Eclectic Educational Series. ECLECTIC SYSTEM OF PENMANSHIP-The simplest and most business like and practical system published: Eclectic Elementary Course, Nos. 1, 2, 3, per copy.... $0.10 $0.08 Eclectic Copy-books, 9 numbers. Eclectic Copy-book Covers, with blotters, per dozen.. Eclectic Writing Cards, 72 numbers on 36 cards, p. set Sample-book Eclectic Penmanship, 200 copies, p. copy Stands adopted wholly or in part in every county in the State. It is also used in the best schools throughout the country and is warmly indorsed by the best teachers. In urging the further introduction of the series by the schools of Indiana, the publishers invite attention to the following POINTS OF SUPERIORITY: 1. A Complete Series.-The Eclectic Series embraces a full line of text-books . in the branches of study usually taught in schools and colleges. and 2. A Practical Series.-The authors are teachers of acknowledged ability, of large and varied experience. The books stand the test of the class-room, as shown by their long continued use where adopted. 3. A Progressive Series.-It embodies the latest reliable scientific data and the most approved methods of teaching. 4. A Popular Series.—It is more widely recommended by prominent educators, and more extensively introduced and used than any other in America. 5. An Artistic and Durable Series.-In the manufacturing of these books the best material and the most skilled artists in the various departments of the work are employed, insuring thorough excellence in all mechanical features. 6. A Cheap Series.-The long experience of the publishers in the manufacture and publication of school text-books exclusively, and the wide introduction and use of the Eclectic Series enable them to offer their list at the lowest prices. Teachers and school officers are invited to correspond with the publishers for further information as to terms of introduction, etc. State what books are now in use, and give in full your name, postoffice address, county, and State. Descriptive circulars on application. WILSON, HINKLE & CO. PUBLISHERS, CINCINNATI, O., AND NEW YORK, N. Y. 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, Peck's Arithmetics, Davies' Arithmetics, Peck's Algebras, Clark's Grammars, Steele's Sciences. 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. Correspon dence solicited and promptly attended to. Address A.S. BARNES & Co., 113 and 115 State St., Chicago, III. RIDPATH'S HISTORIES OF THE UNITED STATES. Prepared expressly for Schools, on a new and comprehensive plan, embracing the features of Lyman's Chart. They are divided into Periods, in accordance with the natural divisions of American History. The objective method of presenting historical facts is pursued throughout, each period being illustrated with finely colored Chronological charts and PRICE LIST. progressive Geographical maps. | Retail | Introductory | Exchange | Examine Academic Edition, 479 pp. octave | $1.75 | $1.15 | $ .85 | $1.00 Grammar School Ed, 360 pp. 12mo | $1.25 | $.83 | $ .52 | $ .75 COMMENDATIONS. From Rev. O. G. May, A. M., Pres. Rock River University, Dixon, Ill.—“ I consider Ridpath's U. S. History far superior in every respect to any other that I have ever seen. From Robt. Allyn, LL. D. Pres. Southern Ills. Normal University.-"I am well pleased with its plan and execution. Its words are apt and full of life." From Prof. R. W. Stevenson, Supt. Public Instruction, Columbus, Ohio.—“I recommend it as a text-book of great merit. It ought to be in the hands of every teacher. For Descriptive Circulars, Specimen Pages, and full particulars, address JONES BROTHERS & CO., Cincinnati or Chicago. In the present article we propose to say a few words concerning normal schools, and their relation to the common school. We shall maintain the doctrine that these schools have a very important bearing upon the common schools in securing for them better teachers, and therefore a better education for our children. 1. In the first place it is proper to define what is meant by a normal school. The necessity of having better the fountain from whence the streams teachers in the common schools is of vice flow all over the land. generally felt. No department of education has suffered so much from incompetency of teachers as the department which controls the education of nine-tenths of all the children in the land. This is an evil of monstrous proportions. If it is suffered to go on, it will involve ús in civil ruin. There is no better settled maxim of republican society than that "the common schools are the hope of our country;" or, in other words, "We must educate! We The word normal is from the Latmust educate!" But to educate we in adjective normalis, which is from must have educators, not in name the noun norma, which signifies a only, but in deed and in truth. Our rule, a pattern. Our rule, a pattern. Webster defines it best educators ought to be found in thus: "According to an established the common schools, in these colleges norm, rule, or principle; conformed of the people. If we secure for the to a type or regular form; accomchildren of the people a good and plishing the end or destiny; performsolid education in the common ing the proper functions; not branches, then we secure for them abnormal; regular; analogical." that which will fit them to transact He also thus defines normal school: all the business of common life, and "A school whose methods of inenable them intelligently to exercise struction are to serve as a model for all the franchises of an American imitation; an institution for the edcitizen. The free institutions of our ucation of teachers." It will be fathers will be in no danger when in seen, from these definitions, that a the hands of such educated citizens. normal school is somewhat different Our great danger lies in ignorance, from other schools. It is a school which always runs in the direction of where persons go to learn to teach. vice and corruption. Every patriot, It is presumed that these persons every Christian philanthropist, must have already studied more or less do whatever he can to stop the in- thoroughly the branches they desire roads of ignorance, and thus dry up to teach, and that now they come to gether to learn the best methods of tant bearing on the common school. imparting the knowledge they al- It is the trained teachers whom the ready have. It is true, as a second- normal school turns out that are to ary consideration, since all are liable do the great work of elevating the to become rusty in branches which common school. It is those teachthey do not teach or review, a gen- ers who have been trained themselves eral review of the common school until they know the rules best adaptbranches is all proper and right at ed to imparting instruction, and who the normal. But such a review is have come to respect the majesty of only incidental; it is not the main law and rule in the little things of purpose for which the normal is the school-room as well as in the made. That main purpose must not great things, who will ever do anybe lost sight of. It must ever be thing to make the common school kept in the foreground. We have the complete seminary of learning seen, from year to year, persons com- that the law and the necessities of ing to our normal sessions whose republican institutions required it main object in attending was that should be. they might gain knowledge enough 2. In the second place, having to get a certificate from the examin- defined what we understand a norer. If they could accomplish this, mal school to be, and alluded in genthen their highest ideas of a nor- eral terms to the relation it has to mal education were reached. Be- the common school, let us now speyond this there is nothing to them. cify more particularly a few of the But this is a great mistake. If nor- important points of relation wherein mal schools are to become an im- the one bears upon the other. We portant factor in revolutionizing com- will specify first the idea of method, mon school teaching, which we main- which is so prominent in the normal, tain is their mission, then we must and insisted upon as its governing earnestly entreat that they be run in idea. This idea of method is an idea the channel of their mission. It that many who teach in the common must ever be kept before the teach- school have not at all. Yet without ers assembled in these schools, that this idea of method we may never they are there for the great purpose expect anything worth the mentionto learn how to teach and conduct ing to be accomplished in our comtheir schools when they go into them, mon schools. Teachers who want to on the most improved and approved establish system are met very often method of imparting instruction and with an emphatic denial of their governing the same. Let this pur- right to do so by some of their papose be kept in view during the trons, who fall back upon their interm of normal training, and the re- alienable rights of doing as they sult will be that the teacher who re-please with their own children. ceives such a training will enter the Other teachers are very well conschool room in the fall a man of tent to go on without any definite method. He will commence the method, and wear away the time to work of educing order out of confu- the end of the term. But teachers sion, and turning the hitherto uncer- who have been properly taught themtainty of the school-room into a reg-selves in methods will insist upon ular, systematized society, where applying method to any school which order and rule reign in beautiful may be entrusted to their care. harmony. Here is the point where is needless to say that methodical normal training has its most impor- teaching is the great want of the It common school, and we hope, through ment of the school. Much of the properly conducted normals, to sup- failure in the common school comes ply this want. But again another from the want of good discipline. point of relation between the normal A properly educated teacher will and common school, wherein the lat- not only have order or method in ter will be benefited, is the great ac- teaching, but he will have order in curacy and logic of the teaching. the school room. The same bent of Much of the teaching in the com- mind which causes him to have order mon school is inaccurate. Much of in the one will cause him to have it is illogical. The teacher was order in the other. Order is a unit. never taught to reason when he went If it obtains in one it will obtain in to school. He now teaches just as all. The The result will be to banish he was taught. Analysis in arith- almost entirely from the school the metic and grammar is altogether use of the rod. The children will Greek to him. He knows nothing love the school, and the promptings of the reason of the rule, or of the of this love will cause them to be logical relation of one step to another careful not to offend their good and in the solution of a problem or the orderly teacher. The normal plane demonstration of a theorem. If he of their infantile and youthful amdoes he cannot state it in good En-bition will be elevated, and the glish. This is the lamentable con- switch will become a stranger to the dition of more than one-half of the school-room. It is very desirable teachers of the common school. that we reach this position, but if we What is the result upon the children? ever do it it will be by normalizing The result is they get no education and Christianizing our teachers. We worth the name of education. But deem it not best to tire our readers let these teachers become normalized, with further remarks upon the imlet them drink at the fountain of portant subject we have under conlaw and order and we behold them sideration. We close by exhorting delighted with analysis. They have all who expect to teach not to stop to give the reason of things, and short of a thorough understanding they will not be content to teach an of the science and art of teaching. hour without exercising their pupils Go to some good normal school, and in these high qualities which train when there attend well to the matter their minds to think consecutively, of getting a teacher's training, such and thus prepare them to take an as will be of practical benefit to you honorable position in society when when you enter the school-room. they go out to battle for themselves. Review all you can, but by all But we mention a third relation that means learn how to teach. Then the normal school has to the common you will be able to see the full school, wherein is much benefit to the benefit of attending a normal latter; we mean the proper govern- | school. Joseph Cook is mentioned as a Prof. M. W. Harrington, of Michcandidate for the chair recently re-igan University, who is now in Eusigned by Prof. Barbour in Bangor Theological Seminary; so is the Rev. E. S. Atwood of Salem, and the Rev. W. H. Fenn of Portland. rope, has been offered by the Chinese government College of Pekin, the chair of astronomy in that institution, at a salary of $4,000 a year. |