class its completion of a course of study. If the preparation and delivery of an essay or oration is deemed an honor which gratifies the graduate. and his admiring friends, well and good; provided, always, that the effort is an honest one. The best incentive to honesty is to encourage naturalness. The teacher who advises the selection of abstract or far-fetched subjects can not be held blameless if the student is practically driven to plagiarism of all sorts. In our judgment a graduating essay should be the best example the student can furnish of the kind of work he has been doing.

The beautiful theory, perennially paraded, that the way to the White House or to a governor's palace is clear and open to any boy in the land may have an element of truth, but it really works out in so few cases that a far better theory is that which points out how men and women may be useful and happy along the humble ways where most of us must walk. The boy or girl who has made a careful study of some phase of the work done at school, and who records in the best manner possible the results of such study may not soar so high as the one who indulges in the airy vision, but will surely be on firmer ground when the show has passed and the more practical business of making a living has actually commenced.

*

Newspapers Criticise Dr. Jordan

The local papers at Logansport and also some of the state papers published at Indianapolis have offered some adverse and caustic criticisms upon the addresses which Dr. David Starr Jordan gave before the northern Indiana teachers' association and before other educational bodies during his recent visit to Indiana. One of the Logansport dailies expressed the opinion that Dr. Jordan must be a demagogue rather than a pedagogue, and reasoned that his anti-expansion theory if logically carried out would have prevented his advancement to the high position which he now holds as president of

Leland Stanford University. Now THE EDUCATOR is not and should not be partisan. It is neither its function nor its wish to discuss politics from a partisan point of view. As a matter of fact the editor happens to hold personal opinions that do not accord with those held and expressed by Dr. Jordan about the policy of the United States government in the Philippines.

Yet we wish to protest against the criticisms as made. Every teacher who reads current literature knew months ago what Dr. Jordan's views were. The executive committee who invited him to take a place on the program at Logansport also knew. No sane and thoughtful person could expect that he would deliver a series of five or six addresses and not give expression to his convictions on the great questions of the day. Indeed, if it had been known that he was to "talk to the galleries," that his addresses were to consist of platitudes and commonplace truths which we all know, who would have cared to hear him? the critics think that teachers should be kept in ignorance of what eminent men think about public questions, or that because a man of Dr. Jordan's ability differs from his critics that he is therefore necessarily wrong?

Do

It seems to THE EDUCATOR peculiarly important that teachers be thoroughly informed upon the great movements in current history. To this end we need to hear the arguments and views of both sides unless we wish to adopt views that are either second-hand or distorted. No! Give us great teachers who have convictions and who express them freely. Let teachers know what other teachers really believe whether opinions agree or differ. vaunted search after truth demands at least this much; and the day is gone, or is fast going, when the school teacher may not hold and express convictions upon all subjects as freely as that other teacher who lives and thrives by virtue of a free and independent press.

Our

-Couper.

HE teacher needs to keep constantly in mind that the work must begin at the beginning. Our province is not to be confined to a certain grade in the course of study, but to work forward from the very point in the life and progress of the child where we find him in ignorance, and groping about in search of truth. Our work extends to, and includes, the

dullest and most unpromising intellect as well as that of the genius; and the best reward may come at last in the sensible and liberal treatment of the former class. It is easier and more pleasant to develop the bright pupil, of course, but a broad comprehension of the needs of the ordinary one will insure inspiration of service in his behalf.

is in process of universal recognition and acceptance. The teacher dares never to forget that law is the very basis and bond of union of human society; and yet it is not so much of doctrine as of life that should be exhibited to the pupils.

All of the successful plans of education. in the past have been based upon the nature of the child, and the peculiarities of his environment; and the systems of the future must likewise take cognizance of these predominating influences. In so far as the child has been well born, and is favorably surrounded, our work is simplified. And in so far as he lacks these things, we are called upon to be more thoughtful, more discreet, and more tactful in furnishing a

Let it be fully understood, then, and accepted in good faith, that the teacher is properly charged with the ever present duty of adjusting the work to harmonize with the best phases of community life. Our civilization having advanced to the position of the necessity of saving and developing every life, it becomes our opportunity to insure this salvation for the humblest child and in the best way possible. The "survival of the fittest" is giving place to the doctrine of the survival of the weakest. The sanctity of life with its rights and possibilities

| better example in ourselves and in harmonizing him with nature.

Our opportunity, then, is extended from the most unpromising child in the hovel, with the birthmark of filth and poverty upon him, to the proud heir of wealth and culture. And after all both may come to an honorable manhood under the skillful guidance and consistent life of the wise teacher. The world of childhood must be saved through sympathy and encouragement and brotherly kindness and love.

ARE you glad of the coming of songbirds

about your homes? Would you like. to have more of them come? If you will get acquainted with them, find out what they like to eat, where they most like to nest and live, what they need to build their nests of, if you will find out their enemies and protect them intelligently from these,-in short, if you will think their needs over and help them to provide these, and if you will always treat them kindly they will come in larger and larger numbers every year. If you were a bird would you go where there are no berries, no crumbs, no seeds, or where those you especially like could not be had? Would you go to see a child who never set a vessel of water out for you to drink from, when the little streams were all dried up for long distances? Suppose you liked to build your nest in the grass or out of the old dried grass, you would not go where lawn mowers or anything else robbed you of all of it. Suppose you wanted wool or cotton or hemp, would you not go where children had been thoughtful enough to leave these around where you could easily find them? Suppose you were a "barn martin" and needed mud out of which to build your nest and a projecting eave of some building under which to put it (the rain would soften your mud dwelling), you would go, would you not, where these necessaries could be had. When I was just your age I lived in the country at the foot of a hill; this hill and the table-land that stretched away from its summit were covered with forests for a distance of two miles from my home. There was a spring close by the house, the branch from which flowed past the barn, and hundreds of "barn martins nested there every summer; I used to watch them ply their masonry, hours and hours, shaping their curious bottle-like nests to corners and angles and to one another until there was no more room for a nest; they flew round and round above the barn playing bird games, or in "the wild joy of living," in such numbers as to darken the whole eastern sky; the trees on the hill above the house have been cut down, the spring is dry and the martins are gone; it does not seem like home to me when I go back there now.

A few feet from the kitchen door where I now live stands a large beech tree, which, until three years ago, when it was blown off in a storm, had a dead top in which woodpeckers lived; they would whet their bills or practice them (I was never quite sure which) on the slate roof and guttering at dawn, so that every one about the house knew that we had such neighbors; joy that a new day' has come is no bad sort of contagion; their brilliant dress, their graceful billowy flight, and the democratic equality practiced by them in their domestic relations made their presence desirable. The female works at digging out the nest until she thinks it time to rest, when she sounds a cheerful "time's up," and the male hurries from his fun-making and takes her place while she enjoys twenty-five minutes for refreshments; after which her faithful spouse reminds her that duty calls; working thus by turns they dig out a cavity in the tree just large enough at the entrance to let them in but so small as to exclude the larger birds of prey; once in they widen it out into a spacious chamber for the accommodation of their somewhat numerous family; since the top blew from the tree the woodpecker with his good cheer and fair play has gone where his kind of housekeeping is possible.

Some birds nest in bushes,-thickets; can you name any? If you wanted these for neighbors you ought to let a thicket grow somewhere on the premises. In how many kinds of places did you ever find a nest of a bird you should like to have for a neighbor? Could you not provide some of these near your own home? How many kinds of berries did you ever see a bird eating? Could you not have or find near your home or school or both a raspberry-blackberryelderberry-pokeberry-euonymus-blackhawdogwood-hackberry, etc., thicket? Could not your school keep a record of all birds that nest or visit in the neighborhood, together with what they eat, where they nest, what they use for their nests, when they first arrive in the spring, and how long they stay? Some of them will go on north in a few days after their spring arrival and not be seen any more until they come back in

the fall on their way to the south where they will winter; others will nest with you and stay all summer and then go south for the winter; still others will come from the north in the fall and stay over winter and go back north again in the spring, while a few will be with you winter and summer alike; if you will send to Mr. A. W. Butler, secretary of the board of charities he will send you blanks on which to keep this information. In this way you can very pleasantly interest yourselves in the travels of birds. Have you not seen flocks of wild geese flying in long lines forming a V to the north? Two such flocks at least have flown over my home during March, this year; as winter approaches you will see them flying in similar lines to the south. Where do these birds winter? Have you read

"He who from zone to zone

Guides through the boundless sky thy soli-
tary flight,

In the long way that I must lead alone
Will guide my steps aright."

This is only one impressive case of what we call bird migration; many birds pass thus unnoticed, because they come and stay a few days and then pass on, and others come and take their places, and careless observers do not notice that anything is taking place; when you first have a chance to read this letter the spring migration season will be nearly over, but you can notice it in the fall. The birds furnish us something of interest always. They are mating and nesting now, and this will interest us all summer long.

If you will watch the comings and goings of birds for several years you will find that it works differently one year from what it does another, and it will become a pleasure to find out why; the chief reasons will be that the winter is colder or warmer than common, or you may have provided a comfortable home and plenty of food so that some bird will not need to go south, or coming to you from the north will tarry with you instead of going further; watch the kingfisher and see if he does not stay with. you until the streams freeze over so that he can no longer get food.

Birds know their friends; they are afraid of us because for many years we have stoned and killed them; we can win them again by kindness. Burns sung, when his mouse ran from him,

"I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
And justifies the ill opinion,
That makes thee startle

At me, thy poor earth-born companion
And fellow mortal."

We

When Captain Cook first went to the South Sea islands he met birds that had never seen men and they welcomed him with music and banners to their shores; I am sorry to have to relate that they found men undesirable fellows, and now they run whenever they see any of us coming. ought to behave differently toward the beautiful, useful birds; if you can get hold of a young robin or bluebird or cedar bird you can raise it for a pet if you will give it the freedom of the house at first and later the freedom of the yard and neighborhood; you will have to know just what it likes for food, will have to give it time to learn your good intentions; it will soon fly down from the trees and eat from your hand; how delightful to know that the bird is yours and yet that it is free to fly wherever it will; it returns to you because it loves you, instead of remaining because it must,-in a cage; and besides how much more beautiful the bird is on the wing; it flies in ideal curves and displays all its charms of color. If you want to acquaint yourselves with the lives and habits of your home birds, a little booklet by Professor Hodge of Clark university will help you greatly; you can get it for ten cents of O. B. Wood of Worcester, Mass.

If a bird has any peculiar habit as the hang-bird in building its nest so that it will shut up when the bird is on, the quail in hopping off from its nest or brood as if lame, or the meadowlark and quail in entering the nest by a trap door from the side sometimes, the yellow-breasted chat in making its voice seem to come from a distant bush where its nest is not, the cowbird in laying its eggs in the nest of another bird, the English sparrow in nesting in a crevice. the entrance to which is very small, or the fly-catcher in ornamenting its nest with a snakeskin, you will be richly paid if you try to find out why it behaves as it does; often the key to its action will be protection from enemies or gathering its food. Birds are colored very differently and some of them differently at different seasons of the year; in many instances the male and female are not the same color; do you know that the red bird, the red winged blackbird, and the rose-breasted grosbeak are all gayly clad

"Robert-of-Lincoln is gaily dressed,

Wearing a bright black wedding coat;
White are his shoulders and white his crest
Hear him call in his merry note.
"Robert-of-Lincoln's quaker wife,

Pretty and quiet with plain brown wings,
Passing at home a patient life,

Broods in the grass while her husband sings: Nice good wife that never goes out,

Keeping house while I frolic about."

You have often seen

"Mr. Bluejay full of sass,

In them base ball clothes of his, Sportin' round the orchard jes

Like he owned the premises."

Mrs. Bluejay dresses for the world like. her husband, and the chances are about even that it was she Riley saw. Mrs. Meadowlark and Mrs. Redhead are both very much like their husbands; male and female are alike also among hawks generally, owls, crows and buzzards; you should try to find out the reason for these and similar observations which you may make; see if this suggestion will help you; the female must sit on the nest; she ought to be colored like her surroundings, so as not to be easily seen, unless like the hawk she is master of her

tects her, or like the oriole her nest conceals her; her husband should be alike inconspicuous if, like the meadowlark, he sits on the nest part of the time.

The birds will tell you much if you will get acquainted with them. Nawadaha had no books from which to learn and yet he was wise; Longfellow says he got his lessons

"In the birds' nests of the forest,
In the lodges of the beaver,
In the hoofprints of the bison,
In the eyry of the eagle;

"All the wild fowl sang them to him,
In the moorlands and the fenlands,
In the melancholy marshes."

Birds are more than artists and teachers, more than friends to the friendly, more than "bits of sunshine dowered with a voice”— close by the barn, the eaves of which housed those hundreds of martins, the Bellflower tree of my boyhood grew; we gathered thirty bushels of apples a year from it; every apple was sound; the toll we paid in the way of red-junes and cherries to the woodpeckers was small pay for the services of the birds; to-day there are ten hungry worms for every apple in our old orchard.

EARLHAM COLLEGE.

AS early as the time of Henry VII, com

panies of players constituted a part of the households of the great noblemen of England. The players were attached to the musical part of the establishment and presented the interludes and morality plays which were the forerunners of the Elizabethan drama. When the service of the players was not needed by the master, they were allowed to wander about the country at will, performing on the village greens or in the tavern yards of larger towns. On such journeys the players went by the name of Lord So and So's servants; and, as was natural, it was not long before the suburban districts were overrun with bands of vagabonds and rogues who, by calling themselves his servants, claimed the protection of some

nobleman who had perhaps never heard of them.

To put an end to this practice, a law was passed early in the reign of Elizabeth, which required every actor to procure a license. The power to grant these licenses was given to certain noblemen, to the mayors of towns, to the Lord-Lieutenants of certain counties, and to two justices of the peace resident in the neighborhood where the applicant resided. This law, which inflicted the penalties for vagabonds upon all unlicensed actors for a while put an end to the abuse of patronage.

This restriction of the actors occurred just at that time in the reign of Elizabeth when the importation of foreign ideas, and prosperity at home combined to develop the