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How, then, shall our daughters be trained to fill this sphere with the utmost success? What should they become? What elements should be wrought into their permanent, established charac ters?

I find the elements of such a character as our daughters should possess, finely suggested in the beautiful language of the king of Israel's prayer, that our daughters may be as corner stones, po lished after the similitude of a palace."

THERE is no more important question appertaining to the general welfare of our families, than this: "How shall I educate my daughters? There is none, perhaps, more anxiously asked by thousands of parents, The education of our sons, even were it allowed to be more important,-which we do not allow,-is nevertheless not attended with the same difficulties, as is that of our daughters. While firmness and solidity of character are apWith regard to our sons, whether we design to train them for mechanical or mercantile pursuits, and adornments befitting our daughters are as trupropriately indicated by the corner-stone, the graces or professional life, the general course of prepara- ly represented by its being polished after the simition seems to have been somewhat differently setlitude of a palace. tled. The kind and amount of knowledge supposed necessary in the different employments of men, seem to have been established by a sort of general consent. Their education is thus conducted with a degree of method which brings it to a definite result. From the nature of the case, it is otherwise with our daughters. We are not to choose for them their position and employments in life. We prepare our sons to go forth into the world, according to our own choice or theirs, with graceful superstructure. In every part I would a definite course in view, as the ship-owner fits out have at once the strength of marble and its polishhis vessel for a particular port. He knows the seas that intervene, the general nature of the curIf the everlasting hills, in their granite strength, rents, the winds, the climate, and the demands of the market to which he destines his ship. Not so the sclid earth is adorned with all hues of beauty are crowned with waving and graceful forests, — if with our daughters. They are to leave us, it may and all symmetric forms, where is the analogy be, for positions and pursuits in life, now little an- that shall teach us to discard from the human charticipated. We send them forth like ships on a acter, especially from that of woman, the element mighty venture, we know not over what placid or either of strength or grace? stormy seas, we know not what port or clime. Entrusted, perhaps, to the guardianship of others, and becoming, henceforth, their wealth instead of ours, how important that they be laden with all goodly treasures; and how difficult always to decide what those treasures would better be.

that the female character should combine both the I shall hold no controversy with those who deny elements of solidity and grace. I have no sympathy, on the one hand, with those who would secure to their daughters merely the accomplishments of character; hardly less, on the other, with those who are satisfied with the substantial elements only.

I believe alike in the firm foundation and the

ed beauty.

Such, then, being the character demanded, what education shall best secure it? A PARENT.

BROTHER JONATHAN TRAVELLING.In a late number of Blackwood's Magazine is a racy sketch of Brother Jonathan as a traveller. The writer, In my remarks upon female education, I do not evidently a traveller of genial spirit and quiet obpropose to treat of the training of the nursery.servation, is speaking of individual and national The foundations, to be sure, of the best education characteristics. Of the Germans, he says, they must be laid there. And were my object now a travel much and well, but they are ponderous in different one, I could not present a more important research and learning, deep in statistics and anasubject than that of the infant's training.

logies, and care little for the lighter touches which With many of our daughters, however, that point brighten and shadow the life of man. The Spanis passed. Good or evil, they have received their iard seldom moves abroad except in his own land. early impressions. The passive period of their The Russ travels luxuriantly and diplomatically. youth is nearly gone; and leaving the season of Luxury is his recreation, politics his study. The impressions, they are passing to the formation of Frenchman, with his language spoken, his customs their active habits and permanent characters.

At this important period of their history it becomes to us who are parents a question of intense interest, how shall we conduct their education through these years of their approximation to the age and responsibilities of womanhood?

and manners adopted by one-third of the civilized world, he is, perhaps, least of all men, a cosmopolitan-is the least at home among foreigners— he the least comprehends or understands the character or characteristics of another people. He is a poor traveler, and a worse colonist. The American "The sphere of woman is sufficiently under- is thus sketched: "No steam engine journeys stood to allow my forbearing any particular re- more fiercely, or with more rapidity, than our kinsmarks upon that point, although its nature, im- man across the Atlantic. In doing a certain numportance and responsibility will be constantly im-ber of miles, a certain number of museums, cities,

rivers, ruins, mountains, churches, in a certain and I could at the moment have hurled the book number of weeks or months, he whips the whole into the fire. The worse, however, I thought of world. His success in checking tavern bills, the myself the better I thought of my backward scholskill with which he manages guides and post-boys, ars. I was cured of my unreasonable expectathe energy with which he surmounts difficulties, tions, and became in future doubly patient and forthe perseverance with which he writes himself eve- bearing. In teaching youth, remember that you ry day a U. S. citizen, are truly wonderful. His once were young, and in reproving their youthful feet are untiring, his will unrelaxing-yet we can- errors endeavor to call to mind your own." not hold out to him the hand of fellowship, or recognize in him the true spirit of travel. He is a smart traveller, a regular go-ahead; but we find in his tracks little of the sentiment, the taste, or the heartfulness which are essentials of the gen-books; others with a good many wealthy people. tleman."

BOSTON, May 20th, 1861.

To the Editors of the R. I. Schoolmaster:
Permit me to say to your readers that we are
making the most complete preparations for the
Normal Institute for Physical Education, to open
on the 4th day of July of this year.

Acquaintance with the Eminent.

SOME men are acquainted with a good many

But intercourse with the latter does not make them rich, and familiarity with the former does not make them scholars. Extensive and promiscuous intercourse with mankind has few advantages for the man of thought. Access is not thus to be obtained to what is most valuable in others. Better for the studious, thinking man to be much alone, cultivating the acquaintance with the insides of good books and himself, than with the outsides of other people, however eminent.

In this Institute we shall prepare ladies and gentlemen to teach Gymnastics in the most thorough and scientific manner. The course will conNo men, although called great, are so full of sist of one hundred and eight lessons in Gymastics, pearls of thought, as to run over in the presence and a thorough course of lectures upon Anatomy, of ordinary company. To be admitted into faPhysiology, Hygiene and Gymnastics by four able miliar intercourse with those who are largely acprofessors. complished in knowledge of the world, and books Those who cannot attend a full course on the and things, is indeed an inestimable privilege. first visit can finish at another time.

Transmitted property is nothing in comparison

Let all who desire to know the detail of our plan with intellect and information, which comes sponsend for a circular, enclosing a stamp.

Please address to your obedient servant,

DIO LEWIS.

taneously without any effort, by inheritance from parents of broad and finished education. What privilege equals that of possessing a private key in early youth to the library of one eminent for taWe would call attention to the advertisement of lent, scholarship, or professional learning! Equalthat enteprising manufacturer of School Furniture, lity is not more to be prized, as the privilege to be Mr. Joseph L. Ross. His long experience and in- admitted to the chamber of the good man ere he creasing facilities for this work have already meets his fate, as well as where he meets it. gained for him an enviable reputation in that The privation most to be lamented is not only branch of labor. We have used his furniture for the want of formal instruction in early life, but years and ean say unhesitatingly that he leads all also that of daily and hourly conversation with others in beauty of design and finish. He has lately furnished several houses in Pawtucket, which we hope will be examined by builders before going elsewhere to be supplied.

friends of solid and deep information on subjects. There is a vast deal which can never be obtained from books, and yet it is necessary to progress. When this is attained with facility, by the way as it were, advancement is rapid and easy. When not thus acquired, these things so necessary to be known, become serious obstacles in the path of the solitary student, which a few seasonable hints from a learned friend would have immediately re

"I WAS ONCE YOUNG.-It is an excellent thing for all who are engaged in giving instruction to young people, frequently to call to mind what they were themselves when young. This practice is one which is most likely to impart patience and moved, if he could have come by such. forbearance, and to correct unreasonable expecta- An acquaintance like that with the great and tions. At one period of my life, when instructing learned is of inapproachable value, of which one two or three young people to write, I found them, has a right to be proud. But the sight of a phias I thought, unusually stupid. I happened about losopher or sage, or even a frequent position by this time to look over the contents of an old copy- his side, will not impart any of his knowledge or book written by me when I was a boy. The thick virtue. One cannot get either by absorption. up-strokes, the crooked down-strokes, the awk-There are many who revolve through life on the ward joining of the letters, and the blots in the outside of intellectual society, but never have acbook, made me completely ashamed of myself; cess to its esoteric privileges. They know no

more of men of note than travellers who visit for- when I come to be interred; I then look abroad eign countries and never see parlors, do of its pri- on the world, and observe what multitudes there vate mansions and domestic life. It is a very petty are in all respects more unhappy than myself. and contemptible ambition to know just enough of Thus I learn where true happiness is placed, where such men as to enable one to boast of their ac- all our cares must end; and how little reason I quaintance. Generally speaking, the best know- have to repine or complain." ledge of a distinguished orator, for example, may be got from studying his speeches; of a poet, by WATER is the blood and chyle of this crusted reading his poems; of an author, by familiarity globe; without water there would be no life, as we with his works, and so on. This is the greatest understand the term-no stir and bustle. "Death advantage of which they can be to us, unless their would reign everywhere, silence and stillness would friendship and intimacy may be granted; for that have taken the place of that universal movement is the greatest benefit of all. This great preroga- which now characterizes our earth. The face of tive is reserved, however, to a few, and commonly nature would present a dreary blank, in which the to those who are able to pay for it by a fair ex- intensest glare of sunshine would alternate with change of gifts. To consort with princes, one the intensest blackness of perfect night." One of must be a prince; to have intercourse with a shop- the agents concerned in the transformation conkeeper to any purpose, you must have change in tinually going on in our earth, the first place must your pocket to balance against his goods; and to be assigned to water. Magnetism, central heatbe admitted to the conversation of talent and learn- if there be such a power the earthquake and the ing, one must have both in some respectable de- volcano, play their parts; but one far inferior to gree.-Exchange. that effected by this mighty fluid, without the aid of which the earth would be no better fitted for the THE SWEARER REBUKED.-On a certain occa- home of animated beings than in the days when, sion, General Washington invited a number of his a boundless waste of rocks, glowing like a furnace, fellow officers to dine with him. While at the ta- it swept through the cold and silent fields of ether. ble, one of them uttered an oath. The General-Pittsburg Educator. dropped his knife and fork in a moment, and in his deep undertone and characteristic dignity and WHAT A GOOD PERIODICAL MAY Do.-Show us deliberation said, "I thought that we all supposed an intelligent family of boys and girls, and we ourselves gentlemen.' He then resumed his knife shall show you a family where newspapers and peand fork, and went on as before. The remark riodicals are plentiful. Nobody who has been withstruck like an electric shock, and, as was intended, out these silent private tutors can know their edudid execution, as his remarks, in such cases, were cating power for good or evil. Have you never very apt to do. No person swore at the table after thought of the innumerable topics of discussion that. And after dinner the officer referred to re- which they suggest at the breakfast-table, the immarked to his companion, that if the General had portant public measures with which, thus early, struck him over the head with his sword, he could our children become familiarly acquainted; great have borne it; but the home thrust which he gave philanthropic questions of the day, to which unhim was too much it was too much for a gentle- consciously their attention is awakened, and the man. And it is to be hoped that it will be too much for any one who pretends to be a gentleman. -DR. EDWArds.

AN OLD MAN'S SECRET.-An Italian bishop struggled through great difficulties without repining, and met with much opposition without betraying the least impatience. An intimate friend of his, who highly admired those virtues which he thought impossible to imitate, one day asked the bishop if he could communicate his secret of being always easy.

"Yes," replied the old man, "I can teach my secret with great facility; it consists of nothing more than making a right use of my eyes."

general spirit of intelligence which is evoked by these quiet visitors? Anything that makes home pleasant, cheerful and chatty, thins the haunts of vice, and the thousand and one avenues of temptation should certainly be regarded, when we consider its influence on the minds of the young, as a great moral and social blessing.-EMFRSON.

PROBLEM.-A traveller who was going west at the rate of 6 miles an hour, observed that the wind struck him from the northwest; but when he stopped that it actually came from a point ten degrees more to the north: What was the velocity of the wind? - Ohio Journal of Progress.

His friend begged him to explain himself. As frost to the bud, and blight to the blossom, "Most willingly," returned the bishop. "In even such is self-interest to friendship; for confiwhatever state I am, I, first of all, look up to hea- dence cannot dwell where selfishness is porter at ven, and remember that my principal business is the gate.

to get there. I then look down on the earth, and call to mind how small a space I shall occupy in it

We do not want precepts so much as patterns.

The R. J. Schoolmaster. 13. ༣༡.

JULY, 1861.

VOL. VII.

For the Schoolmaster.

"Eminently Practical."

66

NO. 7.

such as can, on occasion, be forced to dutywith attentive ear and firm, objurgatory voice, cards of censure or of approbation in one hand, We know not from what sacred scripture this and tinkling bell in the other, report-books open text was originally borrowed, or what mark of before him, Institute-circular and package of As inspiration it reveals to our modern seers. compositions in front pocket, and SCHOOLMASTER an adjective element, it suits with wonderful behind, helping to push onward the unwieldy readiness every need for such element, whenever Cause of Education, a denaturalized, distortany lecture, article or new method, proposed by ed, unseemly creature, good for nothing except teacher or other officer of education, is to be so far as he can obtain the coöperation of the commended in editorial puff. That adverb and other teacher, who is quite another person. To that adjective seem to be united in a strange distinguish these by name, - this receiver of sort of brotherhood. It is curious to observe, quarterly payments and writer of occasional arhow, in some brains, they invariably fraternize. ticles is the schoolmaster, and the other is the But, though the coin is current, we question its educator. These are not body and soul, but the purity nay, we have, for some time, thought| two parts of our dual nature. Every personand acted on the conviction that it is very base. ality," say's a deep philosopher, "divides itself Practical now no longer means capable of be- into a teacher and his pupil." Thus is my ing reduced to practice, but that which is in school taught by a principal and a subordinate, practice. When uttered by a New England of whom only the latter is catalogued, criticised, teacher, the word may usually be observed to paid and promoted. If the former could only refer to the city of Boston, whose schools of be induced to conform to the regulations of the eight-hundred or a thousand pupils, and the school-committee, to times and modes, as well fabulous salaries of its teachers, form the ulti-as the latter can and does, then might some ma Thule of his practical imagination. What worthy teaching be seen in my room. But this Boston does is the measure of what can be done. principal is often late at school, or even absent This is the Mecca to which the heathen school- for days together, and it is only when he comes master turns his face, and makes his pilgrimages. in that the boys really learn anything, for in It is strange, how much a teacher always knows these happy seasons lessons are suspended and after he has walked over a few of those five- the teaching becomes natural. story buildings, and talked with some of the Unshackled by written-examination tariffs, two-thousand-dollar men. Eminently practical and the absurd notion of measuring young means eminently now in practice in the grandest minds with decimals; - confronting character and best-paying schools of which we can hear. with character; - striving, not to produce reThus do we ignore the possible. sults visible to committees, but to make the day Though I have no assistant in my school, I rich; thus does the genuine educator endeaperceive that it is taught by two teachers. There vor to fulfill his high function. Our heart beats is the disciplinarian, with scowl and frown-quicker, and our bearing becomes more erect,

when this master touches a key of our school-are the men of more experience in the work music. The children know him, and reflect him than himself, who, both by example and by prefrom their eyes before you are aware of his pres- cept, inculcate low aims, because they no more ence. His action is direct and whole; but that believe in high ones. I hate educational conof his subordinate works through lessons on servatism, because I have observed that it means faculties. It is not he, but the schoolmaster, conservatism of place and salary. Are we parathat drills; he imparts, not knowledge, but sites, and of double speech, to serve the men of himself. influence? It has been said of men in importRecognizing this duality, the better nature, art station, that they should be respected for or ideal, we may come to some deeper under- their office' sake. I ignore the duty. You are standing of the sense of the much-injured word, respectable to me according as you possess charpractical. We have named the two sides of our acter and will. Perhaps the good-will, even of double consciousness, in schoolmaster style, a dog, is better than his ill-will. But it is cerprincipal and subordinate. The one is guide : tain that no good-will, of man or angel, is worth the other is follower. The one is strong in its a hypocritical act. We have to learn virtue by own purity: the other in obedience. That is observing its opposite in our superiors. What the best person who best realizes his ideal; if in ourselves is some original force that seeks that is, in whom the better nature bears com- its own odd utterance. A man's peculiarities pletest sway. When that which floats by us at are his only property; his only reality. It rare moments as vision becomes uttered in ac- was soundest and deepest advice that Emerson tion, it is then practice, and its practicalness has gave to a meeting of teachers; - That they been demonstrated. should teach with whatever they have of eccentric and peculiar. We talk of methods and systems, but there are only men.

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Who, then, is authorized to pronounce my idea either practical or visionary? I will try, myself, with such persistence as I am able, and Whenever, journeying in August - leisure then not decide against it, but hope and believe. through our beloved New England, we shall We have learned to estimate a discourse in the meet the Bernard Langdon for whom we are inverse ratio of its eminent practicalness." impatiently waiting, we will give him such wide When the heavy dignitary pronounces our plans admission as we never yet did to fellow in this impracticable, we begin to indulge hope. Of profession. The Helen Darleys are somewhat persons who maintain into middle age a marked less rare, but consider if you can count two subordination of the actual to the ideal, but such. But we find Silas Peckham scheming at very few are found in this our office-seeking every corner, - officious, too, if we are a trusprofession. The rule should be this: That is tee, to make himself agreeable. Of the three, to me practical, in which I believe. I will not Mr. Peckham holds the most eminently practibe the compliant fool to acknowledge any im- cal views of education. portance to me in an institute vote, or in the The practical way of dealing with a pupil is opinion of a timid dignitary. The men whom I to get the utmost possible out of him. Honor despise are those who, knowingly or unknow- and fame he will confer, if he is docile and iningly, check my enthusiasm. In so far as you telligent; but if you can sell him a few books impose on my ardor the laws of your conserva- at the beginning of the term, and so get half a tism, you are to me bad company, whatever dollar, your success will be signal. Of course your age, avoirdupois weight, office or title. You shall never warp me from my faith till I am also timid and unbelieving.

you will thus let him see your love of the dollar; - but remember that this love holds a high place among the qualifications for obtaining good results.

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We regard a proper understanding of this word practical as very essential to the right cul- It was with a glow and a quicker pulse, that ture, in some important aspects, of the charac- we read in Raumer a simple trait of the great ter. What can you do, my brother? What German philologist and Homeric scholar: can you sow that shall bud? Will you accept Wolf could justly say, he was free from orthe public voice of our profession, and so with-dinary views.' A man who gave up his rectohold your hand? Who may decide whether rate at Osterode, which brought him seven hunyour most visionary scheme is feasible? dred thalers, and at the same time refused a

A short experience as teacher is sufficient to call to Gera, where one thousand thalers were convince the young man that his worst enemies offered him, and then accepted the professor

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