ber, sixty, or half a hundred or thereabouts. We shall have pupils of all ages and proficiencies, from the tottering child in the alphabet to the young man or young lady in the higher arithmetic or algebra. These are all to be taught and governed by one teacher. To begin with, we shall probably have among several of the larger pupils two or three, or more, different kinds of reading-books; or, if they have the same book, some of them have "read further than others, and do not want to be put back.” The same will quite likely be true all the way down among the younger pupils, and with the lower books in the series. Now in such a school there should not be more than three classes in reading, above the alphabet class; and if the number of pupils in school is not more than thirty-five or forty, the number of classes, in most cases, need not be more than two. But, you will say, the pupils will object, and rebel against such a classification. No matter; the judgment of the teacher must be the rule in such cases, and not the whims of pupils or parents. Be prudent, but unflinching, and you will gain your point. Select twenty pupils from any mixed school, who differ even considerably in their ability to read, and the teacher can do more for their improvement in that branch by having them in one class than by dividing them into two or three classes, and being compelled to lessen proportionally the amount of time devoted to the exercise. It is easier to drill a class of fifteen or twenty than of five; and it requires time for such an exercise,-all the time that a good classification can give the teacher. It is not an improving exercise to any pupil to be called up and "go through " alone an exercise in reading. There is no sympathy in such an exercise, and, generally, not much profit. In district schools, the whole series of reading books, when the number is six or seven, as is the case with some series, should not be used. Reading can be better taught in such schools with fewer books. In teaching the alphabet it is customary for many teachers to call up the little children singly, and have them "say their letters" by dictation; that is, by repeating them after the teacher. This is a very lifeless and tedious process, and never had any good reason for its adoption, except that the teacher never knew any better way. All pupils learning their letters should be taught together, unless their number is twenty or more, which is not likely to be the case in any ordinary district school. Let them be called up in front of a blackboard, and, laying aside all primers, spelling-books, and the like, make the letters upon the board, and teach them all together. It can be done in one-fifth of the time required for the old method. More of this at another time. Arithmetic usually monopolizes the lion's share of time in our common schools. When people realize more fully than they now do, that the highest object of life is not to make and count money, and when this branch of mathematics is taught better than at present, it will not occupy so much time in our schools and better results will be secured in less time. There is no branch in which the teacher will have more trouble in classification than in this. There will be found, perhaps, several different text-books, and most pupils are anxious to begin where they last left the study, and to go on through the book regardless of their actual knowledge of what they have gone over. Such pupils generally consider it a waste of time to "go over a second time what they have once studied. In the most miscellaneous of our schools it will be safe to bring all scholars in written arithmetic into not more than three classes; and, in very many instances, two will be better. While it may be true there are pupils who, according to their progress made in the book (reckoning such progress by the number of pages they have "gone over"), would naturally form six or eight classes; it is also true, that the good of the pupils themselves requires them to be brought into fewer classes, where the teacher can give them time and instruction that will amount to something. At the commencement of a winter school, for example, if the pupils in this branch have studied variously from the beginning to proportion, or thereabouts, let all who have not been further than the beginning of fractions be put in one class, and all others in another. If their lessons are, for a time, a general review, it will be better for all concerned. If, after these classes are formed, there is still a considerable number of pupils wo are yet more advanced, let them form a third class. But in no case ought the teacher of a district school to have more than that number of classes; and if the work crowds, let the number be reduced to two. One or two classes in mental arithmetic will be amply sufficient. It is hardly necessary to particularize in regard to geography, grammar, history, spelling, etc., except to remark that the number of classes in those branches can generally be made less than in arithmetic. Such a classification of a school will generally reduce the num ber of exercises more than one-half. Many teachers are to-day having from eighteen to thirty-five classes. There is something wrong about that school where a teacher is obliged to fritter away time and strength on more than a dozen regular exercises, and in a graded school the number should not be more than six. If the number is larger, it is a kind of work that does but little good— and there are few persons whose bodies or souls can stand the wear and tear which such teaching subjects them to. In spite of all the objections which may be brought against such classification, we believe and know it to be practicable in any district school in Maine, if the teacher will try it, and the committee will allow and sustain it. The reluctance of pupils to being thus classified will soon disappear, for it is invariably true, that where it has been tried, they soon come to see and appreciate its advantages, and like it better than the old way. As to parents, if the plan is successful, all who are reasonable will fall in with and approve it. He who waits for the spontaneous disappearance of unreasonable, dogged prejudices, will wait for the melting of the eternal hills.-A. P. S. in Maine Teacher. POOR TEACHERS AND LOW WAGES. Many teachers complain of insufficient salaries, and with good reason. Many patrons complain, with equally good reason, of incompetent teachers. The cause of both complaints may be traced to the fact that very many of both sexes rush into the profession of teaching without the least intention of making it their life work. They look upon teaching as simply a means to some end. Gentlemen who wish to study for the ministry, law, or medicine, teach to secure money to prosecute their studies. Ladies who are thrown upon their own resources, teach because there is nothing else that they can do to maintain themselves, which, in the existing state of society, would be considered equally respectable. I have often heard such teachers remark that they dreaded the school-room, and would never enter one again were it not for the money to be secured. Such teachers have no right to a place in the profession, and yet they are employed in alarming numbers. Of course they can afford to teach for a smaller salary than those who have spent much of time and money in fitting themselves for a life-work as teachers. They come into competition with better qualified teachers, and compel them to teach for the same salary, or not at all. This is the prime source of the trouble. The person who enters the profession with love for his work, will tax all his energies to secure complete success. He will aim at all possible excellence in scholarship, in general information, in school discipline, and everything which can secure the highest good of his school. While those who have no heart in the work, will be content to drag through the term almost any way, if they can merely keep the position for the time they desire, and thus secure the coveted share of public money. J. J. SUGGESTIONS ON THE TEACHING OF HISTORY. 1. One of the prerequisites of success in teaching history is, that the instructor should have a fuller knowledge of the subject than can be obtained from the text-book only. He ought to be familiar with the story in its completeness, as told by one or more of the best authors. 2. The lesson assigned for the next recitation, should be at once read with as much care as the regular reading lesson, all the proper names being carefully and correctly pronounced. 3. The map showing the location of all the places mentioned, should be drawn by all the pupils of the class, and, when the lesson is about to be recited, one of the scholars ought to draw on the blackboard, with a free hand, an outline of the map, and mark the location of the places mentioned in the lesson. 4. In hearing the lesson, the teacher should stand, not sit, without any book, so that he can look straight into the eyes of those he is questioning, and thus be in full sympathy with them. He should have such knowledge and grasp of the subject as to enable him to put questions without reference to those in the book, which are there to aid the scholar, not the teacher, by pointing out and calling attention to important facts. 5. The lessons of any period should not be considered as completely mastered until they have been reviewed both chronologically and geographically. 6. A few prominent events should be selected as stand-points from which, on the one side, may be seen a train of causes, and on the other, a series of effects or consequences.-J. J. Anderson. School Officers' Department. STATE CERTIFICATES. It has now been six years since the passage of the law creating a State Board of Examiners. At the first meeting of the Board in July, 1864, at Toledo, certificates were granted to Thos. W. Harvey, Wm. H. Edwards, Ulysses T. Curran, H. G. Pollock, W. D. Henkle, Mrs. Nancy A. Stone, Daniel A. Hough, At the second meeting, in July, 1865, in Cincinnati, to At the third meeting, in July, 1866. at Zanesville, to At the fourth meeting, in July, 1867, at Springfield, to At the sixth meeting, in July, 1869, at Cleveland, to แ Bell C. Porter, It is hoped that the number of applicants at the next meeting of the State Board will be larger than ever before. Teachers should be ambitious of the honor of having a state certificate. It will be an assistance in procuring situations. The qualifications demanded by the present Board of Examiners who have conducted the last four examinations, are not so great as those demanded by the first Board who conducted the first two examinations. Pres. I. W. Andrews, of Marietta College, Prof. Theo. Sterling, of Kenyon College, and |