diligence, and higher aims. I have known a single visit of a skillful and intelligent officer to change the entire character of a school, introducing new and better methods in teaching, kindling an active zeal in learning, and turning an idle and listless school into a scene of the liveliest interest and activity. It is difficult to suggest rules by which an inexperienced and incompetent visitor can make his visit of much value; and the thoroughly furnished Inspector scarcely needs such rules. But there are certain important points to which every visiting Inspector should give heed:

1st. He should look narrowly to the character and condition of the school-room. He may not be able to secure a repair of its broken walls or ruined floor, nor to get it properly ventilated and warmed; but he can sometimes procure a rearrangement of its seats to make them more convenient, and, at any rate, he can by a few kind but earnest words of advice, urge the teacher to keep it clean and in order, as a necessary condition of an orderly school.

2d. Let him have a keen eye for the indications of good gov ernment-the order and system maintained by the teacher, and the prompt and quiet obedience of the pupils. In a well governed school, not only will there be a general quiet throughout the room, but the work of the school will go on with system and regularity. Each class will have its regular hour, and will, at the signal, rise promptly, and move in order to the place of recitation. The exercises will not be broken in upon by the calls of pupils outside of the class, nor by the efforts of the teacher to repress mischief and restore order in the other parts of the room. The teacher will neither scold nor threaten, and the pupils will sit and work in a cheerful and easy quietude, as far from the constrained and awkward silence of fear, as it is from the lawless license and riot of ungoverned disorder. Reflecting that good government is the first and fundamental condition of a good school, the skillful visitor will wisely counsel with the teacher as to any faults he may have observed, and seek to aid him in the introduction of better rules, by the re

commendation of some more systematic arrangement and order in the school work. The force of perfect system is mightier than the force of the rod in the government of a school.

3d. The methods of teaching will receive the most earnest and careful attention of the wise visitor. There is a lazy and shiftless way of teaching, fallen into by many teachers, which consists in a mere unthinking reading of the questions in the book, in their order, to the member of the class taken in one invariable round, and patching out the mumbled and mutilated replies; and then, after assigning the next lesson, dismissing the class. Such an exercise is almost utterly useless. The aim of a good recitation is threefold: 1st, to ascertain that the class have thoroughly studied the lesson both in its form or language, and in its substance or thought; 2d, to drill them by rapid and varied questionings in the facts, formulas and operations contained in it; and 3d, to awaken their minds to the subject, and lead them to a thorough understanding of it. A good class exercise will be clear, distinct, thorough, lively to eagerness, interesting and generally short to avoid flagging and weariness. More questions will be asked out of the book than in it, and will never be given to the pupils in the order in which they sit or stand. No replies will be accepted that are not clear and correct, and no hints to start with or patching at the close will be offered by the teacher. The pupil will be required to stand on his own knowledge of the lesson, and to exhibit independently just how much he knows of it.

To correct errors here, and to introduce new and happier methods, the experienced visitor will give his best efforts. His largest knowledge of schools and of teaching will be needful to enable him to detect the defects that exist, and to offer the remedies required.

4th. The moral condition of the school, as exhibited by the conduct and language of the pupils, on the play ground as well as in the school room, is another point demanding the careful attention of the inspector. If the pupils are quarrelsome, and profane, or excessively rude and vulgar in habits

if they are indolent, untidy, untruthful, or eye-servants, negligent of duties and disobedient to authority, then the school is indeed sadly defective, and full of deadly peril both to the character of the pupils and to the peace of society. The cure of these disorders is often difficult, and to be accomplished only by long and patient efforts; but the teacher who suffers such evils to exist, and does not labor earnestly, and by all proper methods, to eradicate them, is unfit for his place and should be speedily dismissed. The chief forces available for the moral education of a school are: 1st. A good government, which maintains and teaches good order and obedience to rightful authority and to duty; 2d. Neatness of rooms and of persons, inspiring self-respect and decency of habits; 3d. A general politeness and courtesy of manners and address maintained between the teacher and pupils and among the pupils themselves, aiding to soften down the temper, and to promote kindly feelings; 4th. The reverent reading of the bible at the opening of school, accompanied by prayer, if the teacher chooses, to cast the influence of its high sanctions on the consciences of both teacher and pupils; 5th. The reading frequently to the school of stories of the virtuous and heroic deeds of noble men and women, to inspire like sentiments in the susceptible mind of childhood; 6th. The clear explanation to the school, and, as much as practicable by question, leading the children themselves to the discovery, of the nature and wrongfulness of each vice, and of the obligation and benefit of every virtue; 7th, and finally, the administration of proper penalties for the faults, and of proper approval for the right doing of the pa pils themselves. Learning looses all its higher values when linked to vice, and the thoughful visitor will count it his highest duty, both to the school and the State, to watch narrowly the moral influences that are at work in the school room.

5th. The condition and use of apparatus, blackboards and maps, will also attract the attention of the visiting inspectors. The power of visible illustration is difficult to be overstated. The pupil of the eye is the only pupil never addressed in vain.

The introduction of the blackboard has revolutionized modern teaching, and the teacher skilled in its use can scarcely fail as an instructor.

6th. Let the visitor also examine the daily roll or record of the school, both to ascertain its condition and its correctness in manner, and also to learn from it the degree of regularity in attendance. Often the young teacher can be aided, by a few suggestions, to better methods and greater accuracy in keeping the register.

7th. As the inspector is intrusted with the oversight of all the educational machinery of the districts, he should examine also into the condition and general usefulness of the district or township libraries. He should advise as to the selection of books, and as to the general management, and urge the teacher to promote their wider use. An inspection of the librarian's record will tell him how extensively the books are loaned and read.

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The best time for visiting schools, will be found to be shortly after the term has opened. Two or three weeks may be allowed in which to get the school organized and to show the effect of the teacher's plans. A visit then will enable the Inspector to judge of the value of the work that is being done, to nip in the bud any evil practices or errors which are likely to mar the usefulness of the school, and to offer any suggestions needful for its improvement. A visit made near the opening of the term is of twice the utility of any made at the middle or latter end. It would be better still if a second visit could be made near the close to observe the progress made, especially if both teacher and pupils were looking forward to such second visit from the time of the first.

The Inspector will do well to secure, if possible, the presence and coöperation of the District Board in his visits. Not only will the district officers be brought, by this means, into a closer acquaintance and clearer knowledge of their school, but the Inspector will secure the opportunity of counselling with

them as to the improvements desirable to be made, and to urge upon them the wants and necessities of the school.

THE SCHOOL LAWS.

The edition of the volume of School Laws issued in 1859, being nearly exhausted, and many important changes having been made since that date, in the laws themselves, a new and revised edition has been prepared, and will be bound in the same volume with this report.

In order to facilitate the work of the several school officers who act under these laws, a compendium or codification of their substance has been prepared with great labor and care, presenting under the more important heads, all the provisions of the law scattered through the successive enactments of many years. This will render it easy to find at once, and with certainty, the entire provisions of the law upon any desired topic.

In addition to this, the explanatory notes have been carefully revised and considerably enlarged, embracing the decisions made by the Superintendent, as to the construction of the law in many of the cases arising under it.

SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE,

In compliance with a resolution passed by both branches of the Legislature, the Superintendent has prepared several plans for school-houses, to be published with the volume of school laws. These plans embrace a complete series, adapted to all the several grades and classes of schools known to our public school system. It has not been attempted to furnish a great variety of plans for any one grade, but to give at least one good plan, with such explanations and specifications that any good architect can readily understand and use them. Great care has been taken to present plans in which all the conditions of space, light, warming and ventilation are properly cared for; and although it is not expected that these plans will be accepted as perfect, or escape criticism, yet if adopted, they will give convenient, healthful, and economical buildings, well adapted to the high uses for which they are constructed.