al

the poor-house and the prison, and end it on a arrangements for each day, an hour at which atgallows; that it is better to prepare men to fill tention shall be exclusively given to it. For this their own pockets honestly, than to tempt them purpose, the teacher must provide himself with to empty their neighbors' pockets dishonestly. some good treatise on moral philosophy, like If these are truths, the teacher has a most im- Wayland's or Parkhurst's, and selecting a porportant public duty to perform. If it be true tion, prepare himself for each lesson by careful that, to form the child, by daily instruction and study and thought upon some one particular daily training, to a regard for the laws of jus- point. These exercises need not, and should tice, integrity, truth and reverence, so that he not, occupy more than five or ten minutes. In this shall grow up mindful of the rights of others, a way the great cardinal duties may be more or good neighbor, a good citizen, and an honest less fully explained in the morning exercises of man, is better and more reasonable, than to leave ten or twelve weeks. him in these respects unformed or misled, and to to endeavor afterwards to correct his mistakes and enlighten his moral sense by the weekly instructions of the pulpit, and the influence of the laws of the land;-the teacher must give regular and systematic instruction in social duties. If these are truths, the teacher has a great work to perform. He has to lay deep the foundations of public justice. He has to give that profound and quick sense of the sacredness of right, and the everlasting obligation of truth, without which, law will have no sanctity, private contracts no binding force, the pulpit no reverence, justice no authority. If these are truths, and if it is a greater thing to form than to reform, it becomes all parents to look to it, what manner of men they have for their children's teachers.

The question recurs, How shall this moral instruction in social duties be given?

Cases are continually occurring, in every school, of the violation of these duties in the intercourse of the children with each other. These should never be allowed to pass without the lesson which they suggest. A boy may be easily made to understand, that if he injures the property of another, or defaces the school-house, he as really violates the law of property, as if he took money, since he subjects somebody to an expense, which is pecuniary, and also gives trouble; and if this were fully explained, such offences would cease to be so common. The same may be said of the petty thefts of books, pencils and pens. They are committed because the offender is not made to understand that they are of the same complexion as stealing the money, by which these articles were purchased. These are not small matters. A child allowed in the commission of such sins, will be in danger of going on, by imperceptible de grees, to those more considerable offences against property, against which is denounced the rigor of the law. It is found that great numbers of those boys, who are sent, by a decree of the courts, to the House of Reformation in Boston, for offences which subjected them to imprisonment, took their first lesson on the wharves, where they supposed they were not seriously violating property, by taking a little molasses from a cask, or a little coffee or sugar from a bag or box.

This teaching of moral truth by details is a duty of which any faithful Christian teacher is capable.

But moral instruction is too important to be left to the occasions that may occur in the business of the school, or to those that may be presented by the studies that are pursued. The moral sentiments are the highest of our faculties, and their education should form an integral part of the teacher's plan. Systematic moral in. struction can be given only by assigning, in the

The habit of self-examination should be enjoined upon the child. He may easily be taugh to ask himself, "Have I done what I ought?', and the habit of comparing himself with himself, of asking, "Have I done better? Have I made progress? Have I faithfully used my fac ulties? Have I availed myself, as I ought, of the opportunities which have been presented to me?" This habit may be substituted for the always questionable and often pernicious habit of comparing himself with others.

EMULATION.

This leads me to consider some of those practices which often prevail in school, which I regard as foreign from the cultivation of the moral sense, and sometimes even hostile to it; hostile, because they tend to give activity to those lower propensities which it is the office of the conscience to subdue and keep in subjection. One of them I have just alluded to. It is the practice of stimulating children to exertion, by mating them against each other, by exciting the spirit of rivalry. It is, perhaps, possible for this spirit to exist, in a generous soul, uncon nected with its natural allies, jealousy,envy and hatred. It is, doubtless, easy for one who has without difficulty surpassed all his rivals, to look down upon them with kindness and com. passion. But such are not the usual feelings of those who have been outstripped. Generous rivalry is the exception. It is idle and unphilosophical to say, such is human nature, and we must take it as we find it. We must not take it, at least we must not leave it, as we find it. The very object of education is to improve the character of the individual; and this it must do by fostering the good and repressing the bad tendencies. Whoever will carefully observe the operation of the spirit of rivalry, will find that it is usually accompanied by a desire to pull down the rival, to detract from his merits, to depreciate his virtues. There are few who hear with pleasure the praises of a rival, and still fewer who cordially rejoice in his success. I would, therefore, discourage the spirit of rivalry, because of its tendency to excite the contentions and malignant passions, which, it seems to me, the whole force of my influence should be directed to repress.

FLOGGING.

Another practice, formerly not uncommon, seems to be founded on a mistaken view of the human character. I mean the attempt to subdue a child of an irritable and violent temperament by violence, by the rod, by brute force. If violence is to be used in school in any case, it is not in this. The remedy exasperates the disease. One who had an infinite insight into the human heart, has told us to overcome evil with good

And is savage severity, is cruelty, are blows the now-a-days to ears polite, to talk of authority, good wherewith you would overcome the evil of and command an injunction. We must pera passionate temper, in a spoilt or perverse suade, and invite, and win. Respect for law is child? Do gentleness, mildness, forbearance, hardly sufficient to insure the infliction of its grow up under such influences as these? If your severer penalties. Thus the restraining influobject is to strike terror, to wreak vengeance, or ence of fear is ineffectual where most needed. to produce a seeming submission, these are Penalties, being too much dreaded by the inno doubtless very suitable means. But the fruit of cent are, for that very reason, too little dreadseverity is obduracy of cruelty, hatred-of ed by the guilty; who soon learn to avail themblows, resistance, or duplicity and cringing ser-selves of the protecting shield that overstrained vility, the characteristics of a slave. mercy casts before them.

Let me not be misunderstood. I would not take the rod out of the teacher's hands. It may be absolutely necessary to enforce authority, and authority must be enforced. But I would remind the teacher that the only sure foundation for authority is justice; the only thing absolutely irresistible is kindness;

"An earthly power does then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice."

The present is an age remarkable for the ascendency of sympathy over the sterner virtues. Kindness, powerful, overwhelming in its proper sphere, has assumed a false position; has stepped beyond the limits of its legitimate control, and, having wrought such mighty magic with human misery and guilt through the benevolent labors of Howard, Fry, Dix, and a host of others less widely known and equally deserving Another way in which morality is to be taught seems almost ready to be crowned the omnipois, by example and influence. And this is the tent regenerator of the race, to purge the heart most effectual and indeed the only effectual from sin and sanctify it unto holiness. But, in teaching. It is in vain that you will con our admiration of the efficacy of one agent, we the moral lesson, in vain will you preach must not despise or overlook the value of others. homilies upon virtue and goodness ;-unless the Kindness cannot supply the place of authority, heart speaks, the words are uttered in vain.-nor gratitude that of submission. I admit that The first care of the teacher, then, is with his the easiest, and where the doctrine of subordi own character, his own heart, his own life. nation is not questioned, the best way to gain a What he is teaches. Let him not think to flat-compliance with our wishes is, to allure to it by ter himself, and cajole others, by saying he might teach morals if he would. He must, he will, he does teach, whether he will or not. If he is really interested in the subject, if his moral sentiments are in a state of healthy activity, his whole deportment will declare it; not only his words, but the tone in which he utters them, his eye, his features, his step, every thing will speak the deep feelings which pervades his inmost breast. He will earnestly seek for modes to bring his principles to act upon his pupils, and he will find

them.

If he be immoral, his immorality will teach. In spite of himself, it will teach. The profane word, the proud look, the impatient movement, the harsh expression, the violent tone, the inde cent gesture-cach will teach its own bad lesson. The foul breath of the drunkard teaches no less really than his foul language.

If he be of a character which the Great Teacher declares to be farther from the kingdom of heaven than either, if he be indifferent-if he care for none of these things, his very lukewarmness teaches. To say by one's actions that the great law of justice is of no consequence, that the love of our neighbor is of no consequence, that the reverence and worship of the Infinite Father are of no consequence-this is to teach selfishness, injustice, impiety.-Emerson.

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.

Upon what shall school discipline be based? I answer unhesitatingly, upon authority as a starting point. As the fear of the Lord is the beginning of divine wisdom, so is the fear of the law, the beginning of political wisdom. He who would commandeven, must first learn to obey. That implicit obedience to rightful authority must be inculcated and enforced upon children, as the very germ of good order in future society, no one who thinks soundly and follows out principles to their necessary results, will presume to deny. Yet, it is quite offensive

kind treatment and agreeable manners; but I deny that such compliance is any test of the spirit of obedience. True obedience is a hearty response to acknowledged authority. It does not voluntarily comply with a request, but implicitly yields to a command.

It is common to sneer at this idea of subjuga. tion, and to call it "breaking the will," and destroying the free spirit; and we often hear and even approve the proud boast, "You may coax, but you cannot drive me." This bespeaks strong impulse, and so far promises well for the individual; but when said with reference to rightful command, it indicates a will impatient of rational restraint; it means, "I am weak enough to be wheedled by your arts, but have not the strength of purpose to subject my will to your authority;" in other words, "I ack. nowledge that my principle is the victim of my feeling; that it is safer to appeal to my caprice, than to my good sense." An eloquent writer (Rev. J. Abbott,) of the highest authority remarks:

"The first step which a teacher must take, I do not mean in his course of moral education, but before he is prepared to enter that course, is to obtain the entire, unqualified submission of his school to his authority. We often err when designing to exert a moral influence, by substituting throughout our whole system persuasion for power; but we soon find that the gentle winning influence of moral suasion, however beautiful in theory, will often fall powerless upon the heart, and we then must have authority to fall back upon, or all is lost. I have known parents whose principle it was, not to require anything of the child, excepting what the child could understand and feel to be right. The mother, in such a case, forgets that a heart in temptation is proof against all argument; and I have literally known a case where the simple question of going to bed, required a parental pleading of an hour, in which the mother's sto

ries of rhetoric and logic were exhausted in vain. Teachers sometimes too, resolve that they will resort to no arbitrary measures. They will explain the nature of duty, and the happiness of its performance, and expect their pupils to love what is right without bringing in the authority of arbitrary command. But the plan fails. However men may differ in their theories of human nature, it is pretty generally agreed by those who have tried the experiment, that neither school nor family can be preserved in order by eloquence and argument alone. There must be authority. The pupils may not often feel it. But they must know that it is always at hand, and the pupils must be taught to sub. mit to it as to simple authority. The subjec-out being first instructed in the natural rights of tion of the governed to the will of one man, in such a way that the expression of his will must be the final decision of every question, is the only government that will answer in school or in family. A government not of persuasion, not of the will of the majority, but of the will of the one who presides."

to enforce the claims of unjust law. It thwarts directly the proper tendencies of human nature, and stays its advancement. It awakens in its original elements, the instinctive murmurings of displeasure, or the shout of defiance. The proper relations of men in civil society are disturbed by it, their rights infringed upon, and the ends of government defeated. It is the object of constitutional law to guard these relations and rights. In the education of the young, the rights of man should be thoroughly understood. This is a fundamental doctrine in a free government. No one can be truly free, who is not well versed in it. No American youth should be allowed to come to the oath and office of a freeman, withman, upon which the government is based. It is only by the knowledge of human rights, that he can be taught what are anarchy and tyranny. Without a knowledge of these, he cannot even understand what is liberty. There can be no good government without a regard to these rights. The natural rights of man are his social, It being conceded, however, that authority his civil, and his moral rights. They are the must not be denied, a beautiful plan is contriv. rights of man associated, man morally related, ed for escaping its exercise, by adroitly evading in civil society. Hence Burke asserts political all occasions for its use. Always tell children reason to be a computing principle, adding, subto do what they like to do, and you will not tracting, multiplying, dividing morally, not metneed authority. In this way, at least, it may aphysically nor mathematically, true moral debecome obsolete. Make everything easy and nominations. If it be thus a computing princi pleasant and amusing, and you will have noth- ple, why should it not stand in our systems of ing to contend with. I answer, it is not possi- education, with other computing principles? ble to make the path of duty always pleasant Why should not our youth be taught a scrupuin itself, either to men or children. To love lous regard to the rights of men, the first princiduty simply as duty, is a high moral attainment. ple in the philosophy of civil and religious libHowever true it may be, that a thing ceases to erty? It is a truth, which some republican amuse when it ceases to instruct, the reverse Americans seem never fully to have understood, surely is not true, that there can be no instruc- that restraint, to a certain degree, is the soul of tion without amusement. Education should in- liberty. "Liberty," says Fisher Ames, 66 condeed aim to give us the art of making an sists, not so much in removing all restraint from amusement of our business; but it should warn the orderly, as in imposing it on the violent. It us against the fatal error of attempting to make is founded in morals and religion, whose autho a business of our amusement. Since its influ-rity reigns in the heart. And it cannot exist ences are artificial aud reforming, it does not without habits of just subordination." Liberty, merely follow impulses and inclinations, but chiefly resists, and corrects, and trains. Its legitimate sphere is, to help nature follow out the processes of art, to profit by past experience, and to train the mind to investigate principles and resolve things into their constituent elements. The school is to fit us for the world; and life is more a season of discipline than amusement. Discipline is the rule; pleasure the exception.-[J. Hale.

then, is a correlative of right. A man can have no more liberty than he has right. If he has less, and neither knows nor feels it, he becomes, so far, a slave. If his heart has no longings for it,

if it be lost to the love of liberty, through igno rance, it ought to be pitied, but it must be pronounced fit only for a slave's bosom.

But in the authority of law, as well as in its source and end, should our youth be instructed. There is a tendency in the young, where all feel themselves governors, to spurn authority, to WHAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT. dash down the barriers it may raise in their way. "THE first duty," says De Tocqueville, They should be taught, that in authority, next "which is at this time imposed on those who di- to the Deity, law is supreme. The voice of the rect our affairs, is to educate the democracy, to people, when riotously lifted up against it, is as warm its faith, if that be possible, and to purify impotent to silence it, as to hush the voice of its morals." For this education of the democ- the Almighty. The supremacy of law is emiracy the time is obviously youth, and the place nently a principle of republicanism. In this conthe school-house. A despot may govern without sists the protection of the weak against the enfaith in the governed. But a free people cannot croachments of the strong. By this, in the congovern themselves without it. If the physical flicts of party and of opinion, the majority are as tie be relaxed, the moral one must be strength implicitly bound as the minority. Republican ened,"must be strengthened by faith in jus-liberty is not, therefore, to do and say only what tice. Justice is power, and, in a free constitu- the voice of the people will allow, but it is to do tion, the only efficient policy. Injustice is weak and say what the law will allow. The law is ness. A policy, containing an essential princi- as obligatory on the whole body of the people, ple of injustice, is so far an imbecile policy. The as on the least fractional part of it. It binds author of nature has deposited nowhere in the them when excited, no less than when calm. universe a moral power, that can be employed | Passion is no apology for lawlessness. Our se

curity consists in deeply imbuing the minds of the young with the true spirit of our free constitution,-in a reverence for the authority of law, and a submission to its restraints.-[Lawrence.

RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHERS.

A national peculiarity which imposes upon American teacher a higher responsibility than rests upon those of any other country, lies in the genius and character of our institutions. These add responsibility to the business of teaching by rendering popular education more necessary and more effective. The mass of the people here are closely and actively identified with all the machinery and operations of society. Each man is part and parcel of the nation independently and efficiently; in his own per son a pillar of the state, not the prop of a pillar merely; a portion of the strength and essential life of the community as a self-controlling individual. Each citizen here holds a higher place still. He is a part of the government. He is a depository of power; controls others and influences public affairs. He makes himself heard and felt, in the school district, in town and city movements, in the affairs of the congregation and pulpit, in the court of justice, in the councils of his state, in the supreme legislature of the nation. Thus he is a constituent portion of the supreme power; an associate sovereign. The little school, "side yon straggling fence," is a seminary of sovereigns. Porular education, it will be seen, is more active and valuable here than under any other government in the world; produces its effects as no where else, in every place of influence from the top to the bottom of society, and effects thus the entire interests of the people. Assuredly, teaching in this country rises to a business of the greatest possible responsibility.

It is a matter of deep regret that pecuniary reward has been so stinted and reluctant; to the great injury of education, as well as discouragement of teachers. But let instructors be remin ded that, in the dignified character and excel. lent influences of their employment, there is presented a nobler inducement to duty. The high-minded and concientious cannot fail to feel its power. Says Lord Brougham, "However averse by taste or habit to the turmoil of public affairs, or the more ordinary strifes of the world, instructors in all quiet and innocence may enjoy the noblest gratifications of which the most aspiring nature is susceptible." Vulgar ambi. tion seeks to sway multitudes of men, and influence widely the operations and interests of society. The successful teacher of children estab. lishes a far nobler, wider, surer empire. He influences mind; mind that will wake and mould mind again. The intelligence which he communicates is itself communicable. Every intellect which he instructs, becomes an instructor of a cluster of pupil intellects gathered round it. These last become points and sources of education to greater numbers, and these to greater numbers still, until quickly the calculation of numbers baffles our arithmetic and even our imagination. The humblest teacher, if he could pass along with his own influence as it should pur. sue its widening course onward, though he would never need to weep for another world to conquer, would one day see greater numbers reached by his power than ever bowed to him

of Macedon. Let teachers feel entirely satisfied with their employment; it is worthy the ambition of the greatest men.

School-masters of America, appreciate the high motives and encouragements thrown around you, Up! to your high vocation. Your country now is the brightest place which the world hath,-make it a brighter one still! Kindle up a light in it which shall shine more and more brilliantly on, until all nations come and walk in it; a light that shall wax more and more heavenly, until it mingle well with the glories of eternity.-[White.

THE EMPLOYERS: THE TEACHER.

It may be true of us, as of many other easy, quiet people, that having erected our schoolhouses, voted a round sum of money and chosen our committees, we fold our arms and rest satisfied that we have discharged our whole duty. This is but the commencement; there is much that money cannot buy and deputies cannot effect. We must manifest a deep and constant interest in the daily progress of our children; we must supply them with all necessary books, and send them regularly and seasonably to school; we must encourage the backward and stimulate all to greater exertion; we must visit the school and give a kind word of commendation to the faithful instructor, and an equally kind word of admonition to the less faithful, to the inexperienced and unskilful. Let our children know that we esteem and respect the instructor for his work's sake, and let no distrust or reproach of ours diminish the confidence which all pupils should entertain for those who have the care of them.

It is important that children should make sure, rather than rapid progress; that they should be well established and grounded in elementary rules. The inquiry should be, not how much space has been gone over, but how well has the work been performed. There is no part of school education more important than reading; it lies at the foundation of all good learning, and I have not wondered that a teacher, distinguished for his practical common sense and long experience, whose bones now lie mouldering near our principal village, should have written for his epitaph

"I TAUGHT LIttle childreN TO READ;" for, in teaching a boy to read correctly and understandingly, you place in his hand the key of all human knowledge, and with ordinary curiosity, and the ordinary means of gratifying it, he will not fail to unlock the casket and appropriate to himself treasures more valuable than sparkling gems and glittering gold.

If in the various walks of this wide world there be a person who deserves sympathy, encouragement and approbation, it is the patient, faithful, devoted, successful instructor. Children should be taught to love, esteem and obey him, for he is their best earthly friend; parents should sustain, aid, encourage and respect him, for while they are laboring to provide for their children food and raiment and other necessaries which perish with the using, he is toiling to furnish them with durable riches which shall qualify them for usefuness here, and for greater happiness hereafter.-Mass. Common School Report.

TO COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.

By a resolution of the state convention of county superintendents, held at Syracuse in April last, the next session of the convention was di. rected to be held at Poughkeepsie. on the int Wednesday of Aprit next.

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fact that in the greater part of the counties of the state new superintendents have been ap. pointed, the present incumbents of that office are respectfully requested to communicate their views in reference to the proposed change to the department, at as early a period as may be practicable, in order that notice may be given of the time and place of holding the convention in the next number of the Journal, together with the names of those in favor of and opposed to such re-consideration and designation.

THE TEACHER: THE SCHOOL.

HOW TO TEACH READING. [By C. PIERCE, Teacher of the Normal School, at West Newton, Mass.]

From the first lesson, be careful to question your pupils, and talk to them much about what they read. In this way form in them the habit of attention. You can hardly do thered such a service a habit of fixing the attention deeply and inten'ly upon what is read, has acquired a pow. There are many strong reasons rendering it de-er of far more value to him than the strongest sirable that if possible a re-consideration of this vote should be had, and the place of meeting changed to the city of Albany. The department is compelled annually to expend a large sum of money in forwarding to the several county and town superintendents, and to trustees and other offi. cers of school districts, copies of the laws and instructions relating to common schools, annual reports of the superintendents and blank forms for the use of the various officers connected with the system. This heavy item of expense would be wholly saved, if the several county superintendents would charge themselves with the transportation and delivery of these documents, when they come together in convention.

The presence also of the legislature, and the State Normal School, together with the facility of access to and communication with the depart ment, constitute, it is believed, very great in. ducements for the proposed meeting at this city, at the period specified and the advantages af forded by the several daily papers here pub. lished, and which, through the aid of practical and skilful reporters, would be able to disseminate in every section of the state, the proceedings of the convention, must obviously enhance the interest which cannot fail to be felt in its deliberations.

In view of all these circumstances, and of the

verbal memory. By once reading a piece, he will put himself in possession of all the principal ideas it contains. Not only put questions, but let the scholars state what they remember with. out being questioned. Exercise them in giving abstracts and analyses of what they have read. Do this from the very beginning. As you commence with words, every lesson will afford you something to talk about, and thus make the exercise in every stage of it, an intellectual affair, And I will add, though spelling is not my subject now, immediately after reading, let your pupils spell the words in the lesson; at least as soon as they have become familiar with the letters and their powers, or sounds. The words for spelling should be taken from the reading les son, and not from the spelling book; for they should be words with which children are famíliar, and can associate an idea, and not mere arbitrary sounds. As soon as possible make spelling a written exercise, for the object is to learn to write the language. In prac'ical life we are seldom called upon to spell orally.

In reading, let me reiterate the injunctiongive no place either to the nasal. drawling, twanging, or the hurried, slurring, indistinct utterance, which is so common in schools. It is ungraceful and unnatural. Many adults, as well as children, who speak well, can read with no