was brought to a close by the surrender of General Lee and his army at Appomattox Court House, to General Grant, on the 9th of April, 1865, and by the surrender of General Johnston, sixteen days later, to General Sherman. * * * * * "The story of the gallant services of the 'boys in blue' is one which can never tire, and their trials, privations, hardships and sufferings, and their glorious achievements can never be forgotten. A nation's honor and a people's gratitude will keep fresh their recollections for all coming time. * * * * Let us resolve that the great heritage we have received shall be handed down through the long line of the advancing generations: the home of liberty, the abode of justice, the stronghold of faith among men, which holds the moral elements of the world together, and of faith in God, which binds that world to his throne. * * * * Sheridan's Ride." Barbara Frietchie.' 'The Blue and the Gray." 'Beecher's Tribute to our Honored Dead." "Extracts from Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg." The Graves of the Patriots." ** "The Nation's Dead." Extracts from "Decoration Day," by H. H. 44 'Flowers for the Brave" by Celia Thaxter. "Memorial Hymn," E. L. Robbins. J. B. H. |