Habits of European Students.

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in the dialogue we have described, in which foreign students, in theory and practice, condemn our prevalent habits.

1. Instead of diffusing their efforts over the whole field of knowledge, they concentrate their minds on a single object, until that is accomplished; and thus like Butler, after thirty years' labor on his Analogy of Religion,' they leave a structure as permanent as their own castles-whose very ruins would give more pleasure and instruction to posterity than the half built fabrics of the day.

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2. The literary men of Europe make it a principle to relax their minds, especially by frequenting social circles, and by general and cheerful conversation, not forgetting the value of female society, or the influence of music. The morning is usually the only period of close study, while the latter part of the day is given up to relaxation; and it is said that even Sir Walter Scott, whose duties called him to one of the courts of law at nine o'clock in the morning, wrote most of his voluminous works before that hour. It is almost as difficult to break in upon the foreign student's hours of relaxation, as upon those devoted to study. When abroad, we found no difficulty in getting instruction from literary men, if we could find them at a leisure hour in the morning; but we have often gone to a party of literary men in the evening, anticipating an intellectual feast, and have met a steady resistance to every attempt to deprive them of this holiday of the mind.

They are right; and we are utterly, grossly wrong, in attempting to increase the vigor of the mind by incessant intellectual effort. Many of our students not only strain the nerves in this manner, beyond the power of healthy action, but leave the best feelings of the heart to languish and die for want of opportunity to act; and then, fastidiously, or philosophically, as they would have it, despise those finer, warmer emotions, of which they are no longer susceptible! We cannot but pity the man who has thus buried the better half of his nature-the friend-the father-the husband-the brother-in order to gain preeminence in mere intellectual vision, a quality in which he will ever be far inferior to 'archangels fallen.' We pity him still more, when he has sacrificed health itself to these excessive efforts; and we often think of the reply of an European professor to our account of these habits, 'No wonder your literary men are diseased and die!'

We would not be understood to mean that relaxation will render other means for preserving the health of the student unnecessary. He that would strive in the intellectual or the spiritual race, must be temperate in all things.' And we would especially be understood, that we believe nothing can be a substitute for exercise or manual labor; for we are convinced of the truth of the maxim,

64

Want of Schools and Teachers.

that muscular effort is one of the best means of repose from intellectual effort.' But we are equally convinced that exercise will be of no avail without relaxation-and that exercise or labor which does not relieve the mind from effort, only wears out the system more rapidly, by demanding double duty from its organs.

THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTRY.

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OUR country formerly received from one of the first literary Journals of Europe, the high compliment, that the great body of the American people is better educated than the bulk of any European community;' and we are persuaded, that we then deserved this character. But the laurels thus bestowed, are every day fading and falling from our brows. Europeans already point us to our multitudes of ignorant voters and uninstructed children; and, as if in envy of our lot, are annually sending us hundreds of thousands of their own ignorant, and too often vicious poor. Our national vanity is ready to cry out,- Traitor!' to any one who ventures to point out our national defects, or national faults, and above all, to disclose them to the world. But we have a duty to perform which does not allow us to shrink from reproach.

1. It is demonstrable, that we need schools for not less than one million of uninstructed children, chiefly in the Western and Southern States.

2. It is certain, that we need an army of teachers to instruct these schools; for we have scarcely enough to direct those already existing.

3. It is equally certain, that the number of children destitute of instruction is increasing naturally, at the rate of seventy-eight thousand every year, and that two thousand five hundred teachers are necessary every year, in addition to those which we need, to supply our present wants.

4. It is capable of proof, that we have been receiving, every year, an accession of one hundred and thirty thousand foreigners to our population, most of whom, as well as their children, are des titute even of elementary knowledge; and that this number is increasing.

We think we hear a sigh from our Northern friends, at the wants of the unfortunate South and West-at the ignorance and depravity of foreign emigrants. But could we present the whole truth, we fear they would find reason to blush for themselves, and to tremble for their own children, and their own states,

Deficiences in Existing Schools.

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The governor of Pennsylvania tells us, that a large part of the electors by whom he was chosen, are unable to read the votes they carry to the polls; and that two thirds of their children are not provided with any means of instruction. And this state is equivalent to one third of the North, in population and power.

Gov. Vroom, of New Jersey, says :- The branches taught, (in the schools of N. Jersey,) are the most ordinary, the mere elements of instruction, and they are often taught very defectively. There is no uniformity in the mode or system of instruction, nor is there any approximation to it. Many of our teachers are not well qualified in point of intelligence, and some, it is feared, are not fitted to form the morals of our youth.' The cause of education makes little progress.' At least eleven thousand children are uninstructed. And yet, this state is directly connected with two of the largest and wealthiest cities of our country, from which light ought to be collected, and spread in every direction.

In the schools of New York, we have been assured, multitudes are taught by incompetent men. In New England, we have received evidence from gentlemen or from publications in every state, that there are great defects in the schools,—that a large number of the teachers are totally unqualified for their task,—that few in our common schools are well fitted for their stations,-that in a large number of our schools, the laws are evaded, and inspection and examination neglected,-the methods of instruction defective, and the moral condition still worse. To the question we have often asked, 'Do the best informed parents you know, consider it safe to send their children to the common schools?' the answer is almost uniformly in the negative; and we received this reply from one gentleman who had visited, personally, one hundred schools, in one of the New England States.

We are compelled, therefore, by the evidence before us to add, that the unfortunate West and South,' and 'foreign emigrants,' are not alone in need; and to say;

5. That it is proved by the testimony of persons familiar with schools in the best instructed states, that a very large number of the children now at school, are committed to the care of teachers unqualified to instruct and educate them.

6. That the methods of instruction are defective, and that the rapid increase of branches of instruction has led to great superficiality.

7. That the same cause, combined with sectarian prejudices, has led to the exclusion of moral instruction, and moral influence, to a sad extent, and that many of our schools have become nurseries of vice.

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On the Defects of American Schools.

In some of our large towns, and a few of our villages, the energy of the friends of education has led to thorough reformation in these respects; but for most of our schools, this is yet to be accomplished.

8. It is not the least painful and discouraging part of this picture, that in consequence of wrong views, or of apprehensions of opposition in attempting a change, the best informed and most respectable parents, instead of endeavoring to improve common schools, often withdraw their children, and their support, and attention from them, and establish private schools, thus leaving the common schools to become less respectable, and less capable of reformation.

Thus much we considered it due to our readers, to say, in introducing to them some remarks by a foreign gentleman of great respectability and intelligence, on the defects of American Schools, and the means of removing them. His love to our country has led him to adopt it as his own, for many years; long observation of our schools has qualified him to judge of their character; and his familiarity with those of Europe, enables him to compare them with the best which the wisdom and experience of the old continent has established.

We are persuaded that these remarks were written in the spirit of candor; and we hope they will be read with the desire to profit by his opinions.

ON THE DEFECTS OF AMERICAN SCHOOLS AND THE MEANS OF

IMPROVEMENT.

BY A NATIVE OF EUROPE.

You ask me how it happens that Germany has produced so many distinguished and profound scholars, while America has furnished so few.'

This question is a very delicate one to answer, as in solving it correctly, I must necessarily compare our existing school system, our colleges, and universities, with the schools, gymnasia, and universities of Germany. Far from wishing to hurt the feelings of any one of my fellow-citizens, far from being desirous to criticise our present institutions, I trust the sound judgment of every enlightened American will see in my frank exposition, only an ardent wish to call the attention of the friends of education, to a matter still very superficially discussed, and very imperfectly settled among us. As an American citizen, as a father of a numerous family, as an assiduous and close observer in all that concerns education, I submit this matter to the mature consideration of every liberal, well informed, and impartial friend of education as

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now existing among us. To speak frankly, I regard our system of education as deficient and superficial, and to this I ascribe the deficiency of learned men among us.

In entering on this discussion, I would submit the following thoughts:

First. The United States have already surpassed the old world in their political institutions. Their system of prisons and penitentiaries has been justly praised. The philanthropic and patriotic spirit of our citizens has excited deservedly the admiration of the world. But is this the case with our schools, and our system of education? No; we are in this respect not so far advanced as we should be, as the rapid progress in science, arts, inventions, and discoveries seems to render necessary. We by no means keep pace with the genius of the age; our education, our instruction, remains far behind all other things among us.

The second thought is a melancholy one, but unhappily too true. We spend millions of dollars for banks, railroads, canals, harbors, fortifications, public buildings, &c., and hesitate to expend a few thousands for the education of our children, our future legislators, rulers, and defenders.

What then has supported our independence until the present moment-what has given us happiness and abundance? Is it the English, the French, or the German people? Or is it not the American citizen, by his persevering industry, talent and skilleven with all the superficiality of his education and learning? Judge then to what an eminence the United States might justly aspire, after a certain lapse of time, if our institutions could be raised and perfected, if sound learning should be introduced instead of superficiality, and a multiplied variety of studies, crowded together, and ill-digested.

In attempting to prove this superficiality and defect in our schools, I must again request my readers to believe that in speaking the language of truth, I have not the least intention to hurt the feelings of any one, or to attack any particular institutions. My anxious and only wish is, to direct the attention of the public towards education, and to contribute as much as my capacities permit, to a simple and sounder system-a national, a truly American system-and thus to prove to the world, that we can be as perfect in this branch of our institutions, as in our social, political and penitentiary establishments.

And which is most important to us, a railroad, a bank, or the education of our children? Public institutions, as well as money and wealth, are liable to many accidents, to entire destruction, while sound knowledge, and talents properly cultivated, are enduring possessions. Should not every wealthy man keep this axiom