Teaching delightful.-When?-Reverse.-Recesses.-How often?

ments and instruction during the progress of a class exercise.

It is pleasant to visit a school, where every thing is done and well done at its proper time. Teaching, under such circumstances, becomes a delightful employment. But where all is confusion, and the teacher allows himself by the accumulation of irregularities to be oppressed and perplexed, it is one of the most wearing and undesirable vocations on earth. The teacher goes to his lodgings harassed with care, oppressed with a consciousness of the imperfection of his labors, and exhausted by the unnatural and unwarrantable tax imposed upon his mental faculties. He groans under the burden incident to his calling, and longs to escape from it, never once dreaming, perhaps, that he has the power of relieving himself by the introduction of system, and thus changing his former babel into a scene of quietness and order.

SECTION III.-RECESSES.

In speaking of the arrangements of a school, the subject of recesses demands attention. It is the belief of many enlightened instructors, that the confinement in most of our schools is still too protracted, and that more time devoted to relaxation would be profitable both to the physical and the mental constitution of our youth. Some have urged a recess of a few minutes every hour, in order to afford opportunity for a change of position and a change of air. This could better be

One each session.-Ten minutes to each sex.-Separate playground.

done in schools composed only of one sex, or where the accommodation of separate yards and play-grounds permits both sexes to take a recess at the same time. Where these accommodations are wanting, and one sex must wait while the other is out, the time re quired for two recesses, in half a day, for the whole school, could scarcely be afforded. I am of the opinion, as our schools are at present composed, that one recess in the half day for each sex is all that can be allowed. The question then is, how can that one recess be made most conducive to the purposes for which it is designed?

1. As to its duration.

Ten minutes is the least time that should be thought of, if the children are to be kept closely confined to study during the remainder of the three hours' session; that is, ten minutes for each sex. It would be a very desirable thing if our school-houses could be so furnished with separate play-grounds and separate out-door accommodations, that both sexes could take recess at the same time. This would save much time to the district in the course of a term, and it would also give opportunity for thoroughly ventilating the room during recess, while it would afford the teacher opportunity to take the air, and overlook the sports of the children to some extent,—a matter of no small importance.

Where these facilities are wanting, and the teacher must remain within to preside over the one half of the school while the others are out, he may still give ten minutes at least to each sex, contriving to employ

Teacher's work at recess.-Proper hour.

profitably the time within doors. He may reserve this time for settling such difficulties as may have arisen in the school; he may administer reproofs, inflict his punishments if any are necessary, or he may spend the time in giving assistance to the pupils, or in drawing upon the blackboard for the advantage of the younger pupils as they come in. In a large school, where a longer recess is the more necessary on account of the bad air of the schoolroom, he will find the more duty to be done at this time; so that in any event the time need not be lost, even if fifteen minutes be allowed to each sex.

2. As to the proper hour for recess. It was an old rule to have recess when "school was half done." Indeed, this expression was often used as synonymous with recess in many districts twenty-five years ago. It is now generally thought better to have the recess occur later, perhaps when the school session is two thirds past. It is found that children, accustomed to exercise all the morning, can better bear the confinement of the first two hours than they can that of the third, even though the recess immediately precedes the third. In a school the half-daily sessions of which are three hours, I should recommend that the recess be introduced so as to terminate at the close of the second hour. As far as possible, it would be well to have all the pupils leave the room at the time recess is given them; and as a general thing they should not ask leave to go out at any other time. A little system in this matter is as desirable as in any other, and it is quite as feasible.

Young children.-Teachers fail in assigning lessons.-Not too long.-Why?

In a school composed partly of very young children, there is no difficulty in giving such children two recesses each half day. Nor is there any objection to such a course. It is more irksome to young children to bear confinement, than to the adult; especially as they cannot be expected to be constantly occupied. It will relieve the teacher very much to have the children go out of the room as soon as they become fatigued, and, as it will promote their own health and happiness to go, it is very justifiable to grant them the privilege This may properly and easily be provided for upon the Program.

SECTION IV.-ASSIGNING LESSONS.

Many teachers fail in this department. Judging of the difficulty of the lesson by the ease with which they can acquire it, even in a text-book new to themselves, they not unfrequently assign more than can possibly be learned by the children. They forget that by long discipline of mind, and by the aid of much previously acquired knowledge, the lesson becomes comparatively easy to them; they forget, too, the toil a similar lesson cost them when they were children. Now the effect of poorly learning a lesson is most ruinous to the mind of a child. He, by the habit of missing, comes to think it a small thing to fail at recitation. He loses his self-respect. He loses all regard for his reputation as a scholar. It is truly deplorable to see a child fail in a lesson with indifference. Besides, the attempt to ac

Not how much, but how well.-Good habits of study.

quire an unreasonable lesson, induces a superficial habit of study, a skimming over the surface of things. The child studies, that he may live through the recitation; not that he may learn and remember. He passes thus through a book, and thinks himself wise while he is yet a fool,—a mistake that is no less common than fatal.

The motto of the wise teacher should be,"Nor HOW MUCH, BUT HOW WELL." He should always ask, is it possible that the child can master this lesson, and probable that he will? It is better that a class should make but very slow progress for several weeks, if they but acquire the habit of careful study and a pride of good scholarship-a dread of failure,-than that they should ramble over a whole field, firing at random, missing oftener than they hit the mark, and acquiring a stupid indifference to their reputation as marksmen, and a prodigal disregard to their waste of ammunition, and their loss of the game.

In assigning lessons, the importance of good habits of study should be considered, and the lessons given accordingly. At the commencement of a term, the lessons should always be short, till the ability of the pupils is well understood, and their habits as good students established. As the term progresses, they can be gradually lengthened as the capacity of the class will warrant, or their own desire will demand. It is frequently judicious to consult the class about the length of the lessons, though to be sure their judgment can not always be relied on, for they are almost always