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the general school interests of the State, is marked and impor tant. They are our academies. To them must we look mainly, to supply instruction in the higher branches of learning to tho youth of the State, and in proportion to their numbers and efficiency will be the progress of higher education.

They have also a most important part to perform in the education of the primary school teachers. Already large numbers of young teachers resort to them to obtain an education which may fit them to take the charge of schools, and their influence is beginning to be exhibited in the increased numbers of competent teachers among the districts. There is no surer omen of progress in our educational affairs than is seen in the rapid increase and vigorous growth of our union or graded schools.

It has been feared by some persons of either limited observation or little reflection that the growth of the graded schools would injure the primary district schools by attracting from the latter their best and most advanced scholars. But they forget that those advanced scholars go to the union schools only because it has been found that they can better pursue their studies in those schools. Nor is their withdrawal necessarily a disadvantage to the primary school. It is too common a fault that a few advanced pupils engross a large share of the attention and time of the teachers in our district schools, and compel a serious neglect of the younger pupils. I have known a single pupil, in advance of all others, occupy, daily, a full hour of the teacher's time, in recitations in Geometry and Chemistry. Thus in a school of fifty scholars one-sixth of the whole time was given to one. Had this pupil gone away to some union high school, the primary school would have been left without its class in Geometry and Chemistry; but that one pupil would have obtained better instruction, and one-sixth more attention would have been given by the teacher to the fortynine that remained.

It is sometimes complained that the principal teacher in a union school, who is employed at a large salary, teaches only the advanced pupils, while those of the lower grades are turned

over to lower priced and inferior assistants. But this inequality of attention to different classes of pupils, as is shown above, is not confined to the union school; it exists to a greater extent in the primary school, and without any compensating advantage. How much better that the younger pupils should have the entire time and attention of a competent assistant teacher, with the privilege, in their turn, when their advancement demands it, of the instruction of the principal. But in every rightly organized graded school, the principal closely superintends the work in all the departments, and, in all cases, his influence will be felt throughout the entire school, wherever his teaching may be done.

In corroboration of the views advanced, the following opinions of eminent educational gentlemen in other States may be given. Hon. H. H. Barney, State Commissioner of Schools for Ohio, in his Report for 1855, says: "Regarding what it accomplishes, a graded school possesses great advantages over a mixed school. It affords scope for practically applying to an educational scheme one of the most important characteristics of nearly all the departments of business pursuits, a systematic division of labor. Introduced into our system of education, it has often produced results as astonishing as the advent of the cotton gin or spinning jenny in the manufacture of cloth, or the steam engine in facilitating travel, trade, commerce, and the transmission of news."

Dr. Sears, the successor of Horace Mann as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education, says: "In a mixed school, the classification of pupils is necessarily imperfect, and the number of classes must be altogether too great for thorough instruction by one teacher. During the past year teachers have been found, in some of our public schools, hearing at the rate of thirty-six recitations a day. In graduated schools, a few large classes may be found to pursue all their studies together, and the teacher having no other under his charge, will have a much greater amount of time for each. But where nothing of this simplicity and order exists, and teachers are

changed, or liable to be changed every term, the best methods of instruction are of but little avail; for they could not be successfully introduced even if a good teacher were employed. There is not time enough in the daily exercises, for thoroughly teaching each class, nor is the ordinary term of service long enough to lay the foundations of knowledge, and to rear a fabric which shall prove the hand of a master."-Fourteenth Annual Report of Mass.

Hon. J. L. Pickard, State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Wisconsin, writes: "Prominent among the requisites to success in our system of Public Schools, is such a classification of pupils as shall secure what is called, in all industrial pursuits, 'division of labor.'

"The basis of this classification should be in the attainments and capacities of the individual pupils. The extent to which classification may profitably be carried must depend upon the number of pupils, and the ability to employ teachers."

He enumerates the following advantages of classification : "1. It diminishes the number of branches to be taught by the same teacher, and thus secures concentration of thought and power upon the teacher's work.

"2. It provides for the adaptation of the teacher to the school by requiring less versatility of talents and variety of attainments, but peculiar fitness for his special work.

"3. It secures the right place to the right teacher by more careful supervision and the facilities afforded for enterchange of teachers.

"4. It is a system with a head, whose influence is felt throughout the whole body.

"4. By presenting opportunity for promotion it gives needed stimulus both to teacher and pupil.

"6. It secures permanence and congenial employment to teachers, thereby securing their self culture."--Annual Report for 1860.

Hon. H. C. Hickok, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Penn., says: "The due classification and grading of the schools

is but the application to the educational cause of the same division of labor that prevails in all well regulated business establishments, whether mechanical, commercial or otherwise. It is not only the most economical, but without it there can be little progress or prosperity."-Annual Report for 1857.

"To enable children," says Hon. HENRY BARNARD, “to derive the highest degree of benefit from their attendance at school, they should go through a regular course of training in a succession of classes, and schools arranged according to a similarity of age, standing and attainments, under teachers possessing the qualifications best adapted to each grade of school. The practice has been almost universal in New England, and in other States where the organization of the schools is based upon the division of the territory into school districts, to provide but one school for as many children of both sexes, and of all ages from four to sixteen years, as can be gathered in from certain territorial limits, into one apartment, under one teacher; a female teacher in summer, and a male teacher in winter. The disadvantages of this practice, both to pupils and teachers, are great and manifold.

"There is a large amount of physical suffering and discomfort, as well as great hindrances in the arrangement of scholars and classes, caused by crowding the older and younger pupils into the same school-room, without seats and furniture appropriate to either; and the greatest amount of suffering and discomfort falls upon the young, who are least able to bear it, and who, in consequence, acquire a distaste to study and the school

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'Among the conditions of success in the operation of a system of public schools, is such a classification of the scholars, as shall bring a larger number of similar age and attainments, at all times, and in every stage of advancement, under teachers of the right qualifications, and shall enable these teachers to act upon numbers at once, for years in succession, and carry them all forward effectually together, in a regular course of instruction.

"In a large school, properly classified, a division of labor can be introduced in the department of government, as well as in that of instruction. By assigning the different studies to a sufficient number of assistants, in separate class-rooms, each well qualified to teach the branches assigned, the principal teacher may be selected with special reference to his ability in arrang. ing the studies, and order of exercises of the school, in administering the discipline, in adapting moral instruction to individual scholars, and in superintending the operations of each class-room, so as to secure the harmonious action and progress of every department. The talents and tact required for these and similar duties, are more rarely found than the skill and attainments required to teach successfully a particular study. When found, the influence of such a principal, possessing in a high degree, the executive talent spoken of, will be felt through every class, and by every subordinate teacher, giving tone and efficiency to the whole school.”

It cannot be denied, nor do I care to conceal, that the claimed advantages of the graded school plan have not been realized by all the union schools of the State. There will be occasional failures in all human enterprizes. Under any system there will be some poor schools, but perhaps no class of schools can show a smaller proportionate number of failures than the union schools of this State.

In most cases of failure, the causes are easily seen and easily remedied. The employment of incompetent or inexpereiced principals-inexperienced young men fresh from some college, or some teacher who has gained a good reputation in some district school, but who knows nothing of the theory or organization of a graded school-this is perhaps the most frequent cause of failure. It should be remembered that the management of an enterprize of such magnitude as a large union school, requires a man of much talent and experience. A mere stripling of adventurous spirit and ready wit may prove a good captain of a single company, but to marshal an army of separate

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