"Fourth. To make an order in concurrence with the chairman of the board of supervisors of the town in which any school house is situated, which is unfit for school purposes, reciting the reasons, if they deem it unfit for further use, and not worth repairing, and deliver the order to the clerk of the district in which such building is situated, and to transmit one copy of said order to the clerk of the town, and another to the superintendent of public instruction; and such order shall take effect from and after the date mentioned therein, unless for cause shown within thirty days after said order is delivered to the district clerk, it shall be overruled by the superintendent of public instruction; and from the time the said order shall take effect, the district shall not be entitled to share in any appropriation of the income of the school 'fund for any school kept in said building so declared unfit for school

purposes.

"Fifth. To examine any charge effecting the moral character or ability to teach of any teacher within his county or district, first giving such teacher reasonable notice of the charge, and an opportunity to defend himself therefrom; and if he finds the charge sustained, to annul his certificate, by whomsoever granted, and if the teacher so declared unfit to teach, holds a certificate from the superintendent of public instruction, or a diploma of a state normal school, then to notify the state superintendent of such annulment without delay.

"Sixth. To report annually to the board of supervisors of his county the conditions and prospects of the schools under his supervision; to receive from the town, city or village clerks abstracts of the reports of the several district clerks, and to transmit the same, as required by law, to the state superintendent, as also annually, before the first day of May, the name and post-office address of each town clerk of his county or district, and to report from time to time such other facts relating to education as the state superintendent may require, or the laws may prescribe.

"Seventh. To organize and conduct at least one institute for the instruction of teachers in each year, and to advise in all questions arising under the operations of the school laws in his county or district." SECTION 13. Section 95 of the aforesaid chapter is hereby amended, so as to read as follows:

"Section 95. The compensation of the county superintendent of

schools shall be fixed by the county board of supervisors, and shall be paid quarterly in cash by the county: provided, that for counties and districts containing more than ten thousand inhabitants, according to last preceding census, the compensation shall not be less than eight hundred dollars per annum, and for counties and districts containing more than five thousand inhabitants, it shall not be less than five hundred dollars per annum; and provided, further, that the board of supervisors shall allow for stationary, postage and printing such amount as the county superintendent shall certify to be actually necessary, not exceeding one hundred dollars in counties and districts containing less than five thousand inhabitants, and two hundred dollars in counties and districts containing less than ten thousand inhabitants and more than five thousand."

SECTION 14. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act, are hereby repealed.

SECTION 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Appproved April 10, 1867.

BOOKS OF REFERENCE. - From the following list of educational works, teachers may select such as they may desire for their own use: Abbott's Teacher; American Education, Mansfield; American Journal of Education, 16 volumes, Barnard; American Pedagogy, Barnard; Comparative Geography, Ritter; Calkins' Primary Object Lessons; Dictionary of Mathematics, Davies and Peck; English Pedagogy, Barnard; Emerson's School and Schoolmaster; Five hundred Mistakes Corrected; French Pedagogy, Barnard; Graded Schools, Wells; German Schools and Pedagogy; Letter to a Young Teacher, Thayer; Methods of Instruction, Wickersham; Normal Method of Teaching, Holbrook; Normal Training, Russell; Observing Faculties, Barton; Object Lessons, Welch; Papers for the Teacher, Barnard, 7 vols; Punctuation, Wilson; Page's Theory and Practice of Teaching; School Amusements, Root; School Economy; Wickersham's School Government, Jewell; Science of Education, Ogden; Study of Words, French; Sheldon's Elementary Instruction; Sheldon's Mode; Lessons on Objects; Teacher's Assistant, Northend; Teacher's Examiner, Stone; Teacher's Motives, Mann; Unconscious Tuition, Huntington-Supt's Report.

Not in Vain.

"I have labored in vain," a teacher said,
And her brow was marked by care;

"I have labored in vain." She bowed her head,
And bitter and sad were the tears she shed
In that moment of dark despair,

"I am weary and worn, and my hands are weak,
And my courage is well-nigh gone;
For none give heed to the words I speak,
And in vain for a promise of fruit I seek,
Where the seed of the Word is sown."

And again with a sorrowful heart she wept,
For her spirit with grief was stirred;
Till the night grew dark, and at last she slept,
And a silent calm o'er her spirit crept,

And a whisper of "peace" was heard.

And she thought in her dreams that the soul took flight

To a blessed and bright abode;

She saw a throne of dazzling light,

And harps were ringing and robes were white,
Made white in a Saviour's blood.

And she saw such a countless throng around
As she never had seen before-

Their brows with jewels of light were crowned
And sighing and sorrow no place had found,
For the troubles of time were o'er.

Then a white-robed maiden came forth and said,
"Joy! joy! for thy trials are past!

I am ONE that thy gentle words have led
In the narrow pathway of life to tread-
I welcome thee home at last!"

And the teacher gazed on the maiden's face;
She had seen that face on earth.
When with anxious heart in her wonted place,
She had told her charge of a saviour's grace,
And their need of a second birth.

Then the teacher smiled, and an angel said,.
"Go forth to thy work again;

It is not in vain that the seed is shed;
If only ONE soul to the cross is led,

Thy labor is not in vain."

And at last she woke and her knee she bent

In grateful, child-like prayer

And she prayed till an answer of peace was sent,
And Faith and Hope as a rainbow blent.

O'er the clouds of her earthly care.

And she rose in joy and her eye was bright,

Her sorrow and grief had fled-

And her soul was calm and her heart was light,
For her hands were strong in her Saviour's might
As forth to her work she sped.

Then rise, fellow teacher, to labor go!
Wide scatter the precious grain-
Though the fruit may never be seen below,
Be sure the fruit of the Word shall grow ;
foil on in faith, and thou soon shall know
"Thy labor is not in vain!"

Our Cabinet Organ.

"The school-master who cannot sing," says Martin Luther, "I would not look upon." The value of proper instruction in vocal music can hardly be over-estimated, and what intelligent parent in our land would not be gratified to know that his child possessed the advantages of such vocal training? indeed, in whatever light this matter is viewed, it is good, and good only. We find music adding to the happiness of the child, to the attractive influence of the school, to the refining pleasures of home, and thus gradually elevating the moral tone of the community and increasing the aggregate of happiness in the same. And we trust the day is coming when not only vocal but also instrumental music will appear as a common branch upon the teacher's certificate. By instrumental" music we mean nothing beyond ability to read a simple air or an ordinary accompaniment upon Cabinet Organ, piano or melodeon, a degree of skill that may readily be acquired.

Music is an inexhaustible source of gratification. Not only is it a present joy, but in coming years, it will shed its soothing influence over the ruder experiences of life, lightening toil, cheering the family circle, and binding it closer in union. It is one of heaven's choicest gifts. All lovers of music are fully sensible of its power in mitigating the fatigue of labor and in alleviating pain and care.

An excellent man and a good teacher expresses the following opinion in regard to the influence of music in school:

In respect to moral training and discipline, I regard music or singing in school as invaluable. Nothing so quickly relaxes the mind, and frees it from bad feelings and discouragements which the daily studies may engender. It relieves the teacher, too, to join in a cheerful song,

bodily as well as mentally. A teacher who sings often, will not very often scold. [Mark that.] I believe he can expend much of his overwrought nervousness in this way; and, instead of sharp tones piercing the heart, his words will fall in soft and gentle accents. Song always draws closer its participants, and in the song-exercise, if ever, there will be happiness in the school room. As a mental exercise, also, music fixes attention, concentrates thought, cultivates quick and nice discernment. As a physical exercise, it brings into healthy action, those vital organs, which cannot be reached so effectually in any other way. The Germans, who sing almost universally, claim that singing. is a preventive of disease of the lungs."

Says another competent authority:

"There is no occupation, in life with which music could not harmonize. We have hymns for divine worship; war has called forth many a heart stirring logic; the devil himself has his bacchanalian songs for his groggeries; why should we not also have cheering songs for the workshop, the cornfield, the kitchen, the school? On the continent of Europe they are wiser than we in this respect. There music forms a daily part of the educational training. It is found far more effective than the rod, or tasks, or angry reproof, for softening rugged dispo sitions. In Germany no teacher is considered as qualified to teach, even a common school, who has not some knowledge of music, cannot lead a choir of voices, and perform on some instrument."

There is but one opinion upon this subject. Now what were wiser than to make provisions, in our schools, both public and private, for instruction in this branch? "Teach your boys what they will practice. when they become men," is a good maxim, and most forcible in its ap-. plication to instruction in vocal music.

But we sat down to write an article upon OUR CABINET ORGAN, and have been wandering off in another direction. No matter, the twó subjects are kin. The school that delights in vocal music ought to. have a Cabinet Organ, if such an instrument can at all be afforded.— Ours stands open by yonder wall,-keyboard conspicious, dotted with its twenty-five flats and sharps that so often deceive our as yet unskilled fingers, the well known trade mark of "MASON AND HAMLIN" flashing from its polished front and challenging competition. We are proud of our instrument, and know we have the worth of our money. At all events it isn't for sale. We paid $170 for it,-5-octave, double reed, oiled-walnut case,-selected for use, though at the same time, the most ornamental article of furniture we happen to own.

Before deciding upon which organ to purchase, whether an Estey, da