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HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

The first term's work of the Eureka Academy and Business College closed last month. We think that Prof. Phelps has reason to be proud of the success that has . attended his efforts to establish in that city a school of high grade, where the people of the county can secure at home all the advantages of the best preparatoryschools on the coast. The success of the academy is now an established fact. Prof. Phelps has surrounded himself with a Faculty of able teachers, which will be increased from time to time as the school grows. The present corps of teachers will remain next year, with one or two exceptions. A gentleman of wide experience in business college work will take charge of the commercial department and Prof. M. J. Pease will be added to the Faculty as professor of vocal music and special voice culture. Extensive additions will be made during the vacation, to the library and to the supply of philosophical and chemical apparatus.

LAKE COUNTY.

Professor W. H. Adamson has opened a private school at the Nichols school house in Lower Lake. This movement is intended to afford an opportunity for young gentleman and ladies to perfect their studies preparatory to a course in the Normal School.

SONOMA COUNTY.

The Commencement Exercises of the Petaluma High School called out the citizens in full force, to listen to the closing efforts of the class of '87. The Theater was very tastefully decorated for the occasion. The floral offerings were many and of the choicest and most beautiful flowers the gardens could supply, while the designs were most tasty and appropriate in their arrangement. The exercises were interspersed with instrumental music. The evening's entertainment concluded with the conferring of diplomas and a feeling farewell speech from Prof. A. G. Burnett, delivered in the lofty and happy vein so characteristic of the man. To mention the individual essays would require more space than we have at command, but the exercises were all well rendered. Twenty-one more of our young people are now launched upon the billows of life.

The members of the graduating class of the High School, were tendered a very pleasant reception recently by Prof. and Mrs. Burnett. A handsome office chair was presented to the Professor, the reception of which he acknowledged in a very graceful and felicitous manner.

A. W. Atherton, one of the Faculty of the Commercial College, who has been in San Diego for two or three months, in charge of a similar institution in that city, has returned to Petaluma.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY.

An address has been issued to the teachers of California by the California delegation to the National Educational Association, including the following: Hon. Ira G. Hoitt, Hon. Fred. M. Campbell, Prof. Albert Lyser, Prof. Joseph O'Connor, Hon. C. S. Young. In this address it is set forth that: "It is already well known that the Governor of California, the Legislature and the Board of Education of the City of San Francisco, together with kindred bodies of the School Department within this State, have had under consideration the advisability of attracting attention to San Francisco as a suitable place for holding a meeting of the National Educational Association, and that a favorable issue has resulted in an enactment of the Legislature authorizing the Governor to appoint delegates on the part of the State. The delegates are now acting, and with the representative educational bodies are perfecting arrangements for attending

the next annual meeting, to be held at Chicago July 12th to 15th, and there urging the purpose in view. This delegation to the National Educational Association deem it wise to swell their numbers by inviting the teachers and friends of education in California to accompany them, and by their collective and individual presence and voice assist the official delegates in pressing the claims of California for the succeeding national meeting. This will at the same time afford the teachers an agreeable excursion within the summer vacation.

"The reasons for this step are obvious; the benefits resulting through educational exchanges between teachers from all parts of the Union cannot be overestimated. At least ten thousand teachers will be present at the Chicago meeting of the National Educational Association, and will constitute the largest and most important gathering of the kind ever held. The desire to attract such a body of appreciative visitors (the brightest and happiest element of the country) to our golden shores, as well as our excusable pride and interest in California, will commend itself to all.

"In consummating arrangements they have called to their aid several railway officials to perfect details for such a trip, and the following gentlemen have kindly consented to serve, viz: D. W. Hitchcock of the Union Pacific Railway, Charles E. Fairbank of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway (Omaha and Chicago Short Line), and George W. Walts, Arbitrator of the late Passenger Agents' Association. The latter will arrange personally with each and every one applying for a place in the proposed excursion and will accompany the trains throughout, going and returning, as adviser and guide. Albert Lyser will also give his personal attention and be pleased to confer with applicants and answer all inquiries by letter of those contemplating the trip. Fred M. Campbell, Superintendent of Oakland, will facilitate the movement by giving information through correspondence or personally to all interested east of the bay. Ira G. Hoitt, as delegate and State Superintendent of Schools, will meet and confer with the teachers throughout the State."

The attractions of the excursion as set forth are as follows:

Excursion sleepers on express trains, free of charge; accommodation east of Missouri river, equal to first-class; every facility, accommodation and attention will be given to insure an enjoyable trip; comfortable mattresses, curtains, pillows, folding tables, towels and toilet articles furnished at a minimum cost, say about $5; the holder of each full ticket will be allowed one hundred and fifty pounds of baggage, which will be handled by experienced baggage men; time, fast express.

Rates will be the price of third class tickets from San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Stockton, Sacramento and Colfax to destination on date of departure. The teachers excursion will leave San Francisco at 3 P. M. on Monday, June 20th. Those proposing to join the party can do so by taking the train at San Jose at 1 P. M. (connecting at Oakland mole with main body of excursion). Leave Stockton at 1:05 P. M. for Sacramento. Leave Sacramento at 7 P. M., and Colfax at 10:20 P. M. same date. The Southern California delegation will leave Los Angeles at 1:30 P. M., Sunday, June 19th. Timely notice should be given by those desirous of joining. The route will be direct by the Central and Union Pacific and Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railways (O:naha and Chicago Short Line). Should any alteration in schedule or round-trip excursion rates prevail in meantime from California, they will be made to apply to the advantage of the teachers.

For further particulars and arrangement of details teachers are asked to call upon or write to Geo. W. Walts, 10 Post street, San Francisco.

ALAMEDA COUNTY.

The closing exercises of the Porter School were held in the school building, Oakland, on Friday, May 27th. An excellent programme was prepared for the occasion, consisting

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of recitations, songs and dialogues, and concluded with the operatta of Red Riding

Hood."

Professor Moses, of the University, will start on his European trip on the 10th of this month.

School Director Andrews of Berkeley recently discovered that he is not a citizen of the United States. He had been registered and had voted, but he was never completely naturalized. When he learned this fact he presented his resignation to the Town School Board. That resignation was referred to M. C. Chapman, one of the members of the Board, and has not yet been acted upon. In the mean time the town election occurred, and J. J. Bluett had thirty votes cast for himself for School Director. At the last meeting of the Town Trustees Mr. Bluett asked that a certificate of election be issued to him, asserting that there was actually a vacancy, Mr. Andrews being disqualified.

The senior class of Mills College recently visited the University and the Deaf Mute Asylum and lunched at Judge Garber's residence. At the invitation of A. C. Paulsell they went around the bay on the Government steamer McPherson.

Dr. Wythe has recently made valuable additions to the library of Mills College. W. W. Deamer, instructor in Greek and Latin, expects to leave Berkeley about June 10th on business for the University.

Mr. Firehammer, of the Alameda High School, brought the senior class of that institution on a visit to the University of California recently.

Assistant Professor Bradley, of the University, has been absent from his duties for a week, owing to a slight illness. His classes have been heard by Mr. Stoddard.

PUBLISHERS' DEPARTMENT.

TO ADVERTISERS.

THE PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL is the official organ of the State Department of Public Instruction. The publishers are compelled by law to supply one copy to each school district, of which there are thousands. Unlike other journals, the official organ is not cast aside when read, but is filed in the district libraries throughout the State. The official journal has therefore a larger circulation than any weekly or monthly periodical, and a general circulation such as no publication, outside the few great daily newspapers, possess. The official journal is read by every one interested in the cause of education, and its value as an advertising medium is second only to the few metropolitan publications that have a genuine circulation reaching beyond tens of thousands. Even in the thinly populated districts, where those journals rarely or never penetrate, the PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL will be a regular and welcome visitor. Its readers are altogether of the reputable and industrious classes, to whom advertisers should address themselves. The official journal is not only distributed by the State, but has also a large circulation among teachers and parents. The advantages of advertising many lines of goods in such a journal are manifest.

TO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.

As the law requires copies of the JOURNAL to be addressed to the clerk of each district in the State, we would respectfully suggest to County Superintendents that we are anx ious to receive correct lists from each county. We therefore avail ourselves of this opportunity to urge the Superintendents in whose counties changes have been made to forward to the Manager of the JOURNAL revised lists as soon after the June election as possible.

TO DISTRICT CLERKS.

It is the duty of each District Clerk, upon receiving a copy of the JOURNAL, to place it in the school library for the perusal of those interested.

THE

PACIFIC EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL.

Official Organ of the Department of Public Instruction.

VOL. I.

JULY, 1887.

No. 6.

THE SEVEN LAWS OF TEACHING.

1. Knowing thoroughly what you would teach.

It is not

No wise man undertakes to teach what he does not know. sufficient that he studied this or that branch at college years ago. However proficient he may have been then, dust and cobwebs have covered those stores of knowledge. He must relearn the lessons of his youth, and learn them from a new stand-point-that of the teacher. He must have a present knowledge of the work he has in hand, and of the best methods of doing that work. It is not enough that he glances over the lessons from day to day. He may sail along smoothly enough, commiting no conspicuous blunders, but he has fallen into a fatal error, which will tell upon the future lives of his pupils.

2. Secure attention by sustaining interest,

Without attention on the part of the pupils the day is lost. The teacher should not come into the school-room dull, careless or inattentive. Children like to look at something that has life. Their interest can be excited by nothing so quickly. If the teacher comes to the class with a thorough knowledge of the subject, eager and interested, he will find interest and eagerness awaiting him.

3. Use language which your pupils understand.

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Neither teachers nor text-books have learned to call a spade a spade. They give it as long and dignified a title as it can possibly bear. once heard a teacher tell a class of little history students, Lord Bacon was one of the most pusillanimous men that ever existed.” No child gathers an idea from such language. He goes away from the recitation uninstructed, disappointed; when, if the teacher would but dismount from his cothurnums and lay aside his toga, addressing himself to the

comprehension of the child, the young mind would readily grasp the information conveyed.

4. Lead them from the known to the unknown by easy steps.

The entire process of communicating knowledge is embodied in that one word "lead." This presupposes, in the first place, that the teacher must go with the child. He must walk in the same path, holding him by the hand, and seeing things as he sees them. The progress from the known to the unknown must be a leading. Now, leading is always accomplished by steps; but the steps of the one leading and the person led should be of equal length. It is not very pleasant to see a huge Brobdignagian giant of a teacher "going through" arithmetic or geography, dragging his poor Lilliputian victim after him. The teacher must accommodate his steps to those of the child. Gildrig fell into the cream-jug, you remember, in the land of the Brobdignags, and was nearly drowned. Teachers must keep their cream-jugs out of Gildrig's

way.

5. Teach your pupils to find out for themselves.

Discovery is a great thing. What a thrill it sends along the whole being! If some one else had told Franklin the secret of the lightning, I think he would not have enjoyed his kite-flying. How grand it was that he found it out for himself. Let the children fly their own kites. Let them think for themselves. The school ought to constantly train them in that direction. Make discoverers of them. In other words, while leading them don't go before them. You have only to point the way. The pleasure and profit will both be gone if you tell them what lies at the end of it.

6. Manage to have your pupils restate in their own language, the truths taught, giving their own illustrations and proofs.

If a school is not constantly watched by an earnest and enterprising teacher, it will begin to run in grooves; and the deeper the grooves are worn, the harder they are to get out of. The worst groove is, teaching the child to think in the language of the text-book. Learning then becomes a mere act of memory, and the reason is left out of the account altogether. The child journeys through the sciences in much the same way that certain persons travel in foreign lands, using the guide-book instead of their eyes. Insist that he tell what he has learned in his own language, using the book merely to ascertain the fact. Require him to give proof and example from his own experience or observations. Train the children to think, not to be mere machines. No man becomes a discoverer by running in a groove of anybody's making.

7. Review! Review!! Review !!!

This is the summing up of all. To review, to look over again. Keep

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