The Modern Music Series By ELEANOR SMITH, assisted by other eminent composers. A new series of music books on the inductive plan. The following is quoted from the Preface of the series: SUMMARY OF THE METHOD. The plan of these books may thus be briefly summarized I. The song as a complete form which is to suggest some simple element of music to the child. II. The musical phrase evolved from the song, a suggestion of the song in simpler form. III. The sight-reading exercise further carrying out the suggestion of the phrase and song Then the gradual reversal of the process by way of com pleting the circle of development. I. The exercise anticipating the thought of the song. II. The musical phrase leading up to a comprehension of the song's elements. III. The song as an embodiment of the musical principles which the child has observed and in which he has had practice. All teachers and others who are interested is discussing this new plan of music work are invited to write to the publishers, SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO., 278-288 Wabash Ave., CHICAGO, ILL. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY'S NEWEST BOOKS. MRS. WILSON'S U. S. HISTORY READER FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 400 pages, 60 cents. Also in four parts, each 20 cents Also part V, made up of selections from the other parts, for anniversaries: Bird Day. Arbor Day, Flag Day, Decoration Day. 20 cents. SAINTSBURY'S SHORT HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE. $1.50. For use in academies and co1leges Just introduced into Iowa University CARPENTER'S AMERICAN PROSE SELECTIONS. 600 pages, $1.00. On same plan as Craik's English Prose and Ward's English Poets GEORGE'S FROM CHAUCER TO ARNOLD. 600 pages, $1.00. A remarkably excellent selection of choice masterpicees LESSING'S NATHAN THE WISE, edited by PROFESSOR GEORGE O. CURME of Northwestern University. Illustrated. 60 cents. GOETHE'S EGMONT, edited by PROFESSORS. PRIMER of the University of Texas. Illustrated, 60 cents. CREIGHTON'S INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC. For High schools and Academies, and Freshmen in College. MRS. WILSON'S NATURE STUDY READER Companion volume to "Nature Study in Elementary Schools" 35 cents. For supplementary reading in the grades. LANGE'S HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY. Numerous illustrations, $100. Excellent for both teachers and pupils. CARPENTER'S PRINCIPLES OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 75 cents. A capital book for High School students. Adopted at once by the Kansas City High School. DAVENPORT & EMERSON'S ELEMENTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 65 cents. For the grades or first year in high school. Just adopted in Lincoln, Neb THE MCLELLAN & AMES' SERIES OF ARITHMETICS. Public School Arithmetic. 60 cents Primary Other excellent texts in preparation. Send for Educational Catalogue. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY, New York... Boston... San Francisco. Auditorium Building, CHICAGO. A. W. MACY, Western Agent. When writing to advertisers please mention THE INLAND EDUCATOR. NOV 12 1898 THE INLAND BRIDGE MASS. A JOURNAL FOR THE PROGRESSIVE TEACHER. Truth Versus Error. * * It is just cause for regret that the old contest between truth and error for supremacy in the minds of men still goes on, and that the mind is often so peculiarly constituted as to cherish the latter with a strangely persistent preference. It may be that error has, in general, a more attractive garb than truth, or that she more faithfully and more punctually rewards her devotees. We do not know; but that error often does prevail for a time is frequently exemplified. To illustrate: On the first page of THE INLAND EDUCATOR for September appears the plain statement by the publishers that our journal " is bound in no way to the views of any school or clique." In the same issue we expressed certain views relating to the Indiana Reading Circle. Commenting upon our position, Home and School, in its October issue, takes occasion to express itself as follows: "It is generally understood that THE INLAND EDUCATOR is a sort of semiofficial organ of the State Reading Circle Board, of the State Normal School, and of the present public-school management in Indiana." If such a rumor has reached Illinois, Home and School has a perfect right to mention it, but to confirm the rumor by adding: “This is not mentioned in a spirit of criticism, but as a statement of fact," seems to us both unwarranted and unfair. We know well enough why it has been to the interest of some people to set in motion such a report, but we do not know why Home and School should wish to add its impulse. In view of the present school controversy in Indiana anything that helps o disseminate a belief that THE INLAND EDUCATOR is partisan and an official organ of one of the factions is a manifest injustice. We are willing to believe that our Illinois friend did not so intend it, and hence we bear no resentment. We claim to be loyal to all the schools of Indiana and of every other state in the Union. Moreover, we here publicly disclaim allegiance to any power, board, or influence, excepting only the best interests of all of our schools and their teachers. For the sake of fairness we ask two things: First, that if THE INLAND EDUCATOR is now or ever has been the official or semiofficial organ of any of the educational boards or institutions of the state we shall be duly advised, so that we may trim our sails accordingly, and perhaps come in for some share of spoils, if such there be. Second, that our contemporaries may be informed to the same effect, so that our position will no longer depend upon wildrumors and reports. to see its lead followed in a course that has seemed to it to be good. Imitation is a sort of endorsement, an approval of the thing that is imitated. Hence, it has been gratifying to THE INLAND EDUCATOR to find its articles and its opinions often quoted in other educational papers, and to see its plans of arrangement and form frequently copied. THE EDUCATOR has no monopoly upon such things, and must in turn acknowledge its own obligations to other periodicals, much as it likes to be original. However, there is a well-established custom that borrowed printed matter is entitled to credit. Not only custom, but courtesy, would seem to require this, to say nothing of regard for copyright. It has caused us, therefore, no little surprise to find some three and a half pages from the July EDUCATOR picked up bodily and set down in the October number of one of our most enterprising school monthlies. So far as we can see no credit is given, though the preparation of the material thus borrowed cost several hours of honest work. Whether the borrower thought that the identity would be lost by the lapse of three months, or that our property interest would have expired by this time, or that it was an oversight pure and simple, we are unable to guess. A copy of the paper was sent to us, but as the loan was not labeled its discovery was a mere chance. We might suggest that full and honest credit as a point of courtesy would be much appreciated by us, and at the same time would be less risky to the borrower since all our matter is fully protected by copyright. * In this issue will be found A Practical Sugan article on "Social Probgestion. lems of the Teacher," written from the author's own experience. We wish to commend this as an excellent plan, and to invite other teachers to do likewise. This is precisely what Dr. Henderson had in mind when he suggested to teachers to make their own textbooks that should supersede his. How often do we feel conscious that conditions are present which stand in the way of the best education, but which, in spite of an impulse to do so, we are unable to remove because our impressions are vague instead of well defined. To get a clear-cut impression nothing helps so much as an attempt to formulate it. Suggestions for the cure of evil conditions are never more likely to occur than during a careful statement of those conditions. An exchange of opinion and experience in matters of general interest may be profitably conducted through THE EDUCATOR, and we cordially invite teachers to let us hear from them. The Missouri Through the courtesy of Professor N. C. Heironimus of Compromise. Richmond, Indiana, we have been favored with a copy of a monograph which he has worked out on the Missouri Compromise. The paper is designed to furnish a supplement to the text for the use of his eighth-grade classes. His plan to review the text-book study of a definite period by an outside study in related topics is a good one, and we think teachers who have not developed some satisfactory method of studying history for themselves would find it profitable to secure one of these monographs by way of suggestion. The author does not claim to have discovered anything new, but has carefully collected and set forth the salient points in one of the most interesting phases of the great slave controversy. Studies of this kind are well adapted for clothing history with the lively interest that it possesses when rightly taught. tional series asks the teachers of the state to cooperate with him in securing the best results. To this end he has prepared a tabulated circular asking for an estimate of the value of every selection in books three and four. Another set of questions includes the following: What proportion should be poetry? Are there any selections very much liked by one sex, and in which the other sex takes little interest? (Designate them by number.) Give the numbers of what you consider to be the six best selections. In what six selections do the girls seem to take most interest? The boys? What selections do you consider too simple? Are you in favor of longer selections (especially in prose) than those contained in the present reader? Name six or more selections, prose or poetry, complete, partial, or adapted, that you would like to have used. Give, if possible, the author, the name of the book containing selection, and the publisher. Professor Clark invites replies from all teachers who are familiar with the books, and we know he will be glad to furnish blanks for full replies to all who are interested enough to ask for them. Every holiday has charms and delights. that are peculiarly its own. Sometimes these depend upon the season, sometimes upon historical significance, sometimes upon the manner of celebration, and sometimes upon the sentiment for which the day stands. Thanksgiving may be regarded interesting from all four points of view. It comes at the end of the season when fruits and grains and vegetables have been gathered, when cellar and granary are full, when the long evenings and the cool weather combine to make lamplight and firelight more cheerful within doors, while books and games, nuts and apples, chat and stories take the place of the recreations and pastimes of summer. Historically the day is filled with interest. Our thoughts go back to the bleak New England of nearly three hundred years ago, when the Puritan remnant who had escaped famine, disease, and the tomahawk decreed that liberty in a wilderness was better than oppression under milder skies, and that it was their bounden duty to thank the Great Giver for this and all other good things. If they had cause for gratitude surely we have. Our hearths and homes are brighter and our storehouses are fuller. We can never afford to lose sight of the sterling virtues of these sturdy ancestors, and the yearly observance of this festival will help much to keep their memory green. The present social custom of holding family reunions on this day is beautiful and commendable, and might well become yet more general than it is. Love and human ties-good gifts from above-are to be enjoyed while we have them. The many whose homes may be desolate should become welcome guests in other and more favored homes. Let the good things usually prepared at these times be enjoyed and shared. Americans this year have greater cause than ever to express in a public way their gratitude for national blessings. The churches where services are held should be made to overflow. ful for. A comparison of our lot to-day with that of the Pilgrims, or with that of the early immigrants to these middle states, will be interesting and profitable. What hardships on the one hand, what enjoyments on the other, had they that we have not? An exercise or two like this, the reading of the proclamations by the President and the governor, one or two patriotic songs, one or two hymns of praise, and a short story suitable to the occasion, like one from Hawthorne's "Grandfather's Chair," will make a simple and delightful program. Don't let the season pass without observing it in some way. * * * Great Movements. The advocates of a great principle are sometimes amazingly ignorant of what they claim to promote. The superficial followers of great movements very often outnumber those who have sounded the depths. The costly sacrifices on public altars outnumber in all ages the humble and contrite hearts. The vast array of Sunday Christians could not be officered by the real seven-day type of followers. Throngs of worshipers still look back at the dead Christ at the foot of the cross instead of forward at the living Christ who has been marching on these nineteen hundred years, and whose spirit still is in the forefront of all progress. The same spirit that prompted the Crusades is still prompting many undertakings. The plain commandment to go into all the world and preach the gospel is daily misinterpreted. The same zeal that misinterprets is so farsighted that it sees clear over the fields that are ripe for harvest here and goes gleaning in foreign lands. The category of foolish things done in His name seems inexhaustilog-ble. Form outranks content. The external stands so often for the internal. It is so much easier to talk glibly about a man who went about doing good than it is to live as He lived. We could all climb Mt. Hermon if it were physical climbing. We could all see the transfiguration if it were physical seeing. We would willingly build three booths, or more. booths, or more. The teaching of religion in our schools does not demand a drill in the commandments, nor even the mention of the Christ or any utterance of His. The most practical religion, after all, is the religion that comprehends the Christ as a living principle, and the life of the teacher may be a living example of this principle. The None of our national holidays but one stands for a finer sentiment than Thanksgiving Day. "Blow, blow, thou winter winds," says Shakespeare; "thou art not so unkind as man's ingratitude; thy tooth is not so keen because thou art not seen." And the reverse is equally true. "General recognition of the loving kindness of God and of our dependence upon him are not only proper expressions of the religious feeling of the community, but they are also educative in high degree." Carried out logically the sentiment of gratitude for blessings received ends in the higher joy of giving. We indulge in these reflections hoping that teachers may join us in making as much as possible out of all festival seasons. Let the holiday be more than a mere day without tasks. Teachers, of all people in the world, need the bright things. They need to keep young, to cherish ideals, to preserve happy memories, and to cultivate the finer sentiments. As we do so shall we help children to do so, too. It is a good thing for young people as well as for older ones to express in words sometimes what they are thank |