instructors of the common, or less favored class. They would be the teachers without preparation, without study, without forethought. It would be their duty, their prerogative, to impart to others that knowledge which had been so bountifully lavished upon themselves. But such is not the case. It has not pleased kind Providence to bestow his gifts so bountifully upon some of his children to the exclusion of others. Almost all are endowed with rationality and a mental organism susceptible of unlimited cultivation, while all are, without this culture, nearly on the same footing; and all liable to the same follies—all encompassed by the same difficulties.

Again, it is a well known fact that the mind, in the earlier stages of its existence, is undeveloped, and that it requires for its proper growth the care and guiding influence of some mature and well balanced intellect; and as the mind will exist undimmed throughout all the ceaseless ages of eternity, and bear with it the characteristics impressed upon it by earlier influences; and as it is the noblest gift of God, it becomes a matter of the utmost importance, that this early training should be done aright, so as to tell for the weal rather than the woe of each individual. Would that this idea could be distinctly and indelibly impressed upon the minds of the community! Would that every father, and mother, and teacher, throughout our land, could become fully sensible of the responsibilities resting upon them, in their several situations in life! Would that they could fully comprehend that to them is entrusted the moulding of immortal souls and the training of beings whose lifetime is to be eternity.

If, then, the business of educating be of such vital importance; if it is to affect not only the generations now upon the earth, but also to determine the destiny of countless millions yet unborn; if it is indeed the great Archimedean lever that is to overturn states and revolutionize the world, and whose potency is to reach beyond this sublunary sphere, and play an important part in man's future destiny; how important, how really indispensable it is that the educator should be thoroughly prepared and qualified for his work! Fellow Teachers, who among us can look with indifference upon the responsibilities which he assumed when he entered this vocation? Who among us dares to assert that he possesses all the requisite knowledge, and judgment, and skill, for performing, as it should be done, every duty assigned him? Which of us, in short, feel that without further preparation we are fully competent to act as the true educators of those placed under our charge, and to assume all the responsibilities of such a position? I presume that

every one will readily admit his incompetency. What, then, is our manifest duty in the case? It is certainly that we should pursue such a course of study as will tend the most effectually to fit us for our station, and to render us fully equal to every duty.

The mind, like a magnet, strengthens with use, and becomes feeble by inactivity; and surely the teacher should adopt that course which would tend to develop, to its utmost extent, every faculty and every power of his mind. It may be urged, and it has been time and again, that although study may be very beneficial to the teachers of more advanced schools, yet it is not the part of a primary teacher to spend any considerable portion of his or her time in study, or to connect in any way the hours not actually spent in teaching with the duties of the school room; and this idea seems to have been very generally adopted by the teachers throughout our country.

Young men and young ladies there are, who teach school term after term, and year after year, merely as a matter of pecuniary convenience, without at all affecting thereby their own store of mental food, or adding one jot or one tittle to their original stock of knowledge. On the other hand, they often spend their time foolishly, and in practices which are baneful in their influences upon those who should, and do, look up to them for examples in good conduct. They run the giddy round of pleasure; they pore over the fascinating pages of the romance; they do almost anything to pass off swiftly and pleasantly the intervening hours; but they generally fail to devote any regularly specified portion of their time to professional study. And why is this? Are they already so nearly perfect? Do they already understand and fully comprehend every thing that pertains to their adopted business?

Alas, our county examinations tell a different story. They tell too plainly that many of our teachers are persons who have mistaken their calling, and are no more fit to fill the station assigned them than is the unlettered clown to expound the principles of Blackstone; and it is a universally acknowledged fact, that teachers are shamefully deficient even in literary attainments, to say nothing of the knowledge of human nature, which is, at the same time, so essential and so much neglected. Still, many teachers seem to think it a preposterous idea that they should be called upon to study after they have once made their debût as teachers. Most teachers claim that they possess, at least, a tolerably fair knowledge of the branches which they endeavor to teach, and that they are ignorant only of other and perhaps higher branches, and that a knowledge of these is not indispensable to their success in teaching the others.

It is unnecessary to consume time, here, in attempting to prove that they should possess a thorough and practical knowledge of all the ́ branches to be taught. This is to be looked for and confidently expected; and that teacher is certainly culpable who does not possess this knowledge, or is not striving night and day to acquire it. And it may be remarked in this connection, that there is more implied in having a thorough knowledge of any branch of science than is generally supposed. He who would well understand and successfully teach any branch, must become well acquainted with all collateral branches, and be able to trace their relations to the given subject, and to ferret out and remove all the minute difficulties that may present themselves as hindrances in the way of those who are to be instructed. Let the teacher thus prepare himself in every branch that he is called upon to teach, and let him never dream of giving up his studies until he has done, so. This alone will open to each of us a wide field of study—a labor which, vast as it may appear, must be accomplished before we reach any thing like eminence in our profession. But when this has been achieved, it is yet to be shown that a strict and systematic course of study is inseparable from the duties of a successful teacher.

The youthful mind, from the very fact of its being weak and untutored, is dependent, and positively demands aid and sympathy; and these it must have, or it will dwindle and lose all its energy and strength; and, as it is the function of the teacher to draw forth this embryo mind, and to cause it to develop its full vigor, it is from him that this assistance is chiefly to be derived. Now, it is very evident that that teacher is unprepared to sympathize with, or effectually to aid his pupils, who can not justly appreciate the difficulties to be overcome; and who can not so assume the feelings of his scholars as to place himself in their situation, and be willing, each day, actually to experience some of a student's perplexities? Who can so well sympathize with a friend in affliction, as he who has just experienced the same troubles? and who can so well realize the wants of his pupils, or so well act the part of a faithful, wise and conscientious teacher, as he who comes each morning fresh from his study, with his mind stored with new ideas, which he is eager to impart, and with his eye, aided by recent experience, ever ready to detect, and his will to remove, the secret barriers to his pupils' advancement?

The teacher who is a close and faithful student, will have ever at his command a stock of useful, practical information: not rusty, time-worn theories, but well defined, elegant, enticing ideas, newly purchased by

praiseworthy toil, and each one consecrated to the use of his pupils. On the other hand, the teacher who does not study, often becomes morose and selfish, wishing to bring every thing to his own standard of perfection, which, however defective it may be, he will never elevate one inch above its present level. He will acquire a regular, never varying mechanical habit of teaching, which would answer very well, if the minds of children were so many cog-wheels to be turned by the same crank, but which fails to develop, as they should be developed, the immortal minds placed under his charge.

The inference then is, that he who would become a useful and efficient teacher, and would so perform his duties to the children as not to betray the confidence placed in him by parents and directors; he who would become truly eminent in his profession, and shed his light on all around, as from a mountain's top; he who would desire, when in old age, to have his former pupils cluster about him, and, seizing his aged hand, salute him as their benefactor and friend; he who would have the satisfaction, at the end of a long life, of looking back upon it and seeing that it has been well spent, and that every duty has been faithfully performed, must pursue, while teaching, a regular course of scientific study.

NEW LISBON, O.

J. B. HARRIS.

Moral Culture.

"WHAT SPECIFIC MEANS CAN A TEACHER USE IN THE MORAL CULTURE OF HIS OR HER PUPILS?"

This is a topic involving the most important principles connected with the education of children, though they are often sadly overlooked. We usually strive first to improve their minds by familiarizing them with the various branches of science: secondly, to teach them the structure of their bodies, and give them laws for preserving life and health; but al low the imperishable in their natures to remain totally uncared for, or at best to receive but very slight cultivation. To come then directly to the point, let us ponder upon ways and means of reaching the hearts of our scholars. They are diverse as the intellects of men. We have marked out the following: to keep ever before a school these four principles, Truth, Obedience, Kindness, and Politeness. We are sufficiently familiar with little children, to may be impressed with the beauty of these things.

know that they

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that which is pure and good. It is not necessary to deliver, at stated periods, set homilies upon these subjects, but keep them at all times before the physical and mental eye. Let them be as familiar to their infantile ears as Mother and Home - the two dearest names on earth to a child. Keep them on the walls of the schoolroom. Give to them, as an exercise upon their slates, these four magic words, linked with precepts from the Great Teacher, such as: 'Lie not. "Hate the evil and love the good. Obey them which have the rule over you." "Be kindly affectioned one to another." 'Do unto others as ye would have them do to you. This precious Golden Rule is a wonderful talisman. Evil passions have no existence where this holds sway. As has been most truthfully said, the Teacher must, in the intercourse with his or her pupils, exhibit in person the loveliness of these graces; must be ever truthful, ever kind and polite. Let the children of want, who gather with the affluent to seek instruction, feel the pressure of a soft hand, and know the genial influence of kind words. It will win them to a life of virtue; while bitter scorn, or cold distrust, will banish them to infamy.

Bring before the children, in words which they can easily comprehend, narratives embodying these principles, that they may not only behold the beauty of theory, but the far richer beauty of practice. Often, as circumstances require, suffer these things to receive more marked attention. Allow me to give one illustration, at this point. Not long since I was present in a school, when one little girl struck another. The Teacher kindly called the offender to her side told the pupils of the transaction, and inquired, "What has been violated?" All replied, as with one voice, "Kindness," and then joined in repeating, “Do unto others as ye would that they should do to you. The hazel filled with tears- the golden head dropped- and we knew the heart was touched.

eyes

We should not fail to instruct those under our care, that there is a God in Heaven, who takes note of all they do, and that He descended once, and left a legacy to little children, and that angels there are, who watch over them, and grieve if they do wrong. We may perform all this and more, without infringing upon our other duties.

There is in my mind a figure which I will elaborate. Moral Culture is a tree. Its basis is the Bible, whose instructions, as sap, vivify the whole. Truth, Obedience, and Kindness are great branches. There are many little boughs of Benevolence, Cheerfulness, and the like. With proper care, there will be yielded leaves of consolation - blog