General Intelligence.

MISS MARIA MITCHELL has been appointed Professor of Astron. omy in the Vassar Female College, Poukeepsie, N. Y.

MARYLAND.-The County Commissioners receive compensation for their services and are liable to removal for neglect of duty. The School Officers are all appointed which prevents the election of inexperienced men through partisan influence.

CANADA. Hereafter the appropriation from the school fund will be withheld from those schools which use American Geographies after those now in use shall be worn out. This is a "cut" direct.

COLLEGES.-In Wisconsin there are nine Colleges and Universities-just eight too many. In a State of this size one College is enough. We always find the best Colleges where there are the largest number of students and Professors. A Professor can not successfully attend to but one department at a time.

CHICAGO.-Teachers who are absent less than two weeks consecutively, by reason of sickness, lose no pay thereby.

MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.-The whole number of students is 1207, divided as follows: Department of Science, Literature, and the Arts-Seniors, 44; Juniors, 53; Sophomores, 78; Freshmen, 90; in Select Courses, 24-total 289. Students in Higher Chemistry, 71; Department of Medicine, 463; Department of Law, 384. The Faculty comprises 32 Professors and Instructors.

The Roll of Honor of the University embraces 769 names, representing all ranks from private to Major-General. The Alumni have taken measures to erect a monumental building to the memory of those who went forth at their country's call. The corner stone of the building is to be laid next Commencement.

CHICAGO. The whole number of pupils enrolled for Dec. 1865, was 16,079, an increase of 1,296 over Dec. 1864. Not only are the school-rooms in use crowded, but hundreds of children are debarred from school privileges and resort to the streets for an education preparatory to a course at the Reform School and the Penitentiary. The number of pupils to each teacher is 70. The "Queen City" of the West must look to her laurels.

WEST VIRGINIA.-For various reasons this new State is regard. ed with especial interest. The State Superintendent, Hon. W. R. White, is evidently indefatigable in his labors in behalf of the free school system. Teachers are encouraged in various ways to perfect themselves in their profession. In the Amended School Laws, good moral character is made the basis of requirements. The grading of certificates is thus provided for: "County Superintendents shall grade the certificates granted, according to the following scheme, numbering them according to the merits of the applicant from one to five, number three shall be the medium between a very good and an indifferent teacher; number one, a very good teacher-accomplished in every respect; number two a good teacher; number three, medium; number four, below medium; number five, indifferent. A number five certificate shall never be granted more than once. If upon a second examination, the applicant is not entitled to a higher grade, no certificate shall be granted. A number four certificate shall not be granted more than twice in succession to the same applicant. When any teacher has received three number one certificates, he shall be entitled to receive from the County Superintendent a recommendation to the State Superintendent for examination, and if found worthy, the State Superintendent shall grant him a professional certificate, which is valid during the life-time of the holder unless revoked for immorality or disloyalty."

The new

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE is in a flourishing condition. President, Asa D. Smith, is untiring in his efforts to advance her interests. Ten scholarships have been founded during the year 1865, with an income of $70, each. Speakers at Commencement are no longer chosen by lot but by merit, which is a decided improvement, as it furnishes a powerful incentive to exertion. Several endowments have been made to the College. A gymnasium is to be erected and the Alumni are raising money for a new building to be called Alumni Hall, one room of which is to be a Memorial Hall, for flags, paintings, etc. They are also raising money with which to erect a monument to the sons of Dartmouth who have given their lives to their country.

The Roll of Honor embraces TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, repre senting all grades from a private to a Major-General.

Connect

IOWA UNIVERSITY has a Classical and Scientific course.. ed with it is a successful Normal School and a preparatory school. Whole number of students for the past term is 500.

HARVARD COLLEGE has 513 undergraduates and resident graduThe Freshman Class numbers 126, being an increase of 37 over last year.

ates.

YALE COLLAGE.-The Freshman Class numbers 158, an unusually large class.

ANTIOCH COLLEGE has received large endowments.

MICHIGAN TEACHER.-The Teacher commenced operations last October, is published at Niles, Michigan. William H. Payne is Editor. It is printed by Horton & Leonard, Chicago.

FREE SCHOOLS were established in Boston in 1835, in Rhode Island in 1791.

Twelfth Annual Session of the Illinois State Teachers." Association.

The Association met at Joliet, Tuesday, Dec. 26th, 1865, and was called to order by the Pesident, Mr. S. M. Etter, of Kewanee Hon. Newton Bateman offered the following resolution which was adopted:

WHEREAS, republican institutions can find permanent safety only upon the basis of the universal intelligence of the people; and whereas the great disasters which have afflicted the nation and desolated one-half its territory are traceable in a great degree to the absence of common schools and general education; therefore,

Resolved, That the time has come when these self-evident truths should be recognized by the immediate establishment of a National Bureau of Education as a co-ordinate branch of the government; that the expediency of imposing some educational test as the basis of suffrage throughout the whole country demands the serious attention of Congress; and that Mr. Edwards, Principal of the Normal University, be appointed to present the views of this body to the corresponding bodies of Michigan and Indiana, now in session, and ask their concurrence, in order to bring our joint influence to bear as speedily and effectually as possible upon our Representa

tives at Washington, and that we will unite with them to present our views to the Representatives of the three States. Addresses were read upon the subjects:

"The Requisites of a Good Teacher." to Teach it."

"Professional Enthusiasm."

"Good Reading; How

"The State Teachers'

Association and its Mission." "Relation of the District School to the College." "Township System of Schools."

An interesting lecture was read by Hon. J. L. Pickard, entitled "Bird's eye Views."

The following rules were given for the direction of the teacher: 1. Never attempt to teach what you do not understand.

2. Never tell a child what you can make him tell you.

3. Never give a piece of information without asking for it again. 4. Never use a hard word when an easy one will answer as well. 5. Never give a lesson without a clear view of its need.

6. Never give an unnecessary command, or one you do not mean to have obeyed.

7. Never permit a child to remain in school without something to do, or a motive for doing it.

S. H. White, of Chicago, was elected President and Albert Stetson, of Bloomington, Secretary of the next meeting.

From the account of the Association given by the Illinois Teacher we should judge that the occasion was interesting and highly profitable to all present.

Books Recommended by State Superintendent. The following books are recommended by the State Superintendent: Reading Books-McGuffey's, Parker and Watson's, Sanders' Union, and Wilson's School and Family Readers.

Arithmetics Stoddard's Intellectual, Ray's, Davies or Robinson's Practical, and Ray's Higher.

Geographies-Warren's Geographical Charts, Mitchell's Outline Maps, White's Class Book of Geography, (designed to accompany the Outline Maps), McNally's, Mitchell's and the Comprehensive Geography, (Shaw and Allen).

Grammars-Kerl's Common School, Greene's and Brown's.
Algebras-Ray's.

Books for Teachers-Barnard's Papers for the Teacher, Page's Theory and Practice of Teaching, Emerson's School and Schoolmaster, Calkin's Object Lessons, Lewis' Gymnastics, Herbert Spencer on Education, Johonnot's Country School Houses and Wells' Graded Schools.

are met

ARITHMETICAL QUESTIONS.-" A Corporal and Private reconnoit ering, the former has 6 loaves of bread and the latter 4,by a Lieutenant who says, 'If you will let me partake with you I will pay well for what I eat.' They share the bread equally and the Lieutenant gives them a watch worth ten dollars.

The Corporal wishes to know how much he ought to give the Private and keep the watch."

THE following problem we find in the Illinois Teacher and we would be very glad to see a solution of it:

An urn contains 20 balls, each one white or black, but which is not known. Drawings are made at random from this urn, after each of which the ball is replaced. The first five drawings are white. Required, the probability that the next two drawings will be white.

PAPER AND PAPER STOCK,

CARD-BOARD, TWINE, ETC.

Sole Agents for the Peoria Paper Company.

Orders solicited and promptly filled.

Paper Warehouse Corner of Hamilton and Washington streets,

C. P. W. Eastman, Late Partners in
Marlin II. Dales, Peoria Paper Co.

Highest Market Price Paid for Rags.

PEORIA, ILL.