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Mother, dear Mother! the years have been long
Since last I was hushed by your lullaby song:
Sing, then, again!-to my soul it shall seem
Womanhood's years have been only a dream :
Clasp to your arms in a loving embrace,
With your soft, light lashes just sweeping my
Never hereafter to wake or to weep:
Rock me to sleep, Mother-rock me to sleep!

face.

"THE ROD THE LAST RESORT."

QUI?

Messrs. EDITORS: Your correspondent, " C. C. P.," thinks that the main difference between us on this subject, is in our understanding of the phrase," last resort. " It may be so. Then the question arises, what does the expression mean? C. C. P. replies, "The last resort is the resort which one takes when nothing else will answer the purpose." I see not why this definition may not apply to any other punishment, as well as .to flogging. "Nothing else will answer the purpose " in the healing art, but the remedy which the disease requires; if "the presence of the mayor and police and the reading of the riot act," will quell the mob, then "lead and steel" would not only be undesirable but improper; if the offence in school does not require the use of the rod, in such a case it should never be used. It follows, therefore, that any punishment that is suitable and necessary is as much the "last resort" as flogging. But your correspondent says it may be the first and the last." That is the very thing I am contending for-that the use of the rod in school, as of ten as otherwise, must come first, and I would always ap ply it so effectually that it would be the last.

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To my mind, the phrase, "last resort," conveys the idea that every thing else has been tried and has failed to accomplish the object. In the healing art, the surgeon has resorted to dosing with drugs, to save a mortifying limb, and after all has failed and the disease has reached almost to the seat of life, he amputates the limb, as the "last resort." If so, he is an ignoramus and a quack. The may

or of Baltimore tries to persuade the crazy mob to allow peaceful soldiers to pass through her streets, and failing by such means, he orders a "blaze of musketry." That was the "last resort," when it should have been the first, as it was the only remedy. The shedding of blood in such cases, is not "the last resort." It is the first and only, suitable means to be employed. The school master has a desperate case of recklessness, or rebellion. He has been told that flogging is an evil which should seldom be employed-a" last resort." Hence, he tries this remedy, and that, until he has exhausted all the punishments in his penal code, but has failed. Now, as a "last resort," he takes the rod, which has lost half its power and efficiency by the delay. It should have been the BLOW first, and moral suasion afterwards. The teacher is presumed to understand his business, and if he does, he can discriminate between the different kinds of crime, and assign the appropriate punishment. And when he meets a case that requires the severe use of the rod, he will apply that punishment effectually, and at once, not as the "last resort." That physician is a fool, who, when his patient needs calomel, gives him only a sugar pellet.

But, C. C. P. says, "It does not follow because a thing is the 'last resort,' that it is not the appropriate thing, and the only thing, to meet the case." If it is "the appropri ate thing, and the only thing, to meet the case," why not employ it, whenever and wherever the case is met with? It would then be the first resort-the sure remedy.

But "the last resort," he says, "always implies something unpleasant, something we would avoid if we could!" So does every punishment imply something unpleasant. An agreeable punisament, a pleasant chastisement! Such an expression would be a solecism. We would avoid, if we could, the crimes that make punishment in school necessary, but the appropriate punishments, whether mild or severe, are not evils. If the rod is to be seldom used, it is only because the cases requiring it, but seldom occur.

And I repeat it, as often as otherwise, the blow must come first; I mean when the blow comes at all. And here is the position I wish to take on this subject; to maintain that the rod in school is legitimate, essential, and merci ful, and that the master should use it freely, and faithfully, always, when necessary. And I believe such is "the habit of the best disciplinarians." To all, then, I would say, use the rod in every case which requires such treatment, and use it thoroughly. "Let it be like the sword of the magistrate," [to quell the mob and put down rebellion,] "and the knife of the surgeon," [to amputate all mortifying limbs, and extirpate all cancerous tumors,] "and let it never be wielded in vain."

THE LORD'S PRAYER IN ENGLISH.

H.

The following versions of the Lord's Prayer, illustrate the change which our language has undergone since the middle of the 13th century.

[A. D., 1250.]

Fader our in heven, helewyed bethe thy nam, com thy kingeriche, thy will beth don in heven and in erthe. Our everich day breid gif ous to day. And forghive us our dettes, as we forghiven our dettoures. And lede ous' nought into temptatioun, bot delyver us from ivel. Amen.

[A. D., 1300.

Fadir our in hevene, Halewyd be thi name, come thi kingdam, Thi wille be don, as in hevene and in erthe. Our uche dayes bred give us to day. And forgive us our dettes, as we forgeven our dettoures, And lede us not in into temptatioun Bote delyvere us of yvel. Amen.

[A. D., 1479, WICKLIFFE'S BIBLE.]

Ouo fadyr that art in heavenes. Halloed be thy name. Thy kingdom come to, Be thy will done in erthe as in heavene; Give to us this day our bread over other substance; and forgif to us our dettis as we forgiven to our

detters; and leed us not into temptation; But delyvre vs from yvell' Amen.

[A. D., 1526, TINDALE'S TESTAMENT.]

O oure father which art in heven' halowed be thy name. Let thy kingdom come. Thy will be fulfilled' as well in erth' as hit ys in heven. Give vs this day our dayly breads. And forgive vs our treaspasses even as we forLeede vs not into tempta

geve them which treaspas vs.
tion, but delyvre vs from yvel' Amen.

[A. D., 1589, COVERDALE'S BIBLE.]

Our father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done euen in earth as it is in heauen.

Giue us this day or daily bread.

And forgive us dettes as we also forgive our detters And lead us not into tentations but deliuer us from euill: for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer. Amen.

As Now WRITTEN.

Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name: Thy kingdom come: thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven: Give us this day our daily bread: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HOW TO PREVENT WHISPERING.

No habit in School is more prevalent, and no one is more destructive of good order. Hence, it becomes a question of importance to every teacher, how whispering may be prevented.

In attempting to answer this question, allow me to suggest, we should not aim to break up the habit of whispering, by the force of mere authority; for in this way, we shall be liable to fail. I do not mean that authority may not sometimes be employed, and if disregarded, sustained by suitable punishments. But there is a surer, and hence

a better way to deal with such crimes. Aim to make. whispering unpopular. At the opening of the school, let the question be raised, how many of the pupils disapprove of this habit? If the subject is properly presented, the vote of every member of the school can be secured against whispering. This done, and all are committed to the right, and pledged to sustain the teacher in all suitable measures employed to suppress the evil. If the pu pils disapprove, they will of course, be under obligation to refrain from the habit. But still, there is danger of indul gence, from carelessness or insincerity. Now ask how many know that they have power to refrain from whispering, first, for one day; then for one week, and as the experiment proves successful, let the time be extended. In securing this pledge of abstinence, let it be urged that none bind themselves who are not very sure of success. In this way, a voluntary anti-whispering society is formed in school, and of such members as have sufficient principle and character to maintain their position. The weak and reckless are still without. How shall they be made. to refrain? Under the influence of good example, and correct public sentiment, they will desire to preserve or der, but may not have the strength of character to do so. To bring them into the position desired, and to strengthen their purpose, let them be encouraged to join those who are above suspicion, and yet let them be received with caution into their fraternity. In this way, ere long a large majority of all the pupils in the school, will be found actually refraining from all appearance of such evils. The few reckless that remain, after all these efforts to reform them shall fail, must be brought under authority and compelled to do what public sentiment, and the good of the school requires. This method of preventing whispering, has in many instances proved successful. Let every teacher make a trial of it, who has not already some better way to accomplish the object. Public opinion is a powerful agent for good or evil in every school. The

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