for educational purposes, should be sed-upon the parents and children. The ulously, wisely and economically expended. In this line, the greatest good at the least cost, should be attained. pocket of the parent is heavily and wrongfully taxed, and a precious portion of child and youth life ingloriously sacrificed. The writer maintains that with a well chosen spelling-book, a well arranged reader, ample black-board and chalk, that children, from seven to twelve years of age, can be rendered Does the present school management of Indiana, under the present system, accomplish the important work intended? Do the people receive an ample return for the amount of money expended? Are the children advancing as rapidly in thorough, solid knowledge superior readers in such books as the as the State has a right to demand? Bible, Ridpath's History, and others of Do any outside interest burden our educational chariot, or attach ponderous brakes to its wheels? Have too much stuff and fustian found their way into our school-rooms? this grade, within thirty-six weeks. In the same time, accompaning this desirable attainment, and without any slavish application, all the gingerbread fustian desirable may be added. This work any good, industrious female teacher can be taught to accomplish in the time specified. doubt. 1776-1876. In answering each of these questions, numerous factors must find a place in the discussion. Everybody has an interest in the very best plan to educate- If all this can be done, the parents the best methods of successful progress. and teachers of Indiana ought to know The judicious expenditure of money and the fact; and, furthermore, the writer a wise economy of time are material holds himself in readiness to demonconsiderations. To the poor, free strate, by actual trial, that the proposischools, as already intimated, are a tion is true. Let any city, town, or disnecessity, and to this class a wise district in the State, furnish the necessary posal of time is no less important. appliances, and all that is affirmed will In the investigation of questions of be proved beyond the possibility of such vital interest, the average length of school life is an essential factor. This average, beyond the pale of wealth, cannot exceed twelve years. This is an In 1776 the population of the United exceedingly brief period for attaining States was estimated at 2,750,000; it adequate fitness to embark in the stern now amounts to 44,675,000. The area realities of busy life. In this time the of land then possessed reached only solid education of all the poor children 800,000 square miles; it now covers a must be secured, or the aim of the free surface of 3,603,844 square miles. The school system becomes a failure. If estimated value of the manufactures of anything in the management of the the country in 1776 was $20,000,000; it system prevents the children from gain- is now $4,200,000,000. In domestic and ing each term, all that children can ac- foreign commerce there has been a complish, there is a radical defect some- stride from a few hundred thousand where. If by a plain, common sense dollars' worth at the commencement of method of teaching, children can be in- the century to at least about $700,000,duced to accomplish in thirty-six 000 worth each in imports and exports. weeks, all that the system executes in In 1776 there were no mining operaone hundred and eighty weeks, there tions; there is now an annual yield must be a palpable wrong somewhere. from the different mines which have Again, if with the use of well-chosen been opened of at least $1,000,000,000. books, more knowledge can be imparted There was not a single bank in the colin thirty-six weeks than with the school onies in 1776; there are now more than series of six, in one hundred and eighty 6,000, with a capital of $500,000,000. weeks, there is a serious wrong inflicted There were no railroads in 1776; the country is now threaded by a network | declare how you ought to conduct it. of at least 74,658 miles of railway. The They are both men and women, all of first canal was not built until about one school, or class, and wherever they 1790; and there are now more than 10,- see fit to meet in council, they discuss 000 miles of canal in operation. As everybody to their heart's content, and against nothing in 1776, there are now break up, when they are obliged to, 80,000 miles of telegraph wire in use, each one itching for the time when over which are conveyed annually 14,- they can gather again. Wherever 040,000 messages. In 1776 there were they are, they generally like to leave only 9 colleges in the colonies; in 1876 together, fearing otherwise, that they there are about 500 in all. There were themselves may be just as effectually but few public schools at the commence- raked over. The preachers, the teachment of the century; now there is the ers, and the business men, every lady organization of a most complete public and gentleman, all have to receive their school system, which is worked at an full share. The sanctity of every home annual cost of $75,000,000. In this cen- is invaded. We expect such things will tennial year there are belonging to the be until the millenium comes. Until different religious denominations not then, such persons, like flies and mosless than 65,000 buildings for religious quitoes, must annoy.-It is to them a worship, with sitting accommodations blessed satisfaction. They feed upon for 25,000,000 people, while the aggre- gossip and slander with as much relish gate value of the property owned by as the carrion birds do upon their nourthe churches is at least $400,000,000. In ishment.-Society should look out up1776 there we only 40 printing presses on them with supreme contempt, and in the country; now they surpass cal- hold them up to the young to be culation; while the number of public shunned as vipers. libraries is 165,000, with an aggregate of 50,000,000 volumes, and an annual circulation of newspapers and periodicals of more than 1,600,000,000.- Scottish American Journal. "Mind Your Own Business.” This is a homely phrase set in clear words. No one can misunderstand the meaning. These words should be lettered in pure gold, and put up conspicuously in every business place, and in every dwelling. There is such a disposition with the vulgar to be curious. They are admirably fitted by nature and low breeding to busy themselves about those things with which they have no right to meddle, and they are in every community engaged in their miserable calling. If they do not actually lie, they get but a grain of the truth, and pervert the whole of it. The contemptible sneaks would go into your very households, and they are in the best of bumor in bespattering with their filth the noblest and most virtuous in society. They know your business much better than you do yousself, and are free to How the Africans make Rubber. The coast region north and south of Congo, is becoming quite an important source of caoutchouc. It is produced by a giant tree creeper, which grows principally along the water courses. It covers the highest trees, and frequently considerable extents of forest are festoondown to the ground, from tree to tree, in all directions, with its thick stems, like great hawsers. Sometimes its stem is as thick as a man's thigh. Above, the trees are nearly hidden with large, glossy leaves of dark green hue, and studded with beautiful bunches of pure white, star-like flower, most sweetly scented. Its fruit is the size of a large orange, yellow when ripe, and is perfectly round, with a hard, brittle shell; inside it is full of a soft, reddish pulp, of an agreeable acid flavor, much liked by the natives. It is not easy to obtain seeds, as the creeper is a favorite resort of a villanous, semi-transparent, long legged red ant-with a stinging bite, like the prick of a red-hot needlewhich is very fond of the pulp and the seed distributed through it. Every put away or hid or concealed. Thes doubtful books were called Apocryha. It is a word of Greek origin, either from apotes kruptes, removal from the chest in which the sacred books were kept, whose authority was not doubted; or from the verb apoknepto, to hide or conceal, because they were concealed from the generality of readers. Ever since the fourth century the word canon part of the creeper yields a milky juice when wounded; but, unlike the American rubber tree, this milky sap will not run into a vessel placed to receive it. It dries so quickly that a ridge is soon formed over the cut and the flow arrested. When collecting it the natives make long cuts in the bark with a knife, and as the sap gushes out they wipe it off continually with their fingers, and has been appropriate to the catalogue of smear it on their arms, shoulders and breasts, until a thick covering is formed, when they peel it off and cut it into small squares for transportation. Something About the Bible. writings admitted by all as a divine rule of faith and practice. The most common division of the scriptures is into the old and new testaments. The old contains the revelation of God to man, which were communicated to the Hebrews before the birth of Christ. The new comprises the inspired writings of the evangelists and apostles after the birth of Christ. The subdivisions of the old testament are the law prophets and the writing. The latter is sometimes called psalms because that was the first book of the subdivisions. This classification is recognized by our Saviour, and also mentioned by Josephus. The division into chapters was by Cardinal Hugo, 1240, A. D. The subdivision into verses of the old testament was by Mordecai Nathan, 1445, A. D. The verse division of the new testament was by Robert Stephens, sixteenth century. Girls' Names. The Bible is the most remarkable book in the world. Its antiquity shold invest it with interest. It is an inspired book, It is authoritative and contains the only infallible rule of faith and practice. It teaches clearly what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man. Everything connected with the history of this wonderful volume is certainly important to be known. The name "Bible" is the most usual appellation. This name has been handed down by the "Greek Fathers," and is of very general use by the christial world. The Greek word biblos signifies either a reed with which writing was then performed (the pen now having taken its place) or the bark upon which it was executed. Biblon, in Greek, means a book, and was applied by way of eminence to the collection of canonical writings as being snperior, in importance to any other compositionthe book; the Bible. This volume has also another name, "The Scriptures," derived from the Latin scriptura, signifying anything written, and by emphasis to the Bible as the most important of writings, holy or sacred scriptures, the catalogue of a prominent young on account of the holy doctrines they ladies' college-a school of much higher teach and because written by inspired pretentious than the average seminary, men. Canonical scriptures, from a whose students are of a more advanced Creek word, canon, rule because they and thoughtful age than mere seminary were regarded as the infallible rule of students-one may find (as we have faith and conduct. They were num- satisfied ourselves by trying) at least bered in the ecclesiastical canons, while the following varieties, viz.: Jennie, other books considered doubtful were Nannie, Addie, Hattie, Minnie, Margie, In any modern schools catalogue or newspaper list of ladies' names which you may chance to meet, you find an endless iteration of the favorite inflection ie; as if the beauty or attractiveness, if not the respectability, of the young ladies, in some way, depended on this liquid and endearing termination. In the short space of one page of tinent to speak of this subject; but surely it bears direct relation to the mental growth and capacity of the sex. The literary nom de plume of a feminine author indicates to some extent Nettie, Nellie, Allie, Lizzie. Lord Duf- after. We do not remember that any ferin, the present dignified, governor journal of "woman's rights" and engeneral of Canada, has lately chosen to franchisement has ever thought it perbring this tendency into notice, (and so we suppose it prevails in Canada too) by making it a special topic in his address at a late commencement of the young ladies' school in Quebec. But he credits its habit, or its exaggeration, the force of her mind; and, we know to the United States; and thinks the just as well what to expect from the practice, when it becomes a "national Lillie Linwoods and Mattie Myrtles, as characteristic," is "not a significance." we do from the George Eliots. You can Some future philologist, perhaps, may pick it up as a remnant of that period when the young women of our most cultivated circles bore the badge of belittlement and patronage, and infer ish endearment as the pet names therefrom that the Oriental type of infantile helplessness had certainly survived to this era even in western lands. He will most likely conclude (and does not the evidence tend in that direction?) that, in our centennial time, the true idea of "A perfect woman nobly planned, To warn, to comfort and command." was not so much as suspected or sought scarcely pen a more suggestive satire against the helpfulness and independence woman, than to wrap her up in such terms of daily coddling and child against which Lord Dufferin protests. For instance, presistently to call the two great chieftians of woman's advanced status, Lizzie Cady Stanton, and Sussie B. Anthony, would crush, at one stroke, the revolution they have SO much at heart. Under such sweet persiflage, it would sink into languid imbecility, and furnish fresh food for laughter. National Series School Books, A. S. BARNES & CO., Publishers, New York and Chicago. Teachers everywhere, we want you to become acquainted with this POPULAR Series of School Books. Independent Readers, Independent Spellers, Monteith's Geographies, Barnes' U. S. History, They are the Best Common School Books Published, and are used in every part of the United States and Territories. The NATIONAL SERIES comprises more than three hundred publications, presenting text-books adapted to every grade of common school and college classes, all of which will be found fully described in our new descriptive catalogue, mailed free on application. Sample copies when desired for examination with view to introduction, will be forwarded on receipt of half the retail price. Special prices given for first supplies for introduction. Correspondence solicited, and promptly attended to. Address A. S. BARNES & Co., 113 and 115 State St., Chicago, Ill. ECLECTIC EDUCATIONAL SERIES, Embodying the most approved methods of instruction; indorsed by the leading educators; used in the best schools; the best books at the lowest prices. The following prices are, first, regular retail price; second, introduction price, for first introduction into schools where not already in use, and for single specimen copies to teachers or school officers for examination with a view to first introduction; third, exchange price, (one-half retail) for first introduction into schools in exchange for the corresponding old books of other series in use in the schools. MCGUFFEY'S READERS AND SPELLER-Indorsed by more leading teachers and now in use in more schools than any other series: McGuffey's New First Eclectic Reader...... แ Second Eclectic Reader.. $0.18 $0.14 $0.09 HARVEY'S READERS AND SPELLER÷Harvey's Graded-school Readers and Primary Speller, (by Thomas W. Harvey, A. 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