ORAL INSTRUCTION. are forming good or bad habits, and cherishing virtuous or vicious dispositions in half a million [Communication from the author of the 'Young Friend."} of youth within our own borders? Is there not reason to distrust the wisdom, piety and patriot- HALF a century ago, there were very few books ism of those, who, unable to deny their impor-especially designed for the young. The author of Sandford and Merton declared that in his early tance, refuse all sympathy and co-operation in life, the Graad Cyrus and the Fool of Quality the reformation of these seminaries of a nation? were the only ones with which a young mind could be entertained, after the manner most agreeable to a child. Now we all know that children feited. Curious to learn what instruction might be contained in the history of the Persian prince, we took up the English Xenophon-one of the cheap volumes of Harper's Classical Library, and found in the Cyropædia, one of the most interesting and moral books we have ever seen. It would be highly edifying to boys-not to exclude girls-to read this life of a man who lived five centuries before Christ, who, from the cra Xenophon's Institution of Cyrus is the first written fiction out of the province of parable, poetry and the drama, that has come down to our times; but it is one of the fictions founded in the truth of nature, and therefore it affords wise lessons, not only to the young, but to those who have charge of them. The latter may be benefitted by a suggestion that arises from one of the prac tices assumed to have been followed in the education of the young prince. As there is no royal road to wisdom, the discipline of princes, well conducted, is efficacious in all conditions. "It is our fashion," says Plutarch, "to dis-of the present day are not only supplied, but surcuss and to doubt whether virtuous habits and upright living are things which can be taught;"| and it would seem to have remained a matter of doubt to the present day, from the general want of "fit methods" in our schools. To act from right principles, with right motives and for right ends, is the object of education; and knowledge, however vast its range, or infinite its storeddle to the grave was under the discipline of vir tue, and who died, being thankful that he had wealth, is worthless if it subserves not virtue. fulfilled the ends of life-"doing service and That it does not necessarily; that the greatest at-pleasure to all, and hurt to none." tainments in science may exist in conjunction with utter ignorance of, or reverence for, those moral principles which alone can rule in harmony the discordant elements of knowledge, needs no further comment than the horrors of that revolution which leagued the first scholars of France with assassins. So uncertain is the relation between knowledge and virtue: so important is it that they should not be severed in the schools of life. And yet, instead of exercises, to develop and invigorate the sentiments of truth, of justice and benevolence, to form those virtuous habits, without which a rule of conduct is utterly inefficient, to explain the nature and importance of filial, social, and civil obligations, and to lead out the mind to right views of life and the means of making it useful and happy, the schools deal in barren generalities, whose relation to the pupil is unfelt, and whose rightful power over his appetites and passions is never established. The child's feelings are untouched, his nobler nature The readiness of the boy's answers was doubtunrecognized, while the mechanism of instructionless facilitated by the manner in which his faculties were cultivated, by the kindness and skill with goes on as regularly and artificially as the move- which his natural curiosity was excited and satisments of a spinning jenny, and the thread of fied. But if such a course were to induce pertthought so drawn out, is oftentimes so worthlessness in a child, and encroaching conceit in a man, that if woven into the web of daily life it rarely" It was not boldness and impudence that appearit were better let alone. Xenophon proceeds to say: gives it either strength or beauty. "Cyrus," says our version, "was perhaps a little over-talkative; but this he derived partly from his education, his teacher obliging him to give a reason for every thing that he did; and to hearken to the reason of others, when he was about to give his opinion on any subject; and besides, being very eager after knowledge, he was always asking those about him abundance of questions how such and such things were-how they existed, and of what use they were. And when questioned himself, being of a ready and that from these things he contracted an over-talkquick apprehension, he instantly answered; ativeness." ed in the freedom of his speech, but simplicity If Locke is right in saying "that nobody is and good nature, so that those present with him, were desirous rather to hear what he had to say, made anything by hearing of rules and laying than that he should be silent." The effect of them up in the memory," and if the teacher is this early habit is thus related: "As years added anxious to convert dead rules into living princi- to his growth, he used fewer words, and became ples, remembering that the mind is not a store-full of modesty, so as to blush frequently in the house to be filled, but a spirit born of God, to be trained for usefulness and happiness, this miserable rote system will soon be abandoned, and methods calculated to attain these ends be introduced into these nurseries of a people. company of older persons; and thus his conversation was extremely agreeable. In regard to his equals in age, he did not challenge, in emubut such as he knew to be superior;" fashioning lation, those whom he knew to be his inferiors, himself after their excellence. We assume that there is a true instructiveness in this example, because it must have been drawn from experience and the final destiny of the human soul; and thus by the friend of Socrates; and we quote it as a he will call out the powers, and enlarge the ca wise monition to all that are interested in the for-pacity for the enjoyment and usefulness of all mation of character. entrusted to his care. It takes us back to oral instruction as the aid, not the source, of the best education. In this paper we generally speak of the public education; that which is to be given in help of all other, that is good; in counteraction of all that is bad; and in defect of any other, good or bad. We would now inquire how far oral instruction can and ought to assist that imparted by the book, and obtained by diligent use of it in our common schools, for the service of all our children? Men plant and water, but God giveth the increase, and that increase is given after known laws. There may be, indeed must be, counteracting influences that restrict the operation of gentle and wise training and all good counsel, but men have not yet been so thoroughly disci plined as children of the state to disprove the assertion of Solomon, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Let our schools do this all The first qualification of a teacher, before he over the land. Let them inculcate the righteousenters a school at all, is that he have knowledge ness that exalteth a nation; let the book teach sufficient for his duty-that thus qualified, he as much as it can; and let the teacher teach as may teach nothing false and foolish, nor be defi- much more as he can without in the least supersedcient in any point that he may be called to illusing the industry that is the first condition of acquir trate; and next he must have the dignity of cha-ing, not only knowledge, but every object that is racter, the natural authority that shall command good, that is sought wisely, or turned to good aoobedience; which keeps order in a school, and count in possession. This is the function of oral which, by its influence, compels children to in-teaching; it is a light to the feet, and a lamp dustry, to continued attention, and patient thought. to the path"-the voice of the guide; it is no subWe will suppose such a person, male or fe-stitute for toil of the learner; it only helps him, that he may the more effectually help himself. male, surrounded by children of different ages, different capacities for the attainment of knowledge, different measures of knowledge already attained, and different degrees of curiosity. This teacher is supplied with books that teach letters and the elements of popular science; and also some that inculcate sound morals and a just literary taste; and he has, besides, the faculty to make his pupils persevering in the use of these books, so that they become acquainted with them to the whole extent of the letter. Now if the master or mistress of a school, thus furnished, that is, with weight of character and suitable instruments for his or her work, has no qualifica-would return to the stand at night. I have tion beyond authority, no various information, no ready talent to communicate such information, no faculty of interpretation, no art of question ing, no fine perception of what passes in the minds of various pupils, he or she will not do for those under cultivation, half that might be done; but our teacher is thus endowed, and will produce a superadded effect through such ability. It is dangerous in extreme, that the teacher should do the work of the child-that study and labor should do less, because the teacher does more. There is no germinant operation in that seed which, being good, is sown in sand-in minds that do not operate in harmony and continuity with the influence attempted to be exerted upon them. Therefore we assume that the teacher, (such an one as has been described,) with proper appliances, (he can do next to nothing without them,) first induces the pupil to minister to himself by the sober and thorough use of his books, and next is able to give clear expositions of them in all their suggestions and even to go far beyond them, and that he will make or find occasions perpetually to inform and exercise the mind of the pupil. He will direct his observation to the economy of nature, to the contents of such miscellaneous books as he may know the child to make use of; as, for instance, those in the District School Library; to the actions and conduct of great men, to the general conduct of men in different ages of the world, and to the special duties of the individual in his own social and moral relations, to the providence of God, AN ARISTOCRATIC EAGLE. A writer in Silliman's Journal, giving an account of the birds of Connecticut, thus describes an Eagle, domesticated in his yard. It was what Audubon calls the "Washington Eagle." "This noble bird was shot in New Canaan, in April, 1821, and was sent to me in Stratford, by Mr. J. Silliman. He soon recovered from his wound, and became perfectly domesticated. I kept him a while confined, but soon found it unnecessary, because, if he left my premises, he known him to eat fourteen birds, mostly king birds, and then he was satisfied for a week. He appeared to prefer this mode of living, and paid no attention to a daily supply. He, however, in the course of the summer, became so mischie vous among the young ducks of my neighbors, that I was compelled to kill him. A single an ecdote of his conduct may not be uninteresting. While he had possession of my front yard, occupying the centre as his stand, (the walks making a semicircle to the door,) he would remain per feetly quiet if gentlemen or ladies entered; but if a person with tattered garments, or such persons as were not accustomed to come in at the front door, entered the yard, it was actually dangerous for them, and they could only escape the tremendous grasp of his talons by running with their full strength and shutting the gate after them. Facts of this kind often occurred, and I was occasionally compelled to release from his grasp such individuals as he had taken cap. tive. With one claw in the sward and grass, he would hold quietly any man with the other. My domestics, both male and female, often lek this power of his talon and grasp. He would not allow their passing in that yard, and long acquaintance did not change his temper towards them. If, however, such persons passed by him in the adjoining yard, to the door in the rear of the house, he made no complaints. What renders this truly remarkable, was, he had no training to this purpose while in my possession, and was wild when I received him." CAUTIONS AND COUNSELS. [THE following admirable suggestions are from Potter's Hand Book, and must recommend the work to all interested in the subject of general education. As the precise object of the book is not explained by its title, it may be important to state, that it is" intended as a help to individual associations, school districts, and seminaries of learning, in the selection of works for reading, investigation, or a professional stuly." Its author, A. Potter, D. D., guarantees, by a reputation honorably earned and firmly established, the char. acter of the work.-EB.] 1. Always have some useful and pleasant book ready to take up in "odd ends" of time. A good part of life will otherwise be wasted. "There is," says Wittenbach, "no business, no avocation, whatever, which will not permit a man who has an inclination to give a little time every day to the studies of his youth." 2. Be not alarmed because so many books are recommended. They are not all to be read at once, nor in a short time. “ Some travellers,” says Bishop Hall, “have more shrunk at the map than at the way; between both, how many stand still with their arms folded." 64 3. Do not attempt to read much or fast. "To call him well read who reads many authors," says Shaftsbury, "is improper." "Non refert quam multos libros," says Seneca, sed quam bonus habeas." Says Locke, "This is that which I think great readers are apt to be mistaken in: those who have read of everything, are thought to understand everything too; but it is not always so. Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. We are of the ruminating kind, and it is not enough to cram our selves with a great load of collections; unless we chew them over again, they will not give us strength and nourishment." to be changed by the first counter-suggestion of a friend; who fluctuates from opinion to opinion, and from plan to plan, and veers like a weatherbreath of caprice that blows, can never accomcock to every point of the compass with every plish anything great or useful. Instead of being progressive in anything, he will be at best stationary, and more probably retrogade in all. It is only the man who carries into his pursuits that great quality which Lucan ascribes to Cæsar, nescia virtus stare loco, who first consults wise ly, then resolves firmly, and then executes his purpose with inflexible perseverance, undismayed by those petty difficulties which daunt a weaker spirit, that can advance to eminence in any line. Let us take, by way of illustration, the case of a student. He commences the study of the dead languages; presently comes a friend, who tells him he is wasting his time, and that, instead of obsolete words, he had much better employ himself in acquiring new ideas. He changes his mind and sets to work at the mathe matics. Then comes another friend, who asks him, with a grave and sapient face, whether he intends to become a professor in a college; because, if he does not, he is misemploying his time; and that, for the business of life, common mathe matics is quite enough of the mathematics. He throws up his Euclid, and addresses himself to some other study, which, in its turn, is again re. linquished on some equally wise suggestion; and thus life is spent in changing his plans. You | cannot but perceive the folly, of this course; and the worst effect of it is, the fixing on your mind a habit of indecision, sufficient in itself to blast the fairest prospects. No, take your course wisely, but firmly; and, having taken it, hold up. on it with heroic resolution,, and the Alps and Pyrenees will sink before you. The whole em pire of learning will be at your feet, while those who set out with you, but stop to change their plans, are yet employed in the very profitable business of changing their plans. Let your mot. to be, Perseverando vinces. Practice upon it, and you will be convinced of its value by the distinguished eminence to which it will conduct 6. Read always the best and most recent book on the subject which you wish to investi gate. "You are to remember," says Pliny the younger, "that the most approved authors of each sort are to be carefully chosen, for, as it has been well observed, though we should read much, we should not read many authors." A mistake here is so common and so pernicious, || you. " that I add one more authority. Says Dugald Stewart, "Nothing, in truth, has such a tendency to weaken, not only the powers of invention, but the intellectual powers in general, as a habit of extensive and various reading WITHOUT REFLECTION. The activity and force of mind are gradually impaired, in consequence of disuse; and not unfrequently all our principles and opin- 7. Study subjects rather than books: thereions come to be lost in the infinite multiplicity fore, compare different authors on the same suband discordancy in our acquired ideas. It re-jects; the statements of authors, with informaquires courage, indeed (as Helvetius has remark- tion collected from other sources; and the conclued), to remain ignorant of those useless subjects sions drawn by a writer with the rules of sound which are generally valued; but it is a courage logic. "Learning," says Feltham, "falls far necessary to men who either love the truth, or short of wisdom; nay, so far, that you scarcely who aspire to establish a permanent reputation." find a greater fool than is sometimes a mere scho4. Do not become so far enslaved by any sys- lar." tem or course of study as to think it may not be altered, when alteration would contribute to the healthy and improving action of the mind. These systems begin by being our servants; they sometimes end by becoming masters, and tyrannical masters they are. 8. Seek opportunities to write and converse on subjects about which you read. "Reading," says Bacon, "maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man." Anoth er benefit of conversation is touched upon by Feltham: "Men commonly write more formally 5. Beware, on the other hand, of frequent than they practice. From conversing only with changes in your plan of study. This is the be- books, they fall into affectation and pedantry," setting sin of young persons. 66 The man who and he might have added into many mistakes. resolves," says Wirt," but suffers his resolution!" He who is made up of the press and the pen shall be sure to be ridiculous. Company and which I myself read about twenty-five years ago, I remember one counsel there addressed to young men, but, in fact, of universal application. 'I call upon them,' said the author, to dare to be ignorant' of many things; a wise counsel, and justly expressed; for it requires much courage to forsake popular paths of knowledge, merely upon a conviction that they are not favorable to 9. Accustom yourself to refer whatever you the ultimate ends of knowledge. In you, howread to the general head to which it belongs, and ever, that sort of courage may be presumed; trace it, if a fact, to the principle it involves or illus-but how will you dare to be ignoraat' of many trates; if a principle, to the facts which it produ- things, in opposition to the cravings of your own ces or explains. "I may venture to assert," says mind? Simply thus: destroy these false cravings Mr. Starkie, speaking of the study of the law, by introducing a healthier state of the organ. A and the remark is eqally applicable to other stu- good scheme of study will soon show itself to be dies, "that there is nothing which more effectu- such by this one test, that it will exclude as powally facilitates the study of the law than the con-erfully as it will appropriate; it will be a system stant habit on the part of the student of attempt. of repulsion no less than of attraction; once thoing to trace and reduce what he learns by reading roughly possessed and occupied by the deep and or by practice to its appropriate principle. Cases genial pleasures of one truly intellectual pursuit, apparently remote, by this means are made to you will be easy and indifferent to all others that illustrate and explain each other. Every addi- had previously teased you with transient excitetional acquisition adds strength to the principle ment. which it supports and illustrates; and thus the student becomes armed with principles and conclusions of important and constant use in forensic warfare, and possesses a power, from the united support of a principle, fortified by a number of dependant cases and illustrations; while the desultory, non-digesting reader, the man of indices and abridgments, is unable to bear in his mind a multiplicity of, to him, unconnected cases; and could he recollect them, would be unable to make use of them if he failed to find one exactly suited to his purpose." To show that these counsels are neither novel nor frivolous, the author has enforced each one of them by the authority of some honored name. GRAMMAR. PRACTICAL LESSONS. We shall publish a series of lessons, gathered from various sources, suggestive of new and useful and interesting methods of teaching. Many of them will be well adapted to oral lessons in which 10. Endeavor to find opportunities to use your knowledge and apply it in practice. "They proceed right well in all knowledge," says Bathe whole school may, in concert, profitably take con, "which do couple study with their practice, and do not first study altogether, and then practice altogether." 11. Strive, by frequent reviews, to keep your knowledge always at command. "What boot eth," says an old writer, “to read much, which is a weariness to the flesh; to meditate often, which is a burden to the mind; to learn daily, with increase of knowledge, when he is to seek for what he hath learned, and perhaps, then, especially when he hath most need thereof? Without this, our studies are but lost labor." "One of the profoundest and most versatile scholars in England," says Mr. Warren, in his Law Studies, "has a prodigious memory, which the author once told him was a magazine stored with wealth from every department of knowledge. I am not surprised at it,' he added, nor would you be, or any one that knew the pains I have taken in selecting and depositing what you call my 'wealth.' I take care always to ascertain the value of what I look at, and if satisfied on that score, I most carefully stow it away. I pay, besides, frequent visits to my magazine, and keep an inventory of at least every thing important, which I frequently compare with my stores. It is, however, the systematic disposition and arrangement I adopt, which lightens the labours of memory. I was by no means remarkable for memory when young; on the contrary, I was considered rather defective on that score."" 12. Dare to be ignorant of many things. "In a celebrated satire (the Pursuits of Literature), much read in my youth," says De Quincy, "and part, during the last half hour of each day.-[Ed. The following is an account of an experiment in teaching the etymological part of English Grammar, made in a district school with a class of an equal number of males and females, between the ages of ten and sixteen years; but generally from twelve to sixteen. Owing to the inclemency of the season, the class consisted of only eight or ten scholars. Ten lessons were given, of about an hour and a half each, and the whole time devoted to the subject, including the time occupied in studying three or four short lists of words at home, could not have been more than twenty-four hours. Yet during this short period, nearly the whole class acquired a thorough understanding of the nature of an adjective, and the degrees of comparison; of a noun, and its gender, number, and case; of pronouns in general; of verbs and adverbs: also some knowledge of transitive and intransitive verbs, of mood and tense, of government and agreement, and of the nature of prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, and articles. They could parse etymologically, as well as the majority of scholars (even of their ages,) can, who have studied grammar three months on the common plan. More than this, what they did understand, they understood clearly; and they had associated none of those painful ideas with the thought of English Grammar, which are too often found connected with it. Enough at any rate was done to convince the instructer of what he had long believed, that if grammar must be studied by young children, there is a better mode than that of requiring them "Now you have been present in schools where grammar was studied; can any of you tell me what a noun is?" No one was able to repeat the language he had heard used in defining it. "Well, all the words which you have written Nouns are the down this evening are nouns. names of things. There are many more of them. You have written down the names of a small part only of the things which the world contains, yet the names of all things in the world are nouns. Now have the goodness to take your spellingbooks, and turn to those easy sentences on - I will read the fourth line from the page top of the page. S., which are the nouns in that sentence?"" The answer was given promptly and correctly. Other questions of the kind were asked respecting other simple sentences, to which answers were given. (To be continued.] [From the Newburyport Herald.] LETTER TO A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER. My to spend weeks and months in committing to memory and repeating definitions and rules to which they cannot possibly attach any meaning. That the plan here detailed is the best, is not! pretended. It is believed, however, that conducted in this spirit, and on these general principles, a more steady, rational, and, to the young mind, a more healthful progress will be made than on the usual plan. Sensible objects will aid the mind in studying grammar as well as other sciences; and there is no necessity arising from the nature of the English language, of making children miserable while they are studying this, more than any other branch of knowledge. When children have made considerable progress, books may be useful; but till that time I believe it better to pursue some plan like the following; giving each pupil nothing but a slate, pencil, and sponge, and directing him to the book of nature. Some time before I commenced the following course, I had mentioned to my scholars, that, as the school was large, and the people rather opposed to the introduction of grammar during the day, if they would bring each a slate and pencil, we would commence a series of evening lessons, in January, in that branch. In January we com: I closed my last letter with a menced; and as far as I can recollect, the follow-promise to say something on the subject of ventiing course was pursued. The scholars having lation; a few words will redeem this promise. taken their seats, the instructer proceeded : Were I able, you do not wish me to talk scientifically about the composition of our atmosphere -to tell you how it is made up of " oxygen, nitrogen, and carbonic acid gas," and how the former of these is the "vital air;" a fresh supply of it being continually needed to support life. You have been in railroad cars-on board steamboats-in "market halls"-in parlors where the windows are never opened, and the fumes of breakfast, dinner and supper are condensed and "There are but few things in the room." "Well, you may write the names of those few." kept, as if on purpose to add to the impurity of Contrary, however, to the expectation of the the atmosphere; you have been also in "best lad who remarked that there were but few things chambers"-too often, with all their neatness of in the room, he thought of more than he could furniture and snow-white counterpanes, the worst write on one side of his slate. Many of the chambers, because never opened except to rescholars remarked that they could not before ceive and give nightmare sleep to some poor vichave believed that the room contained so many tim, who would willingly exchange all his glory things. When most of the class had extended and privilege as an honored visitor, for a little of their list of names as far as they could, I request-heaven's fresh air. You have been in such veed them to count them. The number that any individual had obtained is not recollected, but it was considerable in several instances. They were next requested to pronounce severally the names they had written; and afterwards the instructer corrected their orthography where corrections "Scholars, will you take your slates, pencils, and sponges ?" They were immediately taken. "Now please to write the name of this thing which I hold in my hand, upon your slates." Some wrote staff, others cane. Either was sufficient for my purpose. "Now you may write upon your slates the names of all the things you can see in this school-room." were necessary. The next lessons were the names of flowers, trees, fishes, trades, articles of household furni"What did I first do when I came into the room this evening?" ture, &c. "You asked us to take our slates and write the name of the thing you held in your hand." "And what did you write?" "Cane." "What were you next required to do?" hicles and apartments enough to know how essential to comfort and health is a frequent change of air. "The immediate effects of breathing impure air," says Mr. Mann, in his last Annual Report, which you must, and which all good people ought to, read and ponder,—" are lassitude of the whole system, incapability of conthe senses, followed by dizziness, faintness, and, centrated thought, obtuseness and uncertainty of if long continued, by death." Now very visible will be some of these effects, with the addition of extreme fractiousness and restlessness on the part of the pupils, and weariness and despondency on your part, in your schoolroom, unless you take pains to keep it well and thoroughly ventilated. If your apartment is not constructed so as to effect this object constantly, you must make, as often as once an hour or thereabouts, an ap "To write the names of all the things in the paratus for the purpose; and that apparatus may school-room." "What next?" be the simple process of opening the doors and windows, one and all, till the breezes have This question being answered, several other swept out, clean and entirely, all" pestilential questions were put, of the same general charac-stuff," Be sure and do this; even if meanwhile ter, to which appropriate answers were promptly given. you are obliged to put on cloak and hood, or take a run to keep yourself comfortable. It will be |