OUR UNION SCHOOL.-NO. II.

Before passing on to the time when a new era dawned upon Our Union School, I wish to say a word or two more about Josh. Mills.

We all laughed at his oddities, yet he was the terror of half the school. From his earliest school-going, he had been a constant eye-sore to his teachers. Ever restless, or, rather, never out of mischief, he never seemed to study, and yet he had in some way picked up a fair share of book-knowledge. His dress was always untidy, his hair uncombed, and his person not over clean. Every one prophesied that he would come to no good, and some good people, shaking their heads, would say "That boy'll end his career on the gallows," and the prediction seemed likely enough to be verified. Valuable articles were often missed, both by teachers and pupils, and, after searches had ceased, were found in strange, out-of-the-way places. The charitable and almost unanimous conclusion was; that Josh. had stolen and secreted them. In the village, if Esquire Thornton's hen-roost, or Dea. Giles' choice pear-tree, were robbed, poor Josh. was sure to be at the bottom of it. Occasionally a newly-married couple were treated to what the Western people call a "chivarre," on which occasions Josh. was always the Captain of the band.

After I became a member of the school, it was frequently visited by one of the Committee, an intelligent man who had recently been elected to the office. His quick eye was not long in detecting the wrong in our system, and his earnest, energetic heart prompted him to undertake the righting of it. He expostulated and advised with the teacher apart from the school, and strove to aid him in maintaining order, etc. But Mr. C. had too much confidence in himself to take advice, and had not the good sense to see that he failed to secure the respect of his scholars.

When informed by the Committee that his services would be dispensed with at the close of the term, he expressed much surprise and such a sense of injury, that they felt obliged, in selfjustification, to inform him of his incompetency. His promises

and protestations were of no avail, and, at the end of the term, the school building was repaired and improved, and the school, much enlarged, passed into the hands of two gentlemen,—Mr. W. and Mr. B. Mr. W.'s duties included a general oversight of all the departments, of which there were five below the senior, and the conducting of three recitations in the senior department. Of this department Mr. B. had the constant supervision, and when, on entering the room a week after the commencement of his reign, I saw a hundred and twenty pupils quiet, orderly, and studious, I was almost stupefied with astonishment. Pupils, who in Mr. C.'s time never thought of studying, were now conning their books most attentively. My eyes glanced around the room in search of Josh., whom I soon espied on a conspicuous seat, but so changed in his externals that I scarce knew him; and he, too, was studying earnestly! Turning towards the desk, I be held, standing in front of it, the magician who had, as if by enchantment, wrought the change. He was a young man--decidedly youthful in his appearance-with a quiet, yet firm and energetic bearing. He was then engaged in hearing a recitation in Arithmetic-a class of twenty-five, perhaps, whom he was initiating into the mysteries of Addition of Fractions. His eye, and, indeed, his whole countenance; glowed with animation, as he explained that Simple Addition, Compound Addition, and Addition of Fractions were one and the same in principle, and the answering look of intelligence from most of the class, showed that his instructions were not lost. Apparently, his whole attention was absorbed in the recitation, yet a close observer could see that he took cognizance of the whole room. At the sound of a bell, proceeding from Josh. Mill's seat, he inquired if all understood the explanations and illustrations. Every hand was raised. He then gave out the next lesson, and, at the second sounding of the bell, the class arose and proceeded quietly to their seats. At the same time the doors of the recitation-rooms opened, and classes from each passed noiselessly to their places.

EXTRACT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE.

We e are much pleased with the concise and able manner in which Gov. Hall introduces the business of the present session. We copy, as coming appropriately within the province of the Journal, his remarks with reference to the

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The subject of education deserves the earnest attention of all who have in view the best interests of the State; for upon the proper educational training of our youth depends, in a great measure, the preservation of our free institutions, which are the pride and glory of the American people. The Vermont Board of Education has been in existence less than three years, and I think it is not too much to say that it has proved of great public benefit. If it has not answered the full expectations of some, it cannot be denied that the array of facts in relation to the schools throughout the State, which have been gathered through its instrumentality, are in a high degree valuable.. The third Annual Report of the Board, with the Report of the Secretary, will be submitted to you in due time, and I trust they will meet with the consideration which their importance demands. It is needless for me to say that the Secretary of the Board has discharged his onerous duties with signal ability. He has been at great pains to compile a summary of the school laws, which, with a copious index, he appends to his interesting Report; and this is the more commendable when it is known that the work is done out of the line of his own official duties, and without any expectation or desire of any compensation whatever.

A Teacher writes:

"Do you not think it would be well to ask questions in the Journal, to be answered in a future number by some successful teacher? I think there are many young teachers that would like to see something upon such questions as the following:What is the best method of preventing whispering?-The most suitable way to conduct recitations?-The propriety of prizes? &c., &c."

In the October number, page 169, second paragraph, fifth line, for withered, read-writhed.

WEBSTER'S NEW PICTORIAL DICTIONARY. An American Dictionary of the English Language.-By Noah Webster, L L. D. Pictorial Edition-Revised and Enlarged by Chauncey A. Goodrich, Professor in Yale College. Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1859.

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary has been, if we may use the expression, our right hand man, since its first issue. It has never failed us in time of need. The necessity of a revised edition had never occurred to us. When, therefore, the announce

ment was made that a new edition was about to be issued, we were disposed to cling to the old (?) one that had become so familiar from daily use, and leave the "pictures" to those whom they have power to attract and amuse.

But, when this magnificent work was placed upon our table, we could do no less than examine it. The result is that we have gladly availed ourselves of the advantages furnished by the superior qualities of the new Pictorial Edition. It is a work of which the American people have a just reason to be proud. Probably no other man has done so much to secure to us a permanent and pure language, as has Noah Webster. His was no ephemeral work. And justly, too, for it was the result of patient and laborious researches, continued "through a long series of years, in some of the driest departments of human study." Of this Unabridged Dictionary, the late lamented Horace Mann has said:"It is the best defining Dictionary in the English language." We regard this as the most important feature, for what is language without meaning? Even those who reject his orthography in the spelling of a few words, accord to him superiority here. The true scholar desires to trace words to their origin, and to search out and compare their different uses and shades of meaning up to the present time. Webster is pre-eminently at home here, and it is here that we are at home with him. We find, too, that his orthography is based, in nearly every case, upon laws that have been deduced from the natural growth of the language. They extend far back of Webster's time, and, hence, cannot be justly called the offspring of his imagination, no more

than the laws of electricity can be styled the offspring of Franklin's. He is the discoverer, but for that reason none the less a benefactor. But, as says a writer who disagrees with Webster, "the peculiarity of Webster's orthography is so insignificant in actual dimensions, that it bears about the same proportion to the whole work as a mosquito bears to the bulk of a man he is tormenting.

A distinguished and valuable feature of this Edition is that the llustrations are grouped in departments, as Architecture, Botany, Geology, Mechanics, Music, Philosophical Instruments, Quadrupeds, &c., &c., so that the consulter can compare the illustrations of a particular subject, at a glance.

We might properly say much more in favor of this work, and of its new features, but our limits forbid. We refer the reader to the advertisement of Messrs. G. & C. Merriam, on the third page of the cover, and would recommend to every one to call at the bookstore in his vicinity and examine the work for himself.

L.

In reading an article in the Oct. No., by the late Rev. Dr. Prime, I find him in the same predicament with myself,-laboring under erroneous first impressions. One of my own consists in placing the head of the Map of Palestine to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Now, to aid in guarding the young mind against similar errors, I propose that all school-rooms be seated so that the scholars may face the north, especially those that are studying Geography. I would have no windows in the north end of the room. Here I would suspend all maps, and (if convenient) all black-boards. Several reasons will be suggested, besides its being the natural position for maps. The light of the sun (if any is admitted) will fall upon the desk, instead of the scholar's face, assisting, rather than dazzling and

eye.

injuring, the I. A.

Mr. Melvin Wright of Proctorsville is an accredited agent for the Vermont School Journal.