The teacher's duty.-Objections.-Answers.

"Let

seek his own, but every man another's wealth." nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves."—" In honor preferring one another."

If such be the true pictures of emulation, in both the good and the bad sense, certainly teachers cannot hesitate a moment as to their duty. They may appeal to the principle first described,-cultivate and strengthen it; and in so doing, they may be sure they are doing a good work. But unless they intend to violate the teachings of common sense, and the higher teachings of Christianity, I know not how they can appeal to the principle of emulation as defined in the second case.

But it may be urged that the teacher will find emulation, even in this latter sense, existing in human nature; that he cannot get rid of it if he will; that it will be one of the most active principles to which he can resort in arousing the mind to exertion; and, furthermore, that it has been appealed to by many of the most eminent teachers time out of mind.

To this it is replied, that it is not disputed that children are selfish; and that this selfishness may indeed be made a powerful instrumentality in urging them forward to the attainment of a temporary end. But does the existence of selfishness prove that it needs cultivation in the human character? And will the end, when attained, justify the means? Is the end, whatever it may be, if attained at such a cost, a blessing to be

Further objections.-Emulation not essential to success.

desired? Will not the heart suffer more than the h will gain?

It may be further urged, that the child will find world full of this principle when he leaves the scho and why, it is asked, should he at school be thrown i an unnatural position? I answer that evil is not to overcome by making evil more prevalent, and thou there may be too much of self-seeking in the worl that is the very reason why the teacher should n encourage its growth. The more true Christianit prevails in the world, the less there will be of the spirit which rejoices at another's halting; hence I an convinced the teacher should do nothing to make tha spirit more prevalent.

Nor is it essential to the progress of the pupil ever temporarily, since there are other and worthier principles which can be as successfully called into action. If we look carefully at the expediency of thus stimulating the mind, we find that after the first trial of strength, many become disheartened and fall behind in despair. It will soon be obvious, in a class of twenty, who are the few that will be likely to surpass all others; and therefore all the others, as a matter of course, fall back into envy, perhaps into hopeless indifference. Who has not seen this in a class in spelling, for instance, where the strife was for the "head" of the class, but where all but two or three were quite as well satisfied with being at the "foot?" It does not then accomplish the purpose for which it is employed; and since those who are aroused by it, are even more injured than

The conclusion.-Prizes.-Honest investigation.

those who are indifferent, their undesirable qualities being thus strengthened, the opinion is entertained that those teachers are the most wise, who bend their ingenuity to find some other means to awaken the minds of the children under their charge.

From what has been said, then, Emulation is to be recognised or repudiated among the incentives of the schoolroom, according to the signification we assign to the term.

SECTION II.-PRIZES.

It has for a long time been the custom of teachers to offer some prize as an incentive to exertion in school; a prize of some pecuniary value, a book, or a medal. In some places beneficent individuals have bestowed by legacy the means to purchase annually the prizes thus to be used. Every young teacher is called upon, therefore, to inquire whether such an incentive is a proper one to be employed in the schoolroom. If there is any good to be expected from such an incentive, will it counterbalance the evils that spring from the practice? Will the good of the whole school be promoted by such a measure,-and will this be a permanent or a temporary good? These are questions which press for an honest answer; and the faithful teacher should not shrink from a careful investigation of the whole matter; and if he finds good reason to differ from time-honored authority, he should abide by the truth rather than by prescriptive usage.

In my own case, I may be allowed to say, my mind

Experience.-Its result.-Reasons assigned.

was early turned to this point; though, I confess, with a strong bias in favor of the use of prizes. Pretty thoroughly for a series of years did I test their efficacy, but with a growing conviction, that the prize was not the proper instrumentality to create a healthy interest in the school. This conviction acquired additional strength by three or four years' trial of other incentives; and it was fully confirmed afterwards by a trial made for the purpose of testing again the efficacy of a prize, at an age when I could more carefully watch the workings of the human mind, and better appreciate the benefits or evils resulting from such a measure. I am now free to say that I am satisfied that prizes offered to a school in such a way that all may compete for them, and only two or three obtain them, will always be productive of evil consequences, far overbalancing any temporary or partial good that may arise from them, and therefore they ought not to be used as incitements in our schools.*

Having expressed an opinion so decidedly upon a measure which claims among its friends and advocates some of the best minds in the country, I shall be expected to assign some reasons for the faith I entertain. From this I shall not shrink. I proceed therefore to express such objections to the use of prizes, as

*It may be well to remind the reader that I have used the term Prizes here in contradistinction from a system of Rewards, by which the teacher proposes to give some token of his regard to every one who does well,-and the more brilliant success of a few does not necessarily preclude others from participating in the favor according to their merit. Of such a system of Rewards I shall have something to say presently.

Prize becomes the leading motive.-Engenders rivalry.

have been suggested to my mind by my own experience, and confirmed by the experience and observation of others in whom I have great confidence.

I. The offer of a prize gives undue prominence to a comparatively unworthy object. It practically teaches the child to undervalue the higher reward of a good conscience, and a love of learning for its own sake. The dazzling medal is placed in the foreground of his field of vision; and it is very likely to eclipse those less showy but more abiding rewards found in a sense of duty and a desire to be qualified for usefulness. In studying his lesson he thinks of the prize. He studies that he may merely recite well; for it is a good recitation that wins the prize. He thinks not of duty, or of future usefulness; the prize outshines all other objects.

II. The pursuit of a prize engenders a spirit of rivalry among the pupils. Rivalry in pursuit of an object which only one can attain, and which all others must lose, must end in exultation on the part of the winner, and disappointment and envy on the part of the losers. It may be said, this ought not to be so; but .' seldom can it be said, that it is not so. Such is human nature, and such it ever will be. Unpleasant feelingssometimes concealed, to be sure-but generally expressed in unequivocal terms—grow out of the award of almost every school prize, and sometimes continue to exert their baleful influence through life. Now as long as human nature brings forth unlovely traits almost spontaneously, such direct efforts to cultivate them