though I am not certain that it has arisen from any improvement in their school systems, yet it would be strange, after so much experiment, if they have not made some advancement. As to the first and last systems in Ohio, I have not sufficient knowledge to decide.

Mr. BROADHEAD-From your knowledge of our schools and school sys tem, is it, in your opinion, important that we undertake to improve either or both, and if so, how can we improve without change.

Mr. STONE-I do not stand here to be cross-questioned, still, I am willing to answer any reasonable questions. I do not expect our schools are perfect, and no doubt our system may in time be changed for the better.

A voice from the back part of the room-Will the speaker now proceed to describe a Wisconsin town superintendent.

Mr. STONE-My descriptive powers are at an end. I can only exhibit myself as a specimen.

Same voice-Was the speaker ever county superintendent in Ohio? CHAIRMAN-I hope no one will interrupt the speaker with unimportant questions.

Mr. STONE-I wish it distinctly understood that I do not stand here to oppose improvement. If gentlemen have any thing in that line, I hope they will come forward and speak.

Mr. BROADHEAD took the floor, but yielded to a motion to postpone the discussion for the performance of business.

After the transaction of said business the meeting adjourned one month. REPORTER.

[For the Journal of Education.]

MODE OF TEACHING.-No. 2.

WHEN a class have thoroughly read the primer in the manner described in the previous Number, let them begin the First Reader. It will be unnecessary to read backward while using this book. Give out the lesson, and tell the class that each one must be prepared to spell all the words ar. ranged in columns at the beginning of each exercise. Tell them to study the reading, so as to be able to relate the story after having read it.

If the lesson is short (as the first lessons in the First Reader usually are), let them read it through more than once, taking care that no scholar read the same portion twice. If time will permit, the class should read the first lessons a sufficient number of times, that each one may read all portions of it.

After they have finished reading the lessons assigned, and have spelled all the words arranged in columns, call upon some member of the class to stand up in his place, and relate the story he has just read. He should

first announce the title or caption, and then relate what he can remember of the story. If the first one called upon does not recollect all the ideas, or if he does (which not very often happens the first time), call upon some other member of the class to stand up and relate so much as he can recollect of the same story. Call upon two or three at each exercise in reading if time permits, so that each member of the class may have the benefit of this practice two or three times each week. If the class contains only three or four members all may relate the story each day.

This practice should be continued through the First and Second Readers, and, in fact, as long as a student pursues this branch as a daily exercise. A class in the First Reader will generally use the language of the book in giving their narrations, with which the teacher should find no fault. As they advance request them to give the ideas in their own language. They should do this very often while reading the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Readers. Be sure that every member of the class is able to stand before the school, or visitors, and give the principal ideas in each lesson before they leave it and take the next.

This manner of conducting classes in reading is of incalculable benefit. Small scholars are generally well pleased with this mode. After a very little practice, they are very anxious to be called upon to stand up and relate so much of the story as they can recollect, and they will take great pains to remember the whole. Young scholars are thus induced to spend a large amount of time in study, and that willingly. They will study the lesson over again and again, that they may relate every idea before the school..

Another great advantage is, they will not read mechanically. By diligent study they fix every idea in the mind, and will give the inflections as correctly as in their daily conversation. They will need but little instruction in regard to accent and emphasis, since having the idea in the mind nature causes them to accent and emphasize correctly.

Scholars instructed in this manner will never say, as too many in our public schools often say, "I know, but can not tell." They never imagine that any thing is well learned until they "can tell" all about it. They learn to regard the ability "to tell" as the only true test of their knowledge, considering that which they "can not tell," as that which they do not know. They never learn that there is a superficial way of studying the reading lesson, sometimes once over, and sometimes not at all, and then reading it in class once, and saying nothing more about it in any

manner.

Another important result is the habit of thorough study which is formed in youth, and will remain with the individual through life. He will ever atter be dissatisfied if he does not entirely comprehend whatever may be taken up. All his study will be for the purpose of obtaining information, and improving the intellectual powers, and not for the purpose of being considered a literary character.

The last advantage that I shall name is, scholars become able to think while standing on their feet. The diffidence which grown persons feel

while standing before a public assembly, is scarcely felt by the child When he begins the First Reader, he will soon stand before the school and relate what he has read without embarrassment. Sometimes, when a very interesting lesson has been read, the teacher may request the whole school to lay by their books, and give their attention, while some scholar gives the substance of it in in his own language. This should not be done too frequently. Thus scholars may be led on, first standing before the school, then before company, then in an exhibition, until they will be able to think just as well upon their feet, before a public assembly, as in the silent

room.

On account of the diffidence which large scholars feel when they stand before the school, if they have not been trained up in this practice, it is not best to compel them to perform this exercise. Some will do it willingly. It may be well to insist that all as far advanced as the Third Reader, should perform this duty. Teachers should take pains to have scholars take proper positions when they arise. They should stand erect with about an equal weight upon each foot. The head should not bend forward, nor fingers keep feeling of each other, nor of the clothes. Correct habits from the beginning is the only sure way. WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY, May, 1858.

E. M.

For the Journal of Education.

THE BEST METHOD OF TEACHING READING.

MR. EDITOR:-In the May Number of the Journal I was glad to see an article on the subject of teaching reading; and as you are desirous that teachers should write articles for the Journal, concerning the best methods of imparting instruction, I thought I would pen a few lines for the consideration of the teachers of Wisconsin.

I have for a long time waited for some one to speak of the best methods of teaching reading, but have as yet met with nothing that was satisfactory to me. I think that E. M.'s method is a very good one, and far superior to the common A B C method. It is a combination of the Ward Method of Mrs. Horace Mann, and the Classification Method of Mr. W. J. Swan, and I think that teachers would succeed with it better than they would with the common A B C method. But there is another method which is attracting much attention from educators in many parts of the country, and which all who have given it a fair trial, pronounce to be far superior to any other. I refer to the Phonetic Method of Teaching Reading. It has been described as follows:

"I have now been for five years a constant witness to the practical

operations of a mode of teaching reading which is of a higher order of excellence. In this mode primers and readers are employed, printed with an enlarged alphabet, containing from forty to forty-three letters, instead of our usual twenty-six. By this means a letter can be appropriated to each simple sound in the language; or if more than forty letters are employed, to each principal dipthong also; and each sound can be invariably represented by that one letter. These letters are not taught by name, but by their power, and the consequence is, that the moment the child has learned the phonetic alphabet, he can read any thing for himself printed in the phonetic type. The labor of learning to read phonotopy is absolutely nothing to an intelligent child who has been properly taught his phonetic alphabet. It is not repulsive, but exceedingly attractive. As chairman of our School Committee, I have been obliged to hear the complaints brought against us for introducing the phonetic print into the Waltham schools, and most of those complaints have really amounted to praise of the system.

"What shall I do, Mr. Hill, with my boy,' said an intelligent Irishman to me one day; 'before phonetic print was introduced into the school I could take some comfort in teaching him to spell, see, o, double-you, cow, and such simple words, but now he wont listen to it; he is crazy to be at his phonetic spelling, making such nonsensical work of it, saying k, ow— cow,* sh, oo-shoe. Every thing he sees he spells in the same nonsensical way, and is never tired of doing it; but real sensible spelling I can not teach him any longer-I wish you would forbid the teacher to use phonetic print.'

“I bid the man wait and hope, assuring him his boy was doing well; and a year or two afterward, inquiring of him how his son prospered in his schooling:

"Excellently,' said he, 'excellently, he can read and spell any thing in the world now.'

"Phonotopy is attractive and interesting to the majority of children, and they learn to read it without any compulsion. It furnishes, also the mears for a very perfect drill in articulation.

"The whole course of reading is a drill in pronounciation and enunciation. In other systems teachers can drill the pupil, but in this system neither teacher nor pupil can avoid the drill.

* * *

"It is, of course, essential to the success of the phonetic instruction that the children should not, while learning to read, be taught the common names of the letters. They must not learn that b is called bee as well as b, much less that g is called jee as well as g. The child ought to be strictly confined to the phonetic print until it becomes perfectly familiar to him, and he reads it with perfect fluency, before he is allowed to know any thing concerning the common print.

* As we have not phonetic type, we can not represent the sounds of these words as they should be.-ED.

"If this is done, the labor of teaching common spelling is reduced to its minimum. A child who can read phonetic print fluently, can read common print at sight, though at first with some difficulty. A few hours. however, will make it easy; simply because the two prints resemble each other.

"The transition can be made at any time by simply giving the phonetic scholar an interesting story, such as one of the Rollo books, printed in the common type.

"Spelling will then come by nature. The child will understand that in phonotopy alone, must he expect any fixed connection between spelling and sound. And the very oddity of common spelling, to which his phonetic drilling will forcibly call his attention, will make him remember the spelling. A child taught by the phonetic print first, invariably makes a better speller than one taught in the ordinary modes."-Rev. THOS. HILL, of Waltham, Mass., before the Ohio State Teachers' Association.

If these things are true, and it yet remains to be proven that they are untrue, ought not every teacher in the State to give the phonetic method of teaching reading a fair examination, and then do what he can for its introduction into our schools, if it meets his views on the subject.

I will say no more at present, but would ask that teachers would let us know through the Journal, what they think of this method; and if there are any who are not conversant with it, let them obtain the books or papers from which to obtain the necessary knowledge for forming an opinion one way or the other. A matter of so much consequence as the education of the rising generation ought to receive all the aid possible, and from every source; and if this method of teaching will aid in'the dissemination of knowledge, let us adopt it. A. M. MAY. RIPON, May, 1858.

For the Journal of Education.

THE TENDENCY OF INDUSTRY.

"INDUSTRY opens wide the eye, and makes it keen; quickens the dull ear, and stretches forth the hand, and imparts swiftness to the foot." The sentiments expressed above will find a response in many minds.

The industrious teacher whose eye is ever open to every avenue to impart instruction, whose ear is ever ready to catch the first lisp of "why" and "how," from the lips of his pupil; whose band is ever ready to supply, to the extent of his capacity, the wants of the growing mind; whose energies are all awakened to every means of improvement, will succeed in his efforts much better than one who is ever so well "educated," but lacks