The Old Oak Tree's Christmas Dream (Arranged from HANS ANDERSEN) Such a grand old oak! It had stood there for three hundred and sixty-five years. It knew a great deal; but there was one thing it did not know. "Poor little insect!" it would say when the shining bugs would hum and flutter about its crown. Why, "Poor little insect?" the little summer flies would say; "Do you not see how soft and warm the air is, and how bright the light is! And we are so very happy." "Yes," the oak tree would answer; "but it is only for a day!" The music reached the old oak's ear. There came over his great heart a sense of peace and rest. "Peace on Earth! Peace on Earth!" the children sang; and the oak leaves fluttering softly answered "Peace on earth! Peace on Earth!" And there came into the heart of the old oak a longing that every other tree and flower and insect it had ever known might share this peace and rest that was stealing through its trunk and branches and even to the brown leaves that trembled now for joy. "If they were only here!" the happy tree said softly, as he went off to sleep. "My dear little friends that lived so short a time!" "Here we are!" hummed the tiny insects. "Here we are, everyone! humming and singing above you as happy as happy can be." "But the world will be just as bright and "And here are we!" laughed the violets and beautiful even if we are not here;" and the the anemones. "Look down! here we are little flies would hum and flutter on till sunset; close to your own brave roots, as happy as and then tired out from pure happiness they would cuddle down at the foot of the oak and go sound asleep forever. And the sweet violets and anemones,-their bright little faces would smile up at the old oak, their hearts, too, so full of joy. "It's only for a few days," the old oak would sigh. But the little flowers would say, "Perhaps; but they are such happy days; and if by and by if we go to sleep, very likely we shall dream them all over again;" then the little violet would send its sweetness up to kiss the solemn old oak. Then there were the little fluttering, singing birches. So happy, so joyous, they could not keep from singing and dancing the hours away. "It is only for a few years," the old oak would say, "Now I have dwelt in the forest for three hundred years and more." "But our years are so full of joy! so full of joy!" the little birches would answer back. "Just see the sunlight on our leaves! And see our shadows, how beautiful they are across the grasses!" At last, one night, it came the old oak's time to sleep. It was Christmas night; and all the children in the village were shouting with joy and singing their Carols out across the snow. ever we were." And the violet sent up its sweet odor to add its blessing to the dear oak tree. "And here we are," fluttered the silver birches. "See our leaves! hear our song! O such a happy, happy world!" "How beautiful! And I thought you had died!" the old oak said. "O no" fluttered the birches! "We never die!" laughed the violets. We only sleep!" hummed the little insects; "and here we are, all together again, the joyous Christmas time! And the children were happy; the little insects, the flowers, the trees were happy, and all the world was happy. Perhaps this was only a Christmas dream. But at any rate when next the old oak woke again, there were the flowers, the insects and the birches all around him exactly as they had been so many times before. The same ones? Well they looked the same, were happy the same, and sent the same joyous greetings to the old oak. And never again was the oak known to sigh over their short lives; for now he had learned that together they should all live on forever. BOOK THE JOHN CHURCH CO, CINCINNATI, NEW YORK AND CHICAGO. THE MODEL MUSIC COURSE. For Public Schools. By J. A. Broekhoven and A. J. Gant. voort. This series of Music Readers claims to be based upon the general demand for a more natural and gradual course parallel to the mental and emotional development of the child. The musical terms and phraseology have been simplified, to meet the comprehension of the child. In the general arrangement the series provides a Reader for each year of primary, intermediate and grammar grades beginning with a primer for the second year. A manual contains all the material for the first grade and additional exercises and explanations of the whole series. The methods employed in this course are said by the authors to be entirely new. The verses chosen are childlike throughout and carefully selected for their poetic, narrative, and instructive nature. An effort has also been made to correlate music with other studies by furnishing in the regular music lessons little songs about nature, animals, etc. The well-known reputation of this music house will entitle the series to careful consid. eration. S. C. GRIGGS & CO., CHICAGO. TWENTY-FIVE LETTERS ON ENGLISH AUTHORS. By Mary Fisher. There is in this little volume of everyday easy correspondence, something that reminds one of the fresh breezy book on the same subject sent out some years since by Abby Sage Richardson, and which is yet the valued hand book of many a student of English literature in school and home. Twenty-five Letters is a real correspondence somewhat modified, naturally-between a pupil and teacher. It treats of the eminent writers. The treatment is brave and original; not once does one come upon the hackneyed expressions too often passed from one text-book to another. The chapter on laws for criticism is a gem; & young reader could hardly fail to set up for herself a standard from these laws so simply written and clearly explained which should influence the trend of all future reading. It is a book par excellence for teachers and for literary clubs; for students old and young who are looking for clear help in their beginning of the study of what good literature means. For private study it is invaluable, and whoever takes up the book cannot fail to feel the refreshing invigoration of its bright. ness and freshness. THE WERNER CO., NEW YORK AND THE FIRST SCHOOL YEAR. For Primary Workers. By Katherine Beebe. All readers of the Kindergarten Magazine will recall the pleasure with which they read from month to month the several chapters of "The First School Year" from Miss Beebe's pen. It is a satisfaction to have these serial chap. ters bound together in a tasteful little book which can always be close at hand for refer ence and inspiration. They were first written to meet the wishes of primary teachers for a definite presentation and practical applica. tion of Fræbel's principles to everyday work. The author has shown two things most plainly; that she is at home anywhere when little children are to be trained and developed in simple natural ways. A teacher cannot open this book in auy part without being tempted to read on and on so completely are the matter and spirit of it, in full knowledge and sympathy with the teacher's work. Every page is suggestive. The contents of the eleven chapters are as follows: Plays, Games and Songs; Gifts, Occupations and Materials; Science Work; Festiva s and Holidays; Color, Form and Number; Trades, Industries, Arts, Artisanship; Self-Expression in the SchoolRoom; Literature for School Children; Concentration in Plans of Work; Growth in School Life; What the Kindergarten does for the Children. Every primary teacher is recommended to buy this book. WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON, NEW YORK CITY. THE TEACHING OF HAND-WRITING. By John Jackson, F. E. I. S. This book appears in response to a demand from principles of schools for a text-book on the teaching of handwriting to put into the hands of their assisiants for everyday use in the schoolroom. The book advocates the vertical style of pen.. manship and also ambidexterity in writing. "Vertical writing lends itself more readily to ambidexterity than does sloping writing and there can be no doubt that a clerk who could write well with equal facility with either hand, and could rest one side of the body while the other is working would be little liable to writer's cramp and similar troubles." GINN & CO., BOSTON. THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT. By Arnold Tompkins. "A universal law guides and inspires with a consciousness of freedom and power." Upon this fundamental truth is based the "Philosophy of School Management." A school is an organic process which must be managed and for which there must be an underlying lawthe "Law of Unity." While the law must arise from within, yet the law does not get its authority from any part, but from the school 88 a whole, taken in its entire circle of activity. "It is a simple and potent truth that the general law of unity of the organism which controls the whole complex school system reduces itself in last analysis to the unity of the pupil's ideal and real self. This is the unity which must never be violated, and which the whole system stands pledged to maintain. In all questions of school organiza. tion and management, this is the court of ultimate appeal." CHRISTMAS MUSIC. An Unusually Fine Array Published by the Oliver Ditson Co., Boston. As usual, the Oliver Ditson Company's new music for Christmas services includes a large number of compositions which are all that the most exacting choir-leader or Sunday school director could desire. Most of these publications are issued in the Ditson Octavo Editions so well known for their excellence and cheapness. They include anthems, carols, hymns, services, solos, duets, children's songs, etc., and some of our best American composers of sacred music are represented. Among the pieces worthy of special note are the following: SONGS:-"Hark, the Hosts of Heaven Are Telling," mezzo-soprano or baritone, W. H. Pontius, 50 cents. "One Quiet Night," pub. lished in two keys, for tenor, and for alto or baritone, B. Van de Water, 50 cents. ANTHEMS :-"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," quartette or chorus and tenor solo, P. A. Schnecker, 12 cents. "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted." quartette or chorus, and tenor and bass solos, H. P. Danks, 10 cents. "Bright Angels! Ye Heralds," quartette or chorus, J. C. Macy, 12 cents. "It is the Blessed Christmas Morn," soprano solo, violin obligato, chorus and organ, J. C. Bartlett, 12 cents. CAROLS AND HYMNS:-"Christmas Bells Again Are Ringing," unison carol, A. F. Loud, 8 cents. "Yule Log Carol," unison, J. W. Treadwell, 5 cents. Five Christmas hymns for children, by P. A. Schnecker, including: "Rejoice, Rejoice," "Hail! Glorious Morn," Joy and Gladness," ""Once in Royal David's City," "As With Gladness New of Old." Each, 5 cts.; complete, 12 cents. 99 44 Another interesting piece is an "Advent Service" for quartet or chorus or solo voices, by P. A. Schnecker, 50 cents. The Ditson Company's complete catalogue of new and recent Christmas music, together with a selected list of Christmas cantatas is sent free on request Every choir-singer and every director of music in Sunday-schools should possess it. OLIVER DITSON COM. PANY, 453-463 Washington St., Boston. "THE ENCYCLOPEDIC DICTIONARY opens up the dictionary war that may involve the Century the Standard, and the International. Beside it, the old dictionaries are but pyg. mies." This opinion was expressed by the New York World some months ago, in the course of a lengthy review, in which the superior merits of this reference work was clearly pointed out. This new work is at once a dictionary and an encyclopædia. It has all the utility of a superior "unabridged," and all the practical usefulness of a twenty-five-volume encyclopædia without its diffuseness. Not only does it spell, pronounce, and define all the words in the English vocabulary, including the many thousands that have been added to our language during the past decade, but it treats some 50,000 subjects encyclopædically-about twice as many as are covered by the Encyclopædia Britannica. Less than a year ago the editors and printers were laboring day and night to put the finishing touches on this superb work, bringing it up in every detail to the month of February, 1895 To day it is recognized as an authority every. where, and has been adopted as a standard in the public schools of St. Louis, and many other cities and towns. In fact we are informed more than 50,000 sets have found their way into public and private libraries, schools, and homes during the past twelve months. Such splendid and speedy results could have proceeded from nothing short of superlative excellence. Not the least important feature of this "dictionary war," however, is the fact that the Syndicate Publishing Company is just now offering this grand dictionary and encyclopadia of knowledge at wonderfully low prices and on almost ridiculously easy terms, as will appear from their announcement in this issue Certainly no better investment of Library funds could be made, for teachers will find the work not only invaluable in their homes, but of practical utility in every schoolroom in the land. -The average pocket dictionary contains about 25,000 words, and perhaps gives a few of the diacritical marks, and a few pages of miscellaneous matter. This being the general conception of this class of books it is somewhat difficult to awaken the public mind, to the fact, even in these days of rapid progress, that something better has been produced, but such is the case. We now have a book of suitable size for the vest-pocket or the writing desk, that contains nearly 46,000 words, with full pronunciation and showing all the technicalities of the language; and this selfsame little book covers completlely four other lines of classified matter, including parliamentary law, and nearly everything necessary for daily reference. This is made possible by several very ingenious, though simple methods of condensing without abridging the matter to be admitted. This book, the New Webster Dictionary and Complete Vest-Pocket Library, noticed elsewhere in this paper, has the unqualified endorsement of leading educators, and we heartily commend it to all our readers. We deem it a very convenient, inexpensive and useful book. It comes very neatly bound in leather, gilt edges and indexed for 50 cents, in cloth 25 cents. Address the publisher, E. E. MILES, South Lancaster, Mass. VITALIZED PHOSPHITES Is not a medicine, but an essential food for the nourishment of the tired brain and morphine or injurious drug. Formula on each label. Send for descriptive pamphlet - free. Crosby's Cold and Catarrh Cure. St., New York. None genuine without signature The best remedy known for colds in the head and sore throat. By mail, price, 50 cents. F. Crosby Co. "SAMANTHA IN EUROPE." A NEW BOOK BY JOSIAH ALLEN'S WIFE. Agents Wanted Over 100 Illustrations Agents Wanted She that is Josiah Allen's Wife Has Been to Europe. Josiah went along, and Baron C. De Grimm, the famous artist and caricaturist, followed them. They went to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales; also to France, Germany, etc. The results are that we have now in press Samantha's latest and greatest of all her books, telling the strange and skairful" story of their adventures in strange cities, royal palaces, and in outof-the-way places. They also visited the Duke of Veragua, Eulalie, and thers they had met at the World's Fair in Chicago. Baron De Grimm has made over 100 illustrations of the events of the trip, all of which will appear in the book. With its rofound interest, depth of wit, genuine humor and sound philosophy, verily this book will sweep all before it. only Americans, but English, German, French and other folk are eager to read it. As many copies will surely be sold as were of all Samantha's other books combined; more than half a million. Wide-awake agents About 700 pages, large know what this announcement means-a Octavo. Price, by Mail bonanza, to those who secure territory. or Agent, Cloth, $2.50; And Ho! for the Holidays. Half Russia, $4.00. Write for terms and territory At Once. FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY, Publishers, 30 Lafayette Place, New York. Not Exhaustion Horsford's Acid Phosphate Overworked men and women, the nervous, weak and debilitated, will find in the Acid Phosphate a most agreeable, grateful and harmless stimulant, giving renewed strength and vigor to the entire system. Stories of Colonial Children. Author of "American History Stories," Etc. In writing this little book, Dr. Mara L. Pratt has struck the happiest vein. This book reads almost like fiction, so ingenious has the author proved herself, in making the whole Colonial History of New England revolve around little Peregrene White and Oceanus Hopkins-the colonial babies-born upon the Mayflower, and the other little children who had their part in those early hardships. Every story has a child for its hero; it is the child's part in the wars and Indian troubles that is portrayed; it is the children in the churches that are described; the children at the first Thanksgiving; the children in the quaint costumes and customs of the colonial times throughout the book. It is, in fact, the colonial child's own book; and we predict for it greater popularity among the little folks than even the author's "American History Stories" have had. Illus. Boards. 40 cents. Educational Publishing Company, 50 Bromfield St., Boston. 15+ I 16 16 of 16 · 15 (Problem) of 16 I of 15 How Mary bought one pencil for 5 cents and another for 10 What did both cost? cents. A lady bought a table for $15 and sold it for $10. much did she lose? How many months are 1 year and 3 months? cent for gum. What did she spend? A farmer bought a cow for $15. He paid one 10-dollar bill and one 2-dollar bill. How much did he still owe? If I lemon costs 3 cents, what will 5 lemons cost? 3 How many fives in fifteen? Make 15 straight marks, and cut off 9 of them; how many are left? 5 X ? 16 15 ÷ +2.2.2. -+ || || 43 ? = 16 I = 16 = 4 5 X 2 + ? = 16 3 X + ? = 16 8 +8 6= ? I 2 = 4 Add 9 many 7 |