The Metric System of Weights and Measures. LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES-Passed at the First Session of the Thirty-Ninth Congress. [PUBLIC-No.183.] AN ACT to authorize the use of the Metric System of Weights and Measures. BE IT ENACTED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, That from and after the passage of this act it shall be lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the Weights and Measures of the Metric System; and no contract or dealing, or pleading in any court, shall be deemed invalid, or liable to objection, because the weights or measures expressed or referred to therein are weights or measures of the Metric System. SECTION 2.-AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the tables in the schedule hereto annexed shall be recognized in the construction of contracts, and in all legal proceedings, as establishing, in terms of the weights and measures now in use in the United States, the equivalents of the weights and measures expressed therein in terms of the Metric System; and said tables may be lawfully used for computing, determining and expressing in customary weights and measures the weights and measures of the Metric System. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.-Sweet sixteen is not always particularly sweet in the school-room, and we suppose the girl who was whipped in Cambridge, some months since, very probably deserved it. It is not, although the WORLD disagrees with us on this point, a case which calls for the establishment of a white young ladies' bureau in the nigger-loving state, with armies of the paid minions of power as officials. It does, however, call upon parents and school-committees to decide, each for themselves, this question; Whether refractory scholars shall be expelled froin scliool for impudence or disobedience, or be, on occasion, whipped, and suffered to go on with their education. Most parents, no doubt, admit that physical force is the last resort properly to be used by themselves; and once concede, as most parents do, that children must be educated, and that the parent's place in that work must be filled by the teacher, and you have to grant the teacher also the use of physical force. But these are elementary principles. Generally one man in each school-district spends a part of his time kicking against them, and leads some young woman a dreadful life of tears and notes to the nearest committee-man for protection. But juries usually take upon themselves to extinguish him. The jury who tried the Cambridge school-master have just acquitted him. -Nation, of Nov. 15th.] DEATH IN THE SCHOOL ROOM.-One mellow autumn day, when nature had put on all her colors, and veiled them over with silver tissue, was the last day of school at old Gocomico. I had idled my way to school, loth to exchange the blue sky and purple river for the dingy room. I stole noiselessly to my seat, congratulating myself that the master had not seen me. His head was on his hand, his elbow on the table. A class of juniors were reciting a paradigm of the first declension of nouns, "sylva." Twice did one bay give the wrong case-ending, and yet the old man had not raised his head, and the birch-rod was motionless. The older boys exchanged glances, and whispered something about intoxication. That class dismissed, a senior boy went forward to ask an explanation of a problem in the "double rule of three." Several times did the boy state the question, and yet the master did not look up, but only replied in a dreamy manner, using a familiar phrase with him-"Ruminate and divise, lad; ruminate and di- ́ vise." The boy returned to his seat, and an hour passed. A hush brooded over the room; a mysterious presence kept the boys quiet.At last the old man roused, removed his hands from his eyes, and looked around. A pallor was on his face that I had never seen there before. "Lads, lads, lads," he said slowly, "you may go home and tell them Schoolmaster Sutherland is going to another school." Some of the boys, not understanding, gathered around for explanation. But the master's mind was wandering, and he did not hear them. He went on, as if addressing a class- First conjugation-infinitive ending—a—e -Amo-Amas-Amat-Amamus-Amatis-Amant. Mere words, lads, mere words! for SHE said Amo once. Ellen said." And again his head dropped down on the pine-table. The frightened boys spoke to him again and again; but there was no reply. Schoolmaster Sutherland was dead. His pupils are scattered over the wide world now, and the old field-school has long since disappeared. The ancients educated their children not merely by talking to them, but also, and especially, by means of examples and actions; in order that what they acquired might remain in their minds, not as science, but as nature and custom inseparable from them-not as ♣ thing learned, but as inherited possession.--[Montainge.] WITH four weights of respectively 1 pound, 3 pounds, 9 pounds, and 27 pounds, any number of pounds from 1 to 40 may be weighed 201 CHAS. DICKENS relates the following of Douglas Jerrold: Of his generosity I had a proof within these two or three years, which it saddens me to think of now. There had been enstrangement between us not on any personal subject, and not involving angry words-and a good many months had passed without my ever seeing him in the streets, when it fell out that we dined, each with his own separate party, in the Stranger's room of the Club. Our chairs were almost back to back, and I took mine after he was seated and at dinner (I am sorry to remember), and did not look that way. Before we had sat long, he openly wheeled his chair around, stretched out both hands in an engaging manner, and said aloud, with a bright and loving face, that I can see as I write to you: "Let us be friends again. A life is not long enough for this." Jerrold was not a Christian, but his conduct in this case was worthy of a Christain character. On a dying bed how insignificant will appear many things about which we contend in bitterness and wrath! Life is too short, its inevitable sorrows so many, its responsibilities so vast and solemn, that there is indeed, no time to spare in abusing and maligning one another. Let not the sun go down on your wrath. Never close your eyes to sleep with your heart angry toward your brother and fellow sufferer. reconciled if you can. If f you cannot see him, write to him. If he is a true man and a Christian, he will listen. If he is not you will have done right, and your soul will be bright with the sunshine of Heaven. See him and be STUDENT LIFE IN SWITZERLAND.—I heard a tramping in the street last evening, and, upon looking out of my window, saw a host of boys marching by. I learned, by inquiry, that they were a school of one hundred and twenty, making a pedestrian tour through their native country, Switzerland. Accompanied by their teachers, they thus walk day after day, getting health and knowledge and fun, for they make plenty of it as they go. Early this morning I was awakened by hearing them again. They had been lodged, how I know not, at the inns in the villages, and now at three o'clock, A. M., (for I looked at my watch,) they were up and off. Just then they struck up one of their merry songs, and serenaded the sleeping villagers as they took their leave. And even now, while I am writing these lines, I am called to the window to look out again, and here is a large school of girls, some of them small, and others young ladies grown, making a pedestrian tour. Both of these companies are three or four days' journey from their homes. They will be absent perhaps a week or a fortnight, and they will be wiser healthier and happier for their tour.-[Observer.] State Superintendents of Public Instruction. State. Maine, New Jersey, Maryland, Names. Rev. Edward Ballard, Post Offices. Rev. R. M. Sargent, (Sec. B. Ed), Farmington. J. S. Adams, Joseph White, Joshua P. Chapin, Victor M. Rice, E. A. Apgar, W. P. Wickersham, Boston. Burlington. New Haven. Providence. Trenton. Millersville. S. M. Harrington, (Sec. State, ex of. Supt.) Dover. L. Van Bokkelen, William R. White, John A. Norris, Newton Bateman, J. G. MeMynn, Orin Faville, D. Blakely, (Sec. State, ex of. Supt.), West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, California, Kansas, I. T. Goodnow, Addison C. Gibbs, Gov. John Swett, Daniel Stevenson, T. A. Parker, A. T. White, J. A. Chittenden, Baltimore. Wheeling. Columbus. Lansing. Indianapolis. Springfield. Madison. Des Moines. St. Paul. San Francisco. Manhattan. Frankfort.. Jefferson City. New Orleans. Carson City. Boise City. THE TEACHER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA.- Teachers as a class, cannot provide themselves with encyclopedias, or such other books of reference as would aid them in their labors, but in the latest edition of Webster's magnificent Quarto Dictionary they have a worthy substi tute. Whenever I meet teachers in their associations or institutes, or in private, I earnestly present to them the great advantage they would derive from having this work near them. It will tend to make them accurate, while the definitions and illustrations will suggest many new ideas for elaboration among their pupils.-W. R. WHITE, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF FREE SCHOOLS FOR WEST VIRGINIA. Wheeling, March 21, 1866. Or the durability of timber in a wet state the piles of the bridge built by the Emperor Trajan over the Danube afford a striking example. One of the piles was taken up and was found to be petrified to the depth of of an inch, but the rest of the wood was perfect. Editorial Miscellany. THE WISCONSIN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. When we commenced the publication of this Journal, we had no flattering hopes of a grand pecuniary reward, nor were any inducements held out to us by any one of assistance either pecuniary or otherwise; on the contrary, many of the leading educators of the State, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction among the number, tried to dissuade us, saying that it had been and doubtless would be a losing operation. In spite of discouraging prospects, we felt that this Journal could be sustained in a legitimate way, without loss to any one, and so proceeded in its publication. We thought, that, if the publication involved any pecuniary loss upon us that we could not bear, it could be suspended at any time and the money refunded to the subscribers and no loss be sustained by them. Thanks to the book war that has been going on for the past year, the advertising department of the Journal has paid handsomely. The subscription list, small at first, has been increasing rapidly, until now we have a very respectable list of Subscribers. The County Superintendents have, for the most part, been friendly disposed and have aided us materially, but we are sorry to say that some of them have presented the cold shoulder" and refused all aid whatever. They surely deserve their reward and we hope they will receive it at the hands of the people at the next general election. "What has become of the Journal?" is a question that has been frequently asked us of late. Circumstances have been such that it was impossible to issue the Journal? at first we intended to omit the September number and issue a double one for October, but as we before stated, it was impossible. We hope the indignant school ma'ams, who demanded " your money, or your life," will be satisfied without forcing us to any further explanation. This number is late, owing to the fact that we had to set the advertisements anew. We hope to disappoint no one in the future and if our earnest labor can make this a readable Journal, it shall be. To make it such, we earnestly beg the co-operation of all teachers |