States. I ought to say that Stieler's work is published at Gotha in the French, Italian, and Finnish languages, as well as in German. It is very much to be regretted that the house of Justus Perthes does not establish an agency in America to circulate their publications with us; an English edition of Stieler could hardly fail to meet with general success.

Still another want is met in the admirable Ancient Atlas, prepared by Dr. Menke, and adapted for use not only in Germany, but throughout the world. The classical names being retained, the work is just as well fitted for American as for German schools. The first part of Spruner's work is, in fact, an ancient atlas; but Menke's work is better adapted by its size for young men in the academy or college. I do not recall the exact price, but am under the impression that it can be imported for about three dollars of our currency.

Justus Perthes publishes also a small Pocket Atlas, which is just what its name specifies, local maps of Germany, of great excellence, and a series of geological maps. Two other great undertakings which this house carries on are Sydow's wall maps and the school atlases prepared by the same high authority. Major von Sydow is well known in Berlin as the most influential member of the geographical direction of the School of War, but all Germany knows him by his excellent wall maps and school atlases. The former are executed in the same style adopted by Prof. Guyot, although our countryman has by no means copied the German maps. Sydow's school maps are simple and chaste in execution; their chief excellence, however, is their accuracy, and, indeed, so far as reliabil ity is concerned, the Gotha maps may always challenge criticism.

Can the reader think of any field not covered by some one or other of these various sets of maps? There are yet two to which I will but briefly allude. Dr. Grundemann is devoting five years to an Atlas of Missions, which will be published in both English and German. It was begun about a year ago, when I was in Gotha, and I had the pleasure of becom ing acquainted with Dr. Grundemann, and of finding him not only a correct Christian man, but a man thoroughly competent to construct a map which shall clearly lay down the field of operations directed by all existing missionary societies, however small.

Another important work carried on by Justus Perthes is the monthly journal, edited by the great geographer Petermann, and devoted to recording the progress of discovery. It is too well known to require more than a single word of comment, since its circulation is the largest of any scientific journal in the world. Every number contains one or more maps, and no one can follow the advance of geographical science from month to month who does not make himself familiar with the columns of Petermann's Mittheilungen.

When to these are added such maps as Van der Velde's of the Holy Land, and the like, there is an accumulation, as the reader will see at once, which it would be impossible to rival. The house of Justus Perthes covers the whole geographical field, and should any new want arise, they will at once meet it. The establishment has been in operation more than fifty years, but it has been constantly expanding in a healthy manner, and now stands stronger than ever. Every work which they publish is as per fect as pains and high scientific qualifications can make it.

W. L. G.

MR

TEACHING FORTY YEARS AGO.

UNION HILL, New Jersey.

R. EDITOR-I began to teach school more than forty years ago, in an old log school-house sixteen feet by eighteen, with a fireplace so large, that it would take a back-log six feet long and eighteen inches in diameter. With a large fore-stick and plenty of other wood, it would make it too hot for the boys to sit on the ends of the back-log! Primitive times those were. The trustees were seldom elected; they held over until called together by something of importance, like the advent of a new teacher, who, if he could write a tolerable hand, could read, and cipher a little, was directed to go round the neighborhood and find how many scholars he could get at one dollar and a half or two dollars per quarter, and board around. Primitive farmers were they in those days; many before harvest had to buy their bread and seed. In my experience boarding round, I passed through many phases of society among the first settlers. Some lived very well and used cups and saucers, knives and forks. Others would have all the meat cut up in small pieces on an earthen dish placed in the middle of the table; each one had a fork to dive in and dip in till all were satisfied. With an onion and a little weak tea, the meal was ended.

Many of the descendants of those good people now live in splendid houses, and have as good farms as any in New Jersey. This, in 1819, was before canals or railroads had opened avenues of trade or travel. In course of time, the geologist informed the people of limestone and iron ore; people began to lime their land, and now no finer farms, nor more beautiful scenery, nor better school-houses can be seen than on the mountains of Jersey. Less than a mile from Budd's lake stands a good farmhouse where, in 1820, I experienced some of the pleasures of boarding round. Frequently I looked upon the stars twinkling upon me, through chinks of the logs, and at one time, on a Sunday morning, when the father of the present owner called to us in the upper chamber, "to get up to breakfast," I awoke with six inches of snow all over the bed and over the floor. Primitive times those were! Winters were different from now. The snow covered the fences with a crust strong enough to bear the sled on which the farmer's sons would draw me to the school-house.

The object of this communication is to show that Education has improved and advanced with the improvements of other branches of industry-arts, manufactures, commerce, or whatever has added to the wealth and grandeur of the country. The teachers of those days were generally old men, too old to labor, but considered able to teach school. Very little was required of a teacher. He passed through no examination other than a few ordinary questions proposed by some trustee. Spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, were generally all that was requiste, and, indeed, few persons of an enterprising mind would teach school; only the old, the lame, and the lazy. In early life, the light broke in upon my mind that my destiny was to teach. I began to qualify myself for the arduous duties of the profession; but to whom could I apply for instruction? All with whom I had an acquaintance knew no more than I did. How I succeeded (without assistance) and what was my method of teaching, I hope to give in a future communication.

TEACHER.

EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

EASTERN STATES.

VERMONT.-The State Agricultural College having been united with the State University, provision will be made for receiving young men, who are desirous of pursuing the course of studies contemplated by the late act of Congress.

-The thirty-seventh annual meeting of the American Institute of Instruction commenced at Burlington on August 7th. During the first day a number of addresses were delivered on various topics of minor importance, and in the evening Mr. M. T. Brown delivered a lecture on "Reading as a Fine Art." An interesting discussion upon "The Place of Classic and Scientific Studies in a Liberal Education" was held on the second day. Object teaching was also brought forward, and a practical illustration given by Miss Seaver with a juvenile class of twenty. Mr. Calkins, of New York city, explained and defended the system. Education and Reconstruction came in for a share of consideration, and the condition of the Freedmen was discussed. No important business was transacted, and the Institute adjourned on August 10th.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.-The following gentlemen have been appointed trustees of the Agricultural College by Dartmouth College President A. D. Smith, Gov. F. Smyth, Hon. J. A. Eastman, and ex-Gov. A. Colby. The five trustees to be appointed by the State have not yet been designated.

-The ground for the gymnasium at Dartmouth was broken on July 22d. George H. Bissell, of New York, gives $24,000 for its erection. The subscriptions toward the Alumni Hall amount to $8,000.

-MASSACHUSETTS.-Amherst College has been quite fortunate. The gifts of Dr. Walker reach $175,000, and other benefactors swell the aggregate to a much larger sum. Several new buildings are contemplated. The salaries of the professors have been increased. The new freshinan class will number about eighty, and will be the largest that has ever entered the college.

-The total available funds for the Harvard College Memorial Hall now amount to $223,000. $27,000 more are required.

-At a meeting of the Alumni of Wesleyan University it was stated that the offer of Mr. Isaac Rich of Boston, to give $25,000 to erect a library building, provided other friends of the University would give as much more, had been accepted, C. C. North, Esq., of New York, having advanced $8,000; $8,000 of it being an absolute gift, and the remainder a pledge that he would stand in the gap to that amount

if the friends generally proved a little slow in meeting Mr. Rich's challenge.

CONNECTICUT.-Hartford is about to enjoy a free library. The late Daniel Watkinson bequeathed $100,000 as a fund, the interest of which was to be applied to the purchase of books for this library. About 15,000 volumes having been procured, the library will soon be open to the public.

-Mrs. James B. Colgate, of Yonkers, N. Y., has offered $25,000 to the Baptist Literary Institute at New London, on condition that $75,000 be added to the amount by other friends of the institution.

RHODE ISLAND.-The Rhode Island Institute of Instruction, T. W. Bicknell, Esq., President, hold their session from the 10th October to the 18th, at Pautucket; the programme of exercises to consist of addresses, lectures, discussions, practical teaching, and music. This will be the only session of the kind held this year, and its directors hope for an interesting series of meetings, and a large attend

ance.

-The City of Providence has raised the salaries of its teachers. The High-school teachers receive $1,850 and $1,800, and the grammar masters $1,800 instead of $1,600 and $1,500, the former salaries. Assistants in grammar-schools, principals in intermediate schools and female teachers in the High-school, receive fifty dollars advance of year's salaries-an increase of twenty per cent. on the whole.

-Professor James B. Angell, formerly Professor of Modern Languages in Brown University, and recently editor of the Providence Journal, was inaugurated, in August, President of Vermont University.

MIDDLE STATES.

NEW YORK.-The Alumni of Hamilton College are endeavoring to raise $25,000 for a library hall. Silas D. Childs, of Utica, lately deceased, left by his will $25,000 to found a Professorship of Agricultural Chemistry and $5,000 to purchase necessary books and apparatus for the same.

$85,000 have lately been given to Genesee College.

-The $100,000 subscription for Rochester University has been completed by a gift of $25,000 by Mr. T. H. Harris of New York.

The Alumni of the University of the City of New York have succeeded in accumulating a considerable amount towards founding an alumni professorship. The full amount, $40,000, will probably be secured within three years.

-The State Teachers' Association met

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS.

Analysis. e urgent

speak of some of its peculiarities-our space will not permit us to treat the book exhaustively.

The author says in the preface: "We have changed the old nomenclature wherever it was inadequate or meaningless; yet no in