To make this order intelligible to others, and also to prevent misapprehension on several points, some explanations and comments will be necessary. In the first place, the position is assumed, that there should be a uniform order of exercises in schools of the same grade, and containing nearly the same number of pupils, and, in the primary schools, that no exercise, however interesting, should be long continued. Alternation and variety are constantly sought where children are to be interested and benefited.

The next departure from the usual routine of primary school exercises that will probably be observed, is the small proportion of time allotted to reading and spelling. We have neither the leisure nor the inclination to enter upon any elaborate defence of this innovation. Those who suppose that one unceasing round of reading and spelling, with perhaps now and then a little singing, is sufficient to meet all of the

educational wants of a little child, will be left entirely at liberty to 0 pursue their favorite traditionary method. But should not children be taught to read and spell? Certainly. And can fifty scholars be taught to read and spell, well, in the time set apart in the foregoing order of exercises? With proper facilities for teaching, and with the proper tact and activity on the part of the teacher, we think there can be no doubt on this point. About one half of the children of our own primary schools read in reading books; the remainder are attending to the alphabet and simple words, and are taught in groups of from six to twenty in a group. Cheap block types, for teaching the alphabet and first lessons in reading, should be liberally furnished in every primary school room, for the use of both teacher and pupils. A series of charts, for the same purpose, is also essential, where the effort is made to bring the reading and spelling exercises of half a day into the compass of an hour, or an hour and a quarter. And then the teacher must know how to make the most of this, as of every exercise, when the proper time for it arrives. Sluggish and indolent teachers, however amiable or well disposed, if they have any business in any department of teaching, certainly have no heaven-appointed mission to teach little children; and when such are found in the employment, it is to be inferred that they have mistaken a sense of necessity for a sense of duty. But we must leave this topic, as so many other points must receive a brief explanation. It will be observed that Moral Lessons come in regular order in the routine of exercises. This is regarded as a matter of the first importance. No DAY should be allowed to pass without a faithful and impressive lesson in moral culture. Such lessons should not only be freely presented to the mind as it unfolds, but should be used as an instrumentality to unfold the mind. On the question of a regular order for moral lessons, the following precept of an eminent divine on the subject of daily prayer, is deemed applicable: "He who prays not at stated times will soon omit all prayer. He who prays only at stated times, will make but poor progress heavenward." So of moral teaching. If it be left to chance and inclination, it will soon be neglected altogether. If moral lessons are inculcated only at stated times and in a formal manner, little or no benefit can be expected from them. In accordance with this belief, simple moral lessons are prepared for each day of the term. If the entire lesson is presented in the morning, the same is reviewed in the afternoon. If a part of the lesson only is presented in the morning, that part is reviewed first in the afternoon, and the remainder then presented.

The following may serve as specimens of the regular daily lessons. Of course the exercise is to be conducted by the teacher orally, in a simple, earnest, faithful, conversational manner, so presented and so varied in form and manner, if possible, as to be perfectly understood by each child, and made interesting to all:

ELEMENTARY MORAL LESSONS.

LESSON X.-CONSCIENCE.

1. A boy was once in a garden alone among some plum trees. He had not taken any of the fruit; he was only thinking he would, yet every time he heard the least noise like footsteps, or the rustling of leaves, he began to tremble. Can any one tell what made him tremble?

2. Not long since, some boys at play near a school building, when they saw a man walking quietly towards them, suddenly started and scampered away in all directions. What do you suppose caused them to run so?

3. When we find ourselves doing, or about to do, what we are afraid to have others see and know, what course ought we at once to take?

4. If a boy steals, or tells lies, or does any wrong, how long do you think his conscience will give him pain for it? (So long as he can remember it.)

5. If a person does those things which conscience says are right, how long will conscience give pleasure for it? (As long as it can be remembered.)

6. How long should you think children could remember that they had told lies, or wronged their friends, or spoken unkindly to a sister or mother?

7. If you had saved a child from being drowned, or had always been obedient to your parents, and always punctual at school, how long do you think you would remember it?

8. Can we forget what we have ever done when we please?

9. Can we ever forget our best and worst deeds?

LESSON XI.-DISINTERESTEDNESS AND SELF-DENIAL.

1. Brothers and sisters sometimes have fruit or presents given them. What should children do with all of their good things? (Share them with others.)

2. If a nice present were to be given to one of three children, would each be anxious to have another get it, or would each be anxious to get it for himself or herself? How should each do?

3. Suppose a few of the seats in this room were a little pleasanter than the others, should each one try to have them? How should each do?

4. If your parents should decide to take two of their four children with them to visit their cousins, what ought each of the children to say or do? (Each to intercede for the other to go.)

5. At meals, it is not always convenient for all the members of the family to have a seat at the first table. What is to be done when this happens?

6. It is not always convenient for all of the persons in the family to attend a lecture or concert on the same evening. What is to be done in such a case? 7. All the persons in a carriage can not always have the best seat. Who may choose the best?

8. It is sometimes necessary for some one to wait on a sick mother, or brother, or sister. Whose duty is it to do this?

LESSON XIV.-MOTIVES.

1. If a rich man, desiring to help a poor family, should give them ten dollars to buy food and clothing, and a poor man, just as anxious to help the same family, should give them ten cents for the same purpose, which of the men do you think would deserve the most credit? Why?

2. If a boy, very anxious to help his poor father, should earn five dollars for him in a month and bring it home to him, and a little sister, just as anxious to help her mother, should work just as hard, one month, and earn two dollars and bring to her, which do you think would deserve the most credit?

3. If a boy, very anxious to help his father, should work a month and earn five dollars for him, and a little girl, just as anxious to help her mother, should, while at work, accidentally, but not carelessly, break five dollars' worth of crockery, which do you think would be deserving of the most credit?

4. Suppose a father should privately say to his sons, "John, if you will help me in the field to-day, I will give you fifty cents at night;" and to James, privately, "if you will help me in the field to-day, you may go a hunting tomorrow;" and to Henry, privately, "if you will help me to-day, you may gọ with me to visit your cousins next week;" and to George, privately, "I have much to do to-day, are you willing to help your father in the field?" and he cheerfully says, yes, sir, and all work through the day-John for the money, James for the pleasure of hunting, Henry for the promised pleasure of a visit, and George, because he loves his father. Which works from the best motive, and which deserves the most credit?

It is expected also, that the "Narrative by the Teacher," which constitutes a part of the daily exercise of each primary school, will be selected especially with reference to teaching an important moral lesson in the most impressive manner.

The youngest children should be taught to be entirely quiet for a few moments at a time. To secure this, and to promote and preserve the health of children, the routine should be so arranged as to give an opportunity for frequent gymnastic exercises, or bodily exercises of some kind. If the teacher does not know of any appropriate exercise, and can not by any possibility read of any, or devise any herself, marching around the room, for all of the children, for five minutes, will answer. This should be done at, or near, the middle of every hour, while as often as once an hour opportunity should be given for free exercise in the

open

air.

A treatise on the subject of Object Lessons is much needed for primary school instruction, and, indeed, the book itself would almost be needed to convey an adequate illustration of what is intended under this head, in our programme. The same is also true of the Culture of the

Senses. Perhaps, however, some thoughtful teacher may understand what is meant by an object lesson, when we say that plants, leaves, flowers, fruit trees and fruits, seeds, grains, shells, all the familiar, material things of the household, all the curiosities of the cabinet, all the productions of the forest, field, or garden, may be made interesting and profitable subjects of conversation, for a few moments at a time, with children. The more of previous reflection and reading upon these subjects, and the more of previous special preparation on the part of the teacher for each exercise, the better. As before intimated, a volume on this subject, prepared with particular reference to the wants of primary schools, is needed; but the information can be collected, instruction can be given, without this aid.

For the Culture of the Senses, a card, with twenty or more of the standard colors known to artists, painted in small squares, or in circles, say three inches in diameter, should be placed in every primary school room. These should be properly labeled, and then children taught to discriminate between the different shades of color by reference to leaves, flowers, colored cards, the furniture of the room, or natural objects of any kind. Small rulers, varying in length from six inches to five feet, each one inch longer than the other, and made, in other respects, exactly alike, should be used to teach children to judge accurately of lengths, as compared with a unit of measure. Blocks, cubical, and not cubical, varying in dimensions, should be used for the purpose of teaching pupils to judge of the breadth and thickness of objects; cylinders, circles and round holes, to judge of diameters, etc. Exercises in spacing on the black-boards-say ten spaces of six inches each, ten of three inches, of twelve, and so on, are also very useful for children to practice. Others will occur to the thoughtful teacher.

For the purpose of cultivating habits of observation, children should be called upon to describe objects with which they are familiar, or which they have at some time seen; and for the purpose of cultivating accuracy and fluency of expression, children should be required to give some account of what they have heard or read, in their own language. Thrilling, authentic narratives, given to the scholars by the teacher, and afterwards repeated by one, or several, of the children to the school, make an interesting and profitable exercise.

Having occupied so much space in explaining, very briefly, the course of exercises and instruction in our primary schools, we must close our remarks for this number of the Journal, by expressing the conviction