lesson, to show how, at every step, the understanding should be developed.

To give you a more definite idea of what is meant by the last exercise mentioned, allow me to sketch the outline of one as it actually occurred.

The word telescope is in the lesson read.

QUESTION.-How many have seen a telescope? Several hands are raised. One says, "My father has one." One is now requested to describe it, and to tell what he knows about it. The word is then pronounced in concert, several times, analyzed phonetically, and spelled. Then, the first two syllables, tele, pronounced. Has any one seen a word that begins in the same way? Soon, a bright boy answers, telegraph. That is very curious. But there is a reason for beginning both these words, telescope and telegraph, in the same way. Both the things these words stand for have something to do with distance,—what is far off.

What did Charles do with the telescope?

The class answer, "Saw the steamboat away up the river." Away up! yes; that is it; or you might say,-(Class) "far up the river." Yes. Well, with the telegraph we write afar off. How many have seen the telegraph wire? Several hands are raised. These wires extend from Boston to cities hundreds of miles from us. A man can stand in Boston and write in New York. How many have seen an instrument for observing very small objects? Several hands are raised. What is it called? ANSWER." A microscope." ANSWER." A microscope." Pronounce the word together. Analyze it. Spell it. What is the last syllable? ANSWER.

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Scope." Yes. What is the last syllable of telescope? ANSWER.— Scope." Well, now, with both these instruments we do what? ANSWER." See something." Right; and this syllable, scope, means Can you think of some other word that has that syllable in it? The teacher who understands his business, will know when and how far to extend such exercises.

to see.

Such, gentlemen, are some of the means used to accomplish the objects of my visits.

Facts and Suggestions.-For reasons already alluded to, these will relate mainly to the Primary Schools.

The whole number of Primary Schools is 211. The average number of pupils in these schools, for the five months ending with the 31st of January last, was, boys, 6,731; girls, 6,002; total, 12,733; giving to each school an average of about 60 pupils.

The total average attendance for the same period, was 10,221, or a little more than 80 per cent. of the average whole number. This gives to each school an average attendance of a little less than fifty pupils.

The whole number of teachers is 211. The annual amount of the salaries paid to these teachers is $77,089.77.

A glance at these statistics is sufficient to show us the magnitude and importance of this branch of our system of public instruction. More than half of all the children educated at the public expense, are embraced in these schools, and nearly all the rest have gone out from them to enter the higher grade. The children of nearly the whole of our vast population are entirely dependent upon them for all the schooling they receive, during the first four years of their school-going life. Here the foundations are laid, either wisely and thoroughly, or otherwise; and if they are not well and firmly laid, the superstructure must partake of their imperfections. In every work, the first steps are the most important. Especially is this true in the business of education. Early impressions are the most permanent. The importance of early forming good habits, cannot be over-estimated. "The child is father of the man." Every educator should ponder this great truth. The child who has been carefully trained in the right way, for three or four years, can be kept in the right path afterwards with comparative ease.

It is well known that primary instruction has not received so much attention as the higher grades of teaching. This remark is believed to be emphatically true of this city. The Primary Schools have been comparatively but little affected by the various influences which have, for the past ten or fifteen years, operated powerfully for the advancement of schools of higher grades. Not but that they have made some progress. No doubt these schools now are better, in all respects, than at any previous period of their history. The teachers are better; the accommodations are better; the methods of teaching are better. In making the circuit of these schools, much was seen to approve; much that was gratifying and cheering. A very large proportion of the buildings occupied by them are, in most respects, excellent; they are such as even Boston may well be proud of. Many of the teachers possess a good degree of intelligence and energy, are earnestly devoted to their work, and are doing a vast amount of good. Some appeared to be very desirous of improving their qualifications for their difficult task, and others invited suggestions respecting the management and instruction. of their schools, and receive them gladly. I think a large majority would be disposed to co-operate cheerfully in any judicious plans for the general elevation of the standard of primary school instruction. On the other hand, I think a few still remain as teachers in these schools, who would object to almost any plan proposed, except that of increasing their compensation or diminishing their labors.

Having said this much in commendation of these schools, which I can say conscientiously, surveying them on their bright side, you will

doubtless expect me, after a thorough inspection of nearly the whole, to answer the all-important and practical question, whether they are in a satisfactory condition; or, in other words, whether they are doing all they ought to do, and they can do, for the right education of all the children in this city, between the ages of four and eight years.

To this question I must give a negative answer. And by this answer I by no means intend to imply any censure or disapprobation of the teachers of these schools, as a whole. I have already spoken explicitly on this point. I fully admit that they have done as well as could have been expected under the circumstances. Still, I firmly believe that the circumstances and arrangements of these schools might, with no great difficulty, and with no considerable increase of expense, be rendered far more profitable to the pupils, and far more agreeable to the teachers, as well as far more satisfactory to this Board and to the public. I am clearly of opinion that a great advance in the amount and quality of education in these schools is not only desirable but practicable, and that they might be and ought to be brought nearer to that standard of perfection which causes every pupil, by the influence of right motives, to do the right things at the right time and in the right manner.

I shall not attempt to exhaust so comprehensive a subject in this report. I have no room to describe in detail either the excellences or defects of this branch of our system. Nor, on the other hand, do I intend to indulge, for a moment, in vague and unprofitable generalities.

I propose, therefore, to specify three defects, which are common, in a greater or less degree, to all these schools, and which seem to include and comprehend almost all those minor faults and imperfections which we often have occasion to observe and correct.

The most important of these defects is the want of that kind of teaching which really educates; which imparts a knowledge of things, as well as of the forms and sounds of words, and which duly develops the various faculties of the mind,-training the pupil to right habits of thought, of feeling, and of action. This kind of teaching is not at all rare in our Grammar Schools, especially in the upper classes; but it is a remarkable fact, that it is, so far as I am capable of judging, but very little practised in our Primary Schools. In place of it, we have what is called "the rote system." The memory is almost the only faculty regarded, and only one element of that, viz.: the memory of words, while the memory of the understanding is seldom called into exercise.

In my visits, it was very uncommon to hear, in any of these schools, a single question or remark by the teacher which had any reference to the understanding of the children. In many cases, the reading was but little more than the mechanical pronunciation of an unknown tongue. There is a text-book in daily use in all these schools, entitled" Spelling

and Thinking Combined;" but in all the exercises in this book, I never saw the slightest evidence of any attempt at the combination indicated in the title.

Another general defect is the want of profitable employment for the children, especially in the lowest classes. Go into any of these schools at any time of day, and in nine cases out of ten, if not in forty-nine out of fifty, three-fourths of the pupils will be found without profitable employment. Thus the time of these children is wasted, for precious months and years in succession. But this great waste of time is not the only evil arising from this defect. Many bad habits are formed. The strength of the teacher which should be expended in teaching, is necessarily taxed to a great extent by the incessant vigilance and care requisite to keep these idlers out of mischief, and to secure some reasonable degree of stillness.

The third and last defect which I shall mention, is the want of a vigorous and efficient system of moral culture. I need not speak of the importance of this element in every system of instruction for the young. No one will deny or doubt that it should be regarded as the very corner stone. I would not be understood to say that there is not at present any good, healthful moral influence exerted in our Primary Schools; but I feel bound to say that the amount of moral culture and moral training bears no sort of proportion to what it ought to be.

Such are the three general and radical defects in our Primary Schools, to which I would respectfully, but earnestly, call the attention of this Board. To prevent misapprehension, I ought to state explicitly that there are a very few exceptional schools, in which these defects exist in a comparatively small degree.

Without attempting an exposition of the causes of these defects within the narrow compass of this report, I must content myself with a brief statement of what, upon careful deliberation, appear to be the best remedies.

1. A classification of all these schools. The superiority of the classified schools is very evident. The theory is sound. No doubt there are objections to it, as there are to every possible arrangement, but they are believed to be outweighed by the advantages gained.

2. Let every school be supplied with a stationary chair, a single desk, and one of Holbrook's slates, for each pupil. The slate should constitute a part of the school apparatus, never to be taken from the schoolThe desk should be constructed with a suitable aperture for the safe deposit of the slate. This is a necessary means for securing the right instruction and training of the pupils. These facilities will favor a proper physical development.

room.

3. Let a Manual be prepared, under the direction of this board,

which shall set forth the objects to be aimed at, the principles to be observed, and the methods to be used in all the Primary Schools.

4. Provide the requisite facilities and encouragements for the teachers to perfect themselves in the difficult art of teaching and governing a Primary School. This is by far the most important of the measures recommended; for, without it, the others, and all others that can be imagined, will avail comparatively little.

I regard it as a fixed fact, as certain as any thing that can be known, that all our Primary Schools can be brought up to the requisite standard of excellence only by insisting upon it as a thing indispensable, that every teacher, either before or after entering the service, shall be properly trained and instructed in the art of keeping a Primary School. The teacher makes the school; it is training that makes the teacher. First Quarterly Report of the Superintendent.-JOHN D. PHILBRICK.

This document, (report of the Superintendent,) interesting and instructive throughout, is especially valuable and suggestive in that part which treats of Primary Schools. Its recommendations in regard to these schools, some of which had already been adopted and partially introduced, were heartily approved by the board, and measures taken to carry them into execution as soon as practicable. In conformity with votes of the board the Superintendent is preparing a manual of primary school instruction, which is now nearly ready for publication. For some months past he has been holding, in different sections of the city, meetings of Primary School teachers, at which he has given lectures and practical illustrations of the art of teaching and rightly conducting a Primary School. Though not carried out to the full extent practicable, yet in some districts, where there are several Primary Schools kept in the same building or in close proximity, classification has been introduced by dividing the children according to their grade of scholarship, and putting those of each grade in a school by themselves. The objections which were thought to lie against this mode of classification have not been found, on experience, to be weighty, or worthy of serious consideration, while the benefits that were expected to flow from it have been abundantly realized. Seats with desks and Holbrook's slates have been introduced into several of the schools, and, in the course of the ensuing year, the order of the board on this subject will probably be executed.

In these and in other ways that need not be detailed, something has. been done for the benefit of the Primary Schools. The work of improvement has been commenced, and under the auspices of the board, the labors of the Superintendent, and the hearty co-operation of the teachers, will be carried forward with wisdom and vigor.