of all these abound in books that are generally prevalent; and when any of these structures are required, the committee of construction, either procure and pay for a design, with plans, estimates and specifications, of some professional architect, or obtain an approximation to this from their agricultural paper, or work devoted specially to this subject, and then, following the advice of those who are experienced and skillful, succeed in obtaining a structure, neat, convenient, elegant, and well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed.

But if a school house is to be erected, the whole matter stands on a different basis; the novel doctrine that taste, beauty and convenience are to be consulted in the construction of a district school house, does not prevail; works specially devoted to this branch of architecture are not abundant; very little discussion concerning the matter has ever been had, and good models are very rare. The Prudential Committee has an indefinite idea that for a certain given amount of money he is expected to erect a building of some sort that will "hold" as many children as are likely to attend school generally, and from following out this idea some sort" of a building results, that has a floor large enough to contain the estimated number of children, and is as high, and light, and warm, as the limits of the tax voted by the district will permit.

If elegance and beauty and adaptation in our school houses really caused any considerable increase of the necessary expense, more difficulty would be expected in obtaining a favorable consideration; but, inasmuch as a clumsy, inconvenient and unsightly house, oftentimes costs as much as one of a different character would, we must of necessity attribute the slovenly character of our school houses to some cause other than their expensiveAnd there is little doubt that the lack of good and valuable models, or designs, is a very general cause of the want of taste in our common school houses, and of their ill adaptation to school purposes.

ness.

The two great preliminary steps that must be taken in our State, before we may hope to see houses erected for our children that shall be in all respects fit places for the education and nurture of the children of freemen, are these:

1st. To set before the public attention models and designs of houses, constructed properly and with due regard to beauty, convenience and comfort, accompanied with evidence to show, if possible, that the first cost of such buildings is no greater than if they were destitute of all these characteristics.

2nd. To procure and present before the public mind an array

of facts and an expression of opinion from those who know best, in reference to the effect of wholesome, tidy, convenient and beautiful school houses, upon the moral and mental development of children, so strong as to arouse the whole State.

ORLEANS COUNTY INSTITUTE RESOLUTIONS. M. J. Hill, R. E. Wright and C. S. Buswell, the Committee on Resolutions, reported the following, which were unanimously adopted:

Regarding with much pleasure the growing interest and manifest improvement in our common Schools, and believing it is the just ripening fruit of wise legislation upon this subject; therefore,

Resolved, That we, as teachers, are called upon to co-operate most heartily with the Board of Education, so as to give the utmost efficiency to the efforts making, in answer to the purpose of the laws, for perfecting instruction in our schools.

Resolved, That the establishment of County and Town Teachers' Associations would prove practically beneficial to the teachers and people of every community where they are instituted, that they would be elevating in their tendency and influence, as well as tend to lessen the difficulties that crowd the pathway of the teacher, by marking out a course to be prudently pursued; while they would better fit and prepare him for his high vocation, and the people to regard with just esteem the importance of education.

Resolved, That it is the duty of Parents, Teachers, and Superintendents, to sustain and liberally support the Vermont School Journal and Family Visitor, thus making it a powerful agency in arousing and awakening the now dormant mind of the public to a vivid sense of the present condition and wants, and the future prospects, of our common schools.

Resolved, That the clear intelligence, and hearty, earnest zeal with which Mr. Adams espouses the great cause of common school instruction, should, and does, inspire in us new life, and a fixed purpose to give our entire energies to this great work.

Resolved, That the sincere thanks of those from abroad, are due to the people of Coventry for the hearty reception, and hospitable entertainment they have received at their hands.

Why is a dead deer like the ammunition that killed him? Because it is a Buck shot.

SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.

The Hartford, Conn., Times gives the following brief sketch of the life of this renowned adventurer :

Sir John Franklin was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1786. He entered the navy in 1800; served as a midshipman in the action off Copenhagen, April 2, 1801; sailed on a voyage of discovery to New Holland; was wrecked in 1803; was signal midshipman in the Bellerophon in the battle of Trafalgar, Oct. 21, 1805; became a lieutenant in 1808; and was engaged in arduous services in the expedition against New Orleans in 1814, where he was slightly wounded in boat service. In 1818 he commanded the brig Trent on a voyage of discovery to the neighborhood of Spitzbergen. In 1819 he started on a perilous overland journey of 5,550 miles, lasting three years, from Hudson's Bay to the northwest and the shores of the Polar Sea. He was promoted. In 1825 he started for the same regions and was absent two and a half years. The Geographical Society of Paris gave him a gold medal worth $250, Oxford made him D. C. L., and the Queen made him Sir John.

From 1830 to 1834 he was in service in the Mediterranean, and for his exertions in Greece, received the order of "the Redeemer of Greece." For a time afterward he was Governor of Van Dieman's Land.

May 20, 1845, under the orders of the Lords Commissioners of the Admirality, he sailed toward the North Pole, from Sheerness, in command of the Erebus (70 officers and men) and Terror (68 officers and men) which had just returned from the South Polar Seas.

His return was expected in the Fall of 1847, but at that time nothing had been heard from him later than July 12, 1845. Eighteen or twenty vessels, English and American, have been sent in search. Lady Franklin persevered in her appeals until the public almost ceased to regard them. Her devotion has at least some reward. Doubt is exchanged for certainty.

THE TEACHER'S ASSISTANT, or Hints and Methods in School Discipline and Instruction;-being a Series of Familiar Letters to one entering upon the Teacher's Work. By Charles Northend, A. M., author of the "Teacher and Parent," etc. Boston: Crosby, Nichols & Co. 1859.

The following is the table of contents: Teacher's Vocation; Patience; Exemplary Character and Deportment; Cheerfulness; Love for the Work; Means of Professional Improvement; School Discipline and School Management; Parental Co-Operation; Moral Instruction; Oral Teaching; Recitations; Object Lessons; Reading; Spelling; Penmanship; Grammar; Composition; Geography; Arithmetic; Book-Keeping; Physiology; Drawing; History, etc.; Study of Nature and of Words, etc.; Primary Schools; Habits; School Examinations and Exhibitions. Every teacher will see, as his eye passes over the above table, that this manual treats of those subjects most intimately connected with his profession; and he will find, as he peruses one page after another, that he is acquiring new power to instruct. He will feel that "There is no office," in the words of Dr. Channing, "higher than that of a teacher of youth, for there is nothing on earth so precious as the mind, soul, and character of the child. No office should be regarded with greater respect." And he will also feel, as some one has said, that "The real object of education is to give children resources that will endure as long as life endures; habits that time will ameliorate, not destroy; occupations that will render sickness tolerable, solitude pleasant, age venerable, life more dignified and useful, and death less terrible." We hope that each teacher, for his own benefit, will secure a copy of this valuable book. S.

Honor bright! Brother Maine! When you copy articles from our pages, please acknowledge your own interpolations, and at the end place-Vt. School Journal.

Compare Maine Teacher, Jan. No., 1860, page 237-with Vt. School Journal, July No., 1859, page 87.

OUR EXCHANGES.

New Hampshire Journal of Education.-We are glad to learn that this valuable Journal is not among the things that were, as we were led to suppose by not receiving a response to our invitation to exchange. It is under the charge of an able Board of twelve practical teachers, three of whom assume the pecuniary responsibility. Henry E. Sawyer, Concord, is the Resident Editor. We trust the teachers of New Hampshire will come promptly to its support. Surely, a State that has furnished many of the most eminent teachers in the Union, should, and can, have a good, well-sustained educational journal. Vol. IV commenced with January.

North Carolina Journal of Education.-This wide-awake Journal commenced Vol. III with the beginning of the year. It is the property of the State Educational Association, and appears to be doing a good work for the cause of sound education in that State. Its monthly table of contents is full, varied and interesting. We cheerfully extend to it the right hand of fellowship. J. D. Campbell, Greensboro, is Resident Editor.

Wisconsin Journal of Education. This is one of our most interesting exchanges, being rendered especially so by the monthly reports it contains, of the labors of Henry Barnard, L L. D. who last summer entered upon his duties as Chancellor of the University, and Agent of the Board of Regents of Normal Schools. He has just finished a series of very interesting Teachers' Institutes. Wisconsin is very fortunate in securing the services of this champion in School Reform in the United States. We shall watch with much interest, the progress of his efforts to effect a complete union between all the schools in the State, from the Common School to the University. The Journal of Education is supported mostly by State patronage. Vol. IV commenced with July 1859. A. J. Craig, Palmyra, is Resident Editor.

Missouri Educator.-Vol. II. commenced with May 1859.