LITERARY NOTES. A NEW MAGAZINE. THE POLYTECHNIC is the name of a new magazine to be published in Chicago, the initial number of which will be issued next month. Like the London Magazine of that name it will be the organ of a Polytechnic Institute, which in this case has been lately started in Chicago, and will be modelled after the famous London institute of similar name, an interesting account of which was given in the Century for June. The first number will be largely descriptive of the work of the Institute, especially its Trade Schools, a peculiar feature of which is that students may earn their expenses while in attendance, and can learn almost any trade. As this promises to solve the vexed apprenticeship question, all Master Associations are warm supporters of the movement. An article on the new Evening Medical College of Chicago is also included in this number. The ladies will be interested in the description of the Cooking, Millinery and Dressmaking schools of the Chicago Polytechnic Institute. Published at the S. E. corner Madison street and and Fifth ave., Chicago, Ill. Sample copy, 10 cts. THE LITERARY DIGEST. A new periodical, The Literary Digest, gives a weekly summary of the current literature of the world, presenting the cream from all departments; also, masterly book digests and critiques, select indexes of current literature-books and periodicals, scientifically arranged-a monthly cosmopolitan chronicle of current events, the world over, and other valuable features, prepared, edited and arranged by men able and proficient in the several lines. It is highly commended by ex-President Noah Porter, Dr. McCosh, Senator Frye and others. Two valuable educational papers will be found in the September number of the New England Magazine. Rev. F. H. Kasson has an article on Mark Hopkins accompanied by a new and striking portrait engraving, and Charles Morton Strahan gives an interesting account of the University of Georgia which is freely illustrated. It will be remembered that the University of Georgia is famous all through the South because of the noted men who have left its doors, among their number being the late Henry W. Grady. Our Book Table. ELEMENTARY COMPOSITION EXERCISES. | ELEMENTS OF THE CALCULUS. Method of Rates. By A. S. Hardy, Professor of By Irene Hardy of the Oakland High School, Oakland, California. Published by Henry Holt and Company, New York. "I can't teach composition," groans the teacher. "I hate composition," of rates. The object of the Differential complains the pupil. "We will teach you Calculus is the measurement and comparison how it is to be done," says the bookmaker, of rates of change when the change is not and so the mill grinds on. The above-uniform. Whether a quantity is or is not mentioned book, however, recommends changing uniformly, however, its rate at itself as a solution of the problem, as it aims any instant is determined essentially in the to provide a pleasant pastime for both same manner, viz: by letting it change at teacher and pupil. the rate it had at the instant in question Its chief merit lies in the efficacy of its and observing what this change is. It is methods to create in the child an appetite this change which the Calculus enables us for original work. It is based on the fact to determine, however complicated the law that "Sincerity is the first principle of of variation may be. This larger view of success in literature." Before children can the Calculus is for special or advanced write they must know and before they students, for which this work is not inknow they must see. Look about you. tended; the space and time which would be Now what have you seen? required by such general comparison being THE FAIRYLAND OF FLOWERS. By Mara L. Pratt. Educational Publishing Company, Boston. Price, $1. Miss Hardy's methods eliminate all that devoted to the applications of the method is terrifying aud difficult from the art of adopted. composition. Like the children in the story they hug the bear thinking it to be a house dog. The book is full of practical suggestions and will prove to be a valuable aid to the teacher. In this delightful little book Miss Pratt has supplied the long-felt need of a botany for children-in language so simple and THE NINE WORLDS. Stories from Norse well chosen that little ones can understand Mythology. By Mary E. Litchfield. it. With pleasure they are led on step by Published by Ginn & Co., Boston. step through the necessary preliminaries of This book tells in a simple way the story plant life. This knowledge is given of the old Norse gods, and is calculated to thoroughly but with little of the technical awaken an interest in the religion of our language so often a serious drawback to Teutonic ancestors. It is based chiefly children in the study of botany. By followupon the Eddas. The introductory chap-ing the plan presented by Miss Pratt, the ter gives a clear idea of the relative position little child can soon readily trace a flower of the "Nine Worlds" of the Mythology, from its class to the particular member of and tells in a few words the relation of the the family to which it belongs. The illus gods and giants to objects in nature. The trations to this charming book are numerous book is suited to children of any age and and good and the stories, legends and poems of flowers with which its pages are will possess equal interest for general filled are another and most admirable STEPPING-STONES TO READING. A First Professor Allen's long and successful exReader by Anna Badlam, Principal of perience as a college teacher, his intimate Training School, Lewiston, Me. Published by D. C. Heath & Co., Boston. This is designed to follow "A Primer" by the same author. It is prepared by a teacher of large experience and contains the presentation of such methods as have been upon that of Halm's fourth edition of found good after careful and repeated observation. Diacritical marks are freely used and silent letters are indicated by being printed in light lines. acquaintance with Roman history and his fascination for the study of Tacitus, gave him exceptional qualities for editing the Annals. The text of this volume is based Tacitus (Leipsic, 1882). A full index of Names and an Index to the Notes add to the value of the book. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. By John This edition has been carefully edited THE DIRECTIONAL CALCULUS, based upon the methods of Hermann Grassman. By E. W. Hyde, Professor of Mathematics in the University of Cincinnati. Published and abridged for the use of schools. It by Ginn & Company, Boston. includes a sketch of the author's life and the same publishers. The object of this work is to introduce such brief notes as the text requires. It the comprehensive system of multiple forms one of the "Classics for Children" by. algebra invented by Hermann Grassman. The adaptability of this system to all purposes of Geometry and Mechanics is coming to be more and more appreciated both in Germany and the United States, and the author hopes that by his efforts he may be able to introduce its remarkably effective methods to the attention of mathematicians in our colleges and universities. THE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SER- There is no department of our public school system which will bear more careful study and which will be more prolific in satisfactory results when properly adTHE LEADING FACTS OF AMERICAN HISministered than the department of superinTORY. By D. H. Montgomery. Pub- tendence. Dr. Pickard, the author of this lished by Ginn & Company, Boston. volume, has been a careful observer during This work is based upon a careful study a long and successful career in our schools of the best authorities on the subject. Its as both teacher and superintendent. He purpose is to present in a clear, connected takes a practical, common-sense view of the and forcible manner the important events subject and consequently his suggestions are in the history of our country. The facts valuable. A teacher will be wiser and are judiciously chosen and the principles of stronger for reading this book. historical perspective are well observed. It is copiously illustrated and well supplied with maps, the aim of both being to add clearness and force to the text. It is a substantial addition to the historical school literature of our country. ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURAL AND SYSTE- It is difficult to present, in a work as brief THE ANNALS OF TACITUS. Books I-VI. as this, just those subjects and their exEdited with Introduction, Notes and In- position which would be acceptable to all. dexes, by William Francis Allen, Professor of History in the University of The author has given an exceptionally clear Wisconsin. Published by Ginn & Com- treatment of the lower orders but has not pany, Boston. been so fortunate with the higher orders. It is a question whether he has improved ers, and in the present number The Cenrury his book by introducing new Greek terms begins a temporary department of "Caliinstead of using those which have long been fornian," similar to the "Memoranda on recognized as a part of botanical vocabulary. the Civil War," and to be devoted to short It is an admirable book for the teacher, not articles on topics of special interest relating so well adapted to the ordinary High to the '49ers. This month these articles are School. "Light on the Seizure of California," by Professor Royce of Harvard, "The California Boundary Question," by Francis J. Lippitt, Esq., and "The Date of the Dis THE MAGAZINES. CALIFORNIA topics occupy considerable covery of the Yosemite,” by Dr. Bunnell of space in the September Century. The paper the Party of Discovery. by John Muir on "The Treasures of the Yosemite Valley," in the August number, number of unusual interest. is followed by another on "Features of the Proposed Yosemite National Park," which Altogether our readers will find this SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE for September is illustrated by William Keith and Charles contains several articles of particular value D. Robinson, the California artists, and by to our rerders. We notice particularly Fraser, Moran and Davies, the sketches" With Uncle Sam's Blue Jackets Afloat," being made in several instances from "The Rights of the Citizen," "The Country sketches hy Mr. Muir himself. The writer House," African River and Lake Systems," describes the wonderful scenery in the "Nature and Man in America" and "A neighborhood of Yosemite-the Lyell Crown Jewel-Heligoland." The illusGlacier, the Cathedral Peak region, the trations are unusually attractive and the Tuolumne Meadows and Canon and the magazine as a whole is up to its high Hetch-Hetchy Valley, all of which are in- standard. cluded in the limits of the proposed park as THE ATLANTIC for September is scholarly defined by General Vandever's bill in the and instructive. Dr. Holmes, Lowell, present Congress. In conclusion, Mr. Muir Justin, Winsor, John Fiske, Mr. Quincy, records his protest against the injuries done Mrs. Deland and Miss Fanny Murfree are to the Yosemite Valley under the control of among the contributors. "Over the Teathe present and preceding Commissions. cups," by Dr. Holmes has a merited ridicule In "Topics of the Time," is an editorial in of Americans for titles and a serious conthe same strain on "Amateur Management sideration of the subject of future punishof Yosemite Scenery." The number also ment. It may be called a historical numcontains, apropos of the celebration on ber, as five of the articles at least have a September 9th of the fortieth anniversary distinctly historical flavor. Published by of the admission of the State, a paper by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston. George Hamlin Fitch, entitled, "How California Came into the Union," illustrated by THE ST. NICHOLAS for September offers a large portrait of General Fremont from a daguerreotype of 1850, and by others of its usual choice variety of instructive and Commodores Sloat and Stockton, Governor entertaining matter. There seems to be no Burnett, Senator Gwin and J. Ross Browne, difficulty on the part of its editors to make together with pictures of Colton Hall, each number equal to, if not better than the Monterey-the scene of the Constitutional one preceding. A boy or girl who reads Convention-and the famous Bear Flag, this magazine regularly gains a fund of information which will be of service in hoisted at Sonoma in '46. This paper is a forerunner of the series on the Gold Hunt- mature years. THE PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL. Official Organ of the Department of Public Instruction. VOL. VII OCTOBER, 1890. No. 8. THE TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS OF THE TEACHER. The work of teaching is in itself an elevating one, bringing the teacher into connection with young and fresh minds. He who is engaged in it feels as if he were doing something worthy of himself and of the talents which God has given him. No doubt he has not the same opportunities of earning money as the merchant, the lawyer or banker. But to counterbalance this he is in a more independent position than many others; he may have an income sufficient to support him, and should not be liable to the reverses, culminating, it may be, in poverty or bankruptcy, to which members of the other higher professions are exposed. He has commonly the evenings at his disposal, and may employ them in improving his mind or making. himself happy in deeds of benevolence. There are some young men and women who should not become teachers; they have no aptitude for the work and would therefore become failures should they attempt it. There are those who have no interest in young people and so cannot be troubled with them and cannot attract them. Such persons would never have the heart and courage to meet the waywardness of children and the self-sufficiency of young men and women. Again, there are those who have no power of expression or exposition, and cannot make a difficult lesson comprehensible to the juvenile mind. Once more, there are those who have a bad temper which they are unable or unwilling to control; these are sure to be constantly irritated by the impudence of boys or the pettedness of girls, and they had better betake themselves to some |