twenty) attending and not attending school, and the adult population able and not able to read and write in each State; the second gives the area and aggregate population of the several States in 1860, the percentage of illiteracy, number of patents, and the postal receipts, with the election majorities in 1868 ; and the third gives a comparison, by sections of six States each, of the area, population, number of literate and illiterate persons, receipts from internal and postal revenue sources, number of patents issued, number of persons in the learned professions, and the circulation of newspapers and periodicals. We are too near the completer census of 1870 to make these suggestive figures the basis of argument or policy, but they will prove very valuable as a means of comparison. One fact, however, these tables conclusively show, viz: that there is a vital connection between education and material progress. The document also contains an article on School Statistics, translated from a paper by Dr. Ficker, Imperial Counselor at Vienna, an article on School-Room Diseases, translated from a paper by Dr. R. Virchow, Berlin, with tables showing the educational condition of French and Prussian conscripts, and the names of the school officers in the different States. We are glad to see that the National Commissioner is earnestly taking hold of the work of supplying the country with valuable educational information, and we hope that this circular will be followed by others of like value. This is the legitimate work of the Bureau.

THE EXAMINATION OF TEACHERS.

All who have read the discussion on this subject, in our August number, must have noticed the strange use made of the term "ideal", and the amount of mystification resulting therefrom. The application of Mr. Venable's admirable lecture to the duties of an examiner, was one of the funniest mental freaks we have ever witnessed. Tact, energy, skill, and moral power in the teacher are no more ideal than a knowledge of fractions or geometry. When ideal, they certainly ought not to be considered by an examiner. It is his business to certify to real qualifications.

But it is not our present purpose to review that discussion, but rather to make it the occasion of a few remarks on the same important subject.

The essential qualifications of a teacher are (1) a thorough knowledge of the branches to be taught, and (2) the ability to teach, influence, and govern pupils. The first of these qualifications may be definitely tested by an examination; the latter can be but partially determined in this manner. Hence, in adopting a standard for the issuing of certificates, good scholarship must be made an essential requisite.

But what amount and kind of scholarship shall be required? This question can not be settled by the needs of a particular school; the good of the schools as a whole must be considered. The teacher's scholarship must be sufficient to teach the specified branches in any school of the grade covered by the certificate. Nothing less than this will answer, and, hence, a county certificate must have reference to the needs of our sub-district schools as a class. It may

be true that teachers of less scholastic attainments may here and there be successful, but examiners can not make such exceptions a rule of action. To every really skillful and successful teacher that would thus be admitted, the door would be opened to ten incompetent ones. Moreover, a teacher who has not wit enough to master the elements of the common legal branches, is no great blessing to our schools, whatever may be his teaching tact and governing ability.

Our advice to examiners is to adopt a reasonable standard in scholarship, and then firmly maintain it. If it excludes some persons of teaching aptitude and skill, so be it; let them go to work and prepare themselves for their business. A little application and hard study will prove a paying investment. A better preparation will, in the end, secure better wages and larger success. But while we would make fair scholarship an essential requisite for a teacher's certificate, we would urge the importance of using reasonable tests. No question should be submitted, which does not relate to an important fact or principle. All mere details and puzzles should be avoided. We think examiners often err here. Instead of selecting questions which will clearly reveal the applicant's knowledge of the elementary and fundamental principles of the subject, they too often take up the very points which have caused them trouble. We have examined many series of examination questions which a very fair scholar might fail to answer. We have known cases in which the failure of the large majority of the class examined was more a discredit to the examiners than to the applicants.

But an examination of applicants for a teacher's certificate should not be limited to their scholarship. It should also test their professional knowledge. On this point we fully agree with those speakers in the State Association, who pleaded for a professional standard. The examination of a teacher should test his qualifications as a teacher, and these are certainly wider than a knowledge of the several branches of study. The tests should be both scholastic and professional, and this is now required by law. "An adequate knowledge of the theory and practice of teaching" was made in 1864 one of the legal requisites for a certificate in Ohio, and we believe that this provision has greatly promoted the professional advancement of the teachers of the State. It is true that the law does not require actual skill or success in teaching, and we judge this to be wise, since neither skill nor success can well be determined by an examination. If the applicant's knowledge, both scientific and professional, be properly tested and found adequate, his skill may safely be left for experience to settle. Of course neither skill nor success should be ignored. When their existence is established by observation or trustworthy testimony, they should certainly be considered in determining the grade of the applicant's certificate. We, however, question the propriety of letting either be an offset for defective scholarship.

We regret that we are unable to pursue this subject further. It is one of great importance, and, as it seems to us, the time has come for its careful investigation. We fear that the professional standard prescribed in 1864, is practically ignored in many counties.

MISCELLANY.

WHEN notified that a subscriber has failed to receive any number of the MONTHLY due him, we always resend it.

SUBSCRIPTIONS to the MONTHLY may begin with the July number, but we can still supply back numbers from January, the beginning of the volume. We greatly need a thousand new subscribers.

THE late issue of the August number, owing to its large size, has obliged us to be a little late this month. Our October number will appear on time. The National Teacher will make its debut next month.

PERSONAL.—Rev. B. G. Northrop, Secretary of the Board of Education of Connecticut, has been appointed by the Legislature of Virginia one of the trustees of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute.

Supt. Findley, of Akron, has been reappointed for two years, at a salary of $2,500; Mrs. N. A. Stone, principal of the high school, at $1,200; Miss Herdman, principal of grammar school, at $1,000. Miss Goodwin is promoted to the high school, at $800. Abram Brown succeeds Mr. Paine as principal of the Columbus High School.

H. B. Furness, of Warren, succeeds Prof. Kirkwood as superintendent of the public schools of Tiffin.

J. C. Barney, late of Walnut Hills, succeeds Mr. Furness as superintendent of the public schools of Warren. Salary, $1,700.

S. G. Barnard, of Medina, has been elected superintendent of the public schools of Ravenna. Salary, $1,600.

A. T. Wiles, for several years past in charge of the Zanesville High School, has been elected superintendent of the schools of that city. Salary, $1,500.

Miss Belle Westfall has been appointed principal of the Second District School of Dayton, at a salary of $1,700. These figures have a pleasant look.

Miss Marcella Swingley, for several years principal of the Bucyrus High School, succeeds Mr. Harper as superintendent. Salary, $1,000.

J. C. Harper, of Bucyrus, has been appointed superintendent of the public schools of Sidney, 0. Salary, $1,708.

E. Miller, of Findlay, has been appointed superintendent of the public schools of Lawrence, Ks., at a salary of $1,800. Ohio loses and Kansas gains a first-class teacher.

Capt. Wm. S. Wood, for five years past the efficient principal of the Mayflower School District of Cleveland, has been appointed superintendent of the schools of Findlay.

B. B. Hall, who did an excellent work at Wellsville, has taken charge of the public schools of Olena.

M. R. Andrews, of Harmar, has been elected superintendent of the public schools of Steubenville.

Rev. J. F. Reinmund, late superintendent of the public schools of Springfield, has taken charge of a parish at Tiffin, O. We regret his loss to the profession.

C. H. Evans, principal of the Springfield High School, has been elected general superintendent with the privilege of devoting one-half of his time to the duties of the office.

The salaries of Supt. Carruthers, of Elyria, and Supt. Clemens, of Ashtabula, have each been raised to $1,500-a change in the right direction.

W. E. Crosby, late of Ohio, has been re-elected superintendent of the public schools

of Davenport, Iowa, and his salary increased to $2,250. All reports agree that he is doing a capital work.

C. H. Roberts, of the Geneva Normal School, has accepted the superintendency of the public schools of Rochester, Minn.

J. S. Lowe succeeds Mr. Roberts as principal of the Geneva Normal School.

A. B. Stutzman takes charge of the public schools of Dalton, O., and P. Sellers goes from Eaton to Springboro, O.

James M. Rees, valedictorian of the class of 1869, succeeds Rev. J. H. Jenkins as principal of the Preparatory Department of Marietta College.

Prof. John Kendrick, of Marietta College, has received the degree of LL.D. from Dartmouth College where he graduated in 1826, the valedictorian of his class.

J. M. Olcott, late superintendent of the public schools of Terre Haute, Ind., has accepted the superintendency of the schools of Jacksonville, Ill. There seems to be a tendency among live educators to move westward.

T. F. Nelson, Cambridge, O., offers his services as a teacher of drawing in schools.

XENIA. The high school has made great progress in fact and popular favor during the past few years. This is evinced in the increased number of graduates. The last class numbered 21 students, and their average age was 181⁄2 years. Mr. Patterson, the principal, knows how to make his school popular as well as thorough. Supt. Ormsby continues in charge of the schools, which insures their continued progress.

TROY.-We recently looked over the statistics of the public schools for the past year, and were pleased with their story of good work and progress. We also notice that Supt. Thompson and his entire corps of teachers were reappointed—an evidence that their skill and faithfulness are duly appreciated. Increased attention was given last year to drawing, vocal music, and language lessons, and higher results will be worked for the present year.

LANCASTER. The citizens of this growing city recently voted a tax of $40,000 to build a new school house-an improvement greatly needed. The schools continue under the supervision of G. W. Welsh, who believes in progress, and works to secure it.

MCCONNELSVILLE.-The public schools open the school year under the supervision of Mr. McLaughlin who has already brought them up to a higher standard of efficiency than they have ever before reached. The citizens of the town feel justly proud of their schools.

KENYON GRAMMAR SCHOOL.-Prof. John Ogden, of Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn., has accepted the principalship of the Preparatory Department of Kenyon College, and it is proposed to make it one of the best classical preparatory schools in the country. He is to be assisted by Prof. Trimble in Greek and Prof. Benson in Latin, both experienced and skillful teachers. Prof. Ogden will also give special attention to normal instruction, and his past training and experience are an assurance that this department will also be a success. We welcome our friend back to Ohio.

MARIETTA COLLEGE.-A Department of Practical Science with especial reference to Mining and Metallurgy, is soon to be opened. Marietta, being situated in the heart of a great mineral region, affords a fine location for such a school. We are glad to learn that the friends of the College are engaged in increasing its general endowment, adding new building accommodations, and making more complete the apparatus and cabinet. The Library is one of the best, if not the best, in the West.

MT. UNION COLLEGE.-The commencement, held July 28th, was made the occasion of a grand reunion meeting of all former students. The annual address was delivered by Hon. J. L. Stewart, of Baltimore, and short addresses were delivered by several prominent men. President Hartshorn is planning to accomplish still greater things. He renews his strength by hard work.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.-We have heard from but few of the July and August institutes, but we wish to hear from all before we edit our October number. We hope that each of the lecturers will send us a brief report of the institutes he has attended. We wish to know the number in attendance, the names of the lecturers, the spirit of the institute, etc. Do not send us series of resolutions for publication.

HOCKING COUNTY.-The third annual session of the Hocking County Teachers' Institute, held at Logan the second week of August, was the most successful and interesting institute yet held in the county. Ninety members were enrolled, with an average daily attendance of seventy. The instructors and lecturers were Capt. Mitchell, of Columbus, Mrs. J. H. Jones, of Newport, Ky., and T. S. Greiner, of Cincinnati. Capt. Mitchell gave lessons upon the theory and practice of teaching and methods of government, with practical suggestions upon arithmetic and grammar; Mrs. Jones gave lessons upon primary instruction, language culture, and suggestions upon reading, with some selections; Mr. Greiner gave a series of entertaining lectures upon western travel and Mexican life. The instruction was received with marked attention by our teachers and roused in them a deep determination to labor for higher attainments in the profession. On the last evening of the session, Capt. Mitchell gave a public lecture on county supervision; and you may rely on Hocking county in the future to favor that important measure. As a further evidence of the interest awakened in our teachers, I have the pleasure of reporting twenty-seven names as subscribers to the EDUCATIONAL MONTHLY. W. W. MCCRAY.

HARDIN COUNTY.-The teachers' institute held at Ada the first week of August, was a fine success. The exercises the first three days were conducted by Mr. H. S. Lehr and other home teachers, assisted by the teachers of Kenton and Findlay. Supt. R. W. Stevenson, of Norwalk, was present the last two days. He gave so high satisfaction that his services were engaged for another year. Evening addresses were delivered to crowded houses by Col. Ramsey, of Kenton, and Supt. Stevenson, and two evenings were devoted to re-unions. Seventy teachers were in attendance, and the citizens turned out en masse. The MONTHLY was remembered.

PREBLE COUNTY.-The official report of the normal institute, held at Eaton the two weeks ending August 19th, shows a small attendance, but excellent work. The instructors were Mr. Alexander Forbes, of Cleveland, and Mrs. J. H. Jones, of Cincinnati, both of whom are highly commended. Their instruction was eminently practical in its character, and was specially adapted to the wants of country schools. The Register holds school officers, including the county examiners, responsible for the small attendance, and trusts that, in the future, they may give the institute their influence and support.

CLINTON COUNTY.-A live teachers' institute was held at Wilmington, the week beginning Aug. 1st. The attendance was good, and the interest was excellent. The instructors were Secretary B. G. Northrop, of Connecticut, Supt. Hancock, of Cincinnati, Supt. Ormsby, of Xenia, and Supt. Cole, of Wilmington, all of whom are specially commended in the resolutions passed. Mr. Northrop is doing excellent work in the Ohio institutes.