3. When the county or state superintendent, on the trial of an appeal, affirms the discretionary act of the board locating a schoolhouse site, the board may exercise their discretion, and relocate the site, as though no appeal had been taken.

4. It was the supposition of the committee that prepared the four years' graded course of study for institutes, that but few teachers would be found qualified to take the work of the fourth year. It is therefore recommended that for the present year the work should be limited to the first three years of the course.

C. W. VON COELLn, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

DES MOINES, July 18, 1881.

Suggestions Worth Heeding.

Superintendent Hastings of Van Buren County makes the following well-timed suggestions to the school officers of his county, which we heartily commend to others :

Hire no teacher until he gets a certificate. Always examine the certificate and pay special attention to the Normal record.

Look for the teacher you want; and then come to some agreement on the wages. If possible, secure the one you want.

Schools should not begin earlier than the first Monday in September, and should close by the 4th of July.

Have no schools in session during the Normal Institute, and use your influence to have teachers attend the same.

Pay your teachers good wages. Low wages cause good teachers to seek other employment, secure an inferior grade of teachers, and greatly retard the interest of the school in general. Good wages call into service, live, thorough and energetic workers.

See that your school rooms are in good condition before commencing school, and have them scrubbed.

We would advise Boards to subscribe for a school journal containing the official rulings and decisions of the State Superintendent to assist them in their duties and pay for the same out of the contingent fund. (Section 1748, (c) S. L. 1880.)

Teachers are not allowed legal holidays, (section 1761, (a. b.) S. L. 1880,) but for the good of the school we would advise the Board to give them the legal holidays occurring during their terms. (Section 1757, (g) S. L. 1880.)

Boards hiring and paying teachers, who do not hold certificates for the full length of their engagements as such, are liable to prosecution. (Sec. 1758, (c) S. L. 1880.)

Visit your schools as often as convenient. In districts where there are three or more directors, if you would divide the time of visitation between you and send me your opinion of the school, it would greatly aid me in my work; as it is almost impossible for me to see each school during a term of three or four months.

The next annual meeting occurs the third Monday in September.

At this meeting you elect a treasurer, who must not be a member of the board, and a secretary who may or may not be a member of the board. At this meeting you make your settlement with the secretary and treasurer; see that the accounts balance-that the first item mentioned corresponds with the last item mentioned in the settlement of last year. You will receive two blanks each for secretary and treasurer. Fill them out. Keep one of each as property of the district, and be sure you send the other to this office immediately.

Visit our Institute as often as found convenient; see the character of the work done; and if you are yet without a teacher you will find a large number from which to select.

Let me say, in conclusion, that the office of school director, though not a very remunerative one in dollars and cents, is yet a very important one, and on your good judgment, careful decisions and wise counsel will the success of your schools largely depend.

Third District County Superintendents' Meeting.

June 21.-The convention was organized by the election of Supt. Geo. H. Nichols as president and Ed. M. Rands, secretary. "A Graded Course of Study for our Common Schools" was discussed till 10 p. m., when the convention adjourned till 8 o'clock, Wednesday morning.

June 22. The meeting was called to order, and minutes of last meeting read and approved. "How May School Supervision be Made More Effective?" was the first topic considered. The discussion was opened by Supt. Rands and followed by general discussion, from which the following conclusions were drawn. We shall endeavor to carry out the following points in our visitation :

1. To note results as determined by examination of pupils. 2. To note methods used to obtain these results. 3. To offer suggestions to teachers in public and private. 4. Examination of school property. 5. Consultation with school officers.

"The Work of Normal Institutes was presented by Prof. J. Piper, followed by general discussion. The convention concluded: 1st. That fully one-third of the time of the institute shall be devoted to methods. 2d. That not more than one-third of the time shall be spent in making the teachers conversant with subject mat

ters.

Afternoon.-Supt. Klinefelter discussed "The Benefits Derived from our Certificates Being Uniform as to Grade and Per Cent. of Standing," which opened the way for a general discussion, the conclusion being that a uniformity of grade and per cent. is desirable. "Needed School Legislation" was presented by Supt. Simons, and followed by general discussion, which resulted in the following resolution :

Resolved, That in the judgment of this convention, the time has come for an entire revision and recodifying of the school laws of Iowa, and that our next legislature should, by proper enactment,

provide for appointment of a commission for that purpose, upon which commission the superintendents of the state should be properly represented; that we earnestly recommend that the educational workers in each connty organize and, through a committee or otherwise, work in all proper ways to induce the legislature to take such action; and that a committee of one be appointed by this convention to prepare and issue to the superintendents of the state, a circular calling their attention to this important matter.

June 23.-Minutes of the last meeting read and approved. “Educational Exhibitions and Exhibits" was thoroughly discussed by Supt. Nichols, and, on a motion of Supt. Klinefelter, the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that Educational Exhibitions and Exhibits are highly commendable as one of the best means of informing the people of the condition of our schools and awakening an interest in their advancement.

was

"Examination of Teachers and Granting of Certificates" discussed by Supt. B. J. Booth, and the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the superintendents in convention assembled, recognizing that many of the state questions as prepared by the department are impracticable, respectfully request that in the preparation of said lists only questions that are purely practical in the application be presented.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the convention that the time has come when natural philosophy should be taken up in our Normal Institutes as the work in elementary science.

Resolved, That each superintendent in the district be assessed one dollar to meet necessary expenses of the convention, and the secretary be instructed to collect the same.

Resolved, That the hearty thanks of the convention are due to Prof. Piper for the many excellent suggestions given by him.

On motion, the convention proceeded to the election of officers. Geo. H. Nichols of Floyd County was elected president; Ed. M. Rands of Mitchell County was elected secretary and treasurer.

Supt. Simons invited the convention to hold its next meeting in New Hampton. The invitation was accepted, and November 1st decided upon as the time of meeting.

The following were appointed Committee on School Law Legislation: H. A. Simons, Ed. M. Rands, B. J. Booth, Supt. Klinefelter. On motion, convention adjourned to meet in New Hampton, Nov. 1st, 1881.

ED. M. RANDS, Sec.

GEO. H. NICHOLS, Pres.

We send out with this issue several hundred bills for subscription due. Owing to the fact that our subscriptions are received from a variety of sources it is possible that there may be a few mistakes. If so, they will be gladly corrected.

STATE NEWS AND NOTES.

All of our readers are respectfully requested to send in at any time educational news items of general interest for publication in this department.

The Executive Committee of the State Teachers' Association held a meeting at Cedar Rapids on the 13th ult., and made some of the preliminary arrangements for the next meeting of the association. The place of meeting was not fully decided upon, but it will probably be Oskaloosa. The following topics, in addition to the President's address, were selected for discussion:

I. The Proper Type of Professional Training and How to make this available to the Mass of Iowa Teachers.

II. Effect of Methods of Instruction upon the Results of School Work.

III. How can we better supply our Colleges with properly prepared Students of Collegiate Grade?

IV. Psychology of Crime.

V. The Best Education: How far Disciplinary and how far Practical? VI. The Normal Institutes: Character and Results of the Work. VII. The Teacher's Responsibility as a Citizen.

At the Chickasaw County Fair in addition to a large list of premiums for work done in the schools of the county, the following will be given for contests on the grounds:

Recitations, not to occupy more than five minutes each. First $2.00; second $1.00. Reading: one selection to be made by the reader and one by the committee; reading to not occupy more than ten minutes to each contestant. First $2.00; second $1.00. Spelling: ten sentences to be submitted by the committe; spelling to be written. First $2.00: second $1.00. Primary Arithmetic. Test in accuracy and rapid work. Limited to pupils under 15 years of age. First $2.00; second $1.00. Business Arithmetic. Test in accuracy and rapid work in actual business problems. First $2 00; second $1.00. Each school or room in graded schools will be entitled to choose one contestant for each of the five contests.

We learn that Supt. Perkins of Palo Alto County has resigned, and that ex-Supt. LeRoy Grout has been appointed to fill the va

cancy.

Principal A. A. Weaver of Iowa Falls was presented an easy chair, by his pupils, at the close of the school year, as a token of their esteem.

We learn that an effort will be made at the next meeting of the legislature to establish an additional state normal school somewhere in the southwestern part of the state. As a matter of simple justice such a school ought to be established, as the distance to Cedar Falls from that section is so great that the present school is unavailable.

Mr. Geo. T. Foster has been appointed principal at Cherokee for the coming year.

Mr. W. W. Wylie, formerly principal of schools at Lyons, this state, but more recently of Bozeman, Montana, goes out of the educational work. We understand that he is to go East to engage in

business.

Mr. M. F. Scott assumes the principalship of the Clarence schools the coming year.

The school board of Independence have started out on a new lead. They invited a committee of educational men from abroad to assist the county superintendent in an examination of all applicants for teachers' positions below the high school grade, not in scholarship, but in a thorough test of their "aptness to teach.” It is our opinion that such a test, aside from the general appearance of the applicant, will amount to very little. Many who would do excellent work in the school room become so scared under such an ordeal that they show to poor advantage. Then, too, such a trial is but a very poor test of a teacher's ability to meet the hundreds of petty trials that must eventually arise in actual work.

North McGregor is in a state of turmoil again over school matters. We judge that a teacher's path in that school is not strewn very plentifully with roses.

The prospects of Parsons College, Fairfield, for the coming year are most encouraging. A larger number of students than ever before is expected. The college is doing a noble work for that section of the state.

From the premium list of the Shenandoah Fair Association, we clip the following:

Class 55-Educational and Scientific Department-S. E. Wilson, Superintendent. Judges-Prof. Wood, Prof. Brant, Prof. Gurney:

Best Specimen Map Drawing

Best Specimen Industrial Drawing
Best Specimen Miscellaneous Drawing.
Best Collection Geological Specimens....

Best Collection Botanical Specimens..
Best Collection Taxidermy..
Best Essay on Agriculture...
Best Reader under 15 years

Best Reader over 15 years................
Best Specimen Penmanship....

.$3 00@2 00 3 00@2 00 300@2 00 3 002 00 3 00@2 00 300@2 00 3 00 @@ 2 00 3 00@2 00 3 00@200 3.00@2 00

......

Mr. O. F. Warren succeeds Mr. Lowery in the principalship of the College Springs schools.

The rapid growth of Iowa City Academy, although partly accounted for by the abolition of the preparatory department of the University, is still very striking, and a strong proof of the popularity of the school and the excellence of its work. In 1879 the graduating class numbered 12, in 1880 it had increased to 33, and this year it was 49. The total enrollment for the past year was 415.

Mr. C. G. Dake is the principal-elect at Earlville.

There were 133 pupils enrolled in the summer school at Keosauqua, conducted by Messrs. Landes and Weyer.

Leroy Burner has been appointed principal at Garnavillo, vice Mr. Briggs, who retires after twelve years' faithful service.

Prof. Barnes, of Iowa College, has married a daughter of President Magoun.

Mr. Hargrave retires from the principalship of the Columbus. Junction schools to engage in other pursuits.

There will be a county oratorical contest during the first week of the Jackson County Institute.