Mind weakened-Drawing-out.-Leading questions.

partially mingled with the next day's pouring, till at length there will be nothing characteristic left. But aside from retention, there is a great difference between the jug and the mind. The former is inert material, and may be as good a jug after such use as before. But the mind suffers by every unsuccessful effort to retain.

This process of lecturing children into imbecility is altogether too frequently practised; and it is to be hoped, that intelligent teachers will pause and inquire before they pursue it further.

The other process to which I wish to call attention, is that which, for the sake of distinguishing it from the first, I shall denominate the

SECTION II.-DRAWING-OUT PROCESS.

This consists in asking what the lawyers call leading questions. It is practised, usually, whenever the teacher desires to help along the pupil. "John," says the teacher when conducting a recitation in Long Division, "John, what is the number to be divided called?" John hesitates. "Is it the dividend ?" says the teacher. "Yes, sir-the dividend." "Well, John, what is that which is left after dividing called ?-the remainder is it?" Yes, sir." A visitor now enters the room, and the teacher desires to show off John's talents. "Well, John, of what denomination is the remainder ?"

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RIGHT MODES OF TEACHING.

Victims of kindness.-Passive recipient.-A jug.

T.

even of an agreeable thing to make one sick, and
produce loathing forever after. Now many teac}
are just such misguided caterers for the mind.
are ready to seize upon the victims of their kindne
force open their mental gullets, and pour in, with
mercy and without discretion, whatever sweet th
they may have at hand, even though they surfeit a
nauseate the poor sufferer. The mind, by this proce
becomes a mere passive recipient, taking in with
much resistance whatever is presented till it is full.

1

"A passive recipient!" said one to his friend, "wl is a passive recipient ?" "A passive recipient,' plied his friend, “is a two-gallon jug. It holds ju two gallons, and as it is made of potters' ware, it ca never hold but just two gallons." This is not an un illustration of what I mean by making the mind passive recipient. Whenever the teacher does no first excite inquiry, first prepare the mind by wakin・・・ it up to a desire to know, and if possible to find ou by itself, but proceeds to think for the child, and t give him the results, before they are desired, or befor they have been sought for,—he makes the mind of the child a two-gallon jug, into which he may pour jus two gallons, but no more. And if day after day he should continue to pour in, day after day he may expect that what he pours in will all run over. The mind, so far as retention is concerned, will act like the jug; that is, a part of what is poured in to-day, will be diluted by a part of that which is forced in tomorrow, and that again will be partially displaced and

A further example.-Yes, sir.

Pupil. "Oh! "Agreeably to the plan of Howe, the right wing, commanded by Knyphausen, made a feint of crossing the Brandywine at Chad's Ford,'" &c.

This is a very common way of helping a dull pupil out of a difficulty; and I have seen it done so adroitly, that a company of visitors would agree that it was wonderful to see how thoroughly the children had been instructed!

I may further illustrate this drawing-out process, by describing an occurrence, which, in company with a friend and fellow-laborer, I once witnessed. A teacher, whose school we visited, called upon the class in Colburn's First Lessons. They rose, and in single file marched to the usual place, with their books in hand, and stood erect. It was a very good-looking class.

"Where do you begin?" said the teacher, taking the book.

Pupils. On the 80th page, 3rd question.

Teacher. Read it, Charles.

Charles. (Reads.) "A man being asked how many sheep he had, said that he had them in two pastures; in one pasture he had eight; that threefourths of these were just one-third of what he had in the other. How many were there in the other?"

Teacher. Well, Charles, you must first get onefourth of eight, must you not?

Charles. Yes, sir.

Teacher. Well, one-fourth of eight is two, isn't it? Charles. Yes, sir; one-fourth of eight is two.