written without any aid from books or periodicals. When first delivered, there was not a single tract, within his knowledge, furnishing even hints" on the subjects discussed.

"THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION" was commenced in 1826, three years after the commencement of this school, and was at once heartily welcomed by Mr. Hall as a most important auxilliary. Every page was carefully read, as the numbers successively came to hand. The influence of that work, both while conducted by Mr. Russell and afterward by Mr. Woodbridge, was most highly salutary to the interests of education in the country. Many teachers besides himself regarded the work as the beginning of a new era in the progress of popular education. Some of the oldest writers in the country were secured as contributors, and very able discussions enriched its pages.

With the hope of awakening the attention of parents and children in the state to a subject almost entirely neglected in the schools, Mr. Hall prepared and published, in 1827, the "Geography and History of Vermont." The success of this little volume exceeded the author's expectations. It was very soon introduced into most of the schools in the state, and was regarded with favor by teachers generally.

Some who had heard the "Lectures on School Keeping," expressed an earnest desire that they might be published. Mr. Hall accordingly conferred with friends in Boston, and teachers in other places, and the result was, its appearance from the press in 1829, and the sale of the first edition in a few weeks. A second edition was issued; and, soon after, an edition of ten thousand copies was printed on the order of the superintendent of common schools in New York, for distribution to all the school districts in that state.

About the time of the publication of these lectures, the trustees of Phillips Academy, Andover, erected a spacious building, with the design of establishing an English Department. In this effort, they had primary reference to the necessities of those who were to become teachers in "Common and Higher Schools."

The appearance of the Lectures, while the building was in progress,

* Of this work, the editor of the Journal, unsolicited, gave the following notice :"This is one of the most judicious and practical books for a primary school that we have yet seen. We value it, not so much for its entire correspondence with the views so often expressed in our pages, as for the uncommon quantity of useful and interesting matter it contains, and for its happy adaptation to the minds of children. The geographical details are well selected; and the chapter on natural history will furnish much food for thought, and will aid the early formation of good mental habits. The civil history is sufficiently copious for the purposes of such a volume; and the account of the hardships of the early settlers is highly instructive and entertaining.

Books, such as this, contain the true elements of enlightened patriotism, and possess a much higher value than is apparent at first sight.”

and while the trustees were inquiring for a principal to take charge of the new seminary, led to a request that Mr. Hall would consent to be a candidate. Though he had, for more than a year, found his health seriously impaired by the care of a large parish and the labors of the school at Concord, and supposed he must soon relinquish one or the other, he shrunk from the responsibilities of the seminary at Andover. He felt the disadvantages of his early education; and, saying frankly that, in his opinion, some other person ought to be selected, declined the invitation. It was still, however, urged upon him, and in the result, after a long correspondence, his name was placed with those of other candidates, and he received the appointment, and was soon after released from his engagements at Concord.

The seminary was divided into three departments. The Normal or Teachers' Department; the General Department, designed to prepare young men for business; and the Boy's Department, or Model School. The "Annals of Education," for 1834, contains the following notice of the first of these departments :

In the TEACHER'S DEPARTMENT are three classes. The course of study can be accomplished in three years. But, as the middle and senior classes are expected to be absent to enable them to teach during the winter, the course requires three and a half years. The regular time for admission is at the commencement of the summer term. Candidates for admission to the junior class, must be prepared to pass a satisfactory examination on the sounds of English letters, rules of spelling, reading, geography, first principles of etymology and syntax, intellectual arithmetic, history of the United States, ground rules of written arithmetic, and fractions. The year is divided into three terms, and the following studies are pursued at each :

JUNIOR CLASS.

First Term.-English Grammar; Intellectual Arithmetic, reviewed; History of United States, reviewed.

Second Term.-Written Arithmetic; Geography, ancient and modern; History of England.

Third Term.-Written Arithmetic, finished; Linear Drawing, Construction of Maps; Use of Globes; Book-keeping.

MIDDLE CLASS.

First Term.-Algebra; Euclid; Rhetoric.

Second Term.-Algebra, finished; Trigonometry; Chemistry.

Third Term.-Chemistry, finished; Surveying; Spherical Geometry, Conic Sections.

SENIOR CLASS.

First Term.-Natural Philosophy; Logic; Civil Engineering.

Second Term.-Natural Theology; Evidences of Christianity; Moral Philosophy; Astronomy.

Third Term.-Political Economy; Intellectual Philosophy; Art of Teaching.

All the members of the junior class attend to the "Political Class Book" on Saturdays, and declamation and composition on Wednesdays, through the year. The middle and senior classes write compositions on subjects connected with the art of teaching.

Lectures are given, accompanied with illustrations and experiments, on the most important studies; particularly, natural philosophy, chemistry, and school keeping. Each one who finishes the course will have attended more than fifty lectures on the latter subject.

When the Teachers' Seminary, at Andover, was established, no

similar institution existed in the United States. The Prussian Normal Schools could not be closely imitated in this country, on account of great diversity of condition. Mr. Hall was obliged to originate every thing, according to his own judgment, and the limited experience he had.

The course of study to be established, and the length of time which it should occupy, demanded the exercise of great discrimination. If too much were attempted, but few would be willing to enter upon it; and, if too little, the qualifications of teachers would be superficial. A three years' course was established as, on the whole, preferable to one longer or shorter. And, so far as he had opportunity to know the opinion of the patrons of the seminary and the public, the length of time and the arrangement of studies were approved. A very obvious increase of interest in popular education was soon apparent. This was a source of encouragement, no less than of gratification. Applications for the services of the members. of the seminary, to teach school, were greatly beyond the supply; while the compensation offered was more than doubled within a few years.

In this new and wider sphere, and with these encouragements, Mr. Hall's plans naturally received a larger development. It occurred to him that a new impulse might be given to the cause of popular education, by organizing a society, and employing agents to visit different parts of the country, who, by lectures and otherwise, might awaken the attention of parents to the defects of schools, and to the loss sustained by the rising generation. He invited the co-operation of the professors and students of the Theological Seminary, the teachers in the Latin School, and in the Female Seminary, at Andover, and several of the earnest friends of popular education in Boston and other places. The result was, the formation of the AMERICAN SCHOOL AGENTS' SOCIETY.

This, it will be seen, throws considerable light upon the agency of the subject of this notice, in planting those seeds which have germinated, and are now producing such rich fruits in Massachusetts. At this time, none of those noble agencies were organized by the Commonwealth, which have since gladdened the friends of popular education. The spirit of improvement, though already extensively awakened, and full of hope and promise, had not yet embodied itself in the form of law.

In the formation of the American Institute, in 1829, Mr. Hall had co-operated, and was to have given one of the lectures at the first meeting, in August, 1830, but was providentially prevented from at

tending. At the second meeting, August, 1833, he read a lecture on the "Necessity of Educating Teachers ;" and, at another, one on "School Government."

His position involved a large amount of miscellaneous labor. As the head of a seminary, he received numerous applications for teachers. Many teachers also, not connected with the seminary, applied to him to obtain schools. These applications imposed upon him a very extensive correspondence, which, to one already overburdened with labor, was so onerous that his health soon became seriously impaired, for it obliged him to use, in work, time needed for sleep and exercise. It was no uncommon thing for him to be occupied in school, and at his desk, from sixteen to eighteen hours of the day. He was obliged to employ many assistant teachers from time to time, and superintending their labors was not a light task, while the government and direction of studies of the entire school devolved wholly on him. For a limited period, Mr. John Q. A. Codgell was with him, as associate principal. But this arrangement was not entered into with a view of permanency, and was continued only a few terms.

Several books, published during this period, added considerably to Mr. Hall's labors. He wrote and published the "Child's Geography," to illustrate what he regarded an error in the mode of teaching that branch; reversing the order that had been invariably pursued, and beginning with a description and map of a town, and ending with a map and description of the world. The sale was large, and continued long after other works of a similar kind were in the market. The "Grammatical Assistant," the "School Arithmetic," "Lectures on Parental Responsibility and Religious Training," "A School History of the United States," jointly prepared by him and Rev. A. R. Baker, "Lectures to Female Teachers," "Teacher's Gift," and "What every boy can do," were successively published, in addition to many anonymous articles in the "Annals of Education" and other periodicals. Several of these works were written, and all of them published, between the years 1830 and 1838. Of most of them, several editions were called for. By the misfortune in business of some of the publishers, while the works were in press, the success of two or three was less than it would otherwise have been, although the author never made any efforts to secure the success of his books after committing them to the press. Some were less carefully prepared than others. But those which cost him most labor were the most successful. This was true especially of the "History of the United States," the body of which was entirely his work, and which he regarded as the best he ever wrote. The publisher failed in busi

ness while it was in press, and nothing was done to introduce it to the notice of teachers.

In the midst of these labors, at the commencement of the summer term, 1834, Mr. Hall was arrested by a very serious attack of pneumonia; and, although he partially recovered after a few weeks, he was obliged, in consequence, to withdraw from active efforts on behalf of several objects, and especially the School Agent' Society. He was not himself able to attend the annual meeting of that year, and was pained to know that most of those on whom most reliance was placed to carry out its plans, were also in feeble health, or had left New England. Not entirely recovering from the attack of pneumonia, the harsh coast climate affected him unfavorably. He was, therefore, inclined to accept the appointment, received at this time, of president of the new collegiate institution at Oberlin, Ohio; but yielded to the remonstrances of the Andover professors and others, against undertaking, in his state of health, so laborious an enterprise.

During the years 1834-36 also, Mr. Hall was subjected to very heavy domestic bereavements, in the death of more than half of his family; three children and his wife. Under these accumulated trials, his health declined so much that he felt constrained to tender his resignation to the trustees, and seek a residence in the interior, removed from the influence of its damp and chilly winds. When this became known, he received numerous invitations to occupy other fields, some from the south, and some from the west; but he thought a northern location promised more for his restoration to health. The trustees of Holmes Plymouth Academy, located near the geographical center of New Hampshire, had projected a theological department in the seminary under their care, and erected spacious buildings. Mr. Hall was chosen its principal, in January, 1837. But, before the plan was fully matured, a similar institution was established at Gilmanton, in the same state. When this fact was made known, Mr. Hall strongly advised the trustees to make the institution at Plymouth a Teachers' Seminary, for both males and females, and to modify their decision with regard to a theological department. On this ground alone was he willing, under all the circumstances, to accept the office. The trustees acquiesced. Their efforts had been commenced with confident expectation of receiving a donation of fifteen thousand dollars from a former citizen of Plymouth, who had emigrated to Alabama. This, with funds already possessed, encouraged the hope that a Teachers' Seminary of high order, could be founded and sustained. In this hope, Mr. Hall assumed the charge of the institution, in June, 1837. A plan of study for both a male