This fact, in the attempts to cheapen education, and extend its operations, should be allowed some considerable weight. National education is for the poor; but the poor have "estates as well as the political body of which they are part. Their lowest order is the subject of the police, the ragged school, or reformatory; the middle class the day-labourer and inferior mechanic-supply the national school with students; the aristocracy, the "respectable" order, that shades imperceptibly into the greater "middle class," are divided between the efficient national school and the cheap academy. The first class will remain a social difficultyfor them coercion and reformation will remain for ever; amongst the two latter the benefits of instruction may be extended; but to withdraw the nominal payment, to reduce the national school to the rank of the charity" school, which a local rate, for example, would do, would decide the wavering choice of the majority of the most deserving portion of the lower classes. They would prefer the dignity of independence to the value of eleemosynary knowledge. 66 To produce from these elements a useful, if not a symmetrical system, it needed but to combine with them a proportion of state assistance and central control. But this element requires skilful application. Like the constituents of a chemical compound, different proportions of this ingredient produce dissimilar results, and English prejudices, as difficult of manipulation as the least tractable material of the chemist's art, will combine with it in the smallest quantities. Nothing is so disagreeable to Englishmen as the ostentation of power. Indirectly, perhaps, they may not surrender less of practical freedom than most civilized people; but they dislike the parade of authority, and abhor the perpetual vision of the executive. If they admit state interference in that which they regard as a personal duty, it must come in the guise of a co-operating and suggesting ally-as a counsellor rather than an overseer. This is precisely the position which the State assumes in our existing system; with what success, the aspect of popular education, completely changed in a period measured by the lifetime of many children in our schools, will testify. The angry opposition which saluted the scheme at its birth has passed away; jealousies and suspicion, which watched its early progress, have ceased to exist; and there are few schools, and those commonly within the jurisdiction of corporations, to which improvement comes with heavy feet, or such as Lady Bountiful esteems sacred to the luxury of doing good, over which the Government does not exercise a sufficient, if not an absolute, control. Nor is that control greatly limited by the benevolence with which it co-operates, or the independence which it respects. The "Council Office" is not often at issue with the local committee; its suggestions are commonly as efficacious as the mandates of a continental bureau; and that which "my lords" recommend is far more effectually, because far more heartily, adopted, than that which "my lords" might have power to command. Such are the materials, and such the merits, of our educational system. It has none of the consistency and completeness so grateful to the theorist; but it possesses all the practical advantages of which our national circumstances admit, or which those who admire a machine more for its utility than its polish hope to secure. Its merit is its adaptation. No doubt its parts require additional strength; that the teaching power needs to be multiplied, and the principle of inspection may be advantageously extended: but the task of the legislator is t expand the area of its operations, to improve without destroying its approved arrangement, and jealously to guard it from the introduction of those agencies which might paralyze the movements they could not assist. Long, after the signal failure of the session, let us miss the annual educational scheme, coming with the dawn of spring, and leaving as little trace as its snows. That any theorist should surprise us into an error, is to be doubted: the stubborn English prejudices which are interwoven with the zeal for popular education, will in this, as in many cases in which great national interests were involved, supply the place of political wisdom. S. D. W. INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.- "Some highly-educated persons seem little aware by what humble means many of the best habits of mind may be formed in their children. If such had ever associated with mechanics, they would have learned, that in many, or most mere mechanical trades, the good workmen, however unlearned, are all distinguished by some valuable moral habits, which, however they may be hindered by some personal obliquities from exercising their influence over the whole man, are yet in themselves excellent, and capable of leavening the whole character. A good carpenter or a good smith will not do bad work. His master may try to make him do bad work, for a master may esteem it his main business to sell whatever will find a market; but the good workman will not do it; he would rather do what hurts his whole soul-do nothing, and see his family in distress; or work for less than he is worth; either of which wears his heart by the sense of injustice. In short, he must be accurate and truthful. With the squareness of his work and the straightness of his line are intimately connected his notions of right and wrong. The good workman is humble withal; he knows the struggle good work has cost him; and his satisfaction in it is mixed with a sense of his own feebleness in respect to all good work, and all higher work which he cannot himself do. He is charitable and helpful to others, because he has a fellow-feeling with all who strive as he strove; and he desires that all good work should prosper, as he wishes that all bad should come to an end. He is noble, because he feels himself to be a part of the whole army of workers who, from the beginning of the world, have striven in all arts, and all times, and all places, to do their duty in the station of life in which they have laboured. I have to excuse myself for an apparent digression, my excuse is twofold. think that these truths belong really to all work, of whatever kind; and, 2ndly, that just now it is of especial consequence to bear them in mind. I often think of Keble's lines in respect of all work : 'The trivial round, the common task, If 1st. I I never look but with reverence on the features of an aged carpenter, now fourscore, with whom, encouraged by the family laws of my father's house, I used to work in my boyhood. I first learnt in his work and at his bench what I have now related; and never, as a child, saw him at his work, but that I felt the nobleness of labour, and, in his conscientiousness, saw explained the principle of martyrdom for truth's sake; indeed, it is by the observation of such ways, and by such associations for good and for evil, that many of the first notions of our children are formed, their powers directed, and the quality of those powers established."-From Health, Work, and Play; a capital, noble-thoughted, cheap essay, by H. W. Acland. Published by J. H. & J. Parker. SUNDAY READINGS FOR BOARDING-SCHOOLS. We insert the following, as a specimen of short readings, which have been found effective on Sunday afternoons or evenings, more as a means of opening up conversation than as completing the subject in themselves. A GREEK or Roman heathen would have seen the world of nature around him as we see it every day; yet it will be worth our while to spend a few minutes in inquiring what would have been his thoughts about it perhaps even in his superstitions we shall find something to admire. When he gazed upon the stars, there would come up into his mind a thousand tales and traditions about them, half believed perhaps, and half fancied for they were to him something more than a number of shining bodies, useful indeed to sailors and travellers; for they were the subjects of legends handed down from earlier times, investing each of them with a history, as well as a name and power, of its own. Hence every man fancied for himself that this star or that star looked kindly or unkindly on him. The moon, too, was believed to exercise an influence over the affairs of men; and as it went through its course in heaven each night, and its monthly changes, reverence was paid to the goddess who sat there enthroned in a globe of pale mournful light. As the ruler of the sun, men worshipped Phoebus Apollo, brother of the goddess of the moon, seated in a car of fire, borne along by immortal steeds, until at evening he sank into the ocean of the west, where a golden cup awaited him, to float him over the waters to the place in the east from which he had to start in the morning. The sea was not merely water, fit for fishes and sea-plants, as the earth for land-animals and land-plants; but it was the kingdom of a great and powerful god, Neptune: on seats of pearl, in the coral palaces below, there might be seen his queen Amphitrite, Thetis, and thousands of smaller deities, equally important and blissful in their way with the gods who lived in the upper air. Sometimes they were to be seen floating over the waters; often their voices were heard; and with their hands they guided the ships of favoured mortals, or lifted them off from the rocks after a storm. The winds had persons and names; their home was in a huge cavern, from which they issued forth, to sweep over the earth or sea, at the orders of Æolus, their king. It was believed that on earth the spirits might be heard singing in the woods strains such as mortals could not always hear and live; that Pan, the god of the woods, roamed through his wild kingdom, but woe to the unhappy man who met him on his way; and that around their favoured fountains the deities might be seen to sport. The woodman fancied, that in the sudden rustle of the branches he heard the sound of a god passing by; and with hesitating step would he enter the dark grotto, or tread the glades of the forest, because there, he felt, was especially the haunt of the immortal beings who loved the groves and caverns. The fires of Mount Etna were the workshop of giants, presided over by Vulcan, the god of the forge and of artificers in brass and iron. The very flowers and trees had their story to tell; some were distinguished as the special favourites of one or other of the greater gods; some by their associations in story; as the hyacinth which just sprung from the blood of a hero. The changes of the ever-varying seasons were all under heavenly care when the fragrant blossom appeared, the people sang praise to Aurora, who had nourished it with her tears, and Zephyr, who had swelled it by his breath. The rich clustering grapes were the gift of Bacchus; and for the bending harvest and golden fruits of autumn, thanks were paid to Ceres and Pomona. Men looked upon the drought and mildew, the murrain in cattle, and the devouring swarms of flies and locusts, as indications of the wrath of some gods whose sacrifices and altars they had omitted duly to honour. In this so beautifully-framed and adapted religion-for it was but man's frabric, made up partly from those remains of heavenly truth which had descended through generation and generation from olden times there were floating about not only many dreams of beauty and poetry that we would not willingly let die, but also that never-changing teaching, which speaks, through nature, of power, wisdom, and goodness. Nature is the same to us as the heathen of old; she has voices and teaching for us, as well as for those who died long ago we see the glories of the solemn wood, no less than when, two thousand years ago, such woods were the mysterious meeting-places of the followers of superstitions long extinct ; we can fancy that in the ripple of the ocean we can mark the evervarying smile of which the ancient poets sang; we see the stars in their silent watches through the blue sky, and they look on us with as calming and holy look as on any of the millions who have gazed upon them since the world began. We can enjoy the radiance of the bright sun, and the mild softening lamp of the moon, and know that both sun and moon are His creatures, whose creatures and children we also are; we think of them, not as of deities whom we fear, but as the works of Him whom we love, and who loves us. When we are tossed by the winds and waves of the sea, He is by our side. Though we do not in imagination people the forest and mountain with nymphs, and bacchanals, and cloven-footed satyrs, yet we know that there we are not alone, that we are under blessed guardianship of angels, whom we need not fear-for God has given them charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. When we at last shall go down to the shadowy country of death, we shall not tremble, like Æneas, at the phantoms and shapes of horror around us ; for that country will have a brightness for us, for Christ will meet us there. And even when, as now, we see the freshness and beauty of earth awaking from her winter's slumber with the smiles of spring, though we do not, as the Greeks and Romans would have done, make a solemn procession through the fields, and offer our sacrifices to the gods under whose care they would have been supposed to flourish, yet let us learn from the Greeks and Romans one thing-not to look on unmoved, while cheerfulness and beauty are poured around us, but open our hearts to higher thoughts, that when thinking of the works and gifts, we may draw nearer to the Maker and Giver, our Father and our God. F. I. The world is too much with us: late and soon, We've given our hearts away-a sordid boon! WORDSWORTH. Sonnet written on the Sea-shore. THE AFFECTIONATE TEACHER." Love to children, and sympathy with them, therefore, must ever form a prominent feature in a teacher's character. The irrepressible affection of his heart must gush out towards the objects of his tender charge. His beaming eye-his gentle tone-his winning manner-all will be unmistakable evidences of the heavenly fire within,— 'Affectionate in look, And tender in address, as well becomes His will be the thoughts that breathe, and the words that burn.' His own soul throbbing with love to the Saviour, he will seek to communicate those pulsations to all the members of his class. With any other than a warm and glowing heart, indeed, it is worse than useless in any one to assume the office. Coldness of spirit, or indifference of manner, should find no toleration here. For want of this essential requisite, how many among the young have already suffered seriously, if not irrecoverably! Instead of being invited, they have been repulsed, and the seeming neglect, or actual unconcern of one, has thus proved the spiritual injury of multitudes. To approach a forbidding countenance, or selfish or unsocial spirit, will be deemed, even by anxious and inquiring minds, as being either an impertinent or an unprofitable act; and, in either case, a fearful amount of responsibility is incurred. It is of the highest importance, therefore, that the teacher should more and more cherish the spirit of Christian love towards those whom he is engaged in instructing. Herein lies one great secret of his strength. On this vantage-ground he will be enabled to work most effectively. * * * * * * We presume it will be admitted, that between a teacher and his scholars there must, of necessity, be something in common. Now, what this something is, children themselves are always the first to discover. They seem to have an intuitive perception of those who love them and take pleasure in their company. With narrow, selfish arts they will have nothing to do, while to the man of warm and benevolent sympathies they are sure to be attracted. The feeling is mutual, and so the action is electrical. Hence the discovery sometimes made of a person's disposition by his feelings towards children, and by their feelings towards him. Hence the saying of the philosopher, 'Never make that man your friend who hates the laugh of a child.' And hence, too, the suspicion which we always feel, that those cannot make effective teachers who do not possess warm and genial souls."-Rev. Adam Blyth. |