frigid, and false, and foul negation, and let it read as the utterance of the teacher,

"I stand

"Among them, and one of them."

The general maxim then, taken in its parts, embraces, first, this injunction, "Be above them." But beware of confounding this with what seems to be the maxim of some, namely, "feel yourself above them." The difference between them is just this, in the latter the fact sinks as the feeling rises, while in the former the conscious feeling grows more and more subdued, as the actual superiority becomes dominant. Guarding yourself against this most fatal of errors, steadfastly labor to obey the true injunction, "Be above them." You owe it to yourself, both as a man and a teacher, to be, in all that pertains to the truest taste and breeding, in advance of those around you. You should always, as you move onward in either the isolation of personal matters, or the contacts of business, or the blendings of society, discover yourself-without yourself discovering it— to be in cultivation, as a man, something more and better than others. Never, through either an inward groveling or an outward scheming, sink yourself, or allow yourself to remain sunk, to the ordinary level of society. It will add nothing either to your influence, or to the regard of others for you.

The general maxim embraces, second, the injunction, "Be among them." This injunction, as you will see, attacks every thing like a scholastic or sensitive seclusion from society. It is sometimes the case, that from an undue devotion to books-for it is rarely a true and proper studiousnessthe teacher is led to withdraw himself from a just and genial intercourse with men. The same result may grow out of a blameless, but yet excessive sensibility, which, from the pain of past abrasions, and the fear of future ones, occasions an involuntary shrinking and recoiling from the rough contact of society. And yet to neither of these secluding influences should the teacher yield. You owe it to your position as an instructor, and to your very nature as a man, to seek, enjoy, and improve society, as far as you can, without neglecting your business; and if you are systematic and resolute, you can, within the limit of this last restriction, accomplish much more in the direction of an intelligent, genial, and well-regulated mingling among men, than you may at first suppose practicable. Besides owing it to yourself, remember also that you can do little with men, or for men, except as you are recognized and regarded as among them.

The general maxim embraces, last, the injunction, "Be one of them.” This, however, must not be understood as demanding your connection and co-operation in that, which among men, is either false or frivolous. It is only opposed to a phlegmatic or morose lack of sympathy for the affairs of others. It bids you guard against a cold or sour withdrawment from the things which concern, interest, or agitate your fellows. You yourself

have your need of a foreign interest and sympathy; your own perfect growth requires both the reception of its genial influences, and the active exercise of its life-giving and life-blessing virtue; your own prosperity and power among men depend upon the living evidence you give the world, that it has a true, and generous, and genial hold upon your sympathies. It becomes you, therefore, to judiciously yet sedulously cultivate a fellow-feeling for your kind.

The general maxim which is to govern you as a man, may then be given in full, thus, "Be above them, and yet both among them aud of them."New York Teacher.

F. S. J.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF BASLE, IN SWITZERLAND.—No I.

BY DR. AUG. KURSTEINER.

THAT education in this utilitarian and progressive age, in a free and growing country, where the young generation are expected to take in time their different and truly important places as citizens of an enlightened community, must necessarily be extended not only to a few elect, but to the masses, to the people in general, is an incontestable fact. A goodly number of the older States of this Union have gone forward with energetic zeal in the cause of education so as to shine as commendable examples in the sphere of school systems and various methods of instruction. The younger States follow their footsteps with evergrowing interest, and try to adapt their educational principles to the actual requirements of a fast increasing population, and to the wants of the times.

In all ages the wants for the education of the youthful members of any community have been more or less felt, but only in more modern times the all-powerful cry has pervaded the enlightened nations to offer to the rising generation such advantages for their mental and moral cultivation as would enable them to take their stations in any of the branches of human occupation. Different ways for obtaining a happy result in this great question have been taken in different countries, and thus it may be interesting to some of the readers of the Journal to read a few remarks concerning the educational systems of other lands and places. I will therefore try to delineate, in a few sketches, the school system of the old City of Basle in Switzerland; but treating upon the proposed subject, I feel necessitated to make a few preliminary remarks about the town itself.

Basle is situated on the extreme northwest corner of Switzerland; the river Rhine divides the city into two parts. It was founded by the Romans, who built there a fort to defend their conquests against the Ger

man tribes. It changed masters a number of times, till in the mediaval ages the warlike bishops ruled it, and retained the reins of the government in their hands in spite of the endeavors of a seditious nobility, not willing to yield to any supremacy either spiritual or secular. As in antiquity among the Eastern nations, learning and erudition were found almost exclusively among the priesthood, so in the Middle Ages you find the same principle followed, because the clergy kept the key of knowledge hidden within their own corporation, in order that the people might be prevented from opening that sacred shrine, from gaining wisdom, and from awakening to the consciousness of their own power to shake off the yoke of abso lutism and mental servitude.

The bishops of Basle, and their suborninate clergy, took the first step in laying the foundation stone for the educational system of the city. With the Reformation the absolute power in matters of education was wrung from the hands of the priesthood, and the people seeing in the public schools a mighty interest at stake, took the reins of government in their own hands, and the democratic principle in education, was still confirmed by the accession of Basle and its district to the Swiss Republican Confederation. Without stopping to enumerate the details of the progression in school matters, I will discuss the present system of education of the city.

The prevailing principle is that of universal education; there is no distinction between rich and poor, high and low; the children of the poor wood-cutter may sit on the same seat with those of the millionaire; the children of all citizens stand on the same level at school, and so all are offered the same privileges.

The schools are arranged according to the system of gradation, and edu cation begins in the earliest stages of infancy. At the tender age of three years children of both sexes are sent to the primary schools, which do not stand under the control of any other persons than the good and kindhearted school-mistress, who instructs the little ones in spelling, reading, writing, and the first principle of arithmetic and geography. A great importance also is attached to committing to memory short verses and small pieces of poetry with rhymes, since a child's conception is stronger than his discerning and reasoning faculties. There are many of these schools scattered over the city, and they enjoy a good patronage from rich and poor, as the fees are trifling. In this way the children become impregnated with the first ideas of discipline, are kept out of mischief at home, and have a good opportunity for spending their time profitably. Many parents in this country would have serious objections against submitting their children so early in life to the influence of a teacher, and taking away from them, in some degree, the care of a tender parent. Yet it is certainly & great truth, that the earlier in youth the mind of man is occupied with useful things, the better will it be for the formation of his future charac ter, and perhaps of his whole career in life. At the same time it may be said, that though perfect order reigns in the school-room, severe disci

pline is excluded, the rod is not felt, but gentleness and kindness rule the day. The children remain about five hours at school, Saturdays excepted, when three hours in the morning are thought sufficient; the time in the forenoon is fixed from eight o'clock till eleven, and in the afternoon from two to four. The children recite in divisions, the youngest and oldest being separated, because the instruction they receive somewhat differs in form. To create ambition among the pupils, at the end of each month places are assigned to them, the first place being the reward for the one I who behaved the best, and learned his or her lessons with the greatest care during that time; testimonials, also, of behavior, and progress of the scholars, are sent monthly to their parents. To this end the teacher keeps a record of the good and bad marks the pupil has deserved during the month; and there is no child that will run home with more joyous alacrity, and will present with a sunnier smile to his mother, the testimonials of his good behavior and steady application, than a member of these primary schools furnished with good testimonials. It is well to remark here that parents take a vital interest in the training even of their youngest offspring, and a beneficial home influence is felt throughout all these primary schools. Teachers and parents walk hand in hand, and scatter flowers of love over the path of innocent childhood, impressing the tender minds with the necessity of taking upon themselves duties to perform, and of submitting their volition to a will restraining their own. Thus the little children are early taught to obey and to look up with respectful eyes to a superior, who watches over the flock as a watchful sheperdess, whose task it is not only to try and instill some principles of knowledge into the young minds, but also, and perhaps mainly, to occupy the children in a manner useful and appropriate for their age and sex.

When children have arrived at the age of five or six years, they become members of the schools of the communities, similar to the ward schools in this country. The city is divided into four communities or wards; each ward having a main church and school-house. The school-houses are large, and have ample accommodations for the reception of the children. From this period of life the sexes are instructed separately, the boys and girls having their own departments. The pupil remains in the ward school two or three years, certainly two, as he has to finish the course of the two classes, each course lasting one year. The course is prescribed by the council of education, which has executive power. The teachers are mostly gentlemen, yet also ladies, with the necessary qualifications, are employed, especially for the female department; the boys stand only under the control of male teachers. In these ward schools the severe training so characteristic of the Swiss and German educational system, takes its beginning. The studies pursued are those that are called here "English branches," yet much more weight and virtue, than in this country, is laid upon history and geography. The pupils have their rank according to their behavior and their progress, and the monthly testimonial tells the correct story of the improvement made by the ward scholar during this

period of time. These testimonials are to be endorsed by the parents or guardians, and to be brought back to the teacher, who keeps them in his care. They have a square form, and are divided into columns, as they must serve for six months, the name of the month is written at the left margin of the document, and the number of good or bad marks the pupil has deserved during that month inserted under the different headings. At the end of half a year all the marks are summed up, and the pupil who has the most marks of diligence and good behavior, will rank the first; the four best scholars are rewarded with prizes, consisting of books. The examinations that occur each half year, are public, and rather strict, since a pupil who has not the necessary qualifications to progress into a higher section of his class, or into a higher class, is not allowed to be promoted, but is kept in his department till he is qualified to take his seat in a more advanced section.

School hours are every day from eight till elever A.M., and from two to four P.M., except Saturdays, when the exercises are not continued in the afternoon. School is begun with a short prayer by the teacher, when all the pupils rise, and it is closed in the same way; the Bible is not read. The classes recite, generally, one full hour, rarely only thirty minutes, and after the lesson, which was given to the scholars for study at home, has been recited, the lesson for the next recitation is prepared, that is explained by the teacher; thus the task of the pupil is made easier, and he will be able to uudertake more studies. It is not the case that all the studies the pupil pursues occur every day, they come often on alternate days, and some only twice a week; the variety of study stimulates the young minds much more than an eternal sameness, which makes it often move not unlike a machine. It is an important feature in the system of these ward schools that especially the memory is acted upon. Yet the study of mathematics, whereof algebra, even in its simplest forms, is excluded, begins to sharpen the intellect, and to bring into activity the reasoning powers; mental arithmetic, therefore, is one of the main studies. Loud reading, to form and strengthen the voice, is another and peculiar feature of the instruction, and connected therewith on the first principles of vocal music. Many persons in this country are often astonished that the Swiss and Germans are musical in so high a degree; is it to be wondered at, when the rudiments of that noble and civilizing art, music, are instilled into the mind at the moment of life when the rosebud is trying to unfetter itself from its leafy surroundings? Yet with mental improvement is connected corporal development, as gymnastic exercises, adapted to the tender age of the scholars, are an obligatory pursuit; only deformity and constitutional weakness serve as excuses for not participating in those youthful sports. Thus we see not weakly emaciated and pale little forms, wander to the school-house, but you might predict a healthy and vigorous race on perceiving ruddy boys and girls bending with elastic step their way to their common resort of mental training.