For a time I was unable to account for these strange manifestations of apparent haughtiness. At length I found the solution. I overheard a conversation between a plump, masculine specimen of the quail species and a ragged boy who was playing by the roadside. Said Mr. Quail:-"You, Mr. Urchin, have no rights that an Ohio Legislature need respect. You are an unfortunate orphan with no one to care for you, no one to protect, no one to superintend. We are under the special watch-care of the wise Solons who assembled at Columbus last winter. We are safe, perfectly safe till the close of 1878. are perfectly happy to be thought worthy of the considerate attention of so humane a body as the legislators of the great State of Ohio. We sympathize with you in your unfortunate condition, and deeply commiserate our less favored brothers and sisters in adjoining States." We In view of the importance of this subject, I suggest to the teachers at the different institutes of the State, the full and impartial discussion of its merits, and that the Solons and Lycurguses be cordially invited to participate. To assist in the premises, I put the matter into the interrogative form thus:Are the quails of Ohio more deserving of legislation than the children of the State? June 15th, 1876. J. FRAISE RICHARD. [This article was received too late for the July issue for which it was intended. It is, however, just as pertinent now as then.-EDITOR.] STATE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS. (Continued from last month.) BOTANY. 1. What are the characteristics of a typical flower? What position and office have the stamens and pistils? What are they together called? 2. Define the following terms: Morphology, perianth, placenta, pericarp, and inflorescence. 3. Name the organs concerned in vegetation, and those concerned in reproduction. What names are given to plants according to the structure of the embryo? 4. How do exogenous and endogenous stems differ as to their structure? Name the parts of a complete leaf. 5. Name the different manners in which leaves are arranged on stems. What offices are performed by the roots and leaves of a plant? 6. How are simple fruits classified? Give examples of dehiscent and indehiscent fruits. 7. Name four methods of distinguishing exogens from endogens. Into what classes are cryptogamous plants divided? 8. What is meant by classification as is used in Botany? Distinguish between the different kinds of classification. 9. Name the order to which each of the following belongs: Spring-beauty, May-flower, May-apple, Lilac,and Buttercup. 10. Name ten valuable products derived from the vegetable kingdom of the United States. PHYSIOLOGY. 1. Define the terms anatomy, comparative anatomy, physiology, comparative physiology, and hygiene. 2. What are glands? Name the principal glands found in the human body and give the function of each. 3. Describe, in full, the changes to which the food is subjected in the process of digestion. 4. Give a general description of the circulation of the blood. Where are the portal and hepatic veins situated? What are their functions and why are they so called? 5. Name and describe the principal organs of respiration. What element of the atmosphere is essential to animal life? What quantity of air passes through the lungs of an adult of average size every day? 6. How are spinal nerves connected with the spinal cord? What is peculiar about the union of the spinal nerves with the brain through the spinal cord? 7. Give the anatomical divisions of the brain and their functions. 8. Describe the position, structure, and functions of the great sympathetic nervous system. What is a plexus? 9. Explain the structure of the eye, and give the functions of the optic nerves, retina, and the crystalline lens. 10. Explain the structure of the ear and the functions of the auditory nerves and the Eustachian tube. ZOOLOGY. 1. Name the different branches of the Animal Kingdom, and and give the characteristics of each branch. 2. Distinguish between the Quadrumana and Man. Name the three families into which the Quadrumana are generally divided. 3. Name some of the principal families into which the Carnivora are divided. Give the chief characteristics of the Carnivora and the Ruminantia. 4. Where are the following Carnivora found: Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Puma, Black Bear, and White Bear? 5. Compare the digestive organs of Ruminants and Birds. 6. Name the principal orders of Birds. Where are the following Birds of Prey found: Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Condor, Turkey Buzzard, and Pigeon Hawk? 7. Compare the respiration of Mammals and Reptiles. Name and describe the different orders of Reptiles. 8. How do the Saurians differ from the Ophidians? 9. Describe the characteristics of the Articulata, and name the three classes. 10. How do Mollusks differ from Radiates? [Concluded next month.] EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. -SOME of our readers will remember the Rev. Mr. Fraser, who visited the United States eleven years ago to observe our educational system. He is now Bishop of Manchester and lately deplored the bitter language used in reference to the Church of England at the Baptist Conference and the Congregational Conference at Bradford, and called on Noncomformists of all denominations to show a little more charity in their words towards the Established Church. It is claimed, on the other hand, that the language of Dissenters contains less bitterness than that of ChurchThe following extracts are from Gace's Catechism which is said to men. be used largely in the rural parishes: "85. We have amongst us various sects and denominations who go by the general name of Dissenters. In what light are we to consider them? -A. As heretics; and in our Litany we expressly pray to be delivered from the sins of 'false doctrine, heresy, and schism."" "86. Is, then, their worship a laudable service?—A. No: because they worship God according to their own evil and corrupt imaginations, and not according to His revealed will, and therefore their worship is idolatrous." "98. Is it wicked, then, to enter a meeting-house at all?—A. Most assuredly; because," etc., etc. -THE New-York Observer is one of the best religious periodicals published in this country. It is ably edited and contains just such matter as is suited to household reading. We have heretofore spoken of the excellent letters of Dr. Prime. This paper is published at $3.15 a year postage prepaid by S. I. Prime & Co., 37 Park Row, New York. We admire the good sense of the publishers in not yielding to the allurements of cheap chromo or picture premiums. We hope the fifty-fifth year of the Observer will be as prosperous as any preceding one. -THE old North-American Review of Boston has taken a new departure. It will hereafter be published bi-monthly, and the price is reduced from $6.00 to $5.00. It is to be edited by Allen Thorndike Rice, of New York, and the Rev. Julius H. Ward, of Marblehead. Mr. Rice is a graduate of Oxford University, and Mr. Ward of Yale College. It is expected that the Review will be in future as good as it has ever been in the past. -THE Cyclopædia of Education edited by Henry Kiddle and Alex. J. Schem, is soon to be issued by E. Steiger, of New York. It is to be sold by subscription only, at prices ranging from $5 to $10, according to style of binding. Such a work we believe is a new thing under the sun. From the specimen pages and a long but partial list of contributors we judge that the work will be an excellent reference book for educators and teachers generally. We notice among names of Ohio contributors those of A. J. Rickoff, Prof. E. B. Andrews, and Pres. H. A. Thompson. We shall refer more fully to this work after its publication, -IN order not "to overwhelm" in future our friend Crosby of the Common School our periodical will hereafter be printed in the English language. Especially shall we refrain from using the language which is praised in the following stanza from Byron's Beppo: "I love the language, that soft bastard Latin, Which melts like kisses from a female mouth, And sounds as if it should be writ on satin, With syllables which breathe of the sweet South, That not a single accent seems uncouth, Like our harsh northern, whistling, grunting, guttural, Two WE are glad to see now and then evidences of the good sense of Boards of Education in reducing the number of pupils entrusted to one teacher. We are disposed to think that a teacher's personal influence over each pupil is considerably greater in a small school than in a large one. years ago last September in Defiance, Ohio, there were nine school-rooms and ten teachers, there being about 78 pupils to each room. Now there are sixteen school-rooms and seventeen teachers, there being about forty pupils in each room. We are sorry to announce the death of Miss Kate H. Badger, a teacher in the Everett School, in Toledo. "She was a native of Rochester, N. Y., but came west three years ago, having been elected principal of the Napoleon High School, which position she filled with credit to herself and satisfaction to her patrons. Two years ago she accepted an appointment in the Toledo Schools where she has since labored. In her death the State of Ohio has lost a teacher of most brilliant promise. She was a lady of brilliant intellect, and thoroughly devoted to the vocation which she had chosen for her life-work. So retiring and unassuming in manner that none but her most intimate friends knew of her many excellencies. No pupil ever left her without being made nobler and better by having been under her care. How much good she has done in her short life Eternity alone can reveal."-These words of tribute are from one who knew her well. -WE take pleasure in calling attention to a project of E. Steiger's. Mr. Steiger intends to publish valuable Papers on Education, in uniform size and style, to be sold singly or in quantities (for distribution) at the bare cost of production, or even for less. After these papers shall become sufficient in number to make a book "patent self-binders" will be offered at a low price. These papers will not be on sale in bookstores but must be procured directly from the publisher, 22 and 24 Frankfort Street, New York. The following is the scale of prices:-4 pages, 1 copy 1 cent, 10 copies 4 cents; 8 p.-1 ct.-8 cts.; 12 p.-2 cts.-11 cts.; 16 p.-2 cts.-15 cts.; 20 p.-2 cts.-19 cts. The following are prices with covers :-20 p.-3 cts.— 22 cts.; 24 p.-3 cts.-26 cts.; 28 p.--3 cts.--30 cts.; 32 p.--4 cts.--33 cts.; 36 p.4 cts.-37 cts.; 40 p.-5 cts.-41 cts.; 44 p.-5 cts.-44 cts.; 48 p.-5 cts.-48 cts.; 52 p.-6 cts.-52 cts.; and 56 p.-6 cts.-55 cts. This plan of giving a wide circulation to valuable educational papers deserves the endorsement of educators who should interest themselves in the distribution of these papers. Mr. Steiger will have to rely upon uncopyrighted papers and those that authors will freely furnish for publication or republication. Many valuable papers are found in uncopyrighted educational books. We mention the volumes of the College of Professional Teachers 1831 to 1841, American Institute of Instruction from 1831 to the present, the volume of the Northeastern-Ohio Teachers' Association, and the Ohio Education Volume recently published by the State. Teachers that approve of Mr. Steiger's effort should drop him a word of encouragement. -THERE are now in St. Louis 26 kindergarten schools; half assemble in the forenoon and the other half in the afternoon. The estimated expense for the current year is $3,300, not including salaries. It is thought that the expense for salaries will be more than balanced by the advanced grade the pupils will take when admitted to the district schools. Each pupil in these schools is charged one dollar a quarter, none however being excluded on account of inability to pay. There are nearly one hundred ladies that act as volunteer assistants (without salary) in these schools. These ladies are said to be both energetic and intelligent. They desire to acquire a practical knowledge of kindergarten methods. Miss Susan E. Blow was the founder of Kindergartens in St. Louis. She cannot but take pride in the results of her work. We presume that the palm for taking the most advanced steps in the establishment of this kind of schools must be awarded to St. Louis. Will other cities follow? -THE Kansas Grangers have taken the subject of education in hand. One of their committees sent out circulars of inquiry some time ago. We received one but owing to the character of the questions proposed and want of time we have not been able to make such a reply as would be valuable to the committee. Industrial education will doubtless come in for the principal share of their investigation. -Ir may be a matter of surprise that so little mention was made in the Centennial Awards of the smaller cities. Every one knows who has visited the schools of both cities and villages that mere size adds nothing to the excellence of the schools. Some cities and villages are alike char |