We are not to look for splendid talents and great mental attainments, to spring from the families of the rich and the great only. Some of the brightest stars in our constellation have arisen from comparative obscurity. We have no hereditary nobility in our happy land; and may heaven ever preserve us from such a curse. With us it is, in a good degree at least, the "mind that forms the man." As, then, the destinies of our country are soon to be placed in the hands of those who are now but children, and as places of honor and responsibility are equally accessible to all, (which cannot be said of any other nation on earth,) it is of the utmost importance that our primary schools be of such a character as will direct the mind aright; for the leading traits of character are formed at a very early period-much earlier, I apprehend, than is generally supposed. How important, how responsible, then, is the station of the teacher, whose business is

-to rear the tender thought,

And teach the young idea how to shoot.

Well may he shrink from a task, where, may I not say, infinite consequences are suspended on his single effort? How ardently will he desire to perform his whole duty in the best possible manner, and that all should be regularity, system and order. How painful to the teacher who knows his duty, to witness in his pupils the least deviation from the path of rectitude. And yet, painful as it is, he is often compelled to witness it, and anxiously inquires for the cause.

Permit me, on this occasion, briefly to notice some of the causes of insubordination in our common schools, and also to give some of my views relative to the best method of governing them.

In doing this, you will see the necessity of my dealing in small matters. But you will excuse me when you recollect that the character of our youth is made up in a great measure of trifles, if it be proper to call those things trifles which affect the temporal as well as eternal condition of immortal minds.

In treating this subject, I must look for the foundation principles of insubordination much earlier than the period. when the child enters the school-room. Every experienced teacher knows-thisto be the truth. Mothers present will excuse me, if I attempt to take a part of the blame from the poor pedagogue, and look for it in the nursery. But hold, exclaims some fond mother, am I to be taxed with the blame of what my children do when entirely out of my sight and hearing? Now this is a little too bad. How in the world have I any thing to do in the matter? Have a little patience and I will tell you, for I honestly believe you have much to do with it.

In the first place, there may have been a want of attention to the child's wants before he could make them known by articulate

sounds. Nature has provided a way for him to make known his sufferings without the use of words. He cries, and receives the needed attention. I will not undertake to say at what age a child may learn to cry for what it wants. All will agree that it may at a very early period. Who has not seen children exhibit some of the evil passions of our nature before they are a year old? It cries for what it wants and is gratified; and soon learns that it has only to raise its notes to the highest key to obtain whatever it wants. The little general having, in this way, learned to conquer, is not easily subdued. This disposition" grows with its growth and strengthens with its strength," till it becomes quite insufferable. And the fond mother begins to see that something must be done. But ah!tis a heart-rending task to deny mother's little darling. But the process which our grand-mothers, aye, and our mothers too, have told us of, must be commenced. The child's will must be broken. And happy for it if it go through the operation with a whole skin, to say nothing of the injury done to the mind. The mother never once dreaming that, had her child's wants in infancy been anticipated, and had it never been gratified merely to still its noise, nine tenths of all this trouble would have been avoided. Never dreaming that the will which she is breaking, is, in a great measure, one of her own forming.

For the present we will take the little fellow to the school-room and seat him on a bench with a dozen others of nearly the same age; some with their wills so completely subdued as to render them almost dolts; some with half subdued wills; and others still that give the very best evidence that their wills have scarcely been crossed. And there let us leave them for a few moments, till we bring in another class of somewhat different character-such as have been reared, from their infancy, with the utmost care and solicitude, whose every want has been anticipated, and, more than all, who have never learned to conquer by mere dint of noise-whose parents corrected all their little faults and foibles as fast as they were developed, and on whom large doses of hickory have never been administered. Bring these too into the school-room; and let me ask any experienced teacher, which class will cause him the Teast trouble? The answer is at hand.. Is it not a fact, then, that one great cause of insubordination in our common schools, lies farther back than most people have imagined?

These are no pictures of the imagination. All our schools are in a greater or less degree, made up of such materials. Moreover these children, at this young and tender age, when they most need skilful management, are often placed under the care of. teachers, whose single qualification is, they will teach cheap. But the common sentiment is, they will do well enough for small children. Thus the evil is increased, till after a long time, perchance, some of the parents begin to find that this course will not do. And

what next? Too often the opposite extreme is resorted to, and a teacher is selected who is famous for the rod and the ferrule only. "Then comes the tug of war. I will not pursue the sickening detail, but leave your imagination to picture the results.

I verily believe, that were all our youth, at that tender age. when they usually commence going to school, placed under the care of teachers well qualified for the important office, our jails and penitentiaries would be nearly empty, and our lawyers would seek other employment or starve. It would, no doubt, be economy in our state to provide, at the public expense, for raising up teachers who should be well qualified for the discharge of the high and responsible trust assigned them.

But there are other causes operating to prevent that order and regularity in school which are indispensable to desirable improvement. The house in which the school is taught, is often wholly unsuited to the purposes for which it was intended; and every thing in and about it is of à repulsive character. If we would lock for improvement, the pupils should, as far as possible, be rendered comfortable and happy. Instead of this, how often do we see a group of active little fellows placed upon a bench, with no support to the back, and too high for their feet to reach the floor. And thus located, they are required to sit still, three hours at a single heat, with very little or no recess. No wonder that under such circumstances, boys of any life and spirit are disposed to play truant. And the fact, instead of being evidence of a perverse disposition, I should think was the very reverse of this. Indeed, I would think more highly of the boy who would run away from such a place, than of the one who would tamely submit to all its inconveniences.

I speak experimentally on this subject. When I was a little urchin, I was placed in just the situation above mentioned. And what was to be done? Why just to sit still and study my abs and blays, till my turn came to read, and then go back to the same position, and there remain till the tardy hour-glass had three times measured out its sands. As the only possible chance for exercise to relieve my aching bones, I even ventured to raise one foot. But that was a crime not to be tolerated in school in those days. No sooner was I discovered by my teacher than I was called to an account for the offence. And having no satisfactory reason to give for so gross a violation of good order, I was required to continue the process of foot-swinging, while all the school were allowed to suspend their studies and laugh at me. The very remembrance of which brings to my mind the raging of Eneas when requested by Dido to give her a history of the destruction of Troy. The 'purport of which is, that the relation of the facts would cause the revival of unutterable grief. Such were the times. That teacher was among the very best that could be found. And with him I

began and finished the little aid which I ever received in mental improvement. And far be it from me to say aught against him. Under most teachers, instead of the punishment inflicted, I should have received a larger dose of the essence of hickory.

With all our improvements, we are still far from perfection in the management of children in school. Young children require a great deal of exercise, and should be allowed to have it. When the weather is pleasant and the ground dry, young scholars should be allowed to spend near one half the time abroad, even in school hours. The teacher who adopts this course, will ordinarily find no difficulty in governing this class of his pupils. And all the punishment he need ever inflict for misconduct, will be to keep the offender in the school room, while his comrades are abroad at their amusements. Pupils thus indulged, will, other things being equal, improve much faster than those who are kept close to the school room.

But I shall be asked, how the larger scholars are to be governed, whose evil habits have perhaps increased with their years? No rule can be laid down for this, further than the very general one, that the teacher, as far as possible, make himself acquainted with every law of our nature, and each working of the human passions; that he carefully study the dispositions of his pupils, and judiciously adapt his admonitions and reproofs to these circumstances. For what would be deeply felt by some, would scarcely be regarded by others. Let the love of kindness dwell on his lips. Let him remember that he is dealing with rational, intelligent beings, and not with brutes. With these, and a share of prudence and common sense, he will not find it a difficult task to govern his school.

who cannot be Appeal to the Let them confail to do it.

Still it is objected, that there may be some reached by these means. Then try moral suasion. precepts of the Bible. Appeal to his class-mates. demn the course he is pursuing; for they will not Let the teacher converse with the offender privately. But let him do it with mildness and affection; and seldom, if ever, will he fail to reclaim. But I may be asked, should cases occur, in which all these means have been tried without success, shall we not, as a last resort, whip the offender? I unhesitatingly answer no, never; never let such a thing be named in school. What, use a rational being as you would a brute, with which you cannot reason? I am astonished that so barbarous a practice has so long found advocates. And it is high time the practice was discontinued. What then is

to be done with those, whom all our moral means and all our kindness, fail to bring to a sense of duty? Should one of this character be found in a thousand, as a last resort, let the teacher acquaint the school directors with the case, and let them visit him in private, and make another effort to save him. Should this too,

fail, then let the directors assemble in the school room; let them state the evils of insubordination, and the necessity of good order, and then let the offender be publicly expelled from the school. This course will be better, by far, than that he should remain, and contaminate, by his evil example, all over whom he can exert an influence.

But some will ask, why not whip him to obedience at once. I answer, for many reasons, I would not do it; some of which I will name:

I object to whipping in school; because it is usually done when the teacher is in a passion; and of course he needs correction himself, and fails to accomplish the intended object.

I object to the practice; because it has a tendency to degrade the scholar on whom it is inflicted. But you may say that his conduct merits disgrace. Do not, then, increase the evil, by adding to its cause.

Again, I object to the practice, because it has a tendency to abuse the mind as well as the body. This objection is closely allied to the one just mentioned. But there is a difference.. Perhaps I can best illustrate my position by a case. I once had two brothers placed under my instruction, of about equal capacity, and but two or three years difference in their age. The eldest of whom had, from a child, been whipped for every trifle, and daily told by his mother that he was born to be a poor mean fellow; while his younger brother was caressed with the idea that he was to be a great man. And so thoroughly had these notions been instilled into their minds that I could never remove them. And the effects on both were ruinous. One was bold, confident, and overbearing. The other moped about with his head down, and his eyes half closed, and never seemed to feel that he had rights in common with his associates. The minds of these boys had been abused. And if I do not greatly mistake, the evil effects of that abuse will adhere to them through life.

I also object to the practice of whipping in school, because it never does any good. This you may say is a bold assertion, and requires proof. Well then, I have my proof in the experience of every one who has been taken through a course of sprouts by any modern pedagogue. I have it in the testimony of at least ninetenths of all the experienced teachers who have tried both methods of government; and, if I mistake not, I have it in the good sense of most of this audience.

But I am often reminded of the testimony of a good old man, recorded in a very ancient book, (not much used, I fear, in the schools of the advocates of flagillation,) that "he that spareth the rod hateth his son." Were the good old book in which the above sentiment is recorded, made the daily study of the pupils in our schools, and were they daily taught to regulate all their conduct