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EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT* Organ of the Georgia Teachers Association- Organ of the State School Commissioner, G. J, Orr. WB.W.BOKKELL, Edilor. A Scientific View of the N ecessityof Edu cation. ‘Education means properly to draw forth, and implies, not so mnch the communication of knowledge, as the dicipline of the intellect, the establishment of the principles, the regulation of the heart’—Webster. In other words, it is the means by which a proper development of onr three-fold mental nature, intellectual, sensi tive and moral, may be effected. In order that we may perceive most plainly the necessity of education, it has appeared proper to the aulnor of this paper to first consider the fundamental phenomena of the mind. Two methods have been adopted by investi gators in their attempts to attain a knowledge of the truth of this mysterious inner part of man. One, the method of the metaphysician, consists in the study of mind exclusive of the body; the other, that of the materialist,seems to commence with the body and to end in the body. In the strife of these two, we have another application of the old fable of the struggled the two knights over the shield which they viewed from oppo site sides. •Now, the moral of this story as respects our present enquiry, is that as the entire shield is really made up of a gold half and a silver halt which joined each other midway, so the mind and the brain, notwithstanding those differen ces in properties which place them in differ ent philosophical categories, are so intimately blended in their actions that more valuable in formation is to be gained by seeking for it at the points of contact than can be obtain d by the prosecution of other methods of research.’— Carpenter. He who looks upon his subject in the light of modern philosophy, regarding mat ter as the mere vehicle of torce, can see where both sides, metaphysical and materialistic are light, and where both are wrong. He can lay t e foundations ot his science in the whole con stitution of man, and build it with materials furnished by experience of every kind, mental and bodily, normal and abnormal. What is the mutual relation between the two parts of our duul nature; mind and body? The point of contact of these gold and silver sides of humanity, is the brain; here let us begin our investigations. The brain isoften called the organ of the mind, but such cannot be the relation between them. An organ is a mere instrument, a tool for the accomplishment ot a certain work. Its excel lences or its defects may effect the ease and per fection with which the work is executed, but cannot effect the character of the agent. A skill ful artisan may do wretched work with wretch ed tools and yet be skillful all the same. A Raph ael or a Buonarotti, with rude charcoal for pen cil and a rough wall for canvas, will produce no such marvels as those glorious forms which sprung fipm better furnished easels, have lived and breathed through the centuries, and yet be Raphael or Buonarotti still. Far different is the relation between the mind and the brain. Eve ry perfection or defect in one is reflected in the other; if one ia inactive, the other is quiescent; if one is diseased, the other is disordered; if one is destroyed, the other (in its^manifestatiuns at least) is annihilated. Even the slightest chang es in the physical condition of the brain are im pressed npon the mind; if too much blood flow into the cerebral arterhs, confusion of thought and even unconsciousness at once follows; it impure blood be supplied to the great nerve oen- tre, melancholy,histeria, and other morbid men tal states, announce the result; even jar the pul py, throbbing mass, and contusion of thought or insensibility proclaims the dependence ot the mind. On the other hand, the states of the mind, particularly emotional ones,effect no less sensibly the physical condition of the brain. Joy and hope tend to perpetuate its healthy action, while fear, grief, anguish and despair equally tend to produce disease and even, in extreme cases, suspension of its life forever. Not only does the condition of the mind de pend upon that ot the brains but even its char acter, its aptitudes, and capabilities. In those races whose progress in civilization is small and whose intelligence is therefore but little de veloped, but whose emotional and instinctive natures preponderate, we find brains which give a physical evidence of their mental char acter. The cerebral hemispheres are very small, while the sensorium cerebellum and medulla oblongata are large and prominent. The skulls of the prehistoric men— cave-dwellers, lake-men and flint-folk,’ whose progress in the arts was very small, reveal to us that the brains which once filled their long empty cavities were ex ceedingly small. Among those races whose de velopment in knowledge and whose progress in the arts have reached the perfection of the nine teenth century, we find brains which in the grert size of the cerebral hemispheres, the depth of the convolutions and the comparative small ness of the sensorium, are so many physical indices of the preponderance of the intellectual over the sensitive, of the volitional over the anton atic principles. Even among persons of our own Anglo-Saxon race, the heirs of generation after generation of intelligence, we find illustrations of this fact. The intellectual power of each one of us de pends largely upon tbe size of his brain. The brains of men ol great intellectual abilities have always, when examined, been found to be laige: That of Cuvier, the great naturalist, weighed 59£ ounces: that of the famous surgeon, Dupuqtren,” 58 ez. those ol Daniel Webster ancl Napoleon, an ounce or two less. These intellect ual giants Lad gigantic brains as compared with those of ordinary men which weigh from forty to filty ounces. On the other hand intellectual pigmies have bet n found to have pigmy brains; in the case ot an idiot,so low a weight as twenty ounces having been recorded. Curiously enough, geniuses, whose influence is ever more upon the emotions than intelligence of others, whose lives are moie governed by emotion than reason, who seldom have any pow er oi comprehending the ordinary tflairs ol life, and w/Lose example isiaiel) LeJd up tor imitation, have never been found to have large brains. Intellectual pow er depends not only upon the size ot tLc ceitbial hemispheres, but also upon tbe extent of the giey neive matter or cortical layer that invests the white cential mass of the biain called iLe medn’laiy. Of the immense amount oi bleed that is supplied to the brain, nine-tenths uie received by the cortical arteries, a meie mouicnm being distributed through the larger mecuilaiy. It re in the cortical layer that we have to lee.}, for the source ot nerve or brain power. Bere is tLe abode of tbe intellect and the will; here reason sits enthroned, and from this lorum issues those mandate s wLicL give di rection and control to onr muscular movements and even to our veTy (bougLts. Comparative anatomy has shown that the se animals in whom this layer is ot small extent have no proper will; their tile is that of automata—is instinctive: while in mammals the predominance of reason and will is coexistent with and in prop>oition to a greater coitical area. The increased area is produced by tbe dipping ot the cortical in folds into the mass of the medullary forming what are known as the convolutions of the brain. In the lower mammals, as the rabbit, these convo lutions are wanting—the hemispheres having a smooth, unbroken surface: in higher orders, as the horse or the dog, they are strongly marked, while in man the highest type ot the brain life, the folds are deep and numerous, giving an enormous increase of cortical substance. In different races of men, we find these folds of different depths, and the layer consequently of varying extent. In the most degraded races, the convolutions are shallow, and, as we ascend the scale of humanity, we find that as they deepen, intelligence and will power increase. Even in the same race we find, however, indi vidual differences, corresponding to varying in tellectual endowments. Tae brain of an idiot is almost as smooth as that of a rabbit, while that of a Cuvier or a Webster would exhibit the convolutions in almost abnormal development. Again, perfection of brain development, and collaterally of mind-power, seems to depend upon the complexness of structure of the inte rior white medullary matter ot the. cerebral hemispheres. This is composed of fibres, ar ranged in three sets: The first is doable, con sisting of an ascending series proceeding from tbe sensory tract upward to the cortical and con veying the results of sense impressions; and a descending serits from the cortical to the ter minals of the motor tract of the spinal chora; (these were called by Rail the nerves ot the in ternal senses, since they bring intelligence aud will into relation with ttie mechanism ot sensa tion aud of automatic or instinctive motion. A second set of fibres joins different parts ot tbe same hemispheres aud in man is numerous and I peculiarly complex in arrangement: one group of them is known as the fornix or great com missure. The third set of fibres, known as the corpus callosum, connects tbe two hemispheres and is also, greatly developed in man. Cases, however, have been known in which it was de ficient or even wanting in man it is always so in fishes, reptiles and birds, marsupials aud ro dents.) It is curious that those persons in whose brain there rxists this defect have an en tire want of forethought—they are utterly unable to apply the teachings of the past to the fore casting of the future. Comparative anatomy, combined with carelul study ol habits aud mod els ot thought and action in other mammals as well as man has shown that rapidity and readi ness of mental action depend upon the num ber and arrangement of these fibres. Persons of phlegmatic temperaments may have large brains aud vigorous intellects, but they have a deficient number of these fibres; while persons of quick, nervous, sanguine dispositions, pos sess them in groat number and in complex ar rangement. Let us now take a brief resume of what has been so hastily and imperfectly set before you. It has been stated that the proper psychological study is to commence with the points ot contact of the mind and train: that the relation ot the brain is not that of tool to artisan ot organ to intelligence: that during that period ot its exist ence in which alone we can study the mind (dur ing life,' there exists a perfect aud remarkable correlation between it and the brain: that with brain-power we find associated mind-power; with brain-deficincies, mind-deficiencies, with brain-disease, mind-disease; with brain (e. i., cerebutn) extinction, mind-extinction, so far as it is outwardly manifested. It has been shown that in adults of the same race who are co-heirs of the same heritage ot generation atter generation of culture and intel ligence, there exists wide differences of cerebral find collaterally of mental development. Let us now prqceed to examine into the cans 3 of these differences and see tl we the pedagoguerie of Georgia, may not fitd new light thrown upon the necessity aud the utility of our noble calling. Before doing so, I wish to disclaim with abhor rence the materialistic doctrine of the material origin of mind—of the identity of mind and b aic, and of the consequent immortality of the soul. All that I do seek to establish is what 1 can safely appeal to your experience to your ob servation and to your consciousness ior confir mation. That there is a mysterious correlation and interdependence between the material and immaterial parts of our dual existence—soul aud body, mind aud brain. At birth, the brains of all healthy children are alike, with perhaps some slight aud unimportant modifications. All have the same possibilities of fature growth and develoj ment. 'Why is it that in the adult state they are so different? Why is it that children of the same race, of the same kindred, of the same parents eveD, have so often brains and minds so utterly dissimilar? Born to the same heritage, cast as it were, in the same mould, how can the developed results be so entirely diverse? Let us try to answer this question. Is the difference of men in mental power due to heredity ? I answer, ‘No !’ If heredity were the ruling principle in brain-development and its co-relative, mind-development, we Bhould find all children of the same parents possessed of similar mental characteristics, which is sel dom the case. We inherit from our parents a brair, not brains. Tbe influence of heredity ceases at birth; all that we get from our parents after that is the result of association. The cere brum thus inherited, may be abnormal, as a re sult of disease or bad conduct of our parents, but if normal it is like the cerebrum of any other infant of the same race or country. Let us examine the condition of the cerebrum and mind of a young intent. The cerebellum and the sensorium are almost perfect, but the cerebrum—the abode of intelligence and will is embryonic, a soft, pulpy mass, with but traces of determinate form und structure. As a result the babe's animal functions are all alert and ac tive, its organs of sense, though it has not learn ed their use, are perfect. It has no intelligence its nerve-phenomena are all ot the body. It sleeps the greater part of tbe time; when hun gry or cold it wakes and cries; when fed aud warm it sleeps agair. It sees nothing, for per ception, the result of experience, is net yet de veloped, but a light, or bright objects, give it pleasure, and it will cry if they be removed from its gsze. As time goeB on, its little experience and the budding power of perception conjoined with nascent memory, render it capable of see ing oljects in our sense of the word. It then begins to compare, and can distinguish its mother from father or nurse; ideas begin to form, crudely at fiist, but gradually cry stalizing into clear-cut forms. What has been said of sight is true of hearing. At first it hears noth ing; a loud noise will not wake it; but it soon brgins to find pleasure in certain sounds—it as sociates some with its mother and turns and crows with delight at the approach of her voice. So, step by step, the mind-growth goes on and pari passu ILe cerebrum assumes more and more its perfect form. What are the meana by which this growth of mind and brain are effected ? The answer is ob vious—by cxereise. The great law of the human body, that use i dds to tbe power of using, ap plies to brain-life as well as to muscle-life— to tbe mind as well, orco-ielatively with, the brain. As the muscle-cultivator must develop fibre after fibre by club and dumb bell exercise, so must the brain-trainer bring forth nerve-centre after nerve-centre by perceiving, thinking and willing. In the earliest stage of the process of mind-development, the process of acquiring ideas is antomatic. Ideas suggested by any ob ject ere necessarily the result of Attention, and tbe attention of Ihe young child is automatic in th’s sense: it is solely determined by tbe attrac tiveness of the object; and its diversion Jrom one object to anoiher depends upon the relative loiceol the two attractions. We see the force of this attractiveness of the object in the delight with which the infant grasps the toy in its little hands, raises it to its lips, and holding it at vari ous distances, gazas at it with absorbed atten tion. Daring tbe early stages of childhood, it is this attraotic-eness of the object that calls forth the observing faculties leads, to the formation ot ideas and promotes the growth of mind and brain. This whole process is instinctive or au tomatic, inasmuch as the will has nothing to do with it. It is for this reason that instructors have found object-lessons so useful, as well as because the authority and enthusiasm of the teacher arouse tbe will to aid the attraction of the object in fixing the attention to one object until all that is possible can be learned of its nature. As the child grows older it is necessary that its attention be directed to objects which may have little or no attraction for it. Here it is that the work of the teacher is necessary and begins. We can see the necessity ot this work by observing tne untaught -even adults. They go through life, passing without notice hundreds of objects daily because they have no attractions, tor tnem;yet when their attention is properly directed to the same objects, eager curiosity takes the place of lisllessuess, and bright intelli gence dawns in stupid eyes. The writer has of ten noticed this, when, on a geological tramp, he has found a rare and beautiful fossil, in the curious eyes of the ignorant mountain guide, in his eager attention to the story revealed by the the silent stone, and the intent consequent search lor more ‘funny rooks.’ The poor un taught mountaineer’s attention was generally automatic aud only became voluntary under the impulse ol another’s will. The wiil-power of his cerebrum had never been developed in the direction of his intellectual wants, but solely in that of his animal necessities. Herein lies the- necessity of education—not to store the mind with treasures of knowledge — not to make animated encyclopte ias—but to de- vslope the will power of the mind, the cortical of the cerebrum. To make this will-power so strong as to overcome the automatic action of the attention, so firm that no attractiveness of other objects cau divert its grasp until its end is accomplished; to replace the automatic life of the child by tne full-brained life of tbe man; to add nerve-centre to nerve-centre by judicious training; to replace mental weakness by mental strength—such is the glorious, the honorable, tbe responsible life of the teacher. It is the subordination of instinct to reason, of tbe automatic to the volitional, tnat distin guishes man from lower creatures, and it is the extent of this subordination that separates the scholar from the boor, the taught from tbe un taught. The object of all our labors in the schoolroom should be, not, as the practice of so many seems to indicate, the development oi the memory, but the education .of the will. It is this power alone that, in spite of the superior attractiveness of other objects, can fix the atten tion upon one, can give us what we call concen tration of thought. This mental habit is tbe habit of all others that is essential to the man of action as well as the man of books, to the throngers of the forum as W6ll as the inmates of the quiet study, to ,the horny-palmed farmer a3 well as the burner of the midnight oil. It is the possession of this habit that Las given to tbe worid a Newton aud a Napoleon, a Watt and a Shakspeare, a Spurgeon and a Beaconsfield. The formation ot this habit—the making the student the fortunate possessor of that powerfal engine of thought and of action — concentrated at tention -this is the work of the teacher. Ardu ous and protracted, too often thankless and ill- remunerated, it yet brings to him who has with in him the true spirit of his calling, like virtue, its own exceeding great reward. , — The Public Schools of Texas. Proceedings of the Georgia Teacher’s Association. Third Day. Friday, August 1st. 1878. The suspension of the public Free Schools of Texas, which results from a Constitutional pro vision to the effect that appropriations cannot be made for a longer period than two years, is a calamity which seriously effects the educa tional interests of the State, and calls for more than a passing notice from every friend of ed ucation. It is useless to animadvert upon the cause or canseB which have brought about the present disaster to our Public School interest, but the truest philosophy is to deal with the condition and exigencies of the case, as they ac tually exist, and their relative and specifio tff ct upon the school system. It is estimated ibat the appropriation for the current scholastic year, whicn can lawfully be used, would not run the schools more than one month. By an estimate of the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the Board of Education say that the available School revenue for the year endiog August 31st, 1879, will be $900,000, but cannot be applied till authorized by law, except $300 000, which the Board is authorized to use. Ihe 10th Leg islature meets next January, and will doubtless authorize the use of the available fund immedi ately. It now rests with the several communi ties and the teachers to say whether or not they can afford to carry on their Schools until Jan uary next, on a credit, or whether they are wil ling to trust the patriotism of their legislators in providing for their pay. We know that school teachers are a hard worked and poorly paid class, and it is to be regretted that there exists the necessity for them to wait for their hard earned wages. There is no more honora ble calling than the prolessional teacher and we hope ere long to see the ranks of this grand army of noble men and women swelled and the cause of education advanced until every where all classes may be benefited. Communities and teachers should face the existing s ate of affairs squarel-, and give the matter their careful at tention.*— Goliad (Texas) Guard. General News. The citizens of St. Louis have recently been muoh excited over the election of school direc- tors. The retention of the study of German in the schools, was the issue at stake, the Americans opposing the Germans, and protesting against the expense cf such a branch of instruction. ^ alone, the former claims, costs the city $100, UOU a year. The graded school in Abbeville has opened with fine prospects. Miss Juliette Corson is to conduct a course in cookery before the Montreal Ladies Educational Association. To Teacher* and the Educational Public. The following books published by Messrsi D. Appleton & Co., have this day,August 5ffi, 1878, been adopted by the State Board of Education of South Carolina. Appleton’s readers, copy books, Cornell's First Step in Geography,primal and intermediate geography, Qaackenbos pri mary and English grammars,Illustrated Lessons in our Language, First Lessons in Composition, Composition and Rhetoric. Hugh S Thompson. State Supt. Education. In the schools under charge of the London Board the Bible is read, Scripture instruction is given daily in all the schools, and prizes are given for proficiency in Scripture knowledge. At a School Board fete given at Crystal Palace recently, 4,000 Bibles and Testaments were dis tributed as prizes. There bad been 105 000 vol untary competitors. It is stated that a great y improved moral tone prevails id the schools since the introduction of Scripture instruction. The association convened at nine o’clock, President Baker presiding, and the exercises were opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. A. Means. The report of the committee on official organ was again taken up, and often some discussion, it was moved by Prof. Ivy W. Duggan that the whole matter be referred to a committee of five with full power to act for the association. Prof. Orr moved to amend by inserting a clause advising this committee to adopt some secular paper published in the stat9, as the organ for the association. Tne motion was discussed by Supt. Mallon, Mr. A. A. Murphey and Dr. A Means. The motion as amended, prevailed, and tbe president appointed as the Committee on Pub lication and Official Organ, Messrs. W. B. Bon- nell, W. F. Slaton, J. H. Chappell, B. Mallon, G. J. Orr. Principal T. E. Atkinson offered a resolution requesting Prof. Orr, the State School Commis sioner, to adopt as the medinm of his official decisions and communications the paper selected by the committee. The resolution was passed. Prof. Orr then made some remarks upon the subject of the resolution which, in his letter to the president, he had recommended to be passed. The resolution had already been presented by the committee on topics, and reoieved the unau- imo is sanction of the association. Prof. Orr said, in substance, that the consti tution of Georgia gives the power of providing for the higher education of both races. He would discuss only the provisions in reference to public elementary instruction. The substance of this is made obligatory upon the legislature by the constitution. The people demand a thorough system of public schools. He de scribed hs one of the proposed means for rais ing revenue for this purpose, the Moffet Liquor Punch, and showed that it was excellently adapted for the collection of the tax. It would tend to diminish the amount of liquor con sumed, and at the same time aid and support education. The passage of the dog-law is also authorized by tbe constitution. It would encourage sheep raising throghout the state, and the proceeds of the tax would go to the support of our schools. He gave an interesting account of his visit to Washington, in the interest of Georgia aud the South. There were encouraging prospects of receiving financial aid from the general govern ment. If the proposed bill is enacted by Congress, it will give Georgia $80,000 annually. This, with the amount now received, and the amounts, that may b3 realized from the laws just advocat ed, would aggregate about one million dollars per annum. With this sum, the public schools could be kept up throughout the state for six months or longer. In response to a request made by the Secre tary, Prof. Orr stated that it was a great mistake to suppose that the public schools would injure the high schools and colleges. t)n the contrary the establishment of the system would prove vastly beneficial to the higher institutions. At eleven o'clock, a m., Supt B. Mallon read a paper in which he discussed tbe question 'SHOULD PHIZES BE OFFERED AS INCENTIVES TO STUDY INI SCHOOL ?’ The leading ideas were as follows: The form ation of character is an important part of edu cation. There are lower and higher motives of action. We should address the higher, not stim ulate the lower motives. There are some cases in which the offer of prizes is productive of no evil, but good; but in most cases it is productive of jealousies and undue emulations. The effect of prizes depends much upon the character of the teacher. Prof. Chappell thought that the offer of prizes need not interfere with the purity and nobility of the motives of pupils. The association then received the report of the Committee on Nominations and place and time of meeting. The following named members were nomi nated as offijers for the ensuing year: President, S. P. Sanford, Macon. First Vice Pres., Dr. S. G. Hillyer, Forsyth. Second Vice Pres., W. H. Fleming, Augusta, Third Vice Pres., S. C. Caldwell, Rome. Fourth Vice Pres., I. W. Duggan, Sandersville. Fifth Vice Pres. J. F. Bonnell, Oxford. Secretary, W. B. Bonnell, Atlanta. Treasurer, A. B. Niles, Griffin. The nominations were on motion confirmed; and the officers declared elected. Rome was selected as the place for the next meeting, and the week including the first day of May, 1879, was chosen as the time. The Committee on Resolutions reported a series of complimentary resolutions, which was duly received and adopted as follows: 1st. Resolved: That we hereby tender the thank of this association to Prof. C. E. Lambdin and the authorities of Gordon Institute for the use of their beautiful hall for the session of this body. 2nd. Resolved: That we hereby express our grateful sense of the courtesy and hospitality of the citizens of Barnesville, so freely manifested to the members of the association during its present session. 3rd. Resolved: That the members of this Association hereby express their high appreci ation of the handsome musical entertainments given by Prof. Gut euberger, the pupils of Gor don Institute and others on Wednesday and Thursday nights to the members of this body. 4th. Resolved: That to the severai Rail Roads which have favored the members of this Asso ciation by passing them over their lines at reduced rates, we hereby tender our respectful acknowledgements. 5th. Resolved: That the thanks of the Asso ciation are due and are hereby tender to Rev Dr. A. J. Battle for his tasteful and eloquent address on the subject of Imagination. After a few remarks by President Baker, the Association adjourned sine die. W. B. Bonnell, Secretary. Our Schools and Colleges. Gordon Institute, at Barnesville, is one of tbe leading institutions of the State. It has a full corps of earnest, enthusiastic, energetic teach ers, and is furnished with all the improved ap pliances end facilities for successtul instruction. ltr pupils stand well wherever they go, and among the colleges no sohool has a better rec ord and reputation. Prof. Woodall, recently of Talbort county, is now associated with President G. E. Lambdin, and Prof. G. E. Guettenberger is at the head of the music department. The Institute deserves and will command a fine patronage. Mrs. G. Y. Browne is still in oharge of the G eorgia Female College at Madison. There are 188,000 children in the sohools un der the charge ot the London Board. Both Sides of the Question. The following extracts from high authority in education, is a striking illustration of the dif ference of opinion. It is much like the story of the two knights and the shield. Let the read er compare the articles critically; they are sub, mitted without further comment.—[Ed. Improved Education. The reign of cram in primary schooling is se riously threatened, and Boston leads the revolt. Henceioith, if success attends the effort, the Bos ton public school teacher will teach, not simply hear recitations as heretofore, and the pupils will acquire knowledge after the normal manner of chiidhood, by being taught, by seeing and thinking, instead of by memorizing words from books. Language will be taught by talking les sons with and about pictures, plants, animals, every-day life and experience. Oral instruction will also be given upon form, color, measures, animals grouped by habits, vegetables minerals, hygiene and the banian body. The metric sys tem will be taught from the metric apparatus. No spe.ling books will be used, the reading books taking their place. Iu the grammar grade gram mar, as usually studied, has been abolis 3d with the spelling book. Instead of parsing and other technical work, lessons will be given in composition, in the use of capitals, in letter writing and in the arrangement of sentences. Much of the time formerly devoted to geogra phy will be given to natural philosophy and physiology. Oral instruction will bean import ant feature of ail the classes, and in the lowest two it will predominate. In the lower classes the subject of oral instruction will be natural history, plants from May to November, animals from November to May, trades, occupations, common phenomena, stories, anecdotes, myth ology, life in the middle ages, biographical and historical sketches, and experiments in physics. This method labors under one serious, we tear fatal, diffi3ulty —the teachers will have to know something —Their knowledge will have to be real ‘live’ knowledge, not dead verbiage, and they will need to know a good deal about the natural, social and industrial lile that the chil dren come in contact with, out of doors and at home. Such knowledge is not to be gained from books; and it is hard to turn a book student into a practical observer. We sincerely hope, how ever, that the teachers of Boston will succeed in their difficult task, and demonstrate to the rest of tbe world the feasibility of this promising and long-needed reform. — Scientific American. The Sin Francisco Examiner, under the head of ‘The Oral Instruction Humbug,’ enters the following criticism upon it, the points of which we consider justly taken: . Without going into an examination of extend ed review of the system of oral and object teach ing, there can be one objection urged to it which of itself is enough to condemn it. This is the patent fact that no two teachers can or will im part instruction alike by such a method, whereas books of the same edition are all exactly alike and uniform. A teacher of bappy fancy and ready faculty of description and explanation, would probably so enlist the attention of the class as to cause his pupils to learn from him with greater facility than they could derive instruc tion fram tbe books. But all teachers are not in these ways gifted or favored, and a dull,prosy, uninteresting tutor, with whom his class could have no sympathy and very little patience, would he unable to advance them in their studies or education. . Then, again, the great difference there is m the order of intellect in children. Some can learn best from objects and practical instruc tion ; otheri from books; add there are many to whom lessons are like rivets, which have to be hammered in and clinched by slow and labori ous process. These must have hooks and time to iearn, or they will never progress. Oral in struction or object-teaching to either of the classes last instanced would be generally ineffi cacious. Much as book study causes drafts upon tbe memory and the thinking processes ot the mind, the instruction which is orally imparted is still more exhaustive. A pupil with a book may learn the appointed lesson slowly or quick ly,as the power ot mind is cast, but in oral teach ing all are obliged to learn as the teacher recites and explains or go untaught. It is equivalent to the exaction of that impossible faculty to mortals-the similar process of thought and memory, iu absolute harmony and unison with the prompter or instructor; the endeavor to com pel the many to see a thing and to think of it precisely as the one who explains it sees and thinks. Until teachers shall all be cast in the same mould, mentally and morally, and the children they shall teach shall be equally endowed with memory and understanding, the art ol instruc tion by word of mouth, as soldiers are drilled, and the teaching by objects, without rule or standard, ought never to be substituted for the good old way, which has founded the greatest in stitutions cf learning that have ever blessed the realms of thought and intellect, and illuminated the world of letters with the noblest scholarship which has in all ages commanded the admira tion ot the loftiest, and strengthened, refined sand graced mankind It is not well to toad a child down with lesson books, nor to crowd out health to cram in stud ies, much after the manner thatturkeys are fat tened for market; but books from which to learn little by little, and always well, are far better than oral and object teaching in our publio schools, or in any other. The abolition of books involves also the abolition of sound instruction and soiid learning. Oral instruction is super ficial instruction. Object-teaching is objectless tuition. The two impose upon present attention and sight that which ought to go to the memory and the understanding. Boston will make her self an object of contempt in the ill-advised adop tion of the system. It ought never to be harbored here.—-V. E. Journal of Education. The Innocent Schoolmaster. He doesn’t know very much. He can ask the questions laid down in his text-book, and can determine with a good degree of accuracy wheth er the answers are repeated correctly. He car ries a pen over his ear, a stick in bis right hand, and a book in his pocket. He considers it of muoh more importance to secure obedience and submission than intellectual discipline. He frequently says : “Learn your lesson ! If you ask any questions you shall be punished ! It is not for you to know the reason why ! Wiser heads than yours or mine have written these books, and it is your duty to learn what is written, and mine to make you do it! Study !!” He requires absolute, unquestioning lubmis- sion. Ho neither thinks tor himself, nor per mits his pupils to do so. He believes his books, and follows bis nose. He is the sworn enemy of normal schools, teachers institutes, and uni versal free education. With new text-books he lias no patience, and takes no special interest in new inventions ; in tact, he rain ;r more than half believes that Edison is a numbug. He daily puts on the skull-cap of his own ignorance, and lives in the loggy atmosphere of his favorite pipe, and one of these days he will wrap the drapery of his snuff-stained garments about him and lie down unhonored, unwept, and unre membered. The above is no ideal sketch. We have many such teachers yet lingering in the valleys of our dark comers. It is only by persistent effort that they can be driven from tbe teachers’ ranks iDto the darkness of obscurity.— Barnes Ed. Monthly. -