rooms that were greatly needed, was a marked day with us. These buildings were used first at the opening in September. HAZLETON-Supt. Harman : All of last year's teachers who applied were re-employed, most of them at a higher salary. School term was lengthened to ten months. The new Board consists of eighteen members instead of nine. They manifest much interest in the success of the schools. All the teachers were in their places at the opening of the new term, August 22. The enrollment for the first month is large. The fine weather was very favorable to the early opening. Buildings and grounds were placed in excellent order during the vacation." Our prospects for good work during the year are en couraging. HAZLE TWP. (Luzerne Co.)-Supt. Jones: All of our old teachers who were applicants were re-appointed, with two exceptions. We have reason to regard the teaching force efficient. The average salary for male teachers is $63.30; for female, $47.74. The length of the term will be ten months. Free arithmetics and copybooks will be furnished. Thus, the increased State appropriation gives us a longer term by one month, free books, and a slight increase in teachers' salaries. In a year or two all textbooks will be free in Hazle township. On account of the lengthened term, our schools commenced earlier than in former years, and we expected only a comparatively small attendance; but the number of children on roll the first month is greater than for the same period last year, and the percentage of attendance higher. The Board adopted a series of regulations governing the schools, and a course of study, which were printed in pamphlet form and distributed to patrons, teachers, and directors. The course of study provides for graduating such advanced pupils as have pursued the studies required and become proficient therein. A District Institute was organized and an interesting programme adopted. A majority of the School Board were in attendance at the Institute. PHOENIXVILLE-Supt. Leister: Schools opened August 29, with twenty-five teachers. During the summer a new room in the High School Building was opened and fitted up with singleseat furniture of the latest approved pattern. The old-time blackboards have all been gradually replaced by natural slate of the best quality. Stationary washstands were placed in fourteen rooms, and many other changes and repairs made for the accommodation of teachers and pupils. PLYMOUTH TWP. (Luzerne Co.)-Supt. Gildea: Schools opened August 22. All books being furnished free, the attendance is larger than it ever was before, at the beginning of a term. BEDFORD-Supt. Potts: One school house is being built in Colerain township, one in Harrison, one in Juniata, one in Londonderry, two in Napier, one in Providence East, one in St. Clair East, one in Woodbury township, and one in Woodbury South. As was seen by last report, salaries have gone up in this county, but I am sorry to herald forth that we have one rich district, rate of school tax 11⁄2 mills,-in hands of Treasurer about $1500,-State aid about $1000, or $21.00 a month to each school -and this district is attempting to employ teachers at $22.50 per month: that is, they mean to pay by local taxation one dollar and a half per month! Do they get teachers at that? I have not heard. Southampton, which has been looked upon as the poorest district in the county, pays $30 per month and in addition to that supplied twelve houses (all they have) with patent desks, teacher's desk and chair. Mann township, also one of the poor districts, pays $30 per month, and put patent desks, teacher's desk and chair into all their houses. We show how much we value a thing by what we are willing to pay for it. When in the eyes of men, the almighty dollar gets so big that it outweighs childhood, eclipses schools, and is more valuable than true manhood, we certainly, to say the least, have a chronic case of moral myopia, and if there be not enough healthy sight left in the community to point out the true course, there is assuredly a gloomy future for the children. Since my last report, King township has advanced the pay from $22 to $30; Kimmel, from $28 to $32; Union, from $22 to $30; St. Clair West, from $25 to $30; Southampton, from $28 to $30; Mann, from $25 to $30. The lowest maximum pay in any district, in which they pretend to do more than board the teacher for his work, is $27.50. The average maximum salary in the rural districts will reach about $33. The P. O. S. of A. raised with becoming ceremony a flag on the Salemville house, and also at New Enterprise. CUMBERLAND-Supt. Beitzel: I am more than pleased with the outlook for our schools this term. Outside of Ccoke disirict, which has had a nine months' term for a number of years, all the rural distircts except three, have increased the school term: Monroe and Pennsboro' from six to eight months; Shippensburg township from seven to eight; and the remainder, from six to seven. The boroughs of Newburg and Shirmanstown, from seven to eight. Never in my experience in the school affairs of the county, has there been more care exercised in the selection of teachers than this year. Our County Institute will meet on the 5th of December. Three new first grade primary schools and one mixed school have been organized since the beginning of the present school year. These are distributed as follows,two primary schools in Carlisle, one school at Pine Grove, and the mixed school at Riverton in Lower Allen district. GREENE-Supt. Iams: During the month I have held interviews with many of the school Boards of our county, either individually or as a body, with a view to determine what aids to purchase for the teachers, what plans had best be devised for building and repairing houses and for rendering the surroundings more homelike and more attractive. My thanks are due to the different Boards for the unreserved co operation they have rendered me in making preparations for the coming term. that no man can number. If even a feeble effort is of value, how much more valuable is a well-directed, intelligent effort of one who has been systematically trained, who sees the end from the beginning, and, sure of his ground, strengthened by sympathy and that sense of communion which is the very life of the soul, works intelligently for a definite end! For this a thorough, careful training is needed-a training which, in its elementary condition, should precede any question of talent or special ability. We do not ask children if they have a predilection for the alphabet or the multiplication table; it is their TRAINING.-The feeblest attempt in the smallest, most obscure Western village to advance true art has weight and influence, and is not lost though it seems too insignificant to be noted. If all were generals, we should have no army. The smallest drummerboy at the farthest outpost of our civilization is an essential part of the whole, helping and advancing the good cause by his earnestness and fidelity, inspiring some faint, feeble heart to one more effort, passing on the good word of obedience, in the faith that ten times one is ten, till the tens are hundreds, the hundreds thousands, the thousands a multitude NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD. [NUN DANKET ALLE GOTT.] MARTIN RINKART, 1644. C. WINKWORTH, Tr. 1858. J. CRAGER. right; they are to have it whether they specially desire it or not. All will not become Newtons or Shakespeares; but without the preliminary training they have no possibility of appreciating either the one or the other. The receivers must outnumber givers in any one direction; there must be audience as well as orator. The better trained the audience, the better oratory will they demand and receive. As simple, as unquestioning, should be the first part of a child's musical education, till, unconsciously, the page of music is as expressive and intelligible to him as a page of printing, remembering always that to vocalize a scale is much easier than to learn the different sounds in the alphabet, a far simpler task to master in childhood than in maturer years. Vocal music, which at first is largely imitative, is the easiest method for very young children, who, experience proves, will learn good music much more readily than bad, and are swayed and influenced beyond computation by the sentiment of the hymns and songs learned at school and sung in unison, or by the sort of musical atmosphere in which they find themselves at home. IN instrumental music, even more than in singing, much depends on the fidelity and earnestness of the pupil. It is true that if the lesson be very long and intricate, it is not possible for each pupil to play it through with close criticism; but individual perform ance is not the most important part of teaching; we ..re all more or less imitative, and learn by example and precept, by the mistakes and successes of others. Numbersix on Monday should be number one on Thursday, and in turn become a model or a beacon. The stimulus that is assumed by the associating of pupils in this VIVA L'AMERICA. work is too important to be overlooked. Apart from that instinct in human nature manifested in a desire to excel and surpass others in any contest, the habit of playing and singing in the presence of others tends to banish shyness; and that wretched manvais honte which many of us know to our cost keeps silent many a music lover who, it may be, is no mean performer, but, unused to displaying his or her talent before others than the teacher, is overwhelmed with fright when asked to confer pleasure, getting only a partial and individual enjoyment out of a large expenditure of time and money. IN the spring of 1863 two great armies encamped on either side of the Rappahannock River, one in blue and the other in gray. One evening,as twilight fell, the bands of music on the Union side began to play their martial music, the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Rally Round the Flag;" and that challenge of music was taken up by those upon the other side, who responded with the "Bonnie Blue Flag" and "Away Down South in Dixie." It was borne in upon the soul of a single soldier in one of those army bands to begin a sweeter and more tender air, and slowly, as he played it, they joined in a sort of chorus of all the instruments upon the Union side, until finally a great and mighty tide of harmony swelled up and down our army-"Home, Sweet Home." When they had finished there was no challenge yonder, for every band upon that farther shore had taken up the lovely air, so attuned to all that is holiest and dearest, and one grand chorus of the two great hosts went up to God. When they had finished, from the boys in gray came a challenge," Three cheers for home!" and as they went resounding through the skies from both sides of the river, "something upon the soldiers' cheeks washed off the stains of powder."-Frances E. Willard. The un-ion of hearts, the un-ion of hands, And the flag of our Un-ion for - ev - er. CRADLE SONG OF SOLDIER'S WIFE. T. T. BARker. Ob 2 1. Baby, sleep! shadows creep Down the hill-sides dark and long! Slum-ber softly, 2. Baby, sleep! low I weep, Lest I wake thee in my woe! Where the camp-fires 3. Ba-by, sleep! angels keep Holy vigils o'er thy head! And thy mother's THE COMMON SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION. SEPTEMBER, 1892. PENNSYLVANIA STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. HE thirty eighth session of the State Teachers' Association of Pennsylvania was called to order in the opera house at Beaver Falls, at 10:30 a. m. on July 5th. The opening exercises consisted of Scripture reading, part of Matthew v. and prayer, by Rev. M. J. Sleppy, of Beaver Falls. A hymn-"Be Thou, O God, exalted high"-was sung under the leadership of Prof. C. C. Case, of Cleveland, Ohio. ADDRESSES OF WELCOME. The Burgess, Mr. S. E. Critchlow, delivered the first address, as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Pennsylvania State Teachers' Association: I have been handed a programme arranged for the thirty-eighth annual meeting of your Association, in which I find my name enrolled. The duty assigned me is to make an address of welcome. You will, I trust, forgive me for reading, the remarks (I suppose that some of you have been guilty of the same offense) which I deemed fitting for this occasion, and especially when I tell you, confidentially, that I am to be followed by one who is learned in the law, the other in college lore and theology. Although this is a most pleasing duty, for your sakes and my own, I wish that some one possessed of the gifts of oratory and greater command of language had been granted this honor. To attempt to ad dress an assemblage of this character, composed solely of men and women of education and refinement, seems like presumption on my part, and utterly out of place, being only a layman. I trust however that you will most kindly overlook any short comings on my part. Although for 37 long years you have failed to honor the Beaver Valley with your presence as a convention, we feel amply repaid by your No. 3. having selected Beaver Falls for your thirtyeighth annual meeting; for we believe each succeeding year has made your gatherings more interesting and useful, and of both state and national importance in matters educational. In behalf of the citizens of Beaver Falls, of our Board of Education, of our Borough Council, and all who believe that ignorance is a crime, we welcome you most heartily and cordially to our town and homes. Regardless of creed or nationality we are honored by your presence, knowing that no extra police will have to be appointed, and that the latch-string can hang outside. All religions, political and fraternal organizations are wont to assumble at stated times, to consider matters pertaining to their growth and prosperity. You, I take it, have gathered for a grand and noble object-that is, to consider the advancement and perpetuity of the common school system of education in the commonwealth. I believe your calling and position in society, in each community, ranks with that of the minister of the gospel. My own observation has been, that the majority of those connected with our colleges, academies and other schools of learning, are leaders in moral and intellectual thought. I know this rule holds good in regard to the 37 teachers connected with the schools of Beaver Falls Ignorance is now considered a crime, and the United States of America, whose birth-day was celebrated yesterday by our sixty mlions of people, has realized this fact by making wise and liberal provision for the education of the children in every State and Territory. I am wandering away from my text even as some ministers do-for my father was one, and I speak knowingly-but I believe I echo the heartfelt wish of every resident of our borough, when saying that we hope and believe that your meeting will prove the most interesting |