deliver to the town, village or city olerk, in into the treasury, on account of the principal writing,guch determination, stating the amount of the school or university funds, until the required, and it shall be the duty of said clerk amount received by such bonds shall have been to give notice of the application for such loan, fully paid, and to charge interest as hereinstating the amount and terms thereof, with, hefore proyided upon such sums as shall bayo and as a part of the notice required by law for been adyanced upon such bond as aforesaid, ench general or charter election or town moet- from the date of such adyance, and all such ing. bonds shall have procedence in the order of Speaker of the Assembly. President pro tem of the Senate. COLES BASHFORD. From the Newburyport Union. THE DESERTED SCHOOL HOUSE. Oh! lone deserted school-house! Where is the happy throng, And filled thy halls with song? Their feet have left no echo! Their songs have died away; No more, in hours of play! Thy seats are all forsaken! They'll fill them not again; Remembered thou shall be ! In after years, 'mid hopes and fears, Their hearts will turn to thee. When down the West he sinks to rest. Enwrapped in clouds of light. And in the icy Winter, --- And in the balmy Spring - To fill thy halls deserted, With treasured ones of yore, Kind mem'ry's hand shall lead that band, haye been issued, the first moneys roeeiyod! To tread thino aisles once more. Editor's Department. protection for the pupils under his charge. The inhabitants of our school districts are not all sonllces. Surely in this land of Bibles, of ChrisTIIINGS FOR TEACHIERS TO DO. tian Sabhaths and of newspapers, no entire community could be so dead to humanity, as to The winter terms of the schools throughout deny relief to so reasonable a demand. The the State, are now very generally commenced. Texcher should never hesitate to ask what is One of the first things the Teacher should at- clearly right; and if from indolence or a false tend to, if he has not already, is to see that his modesty, ho prefers to endure personal incon. school room is put in good repair, and fitted up venience, and to witness the discomfort of his so as to conduce to the comfort and quietude of scholars from day to day, during a long winter the scholars committed to his care. Ample term, then he is unfit for the business in which means for warming, as well as for suitable be is engaged, and has very likely no adaptaventilation are indispensable. No Teacher can tion to success in any of the active pursuits of maintnin good order, and adyance his classes life. in their studies, as well in a rickety, out of repair school room, as in a comfortable and LECTURES. conyenicnt one. A cold and cheerless school The lecturing season has now fairly comroom, necessarily makes a discontented school. menced in many of the larger towns. Among Would a Teacher have his scholars good natur- the various plans for improving the public ed and a greeable, then he must see to it, that taste and inspiring a love for intellectual purthey are not annoyed with cold feet and other suits during the winter seasons, none bave discomforts during school hours. proved more popular than a series of lectures, Teachers are more responsible for the con- by men eminent in the literary history of the dition of the school houses they occupy than country. By these means the masses of the is often supposed. It is true, many districts people are brought to a more familiar acquaintare greatly remiss and neglectful in providing ance with the distinguished men of the age, conveniencies of but triling expense. The and hear from the living speaker thoughts, school house may be a rude structure, bearing which, perchance, may be the product of years no evidence that an architect was ever con- of mental effort. Publio lectures too, are well sulted in determining its proportions, or that adapted as a means, for arresting the tendency the plane of tho joiner or brush of the painter, to lower amusements, especially among the was ever employed upon it. Yet even with young. The human mind is so constituted as such a house, if it be not absolutely untenant- to demand entertainments and pastimes of some able, the Teacher, if he have industry, perse- kind, and if those of a rational and elevating verence and resolation, can do much to remedy character be not furnished it, then it will natuits defects, supply its wants and improve its rally and easily be carried along the currents of condition. Whencycr a school house displays senseless and profitless gratification. Every a great contribution of hats, caps and dinner successful effort in turning the channels of baskets, thrust into the broken window panes thonght to higher and nobler pleasures, is true to repel the storm and wind, a suspicion at-reform. Pleasure and amusement are a part of taches to the Teacher that he is wanting in man's nature-indispensable to his being. So energy; that he prefers inactivity with its prominent has this attribute of man been reattendant miserics, rather than bestir himself garded, that nations have made suitable proviand possess some of the conyeniencies of life. sions by law to meet its necessity and supply If a Teacher finds himself employed in a its wants. In several of the governments of school house, baying broken windows, shatter- Europe, public entertainments for the people ed doors, smokey stoves, or gaping creyices in are provided for, and paid at the nations' exthe walls through which the storm drives, let pense. It is true, these entertainments have him faithfully and earnestly represent the con- very often not been conducive to the moral and dition of things to his employers, and demand intellectual elevation of the people; neverthe $ less, it is an acknowledgment of a want of the telloctual tono to the communitica in which people, demanding governmental attention. In they are placed. It is timo Toachera generally, this country our systems pertaining to these realized more fully the truo dignity of their matters, are moro voluntary, depending upon an calling, and their responsibilitios to the intellienlightened publie sentiment for thoir propor gent movements of the age. The Teachers of regulation. tho Stato, should occupy the first rank in tho The movement for organizing and sustain-circles of influence, respectability and sciening lectures, in our principal towns for the in- tific enterprise. The nature of their vocation tellectual entertainment of the people, during more justly entitles them to take a higher posithe winter seasons, has not yet beoome 33 wolltion, than any other class or profession. If systematized in the west, as in some of the they qualify tbomselves for taking this rank, older States. A number of reasons havo con- and enter upon it from a proper sense of self spired to this lack of means, for the rational respect and of true duty, public opinion will entertainment and instruction of the people. readily award it to them. But if they hesitate, The number of individuals in the west, and by & sort of acknowledged choice, take a whose time is exclusively devotod to literary lowor place; shrink from leading, or being assopursuits, unembarrassed by professional duties, ciated with leaders in enterprises, aiming at the is comparatively small; consoquently the re- moral, social and intellectualelevation of the peoliance has been chiefly on the cast for lecturing ple, they will be quite certain to carry with them talent. The expense too, attendant upon sus all their days the old cognomon, with just the taining a course of lectures, where lecturers alro significance of olden times attached to itinvited from a distance, is necessarily groeter, • schoolmaster." than where there is an abundance of homo A few earnest Teachers in a town, might ontalent, fittod by long and careful preparation for list an interest among the people; organizo an this particular field of employment. association, and procure such locturing talent Notwithstanding these disadvantages, it is as may be within their reach. By this means, desirable that some plan should be inaugerated the tastes and habits of young men may be and sustained, at least in the principal towns of improved, and their passion for the lower the State. It may not be practicable always, amusemente restrainod. The older members of to secure for this purpose, the services of those the community too, would be benefitted, and whose namos hold a high position in the literary their intellectual activities receiyo new impulse. world; nevertheless, there are resources at This is not merely theory; the ability of Teachhome in almost every yillage, which might be ors in their respective towns, to originato assoprofitably brought into requisition. If the ciations for instructive locturos, and carry such highest standerd of talent cannot be obtained, a enterprises into successful operation, is not leas one is far better than to neglect the ein without practical demonstration in this State. ployment of any. Let examples of this character be greatly mul tiplied the present winter. INDIFFERENCE OF PARENTS. There is probably no other interest of equal schools, should evor be ready to load in ference than the district school. In many enterprises of this character. Lot no Teacher things of far less importance pertaining to inimagine his wholo sphere of public dutios, is dividual interests, men act wisely. They do confined to the school room. Teachers aso, or not employ a laborer, mechanic or clerk to should be professional educators; their activo perform service without vigilant inspection of endeavoro should reach beyond the juvenile his capabilities and faithfulness. Not so with minds wlth which they are brought in contact; the teacher. He is employed in one of tho they should aim not to fulfill their mission most important departments of human skill as Teaehers of the young, but also to give in- and effort; his mission is, to instil into the youthtul mind principles of thought and mo- the part of parents, disheartens the teacher, tives of action, which will have a controling and leads him to relax his efforts; the children influence through all subsequent life. In the partake of the spirit of indifference of their dischargə of these high responsibilities, how parents, and fail to realize the true importance little interest is manifested in bis efforts by his of making progress in study. employers? There are many districts, in which parents and guardians never visit the SCHOOL SUPERVISORS. school, or manifest any concern in its affairs, save when some frivolous complaint against The best plan for an efficient and intelligent the teacher, excites their temper; then they school supervision, is a matter which has long hesitate not, to speak of him with screrity in occupied the minds of teachers and friends of the presence of their children. They send education, but there has never been entire their children to school irregularly, and at the agreement as to the exact method to be adoptclose of ihe term find fault because they have ed. The system of town superintendency has made no progress. They expect the teacher to a popularity, because of its near relation, and maintain good government in his school, but immediate responsibility to the people in every are indignant is their children are required to town. The distribution of power as widely as submit to rules, which they imagine too exacting. They send their children without books, iar features of our democratic institutions. possible among the people, is one of the popuand are astonished that they remain ignorant. The town system has merits; but it is doubtThey expect the teacher, to teach as well as the ful whether it is regarded as the best, by a mabest of his profession, but if he introduce any jority of the most experienced educators in methods of instruction, with which they were our country. unacquainted in their boyhood days, they de. One of the primary objects to be secured nounce bim as an innovator, and full of new from school superintendency, is efficiency and notions. the requisite talent. These qualifications are Such a condition of things as is here de- considerations of the first importance, and the scribed, may seem an exaggeration, and as best means for securing these, should be the having no existence in this enlightened age, aim of school legislation. That talent better but it is doubtless not without examples. Most adapted for school supervision, might be obof the complaints and fault-finding against tained by selecting one superintendent from teachers, arise from that want of acquaintance cach county, or congressional district, will be with the school, which is obtained by personal readily admitted: It is difficult to find an inobservation in the school room. It is a fact dividual in each town, who by education and generally noticeable, that in those districts habits of study, is adapted to superintend and where parents and guardians are indifferent to give direction to the schools. Besides, the the schools, and never visit them, fault-finding compensation ordinarily allowed to town suwith the teacher, and with the government and perintendents, does not warrant their giving regulations of the school, is always most time to study and preparation, for the proper prevalent. The progress too, of such schools, discharge of the duties of the office. A man is always less marked, than in those where pa- to be efficient and successful in any particular rents are properly interested and make freoccupation, needs to have his time and atten. quent visitations. tion devoted to it. It is true, there are Town It is in vain to expect that children will be Superintendents, who are well fitted for the profitably interested in the school, if parents duty, and who freely give their time, regardmanifest none; por can the usefulness of the less of the small pecuniary consideration alteacher be secured, without co-operation. Pa- lowed them. Examples of this kind however, rents are generally, not aware of the influence are not numerous. they are capable of exerting upon their dis- It seems a reasonable conclusion, that the trict school; their presence and friendly advice districting of the State into territories of a in the school room, is a never failing stimulus size and population, sufficient to employ the to the teacher, and encouragement to the schol- entire time of a well qualified Superintendent, ars. Indifference and neglect of the school on would conduce to a more intelligent and effect C. B. H. ive school supervision. This subject is one, ITEMS. capable of great amplification, and has been ENCOURAGING.-A correspondent at Ranlargely discussed by the best talent of the country; it is a subject we approach with diffi- dolph, Wis., writes us an interesting letter, in relation to the progress of educational matters dence, nevertheless, we shall probably refer to it again. in that town; we have only room for the fol. lowing extract: NEW SCHOOL BUILDINGS. "It gives ine pleasure to state that the district schools have commenced their winter terms, under the most fayorable circumstances. The Probably at no period in the history of Wis- number of scholars is much greater than at any consin, has there been so large a number of previous ycar; the school houses are in a much new school houses erected, as during the past better state of repair; the scholars are better year. In many of the cities and villages in furnished with books, and as far as practicable, various parts of the State, we hear of the have provided themselves with those recombuilding of large and elegant school edifices, mended by the State Superintendent. Our ranging in cost from one thousand to ten thou Teachers are all workers of the right stamp. sand dollars each. The policy of dividing a Our school boards do not inquire who can we village containing a few hundred, or even a few thousand inhabitants into small districts, we get to teach, but where can we find first rate 18 becoming every year more unpopular. Edu- Teachers? The general feeling of the people cators maintain, and experience proves, that is , give us energetic, thorough going and praclarge houses with classified departments, are tical Teachers ?" more economical, and are better calculated to Mr. J. J. M. ANGIER writes from Berlin, advance the interests of education. As to the giying some school items, among which are plans on which most of these houses have been the following: constructed, and their internal arrangement, "At Omro, Winebago county, a new school we have no definite information. It is reason house, 32 by 60, two stories high, will be comable however, to infer from the character and pleted in a few weeks. The people of Berlin intelligence of the population of the towns are waking up to the interests of schools. Our where these buildings have been erected, that house is not very conyenient; we have about the latest and approved models have been consulted. A school house with an elegant exte 200 scholars and three Teachers. At the last rior, is certainly very desirable; but after all, annual mecting, the inhubitants voted to raise its interior plan and equipments, have a great- $1,000 to build a primary sehool house, to be er practical importance. The art of construct- completed by the first of January, 1857." ing school buildings, and supplying them with Madison.-Wo haye a letter from a correnecessary appendages and fixtures, has for spondent at Madison, giving a graphic descripyears been undergoing progress like all other tion of the school house accommodations in the arts. This department of educational enter-capitol city of the State. He says: prise, is as susceptible of improvement, as the “Our school houses beggar description; they implements of agriculture or mechanical ma combine modern disregard of comfort, conyechinery. We suggest to teachers and friends of education, whether it might not serve a use nience and health, with ante-deluyian architec ture." ful purpose, were they to furnish suggestions on this subject through the columns of the We regret to learn that a tax loviod for the Journal. These considerations derive addi-purpose of erecting large and commodious tional importance from the fact, that a large school houses in that city, fuiled to bo approamount of capital, will continne to be be em- priated to that object. We earnestly hope that ployed yearly in this State, in the building of the capitol of our State, will not be long withschool edifices. Every district, which has re-out public school houses, worthy tho acknowsolved to build a new house, should be satisfied ledged intelligence of its population, and which before beginning the work, that it has a plan shall prove an additional ornament to that fully up with the improvements of the age. beautiful city. |
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