in one of the leading high schools of New York. The club consisted of about forty members, selected from the best material in the school. Notwithstanding the fact that music had been taught in the schools of that city for more than twenty years, the only members of the club who could read music were a few who had learned to do so through the study of the piano. In that case I taught all the glees and part-songs by rote, precisely as I would have taught them to children in the primary grades. A system of musical instruction in the schools that is productive of no better results than this needs no further condemnation. And yet, it is claimed that music is as well taught in the schools of that city as in any city in the state, and I am inclined to believe the claim is not without a basis of truth.-George Whelpton in The School Journal.

IDEALS IN MUSIC.

In our advanced civilization we have gone somewhat astray in the writing of pretty tunes for children, instead of giving them musical ideas to appreciate. How to provide the child with the largest experience, the stuff out of which music can be made, should be our deepest concern. In the two-step atmosphere of the nineteenth century it is a little difficult to give him impressions deep and sound, which will lead him finally to grasp music in its larger meaning. We cannot produce the musician or the artist simply by listening to pretty tunes or tones, but by inspiring him with noble ideas and sentiments, which, if he becomes a musician, will make of his music a life work and a ministry to the human race.

Now that the art of music is corroborated in the science of teaching we need no longer apologize for our work under cover of an arithmetic lesson. Let the law of its beauty sink deep into the children's souls. Flood them occasionally with harmony, as you would your lawn when the turf gets dry. Let the music speak while the teacher keeps silent. It conveys more through a few minutes' simple hearing than volumes of explanation on our part, Subordinate the theory of music to its performance. Finally when, through the ideal conditions presented, we not only get a few facts about music into the child's mind, but arouse his will and the true assertion of himself in song, we gain not only beautiful singing, but the true individuality of the child. We arouse the artist's power, and we contribute to the world's work a vital, active factor. If the work of the

teacher of this age is well and intelligently done, the making of men and women as well as artists and interpreters should follow as a natural result.-Mari G. Hofer.

MUSIC IN CITIES.

There is a line of civic development in an æsthetic direction which appeals to other senses than sight. The claim of the ear is not forgotten. In Philadelphia and in Boston there is already a municipal band. The mayor of Philadelphia writes that the one in that city has steadily grown in favor. In the summer of 1897

it gave ninety concerts in twenty-three squares. The band in Boston gave its first concert last June. A series followed, one each Sunday on the Common, and two or three every week in public parks and squares. A music commission had been created, as an expression of the city's wish to furnish good free music to the people. The municipal band was of its creation, and was made excellent. A choral society was organized, and the programmes were varied with vocal music, instrumental solos, etc. The popular success was immense, audiences numbering 20,000 persons sometimes gathering on Sunday. The commission also purchased the Mechanics' Hall organ, which it is proposed to place in a public building accessible to the people; and when winter came, a series of indoor orchestral concerts was arranged. The commissioners conducted an examination of the instruments of itinerant street musicians, and the ordinance defining the powers of the board states that, with slight restriction, it "shall have the charge and control of the selection of public music, to be given either indoors or in the open air, for parades, concerts, celebrations, and other purposes." No other American city has yet gone as far as Boston in this direction, though public concerts in the parks are common.

The permanent orchestras, other special musical, and various artistic advantages belong, of course, to a city's artistic as much as to its educational group of problems.-Charles Mulford Robinson in the June Atlantic.

The power to imitate is one of the most valuable faculties with which the human mind is endowed. This faculty is brightest during childhood, and without it the young mind could not develop. Children learn songs at first by imitation, which is, of course, the natural way.-C. H. Congdon.

HINTS FOR NATURE STUDY IN OCTOBER.

The growing season is now about at an end and all vegetable life is preparing for winter by discarding-in the case of the annuals, all but the seed; in biennials, all but the fleshy part where nourishment for next year's growth is stored; and in perennials, the leaves.

These discarded portions soon begin the process of decay.

The vital parts of the plant (seeds), however, do not decay but are spread by different means to reproduce the plant next year.

Cereals, vegetables and fruits are now being harvested, which makes an interesting study of plant life.

In the study of seed dissemination make observations on local plants. Each pupil will make a collection of seeds and fasten to a piece of cardboard. Label and classify according to the way in which the seeds are distributed-wind, animals, water, by the plant, man.

Note how each seed is adapted in structure to take advantage of some particular means of distribution. Have the children paint and mold in clay the different seeds adapted for scattering by wind, moving water, animals, etc. Have them supply with written statements what these means of expression fail to tell. Note the difference between the falling of the leaves from the maple and the elm, the elm and the oak. On which do the leaves stay green longest?

Study harvesting, storing and distribution of products. Contrast man's method with nature's method of distribution, as seen in the wild plants. Why does the farmer thresh his wheat? What would happen to it if he did not? In what different ways does nature thresh and scatter her seeds? What is her great winter store-house?

In the work with the fruit and vegetables opportunity for observing the seeds will be given continually. Observe whether the children discover that all fruits have seeds, and draw any inferences as to other uses for the fruit than as food for man. Go further and find seeds on the plants and trees in the school-yard. Study the varying forms and their position and arrangement on the plant. The meaning of some of these forms, as winged seeds, etc. How are they distributed? How does the number of seeds whose distributing medium is the wind compare

with those carried in other ways? Carry out the picture as definitely as the children's interest will allow. For instance not only that certain seeds are carried by the wind, but just how it is done. Does the wind whirl them into the ground, or do they drop and become buried? Answer such questions only by further observations.-Chicago Normal School Leaflets.

FOR OLD SAKE'S SAKE.

I once had a sweet little doll, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world;

Her cheeks were so red and so white, dears,
And her hair was so charmingly curled.
But I lost my poor little doll, dears,
As I played in the heath one day;

And I cried for her more than a week, dears,
But I never could find where she lay.

I found my poor little doll, dears,
As I played in the heath one day:
Folks say she is terribly changed, dears,
For her paint is all washed away.
And her arm trodden off by the cows, dears,
And her hair not the least bit curled;
Yet for old sake's sake she is still, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.

-The Water Babies.

"AS ONE OF THESE."

Every teacher who has read The Bird's Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin-and all who have not, should-will be deeply interested in this prayer which she puts into the mouth of Mistress Mary, one of the characters in her story Marm Lisa. As will be seen, it is the prayer of a teacher for teachers, and expresses a sympathy as deep as is found in the Christmas Carol itself.

"Father in heaven, it is by the vision of thy relation to us that we can apprehend our relation to these little ones. As we have accepted that high trust, so make us loyal to it. When our feet grow weary and our faith grows dim, help us to follow close after the ever perfect One who taught even as we are trying to teach. He it was whom the common people heard gladly. He it was who disdained not the use of objects and symbols, remembering it was the childhood of the race. He it was who spake in parables and stories, laying bare soul of man and heart of nature, and revealing each by di

vine analogy. He it was who took the little ones in his arms and blessed them; who set the child in the midst, saying, 'Except ye become as one of these.' May the afterglow of that inspired teaching ever shine upon the path we are treading. May we bathe our tired spirits in its warmth and glory, and kindle our torches at the splendor of its light. We remember that he told us to feed his lambs. Dear Lord, help all the faithful shepherds who care for the ninetyand-nine that lie in the safe cover of the fold; help us, too, for we are the wandering shepherds whose part.it is to go out over the bleak hills, up the mountain sides and rocky places, and gather in out of the storm and stress of things all the poor, unshepherded, wee bit lammies that have either wandered forlornly away from helter or have been born in the wilderness and know no other home. Such an one has just strayed into the fold from the dreary hill-country. It needs a wiser shepherd than any of us. Grant that by gentleness, patience, and insight we may atone somewhat for our lack of wisdom and skill. We read among thy mysteries that the divine Child was born of a virgin. May he be born again and born daily in our hearts, already touched by that remembrance and consecrated by its meaning. And this we ask for love's sake. Amen."

TWO INTERESTING GAMES.

SCULPTOR.

A girl who is chosen as sculptor arranges the other players in various attitudes as statues. She then looks to see if each one is in proper position and punishes each player who changed her position with a blow from a loosely knotted handkerchief. When finally all are in position, she says, "The sculptor will not be at home to-day," and leaves the playground. The other players, finding themselves alone, begin to make merry; they laugh and sing and dance. All at once the sculptor returns, saying, "So, the sculptor returns and-," one, two, three, all strive to be in position before she can reach them for punishment with the knotted handkerchief. If the sculptor should hit some one already in place, the statues all come to life again and in turn flourish knotted handkerchiefs in pursuit of the sculptor. The last player in position becomes sculptor. The game can also be varied or given another form by appointing an overseer, who furnishes the players with some occupation as sewing, hammering, planing, etc.

SCALE GAME.

In this game the scale is represented by lit

tle girls, the little boys choosing the representatives. The tiniest tot in the room is called up for "Do." The next tiniest follows for "Re" and so on until eight are chosen perfectly graded in height from low "Do" to high "Do." These eight stand in line facing the school and proceed to introduce themselves, each one in turn singing her name, “"Do" or "Re" or "Me," or whatever it may be and making a low bow afterward. Then the school, to show their warm personal interest in the line of representatives assembled before them and to become better acquainted with their relation to each other call each one separately three times. They sing: "Do, Do, Do," (Do bows), "Re, Re, Re" (Re bows), and so on until all have been called and have saluted

gracefully or otherwise. Then the scale join

hands in a circle and dance to the left while the school sings up the scale, and dances to the right while they sing down the scale; when they reach low "Do" they continue singing "Do, Do," until Do steps out of the circle and bows to the other members of the scale and takes her seat. When she is safely seated they begin with "Re," sing up and down the scale, the children dancing as before; they stop on "Re" and repeat "Re, Re," until Re is seated, then use "Me" as the beginning and ending and so until finally only high "Do" is left to dance alone and bow and take her seat.-Blanche Hand.

MY SHADOW.

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I

can see.

He is very very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes

to grow,

Not at all like proper children which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy head,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed. -R. L. Stevenson.

HISTORY OF ARITHMETIC.

XV.-EARLY WRITERS ON ARITHMETIC- Continued.

Lucas Pacioli, sometimes known as Lucas di Burgo, was a Franciscan friar, and a native of Tuscany. He was a famous lecturer on mathematics at Rome, Pisa, Venice and Milan. His great work was Summa de arithmetica, geometria, etc., printed in Venice, 1494. It is very probable that this was the first printed treatise on arithmetic. It had a wide circulation and exerted a great influence on the trend of arithmetic. Mercantile subjects were fully treated. Many of the problems were very long and complicated. A very interesting example of these problems is found in Ball's History of Mathematics, page 213.

In 1501, John Huswirt published at Cologne a brief treatise on the Arabic system. This is probably the first book on arithmetic in the German language. The operations are proven by casting out the nines.

The Practical Arithmetica by Jerome Cardan appeared at Milan in 1539. Much attention is given to the mysterious properties of numbers. Biblical numbers receive especial emphasis.

It

The most famous early arithmetic of England was the Ground of Arts by Robert Recorde. first appeared in 1540. It went through many editions, the last appearing in 1699. Recorde introduced the sign of equality. His book exerted a marked influence on the trend of arithmetic in England.

The Arithmetica Integra by Michael Stifel appeared at Nuremberg in 1544. The book is marked by scholarship in the treatment of the properties of numbers, surds and incommensurables. The author is the reputed inventor of +, —, and

The eminent Italian mathematician, Nicolas Tastaglia, published a very complete arithmetic in 1556. This book gives great emphasis to the applications of arithmetic. DeMorgan speaks of it in the highest terms.

Baker's Well-spring of Sciences, which appeared in 1583, is a sort of transition book from the ground of arts to the commercial arithmetics of the eighteenth century. Much emphasis is placed upon the rule of practice.

Among the other early writers the following

may be mentioned :-Simon Stevinus, at Leyden in 1585, revised by Albert Girard in 1634; John Mellis at London, in 1588; Richard Witt, at London in 1613; John Napier, at Edinburg in 1617. Nicholas Hunt in 1633 published The HandMaid to Arithmetick refined. The book contains It a full treatment on weights and measures. gives the rules in verse. The following are examples:

Adde thou upright, reserving every tenne,
And write the digits downe all with thy pen.

Subtract the lesser from the great, noting the rest,
Or ten to borrow you are ever prest.

To pay what borrowed was think it no paine,
But honesty redounding to your gaine.

PREPARATIONS FOR TEACHING ARITHME

TIC.

Preparation to teach arithmetic is not different from preparation to teach any other subject. It is, however, sometimes thought to be different. There are those who seem to think that the only preparation necessary is that which will enable the teacher to keep the problems solved one lesson in advance of the class. To do this it may be necessary to use a key, or to call upon a fellow teacher. This lack of preparation accounts, in a great measure, for the unsatisfactory state of arithmetic in our schools.

The first essential is to know the arithmetic. The study of arithmetic alone will not give this knowledge. No complete knowledge of arithmetic is possible without the light that comes from algebra and geometry. These subjects furnish a proper perspective. The teacher should study arithmetic, algebra and geometry and then restudy arthmetic in the light of the latter two subjects. Such a study should give a logical and scientific organization of arithmetic. This is the kind of knowing that should characterize the teacher.

The teacher should have some acquaintance with the history and development of arithmetic. This will prevent him from repeating the mistakes of the past. It will also increase his understanding of the subject. From the history he can draw the material for his class that will promote a healthy interest in the subject.

Whether the teacher has one grade or all grades, he should see the arithmetic for the school course as a logically connected whole.