EDITORIAL MISCELLANY.

SANDUSKY COUNTY Institute.-The teachers of Sandusky county held their first Institute at Fremont during the week commencing March 26. The attendance was large -one hundred and twenty teachers, or more than half of the teachers of the county, being present. They were all, ladies and gentlemen, gratuitously entertained by the hospitable citizens of Fremont who manifested a most commendable interest in the exercises. The Institute was under the supervision of E. E. WHITE, who gave a course of instruction in the theory and practice of teaching, including school organization and government, methods of primary instruction in the several branches, methods of conducting recitations, etc. He also gave a public address each evening. Mr. Ross gave instruction in elocution; Mr. Twiss in English grammar; and Mr. CHILDS in penmanship. Rev. E. BUSHNELL, president of the Institute, also assisted. The evening exercises were held in Birchard's Hall, the gratuitous use of which was tendered by the generous proprietor. On Thursday evening a general educational meeting was held. Brief and excellent addresses were delivered by Mayor EVERETT, who presided, Rev. E. BUSHNELL, Dr. STILWELL, Mr. Ross, and others. A resolution was adopted inviting the Institute to hold its next session at Fremont. The meeting was large and enthusiastic.

The success of the Institute was largely due to the County Examiners, who gave it a hearty and active support. It is believed that its influence will be felt in every school in the county. A large list of subscribers for the MONTHLY was secured.

RICHLAND COUNTY INSTITUTE.-The annual session of this Institute was held at Shelby during the week commencing April 2. About seventy teachers were in attendance. The lady teachers were hospitably entertained by the citizens of the place, The instructors and public lecturers were Col. DE WOLF, of Toledo, and E. E. WHITE, of Columbus. Col. DE WOLF presented excellent methods of teaching reading, arithmetic and English grammar. His admirable drills in reading were designed to give teachers a correct idea of the manner in which the subject should be taught in our Schools. It has long been a query with us whether the course of instruction in elocu'tion usually presented in institutes by professional elocutionists, is of much value. We decidedly prefer model class drills in reading to any skeleton of the subject as a science.

The evening exercises were well attended by the citizens. We were glad to see the members of the Board of Education present, and especially to learn that the erection of a new school building is agitated. A fine, commodious school building would greatly add to the prosperity and growth of the place.

MEDINA COUNTY INSTITUTE.-The teachers of Medina county have gone up to the head! The feat was done in this wise: The County Examiners proffered to the teachers a substantial addition to their stock of professional knowledge; the citizens of the county-seat threw open their houses; and the teachers came up and filled them. We arrived about two o'clock Monday afternoon (April 9th), and found the courthouse swarming with "fair women and brave men." Soon the court-house bell was rung; Judge HUMPHREVILLE called to the chair; Mr. McDowELL elected secretary; a constitution reported and adopted; permanent officers elected; and the County Teachers' Association, which, before the week closed, numbered over two hundred members, (about two-thirds of the teachers of the county), was organized. We were made master of ceremonies, with authority to conscript any additional foroe we might need

We called into the service WM. P. CLARK, of Medina, whom we knew to be a host in himself. He gave an excellent course of instruction in geography, arithmetic and English grammar. Public addresses were given each evening-Wednesday evening excepted. The audiences soon grew beyond the capacity of the large court-room, and the largest church in town was procured and filled. On Friday evening Judge HUMPHREVILLE gave a clear exposition of the legal rights and duties of teachers.

The complete success of this Institute renders a few facts connected with its organization important. The County Examiners took hold of the enterprise; they issued a circular conveying a general idea of what would be attempted in the Institute; they appointed a live teacher in each township to place these circulars in the hands of teachers and solicit their attendance. A similar course was taken by the examiners of Sandusky county. We commend the plan to other examiners and institute committees.

LORAIN COUNTY INSTITUTE.-The annual session of this long-established Teachers' Institute was held at Elyria during the week commencing April 2. About seventy teachers were in attendance. The instructors were Dr. STERLING, of Cleveland, Prof. SCHUYLER, of Berea, and Mr. HARTZUPEE, of Elyria. We have not received a full report of the proceedings.

TUSCARAWAS COUNTY INSTITUTE.-A Teachers' Institute was held at New Philadelphia during the week commencing April 2. Mr. HARVEY, of Painesville, was the principal instructor. We learn that there was a small attendance.

WARREN COUNTY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.-A monthly meeting of this Association was held at Lebanon on the 24th of March. Miss JURA read an essay on "The Best Method of Teaching Orthography," which elicited a lively and profitable discussion. Miss BUNTING read an excellent essay on "The Relation of the Parent to the School," which has been published in the Western Star. Mr. J. C. KINNEY gave a lecture on elocution, illustrating his views by select readings. In the afternoon Hon. E. D. MANSFIELD delivered an able, but lengthy address. By vote of the Association it was decided to hold a two-days' session at Lebanon on the third Friday and Saturday in May. The next monthly meeting was appointed to be held at Mason on the 4th Saturday in April. The teachers of Warren county are in earnest.

SANDUSKY.-A late issue of the Sandusky Register contains an address to the teachers and citizens of that city by M. F. COWDERY, Esq., Sup't of the Public Schools. The leading thought of the address is, that "the right formation of character should be the chief end of school instruction for a child." This view of school instruction and the practical duties of teachers in carrying it out are clearly and ably set forth. We regret that a want of space forbids our making liberal extracts. We hope Mr. COWDERY may favor the readers of the MONTHLY with a few of his many excellent ideas upon this subject.

SCHOOL LAW AMENDED.-A law has been passed amending section twenty-two of the general school law, and authorizing township boards of education to levy a school tax of not exceeding five mills, viz: two mills for school-house purposes, and three mills for the payment of teachers and other contingent school expenses. This will greatly facilitate the erection of school-houses, and will relieve many township boards from great embarrassment. The former authorized levy of three mills for all school purposes, was not sufficient in the more sparsely settled townships, and the securing of an additional school-house tax by a popular vote, was found impossible, since but

a few of the voters of a township reside in the sub-district in which the school-house is to be erected.

This change in the school law is the only one made by the General Assembly at its recent session.

SALARIES OF TOLEDO TEACHERS.-The salaries now paid the teachers of the Public Schools of Toledo, O., are as follows: Superintendent, $2,000; Principal High School, $1,700, First Assistant (female), $700, Second Assistant (female), $650; Principal of Grammar School, $1,200, First Assistant (female), $600; Principal Intermediate School, $1,200, (new Intermediate, $1,000,) five Assistants (female), $550 each; Principal Secondary School, $1,000; French and German Teacher (male), $1,000; six female Principals of Ward Schools, $525; fifteen female Teachers, $500; six, $450 (average.) Toledo has always manifested a liberal spirit in the support of her Public Schools, and, as a consequence, they are in excellent condition.

ARTICLES IN THIS NUMBER.-If we are a judge in such matters, the contributed articles in this number are both readable and instructive. Those who have read, thus far, the serial "Talks after Working Hours," do not need to be told that the "Ex-Mechanic" is a "master-builder" of sentences. "How Stands the Account?" ought to be read by the teacher who put down the "Life of General Jackson " as the name of the educational work he had read, and the "New York Ledger as the educational periodical he was taking! Who doubts that such a teacher ought to have higher wages? "Vocal Culture in our Public Schools" has much savory meat in a book-notice skeleton. Its form suggested small type, but its substance and spirit won for it a place among the leading articles. "What Shall We Teach" is a capital thing. If Miss B. is a fair specimen of Friend Smyth's lady teachers, we know where to look for lady contributors-by far too scarce an article. Mr. NORTON's article "On Reforms" will be carefully read--as long as it is-by all who have given any thought to the subject of education. It treats upon a subject that is attracting wide and earnest attention. We leave the editorial department to speak for itself.The friends of the MONTHLY may be pleased to learn that new subscribers are coming in encouragingly. Several hundred names were added to our subscription list during the month of April. And still there is room.

SALEM. We notice a weekly statement of the attendance of the Public Schools in the successive numbers of the Republican. The average per cent. for all the schools reaches a high figure, indicating what the editor affirms, that the schools are in a most prosperous condition. The debt incurred in the erection of the fine school building which adorns the town, has all been paid.

ASHLAND.-The Union Schools are in motion again with a new corps of teachers. J. HARPER GRAHAM is the Superintendent-an energetic, whole-souled man, and a capital teacher. His appointment by the Board looks like business.

OHIO UNIVERSITY.-We learn from the Athens Messenger that the number of students in attendance this term is 171-the largest attendance that the institution has ever had. The army is largely represented.

MOSES T. BROWN, Esq., is giving a course of lessons and lectures on Vocal Culture in the Public Schools of Louisville, Ky. The Board of Education made a generous appropriation for the purpose.

W. C. CATLIN, formerly Superintendent of the schools of Elyria, O., is, as we learn from the Michigan Teacher, Superintendent of the Public Schools of Port Huron, Mich.

As clay in the hands of the potter, so is the mind of the pupil in the hands of the teacher; and the silent, expectant children, as they look toward their instructor in the school-room, seem to say, "You can make us what you will.” The teacher is the cen tre around which all the intellectual and moral interests of the pupil revolve. His is the controlling mind-the inspiring mind— the moulding mind. He must feel this fact, and move among his pupils as a living, energizing spirit. If he would awaken, in the undeveloped minds about him, an interest in study, he must himself be inflamed with intensest enthusiasm in the pursuit of

knowledge. Enthusiasm is a living, burning ardor, which warms into life and activity all the powers of thought, and, as a live coal when brought into contact with the cold, dead cinders, imparts its heat and glowing properties to them, so enthusiasm in the teacher kindles in the soul of the pupil an ardent zeal for knowledge.

Minds there are which need not such a stimulus-in which the passing breeze seems to fan into untiring activity energies of thought, apparently slumbering only until the time of their awaking arrives. Franklin needed no teacher to arouse to activity that powerful genius which guided him so successfully through the hitherto untraversed fields of science. Edmund Stowe only needed to know the twenty-four letters of the alphabet," in order to learn everything. The silent rock, torn from its bed in the quarry, touched the coiled spring of inquiry in the mind of Hugh Miller, and he perused the history of the world there recorded with an ardor which literally consumed him.

But this great man was not wholly free from obligation to his early teachers, for the task and zeal with which he devoted himself to the pursuit of his favorite science. His Uncle Alexander was an enthusiastic admirer and student of nature-knowing more of living nature than many professors of Natural History; and from him he received his first lessons on rocks, tides, trees, ferns, shell-fish, and insects. While within the school-room he received no impulse to thought and acquired no fondness for his studies, the lessons he received out of school-because they were taught by a teacher awake to his theme and intensely interested in his intellectual pursuits-left their impress upon his mind, and kindled within him that ardor which we see glowing in every page he has written, and which distinguished him in all his researches, whether in Geology or Theology.

In the example just referred to, we have a forceful illustration of the truth of my remark, that enthusiasm in the teacher is necessary to the enkindling of enthusiasm in the pupil. Here is the starting point. When the teacher possesses this qualification for his profession, there will not be wanting to him means and expedients to awake a correspondent ardor in the mind of the pupil. Indeed, the brightness of the teacher's eye, as it sparkles with gems of living thought, clearly and interestingly expressed, will rivet the pupil's attention, and make him long to be the rich pos