Union. May we not think of even better returns from these arable lands than those of the present? In the matter of fruits you must depend very largely upon New York and other states. In the state named you may see extending for miles, and often as far as the eye can reach, orchards and vineyards the like of which could and should exist in this highly favored county. Instead of some of the ordinary products which the farmer brings to these markets, and for which he gets but small returns, he would,

with his orchards and vinevards, become an easy competitor with the New York farmer in the markets of this country and others across the seas. How better shall such conditions be made to prevail than throngh the farmer's learning the meaning of Arbor Day, and practically entering into the spirit of it? When in all the schools of this great county Arbor Day is rightly kept, and all the people unite in its observance, the storied wealth and goodness of the Promised Land of Palestine may again be known, and this time in the garden county of Pennsylvania. Could the energetic farmer be made an intelligent and careful fruit-grower what an immense gain it would be to this agricultural community! Such may be and such ought to be the outcome of this most practical of holidays. When in time to come it has done what it is designed to do and what it is capable of doing, then will be known how to appreciate the efforts of those good men who inaugurated this day. Then shall we value the work of those who by their constant earnestness have kept alive in the minds of all, year by year, their reasons for promoting the blessings of Arbor Day.

I ask you to take these thoughts as my offering for this festival; and may I express the hope that I have not spoken wholly in vain?

ENGLISH LITERATURE.

"I HAVE been much interested in an account of the practical work you are doing in English literature," says the editor of the German Reformed Messenger. "That is about the best line of work I have seen in a long time. I wish the same thing could be done in every community; from the pastor's standpoint, as well as from that of the teacher and parent, I think it next to the preaching of the gospel. It is a kind of missionary work that should be done at any cost, and I wish you could get all our teachers to do what you are doing."

Rev. A. C. Whitmer writes: "I need hardly say that I find in the October issue very much to interest me; for I have long noticed your memory work, and I feel specially interested in giving

suitable literature to our young people, What a power our public schools, even those in the country, could be in this direction! Did I not get my first lessons in pure English from Cobb's North American Reader of 1844, with its selections from Verplanck, Bancroft, Irving, Webster, Everett, Bryant (Thanatopsis), Mrs. Hemans, and Wolfe (Burial of Sir John Moore)? And I shall ever be grateful for the providence which threw into my way, when I was but a lad, Park Benjamin's "Brother Jonathan," with the full text of the Cotter's Saturday Night and Rip Van Winkle. How much the taste and direction of after-life depend upon these incidental crumbs from the great storehouse! I assure you I greatly appreciate your efforts to give our young people a taste of the best that literature has for them. May God open the eyes of many to see what you see, and move them to be truly interested in the reading of young people. The public school can be made a great power in the interest of pure literature in the hearts and homes of their pupils, even of those who are quite young."

For years the sermons we read most frequently, and always with a feeling of gladness and gratitude, were those of Henry Ward Beecher, in the New York Independent, and David Swing, in the Chicago Inter Ocean. When they went

away "' into the great Beyond, on whom did their mantles fall? Mr. Beecher left Lyman Abbott; but in Chicago who has followed David Swing? In New York recently our genial friend, Mr. W. H. Morton, of the American Book Company, who is a firm believer in the virtue of good memory work, inquired if we had. ever seen what Mr. Swing thought of it, and handed us an extract from one of his excellent sermons. It is so much to the point, and so characteristic of the man, that we put it at once into type as something that cannot be reprinted too often or read too widely, especially by teachers or parents. He speaks from the heart, meaning every word of it:

"Much as we may have studied the languages or the sciences, that which most affected us was the moral lessons of our McGuffey's School Readers. I cannot but wish the teachers had made us bound the States less, and solve fewer puzzles in 'position' and the cube root, and instead have required us to commit to memory the whole series of the McGuffey's

Eclectic Readers. The memory that does come up from those far away pages is full of the best wisdom of time or of the timeless land. In those books we were in· deed led by a schoolmaster, from beautiful maxims for children up to the best thoughts of a long line of sages, and poets, and naturalists. There we first

THE

learned the awful weakness of the duel that took away a Hamilton; there we saw the grandeur of the "Blind Preacher" of William Wirt; there we saw the empti ness of the ambition of Alexander; and there we heard even the infidel say, 'Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God.'

}

DEPT. OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, HARRISBURG, Nov., 1897. HE Assessors are now engaged in making an enumeration of the number of resident taxables, and of children between the ages of six and sixteen years, for a basis on which to distribute two-thirds of the State appropriation to schools for the next two years. Directors would do well to see that returns made to the County Commissioners are correct, as after the returns made by Assessors have been certified by the County Commissioners to the Department of Public Instruction and the calculation for the distribution of the appropriation is begun, it will be too late to make corrections for the current year.

It is desired to further call the attention of directors to the fact that each Board must, on the first Monday of December, 1897, certify the number of paid teachers in their districts to their respective county, city, borough or township superintendent, as the case may be. Blanks for this purpose have been sent to superintendents, and if any board of directors has failed to receive one, they can be supplied by applying to their superintendent. Boards will be careful to note that this certificate must not be sent to the Department of Public Instruction, but in all cases must be sent to their respective county, city, borough or township superintendent. Directors should use great precaution in seeing that their certificate is properly made out and placed in the hands of their superintendent at the proper time, otherwise they may not only forfeit their share of the appropriation, but also subject themselves to the penalties prescribed by the law for neglect of duty.

ITEMS FROM REPORTS.

ALLEGHENY Supt. Hamilton: During the month of September we employed two men to asssist in school visitation, Mr. V. A. Powell, a graduate of the California Normal and for several years principal of the Latrobe schools, and Mr. W. M. DeVinney, a graduate of the Indiana Normal. With their help 174 schools were visited. We attended the dedication of three school buildings during the month, one at East

McKeesport, one at Buena Vista, and one at Versailles. Each of these was largely attended by the people of the vicinity. Our annual Directors' meeting will be held November 17th.

BEDFORD-Supt. Potts: The school houses in the county are now all supplied with good furniture. Providence East, the last to do this, put furniture in four houses this month. More has been done during the last vacation to beautify the houses of the county than in any former year. Everett borough has rearranged the seating of the primary rooms. Instead of all the children sitting in one room as formerly, three rooms have been made, and each teacher now has her own pupils under her control. No change of teachers has been made for the last two years, and the work of the present term is showing the wisdom of such management. Liberty township has built two new houses. one of them, a four-roomed brick building, one of the prettiest in the county. The architect and builder is Mr. Gibbony, of Everett. Hyndman borough papered the building throughout. There is a marked improvement in the looks of the house. Formerly it was dingy and dirty, now it is cheerful and bright. The influence will be noticeable on the character of the boys and girls. An additional teacher has been put into the school. Director Wilhelm spent parts of two days in the schools with me. Mr. L. J. McGregor took the place of Prof. Enoch, who has taken charge of the Hopewell school. Broad Top township is again under the supervision of H. H. Brumbaugh, The wisdom of local supervision is clearly demonstrated in the improved schools of this district. Mr. Brumbaugh visited all the schools of this township with me except one. Director William Souder spent part of a day visiting schools. The Saxton schools start off very pleasantly. There is a complete change of teachers in this school. The schools under the management of Prof. C. H. Bucher, who has been principal for the last four years, are becoming more efficient each year.

BERKS-Supt. Rapp: Friday, November 19th, has been designated as Parents' and Patrons' Day in the schools of Berks county. All the patrons will be invited to visit the schools on that day with a view to enlist

their sympathy and co-operation in school matters. Part of the day will be devoted to regular exercises and part to special exercises bearing on the home and family and the inculcation of personal virtne.

BLAIR-Supt. Wertz: Our committee on a professional course of reading for teachers of the county adopted Halleck's psychology, Educational Foundations, and the Pennsylvania School Laws pertaining to teachers and pupils. The committee's report requests the teachers to pay special attention to the geography and history of Pennsyl vania, and the use of Goho's Pennsylvania Reader is recommended. Next year the teachers will be examined in this course.

CUMBERLAND—Supt. Bryner: The indications point to better work this year than last. Many of the teachers feel that more will be expected of them than heretofore. Four Boards of Directors have passed resolutions requiring their teachers to hold monthly meetings. We expect to have cducational meetings held all over the county. A few of the non progressive teachers oppose educational meetings and Local Institutes,-in fact, they oppose everything except drawing their salaries. We hope and are encouraged to believe that before long the School Boards will cease to employ such teachers. On the whole we are much encouraged by the interest manifested by the directors in many of the districts.

ELK-Supt. Sweeney: Horton and Spring Creek township have each established a Township High School, and the sentiment is so favorable as to insure their continuance; over forty pupils are enrolled in each. In addition to a review of the common branches they are to have a year's work in the advanced branches. Everything educational is flourishing in Eik county. FULTON-Supt. Chestnut: We have held seven institutes of one day each. Teachers

to the number of 71, out of a possible 81, attended. School organization and classification were the assigned subjects. Many points in teaching and difficulties of management were also discussed. Much interest was manifested and good accomplished. Our corps of teachers is the strongest we have ever had.

LACKAWANNA- Supt. Taylor: Our County Institute, held during the week of September 6th, was, we believe, second to none held in this county in the practical value of the work done. The instructors were Hon. Jno. Q. Stewart, Dr. Martin G. Benedict, Supt. Geo. W. Twitmyer, Ex-Supt. Anna Buckbee, Prof. F. H. Green, Rev. Elkanah Hulley, and Prof. H. E Cogswell. These instructors proved to be an unusually strong corps, and did uniformly good work. The special features were Prof. Green's lectures on literature and Supt. Twitmyer's instructive drills in penmanship. Although both these subjects have been touched upon before, they have never been emphasized as in this Institute. The interest aroused in them

amounted to enthusiasm. For the lessons in penmanship a room was furnished with tables and chairs and writing materials. By dividing the Institute into two sections, all were given three periods of instruction of forty-five minutes each. The object was to instruct the teachers how to build up the habit of free muscular movement writing. This branch has been sadly neglected in the public schools, and we are far behind business colleges both in methods and results. The Directors' Association met on Tuesday, September 9th, and held a very interesting meeting. There were 81 directors present, the largest number ever enrolled at one of these meetings. Addresses were made by Pres. Wm. Repp, Miss Buckbee and Supt. Twitmyer. The question, "What should guide Directors in selecting teachers?" was ably discussed by Chas. F. Baker, Albert Ball, A D. Dean, and Edwin Maclay. At three o'clock the directors adjourned to the main court room, where with the teachers they listened to an eloquent address by Hon. Jno. Q. Stewart. On Sept. 10th, occurred the formal opening of the new High School building in Old Forge township. Elaborate preparations had been made for these exercises, and about 300 persons were present. Deputy Supt. Stewart inspected the building and delivered the dedicatory address. This structure, described in my annual report, is a very handsome and well planned building of eight rooms, with all modern conveniences. Its cost was about $20,000. LEBANON Supt. Snoke: During the month of September I visited 78 schools and found them in an excellent condition. The majority of the districts have organized Local Institutes and monthly meetings. I am confident that our schools never opened with more promising prospects.

LUZERNE—Supt. Harrison: From reports that have come to me I judge that our enrollment this year will be larger than ever before. In the mining districts the schools are very much overcrowded, so that directors have been obliged to open additional schools. As to salaries and length of terms, there are but few districts in which there has been a disposition to cut wages and terms on account of hard times.

MIFFLIN Supt. Cooper: Our schools are all in session and the attendance is unusually good. The Reedsville schools have an entirely new corps of teachers, with Prof. Murray of Catawissa as principal. The course of study prepared for the Reedsville High School is advanced and will likely more than meet the wants of the district for several years. Twenty-seven schools were visited during the month, and most of them were found doing good work. We found it advisable and necessary to make sharp notes in the county papers relative to the deplorable lack of punctuality in furnishing schools with the necessary books and supplies. Miss Annie E. Yeager, one of Lewistown's best and most experienced teachers,

resigned her position to accept a chair in Drew Ladies' Seminary, New York. Miss Yeager was highly appreciated and respected by the people of Lewistown, where she has faithfully labored for more than twenty years. Her many friends regret her departure, whilst they wish her continued

success.

MONROE Supt. Serfass: A systematic course of study has been adopted by the board of Coolbaugh for the graded schools at Tobyhanna Mills. It embraces a course of two years in the high school. I also ar. ranged and published a course of study for the ungraded schools of the county, which has been formally adopted in nearly all the districts of the county. I appointed two days-one at Stroudsburg and one at Brodheadsville-inviting the teachers, especially those who have had no previous experience, to meet me for the purpose of making explanations and suggestions on the work as outlined in the course. The interest which the teachers manifested was encouraging, and I am confident that by the end of the year it will be seen that our schools never had a better showing.

NORTHAMPTON Supt. Hoch Lower Saucon painted the inside walls of a number of their houses, furnished some with more slate surface, and made other necessary improvements. The Palmer Board bought a copy of White's Elements of Pedagogy for each of their teachers, to be used as a textbook at their monthly meetings.

NORTHUMBERLAND-Supt. Shipman: The directors of Ralpho district recently decided to establish a Township High School at Elysburg. The course of study adopted will require three years for its completion. The Riverside borough school building has been supplied with the bot-water system of heating, a decided improvement over the old method of heating by stove. Every new school house should have a commodious cellar. The time is coming when even oneroom country school-houses will have furnaces placed in the cellar. Four teachers' meetings were held during the month of September.

PIKE-Supt. Sawyer: Schools have opened with quite a large attendance. Teachers and pupils are interested and wide-awake, and the general outlook for the year is promising. Slate blackboards will be placed in a number of schools that have long needed this addition to their equipment. Smull's Hand Book is being placed in schools on my regular visits through the districts. Franklin school-house, in Dingman district, was destroyed by fire early in the month. It will probably be rebuilt in the near future.

SNYDER-Supt. Bowersox: Quite a number of districts have supplied their schools with the vertical system of penmanship and supplementary reading matter. Our teachers all appear to be wide awide and earnest. Good work should be the result. We at

tended a very large and enthusiastic picnic at Allenwood, held under the auspices of the P. O. S. of A. camps of Union and Northampton counties. A very learned and interesting address was delivered by Rev. Rupley, national chaplain of the order. He very forcibly and truthfully set forth the cardinal doctrines of the public school system as reflected by the order. We bespeak an educational awakening in the community in which this address was delivered.

UNION-Supt. Stapleton: All our schools are supplied with competent teachers. We expect no failures. During the month our endeavor has been to aid those who have never taught before to understand in some measure what is expected of a teacher, especially in the matter of school organization. In consequence of the failure to complete the new school building in Lewisburg in time for the opening of school, some of the schools are obliged to have half-day sessions. Many of the schools were closed on the last two days of September, on account of the Union County Agricultural Fair.

WARREN-Supt. Putnam: Mr. Job Dean, of Columbus borough, purchased and donated to the school district the building formerly occupied by the E. A. M. Fraternal Insurance Society. It is a substantial brick structure which at small expense can be made into a very acceptable school-house. The gift while unexpected is a most appropriate one, and will serve as a lasting monument to Mr. Dean.

WASHINGTON-Supt. Hall: Schools are making a good beginning. The weather has been very warm, but the schools are well attended. I made 72 visits during the month, all but eight in the rural districts. While the majority were doing good work, a few were killing time dead. Those few, for some cause or another, will likely cease to be by another year.

CARLISLE-Supt. Shearer: One new white boys' grammar school was established; also one new colored intermediate. Mr. J. E. Maxwell, colored, a graduate of Wilberforce University, was secured as principal of the colored high school. The Penn Building, the new eight-room structure on Bedford street, is rapidly nearing completion. The directors have given intelligent and careful consideration to its erection, and when finished it will be one of the most modern, commodious, and pleasing school buildings in the Cumberland Valley.

COLUMBIA-Supt. Hoffman: The course of six free lectures given in the Columbia Opera House, September 22, 23, and 24, under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania, was greatly enjoyed and highly appreciated by the citizens of our town and vicinity. The opera house was crowded to its utmost capacity on each evening, The large audiences were composed of the best citizens of Columbia, and they all united in voting the special lecture course a grand success. The lecturers were

Dr. N. C. Schaeffer, Supt. of Public Instruction, and Drs. Brumbaugh, Rothrock, Ravenel, and Schmucker, of the University of Pennsylvania.

CONSHOHOCKEN-Supt. Landis Dr. S. C. Schmucker, of West Chester, gave a course of three lectures to our teachers this month in biology. The course proved to be interesting, very helpful and profitable to all. Another course is mapped out for the Doctor in the spring. We purpose having a series of lectures on pedagogy and science this year; arrangements for them are now being made.

DANVILLE Supt, Houser: The Fuller and Warren Heating System has been placed in the Fourth Ward building. Now all our buildings in use are heated and ventilated by modern means. New slate blackboards have been placed in the different rooms of this and other buildings needing them. Fiske's History of the United States has been adopted for the high school, to take the place of Barnes.

Half

DUBOIS Supt. Greene: Our schools opened with a larger attendance than ever before. The first month's enrollment was 1443, an increase of 177 over that of the first month of last year. There were enrolled in the primary department, 901; grammar department, 410; high school, 132. Several of the schools were overcrowded. day sessions are held in one school. All the available seating room is occupied. The renting of an additional room and the opening of another school will likely be considered at the next meeting of the board. Twelve new teachers were elected this year. It is evidently the policy of the board to retain no teacher whose work has not been satisfactory, and to appoint no teacher who has not had successful experience or professional training. The stand our directors have taken for better schools, even in opposition to a strong public sentiment, is very commendable.

DUNMORE-Supt. Houser: An addition of four rooms was added to No. 2 building, making it an 8 room brick structure, seated with single desks, Bloomsburg make, and heated with the Smead-Wills system. Two rooms were also added to No. 4 building, making it an 8 room wooden structure, seated with patent furniture and heated the same as No. 2. Four kindergarten tables and some apparatus for primary work, such as blocks, toy money, colored splints, clock dials, etc., have been added this year. Excellent work is being done in some of the primary rooms.

HAZLE TWP. (Luzerne Co.)-Supt. Mulhall Our schools have been in operation nearly two months now, and the indications point to a successful term. A number of pupils throughout the township are eager to enter the high school, which shows that the people are anxious to give their children a thorough education. To curtail the number of entrances thereto will apparently

be an object, and to do that a higher grade of qualifications will be insisted on.

HOMESTEAD-Supt. Kendall: The enrollment for September was the largest in the history of the Homestead schools. Four more school-rooms are needed immediately. Some action will be taken at the next board meeting to provide accommodations for the next term. The new compulsory school law is a great improvement over the law of 1895. An attendance officer was elected for the full school term. This board will see that no school children are found running the streets during school hours. Much attention will be paid to the study of literature the present school year.

HUNTINGDON-Supt. Cleaver: Our schools opened with a greatly increased attendance. Two of our primary schools had to be divided for half day sessions. All our schools are crowded to their fullest capacity. Our new high school building, nearing completion, will soon afford an ample accommodation for all our school population. During the summer vacation the Superintendent prepared a manual of rules, regulations, and course of study, which the Board has had printed. This will be a convenience to all connected with the schools, and will aid in systematizing the work.

MIDDLETOWN-Supt. Weber: At the close of last term forty-six grammar school certificates of promotion were granted. The first morning of school this term the entire number entered the high school. Very few pupils leave after the grammar schools have been reached.

SUNBURY-Supt. Oberdorf: Owing to delay in receiving and placing furniture in the new building, the schools did not open until September 16. On the first day 1904 were enrolled, an increase of 79 over the first day of last year. The grammar grade was found to be overcrowded, and an additional teacher was elected. The new building contains all the grades, the second floor being occupied by the high school, the third by the grammar schools, and the first by the lower grades. About 700 pupils are accommodated comfortably in the building, which is a model in all particulars, and unsurpassed in this part of the state. The work in all departments is progressing finely.

TAMAQUA.-Supt. Ditchburn: The attendance for the first month is 76 greater than that of the same month last year. The day is not far distant when we must have more schools.

UNIONTOWN-Supt. Smith: Our enrollment exceeds by more than 100 pupils that of the same month of any previous year. An additional school, supplied with new single desks, slate blackboards, and the latest and most improved system of heating and ventilating, was opened in the White School Building, which was named in honor of Mr. Joseph White, the oldest member of the Board, having been a member almost continuously for the past twenty years.