Norris. The West, Ella Wheeler Wilcox. The Banks in 1861, A. S. Bolles. Two Roses, C. R. Crespi, Our Experience Meetings-Paddling for Pleasure, John Habberton: Notes of a Base-ballist, John M. Ward; Confessions of a Champion Athlete. L. E. Myers. Our Monthly Gossip-Concerning Lemuel Barker, E F. W.; A Few Words About Andrew Lang, W. H. Babcock; My Dream Experiences, C. M. A. W.; Our Immigrants, W. W. Crane. Subscription price, $2 per annum, in advance Single numbers, 25 cents Liberal arrangements made with those desiring to get up clubs. Send for a circular. A specimen number free. J. B. Lippincott Company, Publishers, 715 and 717 Market street, Philadelphia.

THE SOUTHERN BIVOUAC for August. The August number of the Southern Bivouac is of unusual interest, containing a great variety of articles on current topics. E. Polk Johnson describes very pleasantly a recent visit to Mr Jefferson Davis, and his article is accompanied by a portrait of Mr. Davis, which is the best ever made of the distinguished gentleman. General Basil Duke contributes a very interesting article-"After the Fall of Richmond." The death of Father Ryan is described by Young E Allison, and his article is accompanied by a portrait of the poet. The last article by Paul Hamilton Hayne appears in this number, and concludes his sketch of Charles Gayarré, and A. W. Brotherton has a poem on the death of Mr. Hayne. Colonel Preston, an eye-witness, tells of "The Execution of John Brown." J. H. Moore writes of the "Battle of Fredericksburg." W. F. Gordon has an article on "Oklahoma." Eli Shepperd has a romantic dialect story, and Dr. Oswald continues his articles on "Southern Summer Resorts." Altogether this is a notable number of this popular and growing magazine.

ton

Contents of ST. NICHOLAS for September-Frontispiece, "The Connoisseurs," after the painting by Sir Edwin Landseer. Stories of Art and Artists, English Painters, Clara Erskine Clement, illustrated by the frontispiece and reproductions of paintings Under the Snow, poem. Nan's Revolt, continued, three illustrations. Little Lord Fauntleroy, continued, two illustrations, Frances Hodgson Burnett. Inverted, jingle, John B. Tabb. A Lake George Capsize, three illustrations, Edward EgglesA Rocky Mountain Hermit, concluded, four illustrations, Alfred Terry Bacon. The Dangerous Dog, jingle illustrated and engrossed, A. R. Wells George Washington, continued, eight illustrations, Horace E. Scudder. Considerate Farmer Jones, Picture Toddlekins and Trot, verses. Our Adventure at the Flume, illustrated, The Crafty Crab, jingle, illustrated and engrossed. Morra. The Kelp Gatherers, chs. XIII-XVI, two illustrations, J. T Trowbridge. The Ambitious Kangaroo, verses, Wonders of the Alphabet, seventh paper, illustrated. This Seat Reserved, picture. The Brownies at Lawn-tennis, poem, three illustrations, Palmer Cox A Matter-of-fact Cinderella, two illustrations. A T-Party, verses, illustrated and engrossed. Work and Play for Young Folk, XVI. Venetia Marquetry, Charles G. Leland. A Decorative Maiden, verses, illustrated and engrossed. Highly Colored, picture. A Lesson in Geography, poem. For Middle-aged Little Folk, illustrated.

The SEPTEMBER CENTURY. Liszt's last illness was announced after the September Century had gone to press; it is due to accident, therefore, rather than to purpose, that the two full-page portraits of the musician, and toe intimate account by his American pupil, Albert Morris Bagby, of "A Sum. mer with Liszt at Weimar," should appear in the Century so soon after his death. Pictures of Liszt's home and of his two most promising pupils add to the interest of the article. American enterprise has an amusing and curious illustration in extraordinary papers on the balloon experiences of two venturesome citizens of Connecticut. Two illustrated articles of artistic and scientific interest are "A Glance at the Arts of Persia," and "The Zoological Station at Naples" In the eighth part of "The Minister's Charge," Mr. Howells partly satisfies the great curiosity of his readers to see the way Lemuel Barker's love affairs are going Frank R. Stockton develops a new situation and additional drollness out of The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine," and Miss Kate Foote contributes an absorbing short story called A Pistol Shot" In the War Series a fertile subject lending itself to rich illustration is introduced by General Alfred Ple-sonton's "Successes and Failures of Chancellorsville " Editorials in "Topics of the Time" discuss "Lezislative Inefficiency," "Marriage. Divorce, and the Mormon Problem," and a plea for the good of the many. Other poems in this number are contributed by Mrs. S M. B. Piatt, Robert Underwood Johnson, Maurice Thompson, and Richard Watson Gilder.

The AMERICAN KINDERGARTEN AND PRIMARY TEACHER, for September, begins a new volume and a new series of what has been known as The American Kindergarten Magazine. It has passed into the hands of new publishers, whose aim is to greatly enlarge the scope of the magazine. It will be devoted to the interests of those who have young children under their care. The best thought of the most succesful teachers and mothers will be secured for its columns. Every question relating to the wisest culture of the little ones in the household and the school will be discussed, largely by correspondence of the mothers and teachers. The subscription price is $1 a year; 10 cents for single numbers To insure a wide circulation for it at once, we will send it on trial from now to the end of the year for 25 cents. Fowler & Wells Co, Publishers, 753 Broadway, N. Y.

OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT.

J. L. BUCHANAN, Superintendent Public Instruction, Editor.

[The Journal is sent to every County Superintendent and District Clerk, and must be carefully preserved by them as public property and transmitted to their successors in office.

The School Register.

Its Value. The School Register is a very important part of the furniture of the school. In it are kept the details of school work, and it gives, in connection with the records of the district clerk, a complete history of the school. It is very necessary, therefore, that it should be accurately kept, and that all items called for should be carefully filled in. Superintendents should impress on their teachers the value of the register, and urge them to be both full and accurate in keeping it. Teachers are very much disposed to undervalue the register and consequently to neglect it. To them it is exceedingly valuable by drawing constant and careful attention to the progress of their pupils, as a means of discipline and a protection against the unjust complaints of unreasonable parents.

The Law. The law indicates its value

1. By requiring the Superintendent of Instruction to prepare one. "He shall prepare suitable registers, blank forms," &c.-School, Law, p. 35, section 24.

2. By requiring each teacher to keep one, and making him responsible for its safe-keeping and delivery to the district clerk.

"Every teacher in a public free school shall keep a daily register of facts pertaining to his school, in such form as the school regulations shall require, and shall be responsible for the safe-keeping and delivery of the same to the clerk of the school district at the close of the school term, or of the period of his service, whichever shall first happen."-School Law, p. 48, section 92.

3. By making the district clerk responsible for its safe-keeping in connection with other official papers. -School Law, p. 43, section 76.

Adoption and Description. The Superintendent has, accordingly, had prepared the Virginia School Register for use in the public schools of the State. At his suggestion it has been adopted by the Board of Education and put upon the list of books prescribed for use in the public schools. It has been prepared with special reference to the school laws of Virginia, and is arranged to furnish all the

information demanded on the forms used in this office. It is both a very complete and a very cheap register. It is printed on good paper, is bound in durable materials, and is a model of beauty and good taste. It is published by Messrs. Randolph & English of this city, and is sold at 75 cents a copy, net cash. If ordered to be sent by mail add 15 cents for postage, making the cost of the register 90 cents. It has been arranged to last four years, thus costing each school only 1834 cents a year.

How to get it. The School Register must be provided by the district board, whose property it becomes. Each district board should decide how many schools it will open, and at once order a copy of the register for each. It should issue its warrant for the necessary amount, and forward the money with the order. The publishers cannot afford to keep accounts at the low price of the register, and will not send the copies ordered unless the order is accompanied by

the cash.

This is the only register authorized by the Board of Education and, hence, must be furnished to every school. The old registers, if any have been used, must be discarded and the Virginia School Register provided.

To Superintendents. Superintendents are expected to give special attention to this matter, and urge upon the district boards, if urging is necessary, where none should be needed, prompt compliance with the requirements of the law in this respect. It might save time and trouble for the superintendent to get the money from each district board, order from the publishers the number necessary to supply the county, have them sent to some convenient express office and distribute them from that point to the clerks of the several district boards. It is very important that the registers should be in the hands of the district clerks before the opening of the schools. The superintendents should be very prompt, therefore, in calling attention to the matter.

The Clerks of district boards need not wait, however, for prompting from the superintendent, but should notify their boards at once and secure the necessary order. "First come, first served."'

Blank Forms.

We desire to again call the attention of superintendents to the supply of forms sent them. Only a limited number of each of these forms was printed, and the distribution was made with a view of sup

plying all ordinary demands of the schools for the scholastic year beginning August 1st. The exercise of due economy will prevent the necessity of making requisitions for additional supplies.

Normal Institutes.

The normal institutes at Staunton and Salem have both closed. Both were well attended, and we doubt not much valuable instruction was given and received. Formal reports have not yet been made. We hope they will be forwarded at an early day, so that full details can be published in the next issue of the JOURNAL.

The eight weeks' summer session of the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute closed on the 25th of August. The attendance has been good (it ought to have been better), and those attending express themselves well pleased.

Peabody Examinations.

Examinations for vacancies in the Peabody scholarships in the Nashville Normal College were held at both Salem and Staunton on the day appointed (July 27th). The papers from Salem have been received. Those from Staunton have not yet arrived. As soon as all the papers reach the office the names of the successful competitors will be announced.

Circular No. 13.

OFFICE SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC INSTRUCTION,

RICHMOND, VA., August 25th, 1886.

To County and City Superintendents,

and County and City Treasurers:

The following apportionment is at the rate of 30 cents per head of school population, and amounts in all to $183,081.30. This amount consists of $100,000, on account of interest due the Literary Fund, accruing on Virginia State stock (Acts of Assembly 1885-'6, page 532), and the accumulation from the amount paid in by the Auditor under the provisions of the law to pay to public free schools the money set apart by the Constitution, as by act approved March 6th, 1882.

This table shows the school population and the amounts apportioned.