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REPORT 
 
 ON 
 
 A SYSTEM 
 
 OK 
 
 PUBLIC ELEMENTAET INSTRUCTION 
 
 FOB 
 
 UPPER CANADA. 
 
 BY EGERTON RYERSON. 
 
 PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. 
 
 ittontreal t 
 
 l3ibU*-i»*Ejue, 
 
 Lo «*Kiia-3lre da Q«ib*4 
 3, ru> d* I'UniTOTlUftj 
 Qu4k«« 4, QUI. 
 
 PRINTED BY LOVELT 
 
 >AIN'r NICHOLAS STREET, 
 
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 ^■'3 
 
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!;'^-!*?''PV 
 
 Utter from the Assistant Superintendent of Education (Canada WestJ to the Provincial Secretary. 
 
 , , , Edccation Ofiice, West, 
 
 '' ' •' ' Cobourg, March 27th, 1846. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 I have the honor to transmit herewith, to be laid before His Excellency, a Report on a 
 gyatem of I'ublic Elementary Instruction for Upiwr Canada, — the result of my observations 
 in Europe, and the commencement of the task assigned me by the late revered Governor 
 General. 
 
 Having some time since communicated all the remarks and suggestions I had to offer 
 relative to the Common School Act, I have made no reference to it in the following Report ; 
 nor have I given any historical or analytical view of the systems of Public Instruction which 
 obtain in any of the countries that I have recently visited. I have only referred to them in 
 as far as appeared to be necessary to illustrate the conclusions at which I have arrived, in res- 
 liect to a system of Elementary Instruction for Upper Canada. 
 
 I cannot expect that an implicit and unqualified assent will be given to every remark 
 which I have matte, or to every opinion I have expressed ; but I trust the general principles 
 of my Report will meet the approbation of His Excellency, and that the several subjects 
 discussed will be deemed worthy of the consideration of the public. 
 
 In availing myself as far as possible of the experience of other countries, and the testi- 
 mony of their most enlightened Educationists, I have not lost sight of the peculiarities of our 
 own country, and have only imitated distinguished examples of other nations. Prussia 
 herself, before adopting any important measure or change in her system of Public Instruction, 
 has been wont to send School Commissioners into other countries to collect all possible infor- 
 mation on the subjects of deliberation. France, England, and other European Governments 
 have done the same. Three enlightened Educationists from the United states have lately 
 mode similar tours in Europe, with a view of improving their own systems of Public Instruc- 
 tion. One of them spent upwards of two years in Europe, in makmg educational inquiries, 
 — aided b)r a Foreign becretary. I have employed scarcely half that time in the prosecution of 
 my inquiries ; and without having imposed one farthing's expense upon the public. Though 
 the spirit of censure has been in some instances indtuged on account of my absence from 
 Canada, and my investigating, with practical views, the Educational Institutions of Govern- 
 ments differently constituted from our own, I may appeal to the accompanying Report as to 
 the use which 1 have made of my observations ; and I doubt not but that His Excellency, 
 and the people of Upper Canada generally, will appreciate the propriety of such inquiries, 
 and respond to the spirit of the remarks which that distinguished philosopher and statesman, 
 M. Cousin, made on a similar occasion, after his return from investigating the systems of 
 Public Instruction in several countries of Germany : 
 
 " The experience of Germany, (says M. Cousin,) particularly of Prussia, ought not to be 
 " lost upon us. National rivalries or antipathies would here be completely out of place. The true 
 " greatness of a people does not consist in borrowing nothing from others, but in borrowing 
 " from all whatever is good, and in perfecting whatever it appropriates. I am as.great an enemy 
 " as any man to artificial imitations ; but it is mere pusillanimity to reject a thing for no other 
 " reason than that it has been thought good by others. With the prouiptitude and justness of 
 " the French understanding, and the indestructible unity of our national character, we may 
 " assimilate all that is good in other countries without fear of ceasing to be ourselves. Besides, 
 " civilized Europe now forms but one great family. We constantly imitate England in all 
 " that concerns outward life, the mechanical arts, and physical refinements ; why, then, should 
 " we blush to borrow something from kind, honest, pious, learned Germany, in what regard* 
 " inward life and the nurture of the soul? " 
 
 But I have not confined my. observations and references to Germany alone ; the accom- 
 panying Report is my witness, that I have restricted myself to no one country or form of 
 Goveniment,but that I have " borrowed from all whatever " appeared to me to be "good," and 
 have endeavoured to "perfect, " by adapting it to our condition, " whatever I hove appropriated." 
 
 I have the honor to be. 
 Sir, 
 Your most obedient humble servant, 
 
 , ,, . ., EGERTON RYERSON. 
 
 The Honorable D. Daly, 
 
 Secretary, &c., &c., &c. x "^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART FIRST. 
 
 PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM AND SUBJECTS TO BE TAUGHT. 
 
 Initruetintu of Lord Mttoa{fe. — Mearu etnplcytd to givt them efeet. — Prograt of Educational Sytlem*- 
 
 in other Countriei. 
 
 III. WIml moant by Education — should bo provided (nr tho whole people — tcntimoniun to ita importance as a 
 ruuiody of^sinit pau|>cri(iin, and a beneflt in all rcapecti to mechanical and agricultural laborers. 
 
 2nd. Should ku practical. 
 
 Srd. Should be founded u|)nn litligion nnd MoralUj/, (not Sectarianism^ — American trKtimonies to the 'wiln u( 
 iiinittinK religious and moral instruction in Schools — testimonies and examples in fuvor of it — tlie Iloli/ Scrifiliirrt 
 llie basis of it — French law and testimonies — how taught in Prussian Sehnols as testifled by two AnuTicans — 
 may bo taught in mixed Schools — examples of the French Government — Iri'ih National lioard — Prussian liiw, niitl 
 Programmes of Religious Instruction in Prussian Schools — duty of the Canadian Government on this subject. 
 
 Mh. Should devclopo nil the intellectual amXphyiical powers. 
 
 Ctlh. Should provide for tlic proper teaching of tho following subjects : — 
 
 ( 1 .1 liiblical Ultlori/ and Morality. 
 
 (2.) Rending and Spelling — bad methods of teaching the Alphabet — bow it should be taught. — Prussian exam- 
 ples of teaching it by an American — roiidlng should be taught before Hpelliiig — three cardinal (|Uiilitie8 uf good 
 reading, and bow taught in the German and British Schooli* — defective and improved methods of teaching spelling. 
 
 (3.) /FrMi'n^— defucts in the common mode; of teaching it — method rccommendud by the French and English 
 Governments — influence of drawing upon writing. 
 
 (4.) Arithmetic — defectively taught — bow taught in the British and Prussiaa Schools — Booh Keeping — uaeful- 
 ncas of the knowledge and practice of keeping accounts to Farmers and Mechanics. 
 
 — The foregoing the fundamental objects of Common School Teaching. 
 
 (5.) Grammar — remarks and examples on the best modes oJ teaching it. 
 
 (6.) Geography — absurdly taught in many instances — examples of the natural and trne method of teaohiiig it. 
 
 (7.) Linear Drawing — its various uses in common life — the learning of it facilitates proficiency in other stiidiea 
 — how taught in the Scotch, English, and Prussian Schools. 
 
 (8.) Vncal Mutic — the practice of it viewed by experienced Teachers as promoting the progress of the pupil* 
 in other studies — importance of it — method of teaching it recommended by the French and English Govemmenti 
 — American testimonies — examples of the moral influence of it in Germany and Switzerland. 
 
 (9.) Ifislory — some of its uses — to what extent and how it should be taught in the Elementary Schools. 
 
 ( 10.) /Natural Ilittory — universally taught in European Schools — uses of it — how taught. 
 
 (11.) Element! of Natural Philosophy — taught in the German and English National Elementary Schools — tb« 
 great utility nf some knowledge of it in the three grand departments of human industry. 
 
 (12.) Agriculture — to what extent it should be taught to agricultural pupils. 
 
 (13.) Human Physiology unA Mental Philosophy — elementary and practical lessons on them have been and 
 may be easily and usefully taught. 
 
 (14.) Civil Government and Political Economy — the elementary principles of our Constitution, and some of its 
 practical applications shoidd be taught. 
 
 Explanatory Remarks on the preceding view of a course of Public Elementary Instruction, and the manner io 
 which it eliould lie taught— Irish National School Books embrace it — an objection as to its comprehensivcnfm 
 uDitwcred, 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 MAC n INERT OF THE SYSTEM. 
 
 1st. Schools — gradation of Schools reciuired. 
 
 l!nd. Tiachtrs — Normal School training. 
 
 3rd. Text-Books — evils of u great variety of — how totbe remedied. 
 
 4th. Control and Inspection — ^reat importance of it — to what objects it should be directed — remorki on tha 
 Prussian Law, which requires (ho educatio.i cf every child in the land. 
 
 filh. Individutt Efforts — absi lute nee asity ibr them — how employed in Europo— visiting the Schools— eoitf*- 
 renccs of Teachers — Libraries— Conclusioa. 
 
REPORT. 
 
 t. 
 
 lie* 
 '.n\* 
 
 lUld 
 
 icrin 
 
 To The Right Honorable 'T/ie Emu. of Catiicaut, Governor General, ^c ijv. (jr. 
 
 lOD tb* 
 -conf*- 
 
 Mat rr rLKASB Yovb Exobllbnct, 
 
 ij 
 'The letter of the Secretary of the Province, which ': 
 inrormed me of my appoinlmont lo my prraont ulTicc, 
 conlaini the rnllowing words : |j 
 
 " His Excellency has nn diiiiht that ymi will i(ivc ;• 
 " your beiit excrliom to iho diiiieH of your now nlKcc, i 
 " and thut you will Ickic no lime in devoting yourself 
 " lo deviling such mfUMiirp* as may ho ni-neioMry to ' 
 " priiviilo prnpiT School Books ; lo estaliliiih the most . 
 " efficifnt system of |ii«triicti«n ; to elcvnto the chii- 
 " meter of both Teachers and Schools ; and to en- 
 " ciiurago every phin and ell'ort to ediiratn and 
 " improve the youthful mind of the country ; tind His | 
 " Excellency foeU assured that your eiidenvours in I: 
 " mailers so important lo Iho welfare of the rising ii 
 " youth of Western Canada, will ho alike satisfactory |' 
 " to the public, and creditable to yourself." 
 
 Before undorlukini^ lo assume a charge so respon- 
 .<iSble, and to carry into elfect instructions so coinprv- 
 lientive, 1 felt llwt the most extended examination of 
 already est«blishv«l systcmaof Education was desirable, 
 if not indiapensably uecossary. 
 
 Accordini;ly, I applied, and obtained leave, 
 without any expense to the Province, to visit the 
 ixincipal uuuiilries of Europe in whkh the most 
 approved system* of Public Instruction have been 
 estabjialied. 
 
 Having devoted upward* of a year to this prepara- 
 tory part of my task, during which lime I have 
 pursued my inquiries in the doiRinions of nearly twenty 
 dilTerent Governments, I now submit to Your Excel- 
 lency tlie general conclusions at which I liavc arrived. 
 
 The leading and fundamental part of my iissignod 
 task was, " lo devise stich mea$urea at tnay be 
 " necessary to establish Ike most efficient s}/3tem of 
 " Instrvction." I will, therefore, submit to the con- 
 sideration of Your Excellency, first, what I have been 
 led to conclude " the most efficient system of In- 
 " struclion, " and secondly, the machinery necessary 
 for its eslablishincnt, so as to " elevate the character 
 " of both the Te^ciiers and Schools, and to encourage 
 " every plan and cfljrt to educate and im]irove the 
 " youthful mind of the country." 
 
 In adopting measures so decided for the advancement 
 of the educ'ition of the people, the Administration of 
 Canada is but following the example of the most 
 enlightened Governments, and, like them, laying tlie 
 foundation for the stroiigesl claims to the esteem of the 
 country and graliluile ol posterity. On llie part of 
 b'jth the free and (le.s|Kitic Govcrnmcnis of Europe, no 
 subject has lullerly occupied mure utienlion than that 
 of Public lustrucli'in. Tlin whole suliji-ct has under- 
 gcme the mosllliuMugh investigation; and systems both 
 public and private, which had been maturing for ages, 
 extending from the lowest Elementary Schools up to 
 the Colleges and Universities, have been carefully 
 digested and brought into efficient operation. 
 
 The improvement and widecx'rnaion of the Mhteins 
 of Elementary Instruction form the most |iiominciit, m 
 well a« the most interesting fraturo of this ostrnordi- 
 nary deveh)p«ment in the policy of both the Kurojiean 
 anil American (iovernments. 
 
 Adequate provision'^ for Elementary Instruction cxirt 
 not only in Prussia, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, l!el- 
 gium, France, Switzerland, Havaria, Saxony, ,\iislria, 
 and the minor Slates of Gormuny, but even in Hussia 
 u similar system has been commenced , the whole of 
 that vast empire has been divided into I'Dvinces, with 
 a University in each ; the Provinces again dividcil 
 into Districls, each of which is provided with .1 Clas- 
 sical Gymnasium ; — rach Gymnasial District divided 
 again into School Districts, and in imh anElencn- 
 tary School; so that, as n recent traveller ulteivts, 
 " from Polanil to Siberia, and from the White Sea to 
 " the regions beyond Caucasus, includit^g the Pro- 
 " vinoes recently wrested from Persia, there arc 
 " the beginning of a complete system of Cummoii 
 " School Instruction for the whole people, to bo carried 
 " into full execution as fbsl as it is possible to provide 
 "the requisite number of qualified Teachers." 
 
 The investigations on this subject which have lor 
 several years past been instituted by our own Impe- 
 rial Government', have been of the most extensive and 
 practical character, and have already resulted in the 
 adoption of measures unprecedentcdiy energetic and 
 comprehensive, to supply the intellectual wants of the 
 aboring classes. 
 
 The northern Stales of the neighbouring Republic 
 have also made laudable efforts to improve their sys- 
 tems of Elementary Education ; to promote which ob- 
 ject, no less than three of their most distinguished 
 citizens have, during the last nine years, made exten- 
 sive lours in Europe. 
 
 But the vast amount of legislation <\'hich lias been 
 expended in tliese States, the nume' ' s tnodificationg 
 and amendments of the School Law . f <e complainls 
 that are still made by the most compeis r judges and 
 administrators of them, of the defects 1.1 their opera- 
 tions, — no less than the nature and importance of the 
 subject itself, admonish, and seem to require on the 
 part of the Government of Canada, the most careful 
 consideration of the whole subject ; so that the wants, 
 interests and circumstances of the country may be con- 
 sulted as far as possible, and that the progress of 
 education may not be retarded by uncertainty, doubt, 
 and frequent change. 
 
 The instructions which have been given me, and the 
 facilities of acquiring information with which I have 
 been favored, as well as other circumstances to 
 which 1 need not here particularly allude, evince that 
 the Canadian Government is second to no other in its 
 desire and determination to promote in every ]>ussible 
 way the education of the people. 
 
 In obedience then lo my instructions, I proceed lo 
 the explanation of that system of Education which I 
 
iiincuiiu to III) I'oquircil by the rircumalanceii of (he 
 I ciiiiilry. Ill tilling mi, I kliull alrvngthi'n iiiiJ illiii- 
 iriilc my own vjewn by ri'fi.Tfn<;i'n lo tliu Ix-sl aulhori- 
 iii'H, iHiib Kiirojicin miil AiiiHrimn, in ordur llmt (he 
 (fovcninii'iil :iijil the |ii'o|ili' of ll|i|H'r Canuilu niuy be 
 aii(Mi('il — iii;>iiiiNl olijmlioiia wbi( li tniiy hv ur^eri from 
 any i|iiurli'r — llmt lliuaoiitiini'iit.t wliiili I may mlviilK'C, 
 mill till! rccomin«ii(liitioni« I mHy vunluru to Kiilimit, are 
 ii»l riiNli iiovdtir^ or criiilu «|M!riilationi, bill tliu result 
 of llii! Iur){('!il nx|H>ri('n('o, uiiil tlio (li>(.>|iciil InvuiiliKU- 
 lioiiHoii tbu imrtoflhi' Ih!»I jiiilKea reiiiluiit in Mb lienii*- 
 lihurus, nml iinilvr liiirurcnt forms of Civil (Government. 
 
 Hy Kilucalion, I mean iiol llio mere aci|uisiti^n of 
 ciirtuin arlH, or of certain brancbui of knowledge, but 
 that instruction and ilisuipline wliicb qualify and dis- 
 poite the subjects of it for llieir appropriate duties and 
 I'inployiiii'iils of life, as Christians, as persons of busi- 
 iie.s.1, and also as members of the civil community in 
 which tlivy live. 
 
 The basis of an educational structure adapted lo this 
 (Uid should be as broad us the population of the country ; 
 and its loftiest elevation should equal the highest de- 
 mands of the liiarncd profcshions, adapting its gradation 
 of schools to the wants of the several cliuses of the 
 community, and to their respective employments or 
 professions, the one rising above the other — the one 
 conducting to iho oilier ; yet each complete in itself for 
 lliu degree of education it imparts ; a character of uni- 
 lormily as to fundamental principles pervading the 
 whole : the whole based upon the principles of Chris- 
 tianity, and uniting the combined influence and support 
 of the Government and the people. 
 
 llie branches of knowledge which it is essential 
 tliai all should understand, should be provided/or all, 
 and taught to all ; should be brought within the reach 
 of the most needy, and forced upon the attention of 
 the most careless. The knowledge required for the 
 wientific pursuit of mechanics, agriculture and com- 
 inerce, must needs be provided to an extent corres- 
 ponding with the demand, and the exigencies of the 
 country ; while to a still more unlimited extent are need- 
 ed facilities for acquiring the higher education of the 
 luuriied professions. 
 
 Now, lo a profussioniil education, and to the educa- 
 tion of the more wealtliy classes, no objection has been 
 made, nor even indill'erence manifested. On the con- 
 trary, for these classes of society, less needing the as- 
 sistance of the Government, and having less claims 
 upon its benevolent consideration than the laboring 
 and producing classes of the population, have liberal 
 provisions been made, and able Profesjiors employed : 
 whilst Schools of Industry have lieeu altogether over- 
 lookcil, and primary Instruction has scarcely lieen rc- 
 iliicud lo a system ; and the education of the bulk of 
 ilie (lopulaliuii has bieii left to the annual liberality of 
 I'arliaiueiil. Nay, even oliji.'itions have been made to 
 ihe eduuutiun of the labouring classes of the |)eople ; 
 and it may be advisable to shew, at the outset, that 
 the eslablislimentof a thoroui;h .sy.-item of primary and 
 industrial Education, commensurate with the |mpula- 
 tion of till! country, as contemplated by the Government, 
 and a>i is here proposed, is justified by considerations 
 oi" economy as well as of palriotism and humanity. 
 
 First, sui h a system of general Education amongst 
 the people is the most elTuctual preventative of pauper- 
 ism, and ii8 natural companions, misery and crime. 
 
 To a younj; and gr^ wing country, and the retreat 
 of so many iioor Ironi i tlier countries, this considera- 
 tion is of the greatest importance. The gangrene of 
 i>au|M)rism in either ci ies or states is almost incurable. 
 It may be said io son.e sort to be hereditary as well 
 
 RB infections,-- both to perfictualc and prii|>flgnte itmlf, 
 — lo weaken the body |Hilitic at its very head, — and lo 
 multiply wrutilu'diiess and vice. 
 
 Now, the Statistiral Reports of p«ii|M^ri»m and rriint 
 in ditlbrmit countries, furnish indubitable priHif thai 
 ignorance is llio fruitlul source of idlrnois, intempe- 
 rance and improvidence, and these the fuster-pareU 
 of pauperism and criiiic. 
 
 The history of every country in Europe may be ap- 
 pealed to in proof and illuslraliun of iho fact, — apart 
 from the operation of extraneous luial and lemimrarr 
 circumslances, — that |iauperism atal crime prtvail in 
 
 Iiro|)ortiun to the absence of education amongst the 
 abouring classes and that in pro|iortion to the txliteno* 
 and prevalence of education amongst those clasfes, iatbe 
 absence of paupirisin and its legitimate oflspring. 
 
 To adduce even u summary of the statistical detaila 
 which I have collected on this subject, would exceed 
 my prescribed limits ; and I will only present Iho con- 
 clusions at which competent witnes^es have arrivcil 
 after careful and personal inquiiy. 
 
 F. Hill, Esquire, Her Majesty's Inspector of Pri- 
 sons in Scotland, at the ronclusioii of a sialistical work 
 on National Education in Great Britain, Prussia, ^pain 
 and America, states the following amongst other infe- 
 rences, as the result of his investigations : 
 
 " So powerful i* education as a means of national 
 " improvement, that with comparatively few exce(- 
 " tions, the difTerenl countries of the world if arran- 
 '< ged according to the stale of education in them, will 
 " be found to be arranged also according to wealth, 
 " morals and general happincw ; and not only does Ibia 
 " rule hold good as respects a country taken as a whole, 
 " but it will generally apply to the dilTeienl parts of tU 
 " same country. 
 
 " Thus in England, education u in the best state m 
 " the northern Agricultural District, and in the worst 
 "slate in the souihern Agricultural District, and in the 
 " Agricultural parts oflho Midland District; while in the 
 " great Towns, and other manufacturing places, educa- 
 " tion is in an iiilcrmediale slate ; and at the same lime, 
 " tlierondhion of the peuple and the extent of crime aitd 
 " violence among them follow in like order."* 
 
 J. C. Blackden, Esquire, of Furd Castle, Northum- 
 berland, England, in concluding his evidence befora 
 the Poor Law Commissioners, expre>se8 himself thus ; 
 " In taking a short review of my answers to the Com- 
 " missioners' Queries, the advantageous position of our 
 " laboring population, when compared with the position 
 '' of those in the mure southern districts of the country, 
 " must be manifest. 
 
 "It is impossible to live among them without being 
 " struck liytheirsuperior intelligence, and theirsuperiur 
 " morality. 
 
 "I am fully justified in this assertion by the Parlia- 
 "mcntary Returns of criminal commitmentsin the several 
 " Counties of England, which prove Northumberland u» 
 " lie very much more free from crime than any other 
 " County. 
 
 " A principal cause of this I have no doubt arises 
 " from the eiliication they receive at the Schools tcat- 
 " tered over the country."f 
 
 * Natinnal Education ; its present lisle and proepwla, b/ f twl- 
 erioli Uill, vol. ii, pp. IM and 169. 
 f lioport of Poor Ij»« Comminioncn. Afpndu. 
 
'twl- 
 
 Th« Ravarend W. S. Uilly, Vicar of Nurham Parifh, 
 Norlhumborlanil, itala* thu fullowing facli iu nvidance 
 kmhn llie Mine Cuinniiuiiinur* : 
 
 " I Hurcdv know an inttnnco in Ihii pHrlih in 
 " which Ihn children uf nn aKrirullumI Inhoror havii 
 " not bepii tent Id School, for Ihu most |mrt at lh» jwn 
 " axpenao. I believe ihn |>iir(.'nl» «cl ti urcnler raliiu 
 " on iJiulailucHtion, ihocxpvnMia of which (liny ilcfrny 
 " Ihenmilvea ; Ihcy wiilch (heir children's progrt-u 
 " more narrowly. From |iriidenca ami riliiciilion 
 " reaulta Ihu pruaperity of tWn UiitricI ; ami it ii not 
 "heraaa in aoniu plucen, that lh» Hlimilule plenty of 
 " the land, nnd Ihu rclalivo povnrly of Ihc p«mpki who 
 " live in it keep ynce one willi the other ! A high 
 " klandard of chariicter hiu raiacd the alandard of com- 
 " flirt here ; and for miiny venrs unoful education 
 *' combined with Christian Education, hua been dilfu- 
 " lina; iu blessings." • 
 
 Th« same causes have produced the same clTecii in 
 oilier couni lies. Pruasiti is a cuniipicuous example. The 
 fullowing is Iho slatemcnt of Thomas VVyse, ENpiire, 
 Member of Ihc British Parliament, and author of an 
 olaburalo work on Education Reform, who has rondo 
 •xlentive tours of personal inspection on the Cunlinenl. 
 Peraenal observation enables mo to hIIckI Iu the cor- 
 Tectneas of that |iarl of Mr. Wyse's slatcmenls which 
 relate to the recently acquired Prussian Provinces on 
 the Rhine. 
 
 Mr. Wyite snys — " Whnt is the real social result of 
 " all this .' — How has it nlTucted the population for good 
 " or for III ?-^How is it likely to affect them in 
 *' future ? — The niirrnlives jjivcn by Pestnloizi, Do 
 ■" Pollcnbcrg, Oberlin and the P^roGirnrd, of singular 
 " revolution, menial and moral, and I miiy also ndd, 
 " physical, effuclod by iho application of their sy.stem 
 '" of teaching on a hitherto ignorant and vicious popula- 
 " lion, though admitted to be isolated experiments, 
 " ought not liio Icfs to be considered evidences of the 
 " intrinsic force of the inslrumoiit it,sclf,undof its power 
 " to produce similar results, wherever and whenever 
 " fairly trieil, wilhout reference to country or numbers ; 
 " Ihot is, whenevcrapplied with the same earnestness, 
 " honesty and skill in other instnnces as in theirs, 
 " And of this portion of Pru.saia — of the Khcnish Pro- 
 " vinces — it may surely bo averred, that it has now 
 " been fir some time under llie influence of this system, 
 *' and that during ihal period, whether resulting from 
 *' such influence or nut, it.s progress in inlclligence, iu- 
 " duslry, and morality, in liio chief elements of virtue 
 " and happiness, has been steadily nnd strikingly pro- 
 " gressive. In few parts of the civilized world is there 
 " mure m.irkcd exemption from crimes and violence." 
 
 A judicious American writer observes, that "nearlv 
 '' niii9-lenths of all the pauperism actually existing iii 
 " any country, may be traced direclly to moral cau- 
 " ^cs ; such us improvidence, idleness, intemperance, 
 •' and n wani of mudernte energy and enlerprizc. 
 " Now it is hardly necessary to ndd that education, if 
 *' it be imparled to all the ri»iiig generation, and be 
 " |)ervaded, also, by the right spirit, will remove these 
 " fruitful siwrcesof indigence. It will make the young 
 " provident, industrious, temperate and frugal, and 
 '" with such virtues, aided by intelligence, ihey can 
 " hardly fail in after life to gain a comfortable support 
 " for themselves and families. Could lbs paupers ofour 
 " own Slate be collected into one group, it would be 
 " found, 1 doubt not, that three out of every four, if not 
 " five out of every six, owe their present humiliating 
 *' ]K>sition to some defect or omission in their early 
 *• troining." f 
 
 * Beport of Poor Law CnmroiMionnri, Appettdir. 
 
 I School Slid SchfKilinaatcr. By Alonzo I'utter, 1>. P., of Nev 
 York. Klevfin thousand ccmies of tliis worI( have been circulated 
 mtaltoualjr in the State of New Vorit, by the Honorable James 
 Wadiworth, and three thouund in the Slate of HaMMhaielU, at 
 the eijwou of lit. Brimmer, late Blajur of Buaton. 
 
 What hiw been staled in respect to agricultural 
 laborer*, and uf thu laboring riasava giMinrally, is 
 ui|UMlly and ap<>cially truu uf manufacturing lafaionrs. 
 From the inaaa of Ivstimoriy whiih in glil lie udilured oit 
 this point, uiw or two ■Inlonianls only will Iw selected. 
 Th« llril is from the uvidcin'o bvloru thu Piair Law 
 Commiasioners, by Air. A. (». F>lier, of Zurich, 
 Switaurlanil, un •x|t«iiencHd Engin"ur, who has been 
 accuitoined to employ hundreds uf workiiirn. In re- 
 ply to the <|ueslioii, lis to the ctli'cis of a ik'ticiuncy of 
 u(liH'alion on succos in iiiechaiiical rinplnyincnl*, Mr. 
 Escher says : "Those eiructs aroirxist strikingly exliibit- 
 " oil in thu Itiiliiiiis, who, though with the udviintage 
 " of greater natural capucity than the Knglish, Swiss, 
 " Dutch or Uerman-t, are still of Iho lowest class of 
 " workmen. Though they cumprelieiid clearly and 
 " quickly any siinplu prii|Hi]itiim iiiudu or explanation 
 " given to lliem, and are enabled quickly to execute 
 " any kind of work wliuii they huvu sucii it pirform- 
 " oil once, yet their minds, ns I imagine from want 
 " of developemonl hy training or S> houl Education, 
 '■ lo'tn to have no kind of logic, no |iowerof syslematic 
 " arrangement, no capacity for collecting any series of 
 " observations, and iniikiiig sound deductions from the 
 " whole o( their. This want of ciipacilv of mental 
 " arrangement is shewn in their inanuni operations. 
 " An Italiim will exccutu n simple operation with 
 " great dexterity; but \Nhcn a number of them is put 
 " together, all is coiifusiiMi. For instance ; within a 
 " short time aftor thu introduction of cotton spinning 
 " into Naples in 1S3U, a native spinner would produce 
 " as much us the best English workman ; and yet up to 
 " this time, not one of thu Neapolitan operator* is 
 " advanced far enough to take the superintendence of 
 " n single room, the Snporintendenls being all North- 
 " ems, who, though less gifted by nature, have had a 
 " higher degree of order and arrangement imparled to 
 " their mintis by a superior education." 
 
 In reply to the question, whether Education would not 
 lend to render them discunlented and disorderly ,and thus 
 impair their value as operatives, Mr. Escher states : 
 " My own experience and my conversation with eroi- 
 " nont mechanics in dilVeienl parts of Europe, lead ma 
 " to un entirely dilliircnt conclusion. In thu present 
 " slate of manufactures, where so much is dune by 
 " machinery and tools, laid so little done by mere brute 
 " labor, (nnd that liulo diminishing,) menial superio- 
 " rity, system, order, punctuality and good conduct, — 
 " qualities Jill developed and promoted by educatiun — 
 " are becoming of the highest consequence. There 
 " are now, I consider, few enlightened manufacturer)', 
 ," who will dis.<icnt from the opinion, that the work- 
 " shops, peopled with the greatest number of well 
 " inf'irmed workmch, will turn out the greatest quon- 
 " lily of the best work, in Iho best manner." " The 
 " hotter educated workmen are distinguished, we find, 
 " by superior moral habits in every respect." 
 
 " From the accounts which pass through my hands, 
 " I invariably find that the (lest eilucaled of our work 
 " people manage to livo in the most respectable man- 
 *' ncr, at the least expense, or make their money go 
 " the farthest in obtaining comforts. 
 
 " This applies equally to the work people of all 
 " nations, that havo c(ime under my observations ; the 
 " Saxons, the Dutch, and the Swiss, being however 
 " decidedly the most saving without stinting them- 
 " selves in their comforts, or failing in general respec> 
 "lability. With regard to the English I may say, that 
 " the educated workmen are the only ones who save 
 " money out of their very large wages. 
 
 " By Education I may say, that I, throughout mean, 
 " not merely instruction in the art of reading, writing 
 " and arithmetic, but better general menial develope- 
 
 fs. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
6 
 
 " imni ; ilm ui-i|ni»iiiiin i)f htUrt laMi*, of mctiiiil 
 " iiiiiiio'tiiciil", iinil «i.j<iymi<iilii, wlik'h urn ilimin-r 
 " wliil"! ih«y lire irioro rolined."* 
 
 Tho miiiin fli iHirl lontMinfi Ihu rviilenn' of tniinjr 
 Kn((liiili iii.iiiiilii MiriTi to ihi' n.iithi rlli'< t, us iil«i> iIk' 
 Heimrt to Ihn Srirrlnrif of Stale Jor Ihr llniiir 
 Uepiirlmtmt iin Ihi liiiininff of hiufirr Chililirn, 
 
 Til" KdtDH cmiim'j |irii<luc« iho «imiii fHi'ilH iiinoiin 
 (ht< liilxirin'^ |i<i|iiil;itiiin iil ihe miiniiliK luring (itwiin 
 
 III' Ihl! I illlll'll MullH, 
 
 III IHIl, llic Si'irctiiry <il' llii' M;isMirliii«rH< Himiii 
 of Kililciil'.'iii iii.kIk a liilioriiMiN iiii|iijrv into tin' coiu- 
 |iarntlv« |ii'oi|ni Iiviih'm of llin hilior nf tlii' iiluriili il 
 uml iiii'iliii'iili'il iiiiiiiiif.ii'turiii^ oiii'r.ilivi'-i in iIkiI NiiiIc. 
 Thi' milnliinn! of iliu iiiiswcrt of tliu miiniif.irHiri'r>, 
 »ni\ liiiiiiii'M iiii'ii 10 wlioin III) a|i|ilii'il, in iin liillown : 
 " 'I'hi! r<"<iilt of till' invi'iilii{iilion is ilii'iiio^i ii\ioiii>liiii)r 
 " iupcriorily in |iroiliii:iivi) power on iIki |iiirl ofiln' nln- 
 " tiili'il iivrr lliii niiiMlnriili'illulMiri'r. 'J'liu hiiiiil i> liiunil 
 " Inlii'iinoiliiT Ininil wlii'ni{ui(li'illiyiiti iiit>3lli)(i'ntiiilnil, 
 " I'roi I'ssos iin^ |H'rHiriHf(l nut only iiiorii r«|iiillv, 
 •' but liiiller, wlii'ii f.irnllii'H wliiclilnivr lieeii riillivHliil 
 '* III early lilii fnrnisli lliinr avsistiiniL', linliviilniiK 
 " will), willioiit llio aid of kniiwlcilge, woiilil liavi' 
 " bci'ii (• inili'iniipil to piTpfliial iiifuiiorily of <iiMil;lion 
 " anil siiliji'i:t<'il to all tlio vvil-i of want unil povcriv, 
 '• risi! to coinpc.'li'iiri! anil iiiilupciulonru liy llie npliftini; 
 " powiT of idiKMlion, In nrvM usiublialimuiits, uiiil 
 " umoiii{ lar^ii budics of l.ibiiriiin men, wlioro nil 
 " nerviiru.H are niliil atTorilinj{ to lln'lr pcMuniary 
 '• viilno, t!ii>ri) is it found us an almosl invaiiablu lint, 
 '' olIiiT lliiiij^s lMiin'4 i'i|iial, tliiit tliosii wlio laivu Iiimii 
 " bli'ssi'd willi a ^rooil Ciiininoii Sclioiil Kiliiciitioii, riKO 
 " to a lii^;lii r and liii^lior point in lliti kinds of labor 
 '■ pfrforini'd, and also in lliu ratr of wa;;t'S paid, wliili; 
 *' thu iii;ni)r.iiit sink liku dregs to tlic bottiitii."f 
 
 From tlio preceding facn, iiiiiy lie inferred tbo lin- 
 portunco of ii sminil Cimiimm Sehoiil Kduciition, 
 utnoni? livcii Ibe lowest class of agrienlturulisiM, and 
 iiieclianics, in respect botli to employers and tbo em- 
 ployed. 
 
 Tbu cjcneral dilVusion of sucli iin education even in 
 tliu pimrust country is tbe precursor and companion of 
 tho geiieriil dill'iision of industry and virtue, comfort 
 and happiness. Of this Switzi'rland— iiatunilly the 
 least prodnclivo, and the most dillicult of cultivation if 
 any country of central Europe — is an indubitable ex- 
 ample. 
 
 Ill .several of the Cantons of Switzerland I have 
 lately bad the opportunity of witncssin<{ the substan- 
 tial correctne.ss of what is thus stated by a refent 
 traveller : " The intermixture of classes is woniler- 
 " fully divested of the oll'iinsivc familiarities which 
 " would infallibly arise from it in less educated coun- 
 " tries. UelVrential respect is paid, rather perhaps, 
 " to aii;e, and moral station, thsn to more allluence ; 
 " but I have seldom witncs.sod any departure fiom a 
 " tone and manner of nllectinnate tourle.sy on the part 
 " of the poorer towards the higher classes. 
 
 " This may, however, be mainly attributable to tho 
 " liabitual and kindly cunsideratioti shewn to the work- 
 " ing classes by their superiors. 
 
 " Whether this results from a higher sense of doing 
 " to others as we would be done by, whether from 
 '' natural kind-heartedness, or whether from theknow- 
 
 * Kepurt uf I'our Law Coinminjiioiiers. 
 
 f Rrpurt of tho Secrctury of the MauachusKtts Education So- 
 ciety for 1841. 
 
 " U'H){i' of Ihr piiwor |iuM«M«d by furh mnn, I liAow 
 " niK ; bill h« |( froin lovii, or lie l( friitn iHiir, otrlalli 
 " II 14, llail a kindly fitdiii^ in I'viiii'iil l>> I'Miplnyem hi 
 " lliit I'inployi'il ill Northt'iii Swii;ii ihind, of »liii:h 
 " li:w other I ouiilriim ulliird an I'Miiiiplv. hwiUrrlitiid 
 " i» I liMirly iniliilitHd III lliu highly iduculed, or, tu 
 " »|H'iik iiioru nnniclly, to the (inluiiiiirely uducnlud 
 " mind of her pvople, lur her ^illll;uUr prunpurily, mitl 
 " udvuiii einulit. 
 
 " lirilliuiit talsnln, or any enilnunt |iowcr.4 uf intel- 
 " led, iirii vviy rarely found anioii){ ihu Swiu; but 
 " fur luiiinil ifooil suiisii, and ^eiienil prolicieiicy ill ihu 
 " coininon bnim lies of i'ilu(ali< 'i, I du not think Ihil 
 " llirre is a |H'oplu equal to them. 
 
 " A family in one of ihu vill.l^l'^ I visited in Iho 
 " (.'anion of /iiricli, w us [loinliMl out to inu im unuaUMl- 
 '' ly disn.'put dill', and I w.is i aiilioni'd not lo take any 
 " thing I saw tlieru as a smnple of ilm rout. One of 
 " the heaviest charnes tnndu iii^iiinst the conduct of 
 " the master was, llial In.' hiiil bis'ii repeali'dly wnrn«(i 
 " by till! ifeiiifiniltimnnn to ni'iidtwo of hisibildrenlu 
 " srhiiol who were liirni'd of eiujht years of ai;6 ; Ihnl 
 " lie had proved so refractory, llwt at leiintli, the Slid- 
 " holder hiid been informed of his conduct, «nd it 
 " was only when he found he was iibout (o be fined 
 " lliat he complied with the law." 
 
 One may well ask then, with Iii>hop Oerkcly, 
 
 " wlu'ther a wise Slule hath iiny intercut nearer heart 
 
 " ihan the education uf yo'itli." Inde|icndent uf Ihu 
 
 answer furnished by the liiregoiiig fuels, the Mifuty uf u 
 
 coiiHiiluiional Stale may, in the words uf M. Girardin, 
 
 I late Kdiicutiorittl Inspector of the French (juvorninunt 
 
 to Austria : "The inslruclion of the people endangers 
 
 J " Absolute tioveinmenls ; their ignoraiicu on Iho con- 
 
 " Irary imperils llepresentalive Governments, fur tho 
 
 ; " I'.nliaiiienlary debates, white ihey reveal to ihu 
 
 ;; " mass the extent of their rights, do nut wait until they 
 
 jl '' can cxercisu them with discernment ; and when a 
 
 tl " people knows its rights there i.s but one way to govern 
 
 I " them, to educate Ilium :" A septim'tit which is_ still 
 
 ; more strongly enforced by the present enlightened 
 
 Archbishop of Uublin : " If ihu lower orders aro to 
 
 I: " bu Ihe properly, the slaves of their f^overnuis, and 
 
 I "to be governed nut, for their own ail\antiige, but 
 
 II " entirely for the beiiclit of their rulers, then, no doubt, 
 " the more they are degraded towards the condition of 
 
 '; " brutes, thu more likely they are to siilimit lo this 
 I " tyranny. But if they are to bo governed as rational 
 
 I " beings, iho more rational ti.ey are made (he better 
 
 II " subjects they will be of such a Guverninent." * 
 
 Ij The first feature then of our Provincial syitem of 
 Public Instruction, should be uniuersality ; and that 
 in respect to the poorest classes of society. 
 
 !i 
 
 ! It is the poor indeed that need thu assistance of the 
 Government, and they are projier objects of its special 
 
 'I solicitude and care; the richc:in takccaroufthemsulves. 
 
 ]' 
 
 ■j Tho elementary cducntion cf the whole jieuplo 
 
 I must therefore be ancssenlial clement in the Le«isla- 
 
 tive uml Administrative jiolicy of an enlightened and 
 i' beneficent Government. ,,. .,• 
 
 'I '• t 
 
 i Nor is it less important to tho cfliciency of such a 
 
 system, that il should be ]iractical, than that it should 
 
 bo universal. 
 
 The mere acquisition or even the general difTusion 
 of knowledge, without the requisite qualities to apply 
 that knowledge in the best manner, docs nut merit the 
 
 * Archbishop Whatcly. Sermon for tbsbsufitof BaI«s»9r(U 
 and Cloudalkin National ijchool, p. IS. 
 
 Ik 
 
[ffiisim 
 > apply 
 erit the 
 
 ■r«rtk 
 
 name orKiliniitiiin. Murh knnwInlKR mny iMi inifMirl- 
 0(1, iinil H<i|iitr<-il wllhiiiil liny nihliiiim wliiitfvrr in iIm' 
 capacity fir the l>imiiir« of lit'n. Tlicn- nri' iml wiiiil- 
 Ing iiumiTcitii ■•\ntn)ili'ii of piirnim* tiMving i'X('rlli<il i-vin 
 in till! hii<hiT ili'|iirtini'ni» of kmiwloln.', wlionri- iiiiit- i 
 ly ini'iiiii|Ntii'ii( lo ilin miwl Diin|ilr, ii* wi'll m ili« most | 
 imporlniil ill'iir* oli'Vt-ry iliiy lil'i'. Ili-lnry |iri'«i'til'< ni I 
 Willi ovrn lliiivi'mlly i«y«ti'nn« of Kdiirnlion (nofiiil. il) 
 entiri'ly ilr«liliitii olall prHi'lical rlinrnrlpr ; niiil lliiTr 
 aru rliimi'ntiiry ptyVrmnwIiicliti'mlai mm h id |iri'|uili( '■ 
 and iMTM'rl, nilto My corrupt, Ilia jHipjIar miiitl, ii<i lo 
 improve unil oluvuin it. j 
 
 Thi' vpry RnH of niir hcinn U prnrliral, and every 
 atep, iind tnery hriini'li nf niir tnonil, inli'llrclniil, iiiiil 
 pliyniciil ciilliirii hIioiiM liiirinoMlsi with llio di-niirn of 
 our I'xhli'iicc. 'I'lit' iiKi' ill wliidi wr livr ii likiwiv 
 uminiMilly priiiliinl ; nnd llio mndilinn mid iiilirr^li, 
 llio piirmiiN mid diilicn of our now coiinlry, under our 
 free (lovBrimmnt, iini invejieil wiili iiii iilinost ex- 
 clusively priitlical Hmraelcr. 
 
 Searrely nn indlviduiil nmonK na i» exempt from 
 llio necosaity of " llvilii; liy llm aweni of liia face." 
 Evury man xliould (hnreforu bu cdiiruled lo pnicticv. 
 
 The change* and duveln|iemonla which have Ik'c'Ii 
 made in ihii iirtx, nioden of labor, inelliodi of buaini'SH, 
 ayslema of commerce, Adminiatfiitiona oi' ilie (io\erii- 
 ment, mid indeed nvury da|)arlmont of civiliziilion, in- 
 volve ihn nei^Rwily nnd imporlnnce of ii corre»iH)ndinj{ 
 chamtler in our whole syslcni of imldiu inslruelioii. 
 The fuitne nmniint of skill and knowh'd^e which would 
 huvo enubled un artiziui or ii Iriideainiin, or mer- 
 chant, or oven n prole^aionnl man (o liiivu viccelled in 
 formtr yonrs, would be by no meiiiiv adi'quutc to siic- 
 cean in the present stage of mental duvclupoment iind 
 uf keen iind skilful comjielilion. 
 
 The BtHto of society then, no leia thiin the wants uf 
 our nnunlry, romiirea ihut every youth of the land 
 ahould be irainca tu iniluHtry and pructico, — whether 
 that training be uxtciisivu or limited. 
 
 Now, Education thus practical, includes religion, 
 and inoralily ; secgndly, iho dtvulopcmcnt to u certain 
 extent, of all our fjcullies ; thirdly, uii ac(|iiaintuncc 
 with several branches of clemenlary knowleili^c. 
 
 Under tlicse lieaili will be. embraced a summary 
 view of what I deem it necessary In say on this subject. 
 Nor shall 1 bo very particular in treating tiicra 
 aeparutcly. 
 
 By roligiim nnd morality I do not mean sectarian- 
 ism in any n.."m, but ihu general system of truth and 
 nsorals taught in the Holy Scriptures. Sectarianism ia 
 not morality. To bo zealous for a sect and to bo 
 conscientious in morals are widely dilFeront. To in- 
 culculu the peculiarities ot u .sect, nnd to teach Ihe 
 fundamental principles of religion and morality, are 
 equally different. Indeed Schools might bo named, 
 in which thurc is the most rigorous inculcation uf an 
 exclusive sectarianism, where there is a deplorable 
 ubiencc of the fruits of both religion and morality. As 
 there may bo a very careful teaching of some of the 
 ornamental branches uf learning, while the essential and 
 practical departments of it are very careic; ;Iy, if at all 
 
 ' .ht ; so it notoriously occurs that scrupulous nnd 
 •--lentatious maintenance and teaching of the " mint, 
 *' anise, and cummin" of a vain nnd grasping sectarian- 
 ism, is accompanied with an equally notorious disregard 
 of the " weightier matters of the law" ofrSliaion and 
 morality. , , • 
 
 Such teaching may, as it has done, raise up an army 
 of pugilists, and persecutors, but it is not the way to 
 
 rrcaia n caramunHy u| .('lirUtiuni. To irm h a chiM 
 iha iloiriniiii, und tpiril ofii i«« t, bifor* In- la liiuf(ht Ihe 
 (■•«Mii ;il priiii'i|il*'> i>( leii^toii nnd mo'iiliiv, ii to in- 
 v»it lln' |ivr>iiniil, — loruverm Iliu order of iiiiliir)*,— lo 
 ttird Willi iht' liMiiea of ciintroveriiy iiisluad ul with Ihu 
 iiouri»liiiiK milk oflruih and charily, 
 
 In lhe<n reinarku I menn no olijiTtion In Srhimls in 
 ronni'xion Wilh u pnrliniliir reliK>ou> comniunily, — 
 wl.olly (onlrnllt'ii by mii h <oniiiiiiiiity, nnd wlierii il> 
 wnr>liip is ohtervrd, and il> creed taui^lil. N>ir would 
 I intiiiiiiti) that mil h eilablmhiiieniii muy not In many 
 iiitlaiiies bf inorr etiicieiil and iii iru desiralni.' lli in any 
 other iliHiTciiily cuiisliiiiled ; nor iluii the excrtiont to 
 ekiiiblikli iiiiil inaiiiiiiin ihein, urn not mo>t prninuworlliy, 
 and ought not to bu countenancod and supported. 
 
 I refer nut lo the con'-tilution and control of Schools 
 or Seniinaricn, but lo ilm kind of learhiii'^- n leachini{ 
 which ran I"' Im'IIit iiialerslncid lliuii detliied, — iilcacli- 
 inu wbicli uiiclirlKiiaiiizcs fiur-lllilis if not nine-lenths 
 o( Clirnlemloiii, — a leachinn wliic h ^ull^lillll( s the form 
 tiir ihe I'ealily, — llie iiymbol for ihe HuUilam e, — ihu 
 iliiuma for ihcdiM'trine, — lliu paisioii for sect, liirlhohivu 
 of God, and ourneimlilxiurK ; — a leadline which, as his 
 lirry can alii^sl, is ) iiMliiclivo of eccUwiailical corrup- 
 liiiiis, nuj erstiiion mid infuh'lity, mm inl diMpules and 
 civil coiileiitioiis, anil is inimical alike tu goud govern- 
 ment and public tranquillity. 
 
 I iiiii liver, from personal experience nnd practice, 
 as well us from u very extendeil ini|uiry on lliis sub- 
 iecl, that » much inoru cumprcliensive courso uf 
 biblical nnd religious instruction can be given, than 
 lliere is likely lo bu o|i]iorliinily for in Klemenlnry 
 Stiiools, without any roslraint on tlie one side, or any 
 linrliire of sectarian inn on tlio other, — a course em- 
 bracing the entire IHitory rf the Bible, its ItintHu- 
 tions, cardiniil Joclriius and Morals, logetlier with 
 tlie tvidencta of its auihtnticitif. In iliu sequel, this 
 stalcmcnt wilt bo illustrated anil confirmed by fuels. 
 
 Tho mitnpplicaliun mid nbuso of religious instruc- 
 tion in SdiooU have induced many to adopt a contrary 
 error, and to object to it altogether as an element uf 
 popular Education. In France, religion formed no 
 |(«rt of elementary Education hr many years, and in 
 ,soMiu purls of the United Slates the example of France 
 hat been followed. 
 
 Time is required fully to developo the consequences 
 of a purely t/uiiltat system of public Instruction. It 
 requires a generalioii for llie seed to germinate, — u se- 
 cond or third fur the Iruit lo ripen. 
 
 However, the consequences have 'leen loo soon 
 manifest both in Franco und America. 
 
 • Tho French Government has fbr many years em- 
 ployed its most strenuous exertions tu make religious 
 instruction an esscniitd part of elementary Education ; 
 und experienced men, and Ihe most distinguished edu- 
 cational writers in llio United Staten, speak in strong 
 tcrin.'i of the dcplorubln consequences resulting from 
 the absence of religious instruction in their Schools, «nd 
 earnestly insist upon its absolute necessity. 
 
 Tho Honorable Samuel Young, the present Superin- 
 tendent of Education in the State of New York, thus 
 pourtrays the character uf the popular mind in that 
 country, in Ihe utter absence of all religion in their 
 system of Public InM ruction. The length of the ex- 
 tract will be amply justified bv the importance «f tho 
 subject, and the high authority from which it emanates : 
 
 " Nothing is noro common than for public, jour- 
 " nalists to cxtoUn unawasurvd terms tlic inteliigcnco 
 
 'ivN 
 
 i-u-Jifc-jii.-ji^Ai*.- aA^ii'.'r 
 
" of the community. On nil occasions, ncconling lo 
 " them, VoxpoimU eat vox Dei. Wc urc proiiouiiceil 
 " to be a highly cullivnleil, intelletluiil, and civilised 
 " people. AVIien \vp, the people, called for ;lie exdu- 
 '• sion of »mall bills, wc were right ; when wo called 
 " for the re|)enl of the exclusion, we were equally right, 
 " We are divided into political (iarties iienrly equal, 
 " but we are both right. We disagree re.»pecling the 
 " fuiidamenlal |)rinciplcs of GovLTiiinent ; we quarrel 
 " al)o;it the laws of a circidaling medium; wo are 
 " bniik, and anli-hank, tarilf and anli-laritf, for a na- 
 " iioiinl bankrupt luw and against a national bankrupt 
 " law, (or including corporations Hud for excluding 
 " corpuralions, for unlimited internal improvement, 
 '' judicious internal improvement, and for no inlcrnal 
 " impnovemint. Wo have creeds, sects, denomino- 
 " tions, and faiths of all varieties, each insisting that it 
 " is right, and that all the olhers aro wrong, Wc 
 " hnvo c(dd water socictic.i, but many more that !1 
 " habitually deal iji hot water. We are anti-masonic j; 
 " and masonic, pto-slavery and anti-slavery ; and arc \\ 
 " spiced and sc.isoned wilh abolitionism, immedinle- 
 " ism, gradualism, mysticism, materialism, ngrarian- 
 " ism,' sensualism, egoti.sm, scepticism, idealism, trans- 
 " cendenlalism, ^'an Uurenism, Ilarrisonism, Mor- 
 " monism, and nnimal-inagnetism. Every public and 
 " private topic has its furious parlizans, struggling 
 " with anlagopisls equally posilive and unyielding, and 
 " yet we are lold thai we are a well informed, a highly 
 " civilized people. If wc look lo our Lcgislalivo ; 
 " halls, to the lawgivers of the land, to the men who ; 
 " have boen scltcled for the grcalcst wisdom and cxpe- ' 
 " rience, we shall see the same disagreement and col- 
 " lision on every subject. Ho who would play the 
 " politician must shut his eyes to all this and talk 
 " incessantly of the intelligence of the pcoplc.-^In* 
 " stead of attempting lo lead the community in the 
 " right way, he must go with them in the wrong. 
 
 " It is true he may preach sound doctrine in refe- 
 " rcnce lo tht: education of youth. He may stale the 
 " vast influence it lias upon the wh(de life of man. He 
 " may freely point out the imperfections in the moral, 
 " intellectual, and physical instruction of the children 
 " of ihe present &,\y. He may urge the absolute ne- 
 " cessity of good teachers, of the inulliplicati'm of 
 " libraries, and every oilier means for llie jlitnision of 
 " useful knowledge. He may expniiale upon the 
 " supListitious fears, the tormenting fancies, the crro- 
 " neons notions, the wrong prepossessions, and Ihe 
 " laxity of morals which most children are allowed to 
 " imbibe for want of early and correct instruction, nnd 
 " which ill the majority of cases last through life. He 
 " may, wi li Irulh and freedom, declare that Ihe mental 
 '• impri s-i at twenty gives, the coloring to the remain- 
 " der of lit'.! ; and that most young men of our country, 
 " of that iige, have not half the correct information 
 " and sound principles which might wilh proper care 
 " have been ins;illed into their minds before they Were 
 " ten years old. But here the politician must stop his 
 " censures, nnd close his advice. 
 
 " At twenly-one, Ihe ignorant, uneducated and wDy- 
 " ward youth is cntilk'd to the right of sulfrage, and 
 " mingles with a cominuiiily com|)osed of mnierials 
 " like himself. He bursts the shell which had enVe- 
 " loped him ; he emerges from the chrysalis stale of 
 " darkness and ignorance, and at once becomes a cum- 
 " ponent part of a highly intelligent, enlightened, and 
 " civilized community ! 
 
 " If we honestly deiire to know si)ciety as it is, we 
 " must subject it lo a rigorous aimlysis. We must 
 " divest ourselves of uU partialily, nnd not lay the flat- 
 '' tering unction of vanity to our souls. The clear 
 " perception of our deficiencies, of the feeble advances 
 ^' already made in knowledge nnd civilization, is the 
 
 " best stimulus to uiuted, energetic and useful extt'tihn. 
 " Uilter truth is much more wholesoine, ihiin tweet 
 " delusion. The gross flattery which is weekly and 
 " daily |)oured out in Legislative speeches, and by a 
 '' time-serving press has a must, pernicious influenc* 
 " upon the public mind and mor.ds. 
 
 " The greater the ignorance of the muss, llio more 
 " readily the lliitlory is swallowtd. He who is the 
 " most circumscribed in knowledge, perceives not n 
 " single cloud in his nienlai horizon. 
 
 " .\llila and his Huns doubtless believed themselves 
 " to be the most civilized people on earth ; and if ihcy 
 " had possessed cur Editorial corjis, ihcy would have 
 " jiroved it to be so. 
 
 " Weak and vain femides in the days of llieir youth 
 " have been charged by the other sex wilh an extra- 
 " ordinary fondness for flallery, bul, judging by the 
 " constant specimens which are lavishly iidininislcrcd 
 " and voracioij.<^^ly swallowed, the male ap|)elilo for 
 " hyperboles ol praise, is altogether superior. The vain- 
 " glorious Luaslings of the American press excite tlw 
 '' risibility of all intelligent foreigners. 
 
 " According lo the learned and philosophic «Dc 
 
 " Tocqueville, ibis is ihc country of all others where 
 
 " public opinion is the most diclatorial and despotic. 
 
 ' " Like u s|>oiled child it,has been indulged, nattered 
 
 ' " and cares.sed by inlcrested sycophants until ilicaprici- 
 
 ' " ousness and tyranny are boundless. When Americans 
 
 : '' boast of llieir cullivaled minds and human fceling.<, 
 
 " foreigners point Ihcin lo Ihe existence of Negro slave- 
 
 " ry. When they claim llie civic merit of unqualified sub- 
 
 1. " mission to the rulesof social <irder, they aro referred lo 
 
 li " Ihe frequent exhibitions of duels and Lynch law. 
 
 " When lliey insist upon llie prevalence among us of 
 
 " strict integrity, sound morals, and extensive picly, 
 
 " they are shown iin American newspajier which probu- 
 
 " biy contains llie annunciation of half a dozen thifis, 
 
 " robberies, embezzlements, horrid murders, and appal- 
 
 " ling suicides. 
 
 " Burns, the eminent Scotch poet, seems lo have 
 " believed that good would result, 
 
 " 'If I'luvlilwico llio gifc woulJ jjio UU, 
 " 'Tu BCL' ouraelvts, as others bcu us.' 
 
 " If we had this gift, mccii of our o\erweening vnnily 
 " would doubtless be repre.'sfd, i.nd many would 
 " seriously ponder on the means of reformation, and 
 " improvement. Tut llial any grcnl improvemeni can 
 " be made upon ihe moral propensilies of tjie aduli» 
 " of the present day is not In be expected. The raw 
 " material of humanily, after being even partially 
 " neglected for twenty years, generally bids defiance lo 
 " every manufacturing proccts. 
 
 " Theniora/crfuco/ion, thill is Ihc proper discipline 
 " of the dispositions and nffcclions of the mind, by 
 " which a reverence for the Supreme Being, a love of 
 " justice, of benevolence, and of irulh are cxparalcd, 
 " strengthened, and diredcd, and ihe conscience enligh- 
 " tened and invigorated, must have its basis deeply nnd 
 ; " surely laid in cliildhuod. 
 I 
 
 I " Truth, in the most important parts of mural science, 
 I ^' is most easily taught, and makes the mo.^t indelible 
 i " impressions in early life,hefore lilt! infusion of Ihe iHiiaun 
 I " of bad example ; before false notions and pernicious 
 j " opinions have taken root ; before Ihc underslamling is 
 j " blunted and ilistorlcd by habit, or the mind clouded by 
 jl " prejudice." * 
 
 ' I..«iitar«oa Cirilkalioii. 
 
 f-- 
 
Ilucipltne 
 
 1 miml, by 
 a Idvo of 
 
 ico enligli- 
 lcc))ly und 
 
 lal science, 
 It indelible 
 Ttliepuinun 
 Ipcrniciou* 
 standing i* 
 clouded by 
 
 The Superintendent of Schools for Albnny County, 
 ■ — the metropolitan County, including llio Ciipitiil, of die 
 State of New-York, speaks still more derinitely if not 
 forcibly, on the coufiequenco of non-cliristian Schonjs. 
 
 lie says : " We are suflering from the evils of im- 
 " perfect, and neglected education. Want, vice and 
 " crime in their myriad forms bear witness against niir 
 " Educational Institutions, and demand in(|iiiry whether 
 " they cim prevent or remedy the evils which are sap- 
 " |)ing the foundations of society." 
 
 " 'riiat the Schools have not accomplished the object 
 " of tlieir creation, if that object were to nurture a vir- 
 " tuous and intelligent people, unfortunately requires 
 " no proof 
 
 " Tlieir moral inlluence has undoubtedly ameliora- 
 " ted our social condition ; but it lias failed to give 
 " (hat energy to virtue which is essential to virtue and 
 " happiness. It has been an iicciduntal cflect, rather 
 " than a prominent and distinct object of School Edu- 
 " cation ; and while by its agency intellect has gener- 
 " ally been developed, the moral sense has been nc- 
 " glccted, and the common mind though quick and 
 " schemeful, wants honesty and independence. TIm 
 " popular virtues are the prudential virtues, whii li 
 " spring from selfishness, and lead on to wealth and 
 " reputation, but not to well-being and happiness. 
 " Wore their source moral feeling, and their object 
 " duty, they would not only distinguish the individual 
 " but bless society. 
 
 " Man has lost faith in man ; for successful knavery 
 " under the garb of shrewdness, unblushingly walks 
 " the streets, and claims the sanction of society. 
 
 " It is said that the moral condition of a people may 
 " be conjectured from the vices and virtues that pre- 
 " vail, am' 'he feelings v;ith which they are regarded. 
 "What must be the state of public sentiment where 
 " frauds, "ibberics, and even murders excite little 
 " more thai, vague surprise, but lead to no earnest in- 
 " vestigation of the general cause or possible remedy. 
 " And tlio most alarming consideration is, not that 
 " crime is so common as hardly to be a noticeable event 
 " in the history of the day, but that from this slate of 
 " pubbc feeling must be engendered a still greater 
 " and more fearful harvest of social and public evils. 
 " If there is any truth in those familiar maxims, which 
 " in every form, and in every tongue describe the child 
 " as the ' father to the man, ' then much of this moral 
 " degradation, and social danger must be charged on 
 " the neglected, or perverted culture of the Schools. 
 " Indeed, it is not unusual to refer in general terms 
 " the vices and misery of society to this source, but it 
 " excites little more attention than the statement of the 
 " philosophical fact, that the fall of a pebble affects the 
 " motion of the earth ; and many would as soon antici- 
 " pate the disturbance of physical order from the one 
 " cause as of moral order from the other Dissolute 
 " company, gambling, intemperance, neglect of the 
 " Sabbath, are the popular, because the apparent, and 
 " sometimes the proximate causes of moral degradation ; 
 " but to attribute to each or all these, is but putting 
 " the elephant on the tortoise. For why was the 
 " gaming table resorted to, the Sabbath profaned, or 
 " dissolute company loved ? Because the early impre- 
 " ssions, the embryo tastes, the incipient habits were 
 " perverted by tliat false system of Education which 
 " severs knowledge from its relations to duty. And 
 " this false Education is found in many of those Schools 
 " which arc the favorite theme of national eulogy, the 
 " proud answer of the patriot and philanthropist to all 
 " who doubt the permanence of free institutions or the 
 " advancement of human happiness. 
 
 " Were we not misled by the great and increasing 
 " numlicr of these primary Inslilulions, and did we 
 " inquire more carefully into their actual condition, the 
 " tone of confidence would Iks more discriminating, 
 " and less assured." * 
 
 Such statements are as conclusive, and as frcT from 
 suspicion as they are painful and full of admonition. 
 
 The practical indifference which has existed in res- 
 pect to the Christian character of our own system of 
 popular P^ducation is truly lamentable. The omission 
 of Cliristianity in respect both to Schools, and ihe cha- 
 racter and (jualitications of Teachers, has previiiled to 
 an extent tearful to contemplate. The country is too 
 young yet to witness (be full effects of such an oniission,- 
 sucli an abuse of that •,vhich should bo the primary cle- 
 ment of Education, without whicli there can be no Chris- 
 tian Edufalion ; and without a Christian Education, 
 there will not long be a Christian Country. 
 
 An American writer, whoso standard of religious 
 orthodoxy has been considered as questionable as liis 
 talents were exalted, has nevertheless said on this 
 subject : " The exaltation of talent, as it is called, alM)ve 
 " virtue and religion, is the curse nf this age. Educa- 
 '' tlon is now chielly a stimulus to learning, and tlius 
 " men acquire power without the principles wliich 
 " alone make it a good. Talent is worshipped ; but, if 
 " divorced from rectitude, it will prove more of a 
 " demon than a god." f 
 
 Another American writer states, '.hat " unbounded 
 " pains are now taken to enlighter, a child in the first 
 " principles of science and letters, and also in reanrd to 
 " the business of life. In tho meantime, the culture of 
 " the heart and conscience is often sadly neglected ; 
 " and the child grows up a shrewd, intelligent, and 
 " influential man, perhaps, but yet a slave to his lower 
 " propensities. Talents and knowledge arc rarely 
 " blessings either to the possessor or to the world, un- 
 " less they are placed under the control of the higher 
 " sentiments and principles of our nature. 
 
 " Better that men should remain in ignorance, than 
 " that they should eat of the fruit of the tree of know- 
 " ledge, only to be made more subtle and powerful ad 
 " versaries of God and humanity " J 
 
 On a subject so vitally important, forming as it does 
 the very basis of the future character and social slate 
 of this country — a subject too respecting which there 
 exists much error, and a great want of information, — I 
 feel it necessary to dwell at some length, and to adduce 
 Ihe testimony of the most competent authorities, who, 
 without distinction of sect or country, or form of Go- 
 vernment, assert Ihe absolute necessity of making Chris- 
 tianity the basis and Ihe cement of Ihe structure ol 
 public Education. 
 
 I propose to show also how the principles of Chris- 
 tianity have been, and may be carried into effect, 
 without any compromise of principle in any party con- 
 cerned,or any essential deficiency in any subject taught. 
 
 Mr. De Fellenberg says, "I call that Education 
 " which embraces the culture of the whole man, — with 
 " all his faculties, — subjecting his senses, his under- 
 " standing, and his passions to reason, to conscience and 
 " to the evangelical laws of the Christian Revelation." 
 Mr. De Fellenberg, a patrician by birth, a statesman 
 and a Christian philanthropist, has, during a quarter 
 
 • Annual Report of the Buperintendmt of Common Scbooh for 
 the State of New York.— Jan. 1844, pp. 127, 128. 
 
 1 1")^ Channing. 
 
 { School and School Master. By Dr. hotter, late Frofeuor of 
 Union College. 
 
10 
 
 uf II ccnliirv, |iriicticiilly illii.s(nile(l liis own dcfiiii- 
 tiuii ul' t'lluciUimi ill u series u( dusvical, ngricul- 
 turiil 1111(1 pDor Schools, wliiili wiri; niiginiilly «?sln- 
 liliAlieil at Ildiwyl, in Swilzerliiinl, uiid wliirli liiivu 
 liei'ii niiiiiitiiiiiuil Milcly ut llii: exficnsu of (lie rouiiili'r. 
 Tliis t^stallli^lllIlulll is |ii.t1iiiiis lliu rnosl ci.-U'ljriiluil in 
 KurojK;. Il conliiins pupils nut "lily IVoin ilillerunl p;irts 
 of Swilz rlmid uiid Geriiiiiiiy, Imt iViini Eiijfliind, iind 
 Iruin lliiiiniiiv, Ironi rr.iiici' uiiil Aineriiii, — ol ililliTtnt 
 I'oriiis ol rcli;;ious faith, yet (li()rou;;ldy I'llucuted in 
 Ml. l)u I'V'lluiiliern'.s sL'ii.-e of the word, as I have lind [ 
 the o|ip(Mliiiiily of satisfy iii;{ iiiyouil', liy persjiial inspec- 
 tion and eiiijuiiy. 
 
 The senlinieiils of Knglisli Pioleslarit writers, and of 
 ail classes of Urili^li I'roti.'staiils, are to.i well known 
 to he adilneed in this place ; and ilii' fact that the prin- 
 cipal ohjcciidii which has hieii made on the part ofllii' 
 authorities and iiiemhers of the Roman Callmlic Church 
 to certain Colleges proposed lo he cstahllshed in Ire-, 
 land, relates lo an allej^ed deficiency in llie |irovisiiMi 
 for Christian lll^(ruclioll, evinces the | revailing senti- 
 ment of that section of our fellnw sulijtcls. A few refe- 
 rences will he siinii-ienl. Thomas Wysc, EM|uire, a 
 Iliiinaii Calhnlic Muinher <:f llie British I'arliament, 
 in his w )rk on Edv.catiim Rrfurm, already referred 
 lo, thus (!Xpresscs himself on lliis point ; " What is true 
 " uf inilividuals, is still iruir of societies. A reading 
 " and writiii,j coniiiuinity inav ho a very vicious coni- 
 " inunily, if morality (not merely ils theory hut its 
 " pradice) hj not as r.iui h a portion of education as 
 " reading and writing. Knowledge is only a hrancli 
 " of Kducaliun, hut it has too often hcen taken for the 
 " whole." " When I speak of moral Education," (con- 
 tinues Mr. Wyse) " I imply rijligi'in ; mid when I 
 " speak of religion 1 speak of Clirislianiiy. It is 
 " morality, it is consciciuep.ir excellence. Even in 
 '• llio most wordly sense it could easily he shown that 
 " no oilier muralily truly binds, iii) oilier education so 
 '' eU'eclually secures even llm coarse and material 
 " interests of society. The economist himself would 
 '• lind his gain in such a system. Even if it did not 
 " exist he should invent il. Il works his most sunguinc 
 '■ s|ieculalions of good into far surer and more rapid 
 " conclusions, than any system he could attempt to set 
 
 er 
 
 -- - . the intc 
 
 '■ rests of society and religion, — which are indeed only 
 " one, — uf .separating Clirislianiiy from moral cduca- 
 " lion."* 
 
 Mr. Wyse observes again, " In teaching religion and 
 " morality, we naturally look for the best code of both. 
 " Where is it to bo found.? Where, but in the Holy 
 " Scriptures.' Where, hut in that s|ieaking and vivi- 
 " fying code, teaching by deed, and sealing ils doctrines 
 " by death, are we to lind that law of triitli, of justice, 
 " of love, which has been the thirst and hunger of the 
 " human heart in every vicissitude of ils history. From 
 " tlie mother to llic dignatary, this ought to be the Book 
 " of Books ; it sliuuld he laid by the cradle and Ih ' 
 " dealh-bed ; it should he ihe companion and the coun- 
 " sellor, and the consoler, the UrimandTluimmim, the 
 " light and the perfection of all earthly existence."! 
 
 The authorities of the French Government have 
 most distinctly recognized the Holy Scriptures ns the 
 basis and source of moral instruction in Ihc Schools and 
 Colleges of France. In respect to the secondary 
 Schools or Colleges, the law requires that "' in the two 
 " elementary cla.sses, the pupils are to bo tang. it du- 
 
 " ring the first yunr, the History of the Old Te.stament ; 
 " and the ^ecund year, the History of the New Tcsta- 
 " ment. This lesjoii given liy the elementary MaBterii, 
 " is to he taught during one hour every day, and to 
 " conclude the study of the evening." The same cotle 
 " makes moral and leligiuus inslruclion an essential 
 " part of education in (he primary Schools. f The 
 " language of the late Minisler of Piihlie Instruction 
 " in France is very decided and strong on this point. 
 
 Mrs. Austin's translation of his liepoit on Public 
 In^lruclion in Piu>s;n is well known; the iinlranslated 
 part o( his Kepoil on Kducalioii in other Ciernian Slates 
 is not less interesting. In his aixount of the Schools 
 in the City of Fniiikforl-oii-lhe-Maiue, M. Cousin 
 says, " iiislead of the first lesson book, llie more advanc- 
 " ed children have as books o| reading and study, 
 '' Luiher's traiislaliun of the Bible, the Calediism, ami 
 " Biblical History. The Bible is not entire, as you 
 " might imagine, except the New Testament. These 
 " three hooks constitute here the foundation of Public 
 " Inslruclion ; and every rational man will rejoice at it, 
 " because religion is the only morality for the mass of 
 " mankind. 
 
 " The great religious memorials of a people are their 
 " school books ; and 1 have always viewed it as a mis- 
 " fortune for France, that in the sixteenth century or 
 " beginning of the sevcnleenth, when (he French 
 " language was simple, flexible and popular, some 
 " great writer, Ainiot, for example, did not translate 
 " the Holy Scriptures. This would have been an ex- 
 " cellent book to put inio the hands of the young; 
 " whilst De Sacy's trnnslation, ollierwi.se meri(oriouf, 
 " wants energy and animation. That of Luther, vigor- 
 " ous and lively, and circulated throughout Germany, 
 " has greatly contributed to dcvelope liie moral and 
 " religious s|)irit and education of the people. The 
 " Holy Scrifilures, wilh the History of the Bible which 
 " explains them, and the Catechism which embodies a 
 " suinmary of them, ought (o be (he Library of chilil- 
 " hood and of the Primary Schools." \ 
 
 The manner in which this brai.ch of Education is 
 taught in the Prussian Schools is worlliy of special 
 notice. I cannot describe better it than in the words 
 of Iwo American writers. Professor Slowe and (he Hon. 
 Horace Mann. The former visited Europe in 1836-7. 
 The General A.ssembly of the Slate of Ohio requested 
 him during the progress of liis tour " to collect such 
 
 *K(lueation Itcrurm. Vj Thomas (V^sr, M. P. fp. 59, 82, 63. 
 t Ibi.l, r< 23''- 
 
 *Duns (es dpux CliissvH Klotuontiiircs on fuit iinprendre aux 
 
 ('■li"^vi's 111 priMiiifMi' nmu'p, i'Hi^lciire do r.\nt'ii-ii Ttstami'iit ; U 
 si'L-ru'di* unn"*'!', rilislniri' dn Xnuvfaii. CcUo Ir'.'on, donneo [lur 
 lei Miti'ri'S I^lctiipntairi'S 11 lieu lulls Icsjotirs pL'tidiiilt unu ht^itit-, 
 et turniinc IV'ludu du i>uii'. Ciido uiiiver.iiuire, ]ip. .'J7I. 
 
 f L'instrilction priiniiire eletnontnire cnmprend lu'ccssairemcnt 
 riiibti'iietiifii iiiuriik' ft ri'ligifuse. IliKl p. 'i(j.j. 
 
 - X All iii'U de ce r.esebrieh, leu eiifaim iiii pen plus am'-s ont pour 
 lures do leftnre et d't'tiide la Bilile,— tmdiietion de lailher, le Cu- 
 tecliiamo et rjli.soiire Itililiipte. La Bible liVst pii-s enticro comiue 
 voiis Biipposez Ijien, exeeptL le Noiiveuu 'I'estainent. Ces troU 
 livres eoinposent iei le Cuiul de riiinlriH-tioii pepuluirr ; ct tont 
 hdiiiiiie Hiii^e s'en rojouirii, ear il ii'y a de nionile puur Its troii* 
 quiiru des lininmes (pie dans la religion. 
 
 J.es grunds uioniiiiibns ndiglelix des penples Kunt Jeura vraia 
 livres de leetitre ; et j'lii tuujours regnrde eeiiiiiie iineeiiliimite pour 
 la Franee, qu*au seizieir.c siecle on an eeninienceinent dii dix-scpt- 
 ieiiie, i|iiiind la tanjiue fniiii^nise Otait enriire nn'ive, ficxitilc et p<.- 
 puliiire, iptelitue ^ijuiid eerivain, Alniul yiw exi mple, n'ait pas 
 Iriidllit les Saiiites Keritiires. Ce fieniil nu exeelletit livro ii meitre 
 entre les n^iins do la jeuliessc, tiimlis ipie la (rudiietiun de Sacy, 
 d'ailleiirs pleine do merite, est diffiuo et sans coideiir. Cello de 
 Luther, miilo et naive, repatidue d'lm bout riTautrcde rAIIemagnc, 
 y a bcuufoiiji fait pour le developpument de I'e^prit inurul et reli- 
 ^ieux, ot ri'duentiim dii peuplo. 
 
 Les Suintes Eeritiires, avec rili.^toiro Biblitpic i\a\ les expliquc, 
 et lij Cateeliisme qui les resume, iluivent I'ail-o lit bibliuth^que do 
 Tenfanee et des P^coles frirniiires. 
 
 Itiipport siir IVtat de I'lnstruetion Vublique dans quolquea payii 
 do rAIIemagnc, tt partiiuliereinciit en rrussc. I'ar M. v. Coiuiii. 
 &e. pp. 23. 
 
 It uuiy bo observed that Do Siiey's translation is now printed bv 
 tho I'rentih University I'ross, and cheaply and cxtemivolv lolil 
 throughout Fruuec. 
 
Xi 
 
 t p<)ur 
 ■Cu- 
 (>iniili> 
 
 ton I 
 trolH 
 
 vrais 
 pour 
 -sept- 
 et pc- 
 uit pas 
 meitre 
 Sacy, 
 cllo UL> 
 
 " facts and information as he may deem useful lu (he 
 " Sliitu in ri'lHtion to the VHrious systems of public iii- 
 " structiiin timl education which have been adopted in 
 " tliu suvorul countries through which he m:iy pass, and 
 " niHke report thereof with such praclicul observutinns 
 " as liu miiy Ihink pro|)cr, to the next (iencral Asscm- 
 " bly." Priitt's.sor Stowo's Iteport whs printed by tbu 
 Legislature of Ohio, afterwards by those of Massachu- 
 setts and Peiisylvania, in Knglisli, and in (inrman ; it 
 has also been reprinted in several other Stales. Mr. 
 Mann, Secretary of Ihu Boartl of Education for the 
 Statu of Mas.sacliusetts, obtained the permission of the 
 Government of that State to maku a similar tour in 
 Europe in 1843. ' 
 
 Professor Slowe, after havinij referred to the results 
 of his enquiries rcliilivu to the leaching of druwin;:; and 
 music, makes the liillowini; important statement on i 
 the subject of moral and biblical instruction : " In re- 
 " gard to the necessity ot moral inslruclion, and the 
 " beneficial influence of tlio [Jiblo in Schools, the 
 '' testimony was no le.-s explicit and uniform. I in- 
 " quired of all classes of Teachers, and of men of every 
 " i^rnde of reliijioiis faith, instructors in Common 
 " Schools, High Schools, and Schools of .Art, of Profus- 
 " sors in Colleges, Lfniversilios, and proli^ssional Somi- 
 " naries, in Cities and in the comilry, in places wlieie 
 " lliero was an uniformity, and in [ilurcs where tin re 
 " was a diversity of creed.s, of bi'lievcr.s and unbilivv- 
 " ers, of Catholics and Protestants ; and I never found 
 '* but one reply : and that was, that (o leave the moral i 
 " facullij tminslracled, was to leave the most impor- 
 " tant part of the human mind undeveloped, and to 
 " strip education of almost everything that can make 
 " it valuable ; and that the Itible, independently of 
 " the interest attendinif it as containiiig the most ancient 
 " and influential writings ever recorded by human 
 " hands, and comprising tho religious system of almost 
 " tho whole of the civilized world, is in iisell' the best 
 '' book that can be put into the hands of cliihiren to 
 " interest, to exercise, and to unfold their intellectual 
 " and moral powers. Every Teacher whom I consulted 
 " repelled with inilignaliou the idea that moral instruc- 
 " tion is not proper for Schools ; and spurned withcon- 
 " tempt the allegation, thiit the Bible cannot be in- 
 " tro(lu(;ed into Conminn Schools without encouragin'; 
 " a seclariiiii bias in llie matter of leaching ;an indigna- 
 " tion anil coulempt which I believe will be fully 
 *' participated in by every highminded teacher in 
 " Clirislendom." • 
 
 Mr. Mann observes : " Nothing receives more at- 
 '' tenlion in the Prussian Schools than the Bible. It 
 " is taken up early and .studied systematically. The 
 " great events recorded io the Scriptures of the Old 
 " and New Testament ; the cliaraclor ami livoj of 
 " those wonderful men who IV.)ui age to ago wen; 
 " brought upon the stage of actin i, and through whose 
 " agency the future history imd destiny of the race 
 " were to be so much modilied ; and especially, those 
 " sublime views of duly and morality which are 
 " brought to light in the Gosiwl ; — these are topics of 
 " daily and earnest inculcation in every School. 
 
 " To thesa in some Schools, is added the History 
 " of the Christian Religion, in connexion with conteni- 
 " porary Civil History. So far as tho Biblo lessons 
 " are concerned, I can ratify tho stnmg statements 
 " made by Professor Stowe, in regard to the absence 
 *' of sectarian instruction or cntleavors at prosclytism. 
 
 " The Teacher being amply possessed of the know- 
 " ledge of the whole chain of events, and of all bio- 
 " graphical incidents ; and bringing to t!.' exorcise a 
 *' heart glowing with love to man, and witli devotion 
 
 * Baport, &c., &c. pp. 32 and S3. 
 
 " to his duty, as a former of the character of children, 
 " has no necessity or occasion to fall back U|K)n the 
 " the formulas of a creed. It is when a Teacher has 
 " no knowledge of ihe wondcnill works of God, and 
 " of the benevolence of the design in which they 
 " were created ; when he has no |)Ower of explaining 
 " and applying the beautiful incidents in Ihe lives ol 
 " Ihe propli' IS and apostles, and especially ihe perfect 
 " example which is given to men in the life ol Jesus 
 " Christ ; it is then, that, in allempting to give reli- 
 " gious instruction, he is, at it were, constrained to 
 " recur again and again to the few words or sentences 
 " of his form of lailli, whatever that faith may be ; and 
 " therefore when giving the secoml lesson, it will bo 
 " little more tirin the repetition of the tirst, and Ihu 
 " two hundredth lesson, at the einl of the year, will 
 " differ from that at Ihe beginning oidy in accumulated 
 " wcarisomcnets and monotony." (*) 
 
 My own examination, not only of Prussian but of 
 German Schouls generally, and conversalions with 
 Directors, Inspectors, and Teac hers, throughout Ger- 
 many, Ilolluml and l' ranee, enable me to corroborate 
 the statements of Professor Stowc and Mr. Mann. 
 The inslriiction is substantially the same under both 
 Roman Cat holic and Protestant (iovemments, — the same 
 whether the Teachers be Roman Catholics or Protes- 
 tants. Tho French Government iisetf avows its posi- 
 tion not to be the headsliip of a sect, but that of a 
 supporter of Christianity, irrespective of >cct. In a work 
 on Education which obtained the prize extraordinary 
 from the French Academy in 18 10, it is said, " France 
 " has not proclaimed a Stale Religion. To have done 
 " so, would have been an absurdity under a form of 
 " Government the component parts of which are iho 
 "direct representatives of public opinion. But it has 
 " guaranteed protection and countenance to all forms 
 " of Christian worship; and therefore in such a rcl»- 
 ■' tion to tho various religious Communions, the Gov- 
 " ernment lakes its stand simply upon the Truth. 
 
 " It has avowed before the world, l(iat the French Na- 
 " tion professes Ihe Christian Faith, without any ex- 
 " elusion of Church or Sect." "Franco after having 
 " in the Constitutional Charter declared itself Chris- 
 " tian, and aflcr having stated as an important fact, 
 " that Iho Catholic Religion is professed by a majority 
 " of Iho French people, cannot consistently forget tho 
 " first principle of its Charter in organizing a system 
 " of public Education. 
 
 " In f punding establishments which concern the 
 " moral education of the young, it cannot disregard the 
 " moral piinciples which it professes itself; but it for- 
 " gets not the supremo importance which it attaches 
 " to liberty of conscience. 
 
 " Tho members of all Christian Communions will 
 " therefore find in its establishments of Public Educa- 
 " tion that cordial reception which is assureil to them 
 '• in the Charter." " We rejoice to see that in tho 
 " eyes of the State all Christian Sects are sisters, and 
 " that they are objects of equal solicitude in the ad- 
 " ministration of the great family of the nation." 
 " In regard to those who desire to educate their chihi- 
 " ren in the systematic contempt of every thing sacred, 
 " the State would leave that impious work to them- 
 " .selves ; but never f"r the sake of pleasing them, 
 " could it become unfaithful to its own moral princi- 
 " ples."(t) 
 
 (*) Mr. Mann's Seventh Animal Report, &c. pages 144. 145. 
 
 t" Rile (la Franco) n*u pas proclume line religion do TEtat, ce qui 
 
 i*' cut L'le mensonge, suusuue fumm duGuuvtrueiuent utiles (;mnds 
 ** uurps do riiltat suntles repri-iiontansdii'ccts de I'opiniun publique^ 
 " Dials ello a assuru prutectiun et Eocuurs ^tous les oultes chrctiuiu, 
 " ot ainti, lOUi co rapport, elle s'e&t tenue dans lo vrai. £U« % 
 *' constate aux ycux du luunde que les crojaoces chn}tieiui«^ saus 
 
# 
 
 12 
 
 Similur (cstimonics in respect both to tlic same nnil 
 utliiT countries miglit be indeQnitely mulliplieil ; but 
 llicso nireiitly lulduced are sufficient (o sbow, tliat reli- 
 gious ami moral insiruclion should bo miide an essen- 
 tial part of public education, and that such instruc- 
 tion can be, and lias lieen, coininunicaled extensively 
 and thoroughly, for all purposes of Christian morality, [ 
 without any bias of sectarianism, and without any in- 
 terference whatever with the peculiarities of dillcrent 
 Churches or Sects. Such are the sentiments of en- 
 lightened writers, Roman Catholic and Protestant, as 
 well Republican as Monarc'.ical ; and such are the' 
 views and practice of both Protestant and Roman Ca- ! 
 tholic nations. ! 
 
 Hero is neither laxity nor compromise of religious 1 
 ))rinciple ; hero ig the establishment and administra- [ 
 tion of a system on the ])art of (lovcriiment wliioii is j 
 founded upon the fundamental principles of Christian : 
 truth and morality, but which interferes not with the ! 
 dogmas and predilections of diversified sectarianism; 
 and here is a cu-opcration of members of different 
 religious persuasions in matters which they hold and 
 value in common, — in which they have a counnon inte- 
 rest — and in which co-operation is in most instances 
 ever essential to existence, — the same as Legislators ■ 
 or Merchants, Agriculturists or Soldiers co-operate in il 
 measures and enterprises of common agreement and 
 necessity. The points of agreement between the two 
 great and most widely separated divisions of Christ- 
 endom, — Protestants and Roman Catholics, — are 
 thus forcibly enumerated by tho Bishop of Worces- 
 ter, England, in a late Charge to tho Clergy of his 
 Dioccso. 
 
 " Conscientiously do I bclicvethat in no part of Chris- 
 " tendom is our religion observed in greater purity 
 " than in this country; but believing this, I cannot shut 
 " my eyes to tho fact that woform but a small minority 
 "of the Clnireli of Christ; nor can I venture to say 
 " that Christianity as profes.sed by tho great majority, 
 " is 80 full of error as to make it a sin m a Protestant 
 •' State to contribute towards tho education of its Mi- 
 " nisters. Let us sec what are the doctrines wo hold in 
 " commonwithourRoman Catholic brethren. Wo both 
 '' believe in God the Father, tho Author and Maker of 
 " all things; we both believe that man fell from his 
 " primeval state into sin ; wo both believe that to re- 
 " deem mankind from this fallen state, it pleased this 
 ■' Almighty Being to send his only begotten Son into 
 '' tho world to become a sacrifice for our sin; that 
 " through Ilisatonemont we might be considered as jus- 
 " tificd before God ; we might believe that the Son of 
 " God who was sent into the world as a propitiation 
 •' for our sins, is co-equal and co-eternal with the 
 •' Father ; that having performed this office of love [ 
 " and mercy he ascended into heaven, and that ho 
 
 i .1 
 
 " exception d'Eglise ou de Secte, sont celles de la Nation Fran^aise." 
 " La trance, ap^^8 sV-tre rfot'Iart-e chrotienno dans laCharte. nprt^s 
 " avoir constat^', cnmme un fait considt-rablp. que la religion Ca- 
 " tlioliqtiu est profcssi'c par la majorittj des Fran^ais, ne pent pM, 
 " smi3 peine d'inconst'i|uoncc, oublicr ce point d(! dt'part, quund il 
 '* s'agit pour ello d'organiser TEducation publique." 
 
 *' LorsquV'Ue fonde des etablissemcns qui iutercssent I'educalion 
 •' morale de la jcuiiu.sse, elle ne peut pas les placer en dehors du 
 " principe moral qu'ello aflinnc elle-meme; maisello n'oubliera pas 
 '* non plus qu'ulle est tolerante ct qu'elle aime par-dessus tout la 
 " liberie de conscience; toutes les Communions (Jhretlennes trou- 
 " veront done, dans ses etablissemens d'education publique, Taccueil 
 " hospitaller quVllc leur n prumis dans la Gharte, Nous aimons k 
 " voir, qu'i ses jcux toutes les Sectcs Chrcticnnes sont sfturs, ct 
 *' qu'elle leur accorde la meme sollieitudc dans radmiuistration de la 
 " gninde famille."- - '* Quant aux hommes qui vculent clever leurs 
 *' enfans duns le mcpris systeraalique de tout ce qui est saint, 
 " I'Ktat pourrait leur laisscr la charge de cettc (cuvre impie ; mais 
 " jamais pour leur eomplairc, il ne fut permia de manqucr a ses 
 •* croyancea morales." 
 
 Do I'Education Fopulaire et des Ecoles Normnles Primaires, 
 considcrcps dans leurs Kapports nvee la Philosophic du Christia- 
 nisme. Par M. V. Dumont. Ouvrage auquel TAcodcmic des 
 Sciences morales et polititiues a deceme un prix extraordinaire en 
 184U, pages 40, 41, it, 43. 
 
 will come at tho last day to judge tho quick and tho 
 dead ; wo both beliove that this Redeemer, to assist 
 us in the way of salvation, sends tho Holy Spirit to 
 those that diligently seek him ; and that tho Holy 
 Spirit with tho Father and tho Son is one God, blcsa- 
 ed for ever ; we both believe that the Church was 
 originally founded by this Saviour, and that in lior 
 tho doctrines of theGoB])cl have beon handed down 
 by a regular succession of ordained Ministers, 
 Priests and Deacons ; and we both beliove that two 
 Sacraments aro binding on Christiana." 
 
 Tho proceedings of tho National Board of Educa- 
 tion in Ireland present an illustration of tho extent, 
 to which there may be a cordial co-operation between 
 even Roman Catholics and Protestants, in a country 
 as proverbial for tho warmth and tenacity of the reli- 
 gious differences, iw for the generous hospitality of ite 
 inhabitants. Several systems of public instruction had 
 been tried ; and each in succession proved unsuccess- 
 ful, as a national system, .and was abandoned by the 
 Government. In 1828, " a Committee of the House 
 " of Commons to whicli were referred the various 
 " Reports of tho Commissioners of Education, recom- 
 " mended a system to be adopted, which should afford 
 " if possible, a combined literary and separate reU- 
 '' gious education, and should be capable of being 
 " so far adapted to the views of the religious per- 
 " suasions which prevail in Ireland, as to render it, 
 " in truth, a system of National Education/or tht 
 " poorer classes of tlie Community."* 
 
 AVith a view of accomplishing thisnoblo object, tho 
 Government, in 1831, constituted a Board, consisting 
 of distinguished members of the Churches of England, 
 Scotland and Rome. 
 
 The Board agreed upon and drew up some general 
 maxims of religion and morals which were to bo 
 taught in every School, agreed to " encourage the 
 " Pastors of different denominations to give reugious 
 " instruction to the children of their respective nocks 
 " out of School-hours," &c. ; and in addition to pro- 
 vide that one day in a week should be set apart for 
 that purpose.f 
 
 The Board have also published a series of Biblical 
 Histories, complete on the New Testament, and on 
 the Old to the death of Moses. It is understood that the 
 whole series in the Old Testament will soon be com- 
 pleted. 
 
 These histories are more literal and more compre- 
 hensive than Watt's Scripture History, or any of the 
 many similar publications which have been most used 
 
 Irftter of Lord Stanley, Secretary of Ireland, to the Duke of 
 liflinster, Oct. 18,11. 
 
 f The following is one of these " General Lessons," which are 
 hung up in every National School, and required to be taught and 
 explained to all the children. It relates to social duties. Chris- 
 tians should endeavour, as the Apostle Paul commands them, " to 
 " live peaceably with all men,"— (llomans, o. 12, v 18,)---even 
 with those of a ditfercnt persuasion. 
 
 Our Saviour, Christ, commanded his Disciples to ** love one ano- 
 ther." Ho taught them to love even their enemies, to bless those 
 that cursed them, and to pray for those » ho persecuted them. He 
 himself prayed for his murderers, if any men hold erroneous doc- 
 trines ; but we ought not to hale or persecute them. We ought to 
 seek for tho truth, and hold fast what we are convinced is the 
 truth ; but not to treat harshly those who are in error. Jesus 
 Christ did not intend his Hcligion to be forced on men by vio- 
 lent means. lie would not allow his Disciples to fight for him. If 
 any persons treat us unkindly we must not do tho same to thism ; 
 for Christ and his Apostles have taught us not to return evil for 
 evil. If we would uuey Christ, wo nmst do to others, not as they 
 do to us, but as we would wish them to do to us. 
 
 Quarrelling with ourneighbours and abusing them is not the way 
 to convince thom that we are in the right, and they in the wrong. 
 It is more likely to convince them that we have not a Christian 
 spirit. 
 
 We oucht to show ourselves followers of Christ, who, " when he 
 " was reviled reviled not again," (1 Pet. c. 2, v. 23,) by behaving 
 kindly and gently to every one. 
 
13 
 
 in Schools. These hiatoriet are likewiao prepared ac- ' 
 cntdinetoihe In '' Nntional Board'n improved molhods | 
 orieucTiing — unclui .is reading booka, and oh admirable i 
 inlruduchun.stothesludyortho Holy Scriptures, — being | 
 fur (he !llll^t pari in llic very words of llie Scriptures, , 
 and conltiiiiiiig iho chronological dales of Iho principal ' 
 epochs and events of Sacrcu History. 
 
 The Hoard has also published an excellent and ap- ' 
 propriale little book on Ihp Truth of Christianity. I 
 daro say the series of this kind of l)ooks will lie com- 
 pleted by onn or more publications on our duties to ! 
 God, to tlie Slate, to our fellow men, &c. 
 
 On a certain day of the week, Ministers of the dif- | 
 ferent persuasions cathtchise the children of their res- i 
 peclive forms of faith. 
 
 Thus are the children in the Irish National Schools \ 
 not only taught the elements of a secular education,'! 
 but Ihey are instructed in the fundamental principles 
 of Christian truth and morals ; and facilities are uH'ord- | 
 ed lor their being taught the Catechism and Confessions i 
 of the religious persuasions to which Ihey severally | 
 belong. I 
 
 I 
 I am inclined to believe that there are few elemen- I 
 tary Schools in Great Britain — those in Scotland ex- 
 cepted, — in which so much religious knowledge is im- i 
 purled OS in the 3,150 Schools, containing 395,550 i 
 children, which have been established by the Board of - 
 National Education in Ireland. This great and good : 
 work must, in the coure of a few years, produce a | 
 marked change in the intellectual and social condition 
 of Ireland. Yet the Board does not profess to give a 
 thorough religious education. 
 
 In Prussia, while provision is made, and Teachers 
 are thoroughly trained, to give an extended course, or 
 rather several courses of Biblical instruction, covering 
 n pcrioil of eight years, (from six to fourteen) in regard 
 to even primary Schools, atid children of the poorest 
 classes, and embracing in succession an elementary 
 view of the biography, history, cardinal doctrines, j 
 and morals, and in some in«lances evidences of the 
 authenticity of ihe Bible ; provision is also made lor 
 teaching the Catechisms of tlic Protestant and Roman 
 Catholic Churches. The Catechism however is not 
 generally, if ever taught until after the pupil has re- 
 ceived Biblical instruction for five or six years. It is | 
 usually taught the year, or the year before the pupil 
 completes his elementary education ; and during the 
 few months* which are allotted to the teaching and 
 learning of the Catechism, the pupils receive sepam 
 religious instruction from the Pastor or Clergyman uf 
 the Church to which they belong. 
 
 When there are sepaiate Schools, — as is the case in 
 those parts uf Prussia where Ihe whole population is 
 cither Catholic or Protestant, or where each class is 
 very numerous, — the whole course of religious instruc- 
 tion is in harmony with the Church for whose members 
 the School is established. 
 
 This is likewise the' case where the great body of 
 the population is of one religious community with only 
 a few dissenting from it. But even these Schools, es- 
 tablished for particular classes of society, aided by the 
 Government and subject to its inspection, are not per- 
 mitted to violate the tolerant and catholic principles 
 and spirit of the National School system. " The Mas- 
 " ters and Inspectors (says the law) must avoid with 
 " the greatest care, every kind of constraint or annovance 
 " towards the children on Ihe subject of their particular 
 " form of worship. No school may be made abusively 
 " subservient to any views of proselytism; andthechil- 
 " dren of a diflerent form of worship from that of the 
 
 I " School shall not be compelled against Ihe will of iheii 
 i " parents, or against llieir own, to attend the rcligiou.> 
 I " instruction and exercises. 
 
 I 
 
 ! " Private Masters of the same worship will Ix' 
 I " charged with their religious instruction; and whenever 
 i " it would bo impossihio to have as many Masters iis 
 I '' there are forms of worship, Ihe parents ought towutclj 
 I " with so niur' (ho more care, to fullil those duties 
 " themselves, it ihoy do not desire their children lo at- 
 ; " tend Ihe religious lessons of the school." 
 
 : Tho fuiidamcnlHl principle of public education in 
 Prussia, and that which constitutes the key-stone of 
 
 I tho mighty arch on which has been erected for an en- 
 tire population so proud, and as yet so unrivalled a su- 
 |)crstructure of moral intellect, is thus expressed in Ihe 
 general law of Prussia : " The chief mission of every 
 " school is to train tho youth in such a manner as lo 
 " produce in them, with llie knowledge of man's rela- 
 " tions to God, Iho strength and desire to regulate his 
 " lifu according to the principles and spirit of Christia- 
 " nity, 
 
 " Early shall the School form tho children to piety, 
 " and lor that pur|)ose will it seek to seconfl aiitl per- 
 " lect Ihe instructions of the family. Thus in all cases 
 " shall the labors of Ihe day be commenced, and con- 
 " eluded by a short prayer and pious reflections, which 
 " tho Master must be able so to conduct, that this moral 
 " exercise shall never degenerate into an affair of ' 
 " habit. 
 
 " Furthermore the Master shall see (in the case of 
 " Boarding-schools) that the children attend punclu- 
 " ally at the services of tho Church on Sabbaths and 
 " Hulydays. 
 
 " There shall be intermingled with the solemnities 
 " of the School, songs of a religious character. Fi- 
 " nally, the period of the communion should be as well 
 " for Pupils as for Masters, an occasion of sti.engthening 
 " the bonds which ought to unite them, and to open 
 " their souls to the most generous and elevated senti- 
 " ments of religion."* 
 
 * Tlio fuUowiiif; is tho course of religious instruction pursued in 
 tlic Uorotiiean City School in Berlin ; 
 
 Clasa 6lh. (Lowest Clnsn) Stories from the Old Testament. 
 
 Class 6th. Stories from tho New Testament. 
 
 Clasi 4th. Bible History. 
 
 Class 3rd. Iteading and explanation of select portions from the 
 Scriptures. (Doctrinal and Practical.) 
 
 Class 2nd. The Evidences of Christianity. 
 
 Them is at present no First Class in the School. Kach class in' 
 dudes a period of from one to two years. The Stories taught the 
 Elementary Classes (including children fromsix to eight years of age) 
 are, the most remarkable Scripture Biographies, — narrated chiefly 
 by the Teacher, with various practical remarks and illustrations of 
 the Geographical and Natural History of Ihe Bible. The pupils 
 thus familiarised with tho Geography and incidents of the Bible, 
 are prepared m the following year (4th Class^ to study and appre- 
 ciate its general history and oeautiful simplicity of language. The 
 ^neral history of the Bible taught in the third year (or 4lh class) 
 18 an appropriate introduction to the study of those select portions 
 of the Scnptures (in the fourth year) in which are stated and 
 explained the principal institutions, doctrines, and morals of tho 
 Biole — the study of the Evidences of Christianity forming a natu- 
 ral and proper conclusion of the whole course. About four hours 
 per weelt are devoted to religious instruction daring the whole 
 period of six years. This School is common to both Itoman Ca- 
 tholic and Protestant children. 
 
 The Protestant Seminary School of Berlin.^-^-a burgher or mid- 
 dle School attached to the Teacher's Seminary, and in which tho 
 candidates fur teaching practice,— has the following course of reli- 
 gious instruction. In Itoman C^alholio Schools of the same class, 
 subjects corresponding to the Church i>f Itome. take the place of 
 those subjects in the following programme which relate to the 
 Church ot the Reformation. 
 
 Chias Sth. (Lowest Class) Four hours per week. Narration by Ihe 
 Teacher of Stories from the Old Testament, nearly in 
 Ihe words of the Bible, and repeated by the pupils. 
 Easy verses learned by heart. 
 Class 5tb. Four hours per week. Stories from the Gospels taught 
 in the same way. Church Songa and Bible verses 
 ' learned. 
 
14 
 
 No oiiu can pouder upon the import of such a law ] 
 — n law ciirrieil out witli all the tborouglin«s8 of llic .. 
 licrmuii clinruotiT, — without feeling how fnr hclowsuch ii 
 H >tan(lar(l wc sink in our accustomed vNtlmalc uf llio 
 ('lmructcrundultrihutes,tiMi objects and duties ui't^cliouls 
 and Scho<ilniaN(ers. Indeed — judging from patsagus 
 ulreudy (juuted, — iiuw entirely must wc acknowledge 
 the !iu|ierl»rily of the moral standard of Scliool-Teach- 
 ors and Sdiool-tenching whicli ohiuins in what sumo 
 liii\ u been wont to term lax and sccptic.il France ! 
 Yet France, like I'russia, places religion and morals 
 iit llin very foundation of her system of public educa- 
 tion. 
 
 'I'he American authors heretofore ([uoted, present in |! 
 
 lively coloiH the consequences of a total abandonment ; 
 of Clifistlanity in many of the United Stales public 
 
 ScIkxjIs. Surely we cannot fail to profit by sucli ex- i 
 
 ainples and wurnings. A Government that practically i 
 
 renounces Christianity in providing for the education i; 
 of its youthful (jopulation, caunut bo Christian. 
 
 The creed of our Government, as representing a 
 Christian people of various forms of religious worship, 
 is (Christianity, in the broadest and most comprehensive 
 sense of the term. The practice of the Government 
 should correspond with itji creed. With tlie circum- 
 i<lantlals of sectarianism it has nothing to do ; they 
 lorin no articlu of its creed ; they involve no one 
 commandment of the Moral Law, either of the Old or 
 New Testament ; it is under na obligations to provide 
 for the teaching of them, whatever importance indivi- 
 duals may attach to them ; its adbrding dilferent par- 
 ties facilities for leaching them is the utmost that can be 
 required or exjiected of it. The members of the va- 
 rious sects are alike its subjec:ts ; they contribute alike 
 to Its defence and support; they are alike entitled to 
 its protection and countenance. 
 
 The inhabitants of tlie Province at large, profe.ssing 
 Christianity, and being freely represented in the Go- i 
 vernment by Members o(a Responsible Council — Chris- 
 tianity, therefore, upon the most popular principles of 
 (iovernmeni, should be the basis of a Provincial system 
 of Education, Hut that general principle admits of 
 considerable variety In its application. Such Is the 
 case in the countries already referred to ; such may and 
 should be the case in Canada. 
 
 The foregoing observations and illustrations apply 
 for the most part to a population consisting of both 
 
 Cliisa -Itli. Tliret' hours jilt wei'k. Tlic Old Tesiament in a more 
 conncctod form. The moral of tho history is imprcs- 
 sod upon the minds of tho childrpn. Tho Ten Com- 
 mundnientit, and Church Songa learned. 
 Class ard. Two hours per week. Life and Doctrines of Christ. 
 Four weeks set apart t\»r learning the Geography of 
 Valestine. Church History. 
 Chiss 2nd. Two hours per week. The Protestant Catechism w)in- 
 mitlwl to memory and explained. Church ISongs and 
 versos committed. 
 Class ist. Two hours per week. Compendium of the History of 
 the Christian Church, cspeeiatiy after the Apostolic 
 nge. History of the Keformution, Review of the 
 Bible. Committing to memory Psalms and Hymns. 
 Dr. DiestenvefT, — the Director of tho Seminary* is one of the 
 must celebrated Teachers in Germany, 
 
 I witnessed e.xeeroises in both of the Schools above mentioned. 
 The teaching is for the most part by lecture, mingled with ques- 
 tions. The pupil i.j prompted to exertion ; his curiosity is excited ; 
 hu is taught to observe carefully, and to express himself clearly and 
 readily in his own languan;e, Tho teacher is of course able to 
 ti'ach without a l>ook, and to elicit tho knowledge of the pupil by 
 proper questions. Thus the memory of the pupil is not overbur- 
 thened i and it is at tho same time enriched, and the perceptive, re- 
 llective and rensoning [lowers aro constantly exerel.sed. It may bo 
 observed that, neither in Protestant nor mixed Schools, and of 
 course not in the lioman Cattiolic Schools, did I sue tliu Bible 
 degraded and abused to the purposes of a common reading 
 book. It was given to man, not to teach him how to read, but to 
 teach him the i hiiractor, and government, and will of God, the duty 
 uf man and the way uf salvation. 
 
 To thesu sacred and important purposes should it be applied in 
 the Schools. 
 
 Protestants and Roman Catliolic*. The law provide* 
 asainst inlerlering with the religious scruples of each 
 class in respect bulh to religious books and the means 
 of establishing separate Schools. 
 
 Iti School Districts wlwre the whole population is 
 cither Protestant or Roman Catholic, ana where con- 
 se(pietitly the Schools come under the character of 
 Separate, there the principle of religious inslruclion 
 can be curried out into as minute detail as may itccord 
 with the views iind wishes uf either classof the populu- 
 tioti ; though I urn persuaded all that is essential to the 
 mural interests uf youth may be taught in what are 
 termed mixed Schools. 
 
 The great importance of this subject, and the erro- 
 neous or imperfect views which prevail respecting it, 
 and the desire of explaining fully what I conceive to be 
 the moot cssentialelumentof a judicious system ofPubllc 
 inslructloti, are my u|iolugy liir dwelling uixin it at so 
 great length. Religious difforences and divisions 
 should rather be healed than inflamed ; and the points 
 of agreement anil tlie means of mutual co-operation on 
 the part of dilferent religious persuasions, should doubt- 
 less be studied and promoted by a wise and benificcnt 
 Government, while it sacrltices neither to religious 
 bigotry nor infidelity the cardinal and catliolic prin- 
 ciples of the Christian religion. 
 
 With the proper cultivation of the moral feelings, and 
 tho formation of moral habits, is intimately connected 
 the corresponding developement of aU the other Ja- 
 culHea both inteileclual and physical. 
 
 The great object of an efficient system of instruction 
 should be, not the communication of so much know- 
 ledge, but the developement of the faculties. 
 
 Much knowledge mdy be acquired without any in- 
 crease of mental power ; nay, with even an absolutedimi- 
 nutiun of it. Though it be admitted that " knowledge is 
 power," it is not the knowledge which professes to tie 
 imparted and acquired at a rail-road speed ; a knowledge 
 which penetrates little below the surface, either of the 
 mind or of tho nature of things — the acquisition of 
 which involves the exercise of no other faculty than 
 that of the memory, and that not upon the principles 
 of philosophicul association, but by the mere jingle of 
 words ; — a mere word knowledge learned by rote, 
 which has no existence in tho mind apart from the 
 words In which it is actjuired, and which vanishes as 
 they are forgotten, — which often spreads over a large 
 surface, buthas neither depth nor fertility, — whichgrows 
 up as it were in a night and disappears in a day, — which 
 adds nothing to the vigour of the mind, and very little 
 that is valuable to its treasures. 
 
 This is the system of imparting, and acquiring know- 
 ledge which notoriously obtains in many of tlie Acada- 
 mies, Schoohi and other Educational Institutions in the 
 neighbouring Slates, though it is lamented and depre- 
 cated by all the American authors who bnvb examined 
 the educational Institutions of other countries, and 
 many others who are competent witnessess of its defects 
 and evils, and who have the virtue and patriotism to 
 expose them. The author of the excellent work here- 
 tofore quoted, — School and Schoolmastei- — remarks : 
 " The grand error is, that tliat is called knowlsdgej 
 " which is mere rote-learning and word-mongery. The 
 " child is said to be educateil, because it can repeat 
 " the text of tliis one's grammar, and of that one's 
 " geography and history ; because a r«rtain number 
 " of facts, often without connexion or dependence, 
 " have for the time being been deposited in its memory, 
 " Ihougli they have never been wrought at all into the 
 " understanding, nor havq awakened in truth one effort 
 " 4}f the higher faculties. 
 
15 
 
 " The soil of the mind i« left by sucli cullurv reully 
 " M uotouclicd and us litllo likely tliercfure lo yield 
 " back valuuble fruit, <u if those sumu facts lind liocn 
 " committed lu memory in an unknown tongue. It i.t, i 
 " as if llie husbandman were to go forth luitl sow his 
 " seed by the way side, or on the surface of u field which 
 " hax been trodtlen down by tlio hoofs of innuiuerablu '! 
 " horses, and then when the cry of harvesl-honiu is j 
 " heard about hini, expect to reap us ubunduiit returns 
 " as the most provident and industrious of his neigh- 
 " hours. He f>)rgcts that the same irreversible law 
 " holds in mental as in material husbandry ; ' whatto- 
 " ever a man aowelh, that shall he also reap.' "* 
 
 The superficial and pernicious system of teaching 
 and learning llms cxpuscd and deprecated, forms the 
 basis on which a large portion of tlic American Elemen- 
 tary School Books are composed, — professing lo be so 
 constructed as to rc(|uirc very little intellectual labor 
 on the part of either Teacher or Pupil. In the old 
 Cities, and oldest educational Institutions in thn Uni- 
 ted Stales, this nnli-inlellectual method of teaching, 
 and the books which appertain to it are very propcrlv 
 condemned. 
 
 Many of the most wealthy youth of that country, have 
 g )ne to Europe, cither for their education or to finish it ; 
 and there is a gradual return there to the more solid 
 and practical systems of Instruction. 
 
 Yet in their second-rate Colleges and Village 
 Academies, and most of their country Schools, this 
 " word-raongery" .system prevails ; and many of the 
 hooks which are essential to its operations ; and many 
 of the delusive opinioiis on which it is founded, have 
 been introduced into this Province, and have excited 
 a pernicious influence in some parts of it. It is witli 
 a view of drawing attention to the evil, and its ap- 
 propriate remedy, that I make these remarks. The 
 Secretary of the Board of Education for the State of 
 Massachusetts, after a visit to Europe, contrasts this 
 sparkling and worthless system with that which obtains 
 in Prussia. He s])eaks with rclerenco to the method 
 of teaching some of the higher branches ; but his re- 
 marks are equally applicable lo the roethud of teaching 
 Grammar, Geography, History, &c. 
 
 The principle and animus of the method are the 
 same in all departments of instruction. 
 
 Mr. Mann says : " With us it too often happens that 
 " if a higher branch, — Geometry, Natural Philosophy, 
 " Zoology, Botany — is to be taught, both Teacher and 
 *' Class must have text-books. At the beginningof these 
 " text-books, all tlie technical names, and definitions 
 " aresetdown. These, before the pujiil has any ptocti- 
 " cal idea of Iheir meaning, must be committed to 
 " jnemory." 
 
 " The book is then studied chapter by chapter. At 
 " the bottom of each page or at the end of the sec- 
 " tions, are questions printed at full length. At the re- 
 " citations the Teacher holdson to tliese leading strings. 
 
 " He introduces no collateral knowledge. He cx- 
 " hibits no relation between what is contained in the 
 •' hook, and other kindred subjects, or the actual busi- 
 " ness of men and the aflairs of life. At length the day 
 " of examination comes. The pupils rehearse from me- 
 " mory with a suspicious fluency ; on being asked for 
 " some useful application of their knowledge — some 
 *' practical connexion between that knowledge and the 
 " concerns of life, — they are silent or give some ridicu- 
 " lous answer, which at once disparages science,and gra- 
 " tifies the Hl-humonr of some ignorant satirist, But the 
 
 * Holiool and Soboulmasler. By lit. PotMr, Union College, pp. 
 82, .'i-J. 
 
 " Prussian Teacher haa no book ; he needs none, he 
 " teaches from a full mind. He cumbers and darkens 
 " the subject with no technical phraseology. He ub- 
 " servos wliat prolicienry the ibihl has made, and 
 " then adaplshis instructions both in quality and amount 
 " lo the necessity of the case. He answers allqucstioiis ; 
 " he .s<dvu<all(liiubts. It is one of his objects al every 
 " recitation so to present ideas, that Ihcy shall start 
 " doubts and provoke quest ions. He connects the sub- 
 "jeclsofeuch lesson with all kindred and collateral 
 " ones, and shows its relations lo iho overy-day duties 
 " and business of life ; und should the most ignorant 
 " man ask him of what use such knowledge can be, 
 " he will prove lo him in a word, that some of his own 
 " pleasures or means of subsistence are dependent upon 
 " it ; or have been croalod or improve by it. 
 
 " In l' '' noanlimc the children are delighted Tlicir 
 " percc) . (lowers are exercised ; their reflective 
 " faculties are developed ; their moral sentiments lire 
 " cultivated. All the attributes of the mind within, 
 " find answering qualities in the world without. In- 
 " stead of any longer regarding the earth as a huge mass 
 " of dead matter, — without variety und without life, — 
 " its lieautiful and boundless diversities of substance, — 
 " its latent vitality and energies grailually dawn forth, 
 " until at length they illuminate the whole soul, chal- 
 " leiiging its admiration for their utility, and its homage 
 " for the bounty of their Creator." • 
 
 Thus the harmonious and proper developemcnt of 
 all the faculties of the mind is involved in the very 
 method of leaching, as well as in the books used, 
 and even irrespective, to a great extent, of the subjects 
 taught. This .system of instruction requires of course 
 more thorough culture on the part of the Teacher. He 
 must he able to walk in order to dispense with his 
 " leading strings" in relation to the most simple exercise. 
 It is not difficult to perceive, that although passing over 
 comparatively few books, and indeed with a very 
 subordinate use of books at all, except the \'oIuminous 
 one of the Teacher's mind, a child under such a system 
 of instruction will, in the course of a few years, acquire 
 particularly and thoroughly a large amount of useful 
 and various knowledge, with a corresixinding exercise 
 and improvement of the higher intellectual faculties; 
 and thus become fitted for the active duties of life. 
 Tlie mental symmetry is preserved and developed ; and 
 the whole intellectual man grows up into masculine 
 maturity and vigour. It cannot be too strongly im- 
 pressed, that Education consists not in travelling over 
 so much intellectual ground, or the committing to 
 memory so many books, but in the developement and 
 cultivation of all our mental, moral, and physical powers. 
 The learned Erasmus has loiig since said ; " At the 
 " first it is no great matter how much you learn, but 
 " how well you learn it." The philasnphic and accom- 
 plished Dugald Stewart observes,that " to instruct youth 
 " in the languages and in the sciences is comparatively 
 " of little importance, if we are inattentive to the habits 
 " they acquire, and are not careful in giving lo all Iheir 
 " different faculties, and all their different principles of 
 " action, a proper degree of employment. The most 
 " essential objects of Education are the two following : 
 " first, to cultivate all the various principles of our 
 " natures, both speculative and active, in such a manner 
 " as to bring them to the gealest perfection of which 
 " they are susceptible; and, secondly, by watching over 
 " the impressions and associations which the mind re- 
 " ceives in early life, to secure it against the influence 
 " of prevailing errors, and, as far as possible engage its 
 " prepossessions on the side of truth." 
 
 " It has been disputed (says Dr. Potter) whether it 
 " be the primary object of Education to discipline and 
 
 • Honorable Home* Mun'a Scvtnlh Annual Bepork (Edaca- 
 
 tion in Eurojie,) pp. 142, 143. 
 
16 
 
 " il)<voln|)e (ho powiTHof the soul, or to cummuniralo ' 
 " kniiwIiMlgc. Were llicsc iwo olijccis distinct and 
 " indc'pciulent, it is ni t to bo (lUcttioned, that tliu first 
 " '\H iiiis|it'akHlily niiiri) iin|)iirlant than the second. 
 
 " Hut, in Iriilh lliey are inse| nruhle. That training 
 " which best disciplines and iinlidds the faculties will, ut 
 " the same time, imparl the greatest amount o( real and 
 " ellectivo knowledge ; while, on the other hand, that 
 " which imparts thoroughly and for permanent use and 
 ■' piissession, the greatest amount of knowleilge, will 
 " best (levclone, strengthen and refine the powers. In 
 " proportion, however.nsinlellcclual vigourand activity 
 " arc more important tlian mere rotc-lcarninif, in iho 
 " same proportion ought we lo attach more value to an 
 " Education which, though it only teaches a child io 
 " read, has, in doing so, taught him also to think, than 
 " wo should lo one which, though it nuiy have beslow- 
 " edon him the husks and shells of half a dozen sciences, 
 " has never luught him lo use with pleasure and ellect 
 '' his reflective faculties. 
 
 " 1 lo who can think, and loves lo think will hcconr.e, 
 " if he has a few good books, a wise man. He who 
 " knows not how to lhink,or who hates the toil of doing 
 '' it, will remain imbecile, though his mind be crowded 
 " with the content.s of a library. 
 
 " This isal present perhaps the greatest fault in in- 
 " Icllectual education. The new power with which 
 " iho discoveries of iho last three centuries have 
 '' clothed civilized man, renders knowledge an object 
 " of unbounded respect and desire ; while itisforgoltcn 
 " that that knowle<lge can bo matured and approprialed 
 " oidy by tho vigorous exercise and application of all 
 " our intellectual faculties. 
 
 " If llic mind of a child when learning, retrains 
 " nearly passive, merely receiving knowledge as a 
 " vessel receives water which is poured into it, little 
 " good can be expeclcd to accrue. It is as if food were 
 " introduced into the stomach which there is no room 
 " to digest or assimilale, and which will therefore be 
 " rejected from the system, or like a useless and oppres- 
 " sivo load upon ils energies." 
 
 On ihe developemcnt of the pAj/Atca' powers, I need 
 say but a few words. A system of instruction ma- 
 king no provision for those exercises which contri- 
 bute to health and vigour of body, and to agreeable- 
 ness of manners, must necessarily be imperfect. The 
 active pursuits of most of those pupils who attend the 
 public Schools, require the exercisfc necessary to bodily 
 heallh ; but the gymnastics, regularly taught as a rccrea- 
 lion, and with a view to Ihe future pursuits of the pu- 
 pil, and to which so much importance is attached in Ihe 
 best Uritish and in the Schools of Germany and France, 
 are advantageous in variousrespects, — promote not only 
 physical health and vigour, but social cheerfulness, ac- 
 tive, easy, and graceful movements. Ihey strenglhen 
 and give the pupil a perfect command over all the 
 members of his body. Like the art of writing, they 
 proceed from ihe simplest movement, to the most com- 
 plex and dilficult exercises, — giving birth lo, and im- 
 parting a bodily activity and skill scarcely credible to 
 those who have not witnessed them. 
 
 To the culture and command of all the faculties of 
 the mind, a corresponding exercise and control of all 
 the members of tho body is next in importance. It 
 was young men thus trained that composed ihe vanguard 
 of Blucher's army ; and much of the activily, enthu- 
 siasm and energy which distinguished them, was altri- 
 buled to their gymnastic training at siihool. A training j 
 which gives superiority in one department of active 
 life, must Ih) beneficial in another. 
 
 It la well known a* hai been obacrved by physiolo- 
 gists that " the muscles of any part of the iHKly when 
 " worked by exercise, draw additional nourishment 
 " from Ihe blood, and by tho repetition of the stimulus, 
 " if it be not exercise, increase In size, strength and 
 " freedom of action. The regular action of the 
 " muscles promotes and preserves the uniform circula- 
 " lion of the blood, which is the prime condition of 
 " heallh. Tho strength of the body or of a limb depends 
 " upon Iho strength of tho muscular Avstem, or of the 
 " muscles of tho limb ; and as tho consiitnlional mustu- 
 " lar endowment of most people is tolerably good, the 
 " diversities of muscular power, observabh amongst 
 •' men, is chiilly altribulablu lo ejieicise." The 
 youlh of Canada are designed for active, and most of 
 tlicin for laborious occupations ; exercises which 
 strengthen not one class of musclta, or the mutcles of 
 certain members only, but which deve lope tho whole 
 physical system, cannot fail to le beneficial. 
 
 The application ol ihcso remarks to common day 
 Schools must bo very limited. They are designed lo 
 apply chiefly lo boarding and training, to Industrial 
 and Grammar Schools, — lo those Schools to the masters 
 of which tho prolonged and thorough cducatiunal in- 
 struction of youth is entrusted.' 
 
 To physical Education great importance has been «l- 
 Inchcd by Ihe best educators in all ages and countries 
 Plato gave as many as a thousand precepts respecting 
 it ; it formed a prominent feature in Iho best parts of 
 Ihe education of the Greeks and Romans; it has been 
 largely insisted upon by ihe most distinguished educa- 
 tional writers in Europe, from Charon and Montaigne, 
 down to numerous living authors in France and Ger- 
 many, England and America ; it occupies a conspicu- 
 ous piece in Ihe codes of School Regulations in France 
 and Switzerland, and in many places in Germany ; .the 
 celebrated Peslalozzi and Do Fellenbcrg incorporated 
 it as an essential part of their systems of instruction, 
 and even as necessary to their success ; and experienced 
 American writers and physioligists attribute tho want 
 of physical developement and strength, and even health, 
 in a disprnportionally large number of educated Amo 
 ricans lo tho absence of proper provisions and encou- 
 ragements in respect to appropriate physical exercises 
 in the Schools, Academies end Colleges of tho United 
 States. 
 
 Having thus slated that an efficient system of Public 
 Instruction should not only be commensurate with tins 
 wants of ihe poorest classes of society, but practical in 
 its character, Christian in ilsfouiidalien, principles and 
 spirit, and involving a proper developement of ihe in- 
 tellectual and physical fiicuUies of its subjects, — I come 
 now to consider Ihe several branches of knmvledge 
 which should be taught in the Schools, and for iho elli- 
 cicnt teaching cf which public provision should bo 
 made. 
 
 The subject of Christian Instruction has been suf- 
 ficiently explained and discussed ; I will only add here, 
 that in the opinion of the most ccmpetent judges — 
 experienced Teachers of ditlcrcnt countries that I have 
 visited, and able authors — the introduction of Biblical 
 Instruction into Schools, so far from interfering with 
 other studies, actually facilitates iheni, as has been 
 shown by references lo numerous facts. Besides, it is 
 worthy of remark, that apart from the principles and 
 morals^preceptive and biographical— of the Bible, it 
 is ihe oldest, the most authentic of Ancient Histories. 
 Moses is not only by many ages the " Father of 'lis- 
 tory," or as Bossuet in his Discours sur I'lltttoire 
 Univertelle eloquently says, " te plus anrien des Ms- 
 ^' toriens, le plus sublime des philoso^^hea, It plus 
 " sage des UgUlateurs," but Ihe grand pe iods of the 
 
 t 
 
It 
 
 villi lli(! 
 
 Mta 
 
 Mosaic Hiilnry form the great dironologirnl cporhs of 
 Univcrsnl KiMory; the utanduril indeed ol (general Chru' 
 luilcgy, one of llio " two eye» of Hiilory," 
 
 Any 01 • .nn least acquainted with Ancient lllslory 
 knows, inu; .s there are no chrunol«i;icul data so nii- 
 Ihcnlic and outhoritntive as those of Moses, so (here 
 are none so easily remembered — none which associiilu 
 in the mind evenUso rcrnarkahle, and important, — none 
 which are fraught with so much practical instruction, 
 The Bible History reaches back to im antiquity two 
 thousand yc:irs morn romoln than the fabulous periods 
 of other hislarics. It is authentic and certain from Iho 
 commencement ; it contains the only genuine account of 
 the origin and early history, as well »s of the creuliun 
 and primitive history of man. 
 
 As the best introduction to general history, as well 
 as the only Divine depository of trulli and morals, the 
 Bible is pre-eminent. 
 
 The London Enojcloptdia justly observes ; " The 
 " most pure and most fruitful source of Ancient His- 
 " tory is doubtless to bo found in the Bible. Let us 
 " here for a moment cense to regard it as a Divine, and 
 " presume to treat it only as a common history. Now 
 " when Wo consider the writers of the books of the 
 " Old Testament, sometimes as authors, sometimes as 
 " occular witnesses, and sometimes as respectable bis- 
 " torians, whether we reflect on the aimplicity of the 
 " narration, and the air of truth that is there constantly 
 " visible, or whether we consider the care that the peo- 
 " pie, the governments, and the learned men of all ages 
 " have taken to preserve the text, or have regard to the 
 ' " happy conformity of the Chronology of the Scriptures 
 " with that of Profane History, as well as with that of 
 " Josephus and other Jewish writers ; and lastly, when 
 " we consider that the books of the Holy Scripture 
 " alone furnish us with an accurate history of the world, 
 " from the Creation, through the line of Patriarchs, 
 " Judges, Kings, and Princes of the Hebrews ; and 
 " that wo may, by its aid, form an almost entire series 
 " of events down to the birth of Christ, or the time of 
 " Augustus, which comprehends a space of about four 
 " thousand years, some small interruptions excepted, 
 " which are easily supplied by profane history ; when 
 " all these reflections are justly made, we must allow 
 " that the Scriptures form a series of books which 
 " merit the first rank among all the sources of Ancient 
 "History."* 
 
 In the course of Christian Biblical Instruction, there- 
 furp, on which I have insisted, not only is the founda- 
 tion of true morality laid, but the essential elements 
 and the most entertaining and leading facts of chrono- 
 logy and history, are acquired. 
 
 In the lowest elementary Schools, R«a(/in3',;S'peHi'n^, 
 H''riting, and Arithmetic should, of course, be laoghi. 
 They constitute the slopio instruction of our Common 
 Schools. In many instances, the elements of English 
 Giiimmar, and Elementary Geography are taught, and 
 in u few, Book-keeping, Algebra, Geometry and the 
 elements of History. 
 
 Among the subjects to be taught in the Common 
 Schools, Reading and Spdting are doubtless the first 
 in importance, and usually the first in order. Sentences 
 are composed of words, words of syllables, and sylla- 
 bles of letters. Tim letters of the alphabet then are, 
 according to common opinion and practice, tobe taught 
 first, — a task which is usually performed by pointing the 
 letters out in succession, at each lesson, until they are 
 learned. Nothing can be more tedious to the Teacher, 
 and nothing more irksome and stupifying to the 
 
 * Article, Chrunulogy. 
 
 little pupil, than this unnatural proreM, The young 
 iirisnner is conflneil to his seat several hours in a day i 
 lie must lie silent ; he sees nothing to excite iiis curi- 
 osity ; he hears and is required to do nothing to awa- 
 ken mental activity ; the only variation in the dull mo- 
 notony of the Kcliool hours, is to be called up three or 
 four limes a dny to rniiont the mimes of Iwonty'six let- 
 ters, of the use orapplicutiunof everyone of which he 
 .is entirely ignorant. 
 
 The oporatiim becomes purely mechanical, and is 
 often protracted for many mouths, befoic the un^uppy 
 victim of it gets thoroughly from .\ to '/,. A second 
 edition of the same process is produced in leaching the 
 child to spell syllables oft wo or throe letters, — syllables 
 which convey to the mind of the learner not a single 
 idea, in which the sounds of the letters have no relati(m 
 to those which have been applied to them in the alpha- 
 licl, and no relation to those which are applied to the 
 same syllables and spelt in the same way when forming 
 parts of words. For example, the first two letters of 
 the alphabet hive both a diflisront sound when they 
 are repeated alone, from that which they have when 
 forming the syllable ab ; and what resemblance is 
 there between the sound of the syllnblo bk taught in 
 the three-letter lessons, and the same syllable in the 
 word noble or fMt,—M taught in the two-s|llabl« lei- 
 sons, ■'-'•■' ^ ' 
 
 The second and third steps of the child's learning 
 contradict each the preceding. 
 
 Is this rational ? Can it be recording to nature > Is it 
 not calculated to deaden rather than quicken the in- 
 tellectual faculties f 
 
 Is not such rational drudgery calculated to disgust Ibo 
 subject of it with the very thoughts of learning.' And is it 
 not probable that it has done so to a fearful extent ; and 
 that it would do so to a much greater extent, was not 
 the natural tendency of it counteracted by the child's 
 fears, or emulation or love of approbation. 
 
 Now suppose that instead of going through the me- 
 chanical routine of -epeating the alphabet some 
 hundreds of times, the child is furnished with a slate 
 and pencil, (as is the case with every infant pupil in 
 Germany] and imitates the forms of the letters (two 
 or three at a time) either from the printing of them on 
 a sheet, or on the black-board, or slate by the mas- 
 ter, how different are both his progress, and his feel- 
 ings. 
 
 He learns the letters by forming them as nature and 
 experience dictate to older students when learning the 
 alphabet of a new language, — the love of imitation pecu- 
 liar to his age is gratified, and his imitative faculty is 
 improved. His first efTurts at learning are associated with 
 pleasurable feelings ; each lesson possesses the charm 
 of novelty ; learning is a pleasure, and the task an 
 amusement ; and the young beginner thus cheerfully 
 learns more in three of or four days, than he would 
 sorrowfully drudge over in as many months according 
 to the common repealing system. 
 
 Or, suppose that a mode of instruction be adopted 
 which now obtains more extensively than any other in 
 the estimation of learned and experienced education- 
 its. It is maintained that " a better way of learning to 
 " read, much and successfully practised of late, is to let 
 " children learn words first, and afterwards the letters 
 " of the alphabet of which they are made up. This if 
 " nature's method. 
 
 " A child learns to know his mother's face before ha 
 " knows the several features of which it is composed. 
 '' Common significant words should be selected, and re- 
 
 ..■sas*'.w!.ia;~ 
 
}8 
 
 " pealod in ilifTvronl iirr.ini{ctncnlf, until llie child tun 
 " iliiiliiiguiah ihem |m rl't'clly, nnd put them lugalher tu 
 " inaku noiim. Ilu uliciulcl at the tanic time be taught to 
 " pronuuiico tli« wuriU ilitlinctly, He hii« Ibu* the 
 " Mliifuctiun uf rcHiling,— of leeing tlie.uio of hi) 
 " louriiin/{ fnitn (lie hcf(innini(. Tu make ihotn 
 " still more nttniliar, ho iihiiuld bo net (ii luok fur tho 
 " wotds ill u pums wlioro they are to lio found, iind to 
 " copy ihcin on liin sliile. When he Iiun becuino fumiliiir 
 " with H good luimbur of wordn, iind in ncnsiblo of the 
 " UMjfuliiriw uiid pleoiianlnc^ii of reading, he may be xit 
 " to Icurn the letters. Thi« he will do with intereat 
 " when he knows that by means of thorn he will toon be 
 " ablo tu learn by hin^sclf and without help. Hr 
 " should not ycl, if ever, bo set to loam words 
 " which ho cannot understand, but only such as will uc- 
 " cupy at the same time his mind and his eyes. If 
 " a child bo never allowed to read what ho cannot un- 
 " derstand, he will never form those had habits of rcad- 
 " ing, called school-reading, now so universal. I have 
 " known several thildren,taught to read by their mothers 
 " on the principle of never reading what ihey did not 
 " understand, who always, from the beginnmg, read 
 " naturally and beautifully ; for good reading seems 
 " to be the natural habit, and bad tho acquired.* 
 
 It maybe remarked that tho "First Book of Lessons" 
 published by the National Board of Education in Ire- 
 land, is constructed upon tho principle above stated. 
 The Secretary of tho Board of Education for the State 
 of Massachusetts, makes tho following statement, 
 which I have reason to believe is perfectly correct. 
 " When I first began to visit tho Prussian Schools, I 
 " uniformly inquired of the Teachers, whether, in 
 " teaching children to read, they began with the names 
 " of the letters ns given in the Alphabet. Being do- 
 " lighted with tho prompt negative which I invariably 
 " received, I persevered in making the inquiry, until! 
 " began to pcrceivn a look and a tone on their part not 
 " very flattering to my intelligence, in oonsiaering a 
 " point so clear and so well settled as this, to bo any 
 " longer a subject for discussion or doubt. The um- 
 " form statement was, that the Alphabet as such hod 
 " ceased to be taught as an exercise preliminary to 
 " reading, for the last fifteen or twenty years, by every 
 " Teacher in the Kingdom. The practice of begin- 
 " ning with tho names of the letters is founded upon 
 " tho idea, that it facilitates tho combination of them 
 " into words. On the other hand, I believe that if 
 " two children of equal quickness and capacity are 
 " taken, one of whom can name every letter m tlie 
 " Alphabet, at sight, and the other does not know thom 
 " from Chinese characters, tho latter can be most easi- 
 " ly taught to read, — in other words, that the learning 
 " letters first is an absolute hindrance." f 
 
 In reply to the objection, that as the elements of a 
 Suicnce or Art should bo taught first, so ought the ele- 
 miMits of words, befuro words tliomsclves ; it is main- 
 tained, that the names of the letters, are not the ele- 
 ments in tlic sounds of words, except in a compara- 
 tively small number of instances ; that, for example, 
 llic six vowels have but six names, yet no less than 
 lliirty-tliree dilferent sounds ; that the variety of sounds 
 of consonants into words is nearly as great in proportion 
 to their number, according to the simplest account of 
 them; but ifcritically analyzed, would probably amount 
 to some hundreds. " Now," (says the acute observer 
 just quoted,) " how can twenty-six sounds be the cle- 
 •' mcnts of hundreds of sounds as elementary as them- 
 " selves? Generally s|)eaking, too, before n child be- 
 " gins to loam is letters, ho is already acquainted 
 " with tlie miijority of elementary sounds in the lan- 
 
 * Tho SL'hcwlmaflter, by Geo. B. Emerson, Button, Mass., p.p. 
 420, 482, 423. 
 
 t gerenUi Anuuel Befort, &c , f. US. 
 
 " guagc, and ii in (h« daily habit of using tbcm in 
 '* conversation. 
 
 " Learning his letters, therefore, gives him no new 
 " sound ; it even restricts his attention to a snwil 
 " numlji'r uf tliotu which he already knows. So far 
 " then, the learning uf his letters ctintracts his prac- 
 " tii'u ; and wuro It not for keeping up his former Imbitl 
 " uf Njieuking at home, and in the play-ground, th« 
 " Teacher, during the six inontlis ur year in which ho 
 " confines him tu the twenty-six sounds of the Alpha- 
 " l)ot, would pretty nearly deprive him of tho faculty 
 " of speech." » 
 
 Hence, according tn this reasoning. In pronouncing 
 in words a letter which having but one name, and yet, 
 — as most of tho letters of the Alphabet have, — has from 
 two to six sounds, the young learner would be wrong 
 from two to six limes, to being right once. In a motliod 
 uf teaching which involves so many anomalies ant) 
 cuiilradiclions, and occasions so much confusion to tho 
 learner in the verv first stops of his progress, there 
 must be some defect. The order of nature is mora 
 harmonious and less difficult. 
 
 It is questionable whether there is any stage of 
 learning at which more can bo done, and perhaps is 
 often unhappily done — to determine tho future charic^ 
 ter of the pupil, than that of which 1 am now speaking. 
 In illustration of this remark, and to show the qualifica- 
 tions which are required to teach properly the first 
 elements of learning, I will introduce tho Adlowing 
 account of a Prussian School exercise on the Alphabet. 
 I had the pleasure of witnessing several exercises in 
 German Schools similar to that which is here descri- 
 bed, and one at Leipsic on the same object and word, 
 and of the same character with that which is thus nar- 
 rated by Mr. Mann ; whose testimony will be hereby 
 added to my own. 
 
 " In tho case I am about to describe, I entered a 
 ' class-room of about sixty children of about six yean 
 ' of age. The children were just taking their seats, 
 ' all smiling and expectation. They nad been at 
 ' School but a few weeks, but long enough to have 
 ' contracted a love for it. The Teacher took his sta- 
 ' tion before Ihem, and after making a playful remark 
 ' which excited a little titter around the room, and 
 ' eflectually arrested attention, he gave a signal for si- 
 ' lence. After wailing a moment, during wnich every 
 ' countenance was composed and every noise hushed, 
 ' he made a prayer consisting of a single sentence, ask- 
 ' ing that as they had come together to learn, they 
 ' might bo good and diligent. He then spoke to them 
 ' of the beautiful day, asked whut they knew about the 
 ' seasons, referred to the different kinds of fruit-trees 
 ' then in bearing, and questioned them upon tlio uses 
 ' of trees, in constructing houses, furniture, &c. The 
 ' manner of the Teacher was dignified though playful, 
 ' and the occasional jets of laughter which he caused 
 ' tho children occasionally to throw out (but without 
 ' ever producing tho slightest symptom of disorder,) 
 ' were more favorable to a receptive state of mind 
 ' than jets of tears." " Here I must make a preli- 
 ' minary remark, in regard to the equipments of schol- 
 ' ars and the furniture of the School-room. Every 
 ' child had a slate and pencil, and a little reading 
 ' book of lolleis, words, and short sentences. )n- 
 ' deed, I never saw a Prussian School above an In- 
 ' fant School, in which any child was unprovided 
 ■ with a slate and pencil. By the Teacher's desk 
 ' and in front of the School hung a black-board, 
 
 " The Teacher first drew a house upon the black- 
 board ; and here the value of drawing, — a power 
 
 Seventli Annual Report, &c., pp. 131, 133. 
 
 t 
 
19 
 
 " univerMilyMaoMedbjrPruMiinTctchert,— becttiM 
 " nianirtiit. Ily tliu niils of Um driwing, ttid under it, 
 *' lie wrule tho wurd houM, in the (iermaii ncript hand, 
 " and prialad it in Uarman latter. With a luiiv 
 " iwinting rod, — the end beini painted while to make it 
 • " more vuible, — ho ran over the /«Wer«,— the thildrnn 
 " with ttieir ilatea lirfnre them and their |ienrils in thiiir 
 " hand*, tiMikln)( at the pointing rod, and tracing llic ' 
 " form i>rilio lutteri in the air. lii all uur good School*, 
 " ckildrnii are flrat taught to imitate the formi of Icttom 
 " M tlie alate before they write thorn on n paiier ; liere 
 " thuv were firit imitated on the air, then on the $laln, ' 
 '" ami lubiequently, in older cluHoi, on paper. The ! 
 " next proceaa waa to copy the uiord houRo, both in 
 " icripl and in print, on their ilatei. Then followeil 
 " the formation ofUio •owndfof the Iclteriof which the 
 " word waa compoaed, and the iiiolling of the word. 
 '' The name* of the letter* were not given a* with ui, 
 " but only their power*, or the aound* which Ihow hitter* 
 " have in combination. Sometime* the la>t in a word 
 " waa taken and aounded — after that the iicniiltimiitc, 
 " — and *o on until the word wa* complcteil. The 
 " reiponae* of the children were aomolime* individual, 
 " and *omelimea eimullaneoua, according to a aignal 
 " given by tlio Maiter. 
 
 " In every *uch Scliool, alio, tliere are printed *hoetR, 
 *' containing the letter*, dipthong*, and whole word*. 
 " The children are taught to *ound a dipthong, and 
 '" then aaked in what word* the sound occur*. On 
 " loine ot the*e card* there are word* enough to make 
 " aeveral *hort aentence* ; and when the pupil* are o 
 " little advanced, the Teacher point* to aeveral isolated 
 " word* in *ucce**ion, which when taken tcwether, 
 " make a familiar sentence, and thus he gives them an 
 " agreeable aurpriae, and a pleasant initation into 
 " reading. 
 
 " After the word ' house,' was thus completely im- 
 *' pressed upon the minds of the children, the Teacher 
 " drew hi* pointing rod over the ttnet which formed 
 " the houte ; and the childivn imitated him,y!r«( in 
 " the air, wbil* they were looking at his motions, — 
 " then on their elate*. In their drawing*, there was 
 " of course a great variety as to taste and accuracy ; 
 " but each seemed pleased with his own, for their first 
 " attempts had never been so criticised as to produce 
 '* discouragement. Several of them were then called 
 " to the Nack-board, to draw a house with chalk. 
 '* After this the Teacher entered into a conversation 
 " about houses. The first question was, what kind of a 
 " house was that on the black-board. Then the names 
 " of other kinds of houses were given. The materials 
 " of which houses are built were mentioned, — stone, 
 " brick, wood ; the different kinds of wood ; nails, how 
 " they were made ; lime, whence it came, &c., &c. 
 " When the Teacher touched upon points which the 
 " children were supposed to be acquainted, he asked 
 " questions ; when he passed to subjects beyond their 
 " sphere, he gave information, interminging the whole 
 " with lively remarks and pleasant anecdotes. 
 
 " And here one important particular should not be 
 " omitted. 4n this as well as in all other Schools, a 
 " complete antwer wai always required. For in- 
 " stance, if the Teacher asks ' what arc houses made 
 "of?' he does not accept the answer, 'of wood' or 
 " ' of stone ;' but he requires a full, complete answer ; 
 "as 'a house is mnde of wood.' The answer must 
 " always contain an intelligible proposition, without 
 " reference to the words of the question to complete 
 " it. And here also the grentcsl care is taken that the 
 '• answer shall always bo grammatically correct, have 
 " the right terminations of the articles, adjectives, and 
 " nouns, and the grammatical transpositions according 
 " to the idioms and structure of the liinguage. 
 
 " This *ecure* from the beginning precision in the ex- 
 " pression of ideas; and if, as many |ihilo«onh<irsBup|HiiH!, 
 " the intellect could never carry forward it* procnsavs 
 " of argument, or investigation to any grral c.itciil 
 " without using language a* it* instrument, then these 
 " children, in llieir primary leiaons, are not onlv led 
 " to exercise Ihn intellect, hut the inMrument i* put 
 " into their hands by which its operations are faci- 
 " litatod. 
 
 " When the hour expired. I do not lielicve there 
 " was a child in the room who knew or lliough this 
 " playtime had come. 
 
 " No obiorviiig person can bo at a loss to undcr- 
 " stand how lucn a Teacher can arrest and retain tlic 
 " attention of his Scholars. 
 
 " Now it is obvious that in the single exercise alKive- 
 " described, there were the elements of reading, spel 
 " ling, writing, grammar and drawing, interspersed 
 " with anecdote*, and not a little general information ; 
 " and yet there wa* no excessive variety, nor were 
 " any incongruous subjects forcibly brought together. 
 " There wa* nothing to violate the rule of ' one thing 
 " at a lime.' 
 
 " Compare the above method with that of calling up 
 " a clais of Abecedarians, or, which is more commiui, 
 " a eingle child, and while the Teacher holds a caril 
 " or book before him, and with n iHiinter in his hand, 
 " say* a, and the child echoe* a ; tnen 6, and the child 
 " echoe* b ; and so on, until the vertical row of life- 
 " leas and ill favoured character* is completed ; and 
 " then remanding him to hi* *eat, to ait still and to look 
 " at va<;ancy. If the child is bright, the time which 
 " passes during this lesson, is the only part of the day 
 " when he does not think. Not a single faculty of the 
 " mind is occupied except that of imitating sound* ; 
 " and even thd number of these imitations amount* only 
 " to twenty-*ix. A parrot or an idiot could do the 
 " same thing. And so of the organs and members of the 
 " body. They are condemned to inactivity ; for the 
 " child who stands most like a poal, is most approved ; 
 " nay, he is rebuked if he does not stand like a post. A 
 " head that does not turn to the right or left, an eye that 
 "lies moveless in its socket, hands hanging motionless 
 " at the side, and feet immoveable as those of a statue, 
 " are the |)oints of excellence, while the child is echo- 
 " ing the senseless table of a, b, c. As a general rule, 
 " six months are spent before the twenty-six lettersare 
 " mastered ; though the same child would learn the 
 " names of twenty-six playmates or twenty-six play- 
 " things in one or two days. 
 
 " All children are pleased with the idea of a house, 
 " a hat,' a top, a ball, a bird, an egg, a flower, fcc, 
 " and when their minds arc led to see new relations or 
 " qualities in tliese objectSj or when their former 
 " notions respecting them arc brought out more vividly, 
 " or are more distinctly defined, their delight is even 
 " keener than that of an adult would lie in obtaining a 
 " new fact in science, or in liaving tho mist of some 
 " old doubt dispelled by a new discovery, 
 
 " Lessons on familiar objects, given by a competent 
 " Teacher, never fail to command attention, and thus 
 " a habit of mind is induced of inestimable value in re- 
 " gard to all future study. 
 
 " Again, the method I have described necessarily 
 " leads to conversation ; and conversation witli an 
 " intelligent Teacher secures several important objects. 
 " It communicates information. It brightens ideas only 
 " before dimly apprehended. It addresses itself to the 
 " various fuculties of the mind, so that no one of them 
 
90 
 
 " I'tcr lire* nr !■ (Iiiynl, ll Irmlii'ii llio iliilil In iiih> 
 " liitigMiii(i', III rriiiiiii M'Mli'liri't, In M'Ii'iI wnriN 
 vliK ll rciiivcv III* ««liiilr liiiulilli)(, III itMiiil lliiiM' 
 ■ >r li'>ii tliiiii lir iiili'iiiU 
 liilil to u'l'k lur 
 
 ' will) ll rciiivcj 
 " wlilrli I ii|ivi'> I illirr iiiiiri 
 " III i'\|iii'M< ; ill lilii'i il liMirlii 
 
 III t^iniin , III iiiK , n ii-iM iM-N null III M'I'K mr 
 
 " ll k'''* iijioii 11 milijri'l, mill |||M|| III liiiil ii|i|iri>|iliiili' 
 
 " liiiiKiiHHi' III whirli III I liillic llii'iii. A I liilil iniilii'il 
 " HI lliia wiiy will iii'tir iiiiikt' lliiuHi iitixiiiil mill Imji 
 " I mill lllinlllkin III wllli ll llliriliii'iili'il llll'll i>r WMiiii 
 " M'fi"!' iml iiiirri'i|>li'iillt liill, till: lliiil iiriiijt.|iiiili h- 
 " jiiK iIm 11 UiiriN mill jili'im, nl' liiniKin^ im ii wi'rr, 
 " llir Kill'illl'lllniil lIKilllll ll|i<i|| llli< liiiil) III II |li)(lll) , or III 
 " liMi IIIK II IH^Illt'ii ilri'xi ll|iiill III" lillKii litiilm III' II 
 " Kii»>l' A|i|irii|iniili' iliilimi kIhuiIiI rlnlln' jimt iili'im, 
 " 111 II liiNlcliil mill llllll^llllllilll ^^ilTU fiU II griirifiil iiiiil 
 " vIgiiriMii liinii, 
 
 " Till' iiliiivi' ili'w riU'il ii\ori'i«ii imiiiiiIih iIio inr 
 
 " mill llii' limiil, iin wi'll lis llif iniiiil. 'I'lm i>yii in (>ii|. 
 
 " jiliivi'il ill liiii'liiK vinilili' iliHi'rt'iin>iilH'lwi!i'iiiliiri'ri'iU 
 
 " liirniN ; mill llir limiil in i'ii|iyiii)( wliiiluvrr In |iri'- 
 
 " wnli'il Willi iiK lllllinlllli'ri'tiir im |iiMiiili|ii, Ami wlin 
 
 " iiviTiuiw II rliilil lliiil Wiin iiiil |il('iiii>il willi liii'liirrn 
 
 " mill Willi mi iillniii|it In iniitiiln llirni ? 'I liiia llir 
 
 " Iwii HI iiiriil iiliii'i'ln nil xlri'Miiiiiinly iiiHiilnl mi liy 
 
 " wrili'1'1, ill ri'giiril In llin lliirr |H'riiiilH nl' riliiiiilinii, 
 
 " mill lliii liiiiliiriT iinH'Kiui nl' lliniiglil, iirii iitliiiiiril, 
 
 " vix, llii> piiwiT III rurngiiixiiig fliiiilngiiw hikI iliiwi- 
 
 " inilnrilin*." * 
 
 nin iilMivr viviil ilrirtiiilioii of an AlNircilnrlnn, nml 
 lirnl ri'iiiliiix rwrciiHi, ik|i|iliHfi milmliiiitiiilly lu nil (irr- 
 iiiiiii mill SwiiM, mill iiiiiiiy rnmrli SclinnU; iinil In lliu 
 Miiili'l SrIiiHiU in cniini'xiiiii with Ilia Diililiii Niirniul 
 SrIinnI lit' lliii Irinli Nillinniil Hnnril, illiil In llir Ih'nI 
 SuIiihiIh in SchiIhiiiI miil in Kngliinil, 'riiii Si'rri'liiry 
 nl'llii' llriliNli iinil l''nrnign SrliiNil Snritily nlmorvcii, 
 lliiil " III lliii Itnrniigli Itniiil SchiHil, (llin gronl oMiili- 
 " linliniriil, Nnriiiiil iiml MihIoI nl' Ihii Snriiity,) llin 
 " iirinri|ilr 111' iliiiii'iisinn willi Alphahftic Unching 
 " iiii.s Imi^ lii'i'ii niln{ili'il ; llir Al|iliiilii't CtiDK liim 
 '* iiii'iXi'il inlii llial III' I liililri'ii nf Uvii IcIlcrN ; iiiiil 
 " all iiliiiiiniiiinK rnniliiimlinim liiivi' lii'cii iillcrly (>x- 
 " I liiiU." 
 
 I liiivi' lliiis iiilvrrlnl In lllii' Niiliji'i't, tiiil willi 11 virw 
 iiriiilvnciilinf; any |iiirlirulnr lliniiy ; Iml In nlinvv linw 
 HUM ll iiii|iorlaiii'i' is inviilvnl in lliin liisi Hli'p nf rli'. 
 Iiii'llliil) li'iirliili);, mill linw MilK'll 111(11/ lin ilnlir, liml 
 liim lirrii ijnnr, l« tnilviTl lliin inl'iinl "lirtili>i< ll^Ni^|llt" 
 inin a < liiiiniiii); piinNa^i', riiiiiliii'lin^ riiiin llio jiiiNiin nf 
 i^iinraiHii iiiln llin |ialiiri' ni' f;i'iii'i'al knnwli'il^ii mill 
 wisilniii, anil linw null li inav In' ilmii' al lliis lii||i< nn- 
 tii'i'il |ii'iiiiil III in^iriirljiiii, III iiilriMliiin anil ilin'oto|Hi 
 llli' rliii'lili'inriilN nf inlrllriliial I'M rlli'luc. 
 
 Oiir di-iiiWH urn sn many inli'ln nf kiinw|pil({<! ; tlii) 
 nmri' nf Ihrtn iiwil in ninvryin); inslriiilinii In llii< 
 inillil llir lii'lliT ; llli.' Innin nf llintii iiililri'SM'il llin 
 ili'r|irr mill niiirn |iui'iniini'iit ihn iiii|ii'i'iii<inn |irn(liin'i!. 
 
 Of all llic si'n»i"<, lliiil nf Ni'iiii^ In llin lirnl iirnatl nf 
 rnliiniiininilinn with llin iniiiil, i'.s|ii riiiMv in rliilillinml. 
 ll lias lii'i'ii .sniil llial " llin nyn nini'inlirrN, ll in 
 " iiinio iilli'iilivi' lliiiii llin car. lit nliji rl lire nnl cnli- 
 " I'liM'il. ll tiikrs in a sin^ln imil jii'ifril iiniigi* nf 
 " wliiil is iiliiri'il lirliiru il, aliil Ininsfi'rs llin {lirlini' In 
 " till' niiiiil. Ilrni'i', all illiixlnilinns in niir li'iirliitii; 
 " u hit ll ran iinisilily lit' aililri'xM'il In lliiN nr^mi .-iliniilil 
 " lit' mi ii|i|iiiiil." 
 
 I'Vniii llli- fiirngoiiin nliM'rvHlinnN il iniRliI iiiitiinillv 
 III' inli'ii'i'il, lli.it rrtttlinif nii^lil in Im lan^lil liifnri' 
 apcUiiiK ; Iml llio rnvrrsii in iji'ni'nilly lln' nixi' ; mill 
 till- niiiialiiral iinil ilijurinii.i |irurli('(< nf nc('ii|iyin^ 
 
 ' Si'ii'iilli 
 
 Aiiiiiiiil Ui'|iuri, .Vc, 1(144, |i|i. 117, lilll. 
 
 iiiniilli* in Imdiing tlir jn»n% |iit|iil In ■p<ll in orilrr 
 111 ri'iiil. in R M-rnnii hinilrntii p Oiinwri in ihr wny nf 
 III* ini|iriiu'iiii'tit, mill liin Invr nf li'iiriiitiK. 'I'lin liiurnrii 
 I'arkliiir^l wrll nlm'rti'ii : " Hi'iiiliiig kIiiiiiIiI inrarliilily 
 " iiirii'ili' i>|H'lliiig. I ijn nnl mnin dial n ihilil •Imulil 
 " III' ki'jil II lung Hini' li'nrning lo rrnil, Itrfurr liii mm- 
 " iiii'tiii'n •|H'lling ; lull llml till nliniilil ni'iir Im wl III 
 " «|ii'll II wiiril,iiiilil III' Im* Aral Ihthiihi nli|i< irnilily in 
 " mill ll. 'I'll!' ri'nwui i", llml rrmliiig in tiiin li I'luicr 
 '' llian «|ii'llliig, am) llml ii iii'mnn ciiiiiiul «|m<II \\y 
 " lliinking linw II wnril imman, Iml lir niiml rrrnllnol 
 " linw il /(»(i<f«. 'I'lii' ryi', llicri'fnrr, «« wi'll 111 Ilia 
 " I'lir, iniml liccninn fnniilinr Willi it wnril U'liini il run 
 " rriiilily 111' »|N'tli'il. Dnp lliiiig llial ri'iiilcm rriulliig 
 " I'liiirr lliiiii niH'lling i<, tlint |ii'r<'P|iliiin i* nmrii vivid 
 '' lliiin riinri'|il|iin. tlrnri' il in pimjir In ilialiiigiiiah 
 " iw'i liiiniliiir wnr<l«, ait rnt nnil riity nr tot ami tm, 
 " wIh'ii Ihr I'yt' in (Im'iI ii|inn lliciii in ri'iiding, llinii il 
 " in In ri'rnlli'ct lln> ililli'ri'iiii' In llieir nrllingrii|iliy, 
 " wlinii lliry ntr iiliw-nl Crom iIip ryr." 
 
 KiH'li i« llip iiri-viili'nl n|ilniiin nf itip iniMi iliMingiiliili- 
 I'll 'ri'irlirrn Imlh Kumiipiin nnil Aini'riinn. 'I'lipir 
 niiiiniiiii langniiKP i»: " Timi> niii>l iml Ini wimlpil iin 
 " ii|ii lllll^ vi'l, anil in iiii|inrlmil, iin Piirly im |irii('lii'alili>, 
 " III III » rliilil li'iirn In rciiil lluitilly llml Iin niny Iw 
 " iiIiIp In iKi'iipy liiniarlf Willi rrniling, iiiiil Im |irii|w- 
 " ri'il fur nil llii< ullior |iiirtii of lii» ailiirnlion." 
 
 'I'll Ifiifh fffttlin/f prii|H'rlr, iillpniinn In llirra lliingt 
 in rpipiiniip, -ilip niprliMiiciii, llii- inlpllpcluiil, Iho Ihu- 
 nriilii'iil iiXPri'iM). 
 
 Thi) firtl rnnniiiling of nrliviilalinn, priiniincinliim, 
 ' rniplinitiii, pHumifi, loni'ii, ii Iniiiihl liy mnniple mlhvr 
 lliiiii liy rule — III IpiiiiI iMifnre Iriu^hing Ihn riilon. Reml- 
 I iiig ii!i wi'll lilt Hinging, in, in llm liritl iniliinri), ii nie- 
 i rliiininil I'Xt'rciM* ', iinil likp ntlipr nii'rIinnicHi iixprviM'ii, 
 I iiri)iiiri'il liy irnilnlinn. 
 
 ! llom'P It gniHl rPiiHpr in nt nrrt>Mnry In lonrli rt'iicl- 
 ing, nit n gimil miinirinn in In ipnili miinir, or n gntid 
 ili'itiiglilnnmn lo Ii'hi'Ii ilriiwing. To «nrh nf llipup aiti 
 iM'Inng riili'N, nnri rnli'it wliirli nrn in Im iniiglil iind 
 Iriirni'il ; Iml nkill in ilium ia nrqiiirod inoro liy iinilii- 
 linn tlinii liy rulp. 
 
 Sn in till' pnrlirr PxiTriiipa of milling, fxampl»m»ti 
 
 lip llli' prinripnl li'nrlii'r ; ami if lliu rxnmiiln Ihi nnl 
 
 gnnil, I'arly liiid liiiliiln in llm pupil iiiiiat lip tlip iimiip- 
 
 dinln mill ni'i'i'nnart I'liiinpipirncp ; and llml cnnapipipncp 
 
 in nfii'ii irri'ini'iliiililn lliinii^li lifr wliiili'vpr tnny Im 
 
 I llm niilMi'iini'iil aliaiiiiiii'lilN nnil Inlpiiln nf iIip unlmppv 
 
 : virliinnf ll. Tin' millior of " Tlin TiMiflH'r Ihiiu;IiI, 
 
 |l iiinislN llml " llin ('iiininoii Sriiniil Tcnrlipr mM«f fMi/, 
 
 j " mid rcipiiri' llin pupils In imilnli; liia loiipa, PinplinaiN, 
 
 j " ladi'tit'i', &i'. llnli'itN aiirli nn Pxiiinpid Im diiily 
 
 " lii'ld up lii'fnrt' tlip I'liildri'ri, il rnnnol ri'iiaonnlily Iw 
 
 " I'xpiTli'd llial they will rnnd inpt'lmiiiriilly well. 
 
 " Tlinai! Tnirlicrn, wlin hear n ('hiM rpnd Ihriiii or four 
 
 " tiini'.s in II diiy, mid diri'ct tinp nr nnnllier In rand 
 
 " fasli'r nr mIiiwoi, nr In rngnrd llinir imiiava, liul aiit 
 
 " lii'liirn llinni nn pxnnipli* fnr llicir iniilnlinn, do nul 
 
 " liai'li Willi nny I'lforl. It. would Iin iia wull In otniC 
 
 " ri'ndiiig rnliri'ly, fnr lliny would lio aurt'lo Hcquirtt no 
 
 " liad ImliilH." 
 
 Ilnnri' fnr the propnr trnininn ofpupila in ovon llm 
 
 tni'i'limiirnl nrl of rpiiiling, n akilful nrlial in ihp p«raiiil 
 
 nf llm Tnnclmr ia indlhprnitnlile ; Bud ullhough nn art 
 
 limy Im nmi'lmnirnlly nnpiirod nnd pmctiaDd without n 
 
 kiinwliilt;n of llm prinripica of il — aiit'li fnr exuinpla 
 
 as llin iiwi of tlio pulley, lliu imdinvd plntic, ur lli« 
 
 ' wi'dgr, or llm s|H>nking (^irrwrlly willioul liiiving liei'ii 
 
 , tnuglii llm priimiploR of miirhnnica ur of langungc, — 
 
 ' yet IM nrl cnn Im pr<>|mrly tuiiglit, Ulileu the TaacliiT 
 
 I undprNlmids bulli llm principles nnd priicticu uf il. 
 
II 
 
 *« Jtm i ■ I M 
 
 Hill rMiliDK mtHhi nii« in It* r«K»ribil «« u nwrw i 
 ntm'lutninil mrriiw. Il M In ti* limrctl il in uDoii 
 MiilliinK nxins nihI that lhi> (vitnili iH lia diirMiiim iliotiyli 
 HxlrmliDK !■• ypNM, i« iHily • o<Hiliiini>il rt>|i«liliim iil' 
 ilw |Miri>lv mri limiiral |inM'HH. 'rht< inlMnlvitl purl 
 .il IfmhiiiK ID lh«> nwwl tiii|iiirliinl, lhiiiii(li ilm moM 
 iM-glmlml. Il I'liniltia III li>iii'liiliK I'liililrril In i|n<l-^r ' 
 timM wlml ilx'v rriiil -dikI iIm iiipninnK "' i'"* <vtii ' 
 iiwil, lliK In li imrmli'tl, llin |iriiM'i|ili'> inviilviHl, ii , 
 li>aMNW III) uh Hlp<l, Till* miiliriirp* lli« iloriviiliiiii. iuiti- , 
 lawiliiiii mill iiii|Nirl iif iIm' \«i)nU, llm iiuilinr, I|m> m- ' 
 I Niiim, llie riiiini'viiMi ul llix imrrHlivi>, |hn'Iii, ii|iiit'<|i, 
 fcr., — Ill"' |ili<rp«, nrl" iiml tiiadinia rrlt-rrrH In; in ii 
 wnni, lh<- ili-vi>liifM<nipnl ii|° wlml Ima Ih<i>ii tliown ja | 
 mtilllil in I'riiMiitn ScIiikiU wIiiIii iPHchinn 'I*" '^'i '"' 
 lirl iliwll'. 
 
 Thi* in ilip pMPni'K nf wliHi wna MiiTMi voirn ninrii 
 ilpxrilii'il IK till' JntW/rr/iMW nyali'in III llii' i:rli'lirnl(><l 
 Smalimiil S<'lmiil nf l'Miiiliiir)jh, llm iiriiiiinl nf wliiih 
 liy Mr. WiKid, Ima |iri'-i'niiiii'iilly niiilrilinliiil lo iiilni- 
 iliirii « iiiiw frn in ilic cloini'iilHry iihiiol ipm'hlnii 'vn- 
 ipin lliri>n)(tioiil iIh> I'liilnl Kliicitmn. Il liim Iihik 
 •inm iililiiini'il in llm (iiTinnn Hrlinnla, It mHkra ihii 
 rciiilln)( iHHik llii» ii'Xl'laailt nf fp'nrrni knowlfilnr. 
 Ijniirr lliia inli'llii'liml |irni'i'aa, i|ii> inipil Hrt|iiirpN ii 
 kniiwlrilgi' nf iHnKiiaur, niiil nf miMi niiil lliin^a ; a ili<- 
 tirii Id mil ia nwiiki'nfil nnil Inrrcnapil, im Ilia akill 
 in riiHilinK ia iinpnivpil liy Ihn priirlicc. 
 
 T1h> kiinwli'ilfiiii of wliiil il rrnil ia PMPnllnl to eiiimI 
 rPiiililiKt oiiil lo till' I'lilliviilinn nfn liialn fur il. Tlio 
 iiiiliiri-rvni'ti Hiiil nvi'ii nvcraiim of iniiny iNirwina to 
 riinding ia nn ilniilit nllriliiilHliln, in ii f^tfH\ inoaaiirp. if 
 nol iilliigpilipr, In ill" uniiili'lliicliiHl inannrr in wliuJi 
 iliorn wuri' IhiiuIU I<> ri'iiil, «'<|ii'i:iHlljr tfllicy nevrr 
 Ivarnod (n ri>ail hurnlty. 'I'lii' rnllro aoripa uf llinir taU 
 icniplK Hi li'urninit '" ''*'"*' '" ■"■"Hintol wiili nn nuiny 
 pninrnl nml mi fuw plt'nminl rocnIliH-liona, lliil lliey on. 
 ((ago in il widi tuluuluiicr, and only from noccaaii)'. 
 
 Mr. I'Jut'w Drill liaa rDiiiiirkrd, lliut " IrariiiiiK In 
 " rviil ia llin inoal diinnilt nf liiiinnii nllnininrnla." 
 'riiiit wliii:li ia dilliciill in ilanlf ia ri'liilrrril ilniilily »n, 
 if nut iinpiMiibIn, liy tliu nliMincn nf llio caMinlial rpi|iii- 
 aitoa fnr U'avliitiK il. '' Tlir KrimI i)ia«<nliul pnint ia," 
 (aaya Mr. Wiau) " MM(/«r«(an(/in/< vtrftcUfi whMt 
 " you rtitd. Hut tliia ia tlio liial iIiIiik iIhiukIiI nf. Our 
 " Tuvclicra rrqiiirii llm ri'iiiiinK liral, iinil prnniiMi llm 
 " muiining afuirwiirda." 
 
 Tim .XrrUiialinp nf Diililin in liia adiniridilo " F.lt- 
 " m«nl* of lihilttric," niiiinlaiiia, lliiil llm cirar nn- 
 licraliiiiiliiiK nf wlml ia rviiil is pwmnlliil nvi'ii tn ptmpi- 
 ruilff in rvuilin^c. 'Hii- ri'nilini; U'lumtw limn ^!ll>lllll Ih* 
 llinrniii(lilv iH'iitlil iinil iiniliirNliHiil, mid lin niiiilc llm 
 vvliiclii .li' I'l'iU'iiil inliirnialiiili. "Tliii well prrparrd 
 " Ti'at'lmr (rnniiirka llie luillmr nf lliu liimlnn Si-linol- 
 " Miialur) limy inakalimm llin iH'rnainnnf tmicliiuuHiil 
 " inslriK'lion liy lalkimt in liiapiipilKininnanliipcIa aiig- 
 " )(imtpd by llio nrndinK-loawm, nnil liy inlcrcaliiiK llmin, 
 " may li'inl llii'in In ilu.Hiri- In ri>iid I'ni lliuinat'lvcii ii|)nii 
 " llio aiilijnrU, nnil induce llinmln pay mnru nllrnlinn In 
 'Mlin lunsiina. It Wiiiilillm w<'ll if llin 'IVnclicr wniild 
 ' daily liMik furward In tim ri'iulinu; nxpidim-x nf liia 
 " rliiaana, and nikhim^ulf whiil UMiriil fHrl, or intcrvating 
 " narrullvsnr nnordnio lie nin rail up In iirroil llmirnl- 
 " icnlion, nr In aupply ihcin willi niwlciiHii fnrrnmmon 
 " ihouKhl. 
 
 " Our cftmmnn-roadlnnlioi'kirnnlnin aplpiiimiB fMin 
 " nralinna, llnw ninth HdilitinnnI intprcal will llm 
 " Tt'lMlmrptivi', liytp|lln)t»<iinolhingnf llmncniainn nn 
 " whioli nim nf llmm wna drlivori'ii, and llic oflVct il 
 "■ nroducod. Sonic of tlin m'Ipclinna arc Irom liiilorica. 
 " By n f«w Inlrodurlnry words, lie may ahew what 
 
 " wa* ih« Maip nf ihinKa lo wliirli ihn paaa«KP rf fara, 
 
 " and Sy putlitiK llmm inin ihr i urrrnt nf hialnri, pft- 
 
 " vpnl II fniiii Ih'iiik in iIh'iii a mprr luilali'd fiii.i. Na- 
 
 " liin'a Aililrpanlnlhfl Nun liwrahiill llaauliliniily In mm 
 
 " who liiia nni ri>«il llm pri'viiiiia|Hirliniiauf llii> |'iiriiilia«i 
 
 " l.nal ; and how mm h nmri' ninviiiu dia'alhr liraullful 
 
 " piiaaitKK hpuJpniiiK " Mail' Imlvliuhl '" Imninm In 
 
 ' till' I liild wlin kiinwa lliiil llii'y wi<ri< nlli'ri'il hv nnp 
 »l><> liiid worn iiul liia pypa iind liia Imnllli in tiodlp 
 
 " r,< riinna fnr lilmrly and Irulh." 
 
 'Hie higliial h'r nf thia Pkcrriaa i« RMoritat. 
 Ilitl li| rlirlnriral ri'n<llii|^ I dn linl iimnn |MiMi|iuiia 
 apuiilinK ''"' '*<>'■"'■<' rnliting -aiirli iia airaka llir 
 lanKuai^i' ol nnfuri' Il invnlvri ii pHrliilpiilinn nf llip 
 • |iiril, nnil n ri'llnllMii i>f llm I'l'rliliKa nf llm ilillhnr. 
 Il la iilwntlii'il In llm aiilijiM I ; il fnrgi'ia nmnimr ; and 
 llmri-lurn ajwaka ari'iirding lu naturiv 
 
 Dr. Whaloly forrihiy rnmarka, " \ ri'adur la auru In 
 " |iay liMi niiii'h alU'iillnn in hia \nii'i>, mil nnly if In- 
 " imya any iit nil, liiil if dm'a iini ulriMiuniialy lalaiur In 
 " willidraw hia allfiitiun Irniii it allnt(iilhpr." 
 
 Tliia id nul H ronunnn attaininenl. 
 
 " It ri'ipiirpa " (nliM'rvra llio I'li'ijanl aiillinr of llm 
 Firttiii* Frinul,) "not nnly kiin\vii'dKW nf laliguagp, 
 " nf llm dprivHiinti iiliil al)(nilirnlinii nf wnrda, liiil an 
 " lu'iiiiainlaiicii willi lli« putaiuiia uf Ihn hiiniaii liiiarl, 
 " and with tho dilTerpnt Innua in whirli llma<< aliuulii 
 " Ik oxproaavd. It ri'ipiinv ulan, a ijiiirk imrccplimi, 
 " In Hiiiu upon llio inpaiiinK of ii pHaaiiin), ao Ihal, fnr 
 " II inompiil, ihr nuthnr'a apirit aliaii arum in bii 
 " IranafiirriMl In Ihn liriMiat nf llm rniilcr. ,\ll thia 
 " ia nuccaaaiy in nrdur In rund widl ; ia it ilmri'- 
 " liiri' wnnilcrfiil that ihtm aro ao H'W kimnI reail- 
 " I'ra ? Ilow comniiHi an fpw uihhI rouiliira .' Mow 
 " comnxHi ia il lo Imnr n pnllmlic piiMagn rvad M-illi 
 " Iho culdniiaaol indilTuronco, a lirvly duicription with- 
 " out nnimnliun, or an nrKuimintaiivo diirouran wiilioui 
 " villinr fori'o or amphiiaia. Itnloa may do loinulhiiiK : 
 " rxaninlra inny do much ; hut aft«r nil, k'MkI ivadini; 
 " miiat 1)0 lliu t'lTuct nf fnrling, laalo and iiifiirmnlinn.'' 
 
 In • furmcr pari nf niy rnmarka nn thia aiiljiH'i, I 
 linvc given an nccnunl of lli« I'riiaainn ayatrni nl loacli- 
 in)(ii ('.ninnmiK'iiig rrnditig rliiaa. I will ipinlr frnm lhi> 
 aanin aulhnr nn iic^niiiit nf a mnro iidvanrcd rrnilln)! 
 cxorciaii in u PruMian olcmpnlnry Srhnol. 
 
 Mr. Mnnn wiya; " Having givni an nccnunl nf the 
 " rcaiiing Icainii of n primnry china iu!>l nflcr limy liiiil 
 " cninnicnccd going tn Sclmnl, I will follnw il Willi 
 " n liricf nccnimt iil a Iraaon given In n ninrc nilvniicdd 
 " chiaa. Tim sulijiict wna n almrl iiicii" nf pnclry dca- 
 " crihing II huiitcr'a life in Miaanuri. It waa I'lrvt rrnil 
 " — iIh) rnidiiig Imiiig nccninpuiiipil wi<li npprnprialc 
 " criliciaiiiia na lo pronunciation, totio, Stc. Il wna 
 " timn Inki'ii up vera* l>y vcriii.-, and llm pupila were 
 *' riMpiircd In givo v(|uivnlpiil cxpri'uioiia in proao. 
 " Tim Ivnclmr limn vntcrcil into nn cxplnnnlinii nl 
 " cvvrv part nf it, in h aort of orni luvlurc, iiccnnipn- 
 " nit'ir with (H'cnainniil ipiraliniia. Thia was dnnu willi 
 " tho grvnlval ininulcncas. Wlmro llmro wiia ii gco- 
 " grupliical rcfurcncu, lio onloriHl nt large into gco- 
 " grapliy ; wlmro n rpfcrcnco tn n foreign ciialoni. 
 " ho com\inri'd il with thoir cualonia nt homo ; nnil 
 " thna III' cxplainud uvcry pari, and illuatralod llm 
 " illiialniliona llicmaplvra, niilil nl\er nn unliro hour 
 " apcnt upon aix four-lino voraca, ho loft llicin tn wrilo 
 " Iho u'ntiincnt and Ihn atury in proMi In be pnHlurcd 
 '* ill at-hiKil next morning. All thia was dono without 
 " tho kliglitcat hrnik ur hcsilation, and cvidunlly pro- 
 
 ! " cpndod from n mind full of Iho luhjpct and having n 
 
 ' " rcndv command of nil its rciourcci." 
 
22 
 
 y.r^g-) 
 
 Tlic'H^ bripf rcroarkil anil statcninnts arc suflicicnt (o 
 f>hn\v not only llio order and importnnco of this primary 
 'cpnrtmont of Common School instruction, — tho various 
 know|p<l);c which it may be made the instrument of 
 coinmiinicating, — the (|ualificatlons requisite to tench it 
 |iro|icrly ; but also the imperative necessity, and the 
 1,'rcat advantngi! of establishing a Seminary for tho 
 triiinlni^ of Teachers. 
 
 Spelling; is another essential department of tho 
 ilpmentary School ; and tho common mwles of leach- 
 in;; it art! as liable to remark as those of teaching to 
 rend. Thn child is wholly confined to the Spelling- 
 hook (i)r many months before he is taught to read ; and 
 Ihfi spolling-lionk is made his companion as long as he 
 is at school. 
 
 The order of nature has been shewn to bo otherwise | 
 and (he matured opinions of ihr mo»t experienced edu- 
 cationists am dccidedy against this use of the spelling 
 bonk, and the common method of {earning to spell. Tho 
 inndo of spelling orally columns of words, and in suc- 
 cession by members of classes is not sanctioned by the 
 practice of thn best Eiiroppan and American Schools; 
 and is condemned by tho most approved Tcachpfs. 
 Air. Simpson, a distinguished Scotch Teacher, strongly 
 insists that " the pupils plight not to lie tasked apd 
 " annoyed with tho absurdity of tliaf laborious and 
 " generally abortive exercise, learning to spell." 
 
 The method advocated is, that spelling should ac- 
 company reading from tho commencement, and bo 
 taken from the reading lessons, and that the Teacher 
 should as a part of the same exercises teach the sounds 
 and powers of the letters, 
 
 Tho aul hor of tho Schoolmaster,— a work sanctioned 
 by the Boston Board of Education — observes : " In 
 " every stage wo should avoid as the bane of good habits 
 " of thought, the common use of nonsense coluiiins of 
 " a spelling-hook. Nothing more pernicious could bo 
 " contrived. Tho uso of them prevents thinking, 
 " without teaching them to spell. Still there are 
 " numerous anomalies in English which must be 
 " learned from a spelling-book. Aflor tho child has 
 " learned to read well and fluently, a spelling-book 
 '• should be placed in his hanils, and his attention 
 " particularly directed to the dilFicult combinations. " 
 
 " The simple words will have becomo familiar, and 
 ■' time neofl not bo wasted on them. The whole atr 
 " tcntion should lie given to the diflicultios. What these 
 " are every Tcaclier must judge for himself. 
 
 " It will depend upon tho skill with which pupils 
 "have hern taught to use their slates in learning to 
 " lead ami write. 
 
 " When a leswu has been assigned, a few minutes 
 ■ may lie appropriated for reading it over carefully. 
 " Examinaiiim in it shou'! he conducted in various 
 " wavs, Oni^ is putting out words successively to 
 " dill'erent individuals. 
 
 • .\ linnk "f ll'n Uinil hero roforrwl t" hns been jinhlishcil (nrico 
 rj.l.) 1>\' rrcil'i'ssor tiiillivun, iliialor iif tlio Nnrmiil School nf tho 
 Nnlioiml Hoanl ol' ICihiontinn in Irrhind. This honk is inliMiled. 
 " Tlic Sprllwtf honh Stipcrsciktl ; or a ncrnnii eagy mf.thitd nf trafh' 
 " tnij thr Spelliiifi, Mfiinihf/, I^cmunriatinn, and EhfmolftJt of 
 " aU tltr ilifiiciitt wnrfh in fhf ICntllish lanrfuage, u^ith flfrrisps on 
 " vFrhtil liUtincliims, hi/ Uohert Suliirnn,' Esq., A. M. T. C. J). 
 '• Kitihlh ithtion fnliirtjeit." — IVofi'sRnr Sullivan, flflcr qnntint^ spvp- 
 ral niithoririrs, rcmpIndoH the intriMltictory nhHprvntionsof this iittio 
 "orkivilh III- followini? words: 'f Thiit spcilinj; may ho IrarniMl 
 " .'l>octually without Spcilinp-lHioks. must be evliipnt from whnt 
 " wp havp said and qnot«Kl. And that a prrson may Ipam to spell 
 " without ovor havlni: had a Sppllinfr.hnok .n his handf, is pqunllv 
 " certain 1 for in teachin;; Latin, French or any other foreijfn laii- 
 '* (juaee. there are no Spellinff-honks used; nor is the l.ftnt of such 
 •' a hook ever felt. N(>r do we ever hear that persons who learn 
 ■' any of these languoge.s find any dlfliculty in writing or spelling 
 " thu W'irds." 
 
 *' When this is practised, care should bo taken norrr 
 '* to begin twice in succession with the same indivi- 
 " dual, and to keep all un tho look-nut by calling; nn 
 " ihase who at'oifidineiient parts of the class, loavine it 
 " always uncertain who shall (to called next. 1 ni« 
 " mode, however practised, costs much time. An »nre- 
 '* able mode of varying it will be to let the whnlcclant 
 " gpidt simi|tPi)uously, in measuieil time. 1 his is gixNl 
 " fur the voice, pud, if caro bo taken to detept thosu 
 " who spell wrong, and such as depend on the rest, 
 " may be often very useful, 
 
 " A much better way is for each child to have u 
 " stale before him, and write each word as it in put 
 " out. When all tho worda are written, the slatcK 
 " may be passed up, one of them to be. examined by lh» 
 " Teacher, and the others by the <'lass, no one examin- 
 ^' ing hi$ own slatp. 
 
 " A slill better way is to give out sentences to Ixi 
 " written containing the diflicult words, or rather, ifl 
 " give out the wqrds, and require the pupil to inuko 
 " sentences including them. They thus boc<ime fixed 
 " in thn memory so as never to be erased, Theolijcc« 
 " tion tfifit will be made to this is, tlip time which it 
 " takes, 
 
 " When, however, it is considered that by this exer- 
 " cisc, not only is spelling taught, but ivriting and 
 " cotnposilion, and all of them in the way in which 
 " they ought to be taught, that is, in the way in which 
 " (hey will bo used, the objection loses its weight. 
 
 " As spelling is uavally taught, it is of no practical 
 '^ uso ; and every observer must have met with many 
 " instances of persons who have Iwen drilled in speli- 
 " ing nonsense columns for years, who mis-spelt 'ho 
 " most common words as soon as they were set to 
 " write them ; whereas a person taught in the way here 
 " recommended, may not, in a given (imc, go over so 
 " much ground, but he will be prepared to apply evcrv 
 " thing he has learnedto practice, and ho will have 
 " gained the invaluable habits of always associating 
 " every word with a ihoiigbt, or an idea, or a <hing," 
 
 In " Wood's Account of tho Edinburgh Sessional 
 School" the following is staled as the mothod of leaching 
 spelling in that Institution: " In the Sessional School, 
 " the children are now taught to spell from their ordi- 
 " nary reading lessons, employing fortius purpose both 
 " the short and the long words as they occur, Under 
 " thn former practice in the School, of selecting mcrelv 
 " what arc longer and apparently more difTicu It words, 
 " we very frequently found the pupils unable to spell 
 " the shorter and more common ones, which we still 
 " find by no means unciommon in those who come to us 
 " from some other Schools. 
 
 " By making the pupil, too, spell the lesson, just as he 
 " would unite it, he is less liable to fall in future life 
 " into tho common error of substituting the word their 
 " for there, and others of a similar kind." 
 
 Thn defectiveness and the ibsurdity of the common 
 mode of teaching spelling is thus |)oiniod out in Abbol'it 
 Teacher, — a work which has lieen revised and re- 
 printed in London, by Dr. Mayo, late Fellow of St. 
 John's College, Cambridge. I quote from the London 
 Edition. " Ono Teacher (soys Abbot) for inslanco 
 " has a spelling lesson to hear, ho begins at the head 
 " of the line, and putting one word to each boy, he 
 " goes regularly down, each successive pupil calrula- 
 " ting thn chances whether a word, which bocanacci- 
 " danlly spell, will or will not come to liim. If ho 
 " spells it, thn teacher cannot tell whether he is pre- 
 " pared or not. That word is only one among fifty, 
 " constituting the lesson. If he misses it, the tppcher 
 
 I: 
 
23 
 
 " canniit decide (hat he was unprepared. It might 
 " have been a single accidental error. 
 
 " Another Icnrhcr, hearing the same lewmn requests 
 " ihe iHiyd ii> bring llioir slutes, and as ho dictates the 
 '* words, ono after another, require* all |o write 
 " them. After they arc all written, ho calls upon 
 " them to spell aloud us they have written them, 
 " simultaneously ; pHusingnmnment after each, to give 
 " those who are wrong, an opportunity to indicate it 
 " liy some mark opposite the worst misrspelt. They 
 " nil count the number of errors anti report them. 
 
 " lie passes down the class, glancing his eye at the 
 • " work of each one, to sec that fill is right, noticing par- 
 " ticiilarly those slates, which, fnim the ojiaracter of the 
 " hoys, need more careful inspection- A Teacher who 
 " had never tried this experiment, would be siirprisei) 
 " at the rapidity with wliich such work will )>e done 
 ** by If class, after a little practice, 
 
 " Now, liow dilTurent are those two melliods in their 
 " actual results I In the latter case, Ihe whole class 
 " are thoroughly examined. In the former, not a 
 '* single momlicr of it is. Let me not be understood to 
 '' rccommu.od exactly (his method of teaching spelling, 
 " as the best that can be adopted in all cases. I only 
 " bring it forward as an illuslrntion of the idea, that a 
 " little machinery, a little ingenuity in contriving 
 " ways of ariing on the whole, rather than on indivi- 
 " duals, will very niucl) promote the Teacher's designs," 
 
 Wliatci'cr diversity of opinion there may be as to 
 (he comparative merits of the books best adapted to 
 teach spdiing, it is agreed that wriling the words, 
 either on a slate or black-hoard, by dictation from the 
 Teacher, has, in every respect, the advan(age over (he 
 common practice ; and the above statements and illus- 
 trations are sullicient to show the irreparable losses, both 
 AS to time and opportunity, ivhich are inflicted upon the 
 pupils in most of our Schools in the ordinary mode of 
 teaching »f tiling as well ^s reading. 
 
 Writiit^ is another essential |>arl of common school 
 instruction; and the manner in which it is usually 
 taught, as illiistriitod in its results, is siifTicienlly '•vin- i 
 civu of the possibility, and necii of improvement in i 
 teaciing this most desirable and important accnt.iplisliT I 
 inenl. The negligence — even wlioro ihurnisno want i 
 <>f compstency in the teacher — often indulged in, in i 
 tliis departraiint, has inflicted irreparable wrongs and j 
 injuries on many youths in this Province ; and on this ! 
 point the wi iior has reason to speak from melancholy ' 
 experience. Writing being a sjiecies of drawing, is a ' 
 purely imitative art. The attention as well as the skill 
 of thcTo.ichnr isthercforo absolutely necessary to its ac- i 
 quiroment. It is true, tiiat many persons having a feeble ' 
 fncultyand lltllfi taste for imitation, areas unabloto learn | 
 to write as to draw well. Ilonco elegance in wriling 
 has comn (o bo considered as no part of a learned educa- 
 tion. Hut all can learn to write legibly and derentiv ; 
 and skill in it is indispensable to success in almost every j 
 department of life. Thu following description of the 
 process of teaching and learning to write in the Com- 
 mon Schools of the Stale of New York, quoted from 
 the District School, by J. 0. Taylor, may be adopted 
 in reference to many Common Schools in Canada, and 
 is perhaps the best method of directing attention to its 
 ilefects, — shewing at the same time, that blame rests 
 with all parties, from the builders of tlic School-houses 
 to the unfortunate pupils themselves. No work on 
 t.'ommon Schools has rceciv d moro praise from the 
 highest quarters than Mr. laylor's. 
 
 lie says: "It is to be regretted that our District 
 " Schools furnish so small n number of good writers. 
 " Uut a vary few out of the great number who are 
 
 " now practising (his Art in our District Schools will 
 " be able to execute a free, bold, and legible hand. 
 " The greater part, including almost the whole, will 
 " numlier their School days and still write with a stifT, 
 " measured, ragged, scrawling, blo((ing hand ; scarcely 
 " legible to the writers themselves, and almo.st im- 
 " possible for any ono else to mako out what is intemU 
 " ed, The youth arc conscious of theii deficiencies 
 '' with the pep, and we seldom find them willing to 
 " use it. The little, imperfect as it is, that they have 
 '• learned. Is thus soon forgotten ; and many, very 
 " many of the labouring classes by the time they have 
 '* numbered thirty or thirty-five years, are unable to 
 '' write in any manner whatever. 
 
 " Others may write with some ease and finish while 
 " in the School, and the copy before them, but as soon 
 " as (he rule and (he plummet, the School-desk and 
 " the round copy-plate is taken away, (hey have lost 
 " (ho art, and find that they are unable to write a 
 " s(raight line or a legible one. 
 
 '* It is to be lamented that so much time is wasted in 
 '* learning, what they never do learn, or what, at best, 
 " they feel ashamed or unable to make any use of; or, 
 " with others, what is so soon forgotten. 
 
 " There is, generally spelling, a suflicient quantity 
 " of time appropriated to writing, suflfcient care, 
 " (though fruitless) to provide materials, (and a great 
 " quantity (if them are used,)tomakeailofthe scholars 
 " good writers. There is some fault on the part of 
 " the Teacher, or parent, or among (he pupils ihem- 
 " selves; and we will (from personal observation) 
 " describe the process of learning to write in our Dis- 
 " trict Schools. The causes of so much imperfection 
 " may thus be developed. 
 
 " The child is (in most cases, for it is true that there 
 " are some exceptions to what I am about to say, I 
 " wish there were more), provided with a single sheet 
 " of foolscap paper, doubled into four leaves, a quill, 
 '' and an inks(and, which probably has nothing in it 
 " but (hick, muddy 8c((ling«, or dry, haril co(ton, and 
 " thus duly equipped, sent (o School, The (hin small 
 " quantity of paper, is laiil upon (he hard desk, made full 
 " of holes, ridges and furrows by the former occupan(s 
 " pen-kniie. The writing de.sk in many instances so 
 " high that the chin ofthe writcrcannot, without a tem- 
 " porarv elongation of body boprojeclcil over the upper 
 " surface; this being done and the feet swinging six or 
 " eight inches from the floor, and half of the weight of 
 " Ihe body hanging bythechin, the child with a horizon- 
 " tal view examines its copy of straight marks. It is 
 " then directed to take Ihe pen, which is immediately 
 " spoiled bv being thrust into the dry or muddy ink- 
 " stand, and begin to write. The pen is so held, 
 " that Ihe feathered end, instead of being pointed 
 " towards (ho shoulder, is pointed in the opposite 
 " direction, directly in front ; the fingers doubled in 
 " and squeezing the pen like a vice, the thumb thrown 
 " out straight and stilT, the forefinger enclosing Ihe 
 " pen near the second joint, and the inked end of the 
 " pen passing over the first joint of the second finger in 
 " a pcrpondlculiir line to that made by Ihe finger. In 
 " this tiresome, uneasy, unsteady attitude of bmly, and 
 " the hand holding the pen with a twisted, cramping 
 " gripe, the child completes its first lesson in the art of 
 " writing. 
 
 " After such n beginning, Iho more the child writes 
 " tho more confirmed will it become in its bad habits. 
 " It cannot improve; it is only forming habits which 
 " must he wholly discarded, if the child ever learns 
 '^ anything. Hut in this wretched manner tho pupil is 
 " permitted to use (he pen day after day, for two, or 
 " four, or six years. Tho Teacher shows the scholar 
 

 24 
 
 " how to hold (he pen perliaps, by placing it in his 
 " own hand CDrreclly, hut doos not see that the pupil 
 '* takes nnii keeps Ihu pen in the same iMMilion when 
 " writing." 
 
 " If the pea shoM be hold correctly for a motnent, 
 " while the Teacher is ol)serving, the old habit will 
 " immediately change it, when the Teacher has turned 
 " his back. 
 
 " Such prnrlicc and such instructions afford an ex- 
 " planatioii of so much waste of time and materials, 
 " of such slow improvement, and of .so much bad pon- 
 " manship. 
 
 " Another pupil who commences writing at a more 
 " advanced age, finds the desk loo low, and from being 
 " obliged to bend somewhat, soon lies down upon the 
 " desk and paper. 1 have seldom entered a District 
 ^ School during the writing liour, without finding all 
 " who were using the pen or nearly all, resting their 
 " heads and shoulders on the desk, looking horizonlal- 
 " ly at (heir work, and the writing-book thrown half- 
 " round, milking its lines parallel with the axis of the 
 " eye. In this sleepy, hidden position, it is impossible 
 " to examine and criticise what we are doing ;and yet 
 " Teachers fromciirclcssness,or from having llieiratten- 
 " tion directed to some other part cf the School during | 
 " the writing season, almost universally allow it. 
 
 " Teachers seldom prepare their pens previous (o 
 " their being called for, and are thus employed in 
 " mending them while they should be directing the 
 " scholars who are writing. They do not always spe- 
 " cify and describe the frequently occurring faults in 
 " such a manner as to assist the child in avoiding ", 
 '' them, and in improving the next time where he has J 
 " previously failed. The criticisms are too general, ]; 
 '•too indefinite to profit the pupil, and he continues | 
 " after this useless instruction to write in the Fame il 
 " careless way that he did before. Teachers likewise jj 
 " do not preserve the writing-books which have been 'I 
 " filled, and thus I hey are not able to compare the one . 
 " just finished with others written a few months before. |; 
 " If they should do this, the pupil would often be con- 'i 
 " vinced of that which the Teacher is unable to make |[ 
 " him believe, viz : that he make.< no improvement, [j 
 " Teachers frequently set such copies as are very im- I 
 " pro|ier for the particular attainments or habits of the P 
 " pupil : not discriminating or knowing what is re- . 
 " quired." 
 
 ji 
 If the method of tencliing the alphabet and reading, i 
 vvhif h has been horeloforo described, be adopted, the 
 pupil will, from the very commencement of his going ' 
 Id School, have occ.ision to write. It is universally ! 
 jigrci'd llwil llio chilli should early begin to write, and ' 
 ihereforo he should he taught as early as practicable ', 
 the written chiiracters. This task is soon accomplished | 
 where the sliite and black-lward aro used, and whore ! 
 ilie nielhod lierctoforc remmmcnded is employed in I 
 teaching llie alphabet. ! 
 
 The use of the slate is strongly and almost unani- 
 mnuslv recommended. I 
 
 i' 
 Mr. Simpson observes, " WrilingmusI he zeahiusly | 
 '■ practised according to (ho liriefcst and beit .system 
 " yof ailiipled, and Iho pupil habituated gradually to 
 " write down words on his slate." 
 
 I know of no system so simple and so admir.ibly 
 adapted to our Common Schools as that which has 
 been recently adopted in Knghind under the .sanction 1 
 of the Conmiitlec of the Privy Council on Education. | 
 It is founded on " Mulhaii.ser's method of teaching 
 " Writing." To describe this mclhodin detail would 
 
 be irrelevant to my present purpora ; but lo give some 
 account of it may bo appropriate and useful. The fol- 
 lowing account is abridged from the Preface of (he 
 Manual to which I have referred. 
 
 M. Mulhaiiser is a resident of Geneva, in Swit- 
 zerland. In 1827, ho was appointed to inspect the 
 Writing Classes under the superintendence of (he Gc- 
 nevese Commission of Primary Schools. In the 
 discharge of his duty, he observed iliat the Teachers 
 of Writing were guided in their lessons by no rules, 
 but those of their own difcrelion, or caprice ; and 
 that the children were required merely to aim at an 
 exact imitation of the specimens by an operation 
 purely mechanical. At the end of the year ho pre- 
 sented a Report to the Commission, and was there- 
 upon directed to pre] are an improved plan for in- 
 struction in the art of writing. 
 
 M. Mulhaiiser had in view the process by which 
 nature devclopcs the intellect ; at first the senses 
 merely of the infant are active ; they are employed 
 in collecting fads ; then the mind gradually puts 
 forth its powers ; it compares, combines, and at 
 length analyzes the facts collected. 
 
 He therefore analyzes the complex forms of the 
 letters, and leduccd them )o their simplest elemen- 
 tary parts ; which lies decided lo be no more than 
 four! 
 
 The pupil is first taught these four elementary parts 
 of letters in the natural order of their simplicity : after 
 which he is taught to combine them into letters, and 
 then the letters into words. 
 
 The child recognizes each separate simple form, n» 
 well as ihe name of it in the most difficult combina- 
 tions; and if ho err, ho is immediately able to correct 
 his error. The method enables the child to determine 
 [ with ease, the height, breadth, and inclination of 
 ! every part of every letter. To give him this power 
 by abstract rules would obviously bo difficult ; they 
 I would not easily be understood by Ihe child, and 
 1 would not ho rememlicred without much effort ; but 
 [ by this method he is led by practical expedients to llie 
 j result required ; and then such rules as are involved 
 I in the process can be taught, and are easily remem- 
 1 bered after having them thus preceded by the practical 
 ' demonstrations. The style of writing is at once easy 
 of execution and very legible. Itrtsullsfrom Iheobscr- 
 [ vanco of a few simple rules ;" and its chief merits are, 
 1 Tst. The exact and well defined nature of all its parts. 
 2ndly. The harmonious proportions existing bclween 
 them. 3rdly. Its consequent beauty and legibility. 
 , 'llhly. The absence of ornamenls. Simple forms are 
 ' placed before the pupil, and he soon finds that any de- 
 parture from them leads to inconvenience. 
 
 Mulhallser's method, though apparently salisfaclorv 
 in theory, was not sanctioned by Iho Commission of 
 Geneva, without submitting it to the lest of practice ; 
 when it was unanimously adopted. 
 
 The Commission in their subsequent Reports, speaks 
 strimgly of (he advantages which the Schools of Ihe 
 Canton had derived from the use of this melliod, and 
 give some extraordinary examples of its success. It 
 was soon introduced into the famous Normal School 
 at Lau.sanne, and was from thence transplanted into all 
 the Village Schools of the Canton de Vaud. Persons 
 saw wilh surprise the rude children in those Village 
 Schools learn to write in a few months. In the Infant 
 School at Geneva, children five years old were found 
 readily to comprehend and apply its principle,"), and 
 one of the licst known Inspectors, surprised at Ihe ease 
 with which they seemed to understand the system, 
 
 
25 
 
 » some 
 ho fol- 
 of Ihe 
 
 I Swii- 
 )f ct tlic 
 ihc Gc- 
 In tlie 
 'cnchers 
 
 rules, 
 c ; nnd 
 im at "11 
 ipuraliiin 
 
 ho pre- 
 js there- 
 
 1 for in- 
 
 ly which 
 10 senses 
 cmiiloyed 
 illy i)ut» 
 , and nt 
 
 us of tho 
 St clemen- 
 more than 
 
 ntary part* 
 icily': after 
 letters, and 
 
 pic form, ns 
 dt coinbinn- 
 le to corrert 
 lo determine 
 iclination of 
 
 (his power 
 (Ticult; they 
 a child, and 
 I effort; hut 
 idienis to the 
 arc involved 
 ■iisily rcmem- 
 
 tlie practical 
 at once easy 
 rom the obscr- 
 
 ■f merits are, 
 if all its parts. 
 ,ting between 
 md legibility. 
 
 jilo forms ar« 
 Is that any de- 
 
 tly satisfactory 
 Commission of 
 5t of practice ; 
 
 Reports, speaks 
 Schools of the 
 is method, and 
 its success. It 
 Sormal School 
 planted into all 
 aud. Persons 
 in those Village 
 In the Infant 
 old were found 
 principles, anil 
 riscd at the ease 
 and the system, 
 
 ^studied it himself for the purpose of applying it to the 
 instruction of his own son. 
 
 llio Parisian Society of Elementary Education ap- 
 pointed Commis.sioncrs in 1834, to invusligale and re- 
 port on the method. Their report fully conlirined what 
 iind beensaid in its favor. Subsequently tho French Mi- 
 nister of l'iil)lic Instruction directed two liisptclor.s of the 
 Academy to make themselves acquainted willi the method 
 of Mulhailscr, and report to him the result of their in- 
 i|uirics. Their report was so fuvorahle tliat theaullior 
 was immediately invited to make a trial of liis system in 
 the great National Normal ScliO(d at Versailles, as also 
 in one of tho Primary Schools connected with tliat estab- 
 lishment. After eleven days instruction, a public 
 trial of its effects was made, in the presence of the 
 Director and Professors. The children of the Friinary 
 School who could write tolerably well in the common 
 way, were found fully to have comprehended the most 
 difficult parts of the method. 
 
 Ono hoy in particular, eight years old, excited some 
 surprise by dictating to llie class the elements of the 
 difficult word invnrUtb'einent, to bo formed mentally, 
 \/lhout the aid of slate or paper, when the wiiole class 
 pronounced the word simultaneously. The Director i 
 of the Normal School reported on the experiment as 
 follows : 
 
 / 
 
 " The Art of Writing presents two distinct imrls : 
 " first, the theoretical part, which consists in a ra- 
 " lional analysis of the forms of written cliaracters : 
 •' aid, secondly, Ihe practical, which gives the means 
 " of acquiring with rapidity, the habit of forcing the 
 " churncters readily. 
 
 " Generally, attentiiui has been almost entirely con- 
 " fined to the second part, under the impression that it 
 " is useless to reason with children, and that they arc 
 " to he treated as machines, whose ollicc is to move 
 '• and not to reflect. The author of this new method is 
 " guided by an entirely different principle. Nothing 
 " is more simple or easy to com[)rehend than his ana- 
 " lysis of writing. The methoil generally adopted pre- 
 " .sents a u.seless multiplication ol elementary charac- 
 " lers. 
 
 " One method that has been introduced into several ! 
 " schools, has seventeen such characters. The author ' 
 " reduces them to /our, and from these lour elements, i; 
 " which are learnt with tlie utmost ease, are produced ' 
 " all tiie letters of the Alphabet. 'Ihe advantage of 
 " this simplicity appears uni|Ucstioiiable. i 
 
 " The child, accustomed to draw Ihe elements ofihe 
 " letters with an exactness reipiireil by the rule im- 
 " pressed on his memory, cannot write badly if he has 
 " paid attention lo the instruction. ! 
 
 " The Teacher does not dictate a letter which can j 
 " leave llie pupil in doubt as to the precise thing that ' 
 " is required of him, but pronounces in succession eacli 
 ■' element of ihe letter, which the wrilor fullows, witli- 
 " out tliinking of the letter itself. The enigmas both 
 " amuse the children and acrustimi iIkmu lo nllecl. 1 , 
 '' aui pi'i-uliiirly pleased willi this purl oC llie sysleni, ; 
 '' wliich calls iiitoactiim the intelligence of the pupil ] 
 " In an allurement resembling that of a game. 1 
 
 " The sixty chililien whom 1 placed under the tiii- ; 
 " lion of the author, perfectly coinprclionileil all his ' 
 " rules and precepis in less than twelve lessons. 
 " It is true that they could previously write tolera- 
 '• lily, but the intention of M. Mulhailscr, who could 
 " remain only a short time at the School, was not so 
 " much to prove the progress that could be made in a 
 
 " given period, as to enable us to understand and ap- 
 " appreciate the method ho employed. 
 
 " Finally, I have to report that the trial we have 
 " made has hud tho most successful result, and the 
 '' method of M. Mulhatlser appears to mo every way 
 " <:alcululed to ensure and hasten the progress of chil- 
 " dreii, while his discipline and arrangement of the 
 '' classes show, in my opinion, a remarkable knowledge 
 " of the qualities and faults of infancy. Our Schools 
 " cannot but profit by the entire adoption of tho prin- 
 " ciple.«; recommended by so e.vperienced and able a 
 " Teacher." 
 
 This method of teaching writing, after very careftil 
 inquiry, has been sanctioned by the Education Com- 
 mittee of Her Majesty's Privy Council. 
 
 It has been adopted in various countries on the Con- 
 tinent ; and the introduction of it into our Canadian 
 Schools will, I am jicrsuaded, be productive of the 
 most beneficial results. 
 
 In the German Schools, drawing is taught simulta- 
 neously with writing ; as is also tho case in the Schools 
 of the Christian Brethren and other excellent Schools 
 in France. In all these Schools the writing of the pupils 
 wassuperiortoany writing of pupils of similar ages that 
 I had ever witnessed. Some specimens of writing 
 ! from several of these Schools I brought with mo ; and 
 i; they have excited Ihe admiration and astonishment of 
 I every person to whom they have been shewn. I con- 
 cur most fully in the following statements of tho Secre- 
 tary of the Board of F.ducation at Boston, and the 
 great importance of tho subjects to which they refer, 
 will be an ample apology for their introduction in this 
 place : " Such excellent hand-writing as I saw in the 
 " Prussian Schools, I never saw before. I can hardly ex- 
 " press mysclftoo strongly on this point. In Great Bri- 
 " tain. Franco, or our own country, I have never seen 
 " any Schools worthy of being compared with theirs in 
 " this respect. I have before said that I found allcbil- 
 " dren provided with a slate and pencil. They write or 
 " print letters, andhcgin with the elements of drawing, 
 " either immediately, or soon after they enter School. 
 " This furnishes the greater part of the explanation of 
 " their excellent hand-writing. A part of it, I think, 
 " should be referred to the peculiarity of the German 
 " Script, which seems to me to be easier than our 
 " own. But after all due allowance is made for this 
 " advantage, a high degree of superiority over the 
 " Schotils of other countries rcmiiins to be accounted 
 " fir. This superiority cannot he attributed in anv 
 " degree to a belter manner of holding the pen, for I 
 " never saw so great a pro|iortion of casi's in aiu 
 " Schools where the pen was so awkwardly held. 
 " This cxcelloiice mu.>^l he njlcjiied in a great degree 
 " lo the universal practice of learning to draw, cou- 
 " temporaiieoiisly with learning to write. I believe 
 " a child will learn both lo draw and to write sooner 
 " and with more ease, than he will learn writing alone ; 
 " and for tills reason, the figures or objects contemplated 
 " ami copied in learning to draw, are larger, mure 
 " marked, more distinctive one from another, and 
 " inuri' sharply defined with projection, angle or curve, 
 " than the letters copied in writing. In drawing there 
 " is more variety, in writing more sameness. Now 
 " Ihc olijecls ciuileiuplaled in drawing, //'onj tlifirnn- 
 " lure, allraci iiiitntion mole reailily, impress Ihe mind 
 " more deeply, and of course will he more accurately 
 " copied than those in writing. And when the eve 
 " has lieen trained to observe, lo distinguish, and to 
 " imitate, in the first exercise, it applies its habits with 
 " great ad\ aiilage to the second. 
 
 " Another reason is that the child is taught to draw 
 " things with which he is familiar, which have some 
 
I 
 
 26 
 
 " significnncc, anil give liim pleasing ideas. But a 
 " fliild wlio is made to till page afier page willi rows 
 •' 1)1' straight marks, that look so blank and cheerless 
 " Ihiiugh done ever so well, has, and can have no 
 " pleasing associations with his work. The practice 
 " of beginning with making inexpressive marks, or 
 " with writing nnintelligible words, bears some resem- 
 " blame, in its lifelessiiess, to that of learning the Al- 
 " plialict. Each exhales torpor and stupidity to deaden 
 " the vivacity of the worker. 
 
 " Again, I have found it an almost universal opinion 
 " with teachers of the art of writing, that children 
 " should commence with large hand rather than with 
 " line. The reason for this, I suppose to be, that 
 " where t!ic letters themselves are larger, their dilfer- 
 " cnces, an<l peculiarities are proportionally large; hence 
 " lUcy can be more easily discriminated, and discrimi- 
 " nation must necessarily precede exact copying. So 
 " to siKJak, the child becomes acquainted with the phy 
 " siognomy of the large letters more easily than with 
 " that of the small. Ucsides, the formation of the 
 " larger gives more freedom of motion to the hand. 
 " \ow, in these respects, there is more dilTerencu bo- 
 " Iweon the objects used in drawing and the letters of 
 " a large hand, than between the latter and a line 
 " hand ; and therefore the argument in favor of a 
 " large hand, applies with still more force in favour of 
 " drawing. 
 
 " In the course of my lour, I passed from the coun- 
 " tries wliero almost every pupil in every School could 
 " draw with ease, and most of them with no inconsider- 
 " able degree of beauty and expression, to those where 
 " less and less attention was paid to the subject ; and, 
 " at last, to Schools where drawing was not practised 
 " at all ; and after many trials, I came to the conclu- 
 '' sion that, with no other guide than a mere inspection 
 " of the copy-books of the pupils, I could fell whether 
 " drawing were taught in the School or not ; so uni- 
 " Ibrmly sujjerior was the hand-writing in those Schools 
 " where drawing was taught in connexion with it. On 
 " seeing this, I was reminded of that sayinj; of Pesta- 
 •' lozzi, — somewhat loo .strong, — that ' without draw- 
 " ing there can be no writing.' 
 
 " But suppo.se it were otherwise, and that learning 
 " to draw retarded the acquisition of good penmanship, 
 " how richly would the learner be compensated for the 
 " sacrifice. Drawing, of itself, is an expressive and 
 " beautiful language. A few strokes of the, pen and 
 " pencil will often represent to the eye what no amount 
 " of words, however well chosen, can communicate. 
 " For the master architect, for the engraver, the engi- 
 " necr, the pattern designer, tiie draughtsman, moulder, 
 " macliine-buildcT, or head ineclianic of any kind, all 
 " acknowledge thai this art is essential and indispen- 
 " sable. But tliere is no (leparlment of business or 
 " condition of life, whore the at cotniilishmcut would 
 '' not be of utility. Every man should be able to plot 
 " a field, to sketch a road oi river, todrawthe outlines 
 ■' of a simple machine, a piece of household furniture 
 '■ or a farming iitciisil, and to delineate the internal 
 " arraiigeiiicnt or construction of a house." 
 
 The importance of Aiilhnittic to the common intc- 
 icsls ol lile can .'■carcidy In' over-ialeil. Asa means of 
 liieiital discipline also, lieing the lowest and simpli st 
 liraiuh of mathematics, Edu( .itors have atlached the 
 hii^liest iuiportanci! to the study of it. It was a .'aying 
 111 Charles XII. "f Sweden, that he who was ignorant 
 of the aritlimelical art, was hut half a inan ; and Lord 
 liaron lias said " if a man's wit In; wandering let him 
 " study mathei;ialics." \'iewed either as an instrii- 
 nieiil <>f mental discipline or of |)racticul utilitv, 
 Teachers of the greatest experience agree that if shouUI 
 be c imiiK'nceJ early — as early as reading and writing. 
 
 Nay, it is held to be less dilTiculf for a child to learn 
 to count than to learn to road, while it contributes 
 more than reading to strengthen and discipline the 
 mind. But the manner in which it is too often taught, 
 renders the study of it an insup[)ortabl« task, and not 
 unfrequcnily an object of bitter aversion, without im- 
 parting any useful knowledge. 
 
 Thcrearc doubtless many exceptions; but the remarks 
 of the Author of the District School, ate scarcely less 
 applicable to Canada than to the Sfi.te of New York: 
 " From this science very little is obtained in our 
 " District Schools, which is of any practical use. 
 " There is much compulsive, uncertain,' and laborious 
 " study of arithmetic ; but it is often in vain, from the 
 " manner in which it is taught, since the scholar gets 
 " veiy little in return for his labour that is valuable or 
 " practical. Those who have received nothing more 
 " than a common school education, obtain their practical 
 " knowledge of the science of numbers, not from 
 " their instructions or study in the School, but from 
 " their own invention and the rewards of exiicrience. 
 " There is in the country but a small part of arithmc- 
 " tic in use which came from the Schools ; necessity 
 " has taught the people what they ought to have learn* 
 " ed at School when young, and when they were 
 " wasting so much time and money to no purpose." 
 " The pupil learns nothingfhoroughly; what he does not 
 " under.stand he feels little or no interest in ; he sits with 
 " his slate before him most of the day, groping, guessing, 
 " doing nothing. Perhaps scarcely any two pu|)ilsB[c 
 " .studying the same rule, or usingthe same book, instead 
 " of being formed in as few classes as possible." 
 
 The Teachor has not time to hear each pd^il 
 .separately, an<l to explain and illustrate to each the 
 nature of the rule or operation, even if he be com- 
 |)etenf and disposed to do so. The consequence is 
 that many who have, as the phrase is, " gone through 
 " the Arithmetic," are unable to perform the simplest 
 calculations in the transactions of business ; or they 
 do so with hcsilation and uncertainty. 
 
 " In Teaching Arithmetic," observes the Secretary 
 of the British and Foreign School Society, in his much 
 valued work on the Principles of Teaching, " noth- 
 " ing must be cfinsidered as done, which is not tliorough- 
 " ly comi)reliended ; a meaning and reason, must be 
 " attached to every step of the process. Begin there- 
 " fore, first of all, by referring the pupil to sensible 
 " objects, and teach him to compute what he can 
 " «ee, before you perplex him with abstract conceptions. 
 " A mere infant may in this way be taught to add, 
 " substract, multiply and divide, to a considerable 
 " extent. Apparatus for this purpose, of various kinds, 
 " is already in use; but what need have you of appa- 
 " rains? Everything around you and about you 
 " may be made subservient lo this end. It will not 
 " do, however, to slop here. The mind must before 
 " long be accustomed to ab.strarlions, and therefore the 
 " sooner you can teach a child to convert this tangible 
 '' arithmetic into abstractions the belter." 
 
 The pra(^ticc of the best Schools in other countries 
 suggests that children should first study Intellectual 
 arithmetic. Its influence in awakening the curiosity 
 of pupils, in exciting their mental energies, and 
 training them lo devise means for performing more 
 intricate exercises on the slate, can .scarcely be con- 
 ceived bv those who have not witnessed the results. 
 In the Model Schools attached to the Dublin Normal 
 School of the Irish National Board, I witnessed 
 arithmetical operations performed by .small boys and 
 gills with the rapidity of ihoughf, in addition, .substrac- 
 fion, inulliiilication and division, fractions, proportion, 
 interest, discount, &c. I witnes.sed exercises equally 
 surprising in Scotlanil, France and Germany. I will 
 
 w 
 
27 
 
 IcBtn 
 ibutcs 
 
 ic the 
 aught, 
 1(1 nut 
 ut im- 
 
 emarks 
 jly less 
 York: 
 in our 
 ]{ vse. 
 iborious 
 Tom the 
 lar gets 
 uable or 
 ng more 
 practical 
 lot from 
 but from 
 [)crience. 
 Brithme- 
 ncoessily 
 ive Icarn* 
 liey wcie 
 purpose." 
 c does not 
 e sits with 
 , guessing, 
 I pupils aic 
 Ilk, instead 
 ble." 
 
 »ach Ti\tp\\ 
 o each the 
 le be com- 
 iequencc is 
 )no through 
 the sitnplfst 
 s -, or they 
 
 Secretary 
 his much 
 nolh- 
 liiorougli- 
 on, must be 
 Begin there- 
 to sensible 
 lat he can 
 conceptions, 
 jrht to add, 
 considerable 
 irious kinds, 
 yoii of appa- 
 iiboul you 
 It will not 
 must before 
 lerelbrc the 
 this tangible 
 
 ng, 
 
 tli( 
 
 her countries 
 Intellectual 
 the curiosity 
 energies, anil 
 forming more 
 I rely be cim- 
 ■d I he results. 
 )ublin Normal 
 I witnessed 
 lall boys and 
 ition, substrac- 
 ns, proportion, 
 ercises equally 
 •many. I will 
 
 select two examples, — the one from Mr. Wood's ac- 
 count of the Edinburgh Sessional School ; the other 
 from Mr. Mann's Report on Prussian Schools. 
 
 Mr. Wood says : " It was in nrithmelic we I'lrst suc- 
 " cecded in kindling (hat ardour, which has since 
 " dilTiised itself through every other department of the 
 " Institution. Arithmetic, which Inid hitherto been 
 " one of their dullest occupations, now becnine to lliu 
 " scholars a source of the highest interest and ainuse- 
 " ment. They, by degrees obtained a rapidity of move- 
 " ment in this Art, which we should have previously 
 " accounted quite incredible, iind along with that 
 " celerity a pro|)ortional accuracy in calculation. 
 " Hut this was not all. They obtained at the same 
 " time, what in our opinion is infinitely more valuable 
 " tliananyarithmeticalattninment, — that generalenergy 
 " and activity of mind which we find of so much 
 " service in the introduction of all our subsequent 
 " improvements, and which we doubt not has in a great 
 " measure formed the character ol many of them for 
 " life." " Those who have not had an opportunity 
 " of witnessing the performance of our children in 
 " mental arithmetic, may form some estimate of it, 
 " when they are told, that on n.ore than one occasion, 
 " when three or four of our best arithmelicians were 
 " employed to answer one question in every page of 
 " the ' Ready Reckoner,' and selected from every 
 " variety of column in that page, (that is to say, the 
 " fir.sl question being 13 yards at a faithing, the 
 " second 54, at a half-iicnny, the third 95, at three- 
 " farthings, and so on to the ia.st, lieing perhaps 10,000 
 " at 19s. Gd.,) the whole questions, being 147 in num- 
 " ber, were answered seriatim within 20 minutes, 
 t including the lime taken by ourselves in announcing 
 " the questions. Each boy was, of course, according to 
 " custom, olluwed to take the method he found most 
 " easy for himself. We afterwards put the mental 
 " arirtimctic in a more systematic train, commencing 
 " simultaneously with the Slate-arithmetic ; which 
 " improvement has been found of the greatest advan- 
 " tage, and has clearly evinced that, though in the 
 '' acquisition of this, as of every thing else, there is a 
 " variety of aptitude in children, all may arrive at it 
 " to an extent which could not naturally be foreseen, 
 " and has been found highly beneficial." 
 
 Mr. Mann says, — referring to the Prussian Schools, 
 •' — I shall never forget the impression which the recita- 
 " tion of a higher class of girls produced upon my mind. 
 " It lasted an hour. Neither Teacher nor pupil had 
 " hook or slate. Questions and answers were oxtem- 
 ■' poraneous. They consisted of problems in vulgar 
 "fractions, simple and compound; in the rule of 
 " three, practice, interest, discount, &c., &c. A few 
 '• of the first were simple, but ihcy .soon increased in 
 " complication and dldicully, and in the amount of the 
 " sums managed, until I could luirdly credit the report 
 " of my own senses — so difiicult were the queslionji, 
 " and so prompt and accurate were the replies, — A 
 " great many of the exercises consisted in reducing the 
 " coins of one Slate into those of another. In Germany 
 " there are almost ns many dillerent currencies as there 
 •' are Slates; and llie expression of the value of one 
 " coin in other denominations, is a very common 
 " exercise. 
 
 " it strlick mo that the main diflerences between 
 ■' their mode of teaching arifliinetic and ours, consist in 
 " their beginning earlier, conliniiiiigthe|)ractice in the 
 " elements much lunger, requiring a more thorough 
 " analysis of all questions, and in not separating the 
 " process, or rules so much as we do (roin each otlier. 
 " The pupils proceed less by rule, more by an under- 
 " standing of the subject. It often happens to our 
 " children, that while engaged in one rule, they forgot 
 " a preceding. Hence many of our best Teachers 
 
 " have frequent reviews. But there, as I stated 
 " above, the youngest classes of children were taught 
 " addition, subtraction, mulliplicalion, and divisimi, 
 " promiscuously, in the same lesson. And so it 
 " was in the later stages. The mind was con- 
 " stantly carried along, and the practice enlarged in 
 " more than one direction. It is the ditlercnce which 
 " results from teaching in the one case from a book, and 
 " in the other from Uie bead. In the latter case the 
 " Teacher sees what each pupil most needs ; and if he 
 " finds one halting or failing in a particular class of 
 " questions, plies him with questions of that kind until 
 " his deficiencies are supplied." 
 
 " In Algebra, Trigonometry, Surveying, (jeome- 
 " try, &c., I Invariably saw the Teacher standing be- 
 " fore the black-board, drawing the diagrams, andex- 
 " plaining all the relations between their several parts, 
 " while the pupils, in their seats, having a pen and a 
 " small manuscript-book, copied the figures and took 
 " down brief heads of the soluliim ; and at the next 
 " recitation they were required to go to the black- 
 " board, draw ihc figures, and solve the problems 
 " themselves. How different this mode of learning a 
 " le.sson from that of holding the text-Ixxik in the left 
 " hand, while the forefinger of the right carefully fol- 
 " lows the printed demonstration, under penalty, thould 
 " the jilace be lost, of being ohliged to recommence 
 " the solution." 
 
 I cannot omit observing in this place, that the great 
 practical end of studying arithmetic in the Common 
 Schools, is the knowledge of accounts, and that this 
 end should bo had in view not only in the mode of 
 teaching, but in the application of it. The knowledge 
 accounts is scarcely less necessary for the mechanic, 
 and the farmer, than for the tradesman or merchant. 
 Every person, male or female, should be taught to 
 keep persumrt accounts, and an account of the expen- 
 ses of a fiimily ; the future farmer should be taught 
 to keep accounts of a garden, particular field or crop, as 
 well as of his whole operations ; the intended mechanic 
 should be taught to keep an account of the expenses 
 and income of his shop or trade ; and the contemplated 
 merchant or trader should be taught book-keeping by 
 double entry. Personal accounts may be taught to u 
 whole School on the black-board. This neglected 
 branch of Common School instruction is of the great- 
 est importance to an agricultural papulation, as it is of 
 course essential to a commercial community. 
 
 On visiting the celebrated Agricultural School of 
 the philanthropist I)e Fcllenherg, — a few miles from 
 Heme, in Switzerland, — I found that every pupil was 
 required to keep an account of his work, receipts, and 
 expenses, — balancing and posting it at the end of each 
 week, — the Superintendent keeping a similar account 
 of the affairs of the whole establishment, the expenses 
 of cullivatiiin, and even the products of each field. A 
 part of every Saturday was devoted to teaching book- 
 keeping, and to an examination of all the accounts and 
 the manner of keeping them. 
 
 The head of that famous establishment expressed 
 his conviction, that he considered the habit of keeping 
 accounts, punctually, minutely and correctly, to bo the 
 primary element of a farmer's pro.'.perity, — conducive 
 alike to economy and industry, prudence and correct- 
 ness in his plans, labours and dealings. He assured 
 me, that to no part of ihe instruction of his agricultural 
 pupils did he attach more importance than to that of 
 teaching them a thorough system of kecping/a»7ni/ig' 
 accounts ; and ho even stated, that he should hope (or 
 little success from every thing else which ho might 
 teach, if they sliuuhl neglect to keep regular accounts. 
 He could show from (he books, not only what related 
 to every inmate of the establishment, and its guneral 
 
28 
 
 Irunsacliuiis, liut lliu ox|i('iisc unci profit of every kind 
 of graiij ^niwrj, and slot k ralNcii on llie ttirin, and lliat 
 in iIjo niinnti'.sl dilail. I ilonlil not Init sncli a system 
 of |jo(ili-kc'c/|iini^ would he a source of profit, us Well as 
 of insiruction and [dcasurii to every fanner wlio 
 might adopt it. Ainoni; the Si hool-hooks piihlishe<l 
 liy the lri>h National Hoard, there is a convenient 
 elementary treatise on Book-keepinj;, with u section 
 specially devoted to Farming arcouuts. 
 
 Such are the ohserviitions which I have tlioiight 
 proper to siiliniil on the three cardinal suhjectsof (,'oni- 
 nion School instruction, — Readiiij; (iiicludiiii^ Spell- i 
 
 ing,) Writing and Arithmetic. 
 
 Without entering into minute details or attempting 
 to lay down rules a> to methods of tenching them, I 
 have dwell longer on these sidij(,'cts on account of their 
 surpassing importance, — constituting ns they do, in a 
 great degree, the roots of the tree of knowledge and 
 the primary elements of inlelleclual power, — involving 
 so deeply the interests and character of every cliild in the 
 land. The great ohject of our Coiiiinon Schools is to 
 leach the whole populalicn how to read, to write, and j 
 to calculate, — to make a good reader, writer aiidcalcu- i 
 lalor of every hoy and girl in Canada ; and the other 
 studies in the elementary Schools ari^ important, as 
 tliey leach how to employ tla'se arts upon proper prin- 
 ciples and in the most useful manner. Reading, VVri- 
 ting, and calculation are practical arls, — not so much 
 knowledge as skiU by which the practical resources of 
 the mind, and the means of acquiring knowledge are 
 inilefiiiilely multiplied. 
 
 But the preceding observations, — brief and general as 
 tliey necessarily are, — sulTiciently show how much even 
 of general useful knowledge may be imparted in the 
 judicious and intelligent leaching of these three funda- 
 mental arts of so<:ial life. To teach these thoroughly 
 is the chief object of the Common Schools, and should 
 be the ambition and ellbrt of every Teacher. Better 
 to teach a few things well than to skim superficially 
 over all the .sciences. A popular writer (|uaintly re- 
 marks, that " teaching a pupil to read, before be enters 
 " upon the active business of life, is like giving a new 
 " settler an axe, as lie goes to .seek his new home in the 
 " forest. Teaching him a lesson in hi.story is, on the 
 " other hand, only cutting down a tree or two for him. 
 " A knowledges of natural history is like a few bu.shels 
 " of grain, gratuitously placed in Ids barn, but the art of 
 " ready reckoning is the plough, which will remain by 
 " him for years, and help to draw out from the soil an 
 " annual treasure." 
 
 There aris, however, other subjects required to be 
 taught in the C'oinnioii School.^, and only second in im- 
 porlance to the three above mentioned. 
 
 Among the most conspicuous of these are Grammar 
 and (ieography, — ihe one acipiainting us with the 
 language we speak, the other exhibiting to us the 
 world we iidialiit. In many of our Common Schools 
 ihcy arc not taught at all; in others very iin[ierfectlv ; 
 in very few well. 
 
 The practical grammar of our language should be 
 taught in every Schotd, every day, and to every pupil, 
 both hy ihe example and corrections of the Teacher, 
 lianguage existed hcfore (Iramniar. Language is not 
 foimdcnl on rules of grammar, hut the rules are 
 founded on the usages of langiiage. Many per- 
 sons both speak and write correctly who have never 
 studied a grammar, except thai of living examples and 
 of good authors. The rules of grammar will never 
 make correct speakers or writers, without ihv practice 
 of writing and speaking correctly. It is thus practi- 
 cally taught in all good Schools; it is thus taught in 
 
 all the clementarv Schools of Germany. A recent 
 traveller says ; " The Prussian Teachers, by their con- 
 " slant habit of conversing with their pupils; by re- 
 " quiring a complete answer to be given to every 
 " question ; by never allowing a ini.stake in termina- 
 " tion, or in the collocation of words or clau.se8, to 
 " pass uncorrected, nor the sentence, as corrected to 
 " pass unrepealed ; by requiring the poetry of the 
 " reading le».sons to be changed into oral or written 
 " prose, and the prose to be paraphrased or expressed 
 " in diilerent words ; ami by exacting a general account 
 " or summary of the rending lessons, are, — as we may 
 " almost literally say, — constantly teaching graminar,or 
 " as they more comprehensively call it — the German 
 " language. It is easy to see that composition is in- 
 " eluded under this head, — the writing of regular 
 " ' essays ' or ' Ihemes ' being only a later exercise." 
 
 But grammar is taught theoretically ns well us prac- 
 tically in the Prussian Schools. Another late travel- 
 ler in Prussia thus describes the manner of teaching 
 the diilerent |)arls of speech : " Grammar is taught di- 
 " rcclly and scientifically, yet by no means in a dry 
 " and technical manner. On the contrary, technical 
 " terms are carefully avoided, till the child has become 
 " familiar wilh the nature anil use of the things designa- 
 " ted hy them, and he is able tou.sethem as the names 
 " of ideas which have a definite existence in his mind, 
 " and not as awful sounds, dimly shadowing forth some 
 " mysteries of .science into which he has no power to 
 " penetrate. 
 
 " The first object is to illustrate the diflferent parts ol 
 " speech, such as Ihe noun, the verb, the adjective, tbe 
 " adverb ; and this is done by engaging the pupil in con- 
 " vcr.sation, and leading him to form sentences in which 
 " the particular part of .speech to be le.<irned shall be the 
 " most important word, and directing his attention to the 
 " nature and use of the word, in the filace where he 
 " uses it. For example, let us suppose the nature and 
 '' use of the adverb are to be taught. The Teacher 
 " writes upon Ihe black-board the words, ' here, there, 
 " ' near,' &c. He then says, 'Children, we are all to- 
 " ' getlier in this room, by which of Ihe words on the 
 " ' black-board can you express this ?' — Children. 'We 
 " ' are all here.'' Teacher. ' Now look out of the win- 
 " ' (low and see the Church ; what can you say of Ihe 
 " ' Church with the se"on(l word on the black-board.'" — 
 "'Children. ' The Church is Wfi-c' Teacher. 'The 
 " ' distance between us and the Church is nolgreat ; how 
 " ' will vou exjiress this by a word on the black-board ?' 
 " — Children. ' The Church is near.' The fact that 
 " these words express the same sort of relatfons is then 
 " explained, and, accordini^ly, llial they bclimg to the 
 " same class, or are the same part of speech. 
 
 " The variations of these words arc next ex|ilained. 
 "Teacher. ' Children, you say the Cluircli is near, hut 
 " ' there is a shop between us and the Church ; what 
 " ' will you say of Uie shop ?' — Children. ' The shop 
 " 'is nearer.^ Teacher. 'Bui there is a fence be- 
 " ' tweon us and the shop. Now when you think of the 
 " ' distance between us, the shop, and Ihe fence, what 
 " ' will you say of the fence .'' — Children. ' The fence 
 " ' is iicuri-il.' So of olhcr adverbs. ' The lark sings 
 " ^well. Compare the singing of ihc lark with that of 
 " ' the canary bird. Compare the siiiging of the nigl ' 
 " ' ingale with ihat of the canary bird.' Afler ''i tii.' 
 '' dilRTcnt sorts of adverbs and their variations havt m 
 " ihis way been illustrated, and the pupils understand 
 " ihat all words of this kind are called adverbs, the dc- 
 " linition of Ihe adverb is given as it stands in the gram- 
 " mar, and the book is put inio their hands to study the 
 " chapter on this topic. In this way the pupil under- 
 " stands what he is doing at every step of his progress, 
 " and his memi.ry is never burdened with mere names, 
 '■ to which be can attach no definite meaning." 
 
 k 
 
29 
 
 The grammHP of no liinfrunfrc in pfrhnpit Nlinrltr ■ 
 or more slmplu ihiiii ihiil of ilie Kiiglish lunj{iiiiKe. 
 Sciiriely liny lirHtich of klll>wlL•^l^t• is inoro pajiilv i 
 nciniired ; yet none is rendered inon^ tedious iind diin- | 
 i-ull by the mxnner in which it in Um gcnenilly Inught. i 
 I have «pi'n diildren nine years of ajre, after only a 
 few months instruction, able, without hesitation, to 
 mialyzo diHirult sentences, and to correct those that 
 were unj^rainmHlical — ^i^inx 'lie reason in every in- 
 Ktance ; and I have seen others approaching to nnan- ; 
 Iiood who had studied grammar for years, niid yet : 
 could not analyse a single sentence, or parse it cor- ; 
 roctly. In some cases I have seen pnrsims who could ' 
 Hiienlly recite the drjinitiona and rules in the uxtrds 
 of the grammar, but who were ignorant of the princi- 
 plet of the language. The dilTcTenco in these cases 
 was not in the capacity of the pupils, but'in the manner 
 of teaching. The one pursued the simple order of 
 nature ; the other adhered to the letter of the book. 
 The one taught the nature of things, deducing the 
 definitions and rules as the result of the import and 
 relations of the words employed ; the other taught the 
 definitions and rules as the laws by which words are 
 governed. The one taught the principles and even 
 fibtletics of the language through the medium of 
 the understanding ; the other burdened the memory, 
 but never reached the understanding 
 
 In the one case the pupil was delighted and in- 
 structed at every stc|), as one of a new discovery ; in 
 (he other case, the progress is one of acnumulateti 
 weariness and di.sgust. 
 
 Tn no department of elementary instruction has a 
 greater change for the better taken place in the best 
 Schools in Great Britain, and Ireland, than in the 
 method of teaching English Grammar. 
 
 It has become a rational and intellectual exercise ; 
 and experience has shewn that the acquisition, — at least 
 in its fundamental principles and general rules, — is as 
 easy and interesting as it is important and useful. 
 Though serious complaint is still made in the principal 
 School publications in the Uiiiteil Slates of the preva- I! 
 lence of the dry, memoriter and useless system of teach- |! 
 ing grammar, yet there also there are some pleasing ;l 
 indications of improvement. Few will question the i' 
 correctness of the foUowiiig remarks on this important '; 
 subject : " In Germany (says Mr. Mann of Boston 
 
 " If this is so, then no person is competent to teach 
 " grammar, who is not familiar at least with the lead- 
 " ing principles of rhetoric and logic." 
 
 It is not, however, to he expected that Teachers of 
 our elementary Schools will hv philologists ; or thai 
 they will have occasion or opportunity to enter into 
 those sulMilities in the science of language which have 
 perplexed philosophers themselves. Like most other 
 sciences, the elemetits of grammar and the practical 
 uses of it, are easily comprehcmled ; but the philosophy 
 and refinements of it belong to the higher de|)arlmenti 
 of learning and to matured intellects. 
 
 But in respect to common School Teachers, and to 
 their teaching, I must observe, in the appropriate lan- 
 guage of the Fireside Friind : " In order to be a 
 " grammarian, it is not sufficient that you can parse 
 " sentences, in that kind of parrot-like manner, which 
 " is acquired by those who study without much thought; 
 " you must be able to perceive the meaning of an 
 " author, the connection between the words of a 
 " sentence, however distant, and to supply words, in 
 " elliptical cases. Some of the English poets are pe- 
 " culiar, for the great use of ellipses ; some, especially, 
 " ill the expression of sudden passion, leaving not one 
 " word merely but several to be supplied by the 
 " reader. While employed in this study, you are 
 " giving exercise to your intellectual powers, invigo- 
 " rating (hem for new labors, and at the same time 
 " are gaining knowledge ; which will be called into 
 " use with every sentence you speak or write. It 
 " is very important that those who are preparing thcm- 
 " selves for Teachers, should obtain a thorough know- 
 " ledge of English Grammar. 
 
 " In correcting inaccuracies, in spoken and written 
 " language, a Teacher should not only bo able to point 
 '' out delects, but the rules which are violated." 
 
 I will conclude my remarks on this subject v'lth 
 Mr. Wood's account of the tnode of teiiching iho ele- 
 ments of grammar in the Edinburgh Sessional School : 
 
 " While we saw the importance of introducing a 
 '' knowledge of grammar to a certain extent into our 
 " School, we perceived at the same time the necessitv 
 ^ " of .'^curing the atlcnlion of I he pupils lieie, as ii, 
 " I heard very little of the ding-dong and recitative of Ij " every other department of their education, far more 
 " gender, number and case, of government and agree- !| " <o its principles, and their mode of application, than 
 " ment, which make up so great a portion of gramma- i| " t" leaze them with any servile repetition of its rules. 
 " tical exercises in our Schools; and which the pupils ;| " At first we conceived that it would be suilicicnt for 
 
 are often required to repeat until they really lose all 
 " sense of the original use of the terms they use. Of 
 " what Service is it lor children to reiterate and re- 
 " assert filly limes in a single rocitatiim, the gender and | 
 " number of nouns, about which they never made a I 
 " mistake even before a grammar book was put into ! 
 " their hands.' If the object of grammar is to teach j 
 " children to speak and write their native language j 
 " with propriety, then Ihoy should bo practised upon I 
 " expressing their own ideas with elegance, distinct- 
 " ness and force. F'or tiiis purpose, their common \ 
 " every-day phraselogy is to be attended to. As their i 
 " speech becomes more copious, they should be led to ]i 
 " recognize those slight shades of distinction which '! 
 " exist between worcb almost synonymous ; to discri- :i 
 " minate between the literal and the figurative, and | 
 " to frame sentences in which the main idea shall be ] 
 " brought out conspicuously and prominently, while \ 
 " all the subordinate ones, mere matters of circum- I! 
 " stance or qualification, shall occupy humbler or more 
 " retired positions. Grahimar should be taught in 
 " such a way as to lead out into rhetoric as it '•egards 
 " the form of expression, and into logic i.j it regards 
 " the scqiirnce and coh"rcncy of Ihc thoughts. 
 
 " our purpose, to nr.ake them acquainted merely with 
 " .some of its leading principles, and that this might 
 " effectually bo done by an inductive method, that is 
 " to say, by illustration from the passages which Ihev 
 " happened to read. If this method should succeed, the 
 " Institution would be faved the expense of furnishing 
 " the pupils with grammars ; which they, on the other 
 " hand, would be relieved from the irksomencss ot 
 " prescribed and dry tasks, and have full time left 
 " them at home for tho gratification of that taste for 
 •'useful reading, v nich had now manifested itself 
 " among them. It had the advantage also of being in 
 " accordance "vilh all the re.st of our system. The 
 " experiment accordingly was tried, and succeeded so 
 " far beyond our expectation, that we, in a very short 
 " lime, made the children in this manner acquainted 
 " not only wilh the fundamental principles, (which 
 " was all we originally intended) but wilh all the 
 " principles and even subtleties of the grammar of 
 " our language ; so that Teachers, by no means friendly 
 " to the rest of our system, have been heard most can- 
 " didly to acknowledge, that in acquaintance with 
 " grammar, they have never seen our pupils surpassed 
 " by any rliildrcn of tlieir veais. 
 
30 
 
 ■1 
 
 u 
 
 " Alt lonn RR wo liiul asrerlninod by oxporicnro iho 
 " praclicability of llio nit'tli<Ml, wo Iwgan to put it in a 
 " morn syslvmntic lonn. At (irNt Iho ^rammiir, like iniwt | 
 " of our ollior Improvcmoiils iit thoiriiitroiliiction, was 
 " conritiL'ricxcliiiiivoly totliulii){liU!itclaKN. Afterwards, 
 " tlio iiMitliuil was rondorod more pro|nro!»ivo, and ex- [ 
 " tolided by def^rt^os so biw m the eighth claso. In tho i 
 " comniciicomoiit, nothing more is done than oxplninlni; | 
 " tbo nature ol a noun, and calling upon the pupil to pick 
 " out all the nouns, which (Kxur in any passage he has 
 " been reading, lie is next taught to distinguish their 
 " genders and numbers ; but cases arc reserved, till he . 
 '> has Irarnt the verb and ))reposition, ind can thus be j 
 " rendered ac(|uainled with their objpct and use. If tho ! 
 " teLJinical names of aingulur and plural, &c., at first I 
 " puzzle him,he is still made ar(|uainlcd with the griim- 
 " malical distinction, by varying the form of tho cpies- ] 
 " tion. Then in place ofasking the numAer of the word \ 
 " boys, we may a>k why it is boys, and not boy ; and, 
 " on being (old that it is because there are more than one, 
 " we may then, till the word becomes familiar, tell him l 
 " ihiit this is called plural. As soon as he can distin- j, 
 " guisli nouns tcdernbly well, the pupil is next instructed |, 
 " in the nature <t( articles, and called upon to illustrate : 
 " what be has been taught, by its application to the pas- 
 " sage before him. He is next in a similar manner 
 " taught, by means of examining the nature of ditjec- 
 " lives, their application and their mmles of comparison. 
 " Then, inlikemannerpconouns, andallerwnrdsoerft*; 
 " lending him gradually by examples to understand their 
 " differencesin point o( moo(l,time,numhe.r and person. 
 " Then prepositions; after which tho distinctions of 
 " cases in nouns aro exphiincd. Then adverbs, with 
 " the distinction between them and adjectives. Then 
 " conjunctions, and lastly interjcclions." 
 
 '■ The grammar which we tcEcli our pupils, is (as 
 " nearly as we can venture to make it) tho purcgram- 
 " mar of their own vernacular tongue, without rtfe- 
 " r.^nre to the ppcidiiiritius of other languago-i, with 
 " which our own books of grammar are lor the mo.st 
 " part uimecessarily interlarded and perplexed." 
 
 " Oeoqraplii/," sai<l (he great Burke, "though an 
 " earthly subject, is a hcnveidv study.'' Vet it isonlv 
 within the last (v.w years that it has been introduced to 
 iuiy considerable extent into the clemenlary Schools, or 
 l)een mailo other than a fruitless drudgery to the pupils. 
 
 The face of naluro has been roncenled from them; 
 an<l without even a maj). they liavf; been seut to the 
 c:lieerless nilalogue o( bard names to learn the features 
 of ill,! globe. 
 
 As it' this weri' not enough, the order of nature has 
 lieeii inviM'tL'd. Instead o( proteediiig from the oasv to 
 the (lillicull, from the known to the unknown ; pupils 
 have been, at the outset, introduced to the elements of 
 rtslrononiy, — the nialheinalicsof gijugraphv, — asn preli- 
 minary step to learninij the place f)f iheir abode. Some 
 iirihe Geographies which arc still used in many Scliools, 
 are constructed up"n this principle.* 
 
 * Some American writers of ctomentnry St-hnnl GooKrnpIuesljavo 
 pniu' tn thi- (ippusity ('xtri'tno. The author of the Teacher Tamjht 
 Biv_>-i. '■ Mo-t nf ihp tfxl biicli^ new used n.iiko this study ti>o cnhV. 
 " It scorns us if till' iiiitliiTs of thom ili<t not intoml to exorcise aii'y 
 " fjioiilty of tlie oliild's iniiid sjive tho imiiiory. i'lio ohjeet t>i 
 o lorteliiin^ tilt' rliilii \< not inori'ly t(i impiirt ttiiowl(>(l;»e ; ediiealton 
 " does not consist in distending and efiiininin;^ tlie im inory, hnt in 
 .* developin|; evcrv facnity and espeoiiiily rciison. whose 'eotnpiirin(; 
 '• liuliinee ' is deai »ned liy tlio Oeutor to liold tlie tnost protninent 
 .' pluee. G»'oi;riipliii?s Imve beoouie si-ureely iinythin;; else but ft 
 >' volume of qnestions, to be n.sltcd by the teacher nnd answered bv 
 '' tlio sehojur. When tliose can be answered Huently, the study of 
 »' peoffraphy is linishwl. In order to enable the si'holar to skim 
 •' over the earth's surface with great rapidity williouf perplexing 
 e the Teaelier, ihe initials to the answer to each ipiestion are given. 
 •' If the plan of such a book is iindeviatiiigly folhoved, tho memory 
 '• of the child is exerriscil, but reusoii, the noblest faculty of the 
 '' soul, remains untuuched." Whai is thus taught and learned, is 
 
 But In this, as well as the other ileparlmcnts of iile- 
 inentary iiiHtruction, nature has been aUowed to sug- 
 gest the inethiHl of teaching and learning ; and that 
 which was btifore dillicult for men, is now an annise- 
 menl fur children; ami what wasformerly the lalNirious 
 study of years, is now the recreation of a few months. 
 
 The earliest inhabitants oftho worlil — and tho cnrliost 
 geographers — did not learn the physical history uf the 
 globe by first investigating the laws oftho universe, — 
 then surveying tho vast continenis and oceans which 
 cover tho earth's surface, -Cuially Ihe |diysicul aspect 
 of their own country. They odvunced by n process 
 directly die reverse. Their attention was directed 
 first to the hilUand valleys, moiuitnins and plains, hikes 
 and rivers, priKluctions anil climate of their native 
 place and country,- -then to those of other lanils, and 
 to the phonomeiui on which tho theory of the solar sys- 
 tem is foumleil. This natural anil iniluctive method of 
 studying geography is now generally adiniltcd to be tho 
 true one ; it has oblaineil in ull the best schools in Eu- 
 rope, and has U-en adopted in many schools in tho Unit- 
 otl Slates, — though coinplainlsatoslillmade bytheir best 
 School writers, of the prevalence ihote of the old sys- 
 tem, or trilling modilications of it. 
 
 I In all the Normal and Model Schools that I visited in 
 , Europe, the Map and the Globe are, in the first in- 
 I stance, the only (ieography ; the pupil coinniencos his 
 geographical tour frotn the very Schoid-liouse in which 
 i he is learning, — makes a mop of every country and 
 ' ocean over which he travels, learns much of their 
 natural and something of their civil history as ho pro- 
 ceeds, anil is made acquainted with the principles upon 
 which their relative extent, di.stances, &c., may bo 
 determined, and their peculiar phenomena accounted 
 f'lr, — and is at length enabled to conlcmplalo the laws of 
 tho Universe ilsell! lie is thus by a process of induc- 
 tion, led on without either burdening the moinory, or 
 fatiguing the attention, fiom the simplest objects of 
 every day observation to the most interesting and in- 
 slruclive facts in the history of the physical, intellectual 
 anil moral wutlil. 
 
 In illustriilion anil conlirnintion of these remarks, f 
 mioht not only ipiole many authorities, but detail 
 ex.iiTiiiiations which I have hail the pleasure of witness- 
 ing in several countries of Europe. I'ut lesl the most 
 tnoderate description that I could give should he sus- 
 iioclnl of extrav.igaiice, I will av.iil myself again of 
 the followiii-; stalemcnis by the Secretary of the Bostoii 
 Hoard of Educiition. " The piaclice seemed to be (savs 
 " Mr. Mann,) of beoluning with objects perfeclly fanii- 
 " liar to the chilil,— (he School-hou.se with the grounds 
 " aroimil it, the home with its yards or gardens, (which 
 " each child is taught to draw,) and the strc' lc;ading 
 ' " from the one to the other. 
 
 I " First of all, the children were inilated into the 
 
 I " ideas of space, without which we can know no more 
 
 !i " of Corgraphy than we can of history without ideas 
 
 jl " of time. Air. Carl Ritter, of Berlin, probably the 
 
 !i " greatest geographer now living, expres.sed a decided 
 
 ij " opinion to me,that this was thetrue mode of beginning. 
 
 '' Children, too, cominence this study very early, 
 
 " soon after entering School,— but no notions are given 
 
 olso soon f.irgntfcn. Within ft few months after gnin(j thrniigh such 
 ] a text book in this ninnner, a pupil will know very little more flbuul 
 ; goerap'ty than if he had never studied it. 
 
 Travclliiif; is doubtless tho most thnrniigti method of studying 
 I ireojjraphy, but as this cannot be adopted— at least to any great 
 ' extent,— the next best method is thai which most nearly resem- 
 j blcs travelling,— namely, ilrawing maps of the countries studied,— 
 
 illstingt:isbing tlicir natural and political divisions, marking the 
 .1 courses of liiolr rivers, sketching their mountains, det4>rmtning their 
 i| chief ciiies and towns,— delineating with greater minuteness our 
 1 own and other namtrics with which we are moat intiniatclr con- 
 ' neoted, and whicli arc of the greatest historical importance. 
 
 IN'^. 
 
 ; '*jj|^S ' r' " - 
 
31 
 
 rncnln of <ilt'- 
 iWL'd ti) itug- 
 i^ ; nnd llmt 
 w an Rniiiiir- 
 lli« liilioriiiiiit 
 low miiriilifi. 
 
 ml llio cnrlicM 
 liUtory (it'lliu 
 1) universe, — 
 irciinN wliirli 
 h}sifiil iispeil 
 >y n prdccm 
 was (lircclcil 
 il iiIuIdn, liikefi 
 
 llit'ir niitivu 
 icr Inriil.'), ami 
 
 (liu solar »ys- 
 livo mellmd of 
 illcd to he the 
 ic'Ii(H)Ih in Eu- 
 h initio Unit- 
 li! byllieir best 
 )r thu old «ys- 
 
 hat I visited in 
 in llie (irst in- 
 •ointiiencos his 
 lOusc ill whirl) 
 / country and 
 much of iheir 
 iry ns ho pro- 
 irinciples upon 
 &c., may bo 
 ena aceuuntcd 
 lalo the laws of 
 nccss of induc- 
 10 memory, or 
 lest iibjccts of 
 esting and in- 
 al, intellectual 
 
 esc reitinrks, f 
 
 es, but detjil 
 
 roof witncss- 
 
 leot (he nrost 
 
 ouhl he sus- 
 
 seif again of 
 
 of the Bostoii 
 
 led lobe (says 
 
 ifpcily fami- 
 
 le grounds 
 
 ions, (which 
 
 strc' linuling 
 
 shd 
 
 ■y 
 
 ie 
 
 tatpd into the 
 now no more 
 
 without ideas 
 probably the 
 
 iscd a decided 
 of beginning. 
 
 very early, — 
 lions are given 
 
 in(j through such 
 litile more abuut 
 
 hnil of studying 
 list to any groat 
 St nearly retwm- 
 [itrios studitil, — 
 marking the 
 eUn-tnining their 
 minuteness our 
 intimately con* 
 portancc. 
 
 '* I hem whirh ihcy ve n«it perfectly able to compre- 
 " lienil, reproduce and •xprum, 
 
 '' I found (iciigrapliy taught almost wholly from large 
 " map«isus|icnded against tlii' walls, anil by deliiH'atiuns 
 " on thu black-board. And iiore, the skill of pupils bimI 
 " teachers in drawing did ailmirablu service. The 
 " teiiclier traced the mitlines <]f a country on iho lui- 
 " iMjnded map, or drew im« upon tho lilack-lsmrd, ac- 
 " compaiiyiiig the exhibition with an oral lerlure;and, 
 " at ihu next recitation, the pupils were expected 
 " to repeat what they had seen and beard. .\nil, In 
 " regard to the natural divisions of ihn earth, or lliu 
 " p<ilitieal biiundaries of counlrics,a pupil was not con- 
 " sidered as having given any proof that ho had a correct 
 '' image in his mind, until be could go to the black- | 
 " board, and reprixluce il from the ends of his fingers. 
 " I wilnewed no lesson unarconipanicd by these tests. 
 
 " ( will describe, as exactly as i am able, a lesson, 
 " which I heard given to a cbiHs a little advanced beyon(l 
 *' the elements, — remarking that though I bt-ard many 
 '' lessons given on the same plan, none of llicm were 
 " signalized by the rapidity and edect of the one I am to 
 " describe. 
 
 " Tho Teacher hUmu\ by the black-bnard, with llio 
 " chalk ill his hand. After casting his eye over tho 
 " class to see that all were ready, he struck at tho mid- 
 " die of ilie board. Wiih a rapidity of lianil which my 
 " eye could hardly fidlow, ho made a series of those 
 " short divergent lines or shadings, employed by map 
 •' engravers to represent n chain of mountains. Ho had 
 " scarcely tamed an angle, or shot off a spur, when tho 
 " the scholars began to cry out, Carpathian Mountains, 
 " Hungary ; Black Forest Mountains, Wurtemburg, 
 " Giants' Mountains (Kieson (iobcrge), Silesia; Me- 
 " tallic Muunlains, (Erz-Gibcrge), Pino Mountains, ;; 
 '' (Sichtel Giborge); — Central Mountains, (Mitlel j 
 " Giberge), Bohemia, &c., Hic. 
 
 '' In le.«s than half a minute, tho ridgo of that grand 
 " central eh vation which separates the waters that flow 
 " North- West into tho (ierinnn Ocean, from those that 
 " flow Ndrth into the Haltic, and South-East into thu 
 " Hl.ick S(^ii, was (irescnted to view, — executed almost 
 " as bijautifiilly as an engraving. \ doiien crinklin;; 
 " strokes, made in the twinkling of an eye, represciilcd 
 " the head waters of the great rivers which flow in dif- 
 " ferentdireclions from tliat inountaini'us range ; while 
 " llie children almost as eager and exriled as though 
 " they had actually seen the torrents dabbing down the 
 " mountain sides, cried out Danube, Elbe, Vistula. 
 " Oder, &.C. 
 
 " The next m .■n-nt I lipnid a succession of small 
 " strokes or laps, sii rapid as to be almost indistinguish- 
 " able, and hardly had my eye lime to discern a large 
 " number of dols made ahm:^ ihe margins of rivers, 
 " when llie shout of Sintz, Vienna, Prague, Dresden, 
 " Berlin, &c., struck my ear. At this point in the 
 " exercise, thu spot which had been occupied on the 
 " black-board was nearly a circle, of which the starting 
 " point or place where iho Teacher first began, was 
 " the centre ; but now a f^w additional strokes around 
 " the circumference of the incipient continent, ex- 
 " tended Ihe mountain ranges outwards towards the 
 " plains, — the children responding Ihe names of the 
 " countries in which they respectively lay. With a 
 " few more strokes the rivers flowed onwards towards 
 " their several terminations, and by another succession 
 " of dots, new cities sprang up along their banks. 
 
 " By this time the children had liecome asmucbex- 
 " cited as though they had been present at a world raa- 
 " king. They rose in their seals, they flung out both 
 " bands, their eyes kindled, and their voices became aU 
 
 " motl vociferous as they cried out the riAm«s of the dif- 
 " fereiil places, which under tho magic of tlw Teacher's 
 " crayon roio into view. Within ten minutes from tlie 
 " commencement of tho lesson, there st<iod U|ion ihe 
 " black-board a beautiful map of (iermany, with its 
 " mountains, principal rivers and cities, Ihe coast of iho 
 '' (ierinan Ocean, of ihe Baltic and Bla' '- Seas ; and all 
 " so accurately proportioiieil that I th. 'iglit errors 
 " only would have licrn found hid il be. . subjecled to 
 " ihu test of a scale of miles. A part of this timn was 
 " taken up in corrtH'ting a few mistakes of the pupils; 
 " for the 'I'eai tier's minil seemed to be in his ear as well 
 " as in his hand, and notwithst4uidiiig Ihe astcuiishing 
 " celerity of his movements, ho dutected orroncoui an- 
 , " swors, and turned round tu correct them. 
 
 I " Compare Ihe uft'cct of such a lessnn as this both to 
 " ihe amount of knowledge communicated, and the vi- 
 " vidness and of course pi rmanence of Ihe ideas obtain- 
 " cd, with a lesson where itiu sctudars look out a few 
 " names ol places on a lifeless Alias, but never send 
 '' their imaginations abroad over the earth ; and where 
 " the Teacher sits listlessly down before them to 
 
 I " interrogate ihem from a bo<ik, in which all Ihe qiies- 
 '' tions are printed at full length, to supersede on bis 
 " part all necessity of knowledge. 
 
 " Thoroughly and beautifully as i saw some depart- 
 " ment of Geography taught in tho Common Schixjls 
 " of Prussia, traced out into their connexions wilh 
 " commerce, manufactures, and history, i found but 
 " lew of this class of Schools, in which Universal 
 " Geography could wilh any propriety, bo considered 
 " as a part of tho course. The Geography of Iheir 
 " own country was minutely investigated. That of 
 " tlie western hemisphere was very little understood. 
 " But this should bo said, that as far as they professed 
 " to teach, they taught thoroughly and well." 
 
 There are several other subjects which come legiti- 
 mately within the range of Common School Education, 
 — which have ns yet been intcotluced into very few if 
 any of our Common Schools, — but which, I conceive, 
 ought to be taught in all the Model Schools, and lo as 
 great an extent as posg-'ile, in at least every V'illoge 
 Common School. Nor do I despair of seeing them 
 occupying an important place in many of the country 
 Schools. 
 
 The lirst of these is. Linear Drawing. What has 
 b'en incidentally said on ibis subject, when speaking of 
 writing and geography, shows its importance, and the 
 facililj' with whi( h it may be taught and learned. It 
 is a delightful amusement for children ; it contributes to 
 good writini; ; it is essential to the proper study of 
 Geography ; it is an introduction to Geometry ; it quick- 
 ens the important faculty of observation ; it teachesihe 
 eye lo judge correctly of tho dimensions of macnitudc, 
 and the mind to appreciate the beauty of liirm, — an 
 element of cultivated lasto ; it gives skill to the hand, 
 strengthens llio memory, improves invention ; enables 
 one at once to understand all drawings of tools, uten- 
 sils, furniture, machinery, plans, sections, views of 
 buildings, and the power of representing them, as well 
 as ability to execute all the drawings of the Surveyor, 
 and Engineer. All this may bo done by lines, or linear 
 drawing. 
 
 Beyond this Common Schools cannot be expected 
 in general to advance. 
 
 I But from outlines of perspective, many pupils will 
 I doubtless be dis|)osed and enabled tu advance to lights 
 I and shades, and colours. * 
 
 •Mr. Wise, in Hia Education Refotm, remarks that "atFri- 
 
 ;j " bourg in Switzerland, the euurse ot' drawing forms three distinct 
 
 " scries. The fint is called tho Mathematko-SfechauicaL It 
 
82 
 
 Mr, Slowi', ill liiH nccoiint ci( the (raining nyitfiii ' 
 (<»liilili»liiil ill (lUiUffow TiuininK Seminary, nimirvva 
 Ihiit " l.iiiiar Dniwiiiu null SkiiicliiiiK iHilonuon slatcit 
 " iiriil cm iPHpcr, imil inuy iM(U|iy half an hour lwit:« or 
 " ihrin' a wi'ik.in an (inhiniry KriKlinh Schciol. Driiw- 
 " iiiK ninipl'' lini'H, Hiiil "iilliiic'H 1)1' ihu (iirniH of ohiccis, 
 " natural and aiiilicial, t»|)»'i:iHlly of hiiihhn(i;H niKlarli- 
 " I h's of fiimiluri!, I'XorciM'n Iho «ye, iin|irovc» iho IhnIc, 
 " ami ({iv('» corrt'cliifsi o( ohservalion, which iiiiiy, in 
 " future lili', );r<'allv aiil lliii nu'chaiiic in Win |Uirti<Milar 
 " Iradi) or calling. Si^vcral l>iiy» have heen npprcnliccd 
 " to iHliii)-|iriiilc:r», in consiMiuencc of their nkclc liin){ 
 " powers having Im'Cii developed in llic Model SchiK)l 
 " of the Senior Duparlment uf this instituliun." 
 
 '{'lie tollowinn important fiicts arc slated hy Profes- l 
 iiir Slowe, in his Report on Prussian Schools, to tlio I 
 Slalu of Oliio Le|{islnlurc, and will (upersi'de the 
 necessity of any further remarks from nio on thin suh- , 
 iecl : — 
 
 . . !^ 
 
 " 'I'lio universal success ami very beneficial results, |' 
 " willi whieii the arts of drawing and designing, vocal 
 " and instrumental music, have lieen introiluced into 
 " llie Schools, was another fact f)cciiliarly interesting 
 " to me. I asked all the Teachers with whom I 
 " conversed, wliellier they did not sometimes find 
 " childri'ii who were incapahle uf learning lo draw or 
 " sing. I have had hut one reply? and that was, that 
 " they found Iho same diversity of nalural talent in 
 " regard to those, as in regard to reading, writing, and 
 " the other hranclics of education ; bul they had never 
 " seen a child who wan capable of learning to read 
 •' ami write, who could not be taught lo sing well, 
 " and draw neatly, and that too wilhoiU taking any 
 " time which would at all interfere with, indeed 
 '' which would not actually protiwle his progress in 
 " other studies. 
 
 " 'I'lie I'lrsl exercises are in drawing lines, and the 
 '^ most simple mathematical ligures, .such as the sipiare, 
 " the cube, the triangle, iho parallelogram ; generally 
 " iVoiii wooden iinidels, placed at some little distance on 
 " the shelf before the class. From this ihey proceed 
 " to arcliilectural figure.*, such as doors, wimlows, 
 " columns, and faijades. Then llie figures of animals, 
 " such as a horse, n coW, an elephant, — first from other 
 " picturo, then from nature. A plant, a riwu, or some 
 " llower is placeil upon the shelf, and the class make 
 " a picture of it. From tlii.s they proceed to land- 
 '- scape painting, historical painting.4, and the higher 
 " branches of tlie art, according to their time and 
 "capacity. All learn onougli of drawing to use it in 
 " the common business of life, such as plollinga field, 
 " laying out a canal, or drawing a plan of a building; 
 " anil many attain to a high degree of excellence. • 
 
 " I'onsisU (tf Il'ksoiis of rif^ht lines, curvt's, pianos; Ihcn copies of 
 " lliL* L'lilje, prism, coiii>, (.plien', &e.. i^v., linnlly of iiislriimeiils 
 " Ml" j^ciRTiil usf, iiuiL'hiiiey, orilera of Archilecture. 2nJ. The 
 " J'fijvtiifili'. — It comprisi'S the ino!,t simple hii.I inlccestin;; pltiiits, 
 '• eitluT inili(tenoi)H or exotic, lie{^nniti;y with tliep^irta ^lo^tea.sy In 
 " copy, ntul Kratltmlly luiviiiifiiig to the more romplicateJ. 3r(l. 
 " 'I'lii- Ziitrloijiral. — It presents the aninnils in h hories anahi;;oui) to 
 " the nreeeihnj;. At tlie tnittom of tllo scale is the catevpiliur ; at 
 " tlie lieail, man ; these three are si)bsei|tienClycomb!neil; thucater- 
 " pilhir or butterlly with lite (lower ; man, with Architet-'turo, &c. 
 
 *' Aecompaniei] witli a text, (hey are material a^isistants in the 
 " stiiily of Geo;;raphy, Natural History. &c. Sic. 
 
 " Thev pur.siio tliese three ctiarsea both after uodela or citpics, 
 " anil alter nature." 
 
 * Jt may be worth while to adJ the followin(» pro^ramnio of the 
 course of ilrawin;; taught in the ilrilish and Foreign Schtiol Stxie- 
 tij's Horoii(;lr Itoad ScIhiuI, where great numbers of the children of 
 the laboring classes are inslructeil. 
 
 " l*(. Geometrical drawing with instruments, intended to tench 
 ** the boys the eoiiHtruction t>f such problems ns are most reipiired 
 " among carpenterf, masons and hun<lierafts-meii, in general. 
 
 " 2/i(/. Lineal drawing, exfculed hy band alone. Here two ob- 
 '* jectsore spfcially olmed af, (I) the training of thoeye; and (2) the 
 " training o) the hand. The first is accomplished hy (pie-stions from 
 *■ the mrmilor, as t,i the b^niilh of lines, the sire of figures, and by 
 o requiring the boyii to divide lines into halves, thirds and i^uurters. 
 
 Music ii another department uf inslriirlion wliirfi, 
 I think, uiiglit lo find n place in every cnmnuiii 
 School. My own iiiipiiries in Kiirime have i mdirnied 
 III my own iniiiil, llie cnrrectni'ssof llie foregoing slatc- 
 menl by Ptolessor Stowe, that the ability lo lenrn !•' 
 singisunivcr>al, and that leaching singing in the School 
 facilitates railier than iinjicdes the pupils in their other 
 studies, 
 
 III answer to my iiupiirios, ihe same fads were slated 
 Id me hy the Tenchers of Normal and Model Schools 
 in London, Dublin, Kiliidmrgb and tilasgow; and in 
 iht^ greaier part of the Kh'menlary Schools ihroughnul 
 the Kingdom, vocal muiic forms u part of the daily 
 exerci>cs. 
 
 Mr. Stowe, referring to the Glasgow Seminary,— re- 
 marks, that, " As the Irainingor natural system has been 
 " applied to every brnnch of education taught in thv 
 " Normal Seminary, it might be supposed that music 
 " would not be overlooked. We believe this Instita- 
 " tion was the first to introduce singing, as a distinct 
 " branch of popular eiliication, which is now becoming 
 " all but universal ihrunglxiut the country. Three 
 " great objects were in view : Isl. To train the child 
 " lo worslii|i GihI in llio family. !2nd. In the piib- 
 " lie sanctuary ; and 3rdly, by furnishing the young 
 " with interesting mural songs, to displace in their 
 " social amusemeuls many of at least a (|uestion«blo 
 " character. These great objects have been fully 
 " attaineil by the children attending Iho Model Schools. 
 " Without vocal music, the initiatory or infant dcpart- 
 " inent would be n failure ; and both in it and in the 
 " other departments it proves a powerful instrument uf 
 " moral culture. It is a fact that nearly every child 
 " learns lo sing. No one, we believe, isentirely desli- 
 " tule of the natural power, anil the frequent exercise 
 " of it in the initiatory department, — the variety and 
 " ihe social and pleasurable feelings it engenders, cer- 
 " laiiily call up in almost all a taste for music. Music 
 " lends to refine and humanize the pupils, whether hi 
 " the infant or juvenile department, and wo are sur- 
 " prised that this powerful instrunn :'' liir gooil (as 
 " well as for evil) has been permitte.i so Ijng to \m 
 " unused in the public Schools." 
 
 The Committee of the Privy Council on Edticalinn 
 in Loudon direcled, several years ago, their .serious 
 altenlioii lo this subject; Ihcy became deeply impresseil 
 with il.s importance as a branch of elementary educa- 
 tion, and at length determined to introduce it into Ihe 
 Schools for I he laboring clas.ses. The want of a snilable 
 method of instruction was felt as a serious imppdi- 
 inent. Their Lordships slate in their Minute (IS-JO) 
 on this subject, " ns a preliminary to III" prepuralion ot 
 " .such a mctiiod, their Lordships had di.ecled their 
 " Secretary to collect or procure from llie various parts 
 " of Europe where music has liceii cultivated in iho 
 " elementary Schools, the bonks in most general use in 
 " Normal Schools, and in the Schools of the Com- 
 " munes, and of Ihe Towns. The manuals of hical 
 " music were accordingly collected in Switzerland, 
 " Holland, the German Slates, Prussia, Austria ami 
 " France. 
 
 " The ueeoiid is of coursesetaired by the practice of the boy in draw ■ 
 '* ing any assigned ci>pv. The monitor is furnished with a pair «r 
 '* compasses and a grutuiated ruler, and corrects tlio alteinpta uf th« 
 " boys with perfect accuracy. 
 
 " 3nL Iloianical, animal, map, and general drawiag fpoj» copiea 
 '* and specimens. 
 
 " 4tli. Drawing from objects with the illustration of the moitk 
 " principles of perspective. 
 
 " r>th. Arehileulnrid and plan drawing, including the rarioua 
 " parts of a common building, sueb as stair-catcs. closets. Sic, ai 
 '* well as Ihe different styles and orders of arcbiteclore. 
 
 " No. I is practised with slate and pencil, and the others, in the 
 " first instance, on the black-board with chalh, and aflerwarda on 
 '* p.ipervvith pencil anil crayon. In cnnnexitm with these, and ei- 
 •♦ pecially with Nos. 2 and 4, mensuration, ond some if the simpler 
 *• I'lenicntit of nialbeniaties ere tiiUght, and when known submitted 
 ■I to a practical applicatitn," 
 
33 
 -A 
 
 " TliuM wiirki wero carefully eximinail in (inlur 
 " that lliiiir rliaracleridic diflbniricpi tniglil bo uontlain- ' 
 " wi, ai well nil tliit ((cneral lenilnnry uf ttit' mi'llioH!) 
 " adoplml in tlii-a» cuunlrioi. i 
 
 [ 
 
 " Tlio commun clmracliirialic of the wnrki in, ihat 
 " liiey areseiiarally fortnwl In Iho lynthctic iirder, and 
 " liriwvaiJ JVitm lliu ilmiileiit t-lcmenin, with more or leu 
 " nkill, lo ihiHM) wliii'li iiro more iliUiriill and mmplex. 
 " Tlio iynthedc molliu I i)|i|H'arnd to lie ijcvcloppil with 
 " the Krciatual skill in thi; Wiirk ()ulill>li<>d Iry M. Willii>in, ' 
 " undur the aunction ul' lliu Minlalur ofPuldic Inntruc- 
 " tion at Pari*. i 
 
 " The accounts whirhtliKir I,iirdilii|i!t rcreivod nf (lie 
 '• Kucceas of thii mu IIiikI nt I'unn, induced tlipin lo direrl 
 " their Hcrretary to priHure for tliitn tliu umiitlnnco of 
 " Mr. Ilulluli, will) wiiH kiiiiwn to hiivn irivcn much 
 " Htl»nlioii 1(1 tho Hiilij it, and to Imvc Iiimmi niroady 
 " imnnKud in mukiiiK triiils of the inollind. Tlicy wore 
 " dirucled to |iruci!oil in Paris to exaiiiini' in di'tail tlio 
 " oxpedients rctorlud lo in tlifc praciical iippliculion of 
 '' this miilhiKl lo oliiini.'utary Si hnoU, nnil alto lo com- 
 " miinirHlt with the Miiiiktcrof Public InMruction, and 
 " Willi M. VVillicm, previously lo the propar.itinn of ihis 
 " incthiid for Ihe use of ulomenlai y Schools in Fntiland. 
 " The method of M. Wilhein has been practised 
 " iniiiiy years in Pans, and lias boon intrnihu oil into the 
 '' Normal and Kleinonlnry Schools of France under 
 " Ihe authority of the Minister of Publirr liistruclion. 
 " Every lesson is adapted to the capacity of children, 
 " and so nrrangod as to cimblo a monitor of ordinarv 
 " skill, with llio aid of previous intlruction, li' conduct 
 '• a class through tho whole course. 
 
 " The Committee of Council on Education have ! 
 " charged Mr. Mullah with (he duly of preparing for ' 
 " tho use of Elementary Schools and for publication 
 " under the authority nf their Lordships, a cnurM of : 
 " instruction in vocal music, founded upon anil embra- 
 " cing all the practical points of the method of VVilhcm. 
 " This method is at once simple and scientific, — it con- ; 
 " tains no new or .startling theories ; makes no attempt 
 " at the very questionable advantage of new musical 
 " characters; and rests its only claims to novelty upon a ; 
 " careful analysis of the theory and practice of vocal ' 
 " music, from which the arrangements of ihc lessons 
 " result, and which ascend from less«nis of the simplest 
 " character, 0n matters adapted to the comprehension of 
 " a child, through a series of steps, until t'hose subjects i 
 " which it might otherwise bo difficult to understand, 
 " are introduced in a natural and logical order, so as to | 
 " appear as simple and easy as the earliest steps of the 
 " method. These are the characteristics of all the pro- 
 " cesses in Elementary Education which deserve the ! 
 " name of method. This is the characteristic to which i 
 " Ihe method of VVilhem lays claim, as well as to a few 
 '' very simple and ingenious mechanical contrivances. 
 
 " Methods are, however, of little use iinloss put in 
 " operation by skilful atid zealous teachers ; and little 
 " progress can be made in Ihediirusion of a knowledge 
 " of music in Elementary Schools, until the School- 
 " Diaslers and Schoolmistresses themselves possi-ss at 
 " least knowledge sufficient not only to second the 
 " ctTorts of occasional instructors, where their assistance 
 " can be obtained, but also lo supply the ;ivant of that 
 " assistance wherever it is nut accessible." 
 
 Such are the sentiments anil proceedings of the 
 Education Committee of Her Majrsty's Privy Council 
 on this subject. 
 
 Tho system of Wilhnm, so tested and approved, is 
 now used by common consent in all tho Normal and 
 Elementary Schools throughout Great Britain and 
 Ireland. 
 
 The Icadins educationiatB la i - t'nilid .««!•*. 
 following in tnis as well «• in < - rw|'^ -^i*, IIm 
 example of Iho most onlightvwd n % ui Kuii)|i< 
 in their patriotic rndearuurs ' vo tUur »y> 
 
 (ems uf public education, have '- :U advocaitrti 
 lln' inlriMluction uf vinhI music as u i ,ii< ii of ('(ill' 
 inon ScIkkiI inttruclinn, and music is now regularly 
 taught in a Urge proportion of tlieir Schools in thi' 
 New York and .Ntw Kn|(land Stales. The Kov. 
 Dr. Poller, of New York, in Ihe Pri«e F.Miay already 
 qiinti'd, — School Hiii\ Sehoolmaiter -ii\)tu:r\ei, ihal, 
 " All men have been endowed with susceptibility to 
 " the inniionce of music. The child is no sooner 
 " born than the nurse liogins (o simiiIi it to repoM' 
 " by music. Thrmigb life music is cmplovcd lo 
 " nniinatn the depressed, tu inspire the timid willi 
 " courage, to lend new wings to devotion, and In 
 " give iitlernnce to juy and sorrow. Tli" niiniUT 
 " of schools among us, in which music is inailo om.' of 
 " the lirancbos nf eli'inentary instruction, is already 
 " gieat,and is constantly increasing, and I bavu liciiid 
 " of no case in which with pro|H;r training, cvury 
 " child has not been found capable uf learning." 
 
 V(H-al music as a hrancli of Common Schiwl F'.dii- 
 cntion, is thus alludiid lo in a late Rc|Kirt of ihc 
 SchiHil Coinmilteo of the City of Boston ; " If vo- 
 " cal music were generally adopted as a branch ol 
 " instruction in the eighty thousand Common Schools 
 " in this country, it might bo reasonably expected, that 
 " in at least two generations, wo should be changful 
 " into a musical people. Tlic great iioint to tie cnn- 
 " sidero<l in reference to Ihc introduction of vocal 
 " music into popular elementary instruction, is, that 
 " thereby you set in motion a miffMy power which 
 " liUnlly but turely in the end, will humanise, 
 " refine and elevate a whole community. Music is 
 " one of tho fine arts ; it, therefore deals with abstract 
 " bGauty,and so lifts man to the source of all beauty, — 
 " from finite to infinite, and from tho world of nut- 
 " tor lo Ihe world of spirits, and to God. Whejice 
 " came those traditions of revered antiquity — seditions 
 " quelled, cures wrought, (leets and armies governed 
 " by the force of song, — wlionce that responding of 
 " rocks, woods, and trees, to tho harp of Orplicus, — 
 " whence a City's walls uprising beneath the wundur 
 " working touches of A|)ollo's Lyre .' These, it is 
 " true, are fables ; yet they shadow forth beVeath tli* 
 " veil of allegory, a profound truth. They beautifully 
 " proclaim the mysterious union, between music as aii 
 " instrument of man's civilization, and the soul of man. 
 " Prophets, and vPise men, large-minded lawgi%«rs 
 " of olden time, understood and acted on this truth. 
 " The ancient oracles were uttei«d in song. The 
 " laws of tho Twelve Tables were put ta music, awI got 
 *' by heart at Schuol, Minstrel and sage are in some 
 " languages convertible terms. Music is allied to the 
 " highest sentiments of man's moral nature ; love of 
 " God, love of country, love of friends. Wo to tlie 
 " nation in which those sontimeuts are allowed to go 
 " lo decay ! Wliat tongue can tell the unutterable 
 " energies that reside in those three engines — Church- 
 " music, — national airs, — and fireside melodies I" 
 
 As lo the beneficial results already realized from the 
 introduction uf vocal music into Common Schouls, the 
 most ample testimony might be uihluccd. Two or 
 three statements will suffice. Her Majesty's Privy 
 Council Committee on Education state : " In this 
 " country of late years, the importance of teaching 
 " vocal music in Kliimeiitnry Schools is generally 
 " acknowled;;i'd. Tho important and useful influence 
 " of vocal music 'A) lie manners and habits of indivi- 
 " duals, anil iin llie dniracter of communities, few will 
 " be prepariMJ lo ilisjjiiU'. It is however satisfactory to 
 " know that the degrading habits of intoxication 
 " which at one time clmractariz'.'d the poorer classes of 
 
M 
 
 " (iurmany, uru nvwlDimurkMbly (liiiiirii*hi'(l (luevrry 1 Coiii|iHralivtljr lillla of liiilury can be •s|i«et«il 
 
 " iravulliT III Ovrmnny tun {•■"iiiy] lini)' tliu art ul' lo \m laii^lil in a Cuinmon SchiKil. Tlia prinriiwl 
 
 " ^iii)(ini{ liiis Im.'i(iiiii' uliniiKt u^ cDiiiimui in ihat cuuii- ubjtcl •lutiilil bo lu show bow it miKh' In ba Muilivil, 
 
 " try ill llii^ |Hiwi'r III' itjM'L'i li, — a huinariixiiiK rvaull and lii vxuilu a lualu anil iiilertat lur tbii ■luily nf il. 
 
 " iillriliiiliililu III lliii I'xci'llciil Kliiinvnlary ScliDola uf i Compvnili, or CalriJiiami i>( limlwry wllli |iriiilril 
 
 M 
 
 " mi iniiriy Slalvs in (ivrniaiiy." 
 
 A ri'c nt Ainrricun Iriivvllur in Swiiwrjanti, »tulra 
 ibr liillinvin;; inluru.slili){ fm:ln : — " VVii liuve li»- 
 " li'iit'il III lliii (WH^aiit I'liililriMiN mmKii, ua lliey 
 " wi'iit nut lu lliuir niiirniiiK iii'cii|iutiunit, anil Haw 
 " llii'ir lii'iiriN I'likiiiillc'il lo ibu bi|{liL'iil lnnva nC niu- 
 " sir. anil iiiHitry, by lliu riiinff nun, or llio familiar 
 " olijci'Li III' naliirc, eacli nf winch wn* mailu In vclio 
 " Miriui Irulli, or point in iinmo iluly, by an a|i|irii|iriHlii 
 '' siin((. Wo bavu hoard thorn sing llin ' liarvoit 
 " hymn ' an lliuy went fotlh bi'riiru day-light lo Kathiir 
 " lliu grain. VVu havi> nccn ihom aviuinbiu in groujui 
 " nt iiiglil, chanting :i hymn ol' praisu fur lliu gloriea of 
 " thu hcavi'iiN, or joining in soino |iatriiitic cliurna, nr 
 " tiimc wH:ial inuloily, instead of tho frivulnuH and 
 " corrupting cniivcraulinn which ao nflcn rnndora Kuch 
 " nicclings the wciio nf evil, fn addition lo lliia, 
 '• wu visilcd comnnunilit's where tho youth IiikI 
 " been Iruined from their chililliood lo exeruiau in 
 " vocal music, nf such a character a> to elovale 
 " instead of dubuiiing thu mind, and havo fnund 
 " lliut it served in tho aaino manner to cheer their 
 " social aiiaoftihliea, in place of tho noise of folly, 
 " nr the poiaoniid cup of intoxication. We have seen 
 " lliu yuung men of such community assembled to the 
 " number of several hundreds, from a circuit of twenty 
 " miles; and. In place of spending a day of fpatlvity in 
 " rioling and drunkenness, pass the whole time, with 
 " the cxgcptinn of that employed in a frugal repaiat and 
 " social meeting, in concerts of social, moral and reli- 
 " ginus hymns, and to davote the pruoeeda of the ex- 
 " hihitioii to some object of benevolence, 
 
 " Wo could not but look at tho contrast presented 
 " on similar occnsinns in our own country, with a blush 
 "of shame. Wo have visited a villago whose whole 
 " mnral nsiicct was changed in a few years by the in- 
 " iroduction of music of this character, even among 
 " adults, and where the aged were cnm|H!llcd to e\- 
 " press their astonishment at seeing tho yuung Hb.iniliin 
 " their corrupting and riutous amusements, fur this 
 " delightful and improving exerci>e." 
 
 History is another branch of knowledge which 
 ahnuld lie taught in every Common School. 
 
 History is in close alliance with Geography, and 
 often I'ornis a branch ol it, under the head nf Civil and 
 Statistical Geography. An aci|uaintanco with the sur- 
 face of tho globe is llio preface to the study of the human 
 nature, manners and inslilutions which bavefigiireil U|>on 
 il. Theempireof Geiigiaphy is place; that nf History is 
 lime — ihe niie fixing tlic scene, ilie other delineating lliu 
 ivcnts which have markrd iho progress nf mankind, 
 lie that knows history adds Iho expericncn of former 
 ages tn his own. He lives ijie life nf Iho wurld. 
 Kspecially he learns the urigin and character of his 
 ci'untry's laws and instilutinns, the sources of ils prns- 
 jierily, and tliorifnre Ihe means uuj ilulics roiiuirud for 
 the adviinceinent of ils interesls. 
 
 Lord Bacon has therefore well .said : " Hi.slnries 
 " make men wise." But it is to bu feared llial the 
 remark of the Author of thu New York District 
 School is too applicable In Canada ; '' There is 
 " scarcely a primary School where history is laught, 
 " and hut few ' nf the higher Scjioiils make it an 
 " ini|»irtant study." Tho impuriiiiue nf it, hnwever, 
 is universally acknnwieilged ; ami it now forms a 
 branch of instruction in Ihe Elementary Schools of the 
 most enlightened countries. 
 
 qUMllona, ara not adapted fur ihia purp<iav. Thny 
 are lilllu mure than dry digeala ofgviwral avunis, which 
 do not inlareat ihii pupil, and which ho c.innnl apprw- 
 cialo ; and learning thu answera to llio i|ucaliuiia la a 
 moru work of memory willmut any rxerciaa of diacri- 
 inination,judgmunt, lualu or language, — forgnltan ulinoal 
 aa aoun aa leurned. The aynlhetiu moibiHl of Ivaching 
 ia aa applicable In hiitory as to every iillivr biam b of 
 elumeiilary instruction. IndividiiiiU preceded nutioiia. 
 Thu picture of thu former is more eaaily comprehended 
 than that of thu latter, and is lieller adHpli'd lo awaken 
 the curiosity, and inleri'sl the feeliiiga of the child. 
 Hiography nhould ihercforu liirni lliu principal topic 
 of elementary hialory ; and iho great permda into 
 which it is naturally and forn.al.ly divided, — and which 
 must be dislinctiv marked, — hlnaold be asMHiialed with 
 llio names of aomo dislingiiislied inilividiial or indivi- 
 dunls, The life of an individual oDni forma the lead- 
 ing feuturu of llie agn in which he lived, and will foim 
 the beat nucleus umiind which to collect in the yuulli- 
 fiil mind the events of an age or the hislory of a period. 
 Uuth sacred and profane hittory uboUnd in example*. 
 
 Though text-books are used in connexion with iha 
 aluily of history, thu best instructors leach it without 
 them. Their examples illustiatethe following remark* 
 of an experienced Teacher : 
 
 " History is best laught without a lexl-book, th« 
 " Teacher himself making the whole pruparulion. The 
 *' pupils should be furnished with maps, or a large inap 
 " should be suspended before them by the side uf lh*t 
 " black-board. If the pupils have no suitable mape, 
 " and that of the Teacher bo on loo small a scale for 
 " exhibition lo a class, he should draw on the black 
 " board o magnified outline of the seat of Ihe event. 
 
 " Care should ho first taken lo give an idea of the 
 " remoteness of the event lo be described, by tracing a 
 " lino on tho black-board, lo represent two or more 
 " years, and showing how long it would be necetsary 
 " to draw it, lo ruprosent Ihe period which has elapted 
 " since thu event occurred. 
 
 " The date may be given on the black-board, and Iha 
 " place may be pointed out upon Ihe man or mentinn- 
 " ed, and the pupil allowed tn find it for hiin>elf. Tho 
 " Teacher may then rend, or, what is better, narrate in 
 " familiar language, and in Ihe mannerof ci nvcrsalion, 
 " the event, or series of events, which he intenda to 
 " make iha subject of thu lessim. If his pupils are 
 " beginners, he shouhl not s)ienk long before asking 
 " questions, as to what he has been telling. If these 
 '' aro made freqi:enl, the pupil will ho encouraged to 
 " give his atlenliun to thu end. Tho questions, who^ 
 " and whcro .' and what f should be asked. When 
 " thu Teacher's narrative is finished, he should ask if 
 " .somo one will not undertake lo tell the whole story 
 " in his own language. Those who have the best 
 " talent for narrative will be ready to do this, and after 
 " some little practice nearly the whole class. Or the 
 " Teachur may say, ' I wish you all to write upon 
 " ynur slates or paper, atid bring lo mo tu-morrow, 
 " what ynu can remember nf iho siory I have just told 
 " you.' Questions should be asked as to the moral 
 " right or wrong of Iho characters of the actors of Iha 
 " events. 
 
 " Let not the Teacher be discouraged at ihe slow pro- 
 
 " gress he seems to make. In the usual mode of teaching 
 
 .' I " history, Iwn or thrco hours are often spent by the pupii 
 
 * " out of School, and half an hour or an hour at Ih* 
 
sn 
 
 ti 
 
 ii. 
 
 lie 
 ilo 
 fh 
 ilh 
 
 ivi- 
 
 B>l- 
 
 III in 
 ulli- 
 
 •ioil- 
 e«. 
 
 I th« 
 tliout 
 nurk* 
 
 ik,th« 
 , The 
 (6 in»p 
 uf thtt 
 
 cale for 
 10 black 
 event. 
 
 L of tlw 
 racing a 
 moTO 
 
 i elapted 
 
 J, and ih« 
 mention- 
 flf. The 
 iii\rrate in 
 ivcrsalio'^i 
 intenda to 
 pupila are 
 i,ro asking 
 If iheso 
 ouraged to 
 lions, vrho? 
 gd. When 
 hould B»k if 
 whole rtofy 
 ve the bc»t 
 ,ij and after 
 «sa. Or the 
 
 write upon 
 „ to-morrow, 
 lave just told 
 to ttie moral 
 
 actors of tha 
 
 -t the slow pro- 
 )(le of teaching 
 ■ntbylhepupU 
 hour at tha 
 
 *• rrritatlmi m S, hnol, upon t tihgib hum of *\x or !I 
 " •iglil |HH5. 1 , utid, aflj-r all, fery liltlo is Irurned rxirpl 
 " mrre farl«, iind Ihcir |m rha|ii indiillnrt hhiI liarri'ii ; 
 " whiln ill Ihli wny, in li.ill uii hour, Iwo or Ihrt-e 
 " pagn at nr«», mil iiftcrwurill (lv» or liii or even ten, 
 " will Ini lniiriii'il ; uiiil Hi tliii Mino liiiii' ihn allcnlion 
 " will iMf imprnvpil, llii- in.. rut lanlc flrvuliil, tlin|Miwir 
 " of nnrriUiiiiii.xuri'i>i'il,un.l lliuriinncxiiiii In'Iwi^i-ii lii»- 
 " lory, iinil rhnmiiloKV ami Kcugrapliy will Lii tliown." i 
 
 Sohiral HMorjf is now «« (irnxriilly iiiiiglil in I 
 Kuro|H'Bii I'liMMi'iilarv Srli.HiU m ficonritiihy. Inik'i.(l 
 it la I«iikIiI In •<iiiiiii.\ii.nl ii ciinncxinii wiili((tm)(rin>liy, 
 »» welt ui with ilriiwInK. It ini|iiirli ii kiuiwli'ilgn uf 
 Uio vcKrlnhlu niiil .mini ■! kingilonm, iiiiil In inany I'li^- 
 mrnlary ScIhkiU furiin mimt enturtiiiniiix uiitl UH-rtil , 
 •erifii of instriiclinriN, ...ilir llm lilln of Ohjecl Lta- , 
 ton* ; in ihn Inu liiim nf which pii^UirL's of tlowcri, 
 treM, birds, qiiailriiprilit, tlilicii, ri'plilp<i, Icr., nro uwd. I 
 Th« (ilijtMi.. iif Niihirnl Hinlory are iilitMHii'il, anil art) I 
 titiiKhl in a iiuiiiiiit |ii'rfi3rlly ciimiiri'lii'iiHililc by lliu ' 
 younffcsl pupil, 'rhn ibilil in llicn mailii iinpiainli'il wilh 
 tho einmonia of Botany, anil XiMi/o^y,— aluilioa ai <lu. 
 liKhlful aa they are inalruclivu to children and young 
 people. 
 
 To know the produrtlona of tho garden, Ihe fiolil and 
 the fornat, — to be mado acquainted with tliti cliaractoi- 
 iitica and habits of tho difTuront spuciva of animal«,crcatea 
 and gratiliea curimity, improves the taslu, and preparca 
 the mind and lipiirt to contemplate, admirn and adore 
 the wiadom and lieneficcnce of the Creator. 
 
 In manv Schnnia that I havo visited, this faacinating 
 and useful study is extended— aided by illuatrationa, — to 
 Ihe leading principles and phenomena uf Vegetable and 
 ytfi<rmi< Phyaidogp on the one liand, and of Aftii«ra- 
 togy and Geology on the other. In some Inatances I 
 Lave soon folorable coljecliona of specimens, procured 
 and presented by the pupil.H themselves, in diflbrent 
 branches of Natural History, forming an interesting ca- 
 binet. 
 
 Upper Canada la not barren in materiala for such 
 collections ; and in connexion with each School there 
 might be not only a School I..ibrary, but u School 
 Munum. 
 
 Tho acqiii«ition of such knowledge ia of groat prac- 
 tical utility, and Ihe collecting of such R|irrimnn.<i would 
 ofHei) atfurd salutary and ugruuable recreation. 
 
 It la worthy of remark, that In tho Stbodls whore tho ' 
 elumenls of Natural History aru taught, one part of tho 
 exerclau consists ii. sketchings or uutlino drawings of 
 tiie objects .stiulled. 
 
 The elements of Natvral Philosophy havo long , 
 formed a branch nf InMnictlon in tho elementary | 
 Schools in Germany ; and they are now being Intro- ' 
 duced into 'heNational cicmcntury Schools In Rnginnd. li 
 
 It was romarkcd by Lord Bacon, " that there was I 
 " more true philosophy in the work-shops than in ihe ! 
 " Schools," — the former being practical, and the hit- i 
 tar spoculotivo ; but even tho ck'meiitnry Schools are 
 now acquiring their true elm rarter of gymnasia of In- : 
 •truction and disci|itine for Ihe arena of practical life. , 
 
 il 
 
 Man from the hva;inning to the end of his earthly t| 
 existence, has tu do with the Laws of Nuiiirt', the In- [ 
 vestigHtion of which is tho province of Natural Philo- i| 
 auphy. I 
 
 It is, however, only the simpler and more common .I 
 application of physical science to the purposes of every |i 
 day life that can be expected tu he taught in elcmen- • 
 
 larr Schools, — turh aa Iha priiiciplrs of Mechanira, 
 ■mi the lending phFnoiiii'na of ('heniistry and Aairuno- 
 my. Th)- Usl incnllonrd ia indi'iKl included in lli* 
 •ludy of (ieoKraiihy, uiiil haa long luid u plucf in tli* 
 Conimiiii St liiNil. 
 
 n<-acri|itivc Astronomy is aa rwlly coniprthindid 
 aa ilp»iTiplivi. Iieographv, and Is not leas Intrrfatlng, 
 while il niurn Ktronj^ly linpresaca Ihe imagination and 
 pxpaiida the mind. 
 
 Tho propcrtlea of Ixidiea, — which which are only 
 ascvrtuliivd hy cxpt-riments, — arc no nviro dlfTliull of 
 romprehenslon than llieir colours. The words usually 
 employed to express ihi'in are lesa mmiiion, and ihere- 
 liirc more illiricult ; hut rhemic.il prii|H'rtira lliemselves, 
 aru tho simplvs of which every thing around ua is 
 composed 
 
 The excmpllflcalion of tho more obvioua of them to 
 the youthful mind ia like the discovery of new worlds, 
 and iho presentation of oven a few of iheir infinitely 
 varied combinations, exhibits plieiiiimcna still more 
 wonderful. 
 
 And when it ia considered that chemical proceates 
 are involved in tho |iroparatlon of every meal, and 
 tho baking of every loaf uf bread, and in every 
 branch of manufactures aa well aa in tho changes 
 of the World within, beneath, and above us, aoma 
 knowledge of them must lie both interesting and high- 
 ly important ; and thoy should be undorstiwd by those 
 wilh whom pursuits and employments in life they insepa- 
 rably conneclod. To no classes of the commu- 
 nity is this knowledge of so much practical importance 
 aa to the agriculturalists, Ihe manufacturers, and ih« 
 mechanics, Il should therefore ho brought within tlwir 
 reach. 
 
 The same remarks apply with equal ami ivrhapa 
 more obvious force, to another branch of ihysical 
 science — Mechanics, — including tho laws . motion, 
 Ihe mechanical powers, and tho mechanical properliea 
 of fluids. 
 
 Nor is tho science of vision or optica, less intereitihg 
 or simple in its laws and phenomena ; and the iilMru- 
 meiits to which it has given birth, and the many pur- 
 IKJses to which it is applied, aro of the greatest practi- 
 cal utility. 
 
 In a system of practical education, then, thajie d»- 
 parlments of natural philosophy ought not to be over- 
 looked. 
 
 Their value upon the three great branches of indus- 
 try, — agriculture, commerce, and the mechanic arts, 
 cannot be over-rated. 
 
 They make known the aources of wealth, and Ihe 
 best means of attaining it ; they point out surrounding 
 dangers, and suggest the remedies against them. 
 "The whole circle of the arts (to use the words of 
 " a pnicllcal writer,) furni.ihes illustrelions of these re- 
 " murks. Wc might begin wilh the preventatives 
 " against lightning, hy which the shafts of heaven aro 
 " liveried from our dwellings; the sHfety lamp which 
 " enables the miner to penetrate the bowels of the 
 " earth in safety, and bring up its treasures ; the com- 
 " pass, Ihe life-boiil, and the light-house, that guide the 
 " toil-worn sailor in safety to the destined port ; the 
 " steam-engine that propels tho car across the land, tha 
 " steam-boat along tho rivor or the lake, or that bears 
 " the proud ship across the ocean ; and descend to tha 
 " various natural and artificial powers, to the moving 
 " nf machinery through all the mechanic arts, down to 
 " the m.mufactiirc of a pin — one of the most beautiful of 
 
36 
 
 Tlie Legislature has given some pecuniary assis- 
 tance, and Societies have been formed widi a view 
 lo encourage cx|)eriments and prurauio improvemenls 
 in Canadian Agriculture ; but exjieriments wilhnut u 
 knowledge of principles will be of little benefit ; and 
 improvcmenls in the practice of agriculture must In- 
 very limited until Ihc science of it is studied. 
 
 There is reason (o believe that the remarks of a Bos- 
 Ion wriler are too applicable to Canada : " How many 
 " farmers in Massachusetts know anything of Ihc nature 
 " of their soils, so as lo bo able to apply the pruiier 
 " mode of tillage ? Scarcely one, perhaps a few, but 
 " the great majority know absolutely nothing scienli- 
 " fically about the subject. Astounding as the fact 
 " is, they do not know the names and properties of « 
 " .single ingredient of the soil from which they gain 
 " all their wealth. The title which Boyle has given 
 " to one of his Es.snys, applies widi great force lo this 
 " subject, ' Of man's great ignorance of iho natural 
 " ' things.' This I regard astlie most glaring defect in 
 " our system of popular instruction, and one which 
 " licmands, from Iheinagniludeoflheiiitpri'sts involved, 
 " the immediate and earnest atlention of all the friends 
 " of education. " 
 
 Tiie agricultural pupil should be made acquainted 
 with the oillerent kinds of soils, and Iheir character- 
 istic (lualilies ; llie modes of qualifying and improv- 
 ing each ; dilferent kinds of manure and other 
 improving substances ; the oflijcts of dilferent soils 
 on di(rer(^nt crops ; rotation of crops, and the best 
 meliiods of producing and securing them ; agricul- 
 tural implements and the machines wliich have be<'n 
 invented to save labor ; dilfurcnl kinds of stock, the 
 various modes of feeding Ihem, with the cccmotnical 
 wluile family of the Uiscful arts. These classes of j advantages of each ; tlio method 4)f keeping full and 
 
 accurate accounts, so that he may l)C able lo ascertain 
 precisely not only his gross profits and losses, but the 
 profit and loss in each detail of the sysloin, and from 
 each field of his farm. Of course specimens, models, 
 pictures or drawings, should be used in teaching 
 these elements of Agriculture. 
 
 " Ihem all — and .shew the economy and simplicity by 
 " which the greatest as well as the least results are 
 " attained, ;'s the Icgilimato clUirt of the study of Ihc 
 " natural sciences. In fine — by the skilful applica- 
 " lion iif niilurnl powers to the mechanic arts, we are 
 " dialilril lo ililfost! over the whole earth the produc- j 
 " lions of every pari ; to till every corner of the habita- ! 
 " hie gliibe, with miracles of art and labor, in exchange 
 •' for its peculiar jiruiluctions. 
 
 " ' To give the pole the produce of the sun ;' lo con- 
 " conlralo arouiul us in our dwellings nil that luxury 
 " or necessity can desire, in Ihc apparel, ihc ulensiLs, 
 " the commodities which the skill of the present or past 
 " generations have wrought, or which any clime pro- 
 " duces." 
 
 But apart from those directly practical objects, as a 
 menna of menial discipline and developement, wliich 
 is tlie fouiid.ilion of success in life, this elementary 
 study of nature is of great practical importance. 
 " Tlie ohjecls of nature (says another writer) are 
 " pre adapted lo the developement of the inlollecl, us 
 " Itie lumpers, dispositions and manners of a family arc 
 '• lo (ievelope the moral powers. The objects of , 
 ■• Natural History, tlie descriptions of beasts, birds, I 
 " llslies, insei Is, trees, flowers, aii<l unorganized sub- \ 
 " slaiK-es, should form the subjecis of the earliest iulel- 
 " leelual lessons. A knowledge of these fads lays 
 '• llie toiindation for the knowledge of principles or 
 '■ .sciences which respectively grow out of them. We 
 '' lire physically connected with the earth, air, water, i 
 " linlil. We are dependant for health and comfort upon ' 
 '' a knowledge of their properties and uses, and many of 
 " ihe vastest structures of tlie intellect are reared upon ' 
 " these foiiiidalions. Lineally related to tliein is the i 
 
 s-idijeels arc not only best calculated to foster the 
 '' early iiron-tliof llie perceptive, inventive and reason- 
 " ing powers, but the language appropriate lo them 
 " eNcliides vagueness and ambiguity, and compels 
 " every mistake lo betray itself" 
 
 " The constant habit of observing natural objects, 
 " begun ill youth, will prepare the mind for observa- 
 " tion on every other subject. The pupil will carry 
 " this habit with him into every department of know- 
 " ledge, and in the common business of life. 
 
 " Life is so short, and so many objects press upon 
 " our atlention, that any considerable prosress cannot 
 " be made without Ibis habit. They who have become 
 " disloiguished in any department, have cultivated it 
 " ill an eminent degree. They have derived their 
 " knowledge from every source. The most trivial oc- }! 
 " ciirrenee has been carefully noted, and hence they i| 
 " have been constant learners. It is this habit which I 
 '• disliiiguisliesllie I'hilos'ipher and the Statesman from il 
 " coiiiiniin minds. Tiiey };allier Iheir wonderful dis- '| 
 "crimination, not from books ahmo, hut from close ob- | 
 
 " servalidiis of llie actual physical, mental and moral ij preventative of injurious practices and exposures, and 
 " changes which are going on around Ihem, — tracing :j a means of health and comfort. The cmutUution of 
 " the sources of human action and the operations of the mind, as well m Ihe structure of Ihe body, it also 
 " civil g.)vernmeiit. ^ considered by many educationists as coming within the 
 
 'I limits of elementary instruction. As Ihe mind ii tha 
 
 " But the natural sci > ■:cs are peculiarly filled lo ;' subject on wliich the Teacher operates, he ought uij- 
 •' cherish this habit during the whole course of educa- I' doubtedly lo be acquainted witii its power* and Ihe 
 " lion ; whilst the constant practice of contemplating :i means of developing them, as much as a mechanic; 
 " metaphysical subjects often destroys ihat balance of j should know not only the tools he uses, but the malc- 
 ■' the reflective faculties, which is a necessary pre- \. rials on which he employs Ihem. 
 
 "Lavoisier, the celebrated Chemist, (says the Biblio- 
 " th^que du Chcmiste) is a remarkable example of llie 
 " advantages which may be derived from Ihc applica- 
 " lion of science to Agriculture, even without a minute 
 " knowledge of the art of farming. By following an 
 " enlightened system, he is said to have doubled in 
 " nine years the produce in grain of his lands, whilM 
 " he quintupled the number of hjs flocks." 
 
 Human Physiology is a branch of Natural History, 
 and, with Ihe assiiitanceol a few pictures, can be taught 
 lo children as easily as to their seniors. Some know- 
 ledge of the structure of a being so fearfully and won- 
 derfully mode as man is not only becoming in Itself, 
 but is now admitted to be an appropriate subject of 
 elementary instruction and of great practical use, as a 
 
 recpiisite to success in any department, and of which 
 " learned men are so often ignorant." i 
 
 Agrkullure. — die most important departinenl of 
 liumaii industry — has not as yet been intro:liiced in I 
 any form whatever as a branch of elfiinonlary educa- , 
 lion in our Sthodls. ' 
 
 In chiMhiioil ihe child is disposed to look without on 
 sensilde uljei is, imd is scarcely capable of looking 
 within and analyzing its own operations. Early, how- 
 ever, may the child be made acquainted with the dif- 
 ferent characters and destinations of the material and 
 immaterial parts of his nature — of llie superior value 
 
37 
 
 i>f tilt one in cumpHrison of tlio otlior — of ilie nxtont of 
 his intullecluiil powi-rs, and his iibliu;iiti()iis lo iinprovn 
 iind rinhtly cinploy Ihcni. Aixl a jiiilicioiis ami (luiili- 
 lieil Teacher will not find it dillicult ere lon!{ to pri!- 
 wiit to tho pupil, in a niuiplu and practical manner, a 
 map of his rnciilid iind moral ronsiilulion, as well as of 
 Ills plivsical slriirtiiri;— liiK facultieN of purceivinn, 
 jiidginj;, roiisonini; and rcmtMnlieriiis; — Bome of the 
 phcnomuna of their exorcises and the melliods of their 
 cnltivatioii ; the qii.dity of moral actions, and the pro- 
 |Mir rej;nl»lion of the desires nnd passions. Tho Arch- 
 hinliop of Duhlin has written an adrnirahle elemenlary 
 work on the Art of Reasoning, which has licon 
 piihlished hy the Irish National Hoard, and is now 
 nsed in tho Irish Schools. 
 
 Oivil Government is a hramh of moral science. 
 Kvory pupil should know »>methinc; of the Govern- 
 ment, and Institutions, and Laws under which he lives, 
 and with which his lights and interests are so ch)sely 
 connected. Provision shoidd Ih^ made to leach in our 
 (!ommon Schools an outline of the principles and con- 
 stitution of our Gov(>rnmeut; the nature of our institu- 
 tions ; the duties which they rc(|uire ; tlie manner of 
 lidfilling them ; somo notions of our Civil, and especial- i 
 ly Criminal Code. I 
 
 hoUticnl Econonv/ Is the science of national wealth, I 
 or " the means by which the industry of man nuiy be ' 
 " rendered most productive of those necessaries, com- j 
 " forts and cnioyments, whicli constitute wealth." It i 
 is therefore connected with the duties and wants of 
 social life, and involves our relations to most of the 
 olijecis of our desires and pursuits. Its elemenlary 
 arid l'undf<mental principles — like those of most other 
 sciences — are simple, and its generalizations extensive ; 
 though its deptiis and its details have exhausted the 
 most profound intellect-). To treat formally of produc- 
 tion, exchange, distribution, and consumption, would 
 exceed the province of the Common Schools and the 
 capacity of their pupils. But the simple elements of 
 what ie comprehended imdcr the terms, value, capital, 
 division of labor, exchange, wages, rents, taxes, &c., 
 may be tauglit with ease and advantage in every 
 Scliool. 
 
 These are tho topics which I think should be em- 
 braced in a system of Comm mi Schotil instruction, nnd 
 for the teaching of which provision should be made. 
 Tho inslrnctioii should be universal — acces.slblo lo 
 every child in the land. 
 
 The Christian Ucligion should be the basis, and all 
 pervading principle of il. h should include Heading, 
 Wrilitig, Drawing, Arithmetic, the English language. 
 Music, Geography, Klemeuts of General History, of 
 Natural History, of I'hysiology, and Mental Philosophy, 
 of Chemistry, Natural I'liilo.sopliy, .\griculture. Civil 
 Government, and Political Economy. ' 
 
 The mother tongue idntic is taught. Every topic is 
 y)rffc/tcn<— connected with the objects, duties, relations 
 and interests of common life. The object of educalicm 
 is tc. •.••.■•>;»are men for theit duties, and the preparation 
 and disciplining of the mind for the jierforitiancc of 
 them. 
 
 What the child need'* in (he worM he should doubt- 
 less be taught in tlio Schonl. 
 
 On this subject we should judge, not by what has 
 been, or is, but bv what oucht to be and what must be, 
 if we are not to bo Hislanceil by olhcr countries in the 
 race of civilization. 
 
 On several of the foregoing to|)ics 1 have dwelt at 
 some length. I iiave done so in respect to Rending, 
 
 Writing, Arilhmelic, Geography and History, with a 
 view of correcting erroneous and |)ernioious modes 
 of teaching them ; aial in res|)eet to Drawing «nd 
 Music, in order to sliow the utility and importance of 
 iiitrociuciiig ihein universally into the Commcm Schools 
 iis soon as |H>ssilile. The prominence whicli has licen 
 given to thu snl^oct uf Religion roi|uires no further 
 explanutlun. 
 
 Tho summary statement of the other subjects referred 
 to, has appeared lo me nuliicient, without any augmenln- 
 
 ! lion, to evince their vast im|)Oitance, and .secure lo lliem 
 proper attention in a system of public iiiKtruction. It 
 is nut supjKMed that they will all he tjiught formally, 
 and separately, in every or in any elemiuitary Stdiool ; 
 but that ihu simple and essential elements of iliem 
 should ho taught siilislanliatly — tieing disliuclly luul 
 
 I practically uiMlcrBt(X)d by the Teacher. 
 
 Ill the County Model Schools these subjects may lie 
 ■ expected to lie tauglit more formally and extensively 
 ! than in the Elemenlary Schools ; while in tlie higher 
 ; Soniiuarics they should of course receive a liberal de- 
 I velopemcnt, in connexion with other departinoiits of a 
 liberal education. 
 
 The only objection which I can conceive may lie 
 made to the preceding view of a system of Common 
 School IiLstiuctiou i.s, that it is too cxteiHiivc and there- 
 lure chimerical. To this objection 1 answer : 
 
 1st. All the subjects enumerated arc connected with 
 the pursuits and well-being of the community, and 
 should therefore be made accessible to them in the 
 Common Schools. If the higher classes are to be pro- 
 vided by public endowments, with the means of a Uni- 
 versity Education ; the common people, — the bone and 
 sinew of the country, the source of its wealth and 
 strength — should bo provided by the Stale with the 
 means of a Common School Education. 
 
 2iidly, The apparatus and machinery necessary to 
 leach ail the siibjectsinentiuuud,are surpriziiigly simple 
 and inexpensive ; and hy means of properly ([Ualilied 
 Teachers, and judicious mmles of leaching, evi.'ry one 
 of those suhjecls may be taught in little more time 
 than is now wasted in imp'rleetly learning in many 
 instances next to nothing at all. 
 
 3rdlv. All the subjects above enumerated, have lieen 
 and are (aught in the Elomeiitary Schools of other 
 I countries in the mountains and valleys of Swilzer- 
 I land, in the interior and not fertile and wealthy 
 ! counlries ol^Germany — in many parts of Friince— and 
 I ill manv of Ihe Schools of Great Britain and Ireland, 
 and in a considerable number of Schools in the East- 
 ern and Middle Slates of America. 
 
 What has been i!on(^,nnd is doing in oilier counlries in 
 respect to Elemenlary Inslrucli(Ui may and ought lo he 
 done in Canada.* Intellect is not wH:.ting,means are not 
 
 !i * I'rnfoRRor Stowp — nflpr descrihini? tho snhjectp tfiuRht in tin- 
 I Kleineiitnry Scliouls oflYuiBin. ami rpcomiiioiKUiiK a Bimilav cniirsi' 
 jj (if instruclicin to the oimsiili'rnti.m ol' lhc> (Ihio State I.r(;isliUuri', 
 
 I llius answers tho objiTtuin In its cnnipruliciisivcnt'ss ; — " lltit piT- 
 i' " Imps sonic will bp iTiidv to sny, tin? solipmo is initwd an exco'- 
 ;| '* lent nn<', proviflp<l only k »i-ro prflt-tioable ; bnt tho iiioa ofi'n- 
 jl '* trotlnt-iuK 8t> pxlensive and cinupieie n wjurwi of t»Luily into our 
 !i " Couunnn .Si'liools is I'lUir.'lv visionr.ry. anil can ni'vir bi' ri'iilizcii. 
 |i " lanswpr, itisnotheory wlii(-h I hnvRhconpxliibitin!^. tnitamattfir 
 || " nf t'uft, ft copy of actual prautKc. Tho above sjHtem is no »i>ion- 
 
 II " a'-y scheme, cmanatiiiK from tlio cIo«'t of a reolusc, bnt a skct<'h 
 ;' " of llic coiiric of instrnctiiiii now ncluii!ly pursncil by thousands 
 I " of Schoolmaster!, in the host Dlnlrict Schn.il» that haro ever 
 :j " been oriianizcd. It can be dons ; for it has beta dcmt,— il it now 
 I "duniit and it oiiitht tu be done. If it can be done in Kurope, I 
 I: '• bclicvu it can bo (bme in the L'nilcd States ; if it can be ilone in 
 i' " Prnssin, I know it can bo done in t lliio. The people have but to 
 jl " any tlie word, and provide the means, and the tbinpisaccompliwh- 
 'll " cJ ; for the word of llio jieoiile here is even morn p,)werful than tho 
 
 " word iif tlic Kiii^ llicro , and tlic means of Ihe people here are 
 
 K 
 
.•}S 
 
 w anting ; lliii wmits of tlifi (wople at large are commen- 
 surate with the suhjeets eniimeratcil ; they (>ught to be 
 •.U|)|ilie(l. They are nearly all anlici|)ale<l in the Ncries 
 1)1 Schiiiil-bociks puhlisheil under the direction of the 
 National Hoard of Kducation in Ireland. 
 
 I wdl therefore .sum up and conclude this part of my 
 Ki'porl in the appropriate and nervous language of the 
 l.uiiiloii WcstmiMister lU'view : — 
 
 " 'I'lie eduration required for the people is that 
 " whiih will nive them the full command of every 
 " faculty, liiith of mind and of body ; which will 
 " call into play their powers of observation, and 
 " rillcrtion ; which will make thinking and reason- 
 '• able! beings of the mere creatures of impulse, prc- 
 '• |udice and passion ; that which in a moral sense 
 " will give them objects of pursuits and habits of 
 
 • ((induct favorable to their own happiness, and 
 ■' to that of the community of which they will form 
 " a part ; which, by multiplying the means nf rati- 
 '• onal and intellectual enjoyment, will diminish the 
 ■' temptations of vice and sensuality; which, in the 
 '• social relations of life, and as connected with objects 
 " of Legislati(m, will teach them the identity of (he 
 " individual with the general interest ; that which, in 
 " the physical sciences, — especially those of chemistry 
 " and mechanics, — will make them masters ofthe secrets 
 '• of nature, and give them powers which even now 
 ■' tend to elevate the moderns to a higher rank than 
 
 ■ that of flie demi-gods of aniiquilv. 
 
 '■ All this, and more, should be embraced in that 
 ■' scheme of education which would be worthy of 
 
 ■ slatosmen to give, or of a great nation to receive ; and 
 
 • the time is near at hand when the attainment of an 
 ■' ohjcct thus I ompreliensive in its character, and lead- 
 " mi to results, the practical benefits of which it is 
 '■ impossible for even the imagination to exaggerate, 
 "• will Tint b(! considered a I'lopian scheme." I 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 Il.iviiig explained the nature of the Education which 
 1 ihiiil; should be given in an ellicient .system of Com- 
 iiMM School Instruction, the extent to whicli it ought 
 i'> be (lillii.sed, and the principles upon which it should 
 lie founded ; I now pro(.eed to consider the machinery 
 (i"cess;iry to establish and perpetuate! such a system. 
 
 This will be inosv coiiviiiiienlly pre.senled under the 
 several heads of Schools, Teachers, Text-Hooks, Con- 
 irol and Inspeclioii, and Individual elliirts. 
 
 1st. Schools : Of thr.so ilicrc should be a gradation ; 
 and to supply thern with proper Tcacht-rs, \ormnl 
 ."school training is rcepiisite. 
 
 .\s to the ijradaiioii of School.s, the oiilline is jiar- 
 iially drawn in the Statutes wliidi provide for the 
 cstalilishiriunt of Eh!liientary, Model, Grammar Schools, 
 ariij (,'i)llcg(!s. A Norninl School is re(piire(l, as well 
 .IS the adaptation of the Schools already established for 
 specitlc and ap|iniprint(' purposes. 
 
 To illustrate what 1 would resprrtl'ully sulmot on 
 this point, 1 will briclly advert to the gradati(ui of 
 Schools exi.iting in France and Prussia. 
 
 •■ nltiiKi'llRT Tiiurc almndaiit lor such uii Dlijwt Ihiiii tlic \nnm~. .il' 
 ■■ Ihe SoTiTi'iiiii theru. Blmll this obird, tliiMi, si>il,«irebii-iiiie.fll'. 
 •• so entirely )u'acticublv, «m easily wi'tliin our rcai-li, I'aii .il' iicL-cxii- 
 '• plishiDtMuy For the hnnnr oinJ welturu of miv Stntc. i'ur tiic 
 '■ safoly of our whole nation. 1 trust it nill not fail ; but tlmt «(■ 
 •' >h;ill sOKii witnes.s. in this c.'mnioiiwLiilIh. the introiJuMion ■'•" a 
 " system of Coinnion School instr.ictiiii, fully uil.i|u.ile to nil ilu' 
 
 • "aHl«* of ■ [jnjait.Ttiotl." 
 
 I shall not burden this Report with any account of 
 them, but merely allude to them so far as may be use- 
 ful to my present purpose. In both these great Coun- 
 tries, Public Instruction is substantially divided into 
 three departments, — Primary, Secondary, Superior. 
 
 Primary Instruction includes the Elementary and 
 Normal Schools. 
 
 Secondary Instruction in Prussia includes the Real 
 and Trade Schools, anil the Gymnasia ; in France it 
 includes the Communal, and Royal Colleges, Industrial 
 and Polytechinic Schools, and Normal Seminaries to 
 prepare Teachers for the Colleges. 
 
 Superior Irstrucliim includes the Universities in 
 Prussia, and the Academies in France, together with 
 a Normal School for tlie training of Professors, and to 
 which none but those who have taken a degree in Let- 
 ters or Science are admitted. 
 
 The Courses of Instruction in each of these classes 
 of Institutions is prescribed by law, as also the qualifi- 
 cations for the admission of pupils or students. There 
 is therefore a systematic and complete division of la- 
 bor. Each School has its own province ; (here are no 
 two cla.sscs of Schools supported by the Government 
 teaching one and the same thing, or the same class of 
 pupils. This is economy bodi in regard to labor and 
 pecuniary expenditure. 
 
 In France Primary Schools are of two classes, — 
 Primary Elementary and Primary Superior. The 
 former comprehends moral and religious instruction, 
 reading, writing, elements of the mother tongue, arith- 
 metic, and the legal system of weights and measures ; 
 the latter comprehends, in addition to a continuation of 
 the subjects taught in the former, the elements of ge- 
 ometry and its common applications, particularly to 
 linear drawing and land measurement, clemjents of the 
 physical .sciences and natural history applicable to the 
 uses of life, singing, the elements of geography and 
 history, and esiiccially of the geography and history o( 
 i France. 
 
 This two-liihl division of primary in.struction in 
 Prussia is included under the heads of Primary and 
 ^Middle Hurgher Schools, — the term burgher signifying 
 a citizen who pays (axes. The same subjects are (aught 
 in the Primary Schools of Prussia which are (aught in 
 thii.se of France, but more extensively and (horoughlv. 
 
 In (he elementary Schools of bodi countries small 
 ; cabinets of mineralogy and natural history are com- 
 mon ; arid bhick-board.s, maps, glohe.s, models .ind en- 
 gravings are universally used, (hough not in all cases 
 of course lo (lie same extent. 
 
 In Pru.ssia, however, (he system is so complet*', 
 practically as well as theoretically, and all the Teach- 
 ers being trained up lo the .same standard and after (he 
 same nie(hods, (he country villagePrimary School^ are 
 little if at all inferior to (hose of the cities. In France 
 the svstem is comparatively new, having received its 
 principal devclopements since 1830. 
 
 In the Secondary Department of Public Instruction 
 in Prussia we have the Higher Hurgher Schools, the 
 l' Ileal and Tcidc School.s, and the (iyinnasia. 
 I 
 
 I' The Itighf T Burgher Schools (each the elements of 
 [| the ancient and inuilcrii languages, mathematics, pre- 
 paratorv lo the introduction of tlie pu|)ils in (he Gym- 
 i; nasia, where they are prepared for the liniversity, 
 J! -which is ni.t merely liii lary as in England and Ame- 
 I, ricii, but profinsiondl, — w here every student enters one 
 I di' (he FiiC'ilt I'i, ;-.m\ slijdi.'s his priili'ssiiiij. 
 
39 
 
 In the Higher Uurglier Sclicxils, iIk' shnji-keepcrs, 
 Sic, in large cities usually finish ih uducution, — 
 milling an ucijUHintance wi(h French, itnetimes Eng- 
 lish, iinil some knowledge of thtMTiiillieinatics, to that 
 (»(' the cominun branches of education. 
 
 Here also pupils prcpiire for tlie Trade Schools. 
 The Higher Burglier Schools are therefore, the connect- 
 ing link hetween (he Primary and Secondary Schools in 
 Prussia. It will be .seen also, that (he Higher Burgher 
 Schools include three classch of pupils — those wliii go 
 from thence into the shop, counting-house, Sic, — thase 
 who proceed to the gymnasia with a view of entering 
 the University, — btuI those who go from (hence into the 
 Keal or Trade Schools, with the view of becoming 
 luchitects, engineers, manufacturers, or of preparing 
 (hemselves for the ditfercnt branches of Commerce. 
 
 Heal Schools received their peculiar designation, 
 from professing to teach realities instead of words — the 
 prai:tical sciences instead of dead languages. Tiie Trade 
 Schools are the highest class of Keal Schools establish- 
 ed in the principal Cities of Prussia, and analagous 
 to the great Polytechnic Schools of Vienna and Paris, 
 though on a less magnificent scale. 
 
 The Industrial and Polytechnic Schools of France 
 are the counterpart of the Real and Trade Schools of 
 Prussia. 
 
 A detailed account of these invaluable institutions 
 and their influence upon the social and public interests 
 of society, as connected witli all kinds of manufac- 
 (utes, buildings, roads, railways, and other inlernal 
 improvements, would be extremely interesting, but 
 iloes not fall within the prescribed limits of this 
 Report. 
 
 The introduction of courses for Civil Engineers, 
 into the University of Durham, and into the King's 
 and University Colleges of (ho London University, and 
 also into the Dublin University, is a commencement of 
 the same description of Schools by Government in 
 (ireat Britain and Ireland. 
 
 To (be Superior, or University Inbii(u(ions of Prus- 
 sia and P^rancc, I need not further allude ; I pass 
 unnoticed varinus ecclesiastical, private and partially 
 |iiiblie cslablishinelits, as wtll us Schools of the Fine 
 Ar(<, Sciences, &r. 
 
 It is thus that in those countries an appropriate educa- 
 il.m lor the commercial, nuiiiufacturing, and mechanical 
 c 'asses of the coiiimuiiily is provided, as well as for the 
 ),il)()i-ing and professional classe.'i. 
 
 In many of Ibe Schools h^sMin:. and e\crcises are 
 'j;ivcn in agriculture; and this rnportant branch of in- 
 struction is receiving incieiis. vi i.llention, especially in 
 France and England. 
 
 The AgricuWural Inslitate, and AIndol Farm, con- 
 nected wi(h Ibe Dublin Niilional \ornlal Scboid is an 
 admirable establishment ; and when I visited it in 
 November lasl, the master (a scienlific and practical 
 farmer.) was preparing a book on the subject of 
 aTiculturc for (he nse of Schools, (obo published under 
 the direction of (bo National Board, as one of tlicir 
 excellent series of School Books. 
 
 Now, in the application of liie foregoing remarks to 
 (his Provinee, in illustration of what I mean by tlic^ 
 L^railalion of Schools, and (be impor(anre of it, I would 
 observe that our Common Schools should answer to 
 the Primary Schools of France and Pru.ssia ; that O'.ir 
 District Model Schools .should be made our country's 
 Industrial, or Real or Trade Schools ; that our Dis- 
 tri( I Cianimar ScIidoIs shoultl lir made t) occipy (lie 
 
 position and fulfil the functions of the French Com- 
 nwnal and Royal Colleges, and the Prussian Higher 
 Burgher Scli(x)ls and (iyninasia : a Provincial Univer- 
 sitv or Universities completing the series. In the 
 course of a few years, the population of the principal, 
 it not all the Districts might each be sutficiently large 
 to sustain and re«|uire three Moilel or Real Schools, 
 instead of one ; when another division of labour could 
 be advantageously introduced — providing one School 
 for (he instruction of intended mechanics — a .second 
 for agricultural pupils — a third for those who might be 
 preparing to become manufacturers, and merchants. 
 
 Under this view the same principles and spirit 
 would pervade the entire system, from the Primary 
 Schools up to the University ; the basis of education in 
 the Elementary Schools would be the same for the 
 whole community — at least so far as public or govern- 
 mental provisions and regulations arc concerned — not 
 interfering with private Schools or taking them info 
 the account ; but as soon as the pupils would advance 
 to the limits of the instruction provided for all, then 
 those whose parents or guardians could no longer dis- 
 pense with their services, would enter life with a 
 sound elementary education ; those whoso parents might 
 be able and disposed would proceed, some to the Real 
 School to prepare for the business of a farmer, an 
 architect, an engineer, a manufacturer, or mechanic, 
 and others to the Grammar School (o prepare for the 
 University, and the Professions. 
 
 In the carrying out aiul completion of such a system, 
 (ho courses o( instruction in each class of Schools would 
 lie prescribed, as also the qualifications for admission 
 into each of them, above the Primary Schools ; eacli 
 School would occupy its appropriate place, and each 
 Teacher would have his appropriate work ; and no 
 one man in one and the same School, and on one 
 and the .same day, would be found making the 
 absurd and abor(i\ e attempts of leaching (he a, b, c's, 
 reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, giammar, geo- 
 graphy, (in all tiieir gradations,) togetiier with latin, 
 greek, and inalhematlcs. 
 
 I iliink it is true in Ibe business of teaching, as well 
 as ill every <illicr department of human industry, (hat 
 where iheie isa siiilidde division of labor, each laborer 
 is mure likelv to become more (horoiiglily master of his 
 work, and imbued widi the spirit of it, than when^ his 
 lime and attention iind energies are divideil among a 
 nameless variety of objects ; and as the e.\ani])lo of 
 Engl.ind may be apjiealed to in |iroof of the almost 
 miracles \vlii< b may be performed in regard both (o (be 
 amount and qualities of manufactures, Iiy u skilful 
 division and iip|)li(-ation of labour, so may the examples 
 of other counlrics of Europe be adduced in illustration 
 of what mav bo achieved as to both the cheapness, Ibe 
 thoroughness, the various practical character, and the 
 general diHusioii ol education, by a proper classification 
 of Sc liools and Teachers, (heir appropriate trainino; and 
 selection bj competitinn, together wilh .-.n ellicient 
 svstem of inspect inn over every class o( Schools, — the 
 latter being the chiff instrument of iho wonderful im- 
 provemenl and success in tlie Holland system of Public 
 Instruction. 
 
 Tho full developeinent of such a .system of Schools, 
 is not the work of a day ; but I hope (he day is not 
 distiuU when ils essenlial foadires will bo seen in our 
 own system of public instruction, and when ils uniuini- 
 hered advantages will liegin to lie enjoyed bv ihe 
 Canadian people. The Schools wilh whicii this Report 
 has immediatelv to do, being viewed as parts of a gene- 
 ral system, I have considered this brief epitome and 
 illustration of it necessary, in order to place in a proper 
 light the mutual dependence and relations nf all ils 
 [uir(s in (he i;rada(ion of public Schools. 
 
40 
 
 I' 
 
 I I 
 
 2tiH. Tearherx. 'I'hero cannot be ^'ooil Schools | 
 wilhoul pxMl 'rriiclitrs ; nor can lliero Ix;, as a general 
 nilo, ijiKjd 'reiiclit'rs, any more than (;i«)il Meclianics, 
 or Law)rrs, or I'livsicians, iink-ss persons are trained 
 Cor Ihn profession. M. Uuizot, llie present Prime 
 Minisier of h'riin>'e, siiid, on inlrodiicing the Law of 
 Primary hislniction to llie Cliamber of Dt.'pulles in 
 1H3.'1 : " All the provisions hitlierto described would 
 " he of none effect, if wo ((mjIj no ])ains to procure for 
 " the public School lluis conatitulcil an nblo Master, 
 " and worlhv of the hi^h vocation of instructing the 
 " people. It cannot bo too often repealed, that U is 
 " the Master thai makes the School." 
 
 " Wliat a well-assorled union of qualities is required 
 " (o constitute a s^ood Master! A good Master ought to 
 "be a niiiii who knows much more than he is called 
 " upon to tciu h, that he iiiny teacii with intelligence and 
 " with taste ; wlio is to live in an humble sphere, and yet 
 " have a noble and elevated spirit ; that he may preserve 
 " that dignity of mind and of deportment, without which 
 " he will never obtain the respect and confidence of fa- 
 " milies ; who possesses a rare mixture of gentleness and 
 "firmness ;for, inferior though he be, in station, to many 
 " individuals in the Communes, he ought to be the 
 " obsequious servant of none ; a man not ignorantof his 
 " rights, but thinking much more of his duties ; shewing 
 " to all a good example and serving to all as a counsellor; 
 " not given tochnnge hiscniKlition, but satisfied with his 
 " situation, because it gi\es himthc power ofdoing good; 
 " an.l who has niadu up his mind to live and to die in 
 " the service of primnrv instruction, which to him is the 
 " service of tied and his fellow creatures. To rear op 
 " Masters approaciiiiig tosucli a modi;! is a diditult task, 
 " nni\ ycuvernust succeed in it, or we have do. ^nvth- 
 " ingfur elemenlan/ instruction. A biid Schoolmaster, 
 " like a h.id Priest, is a scourge to a Commune ; and 
 " though we are often obliged to he contented with in- 
 " dillcient ones, ire ntunt do our best to improve the 
 " nreragc rtulity." 
 
 The Freni-h Government has n,)bly carried out tliese 
 l)i'iii;voh'r,t anil slalc-sinanliki' suggestions, and Fiance 
 is nr,)i(lly a|ipro;icliiiig Prussia in llie cliaracicr and 
 number of her Normal Schools, and the completeness 
 and efliclency of li jr whole system of Public Instruction. 
 
 It is now universally iidnii;led that Seminaries for 
 the tniiiilng </ Teachers arc iibsolutely necessary to an 
 cllicient system of public iiislruction, — niiy, asan inte- 
 gral pan, as the vital principle of it ; ihi.s sentiment is 
 maiiUained by the Periodical PuMicalions in England, 
 from the i;rtat (Jiiarlerliesto the b'aily Pai.cr;, by l.du- 
 catioiial WritiTS, ami Societies with one consent — is for- 
 cibly and Miluniinously embodied in Reports of the 
 Privv Coun -il Comuiittee mi Education, and i.s efil- 
 cienily acted upon by Her Majesty's Government in 
 eath of the thr.e Kingdon.s. 
 
 The .same sentiment is now get'.crally admitted in 
 the L'uileil Stales ; and srveral of them have already 
 oslaUlislied Normal Sclmols. The exceUcncc' o( the 
 German Schools is chielly ascrih.'d hy (ierii.an I'iduca- 
 tionists to their system ofiraining Teachers. The science 
 of School-leailiing I'unns a part of their University 
 course, — an cssenliiil part ufilieeihication of every C'ler- 
 gvii'iin — as well as the work of more than eighty Nor- 
 mal Schools in Prussia alone. 
 
 M. Cousin, in his Report on Public Instruction in • 
 Prussia, has given an interesting and elaborate account I 
 of the principal .Normal Schools in that country, justly I 
 observing, in accorilaiice with his distinguished collea- | 
 gno, M. duizot, thill, " tlie host plans of instriiclion ] 
 " c.ii'.not be executed exceil i)y the iiistrnnicnliilih of ; 
 " good Tei'.cliers ; and tht' Siiiti; has done i.olh'ng fur 
 
 I " popular education, if it does not imitch tltal those 
 " who devote thtmatlves to teaching be wilt pre- 
 I " pared.'^ 
 
 Three years after visiting Prussia, M. Cousin made 
 a tour in Holland with a view of investigating the 
 (idurational system of (hat country. The result of his 
 further inquiries on this subject is contained in the fol- 
 lowing woi-ds : " I attach the greatest iin|)orlance to 
 ! " Normal Primary Schools, and I consider Hint allfu- 
 j " tare success in the education of the people depmds 
 " upon them. In perfecting her (llolliind) system of 
 I " Primary Schools, Normnl Schools weie intriMliiced 
 I " for the better training of Masters. All the School |n- 
 " specters with whom I met in the course of my journey, 
 " assured me that they had brought alwnit an entire 
 " change in the condition of the Schoolmnstor, and 
 " that ihey had given the young Teachers a feeling of 
 " dignity in their profession, and had thereby Intro- 
 " duced an improved lone and style of manners."* 
 
 I I deem it superfluous to add any labored nrffu- 
 ments on the iiecoiwity of a Norinal School in this 
 Province. Tlio Legislature has virtually recognincd 
 it in several enactments ; anfl the importance of it is 
 generally felt and acknowledged. 
 
 ' What I have stated in tlio fiJrmer part of this Re- 
 port, on the proper subjects and modes of teaching, 
 is sufficient to evince the need and importance of the 
 regular training of Teachers. Some of the advan- 
 tages wliich I anticipate from the training of Teachers 
 
 ' are the following : 
 
 1st. The elevation of School-teaching into a pro- 
 ,' fossion. 'I'hosc who are educated for it in other 
 t countries regard it as their vocation, — become at- 
 ; taehed to it as do men to other professions, — and pur- 
 ■ sue it during life. In no country T.h.cro Teachers 
 ; have been regularly trained, has there been any 
 : couijilaint that they have shown an inclination to 
 
 leave the profession of School-teaching for other cin- 
 
 ploynicnts. In all countries where School Teachers 
 ' are regularly trained, the profession of teaching holds 
 
 a high rank in public estimation, so that ignorant and 
 Ij worthless persons could no more lind employment as 
 ]i Schoolmasters, than they could as Professors, or 
 
 Physicians, or Tiawycrs. Thus the infant and youtli- 
 , I'ul mind of a country, hy the law of public opinion 
 il itself, is '•cscued from the nameless evils arising from 
 'i the ijfiiorance and pernicious examples of incompetent 
 ! and immoral Teachcis. 
 
 * Dr. Radic. .if rhilail..l|ililn, V. S., in liU ablu l?cp.irt on Edu- 
 cation in Eiirnpo, niulies thu fullowinj; imitressivc rcniarlis; 
 
 " Wlii'n ciliiculinn is to \if rapiillv ii'l\ani'pd, Stiniinurios fui 
 " Tciu'lu'rs oirtT till' moans of scciirinf; lliis result. An I'mineiil 
 •* Teacher is «eloct<'iI ns Director of ttio Si'minnrv; anil by the aid 
 ** of competent iibsiatiint-s, and wliile licnefittinf^ tlie c-tmmunity by 
 '• the insiruction piven in tlie Schools attached to the Seminary, 
 " tpuins, yearly, from thirty to forty youths in the enli^blencd 
 " jracliee of his methods; these, in their turn, bieoine Teachers of 
 " .^chools. whicli fliey are fit at once lo contluci, without tlie fail- 
 *' iires and nitstiilu'S nsuiil with novices; for though ticfjinnera in 
 " i.anie, they have acquired in the course of the two or tlireu years 
 '* spent at tlie Seminary, an experience equivalent to many years 
 " of uoiciiided efforts. 'J'liis result has been fully n'alizcd in the 
 " success of tlie attempts to spreiul the inetlioils of Pcstaloxxi and 
 " others through i'russia. The plan has been adopted, ond is yield- 
 " insf its appropriate fruits in Holland, Swit/,erland, France, and 
 " Saxony, wliile in Austria, where ihe method of prepflriiif; Teuch- 
 " ers by thi>ir alteiidance on the Primary Schools is still adhered 
 " to. the Schools are stationary, and behind those of Northern and 
 " Middle Germany. 
 
 " These Seminaries proiluco a stronfy c«/iri7 de corps among 
 " Teachers, which tends powerfully to iiilercst them in their pro- 
 " fession, to attach them to it, to elevate it in their eyes, and to sti- 
 *' miilate them to imprtjve constanlly upon the attuinments, with 
 " which tliey may have comioeiici-d its exeivixe. ijy their aid a 
 " .standard of ex.iininalion in the theory and nnu:tice of instruction 
 " is fiiriiishc'.l. which may be fairly exacted ot cundidutes who have 
 " theseii il dilVi-'rciit way to obluin access to the profi^ssioti." 
 
 ;, .jm.'j'j,-,- ' - ' s»J !i 
 
41 
 
 Siirli iliarai'tors, ami iiion who liiivo t'ailod in otlior 
 I'mpliiviiiriits, will liavo no nicouraftemuiit to look 
 to Sciiiidl-toacliing as a last ri'soi't, to " t;(!t a living 
 " KoiTir-liow '' — as till' last inraiis of wriiiiginj» tlii'ir 
 I'l'llow-iiiin. Tho all iuijicvlaiit anil iiolilo vooatimi 
 of Srlioiil-tfai'liiiig will 1)0 Iioiioi'imI ; and Scliool- 
 toiiclii'i's will vpspoct tlioinsolves, and bo respoctod 
 as other profossional inon." 
 
 2nd. Thu peruniary intorosts of Toachcrs will he 
 Hreatly ailvanciid. Tlio value of systeiiifttio School- 
 ttiocliini; aliovo thai of the untaught and tho acciden- 
 tal Tearlior, will hrromo apparent, and tho demand for 
 it will pro]iortionally ineroiiae. It is true in School- 
 teaehing as in every otlior means of knowledge, or in 
 any article of merchandize, that it will coinimind tho 
 price of its estimated value. Increase its value liy 
 I'cndering it more attraetivo and useful, and the of- 
 forod roniuncration for it will advance in a corres- 
 ponding ratio. 
 
 It is true there is niucli popular ignorance and error 
 ^^\isting on this siihject, and many parents look more 
 to tho salary, than to tho character and cpialilications 
 of the Schoolmaster. But those aro e.xeeptions rather 
 than tho gonoral rule— and tlie o-tceptions wilCdiminish 
 us iutelligcnco advances. 
 
 In a long proportion of neighhourhoods thoro is a 
 sufficient number of intelligent persons to secure a 
 proper selection, who know that the labors of a good 
 Teacher aro twice the value of those of a poor one. 
 
 Wherever Normal Schools have boon established, 
 it has been found thus far that the demand for regu- 
 larly trained Teachers has exceeded tho supply which 
 tlio Normal Schools have beon able to provide. It is 
 so in the United States ; it is so up to tho present 
 time in France ; it is most pressingly and painfully so 
 in Kngland, Ireland and Scotland. I was told by the 
 Head Masters of tho great Normal Schools in Lon- 
 don, in Dublin, in (ilasgow, and in Edinburgh, that 
 such was tho demand for the pupils of the Normal 
 Schools lis Teachers, that in many instances they 
 found it iinposslblo to retain them in tho Normal 
 .School (luring the prescribed course — even when it 
 was limited to a year. I doubt not but tho demand 
 in this Province for regularly trained Teachers would 
 exceed the ability of any ono Normal School to sup- 
 jily it. 
 
 .\s soi .IS exampli.'S of the advantages of trained 
 Teachers could be given, I believe tlie ratio of ilemaiid 
 would iucreas.; faster than that of supply, and that 
 .idditioual Nuniial Selionls would soon bo required in 
 each of tho most populous Districts. 
 
 * The followinfj ailiuiriilili' rpnuiilis on this uuhjt'ct oro cnntained 
 ill the Circular I>«tterwhii'li M. (tiii/iit iiddressoii to itui I'rinjiiry 
 'ruaulu'r.1 uf Kruiicti, in irHnsinittiii^ tu eauh of theiu a uup^ of tho 
 .School Law of l^'Iy : 
 
 " Do not undervahio the iinportunco of your Minsion. Althou|;h 
 •' tlie cureer of a I'rimary 'IViieher is wilhont lU-tnl — nlthouKh his 
 " cart's are confined to, and ids day's spent in, the narrow circle of u 
 " country parish, his lahor^ interest sooiety at large, and his profes- 
 *' sion participates In the importance and dignity of u great public 
 " duty. It is not for the sake of a parisli only, nor for mere ItK'al in- 
 " terests, that the Ittw u-illa tliat every native of France, shall acquire 
 " ihe knowledge necessary to MK-ial and civilised life, without wtiicli 
 " iiumun intelligence sinks into stupidity, and often into brutality. It 
 " is for the sake of the State also, and for the iutei-ests c. f the public 
 " at large. It is because liberty can never be certain and coiu- 
 " plcte, unless among a people sulHciently enlightened to listen on 
 " every emergency to the voice of reason. 
 
 '• Universal education is henceforth one of the guarantees of 
 " liberty, order, and social stability. As every principle in our 
 " Uovernment is founded on justice and reason, toditfuse ediiealion 
 " among the people, to devetope their uiider.standings.aiul enlighten 
 " their minds, is to strengthen our Constitutional Monarchy and 
 " secure its stability, lit; penetrated then, with tile importance of 
 *' your Mission; lot its utility bo ever present to your inind in the 
 " discharge of the difficult Jtlics which it imposcn upon you." 
 
 Teachers properly trained would receive a belter 
 remuneration, and find more pennaneiit places of 
 residence, than they can now, for the most part, coni- 
 mantl. 
 
 .'fril. There will be a great saving of time on the 
 ]iart of the pujiils, and of expense on tho part of tho 
 parent or gtianlian. 
 
 The testimony of experience and observation on 
 this subject is. that a trained Teacher will, as a gene- 
 ral rule, by the superior organization and classitieation 
 of his School, and by his better method ami greater 
 ability for teaching, impart at least twice as much 
 instruction in .any given time, as an untraincil one. 
 Suppose now that the salary of tho former sliouhl 
 exceed that of the latter in the same proportion, 
 there would still remain a clear saving of half tho 
 time of tho pupil, with the additional advantage 
 of good liabits, and accurate views of what he had 
 learned. IIcnot% in tho same period during which 
 pupils usually attend Common Schools, they would 
 acquire at tho lowest allowed estimate, twice tho 
 amount of knowledge and that correctly and tho- 
 roughly, which they arc now imperfectly taught. 
 
 The time thus saved, nnd the additional knowledge 
 and improved modes of study and habits of explana- 
 tion thus acquired, arc indefinitely enhanced in value 
 from their prospective advantages, irrespective of 
 present benefits. 
 
 Tho Hon. Samuel Young, Superintendent of Cinu- 
 mon Schools in tho State of New York, brought this 
 subject formally under the notice of tho Legislature 
 of that State in his Reports of 1843 and 1844. In 
 tho latter he remarks : 
 
 " That a Teacher of proper capacity and acquiro- 
 " ments, thoroughly ctlucatcd in a Normal School, 
 " can communicate more learning to his pupils in .six 
 " months, than is usually communicated under tho 
 " old system of teaching in tlouble that period, is fully 
 " believed. If it were aftirnied that a mechaiiie w ho 
 " h.ail been carefully instructed in the theoretical .tnd 
 " practical departments of his trade, could du twico 
 " as much work, and do it twice as well, as one wiio 
 " should assume that without previous discipline lie 
 " was possessed of the trade by instinct, the aitirma- 
 " tion could hardly fail to bo credited. And is it 
 " not equally ap))arcnt that the Educator, whose func- 
 • tions embracp in an eminent degree both art and 
 
 ■ science ; who is required to stiidj' and to untlor- 
 ' stand tho ilitferent dispositions and |)ropensities of 
 ' the children committed to his care ; to whoso cul- 
 ' tiire is confided the embryo blossoms of the mind ; 
 
 ■ who is ciircfully to watch their daily growth, anil 
 ' to aid and accelerate their expansion, so that they 
 ' may yield rich fruit in beauty and abundance ; in 
 ' short, who, in the incipient stage of its existence, is 
 
 I " to attune tho delicate and complicated cliords of the 
 " human soul into tho moral and intellectual liarmo- 
 " nies of social life ; is it not equally apparent that 
 " such a mission cannot bo worthily performed with- 
 " out careful preparation." 
 
 The Legislature of the State of New York liius 
 granted tho sum of nine thousand dollars to establish 
 a State Normal School at .Mbany, and ten thousand 
 dollars per annum to support it, — ;judging according to 
 the recommendation of the Su|)orintendent, that a 
 jiortion of tho School Fund could not be so advan- 
 tageously appropriated as for tho cstabUshment and 
 support of such an Institution.* 
 
 ■* To tho objection, "We have bad ffood Teachers without Nor- 
 *• ma! Seminaries, and may have good Teachers still," Professor 
 Stuwe, of Ohio, from whose Report on KUucation in Germany sov- 
 
42 
 
 Tlio clmriictcristios i)t' Siliool-tt'iuliiiiK iih fiiriiislieil 
 liy tlii^ oxiiiiipli'H of TiiiiilierH pri)|i(rly traiiii.-ii — of 
 wliirli scv( Till iiistaiiri'rt liiivi; lu'du given in tin) loniior 
 ii.irt (if tlii>. l{i|ior( - iii'c •■.iitlicifjit to evince tlio vnst 
 superiority (pf Midi 11 elans iif iiistrueturs, over tliose 
 who piirHue Seliuol-teucliing witliont any previous jirc- 
 panition. 
 
 la tlie fiillowiiig summary anil iinimrtant stato- 
 iiieuts on lliis sulijeet, by the able Socretary of tlio 
 lloston lioaril of Kdiieatiou, 1 fully eoneur, with two 
 hIiL'lit exceptions. In one instanee I did see a boy in 
 (ears (in licrliu) when removed to a lower eliiHa on 
 aoeuunt of nef,'li},'ence in his School preparations. I 
 did seo one i r two old men silting occaiionalli/ in 
 .School. With these exceptions my own similar in- 
 ([uirios and ixperienee ot nearly three months in 
 .Southern and Western, as well as Northern and Mid- 
 dle Germany, and I might add a longer period of hko 
 investigations in Switzerland, Holland, Itelgium, and 
 France — enable me not only to subscribe to the state- 
 ments of the Hon. Mr. .Mann, but would enable me, 
 were it necessary, to illustrate tlioni by vurious de- 
 tails of visits to individual Schools. I 
 
 " On reviewing a period of six weeks, the greater 
 
 ■ part of which ] spent in visiting Schools in the North 
 
 • and Middle of Prussia and Sa.vony, (except of course 
 ■' the time occupied in going from place to place,) en- 
 '■ terinij tlio Schools to hear the first recitation in the 
 " morning, and reinainiiig until the last was completed 
 ■' at night, I call to mind three things about which I 
 
 ■ cannot bi! miat!iken. In some of my opinions and 
 ■' inferences 1 may have erred, but of tlio following 
 
 ' facts there can be no doubt : 
 
 •' 1st. During all this lime, I never saw a Teacher, 
 
 • hearing a lesson of anv kind, (excepting a reading 
 
 • or spelling lesson) with a book in his hand. 
 
 • 2nd. I never saw a teacher sitting while heiu'lng 
 a recitation. 
 
 '• ;Jrd. Though I saw hundreds of Schools, and 
 ■■ thousands — 1 think 1 may say, within bounds, tens 
 ' of thousands of pupils, — I never saw one child under- 
 " S'""S puui-'hmeut, or arraigned for misconduct. ] 
 
 tralstfttenientslmvo bt'on nuotfd, mnkes the fuIlowinKrh-inieterislic 
 :iinl {jraphic reply : " Tlli-i is thu ultJ stiTout} iiell nlmrtinn ii^nill8t 
 " L- very attempt u't impruvcinent in every nj;''- \Vlien lliubulil cxperi- 
 '• Tiient WHS first made of nailing iron upon ii horse's hoof, the objec- 
 ■' tioii was pnilialily urgcil tliat horse-slutos were entirely uiine- 
 
 • i-L'ssary.' — ' U'ehave imd excellent horses without iheni, and hball 
 ■■ ' probably cuiilinue to have them. The Greeks and Uuiniins never 
 ■• 'used iron horse-shi'es; and did ihey not have the best of horses, 
 •• ■ which eonUl travel tliousands uf miles, and bear on their backs 
 
 ■ ' the compler(a-« of the ..urld ?' So when chimneys anil windows 
 ■• were Hrnl intrndticcd, tbesatneobieetii>n would still hold j;ood.' — 
 ■' ' We have hail very comforlable llou.ies without these exiM'tisive 
 ■• 'adiiition-*. Our falliers never had them, anil why should we ?' 
 
 ■ .Vnd at this d:iy if we were to attempt, in certain p;irts ot the 
 ■' Scottish nifihlaiid". to introduce the practice of wearini; pallia 
 '• I. ions, wc slioii!<l probably be met with tlie s:ime objection. — 
 " • We have had very ;^ond men williout pantaloons, and no doubt 
 
 • ' we shall continue to liu\e tliciii.' In fact, we seldom kiioiv the 
 ■' iiiconveiiiences of an old thiie^ until we liave taken a new and 
 ■• a better one in its stead. It is scarcely a year since the N'ew 
 •' Vork and Kuropean Saiiinp; Packets were supposed to be the ne 
 '■ phi.< ultra of iicomf trtilble and speedy passage across the Athmtie; 
 ■■ bill now. in eompaiison with the newly cgtablished Sleam Packets, 
 ■' they arc justly rei^arded as a slow, iiucertaiii and tedious mode of 
 ■■ conveyance. The human nice is proj^rcsaive, and it often ijappeus 
 
 ■ that the greatest conveniences of oiio generation, are leciioncd 
 " ainoiifx the clumsiest waste hitiil^cr of llie iieM. Compare tho 
 ■' liest pritiliiiR press at which Dr. Pianklin ever worked, with those 
 
 • splendid machines which now throw otV tlieii' thousand sheets an 
 
 ■ hour; and who w'll put these down by re[iealillg, that Dr. Kraiik- 
 
 ■ li.i was a very good printer, and liiadu very good hooks, and 
 ■■ tiecame quite ricli without them?" 
 
 •■ 1 know that ne have go'sl Teachers already; and I honor the 
 
 ■ men wlio have m ide llleiiisclves good Teacliers', with so little ell- 
 I oiiragenieiif, a;id so link' oppnrtuiiity of study. IJiit I also know, 
 
 ■' liial such Teacliers are very few, almost hone, in eompari.son with 
 ■■ ihe public wants ; and that a supply never can be expected wilh- 
 
 ■ out ilie iueiva.-cl fi.eililii- which A gond Teachets' Semi'tiury 
 
 ' would furnish.'' " 
 
 " never saw one child in tears from having been 
 " puniuhod, or from fear of being punished. 
 
 " During the above period, I witnj'sscd exercises in 
 " (icograpny, ancient anil mmlorn, ia tho (iernian 
 " language, — from the exiilaniition of tiie sinipleat 
 '' words up to helk'g-letlreg Jisipiisitions, with rules for 
 " speaking and writing ; — in Arithmetic, Algebra, 
 " Cieometry, Surveying and Trigonometry ; in Hook- 
 " keeping, in Civil History, ancient and modern ; in 
 " Natural I'hilosophy ; in Jiotany and Xoology; in 
 '■ Mineralogy, where there were hundrcils of speei- 
 " mens ; iu the endless variety of the exercises in 
 '' thinking, knowledge of nature of the world, and 
 " of society ; in IJihIo history and Biblo knowledge ; 
 " and, as I Ijcforo said, in no one of these eases did 
 " I see a Teacher with a book in his luiiul. His 
 " liook, — his books, — his library, was in his heiul. 
 " Promptly, witiiout pause, wit out hesitation, from 
 " the rich resources of his own mind, ho brought forth 
 " whatever tho occasion tlemanded. 
 
 " I have said that I saw no Tcaehcr sittiiu/ in his 
 " School. Aged or young, all stood. Nor diil they 
 " stand apart and aloof in sullen dignity. They 
 " mingled with their pupils, passing r.ipidly from one 
 " side of the class to the other, animating, cncourag- 
 " ing, sympathizing, breathing life into less active 
 " natures, assuring tlie timid, uistributing eucouragt- 
 " ment anil oudoarmcnt to all. 
 
 " These incitements and endcanncnts of the Teaeh- 
 " er, this personal ubiquity as it were among all the 
 " pupils in tho cliws, prevailed niucli more as the 
 " pupils were younger. Before tho okler classes tho 
 " Teacher's manner became calm and didactic. The 
 " habit of attention being once formed, nothing was 
 " left for subsequent years or Toaehcrs, but tho easy 
 " task of m.iintaining it. Was there ever such a com- 
 " uient us this on tho practice' of having cheap 
 " Teachers liecauso the School is young, or intompe- 
 " tent ones because it is backward ! 
 
 " In Prussia and in Saxony as well as iu Scotland, 
 " tho power of commanding aud retaining the atten- 
 " tioii of a class is held to bo a line qua non in a 
 " Teacher's ((ualifications. If he has notttilent, skill, 
 " vivacity, or resources of anecdote and wit sufficient 
 " to arouso and retain the attention of his pupils 
 •' during tho accustomed period of reeitjition, he is 
 " deemed to have mistaken his calling, and receives a 
 " signiticant hint to change his vocation. 
 
 " Tho third cireumststneo I mentioned above was. 
 " the beautiful relation of harmony ami atteetion 
 " which subsisted between Teacher and pupils. I cau- 
 " not say, that the extraordinary circumstaiiee I havi 
 " mentioned ivas not the result of cliaueo or accident. 
 " Of the probability of that, others must Judge. I 
 " e.an only say that, during all the time mentionoil, 
 " I never naw a blow struck, I never heard a sharp 
 " rebuke given, I never saw a ohikl in tears, nor 
 " arraigned at tho Teacher's bar for any iillegcil 
 " misconduct. On the contrary, the relation seemed 
 " to bo one of duty tirst, aiul then affection, on the part 
 " of the Teacher, — of affection first, and then duty 
 " on tho part of the scholar. Tho Teacher's manner 
 " was better than parental, for it had a parent's 
 " tendornes.i and vigilance, without tho IboUsh doat- 
 " ings or indulgences, to which parental affection is 
 " prone. I heard no chilit ridiculed, sneered at, or 
 " scolded, for making a mistake. On the contrary. 
 " whonoTer a mistake iva-s made, or there was a 
 " want of promptness in giving a reply, tho cxpres- 
 " sion of the Teacher vi-aa tliatoi'griet aud disappoint- 
 " ment, as though there had been a failure not mere- 
 " Iv to answer tho question of a master, but to con,- 
 
43 
 
 " ply witli till) o\|H'i'tiiti(pni((it'ivlVicnil. XocliilJwus 
 *' discoiicirlrd, illmililuil, or iHToft of \\\h sonm'S, 
 " tliri)iij;li iViir. Xiiy, gi'iicrally at tlin end of tlio 
 ' iiiitwirs, tlio Tc'iuiliur's pviutifo m to ciii'miriigo liiin, 
 " witli iIk) (ixclanmtiim, '• gtiiid," " ri>;lit," " wholly 
 
 ri);lil," &f., ()!• to check him, with liis slowly and 
 " puiiil'ully articulutt'd " no ; " and this is done with 
 
 a lonu of voice, that marks every dogreo of plus 
 " and ininHS in the scale of approhntion and rej^ret. 
 
 When a dill'icult ([uestion 1 iis been pnt to a young 
 " child, whii h tanks all liin enorgios, the Teacher ap- 
 " proaches him witli a mingled look of concern and 
 " ojicouragenient ; ho Btands boforo him, tho light 
 '.' and shade of hope and fear alternately crowing 
 '' hilt conutenance; and if tho little wrestler with diffi- 
 " cuUy trinniphs, tho Teacher felicitates him anon his 
 "success; perhi'ps seizes, and shakos hlni by tho 
 " hand in token of (H)ngratulfttinn ; and, when tho 
 " dilHculty has been really formidable, and the effort 
 '' triumphant, I have seen the Teacher catch up tho 
 " child in his arms, and embrace him, as thnngh ho 
 " wero not ublo to contain his joy. At another time 
 " 1 have seen a Teacher actually clap his hands with 
 " delight at a bright reply ; and all this has been done 
 " so naturally and so unaffectedly as te oxoito no 
 " other feeling in tho residue of tlio childron than a 
 " desire, by tho sumo means, to w'm tho same caresses. 
 " What person worthy of being crdlcd by tho namo, 
 " or of sustaining the sacred relation of a parent, 
 " would not give any tiling, bear any thin", sacrifice 
 " any thing, to Imve his children, during eight or ton 
 " years of the period of their childhood, surrounded 
 " by circumstances, and breathed upon by swoot and 
 " humanizing influences like these. 
 
 " Still, in almost every German School into which 
 " 1 entered, I iaquired whether corporeal punishment 
 " wore allowed or used, and I was uniformly answor- 
 " ed in the affirmative. Hut it was further said, that, 
 " though all Toachora had liberty to use it, yet cases 
 " of its occurrence were very rare, and those cises 
 •' wero confined almost wholly to young scholars. 
 " lentil the Teacher had time to est'iblish the relation 
 " of affection between himself and tho new comer 
 " into his School, until he had time to* create that 
 " attachment which children always feel towards any 
 " one, who, day after day, 3U])plie8 them with novel 
 " and pleasing ideas, it was occasionally necessary to 
 " restrain and punish them. Uut after a short time 
 " a love of the Teacher and a love of knowledge bo- 
 " coniea substitute, — liow admirable a one ! forpunish- 
 " mcnt. When I asked my common (juestion of Dr. 
 '' Vogcl* of Leipsic, ho answered, ' that it was still 
 ■' ' used in the Schools of which ho h.id the siipcrin- 
 " ' tendcuco. But," added he, " thank God, it is 
 " ' useil less and les<, and when wo Teachers become 
 " ' fully competent to our work, it will cease alto- 
 " gothev' 
 
 " To the above I may add, that I found all the 
 
 • Teachers whom I visited, alive to tho subject of im- 
 
 • [irovoiiieiit. Thfy hadlilinu'ics of the standard works 
 
 •It iimv n<»t by iinpriipfr for me to lUld liert', that to Dr. Vop[o!, 
 iiK'ntiniieil by Mr. Mann, I am niorfi Jet'ply iiMlt-btetl than to any 
 other inilivi(lr'xl in Germany. He is llio autlior of inipruved school 
 maps, ami se.oral works on Kflueation. He is the Siiporintemlent 
 of Scinwii ill the City of Ijcipsie, — tlio book-shop of nil Clerinany, 
 :!ie oentrnl mart of Kurope, tuid the seat of tho riohost and must 
 I'plelirated University in all Gi'rmuny. The systait nf Sriwoh nnder 
 his su|)i'riiitendeneR is tho most eomplete, for a c'.ty of any that I 
 have Si'on, and woidd furnish nmlcrials for an interesting; volume. 
 Not only di'.l Di. Vogel aecoiupauy luu to tho several classes of 
 Sehools tinder his care, andexpluin the pcculinr features and modes 
 .<f instruetif.il adopted ineaeh, and his improved School maps (a copy 
 of which ho kindly presented to me) and Genjjfraphy, but gave mo 
 letters of introduction to Directors of Schools and School .Vuthors 
 in various piirts of Northern and Western Germany and Switzer- 
 land ; lelterfl which 1 found in several instances exteedinj^ly ser- 
 viceable. \\h-.it added to the value uf Dr. V'ogel's pcrsonhl atten- 
 tions wa.s, that 1)0 is an excellent Knglish scholar, and speaks 
 Knplibli as (Uiently as he docs bis nntivo tongne ; and is perfectly 
 iJioinliiir iiilh bi th Knijlish a.ul .Vii.i.sicun Institutions. 
 
 " on Kdunatiiin, — works of which there are .xiich great 
 " numbers in the German language. Kvery new hook 
 " of any promise was eagerly .sought after ; and I uiii- 
 " forndy found tho educational perioiliculs of the tlay 
 " upon tho tables of the Teachers. 
 
 "The oxtonsivo range and high grade of instruction 
 " which so many of the (leinian youth are enjoying, 
 " and theso noble qualifications on tho part of thi^ 
 " instructors, are the luitui-nl and legitimate result of 
 " their Seminaries for Teachers. Without the latttir, 
 " tho former never ooiilil have been, any more tlian an 
 " effect without its cause." 
 
 3rd. TftTf-yyooX;*.— Tho variety of text-books in 
 tho Schools, and the objectionable character of nuiny 
 uf thorn, is a subject of serious and general complaints. 
 
 ! All classification of tho pupils is thereby prevented ; 
 , tho exertions of tho best Tcachop are in a gi-oat mea- 
 sure paralyzed ; the timo of the scholars is almost 
 ; wasted ; and improper sentiments aro often incul- 
 I cated. This is a ubject of loud complaint in tho 
 1 neighbouring States, in a late Report it is mentioned, 
 that tho roturns, although incomplete, sliowod that 
 no less than two hundrctland four different kinds of 
 School-books wore uso<l in tho Scliools of the State of 
 Connecticut alone. Dr. Potter, of New York, says : 
 " No evil connected with the present condition of 
 " our Schools calls more loudly for immediate cor- 
 I " rection than this. It is a subject of earnest and 
 " continued complaint on the part of both Teachers 
 " and parents, and seems to prevail throughout tho 
 " whole country." " It is a subjectof hoarty congra- 
 " tulation, that the people are beginning to awake to a 
 I " proper sense of this ovil, and that they aredeniand- 
 1 " ing a reform. On this account, as well as on several 
 I " otiiers, the present seems a most auspicious time, for 
 I " devising some plan, which may prove rca.son.ablypor- 
 " manent, and which will gradually displace the almost 
 ' " endless variety of School-books, by as much unifor- 
 " mity as can bo expected in our country." 
 
 j Any interference on the part of tho Government 
 j in a subject of this kind was formerly thought to bo 
 incompatiblp with individual right anil liberty ; but 
 experience has taught tho fallacy of this and many 
 hundred theories, and efforts are now making to cor- 
 rect the evils which such speculations have produced. 
 
 The following extract from a County Ueport, ptib- 
 hahed in the SUite Superintendent's Annual Ueport 
 of 1844, will shew how tho selection of School-books 
 is now managetl in the State of ^■ew York ; 
 
 " The selection of books for the Common School 
 " libraries, is given to the Trustees of .Si'liool Dis- 
 " tricts ; but tho State Superintendent, anil by the 
 " provisions of the Act of 184;J, tho County Siiper- 
 " intendents, have power to dccitlo against bookn 
 " remaining in tlio hbrarics whicli aro decmctl im- 
 " proper. 
 
 " Although it is notorious that tho State Siipci-iii- 
 " tcndent li.is often exercised this power, and idtiiougli 
 " in the caso of this County at least, it is one, iho no 
 " cossary exorcise of which lias never been shrunk from, 
 " i never yet heard the propriety of its being .so vcst- 
 " ed, in a single in.st;ince, called in (Question. The good 
 " sense of our people has not failed to show them that 
 " to prevent frequent abuses, a supervisory jurisdiction 
 " of this kind must exist soniewliere ; and they have 
 " seemed content to leave it in the hands of a cla.s9 of 
 " officers, chosen especially to administer the laws go- 
 " nerally in relation to our Common Schools. 
 
 " Trustees who purchase liooks for Districts, are 
 " frequently meu who. uotwithstanding the good sense 
 
44 
 
 mill |iul.lic spirit wliirli iimv liclon^ to tlicin imiii-ii, 
 
 " ami a> Sil I ( ttticcrs, |"i-«'«« tio i'Xt<Hi(l('iliic(|imin- 
 
 " liilhv willi liooks; ill liv till- the Kl-i'ilt'T I>"l-tl<m(it' 
 ■' insUiMi'i's, lis iiiiL'lit lirc'.vpc'ctccl, llin Ijciolts wlii<li 
 " tlic'v iiin'rliasc, Ciivi' lint Ihcii pifviously ri'ud bv 
 
 " tllCIII. 
 
 " The K(';;cnt» »( tlii' University in approprintinp 
 •' funds lor (lie |iiir(liii»iMil'Afii(loniir Lilinirics, rc(|uiro 
 " tlic Ti'iislrcs 111' tlic^rtu llistitutiiins to sclfi't tlio Ijooks 
 " I'roiii II iataloM;m', wliicli is t'uriiisliod liy the Hci^cnts, 
 " or ir oilii'vs are desired, a list of thuiii niiixt tii'st lie 
 " :<iiliiMi(l(d to. mill iipjiroved of by tin.' Ueceiits. The 
 " fiiiiition of tlii'se olHeers is anala}iiMi« to that uf the 
 ■' Slate Siipeviiiteiideiit, and no reason is iiereeived 
 •' why the same iie;lit to control the pureliase of books, 
 '• sbo'iild not be vested in one head of the Deniirtincnt, 
 " that there is in the other. Suhstiintially there is no 
 '• wide disparity in the ri^ht now vested in encii ; but 
 " tliero istliisdistintjnishint; feature — one inanifests its 
 " power before sueli purchase, the other subsetiuently. 
 >' It is not ditlicult to decide that prevention is always 
 ■ better than cure." 
 
 In Franco the Council of the University recom- 
 :nend books of merit for the nso of Schools, and on 
 edueivtional subjects generally, and often bestow hand- 
 soiiie prizes, or honorary distinctions upon the authors 
 of them. 
 
 In Prussia the text-books used in Schools, are ro- 
 eoiuniended by the School Hoard in each Province, 
 fof which there are ten in Prussia,) and sanctioned 
 by the Minister of Public Instruction. 
 
 In Knji;land the Privy Council Committee are re- 
 commending a scries of School-books for elementary 
 .Schools. 
 
 In Ireland the National Uoard of Education have 
 published at very reiluced prices, a series of School- 
 books, wliich are not only used in 'their Schools, 
 but ill numerous .Schools in Ihiglaiid and Scotland, 
 and in ,som(! of tie; Mritish Colonies — books which 
 have been |irepiired by experienced Teachers, and 
 with the Ln'ciitest can — which are imbued throujijhout 
 with the |iurest jiriiiciples, itiul eiidirace the whole 
 niiiLje of topics which have been recommended in the 
 I'lirmcr part of this licport, as pro|ier subjeets of 
 C'liiiiiKMi School instruction. They also contain a 
 ijreat variety of iiifornuitioii which is as interesliiiii; 
 anil useful for the common reader, as it is appropriate 
 lor the Common .Si'hool. 
 
 Tho responsible, and delicate and ditlicult task of 
 selectini^ and rccoiiinieiiilini; books for Schools can, I 
 think, be more judiciously andsalislactorily pcrformeil 
 by a I'rovincial Board or Council, than by any inili- 
 sidiial Suporiiiteiidcnt. A mere rccoiiimeudatory 
 authority in such a body would, I am inclined to be- 
 lieve, be ouiti! sutfuieiii to secure the introduction and 
 u.sc of the proiier books in .School. 
 
 4th. Control and Innpertiaii. — If " it is the Mas- 
 •• tor which makes the Sclinol,'' it is the Govornment 
 that makes the system. What the .Master is to the 
 one, the (niverniiient must be to the other — the di- 
 rector, the animatiiie; sjiirit of it. 
 
 As propel' rules and a judicious course of instruction, 
 prescribed for a School, would be of little nse without 
 a competent and dilij^ent Master to execute the one 
 and impart the other ; so the enactineiit of a Common 
 School Law, however complete in its provisions, and 
 the sanctioning of a course of instruction, however 
 practical and coniprehensive, will contribute httlo for 
 the education of the peojile, without tho parental, 
 
 vigilant and eiicrgelii: oversight of the (loverninent. 
 If it is the duty of the (ioveriiDient to legislate nil 
 the subject of public instruction, it must be its duly 
 to .see its laws excciitecl. To pass a ]iiiblic law, ami 
 then abandon, or, what ise(|nivalenl. neglect the exe- 
 cution of it, is a solecism in (iiivernincnt. Vet Ibis 
 is the very absurdity which .some (ioveriimcnts have 
 long practised: and this is the primary cause why 
 e<liicati<in has not advanced under such (iovernments. 
 After having enacted a law or laws lui the siibject of 
 .Schools, they have left them, — as a cast off orphan, — to 
 the neglect or tho care,as it might happen, of individu- 
 als, or neighbourhoods, or towns, — among whom the 
 law has remained a dead letter, or lingered a feeble 
 existence, ai-cording as the principal jiersons in each 
 locality might be disposed to act or not act, in a mat- 
 ter so vitally ini|iortaiit to the laitire interests and 
 highest prosperity of the State. 
 
 If Uovernment exists for the prosperity <if the 
 public family, then every thing relating to educational 
 instruction demands its /tractinal cari; as wiill as le- 
 gislative interference. Vet not a few persons have 
 
 i spoken and written as if t!ie Government had notliing 
 to do in a department which more than any other 
 involves tho heart and strength, and happiness of tlu' 
 people, not to say tho existence of a free Constitution 
 and system of laws, than merely to pass a statute 
 and make certain appropriations,- -leaving the appliea- 
 
 ; tion or niisapjilication of public monies, and every 
 thing practical and essential in the the administration 
 of tho law, to various localities, as so many isolated 
 or independent Democracies. 
 
 i| Under such circumstances, there can bo no system 
 of Public Irstruction ; there may bo one law, but the 
 nystenis, or I'ather practices, may bo as various as the 
 sinaHest Municip.Tl divisions. To bo a St,ito system 
 of Public Instruction, there must bo a Stato control 
 as well as a State law. 
 
 Tho conviction of tho important truth and duty 
 involved in these remarks, has led to one of the most 
 important iin]irovements which have, during the iire- 
 sent century, taken place in the science ot Govern- 
 ment, — the appointment of officers, as well as the en- 
 actment of laws for the education of the whole peoph'. 
 Hence there is not a State in Europe, from despotic 
 Hussia down to the smallest Canton of repubhcan 
 Switzerland, which has not i's Council, or Hoard or 
 .Minister, or Superintendent, or Prefect of Public 
 Instruction, — exercising an active and jirovidont over- 
 sight co-extensive with the provisions of the law and 
 the community concerned. The most advanced of 
 the neighbouring .States have found it necessary to 
 adopt this, as w.^ll as other educational improvements 
 of Kiiropenn civilization. And it is now geuerallv 
 admifleii, that the education of the ])cople is more 
 dependent' upon the (idniiiihtratidii, t]um uiion the 
 provisions of the laws relating to Public Instruction. 
 
 In some of the Xew England States, as well as in 
 several countries of Europe, every town, or parish, or 
 municipaHty of a certain population, is compelled to 
 provide a School ; but such is not tho case, nor per- 
 haps is such a provision required in this Province. 
 So far as I have been able to ascertain from the 
 examples of enlightened Govenuncnts, and so far as 
 I can judge from the nature of the case, I think tlie 
 oversight of the Government should be directed 
 cliieHy to the following objects : 
 
 (1). To sec that the Legislative grants are faith- 
 fully and judiciously expended according to tho in- 
 tentions of the liCgislaturo ; that tho conditions on 
 which the ajipropnationa have been made, are iu all 
 cases duly fulHllcd. 
 
45 
 
 (2). Tn M<o that tho goncral prinnplcn nf thn l»w, 
 a« wi'll in tlu) nlijci'tM of its ii|)pn)|iriiitloiis, nrr, in no 
 iiwtftnco, ooritriiTeiiol. 
 
 (.')). T(i prniHiro tlm rcj;nliitiiiTm wliicli ri'iiiti' totlio 
 Knlipnil I'liavai'tcr itiiii niiiiiii^rciiii'iit nf tlii' HlIuhiIs, 
 am! thn ipmhtiralinnH ami clmrnctrr of tli(^ Toiii'licrs, 
 — Iniiviiic thn (■mployiiicnt of thoiii to tho people, and 
 a lurgo iliHcrotioti lut to iiioiIch of tciichiiig. 
 
 (4). To provide, or rcconitnond hooks, 
 iffuo of which may cniihln 'rrimti'os or (U; 
 
 tho cata- 
 logue of which may oniihlii 'rrnntccs or (^ominittoL's 
 to Holoet suitable ones for tho use of their Schools. 
 
 (6). T'l prepare and rncoinmcnd nuitablo plans of 
 School-houses, and their furniture and app('ndu)(<^s, as 
 one of the most important suhsidlary means of good 
 schools — a subject upon wlii<^h it is intended on a , 
 future occasion, to present a 8])ccial Roport. i 
 
 (0). To employ every constitutional means to cx- 
 oite a spirit of intellectual activity and inquiry, anil to 
 satisfy it as far as |)i»tsiblii by aiding in the establish- 
 ment and selection of libraries, and other moans of 
 diffusing useful knowledge. 
 
 (7). Finally, and especially, to see that an eflBcicnt 
 system of inspection is exercised over nil tho Schools. 
 This involves the examination and licensing of Teach- 
 ers, — visi ti ng the Schools,— discovering errors, and sug- 
 gesting romedii. , us to tho organization, classification, 
 and raetbodsof teaching in the Schools, — giving coun- 
 sel and instruction as to their management, — careiully 
 examining the pupils, — animating Teacliors, trustees 
 and parents, by conversations, addresses. &c,, when- 
 ever practicable, imparting vigor by every available 
 moans to tho whole system. What tho Government 
 is to tho system, and wluit tho Teacher is to the 
 School, tho looid Inspector or Suporintondent should 
 bo within tho limits of his District. 
 
 There is no class of officers in tho whole machinery 
 of elementary instruction on whom so much dopencis 
 for its efficient and successful working, as upon tho 
 local Superintendents or Inspectors. Tho proper 
 selection of this class of agents is a mattiT of tho 
 greatest importance ; they should make themselves 
 theoretically and practically acquainted with every 
 branch taught in the Schools, and the best modes of 
 teaching, as well as with the wliole subject of School 
 organizaliim and management. 
 
 Where there is incompetency or negligence hero, 
 there is weakness in the very part were strength is 
 most required. I think this part of tho system of 
 Public Instruction is by no means appreciated in this 
 Province in proportion to its importance. 
 
 The laws, and Normal and Elementary Schools of 
 (Jermany and France, would be of comparatively 
 little avail, were it not for their system of inspection 
 over every School and over every department of in- 
 struction ; nor would tho Privy Councd Committoo in 
 England, or tho National Board in Ireland, succeed 
 as they do, were it not for tho corps of able and vigi- 
 lant Inspectors, whom they employ to see carried 
 into effect in every School aided by pubUc grants, the 
 principles of the system, and the lessons given in tho 
 Normal Schools. 
 
 Holland is inferior to Prussia in its system of Nor- 
 mal Schools ; but is probably superior to every other 
 country in the world, in its system of inspection. 
 
 With some of these Inspectors it was ray good for- 
 tune to meet in Holland ; they accompanied me to 
 
 varimio Schools nniler their charge ; tlinir entrnnce 
 iniM the ScIkmiIh was wi'lcnuicd by the glnwini; couii- 
 tcnanics i'( bulb Tcaclicrs and puiiils. wlm sccnu'd to 
 regard and receive them ns friemls frmu wlioni they 
 expi'cted both instruction and encouragement ; nor 
 were thi'ir expectations iliHapp'inled so far as I hail 
 an (ipporlunity of judging; the cxaniinalionH aiul re- 
 nnirlis in inch instance shewed tlic Inspector to be 
 intimately arquaiiited willi every dcparlnicnt of the 
 instruction given, and imparted animation and delight 
 to tliewhiilc School, 'i'lic impiirlanceattachi'it to this 
 class of officers, may he inferred from the remark of 
 the venerable Vandcn Kudc (late Chief Commissioner 
 of Primary Instructinn, in llnllanil, and to a great 
 ext('nt the founder nf the System) to M. (Jousin, 
 in iHJKi, " lie careful in the chnice of ymir Itisjicctors ; 
 " they are men who ought to be souglit fur with a lau- 
 " tern in tho hand," 
 
 In tho commencement of a system of Public Instruc- 
 tion, tho office of local Superintendents or Inspectors 
 is, if possible, more important, than after .mch system 
 has l>eon brought into full operation ; and little hope 
 I of aucccsj can be entertauied in this Province, 
 1 wherever local Superintendents prove lax or careless 
 I in their examinations into the qualifications and cha- 
 I ractor of Candidates for teaching • — their visitations 
 i of Schools — their attention to books and defective 
 j modes of teaching — their exertions to carry every 
 1 part of the law into effect, and to excite increased in- 
 terest in tho public mind in behalf of tho education 
 of tho yenng. 
 
 This last is tho more important as no Constitutional 
 Government can establish and render effective a sys- 
 tem of Public Instruction without tho co-operation ul 
 the people tliemsclves. 
 
 There must bo this co-operation, not only in tho 
 enactment of laws, but in the application of them to 
 every individual School. Tho establishment and 
 maintenance of a School system is not like tho digging 
 of a Canal, or tho building of a Railroad, where the 
 work may bo performed by strangers and foreigners. 
 Tho subjects of popular education are tho younger, 
 |i and the immediate and ni;v;essary agents of it are the 
 older inhabitants of the country ; and if the latter 
 are indifferent and unfaithfid to their duty, the for- 
 mer will grow iq) in ignorance, notwithstanding the 
 provisions of the best laws, and the best exertions of 
 the Government. 
 
 One of the first steps then in a public work of this 
 kind — a work which involves tiie interests of every 
 family, and the future destinies of the country ; — is to 
 excite parents and guardians to a sense of their moral 
 and social obligations not only in respect to tho es- 
 tablishment of Schools, but as to the character and 
 efficiency of those Schools, and the due education of 
 their children for theprcsentand the future — forthem- 
 selves, and their country. 
 
 These remarks suggest a collateral subject to 
 which I desire to draw attention — not with a view of 
 recommending its adoption, but in order to impress 
 upon all concerned tho principle which it involves. 1 
 
 " • Tho most imperft'ct arrangement for providing Teflohors is 
 " that which ri-quiri*!, an examination tn((t merely llie krwiflettfifoHhc 
 '* Candidate in (lie hram-hes tv he lamj/iL Tliis is specially imperfect 
 " in the caseof elcmcntaryinstructiou, where the linuwtedgc required 
 *' is small in amount, ana where the art of teaching Hnds its most 
 *' difficult exercise. The erroneous notion, that an individual can 
 " teach whatever he knows, is now generally abandoned; and in those 
 " countries which still adhere to the old method, of depending solely 
 ** upon examinations for securing competent Teachers, examination 
 " is made, not only of the acquirements of the Candidate, but of his 
 " ahilitif to fjive instruction" — Bacfie'a Report on Education in £u- 
 ropCt p. 323. 
 
 M 
 

 4(J 
 
 allude to tlio ronipulwry attcnilHiiiii nf cliililrim ut 
 Sclioiil, lis ri'(|uirrd \>y tli«i luwn uf l'riiKnitt itml novu- 
 fiil (idler Stiiti'M (if Kiii()|w. 
 
 The lU'cviili'iit iiiiprcwiidii 1h, lli.it hiicIi ii lnw \» nr- 
 liitriir< — i|('ii|iiiti(' — iiicoiiHiN'diit with tliu i'i({liti> ut' pa 
 rents anil tin- lilicitieH of the miliji'it. Hut wimt in 
 tlii^ |ii'inri|il(! (Ill wliioli iIiIm Uw id I'oiiiiilod '/ Thii 
 prini.'i|il« in tliii*, tliat uvcry cliiUI in the land liiw u 
 i'if{lit to HHi'li 111! tidiK 'lion UK will tit liiui to liu HII 
 liiincKt and uml'iil inuinlier of coiniiiunity, — that if tlio 
 jiari'iit or guardian rtmnol (iroviilu him with such an 
 t'diii'ution, Iho Staff it AoiiniHodu so, — and that if tliii 
 ]iiir('iit will not do ho, tho Statu will |irotix:t tlio eliiUl 
 
 i'runi Mii'h a iiarcnt'H cnpidity and inliui: .vj, and 
 
 tlio Statu will protoi't tho I'oiiiniunity at Uwjrc aK>>i>i!>t 
 any paruiits (if tlii! torni can bo applied to hui;Ii u 
 eliai'actei') sendiiiij forth into it, an unediuatud Havagu, 
 nil idle vagabond, or mi tinprinciplud thief. 
 
 The parent or guardian is not iaiilated from all 
 Hronnd liini, — without mieial relutionn or obligations. 
 JIo owes duties to his child, — ho owes duties to »o- 
 cioty. In neglecting to (idiieate, he wrongs his child, 
 — ('joins him to ignorancu, if not to vico, — to a condi- 
 tioil little abovo that which is occupied by hors'is 
 Hnd oxen ; — ho also wrongs society, by robbing it of 
 iin intelligent and useful member, uiid by iimicting 
 upon it an ignorant or vicious barbarian. 
 
 To commit this two-fold wrong is a crime of tho 
 blackest character, whothor cognizable by human 
 laws or not : to protect childhoo(l and iiianhood and 
 society from such vrrongs, is the object of the Prus- 
 sian law, which requires tho attondanco of every child 
 from the age of si x to fourteen years, ut some School — 
 jiublic or piivpte as the parent may prefer ; and if 
 the pari'iit is not able to pay for the education of his 
 cliild tho State provides for it. Tho law therefore 
 jirotects tho weak and tho defcncoless, against the 
 strong and tho selfish ; it is founded on tho purest 
 morality and the noblest potriotism ; and although I 
 do not advocate tho incorporation of it into a Statute 
 in this country, I belicvo it to bo the duty of every 
 parent to act in accordanco with its spirit. With 
 what a noble race would Canada be peopled forty 
 years hence, if every eliild from this time henceforth 
 should receive uigiit years instruction in the |)ractical 
 arts and duties of life on Christian principles ! 
 
 But it is erroneous to suppose that the I'russiau 
 law on this subject is an ap|iondago of despotism. 
 It exists in the democratic Cantons of Uepubliean 
 Switzerland, in a more elevated degree than it does 
 in I'russia. A. (J. Ksclier, Ksqr., manu'actiircr at 
 Zurich whose testimony has been quoted in a former 
 part ot this Report, gives tho following evidenco on 
 this point, before the I'rivy Council .committee on 
 Education. 
 
 In answer to the question, " In tho I'reo Cantons 
 " of Switzerland, is the education luilioiial ami coiii- 
 " pulsory ?" Mr. Kschcr says: "In the Protestant 
 " Cantons it is entirely so. Ko child can bo euiploy- 
 " cd in any maniifactnry until he has passed through 
 " the I'riiiiary Schools ; niid ho is further under the 
 " obligation of attending the Secondary Schools until 
 " his .sixteenth or seventeenth year. Aiiil under all 
 " circumstaneos, and for every employincnt, it is ob- 
 " ligatory on parents to send their children to tho 
 " Public Schools until they are absolved from the 
 " obligation by an examination as to tho efficiency of 
 " the education." 
 
 In the Cantons tho opinion of the people is, in the 
 largest sense, the law of the land; vet so enlightened 
 
 nnd (0 Htroiig is that opinion, that it enact!) Iuw», dh- 
 forced by tho wiverukl ptuialtiei, neciiring to uvory 
 child such an education as is suitable to hut intended 
 eniployincnt in life. The >aiiii' elevulcd piililic (i|iinion 
 uxini.s ::'!'( ii|H'rat('s in the free Status of tiurniany, iih 
 well as in despotic Priinsia. I )ii this |>oiiit I will iiiiotu tho 
 tustimuiiy of uii iiitulligent American- -Intu I rosidunt 
 of l.e Senate of tho Statu of Musnachusi^tls, and at 
 present Secretary of the Koard of Education at Hooton 
 — a iiinii who has done iiiiich to advaiico the iiitcreNt* 
 of education in his native State, and to whom I 
 liavu had frequent occnsion to refer. Mr. .Mann says : 
 *' A very orronooiis idni ]irevaiU with us, that this 
 " onforceniPiit of school attondanco is tliu prcnigativo 
 " of despotism alone. I bdlicvu it is generally su|i- 
 " posed hero, that such compulsion is not merely iii- 
 " coni|itttilile with, but impossiblo in, ii free and ulee- 
 " tive govornment. This is a great error. With the 
 " exception of Austria, (including Uoliemia,) and 
 " Prussia, almost all tho other States of (iennany 
 " have now constitutional (lovcrnmentH. Many of them 
 " have an Upper and i<owor House of Assembly, like 
 " our Senate, and IIoiiso of Rnpresentutives. Who- 
 " over will uttond the Parlianioiit of Saxony, for in- 
 " stance, will witness as great freedom of debate as 
 " in any country in tho world ; and no law can be 
 " passed but by a majority of tho Representatives 
 " chosen by the people thoniBclvcs. In tho first 
 " School 1 visited, in Saxony, a lesson ' On Ooverii- 
 " mc\\t,' in which all tho great privileges secured to 
 " the Saxon people by their Constitution wore cnli- 
 " nicrutcd ; and both Teacher and pupils rontrnstcd 
 " their present free condition with that of some other 
 " countries, as well us with that of their own ancestors, 
 " in u H])irit of congratulation and trlunqdi. The 
 " elective franchise in this and in several of the 
 " other States of (Jormany, is more generally cn- 
 " joyed, that is, tho restrictions upon it are less than 
 '' in some of tho States of our own Union. And yet 
 '' in Saxony, years after the existence of this Con- 
 " stiti Jii, and when no law could bo passed without 
 " the assent of the people's Roprosentatives, in Par- 
 " liaincnt assembled, a geneial code of School laws 
 " was enacted, rigorously enforcing, by fines and 
 " penalties, the attendance of childre.i at School." 
 
 5tli. Individual £fortt.^-Thcro is so much in the 
 very nature of education that is voluntary, both in 
 its pursuit by an individual, and in its advanccine;:tas 
 a system, that without efforts beyond those which 
 should or could be enjoined by statutes, its interests 
 can bo advanced to but a very limited extent in any 
 community. It is erroneous to suppose that the high 
 state of education in Germany is entirely owing to 
 the provisions of the laws and the exertions of the 
 Civil Authorities. The spontaneous etforts of indi- 
 viuuals, and associations have not, to say the least, 
 boenJess efficient agents in this great work, than the 
 interforenco of the State; and these private efforts 
 have on several occasions, been the originators of the 
 most important laws and measures of Government. 
 1, is to these i.'fforts that Germany owes its unrivalled 
 series of .School and educational books — tho existence 
 and wide circulation of upwards of thirty peiiodical 
 School publications — and the periodical conferences of 
 School Inspectors and Teachers in all tho German 
 States. The intercourse of Teachers and Educators 
 in all parts of Oorniany, is constant and intimate — to 
 an extent that can bt scarcely conceived by a stran- 
 ger. Thus tho iinprovonieiits and views of ouch biv 
 coino tho property of all — the educational instruc- 
 tors of the people constitute an extensive and most 
 influential fraternity, and the whole public mind is 
 elevated and auiinated to a standard ot sentiment and 
 ])ractico conforaiabio to a high state of national civi- 
 lization. 
 
 
47 
 
 t'orrciponiliiig olfKrU in lliii I'mviiu'ii btk in<li»- 
 pcnialilii lit l)if> rt'itliiuttiiiii iif any |>Atrintic hup«« ui 
 til our nyntviii of |iiihlir iiintnirtiiin. Tlio cffiripmy 
 of miinp >if i\w prixitioiiN uf tho Hc'liool I.nw in 
 wliiilly ilr|i(Miclin|/ up<in viiliinUiry pffortit. TlnHJ.^ tlxt 
 ciinu rii|M'i'mlly in r<'»|icit to Vii<iti>r« of Si'hooln, 
 *liimi' |]«li(irfi iiri' anilioli/i'il without nny provMon (or 
 )M'<'unijiry rt'Miiini'nitinn. I licro Mniinii' tliiit all 
 ('l<>r({yin<in iin<l .luitlii'i's of tlii' I'ciicc will lir iiiilhori- 
 y.vii to iict iM Vinitors of H<'IiooIb ; hut pwiininry ro- 
 iniinrrAtion in this niao wcniil hu impriii'tirnhlp nml 
 almiird ; pofiiniiiry or other pi'nnltii'^ for ni'^'f"'! of ' 
 iluty, (Mpiiilly wi. In mimt inntiuici'it tho authority to 
 m:t in tliit capiicity would, it iimy I think he roa- 
 Bormhly jirpnuincil, hu rt'i^iinli'iliis luiwrnl nnil npnro- 
 (iriitto U>na.\ priviU');i' nilhcr than iih iinwolcoint' hnr- ^ 
 <l(>n. tt given n Ir^al Minition to what ini)(ht be inaintuil 
 upon aH a moral and patri<itio duty ; hut tho pffli'icni'y 
 with which it in pcrfonncd niUHt depend upon indivi- 
 dual Htiiefi» and ^jeneroun co-operation. Sucli a co-opiv 
 ration — univermd and hearty — woulil bo producllvo 
 of innunierahle heiielilg tu tlio rising youth of tho 
 land and the iiiterentn of (education gnncrnlly. Popu- 
 lar uducatiun on sound pi'ini'i|iles in tho handmaid of 
 religion and tho host salcguaril of puhlie order ; tho 
 recognized Teachern of tliu one, and tho autlioriiod 
 guardiaim of the other, arc the natural aRsintants in 
 a work involving tho best interests of both. Of course 
 the Uovernnieiit would not permit, nnr public opinion 
 tolerate, — nor can 1 imagine any individual ta-^to so 
 perverted as to attempt it,^tliat the Common School 
 should bo made (lio occasion or jilace of .ioi:tarian 
 proselytiDiu ; but I can hnrdly conceive uf a more 
 powerful auxiliary to tho cause of elementary oilu- 
 eation, than the frequent visits to the Schools of 
 the various Clergy and Magistrntes of the land, 
 and tlip corresponding exorcise ot their intlnenco 
 in other respects in favor of public instruction. 
 Such visits would prompt and encourage tlio- 
 Toachers — would gratd'y and animate the iiupils — 
 would tend to impress and exoito additional interest 
 among parents — would aft'ord tho opportunity of 
 making scful observations and suggestions — would 
 give birt, to useful lessons and exertions from tho 
 ])ulpit and bench — would bo an additional guarantee 
 that the Schools of the country should be in harniuny 
 witli its common religious spirit — wouUf doubtless 
 suggest and bo ]iromotivo of many valuablo hints and 
 exertions In a work common to every form ol reli- 
 gion and every variety of interest. 
 
 Another important agency in the advancement of 
 I'lomcntaryKducation — tho existence as well as useful- 
 ness of which depends upon voluntary exertions, — are 
 the Meetings or Conferences of Teachers and other 
 local adininistvators of tho School Law — cspociallySu- 
 i)erintendents and Visitors. Such Conferences are held 
 in l<'ranco by a special order of tllo Royal Council, 
 which j)oint« out the members, tho subject*, the modes 
 of proceeding, as well as the objects of them. They 
 have already been productive of tho happiest results 
 in that country, although the regular establishment of 
 them did not take place until February, lOtli, 1837. 
 In Germany they constitute a prominent feature and 
 means of both eclucational developement and improve- 
 ment. The fii'st scholars and eUucators in Uerinany 
 attend them ; any thing new in tho history of educa- 
 tion is warranted, — discoveries, or improvements, or 
 suggestions as to methods of teaching are stated and 
 discussed ; addi-csses by persons previously appointed 
 are delivered; and all matters relating to the instruc- 
 tion and education of the people are proposed and con- 
 sidered. Some of the finest educational discourses which 
 have ever boon published, were first delivered at these 
 Conferences. In Prussia as well as in Fronce, the 
 Government attaches the greatest importance to these 
 
 I! •' 
 
 ( 'oiifpreni-<>«, and MMlulniMly mrntintgen ihi'iii ; and 
 the bidding of <urh inmiting* in the oi-iiTal Dintrieta 
 of llijit Province, under pro|H'r ri'uuiul.iiiia, wnuhl, I 
 am i-iintldeut, I'oiitribule largely In (he impriivenimt 
 of Teai'bern, and to excite iti tliii public mind an in- 
 creiiiM>d interest in the I'duiatioii of llie ynung. To 
 Tnai'her* nueh assoriatiuns would Ihi invaliiabio, and 
 through them to the public at Ijirge. On thii point 
 the following remarks of lh« /'ri:e Kmaii uf tliu 
 London I'mtral h'iliirntimi Httrirty, are worthy of 
 grave eiinnideralion — rsporially in a country wliiT* 
 tho Teachen have nut rucoiveU a Normal Sc'huol 
 training. ■• \ 
 
 Mr. Lalor says ; " The nrincitile of association is 
 " peculiarly applicable to tlio sciciico of KdiieutiuD. 
 " ('onforoncoi of Teacliers might bo easily prevented 
 " from degenerating into Dubating Clubs or Convivial 
 " Meetings. Induced to come togother atpro|ivr iu- 
 '' tervals, and under judicious arrangements, the an- 
 ' " sociation would furnish the stroiigeat iiicentivei to 
 'I " their r.ual and industry. Tho ■yiiipathios of a 
 !{ " common pursuit, the interchange of itleas, tho 
 I' " commiinii'ation of now discoveries, could not fail to 
 makf the meeting delightful. At present, practical 
 knowledge of the roost important kinds, actpiirod 
 by long lives spunt in teaching, goes out of tlio 
 world with its possessors ; there being no easy mode 
 of communicating it to others ; or, ^ what is, perhaps, 
 more important,) no means of giving it that degree 
 of dovolopoment which would show its value. Con- 
 ferences of Teachers would suffer no man's expe- 
 rience to bo lost. Every hint would be taken up 
 and followed out by invcstigatiuii. The resourcoi 
 of each would bo drawn out ; and men would leurn 
 " the command of their powers, and the manner of 
 " keeping their position in society. Tho most ac- 
 " complislicd minds would give a teic to tlio others ; 
 " roughness and peculiarities of manners would be 
 " rubbed off, and each would feel that ho was not 
 " solitary and unconnected, but a member of un iin- 
 " portaiit body. His self-respect would thus bo in- 
 " creased, and with it tho estimation of others for 
 " him. When men of common interests meet to- 
 " gcthor, the tojiics which concern them most nearly 
 " must engage a share of their attention. If there 
 " bo any grievance it will assume a distinct shape by 
 " discussion, and be put in the way of redress ; if 
 " any improTomont of condition be practicable, their 
 " joint consideration will bo most likely to effect it. 
 " All this tending •o make them feel their own rights 
 " and strength must also ensure greater consideration 
 " from society. The sagacity of the Prussian Gov- 
 " eminent, so strikingly displayed in its organization 
 " of public education, makes the utmost use of this 
 principle of association. The Conferences of tjehool- 
 ' masters, without coercive interference, which would 
 " deprive them of their chief advantages, are pro- 
 " moted and encouraged by every means in its 
 '' power." 
 
 To detail the individual efforts which tend to ac- 
 complish tho objects of public instruction incomicxiou 
 with measures expressly required by law, would be 
 foreign to the objects 1 have in view, and exceed my 
 prescribed limits. There is, however, one more of 
 so general and vitally important a charaetor, that 1 
 cannot omit mentioning it. I mean tho establishment 
 of Circulating Libraries in tho various Districts, 
 and as far as possible in tho School Sections. To the 
 attainment of this object, local and voluntary co-ope- 
 ration is indispensable. Govurnment may perhaps 
 contribute ; it may assist by suggesting regulations, 
 and recommending lists of books from whicu suitable 
 selections fcan be made ; but the rest remains for in- 
 dividual and local efforts to accomplish. And the od- 
 
 ■ ■ ■ - V, .,iV • 
 
 
 
48 
 
 vsiilaK<!« iif till! Hi liiNil rnn lir hut vitv jHirtiHlly iti- 
 jiiyi'il, iinloiM (liry itrii I'liiitiiiin'il iiiiil I'lti'iiili'ii \>y 
 IIIKlini nf iHHikn. At till' Si'IiihjI ih llin pll|)il'i« ttrnt 
 toiii'liiT, mi liiioliK lire liK ni'i'iiilil ; III tlii' fiirilirr Im 
 
 i»ri|iiiri>ii ll IciiHiili 111 kiiiiwli'il({i', ill llio latfrr Im 
 
 a'(|iiirf< liii'iwirilKi' itnitll'; in llii' I'liriiirr Im rimmrMi 
 Willi III" .Si'liiiiiUiiiit/itiT, -ill tint lutliT lio liiiliU iiitcr- 
 riiiii'iii' nitli till' KriMtcnt ami wucnt iiD'li (if nil hkck, 
 mill I 'iiiiitrii'x. ikiiil |iriit'ifinii)iiH, mi nil milijintK, lUiil 
 III uviirv viiriiity 111' »tyli'. 'I'lm Hrlioiil i rritlttit tlin 
 taittii Hiiil till' want, wliii'li bimkii ulmiii ran nutiiily. 
 In rniivi'min); with tlin winr, tlin li'urimil, niiil tlm 
 triiiid, llii' iiiiiiil raiiiHil III! iinlia|i|iy, inir will it ln'- 
 riiliii' (iliatril ; iIh vii'WH will liii I'XiMtnili'il ; il,s ntunii- 
 iinl of iiianni'rn, iiml invn itnil tliiii)(s will ho rln- 
 vatuil ; itA fi'i'liii|{ii will Im rrfniiHl ; itK iixurtionH will 
 hti proiii|itiMl ; ilH iiriutinil kDiii*lril)(n will hu nialuriMl, 
 ant) itN iiihllcrtiiiil wrulthiiiid piiwrr willhti iiiilntliiiti.'- 
 \y innlti|ilinl. Hut in any ooiniiiiinity, fi'w pcriioiiit i!un 
 bii uxpi'rtuil til iiimaoM the inrunti nceiwittry to pro- 
 riirn anything likii ii Kimiiral a<iHortiii«iit of hooks ; 
 in II now and rural ronimiinity, |H'rliup8 nono. Ono 
 Library for thn wliolo of Niirli roniuiunity is tlio bust 
 Aiihitituto. Kuvh ono tliuH ac(|iiiri.'H tliu fniitit of tlio 
 unitfld t'ontributioii.i of all ; and tlio Tcauhor and tlio 
 poor iiiun with bin family purticiputo in tliu common 
 iidvantuKo, 
 
 May it tlkase Voih Exckixbncy, 
 
 I liavn thus cndoavorod to arcompliiih tho first 
 part of till) task assij^nod mo by Your F^xcolloncy's 
 distinguished prcdoi'cssor, in respect to an offlcient 
 systeiii of Elomcntiiry Kducation, by attempting to 
 (lelincato its leading features in tho principal subiects 
 which it embraces, and most material parts of tho 
 machinery it requires. I am deeply scnaihlo of tho 
 dofei'tivoncss of this primary attempt on a subject so 
 varied and complex. Hcvoral important topics and 
 
 many dituiln I hnvu kft unhotiiid, iiithor Imhmiimi 
 they are nul nilapti d tn tlin IVmiiu'i', or lujvauui 
 ihvy I'ltii be inlriiiliiri>il and ilim iiiwd to ){''<'>*'<'>' *<l- 
 viuila(;i> in an nrdiiiiiry .Vnniial Kiport ; ntid iiioiit of 
 till) tiipiii wliii'li I liavii intrmliii lid hute bii>n nii<rt>l) 
 etpUiiH'd, Millioiil being proliiHiii'dlv i|iiiriiii«<il. My 
 iibji'i't liiis iH'vn to di'mriliu the outhliei -leaving the 
 tilling up I'l time niid future oi'i'iutiiiiii>. 'I'lie I'u iiile- 
 tion iif iImi Htrui'tiire of whiili I have iiideuvored ti> 
 lay the foiindittiiiii unit furnish the plmi, must Ih< tho 
 work of years perhaps of an iige. It is, Imwerer, 
 a ground of einijiiraKi'iiient and I'liiitidiiniM, that we 
 are not left to rude ciiiijuetiiri's or iililried thenrieM in 
 this work. Kor the prineiutinn of utery part of it, 
 even to tho Child'H Kirst llnok, the iiiimt trilliiigartielo 
 of furniture, thu ininutiist detail of Sehoul oriiir and 
 •Sehool tiMU'hiiig, wu have the brightest lights of learn- 
 ing and ex[N)riencu ; and wo cannot fail of tho coin- 
 tihitost HuecuM, if every Legislator, and Uuler, and 
 Ccchwiiutie, and InHpecor, and Trustee, and I'arunt 
 in tho land will cultivate the spirit and iniitato the ox- 
 Binplo of tho I'russiaii .School Counsellor Dinter. who 
 commenced forty years prodigious labors, solf-denials, 
 and eharities, with tho ongagumcnt : " 1 proniiaed 
 " (iod that I would look upon every Prussian |)uasant 
 " child as a being who ooiilil complain of mo before 
 " Uod, if I did nut jirovidu him tho best education, 
 " as a man and a Christian, wliiuh it was possible for 
 " mo to provide." 
 
 All wliich is rcispoctfully submitted, by 
 
 Your Excolloncy's 
 
 Most obedient, and 
 
 most humble servant, 
 
 EGERTON KYEKSON. 
 
 Education Offick, C. W., 
 Marcli 20th, 184(i. 
 
 iMontrral: 
 
 PRINTED BY LOVELL AND GIBSON, 
 
 ST. NICnOtAS dTHi.Et.