A paean—To the JSenef the Arctic.
Th»ptotrtf--ttoAtctiC| .<«4bfa faho»r->«»'*» r
OutyM teUits how-the
• f - -'fethe'dick,' V' ; ',. ';
And mother! with their cherlihed Jine*, dingingto
■', thewreohiv £* U*w I).'- - A '.V :
The tooi and eick f O tdl.Mjwwit
Thkt^ni!h!^hilp!^b^ti^;¥iw%^oWeff%
And did by them! reachedforth ooi
hand Urawei'*’ - • m'’' 1 - .Sm
Those dew ones gf lho country; tfo» on#l;
glare?. : j ■/
No! were all left to perjeh 7 end—hi, ye gallant few! ■
The meinest othbrthiiig'aliVe, rd;be,'wta c iucßl«i;
yon.
The history of odeen hath many ngioomy page, ••' ;
Recording kcenee of lerror. froin map.endnilnre’e
But Jb ‘gallant* of the Arctic, tell the hlackeit etory
yet;
1 wlibnoworte to yoo,lhan.life—and new to &r-
A cry eweepa o’er the o’ceen, ,!is angniab who'cep
name;
From other Undi ’twill ectarßack in toneeof laating
■ eheme,
Oor etouteet ihip was struck at noon, there were
five hours to spare, P) -• .
Yet not a child or woman wred, of all" who suffered
there, ’ '• r . /J
Then roan the ytrdt, roy bdactiee t ratio ewy color
high, ( . ' . ' .
Sound canoon, drumi and' 1 trumpets, till their muiio
reach (be iky,
Cbeora! for (be gallant engineers, subordinates and
crew,
Br til that float*they raved the boata-i-what,
braver, coaid they do.— N. ,Y. ZViimn*.
COItraOM SCHOOLS.
A Lecture to the eitiieni of Tioga County, delivered
by invitation of the School Director* if Welle
boro', at the Court Houee, October 17 Ik, by Rev.
J. F. CALKINS, Superintendent of Common
Scioole for eaid County.
FELLOW-CfxizßMS :—For whatever trial.to
vour patience you may endure, or benefit you
may derive from what I have to say on (his
occasion, you are indebted to the School Di
rectors of this place. Nevertheless, I am glad
of (he opportunity (heir invitation affords me
to give thus publicly my views in regard to
this subject. That these views are essential,
ly different from those entertained by enlight
ened educators, here or elsewhere, 1 am not
aware, or that (hey will give much light, (o
those who have duly studied this subject, I
do not duller myself. Yet, occupying the
position I do, I cannot refuse any tribute. I
can bring to. the cause of universal education.
You will readily perceive that I afn not to
lecture on the general subject of education,
or the necessity of a thorough education, in
this country. , Your Colleges, academies,
seminaries and] schools professional, 1 have
nothing to do,with on this .occasion. Com
mon Schools is my theme—common schools
m Pennsylvania.
I. Of the definition and origin of our com
mon schools, allow me in the first place Id
say a few words. As far back as the days
of William Peon, (1683) a council was held
in Philadelphia, to lake into consideration ihe
necessity of having a school-master/ In
that same year, neatly 200 years ago, and
id the first Frame of Government organized
by the Province, public Schools were taken
under the patronage of the State, or Province.
What Pennsylvanian should not feel, proud
of this early origin of the concern, of the
government, for education. That the school
should be a State establishment, is a doctrine
more than 200 years did; nay, it runs back
to the old Republic of Greece and was wisely
engrafted upon the very origin of our coloni
al settlements.
The first general common school law of
Pennsylvania, was'passed in 1834—establish
ing a, school system for all. Eighteen years
passed in various unsuccessful experiments,
modifications and heavy expenditures, with
out meeting the earnest, but weary-grown
hopes of the friends of the system. In 1549
-’52 and ’54, the greatest and proudest strides
were taken towards improvement in our leg
islation on (his subject. With unfaltering
faith in a State patronized system of univer
sal education, our best educators awoke and
went to work. They had precedents 1 before
them in Europe and many Slates in this Un
ion. By consulting these, they could glean
the excellencies from all, and avoid their de
lects and the experiments wherein they bad
failed. They knew that theories, however
beauiifu), were liable to fail when reduced to
practice. Many such beautiful theories had
been exploded by the practice of other Slates
and countries. Pennsylvania might, apd did
profit by all these. Many school laws of
many Slates were familiar-to the originators
oi our laws. The efforts of philanthropists
m this department of legislation for 200 years
and more, had settled many important prin
ciples ; and we are saying nothing more for
the School laws of Pennsylvania than has
been said by many of the best educators in
the-fruited States, with their acknowledged
defects, they are the best in our country.
This is not saying dial they are perfect, or
as complete-os they can be made by faun,
Sod “ it should be the pride as it is doubtless
the duly of all good citizens to sustain and
perfect thetn by every means incur power.”
In the Report of our excellent Superintend
ent, theidoctriOe is welf asserted that “ The
children Of the Commonwealth are public
properly, end the government, as a faithful
guardian cafannt discharge the (rust without
preparing them for the righlrwnd'’duties of
.citizenship."' ' ■ ’
2. Allow me now to call your attention to
■be mission of these schools. •
They tfre not sectarian. ? Wisely hive oar
laws thus Tar .refund artydivision of - the
School fund for religious or churchedttobdon.
It is norCatholiwi, o'r'PVoteitantsv'oruatiVes,
«tr foreigners that to be educaled aSSmih;
bat Catholics and ProleslantS, nMirOS’tfdd
fomtgnefs —children are te'be edueft 1 -
l , 18 ® ’be desijgb’oTlbfe law? Thesd
,c ,T“ ar t lo a®®.! s ,riot favorable localities]
where H large taa popular school 'c*lf 'be
airiocSlitiea wheie childra Are
0 KT™ ® v ®r7 city.wArtWibr
l«ge, abiT tibrndr Where ; <SWIdrS»
can be of bsiW.dOMtrrtr l
are fo go? 11 The 'Bifiigmbfirbdme'oif ‘ebdOdhi 1
‘litmibfi 1 khMl be tattftit
gratis.** l
t*orb. J*dnhs>ireSo!aibbrfin*d ne'btbWSfettr
m 'he Unibnitf ite'liofM
tends to to ’ WMWttfoeaiab : -»
2T/A
• v. f.i -j
■■'•■' ‘ •" * VL._s_; « r -_jj »*«k. VKm«« * L -1 A . t »*‘-L ,t .k--« - J. . '-V 7 ’.. / 71 '.'* ~ \'-~ I
*■ t •, --i
..... * -^yro. i&
VOL L
T- 1- ■ W [T-i J'K J.Wr To
« «^}JU|o^
it iptoJeavp the ch|ld;fr?e i M,,ihe air pb pur
hiljsto,choose Jdai-chprch
well as political- crepe), *p 'i* it prpres
atoqal qif..lho,
and caljipge,pf ibis life, U tjie %p;
dpliomof all knqflodge,ihe ,of'ad
success,, usefulness, «t<t, hqpW,W?&? fount
daljon the Slate.
borhood, in every Reading, Wjj
ling, Arithmetic, Grammar, and
these have no sectarian, professional,ocjiolijjr
cal bias. So intimately is opr hpnqr r ,apd
credit as a State, our.existencfc aa : s/tee,npf
lion, connected with this fundamental, educa,
lion, that this Stale has .determined. jo.throw,
the temple-of knowledgethis far atleast.ryide
open lo.nll.
A very delicate andi jnteteslinggueslion
here arises. After [the.State has madeiptm
visions for (he education $f all, classes,,ait
children, has she a right, to compel thejtj,
tendance of such Children as iheparenlisyilj
not t Parents we have who can' neilherrepd
nor write, and who,va)as 1 - are deie/rofijgd
(hsif children shall np(. , Uneducated,m)nd
is educated vice.” ilgnorenpe and vice aye
elements which lie at lbe-bo|lcm of all jnsub
ordination, and hence just in proportipn.as
they prevail, tend to undermine apy-free go
verment. Jn a monarchy the education of
the governors may preserve 1 the government.
But in America tho governors are the people,
ail the people. Our Commonwealth has re
cognized-andagsumed.tbe.great duty.of, edu
cating the people as a matter of self-respect
and seif-maintenance. Has ap obstinate, be
nighted parent a right to throw himself, be
tween this bountiful repast and his own chil
dren, thus starving their, minds, and turning
loose upon the Stale a mass o.f,intellect total
ly incapacitated for self-government. Prus
sia says no-v-Masaacbusetts virtually says
no—common sense says no. - Kept, says “ a
parent who sends his'child into the. world un
educated, does a great injury to mankind as
well as his own family {'. for he, defrauds the
community of a useful citizen, and bequeaths
to it a nuisance.” Here-ere! whelped and
suckled those tiger passtons.which instigate
the mobs and riots, burnings and lyncbings
of (he present day. .Macauley very forcibly
says, “(he right to'hang includes the right
to educate.” The right to punish vice must
include the right to restrain it. In Prussia,
if. the parent tovaend his child.
school the time required By law; he forfeits
the privileges of tho parent, the government
assumes that relation and sends the child to
school and the parent to prison.
3, Respecting Common Scboolsvery much
might, be said. - - -
There are three ways for which, this auy
port is provided in different Stale, - <
a. The first ia by means of. funds held in
reserve for that -purpose, Pennsylvania so
far as I can learn has no such fund. Con
necticut has a school fund of 82,000,000.
Kentucky and Tennessee each have-a school
fund of 81,500,000. Illinois, 81,000,000
Indiana, 85,000,000, and the largest-school
fund of any Slate, if I am informed right, is
that of New York, amounting to upwards of
80,000,000, subject, however, to the disposal
of the Legislature.in general educational pur
poses, the Colleges receiving large benefits
from it.
b. The second plan ia that of taxation.—
Massachusetts, Vermont, New 'Hampshire,
Maine are examples substantially of this
character.
c. The third plan is a combination of both
the previous: i,e., the school fund-is appro
priated, and the citizens are required in raise
bv taxation a sum proporlionalive,; or other
wise, to Ibis public money, and after that a
tuition bill, mOre.or less, is charged for each
scholar. Ours is substantially the second
plan mentioned, viz: by taxation ( though
Indirectly ve receive the encouragement con
templated by the fund, inasmuch as the State
appropriates 82,000,000 to the various dis
tricts for school- purposes; and for the last
year in consideration of the expenses pf .the
County-Superintendents 830,000 .was added
to this appropriation. A large school fund is
a great advantage to a Stale, but does by no
means secure the best schools. Connecticut,
while relying on her princely fund to mako
good schools, sunk down to a most inefficient
standard of public education. A correct pub
lic opinion awake, interested, alive and stir-'
ring is worth more than millions'-of Money.-
Dr. -Wayland says, “ tha school fund should'
never be so large as to render a good degree
of personal-effort on the part of -the parent
unnecessary."' Nothing will" quicker-wake
up parents: tolheirschools than anappeal.to
their pookets: ■■ In ihe abscenee of adhnd and
in presence df a law like that in.Pehn’s, the
school fund embraces the entire Uxablerpro
petty of the Stale. A safer investment can
not be found; Experience -'hath Shown that
this principle-of bringing’the citizens of the;
State in direcballiance witba syslemofpub'-
lie (attraction <by taxation <hasv in States
and ’countries, secured theibeSl schools, the
imost scholars and greatest rpteresfcof.the-pa
rent- The; principle.is afcound-oneaedord?
| inf to Ml the wisest tHe pnw
perfy of a-Slate should educate l iis-childfetr.-
'This principle -is the-same where the. direct
I taxation isdiminUhadby blhnd.i’-On; tbd
; MbreW ecbnomjt "it is awise ipoiioyj .lt is
'cbeapoi? recalculate our {fopbtetloh'tbabito
’prison or hang them on a gallows;:Slgbo»
|ronc#mr
parqAadrttjlle theidsthnaki
Wj tftelretti MX afojfetioranaeTiqp
oftbih’Statd abwbthn Bi,WK) l BflO , lmodaU?f
whiob thw Stater tkm : pay«rfh*J ‘edupaSeu.iwu,
B^ob!dibe'toor*iaor+ohti’ : i If
hi ispubat
#wtf ddWr ttoidltf thO'ditStoait of 4Wa ftrefti
jsR
■
i 6f’jgooil&cS a 'pSfl{>e*i«riv and
: crime,besfdes : i/tclhaaing'tKe valuffofpfoper
i «f;«Atf'<o
We
1 #re’ai¥(jre s tli|tf tl»’^pfepit!sb^
h J of
out' KOffd’bb brought
fnaea^flis/'Ait
i
f wijjiils Mueatad ftjinds.
YeV.it,is.not imp'robable tha{ ,lnp supjjwt giv’-
en to Common Schools by the lawa ot this
State .pray hare been a source of tome tinea*
sifless: "But a more comprehensive-view of
the economy of thismeasure wculdallay-all
Uneasiness; aod'btd the School ‘Directors on
ward ip their noble workof diffusing light
apd elpvptihg the citizen child toV qualifica*
of : ‘the prilit whicfyDf. Duff re*
the expec
tation plT’every bby iri ibO district schools of
should' be President
pfjltp tfiulra Sidled telbrelhp’diep.';'
I 4'.j l Tbp,,mpnj||ejnept of sblrools de
seryp, brlef survey. 'TP ibe pMpte’would
establish a.system of public e3ijcai]bn, fhen
the people must'manage it in Some tyayi and
the best way is a great question. u In'the so
lution Of this queStiort' the 'mosrotfligbtened
educators of New York, Connecticut, and
many Other Slates think'the-Oititons of Penn
sylvania, may congratulate fhefnsfelves as
having at present adopted the best plan, tho’
riot yet as goodns it cou be ninde. • .We
hafe in the first place a hfead oflCommon
Schools, called the Superintendent for the
.Stalej whose business it is to’fake an over
sight of the Whole matter, ,who is; expected to
make himself acquainted tvjih all the leading
writers on, .and systems of public instruc
tion. This is intended to form an education
's! department of Slate, and is at preaenf con
nected with-the office, of Secretary ,of. State,
It will doubtless.ere long be, separated,, and
ji separate department, much to the
relief of the State, and,advantage of the edu
cational department, Wehave nexl in each
county a Superintendent 1 to with
the Stale Superintendent, and set . the.systent
going uniformly and efficiently-in each.coun
ty. This office is new in the. Slate, apd.ex
posed to much scrutiny andi jealousy. The.
cause of any .opposition is aupposed to arise
ifrom two nsouices.,.Pirst itil* -.4cWBkMP.9.g:,
the State appropriation for Common Schools.'
Second, its supposed interference with or
oveuriding the business of .the School Direc
tors... To tbe first objection it,is sufficient to
say that the State-, appropriation, of the.
present year is more than the salaries of all
these Superintendents above . the appropria
tion-of any: preceding year, and further, that
the districts themselves haye.no more friends
to recommend an increase of ibis. S>a(e pat
ronage to I heir-schools than these same. S
uperintendents.. The continuance and faithful
discharge-of tbe duties of this office wfti be.
the surest and most speedy way for the dis
tricts to merit and secure liberal Slate appro-,
.prialions. The second objection it is believ
ed springs from a misapprehension of tjie na
ture o( iheoffice. He is to be in all cases
the helper and co-laborer of the directory,.
never to supercede them in their duties; nor,
has he the least right, as we hope he will in
no case have the disposition, to interfere .wjth
their greater authority. From the oneroue
(ask:of examining teachers, the Superinten
dent is to relieve them. But in the manage
ment and control of the schools, (he employ
ment or salary of teachers, the kind of books
or the .levying or collection of taxes, or ap
propriation of those taxes, the Superintendent
cannot interfere. When this office was over
borne by party political considerations in New
York, it was regarded as a great cammity
by ’the'most enlightened' educators.of the
State. : .Teachers and School Superintendents
of the State continue to this day lo deplore
the suppression of.this.office-r-lhe present
sad effect in the supervision of their schools,
and pray for-the. restoration of the office of
County Superintendent. Their schools which
began to feel the inspiration of a new life un
der that provision of the lavy, seem to have
felt the debfh 1 blow of Its discontinuance, and
have been' languishing eVer since, save where
they have good private supervision, indepen
dent of their present.law. The directors of.
our schools . now, (p use a common phrase,
have all, the, say about it, pot] the office of
County, Superintendent is fo, assist them to
carry, o,ut that say so,, their own,authority,
and wish witnin.the pqryiew of the.la'w, by
awaking a,genqfal^interest among the people,'
pnd djffitsing p.,vitality a pel f nhiffirjiiity thVp*
all the, schooji v . £!ucb .a is sbi
mpeb a fell, necessity, pt. wesferti New York,’
thqt.tha teaqVrji, jheiliypwh
limited a man at si,OpO
b yenJs;lqigPfprojJdiafnolpjilHe traftriolsl ppd :
iepchefg.s.antlv piibliq. interest^ ’fa
hot this a shame la the Legislators of
/umd jsjpwp.lhap^tfypOO,*
[ 'f he control ofo'ur public schools, then, is,
Wbpliy in hands.,of .|he-raplo. In f tbe
language ofßtshopi Potter, ” Ourpeoplehave
ribaqlutely .thc control oyer the whore dithfeef 1
: b£ e'ducatipjk** , Vsrejflilly.
awake to its importance our excejWf extern
mm
directors, who apt a-. crirpp^to,body v lo ( tevy,
school teaaHe%Jj(iM
control the •aroe y est*buBh-.najyj|icnaslg, visit
Miwffi ortftor«tfffi tj«itiminhex'
jnttte>A>trio»7tttl«a|<«nn(j<J|a
fratt lout sin denis,-Or uiwtorlbyfWftdWffji ifoo
Cideupdonbetbooitk toilraini*d,-lho;hW l
id-hst tanght.elsct ( a.. County
d]re&.
tors go out every year, and .lywtpqtv^neg;
Olf.
((■f-.-yMs'l'i
are eferi|ed,to: that Ihe-whole question of the
schooffesnsgemebt: i# in f the-haarts of. the
The: supervisory
StStri oY&urityj cßhinot interfere.with ihe
people,’ot theth Directors, in . plaoing -tho
standard of theikschriols where! they plesse,.
wifhih tfie prbvisiorik of our Common School
paw.’''!ifa (OWnsbipociuld'be found tbafwas
dßiermiried to hdw i bo sfchoolsi they* coiild
carry, out that determination, nf they Were
unanim&ys; ',But atfy sfSt chizetls ofa belier
mibd. cwrtdl esiablisb sfchriola in that diairict
by applying tq cbu’rt, gelling directors bp-
a Vox! die. 'But this would
be a hard.and 'disMuraging laslf, against the
cili2ani(j(senlyafj|r.‘ “A good
qrilyibfier the prileges of edri;
catiopjo all,,as ifre .Benefactor jirofiere
ihe still, greatgr blessings pf religion 1 'to our
race, jf the blessing is spurned the retribu
tion mubt'(all where it belongs.
5. On the subjecl of tbe standing lof our
public schools a few word*'should be said in
(His lecture. It will be freely admitted that
they Br 6 hot what they should be.' The pre
valence .and prosperity of select schools and
aca.demies where so many scholars are
gathered in our cities apd villages, that are
of a suitable age to be educated in'our pub*
lie schoolsj.is sufficient evidence of this fact.
Their diameter shoitld be such (hat the most
weallhy and refined families of 1 the State
would look; to them as the proper home .of
their.childron’a education- This is their right
because it .is the property, of the Stale, their
property, that sustains these schools. Why
then are Ihey opt of this, elevated character,
is the great, question. To.this question ff
few answers will be submitted.
a. The responsibility falls first on the peo
ple. As we have seen they have full control
over the character and standing of their
schools;- They can mult® Ihdse schools what
they will. They delegate their power lo six
directors, and these directors are empowered
lo make .the schools under ttyeir charge as
good, as refined, as attractive, as efficient
every way as it is possible for private enter
prise to make them. But can a stream rise
higher than the fountain. These directors are
shpposed to' reflect the views nnd feelings of
the people on this? subject. We need then
ibid whole' question of the elevation of our
Common Schools agitated before -the people
i till ’ ihey arise in their legitimate rights arid
aided, by .the State, oqd a good la ! W, place
!these Ichß&li'ymore they should be; "" •’ c ’ ■
i. Pul leading thisjprimary source of pow-'
.er, I turn to the people's 'delegates, ■the'Di-'
rectors, and hold them responsible for doing
what they arp delegated to do by the people,
and enjoined.to,do by the law. When they
accept the Mice, they can go to work from'
the foundation, and pul tha school jusfwhere
they want ilj. If they make a .better school
house,, provide it with a. Feller teacher, and
furniture, and apparatus, - and surround it
with a better fence and shade trees, and gene
ral attractions tHan ihe'people'want, tbo good
people can arise in their wrath and turn
'them cut. when the lime comes. But "While
they-are in office,-they are. boundj, to their
constituents, the State, and the children of
the district, la lei no school of private or
ecclesiastical patronage purpass.their, own’
State, school, in .all the attractions arid ad
vantages that any primary or gradeqi'school
can possess. Here in this borough, and in
all the villages of this county, the directors,
if they would avail themselves of the power
which the law gives them, without altering
that law one jar or tittle, could establish a
school, graded from the infant to all the high-,
er departments, which would satisfy the mpsi
fastidious parent, reader .useless-all .the at
tempts of private enterprise to provide better
schools for our own population, and rival the,
best schools of Philadelphia, New York, or
Boston, This the School Directors of Penn
sylvania could do in allour districts (plan
extent fully commensurate with the wants of
a thorough business education. The law
conletnploies nothing short of this, and if
this were dbne our public schools woald be
on example to the world. No parent would
ever be Compelled to sen dhis child-from home
lo seek a good school for a good English ed
ucation. Ynur low, unheathy and repulsive
school houses tfiat are enobgh to breed con
jagion 19 body and mind, would soon give
way to a neat and faslfeful building; the at-'
liactive. of ih'e neighborhood; Ydur
indolent, lobacop-chewing, riothirig-nl’se-to do
school teachers, woujd soon vanish to other
callings,, and ..pll, ptFer.imhpols, save the pro-
Passional, and the higher.seminaries.of colle
ges would npi be called Tor.. , 4 '
c. The want of*competent teachers has
been a -fruitful-source-pf. the lory standing' of
our public schools,.-, Bot,.fof the convention
of County Superintendents called by opr
Worthy State Superintendent last Ju|y, and the
ccrisfriiqiidn atid; uridei'sfanding “‘that; Was
there giy'eh tVotir ISwJ'one'Mlrof the-teach*
prs of ’jnis Slate wdifld have been jdriven
other. on,' the; examination, ‘of
their .Syiwriniehdphts. if others 'welh’qhftlf
fied • could, ha ve been cslirifl in id take theft
places,
teachers, are r noi., to .pe. hpa. They h?tisi be
/(tjled'/or fhe v 'A ‘|Sod ;
easier.,than „tl\at of, teaching. But evert this
differeqce.the. lflyvestj^aUon. ) pt,lßqjAgigog.,
|arice of education. Teachers salarievjjle,
so low that there is, no incentive
grifjilftmdtt ami J htdies> preparing i tltemsaiVß*
fd'r^tfiis this comprinsatitm.
figs
selves ipr the business, to establishA-scbobls
bf dMhr
jeactier. parents lu'rri'fibril fhe phblic isbhoofs
WFlC&eirW
-r.it-!.
>i •'
w ~ ttzSe*srs:j . j !^ilfcfe/, 1 |18./j.;. f W rtg*'
- :T&
.’4
i iS
.5..
•-V^O
;■ 5}
s3i s«fe*#r(«siw :
* -Jv/O
imjchi chll'dred.
If (hi
of Ihe be3l teachers byiricreaBiriglbeir.Bafe
fies. ypur teachtrs.would.sooii be found. and
poor opee. wpuld gb lo callings they pra bet
terquolified.ip honor. . Ifjije
the office' of tounty.Fuperiqlepdentjbr three
years does notshow an increase in (he sala
ries of teachprs* or,very.gtest improvement
in the efficiency. Of teachers,. and a general
3 rival oF interest in;Our ; publio schools, thro’-
t the State, them the.*most sanguine hopes
of* the educators of this Slate will be sadly
disappointed. Sot allow me to say to teach
ers that a determined spirit on your part to
understand your business, will command for
ihat honor and .emolument
at the’hands of the people which its nature
jpslly dgiferves; Y Oir canredeem't he-reputa
lion Of these'schools. You'can show that
these people's colleges are emphatically the
colleges for all the people; The fact that
parents send their children to other schools,
arid often'from home; at a very heavy Ex
pense, to find a good school, shows that they
are ready to appreciate 1 and reward skill,
science, merit, in the teachers’ profession.
Fear not the reWdrd. It will come if you
prepare yourself for it. The failure of the
public lo appreciate these Common Schools
as they ought, is hot, ahanomaly. Begin
nings pf things are apt to 1 be overlooked.—.
Ypl what mighty results are springing from
them.
The-moral atmosphere of these schools
had been, one of the most potent causes of
their .being .deserted. How. mafiy parents
have mourned over the influence which iheso
schools, and often private and higher schools
have had upon tha moral feelings of the
children. How many mothers have been
surprised -at the many new and coarse words,
and vulgar ideas the child learns the first day
or week it- goes to school. This is not pecu
liar to-Common-Schools, and* if it prevails
more in them than other schools it is attribu
table W'two causes. Ist. The elements of
which the School is composed. 2d. The
character of the leaeher. These schools are
established for all.- In every place the moral
training of different families of children, is
different at home. They will range from the
most scrupulous Id the most loose and indiffe
rent, respecting’the deportment and language.
They all meet'together in the Common
Schools. The vjtiuous, the moral, the reli
gious, the, profane. The school directors or
teacher of, the present generation is noVre
sponsible for the home influences. But If a
teacher,is employed who will not discounte
nance,-nay, absolutely suppress, vi el amts,
if necessary, all vulgar or profane language
or uncomely habile, hp t should be fumed out
of thp school peremptorily, A teacher that
will wink at, and Act lay a strong hand at
once upon every,afid any speci.es of vice or
immorality, in thought, word or deed, so far
as he can obtain a knowledge of. it in school,
or-about the school' during intermission, is
not only unfit to leach- school, hut is more
than the pestilence in the school house. The
air and spirit ol a school teacher-ore cnnla
geous. If his deportment be not dignified,
his language chaste, his spirit pure, his affec
tions delicate, his heart feeling, his couscience
enlightened l and sensitive, he is- not a-safe
man iu the school-room, Directors should
be discriminating on this subject, as they ba
comefin 'an important sense, the guardians
of- the morals of all the children of tho dis
trict. The vicious are not to be precluded
unless they refuse to reform, or refrain en
tirely from all immoralities at school. There
is ho reasdrt why the atmosphere-of a school
room should not be ns healthy; in a moral as
well as .'physical point of view, as the parlor
of the pious homestead. Our laws require
evidence of a good moral character from
every teacher.' A good moral character
must be built on the principles of the Bible.
Without a' deep reverence for this foundation'
of morality, no man or woman has the funda
mental spirft of a good teacher. We say,
not that.sectarian, but that religion should be
inculcated in schools; that religion, which
consists |n tlye fear of God, veneration for his
commands, and abhorence of all that is
wrong. To. (bis end it is well that a certain
portion of scripture® should be read ip our
schools every day, and better still, if. all the
scholars 1 hat can read.were required to read
around onco-or twice every morning on open
ing -the school. Brin addition, to this, the
teacher should open the school .with prayer it
mlisr exert 'a hrippy influence; 1 If all this
cdold- notj be done"without bringing along
with-it the Sectarianism,-then it should
not be dohe ail;' 1 Butthe Iruih is morality or
imm’oraHty,'religioh’Of irrellgion will bo in
ctilcatcd m'CVeryschdol.' -There Ste certain
greal'mri'rffl and religtriusprinciples in which'
alf tfrd agreed—which belong "peculiarly J to
no c butch. Tfiith, the ten’eortirriandmerits,
thOgolderi" hile,'(he lovS of Godf His Bible;'
Hig of Btir Fn rcrif?,
lfl)X-nri ap kind, halihglying,.
abating, stealing., .guraly ihis, ja
npt,. ia' £tyY.ijfo ; ipcuica^
; ppj eompipp
'that. wa, prpYp do..,a waytjjfijli.,j»U
against. j)ho:-immpraF-tpn,dencje8..pft|pse.
schools,. - rffl u.Jv:
, fl. spy.
by-,Ai briqf ;referoncft,„tp ! (he fruita. qf tbpso
Schools j and hero a mplliMo p.f,,facts.come,
■ lolaMesl'Uheiti.utililyrgtndi necessity.. In the
qoiwtitiilion of tih’o i United .States* and of aW
rtfost-, every he, -Uaion,- eoepurage-,
; rnenb is-given to jumveraalcducahon; Those
aohOols havri colled ifromjobsourjiy : ,Bom6-.of
1 thio mtiqoit
flflraj’DdnteU Web*(ftr lektncd : thri, Ayß.-'C;-
power-iWhiish -hss
soeri* <ihh >of < Frith : >homi»ph*ra«ji
Iri-bne-Of the iBSt- public'eifortsof’ihiS'greal
Steilea niiihl'hri iised : the-fdllOwing langhadei'-
! '- 1 "- •• ■ ;«rr Muii 1 it,
'H-'i
lo improve man'# intellectual, moral and re*
ifesgfraMl
:
face, Jail, whichwill br)knleband£tifiMea:(oi
an -:;; ::.■;•-/':;C
. Geiiibt qtjd (aleb| .come
from,. brbbj|.;.,,'npr;.are,, |hjay.,' r
atone in jbe m { dhe ijwig
iipated. Go into. the. walla «£ |ifpX
go to the cottßgOji of; the lowlynnd’ you, sbaj|
often, find not only J]b& most emlMpi
pies of piety, but lhe clearest heads, the most
towering intellects. . Jewels, are jfotind ipihe
most inaccessible piaces. So. eminent men:
tal power Often springs , from a yeryobscii/a
source. So it has btjen.in all ages past, not
withstanding the obstacles those minds had tei
encounter in 'emerging,from their obscurity,
lo light.' Give to .(his nation .the advant
iage of these common schools; send then!
on (heir noble mission to all classes and con
ditions ; let them reach up to (he palaces of"
the rich and down to the obscurest hut of,tha
poor, whose greatest wealth consists in Iho
large family of hearty children (bat swarm"
around the fireside, and who does not see lljat
amid (bis wide range through the whole. Geld
of immortal minds, not only the mass will be
elevated, which is the great security of this
nation, but here and there an intellectual jew*
el must be found that will sparkle pre-cmin*
ently in the world of-spirits'here and bore-,
after. The present and future generations
of men in this nation are destined to exhibit
more great men jtban any that hare preceded.
Great—we trust not, in the battle field, or in
the -arena of angry debate. Brilliant—not
as the blazing comet, or the glare of a city
in flames; but in the peaceful march of the
sciences, the sublime uprising and progressing
of (be human family, lo intelligence and vir*
lue, these truly great will come forth, emu
lating .the- example of Saviour of the
world—great as they are good, brilliant at
they are useful.
“ Chisel in hand stood a sculptor-boy,
With his marble block before him;
And bis lace lil up with a smile of joy
As nn angel-dream passed o’er him.
80-carved the dream on that shapeless stood
With many a sharp incision, '
With heaven’s own light the sculpture shone—
He had caught the angel-vision. *
“Sculptors of life are we,.as we stand
With oar soul uncarved before as;
Waiting the hour when at God’s command
Our life-dream passes o’er us.
If we carve it there as the yielding atdeep
With many & sharp incision,
Its heavenly beauty shall be out own—
Our lives that angel-vision.”
Not Bad.— The Piscataquis' Obtereer ia
responsible for the following;
A gentleman called at a hut |n the Acrooa*
look valley, and requesled some dinner.—*
The lady, her spouse being absent, refused to
supply his necessities, fob money or the lovo
of humanity.
“ Vary well,” said ihe hungry traveler, as
he turned his footsteps from the inhospitable
abode, 11 you will want nothing to eat 10-mor*
row.”
“ Why not ?” inquired the woman.
u Because,” answered the weary man, “ the
Indians are digging a tunnel at Moosehead
Lake, and they are going to turn all the wa*
ters of the Lake into the Aroostook Valley,
and you and all the rest of the people are to
be drowned.”
Upon this intelligence the old lady hurried
off to the. priest to inform him that a flood
was to overflow the valley, and to ask what
was to be done in the emergancy.
The priest endeavored to quiet'her fears
by telling her that God had promised that ho
should never send 'another flood upon the
earth.
“Bui,” exclaimed (he efirightened woman,
“ it isn’t God that’s going to do if—it’s the
cussed Indians,”
The traveler went into the house and helped -
himself to the old wman’s provision but when
she come back he had absconded.
Caught in his own Trap.—lf .il bo
policy for a tradesman to run down the goods
and character of bis competitors, Ihe follow*'
ing may be considered ad exception to the
general rule:
** VVhat’s ihe'price of that coal 1” inquired
a countryman the other day, of a merchant '
in-the city.
“Thall The price of that, sir, is’eight ’
dollars, and very cheap at the -price;” nn- 1
swered the merchant.
” I can’t exactly agree with you then,” 1 '
said ihe customer ; 11 1 only paid six for Iho
one I have on I”
“ That mffy be,” replied the merchant,
“ and I should consider that you have been
horribly bitten if you had paid but half that r
for it. I don ? t sell such goods as that.—>
Why, just look at it ! It is miserable staff,'
and merely basted together at that; and the
man who.sold it to you, knew it at the time.
He is a ; greal cheat, whoever he is, and de>
serves to be-publicly condemned.
“ That's jusv the' opinion I’ve had ever
since I'made th<s purchase,” said the custom
er}” I bought this coat of you -some months
ago!” V I' ■
AttoH.—tjiere U, no ..belter way ihafijev
er miking. nice starch for; spirt-bos.-
om», il»aii toboii it thoroughly ,after raising,
adding and a fewt.s,hayings of a
alar pr tjpermaceii candle. 1 haye, found the
iatd capdle> quite.ps gppd.a,«
sperm. l! f euhe.Bl,a.fch : boil at Ipaat.tftn min
utes, andJL ; will jgiv'e a gloss,if neatly.itohedi
folly utisutcjoty to the q[ a—
da v. .. ■.■ ,
t • Ifthfi'e js anyiHilig thafwiltswellWman’p 1
ltirgS; It
gW^heefs'
.stot’king?;.' ;Such!sojrt of’delaie:is
.bddly (JuHog&heiv' '
, baa -«eiji a-jlbing, joti MW f
/ #i " r*"
Jb wW'JfehitiSJ'iflW nthS.fi* liH, UiB Wtili,"
befesi'-oT btfrden with’aload'of ‘‘
: bcskh, hUfihs!-lo ! hfoi. ' ,v I ‘-
'0 ' /• 1 hi >f -‘ *-' ,t * r ’- > ‘ J '
'Vi? -•-;V-ir- , -^pV