equally suited for the sty, is generally the model of construction. Below we give a cut of a more shapely edifice than is commonly seen upon the outskirts of civilization or in our mountain districts.

This building, when provided with the windows seen in the engraving, and the broad open chimney stack, suggestive of the large fire-place within, and tightly chinked, is not without its merits. When closed the log heap and the great chimney channel are two elements of fine ventilation, and a considerable degree of bodily comfort. Substitute, however, a sheet iron stove, and do away with the open chimney, and you have a close box for the confining of that deadly poison, carbonic acid gas. But see what can be done with logs?

Now, this building is really tasteful in appearance, and where adapted to a rural landscape, may attract and deserve more admiration than more ambitious structures formed of sawed lumber, or piled up of stone or brick. The deep, sloping roof wears a gothic aspect, and the pointed gables and finial yield an ornamental aspect as well-fitted to the character of the builing as are the cloud-climbing spires and manifold nerrets of the cathedral, to that master-piece

of architectural genius of Milan. Nothing can be more repellent to taste than to see a village residence, with an ambitious tower, situated on a low piece of ground, and the material wood, painted in imitation of stone, thus fairly caricaturing every right idea we have of a feudal castle, built for defense against the heavy attacks and prolonged sieges of semi-barbarious warfare. Or to behold a little church, built after the model of some great minster, which covers acres of ground, and is simply sublime because of its magnificence and magnitude. How much more indication of true taste the simple cottage, or symmetrical chapel, totally unpretentious and suggesting nothing but the conveniences and comforts of home-life, the quiet, unostentatious spirit of mistic worshipers. Now, in a neighborhood where the residences are all of pioneer pattern, it would be a manifest burlesque to build a great, pretentious structure and dub it a "College," suggesting, at once, a large city, graded school building that had strayed out into the country to "take an airing." How much better to express the taste of the neighborhood in a building of logs, put together in the really attractive manner represented in the elevation we give. To construct this model, choose logs of durable timber about one foot thick. The sills should be of larger timber squared, having the floor closely mortised therein and held up by the bearing beam in the center. Of course smaller logs would be used for the necessary partitions. The ground plan and detailed descriptions for constructing this house may be found in our Manual of School-house Architecture," which we furnish free of cost to all Kentucky Trustees, and to others at the trifling price of fifty cents for a book containing 110 engravings and 132 pages of descriptive letter-press.

[CONTINUED IN OUR NEXT.]

NOTATION IN MUSIC.

HE common system of notation which prevails in all civilized nations, dates

many by

multiplicity of its characters became very complicated. But these were gradually dropped, until it was so simplified as to be fully satisfactory to all real musicians. It continues to be so to all those whose musical knowledge is sufficient to enable them to take an enlarged view of the subject. Others, however, having but little practical musical knowledge, though perhaps learned and excellent men, have often attempted to introduce other systems. We have seen many such, both European and American, but no one which did not seem to prove that its author had but a superficial knowledge of music. It seems hardly possible to invent any system of notation furnishing so great a facility for reading all kinds of music as does that now in use. Any teacher who pursues a method of instruction in which no sign or character is presented to the pupil until it is needed as a symbol of something which is already known, will soon be fully convinced of the following things: The common system of notation is as easy, being thus gradually introduced, as it is possible that any system can be ; it contains all the characters necessary to represent the established facts of tones, and it contains no signs or characters but such as are actually needed. In its commencement it is sufficiently simple for a little child, and in its expansion it becomes sufficiently extensive to record the inspirations of a Beethoven! It has been truly said that in its present actual condition, our musical notation is 'a complete and logical system which can no longer be modified or changed without injury.-Seward.

O -ver the beau-ti ful waves we go; Then row, row,

From "Silver Carols," King of Day School Singing Books. Per. Pub., W. W. Whitney, Toledo, O.; price $5; single copy, by mail, 50 cents.

19

-AND

SOUTHWESTERN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.

A Monthly Magazine conducted by leading | The OFFICIAL ORGAN for State Departments Teachers of the Southwestern States. of Public Instruction.

T. C. H. VANCE, Carlisle, Ky.

EDITORS: H. A. M. HENDERSON, Frankfort, Ky.
W. H. CAMPBELL, Carlisle, Ky.

STATE EDITORS:

M. C. DAVIS, Montgomery, Ala.
JULIUS W. THOMPSON, Lonoke, Ark.
B. M. ZETTLER, Macon, Ga.

H. A. M. HENDERSON, Frankfort, Ky.
WM. L. SUTTON, Sardis, Miss.

M. A. WARREN, Columbia, S. C.

TERMS-One copy, one year, in advance, postage paid, $1; single copies, 15 cents; specimen numbers free. Remittances-Single subscriptions may be sent at our risk; in remitting sums greater than $1, obtain check or draft, or inclose in registered letter.

All business communications should be addressed "Eclectic Teacher Company, Carlisle, Ky." Matter for insertion, either in the general or advertising columns, should reach us by the 15th of the month.

CARLISLE, KY., MARCH, 1877.

SUBSCRIBE FOR THE ECLECTIC TEACHER, the only educational journal south of the Ohio river.

READ Prof. Lowry's contribution on "Good Order." He does not write from theory, but as one who is ripe in experience-thoughts suggested by daily work it the school room.

When you are say

WORDS of cheer and approbation reach us almost daily. ing so many good things about the contents of the specimen number sent you, do not forget to inclose one dollar and order the ECLECTIC for one year. We need your words of encouragement very much, but are in greater need of something with which to pay the printer. Some persons think that in order to have their influence we should send the ECLECTIC TEACHER to them free of charge We shall take pleasure in mailing any one a specimen copy free, but it will not be mailed ragularly unless payment has been made at the uniform price of subscription-one dollar a year. A specimen copy of this issue is mailed to each of the old subscribers of the Carolina Teacher, now merged in this journal. Do not fail to renew your subscription at once. We need your dollar and you cannot afford to be without the ECLECTIC.

One very potent reason why many children are not in school is because the building in which they are to be taught is hardly fit for a pig-sty. There is nothing attractive about the exterior and still less attraction within its walls. Who can blame children for wanting to stay at home? Here come the compul. sory education laws demanding something-many of the supporters of which no not what. Have we a demand for a law compelling parents to send their children to school? Can the disease be cured without removing the cause?

66

Let those Solons give us means with which to erect comfortable school-houses on eligible sites, and with which to employ qualified teachers, and there will not be any demand for compulsory laws. But we started out to call attention to the valuable article on "School Architecture," from the pen of Dr. Henderson, State Superintendent of Kentucky. Thousands of school-houses will be built in the Southwest during the approaching summer. Anything worth doing at all is worth doing right," is a maxim well established, yet trustees and school directors will go on in ignorance, building log pens or frame boxes in which to have their children instructed in the rudiments of an education! Better let them grow up in ignorance than to confine them in such rooms, to contract diseases that will be entailed on untold generations. It is to be hoped that the contribution referred to may be read by thousands of teachers of rural district schools and county superintendents, and that they may make a move in the proper direction. We shall publish a series of illustrated articles on the subject, with a view of meeting a want long felt by county school officers. Those contemplating building school-houses are cordially invited to correspond with us, asking any questions on the subject. We shall take pleasure in answering, either through the columns of this journal or by private communication.

KENTUCKY has a compulsory school law, but, instead of compelling parents to send their children to school, it is one that will secure far better results, viz: A law compelling teachers to attend the County Teachers' Institute annually, forcing teachers to do their duty, on penalty of forfeiting their certificate! The teachers of Kentucky are not exceptions to the rule. A very grave question comes up: Are teachers justified in their unwillingness to spend their time and money at those annual meetings? We say they are not, notwithstanding they accomplish but little or nothing. Teachers should be present during the whole time of the annual session, but they should get value received for their attend ance. Believing that the Teachers' Institute is a valuable auxiliary to the im. provement of teachers, and in most States of the Southwest the only means of obtaining normal instruction, we insist that the work of the institute should be what it claims to be a school for the instruction of teachers in methods of teaching and government.

We have taken a great deal of pleasure in examining the Annual Report of Superintendents of Public Instruction from more than a dozen States. The epistolary correspondence from county superintendents is highly interesting. The following is taken from one of the reports before me.

Presi

"Our County Institute of two days was ably conducted by Prof. dent of Male and Female Academy." For convenience, we shall call the professor alluded to, Mr. Smith, and the Academy, Pleasant Hill. Who is Mr.