straightforward use of the moral maxims which he has learned. The application of plain principles to actual life, Aristotle considered the most bewildering puzzle of human existence. He regarded practical virtue as the nice adjustment of a hundred forces. He saw that human association would be an impossibility, if every good principle was to be run like a red-hot ploughshare through the tangled vines of social life; but a man must get along like a skirmisher feeling an enemy, by glancing warily to the right and the left before advancing. Nothing is good, exclaimed Aristotle; everything depends on the way you use it. The wise man will "sound his dim and perilous way" through life. A right principle is, of course, not to be sacrificed; but when it conflicts with the demands of other right principles, then comes the trouble.

When you exhort a child to "speak the truth always," how is he to know that you do not mean that he shall give every one "a bit of his mind "or that private matters are not to be blabbed-or that whatever he knows about people is to be spouted over the neighborhood? Or if you caution him against a deluge of truth, shall he dry up entirely? How is he to know what to tell and what to refuse to tell; when to speak and when to be silent? And what about evasions and flattering speeches, and all the strategies of society-and of war, too, if you choose? Was John Champe right when he went after Benedict Arnold and told one thousand lies to get him? If not, what shall we say of General Washington "who never told a lie," and Harry Lee, "the soul of honor"--who sent him to the British to tell all those lies?

You say that was war. All life is war. Emerson says, "Regard your best friend as a beautiful enemy." We are always hiding spies under the flax. What does Paul mean when he says he becomes all things to all men? Is it right for you to flatter a popular prejudice which in your heart you despise?

These are every-day questions, and a sad part of a child's actual social education is to teach him to conceal the truth and to impose on others by false pretenses. Old Tom Carlyle need not have made himself so unhappy about social shams; but the most of what he says is true. These examples are mentioned not to apologize for social shams, or to indicate any opinion in regard to them, but only to illustrate the difficulties of both children and grown people in applying plain cardinal principles of morality.

The field of American politics is our greatest moral chaos, because it is comparatively a new branch of human experience, and one offering a greater variety of strong temptations than any department of old-world society. The average American needs far more moral training than the average European. The very features in our American life which most powerfully develop the individual, and give prosperity and power to the nation, are like the great motive powers-fullest of danger. Our business life is miscellaneous and unsettled, especially in the younger States, where new things and new questions arise hourly; and our whole civil life is raw and exposed, and endlessly complicated, and largely without precedents. Railroads and copper mines are new elements in politicsand Satan never wears more angelic garbs than when he approaches a

public officer with a placebo. If it were possible, he might deceive even the elect. And if the great and mighty are deceived, who can wonder if the clodhopper should see no harm in selling his vote if it pays better than suckering tobacco from sun to sun in the hot days of summer? He may not know whether it is best for the country for John Doe or Richard Roe to go to the Legislature, but he knows that a little money is a good thing to have, and that a new hat is better than an old one, and if he works for farmer Smith's 50 cents a day, why shouldn't he work for John Doe's $5 a day, with whiskey thrown in? Doesn't Dr. Esculapius sell his time? Doesn't Lawyer Campbell sell himself for money to any horse-thief that wants to get justice cheated? Then "why may I not take money, yes, and work, and use money to elect John Doe ?"

The packing of conventions, the carrying of elections, the putting through of corporation measures, are among the mysteries of society. The sharpest investigating committees, the keenest detectives, are often balked in their efforts to find the centre of the plot; and yet many good men are misled by specious pretences, even when not carried to the point of corruption; whilst others find themselves almost unwittingly involved in transactions which a clear moral insight would have led them to reject with scorn. Mr. Jefferson said, that even in his day rogues had a wonderful facility for getting into office: for, in the first place, they stole the hearts of the people in order to get into office; and then, after getting in, went to stealing in other ways.

The explanation of the whole thing is found in the moral obtusity of the people at large. It is said that the TICHBORNE claimant in England is regarded by the common people simply as a gentleman kept out of his rights. If a public man is convicted of at least questionable moral conduct, he still has the chance of an ovation from his constituents. The moral perspicacity of the masses must be quickened before we can be sure of having pure officers. They must not require a candidate for their suffrages to blunt the edge of his moral nature in order to secure his own election, and then expect stern virtue from him after he gets into office. They must not only require purity, but they must know what purity is; they must know how to apply moral principles to acts in all situations. And they can learn this only in the primary schools; for the masses never get beyond the primaries. It is hard to believe, without examination, that the education of the primary school alone can do much to elevate the people intellectually or morally; but the student of history knows that the primary school has powerfully modified the characters of many nations; and its future is to be far greater than its past. The masses will certainly be made smart; but if they are to be made virtuous as well as smart, they must be at least as quick to solve a moral as an arithmetical problem. The masses of men are honest in intention; the danger lies in their obtusity. When villainy is clearly shown to them, they put it down; and it is owing to this bottom honesty in the people, that when our political must is set to fermenting, it works itself clear for a while. But these cycles of fraud are costly and dangerous. We love self-respect and the respect of the world; and our grand edifice of popular government is shaken to its foundations.

My purpose in this address has led me to speak more of primary than of other schools; but as already intimated, moral doctrines being simple in their elements, and progressively complex and difficult, they have a phase suited to every grade of school, even to the highest university; and as in general scholarship the lower schools are largely affected by the upper, so will it be in the teaching of Ethics. And when through all the grades of education the work upon character becomes as systematic and thorough as the work upon intellect, it may fairly be expected that the material magnificence of the present will be far surpassed by the moral glory of the future.

The President introduced DR. DA MOTTA, Centennial Commissioner of Education from Brazil, who spoke as follows:

EDUCATION IN BRAZIL.

The most striking feature of the present century is the interest which all nations are taking in education, feeling assured that it will bring happiness and prosperity to the people. The victories gained by Prussia over France were not through her improved arms, but her system of schools. In Brazil the primary schools are under the control of the State and provincesnot divided as here into township or district organizations. The higher schools in the Capital are under the control of the General Government, and the success which attends the schools in the cities is due to the care which the Government takes of the teachers and to the system of compulsory education. The State looks upon its teachers as the most useful members of the community. The greatness of the future generations depends upon them, and their success is guaranteed. They are paid high salaries, which increase according to merit and length of service, and the profession of a school teacher is one of the most promising in Brazil. Education (primary) is compulsory and free. In the cities each parent is required either to send his children to school or to show that, when at a certain age, they understand the elements of primary education. In many remote parts of the empire this system could not be properly enforced, but in many of those places private schools have grown up, and the proportion of illiterate children is gradually decreasing. To be admitted to higher schools, candidates must pass an examination in their knowledge of the national language, English, French, Latin, Greek, rhetoric, mathematics, philosophy, and natural science. In the higher schools medicine, law, civil and mining engineering, and mathematics are taught. Before a stu lent can graduate as a physician, he must have studied the science of medicine, both theoretical and practical, for six years, and the student of law for five years. Within that time he must have made himself conversant with natural law, public law, international, civil, and common law, and must also have practiced with some eminent lawyer for a term of two years.

In the primary and second grades religious instruction is compulsory. The Catholic religion being the religion of the State, its catechism is

taught in schools, but as other creeds are not only tolerated in, but welcomed to the empire, the children of parents who profess a different faith are relieved from attending to those religious exercises. There are also commercial institutions and military and naval academies, in which are taught the elementary branches of mathematics and other sciences, as well as practical lessons given in military matters. The people of Brazil are trying to follow in the steps of other nations more ancient and enlightened, and attempting to continue in this progressive way by studying the best improvements and the best methods of American educational institutions.

The President then introduced DR. MEJERBERG, of Sweden, Centennial Commissioner of Education from Stockholm, and Superintendent of the Schools of that city.

He traced the progress of liberalism in Sweden from the fifteenth century, when Protestantism was introduced into the country, successively through the reigns of GUSTAVUS WASSER, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS, and CHARLES XII. In the reign of the latter compulsory education was introduced, and a school was established in each parish, with a board of instruction, of which a clergyman was president. They did not consider geography a necessary study except to learn the way to America. About twelve years ago the Government began to control the erection of school buildings and thus corrected the evils resulting from inferior building. Lately Normal Schools have been established. At first there was much opposition to Superintendents of schools, but the people now consider them their best friends. Teachers in Sweden are a most independent class; their tenure of office is for life, and they cannot be removed except after a thorough trial. If this were not so they could not succeed in obtaining good teachers, because competent men and women in Sweden will not accept positions unless they are sure of retaining them. Gymnastics is included in the school studies. Religious instruction is compulsory, but all denominations have equal freedom; the Government is trying to educate the people in every respect up to the standard of American institutions.

He closed by inviting the American teachers to be present next summer at a convention of Scandinavian teachers to be held in Copenhagen.

The President announced the following committees:-on Necrology,. Z. RICHARDS, Washington, D. C., W. E. CROSBY, Iowa, J. M. B. SILL, Michigan; on Resolutions, E. E. WHITE, Ind., W. H. RUFFNER, Virginia, W. T. LUCKEY, California, WARREN JOHNSON, Maine. The places of meeting of the committees and departments were announced by the President. The President read a communication from the State Teachers' Association of Arkansas, accrediting G. W. HILL as a delegate to this association. PROF. BROOKS offered a resolution of thanks to DR. DA MOTTA, of Brazil,, and DR. MEJERBERG, of Sweden, which was unanimously adopted.

Adjourned to meet at 8 o'clock, P. M.

EVENING SESSION,

Association met at 8 o'clock, President PHELPS in the chair.

DR. HENDERSON, of Kentucky, gave notice that he would offer an amendment to the constitution at the next session. MR. WHITE, from the committee on the endowment fund, made the following report:

The committee to whom was referred that portion of the President's address relating to an endowment fund for the Association, report that before such fund can be properly received and invested, certain modifications to the constitution become necessary. They therefore propose the following amendments: 1st. To change Section 3 of Art. III, by erasing the word ten and substituting therefore the word twenty. 2d. Add to section 1 of Article IV, the following:-Any friend of education may become a life-director by the donation of one hundred dollars to the Association at one time either by himself or in his behalf. 3rd. Insert after the word counsellors in Art. 2, of Section IV, the word Life-Directors. 4th. Insert before the word officers in Sect. 3 of Art. IV, the word elective. 5th. Add a new section, to be known as Section 9 to Article IV; such Section shall read as follows: The Board of Directors shall appoint three trustees into whose hands shall be placed for safe keeping and investment, all funds which the Association may receive, from the creation of life-directorships or from donations, unless the donors shall specify other purposes for which they may be used. The income of such funds so invested shall be used exclusively in drefaying the expense of publishing the annual volume of the Association unless the donors shall specify otherwise. The Board of Directors shall require such trustees to give to the Association their joint bond in a sum equal to twice the amount of such trust fund, as may be in their hands.

The committee recommend that the Board of Directors be instructed to secure articles of incorporation for the Association; also that for the purpose of raising means to cancel the indebtedness of the Association, and, if possible, to publish the volume of proceedings for the present year, the Board of Directors be authorized to use all moneys now on hand or received from the sale of volumes, or from annual memberships or life-memberships at this time. That members are urged to make themselves life-members.

That all friends of education be invited to contribute funds for that especial purpose. Respectfully presented.

S. H. WHITE, Chairman.

The Report was adopted unanimously, and it was suggested by Z. RICHARDS that the Association be incorporated at Washington, the Capital of the nation.

The President introduced DR. EDWARDS, of Illinois, who addressed the association on

THE NORMAL SCHOOLS OF THE UNITED STATES ;-THEIR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

In the American Cyclopædia, Vol. XII, it is stated that the first suggestion for the establishment of normal schools in the United States was