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and enjoyment of life and its interests and pleasures when he has once established himself, is of such worth that he can well afford at the outset of his business career to undergo for its sake some inconvenience and at times even a little humiliation.

PETER RUDOLPH NEFF, PRESIDENT COLLEGE OF MUSIC, CINCINNATI. In reply to your question, I beg to say, that next to the inculcation of sound religious principles, I regard the acquirement of a collegiate education for any young man as a matter of vital importance. My somewhat critical observation of the career of my school companions is to the effect that thorough education is a benefit to a man in any walk of life. My own experience is, that a complete course of instruction in the higher mathematics, in the ancient and modern languages, in the natural sciences and in English literature, was as beneficial to me as a principal in business for twenty-two years, as it has been in other subsequent pursuits. A boy who has good habits, sound principles and thorough education, may rest assured that his life will not be spent in vain; and if, in addition to these, he is robust and industrious, the world will, doubtless, be the better for his existence.

WM. S. MEllin, genERAL MANAGER NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.

In regard to the much vexed question, I could have but one answer, and that would be positively and unequivocally, "Yes, if he can procure the means to do so." It is undoubtedly true that the majority of the successful business men of the present day are not college-bred men, but are men who have risen from the masses almost entirely through inherent qualities and physical and mental energy, and minds sufficiently well balanced to keep them fairly clear of the temptations which surround a young man's life. We must concede the fact that physical and mental force, as a rule, produce the best results when they go hand in hand; when combined they are what make successful men, if controlled by a correct moral nature. If the colleges of the present day had a tendency to cramp or restrain this force, then a boy about to enter business would not be benefited, but where the energy is inherent in the individual it will find its outlet, whether it be through the success of a college life or the success of a business career; and the man who has the advantages of mental discipline and a thorough education will go through life more smoothly, and, as he rises in the social scale through business successes, will find himself better qualified and adapted to the higher position than he possibly

could be without the collegiate education. I don't think the younger class of business men feel this as much as those who have reached near to the summit of success, which brings them in contact with the brightest and best men of the world. I have heard the expression from many in conversation, "How I wish I had been better educated in early life," but as a rule this thought comes to those whose successes have enabled them to grasp the better and brighter things of the world.

Notwithstanding these truths, no young man should for one instant trust in the mere fact of possessing a college education to bring him without effort any of the successes of life. Collegiate education would stand in about the same relative position to him that the martial drill does to the soldier; it enables him to perform the evolutions of parade in excellent shape, but if he lacks the real soldierly quality and the ability to do battle bravely and well, the fact that he is the best drilled soldier in the army does not avail him, and the young man going into college should be careful not to permit the college education to get him into a rut and wear down the pinnacles of his intellect; it should polish them-not wear them away.

HENRY M. ALDEN, EDITOR HARPER'S MAGAZINE.

In answering your question one must have in view not only the boy but the college. If it is proposed that the boy go to college because he is to enter business, then it must be presumed that it is an especial portion of the college to fit boys for business. But this is too severe a limitation upon the college. I take the question, then, to be whether a boy should go to college in spite of the fact that he is to enter business. Business, for its merely utilitarian objects, ought not to be the principal aim of any boy's life. Whether he can go to college or not, both his vital and his intellectual development are of primary importance. If he is so fortunate as to be able to go to college, he will find such an institution an important ministration to such development, not so much for the information he will acquire there as for the peculiar atmosphere and inspiring influences of college life. It is a life apartan unworldly life. It is the wilderness into which every young man should go; a wilderness where he has the society of others with like unworldly aims, and of teachers, each of whom, in his separate field, is an inspired and inspiring prophet. In so far as a college is perverted to accommodate itself to material aims, it misses its grand function, and, in so far as the boy allows either such aims or worldly pleasures to distract him from his sacred aspiration, he misses the blessing.

RALPH EMERSON, ROCKFORD, ILL.

A successful career implies something more than being merely a street-car conductor, a bookkeeper or a salesman for life. A college education now allows some flexibility in the course pursued, according to the intended life and the peculiar mental capacities of the student. Over forty years of close and somewhat extended acquaintance with American mercantile, manufacturing and invention business life, during which I have been associated with or employed various persons of collegiate education, leads me to say deliberately and emphatically, that when two young men have the same good natural ability, the one with college training will be most apt to succeed. He may for the first year or two fall behind one who has spent the same amount of time in an office, work-shop or store, but in the long run occasions will arise when the superior training of mind, the larger fund of information and the habit of looking at a subject on all sides, acquired at college, will make a difference in the degree of success or failure. The ability to acquire other languages, the understanding of the principles of physical science and the laws of the human mind, together with the knowledge of what man has before done, often come in play when least expected; often enables the pushing open of doors which a lack of the above would render difficult or impossible.

Only the other day one of the highest officers in one of the largest electric light industries in this country said to me, "These young fellows out of the colleges, if they are willing to pull off their coats, put on the climbers, go up on electric light poles and learn the practical part of the business, are just the men to succeed. Most of them will get there and make the best kind of managing and executive men.”

But the above is only looking at the subject in its narrow form. The main reason why a business man should have a college education is, that if he is successful in business, that success should be used not merely to pile dollar on dollar, but also for his own good and the good of the community in which he lives, of the State and of the nation. How pitiable is he who has only dollars without the ability to use and enjoy them understandingly. How can he successfully do this if his whole education has been confined to the acquisition of money, without the wider outlook and the trained ability which a college education gives, to calmly survey the whole field and select the point where his energy and wealth will amount to the most.

THE TEACHERS' TENURE OF OFFICE.

Much is being done to place public school teaching among the professions. It is not necessary to particularize here as to the general movement in this direction. Every reading teacher is aware that this is the popular subject of the day among educational writers and speakers; and it is not the old teachers alone who have seen the great advances that have been made.

It is safe, however, to say that, notwithstanding the many improvements, the time has not yet come when the public school teacher can refer to his "profession" without a word or a look of apology. Opinions may differ as to this, as they will about the elements or conditions necessary to a profession; but for my present purpose I shall be content to assume that teaching has not reached that high plane to which able men and women are now struggling to lift it.

This assumption admits the existence of hindrances to progress. My purpose here is to discuss a prominent obstacle that lies between the precarious occupation of the teacher of to-day and the stable profession of the future-our present tenure of office system.

Without fear of disagreement, I charge to this system the greater part of the discouragements that attend the teacher in his efforts to rise. I say that as a result of such a system the teachers of this country are a class of carpet-baggers or genteel roustabouts.

Some teacher may object to this statement. If so, I say to him, "Examine that pin-hook upon which your position hangs, the good will perhaps of one trustee, and don't be surprised or lonesome next time when you are called upon to take your 'grip' in hand and start in search of a new school."

It seems needless to discuss in particular the evils incident to this insecurity of position. I shall make bold, however, to say for all teachers, that our tenure of office system is a poor one and ought to be displaced by a better one at once.

I need not argue that the frequent change of teachers, which seem to be a part of our school system, is a great detriment to the schools. On the other hand it is evident that permanent employment of good teachers means increased value to the schools. Nor is it necessary to show that permanency of position would tend to improve the quality of instruction. Long-term service means "the survival of the fittest."

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Every experienced teacher can see to what extent this article might be prolonged in speaking of the evils incident to frequent change, or the fear or expectation of it, of the first weeks in a new school and the last weeks in an old one; of the clouds of doubt and suspicion that hover for months about the "new teacher; " of the great disadvantage to teachers, and the greater loss to pupils from non-acquaintance with dispositions, temperaments and abilities; of the lack of parental support, which is best secured through intimate neighborhood acquaintance, and so on, ad infinitum.

It may not be an easy matter to remedy this fault in our school system, but I venture that a random change would be more likely to improve than to injure.

I shall not undertake to present a natural plan, but I shall endeavor to set forth some ideas upon the subject, which, it is my belief, look to the improvement of the present system.

I hold that a teacher's position should depend upon service, and not upon the good will of one or two persons. Efficient service implies qualification and good behavior. It also implies favorable attending circumstances. If a teacher has the ill-will of a large number of the patrons of his school to combat, he can not render to the pupils of that school the service that he is expected to give. So I should express it thus: A teacher ought to retain his position (if he so desires), until a sufficient number of the patrons of the school (I should say a majority), have said by vote at the annual election that his services are no longer wanted.

This may imply an annual voting test, but not necessarily. Upon the petition of a certain number of heads of families, or a certain percentage of the voters of the district, the question of removal could be submitted for decision.

It is my opinion, to state in reverse form what I have already said, that when the majority of the people of a school district favor the retention of a teacher, he ought, considering the losses incident to change, to be retained; and, as before, when the greater number have expressed their dissatisfaction with the teacher, considering the interests both of the school and the teacher, he ought to be removed. I am confident in saying that this idea, while it may not be practical, is at least democratic.

I have intimated parenthetically that in my opinion if a teacher wishes to relinquish his right to a position, it should be his privilege to do so. I modify this by saying, when a term or a year's contract has been completed.