remember that if the children are to have the training which is to bring the greatest happiness, the teacher must be paid a sufficient amount to enable him to meet the expenditures necessary to put him in line with the best of his profession, and to bring him at least some of the comforts of life enjoyed by men in other professions who have given equal time and thought to their work.

The town meeting in some States affords the patrons of the school a direct voice in this matter. Their votes may wield a powerful influence, if they realize the truth of what has been said, to bring about a better condition of affairs.

But where the matter is in the hands of school boards or committees or trustees, as they may be variously called, they may still do a great good by creating a sentiment in the teachers' behalf, which will influence the board to act wisely; or they can express strong disapproval of measures which will reduce his income. The board represents the sentiment of the community; and if the community is interested in the schools, competent teachers will be employed at adequate salaries.

Need of Proper Environment. - Parents should exert their influence in favor of pleasant surroundings for the school. Environment is a sorely abused word. But it expresses

best the things which make for character by their silent influence. Most of the impressions which mold lives come from the little-thought-of, silent things which we meet from day to day.

Children reared in beautiful homes-beautiful because of their tidiness and cleanliness and the exercise of taste, rather than mere costliness- can little measure the influence of the lovely spirit of home in their lives, their desires and thoughts. From the beautiful atmosphere of home come the noblest and tenderest traits of noble and tender men, the sweetest and loveliest characteristics of sweet and lovely women. But the home rooftree shares with the school the immense responsibility of the early impressions. The child

spends many hours of the most impressionable period of his life in the schoolroom and on its grounds. His waking moments are about equally divided between the home and the school.

Are not, then, the surroundings of the school almost as important as those of the home itself? Is it not possible that the effect of the beautiful home spirit may be effectually destroyed by an ill-kept, squalid school? Do not pupils who are obliged to spend hours each day in a room, the walls of which are blackened and defaced, or decorated with festoons of dusty cobwebs and with equally dusty charts or dirty blackboards, the desks scratched and defaced by the "jackknife's carved initial,” the floor dusty and littered, this affording opportunity for the dissemination of disease germs do not pupils who are subjected to these conditions take on the frowsy character of the place? One finds them lounging in listless attitudes in their seats, with soiled clothing and begrimed knuckles. And too often is it true that these are but indications of a worse and deeper condition, which is rapidly becoming a permanent state of soul. Character is being hurt; souls are receiving fatal wounds.

Of course, a great many things about such a school may and should be corrected by the teacher. He can have the dirty walls whitewashed, the floors scrubbed and the rubbish of the playground raked into a heap and burned. He can buy pictures at a reasonable cost, and in different ways may change the atmosphere of the place.

The greater responsibility, however, rests with the parents. They must see that the building is comfortable and conveniently arranged, sanitary and pleasing architecturally. They must see to it that the site chosen has something to commend it other than that it is unfit for any other purpose. It should have a beautiful lawn and stately trees. The building, in its architecture and materials of construction, should compare favorably with the best residences and public edifices of the community.

It is not to be expected that the taxpayers will fill them with marbles of Carrara or with specimens of Titians and Van Dycks; yet they should bear in mind that they are providing a home for their children, where they will receive impressions which will be a part of their lives, made plain in word, action, and manner. Nay, impressions which will have their imprint on character, which will last longer than earthly life, will be received there.

In another place, the sanitary conditions of the school will be discussed further. It is sufficient to say here that parents must ever keep in mind their responsibility in this direction and coöperate with teachers and school officers to make the schoolhouse a place where health shall be conserved, and where only good impressions shall be received.

Public Encouragement of School Celebrations. Parents should endeavor to create a public spirit in connection with school celebrations. Exercises in which children take a prominent part are always interesting. We crowd the churches whenever the children of the church take charge of the exercises. We love to hear the little tots, in long white dresses, and with flowers in their dimpled fists, speak their pieces or sing their quavering solos.

It would be well if we also had the same interest and enthusiasm in the exercises of the school. It would be well if the children were made to feel that what they do in the way of celebrating the anniversary of the birth of the Father of our Country, or in commemoration of one of our great bards, or in the simple exercises attending that noble act, the planting of a tree, is of enough interest to attract from their vocations the elders of the community. What an inspiration it is to the teacher and school to have the patrons leave their business and spend an afternoon at the school! Nor are the exercises uninteresting or unimportant. If the parents would show their interest and lend the sanction of their presence, many good lessons would be doubly efficacious.

Nor are the children the only ones benefited. For a case in point, let Arbor Day be cited, it being an occasion for public exercises on the campus. Who can say that the planting of a tree is an event interesting to a child only? Every thoughtful man and woman sees in such a deed a deep significance. He who plants a tree is a friend of mankind.

"He who plants a tree,

He plants love;

Tents of coolness spreading out above
Wayfarers he may not live to see.

Gifts that grow are best;

Hands that bless are blest;

Plant life does the rest.

Heaven and earth help him who plants a tree,
And his work its own reward shall be."

The presence of the citizens on such an occasion is of inestimable value. Ought they not to open their eyes to the good they may do by making impressions which will bear fruit in nobility of character? More than their presence is demanded of them. All the exercises incidental to the planting of the tree should not be left to the children, nor to the teacher or the trustees. This is a place for addresses by fathers and mothers, as well as songs and recitations by the children. Every Arbor Day programme should have a place for one or more than one of the leading citizens of the community who are not members of the board.

The great opportunity of Arbor Day is the making for things high and noble and good in character. But in addition to this, the gathering of the fathers and mothers on the school premises will afford opportunities for them to learn for themselves important facts concerning their school. The parents, on such occasions, will become better advised as to the site of the school. They will assure themselves that it is well-kept, well-drained, and healthful. They will see that the surrounding buildings are clean and are so kept that

they do not impair health. They will investigate the water supply and see that the well is so situated that the water is not contaminated by cesspools, privies, and cemeteries. They will, or should, look to the lighting and ventilation of the schoolrooms. All these things and others should be matters of special investigation. If the fathers and mothers care for the life and health, they must see to it that the school surroundings are conducive to both.

It is well to know if the schoolroom is neat. Is the floor dusty and bestrewn with scraps of paper? Are books and papers in order? Are the dictionaries open on the stands? Are the globes permitted to be fingered? Are desks and walls defaced? Parents will find this a most excellent opportunity for quiet observation of the school's condition.

There is to be mentioned another of the many benefits accruing to parents from the meeting on such occasions as those of Arbor Day. The assembly of the people is an important factor in the social life of the community. It is an occasion for the renewal of old acquaintanceship, and the formation of new attachments; an opportunity for the hearty hand-clasp and the cordial word of cheer. The eye kindles with the spirit of good-fellowship, the heart glows with the kindly feelings aroused by the renewal of old ties.

Such occasions are necessary to the social life of every community. The event, like mercy, is twice blessed; it is an uplift to the community at large; it is of incalculable value to the children and the teacher of the school.

Upon every Arbor Day there should be, besides the speech-making by the citizens, appropriate literary exercises by the school. The trees planted should be named. Here, in this corner of the ground, is the Washington elm; yonder stands the Longfellow oak; there, the Bryant maple. What beautiful impress can be made upon the hearts of the children by the serious dedication of noble trees to the memory of our great and noble souls, with whose spirits trees seem to have such a sacred and mysterious sympathy!