Selfishness itself would lead to Liberality in this Matter.

present level, in point of intellectual advantage and moral influence, that you would be willing to entrust to it the education of your own children. In that case there would be a positive pecuniary gain to yourself in your contributions for the good of others.

This, I am persuaded, is sound reasoning, though it appeals to the selfish principle, and depends upon it for all its force. It is the best argument for those to whom it is addressed, though one of a more elevated character would satisfy the philosopher and the statesman.

CHAPTER III.

QUALIFICATION OF TEACHERS.

Importance of this point—Our present Deficiency in well qualificd Instructors-Classes of Men who chiefly engage in this business-Motives which actuate them-Their ignorance-Inadequate Views of Parents-Anecdotes illustrative of this-A Teacher in the Ban de la Roche-Empirical Methods of 1nstruction-Inefficiency in Government-Its Cause-SchoolTeaching for the most part a Temporary Business-Some Exceptions to the above Remarks-Bad effects of the present State of Things on Teachers and Pupils-Our general Intelligence as a Nation admitted-Not attributable to our Popular Schools-Its true Causes pointed out-Glorions Results might be looked for from the Union of these Causes and a well organized System of Popular Education-Conditions of such a System-Provision for the Education of Teachers a most important Condition-Practical Error of Parents in this Matter-Deplorable Effect of it—Teaching must be made a Profession, and become respectable-No office more truly honourable than that of an Instructor-Its present degradation -Must be raised to its proper Rank-This can be effected only by the Establishment of Teacher's Seminaries-Institutions of this Kind the intellectual Want of the Age-Prussia already supplied with them-Reference to some other Countries —Origin and History of these Institutions—Theirgreat Importance-They are the Life-Blood of an efficient System of Popular Education-Their Necessity insisted on by all Writers on both sides of the Atlantic-Extract from the Edinburgh Re. view on this Subject-The question examined whether these Seminaries should be connected with other Institutions, or exist under a separate Organization-Three Reasons for preferring the latter Plan-Its effect would be better, first, on the

Who are our Teachers? Motives for engaging in Teaching.

character of the Teacher; secondly, on their Respectability; thirdly, on their Education-General Principles of Organization-Two leading Results to be aimed at-good Teachers and some security that they will exercise their Profession in the State where educated-Details more difficult-The lights of Experience wanting among us-Must look to Prussia for Model Schools-Conduct of Men in Parallel Cases in the ordinary Business of Life-Propriety and Utility of sending Agents to examine and report upon the Prussian Schools.

THE qualification of teachers is a point which requires careful consideration in the organization of any general system of popular education. In this respect our schools generally will, I fear, be found to be even more deficient than in regard to their course of studies.

Who and what are our teachers at present? It is with pain and sorrow that I speak disparagingly of any class of my fellow citizens, especially that with which my own relations are nearest, and my sympathies most lively; but the paramount claims of truth and society must be permitted to outweigh all personal considerations.

What motives are now most influential in prompting men to follow the business of common schoolteaching? Some engage in this employment during the winter months because they can make higher wages by it than by farming or mechanical labour; some follow the profession of teaching

Their great Ignorance. Anecdote illustrating it.

because they are too feeble to endure the more hardy and often more coveted toils of active outdoor employment; others again, because they have failed of success in in all other pursuits; others for the more honourable purpose of aiding themselves in obtaining a liberal education; and the multitude, at least in some states, are made up of thriftless adventurers of every grade, too lazy to work, too poor to live without it, and much more fit to be peddling wooden nutmegs, or making hickory hams, than to undertake the task of training the youth of a nation to the knowledge and love of their duties as citizens and men.

Few of these persons possess any thing in the shape of literary attainments beyond the bald and meagre knowledge which they teach, and the many are much more fit to go to school than to undertake the labour of teaching others. Parents themselves, it is much to be feared, entertain generally very inadequate notions of the importance of having well qualified teachers for their children, and often select them from very unworthy motives, --such as relationship, friendship, cheapness, and sometimes even because they can make themselves useful in other things than their appropriate business. I have heard, gentlemen, of a district in our own state, where the loss of a teacher was bitterly deplored for-what think you? Because

Examination of a Teacher in Connecticut. Amusing Answer.

their children would lose his valuable services? No such thing; but because he was the best judge of horses, and the best horse doctor in the district! I saw, a few years ago, in the Christian Observer of Connecticut, an account, deemed authentic by the Editor,* of an examination of a teacher by a school committee in one of the districts of that state. One of the questions put to the candidate for employment, was, "Where is the District of Columbia?" His first reply was, "In Vermont." He was given to understand that that was not exactly its locality. He then shifted it to other quarters, and, after having made it perambulate various parts of the Union, the examiners and the examinee settled down in the learned conclusion that the District of Columbia was partly in Virginia and partly in Delaware. And there ended "the strife of tongues;" except as it may have been displayed in the intercourse of the master with his pupils, as it is almost needless to add, the applicant passed the ordeal successfully, and was admitted to employment.

Mr. Taylor, in his District school, declares that it

*The Rev. H. Hooker, a gentleman not likely to believe any thing on insufficient grounds. The Observer declares that in some townships in that state, there is not a man, except the minister, competent to examine a teacher.