folks as well as young ones, he added, “Wife, do you take one fowl, and I'll take the second, and John may have the third for his learning."

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. of These were two girls, one eleven and the other fourteen years 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 dictionary, and thus end the contest. The money for the purpose was raised on the spot."

A GOOD PLAN.-An experienced and efficient teacher writes that he has improved the fine sleighing by taking his school to visit another school in the same town, and thinks the visit had a good influence upon all parties. We do not doubt it. Such visits, occasionally made, in the right spirit, must do good.

He writes thus kindly of his brother teacher whose school he visited: "I found the house neat, the scholars orderly and quiet, and the teacher doing the happy thing in a happy way. This school will be a success, because the teacher loves his work and works with a will." Yes, such teachers always succeed.

LOCAL AND PERSONAL.

NEW HAVEN. We recently spent a few hours, in some of the schools of this city. The Dixwell School under the efficient management of Mr. Whitmore appeared remarkably well. The pupils were orderly and industrious and a very pleasant relation evidently exists between teachers and pupils.

A glance at the several departments of the Eaton School afforded us great pleasure. We saw nothing to censure and much to commend. Mr. Phelps and his corps of faithful and devoted teachers are deserving of very high praise for the excellent condition of this important

school.

We also spent an hour very pleasantly, in the Webster School which is now under the charge of Mr. Jackson aided by 10 or 12 assistant teachers. Most of the departments gave good evidence of efficiency and fidelity on the part of the teachers. We hope have the pleasure of visiting other schools in the city.

NORWICH. Probably no part of the state can show a greater change and improvement in school matters within the last seven years. The school in the center district has, for nearly seven years,―been under the charge of J. W. Allen, Esq,-President of our State Association. It is in an excellent condition. We were present at the opening exercises and observed that every member of the senior Department, probably 150, joined in the singing and we have never heard better singing in any school. The room is furnished with a valuable piano and one of the pupils was called to play upon it. We were told that there were nearly thirty members of the school who were competent to play the piano.

The School at West Chelsea is under the charge of Mr. Sherman B. Bishop and though our call was brief it was long enough to satisfy us that a very great change and improvement had been made in the school since it was placed under the charge of Mr. Bishop. We trust his services will be long retained here.

At Greenville the schools are under the charge of Mr. Davis, who by his devotion to his profession and well directed labors has secured an excellent reputation as an instructor.

We had not time to visit the School at the Falls which has for two or three years been under the care of Mr. B. B. Whittemore. We were happy to learn, from various sources, that great improvement has been made in this school.

PRESTON. We visited a large school here kept by Mr. Robert Fuller. It appeared orderly and attentive and Mr Fuller is evidently laboring faithfully, but he has more pupils than ought to be placed under any teacher.

YANTIC. At this place we visited quite a large and pleasant school, in a good building, kept by Col. Kingsley of Franklin. Mr. K. has had charge of this school for several successive seasons and deserves the confidence of the people and of his pupils. It is true wisdom to retain the services of a good teacher for successive terms, equally so is it to dispense with the services of a poor one at the earliest possible day.

At FITCHVILLE. We met a large school and many of the parents.

The school was under the care of Miss Packer and its general appearance was highly creditable to the teacher. The house is a very neat structure built of stone, and its internal arrangements are commodious and pleasant. The youth of this place are greatly indebted to Asa Fitch Esq., for his kindness and liberality in providing this attractive house.

STAFFORD SPRINGS. At this pleasant village there are two schools, each of two grades, where one of three grades would be far better. People often make a great mistake in being too tenacious of a particular location. The two school-houses at this place are much better than the average of school-houses in the state. At the house nearest the center Mr. Holt and Miss Bacon are doing a good work. At the other the school under the charge of Miss Fowler appeared well, while the order in the senior department was not what it should be. Good discipline is absolutely essential to the success of a school. Our thanks are specially due to Geo. M. Ives Esq., and Mr. Fowler, for kind attentions here.

UNION. It was our pleasure and privilege to be present at the dedication of a very neat and commodious school house at Mashapaug. The building is a great credit to the district and we were glad to learn that a good degree of harmony had prevailed in relation to its erection. The school is to be under the charge of Miss Sarah A Paul, who has gained an enviable reputation as an accomplished and faithful teacher. The building was closely filled on the evening of its dedication and the happy countenances of parents and pupils gave evidence of their satisfaction at what had been accomplished.

SOUTH COVENTRY. The school at this place is kept by Mr. Dunham, a teacher of large experience and devoted to his work. The school appeared well.

SOUTH BRITAIN. We learn with pleasure, that the series of educational meetings spoken of in our last is continued. Three meetings have already been held. At two of them addresses or lectures have been given by Mr. S. B. Wheeler, and Mr. W. C. Sharpe, both teachers. We trust much good will result from these meetings.

NEW BRITAIN. A very pleasant meeting of the School Visitors, District Committees and Teachers of this place, was recently held at the house of Prof. Camp. Such meetings are profitable as well as pleasant.

ANDOVER. At this place we had the pleasure of meeting many of

the pupils and parents. Andover has furnished many excellent teachers and there is evidently good material for more.

NORMAL GRADUATES. Of the members of the last graduating class we learn that Mr. Paddock, is teaching in Westfield; Mr. Hubbard, in Westport; Mr. Sanford, in Salisbury; Mr. Glover, in Newtown; Miss Curtis, in Hartford; Miss Hayes, in Deep River; Miss Hibbard, in Wallingford.

HOLLEY. Mr. A. B. Holley, formerly a teacher in this state, but more recently in New York City, in now serving as Steward on board a U. S. Ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Holley, will do good service wherever he may be.

MAPLES. Mr. B. W. Maples, for two or three years a successful teacher in Bridgeport, has received an appointment in a New York school at a salary of $1000. May success attend his efforts.

E. G. UPSON, a graduate of the Normal School, and formerly a teacher in this state, but now of Somerville, N. J. has been appointed Lieutenant in a Cavalry Regiment and holds himself in readiness for active service, and whenever and wherever duty calls he will be prompt to answer.

WINDSOR LOCKS. In the last No. of the Journal, the action of this town in consolidating the districts was mentioned. At a subsequent meeting, the town voted to grade the schools, and build a new central school-house the present year, and appointed a committee to prepare plans and obtain a site. The Board of Visitors and District Committee have already added an intermediate grade to the schools, by opening a new school temporarily in a private building, and the building committee are busy in preparing plans for a new house, to be submitted at an adjourned town meeting in February.

EDUCATIONAL MEETING.

THERE will be a meeting of School Visitors, Teachers and friends of Education for Tolland County at Rockville, on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7th and 8th. The exercises will commence at 2 P. M. Friday and continue till Saturday, P. M.

In the evening of Friday an address will be given by the Hon. DAVID N. CAMP, Supt. of Schools.

School visitors and teachers are cordially invited to the hospitalities of the good people of Rockville and it is hoped there will be a large and profitable meeting.

SPECIAL.

WE have added 16 pages to this number and may at some future time claim the privilege of publishing a number of less than the usual size.

We believe that this number will be of great value to teachers. The history of the School Fund and Teachers' Institutes is long, but we believe no teacher would have a single line omitted. It was prepared with great care by the Hon. Seth P. Beers who for a quarter of a century filled the office of School Fund Commissioner and discharged incumbent duties with great fidelity. It is to his good judgment, foresight and care that we are largely indebted for the present prosperous condition of the Fund, so well managed now, and for several years, by the Hon. B. Sedgwick.

The information which Mr. Beers gives us is precisely what every teacher ought to have; it will enable them to answer the often asked question, "Whence came the present School Fund of Connecticut?"

OUR JOURNAL.

WE take this opportunity to express our grateful acknowledgments to our subscribers for continuing to give us their support. In our December number we made a special request that those who desired to discontinue their subscription would inform us previous to the 20th of that month.

A few, and we are glad to say only a few, have received the January number and then signified their wish to discontinue without returning the number, and in two or three instances, without having paid for the previous year. We do not feel that this is quite right. We made the request as we did in the December number, that we might know how large a monthly edition to print-and those who discontinue after receiving one or two numbers do us an injustice,though it may be unintentional. We are happy to say that the number who have served us in this previous year.

way is much smaller than in any

It is cheering to receive expressions like the following from some of our devoted teachers:

-an

One writes: "I consider the Journal a very great assistant,almost indispensable one, and I am glad to perceive that it is continually improving."

Another, an earnest and successful teacher in Windham Co. says —“The January number of the Journal was worth to me the dollar