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prove every opportunity to learn their lessons and never again attempt to impart knowledge to well? Do they seem eager to gain knowledge others until he had some himself. He replied, for the sake of its practical utility? None of" he could not help what I thought, he had a these things. They hate to go to school because they do not love their teacher. They never wish to meet him on the way, or converse with him when in his company. It is with the utmost difficulty they are induced to take a book and pursue any regular course at home, because the teacher has not infused into their souls a love of learning. How much benefit does a school re-not know enough to be embarrassed. He left ceive from the services of such a teacher? Not much. The fewer such teachers we have in our schools the better; and I hope the time is not far distant when community will see things in their true light, and employ none to discharge the duties of this high calling but such as are worthy of so high a trust.

certificate from the inspectors, and was hired for four months, and should stay his time out."“If that is your determination, I must use my influence to annul your certificate." He then replied he "was a good deal embarrassed, and could not tell what he knew." This, in my opinion, was not the case, for I do believe he did his school, but his personal friends employed him to teach a select school in the district for six dollars per month. This is an extreme case of the class of teachers I am now describing. How do many of them manage the affairs of their schools? After spending, perhaps, fifteen. or twenty minutes in trying to produce silence Another, and the last class of teachers I will in the school, a class is called upon to read.mention, are those who, to gain a notoriety,which “Toe that crack," says the teacher to the chilis beyond their reach by any other means, thrust dren who are called upon to read. But instead themselves upon the notice of the public to be em- of" toeing the crack," some face to the north, ployed in giving a proper turn to the youthful some to the south, some to the east, and some mind. They are such as have no definite ideas to the west. "Now stand up straight and speak of the business they are about to engage in, or up loud and distinct." The teacher, or rather of those things they are required to teach. They the apology for one, takes a book to see if any enter their schools without seeing any thing mistakes are made by any in the class. Whilst clearly. Their minds are confused, and they the one at the head is reading, a boy presents know not what to do, how to act, or what to his writing book for a copy. He at once lays expect. They know not where to begin, or aside the reading book and begins to write the how to proceed after having begun. If called copy. Whilst doing this, another bawls out, upon to explain the principle upon which any "will you mend my pen?" Willing to accomrule in arithmetic is founded, they are utterly at modate all, he leaves the copy and takes the pen a loss to know what is meant by the question. -and before he finishes that, another "wants It has never once entered their heads that the a sum done;" another, "can't find a name on rules of arithmetic are founded upon any prin- the map." All these calls are attended to forthciples whatever. In the examination of a teach- with by the teacher, and all of them left unfiner, whose school I visited last winter, I asked ished, to attend to something else. Thus, perhim why he carried one for every ten in addi-haps, from twenty to forty minutes have been tion of whole numbers. "Because figures de- spent, the class have become tired of reading, crease from the right hand to the left in a tenfold and some one calls out, "hain't we read fur proportion." "6 But, sir, you cannot mean de- enough?" "I don't know," says the teacher, crease,' can you?" Sartin, I mean decrease, how fur have you read?" "Six chapters." and that is what the rule says-for I have larnt" Wal, you have read fur enough, you needent it by heart." He could recite as he had learned read no furder, go long to your seats and set them the tables of weights and measures in still, and tend to your studies. Now what folarithmetic; but could not answer one question lows? "I wish you would finish writin my in ten when asked promiscuously. I desired copy." "I have been waiting half an hour for him to tell me what part of speech is "wise" in my pen." "Where is your pen?" "On the the following example: "Into the will and ar- table; you begun to mend it, and left off to du bitration wise of the Supreme." After looking Jim's sum." "Joe is pinching;" "John is at it for some time with a vacant stare, he re- scratching;" "George is spitting on me." The plied, "I don't git hold of the meanin of the teacher now begins to be impatient; he calls author in that place, and don't know what part upon the school for silence, and again spends of speech wise is. I never studied grammar ten or fifteen minutes in vain trying to produce only about tu weeks, and I don't pretend to un-it. Now in the name of common sense, I would derstand it perfectly; but I reckoned how I understood it well enough to keep the school in this deestrick." I asked him to spell potato, and tell him which syllable had the full or primary accent? He spelled the word, aud said "the full accent is on the last syllable." I then pronounced the word with the accent agreeably to his notion, and asked him if it was right? He thought not. He then said "it is the first;" but after making a practical application of accent to the first syllable, he perceived he was mistaken, and said "it is the second." I asked him which is the most northeastern State? He did not know sartin, but he bleaved it was Ohio or Indiana." He was a most wretched reader and worse speller. After the examination, I told him he had better leave his school

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ask, of what use can such a teacher be to a school? Better in my opinion our children should never see a school master or mistress, than receive instruction from such an one.Every thing in the schools of such teachers is confusion; a perfect bedlam from morning till night, from day to day, and from month to month. Nothing is thoroughly done because no particular time was set apart to attend to it; many things that should receive attention are wholly neglected, and those that receive attention at all, are so interrupted, that not much benefit is derived from that kind of attention they do receive. Many of our schools are supplied with teachers, no better than those I have just described; they are wholly and entirely unfit in almost every respect to have the instruction and

management of a school. Should trustees, if they find they have such a calamity on hand, pay him at the commencement for the whole term and discharge him, the district would be the gainer by it, rather than continue him until his time has fully expired; but how do trustees, who never visit the school, know whether the teacher is a good one or not? I have frequently solicited trustees to visit with me; I have urged them by every motive I could place before them; have shown them it would be encouragement not only to teachers but scholars, but all to no purpose. Time passed on and they discharged not those high and responsible duties; the most trivial and flimsy excuse is enough to quiet their consciences in this matter, and keep them from the school house. And in fact, it is not a matter of much wonder or surprise that so strong a repugnance should exist in relation to school visitation; for generally, or in many instances, the school house is the most uncomfortable and unpleasant place in the whole district.

MODES OF TEACHING ADOPTED IN THE SCHOOLS. I will commence with the alphabet. Except in one school, I have seen but one method adopt. ed, which is to point to the letters, tell the child what they are, and require him to speak them. This is generally practiced four times a day from three to twelve months, when he is supposed to be sufficiently advanced to take an onward step. Then the same method of pointing is pursued a month or two longer, in learning him to spell ba, be, bi, bo, bu, by, when it is thought best to put a book into his hands, and require him to study a certain number of words the meaning of which he has no idea, and with which he cannot possibly feel interested.

After being drilled two or three years in this way, it is thought best to exercise him in reading lessons. And for this purpose, instead of some agreeable, interesting and instructive story, the English Reader or some other work entirely beyond the reach of his capacity, is put into his hands to be used as a reading book. He now commences a new era. But what is his disappointment, on finding he can know nothing about what the book contains. Instead of going on with ardor, he dreads nothing more than the time when he is to be called on to read. He may, in this way, learn to speak the words, but he is almost sure to contract the disagreeable habit of monotony, or learn to read in a singsong manner. There are but few teachers who pay that attention to reading which its great importance demands. It often happens that after a class has commenced a reading lesson, it receives no attention from the teacher during the exercise. The scholars are left to themselves, and if they happen to become good readers, the teacher undeservedly has the credit of it. In a school of sixteen scholars which I visited this summer, the teacher had two classes reading at the same. I asked her if that was her usual practice? Only when I am in a hurry and am cramped for time." I asked her if she approved of the practice? "I don't know but it will answer well enough when a body has got a little belated." This inattention on the part of teachers to this most important branch, is productive of many evil consequences. Without the instruction necessary when children are learning to read, they almost invariably contract

bad habits which stick to them through life.The practice of speaking in too low a tone of voice, is very general in a great many schools. How can children be benefitted by corrections which a teacher might make, if they are permitted to read in the manner I have just described? What advantage can a teacher be to a a school under such circumstances? Another habit, very prevalent in many of our schools, is indistinctness of articulation, if articulation it may be called. Instead of speaking with a full, clear, and distinct voice, and using a sufficient quantity to fill the whole room, we hear a muttering mumbling noise, more resembling the inarticulate voice of wild animals, than the communications of ideas by the organs of speech. In a great many instances, I have listened to the efforts of children to read, and have tried to understand the subject without seeing it in the book; but in vain. These same children when engaged in their play and sport, never speak in the above manner, but always in a way to be easily an fully understood. What course is taken on the part of teachers, I do not say all teachers, but very many, to correct this very bad habit? After the child has gone over the sentence, the teacher says, you did'nt read that right, you ought to speak distinct and plain," and that is all that is said or done until the child reads again, when the teacher again exhorts him to speak "distinct." To these exhortations, children generally pay but little attention. They continue to read on in the same way, and perhaps daily receive the same admonition from the teacher, without producing any change in their practice.

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Another habit, somewhat prevalent, in the practice of children, is reading in a hitching manner; and so inveterate is this practice that often have I heard teachers say they had tried all in their power to break it up, but all to no purpose.

There are many other bad habits children imperceptibly imbibe, whilst learning to read, which might have been prevented by proper care and attention, on the part of teachers. But this care and attention so necessary are not bestowed except in a few instances.

In my visitation of schools this summer, I have seen but few intelligible readers. Probably not one-twentieth of all the children learning to read in the schools of the fourteen towns I have charge of, can read without one or more of the habits I have enumerated. This lamentable defect in this important part of the education of the rising generation, can be traced directly to the carelessness and inattention of unintelligent and incorapetent instructers. And so long as the rage for cheap teachers prevails in community, so long our schools will present but a sorry appearance, and will continue in the back ground. Generally I believe teachers receive a full compensation for the value of their services. In many cases all they receive is beyond the value of their services; they being of no benefit whatever to the schools. In a certain district with which I am well acquainted, the trustees had the offer of an accomplished, well informed and competent instructress for two dollars per week. She had taught the school the year before and had given universal satisfaction. Another person offered her services for $1.62 per week.Two of the trustees thought best to save a few

ting and threatening, but who never execute. They tell their pupils if they do thus and so, they will whip them; and in less than a minute the same offence is again committed, and again the same promise is made but never performed. Thus they go on from the commencement to the close of the term; spoiling the children by allowing them to do as they please, and produc ing in their feelings a spirit of insubordination and misrule, which will submit to no restraint, and acknowledge no authority. Here the foun dation of a riotous and mobocrative feeling is

shillings in the amount of the rate bill. They therefore hired the thirteen shilling teacher, and what was the result? Several of the scholars who read very prettily at the beginning of her school, and who attended it with much regularity, could scarcely be understood in that exercise at its close. Many of them, particularly the smaller members of the school, had acquired a drawling lazy habit whilst reading. I reminded the teacher of this practice of some of her pupils, and told her I thought it ought to be broken up. She then corrected the child by telling him "you must not draw your words so." The manner inlaid broad and deep; which the subsequent exwhich the admonition was given was much more faulty, than the example which it was intended to correct. As is the teacher, so in a great measure will be the scholar. In the case above quoted the trustees thought to save a few shillings by employing an incompetent teacher. But instead of saving a small amount in the operation, the precious time of the children and the money paid for their instruction were almost a total loss.

ertions of competent teachers, and the watchful care of fond parents will hardly break up. I believe that teachers, who manage in this way, seldom or never realize the immense and incalculable amount of injury they thus inflict upon community. They do not consider that their course is directly calculated to undermine the best interests of society, and promote feuds, contentions, riots, mobs, and every evil passion that enters the human heart. How long will community continue to sleep over this momentous subject? When will the proper attention, on the part of the inhabitants, be directed to the consideration of this all important question ?

ABILITY OF THE DISTRICTS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS. It would seem that in those distrists where the people are clearing and paying up for their farms, and where the settlements are small, they could not well support schools taught by competent instructers. But compared with the whole number, those districts are not numerous generally the districts are abundantly able to build good houses, and support first rate teach

THE GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF SCHOOLS. We find in this respect as in other things a great diversity of appearance. A few succeed in governing without any apparent effort. Every member of the school seems to know and keep his proper place. A look of disapprobation or word of encouragement is sufficient to excite to the most dilligent attention and strict obedience. Every thing seems to be in perfect order. I have visited three or four schools where the teachers could pursue the business of instruction half a day without an exertion to produce good order. And this admirable discipline and good government have not been produced by the use of the rod. The barbarous practice of flag-ers. Those who plead poverty so strongly, and gellation has justly received a condemnatory clamour so loudly when any improvement in resentence by first rate teachers, and they find it gard to school houses or schools is proposed, much easier and more agreeable to govern oth- have money enough to attend all the caravans ers by motives and arguments addressed to their and places of diversion for many miles around. understanding and reason, than by the infliction They can afford to buy this and that article of of stripes. They have found that children are luxury; their children can be sent to the danmen in miniature, and that an appeal to theircing school; and in some cases from 25 to 50 judgment and a treatment corresponding with their natures, are in almost every instance more powerful auxiliaries in producing obedience than any corporeal punishment whatever. There are others who maintain a forced obedience by a reference to the rod for almost every offence. The feelings of the scholars of such schools are constantly agitated. It is impossible for them to bring their minds to a free and tranquil state so necessary to perform any operation in num. bers, or learn any thing which requires thonght and diligent attention. In all my visitations I have never seen a teacher make use of the rod. But from their own confessions, I believe the practice is too prevalent. In one school I perceived that several of the children had been cry. ing, and upon looking around, I saw the butt ends of several large rods, shivered at one end, and several more that were entire, ready for use at a moment's warning. In this school I saw no smiling faces, or countenances which bespoke tranquillity of soul; but the pale and agitated looks, and trembling frames of the children, reminded me more of the house of death than of a seminary of learning.

There are many more who support no government at all. or next to none. They are those who are constantly scolding, finding fault, fret.

dollars a year can be expended for rum; but talk to them about a new school house, and you would suppose they were on their way directly to the poor house; that all they had was about to be sold to the highest bidder.

INDIFFERENCE OF THE INHABITANTS IN REGARD то THESE FOUNTAINS OF PRIMARY KNOWLEDGE.

There is scarcely any other subject which is beheld with so much indifference as the district school. It often happens that the annual meetings are entirely neglected, or if attended to at all, the numbers in attendance are so few it is almost impossible to transact the necessary business. I have sometimes spent nearly an hour in a district before I could find a man that could tell me the name of the district clerk. I have called upon men to act as clerk of the district who would stoutly deny that they held any of fice in the district, but afterwards would remember that a neighbor had told them they were appointed clerk. In other cases they have mistaken their office, supposing themselves clerks when they were trustees. In the town of Eagle, I asked a trustee. what is the number of your district? He did not know. neu

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They furnish him with a scanty supply of wood, "sled length," but no axe, and then wonder why he does not commence school at nine o'clock. They provide him with a stove or chimney which draws more smoke into the house from without than it carries out from within, and careless as to leave the windows open, so cold a day. They tell him to govern his school; but if he does so, they complain of severity and treatment. They enjoin upon him to teach correct;" but if it varies a hair's breadth from the manner in which they were instructed forty years ago, it cannot possibly be right.

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asked the teacher. She replied, "I cannot tell -I wanted to know the other day, and asked the trustees, but they did not know." This trustee had resided in the district ten years. I called upon a gentleman to visit the school with me. It was just after a heavy shower. "I can't possibly, I must get in my oats this after-think it passing strange that he should be so noon. I should be very glad to go, but you must excuse me for this time." The school house is the last place men generally seek. If they chance to pass by one they will look the other way. If it becomes necessary for them to see the teacher, or any of the scholars, they will perhaps come within calling distance of the school house, but no nearer. They seem to be in They agree with him to board with those be in perfect torment if they chance to get into sending to school; but instead of finding board house, or if there is a prospect of their doing so. as he expected, and according to the contract, Men are not wanting who are on any occasion he is often obliged to call upon half a dozen of ready to talk about the school for hours togeth-inhabitants before he can find lodgings for the er. They will lavish praises upon the admira- night. They agree to pay him within thirty ble system adopted by the State of New-York days after the apportionment of the public for the instruction of the rising generation; they money; but he considers himself peculiarly forwill acknowledge that school visitation by the tunate, if he gets all his pay, and obtains a full inhabitants is necessary, and cannot be neglect- settlement with them within thirty months.ed without a violation of the most sacred duties; They sometimes instruct their trustees at their but invite them to perform those duties, and annual meetings, to pay no more than a specithey wish to be excused; some other business fied sum per month, and then consign them to presents itself which requires immediate atten- obloquy because they employed a teacher that tion. As soon as we get a little through with is good for nothing. They use every means this hurrying time we will attend to the school." within their power to reduce the wages of first But the leisure never comes. They always rate teachers to the same amount that is paid to have something on hand to occupy the present the common laborer. What is the frequent contime, if it be nothing more than to lounge in a versation in a district about the time a teacher store or bar-room. There seems to be a lethargy is to be employed? A. calls upon one of the deeply pervading the mind of community in re-trustees. "Well neighbor A.," says the trus lation to this matter, which must be thrown off, tee, we have hired a man to keep our school or we shall look in vain for the improvement of this winter." "Ah! how much do you give a our schools which the friends of popular educa- month?" "Twelve dollars." 'You must be tion so fondly anticipate. Men act wisely in rela- a bright one to pay a man such high wages, tion to other things. They do not employ a these hard times, to keep our school. I've just man to perform service, and pay him for its now hired a man to work for me this winter, at performance, without knowing whether the chopping, threshing, and drawing logs, and I work has been done according to contract. He give him only eight dollars a month, and he's is daily watched, and all he does is critically a real smart fellow too. He can thrash ten or examined; and if his employer find he does not twelve bushels of wheat in a day, and clean it understand his business, or that he is unfaithful up in the evening; and he'll chop his four cords or inattentive to his interests, he at once dis- of wood, day after day, and not wink at charges him. Not so with the teacher. He is it; and I think it is a pity if we can't employ employed for a certain length of time to impart a man to set around the stove all day, and have instruction; to give a proper turn to the youth. thirty or forty to wait upon him, as cheap as I ful mind; to instil into it those principles and can hire one to do the work I have for a man to maxims by which, in a great measure, the man do; and I think it is a chance if he has much of will be governed in all subsequent life. In the a school." "I know," says the trustee, "it is discharge of these solemn duties, how much at- too much; but no one else came along, so we tention does he receive from the inhabitants? thought we had better hire him." "Didn't you They promise to visit his school, but never per- try to beat him down any?" "I should think form those promise. They are ready to listen we did. We worked upon him from noon 'till with attention to every idle tale and frivolous nine o'clock at night, and got him down four complaint their children make against the in- dollars. He asked sixteen dollars at first."structer. They complain in the presence of the "You ought to have beat him down four dollars scholars, of cruelty and severity, when means more, and that would be more than a teacher are used to maintain good order and discipline. ought to have." Who, that has been personally They send their children to school irregularly, acquainted with the way in which the affairs of and at the close of the term blame the teacher many school districts are managed, has not fre because they have learned nothing. They fur- quently heard conversation like the above; and nish him with a house unfit for the comfortable who does not know that such feelings prevail to accommodation of half a dozen swine, and then a considerable extent in almost every district? publish through the community that he keeps a noisy school. They send their children to school without books, and wonder why they remain ignorant. They neglect to furnish the house with a broom, and call the teacher a sloven, because every thing is not in neat order.

SMALL DISTRICTS.

trict is found, we find a backward, ignorant and In almost every instance where a small disindolent school, if we find any at all. In such districts, schools are not maintained generally

more than from four to six months during the year. In the long vacations that take place, children are apt to forget nearly or quite all they learned while at school, except what they should have never known. It is not unfrequent. ly the case that children are sent to school four months to learn the alphabet; at the expiration of which time the school closes, and a vacation follows of eight months, when another school is started; these same children are now sent another four months to learn a, b, c. Thus time passes on, and no real advantage results to the scholars from the time they spend at school, because of so long vacations. I have conversed with many of the inhabitants of these districts relative to this subject, and in every case have found them satisfied that a small school is not so advantageous as a large one. Besides their inability to sustain a school more than four or six months during the year, they are obliged to hire cheap teachers who are of course incom petent. The instruction children receive from such teachers does them more hurt than good. What little truth they inculcate is so mixed with error, that when the child comes to think for himself, it takes longer to separate the compound than it would to have learned correctly at first. And besides, a mind that has been thus filled, seldom sees things in their true light ever afterward; a mist enshrouds the mind which is seldom entirely dissipated.

CONCLUSION.

Notwithstanding the very favorable account given by the acting superintendent in the last annual report to the Legislature, relative to the schools of this mighty State, it must be acknowledged by all who are personally acquainted with them, that generally, those in this region are very far in the shade; that they have not made that improvement, even in the most simple and elementary branches, which the fos. tering care of a munificent Legislature seems to demand. There are but few persons in this region, compared with the whole population, but will acknowledge, that it is to the "district schools we are to look for the broad foundations of that civil and social superstructure, which, as a people, we are engaged in erecting." It is equally true that when these philanthropists are urged to put forth an effort to assist in this great work, the plea of povery is set up with giant strength. "The old house and cheap teacher will serve our purpose well enough yet." Thus things go on; the old house is still used, and the cheap teacher is still employed. Chil. dren are reared up in ignorance, or what is still worse, in error. They form habits of inattention and carelessness. They become unwilling

and five-sixth cents per pound. They profess to have knowledge enough of English grammar to give instruction in that branch, but cannot tell how the nominative case governs a verb.— They pretend to have a thorough knowledge of geography, but cannot tell whether Cape Horn is in north or south latitude, or whether it is on the eastern or western continent. They have been permitted to learn without much thought or reflection, and without gaining much practical knowledge even of those things they have pretended to learn. They have not been taught that their country has claims on all to be as useful as the means within their reach will permit them to be, and that that this claim reaches children as well as persons of maturer years. They have not been shown that the great end of their existence is to make others happy, and consequently to increase the sum of their own felicity and enjoyment. They have not been taught the great truth, that upon the intelligence of the people rests the stability and existence of our free institutions.

In this way they are permitted to pass their juvenile years without gaining scarcely one idea that will be of use to them in after life. They have then every thing to learn, and often look back and curse the day when they were placed under the instructions of incompetent and cheap teachers. Let the friends of the district school and of popular education solace themselves with the belief, that these primary fountains of knowledge are in a flourishing condition; that the rising generation are receiving all the instruction that is necessary to fit them to discharge the various and responsible duties of civil life with honor to themselves and usefulness to their country; a personal examination of these insti and show that something more than has yet tutions will unveil the fallacy of such belief, been is wanting to effect their resuscitation. The present state of the district school must remain until the inhabitants cease to employ cheap teachers. For generally, men who are competent to give instruction and manage a school with success, can do better, in a pecuniary point of view, than to engage in teaching for the conduce this change in the mind of community, with sideration offered by trustees generally. To proregard to cheap teachers, seems to be a Herculean task; for where people are in the habit of but with complacency, the wreck of a mind," viewing "with horror the expense of a shilling, more than ordinary means are needed to produce a revolution in their feelings. How long must our common schools be down-trodden, de based, and degraded, through the avarice and stinginess of the people? When will they view and employ none to have the charge and man. this most momentous subject in its true light, to submit to those restraints so necessary to the welfare and happiness of society. They imbibe agement of these intended nurseries of science, prejudices in this forming season, which stamp but such as will impart knowledge to the rising the character of the future man. These preju-generation, and lead their minds to the contemplation of this great truth, that the chief end of dices may be of that kind that shall give a wrong bias to their conduct through life, and in their learning should be the honor of their Creaa great measure deprive them of the satisfac- tor, the good of their fellows, and the happiness tion and benefit to be derived from civil society. They go to school month after month, and hear A. BURGESS, not a word from the teacher in relation to the Dep. Sup't for Allegany county. great practical duties of life. They boast of Nunda, October 1, 1842. having gone through with Adam's and Daboll's arithmetics, but are unable to show the value of five and two-thirds pounds of beef at four

of themselves.

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