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so will the items and scraps of information picked up here and there, be interesting to the future generations. The only means of collecting these materials is the public library, and for this reason the little libraries scattered throughout the state should be urged to gather items of interest pertaining to their own locality. Mr. Thwaites spoke in his own peculiar, easy way, illustrating his talk by reference to incidents in his own work in the State Historical Library as well as by incidents from history.

The talk by Miss Stearns was very interesting. She showed that as a business venture, and from a business standpoint, standpoint, a library should be advertised. The best advertisers were the school teachers, for it was only through them that many homes could be reached. Since this is the reign of the posters, advertise by means of posters, by cards hung in street cars or tacked on corner posts; use printed lists, in fact every means to attract the eye.

What interested me most was the subject for Saturday's meeting. This was-The relation of the library to the school. A few entirely new thoughts were brought out and many old ones emphasized more strongly. Miss Schrieber spoke enthusiastically and pointedly to the effect that there should be a closer union between the teacher and the librarian. In order to do better work in school,

and, what is more important, to get the pupil in the habit of going to the library, the teacher should be well acquainted with books and be able to guide and direct a boy in his choice of them. One thing that struck me forcibly was this "Never send a boy away from a library empty handed." She asked us the question, "What does it matter if we do?" I hadn't thought of it in that light before, but when I stopped to consider it, I found a great deal in it. If a boy who doesn't care particularly for reading but happens into a library, is given a good book to read, what may it not do for him? Isn't it one of those golden opportunities lost if he don't get a book? It seems to me that many librarians forget this side of their work, they forget that they are there just to do such service; that the boys and girls of our towns are perhaps growing up with little or no desire to read, and that what they need is a hint here or a suggestion there.

Take it altogether the meetings of the Association were very interesting and helpful. The leaders were well acquainted with their work and could speak from experience. This, to us teachers, was especially helpful, for though we had known many of these things

before, we had not had them brought to our minds so forcibly before. We went away with the feeling that northern Wisconsin could do much more in the way of library work, and that teachers in the schools could increase the spirit of reading and the love of books which tends so much to form good character and a useful life. IVA A. WELSH.

Washburn, Wis.

THE LIBRARY INSTITUTE AT MENOMONIE. Friday, November 26th, a number of the librarians and secretaries of the Stout Free Traveling Libraries of Dunn county, gathered at Menomonie to hold a "librarian's institute." Two sessions were held, and a joint session of an hour and a half was held with the Dunn County Teachers' Institute. At the latter session Miss L. E. Stearns of Milwaukee, read a paper on "Children's Reading," and Miss Louisa Sutermeister of the Eau Claire library, gave a history of the traveling library movement in other states.

The other sessions of the librarians' institute were mainly devoted to a comparison of experiences by the librarians and a discussion of the best methods of securing patrons for the libraries, of getting careful treatment for the books, and of interesting the teachers to send their pupils. The fact that the libraries are intended to be a part of the educational work of the county was made prominent. The meeting was probably the first of its kind, but it proved so inspiring and helpful that it was. decided to hold another next March. A most hopeful feature of the free traveling movement is the zeal displayed by the librarians in making the libraries under their charge useful. Only those who love books and their neighbors are willing to keep these small collections of books in their homes.

The growing interest in the libraries in Dunn county is shown by the increase in the number required. Senator Stout sent out sixteen last May, in September he sent out ten more, and

he now finds a demand for half a dozen more. F. A. HUTCHINS.

Baraboo, Wis.

NEED OF THE CURFEW LAW.

Mrs. J. D. Townsend, who is urging the passage of a curfew law for New York city, has been keeping a record of crimes by children. chronicled in the New York papers, as a means of awakening the conscience of the people in regard to the need of such legislation. She finds that between 6 and 15 almost every sort of crime is committed. From 15 to 21 is the

most fruitful period.

She has found robbery the results have been most encouraging. The

at 6, arson at II and murder at 7.

New York Herald, March 17th.-Boy of 8 arrested for stealing. Boy of 8 stabbed another boy.

March 21st-Girl of 13 poisoned a whole family because she did not like her brother's wife.

March 23rd-Band of boy burglars captured, aged 15, 14 and 13.

April 8th-Boy 10, girl 13 arrested for street robbery. Boy wanted cigarettes; had broken jail before; ran four blocks and resisted arrest.

New York Sun, April 10th-Boy of II snatched a pocketbock-protected in so doing by three smaller boys.

Herald, April 11th-Boy of 11 arrested for arson-held under bond of $5,000.

May 1st-Boy of 12 stole a boat.

Sun, May 2nd-Boy of 14, highway robber, had a confederate, who snatched a watch after the older boy knocked his man down.

Herald, May 5th-Boy of 11 shot his 7-year-old brother. May 26th-Boy burglars' den raided. Boys 8, 9 and 10; had complete outfit.

Sun, June 6th-A woman garroted in the street and robbed by girl of 12. Old offender.

New York Journal, Aug. 14th-Girls aged 15, 14 and 13 testified to having been led astray by a woman who kept a soda fountain. She introduced them to men.

Aug. 13th-Two boys aged 12-train wreckers. Herald, Aug. 17th-Girl tramp robbed a sick mother to go to Texas. Slept in the parks. Aged 10.

Journal, Sept. 17th-Girl of 14 tried to poison a family. New York World, Sept. 28th-Boy of 7 shot boy of 14 with rifle; blew off the top of his head.

Journal, Oct. 3rd-Boy of 13 hangs himself.

New York Telegram, Oct. 5th-Young man-18-conducting a school of crime. Pupils boys of 10. Boy of 10 attempts to stab his

Herald, Nov. 7th teacher.

TRAVELING LIBRARIES.

Last spring, soon after Senator James H. Stout of Menomonie, Wis., decided to give the traveling library a trial in Dunn county, at his own expense, The Times-Herald gave the details of his plan. It was in contemplation to begin with sixteen libraries, each to contain thirty choicely selected and substantially bound volumes. Senator Stout's proposition met with great favor and his traveling libraries were immensely popular from the start. The number had soon to be increased to twenty, and a few weeks ago it was brought up to twenty-six and now orders have been given for four more, and the later ones have been supplied with forty instead of thirty books. Dunn county, outside of the city of Menomonie, which has a large public library, has 15,000 inhabitants. The experiment in that county will be made as thorough as possible. The deep interest the people take in the libraries, the wide and constant circulation of the books and the good effect of their reading already apparent, have led Senator Stout to declare that he never contributed funds for the public's benefit that brought to him richer returns in pleasure and satisfaction.

Like experiments are being made in several other counties, only on a smaller scale. In two counties, where there is a large number of Poles,

children of this nationality call mostly for books of American history, the story of the "Boston Tea Party" and other works which tell of struggles for liberty. They also want to learn the details of the great war. The traveling libraries are doing the state excellent service in the way of improving its citizenship.

While these several experiments have given much greater satisfaction than had been anticipated, no settled policy has yet been determined upon, and the impression prevails that it will be several years before definite action is taken. It is hoped that the traveling library will in time become a part of the educational system of the state. To that end its friends are laboring. There is a belief that the system of free libraries rapidly coming into existence in Wisconsin since the enactment of the law two years ago which created a free library commission, will be extended so as to clothe the commission with power to introduce traveling libraries in all of the counties and have full control of them. The idea is practical. There is no longer any doubt as to the demand for such libraries. It is now known that their fruit is most desirable. Anything that tends to build up American citizenship should never lack for substantial encouragement in Wisconsin or any other state. The traveling library certainly does that. It has come to stay. Chicago Times-Herald.

CHILD-STUDY.

BY THE MILWAUKEE SOCIETY FOR CHILD-STUDY. The Milwaukee Society for Child-Study was organized a few months ago with the following officers: C. P. Cary, of the state normal school, president; Wm. F. Sell, principal of the 15th district school, vice-president; Mrs. Daniel Fulcomer, secretary. The executive committee is composed of the following persons: Arthur Burch, assistant city superintendent; Miss E. C. Sabin, president MilwaukeeDowner College; Mrs. Rissman, president South Side section of the Woman's School Alliance, together with the president and secretary of the Society as ex officio members.

The organization was purposely made as simple as possible. The constitution pro

vides for officers as above indicated, states the purpose of the organization, the conditions of membership, time of meeting and a few other minor matters. The meetings are held regularly on the third Tuesday evening of every month from October to May inclusive.

The Society is divided up into small work

ing bodies, each of which holds meetings at such times and places as suit the convenience of those concerned. These sections, or working groups, are engaged on such subjects as the following:

Children's ambitions; The period of adolescence; Folk lore of children; Influence of rhythm; Temperament; Children's reading; and the like.

Leaders have been appointed for the various sections, and the members of the society select under these leaders such work as they are most interested in or feel most competent to do.

Perfect freedom, however, is allowed any one and every one to work in any manner whatever, provided the work to be undertaken is approved by the executive committee. The aim of the society is to avoid two dangerous extremes in child-study. One is the painfully scientific, the other the painfully unscientific. The leaders in the movement, and many of the most progressive citizens and teachers of the city are identified with it, believe that the time is ripe for some thoughtful, painstaking work to be commenced in this city, and for that matter in the state at large. Child-study as a fad is on the decline, fortunately, and now child-study as a serious effort to comprehend the child can go on steadily and sensibly. The regular meetings of the society will be given up, in part, to reports from the leaders and workers in the sections. In addition to this it is expected that specialists will from time to time favor the society with brief lectures on appropriate subjects.

Below is given a syllabus prepared by J. I. Jegi of the state normal, which will further explain the nature of some of the work. Other syllabi will be published in THE JOURNAL from time to time. The society in Milwaukee would like to learn of other similar organizations in the state, if any exist, and will be glad to render any assistance possible in the formation of new societies in the state. Any assistance rendered the members of the society in connection with their work will be thankfully received and acknowledged.

Three studies somewhat like the syllabus given below have been made thus far. One under the direction of Prof. C. H. Thurber, now of the University of Chicago, one by Prof. Earl Barnes, of Stanford University, and one by Supt. S. B. Hursh, of Sterling, Ill. These studies are based upon compositions writted by 2,000, 1,250 and 450 children respectively, attending city, village and country schools, and representing many nationalities. The reports of these investigations may be obtained as follows: The first from Prof.

Prof. C. H. Thurber, of Morgan Park, Ill. The second is now appearing in studies in education by Earl Barnes, of Stanford University. The third is published in vol. I. of the Child-Study Monthly.

We hope that country teachers especially will respond to this syallabus. Of course it is more difficult to get returns from the country. schools, and so we urge all teachers in such schools having German children enrolled to assist us in this investigation. We care less about returns from city schools, but believe any superintendent or principal will find it of interest to make the study indicated in his school for his own benefit. Should any other society care to take up this problem we would be very glad to render assistance and receive suggestions.

A Study of Children's Ambitions.

We purpose to make a study of children's ambitions, but restrict our investigation to one nationality-the German, and tabulate separately the papers of city, village and country children. If successful, this study will bring to light many points of great pedagogical interest. In this, as in all studies of children, the teacher must exercise great care not to let the child know it is being studied.

The work to be done is very simple, and will require but a few minutes of the school time. Each pupil is to write a short letter to his teacher or some friend, telling: 1. What he wants to do when he is grown up. 2. Why he makes this choice.

The teacher may make this a valuable exercise in letter writing, but in no way whatever should he suggest occupations they might select, or reasons they might give. Neither should he give them an opportunity to consult with each other or their parents. Let the pupil express his own choice and state his own reasons, otherwise these letters will be absolutely worthless. Have children of all ages write, the largest and the smallest. sible make them think it is fun to write these letters, for they always do better, and give us more satisfactory results if they enjoy the writing. Impress on them the importance of being in earnest, and telling what they really want to do when they are men (or women) and

not some nonsense.

If pos

The teacher should examine carefully all letters handed in, and add the following data in each case: (1) Age of pupil, in years and months if possible. (2) Sex. (3) Grade. (4) Nationality. (5) Parents' occupation. (6) Facts in regard to the environment of the

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His life was irregular and unfortunate. early life he was reckless and extravagant. After a brief experience in the army he became engaged in journalism, but could not hold a position for any length of time because of his habits. His work as a critic first brought him into notice; a number of weird and powerful prose tales further established his reputation as a writer; finally "The Raven," with a few other poems remarkable for pathos, musical structure and vague beauty, confirmed his reputation as a man of genius. As a man he was fickle, false and intemperate. He died of delirium tremens.

AS A CRITIC.-That Poe was an unfair and one-sided critic can not be disputed; that his personal likes and dislikes had great influence upon his estimes is all too true; yet in spite of all this his work in this department cannot be overlooked. He certainly inaugurated "the new age in American criticism." All his honest criticisms have been proved by time to be strikingly correct. It was Poe who hailed Hawthorne as a novelist of the first rank when that shy genius was "the obscurest man of letters in America." Poe was quick to see the true worth of Longfellow and of many another American poet at a time when they were all but unknown. Poe failed of winning a high place as a critic, first, because of his inordinate vanity. He wished to be regarded as a profound scholar, and accordingly disfigured his work with abundant allusions to occult and curious lore of which he really knew very little. Secondly, he had a hobby-the charge of plagiarism, from which he never dismounted; and, thirdly, he was not honest.-Pattee's American Literature.

AS A STORY-TELLER.-His stories, in so far as they were successful, fall naturally into two divisions-the stories of quasi-mathematical analysis, with excursions into the horrible, the grotesque and the startling; and the speculative class, including the weird, the supernatural and the transcendental. To the former class belong "The Gold Bug," "The Purloined Letter," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," "Hans Pfaal," "The Black Cat;" to the latter "The Fall of the House of Usher," "Ligeia," "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains." Of course these lists are not intended to be complete. Poe could not be a humorist, because of his lack of human sympathies; and for the same reason he could not paint character. There are no "live" people in his tales; they are the mechanical hinges on which the events turn. And despite the vivid interest of Poe's productions, their strangeness, their impressiveness, he never succeeds in imparting the slightest color to them; they are exquisitely ingenious studies in black and white, and that is all. They do not touch the heart, for they do not come from it nor are they aimed at it. Their workmanship is in many respects as nearly perfect as it can be made. This finish is partly due to the repeated revision given them by their author; it illustrates his intellectual fastidiousness and love of accuracy, and it proves how absolutely wanting his tales are in what is called inspiration. called inspiration. He made them and understood them as an architect does his houses, they emanate from and they contain no spiritual depth.-Hawthorne and Lemon, American Literature.

AS A POET.-Poe declared that poetry had been to him not a purpose but a passion." By long study he had made himself a master of the technic of verse, and he combined with extraordinary skill all the effects to be derived from literary rhythm, intricate rime, artful repetition, and an aptly chosen refrain. He bent words to his bidding, and he made his verse so melodious that it had almost the charm of music. That his scheme of poetry was highly artificial, that the themes of his poems were vague and insubstantial and that his stanzas do not stimulate thought-these things may be admitted without disadvantage. What the reader does find in Poe's poetry is the suggestion of departed but imperishable beauty, and the lingering grace and fascination of haunting melancholy. His verses throb with an inexpressible magic and glow with intangible fantasy. His poems have no other purpose; they convey no moral; they echo no call to duty; they celebrate beauty only-beauty immaterial and evanescent; they are their own

excuse for being.-Brander Matthews, Amer- doubt been fully verified. ican Literature.

Poe was a worse enemy to himself than any one else could be. The fine enamel of his genius is all corroded by the deadly acid of his passions. The imperfections of his temperament have pierced his poetry and prose, shattered their structure and blurred their beauty. -George Parsons Lathrop.

Find illustrations of each of the points in the criticism of poetry in the following selections:

From The Bells.

Hear the sledges with the bells

Silver bells!

What a world of merrriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle

In the icy air of night!
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;

Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,

To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells

From the bells, bells, bells, bells,

Bells, bells, bells,

From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

From Ulalume.

The skies they were ashen and sober,

The leaves they were crispèd and sere-
The leaves they were withering and sere;
It was night in the lonesome October
Of my most immemorial year,
It was hard by the dim lake of Auber
In the misty mid-region of Weir-
It was down by the dark tank of Auber,
In the ghoul haunted woodland of Weir.

Here once through an alley Titanic

Of cypress I roamed with my soul-
Of cypress, with Psyche, my soul,
These were days when my heart was volcanic
As the soriac rivers that roll-
As the lavas that restlessly roll

Their sulphurous currents down Yaanek
In the ultimate climes of the pole-
That groan as they roll down Mount Yaanek
In the realms of the boreal pole.

From Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so all the night tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling-my darling-my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

A BIRD DAY.

Since the establishment of Arbor Day in nearly every state of the United States attention has been directed more and more to the denudation of the hillsides and mountains of their forests, and the results of such denudation upon the future of rainfall and therefore upon agricultural industries. It is, however, still an open question as to what these results may be, but one or two conclusions have no

First, that though

the rainfall may not be increased nor diminished, the regular distribution of rain throughout the year is changed; and second, that the surface features of the earth are more rapidly changed.

But the point I wished to make to-day is that with the celebration of an Arbor Day there could be very profitably joined exercises drawing the attention of the children to our birds, to their beauty, their character and their usefulness.

Every bird, like every other animal, has a definite function in its environment. Displace it from that, and there are corresponding and correlative changes in the insect world and in our vegetation-a loss to us generally with the diminution of the number of birds.

A way in which a day spent in our school with our native birds would be of value is that children might be inspired with a love for our songsters, and thus prevent our boys from becoming, as so many do now, egg and nest collectors. I think you have no idea how common this "fad" has become, though it may not be as common in Lancaster county as elsewhere. But if you look up the dealers in eggs and bird-skins and find how many eggs they carry in stock, you will begin to realize how much wanton destruction goes on through the small boy as a collector. One dealer I know carries a constant stock of 50,000 eggs and sells about 5,000 eggs each month. There are over 100 dealers in the United States, though not all so extensively engaged as the one cited. But this is only a small part of the whole number collected or destroyed. The collectors are responsible for it all.

I may say here too that nearly every nest looked into or examined, even if the eggs are not taken, is destroyed by the birds themselves or by crows and sparrows; for it seems that once found by man, the above two birds are almost sure to find them soon afterward. At least such has been my experience.

Boys kill in sport a great many beneficial birds. In 1883 a wave of American crossbills came into Lancaster city, and I picked up in one square twenty-seven, shot and mangled by boys with gum-shooters. Many more were no doubt killed in the same square, for the birds remained several days afterwards. I feel sure from information given me by the late Mr. Zahm that you could have multiplied the above number by fifteen or twenty for the number killed in the entire city.

Large numbers of common birds are killed by the target gun outside of every city's limits, many more than inside of it.

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