ORACE MANN was born in the - town of Franklin, Mass., May 4, . His father, Mr. Thomas Mann, died n he was thirteen years of age, leaving little besides the example of an upright virtuous inculcations, and hereditary st for knowledge.

r. Mann's early education was in a mon district-school. It happened that ived in a district which was the smallhad the poorest school-house, and loyed the cheapest teachers, in a town ich was itself both small and poor. er his father's death he remained seven rs with his mother upon the old homead. His irrepressible yearning for owledge, however, never forsook him. know not how it was," he said to a end in after-life; "its motive never took e form of wealth or fame. It was rather instinct which impelled toward knowlge, as migratory birds are impelled rthward in spring-time. All my boyish stles in the air had reference to doing mething for the benefit of mankind: and had a conviction that knowledge was my eded instrument."

A fortunate accident gave opportunity d development to this passion. An itinant schoolmaster, named Samuel Barrett, ame into his neighborhood and opened a chool. This man was eccentric and abormal both in appetites and faculties. He would teach a school for six months, tasting othing stronger than tea; and then, for nother six months, he would wander about he country in a state of beastly drunkenmess, begging, from house to house, cider, or any thing which would intoxicate. He would sleep in barns and styes; then the

found clothed, and in his right mind, and would obtain another school.

Mr. Barrett's specialty was English. grammar, Latin, and Greek. In the dead languages, as far as he pretended to know any thing, he seemed to know every thing. All his knowledge was committed to memory. In hearing recitations from Virgil, Cicero, the Greek Testament, and other classical works, then usually studied as a. preparation for college, he never took a book in his hand. Not the sentiments only, but the sentences, in the transposed order of their words, were as familiar to him as his A, B, C, and as soon would he have omitted a letter of the alphabet, as an article or particle of the lesson. Beyond the languages he knew nothing. In arithmetic he was a dunce. He never could commit the multiplication table; he was unable to date his letters, and could not. tell the hour by the clock.

In this chance school Mr. Mann first saw a Latin grammar; but it was the veni vidi vici of Cæsar. He obtained a reluctant consent from his guardian to prepare for college. In six months he learned his grammar, read Corderius, Æsop's Fables, the Eneid, with parts of the Georgics and Bucolics, Cicero's Select Orations, the four Gospels, and part of the Epistles in Greek,. part of the Græca Majora and Minora, and entered the Sophomore class of Brown University in September, 1816.

Illness compelled him to leave his class for a short period. And again he was absent in the winter to keep school, as a resource for paying college bills. Yet, when his class was graduated in 1819, the first part, or "Honor," in the commence

the unanimous approval of Faculty and classmates. The theme of his oration"the Progressive Character of the Human Race"-foreshadowed the history of his life. With youthful enthusiasm he portrayed that higher condition of human society when education shall develop the people into loftier proportions of wisdom and virtue; when philanthropy shall succor the wants and relieve the woes of the race, and when free institutions shall abolish that oppression and war which have hitherto debarred nations from ascending realms of grandeur and happiness.

With the aid of Hon. Henry Barnard have we thus briefly sketched the history

of Mr. Mann through Hereafter we shall s teacher, a lawyer, a lav Secretary of the Board State of Massachusett of Antioch College. W some interesting paragr and educational docum

No man has done m ular education in this c Mann; hence we think be more suggestive and title-page of an Ame Monthly than the vig

man.

MA

III.

ASTER SPURDZER'S grief increased daily; nothing could console himneither the luxury and comfort of his present life, nor the unalterable friendship of the elector. He felt sad and isolated amidst the crowds of nobles and valets which surrounded him. Indeed no one sympathized with him, no one gave him the name of husband and father, which he so much loved to hear. He felt the want of two things which can not be replaced-liberty and home. Poor Spurdzer! All was luxury, no simplicity. Strangers were here, but his sons were absent. O liberty! inestimable treasure, dearer than aught else save virtue, what a void thy absence has effected in a heart so long devoted to study and the endearments of home! Where thou art not, no happiness is possible; duty becomes a heavy yoke, pleasure a fatigue.

Spurdzer was like the drowning man who grasps the surrounding water, and yet finds no point of support. In the same way had the preceptor sought an element of happiness-a friend-contentedness.

His pupils had neither regard nor gratitude for him. He taught without pleasure, and they learned with disgust.

This position was intolerable, and while many envied Spurdzer's fate, he was de

vising some means to es tion. This was not an months, two long mont offering a favorable opp

At length came the el The report of the mornin nal, and joy was manife entire city; flags with from the windows, and adorned the portals. Sunday clothes crowde sung national hymns ami tions of rejoicement. night all the public mo ininated, the royal parl multitude, which densel merous walks. At nin there was a grand dis near a pond, and the through the sky as so m The court pleasures suc people, and scarcely had flashed through the dar opened at the palace. this moment with the im who longs for the first d He feigned a headache apartment; there he di the simple dress he wor the palace. With what his embroidered coat. I if heavy chains had fall

not recast ourselves; I was not born for the struggle and life in palaces is one continuous struggle. Assuredly Job alluded to courtiers when he said: 'Vita hominis militia est.'"*

While Sebaltus spoke, reflection (this great moderator of passion) quelled Thecla's disposition. Submitting herself to the law of necessity, Madame Spurdzer bid her husband enter, and she served him a frugal breakfast, which the good man found delicious. Repeatedly did he praise the excellency of the pork, and the inviting taste of the sour-krout. His wife stood amazed at his wonderful appetite.

"Good God!" said she, "you eat as if you had fasted forty days, like our Lord." "Because I have not eaten since I left; I was not at home; I lacked the true seasoning of food, which is liberty. I would give all the fine dinners of the prince for this dish which courtiers may disdain, but which I find the best in the world."

To all these philosophic reflections, very true, but also very disinterested, Madame Spurdzer shook her head; she thought that in her husband's place she certainly would have remained at the palace, and she little cared how tasted the village. sour-krout.

nounce that I am agai my former scholars. fountain of the Muses So saying, Sebaltus under his arm, as for Tacitus, which he ha back from the palac slowly toward the b savoring with delight the verdure, and the cherished. When he green mound, repeat "Felices nimium suastarted and uttered a A man was sitting was Hanz!

The scholar stood p Medusa, or the appr strictor, would not ha horror. So much so t ume slipped from his Sebaltus grasped the himself on his knees:

"Pardon, pardon, m mered he, with a vo emotion; can you ev

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"I have come exp

the prince in a tone of

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"You have judged me Sebaltus, if you suppo

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'Where, more likely, is your memory. Have you forgotten that his highness has had the extreme goodness to place them in the College of Leipsic ?"

"True. Excuse me, Thecla; my troubles have bewildered me."

"Ah," resumed the housewife, "since we speak of them, say, do you not fear that they may now be sent back?"

"In that case, I shall finish their education myself."

"But, unhappy man that you are, you are not reflecting what must be the elector's anger. Perhaps he has already given orders for your arrest."

"You make me shudder," said the pedagogue, with a Germanic impassibility. "Then for the time being I shall go visit that poetic little spot. I shall be back in an hour. Open the school-room and an

letter would disarm th Retake that liberty yo the atmosphere of co with your temperamer

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"O Heavens!-Yo mit-"

"Yes, I permit you quiet life. But I shall interests, and your s their studies. You n welfare, and I take cha tears-"

"Of emotion, sire. your favors."

"Should I not make levity of the pupils yo Otho and Frederick an This change will, I h vivacity and the petula Farewell, my friend, re favorite authors; ran

de, and believe that I shall contribn some degree, to your happiness." › Prince!" exclaimed Spurdzer, as he v himself again on his knees; "my tude will end but with my life, and-" » raised his head; the elector was dy far away. When Sebaltus was red of the departure of his highness urried home and related all to Thecla, no longer worried about her husband's pe.

at same day, Spurdzer triumphantly nded his seat, amidst the joyous shouts is pupils, who were impatient to reLe their studies, and he said: My children, if I have good memory,

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we were at Quintius Curtius, where he relates the battle of Arbela."

"That is it! that is it!" chorused the pupils.

"It is surprising," said one of them, “you should remember this lesson so well."

"O Wilhelm," responded Master Sebaltus, "know, that one always remembers the things that they mostly cherish. So listen to me attentively, my friends: Alexander, ut supra dictum est, inhibito suorum cursa, ad Lycum amnen pervenerat, ubi ingens multitudo."*

*"Alexander, as it has above been mentioned, arrived at the borders of the river Lycus, where a great multitude, &c."

E need not affirm that a new era is dawning upon us. Educators are ginning to be governed by the principles, mple but philosophical, which intelligent echanics have practiced upon for centues-viz., that the strength and durability the structure depends in a great measure Don the solidity of its foundation.

PRIMARY, as used in connection with struction, is, being interpreted according the usual acceptation of the term,-inruction which stands highest in importnce. In proof of this, it may be stated hat some competent primary teachers are eceiving from $400 to $700 salary per nnum in certain parts of the country. Teachers of fine talents are laboring in the Held where their efforts have so long been needed. May those who have put their hands to the plow never look back! The field is broad, and we need many more laborers who are worthy of their hire.

If we fully realize the responsibilities resting upon us who assume the holy office of dealing with the plastic mind, of moulding a character for eternity, we shall with all diligence, and conscientiously, too, seek to become acquainted with the best possible means of developing the threefold nature. Developing the threefold nature!

broad, that if the heart be not stout and brave it will sink almost in despair.

Those under our charge are to be educated, drawn out or developed physically, intellectually, and morally. The ability properly to educate the physical nature implies, of course, some knowledge of the human system. Hence we should study the laws of health. Every teacher should understand and practice these general laws as a religious duty. A sickly, nervous teacher should have no place in the schoolroom. The influence exerted by such a one must prove morally detrimental. Let us take sufficient physical exercise, a proper quantity and quality of food, plenty of sunlight and fresh air, with a due regard to cleanliness and the avoidance of all unhealthful practices, to keep strong, calm, and cheerful. We have teachers who are eminently successful in stimulating and exercising the intellect, who are sadly neglectful of the social and physical wants. Many school-rooms designed for primary children are so constructed as to render it impossible to give our little ones their rightful allowance of pure oxygen and heaven's free sunlight. This gives evidence of less intelligence than horticulturists manifest in their daily practice. The in