theirs, and that after all life is worth while and sublime only as we do our part and bear our burdens and become a real factor in the activities of God and of man.

And our boys and girls must learn that no life is strong which does not have some moral imperative in it. We must teach them not to shy at the disagreeable things. I realize that in an age when men are insane for the easy dollar, when the air is full of getrich-quick schemes, that it is difficult to imbibe much of the heroism of doing the difficult and hard things of life but there is hard work to do and men must have the courage to face it. And the man for whom the world is waiting today is not so much the one who sits behind his desk and electric fan, in collar and cuffs and polished shoes and presses a button and signs checks, but the man who can do things, one who can assume a responsibility and work hard in the discharge of that responsibility.

Easy conditions are the bane of many a youth. Eliminate the hard places from your life and mine and our characters assume the nature of a jelly-fish. It is still true that "we rise by the things that are under our feet." Someone has reminded us that what we need in this country is a new inoculation of Puritanism. We need to bring back the old word duty, he tells us, into the vocabulary of the home and the school and the state. We need to "get away from the silly notion" that we are to do only those things which are to our liking, and develop ourselves only along the line of least resistance. Our boys and girls, our men and women, need to learn that there are some things which we simply must do and there are other things which we simply must not do, and close the case right there. We must have certain convictions of

right and wrong conduct from which there is simply no appeal.

Now how to secure these ends is the difficult question. Our schools must insist upon truthfulness, thoroughness, wisdom of choice. ability to do the disagreeable thing, power of assertion and power of inhibition; reverence and an abiding sense of moral righteousness. These can be secured not by words alone, although genuine, common sense talks on ethics are in place, and we hardly make enough of this feature; but morals which go no further than to take form in words and fine phrases, do not very strongly influence life. A principle is never known till it becomes a part of ourselves. It must be put into action. To this end every recitation ought to have its ethical turn. Patience, fidelity, persistence are a part of every task.

Avoid "snap" courses. They lack purpose and unity, and they lack developoping power. So far as possible, courses should be consecutive. Stimulate the pupil to think on ethical themes. Hypothetical cases can be used as material for discussion. We gain strength in mathematics by solving difficult prob lems. so may it be in ethics. The case system is successfully applied to the study of civil law, it might with similar success be applied to the study of moral law.

We should do well to make more of biography than is ordinarily done. In biography we study men. Here we find in the concrete the forces which entered into their careers and characters. The average boy will listen to the man who can do things. We should therefore render them a service by making use of men of local reputation in bringing them before the boy, that from such men the boy might learn something of the great laws of life.

But all that may be done to enlighten the youth on righteousness and duty

is in vain if in some way he does not imbibe the spirit of righteous action. There must be that "Force within which makes for righteousness." There must be a moral ideal and a vision of a better

life.

And for the social millenium we wait in vain, until this sense of moral righteousness becomes the impelling motive in the heart of man.

REPORT OF THE OHIO TEACHERS' READING CIRCLE.

J. J. BURNS, DEFIANCE.

It is known to all of you who entertain the Reading Circle among your many interests that last year at its spring meeting, the Board of Control chose a Business Manager whose function it is to "handle" the Circle books

to keep in store the books listed in both courses and supply the demands of readers throughout the State, the Board having selected the books, arranged with publishers the prices thereof which we must pay, and, with the Manager, the prices at which he must sell. The year's experience has led us to believe that we made no mistake in the plan, and surely none, in the man. The number of books bought by teachers was greater than the purchases of the preceding year by 60 per cent. Mr. Kershner has managed the department of books with a rare combination of zeal and discretion. He has entered upon his second year in your service. Twenty-five years a quarter of a century ago, this organization of Ohio teachers held its annual session where no melodious "goslings" charmed our souls "with concourse of sweet" notes, but "Niagara (Nee-a-gar-a) stuns with thundering sound"- though Goldsmith was wrong both as to pronunciation and facts and a section of the proceedings of that meeting was the begin

ning of the Ohio Teachers' Reading Circle, and though art is said to be long and time on the program - we know is fleeting, I think it not inopportune to cast a glancing look back at some facts which mark the latter half of that quarter just expiring the years during which there has been published printed, at least - an annual report. In the earlier days the secretary spoke from time to time through the O. E. M.

You that from summer to summer have kindly lent an ear to the O. T. R. C. story as told from this platform know that, like the Persians Xenophon tells of, we started in pursuit of the ten thousand. The line of our march ran sometimes up and sometimes down, but in the large measure, its "parasangs" climbed slowly higher-an Anabasis not a Katabasis, and the Ten Thousand have been overtaken.

There is an increased care on the part of institutes in regard to seconding the efforts of the Board, by appointing a County Secretary early in the session, Tuesday, being the best day.

In most counties they secure a competent person to take charge, and then, at least do not stand in his road. In many, the County Examiners, or one of them, are the Secretary. But in these officials as in the plain people, "there is odds in deacons." Among the woman secretaries there is a range from this to this.

"I do not think there had been a Circle in Blank county for some years. I have been teaching this year in another county but had my Circle started before I came away. I did the very best I could and it was at first o easy task. I have enjoyed the books very much." Her report contained nearly one hundred names.

Now "this." The writer was appointed Secretary the last day of the institute and the result was what was expected. This decision was handed down in October. "There has been, as you know, no Circle in Blank county for several years, so it would be difficult to start or revive it up again any more this year."

One Secretary writes: "My ambition is to enroll every teacher in the county; to have an organization in every township, village and city." And it was done. Another laments his failure and lets out a part, at least, of the secret of it. "When the most influential teachers in the county use their influence against the work it is impossible to make a good report."

The issuing of diplomas and certificates is the branch of our work that demands more time and labor than any other. Certificates are sent to the county secretaries for distribution to the members. A "member" is a person who has paid the fee and done the reading. That the secretary has usually no clear vision into the second requirement needs no affirmation. In the great majority of cases he has no opportunity to learn whether the reading be done and if it has, what was the manner of it.

The plan by which for years I have attempted to bring it to pass that only those who have earned them should receive diplomas has been several times discussed in my annual report.

It works fairly well but might be improved.

In order to make valid his claim to a diploma the reader signs a paper. after filling its blank spaces, which then says that the signer has faithfully read the Course for four or some multiple of four years, and has annually paid the slight membership fee. There are scores who are altogether willing to have their names sent in, thus indirectly

affirming the above statements, but who will not say them in cold ink.

At its meeing last March, the Board of Control having reached the conclusion that the annual expenses of the Corresponding Secretary's department, amounting, as we have seen to $1,555.00 on an average yearly, could be met, along with the cost of the Business Manager's department, including his salary of $1,200.00 by a reasonable profit on the sale of books by the Business Manager, abolished the membership fee. The payment of this fee has been one of the marks whereby a person was known as a member. Its abrogation calls for a substiute of some fashion, and the plan for the present year is this: the prospective member signs a membership card of which this is a copy:

"In return for the privileges of membership in the O. T. R. C. for the current year, I promise to make a careful study of Keith's Elementary Education, Page's Chief American Poets, and Parkman's La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West. In this study I further promise to associate myself with a local Circle, or if there is no local Circle, to send my name and address before December 1, 1907 to Dr. J. J. Burns, Corresponding Secretary, O. T. R. C., Defiance, Ohio.

Signed

Before receiving a diploma the member is to sign a statement that he has for four years, or some multiple of four years redeemed the annual pledge.

The method that is now supplanted put into the county secretary's hand a little sum from which he could pay for needed stationery and postage. This source of supply being now stopped we shall doff our official cap and ask the county institutes whether they will not, when they choose an O. T. R. C. Secretary, appropiate to his use the small sum needed for the purpose stated.

Were the time at my disposal, it would give me pleasure to speak of what is due in the unminted coin of appreciation to the large number of county secretaries who have labored for the good of the cause, and I would not forget the local secretaries who in some of the larger cities have given to it time and self-denying effort.

But like those of the grown-up pupils of Venable's "A Teacher's Dream," "Their Names," said he, "are in my record book," id est, the annual bulletin; and when its leaves of healing float down the August breeze to every institute, will you not linger along the columns, of names and figures?

They do not tell the whole story of effort and result, but they stand for facts, for "chiels that winna ding and canna be disputit."

DISCUSSION.

HON. E. A. JONES.

The Board of Control asked me yesterday to take just a moment of your time with reference to this subject. I want to remind you that this is the 25th anniversary of the Reading Circle. It was my pleasure to be present when the first report was made to this Association, and I have been deeply interested in this work ever since, realizing its great value to the teachers of Ohio, and especially to the younger teachers, many of whom have had no opportunities beyond a high school education and possibly not that. I think we are all agreed with reference to the value of the work. We want to increase the efficiency of the teachers and this is certainly one of the means. You will notice in the report that in some counties they have no organization and no members. In my last report I stated that there were seven counties that made no report. I wrote the names of those counties and I was going to send