the workings of our union schools, and an extensive examination of the reports of the schools of our own and of other States, and of some of the most celebrated European schools.

It may not apply perfectly, and in all its parts, to any one school, but it will nevertheless be found suggestive to all. In a small graded school, with only two or three teachers, they may not be able to do all of the work indicated: in a large school with numerous teachers, they will be able to do more.

The following general principles are fundamental and must always guide in any wise selection and arrangement of a course of studies. They are derived from the changeless constitution of things, and can never be violated without positive injury and loss.

1st. The studies and exercises must be adapted to the ages of the pupils; or to speak more precisely-since years do not always exactly measure development-to the successive stages in the mental growth. It is a well established fact that some mental faculties develop earlier than others. As in the human body, some parts do not mature, or even appear, till after others-the hair not growing till several months of life are past, the teeth appearing at a still later period, while the beard comes only with manhood-so, also, but in a more marked degree, the mental powers have their times of unfolding and growth. To address instruction to a faculty not yet developed is as idle as to give beefsteak to a child that has no teeth, or to provide a razor for a youth whose beard is not grown.

First in order, the perceptive faculties, acting through the senses, set to work. The little explorer is busy with hand and eye and tooth, touching, seeing, and tasting whatever comes in his way, and gathering up facts, without regard to their rela tions or significance. At a later day he is wondering, contriving, conjecturing: his imagination has begun its work. But not till a far later period does the reasoning faculty begin seriously to search for the hidden causes of things, and to deduce from its gathered stores of facts, the great truths and laws which underlie and comprehend them all. Now evidently the

studies of each age must be such as the faculties then acting, call for and can receive.

It is true that children have already been at work several years, when we first meet them in school. Most of the faculties have already begun to act. But there still remains enough truth to make the principle I have given a most important rule.

2d. The studies should follow each other in a logical order, so that one may prepare the pupil to understand the next in the course. Just as the heights of a mountain can only be reached by traveling over its lower ascents, so facts and truths lic, as it were, one above another, and to reach the heights of science one must surmount patiently the lower and elementary principles. No rule is more frequently violated, in the arrangement of studies, than this; and months of useless and irksome toil are expended by pupils, in the vain attempt to master studies. for which they have received no preparation, by any previous studies, and whose very language and simplest ideas are wholly

unknown.

3d. Studies should also be chosen with reference to their power to contribute to the great ends of education-the cultivation of the mind and heart and the increase of the intelligence.

It should be remembered that while all knowledge, on whatever subject, appeals to the intellect and requires thought, yet all knowledge does not equally or similarly arouse the feelings and affect the heart. The fact that the three angles of a triangle together equal two right angles, awakens perhaps, a momentary surprise; but the fact that Washington crossed the Delaware at midnight, through ice and snow, defeated the Hessians, and saved his despairing country, thrills the heart with admiration for his heroism, and kindles afresh the love of country. So, to take a different example, while the solution of a problem in arithmetic sharpens the wits and strengthens the powers of reasoning, without necessarily arousing a single virtuous feeling, the study of the truths of Natural History awakens the wonder at the marvelous and beautiful contrivan

ces of life, and stirs a reverence for Nature which easily ripens into reverence for God. These influences of the different branches of knowledge on the character, have been almost entirely ignored in the choice of our school studies.

Nothing here written is to be construed into a condemnation of Geometry and Arithmetic. They, too, have their uses in the manifold work of educating the mind; but their excessive study ought not to be permitted to crowd out, or keep out, other branches whose facts are equally important in business, and far more useful to the soul.

4th. Finally, as far as consistent with the due observance of the foregoing principles, those studies should be selected which will best fit the student for the station he is to occupy, and the calling he is to pursue.

First, then, to recapitulate, such studies as the pupil's facul ties can grasp and use;

Secondly, these studies in such order that the one will prepare the pupil for the next;

Thirdly, of the several studies which fulfill the foregoing conditions, choose those which will most healthfully affect the character;

And fourthly, of these studies, those which will be of most use to the pupil in his later life.

Seeking to keep these principles in view, I venture to propose in the subjoined pote, a course of studies for a true graded school.

PRIMARY GRADE.

TIME, TWO YEARS.-FIRST YEAR.

STUDIES:-Morals, Object Lessons, Language, Reading, Drawing, Singing and Physical

Movement.

obedience

1st Term.-Morals taught by explaining and enforcing habits of neatness, order, and politeness; and by short stories,* daily, illustrating and inspiring the virtues of truth

*The little work entitled "Moral Lessons," prepared by F. M. Cowdry, Esq., the excellent Superintendent of the Sandusky Public Schools. is made up of stories embodying moral teachings with questions a apted to awaken the pupils' thoughts. Many of the School Readers in use also abound in stories, which, if simply told, and with direct appeals made to the pupil's judgment, would answer the same purpose. Any serics of Sunday School papers will also be found to abound in such stories. A teacher, once started on this course of moral teaching, will find abundant materials multiplying on his hands. The Bible history is full of incidents which may be so told as to excite the moral feelings of children and cultivate their moral judgment.

This course is based upon the plan of gradation before given, allowing to each grade the time there indicated, and dividing each year into two terms of about twenty weeks each. The text books, when any are indicated, are those heretofore recommended by the Superintendent.

It will be observed that much prominence has been given, in this course, to what we termed object lessons. The character of these lessons has already been sufficiently explained. Their value and importance cannot be easily overestimated. Their

fulness, kindness to playmates, animals, &c. These lessons aro continued daily throughout the grade.

Object lessons* on common objects or pictures of objects. These lessons are given orally in familiar conversations with the pupils, and have for their aim to lead the pupils to notice carefully and name correctly whatever presents itself to the senses in these objects. They thus serve to educate the senses, and teach language. They also strengthen the power, and establish the habits of observation, increase largely the pupil's knowledge of natural objects and furnish him with food for thought. Certainly these are important points in the educatlon of a little child.

In conducting these lessons or talks, while the pupil's minds must be stimulated to act freely, yet in the teacher's plan there must be maintained a regular logical order. This can be easily accomplished by a skilful choice of such a succession of objects as will present the sensiblo properties to be noticed, such as form, color, size, weight, &c., in their logical sequence. In this first term the following topics may find place in the object lessons.

Forms, embracing lines, straight, curved, parallel, perpendicular, vertical and horizontal; angles, right, acute and obtuse; and plain surfaces, triangles and the square. The object used may be a string, a straight stick broken, pieces of paper cut into triangles, &c., and marks on the blackboard, &c., &c.

Colors, the most common colors as red, yellow, blue, green, &c., taught with any colored objects.

Miscellaneous objects, as the visible parts of the human body, their parts and uses, articles of dress and furniture, their parts, forms, colors and uses may be noticed and named.

In giving these lessons, three cautions are needed: 1st, to make each lesson lively and short, not exceeding ten minutes; 21, to introduce but one or two new ideas and words in each lesson, and 31, to make each new idea and word perfectly familiar by setting the pupil to and and name the same thing, as a line or angle in other objects both in the school-room and outside.

Language will be taught by the words learned in the object lessons, and may be further taught by little verses to be recited in concert.

Reading should be taught by the word method, the reading of the term being confined to Wobb's cards and lessons printed on the blackboard, including the more simple words learned in the object lessons.

The Pestalozzian mode of teaching, by lessons on natural objec's, has been in popular use for nearly fifty years in the European Schools, but has been extensively introduced into this country only within the past five years. It is now rapidly extending among our best schools. I am happy to be able to announce to teachers that we now have several valuable works on the subject published in this country. Among these are "Barnard's Papers for tho Teacher, 21 series-Object touching and primary schools in Great Britain." Price $1,50. "Object Lessons, by N. A. Calkins, N. Y." Price $1; and a new work by Prof. Wolch, of the State Normal school, now just issuing from the press.

almost universal introduction into the best schools in the country, east and west, is a sufficient attestation of the esteem in which they are held by the most distinguished educators. The annual reports of the several State departments of public instruction betray an everywhere awakening interest in this great teaching reform, and the lapse of a few years will doubtless witness their universal use in at least all the primary and common schools of the country.

Nor is this general and spontaneous favor with which these

Number. The pupils may be taught to count to sixty or eighty, always counting objects as the fingers, the children in the school, the glass in the windows, &c., or the kernels picked from an ear of corn.

Drawing on the blackboard or on the slate, with which each pupil should be furnished at the outset of his school life, the lines, angles and figures taught in the lessons on form, and printing the easier words in their reading lessons.

Singing school songs, and gymnastic exercises should be interspersed frequently through the day.

2d Term.-Morals as before.

Object Lessons.-Forms, all regular four sided figures, as square, oblong, rhombus, rhom boid, &c., with the several kinds of triangles. Colors, the common colors with some of their shades. Size, length, the inch and foot taught by sticks cut of those lengths and employed in measuring books, tables, benches, &c. The pupils may also find by actual and repeated measurements that 12 inches make a foot, 3 feet or 36 inches make a yard, or 16% feet or 5% yards make a rod.

Miscellaneous lessons may embrace birds, fowls, leaves and flowers of plants and common articles of dress, &c., taking care to confine the attention mainly to the properties, parts and uses that can be seen, or felt.

Number.-The exercises may embrace counting to 100 and back; counting to 60 by even numbers, and by odd numbers, forward and back. Simple mental additions and subtractions with small numbers. Composition of the numbers up to 20, as 4 composed of 4 ones, or 2 twos, or three and one.

Reading through the first part of Webb's Word Method Primmer.

Drawing of forms and printing of words continued. Singing and Physical exercises as before.

As a daily general exercise for this grade the teacher should read to the pupils from some entertaining book, taking care to gain the attention and awaken the interest of the pupils, by familiar questions and explanations. I have known little children, of only four or five years of age, to listen attentively for an hour at a time, to such reading, and with marked benefit to their intelligence.

SECOND YEAR.

STUDIES:-Morals, Object Lessons, Numbers, Language, Reading, Spelling, Drawing and Singing.

1st Term-The Moral lessons being given to all the pupils at once, there will be no distinction between those for the first and second years. Politeness of behavior should be strictly inculcated.

Object Lessons.Forms continued, the circle and its parts will be learned, and surface