i ORMAL SCHOOL, THE PROFESSIONAL BY BROin. J. BENG-EL, OF THE THE PROFESSIONAL EDO CATION OF TEACHERS. DELIVERED BEFORE OF THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, BY At Ypsilanti, March 1st, 1870. '’‘'jrhe most crjnng want of this commoswealth is that of accomplisho.i ^Yithollt .good teachers a school is but a name.”— Dr. Chau- ■'uiug. I AT TIIS REQUEST OF THE LYCEU^Ts I ® '9 Peof. Bengel :— Ypsilanti, May 30, 1870. Dear Sir, Please allow me to inform you that, at a" regular meeting of the State Normal Lyceum, held on May 21st, 1870, you were requested, by a vote of the Lyceum, to allow your lecture enti¬ tled : “The Professional Education of Teachers” delivered before said Society on Tuesday Evening, March 1st, 1870, to be published.—Ho¬ ping that you will comply with the request. ^ I rciTuiin vours &c. % - THOMAS F. SHIELDS, * JPrefiiuv/a ^cata Normal Lyceum, Ypsilanti, June 4th, 1870» Mr. ThOMAS F. Shields, Prcsideut of Normal Lyceum. Dear Sir : Believing as I do, that a thorough Philosophy of Education, in connection with a respectable amount of ac¬ ademic knowledge, is most necessary for the successful teacher, and as I intended to advocate the necessity of these requirements in this Address, I cheerfully comply with your kind request. Yours, truly. J. BENGEL. THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF TEACHERS Ladies and Oentlemcn: III addressing the members of the Normal Lyceum, we speak as it were, to the Students of the Normal School of TO-DAY, and to tlie Teachers of the Schools of our State of to-:morkow. Indeed, after a lapse of but a few days you will be required to give evidence, whether your profes* sional education is of such a nature, as to secure success or failure in your important calling. If we would be successful in the treatment of our top¬ ic for the evening, could we have possibly selected a theme more interesting for the future Teacher? Could there be .a topic of more importance for any man, in any profession than the one, which treats upon the requirements which secure for him success in his self-chosen profession ? Is there any thing of more importance to the Doctor or Lawyer, than the knowledge of those prerequisites which will enable them to become successful in their profession ? So, for the thinking ambitious teacher—for the teacher who does not like a hireling work for his pay only—for the teacher,wlio does not mean to be simply a machine in his pro¬ fession, but who means to work with consciousness, i. e., with the knowledge of the, “’What ?’^ the “Why?” and the “How?” in each step—for the true teacher, there can be no picture of more interest, than the one which gives him a clear idea of the teacher as he should be. In attempting to place before you, in the mirror of truth tlie picture of “a true teacher,” duty will compel us to speak of errors and deficiencies, of inadequate conceptions now entertained of the true ofiice and mission of a teacher. This is an unpleasant task, but we feel sure we will not be misunderstood as to our motive. One of the most wide- 4 / spread, and as we believe most erroneous conceptions o5 the oftice of a teacher is tlie idea, that the possession of mere academic knowledge is a sufficient qualification for a sound activity in the school room. It is true, a respec¬ table amount of academic knowledge is a most necessary part of a teacher’s education. It furnishes him the mate- JUAL, the ‘‘What,” for teaching. We cannot get wa¬ ter from a diy well, and we cannot get knowledge from a teacher who does not possess it; he is like a dry Vv^ell. But ncademical acquirements only, do not yet qualify for suc¬ cessful teaching. A knowledge of Grammar, Penmanship, Singing, Eeading, Mathematics, Geography, etc.,, does not yet include the practical skill of imparting these branches to our children. The teacher must also knoAV hoav to impart these branches in harmony with the nature of his pupils, as well as in conformity with the peculiarity of each one of these- branches. These branches must be taught, in such a man¬ ner, that by teaching them, the slumbering talents of the infant mind become developed, led, guided, directed, assis¬ ted, strengthened and disciplined. They must be taught, with a constant view to the high aim of education which consists in a developement of a free conscious sell-activity in every thing that is good, true, and beautiful. We can¬ not give our pupils council and advice now to act in every case which they may encounter in after life. But if we, by iuTparting knowledge to them, teach them to thi3ik, to think freely and independently, in other words, if we make of our pupils their own successful self-educators, then they v/iil become successful members of Society, then they will select in each case of life, what is good and proper. In- ' struction can, therefore, by no means consist only in asking <|uestions from a given text-book. True instruction con¬ sists in a systematic influence exercised by an educated per- soil upon an uneducated one, in order that, first, the si urn-: ].‘eri!ig abilities of the latter become awakened, assisted and .-Trerigthened, and that, second, by doing this, the pupil may bo furnished vrith practical useful knowledge that he will be able to work hereafter on his owH|iinprj;^venient with conri- i - ^ o dence and with success himself. New, Ladies & Gents., in order to exercise Such a systematic influence, presupposes-, tlie knowlede:e of a system. In order to be able to awa- ken the slumberiim abilities of the youthful mind and body, presupposes an accurate knovrledge of those mental & bod- ilj’powers, and of the means by which these powers become so exercised, that a harmonious develojnment of thein will be the result. In short, such an instruction presupposes an accurate knovdedge of the psychological and physiologi¬ cal nature of Man, and of the means bv yvliich the latter may be so miided and assisted as to be able to walk himself t/ JT? upon that road which leads towards his destination, with confldence and witii success. For it should neyer be for¬ gotten, that the true end and aim of all educational actiyi- ty is and must be, to make out of a man his own conscious and successful self educator. Now, this high and noble aim of education can and yviil neyer,be reached by the me¬ chanical routine of ^text-book instruction; nor by the mere possession of academic knowledge on the part of the teach¬ er. The science,which enables'the teacher to exercise sucli a systematic influence upon his pupils, as to reach with a reasonable degree of certainty the aboye mentioned aim is, “the PuiLOSoPiir of Educatiox, on Pedagogy,” which science, by its own nature presupposes a respectable amount of academic knowledge. To impress you, Ladies and Gen¬ tlemen, Vvdth the importance of the study of Tins science, is, we confess, the object of our address this eyeiiing. This science is to the true teacher, what medicine is to the Doc¬ tor,the knowledge of lavY, to the lawyer, or tlie acquaintance withTJieologj' to the minister of the gospel. That is to say, it is the PUOFKS'WONAL SCJEXGK of tlic teaclici* in tlie strictest sense of theyrord. Take away, or omit Tins science from the curriculum of the teaclieFs education, ttyou can simply not speak of a teachers profession at all. You may speak of individuals, who try, who attempt, who guess, who experi¬ ment, imitate in the school-rooni, but you cannot sjieak of conscious workers upon tlie field of education. AVe do not Jiesitate a moment to say, that the absence, or partial neg - 6 lect of this professional study, has been,or is yet the great¬ est hindering cause in the way of tlie formation of a teach¬ er’s profession. To the absence or partial neglect of this technical science we attribute most of the failures in teach¬ ing, the many troubles with school-boards, and the many and constant changes of teachers in our schools, which can only have a most unhappy effect upon the welfare of the scliools. What constitutes the teacher’s profession, if it is not the thorough knowledge of tlie philosophy of education? The mere possession of more or less academical knowledge certain!}^ not. Tlie latter puts the teacher simply upon an equal footing with every man who claims to have more or less literary culture. Tlie Lawyer, the Doctor, the Slinis- ter, the intelligent merchant, etc., all possess more or-less academic knowledge, without therefore being qualified to teach. If mere academic knowledge would qualify for teaching, then indeed it Vvould be a sound state of affairs, if one is this year a clerk, next year a teacher ;—one may to-day be a life-insurance agent,, to-morrow he may “keep school” as the phrase goes. . A lady may be emploj"ed at one time in a millinery shop, or in a kitchen, at another, she may “keep school.” No ! Ladies and Gentlemen, it takes indeed more to be a teacher. Let us have a high¬ er, a loftier conception of the teacher’s mission ! We shall insist upon it, ail the real or simply imagi¬ nary defects in our otherwise so admirable school sys¬ tem may be summed up in the demand: “ Let us have professionally educated teachers”—“Let us have teachers who understand the physiological and psychological nature of their pupils, and the means to develope this nature in harmony with itself. Let us have teachers who can teach without a text-book, or, if they need, for some branches, a text-book at all, let the teacher stand above the text-book, let him be able to judge whether the method, the course of instruction, the language used in it, is in conformity with v the nature and comprehension of their pupils on the one liand, and in harmony with the subject matter on the other. This constant and unhappy change of text-books, would 7 thus be avoided. With professionally educated teachers, book agents cannot succeed in forcing upon them worth- 'less books, and making them believe the snow looks black. The professionally educated teaclier examines every text¬ book in the only true light, in the light which a sound phi¬ losophy of education gives him. With this light as his guide he accepts or rejects a Book. A teacher wlio does not understand this science is a machine, he is simply a feed, whicli, bv the wind of circumstances, is carried to-dav one way, to-morrow another. Ilis whole school life is noth¬ ing else but a succession of well intentioned errors. What¬ ever he does right, is done so, simply by luck and chance. He maj" be ever so faithful in imitating to the very letter, all he has seen in the experimental school, but if he finds circumstances difteront in his own school, as thev most al- . ways will be, there lie stands like the traveller at the cross¬ way, and does not know which way to turn. Failure must follow as sure as the sun rises in the morning. You must pardon us. Ladies and Gentlemen, for having thus far spo¬ ken with a certain plainness and frankness, about the im¬ portance of the philosophy of education. You must par¬ don us, if we say tliat this study has thus far not yet re¬ ceived that degree of consideration, which is so impera¬ tively demanded by the Schools of our State, by the progress of our times, and by tlie justness of the popular demand, that the workman should understand his work. W e might tell you that in defending our claims we arc supported by the most illustrious educators of Europe as well as America. ]\Ien like Horace Mann, Henry ]]ar- nard, Dr. Tappan, Dr. J. ^I. Gregory, and O. Hosford, liave long ago demanded a more strictly professional educa¬ tion of our teachers. But we mean to enable you, to judge for yourselves whether this professional study is absolutely necessary for the true teacher or not. Permit us therefore to consider this even in or ; —. Fikst:—In what does this Phieosoitiy of Education CONSIST ? 8 Second:—Wjiat is the Diffekencein the Education- AL ACTIVITY BETWEEN A FROFES>SIONALLY EDUCATED TEACHER, AND THE TEXT-BOOK TEACHER? Ill answering tliis iirst question, namely, ‘‘In wliat does this pliilosopliy ol Education consist? Permit uS to cast iirst, a very short .glance upon the history of education.— Tliere v/as living at the end of tho last, and at the begin- ing of tlie present century, a man who is by every true ed¬ ucator of our time, most readily acknowdedged to havo been the greatest educational reformer of modern times.— His name is, “Henry Pestalozzi” or more properly called, "^‘Father Pestalezzi.’' History has long ago recorded hi 4 name among tlie greatest benefactors of mankind. His liistory and principles of education, ought to be household words wdth every teacher. It would, indeed, afford us great pleasure to make you acquainted wdth liis history, -and his system of education, but neither time nor space will permit us to do so. But in order to enable you to form an adequate conception of liis greatness, suffice it to say, that before he appeared as the great educational refor* mer, the schools of Germany, France, England, in fact in w'holo Europe, Avere in a most lamentable condition.— Tlie educational world was at that period, in danger of ac¬ cepting wdth too much readiness, the ])artly most errone- mis, partly most sublime pliilcsophy of that great Erciicli* man, Jean Jacques Housseau. But as soon as Pcsta- lozzi proclaimed to the wmrld liis true gospel of education, the eyes of all educators vrerc at once uiiceasingly turned toward Ycerdum, the place of Pcstalozzi’s activity. And so (ireiit was the convincing force of his principles, he Ibund liimseif toon surrounded hy jrapils from all parts of the world, eager to learn his principles and method of teaching. And the noble seed sowm bv him wuis to bear tlie best fruit in the true interest of mankind. For eve may truly say all that is to-day found to lie good, sound, and noble in tlie scliools of Germany, Franco and England, as vrell as iii America, did emanate directly or indirectly from liis teach¬ ing. Now, to this really great and good man, wuis onco ])nt the cpiestion: 9 “What do you consider the prerequisites of a successful teacher ? To wliich he replied: ‘T expect of a teacher to he successful in his work, no more nor less, than I expect from a successful farmer.” For this purpose the latter must possess: FiRST:-The necessarj^ physical and mental qualification. Second: -He must have a farm, the necessary stock and seed. Third: -He must possess an accurate knowledge of the •nature of his soil^ stock and seed. Fourth: -He must have acquired the practical skill and dexterity for every kind of work which a successful opera¬ tion of his farm requires. If we apply these requirements of the farmer as the pre¬ requisites the teacher, we have precisely, in what the plilosophy of education does consist.—Applied, the first prerequisite reads thus:— As well as the farmer needs the necessary physical and mental qualification, so does the teacher.—As to the phys¬ ical qualification, there will certainly be no one within the •sound of our voice who will not a^ree with us in savimr* ^hat the more tiie teacher enjoys physical health and strength, the more he is fit for tlie proper discharge of his duties. There may be some defects in his phj^sical ergani- y.ation, which may not disqualify him for his work. But there are certainly others, which make him entirely unfit ‘to 1)0 a good teacher. A narrow chested person, a person with weak lungs, a ])erson who in all probability will have the consumption— •a person who is so near-sighted, that glasses will never ben- ‘(,‘fit him; a person who is a stammerer, etc.,—all these indi¬ viduals should never be allowed to enter the teacher’s pro¬ fession. They should not be permitted for their own self¬ sake, as well as in the interest of the public. In some countries the new applicant for the teacher’s profession, is l)v law required, to produce first, a testimonial from a reli¬ able physician as to his physical fitness. And, if it is true. 10 what Doctors tell us, that mental labor taxes the physical frame of man more than manual labor, we think there i& wisdom in. such a legal provision. As to the mental quali¬ fications of the teacher, we not mean to say, that he must be an extraordinary genius, for these are rarely to be lound in any profession. Sut it a young man or a young lady, has given clear evidence by his or her previous study, or by an examination which is calculated to test his or her mental strength, that tiie latter is far below mediocrity, he or she ought to be advised not to chose the vocation of a teacher. It is hardly necessary to add here, that a teacher must be a person of a good sound mca^al character. He must recognize and love, and be in continual spiritual in¬ tercourse with the Almighty One, whom he considers the origin of all things existing. His heart must be full of self-sacrificing love for mankind in general, and for the world of children in particular. His character must be of inflexible firmness coupled with kindness, in other words, he must be firm in kindness, and kind in firmness. He must be a strict lover of Justice and truth. Pestalozzi savs ill this resoect: “I can excuse an awkward teacher, even a lazy one, but I can not and will not excuse one, who favors the children of the rich more than those of the poor. Such a one is entirely unfit for the sanctuary of the school-room!” Bear it in mind for vour whole life as teachers: Firmness based upon strict justice creates respect, love and confidence. Injustice towards these little ones, creates a hatred, a de¬ served contempt, which swiftly fieetiug time never will eflace. The second prerequisite of the farmer applied to the teacher reads thus : ‘‘As well as the farmer needs a farm, the necessary stock and seed, so the teacher needs a school; which he must know how to organize; so he needs the ne¬ cessary apparatus which he must know how to use; and in a like manner he must have academic knowledge of which he must know how to impart to his pupils. We consider the school and the apparatus as a matter of course. But as to his academic knowledge, (the seed of the teacher,) the 11 question may be raised: “How much of it is necessary for the teacher to possess ?” Must he be an Agassiz in natu¬ ral sciences? Must he be a Bancroft in History? A Keppler i n Mathematics ? A Liebig in Chemistry? Or must he even be an Alexander von Humbold with his tr.ulj^ wonder¬ ful knowledge of every thing ? Certainly not I These men are actually ahead of their time; they are the pioneers in Science. Their work gives form, shape and character to the FUTURE. The teacher’s work is for the present* Hence he must have just so much knowledge as enables him to stand firmly upon the operative culture of the pres¬ ent time. By this present operative culture we mean that kind, and that degree, of moral and intellectual eulture, which a nation possesses, as an acquired property at a giv¬ en time, and of which it is conscious as being a sure foun¬ dation for further progress. The teacher must be well in¬ formed in every thing that the operative culture of the pres- sent demands for a clear understanding of the present time. Permit us to use an illustration. Imagine, if you please, the form of a pyramid, being divided into a higher, mid¬ dle, and lower department. In the higher department are those previously mentioned pioneers of science. In the lower department are the pupils, that is to say, the mass of all those, to be instructed. Now, the true position of the teacher is precisely in the middle department There he stands; and he must liave academic knowledge enough, to extend one hand upwards, able to receive, and with the other extended downwards, he must be able to give what he has received above, in n popular, easily comprehensive form. In other words: “Every thing that, (after years of la-' bor and studj',) is discovered and produced in these high¬ est regions of science and art, and is considered to be wor¬ thy to become the common property of every body, this tJie teacher must be able to understand and impart, in a popular form to all those, to be instructed. As a matter of course, the teacher is the more competent for his work, fclie nearer he takes his position towards the upper part of 12 tliat pyramid, and diminishes his usefulness, the more dis¬ tant he is from it. Every teacher ought to know vastly more than he is required to teach, so that he may be fur¬ nished on every subject with a variety of illustrations, in¬ structive narrations, proper quotations, numerous exam¬ ples, and models of every kind, for the better undcTS-tand- ing and application. The third prerequisite for the farmer, philosophically ap¬ plied to the teacher, reads thus:—As well as the farmer must possess an accurate knowledge of the nature of his soil, stock, and seed, so must the teacher possess an accu¬ rate knowledge of the nature of man, (for this is the soil he works upon,) of the means of education, and of the branches he intends to impart. Or, in other words: As well as a farmer who does not possess an accurate knowl¬ edge of his soil, stock and seed, may in consequence of his ignorance of these things, put for instance seed, which by its verv nature demands a sandv ground, into a clav soil, or may do in the spring, something that would be better done in the fall, or may plough only the surface, where deep ploughing is needed, etc., will thus make out of his ' labor a complete failure, precisely so may a teacher, who does not know the nature of his pupils, who supposes a child to have but one tendency, but one adaptation, when he has many ;—who treats a child as though his nature ^vere wholly animal, or wholly intellectual, or wholly mor¬ al ;—who introduces a kind of knowledo-e in the early warm days of spring, when the child is wholly unable to comprehend it, and which should be properly taught in the riper days of fall as it were;—such a teacher may and does disfigure the nature of that child, and wrenches his Avhole structure into deformity. Thus a thorough acquain¬ tance with the nature of man is an indispensible acquire¬ ment for the teacher. Now the nature of man is two-foJd. Instruction regarding his bodily or physiological organiza¬ tion is called physiology. Instruction respecting the pow¬ ers or talents of mind, in regard to their respective impor¬ tance, their relation to one another, the time of the proper 13 developement of each, in short, an instruction in thoresiilts- of a CLOSE OBSERVATION of the intellectual manifestation during the developement of man, is called psychology, as far as it is applicable to the purposes of the philosophy of education. As to physiology, we do not mean to say, that the teacher’s knowledge should be as specific, as detailed, as that of the Doctor. But he should know enough of it, to be competent to have some care of the health of his pupils, he should be acquainted with, and be able to impart some of the leading conditions upon which health and life depend. He should be able to inculcate a knowledge as to the principal parts of the body, at least as to place and name;—he should be able to explain the pro¬ cesses of the circulation of the blood, and the alimentation of food. He should be acquainted with the changes ta which the p^oice is subject in certain periods, so as not to strain it to a hurtful extent, if he is a singing teacher, or an elocutionist, etc. In short, the teacher should pos¬ sess at least as much physiological knowledge as any one, who can claim to have a literary culture. Of much more importance than physiology is however psychology, to the teacher. This science contains as it were, his very articles of faith. Any one, who means to elevate himself above the common mechanical routine of text-book teaching, must have a thorough knowledge of the mental powers of his pupils. For to awaken, to assist, to lead, to guide, to discipline these powers to wholesome, independent, self-ac¬ tivity, is, as has been remarked, one of the principal pur¬ poses of instruction. But how can we lead, guide, assist, and discipline something the nature of which we do not understand ? On account of the importance of this study we propose to devote to it a few lines, after we have fully answered the question: In wdiat docs tlie philosophy of education consist?—We have thus far shown that the far¬ mer must know the nature of his soil, and the teacher must know the nature of man. But as well as the farmer needs also to understand the nature of Ins stock and seed, so must the latter also know the nature of tlie means of education 14 in general. Or, in otlier Avords: From the physical an ^ jnental developement of man, i. e., from the sciences of physiology and psychology, the philosopher has extracted certain general rules, laws and principles, which must form the basis of all educational activity. The science of these %j fundamental rules, laws and principles is called : “Didac¬ tics,” or the general philosophy of education. In order to give you a clear idea of this part of the philosophy of ed¬ ucation, let me state here some of the questions which it answers. It answers such questions as the following:— What is education in general ? What is understood by the aim, possibility, necessity, beginning, end, right, and duty of education. In what relation stands the education of the individual, to that of mankind in general ? How, when, and by what means are the powers of mind, such as memory, judgment, concept, imagination, understanding, reasoning, etc., best developed ? How, and by what means are tlie senses best developed? How, and by vdiat means are implanted into our children, the virtues of obedience, of industry, of charity, of love of truth, etc., and how and by what means are the opposite vices checked?— What studies are best calculated to develope each of the different powers of mind ? What is understood by the ma¬ terial and formal aim of instruction ? What are the prin¬ ciples which must form the basis of a good instruction ?— And which principles form the foundation of a good meth¬ od of teaching ? What is the material, and what the for¬ mal aim of each of the different branches of study ?—- (Permit us to say here, that by the formal aim of a branch of study is understood, the value which it possesses for the discipline of the powers of the mind,—by the material aim we understand the usefulness which such a study contains for practical life. In mathematics, for instance, the formal iiim would be, the developement of an accurate, precise, ioo^ical thinkiiior and reasoning, etc.—The material aim would be, the capability which the pupil obtains to solve such problems as practical life may offer him. Thus we may say briefly the formal aim gives formation, the mate- 15 rial aim gives information to the mind.)—We may sum up by saying : Didactics is that part of the philosophy of ed¬ ucation wliich treats theoretically upon every educational activity, and^kows, whether or not, such an activity is in harmony with the nature of man, or whether it is contrary to it. But there is an old maxim which says: “ Practice is the true test of a theory. Or, theory and practice must go hand in hand. The theoretic principles of Didactics must be applied to the practical work in the Schoolroom.— These maxims are equally true with the farmer as well as the teacher, in tact with eveiybody. Therefore the appH- (jation of Pestalozzi’s fourth prerequisite for the farmer to the teacher’s work reads thus:— As well as the hxrmer must possess the practical skill and dexterity for every work that successful farmino; demands, SO also must the teacher possess the practical skill and dex¬ terity for every work education requires. That fourth and last part of the philosophy of education, which enables the teacher to do this, is called ^‘Methodics.” —Methodics there¬ fore is nothing more nor less than a practical and conscious •application of the the theoretic prinoiples taught in Didac¬ tics. By studvincr-Methodics the teacher becomes practi- cally acquainted with the proper organization of the differ¬ ent schools, with a sound discipline and government.— Here he learns what is understood bv the acroamatic, bv beuristic, by the eromatic and by the catechetic or socratie form of instruction. Here he learns to make a proper course and dail}^ table of instruction. Methodics makes him acquainted, at least, with one approved method of teaching each branch of study, and calls his attention par- •ticularly to the harmony of such a method with the princi- ]>les of Didactics. And as well as a thinking farmer often improves an old method of doing a certain work, or rejects it entirely and invents a new method, precisely so is the professionally eduoateJ teacher able to test any juethod of •teaching, to improve it or to discard it, even to invent a -new method. By doing: so he will always be conscious 16 M’lietlier a method is good or bad, i. e., ^vllether it is in co^aformitj vidtli the principles of Didactics or not. A teacher tlius educated is in every activity conscious wheth^ er his metjiod of instruction, his course of instruction, his explanations, liis discipline. Ids government, his school or¬ ganization, etc., is in harmony with the principles of Di¬ dactics, and as the latter are the logical outcome of the nature of man, he is conscious whether his work is in conformity with the latter, and consecpiently good, or con¬ trary to it, and thus bad. For any instruction is according •to Henry Pestalozzi, only good, if it consists in the art of assisting the nature of man, in its own struggle for devel- opeinent. As the Doctor cannot give health he can only assist the physical nature of man in its attempt to help it¬ self, so the teacher cannot and should not give culture; he only ought to assist the mental nature of man in its attempt to develope itself. ‘^Man,” says H. Pestalozzi, ‘imitates the activity of nature, which from the seed even of the greatest tree, produces first but an imperceptibly small germ, but deveiopes out of this germ daily, hourly, even duriiiir every minute of time the foundation of the stem, theiiDf the boue-hs, then of the branches and so forth un- til the smallest t\w;g, leaves, and finally the fruit, is devel¬ oped. After having thus applied the prerequisites of the suc¬ cessful farmer to those of the successful teacher, we are now prepared to say in a single sentence in what the phi¬ losophy of education consists; It consists. First. —In an instruction of the ph^^sical and mental developeinent of man, or in Physiology and Psychology as the basis of the whole. Second.—I n a theoretic conrideration of everything be- lono-ing to education, based upon the laws of the physical and mental developeinent of man, or, upon Didactics. Third. —In a practical application of these Didactical tlieories to every work in the school room, or iiiMethodics. Tin Be four sciences, physiology^ psychology, Didactics and 17 ilethodics form an inseparable whole called the philosophy of education. And as they are logical oflsprings from one another they should be taught in the order mentioned, namely^ physiology and psychology first, Didactics second, and Methodics third. It is evident that whoever teaches for instance Methods of instruction before the other parts are understood, attempts to build the top of the house, be¬ fore a proper foundation is laid. After having thus an¬ swered the first question, permit us only to add that it seems to us, if such a philosophy of education is not an absoluti? necessity for the teacher, then indeed, the Doctor may get along without medicine, and the lawyer may practice with¬ out the knowledge of law. Before passing on to our sec¬ ond question, we have promised above, that we would de¬ vote a few thoughts to psychology. Psychology, as will have been seen, is, so to speak, the very foundation of the philosphy of education. The latter is but a practical application of the former. But there are those, who say. Psychology is a hypothetical science, it is as yet still in an undeveloped state, it is, as it were, a sandy foundation, and consequently the building erected upon it, i. e., the philosophy of education, is a building without a solid foundation. Such questions as: What is the soul or mind ? How did the soul come into the body ? What will become of the soul or mind after the body is dead ?— Where is the place where the soul resides in the body ?— All these and similar questions psychology cannot answer, and consequently, they say, it is no science at all. Now we admit frankly, if the ^philosphy of education were bas¬ ed upon the answers of such questions as these, it would stand upon a sandy ground, it would be a complete failure. For these questions have at all times, and in all nations, occupied the minds of the deepest thinkers, w'ithout being definitel}^ answered to-day. These questions have given rise to such metaphysic schools as the idealistic, the nia • terialistic, the schools of spiritualists, and the scliool which, is called the real idealistic school. Every one of these 18 schools gives a different answer to any of the above ques¬ tions. And in order to complete the confusion, theology steps in and gives still different answers to those questions. But, fortunately,the philosophy of education has nothing to do with any of these schools. Whether they were all right, or any of them, or all wrong, or any of them, it would not effect the philosophy of education a particle. Whatever the soul or mind may be in its inscrutable nature or essence or whether there be any such thing as mind or spirit at all, properly so-called, it matters for the purposes of ed- cation nothing at all*. The philosophy of education con¬ siders body and soul of man AS an inseperable unity -AS AN INDIVISIBLE WHOLE, AND NEVER INFLUENCES THE ONE WITHOUT DUE CONSIDERATION FOR THE OTHER. The philosophy of education does simply what the natural philosopher does in regard to electricity and light. The latter does not know what the essence or the inscrutable nature of these imponderable substances is. But from a close observa¬ tion of their manifestations, he has extracted the Jaws which enable him to speak with the most remote people by means of electricity, or to calculate with mathematical accuracy the motions of the most remote of the heavenly bodies by means of light. So the philosophy of educa¬ tion watches and observes the mental and physical mani¬ festations in the developement of this inseparable unity called MAN. It finds that each man is endowed by nature with AN EQUAL NUMBER OF POWERS of mind and body, how¬ ever they may, in different individuals, be ditierent as to DEGREE AND STRENGTH. Itfinds that the different powers of mind, such as consciousness, comparison, imagination, memory, concept, judgment and reasoning do not devel- ope themselves at once, in their full strength, but at differ¬ ent periods different powers are predominant, and that, with each one of these periods of the mental developement, a certain peculiarity of the bodily developement goes hand in hand. Hence psychology, as far as it is the foundatiou of the philosophy of education, divides the age of man f 19 which is assigned to systematic education, into the follow¬ ing FOUR periods of developement. It distinguishes, First, A first childhood, from birth to the end of the tliird year. For a lengthy description of any period we have neither time nor space. A brief characteristic of this first period, however, would be: The senses, particularly the higher ones, as seeing, hearing and feeling, become fairly devel¬ oped. The child commences to make its own volitions, feelings, and desires, the object of reflection, i. e., self-con¬ sciousness awakes. The first smile of the child is its first mental manifestation. A beginning in the developement of language is also made in this period. The plij^sical developement in this period is, particularly in the first two weeks, so surprisingly rapid, that a child, if it would grow in the same proportion afterward, would have reached the full ffrown size of man in about from 6 to 8 months. - Its origiual hight at birth, which in an average is from 16 to 18 inches, increases about 1-12. Its original weight, from 6 to 8 pounds, increases fully 1-4. In other words, the MERELY ANIMAL LIFE PREDOMINATES AS YET, and what is strictly called ‘‘purely mental life” is undeveloped during this period. But tlie second period, i. e., the second child¬ hood, extending about to the end of the seventh year, clearly proves that the superiority of man lies in his mind and not in his body, and that the latter is simply the organ of the former. This second period is pre-eminently the period sensual intuition. That is to say, the objects of the exterior world exercise such an overwhelming influence upon the senses, and through them upon the mind, that we may truly say, what the child does not see, hear or feel, is not in existence at all. But each sensual intuition leaves an im¬ print or a trace in the mind, and it is in this manner that the child furnishes its mental store-house with more or less correct sensual concepts of colors, forms, sizes, tones and number. But in the same proportion as the child gains physically more firmness and strength, in the same propor¬ tion increases also the strength ot the mind. Its first sim- 20 ply instinctive activity becomes more and more conscious, i n all its actions more intention and choice is manifested. Its memory and recollection gain daily in extent and secur¬ ity. Toward the end of this period we find in general the most happy condition in the child’s mind, in an even bal¬ ance-between receptivity and spontaneity, or in other words, the inward activity of mind to receive impressions from the objects of the exterior world, is in a state of equilibrium Avitli the other power of mind, viz., to re-act upon these objects of the exterior world with volition and freedom. More properly is this period characterized by a certain wri¬ ter as the period of the hobby-horse for the boy, and the doll for the girl. As the period of receiving most impres¬ sions from horses, dogs, cats, roses, tulips, trees, leaves, etc. As the time when the childish imagination imitates the actions and manners of older persons, i. e., the boys play, for instance, the general, or the school-master, and the girls commence to imitate the house-wfife, etc. Hence the great importance of moral stories, and of proper object teaching in this period, or in other words, of making sen¬ sual intuition the basis of instruction. The third period of education, called boyhood, extends about from the end of the seventh to the beginning of the fifteenth year. Its characteristic is in general this: The mental activity be- c‘omes more and more independent from the mere sensual intuition. Whatsoever has been in .the previous period the object of sensual observation, becomes in this period the object of independent understanding and judgement, if for instance fhe child in the previous period has learned the mere .name, eolcr^ size, etc., of two cbjects, it will in this period be enabled to collect the distinguishing features between these objects into the unity of-thought, i.e., it will form independent ideas, concepts and judgments. Thus the foundations of a free independent thinking, and self-activity, will be laid, which is to ripen more and more into maturity in the fourth period of developement, i. e., in the age of youth. This period extends to the end of 21 the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth year. As well as the physical developement reaches in this period the highest degree of beauty and strength, in like manner the mind unfolds during this time its highest and most important powers. Memory, Eecollection, Imagination, Comparison, Judgment, and understanding have been developed in the previous periods. But that most, sublime of all powers of the mind, that power which distinguishes man alone from the animal creation, Beason, developes itself in all its gran¬ deur and divine beauty in this period. ’Tis Reason that our ^^atnre graces, There kinch’ed with the skies Ave claim, Free in itself the Spirit traces, What e'er the hand shall fitl}^ frame.— Schiller. It is by the help of reason that the youthful mind espies the underlying laws of the phenomena of the exterior world, and gains through the knowledge of these laws a complete mastery over the objects and ])henomena of his God given dwelling place. Nor is this all. In strict ra¬ tio as his knowledge of these laws has been perfect, or imperfect, his ideas and concepts of the Giver and Maker of these laws, which Man can only form by the help of Beason, are more or less perfect or imperfect. In other Avords: The character of the religion of man always has been, and always necessarily will, and must, be in strict proportion with his intellectual culture. It is during this period, that man forms his highest, loftiest, and most sub¬ lime Ideals of every thing that is good, true, and beau¬ tiful. And for the realization of these Ideals, the youthful mind recognizes no boundary or obstacle. It is during this period, that man becomes capable of executing the most noble deeds patriotism, or the purest love for mankind, re¬ quires. The youth, in whose breast beats no heart of the ])urest love for everything noble and elevating, during this period, had better bury himself in a cloister, and count the beads of his paternoster. We have given thus far a very short and imperfect sketch vof the characteristic of the four periods of education.— A much more profound knowledge of them is necessary 22 for the teacher to possess. But a subject so extensive and intensive in its nature cannot be exhausted with a few ])rief remarks. But what has been said might suffice to convince you, that the teaclier ought to be* thoroughly acquainted witli the mental and physical characteristic of each one of these periods of developement, in order that he may be able to work in harmony with the nature of man and not contrarv to it. Ladies and Gentlemen, a 9J ' Doctor who, in consequence of his ignorance of the ph^^si- eal nature of man, commits a. serious blunder in an opera¬ tion of importance, is placed before a Jury, tried, and as the case may be, convicted of manslaughter, as he really deserves. But the same judge, jury and public in general, employ yearly tliousands of teachers, whenever have giv¬ en an hour’s time to make themselves familiar with the mental nature of man upon which by mere luck and chance, they have the lx)ldness to operate daily. Ladies and Gentlemen have you ever been in a menagerie or public show ? Have you ever learned there a lesson in the pliilos- uphy of education? If you have not, we have. We have seen there a monkey who knew all the letters of the alpha¬ bet. That is to say, the letters were largely printed upon wooden blocks,and whenever they were properly pronoun¬ ced he made the sign in the affirmative, when wrongly ])ronoiinced, he shook his liead. We asked the showman how he succeeded in making the monkey do this. Upon which he replied : You must lirst exactly know the nature of these animals. They imitate man in every thing he does, and they have a wonderful memory, and upon this knowledge I based my training. Now, if it is necessary to know first the nature of performing monkeys, horses, dogs, pigs, elephants, before training them, etc., is it not criminal neglect to have thousands of teachers employed in instructing the immortal minds of our children, without having even the slightest knowledge of their nature ?— Here, Ladies and Gentlemen, and only heee, is the point where improvements in our school system sooner or later will, and must be made. After having thus stated what a professionally educated teacher knows in advance of tlie text-book teacher, we may be brief in answering our second cpiestion namely: Second—W hat is the diflerence in the educational ac¬ tivity between the two ? «/ We could answer this question in short thus: The pro¬ fessional teacher acts always wiTii consciousness; the other is, at best, a mere mechanical imitator. The former works systematicahy and methodically, with intention; widi the feeling : I know that my work is successful.”— The latter works without system, without a consciously understood method, without intention, and in all his ac¬ tions you can see he is unconscious as to the result of his work, Horace llann, this great educator, contrasts the ditference between the professionally educated teacher and the text-book teacher, very happily in the following figu¬ rative language. He says : “ Look into the shops of our iimenious artists and mechanics, and see their shinino; rows ■of tools,—hundreds iii number,—but each one adapted to some particular process in their curious art. Look into the shop of an Indian mechanic, and you will find his chest of tools composed of a single “jack knife.” So with our teach¬ ers. The professionally -educated teacher has apparatus, diagrams, charte, models, anecdotes, epigrams, narrations, quotations, an easily comprehensive natural metliod and language of teaching, with which to illustrates with readi¬ ness every branch of study, and to fit every variety of dis¬ position; while the main resource of the text-book teacher for all studies, for all ages and for all dispositions is—the TEXT-iiOOK AND THE ROD ! — and very often he resorts to something worse than either of them. In order to culti¬ vate a certain mushroom popularity he sacrifices every principle not of the philosophy of education, for tliat he does not know, but of mere common sense. He sacrifices often his own manly or womanly dignity. He pets. Hat¬ ters, praises, accommodates himself to the whims of his pupils, and particularly to those who have rich and influen- 24 tial parents, and opens thus every door tor a complete de-- moralization of his school. How vastly difterent is the work of the professionally educated teacher ! As well as the ingenious sculptor stands before his raw block of mar¬ ble, the nature of which lie perfectly understands, with his numerous tools in his hands, and with the Ideal of a Ve¬ nus or an xlpollo clear before his mental eye, so stands the true teacher day after day before his pupils. The mental and physical nature of the latter is his block of marble, which he profoundlj^ understands, his tools are the theoret¬ ic principles of Didactics and his practical knowledge, skill, and dexterity in Methodics. His Ideal is man developed to a free, conscious, self-activity in every thing good, true, and beautiful. And there, he stands day after day working faithfully and perseveringly in order that his ideal or aim of education may become realized. And this he does, praise or no praise,—applause or no applause,—popularity or no j^)opularity ! And how does he do it ? He does it in strict conformity with the mental and physical nature of his pu¬ pils. Take, for instance, a class of children from the fourth to the seventh yeixv, i. e., in the second childhood. Now his study of ps^^chology has giv^en him a clear picture of the powers of mind which should naturally become devel¬ oped in this period. He knows, that during this time cor¬ rectness in sensual observation. Memory, Comparison, Im¬ agination, in short, the observing faculties, are the powers to be developed. His Didactic and Zvlethodic have told liiin that these po\vers can only be developed and exercised on objects of the exterior world, always commencing with the nearer and gradually introducing the more remote ob¬ jects. And in conformity with this nature will be his course, liis method, language, form- time and means of instruction, as xvell as his discipline. Hence he will commence w'ith them wnth the school room.—Names of Scholars—parts of the room—objects of the room—Mate¬ rial, color, form, number, and use of these objects—ac¬ tivity of the teacher, proper conduct of the schol ars .—Aim uiid purpose of schools. — A model story of Cliarle}", avIjo learned something, and became thus a useful member of society, and another one of George, or ilary, avIio was naughty, did not learn anything and thus became a dis¬ graceful member of society. The next step is to tlio dwel- liim-house. Here he talks witli them in a child-like but correct language about the destination of a dwelling-liousc. —-Dwellings of animals.—The apartments of the house, and why.—iS^ecessary furniture.—Who made them.—Furnirur(^ of the rich and of the poor.—Moral story about tlio ricli man who had splendid furniture, but was not as hapi>y as as the poor man who had scanty looking furniture.—Order and neatness of everj' apartment.—Moral story about Jo¬ sephine who kept her room, sehool-books and dresses always . neat and clean, and another one who did not; what people say of the one and of the other. The next step is to trie surroundings of the houses^ —The street, the yard, the play-ground', the garden.—Moral story about Willy who was always kind and polite to his pla^miates, ^lartin w;is unkind, rough and impolite towards them. The next step is to speak of the inhabitants of the house, the family life. —Duties of children toward their parents, etc., etc. Ihit YOU must excuse me from ^ivino- the whole course oi in"- struction for this period; time uor space will allow it. Dut what has been said will show to you how the pi^ofes- .sionallv educated teacher thus will and must succeed, first, in properly exercising the senses, in sharpening his observ¬ ation, and in forming a proper habit of attention; SECoxn, lie prepares thus the ground for clear thinking. Tniun, he exercises Ins pupils in the first correct expression of tlieir thoughts. Fofkth, he will extend and increase the imagi¬ nation with new knowledge. Fifth, with those moral sto¬ ries, wliicli lie often invents himself, he will lay a solid foundation for the true moral life of his })Upils. And,—■ SiXTJi, he will succeed in making the school a phu'(,‘ ( J’ pleasure for our little folks, as it really should be. fu or¬ der to prove that the observing or perceptive faculties of 26 the mind can and must be developed during this period, on the objects of the exterior world, there is no instance on record, which proves it more forcibly than the story of Casper Hauser. As some of you may not be familiar with his history we will give you a synopsis of it:— Casper Hauser is the spurious name of the individual in question. He Avas, as appeared afterwards, a piince from the house of Zaehringen.-^ ( Baden). It is supposed tliat he was robbed by a relative of a Duke of Baden, in order to gain thus the .possession of the throne for himself.— ( ’asper Hauser was robbed when but little more than a year of age, and was imprisoned for eighteen long years in a room, Avhere he could see no objects of the exterior world whatever. No fiower, no horse, no tree, nothing but the face of bis brutal keeper and his food, were the objects of his sensual obseiwation, during his entire imprisonment. The consequence Avas, that at the age of nineteen, his size, voice and heard indicated the mere physical man, but his mental poAvers Avere no more developed than those of a child, simply because the objects of the exterior Avorid were AAuthheld from his sensual observation. He deA^eloped himself mentallA' at the asre of nineteen exacth^ lie a child of Ian o or three A^ears. Now, there is no doubt, that this unhappy prince was endowed bv nature phvsicallv and mentally with the same powers of mind as any other child, for, after he gained his freedom, he developed himself at the age of nineteen pre* ciselv as a child of three or four vears, but his senses, his sensual observation, his comparison, his imagination, his memory, were left slumbering in him, they became not exercised, not awakened, strengthened and disciplined on the objects of the exterior world. Now our children are precisely such Caspar* Hausers, only tliey have freedom, and cannot help but see, hear, feel, taste, smell, to retain in memory, and to compare, and to imagine, but if these actions in their develpoement, are left to luck and chance or become mutilated, disfigured, or wrongly guided by un¬ skilful teachers, inexactness in obser^'ation, an unreliable memory, false comparison, an imperfect imagination, and particularly an inaccuracy in narration and description, of what the child has seen, heard, thought or felt, will be the result. Dr. Johnson says, very truly, ‘^Iccustom your cliil-' dreii constantly to this: if a thing happened at one window, and they, when relating it, say that it happened at another, do not let it pass, but instantly check them. You do not know, when and where deviation from the truth will end.'’ 27 Have you never met with such persons, who, if they give you a description of an event that happened, did it in a manner that you cannot, as the saying is, find either head nor tail to it ? Have you never met with mechanics, «/ ' wdio honestly tell you, that you need 200 feet of lumber to a certain wcrk, when really you need 500 of them ?—who told you, that eight yards will make a dress, when you need twelve of them ?—who told you that you need apiece of any thing twelve feet long, when you really need a piece of sixteen feet in length. Have you ever been in court Avhere three witnesses honestly swear that a certain affair liappened under such a tree, at such a date, when three other witnesses, equally honest swear, that it happened un¬ der another tree, at another date ? All such persons are more or less Caspar Hausers, that is to say, their power of observation, their comparison, their memory, etc., have not become properly develpped. But, how can these be developed if the teacher uses obscure language, if he uses terms, or introduces topics far beyond the childish compre¬ hension? Not a very longtime ago I heard a young lady, teaching a class of children from four to six years, about the difference of the Jewish and Christian Sabbath,— a subject which should not liave been introduced at all.— But she talked, and talked very lustily about the Mosaic laws and the Apostolic creed, about the seventh day of the creation and of the resurrection of Christ, and the more she talked the more the children were kicking each other, were pulling each other’s hair, were whispering, and carri¬ ed on every imaginable kind of mischief. The result was, that some livel}^ little fellows were sent to report. The truth of it is, the lady should have gone to the principal herself, and should have said, “Mr. Principal, I do notun^ derstand how to interest, how to occupy, the lively minds of these boys and girls, and therefore they commit every kind of mischief, please help me for I am rather a \veak sister.” Horace Mann relates of a teacher who said to liis class: A net w'ork is anything reticulated or decussated 28 witJi interstices between the intersections.” Do you belicre «/ that the children were wiser after tlie explanation, than ])efore? A Geography used as a text-book, had on the second page these words : ‘‘Zenith and nadir, are two Ara- ])ic words, importing their own signification.’^ Now of course, the children knew very \vell, the meaning of these terms ! A chdd’s mind may be dark and ignorant before, ))ut under such exjdanations, as these, ignorance will be sealed in hermetically. If this is not as Milton says:— “Dark with excess of lieht” it is at least “darkness visible.” Ladies and Gentlemen, if you wish to succeed in develo- * t/ ])ing these perceptive faculties in your younger pupils, you must learn the art of becomhig, so to say, a child with your children, you must enter into tlieir mood of thinking, you must speak to them in a childlike, ^but nevertheless (correct laimua^e, and above all thine^s vou must make them feel that you really love them, you must in every- thing but reading, Tiiuow the text-book out through the WINDOW, AND GIVE THEM THE LIVING WORD. Ill this Way your success will be secured, you will gain their love and c'uifideiice, i. e., a noble and deserved popularity without sacrificing your manly or womanly dignity by partiality. But however much care, skill, learning and dexterity the professionally educated teacher bestows on the develope- ment of the intellectual powers of man, he must never for a moment forget, that man is above all things, a moral being. And this being called man, is, of all the works of the Creator, endowed with the greatesCvariety offaculties, Avith the most complex and diversified constitution. And it is in the assemblage of these various powers and facul¬ ties, that his strength, his majesty, his superiority over the animal creation, consists. Cultmite onesided!}" only the intellectual powers, the extreme would be a Napoleon I, a liousseau, a Voltaire. Develope the moral powers Avithout due regard to the intellectual faculties, a Phillip IT, a reli- ulous blo;ot, a fanatic, a hermit, a monk or mu], Avill be the outcome. But the happy result of a harmonious de- 29 velopement ot the intellectual and moral powers, will give to the world, a Frederick the Great, a Washington, a Jef¬ ferson, a Schiller, an Alex, v, Humholt. Now these moral powers of man are divided into higher moral powers such as Conscience, Benevolence, love of truth and justice, friendship, aflection, reverence for a Su* preme Being, etc., and, into lower propensities, sucJi as self-preservation, sexual desires, desires for pleasure, socie¬ ty, rest appetite, etc. These latter propensities man has in common with the animal creation. That of these two classes the higher moral powers should have the prerogative of supremacy, of absolute dominion and power in the soul of man, is ev¬ ident. But also these lower, merely animal pro| ensities, have their rightful claims, and should not be wholly sup- }U‘essed. From these facts a sound Didactic will make the professionally educated teacher acquainted, why and by what means these higher moral powers can be awakened, strengthened, fostered and developed; as also, why and by what means these merely animal pro])ensities can and should be kept within the boundaries of social and divine laws. For whenever these lower pro])ensities gain su¬ premacy and mastery over the higher inoral ])owers, thev subvert the whole moral order of the soul, and commence a destructive warfare first aii^ainst the sovereiirntv of con- science within, and very soon against the laws of society without, and the moral ruin of man is complete. Take for instance, our innate instinct of self preservation. We cer- taiidy have according to this propensity, a rightful desire for acquiring property, i.e. a desire to possess the means ne¬ cessary to our existence. Within the bounds of social and divine laws this desire is praiseworthy and should not be sup¬ pressed. If we are within tliese bounds successful, it cre¬ ates self-coniidence, thoughtfulness, foresight, industry and frugality. But let this desire become the all-absorbing power of a man, his whole aspiration from the first dav of January to the last day of December will be for money, ^ • 30 money, money. In liis place of worship, in his domestic circle, in liis society, his only thought will be, what is gold, and what is not, what is and what is not. The beauties of nature or art, he values or despises in proportion as they bring him money or not. The most ingenious pro¬ ductions of science interest him only if he can turn them 1/ to increase his property. What a miserable existenee this is! And yet the very foundation of such an existence is laid in early youth, when imprudent parents, or unskilful teachers stimulate to action by tlie promise of a few cents, or some other material gain. In this way the desire for gain is awakened, and if not properly checked, the future miser, cheat, robber, the deceiver of widows and orphans, perhaps a murderer for gains-sake, stands before you in its embryo existence. Such parents or teachers appeal, awa¬ ken, strengthen and develope,—perhaps cpiite unconscious¬ ly,—the animal propensity instead or appealing to the liigher moral nature of man. The skillful teacher will check this horrible desire not by suppressing it altogether, but by awakening and strengthening other moral powers, as the love for the beautiful in Nature or x4rt; or h\ fre- quently placing for the child’s mind what a sublime pleasure man may derive by using his money for the benefit of his sufteringfellowman. He may counteract this unholy desire for gain, by picturing in lively colors, the miserable exis¬ tence of the miser contrasted with the lofty standing point of such }>hilanthropists as Peabody. On the other hand children very often manifest an early carelessness, an in- difterence regarding the necessary means of subsistence.— Those, the skillful teacher will stimulate to tlie proper ac¬ tivity, by a lively illustration, how little it is in harmony witli the true dignity of man, to be obliged to be a burden to his fellow man. Or by showiiig how often tlie one who does not possess any property at all, is deprived of the pleasure ot' doing good. And so it is with other moral j)ower. Onesidedness is always hurtful, true happi¬ ness AND USEFULNESS IS THE OUTCOME OF A HARMONIOUS I 31 jiEVElopeMent only. Take another instance: Our innate love for the beautiful. Properly, and harmoniously with other tendencies developed, it teaches us to appreciate tlie beauties of nature and art. It makes us skillful in embeb lishing and adorning life. . Neglected, or too feebly devel¬ oped, it deprives us of the pleasures, which a boiintitul Providence has so kindly prepared for our enjo^unent in the charminir umrks of nature. Too strongly and onesidedl)’ developed, it produces the irood-for-noLhlno: doll of fasliion, who knows onlv what is fashionable and w'hat is not. x4galn. Precaution is another ofispring of self-preservation. Properly and harmoniously developed it will become our safeguard of honor, life and property. Too feebly nourished, it w’ill become the very destroyer of life, honor, and property. But let it become the all-absorbing, the only motive power of man, we may become so extremely cautions, that we keep silent, when the cause of righteousness and justice is in danger, i. e. Ave make of ourselves th<3 most depiscable of all cowards.— Such men pretend to be Dk.aiockats, Avith Democrats, and play the Pepublican in republican company. But we must refrain from a more extended enumeration and exposition of moral powers. Those Avhich AVe have referred to Avill authorize us to assert, tlnit Avithout a thor¬ ough knoAvledge of the philosophy of education, no teac!.- er can claim to be consciously able to repress the onesided groAvth and developemcnt of one power, and to nourish the feeble one, Avith his fostering care, i.e., Avithout tliis science a teacher is totally unable, to develope, harmoni¬ ously, the manifold poAvers, the various nature of niai'. — Now, Ladies and tTentlemen, in but a fcAV days, compara¬ tively speaking, 3uni Avill leave this Normal School Avith all its pleasant associations. You Avill be surrounded by a greater or smaller number of luipiyv innocent children, Avhose slumbering mental poAvers aAvait your skill for their awakening, and harmonious developement. Bear in mind each one of these infant minds entrusted to your care, is endoAved Avith a number of moral and intellectual poAvers 32 ni M 12 062 ‘ 38489 J£ Nvliich enable it to reacli tlie liio-best extremes of irood or evil, of virtue or of vice, of honor or of shame ! There can be no doubt about the direction in which von ou^ht to lead theav. And yet what do we behold after the lapse of a few fleeting years ? Some of them will, by skillful instruction, liave become noble, useful, honorable mem¬ bers of society: others may, under the hand of inexperi¬ enced teach.ers, have become a disgrace to their race.— Seme of tliem inay have become noble, intelligent, self- sacriticing happy mothers, ornaments of tlie most reflned society, others may have become mere fashionab.e dolls, dreamino: constantlv about wommi’s rights, without know- ing, or even caring about the flrst syllable of the true wo- man’s duties. Some others may walk in the most humble })ath5 of life, but in righteousness and justice; others may be found in prison cells, expiating the most horrible crimcsi And, Ladies and Gentlemen, tins amazing, this wonderful change is brought about according to the very same laws by which the skillful gardener produces useful and orna¬ mental plants,in tlie same jjlace where the unskilled garde¬ ner produces only weeds and tliorns. In order to impress you with the great responsibility of the teacher’s mission, permit us to relate to you an experience of our life which iiiore tluni any thing taught us what horrible consequent CCS iailure in our umrk may produce^ We once attended the execution of a criminal. Just before the execution, he ex])ressed tlie vrisli to sav a few words, which was granted, jhadies and Gentlemen, I see this man yet with his pale face, saying with his quivering li])S, in a loud but lieart- rv?nding voice: ‘'Aliserable .Father ! miserable mother ! and miserable teacher ! if you had not neglected my education I vrould not be, where I am.” You may replj': This is an cxti’Gine case, lint let us go about fortv miles west and a.-k tlie niifortunate inmates of the State-prison, how many 'fl* them could tj*ace their unhappy position there, back to a neglected education in youth? How many people in in¬ ferior positions, say daily: If I had had better teacJiing, I <.'Ould have done much better. Ladies and Gentlemen, le4 us 1)0 taught by these examples how necessary it is tliat w^ ]'re])are oc.rselves professionally, so that we are able to d?^ our whole liUty towards tliose entrusted into our keeping. Let us becoiiic ronseious worKuieu upon the held of Education, who need not lie ashani- vd of their work.