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WHAT SHALL OUR YOUTH LEARN?

An ancient Philosopher being once asked, what things the young should principally learn, replied, "Those things which having become men they will most use."

The principle here involved is true or false according to the interpretation of our Philosopher's meaning. Would he say that education consists mainly in the acqui sition of knowledge and that each one should learn only the science of his own future occupation, or profession? If so, his views were false.

Or did he mean that the young should be educated and thus qualified to act their part when they become men? With this interpretation, we make the old philosopher speak the truth and may safely dwell upon the thoughts suggested for a few moments.

What then, will the young "most use" when they be come men? What will give them the most power and influence and the best fit them to fill with honor and profit, the various spheres of life?

Not mere knowledge of books, nor of "men and things," however accurate and extensive. Knowledge is of great practical importance to an educated mind, but must not be regarded as education itself. The end of education is dis cipline. The young should especially learn two things, viz: how to think and how to give expression to their thoughts. These learned perfectly, and the man would be perfectly educated. But without the power to think and the power to give expression to his thoughts, however much he may know, he is ill prepared to struggle with the duties of manhood. The tasks and toils and discipline of a well ordered school room, are the best calculated to give mental strength and vigor and ensure success. The power to think is acquired only by thinking, and thinking is study. Hence, study is the great business of the scholar. The teacher may direct his thoughts, remove his difficulties and encourage him to make greater application, but he cannot think for him. Successful study requires retire

ment and fixed attention. If the school-room is the place for study, it must be orderly and quiet and nothing for eign must be allowed to occupy the attention during the sacred hours of school. To be successful, study must be systematic, rising gradually from the less to the more dif ficult branches in the course; the mind must be interested and active while engaged in thought, but it must also have rest and recreation. Still another condition of successful study is self-reliance; hence the pupil should not study with his fellow, but alone. He should have only so much aid from his teacher as is necessary to save him from discouragement and make it possible for him to accomplish his task. Any assistance beyond this is a positive evil. And finally, successful study is the work of years. Mushrooms grow up in a single night, but long years of patient toil alone can give maturity to the mind-can make the

man.

But we find so much error in theory and practice, on this subject in our day, that we may doubt whether the mushroom has not been transplanted from the vegetable to our educational garden.

The common impression that teachers and text books. ought to do for the pupil the most of his studying, is not only erroneous but ruinous to the best interests of our schools. The new school book issued by some popular firm in some popular city, written by some popular author and recommended by some popular teachers, has been introduced into the school by some popular book agent, for the sole benefit of the author and vender. The subjects, it is said, are clearly explained and extensively illustrated! The author has made it so simple that little or no study is necessary. Of course, there is abundance of questions to help the pupil recite and every possible inducement placed before him to spend his time in idleness and play, rather than study. It is claimed, after all that has been said to the contrary, that "Education is a royal road."

Modern scholars prefer to ride rather than walk. Their conveyance must be easy and rapid, or they cannot consent to be educated. But this system in its practical application, can have no tendency to make thinking men and women. Let it be rejected then. But scholars should also learn to express their thoughts. This may be our theme for an article at some future time.

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.

0.

The first condition of a good school is order. This is admitted on all hands, and the question of practical importance is, how is this order to be secured?

In reply to this, our first remark is, this order will not. be secured and maintained by the scholars themselves. There will be in almost every school, a few scholars that are there to study and for nothing else, who need not the slightest restraint, to keep them in their places and at their work. In some schools, there are many such scholars. They are a law unto themselves, and nothing but a surprise or a strong provocation, will betray them into a disorderly act. But in every school of any considerable number of scholars, there will be a few who will play and make mischief, if they are not restrained, and in most schools, a large majority will be of this class. They may not be positively vicious-they may be among the bright est and best scholars in the school-but there is an inborn love of fun in every boy and girl, and no where is the relish for it keener than in the school-room. With no restraint upon them, the school will become a school of fun and mischief, and the easy, good natured teacher will be the centre and butt of it all. No school will maintain order of itself.

In the second place, we reply, nothing will be found in the character of the inhabitants of a district, or in any thing they may say or do, that of itself will secure order in a school. The scholars may be under the most thorough discipline and implicit control at home, and receive

the most positive instructions to study and maintain order in school, and yet, if when they enter the school-room they are allowed to do as they please, the love of fun and the opportunity to gratify it, will be too much for them, and in spite of all parental influence and authority the school will be a school of play and disorder.

If there is to be order, the teacher, himself, must secure and maintain it. In doing this, he will be greatly helped by the quiet and studious habits of his scholars, and by the right parental authority they are under at home, but after all, he must secure it himself, or he will not have it. The responsibility is his, and nobody can assume it for him.

But how shall he secure it? Not by publishing an elaborate code of laws and relying upon that, nor by arbitrarily setting himself to work as if the only thing he purposed to do was to govern the school. Ordinarily, the longer his code, the more easily and constantly it will be broken, and the more arbitrary his way, the more he will be despised and annoyed.

The first thing to be done, in securing order, is to set every scholar quietly at work-to impress every one with the thought, that the thing to be done in the school-room, and the only thing, is study. The teacher that can diffuse this spirit of study through his whole school, will find little difficulty in the matter of order. In school and out, it is the idle heads and hands that do the mischief. At the outset, then, let the teacher, in a quiet, pleasant way, but in a way that his scholars will not mistake, come to an understanding with them, that study will be the business of the school-room, and that whatever interferes with that-all communications, all play-will be contrary to the rules of the school and cannot be allowed. It will be easier to stop the whole, than a half.

If any disorderly conduct is seen, and there certainly will be, let the teacher speak to the scholar and speak in that calm and positive way, as though he expected to be obeyed. There is a great deal in this. The scholar

quickly detects the tone and interprets its significance. If he does not instantly obey, quietly ask him if he heard what was said as if it was assumed, if he had heard he would not have hesitated. Ordinarily, this question, asked as the teacher who expects to be obeyed will ask it, will be enough. If not, bring the matter to an issue at once. Leave not the school in doubt for a moment, as to whether the teacher's authority is absolute.

If the scholar is small, a reproof or a slight correction may suffice. But always let it be such that the scholar will not wish it repeated. If he is large, say to him you wish to see him at the close of the school. You will very certainly have one quiet scholar the rest of the day. When you have him alone, or at most with but one or two of his associates, it will seldom be difficult, by a kind, plain, earnest talk, to bring him to complete submission, and make him your fast friend and most obedient scholar. Submission secured in this way will seldom fail to be total and final. Few scholars will wish the process repeated. I cannot too earnestly recommend this method to teachers. If the scholar remains incorrigible, and kind and plain words do him no good, he must either be summarily dis missed from school or brought to subjection by the rod. If he is very large and kind and earnest words have not affected him, blows will seldom do any good. The rod has been spared too long, and the quicker the school is rid of him the better. If he is not too large and it seems there will be for him any virtue in the rod, try it and try it thoroughly. Never let him go to his seat in unsubdued passion. The purpose of punishment, is obedience and subjection. Nothing is gained, if the punishment leaves the scholar in anger. It should be consider. ately, but resolutely pursued, until the submission is complete and all passion is gone. The work once thus done will not after need to be done again.

Two things are especially mischievous in a school: one is continually to threaten, but never punish; the other is

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