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doing well in all his work because he must always do his best, he will be pretty likely to keep his eyes always looking heavenward. True, the outlook does not appear very bright when a teacher has a few scores of babies sent to her the moment they are five years old, to get them out of the way of their loving mothers; but perhaps schools are not all equally bad in this respect, and the teacher will always have some material with which she can see good results follow faithful work. I know a teacher who would ask his scholars to give him the line of argument by which they would prove a proposition in geometry, before he sent them to the board to demonstrate after the manner of the book. I thought he was helping to develop and strengthen their characters in more ways than one. If a teacher is a thinker he can find some way to do the same thing, in effect, even for small children. The weary or discouraged teacher should take heart; should try to teach by what he is as well as by what he says and does. In all · work, it is better to say it may be than "it might have been."-Educational Weekly.

THERE

THE STUDY OF NATURAL SCIENCE.

HERE is something about the term science, as generally recognized, that repels the mass of men. A scientist is conceived of as a recluse, who does not at all concern himself with the affairs of his fellows, but who grows more or less insane over some rare beetle, or some microscopic weed, the name of which is in excess of its importance. When we remember, however, that sociology is a science, as well as zoology; that mechanics and astronomy are sciences; and that even music claims the title and has its professors, we will feel relieved of that prejudice which enshrouds the term.

Science should not repel; it is the teacher's fault, or there is something wrong in the mental constitution of the pupil, if it does. Its grandest discoveries, its most beautiful harmonies, its most startling facts, can be placed before the student in such a manner that, with ordinary appreciation, he will approach them with pleasure. Any one can be an observer; any one can treasure up facts; but it requires the mind trained to accurate study and patient investigation, and well acquainted with the literature of the subject, to arrange the data in their proper sequence, and to generalize upon the results.

The young student should avoid theorizing, lest he expose himself to the criticism of those older observers who are presumably better acquainted with science. He should not court censure, nor, on the other hand, fear to speak the truth. Proper caution should not preclude original research. A truth can wait its time of revelation; it is better to publish it as an entire truth than to have it hung about with errors. A student, or a learned society even, should seek not so much to reveal the marvelous as to clearly explain the ordinary.

Perhaps the naturalist, like the poet, is “born, not made." Certainly there is a predisposition, in some individuals and in some gifted families, to pursue the study of nature, (witness the Decandolles and the Humboldts, the Agassizs, the Darwins, the Danas,) but there are few to whom the impulse to know creation does not come in some form or other. The first knowledge that we gain is of surrounding things. Abstract things follow at a long distance, when the mind

is matured by experience, and the moral nature deepened and developed The child sees a fly or a mouse, and his interest is at once awakened. The first impulse-at least in an American child—is to touch it; this is the first step toward knowing something about it, for this natural instinct to tactile investigation is not so bad, after all. Every healthy child has a large fund of curiosity, leading him to seek information either through personal inspection or by inquiry of the experienced. The intelligent parent or careful teacher at once seizes upon this opportunity to inculcate a lesson. If he can conceal the fact that it is a lesson, and yet convey the information desired in a clear and pleasant manner, his pupil is apt to treasure the newly-acquired knowledge, and to make it the basis for further inquiry.

The study of nature soon becomes fascinating; we learn to watch the industrious ants, as they build their temples more wonderful than the Pyramids; we chase the gilded butterfly over meadow and brook; and learn the secret of the squirrel's hiding place and the winter residence of the muskrat. We hunt in the forest for the modest flowers, which hide away from all but their true lovers, and their haunts are revealed to us, and their beauty rewards us. New facts are constantly presenting themselves; the subject is never exhausted. The most distinguished naturalist has hardly advanced beyond the first letters of that alphabet the symbols of which are innumerable. Maybe eternity itself will not discover to us all the beauty which clothes the boundless universe.—New England Journal of Education.

GOOD ORDER.

[CONCLUDED.]

BY PROF. S. T. LOWRY, OWENSBORO, KY.

HEY must be made to feel that the infliction of some sort of penalty is sure

the certainty of punishment that accomplishes the desired result. The difference in order in different rooms is a difference in the habit of the pupils, and their habits are formed, in a great measure, by the teacher, for, whether good or bad, they have resulted from a repetition of acts which the teacher has encouraged or permitted. If they are disorderly habits, and have been formed under the supervision of any teacher, they will likely never be corrected by that teacher, for they show a want of close observation and constant attention to the minutest details of the school-room work, which is a sine qua non to good discipline.

But the teacher may ask, What kind of penalties would you inflict? This is the great difficulty with many. They see thousands of cases of disorder from day to day. Each one seems slight and trivial in itself. They have so often tried reproof to no purpose that they have given up in despair, and now settled down to the conviction that these are necessary evils and must be borne. A teacher should never despair of correcting entirely or favorably modifying every species of disorder. There is always room for improvement both in discipline and instruction until absolute perfection is reach. But exactly what kind of

punishment to inflict for each specific case cannot be always determined by a uniform law. It should, however, always be such as to give more pain and inconvenience to the pupil than he experiences by his efforts to avoid the disorder; otherwise it will never accomplish the result desired. As a general rule, penalties for first offenses should be milder than those inflicted for repeated violations of law. Let the penalty be increased for each repetition of the offense, always demanding implicit obedience to every regulation, acting upon the idea that a law badly enforced is worse than no law at all.

Again, it may be asked, What is good discipline, or when may a class of pupils be regarded as well disciplined? I answer, first, there should be no whispering or communication between the pupils during school hours. I name this first because it is most important. When every species of communication is broken up, the battle for good order is more than half won, and the teacher who has accomplished the former need not despair of the latter. I name it first also because it is one of the first disorders to be dealt with, and, if not corrected, will prevent the correction of many others. The course to be pursued to prevent this disorder will vary with the numerous circumstances that may modify the case. Let the teacher be vigilant to detect and prompt to deal with every detected case. Let him expressly prohibit it, show the pupils how heinous he regards it, remove every temptation that he can by giving recesses promptly and by changing and rearranging the seats. He will find in this, as in other violations of law, only a few pupils will give him trouble. Let such feel the full weight and penalty of violated law. Let them be made to fully realize the fact that they must give up the disorder or sever their connection with the school. If teachers would use more of intelligent persistency they would find very beneficial results flowing from it. We often neglect a case of discipline because we hate to make the issue with the pupil. This is very unpleasant, it is true, but when he violates a known regulation of the school, it is a tacit acknowledgment of weakness on the part of the teacher to allow it to go unnoticed, and it is an acknowledgment that the people will not be slow to take advantage of. Hence, it is better to meet all cases fearlessly and promptly, for they are then fewer in number and more easily overcome.

Again, scholars should be made to assume and maintain a proper posture in the school-room. I do not mean by this that every pupil should be made to assume one and the same posture and retain it during the school session. This would be unnatural, cruel, and, indeed, impossible. The changes of posture for relaxation and rest of the different muscles can be easily made, and, at the same time, the body can be kept in such a position as not to present a disorderly or careless appearance. The feet should both be kept upon the floor or foot-rest, and, whether the pupil leans forward or backward, the spinal column should be kept as nearly straight as possible. If these two simple rules are observed, and the pupil is not allowed to place his feet in the aisles, he will hardly be likely to get into a very disorderly posture, or acquire the habit of sitting in a manner injurious to health. Again, the posture and movements of the pupil, when on his feet, should be such as are compatible with the utmost dignity of bearing and good order. A pupil shows his disciplinary training as much by his posture in recitation and his general bearing in walking as in any other way. Some pupils seem to be wags naturally, and others dignified and gentlemanly without

effort, but you will often find, on close investigation, that home training has accomplished much of the latter, and that careful school training will work marked reformation with the former, although the improvement, in many cases, may not seem commensurate with your efforts. Never allow a pupil to proceed with the recitation until he has assumed a proper posture. If your plan is to have pupils rise, see to it that they rise and stand erect without bearing upon or against any neighboring object. See that he makes a proper use of his hands, and, if using a book, that he holds it at the proper angle and height for the eyes. Never allow a pupil to sit down until he has entirely finished what he has to say. It is certainly a very disorderly procedure for a pupil to commence taking his seat as he nears the end of the last sentence, which he finishes inaudibly as he drops languidly into his seat. The truth is, the fewest people imaginable know how to sit down genteelly and rise up with grace; and we need not feel surprised if boys and girls manifest some awkwardness and require some training in this respect.

With reference to movements about the room, it would be hard to lay down any specific rules. It would not require absolutely that every pupil walk upon his toes, but I would demand that each one so regulate his movements as not to make noise that can possibly be avoided. There is a marked difference in the noise that different pupils make while moving about the room. One will rise from his seat, and with quiet, elastic step he will move about the room, and the closest attention will hardly discover the sounds of his foot-falls. Another will rise, and with a blundering, blustering step and swaggering gait, he will-stalk across the room, interrupting every exercise and putting your whole nervous system on the rack. Tell him to walk upon his toes and he does no better, but throws his body into such unnatural contortions, and moves in such a ludicrously awkward way that you feel a sense of relief when he is once more safely in his seat. The teacher should not allow himself to become provoked at such pupils, for the simple truth is they have never learned to walk, and I would detain them a few minutes after school and give them some simple lessons in walking. If this did not remedy the evil, and I saw that the pupil was disposed either willfully or maliciously to create disorder, I would inflict the same penalties with the same limitations and restrictions as in other cases of disorder and disobedience until the evil was corrected.

Another source of disorder in the school-room, and one which exists to an inexcusable extent in some, is speaking to the teacher and asking questions without permission, and often questions irrelevant and useless. I dislike very much to put any check upon a child's inquisitive nature. I like to see a spirit of anxious inquiry and patient investigation manifested, and there are proper times and methods by which this spirit can be encouraged and developed, but it must be by method and under restrictions, or the resulting disorder will do more evil than the inquiry does good. Require that the pupil address the teacher only after making a prescribed sign, the show of the hand, for instance, and only then, after having been recognized by the teacher. But it is useless to multiply cases with their remedies. I have said enough to give the teacher some idea of a general plan; but each case that arises will have new and original features calling for a treatment varying with every emergency. You will find few cases that will utterly baffle a patient and determined spirit, fully com

prehending a purpose and bent on its accomplishment. And now, in conclusion, let me urge all teachers in their efforts at good discipline, to strive to make the school-room as pleasant and attractive as possible, and to make the lessons clear and interesting. Many pupils leave school with lothing and disgust, because they are constantly dragged through a mazy labyrinth of words without interest, because they are without meaning. Study their natures and peculiarities, and learn what you can of their home training and the influence that surrounds them out of school. Gain their confidence and affection by showing yourself worthy of it, and you will soon see that you have taken the shortest way to get control of their wills. If possible, it is a good idea, too, to communicate with and cultivate the acquaintance of their parents, and make them feel that they are co-workers with you, and have an important part to perform in the education of their children; for you will soon learn, if you do not already know, that hearty parental co-operation is a very important element in your success, and you will generally find that those children who give the most trouble in school are either tacitly or openly sustained in their opposition and disobedience by their parents.

SCHOOL LIFE.-Early school life should do much to guard against the rudeness and coarseness which turn domestic life into bitterness and prepare the way for outbreaks of violence. A constant stream of refining influence should flow through the minds of the pupils. Everything favorable in the reading-book, in history, or in the incidents of the school-room, should be utilized for this end. By all means at our command let us seek to refine and elevate. Our aim must be to give a softening to the character, like the mellow bloom on the dark rich clusters of the vine.

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HE observer of the times and lover of his kind must feel the greatest concern

a agencies for the education of the people. Mi

the education of the educators awaken profound interest. Strange to say, there is less solid interest manifested in this than in almost any other department of human labor. Society is really more concerned in the common school than in the college. The common school teacher is a more important factor in the progress of the masses than the college professor. The hero of the country school-house is not without a monument to both his folly and wisdom to the character of his pupils. If we could properly appreciate these relations, we could perhaps understand the value of the County Institute for the instruction of the common school teacher. The subject naturally divides itself in twain, i. e., the relations of the County Institute to the community and its relations to the common school teacher.

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