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form school-books. If these men could carry out their uniform schemes, perhaps they would introduce the bed of Procrustes, and expel from the fraternity of teachers every one who could not fill it exactly, or who should happen to have a crooked nose or an odd face, or be found guilty of the single sin of singularity.

Such theorizers remind me of a certain editor, who on being told "that potatoes would grow faster for pulling off their blossoms, sagaciously observed that he knew better, as he had tried it in the case of beans, 'for,' said he, 'I pulled off the bean blossoms and my crop was even smaller than usual.'” So they, in their no

tions of uniformity, forgetting the old adage, that circumstances alter cases, would have us all proceed upon the same principle. They would have every teacher govern in the same way and apply the same rules to every case. This would doubtless be a very short and easy method, as it would save the wear and tear of brains, but it would be as absurd and futile as it would be convenient and summary. For the fact is that men are differently constituted, and must govern, if they govern at all, by different means.

There is a certain air of authority about some men, which at once commands respect and compels obedience. This was remarkably the case with our own loved and venerated Washington. Even Aaron Burr, proverbially bold and impudent as he was, could never take the slightest liberties with him, though they had been frequently brought into contact in public and private life. Burr, it is said, sometimes quailed beneath the steady gaze of his eye and felt uneasy and uncomfortable in his presence. The charm of Napoleon's manner, whenever

he chose to exert himself, has been often spoken of. After the battle of Waterloo in 1815, as you all know, he gave himself up to the British authorities and was taken on board of the Belerephon under the command of Capt. Maitland, and was brought to the coast of England. Here he addressed to the Prince Regent that artful and famous letter, in which he says: "A victim to the factions which distract my country, and to the enmity of the greatest powers of Europe, I have terminated my political career, and I come, like Themistocles, to throw myself upon the hospitality of the British people." On learning, however, that it was the intention of the government to banish him to St. Helena, he was exceedingly desirous of obtaining a personal interview with the Prince. But those who knew Napoleon best, and the wonderful fascination of his manner, resolutely opposed it, saying, "allow him an interview with his Royal Highness and in half an hour they will be the best friends in England."

Now though teachers are neither Washingtons nor Napoleons, still there are those whose look is law, and whose simple suggestion has all the authority of a command; in whose appearance, manner, and bearing, there is an irresistible charm, which wins and controls all that comes within the magic circle of its influence. Such persons may find it easy to maintain the discipline of their schools, while they dispense with all corporal punishments, and may perhaps denounce the rod as a relic of the dark ages, and those who use it as a set of cruel and wicked barbarians. But all of us do not possess this power of awing scholars into submission and obedience by a word or a look, and we may therefore find

it necessary to prop up our authority by the presence of the rod or cowhide even, though it may for the most part lie quietly in our desks-where, by the way, mine has rested undisturbed for the last two or three years. Because one teacher of peculiar tact and address, and, under very favorable circumstances, has laid aside corporal punishment altogether, and has still maintained good order and been successful, it by no means follows that the generality of teachers, much less that all teachers, can go and do likewise. One swallow does not make a suminer, and the boy who, having seen it snow on two Christmas days in succession, inferred that it always snowed on Christmas days, showed his ignorance of the principles which should ever be observed in generalization. Because a certain doctor, in this Commonwealth, tells us that he has lived a whole year without drinking anything, and assures us that the sensation is very agreeable, we are not disposed to relinquish the practice altogether as a useless custom; nor shall we, like Sawdustarians, knock out our teeth, sew up our mouths and give up the habit of eating, merely because we are told that the members of "the Fast-day forever Association" continue fat and flourishing, simply by looking at a bunch of raw turnips two or three times a day.

I repeat, then, what I said in the outset, that I am of the liberal party in these matters. Let teachers derive all the advantages they can from each other's experience and suggestions, but let there be no servile imitation, and let each one, after all, pursue in the main his own course. We shall then have more originality and freshness, better teachers and better schools. Ministers do not preach in

the same manner, doctors disagree, and why should teachers be, like Quaker bonnets, just alike? There is no reason, that I can see, why it should be so; and I will venture to assert, that every good teacher has some peculiarities, and that these very peculiarities constitute no small share of his excellence.

And here let me say to the teaching fraternity generally, we shall learn to tolerate many things simply by understanding them. The most bigoted people on all subjects, are generally those who take the least pains to understand the principles and the practice of those who differ, or seem to differ from them. And the fact is, that good teachers-I mean the best teachers-practically differ very little, even on this much disputed question of corporal punishment. It is mostly a difference of words. Those of them who advocate its use in theory, rarely resort to it in practice. The fear of punishment and the certainty of its infliction whenever occasion may require it, in almost every case, prevents the necessity of using it. While those who discard it altogether, are sometimes obliged to adopt expedients quite as unpleasant and disagreeable to the scholar. I once heard of a teacher, who, by the way, was a great stickler for moral suasion, who, wishing to get rid of corporal punishment, substituted blistering for flogging, which I should call moral suasion with a vengeance.

But there are still some general directions, which suit every latitude and are applicable to every teacher. And were I required to give to a teacher, in a few words, what I deem one of the most important of these general practical directions in establishing and maintaining good order in school, it should be, Do not make much noise

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yourself; and were I asked for a second and a third, I would simply repeat it, DO NOT MAKE MUCH NOISE YOURSELF. A bustling, noisy teacher will always make a bustling, noisy school; and, in general, you will find the noise in a school is in direct proportion to that which the teacher makes himself. I repeat it the noise in a school is generally in direct proportion to that which the teacher makes himself.

I had occasion not long since to visit a school, where the teacher had a stentorian voice, and he used it as though he had no fears of consumption. Everything was moving forward as if by steam; orders were given at the top of his voice. But what struck me as a little remarkable, was, that he never stopped long enough to see that his orders were obeyed. He called a class to recite. The questions were asked in a tone of voice loud enough to be heard a quarter of a mile; and whenever any confusion arose in a different part of the room, (and it was of frequent occurrence,) he would strike upon the desk with a stick and cry out, order there," "order," and before the sound of his own voice had died away, he would put another question to the reciting class. And if his school was not a Babel, it certainly was no fault of the teacher. And yet this man possessed a good deal of intelligence and had been a teacher for years, and no man could doubt his energy; and I fully believe, that could he but adopt a deliberate and quiet manner, and utter his directions and ask his questions in a low but distinct tone of voice, he would keep a first rate school.

Several years ago I visited a school in Boston of a very different character. During all the time I was

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