With us the second of October dawned warm and bright. Before the last tardy risers were awakened, our school flag was hoisted over the building to beckon children and youth Averyward. And how they responded! Soon after the first stroke of the bell which announced that the gates were to be opened, more than three hundred children either walked, ran, or crowded, into the school yards. How they talked! Four months of vacation had dissipated all regard for established rules and usages. And who could scold the first day? It is true that many had been in summer schools during the greater part of vacation, but in many instances they were sent “just to keep them off the street, you know, sir.” Then the private houses in which these schools are “kept” have not school dignity nor school atmosphere, because they are not school buildings; hence they lack molding influence. Another reason why the children _talked_ was that a new principal (new and yet old) and five new teachers were to be met, measured, and, if possible, mastered. Every boy wants to know just how strong his teachers are; and as their strength is, so his respect will be. Again the bell sounded, this time to announce the hour for devotions. As the pupils filed into the chapel their eyes fell upon a new crayon likeness of Prof. M. A. Warren, a former principal. This work of art, costing about $50, was presented to the school by the Alumni at their last annual meeting, July 4th. It is a generous expression of their love for a faithful teacher and a true man. With the children came a large number of patrons “to start them,” of course, but little was done the first day but to exchange greetings, hold chapel exercises, take names and addresses of pupils, assign former pupils to the classes which the previous principal had named for them, and to examine and grade a part of the new ones. Other examinations and grading, with the selling of books, and the collection of tuitions for the month, hindered our programme of work from being fully taken up before the second week. It is now four weeks since our opening. In the time we have registered three hundred and thirty-six pupils, collected $332.85 for tuition, sold $462.64 worth of books, organized in addition to the common-school branches, classes in physics, chemistry, mineralogy, botany, zoology, physiology, school economy, political economy, history (U.S. and ancient), algebra, geometry, rhetoric, Greek, Latin, French, German, music, gymnastics, sewing, stenography, and Bible study. We have also had our monthly written reviews. A good number of pupils are fitting for college, some of whom will be ready to enter next October. Other pupils are preparing for teaching, and will enter upon their work after leaving us. Others still are intending to follow trades, and are studying that they may become intelligent tradesmen.