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THE POETRY OF TENNYSON. Published A GERMAN READER for Beginners in School

by Charles Scribners' Sons, New York. By Henry Van Dyke.

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or College, with Notes and a Vocabulary. By Edward S. Joynes, M. A., Professor in South Carolina University. Published by D. C. Heath & Co., Boston.

Not only will the admirers of Tennyson be delighted with this book, but all who This is a reader for beginners only and possess the poetic instinct and delight in true poetry. The author is quite well and aims to be this in all the features which favorably known to the reading public by a book of the kind should possess to make his books on Art and Pictures. In this it superior. It is not intended to be an involume he does not aim to give a biography troduction to German literature, but to the of Tennyson, nor a criticism of his works, reading of the German language. All the but to lead to a consideration of that soul selections are made with this object in view. of beauty and power which dwells in all Particular attention is given to the repretrue poetry. Being a strong admirer of sentations of all necessary forms; the matTennyson, he finds in the study of his poe- ter is progressive and the notes are judicious. try an expression of convictions regarding OPEN SESAME! Poetry and Prose for School art, religion and human life which aid in the elevation of character. Teachers of English will find this to be a valuable addition to their libraries, because it will tend toward giving a true conception of what the best poetry is, and it also awakens a more delicate sensibility to its refining influence.

SICS.

Days. Edited by Blanche Wilder Bellamy and Maud Wilder Goodwin. Vol. I. Arranged for children from four to twelve years of age. Published by Ginn & Co., Boston.

This is a collection of poetry and prose for school days. It was prepared with the hope that it would encourage children to learn by heart and so learn to love some of LABORATORY OF EXPERIMENTAL PHY- the choice bits of our literature. It cerA brief course of Quantitative Experiments Intended for Beginners. By Al- tainly is an encouraging sign of the times bert L. Arey, C. E., Instructor in Physics in that so much effort is expended in endeavorRochester Free Academy. Illustrated. ing to weave about the life of the child a Published by C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, web of beautiful thoughts. What better N. Y. service can a teacher do than to assist in this noble work?

UNITED STATES HISTORICAL OUTLINES For Teachers and Students. By F. Gillum Cromer, Superintendent of Public Schools, Greenville, Ohio. Published by the author, Greenville, Ohio.

The aim of the author in the preparation of this manual is stated to be as follows: "First, to provide a series of experiments suited to the ability of the average student in our secondary schools, which would require him to make measurements of some kind; second, to devise inexpensive apparatus with which results may be obtained This little book is designed for teachers sufficiently accurate to point conclusively and students of United States History and to the law under consideration." In con. is the growth of actual work in the class nection with each experiment pages are left room. It is suggestive and we have no blank on which to indicate results. We doubt but that a teacher, however original are pleased with the book and recommend and enthusiastic, would get valuable ideas it to teachers of physics. from its perusal.

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THE MAGAZINES.

not the Atlantic the very best magazine

THE ST. NICHOLAS comes this April published? Four dollars a year.

THE CENTURY continues to be the lead

laden with stores of choice articles for the instruction and amusement of young people. The leading paper is "Six Years in ing magazine for fine illustrations, bright the Wilds of Central Africa," by one of readable articles on the leading questions Stanley's pioneer officers. There are also of the day, and charming stories. Perhaps interesting articles on "The King of the the most interest centers on Kennan's artiElephants," the "Oven Bird," and "How cle, "The Latest Siberian Tragedy." to use Chop-sticks." Stories also "galore,"

that charm the young, and, "whisper it The April MAGAZINE OF AMERICAN softly," the middle-aged also. The illus- HISTORY is notable for the timeliness of its trations are fine as usual and the poetry topics and the clever style in which they excellent. The Century Company, Union are treated. The opening paper by the Square, New York. editor conducts the reader into a fresh and untrodden field, and no one who glances The April number of the ATLANTIC over the first page will be inclined to lay MONTHLY is brimful of choice matter as the periodical aside without making the usual. The politician has Oliver Morton's complete tour of South America. It is able article, "Some Popular Objections to rarely that so much of information and sugCivil Service Reform;" the scientist has gestion is condensed with in so brief a space. "Trial by Jury of Things Supernatural," This great historical monthly, the only one and "Road Horses" Literature is ably rep- of its kind in the country, and the best in resented in three serials, by Henry James, the world, grows more and more popular Margaret Deland and Edwin Bynner, and every year, exerting an educational and "Over the Teacups," by Oliver Wendell healthful influence in every branch of litHolmes. The cups are brimming with wit, erature and study. The six departments wisdom and choice bits of information on of which no mention is here made for want literary life of the day. The book notices of space, are worth in themselves the entire are choice and discriminating, more read- subscription price, $5 a year. Published able in fact than the books themselves. Is at 743 Broadway, N. Y.

SUPPLEMENTARY READING MATTER The Best and Also the Cheapest.

The Riverside Literature Series!

Fifty-three numbers, averaging over eighty pages at 15 cents each, containing in an unabridged form some of the most interesting, most instructive, and most famous works of HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER, OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE, JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, BAYARD TAYLOR, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, GEORGE WASHINGTON, HENRY DAVID THOREAU, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, JOHN BURROUGHS, CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER, HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, HORACE E. SCUDDER, RALPH WALDO EMERSON, WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT, MARIA EDGEWORTH, THOMAS BABINGTON, MAACULAY.

The Riverside Literature series is used extensively in many towns and cities of California, among which may be mentioned Alameda, Chico, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Stockton, etc., and this series has been adopted for supplementary reading by the Boards of Education of Butte and Placer counties.

A descriptive circular, giving the Table of Contents of each number of the series, will be sent to any address on application.

HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO.,

4 Park Street, Boston, Mass.

EXCURSION TO THE EAST!

TO ATTEND THE

National Educational Association Convention,

-

TO BE HELD AT

St. Paul, July 8th to 11th, '90.

The Teachers' Vacation Excursion Will Leave

SAN FRANCISCO, Tuesday, June 3d..

LOS ANGELES, Monday

SACRAMENTO, Tuesday,

2d..

66

3d.

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THIS EXCURSION

at 10:35 A. M. .at 11:50 A. M. ..at 2:00 P. M.

at 5:00 P. M. ..at 7:45 A. M.

Will be under the personal supervision of J. W. McCLYMONDS, Supt. Oakland Schools, assisted by PROF. J.B. McCHESNEY, of the Oakland High School, ELISHA BROOKS, Franklin Grammar School, San Francisco, and THOS. E. KENNEDY, Head Inspector of Schools, San Francisco, accompanied by several San Francisco and Oakland Teachers; therefore, all who desire to join can rely on its being a very select party. This will be the golden opportunity of the season to visit the East. MR. J. G.. MCCALL, who has taken the Teachers East the past five years, will be in charge of the party through to New York.

The purpose of this SELECT EXCURSION is to enable those wishing to make a journey East, to do so at a considerable less cost than first-class fare, to make up a party of friends, insuring all who may join us a select party and an enjoyable trip.

PULLMAN TOURIST SLEEPING CARS

Will be used, furnished with mattresses, pillows, pillowslips, sheets, blankets, curtains, tables, carpets, mirrors, toilet articles, etc. These cars are also fitted up with stoves, which can be used for the making of tea and coffee-a comfort to be taken into consideration. Each car contains separate lavatories for ladies and gentlemen, and is provided with a competent porter to attend to the wants of passengers.

NO SMOKING will be allowed under any circumstances in the cars. have privilege of the regular smoking car.

SPECIAL NOTICE.

Gentlemen

Those desiring to attend the N. E. A. Convention, to be held at St. Paul, July 8th to 11th, can do so on their return trip, thereby losing no time during their vacation. For full and positive information, call on or address

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THE

PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL.

Official Organ of the Department of Public Instruction.

VOL. VIL VIL

MAY, 1890.

No. 3.

MODERN REFORM SCHOOL WORK.

On the field of the battle of Waterloo there was a deep well into which the English, being in haste to bury their dead, threw over 300 bodies. The following night, feeble, plaintive cries ascended from the depths showing that this charnel house contained bodies in which life was not yet extinct. The well that was expected to supply pure water to the living was thus transformed into a sepulcher for the dead. The penal institutions of this land might be compared to this well. Originally intended to be a boon to mankind they have become great catacombs in which the souls of men are buried. And from time to time from between our prison walls we hear the plaintive moan of some unfortunate who has been hopelessly and prematurely damned.

A few days ago the jailer of Los Angeles County told me there were ninety-two inmates in the jail of which he had charge and that over one-half of them were under twenty-one. He never saw those boys but he thought "what a pity that the State of California does not try to make her wayward boys better instead of putting them in with old criminals where they are sure to become worse.'

Governor Waterman, while inspecting one of our penitentiaries about two years ago, saw a boy fourteen years old who wore the convicts' garb and did a convicts' work. The Governor asked the boy what he was committed for and he responded "burglary." The warden was instructed to take the youth from the older criminals and give him other work. Six months later, learning that the boy's

conduct was very exemplary, the warden was instructed to have the prison suit removed and respectable clothing substituted, and to-day that boy is one of the trusted servants of the State. And in our prisons are hundreds of young men deserving the same care this boy so fortunately received. I know a young man of an excellent family whom many of you know personally, who is now serving a five year's sentence in one of our penitentiaries because he signed a fictitious name in order to get $2.50. What does the State do with this boy? Try to teach him some honorable means of earning a livelihood and make him a useful citizen? No! the State simply uses five of the best years of his life on a jute mill and then sends him out either crushed or hardened.

What a grave responsibility humanity assumes in thus displaying her inhumanity. Victor Hugo says: "Let us have compassion on the chastised." Alas! Who are we ourselves? Who am I who now address you? Who are you who are listening to me? And are you quite sure that we have done nothing before we were born? The earth is not devoid of resemblance to a jail. Who knows whether man is not a recaptured offender against divine justice? Look closely at life! It is so made that everywhere we feel the sense of punishment. * * * Are you what is called a happy man? Well! you are sad every day. Each day has its own great grief for its little And so it goes on. One cloud is dispelled, another formed. * * * And you belong to that small class who are happy! As for the rest of mankind, stagnating night rests upon them. Thoughtful minds make but little use of the phrase the fortunate and the unfortunate. In this world, evidently the vestibule of another, there are no fortunate. The real human division is this: the luminous and the shady. To diminish the number of the shady, to augment the number of the luminous,-that is the object."

care.

* * *

These boys who are in our jails and penitentiaries are but a small portion of those who demand careful surveillance, and kind instruction from the State. There is never a week but boys and girls are brought before our police judges and discharged because the authorities. hesitate to put the criminal brand upon them. There are also in the public schools of every large city, boys and girls who instead of being cared for four hours a day, should be steadily in charge of some person who would guide their steps aright. There are also in the public schools of every large city,-Los Angeles included-boys and girls who spend three or four hours a day irregularly for eight or nine months in the year in our public schools and the balance of the time

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