Pictures in the Schoolroom SHALL not attempt, at present, to demonstrate the utility of pictures in education. They may serve in large measure as supplements to objects in our new methods of instruction. In awakening real ideas in the child mind they occupy, perhaps, an intermediate stage between word-description and the material object. Comenius may have overestimated their value in the education of his day, but in connection with the modern liberal use of real things pictorial illustration cannot be overemphasized. This fact is well recognized in the newest textbooks on most subjects, and the cheapness of good illustration has enabled publishers to improve the character of texts on geography and history, as well as that of books used in the primary grades.

But pictures may have another use than the mere illustration of common-place facts. They may help to keep before our minds great ideas, worthy lives and deeds, wonderful and beautiful products of imagination and skill. The influence of frequent contemplation of the best works of art is inestimable. Good representations of such works are serviceable. We need not lay undue stress upon the æsthetic in education in recognizing this truth. Earnest teachers are too close to the heart of the world to have much sympathy with a namby-pamby sentimentalism that sometimes masquerades as art. But no class of persons so clearly recognizes the uplifting power of ideals, the force of the silent influences about the young, as the teachers in our public schools. Public sentiment has not yet been directed strongly towards making our schoolrooms homelike. Indeed, it is doubtful if public opinion yet expects much more of the public schools than the grinding of intellectual knives and sickles. The tide, however, is turning and will soon be setting strongly in other directions.

Many primary rooms are already made cheerful with colors and bright pictures, and for the youngest children almost anything is better than nothing. Many of us believe that in all grades a single picture on the walls of a schoolroom will produce on each pupil a desirable effect that can be reached in no other manner. For this purpose the choice of pictures is most important. It may be a portrait. If so, there should be no doubt as to the worth of the person in every respect. Good lithographs of our

most notable men may now be had at a very low price. For schoolrooms I would not use a large list. Let us say, Lincoln, Washington, Columbus, Emerson, Whittier, Longfellow, Hawthorne, Bryant. Every schoolroom should have two or three of these portraits.

As fast as it is possible to procure reproduetions of the masterpieces of the world's art treasures I would exclude from the walls of rooms above the primary all representations of inferior works (except portraits), even though the subjects may be instructive and interesting to some individuals. I would certainly exclude all pictures of battles and all others in which the element of display is discernible.

It is fortunate for those who wish to place upon the walls of our schoolrooms some of the world's finest conceptions that good reproductions of many classic works in painting, sculp ture, and architecture may now be had at very small cost.

E. A. Seemann, Leipsic, Germany, is publishing, by some photographic process, excellent reproductions of one hundred of the best works of art. The size of each picture is about 22x30 inches, and the whole hundred may be had for about forty dollars, express included. The price is somewhat higher for a selection of ten, and still higher for a single one. Ten selected pictures would cost about seven dollars, including express charges.

I wish to recommend that teachers, especially those in towns, investigate this matter; for in my opinion no such opportunity has ever been offered before. I suggest that a selection of ten be made from the following list. If several towns would club together the whole hundred might be ordered at the lower rate, and yet it is probable that a number of subjects included would not be desired. I deem the following the most suitable of the first seventy of "Seemann's Wandbilder:"

Raphael, Sistine Madonna.-Leonardo, Last Supper.Michael Angelo, Pieta.-Michael Angelo, Moses.-Correggio, Holy Night.-Guido Reni, Aurora.-Bust of Zeus (Otricoli).-Hero Head (Ludovisi).-La^coon Group.-Hermes of Praxiteles.-Corinthian Capital.Cologne Cathedral (interior).-Equestrian Group from the Parthenon.-St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome.-Statue of Sophocles.-Nike of Paionios (restored).-Murillo, St. Anthony.-Botticelli, Madonna and Angels.-The Lion Court of the Alhambra.-Temple of Neptune at Paestum.

H. K. WOLFE.

Reminiscences of Elizabeth Peabody MET Elizabeth Peabody at Concord in 1882. She was born in 1804, but age had not diminished her interest in whatsoever things are good and true. At the philosophical lectures which she attended daily during the session of the School of Philosophy, she sat with closed eyes and placid face, so still one fancied her sound asleep. But when the lecture was done and the conversation upon it began, she would surprise the strangers in the audience, who did not know her, by the subtle questions she asked, evincing the most comprehensive grasp of the subject. Riding home one day in the coach with Bronson Alcott, she said to him: "Do you remember a certain book"-naming it -"which we read together when we were young?” “Ah, Elizabeth, life was worth living, we thought, when such books were published," he replied. Then the two fell to talking of life long interests until all the other passengers were absorbed in the interesting reminiscences. Day after day such discourse was held and everything said was so noble, so ideally good, that we came to speak of the two as the "dear old angels."

Elizabeth Peabody died at Jamaica Plains. She was nearly ninety years old. Few people have more strongly. influenced the educational work of this century. She is justly celebrated for her advocacy of the kindergarten system. It is said that her attention was first called to it by observing the remarkable proficiency of a little daughter of Carl Schurz, who had been taught while abroad according to the ideas of Froebel. She began studying at once and became the enthusiastic advocate of the system. To perfect herself in the method she spent some time in Europe, and returning, introduced the kindergarten here. She was very much interested in and wrote a book upon "The Subject of Moral Culture of Infancy." She tells the following story in reference to a little boy of her acquaintance:

"It was early a question of great interest to his mother, and also to me, whether prayer would become spontaneous with him; that is, whether he would think of speaking to God in human words. His intense realization of God's presence seemed to be a cause of his not doing so, and I feared to put God at a distance by suggesting what, in ordinary cases, is a means of bringing Him near. One day when

his grandmother dropped her needle, she called to Frank: 'Come and look with your little sharp eyes for my needle.' He did so with his usual alacrity in service, and soon found it. Then he ran to me and said: 'When I go into the sky I shall thank my good Friend for giving me such sharp eyes.' I said: 'What do you wait so long for?' He gave me a glance of recognition,

but said no more then. From that moment,

however, he often came to me to say, 'When I go into the sky I shall thank my Heavenly Father for giving me this, or that,' and I would always answer him as before, 'Why do you wait till then?' On one of these occasions he turned from me and said very tenderly: 'I thank you, God.' Very soon he began, 'God, I thank you for making these beautiful trees grow out of the ground; God, I thank you for making all the pretty wild flowers grow.' He paused between each complete sentence, and at last, after one for which he seemed to search his inmost mind,

he closed with, 'My dear God, I love you very much.' In all this spontaneous act of devotion there was no petition. In the fullness of his happy life, and, I think, in the faith that God was giving him everything needful, and more, he never thought of asking for anything. the need the progressive spirit always feels for Temptation to wrong doing had not yet revealed

more goodness and love, which I had taken care to represent that God gave whenever the soul acknowledged its need."

But Miss Peabody's efforts in educational methods were not confined to infancy. She wrote a chronological history of the United States. She also lectured on history and was very helpful to historical students by preparing for them brief topical programs of study. She was interested in art and in literature. She wrote a book of æsthetic papers and a charming account of "Last Evening with Allston." Her reminiscences of Dr. Channing have the charm which belongs to appreciative familiarity with the subject. It was whispered in Concord while she yet lived that Hawthorne went first to see Elizabeth and she loved him. He fell in love with and married her sister. The noble girl accepted him as a brother-and loved both to the end-though marriage was thenceforth impossible for her. Shall one who has tasted of the idealities of heaven be satisfied with the lesser joys of earth?

If we consider the real opposition manifest in the different grades it appears that it is nought in the senior year; 1 in 17 in the junior year; 2 in 26 in the sophomore year; 3 in 49 in the freshman year; 1 in 33 in the eighth year; 3 in 37 in the seventh year, 8 in 52 in the sixth year; 3 in 63 in the fifth year; 4 in 71 in the fourth year; none in third year; 2 in 57 in second year, and none so far as reported in the first year.

The grades in which the largest number express themselves as sorry, including those who are temporarily displeased, are the sixth and seventh. Twenty-seven per cent. of the pupils of the sixth grade and 24% of the seventh state that they are sorry. With these figures before us it requires no prophet to see that extra skill and effort will be needed on the part of the teachers of these two grades. Why is there so much opposition in these years? Have these pupils reached their limit, or are they "on the plain"? Statistics show that it is during the sixth and seventh years that many pupils quit school.

The reasons assigned for being glad are some what interesting. When a boy says he is glad because he likes to go to school, the teacher is at a loss to know just what causes him to be

her, no doubt, to know the thing that causes him to like to go, but he has not seen fit to give us this bit of information. Yet what he has said is valuable. It indicates that his teacher may find in him one that will try what she may ask of him. Contrast him with the boy who sets his teeth and says, I do not like to go to school, and we appreciate more keenly the feeling the teacher must have in facing the two boys. In the one case she may confidently expect cheerful obedience and honest effort, in the other halfhearted support, opposition, or refusal. Tact in both instances will be required on the part of the teacher, in the former to maintain, in the latter to secure, if possible, the proper attitude toward school.

Forty pupils express themselves as being glad because they can be with their friends. This idea is most frequently manifest in the sophomore, freshman, and fifth years. Certainly the social relations of pupils are among the most pleasant of later memories. It is doubtful if we do our duty in developing and strengthening this phase of school life.

The number grouped under point "4" is somewhat greater relatively than might have been expected, being but one less than those assigning the social reason. What to do with the boys and girls during the summer months is a