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All the advertising competitions printed in St. Nicholas have practically been planned to teach the St. Nicholas readers how to advertise. This object has been accomplished. The recent contests show that the young workers have learned what advertising means.

Now we feel that it might become tiresome to have the same kind of competition month after month, and, since their instructive purpose has been fulfilled, let us have something new. A bird that has learned to fly does not wish to return to the nest; a baby that has mastered the art of walking never wants to creep; even our patient St. Nicholas competitors, having learned how to make good advertisements, have perhaps begun to wish for a change, The former prizes have been simply little stimulants, administered like spoonfuls of a tonic, to interest and encourage the young advertisers.

In this new field we are going to offer prizes of substantial value for more advanced work.

Every school in the United States is invited to send in answers to the one hundred questions printed below.

There is no restriction as to obtaining aid in answering the questions; on the contrary, each school is urged to secure the help of any one who is interested in their winning one of the prizes offered for the answers.

Teachers and parents and grown-up friends are asked to help their children to win the principal prize. The answers must be submitted in the name of the teacher, but any prize won shall belong to the school, until some other disposition is made of it.

The following are the Prizes:

FIRST PRIZE—The Century Dictionary, Cyclopedia, and Atlas, bound in ¾ morocco, 10 volumes, not obtainable even through clubbing rates at less than $90.

SECOND PRIZE—The same set, but bound in ½ morocco, value more than $60.

THIRD PRIZE—Books, to be selected from the catalogue of The Century Co., at the prices there given to the value of $30.00.

FOURTH PRIZE—Ten subscriptions to St. Nicholas for one year to any ten addresses of scholars in the competing school.

FIFTH PRIZE—Eight subscriptions as above.

SIXTH PRIZE—Six subscriptions as above.

SEVENTH PRIZE—Four subscriptions as above.

EIGHTH PRIZE—Two subscriptions as above.

NINTH PRIZE—One subscription as above.

TENTH PRIZE—One subscription as above.

It must be understood that every competing paper must be submitted in behalf of a school situated in the United States. Answer must be submitted before January 25, 1905,

As the purpose of this competition is to show the breadth of the field covered by modern advertising, with each set of one hundred answers to the one hundred questions must be sent in one hundred printed advertisements, each one of which must be related to the subject of one of the questions.

Thus in addition to answering question No. 1, in regard to the proportion of water in the human body, it is necessary to send an advertisement relating to drinking-water, table-waters, distilled water, or some other closely related subject. This advertisement may be clipped from any periodical, and should be numbered “No. 1” to correspond with the question to which it refers.

The choice of these advertisements and their value as illustrating the answer will be considered in awarding prizes. Competitors may he glad to know that they can obtain either the advertisements or any information about them by writing to those who deal in the manufactured goods.

We repeat that assistance may be obtained from any one in answering the question. But each answer must be accompanied by a printed advertisement relating to its subject. This advertisement must be sent in complete. It is suggested that a slip of paper be gummed to the advertisement and that the question (which need not be copied on the slip) be answered thereon.

Thus, a set of competing answers would be as follows:

I. A statement signed by the teacher of the school that the answers are submitted on behalf of the school, giving its name and address,

II. A set of one hundred advertisements to each of which is attached a numbered answer to one of the hundred questions.