Resident Editor's Department. AN ACT CONCERNING COM. SCHOOLS. --We call the attention of the Chairmen and members of the County Boards and all other School Officers, to "an act" which will be found under "Common School Department," passed by our Legislature, during its last session, "concerning Common Schools." There are several sections of this act which claim the attention of teachers and committees, as well, of those to whom it is sent, by law. Let teachers of Common Schools attend particularly to Sec. 4. We hope that all the chairmen and members of county boards of superintendents, and also district committees, will examine Sec. 6. This section al lows the Beards to subscribe for a copy of the Journal for each districtor school in their respective counties, and where the Board is not disposed to furnish it to all the schools in the county, any district committee may require the chairman to subscribe for it, for the use of their school. From the last report of the general Superintendent, we find that more than fifty counties report a balance in the hands of chairmen of one thousand dollars and upwards: and in more than twenty counties the balance is from three thousand to eight thousand dollars. Now where there is a large balance in the hands of the chairman, the schools of the county may be furnished this additional means of improvement, with out deducting any thing from the amount paid out for regular instruction. But suppose that the one dollar, per annum, required to furnish the Journal to each district, must be taken from the amount usually paid to teach ers, the term of the school will not be shortened more than one day, at most, in the year, and will not the benefit arising from the monthly visits of the Journal, far more than compensate for the loss of one day's instruction? The teacher will be stimulated by reading the opinions, plans and experience of others, to improve himself, and will then be enabled to impart more instruction in the same time. The pupils, having also the privilege of reading the Journal, will have their minds awakend to the importance of education, and will feel new interest in their school. We are sure that this wise provision of the Legislature will not be allowed to prove useless for want of attention, on the part of the most of our county chairmen, and we hope very soon to hear from many of them on the sub ject. THE EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION.We hope, in the next No. of the Journal, to arnounce the time and place of holding the next annual meeting of the State Educational Association. It is generally understood that it will meet in the eastern part of the State, but the "Exccutive Committee" have not yet decided between the claims of the several places from which they have received cordial invitations. This will afford the teachers and other friends of education, in other portions of the State, a good opportutunity of visiting the east, and of becoming acquainted with their eastern brethren. Such meetings will do much good, not only by advancing the cause of education, but also by helping to banish from our minds those sectional of counties. Our school system canFeelings, which the geographical sec- not accomplish the end for which it tions of our State have a tendency to was established, so long as its officers foster. May the day soon come, when fail to perform important duties, and we will all be united, in feeling and in duties required of them by the very action, when whatever is for the inter- law under which they receive their est of North Carolina, will be felt to appointment. It would be well to be for the interest of every part of make the re-election of any Chairman, the State. who fails to forward his annual report to the General Superintendent, illegal, unless he can show good reasons for such failure. QUERIES. The following queries have been sent by one of our Board of Editors. Who will send replies? MATHEHATICAL QUESTIONS.-One so We believe that our grammarians generally supply het 'indefinite pronoun'lution only, of the Question in the last called for, in the second query, by using he, deprived of its gender, and thus avoid the manifest inaccuracy of using they as a "pronoun in the singular number." Yet the frequent occurrence of this error, both in speaking and writing, shows that there is room in our language for such a pronoun. Query.-Can any one tell when Its, the possessive case of the pronʊun it, came into use in English: it is not found in the Bible, but his, is found in its place. Query.-Can any one invent an indefinite pronoun in the singular number, neither masculine nor feminine? We need one very much. A speaker says. "some one told me, so and so;" or "did thus and so," and then goes on "they did something else;" refer ring to some one," for want of a singular indefinite. What can be done to remedy this defect in our language? No., has been received, and as that does not answer the conditions of the question, we do not publish it. We hope that teachers who feel an interest in such things, will send us original questions, and we would prefer that a solution should accompany each question, as it will save us some trouble. VISITING SCHOOLS.-How many of our county chairmen visit the schools of their respective counties, to inquire into their condition, and encourage the teachers and pupils to make greater efforts for improvements? The people of every county should see that they have an intelligent and energetic chairman, aided by a board of superintendents who will second his efforts for improving the character of the schools. It should be the duty of this chairman to visit every school REPORT OF THE GENERAL SUPERIN- in the county, at least once during the DENT FOR 1858.-We gave in the Feb- year, and to make a full report to the ruary No., under the head of "Com- board. He will thus become acquaintmon School Department," an extracted with the teachers and be better from this Report, showing the condi- able to judge of their qualifications; tion of the Common Schools, during no examination can furnish half so the last year, as indicated by the re- good a test as this visit to the schoolports of the Chairmen of the various room. There can be seen his method counties. We are sorry to see that no of imparting instruction as well as his reports were received from a number knowledge of the branches to be taught. 1 A man of the right sort will be able, by this means, to make a vast improvement in the schools of his county, in a few years. But it may be replied "the people have nothing to do with the matter," since the appointing power is not in their hands. It should be remembered however, that all power is derived from the people, that all officers are their servants, and that, when they speak out in a proper manner, their voice must be heard and their wishes will be obeyed. ELEMENTS OF GEOLOGY.-By David Page. A. S. Barnes & Co., N. Y. This important and interesting study is claiming, more and more, the attention of teachers, but most of the text-books on the subject, so far as we have seen them, are not adapted to the wants of Academies and Female Seminaries. A careful examination of this book inclines us to the opinion that it will meet the wants of the teachers of such schools. THE NEW LIBER PRIMUS.---A practical companion for the Latin Grammar, and introduction to the reading and writing of Latin; on the plan of Crosby's Greek Lessons, Anonymous, John P. Jewett & Co., Boston. DISTRICT LIBRARIES.-We would like to know what has been done toward forming district libraries; and also what progress the teachers of the various counties have made in getting up teachers' libraries. Information on this or any other subject, relating to the schools of your county or neigh-simply refer to the article of a correspondent entitled "A Married Book." borhood, will be thankfully received. TO THE BOARD OF EDITORS.-We will be glad to hear from those members of the board who have sent us nothing, as yet. A few are doing their part well, and we hope all will try to help us as much as possible. BOOK TABLE. BARNARD'S AMRRICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.--We have received the March No. of this valuable quarterly, but have not had time to examine its contents. The subscription price is $4, but we will furnish it to any one, who will send us a club of five new subscribers, at $3. Send your list and $8, if you wish to possess one of the best educational works in the world. Instead of speaking of the merits of this little companion of Andrews & Stoddard's Latin Grammar, we will 66 "GE ET THE BEST." WEBSTER'S QUARTO DICTIONARY. Ask for Webster Unabridged. A man who would know everything, or anything, as he ought to know, must own Webster's large Dictionary.' It is a great light, and he that will not avail himself of it must walk in dark ness. Every young housekeeper should lay it in, to occupy the place which was formerly filled with decanters and wine glasses. Every farmer should give his sons two or three square rods of ground, well prepared, with the avails of which they may buy it. Every mechanic should put a receiving box in some conspicuous place in the house; to catch the stray pennies for the like purpose. Lay it upon your table by the side of the Bible-it is a better expounder than many which claim to be expound ers. Published by G. & C. MERRIAM, Springfield, Mass-sold by W. L. Pomery, Raleigh, and all booksellers. THE NORTH-CAROLINA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. VOL. II. APRIL, 1859. No. 4. THE TEACHER AS TO HIS WRONGS. Mr. Editor:-Some things may be done and the doer be a better man by the performance. But whether a man can be a successful teacher, in the common acceptance of that term, and remain an honest man, is, to say the least, problematical. You will be star-wards the humblest cobbler. tled at this assertion; but before I am done with the subject if I do not lead your mind to a definite conclusion, I will leave it in a state a perplexity. I promised in a previous number to point out some of the wrongs of the teach straction of the subjects upon which he has begun his labor! The pupil is removed with no more reflection and compunction than if the Teacher were a mere machine. Such rudeness and injustice are not often practiced to er. The teacher has been described as a man of noble bearing and finely attuned sensibilities. If he is this, then harshness and hard treatment must grate harshly on his nerves. Entering upon his relation, he must feel himself responsible for its duties. To instruct, to train, to fit for present and future duties, are among the works expected of him. He has to deal with all that relates to man, as man moral, mental and physical. These powers must each and all be developed, if he do his work aright. When he has his material at hand, and begins understandingly his work, how often is the whole dispoiled by rude ab No one, after having entrusted material to the shoe-maker, and he had blocked out his leather and had it ready for the last, would feel justified to seize the leather and say you shall not make my shoes. This homely illustration may remind you of the kind of treatment. I will dwell no longer on this feature of his wrongs, than to point out some of the results to which it directly leads. The Teacher is a man of sense, and his daily bread may depend upon his vocation, and it may be the comfort of his family bas to be considered. (A family man, other things being equal, is the best teacher). As a man of sense he must begin to be a man of policy, to prevent the rude treatment to which he knows Teachers are liable. His bread, his character, his position, are all measured by his pol 98 North-Carolina Journal of Education. [April, icy, and if he be not politic, (I | While a crowd stand ready to flat will use no harder word,) his ma- Just think for a while of the temptations to which he is exposed. If he is an honest man, he must and he will, if in his power, give an equivalent for all he receives. If he is truthful; and he must be so to be a good teacher, he will tell the whole truth to his patrons and pupils. But dare he do this? ter his majesty, the public, and with most gracious smile, say we are your humble servants; and to young America, they are as pliant and flexible as the waving grain under the passing winds. The universal cry is humbug the people. They love it. Blow your horns each for himself. Noise! Noise! Noise! Schools! Schools! Schools! We are on hand, give us, your sons and daughters, we will make young gentlemen and ladies of them at the shortest notice. These are the outlines; fill up the picture, from your knowledge of things around you. It is no fancy sketch but is drawn from life. Now, sir, with these evidences before you, tell me, if what is regarded as the successful teacher in the present state of public sentiment, is not very likely a hum upon the present, and a grievous wrong to the coming generation? This perhaps is as much as you and your readers will tolerate at present. The case is stated, only in part is it reviewed. You are enough in your senses to see and deplore the state of things as they exist. If he would have, and continue to have; the patronage of many; he must flatter patrons and pupils. He must say to parents in substance, you have the brightest, most hopeful of sons and daughters, and the whole country would be honored in their education, and I understand them and know their capabilities a little better than you yourself, and much bet-bug, a cheat, a stupendous fraud ter than any body else. To the hopeful sons and daughters he must be obliging to a degree,not daring to oppose their errors, correct their foibles, nor punish their crimes. These alternatives are before him. If he do the things that will insure "success" (and he can do them.) what becomes of his truth less and honesty? What has gone with his self respect? sold in most cases for bread. The temptation and necessity of the case have proved too strong for a large majority of successful teachers. Hence the statement at the outset. He who is proof against seduction in this form, will most likely number his patrons at the tip of his fingers, and see in the old Athenean Teacher, a type of his own position. I know a few, a select few, that will not bow to these influences. You know that the modesty and manliness of the true teacher will not suffer him to huzza for every novelty, nor permit him to become clamorous for public patronage. I am not disposed to complain, if the politic teacher avenges occasionally the wrongs done to the really meritorious ones, by making his majesty, the public, bleed freely, when he has yielded to him his ears and his confidence. If only the present generation were to suffer, I would say suck him strong, draw to fainting. Majest |