Ward High School, of Mr. Markham, principal of the First, and of Mr. Bateman, principal of the Fifth Ward school. We saw our old friend, Prof. Kursteiner, formerly of the State University, now assistant and German teacher in the Second Ward High School, and also Mr. Davis, principal of the Fourth Ward School We promise ourself the pleasure of a visit to all the schools of Milwaukee, as soon as we can possibly spare the time.

PALMYRA.-The schools at this place, under the care of Mr. E. B. Gray, closed the fall term on the 24th ult., with an exhibition in the High School room in the evening. The exercises consisted of declamations, colloquies, the reading of com. positions, and vocal and instrumental music, which were listened to by a large and appreciating audience. The room was crowded to its utmost capacity, and many went away unable to obtain even a place on which to stand. The compositions were smoothly written, and generally well read, and the declamations were delivered in a pleasing and impressive manner. Miss Alice Howe received the prize (a beautiful and costly volume of engravings) for the best composition, and Miss Clara Rowe, Mrs. Heman's Poems, for the second best. Mr. George Peck was awarded the first prize for declamation, and Mr. John Palmer the second. Just before the close of the exercises Miss Sarah Turner, for herself and fellow. pupils, gave Mr. Gray a beautiful volume of Poems, accompanied by a neat presentation speech, which was feelingly and appropriately replied to by Mr. Gray. He has been very successful as a teacher in Palmyra, and we trust that the citi zens may be able to retain him among them for a long time to come.

Magazines.-As this is the season when most persons subscribe for magazines, we give the terms on which we can furnish several of them to our readers. The Atlantic Monthly will be mailed to any of our subscribers on the receipt of two dollars at this office. We will send the Journal of Education and the Atlantic to all new subscribers, and all old subscribers who renew their subscriptions between the first of January and the 20th of March, A.D, 1859, for $2,75, the subscribers to pay their own postage.

For three dollars the

The Atlantic is now so well known that it needs no commendation from us, it is emphatically the first magazine in the United States. The third volume begins with this month, and now is the time to subscribe. publishers will mail the work to any part of the United States, prepaid, for one year. For ten dollars they will send five copies, the subscribers to pay their own postage. Clergymen, teachers, and post-masters, will receive the work two dollars a year. Address Phillips, Sampson, & Co. 13 Winter Street, Boston.

Arthur's Ladies' Home Magazine, edited by T. S. Arthur & Virginia F. Townshend. This is one of the best ladies and home magazines issued from the press, and one that we can conscientiously recommend for its pure morality elevated sentiment and sympathy with every genuine reform. Its beautiful engravings fashion plates, and patterns for embroidery, render it a most attractive and useful

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companion for the housewife, and no parent can read its pages without being materially aided in the education and training of children.

Single copies two dollars a year, two copies for three dollars, four copies for five dollars. Address T. S. Arthur & Co., 323 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

We will furnishi the magazine to our present subscribers for one dollar and twenty-five cents, and will send the Journal and the magazine to all new subscrib ers received between the first of January and first of April, 1859, for two dollars.

The Wisconsin Farmer.-This sterling agricultural magazine, conducted by Messrs. Powers & Hoyt, ought to be in the hands of every farmer and laborer in the State. Desirous of aiding to extend its circulation, we have concluded to offer it to our subscribers on the following terms. We will send it to any of our present subscribers, one year, on the receipt of eighty cents in postage stamps, and we will send the Journal and the Farmer to all new subscribers received between the first of January and the first of April, 1859, for one dollar and fifty

cents.

State Journal.-As many of our readers would undoubtedly like a newspaper published at the Capital of the State, we have made arrangements by which we can furnish the Weekly State Journal, published by Atwood & Rublee, Madison, and the Journal of Education, to all subscribers received between the first of January and the first of April, 1859, for two dollars. To those who do not take a daily paper, this presents an excellent opportunity to secure a paper containing a summary of general news, topics of interest, a synopsis of the proceedings of the Legislature, etc., at a small expense.

Notices of Moore's Rural New Yorker, The Prairie Farmer (formerly Emery's Journal of Agriculture) The Little Pilgrim, and other exchanges, must be postponed till next month.

Literary Notices.

Country School Houses, containing Elevations, Plans, and Specifications with Esti mates, Directions to Builders, Suggestions as to School Grounds, Furniture, Apparatus, etc., and a Treatise on School-House Architecture. By James Johonnot, with numerous designs by S. E. Hewes. New York: Ivison & Phinney, 321 Broadway. Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Co., 1859.

This is a valuable work and ought to be in every district library in the country. Less elaborate than Barnards' School Architecture, it yet gives elevations and

plans of twenty buildings, either of which would be a vast improvement upon the structures commonly used for district school-houses. The author, Mr. Johonnot, as a practical teacher, and as traveling agent of a teachers' association in New York, has had a wide experience in the matter of school-houses, and he presents, in a clear and systematic manner, many valuable suggestions concerning the shape, size, and finish of school-houses, furniture, apparatus, laying out and adorning the grounds, etc. The chapter on out-houses is particularly important, and we wish that every district in the land could receive and would act upon the information which it contains.

Every district intending to build the ensuing year, should immediately order the work. Copies will be sent by mail, postpaid, to any address, by the publish ers, on receipt of two dollars.

McGuffey's New Eclectic Speaker; containing about three hundred exercises for reading and declamation. Publishers, Cincinnati: Winthrop B. Smith & Co. New York: Clark, Austin, & Smith.

This new work from the press of the enterprising publishers of the Eclectic series commends itself to teachers as a choice collection of exercises for declamation, and an excellent reading book for the higher classes in our schools. It contains some of the brightest gems in the English language, and is preceded by nearly fifty pages treating of elementery principles, in which the subjects of articulation, inflection, emphasis, management aud culture of the voice, and gesture, are clearly explained and illustrated by appropriate examples. We cheerfully recommend it to the favorable consideration of teachers.

Youth's History of the United States. Designed for intermediate classes in public and private schools, By James Monteith, principal of Grammar School No. 17 New York. Author of a series of school geographies. New York: published by A. S. Barnes & Co, 51 and 53 John Street.

This little book, in the form of question and answer, presents the important points in the history of this country in a concise add attractive manner, suited to the comprehension of children. It is well printed, and beautifully illustrated with numerous woodcuts and maps, contains the declaration of independence, and biographical sketches of persons prominently connected with American history. We believe it to be well adapted to interest children and promote the study of history, which is too much neglected in our schools.

Several notices of books have been crowded out of this number for want of

room.

Our readers will notice our new advertisements this month. A. S. Barnes & Co. have two pages, Geo, Sherwood has one page, E. W. Skinner two pages. Any school in want of maps, charts, or apparatus, will do well to correspond with Mr. Sherwood, and any district building a new school house, will find it to be for its interest to purchase furniture of him, as he is agent for the best kinds manufactured. Want of room compels us to omit noticing other advertisements.

THE career of Henry Barnard as a promoter of the cause of education, has no precedent, and is without a parallel. We think of Page as a great practical teacher, or Gallaudet as the founder of a new institution, of Pestalozzi as the originator of a new method of instruction, of Spurzheim as the expounder of the philosophy of education, and of Horace Mann as its most eloquent advocate; but Mr. Barnard stands before the world as the national educator. We know, indeed, that he has held office, and achieved great success in the administration and improvement of systems of public instruction in particular States. But these labors, however important, constitute only a segment, so to speak, in a larger sphere of his efforts. Declining numerous calls to high and lucrative posts of local importance and influence, he has accepted the whole country as, the theatre of his operations, without regard to State lines, and by the extent, variety, and comprehensiveness of his efforts, has earned the title of the American Educator. It is in this view that his course has been patterned after no example, and admits of no comparison. But if in his plan, equally beneficent and original, he had no example to copy, he has furnished one worthy alike of admiration and imitation.

On the retirement of Mr. Barnard from the office of Superintendent of Common Schools in Connecticut, in December, 1854, an able and elaborate paper on his educational labors in Connecticut and Rhode Island, prepared by a gentleman every way competent to the task, was published in the Connecticut Common School Journal. From that essay we draw most of the materials for this brief sketch.

Mr. Barnard was a native of Hartford, Conn., where his family had lived from the first settlement of the colony. He was born on the 14th of January, 1811, in the fine mansion where he now resides. The son of a wealthy farmer, and living within half a mile of the centre of a considerable town and the State capitol, he was placed in the most favorable circumstances for early physical and mental development.

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His elementary instruction was received at the district school, which, with all its imperfections, as it was," he remembers with gratitude, not, indeed, on account of the amount of learning acquired in it, but because it was a common school- —a school of equal rights, where merit, and not social position, was the acknowledged basis of distinction, and, therefore, the fittest seminary to give the schooling essential to the American citizen.

While pursuing the studies preparatory for college at Monson, Mass., and at the Hopkins Grammar School in Hartford, his proficiency was brilliant; and such was his eagerness for knowledge that, in addition to the prescribed course, he extended his reading among the works of the best English authors.

Having entered Yale College in 1826, he graduated with honor in 1830. During the whole of his collegiate course, sustaining a high character for scholarship; in the early part, a successful competitor for the prizes for English and Latin composition; for the last two years, diligently pursning a systematic course of reading in English literature, with the practice of English composition; during the last half, also acting as librarian to secure free access to the library, and acquire a knowledge of books; participating with zeal in the exercises of the literary societies, by written and oral discussions; and possessing fine natural endowments he came out of college, as might have been expected, already a ripe scholar.

The five subsequent years were mainly devoted to a thorough professional training for the practice of the law, the severer study of the legal text-books being relieved by the daily reading of a portion of the ancient and modern classics. This course of study was fortunately interrupted for a few months to take charge of an academy, where he improved the opportunity to acquire some knowledge of the theory and practice of teaching. This experience probably had considerable influence in determining some of the most important subsequent events of his life.

Before entering on the practice of his profession, he spent some time in Europe, for the two-fold purpose of study and travel. Already well fitted by study and natural taste to profit by the opportunities of foreign travel, he made further and special preparation by a tour through the Southern and Western States, and a visit to all the most interesting localities in New England. "Leaving home like a philosopher, to mend himself and others," he returned with his mind enriched by observation, not only of nature and art, but especially of the social condition and institutions of the people.

In the first public address which he had occasion to make after his re