kTEdltoand Proprietor,
ByrrrniafSOai, l'uniiner.
I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT THAN PRESIDENT. Hknby Cia?.
jii-
i over the
IW.WU ill AIIV AALK.
EBENSBURG, PA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1866.
NUMBER 19.
1ST
I to,
oF POST OFFICES
t.
itine,
el,
Foil Masters
5teren L. Evans,
Henry Nutter,
A. G. Crooks,
J.Houston,
John Thompson,
C.Jeffries, .
Peter Garman,
J. M. Christy,
Wm Tiley, Jr.,
I. E. Chandler,
M. Adlesberger,
Durbin.
Andrew J Ferral, Susq'han.
tan Wharton. Clearfield
George Berkey,
B. M'Colgan,
George B. Wike,
Wm. M'Connell,
J. K. fcihryoek,
Districts.
Carroll.
Chest.
Taylor.
Wa3hint'n.
Ebensburg.
White.
Susq'han.
Gallitzin.
Washt'n.
Johnst'wn.
Loretto.
Munster.
Richland.
Washt'n.
Croyle.
Washt'n.
S'merbill.
nun-
Rev. T.M. Wilson, fastor.
e.,i.ivtii morninc: at iu
d in the evening at o clock. Sab
"oUt 9 o'clock, A. M. Prayer meet
Thursday evening at G o'clock.
t FoisC'Pal Church Ret. A. Baker,
V ''..Jtr Rev. J. Pershing, As-
n o.-h'inTr every alternate Sabbath
.. i - vr,ofiniT pverv ednes-
(i. A. '"
r,- at 7 o'clock. .
..p,nnf Ret Ll. R- Powell
Lwr hing every Sabbath morning at
sid in the evening ai o u u.
ilh"ool at 1 o'clock, P. M. Prayer
,n the first Monday evening of each
nd on every luesuuj,
ua. tVm first, -week in
evening, cxtep-iu
atli. . ,r r
Treacnin every Sabbath evening at
7'clock. Sabbath School at If o'clock,
I r..-- n,0ptinr ererv Friday evening,
I jam m.i."o w "
ock. Society every iueuay evening
ofk. ,
Rev. W. Lloyd, Pastor. Preach-
?:ilibath morning at 10 o'clock.
'ikr Baptists Rkv. David Evans,
-Preaching every fcauoain evening at
Sabbath School at at 1 o clocK, r. ai.
I -Rev. U. C. Christy, rasior.
r-ry Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock
at 4 o'clock in the evening.
EBE.VSRITRG UIAIES.
MAILS ARRIVE.
hi!v at 8.50 o'clock, A. M.
Vat C.25 o'clock P.M.
MAILS CLOSE,
iiilr, at 8 o'clock, P. M.
at 8 o'clock, P. M.
mails from Newman's Mills, Car-
kc, arrive on Monday, Wednesday
v of each week, at 3 o'clock, 1. 31
Kbensburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays
rdays, at 0 o'clock, A. M.
River.
Over the river, they beckon to me,
' Loved ones "who have pass'd to the other side;
The gleam of their snowy robes I see,
But their voices are lost in the dashing tide.
There's one with ringlet? of sunny gold,
And eyes the reflection of Ileaven's own blue;
He crossed in the twilight, gray and cold,
And the pale mist hid him from mortal view.
We saw not the angels that met him there,
The gates of the city we could not see
Over the river, over the river,
My brother stands ready to welcome me.
Over the river the boatman pale,
Carried another the household pet ;
Her bright curls waved in the gentle gale
Darling Mamie, I see her yet 1
She crossed on her bosom her dimpled hands,
And fearlessly entered the phantom bark ;
We watched from the silver sands,
And all our sunshine grew strangely dark,
We know she is safe cu the other side,
Where all the ransomed and angels be;
Over the river, the. mystic river,
My childhood's idol3 are waiting fcr me.
For none return from those quiet shores,
Who cross with the boatman, cold and pale ;
We hear the dip of the golden oar3,
We catch a gleam of the snowy sail.
And lo ! they have passed from our heart :
They cross the stream and are gone for aye!
We cannot sunder the veil apart,
That hides lrompur vision the gates of day;
We only know that their barks no more
Shall sail with ours on life's stormy sea!
Yet somehow on the unseen shore,
They watch, and beckon, and wait for me.
And I sit and think, when the sunset's gold
: Is flushing river and hill and shore,
I shall one day stand by the water cold,
And list to the sound of the boatman's oar.
I shall watch for the gleam of the flapping sail,
I shall hear the boat as it gains the strand ;
I shall pass from sight with the boatman pale,
To the belter shore of the Spirit Land !
I shall know the loved who have gone before,
And joyfully sweet will the meeting be,
When over the river, the peaceful river,
The angel of death shall carry me !
ULROAD SCHEDULE.
CRESSON STATION.
?,&It. Express leaves at .V.13 A
Phila. Expres3 '
ast Line "
UU Train "
Yvttt. Erie Ml.
Aitouna Acconi.
i'LL'a. Express
faat Line
i'.iy Express
Ciueinnati Ex.
iail Train
iltoona Accoiq.
it
it
it
i
i
i
i
1
M.
A. M.
10.33 P. M.
0.03 P. M.
7.43 A. M.
4.32 P. M.
8.31 P. M-
3.2 I A.
G.43 A
1.11 P.
5.21 P.
.3G A.
M
M. M.
M.
(OIXTV OFFICERS.
of tht Courts President Hon. Geo.
Huntingdon; Associates, George W.
ienry C. Devine.
lotarj Geo. C. K. Zahm.
;t and Recorder James Griffin.
J James Myers.
(t Attorii'i. John F. Ramos.
v Commissioners John Campbell, Ed-
E. K. Dunnegan.
' so Commissioners William H. Sech-
Isaac Wike.
'to Trcamrer John Lloyd.
!!! Directors George M'CulIough,
wi, Joseph Dailey.
Hunt Treasurer George C. K. Zahm.
'"a Fran. P. fiernev, Jno. A. Ken-
saiui Tirallier.
S Surveior. Henry Scanlan.
'f .--William Flattery.
intile Aiprait'r John Cox.
. o Common Schooli J. F. Condon.
.VSBl'RG KOR, OFFICERS.
AT LAP.0E.
'CSrCfJhe '-Harrison Kinkead,
tJ J. aters.
S3 C. T. Robert. '
1 Directors-Philip P. Soon, Abel
BayiJ J. Jones, Hugh Jones, Wm. M.
' Junes, Jr.
Treasurer Geo. W. Oatman.
FAST WARD.
''f-Morm Peat.
?U1E. Hughes,
. A .L MS,
THE HORSE-THIEVES.
a lawter's ADVEKTCBE.
For some months, there had been a pair
of desperate characters prowling about the
I country, doing all sorts of evil deeds, but
I making horBe stealing their especial busi
ness. It was said (and the report had a
good foundation) that they were escaped
convicts villains wlrt had once been sent
froiu London to South Wales, and who
had contrived to make their escape and
reach this country. That they were des
perate characters was evident from some
of their deeds, they having repeatedly
attempted to kill those who thought of
molesting them. But the precious ras
cals were at last caught, and brought be
fore a justice for examination and com
mitment. I was engaged as prosecuting
attorney, and made my appearance aceor-
that
strong
enough
a
to
case
hold
dincrly, being determined
should be made
them.
I certainly never saw two mTe inhu
man looking fellowf who could lay claim
They, gave
''-mcharj
Evan Griffith,
Maj. John
R.
Tibbott, Robert D.
:;fElfrlion Daniel O.'Evans.
"'-J- A. Moore.
. . ,. WEST WARD.
Thos. J.Williams.
r JUn Isaac Crawford, James P.
Wla- Kittell, II. Kinkead, George W.
Wr7Robert Evans, Jno- E.Scanlan.
; 'J Section. John D. Thomas.
orCapt. Murray.
r SOCIETIES, &C.
: Summit Lodge No. 312 A. Y. M.
T i-iu, lioensuurc;, on ine
j imu uiuuiu, ai tJ O ClOCK,
ifMHmEhland Lf(3ge No. 428 I. O.
- in wa t ellows Hall, Ebensburg,
"edncsday evening. 6
wigniana Division No. 84 Sons of
. mes in Temperance Hall, Eb-
fry Saturday evening.
OF SUBSCRIPTION
TO
.13.
"THE ALLEG1IANIAN .''
or, n- $2'00 IN ADVANCE,
fJ0 11 NOT PAID IN ADVANCE.
to a fair share of intelligence.
the names of Job Gilbrand and human
McCargan as theirs. The first was a
short, broad-shouldered, bull-necked, low
browed man, with an ugly, vengeful look,
and a sort of tiger-like restlessness in all
his movements. The second had all his
companion's brutality of expression, with
out the same look of' intelligence. He
was taller than Gilbrand, but not so mas
sive. As they gazed around upon the
assembled multitude, they seemed to be
animated by but a single feeling, and that
an intense desire to exterminate the whole
of us. Blood-thirstiness was written as
plainly upon their faces as it ever was in
the glaring eye of the caged panther. . In
short, they seemed to have no moral per-
mntious at all. 1 hev were creatures ot
lust and fear, and knew no other govern
ing principles.
Ot course,, it became my duty to have
them commilted, if possible, and I deter
mined to probe their characters and ca
reers as deeply as possible. I had wit
nesses enough to swear directly to their,
horse-stealiner : but I was not satisfied
with this. They had engaged a lawyer
for the defense, and he set up the claim
that wc nothinjr against their characters
previous to the making, of the present
charge. Ilere I opened my battery, and
fired away. I had my - witnesses present,
and what they could not swear to l easily
arrived at in my introduction. I held
the two men up to the gaze of the multi-
tude as- the cold-blooded villains tney
really were : I raked up their former life
in England; I brought to light their
transnortatinn to Post Jackson ; 1 told of
their escape hence: and wound up by
fastening upon them many dark crimes
since their arrival in this country. I
knew that thev had sworn to kill any man
who 6hould arrest them, and that they
had, on more than one occasion, tried to
take life. These things made me more
bitter than I otherwise might have been
Ever and anon, as I brought up some
strong point of rascality, I would turn my
eves upon the prisoners, and 1 must admi
that, even then, with all ths zeal of my
cause to fire my eoul, I could not help
shuddering at the glance which Job Gil
brand gave me. It was not a look of
hate, nor anger ; but it was au expression
of malevolent, demoniac triumph, which
seemed to imply that he was perfectly
satisfied I was having my own way now
after a while, in his own good time, he
would have his way.
The result of the trial was just what
everybody had known it would be. The
prisoners were fully committed to await
the action of the grand iury. L rose from
my seat, when I saw Gilbrand beckon to
me with his finger. I went to him, and
he whispered in my ear . . .. -
"I'll have your life as sure as there is
a God in heaven ! There ain't a prison
on earth strong enough to keep me in
from you I"
The manner of hi9 speaking at first
startled me some, but I looked upon what
he had said as only a threat not that he
might not have tho will to do the deed,
but I did not believe that he would have
the power. However, I saw the jailor,
and hinted to him that he had better look
rather eharper after these prisoners than
was usual with him, for they were old
jail-birds, and up to all the tricks of eva
ding bolts and. bars and stone walls. He
told me that I need be under no appre
hension of their escape ; he would put
them in a place front .which no mortal
man could escape.
I went away about my usual business,
and two weeks had passed from the time
of the trial before the justice's court.
The excitement consequent upon the ar
rest of the horse-thieves had mostly died
out, and people began to let their horses
run without fear of having them swooped
up. . One evening, just as I was leaving
my office, a man came to me and informed
me that the horse-thieves had made their
escape. They had left the jail some time
during the previous night, and all day
various parties had beenjn search ot them,
but unavailingly. The villains had con
trived to remove the heavy stone sill into
which the iron bars of tho window were
fixed, the cement having been displaced
by some iron instrument which they had
adroitly concealed about them. I asked
it ar.v traces had been found of them, and
my informant told me that two men an-
swering tneir description naa oeen seen,
about ten miles off, that morning, making
towards the sea-coast.
I had been all day on business and had
ust returned, when this information was
given me, or I would have heard of it before.
However I knew that every possible
means were being employed to recapture
the rascal?, and I went home with strong
hopes that tney might yec mate ine ac
quaintance of our superior court. At first
the thought occurred to me that uilbrand
ight make an effort to carry out the
bloody purpose he had sworn against me ;
but I was not under much apprehension,.
for I did not think ho would risk his own
neck.. I believed he had placed as great a
distauce as possible between me and him
self, and that he would trot again visit our
town except uoon compulsion.
My wife had heard of the escape of the
two prisoners, but she knew nothing ot
the threat which had been made against
me. I did not tell her of it at that time,
for I feared she might worry over it, slid
of course, I meant that it should be kept
from her now. My house was near the
centre of the village, but some way back
from the main street, upon a gentle emi
nence, and surrounded by trees, my gar
den and park separating it entirely from
other buildings.
During the evening I thougnt the mat
ter over, and hnally made up my mind
that the idea of Job Gilbrand's coming to
put hi? threat into execution was simply
ridiculous. I knew I knew verv wrll
that be had ju3t the will and the dispo
sition to do it, and I believed that it would
have afforded him sincere satisfaction to
pat a knife to my heart; but I did not
. . . . .-. . .
believe that he would rnk his own ine,
under any circumstances, for any such
. . T . . .
purpose, let wnen x. went up to my
chamber, 1 examined the pistol wnicn lay
in the bureau drawer. My business, as
collectinir airent for several houses in dis
tant parts of the country, required that I
should at times have large sums oi money
by me, and as many people are aware of
tbia tafit. T knew that mv premises might
w j ,
the
me
circumstances had merely reminded his right hand, and it was half raised as
of my weapon. We lau&hed over I he erent forward Vnt i mncniA ,n .-.-
the idea of killing a robber and went to body moved not even mv heart and mv
3ep. nerves were like steel. I waited until 1
It must have been not far from mid- could catch the cat like gleaming of the
night when I was awakened from a some- villain's eyes untill could hear his auick
what uneasy slumber ; I had no sense of deep breathing until his murderous knife
being aroused by anything in 'particular, was lifted for the death stroke and then
only I felt uneasy, and wanted a new po- freed my right arm and raised my pistol.
anion ior my ooay. j.ne moon naa peen ine movement was instantaneous, and ray
up an hour or more, and wag shining di- J aim . sure, for the muzzle of the weapon
rectly upon the door-way on the opposite was within two feet of his bosom. I fired.
side or tne room ; l turned my eyes re3t- and he startea back with a sharp groan
ing upon the door-way, and 1 saw a man In a moment 1 was upright in my bed,
there, lie had, apparently, just and more quickly than I can tell it. I fired
standing
crept to the spot and the moonlight lay two shots at McCargan, who had stopped
full upon him. It was Job Gilbrand! as hi3 companion reeled back, but who fled
towards the door as I fired at him
My wife was awake but I paid no at
tention to her cries. Quickly as possible
I leaped out of bed and rushed towards
the hall where McCargan had disappeared,
Educational Department.
Had I met him in the broad blaze of noon
tlmo, I could not have distinguished his
form from anv features more plainly. And
I saw, in his right. hand, a long bladed
koife. Behind him, in the hall, I saw
the outlines of another man, whom I took, for Gilbrand had fallen to the floor, and I
ot course, to be McCargan. considered him safe. I found him upon
The discovery operated on me hke the the hall floor, almost lifeless. lie could
shock of a powerful galvanic batteiy. not speak, and believing that his weak
Ihere was a horrible, deadly lear tun. hug ness was real, J. hurried back to my room
through
sense and reason - for a moment; but the possible I luformed my wife-of what
very weight of the terrible circumstance had happened. I told her that one of
served to nerve me up, and in a very brief the villains lay upon the hall floor so
that she could not leave the room with
out passing over him, and 6ho had the
good sense to hide herself under the bed
clothes.
At this point my man servant, a stout
Irishman who did the duties of groom
and gardener, came stumbling over the
passage, and . wanted to know what was
the matter. I called him in and told him.
space of time I was as calm as need be
I mean my thoughts were all collected
and my instincts sharp and clear. My
wife slept on, for as yet there had been
no noise, save that something which must
have awakened me
My chamber was a large square room,
and the bed was iu one corner. The win
dow through which the moonlight came
was close by the foot of the bed and the and together we Jieid an examination
door that led to the hall directly opposite. Gilbrand must havi died almost instantly,
This room was in one corner of the main I for the ball had gone directly through his
building, so there were two more windows, heart. When we found McCargan he was
one near the head of the bed and another just breathing his last. . One of the bullets
piercing the same wall, only a few feet off. I had fired at him had entered his bosom,
Between these two windows stood the bu- immediately below the sternum, and the
reau, there being only tho space of one J other had passed through his neck, sever-
window between it and the bed. ing the right carotid artery.
Of course. I knew there could be but a By this time the household wa3 all
few momenta for reflection. My motion I aroused, and for a few moments we had a
had caused the assassin to hesitate, but he strange time of it. But I managed to
would not hesitate long, lie had come
to put his threat into execution, and I
knew the man well enough to know that
he would do it without the least compunc
tions, and that no occurrence would deter
him. If I bad only given importance
get my wife calm, and when I made them
understand that the danger was all over.
the others became quiet. Michael moved
the bodies down into the lower porch,
where we found, upon examination, that
tne villains had gained their entrance by
enough to previous circumstances to have prying off the hasp of the back door with
been thoroughly on my guard, 1 should a crow-bar. ivs soon as it was daylight l
have had my pistol beneath my pillow ; sent for the jailor, bidding him bring a
but I was wholly unarmed, and a success- man along with him. It so happened
ful stratagem could alone save me. With that tho jailor had also the office ot the
this grim presence before me my thoughts J deputy sheriff and coroner, so that he was
of succor mv hone cf safety waa in my iust the man for the business. He came
pistol. 1 must get that at some rate. 1 in due time; mo poaies were removed
of human nature to know from my premises, aud he assured me, as
he took them away, that he would much
rather act a coroner than as jailor upon
such customers.
hold out golden inducements to daring
burglars ; so I had, some two years before,
purchased a good revolver which. 1 had
kept loaded in my chamber. - I never sup
posed I should shoot anybody; but, in
case I should hear the footsteps of intru
ders, at night, upon my premises, I would
not only feel safe with such a weapon, but
the possession of a "six-shooter 'ogives
a man a wonderful advantage iu ah argu
ment under such circumstances. He can
persuade an interloper to leave when mere
Words mignt ue ineneciuai.
On the present occasion I thought
would iust examine my pistol, to see if it
was all right, for there was no knowing
what might happen. If any -one should
enter my house, I felt sure that my wife
nr Keif must be awakened, and then the
weapon might be an agreeable companion
if nothing more. I saw that the barrels
were all loaded, and the caps all sound,
and then I put the pistol back into the
drawer, and went to bed. My wife asked
me what I meant to do, and l toia her l
had considerable money in the house, and
knew enough
what even an assassin would be most likely
to do under certain circumstances. Gil
brand did not know that he was discover
ed, and yet a slight motion of my body
had caused him to hesitate, lie evident-
y felt sure of his game, and he could do
his work with the least noise. It was a
clear, cold night, and this circumstance
helped me to a valuable thought
. . .. . r
" Mary, said 1, speaking to my wile,
.1 l T A.
in a vawmncr tone, a.3 tnou2U i were nut
j c?
wholly awake, J m cold.
My wife awoke and asked me what was
the matter.
" I'm cold," I replied. " Isn't there
an extra quilt in one of the bureau draw
ers V
She said there was. but did not seem
inclined to be very wakeful. '
As I had anticipated, as soon as 1 spoke,
the lurking assassin crouched away out of
sight in the hall, and I believed he would
remain so while I got up and got the quilt.
If ho did not suspect my knowledge ot
his presence he would certainly prefer to
let mo arise Quietly, and then get to uea
florin, than to attack, me when I might
-o ' ------ "
make resistance ; lor he had reason to sup:
pose that mv wife and self would be asleep
. " .. .. -r -
aain verv soon. And then 1 could noi
leave the room to give any alarm without
passing directly by him, eo he would leel
safe on that score.
I leaped out of bed and went to the
bureau. I may have trembled some at the
thought of a death blow while I stood
there with my back to the door, but I felt
pretty well assured that all would be sate
until I got into bed asrain ; and so it proved
I opened the upper drawer first aud grasp
ed my p'stol. I muttered something about
not finding things where they belonged,
and then opened another drawer, from
which I took the desired article. As I
returned to bed I allowed the pistol to
drop by my pillow, and then I proceeded
to spread the quilt in proper order, never
once allowing my eyes to turn towards the
door. After this 1 crept into bed again.
,I grasped my pistol and snuggled down,
l - .T 7 r i n T i :u
remarking mat x enouiu now eieep wim
somo comfort. By lying upon my left
side, my face was turned towards the hall,
and when I had so arranged the bed clothes
that I could see in that direction without
my eyes being Been in return, and my
right hand was where it could ba free in
an instant, I was prepared for the result.
My wife slept soundly again. As soon
as 1 indeed it iudicious, I commenced to
Bnore. Tho sound had barely left my na
sal organs when Job Gilbrand again made
his appearance in the door, and close be
hind him came McCargan. Tlipy had re
moved their phoes, and their tread was
noiseless. Gilbrand clutched his knilem
The Cambria Iron Works and
a Protective Tar nr.
The New York Tribune states that the
Cambria Iron Works paid in three years
for sa'aries. watres and contract work as
follows : 18G0, 907,058 91 ; 1861, 31,
399,890 82 ; 1865, $1,535,380 24. Near
lv all this money went to laborers and
their families, and the divect interest far
mers had in it may be inferred from the
reply of the Superintendent of the works,
to the interrogatories or tne internal zvev
enue Commissioner. He said :
"The population sustained by the ope
rations of our company, consume annually
about 2,000 head of beef cattle, 3,000
head of sheep, and the product of not less
than 4,000 hogs. Our whole consump
tion of wheat flour is about 20,000 barrels.
Johnstown is one of the best markets in
the country for all kinds of food. Large
quantities of the more perishable kinds,
such as garden vegetables, butter, eggs,
fruits. &c, are brought from Pittsburg,
and other Western markets, as the pro
duction of the surrounding country is un
able to supply our demand."
Farming land within two miles of the
works is worth from 150 to 3300 per
acre, without improvements. If these
facts d j not show how deeply interested
our farming classes are in the develop
ment of manufactures, we would be puz
zled to know what sort of
evidence would convince there
protective tariff is useful in developing
our minerals and staple?, in relieving agri
cultural industry from the pressure of too
much competition, in giving farmers a
homo market for their products, in supply
ing a useful and ingenious laboring class
with empluymect, in obtaining revenue
for the government and reducing taxation,
in making us independent of foreign na
tions for articles indispensable for general
use, and in-really enlarging our national
wealth. When we have fairly established
our manufactures, we might prudently
consider the subject of low tariffs.
1
JCgy- " What ugly, carroty-headed little
brat is that madam ? Do you know his
name t " Why yes that is my youngest
Prepared for The Alleghanian.
In supplying teachers for primary
schools, as also for such as are usually
styled "backward," it has been a very
prevalent practice lo select those who,
from lack of qualifications, or from want
of success, or from inexperience, are least
worthy of a place iu the rauks of educa
tors. Directors have in a great measure
been compelled to adopt this course from
a uecessity caused by a cmistaut scarcity
of competent teachers. Dui ir.g the few
years just past, this necessity has been
increased, owing to the entrance ot many
of the profession into the National set
vice, and the abandonment of it by others
lor some more lucrative cuiDioyment. . At
tuis tune, int. schools throughout the
State, and, we may r.Jd, throughout tho
entire country, arc suffering in no incon
siderable decree from beinir presided over
by persons who, whatever they will bo by
experience, are not at present the equals
ot their predecessors ot five years ago.
The presence of adepts at the business of
teaching in many of our more advanced
schools, causes in turn the appointing to
many primary and backward schools of
persons who are scarcely worthy of certif
icates. Such at any rate is the testimony
of our County Superintecdcnts. A few
years of diligent application on the part of
these novices, and of besfowment of favor
by directors only upon those who show a
defeire to improve, will afford much relief
from the existing evil. But what we wish
at this time more especially to combat is
not a fact, but an idea the idea that a
poor teacher (one not apt to teach) , or a
person with poor educational qualifications
can be assigned to a backward or a pri
mary school without serious detriment to
euch school. Tho evils resulting from
appointing such persons are too numerous
to be put into the limit of a single col
umn, and we therefore divide them into
the following paragraphs :
Lack of ability to teach. The primary
school is a sort of half-way house betwefen
tho nursery and the school-room in earnest
In the primary room, the juvenile mind
receives its first bent, is first started in the
way of edacational knowledge. The sweets
of study have not been tasted, nor is there
to be supposed any antipathy to it that
may not be overcome. The simplest of
all elementary knowledge is for the first
time to be presented to the little learner;
and whether or not that learner will take
hold of his task with avidity, depends al
most altogether on the teacher's Kaptnes3
to teach." Of all knowledge, that which
is purely elementary is the dryest ami
most insipid even to the advanced stu
dent, and if so to the advanced student,
how much more to the little child. Tho
primary teacher's province, then, is to
make that attractive and interesting which,
of itself, is devoid of all interest. The
infant scholar has before it the task ot
memorizing letters and words that to it
reasoning or
A sound
son
" You don't say so indeed ! why
Tiat a dear 1" This is the fashionable,
scientific way of backing right square out.
JSSF I see him on his winding way,"
said Mrs. Jenkins, as she saw Mr. Jon
kins, corkscrewing his way home, just as
the shades ot twilight were creeping over
the landscape.
are completely arbitrary, conveyiug no
meaning, but whose signification is yet to
be acquired.
That primary ceacher, then, is most
successful, who most quickly and thor
oughly wakens up the young mind, and
causes, it to recognize symbols of intelli
gence in characters hitherto meaningless.
But thi work requires either an acquired
or an intuitive knowledge of dealing with
the mind, if there is such a thing as in
tuitive knowledge. Why,- then, should
any one not having that "aptness to
teach," as Page so well siys, be put into a
primary school ? If ability to impart
knowledge is required in a teacher of
advanced pupils, then ten times more in
a teacher of small children.
Habits of study and deportment.
But no more in respect to imparting
knowledge is it essential that a primary
school should have a first class teacher,
than with reference to habits of study and
of deportment. Somo experienced and
nearly, if not quite all, novitiates in teach
ing, are con tiu dally prompting the pupil,
or suggesting the required answer, or
pursuit. g one course or another by which
to relieve the scholar of liLs owa proper
work. "They are so younjr," is perhaps
the, crease, they arc so young, it can
hardly bo expected they can get along
without help" Thus "helped," but
more properly effeminated, they pass from
the lower room to a higher one, to fall
below what is required of them, to become
discouraged with their studies, perhaps
averse to their new teacher. Ihe true
teacher discerns with a quick eye that the
benefit of the school-room is in the disci
pline given to the mind, and every parti
cle of the scholar's work that is done by
another is a direct, positive injury to the
scholar. With a second or third-rate
primary teacher, the more advanced one
receives into his bands potters' clay that
has been falsely molded, and that instead
of receiving its true, comely shape, has
been deformed into an image of no beauty.
ni .
The Departmental Common Schools
of Pennsylvania ha3 decided that scholars
whose parent? have a legal residence in'
one district, cannot attend the schools of
another district, by merely going into
that district and working for their board,
with the intention of returning to the
.residence of their parents when the school
has closed.