ever disheartening some of the stages in the course of their realization.

In all the work of education the teacher is a partner with nature. And the wise teacher always finds in nature an efficient and inspiring ally. Nature has marked out the line of development, and determined the stages. The teacher can change these very little, if she would. This does not lessen her responsibility or the glory of her work, while it should fill her with courage, and calm confidence, and hope. For in this field a grand harvest rewards right methods of cultivation.

The school and its courses of study are means and stimuli to the development of these nascent powers, and the child responds by growth or development. What the child learns is not of so great importance as what he becomes.

We teachers are the servants of the state. To us is delegated the work of training a sturdy race of good fathers, mothers, neighbors, and citizens; of men and women with tough bodies, stout, warm hearts, keen minds, and strong wills set on right and truth. We are to-day making the history of these United States during the twentieth century.

Studied in this light, our system of education is wrong, not so much in what it does, as in what it leaves undone. In aim and method it is almost purely intellectual. And even in this narrow range it still tends too largely to stuff the mind of the pupil with the largest possible amount of useful or useless information rather than to strengthen his powers of thought and to stimulate his natural appetite for knowledge. Fewer answers committed to memory, and more questions asked by the pupils would be healthier signs; although our modern system emphasizes strongly the necessity of arousing the interest of the pupil. A narrower field of study and more intense cultivation would seem to be more likely to stimulate the growing powers of the child and youth than a smattering of a host of often uninteresting subjects. Less cramming and fewer examinations might result in a keener appetite for knowledge.

Education, if it is to be good for something, should teach the child how to live;

should train him to "stand upon his feet, and play the game" of life. And the very first requisite is a sound, tough, healthy body. This is nature's first and chief aim with the child. This is what will be most needed by the man or woman who is to play any successful part in the life of the family, town, or state. With men and women falling around us because they can not endure the strain and stress of modern life, with the increase of nervous diseases, with the steadily growing demands upon our physical strength, it would seem high time for us to have recognized that a tough body is at least as important as a well-filled, or even well-trained, mind. Yet it is an open question whether the school is not the enemy of even sound health in its pupils. Shorter exercises and longer and more frequent intermissions, especially in the lower grades, are valuable mitigations. But the constraint of school hours bears heavily upon the naturally restless, growing child.

What are we doing for our girls? Girls are taller than boys of corresponding age during four years, viz., eleven to fourteen, inclusive. They are heavier than boys for the three years twelve to fourteen, inclusive. The death rate of the girl is lowest from eleven to thirteen. (See report by Dr. E. M. Hartwell, of Boston.) When the girl is about fourteen her growth is greatly diminished and the death rate. rises sharply and suddenly. This is the time when she is rapidly changing from a girl into a woman. A period of so radical and rapid change is a critical period. Only a reasonable amount of work can be safely required. If at this time we hold her rigidly to hard and continuous daily work, if we increase and multiply the examinations, if private lessons at home in music, art or modern languages absorb the time which should be spent in the open air; above all, if to the daily work social excitements are added, is it any wonder that invalidism, if not death, is a woefully frequent result? The highest intellectual power, if attained at the cost of health and physical vigor, brings little gain in the present generation, and disaster, if not extinction, in the next. It is in the high school more than in the college that the

girl's health is in greatest danger. For the college girl has passed the stage when the greatest harm can be most easily wrought.

We can do but little, directly, to ensure the development of a strong will in our pupils. But the feelings or emotions are capable of education, and these bear more directly on the will than our knowledge or beliefs. The sympathy of the teacher can mold, modify, and direct the joys and sorrows, the indignation and admiration, the loves and hatreds of the child so that he shall feel deeply, powerfully, and justly. Let us not forget that "out of the heart are the issues of life." Our feelings are deeper, older, and more fundamental than all our knowledge or beliefs. Opinions, as President Hall says, are individual, feelings are more likely to be racial. And the racial characters are more important than the individual. Here the sympathetic teacher can render invaluable service.

We are wisely striving by examinations, by a system of licenses, and in many other ways, to gain a properly trained and educated class of teachers. The teacher must thoroughly know the subjects which she is set to teach and how they can best be taught. But even knowledge and intellectual power, right methods and skill in their use, are of less importance than the character and personality of the teacher. For this mysterious essence of life which we call personality is exceedingly contagious. We naturally seek out and associate with strong men and women in order that we may catch their strength. And the great teacher of Nazareth gave the world not a new creed, philosophy or set

of instructions, so much as a new life. It was this which he instilled into his disciples, confident that it would spread from them and vivify the whole race through future ages.

We have hardly begun to appreciate the possibilities of the school as a means of preparation for social life. We rightly require that the individuality of the pupil shall be respected, and we no longer expect that any one course of training will suit all minds. But do we appreciate as we should that each school is a community with a school life, and public opinion, and sentiments of its own-peculiar to itself? Do we utilize this class loyalty and sentiment as a means of training and reform, as the statesman or editor educates by molding public opinion? Here, as Superintendent Dutton has shown, in his book on "Social Phases of Education," is a wide field for effort and experiment and one promising the grandest results.

We teachers should feel more pride in our work. Thus only shall we become artists instead of laborers or drudges. We should be hopeful and courageous. For all the powers of nature are working with us. We must be patient with the child or youth in his uncouth caterpillar-like stages. We should have confidence in his future as well as sympathetic enjoyment in his present attainments. We should be willing to work for and with him on his own plane, remembering that he can not yet climb to ours. Above all, let him catch from us a strong, healthy character and personality, and we shall not have worked in vain. Amherst, Mass.

A haze on the far horizon, The infinite, tender sky;

The ripe, rich tint of the corn fields, And the wild geese sailing high; And all over upland and lowland The charm of the golden-rod

Some of us call it autumn,

And others call it God.

A picket frozen on duty,

A mother starved for her brood; Socrates drinking the hemlock,

And Jesus on the rood;

And millions who, humble and nameless,

The straight, hard pathway trod

Some call it consecration,

And others call it God.

-William H. Carruth.

It is widely known that we had a serious invasion of smallpox in the western portion of Owen county during the fall, winter, and early spring months, just passed. The disease was central at Clay City, a few miles from our western border, and entered our county at different points. For a while the situation was alarming to all who really understood it, all the more so because the type of the disease was mild and dealt so leniently with the majority of those attacked that the public fear was not sufficiently aroused to stir the people up to vigorous and active resistance. It did cause a number of deaths, and other cases which recovered assumed serious and alarming features. Had only these very serious cases occurred there would have been little difficulty in securing united effort to suppress it, but the added multitude of milder cases seemed to march in front of graver ones and to quiet apprehensions of danger. Certain ones of our own profession aided its progress by giving it a certificate of good character and turning it loose to roam at will. In certain quarters it was a matter of serious debate whether it was the disease or Drs. Brayton, Hurty, and the local health officers that ought to be quarantined. It was fortunate for our people that the character of the disease had become pretty well understood before it broke into our county, and that the mind of the general public had been prepared to resist it. The health officers met it with all the diligence and vigor we could command and our medical men, school officers and teachers rendered all possible assistance. I utilized very successfully two cases which were among the first that occurred. They were of severe type and repulsive in appearance. caused photographs of them to be taken and placed the pictures in public places to serve as object lessons. The average lavman who saw them was as well prepared as his family doctor to judge of the value of a lecture on Cu

I

ban itch and pemphigus, as a contribution for the relief of the situation. The disease did not get into the schools, for we met it at the outer and safer lines of defense and did not suffer it to approach them. I put myself in communication with the county superintendent, trustees, teachers, and schools themselves, physicians, postmasters, and merchants, and through these various sources tried to bring the whole of the threatened district under close and constant supervision. It was thus that I was reminded how important an aid the teacher and his school may become to the health officer, for through them I could gather up every rumor of danger. The vaccination of pupils was enforced and a rigid exclusion and quarantine of all who had been exposed. The health board also gave the matter of public assemblies their attention, and as a rule found the people ready to conform to requests or directions in this regard. It was by such means as these that we dealt with the matter of closing schools during our epidemic. By great vigilance, we closed out the disease and kept open the schools. We used the privilege of continuing the school as the incentive to all who were interested in it to join in the fight against the enemy.

As to this matter of quarantine I would pause to add this: All of us who have been called upon to attempt it have experienced the difficulties of enforcing it and the hardships that attend it. It places the whole family in most irksome isolation, and affects all others who, for any cause, would visit them. It takes the bread winners from their employment and often cuts off every source of income. It threatens the loss of employment for the future, or it may very seriously affect a business enterprise or investment. All these matters demand serious consideration in connection with the proposition to establish it; but they must all yield to the necessity of preventing the spread of contagion. It, at

the best, is a serious misfortune to the persons affected, but it is a misfortune that can and should be largely shared and alleviated by the community at large. We should insist that provision be made by such community for thus sharing it as far as possible. The family quarantined are the prisoner guests of the public and should be supported while thus in custody and every attention to their comfort, possible to be given to them, should be cheerfully extended. This is not difficult to effect if the health officer will but summon prudence and tact to aid him, and it is only by such reciprocal sacrifices on the part of the community and the prisoners that a quarantine can often be made effective. I might add that a community which will not thus bear its portion of the burden does not deserve protection except for the merit of the innocent ones in our midst.

The invasion of smallpox above referred to found us in a situation not always prevalent. We knew the enemy was approaching and would soon be in our midst. We had time to prepare for him. We immediately rallied about the public schools, the church assemblies, the public funerals, all the places and occasions that assembled the people together. We prevented some such assemblies, we conditioned others, we made the schools our allies instead of allowing their capture and enlistment in the opposing ranks. We could not suppress all the fools and we did not kill any of them, but their influence became quarantined by a wall of ridicule which, as occasion provoked, assumed the aspect of menace and warning.

But these epidemics do sometimes get into the schools, and perplexing conditions arise. I can no more advise how to treat those conditions than I can tell you how to treat your future patient who is yet in perfect health. The one thing that the health officer should impress upon his mind and conscience is that the school thus attacked is his patient, a patient that the law turns over to his charge and for which he is responsible. The notice that contagion is there should be treated as an emergency summons and met with the promptest response. A conference should

be had at once with the teacher, the trustee and the most intelligent of the patrons. From these he should learn the whole situation, and not forgetting that his decision must govern, the health officer will so direct his consultation that his decision shall be based on the soundest reason, and, if possible, shall commend itself to the approval and hearty support of all. There should be no hesitation as to the suspension of the school if it shall seem probable that such a course will ultimately prove necessary. The keynote of success is promptness and vigor at the start.

I do not regard such a visitation as smallpox as the scourge most to be dreaded by the health officer, especially if it shall present itself in its more rugged aspect. It is a soft-footed, and half domesticated beast-such as measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever, diphtheria, etc.— that is most to be feared. They are such old-time and familiar visitors that they seem almost to have established a prescriptive right to sojourn with us from time to time. As to the first two, measles and whoping cough, the old-time country school was expected to distribute them through the neighborhood just as it did the itch and the variegated samples of head lice. They seem yet in many localities to be regarded as foreordained experiences on the road from childhood to maturity, a kind of physical disturbance as natural and necessary as those incidental to teething. I am amazed sometimes at the density of the stupidity I meet with in connection with these old-time contagions, and no less so as to the quarters where I find this stupidity intrenched. So fixed is the idea that every one is fated, at some time in life, to exhaust this catalogue of maladies that we can induce no sort of care to avoid them. As well talk about quarantining against the processions of the seasons. Instead of heeding the instructions of the physician as to how they may be avoided, folklore is resorted to, to determine what season of the year and when "the sign is right" for contracting them with least danger and inconvenience. It would surprise the inexperienced to learn with what promptness and fierce