Show B Y ACADEMY NOTES SINCE the opening of the present term two very interesting lectures on electricity have been delivered before the poly sophic nl society by prof jas E talmage the first which was devoted exclusively clu to frictional electricity showed that electricity is developed by every motion ba it even so small as the vapor izing of a drop of water numerous experiments peri ments were performed with the electric machine and other apparatus not least interesting of which vaa the electric kiss after the meeting a circle waa formed around the hall and a shock administered to one hundred and eighteen persons at once the second lecture devoted to current or dynamic electricity showed this force to be a result of chemical action and illustrated its application to the telegraph telephone electric light electric moter electroplating etc A gratifying feature in these two sessions was the large number of visitors present betokening an awakening on the part of the residents of prove to the excellence of the worthy of note are two decided improvements in the fixture department of the academy The first of these is a system of electric bells to call and dismiss classes the battery is located in the labor atory and so arranged that the current is closed every half hour by clockwork clock work and immediately bells are set ringing in the departments above this has already secured a greater uniformity in the dismissal of classes than was ever possible under the old system the second improvement is an artesian well with sufficient volume and force to carry the water to any part of the building the immediate use althis well is to supply a flowing stream to the laboratory but it is the intention of long to carry it by pipes to the second floor A BATHER touching little incident occurred during the closing exercises last monday the dinst the bean quietly collecting dimes and nickels daring the day to make their beloved principal a suitable present the occasion being his birthday just before dismissal one of the students in a tie speech presented to him in behalf of all the students haskells Ga atlas of the world with a fervent wish that he might behold many happy returns odthe day brother maeser responded in a feeling manner stating that the day marked the anniversary of hia birth forty years of which time had been spent as a teacher s THE seats in the cormal department are as usual nearly all taken instruction and practical drill are at present being given in phonetics especially applicable in the of consonants a want almost everywhere noticeable ti but most painfully apparent in the washy enunciation of most of our amateur stage performers daniel beck of this department was recently engaged by bupt supt brimhall to fill a vacancy in the schools of prove and is at present teaching on the bench north of the city As wa anticipated at the close of last term a new class in bookkeeping book keeping with upwards of forty names enrolled has been begun in the academic department connected with the study is a class in commercial arithmetic and also a series of lectures on commercial law that this business course is both simple and practical is attested by its popularity A CLASS in civil government has lately been organized of students from all departments part ments above the intermediate it is at the fundamental principles of our free institutions as embodied in the constitution peculiar interest is lent to this study present by the impending question of statehood for our fair A atlass in domestic science has lately been begun in the scientific department the object being to give the students a rational knowledge of the daily operations of domestic life such is the heating and ventilation of rooms and the chemistry of the art of cooking AB may be surmised it ia well attended especially by the girls THE present terms attendance is somewhat la ger than that of the last there being about two hundred and tec names enrolled |