THE TEACHER AN ENTHUSIAST.

THE teacher can interest his classes only by becoming himself interested even to enthusiasm. A successful man in any calling must be an enthusiast. Nothing can supply the place of this in the school-room. The best methods and the most stimulating expedients will fail in the hands of an indifferent teacher. If the "Goddess of Dulness " presides over his brain, her drowsy influence will soon extend over his little kingdom - the school-room.

Enthusiasm is quite as contagious as gaping. You see it flashing from the eye of the orator to the soul of his audience. You see it spread like electricity from the heart of a Bonaparte, and kindling every heart in his vast army. You may sometimes see its enkindling influences in the school-room. An enthusiastic man guided by truth will always interest. It is impossible to resist the charm of earnest enthusiasm.

It is sometimes said that teaching affords no scope for enthusiasm. It is false-a libel on the noblest employment ever permitted to man. The teacher is a co-laborer with the Great Teacher whose text-book is creation. The design of all true teaching is to elevate. Every truth learned brings the learner nearer to the omniscient One.

Let no teacher be too modest to appreciate and "magnify his office." He is the prime Architect of society. He shapes the material, lays the deep foundations, and rears the massive frame work. Is there no scope for enthusiasm in training minds for every station in society? If school-keeping has been made a dull and monotonous business, it need not be so. Teaching cannot be so.

Blustering is not enthusiasm. It will not do the work of earnest and devoted enthusiasm. The still small voice, and earnest demeanor alone can make the schoolroom like the magic circle of the enchanter.

If the teacher's interest flags, there is a sure way to quicken it to new life. He must work. Work is the word. It is a certain remedy, and the only one. It is a blessed principle of our nature, that we soon love to do what we do habitually and in earnest. Here is the secret of enthusiasm in every pursuit. We ever become heated by earnest pursuit. With what absorbing interest does the chemist pursue his processes of composition and decomposition, while the mere spectator or mechanical operator regards them with entire indifference.

How

completely engrossed does the mathematician become among his diagrams, formulas and abstractions. There are few subjects from which the mere looker-on would turn away with more indifference. It is a law of the whole creation, that action pro

duces warmth. The head and heart of the schoolmaster are not exceptions.

sons.

The teacher should work in the daily preparation of his lesHe cannot begin every recitation promptly and say and do just what he ought to say and do, without forethought. With it he will save time and do more finished work. But he will derive a greater advantage than this. His inventive powers will be aroused. Clearer explanations, new processes, and better illustrations will be discovered for every class. Let the teacher once begin to invent, and he is sure to be interested. Inventors are always enthusiasts.

He will become clearer and more prompt in his teaching. This is very important. If the teacher himself be ever at loss, never can he secure accuracy and promptness in his pupils. Besides, they will lose confidence in him. They should feel that his resources are inexhaustible. Scholars ought to feel that unbounded confidence in a teacher, which a skilful general inspires. Some teachers have been able to do it. By his own character he should make them feel that difficulties can be and must be overcome. Never should a teacher be conquered in his school-room.

Professor Buddingh, of Holland, on the eve of his return to Europe, addressed a letter to the President of the New York Board of Education, which is translated in the Christian Intelligencer. He speaks warmly in favor of our educational institutions, and thus of Normal Schools:

The welfare of the future depends on the Normal Schools. If their spirit be individualizing, self-disciplining, and religious, then the teachers trained there will carry the same spirit into the schools. Science, as I saw in the Normal Schools, is highly esteemed here, and in the Rutgers Female Institute this was shown in a most striking manner. But does science impress the heart? The heart, as well as the head, and the future calling of the pupil, must be kept in view, in a course of education. If the many scientific attainments of the Normal School teach this, it is indeed fortunate for America, and for future generations. "Knowledge is power:" may the Normal Schools always feel that the character of that power depends on Christian principles. I remarked with pleasure the religious spirit at the opening of the schools, and with great delight the exercises of the Sabbath school. If the same spirit pervades the whole system of instruction, and trains the heart, then in behalf of humanity I shall the more rejoice. In this respect I cannot but hope that America is in the way of rapid progress. What in European apprehension she now seems to want in personal instruction and training, will be speedily supplied whenever the necessity of it shall be generally felt.

HAMPDEN COUNTY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

THE Hampden County Teachers' Association held its regular semiannual meeting at the Baptist Church in Westfield, May 9th and 10th, 1851.

The meeting was convened on Friday, at two o'clock, P. M., and in the absence of the President, Mr. W. C. Goldthwait, one of the Vice Presidents, was called to the chair.

The exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Alden, of Westfield.

The Secretary read the report of the last meeting; after which, a committee, consisting of Messrs. P. B. Strong, D. S. Rowe, and M. C. Butler, was appointed to prepare and arrange business for the session, and Messrs. Miller and Ellis were appointed a committee to take the names of members present and make other necessary arrangements.

In accordance with the report of the committee, the attention of the Association was called to a lecture from John H. Thompson, one of the teachers of Monson Academy. The subject of the lecture was " The Future of New England," and the lecturer attempted to show that, notwithstanding her increasing inferiority in territory and population, New England might maintain her former ascendency in the Union, and exert a controlling influence upon the nation through her educational system. The necessity of Common Schools, High Schools, Academies, Colleges and Female Seminaries-the relations of these different institutions, and the part each had to perform-were discussed.

At the close of the lecture, remarks were made by several gentlemen upon the lecture and subjects suggested by it. Mr. D. S. Rowe thought that there was not sufficient prominence given to the moral part of education, and spoke of the danger of cultivating the intellect to the neglect of the heart. Rev. Mr. Alden spoke very eloquently upon the same point and upon the fearful consequences which have followed the neglect of moral training. Rev. Dr. Davis had some doubts as to the possibility of giving to New England such a controlling influence, and still more as to the desirableness of doing it. For his part, he did not care to have New England exert such a power over the nation.

Female Seminaries were discussed by several of the speakers, and, as at present generally conducted, severely condemned. The injustice of depriving young ladies of the advantages enjoyed by young gentlemen, and the need of colleges for young ladies, were very forcibly set forth.

At five o'clock, the Association adjourned to meet again at half past seven.

A lecture was then delivered by C. S. Pennell, of Charlestown,

and remarks were made by Rev. Dr. Davis, Rev. Mr. Alden, and Messrs. Greene, Strong and Beckwith. It would be impossible to do anything like justice to the lecture or the remarks which followed, by any abstract. The speakers were listened to with deep interest by a large audience, and the impressions made upon the minds of all present, cannot fail to be most useful and lasting. Among other subjects, the importance of cultivat ing a love of Nature, of developing the moral sentiments, and of forming habits of thought and reflection, was very ably and forcibly presented. The Association adjourned to meet on Saturday, at half past eight.

Saturday, May 10th, 1851, the Association met according to adjournment and was called to order by the President, Mr. W. W. Mitchell, of Chicopee.

According to appointment, Mr. S. S. Greene, of Boston, delivered a lecture upon Reading. Mr. G. considered that the great defect in reading, as taught in our schools, is a want of thought. This defect commences when reading commences, and affects our whole system of reading. Children are not required to have an idea of the meaning of the words, and if they pronounce correctly and mind the pauses, it is considered sufficient. The great requisite is that scholars should think. The thought should stand out as the prominent thing, and everything else should be subordinate. If a scholar feels what he reads, he will hardly fail of giving the right emphasis and inflection. Mr. G. gave an interesting account of the method of teaching reading pursued in the schools of Switzerland.

A discussion followed upon the best way of teaching beginners in reading. Mr. Parish, of Springfield, was in favor of a combination of the two methods-by the names of the letters, and the power of the elements. The child must be taught the names of the letters, and the way to combine them. Mr. P. thought that much unnecessary ridicule had been thrown upon the old method of combining the letters by name. names must be known, even though they do not represent the sounds. As to the question whether the names or powers of the letters should be taught first, it would seem more simple, as a letter may have different powers, to teach the names first. This would be in accordance with the general rule, to point out the great division first, and the subdivisions afterwards.

The

On the other side, it was strongly contended by several speakers that the powers should be taught before the names of the letters. Mr. Greene maintained that here, as in reading, the essential thing was the idea, and that, as the idea should precede the word, so the sound should precede the name. The scholar should first be taught the elementary sounds, and the names are of secondary importance. Mr. Rowe explained, at some length,

the method of teaching beginners by the sounds, and several testified to the success with which this method had been followed.

Some very interesting statements were made by Messrs. Mitchell, Stone, Pennell, and others, in regard to the method of teaching reading recommended by Mr. Greene. They had adopted this method to a greater or less extent, with the best success. Classes had been drilled by some of them, for several weeks, upon a single piece. In such cases, it was found that the scholars felt more interested in reading,-entered into the spirit and appreciated the beauties of the piece, and made more improvement in reading, while at the same time they were acquiring knowledge and forming the best habits of thought and reflection. A remark made by Mr. Pennell in his lecture, that a scholar who could read understandingly, half through any of our reading-books, had a good education, was fully endorsed.

Messrs. Rowe and Parish spoke in high terms of commendation of the Massachusetts Teacher. The high literary character of this magazine-its claims upon all the friends of education for support, and its indispensable importance to every teacher, were very forcibly presented.

It was voted that the time and place for holding the next meeting be left with the Directors.

It was voted that the thanks of the Association be presented to the lecturers;-to the W. R. R. Superintendent, for furnishing the members with free tickets;-to the Baptist society, for the free use of their church ;-and to the citizens of Westfield, for their generous hospitality to all in attendance.

At 12 o'clock the Association adjourned, to hold its next meeting at such time and place as shall be appointed.

There have been meetings of the Association more fully attended, but few, if any, more interesting or profitable; and the teachers present will long remember with pleasure, the meeting, and their brief but pleasant stay among the citizens of Westfield. JOHN H. THOMPSON, Rec. Sec'y.

POWER OF EARLY INFLUENCES.

AMONG the cliffs of the Andes, a child's hand may turn the course of the Amazon. But let it flow onward three thousand miles, swollen by the influx of a thousand tributaries, and there is but one power in the universe that can turn it from its broad and deep-worn channels.

So the mind, in the beginning of its career, is yielding and takes its direction from the slightest influences. So, too, when the channels of thought and feeling have become broad and deep, it spurns control and bows to nothing but Omnipotence.