condition of their fellow-beings, or, to express nearly the whole in one word-to educate the poor.

Let those on whom the burthen ought to fall willingly assume-cheerfully sustain it, and there will be no further obstacle to the action of the Legislature, no further difficulty in organizing a system effectual, permanent, universal.

All that has been done in Prussia, and is about to be done in France, may be done here, and neither the patriot, the philanthropist, nor the Christian can desire more.

J. D.

CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

DUTIES OF PARENTS IN EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN.

These duties have been treated in too general a man-

ner-The peculiar duties of those who educate their

children in the district school have not been sufficiently

enforced-These considered-The parent's first duty is

self-examination—The parent is the natural instructor

and guardian of the child-Parents neglect their chil-

dren during the susceptible years of infancy-Children

begin to act and learn from the first moment of their ex-

istence-Parents do not notice the effect of their own

example before infants-The mother may shape the

character-Parents leave the education of their children

too much with the schoolmaster-They frequently have

a bad government over their children at home-Difficult

to govern such children-Parents should co-operate with

the teacher-Supply his defects-Parents should con-

tinue their children's education after the school days are

ended-This by giving them the means of knowledge-

By example-By showing the pleasures and advantages

of knowledge-The parent's happiness depends upon

the education of his children-The child's happiness de-

pends upon its education-The difference of early train-

ing makes the great difference among men-It is the

parent's duty to his country to educate his children-It

is his duty to society-If the parent does not educate

his children, the world will-Virtue and knowledge need

a teacher-If children are useful in after-life, it will be

because they obtained the

to be so while young.

power

SECTION II.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS.

The want of well qualified teachers in the United

States-The number of common school teachers em-

ployed-Some of the deficiencies described-Ignorant

of the studies which they teach-Ignorant of the nature

and operations of the youthful mind-No preparation

made for teaching-The profession made a temporary

thing-In the first place, teachers should well consider

the nature of their employment-Teachers should ex-

amine their acquirements-They should be good readers

-The poor reading in our schools noticed-Instructions

in this art to teachers-The example of good reading in

the teacher-Teachers should be good penmen-They

should be ready and accurate in the science of Arith-

metic-With Geography-Teachers should have a

thorough knowledge of the Grammar and Philosophy of

the English Language-They should be well versed in

History-They should be able to impart knowledge to

others--The inability of teachers, and all students, to tell

what they know, or what they think they know-Our

system of education deficient, in making men commu-

nicate, or make a practical use of what they learn-The

great necessity of the teacher's having this ability of im-

parting to others,

. 37

SECTION III.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS, CONTINUED.

A teacher should have a good moral character-He

should govern himself--He should have a good judg-

ment--A teacher should have an even, uniform temper

--He should have decision and firmness--He should be

able to sympathise with his pupils-He should be

able to discriminate character--He should be able to

illustrate and simplify--He should teach as Nature

teaches,

52

SECTION IV.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS, CONcluded.

A teacher should love his business--He should make

his business his study and his profession--He should be

patient and persevering--He should be able and disposed

to overcome the various difficulties of his arduous

profession--Several difficulties described-A teacher

should always appear pleasant and affectionate--He

should be qualified to show his pupils the importance

of knowledge,

SECTION V.

65

THE ADAPTATION AND IMPORTANCE OF COMMON SCHOOLS,

AND THE DUTIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE A GENERAL SU-

PERINTENDENCE OVER THEM.

The school system, adopted by the state of New-

York, recommended--The wisdom of this system--

The importance of good common or district schools--

The neglect which learned and leading men have given

them-The claims of these schools upon the wise and

wealthy-The good effects of general intelligence-The

duties of Inspectors--The lax manner in which they

fulfil their duties-They should be more rigid--The

duties of the Trustees of common schools--The man-

ner they have performed their duties-The duties of

Commissioners---The duties which ministers owe to

common schools-The duties of every inhabitant of the

district,
75

SECTION VI.

TEACHING SHOULD BE MADE A PROFESSION.

The teacher's profession should be made as distinct
as the lawyer's or the divine's-We should require
professional knowledge in the teacher as well as in the
preacher-Teaching is not made honourable because
teachers have not prepared themselves for their business
-Teachers should avail themselves of all the help they

can obtain-It must be their highest ambition to be good

schoolmasters-In a profession there is a constant ac-

cumulation of experimental knowledge-In the art of

teaching there is no instruction in the past-Teachers

have not communicated with each other-If teaching

was made a profession, teachers would sympathize with

each other-They would feel that they had the honour

of the profession to support-That the eyes of the world

were on them-That they might be known and hon-

oured-He could then compare himself with other teach-

ers--Each teacher would receive a part of the respect

which would be paid to the profession, .

SECTION VII.

THE GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE OF A SCHOOL.

89

The government of a school should be a constant

moral discipline--The end and object of all government

should be, to make men govern themselves-The teacher

should labour to make his pupils understand what is

right and what is wrong, or the foundation of law--A

teacher should govern his scholars as rational, moral

beings--The superiority of a government of reason--

Punishment should always answer its end--Punish-

ments should not be inflicted before the school-Crimes

which are common should be brought before the school

-The teacher should show his scholars that he is acting

under moral obligations-A teacher should have the

same government over himself out of school, that he

has in school--The government of a school should be
regular and systematic-A teacher should not threaten
or fret-A government should not be severe at one time
and lax at another-The manners of children in school
-The manners of the American people—The language
of scholars,

SECTION VIII.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TEACHERS.

95

The teacher is placed with the young and ignorant