It is but natural that progressive American educators, who keep themselves informed as to what is doing in all parts of the world, should recognize the urgent necessity of engrafting, at once, upon our public-school curriculum instruction in practical art. It is but natural that American manufacturers, finding that beautiful products command the readiest sale, that, indeed, such products alone can enable them to maintain their position even in the home market, should not only import European designers and art workmen, but should wish to see American children provided with such instruction as will make of them skilled, artistic workmen. And it is but natural that the authorities having control of the public schools, taking note of the real situation, should begin to move in the good work of adding, by suitable enactment, a just degree of art instruction to the long established literary course of the public schools. With our present common-school instruction upon which to engraft, there is no good reason why the American workman of the next generation should not be the equal in all things, and in some the superior, of his foreign competitor.

Some of the great failures which have recently occurred among manufacturers are largely or wholly due to the fact that the companies have been obliged, of late, to sell their goods below cost because of inferiority in design. Other companies manufacturing the same kind of goods, but of superior design, find no difficulty in disposing of all the goods they can produce, and at a large profit.

It is to the honor of Massachusetts and of the City of Boston that they have enlisted so heartily in the cause of popular art education. They have put their heart into the work; but that is not all: the steps already taken have not only been deliberate, but eminently judicious.

Fnding that what had been previously done was altogether inadequate to meet the demand of the times, they secured the counsel and the services of Prof. Walter Smith, who was strongly recommended by the Art and Science Department of the British government. Prof. Smith, a graduate of South Kensington, not only had had a remarkably successful experience of more than twenty years as a teacher in the best English art schools, but was familiar, from personal observation, with the work done in the best Continental art schools. He was, therefore, well qualified to give that counsel and instruction which would best serve to promote the new movement in behalf of popular art education in Massachusetts. Familiar as he was with the whole field, he could indicate, from the beginning to the end, all the steps needful to be taken, and what would be the result. The good work already accom

plished fully justifies the selection of Prof. Smith.

It is already seen that popular education in practical art, at least in drawing, which constitutes its leading element, is an entirely feasible thing. The instruction required for this purpose can be successfully given by the regular teachers of the public schools; indeed, if they are supplied with suitable books and other appliances, and if the pupils are examined in this as in other studies for promotion, it can be better given by them, with only their knowl

edge of the principles of teaching, than by expert draughtsmen who are ignorant of the teacher's art. This point having been settled by actual experience in the schools of Boston, Charlestown, and other places, there can be no doubt that instruction in drawing, so far as it bears directly upon the industrial arts, will rapidly make its way, as a required regular study, into the public schools throughout the whole country.

MASSACHUSETTS TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

THE twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Massachusetts Teachers' Association will be held in the High School Building, Walnut Street, Worcester, Dec. 29, 30, and 31, 1873.

The time and place of holding the annual meeting have, for many years, been the subject of earnest discussion in the meetings of the Directors of the Association. After a long discussion, it was decided by vote of the Directors, to hold the meeting of this year at the time announced, because the schools in most of the cities and larger towns will then be in vacation, and the teachers at liberty to attend the meeting. It is earnestly hoped that the school committees in all the other towns will dismiss their schools, and come with the teachers to this meeting. The Directors decided to hold the meeting at Worcester, "the heart of the commonwealth," so that the friends of education in all parts of the State may attend. Unusual railway and hotel accommodations have been secured, that the expense of attendance may be as small as possible.

The objects which the Association seeks to accomplish commend it to the personal interest of every friend of education. The association was organized for "the improvement of teachers, and the advancement of the interests of popular education," and has successfully prosecuted its work for nearly thirty years, including in its membership a large number of the most active and enterprising professional teachers and educators of the State.

No effort will be spared to make this meeting interesting and profitable. Questions in which all classes are interested have been selected. Brief essays or speeches will introduce each topic. It is hoped that every teacher will be prepared to take part in the discussions, which should be a prominent and an attractive part of the exercises. Teachers, superintendents, school committees, and all friends of education throughout the Commonwealth, are cordially invited to attend this meeting.

MONDAY, DEC. 29.

At 4.30 o'clock, P. M., the directors will hold a meeting in the Library.
At 7 o'clock, the Association will meet in the hall for business.

At 7.30, a lecture on "Normal Schools and Training Schools and their Graduates," will be given by Rev. A. D. Mayo, D. D., of Springfield.

TUESDAY MORNING.

At 9 o'clock, business meeting.

9.20 Discussion, “Would the interests of education be promoted by increasing the relative number of male teachers in our public schools?" Introduced by A. P. Stone, superintendent of public schools, Springfield. 10.40: Lecture on "Foreign Education," by John D. Philbrick, LL. D., of Boston.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

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HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, WILLIAM C. COLLAR, Boston, President. 2 o'clock: Discussion, introduced by Samuel Eliot, LL. D., of Boston, "Should the education of Girls in our High Schools be identical with that of Boys in subjects, methods, and extent?"

3.15: Discussion, introduced by REV. JOHN BASCOM, of Williams College, "How shall the demand for the higher education of girls be met? " GRAMMAR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, R. C. METCALF, East Boston, Pres. 2 o'clock: Discussion by Messrs. G. A. Walton, of Westfield, D. B. Hagar, of Salem, L. M. Chase, of Boston Highlands, and others. "How can a better knowledge of Arithmetic be gained in less time than is now given to the subject in our public schools?"

3.15 Discussion, by Messrs. J. W. Dickinson, of Westfield, Larkin Dunton, of Boston, and others. "How can the power of expression be developed in pupils ?"

PRIMARY SCHOOL DepartmeNT, A. P. MARble, WorcestER, President. 2 o'clock: Discussion, 66 --- Necessity and means of securing attention." 3.15: Discussion,-"Course of study in Primary Schools,"

TUESDAY EVENING.

7.30 o'clock: Discussion of the "Half Mill School Fund," by Joseph White, LL. D., secretary of Massachusetts Board of Education.

WEDNESDAY MORNING.

At 9 o'clock, business meeting.

9.20: Discussion, introduced by W. E. Eaton, principal of Harvard School, Charlestown. "Are the pupils in our Public Schools overworked?" 9.40 Discussion, introduced by Prof. C. O. Thompson, of Worcester, — "How far should Natural History and the Physical Sciences be studied in our Grammar Schools?"

FREE RETURN TICKETS will be given, through the courtesy of the superintendents, to all members of the association who come to the Convention over the following Railroads, and their branches: Boston and Albany; Old Colony; Boston, Hartford and Erie; Fitchburg; Eastern; Boston and Maine; Boston, Lowell and Nashua; Boston and Providence; New Bedford and Taunton; Middleborough and Taunton; Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg;

Vermont and Mass.; New London and Northern; Worcester and Nashua; Norwich and Worcester; Providence and Worcester; on the Cheshire Railroad to Winchendon and stations this side. Teachers on the line of the Connecticut River Railroad can call for excursion tickets to Worcester and back, which will be furnished at half the usual rates.

Return tickets will be furnished during the sessions of Convention upon application to E. Bentley Young, Corresponding Secretary.

Board can be obtained at the Waverly House, Front Street; Lincoln House, Elm Street; Exchange House, Main Street; Waldo House, Waldo Street; at $2 a day; at the Bay State House, Main Street, at $3 a day.

ALFRED BUNKER, Secretary,
Boston Highlands.

ALBERT G. BOYDEN, President.

Trains leave Boston for Worcester on Boston and Albany Road at 7, 8.30, IO, II, A. M.; 1.30, 3, 4.30, 5, 5.30, 9, P. M. Return 7, 9.25, 9.45, A. M. ; 1.40, 3.25, 4.25, 6, 9.55, P. M.

Dec. 1873.

THE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE.-Our penury of enjoyment is to a great degree our own fault, or, at any rate, the fault of our bringers-up. Unquestionably men might be trained so as to squeeze infinitely more sweet juice out of life than they do. Our stupid teachers do nothing but pound grammar into our heads when we are young, a thing which can only grow up into thistles in nine minds out of ten. But were we really educated, were we trained, as we easily might be, to love the beautiful in all its thousand forms, to take delight in poetry, to understand the wonders that lie around us in the construction of our own bodies, and of the air, and of the plants, and in the processes of nature; were we trained to the delightful habit of thought to the habit of reading . . . to study and love works of art, whether in painting, sculpture, or building; were we trained to every kind of manly exercise, why how much more cheerfully would our lives glide by! But your commonplace and most dull system of education, which consists of forcing the boy for years and years to learn by rote the dry anatomy of a dead tongue is there any one of all these sources of happiness which it unseals for us? No, not one.

CHILDREN AND GIRLS.-It is curious to see how a self-willed, haughty girl, who sets her father and mother and all at defiance, and can't be managed by anybody, at once finds her master in a baby. Her sister's child will strike the rock, and set all her affections flowing.

It is not the soft, gentle girl who loves children most, or wins them most, but the girl of spirit."

INTELLIGENCE.