Mathematical.

SOLUTION OF PROBLEM IN JANUARY NO.

800 lbs. at 6 1-4 c. cost $50.00.

10 per cent. of $50.00-$5.00. As this is sold at cost, the gain must be all derived, of course, from the inferior kind. Then 4 1-2 c. + 10 per ct.=.0495, price of the But if sold at poorer sort sold at 10 per cent. advance. 6 1-4 c. there is a further gain of .0625.0495=.013, and this gain is to be applied to make up the required 10 per cent. on the best kind.

Therefore, $5.00.013 384 8-13 lbs.-Ans.

Proof.

The question has also been correctly solved (the methods varying slightly), by "Toric," West Concord," J. W.”, Waterbury Centre, and "M. A. M." West Brattleboro. Another example is offered for solution.

If 20 men, in 21 days, by working 10 hours a day, can dig a trench 30 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 12 feet deep, when the ground is called 3 degrees of hardness, how many men in 25 days, by working 8 hours a day, can dig another trench 45 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 18 feet deep, when the ground is estimated at 5 degrees of hardness.

It is the law of human nature that it must be educated by failures and repetitions, a law no less imperative in the school-room than in the general economy of the world.

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.

THEN and NOW. We offer no apology for giving up a large part of the present number of the Journal to a report of our late educational meeting held at Rutland. The interest manifested and awakened on that occasion will justify this departure from our ordinary rule-to introduce as great a variety of subjects as possible. Indeed, the greatest possible variety will be found in this article and upon topics which more than others, should interest very Vermont Teachers. That meeting is pronounced one of the largest and most interesting ever held in the State. preserve a record of its proceedings and to draw new encouragement and inspiration from the fact.

We all wish to

We remember the past in contrast with the present. "Then and Now"-a great change indeed has come over our State in an educational point of view. Ten years ago, our Teachers' Association held a similar meeting in the same village and for the same purpose. A few dozen only of both Teachers and citizens were in attendance, and but little interest was anywhere manifested. We remember that meeting was honored by the presence of the Hon. Senator Foote, but it is not probable that half the citizens of Rutland know to this day, that such a meeting was ever held. Now we were welcomed with the open doors and open hearts of that whole community, and were cheered by the full and constant attendance at every session. The daily paper gave a full report of the proceedings of the Convention and thus gave its influence to sustain our noble cause. There must have been from three hundred fifty to four hundred in attendance from abroad: for nearly three hundred return tickets were issued by our Secretary for those who came in the Cars. And we must remember that this meeting was held in the midst of the exciting scenes of civil war when our nation is struggling not only for the perpetuity of her institutions but for her very existence.

Our Legislators, we are sorry to say, did not attend our meeting at Rutland. No class of our citizens so much need light and instructions. Indeed, this seems to be the only class in our Community who entirely fail to appreciate the importance of education. "By their works ye shall know them." They have left a shameful record upon the statute books at Montpelier-a record that will

Editorial Department.

The Legisla

cause their children to blush and hang their heads. ture of Vermont has never given its aid and influence heartily to the cause of education. We have but little to hope from that source, unless the state can be better represented than it has been. Of course, there always have been noble exceptions; an intelligent minority may still be found whose hearts are in this work. But the people can hardly expect an appropriation to establish a State Normal School, or for any other desirable purpose, until our Legislators have themselves been schooled in the first rudiments of political economy. We ought to be satisfied as things are, if they will "clear the track" and allow the car of improvement to move on unobstructed.

WANTED. Five hundred dollars worth of Postage Currency in exchange for 1000 copies of the Vermont School Journal. SHIN PLASTERS not taken at this office.

SPELLING MATCHES.-With the commencement of winter schools there is a revival of "spelling matches." A gentleman in Spencertown, N. Y., writes: "We held our spelling match on Monday, December 9th. as I designed. Twenty-eight spellers contended for the prize, which was Webster's Dictionary, pictorial edition, unabridged. All but two of the spellers were silenced in an hour and a half. These were two girls, one eleven the other fourteen years of age. They continued the contest for nearly an hour longer, on words the most difficult to be spelled, till the audience became so wrought upon that they proposed to buy a second for the purpose dictionary, and thus end the contest.

was raised on the spot."

The

money

A regular Meeting of Wash. Co. Teacher's Association will be held at Waitsfield, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 & 14. Order of

Exercises:

FRIDAY, 10 o'clock A. M.-Organization,-Discussion-The proper method of teaching English Grammar.

P. M.-Discussion-Some of the best methods of conducting a recitation.-Essay, Miss A: B. FISK, Waitsfield.-Lecture, G. P. Beard, A. B., Northfield.

EVENING. Discussion-The Evils of Absence from SchoolThe Remedy-Lecture, Hon, C. W. Willard, Montpelier.

SATURDAY, A. M.-Discussion-Atithmetic-School Discipline, how secured.

P. M.-Discussion-Essay, Miss T. E. JOSLIN, Waitsfield.J. S. Spaulding, Lecture, Mr. Geo. F, Smith, Washington.

for the Directors.

Barre, Jan. 10, 1863.

OUR BOOK TABLE.

SARGENT'S ORIGINAL DIALOGUES. By Epes Sargent; Published by John L. Shorey Boston. This is a book of 386 pages and is one of the ablest works of its able author. It is designed for schools, family reading and representation and is every way adapted to interest and profit the reader.

THE STANDARD FOURTH READER. PART Two. By Epes Sargent. Published by John L. Shorey, Boston.

This is a new Fourth Reader containing many pieces which have never before appeared in a similar collection. These are well selected and admirably arranged to awaken interest and give variety, and are interspersed with spelling and defining leasons and exercises in declamation. It is a live book and will doubtless meet with favor and ready sale.

THE STANDARD THIRD, SECOND AND FIRST READERS, and Standard Primer. Part Two. By Epes Sargeant. Published by John L. Shorey, Boston. In these books we find evidence of the same good judgement and cultivated taste, in the selections and arrangement. They are designed and adapted to entirely different classes of pupils forming a graded series from the Primer upward. The Author has very appropriately introduced into these books copious wood cut illustrations, thus combining the advantage of object teaching with ordinary reading, spelling and delining. We are much pleased with the whole Series and cheerfully commend the several bocks to the attention of our Teachers.

POTTFR and HAMMOND'S BOOK-KEEPING BY DOUBLE ENTRY. Publised by Schermerhorn, Bancroft and Co. New York.

The work before us is the "High School Edition" in three numbers, and is designed to follow Potter and Hammond's excellent system of Penmanship. The book seems well adapted to such students as wish to prepare themselves for extensive buisness. It is at once, simple, comprehensive and thorough.

A MILITARY MANUAL FOR SCHOOLS Ly F. A. Freeman, A. M. Published by Schermerhorn, Bancroft and Co. New York.

If Military Education has become a national necessity, we need just such a Manual as the one before us to aid in elementary in

struction.

THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY for Feb. Contents.

Sovereigns and Sons; Under the Pear Tree; Threnody; The Utility and Futility of Aphorisms; Shelley; The Test; The Preacher's Trial; The Ghost of Little Jacques; Boston Hymn; The Seige of Cincinnatti; Jane Austin; The Proclamation; The Law of Costs; The Chasseurs A Pied; Latest Views of Mr. Bigelow. A copy with our Journal for $3.00,

GODEY'S LADY'S BOOK, First class embellishments in every number. It abundantly deserves the increasing popularity it enjoys.

HARPER'S MONTHLY and WEEKLY. The numbers which

Hased and Caylen, Horse Greely, Wegfier for Piet, and ochers, also a sertion by Mr. Beecher #1, oortime to entich is molanos

WINTER SCHOOL-WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY.

As the winter setools are about to open, when 340, -78 parents and secolars will be in search of the most vababi bocks lock fer the school-room and for permas ar ve pera't me to nocumend Webster's Dictionary, is above all others com lete and satistictory, It is a school and cool master in self, and ket at hand, and consulted as it then must be, would alone educate tese where it. Even a new-azer eennot be real, nor enversation to the family be maintained for a day, without questions ani deults coming ups whose solution demais an apeal to the dictionary. Of how many words are we in doubt as to the prunetati », often as we have read them. The pious tat, er is often perplexed as le reads his Bible morning and evening in Lis family; and even the miniss ter hesitates, and is uncertain and atrabi, alnest every twe ke pers forms the same duty in the pulpit. In the definition of words there is often the same doubt, controversy, or igi orance, which can be removed only by a resort to the same authority,

A dictionary, therefore, should be a hand not only in the school, but in the family, which would silently, but efectually and pleasantly, and at the same time without expense, be educating all the The decle fun or words members, the parents and children alike. is also an interesting and user! study, as the clanges in words are followed out in the progress of ages and in the process of adoption by o: e language from another. Genealogy and the study of fossil remains can hardly be of greater interest than the study of the genealogy of words, and the skeletons in which they are often disinterred. Thus the consultation of a good and ample dictionary not only imparts a vast amount of positive knowledge, but disciplines and educates the mind like a schoolroom which is never closel, or a master who is never dismissed. Like the Bible, it should be in every house; like that it should be in substantial and attractive form; and then like that. though for different ends, it would be turned every day.

To meet all these demands, Webster's Dictionary is without a rival. It is the fruit of a life-long labor, such as no other Ameri