It was not very long before some of these youthful editors began to learn of the existence of other boys who were publishing amateur papers. Correspondence and exchange of papers followed. The various editors began to vie with one another in publishing stories and essays, and criticising the contents of their contemporaries. This caused emulation in the attainment of higher literary standards. Boys and girls enjoyed their papers so much that they found their publication a pleasant pastime, even for their more mature years. In this way amateur journalism gradually became a settled institution.

A desire for closer acquaintance was prompt to make its appearance. The first amateur convention in history was held September 18, 1869, at Mr. Scribner's home in New York City. One after another numerous amateur organizations were formed, but as amateur journalism was yet in a rudimentary condition, all died out after a longer or shorter existence. It was not until 1876 that about a hundred enthusiastic amateurs met in Philadelphia and celebrated their Fourth of July by organizing the National Amateur Press Association. The N. A. P. A., or "Napa," as it is often fondly called, has, ever since its organization, remained the first love of every true amateur. Sectional and State A. P. A.'s, and local Amateur Press Clubs, have ofter. been organized, and have done good service to the cause; but the N. A. P. A. always takes first place with the devotee of amateur journalism. Amateurdom, frequently referred to as "the 'dom," includes young people of widely varying tastes and ideas; but where the N. A. P. A. is concerned, they all fight under one banner.

Let me explain some of the salient features of this organization, around which cluster so many delightful memories. Its members are of both sexes, and reside in all parts of the country. Membership in it is open to any amateur journalist of the United States or Canada. An amateur journalist is any person who edits or writes for an amateur paper. The officers are a president, two vicepresidents, a recording and corresponding secretary, a treasurer, an official edditor, a historian and three executive

judges. The N. A. P. A. publishes an official organ, called the "National Amateur," to contain reports of officers and committees, proceedings of conventions, official notices, membership list and the general news of the "'dom." To edit this organ is the task of the official editor. The historian prepares, at the end of the official year, a history of amateur affairs during that period, which is printed in the "National Amateur."

The executive judges settle disputes, and decide questions during the year, subject to a revision at a regular convention. The duties of the other officers are largely such as ordinarily prevail, except in a few matters which need not be specified here. All these officers are elected at the annual convention of the association, which is held in the month of July. A convention has just taken place in Boston, Mass., which has elected Nelson G. Morton, 51 Hancock St., Boston, Mass., president, and John M. Acee, Box 222, Atlanta, Ga., official editor. These are considered the most important offices, and lively political campaigns in behalf of different candidates add spice to association affairs. The merits and demerits of the different aspirants are discussed in the papers and in personal correspondence for months before the convention.

The annual conventions of the National Association are most enjoyable occasions to the amateur; and he will save up his spare cash for months in order to attend. Should he fail, however, by reason of living at too great a distance, he may still send in a proxy vote for all the officers, on the printed blanks which are sent to all the members several weeks before the convention. The meetingplace for the following year is chosen in the same manner in which officers are elected; so that if a member lives too far away to attend one convention, he may strive to bring the next one nearer his own section of the country. Next year the convention will be held in Atlanta, Ga. Convention pleasures can hardly be described, so as to be appreciated by one who lacks actual experience. The fraternity which prevails among amateurs is something unique; and they are a most jolly crowd when they come together. The sharp political contests, parlia

mentary skill, bursts of eloquence, and serious discusion of constitutional questions on the floor of the convention are supplemented by the regular convention photograph, the banquet (an event to dream of, the whole year), pleasant little excursions to spots of interest, theatre parties, and social pleasures of every kind. Then there is a race between the different papers, to see which shall print the earliest and most lively account of the doings of the convention.

Special titles of honor, known as laureateships, are annually conferred on the amateur authors presenting, respectively, the best poem, story, sketch, essay and history of amateur journalism. The judges of the various articles entered in competition for laureate titles, are men and women prominent in the professional literary world, very many of whom have shown great favor to amateur journalism.

Amateur papers are published by individuals, at their own expense. They are whatever size and shape the editor pleases, and can afford; but the four or eight page "Century" size is most popular. Some appear monthly, some bimonthly, quarterly, or at irregular intervals. All is according to the whim or ability of the editor himself, who is left perfectly free to suit his own fancies. Many amateurs who lack money to invest in publishing papers, send their poems, stories or essays, to the different amateur editors and receive the papers published, whenever they appear. The ideal amateur editor puts every amateur journalist, whether editor or author, cn his regular mailing list. The author, no less than the editor, is eligible to membership in the N. A. P. A., and to all the privileges of the "dom." "Activity"

implies the frequent publication of a paper, or frequent contributions to the amateur press. A "fossil" is an amateur who has ceased to be "active." The frequency with which old-timers return to activity, even after a lapse of several years in "fossildom," has given rise to the saying, "Once an amateur, always an amateur." Many who have risen to positions of honor in journalism and literature are among the graduates of A. J. (pet abbreviation for anateur journalism). Most of these retain their old fondness for the 'dom, and recognize the value of the training there received.

The following are among the principal amateur papers of the present day: Dilettante, edited by Samuel J. Steinberg, 848 Cedar St., Álameda, Čal.

Villa de Laura Times, edited by Linden D. Dey, 758 West 14th Place, Chicago, Ill.

The Review, edited by Walter S. Goff, Blissfield, Mich.

The Interpolitan, edited by H. Jessen, 2807 Franklin St., Omaha, Neb.

Hebe, edited by Leston M. Ayers, 31 Peace St., New Brunswick, N. J.

All of these editors take pleasure in sending copies of their papers to inquirers, and in supplying them with information concerning the N. A. P. A.

After all, the pleasures and benefits of amateur journalism are known only to the initiated. They are living memories, not to be set down in cold type. Those who enter the charmed circle, where all are welcome, speedily learn for themselves. I record it as my deliberate conviction, from the standpoint of pleasure, no less than that from self-improvement, that amateur journalism stands head and shoulder above all other forms of recre

ation afforded to the youth of America.

the landing of William the Conqueror. According to the same reasoning, in the next hundred years American literature should reach its highest point, and should compare favorably with the Elizabethan age in English literature, as well as lead the contemporaneous literature of other nations. There are well grounded reasons for belief in the latter statement. England, France, Germany and other European countries are old nations, and the temperament of mind that creates the distinctive literature of a land -the literature that springs from the ground, as it were has been more or less exhausted in all of them. Their literature has been given to the world. It is not so, however, in America. Judging by the history of the literature of other nations, we are just on the eve of the beginning of our great literary era as well as entering upon the commercial, financial and scientific supremacy of the world.

The Census

The returns of the 1900 census are now being collated, and some very surprising announcements, in addition to those already made, may be expected. Perhaps there never was a time when so much interest was manifested in the population returns as at present. The nation is eagerly awaiting the statement of the population of the entire country. Thousands of periodicals throughout the Union have offered cash prizes, through different agencies, for those who guess nearest the population, and the time is fast approaching when the exact figures will be announced by the Director of the Census. Judging by the population of the larger cities given out up to this time, the ratio of increase will be larger than that estimated by statisticians, and the figures should reach over 77,000,000, and possibly 78,000,000. It is doubtful, however, if the country at large will maintain the same ratio of increase as that of the largest cities, and the final result may bring the figures down to 76,200,000 the estimate made by Mulhall, the great statistician.

oughly the world over, and affects their well-being, directly and indirectly, so minutely as the weather. When we come to consider what a mystic power it exerts upon our daily lives; how consciously and unconsciously it influences our feelings, creating moods and attitudes of mind that impress themselves upon the day's work, and hence enter into the causes that produce success or failure; how it acts upon the physical being, causing health and happiness, sickness and misery, and how, as in Galveston, it brings about fearful destruction of life and property-we realize that it is, as Carlyle says of another subject, “a large topic; indeed, an illimitable one." After all is said, however, and though the weather is omnipresent, both as a fact and as a subject, neither of which we are permitted to forget long, we all feel, with Mark Twain, "thankful that we have any weather at all."

Superficiality,

A Universal Fault

"If there is one thing more than any other," a great merchant once said, "that has caused my success, it has been the habit of doing absolutely thoroughly whatever I had to do." He might have added with equal force and truth that if there is one thing, more than any other, that prevents success, accounts for the failures on all hands, and keeps thousands of men otherwise deserving and talented, upon the low level of the commonplace, it is the habit of superficiality. Wherever we may turn, whether to the workshop, the school room, the college, the government of our cities, the handling of our troops in war, or to the business, social or artistic life of the communityit is impossible to escape the ear-marks of this pestilential malady. It has been engrafted upon our times through a senseless, hurrying, feverish desire for growth and greatness beyond the natural order of things and what the nation has been guilty of crops out in our children. Today our strongest characteristic is superficiality—nothing less. There are, of course, many cases of remarkable thoroughness, but they only serve to bring out the universal deficiency of A reaction superficiality the clearer.

against all this-a cry from the very ground for thoroughness is inevitable. Its beginnings are seen in the revolt against the cramming system in use in the public schools. Yet only a step has been taken here. There still remains an enormous amount of combined and imperative protest if any real results are to be accomplished, and it is here that the first and most important work is to be done. For it is in the public schools that American character is formed and habits of thought and work created. An idea of thoroughness effectively implanted here means more to the youth than all the grammar and arithmetic that can be stuffed into his weary brain. As it is, however, he gets superficiality crammed, jammed into him day after day for ten months a year and eight years. Is it any wonder, then, that he goes out into the world skimming over his duties in a halfhearted sort of a way and being left behind in the great battle of life in which the watch-word is "thoroughness"? What is to be done, then? "As the twig is bent the tree's inclined." Teach the youth thoroughness by being thorough in our teaching. Whatever we do in our schools let us have it well done, or not

at all. Instead of increasing the curriculum, cut it down. Let the student emerge from the grammar schools with a thorough knowledge of pure English and a foundation in one or two other branches that will last him through life, instead of, as now, a smattering of a good deal and a knowledge of nothing. Certainly this is not expecting too much. If it is under the present ideas of systematic education, there is something the matter with the system, and it should be remedied. If we wish to accomplish anything for the nation we must look to our homes and our public schools, inculcating there the principles which we wish to be characteristic of our men and women. It is not for ourselves or our generation that we labor-it seldom is. But those who have a great and high ideal for the future, who feel the throb of patriotism at the accomplishments of their countrymen apart from their own parental or personal interests, cannot consider too seriously this matter of the proper training of the nation's children, and the elimination from their study, environment and life of those things which do not tend to build up the thorough, manly, ideal American character.