no punishments. I do not say that I should not, in case all other means should fail, resort to the most decisive measures to secure obedience and subordination. Most certainly, I should do so, as it would plainly be my duty to do it. If you should at any time be so unhappy as to violate your obligations to yourself, to your companions or to me,- should you misimprove your time, or exhibit an unkind or a selfish spirit, or be disrespectful or insubordinate to your teachers, — I should go frankly and openly, but kindly to you, and endeavor to convince you of your fault, I should very probably do this by addressing a note to you, as I suppose this would be less unpleasant to you than a conversation. In such a case, I shall hope that you will as frankly and openly reply; telling me whether you admit your fault and are determined to amend, or else informing me of the contrary. I shall wish you to be sincere, as then I shall know what course to take next. But as to the consequences which may result to you if you should persist in what is wrong, it is not necessary that you should know them before hand. They who wander from duty always plunge themselves into troubles they do not anticipate; and if you do what at the time you are doing it, you know wrong, it will not be unjust that you should suffer the consequences, even if they were not before hand understood and expected. This will be the case with you all through life, and it will be the case here.

'I say it will be the case here; I ought rather to say that it would be the case should you be so unhappy as to do wrong and to persist in it. Such cases however never occur. At least they occur so seldom, and at intervals so great, that every thing of the nature of punishment, that is, the depriving a pupil of any enjoyment, or subjecting her to any disgrace, or giving her pain in any way in consequence of her faults, except the simple pain of awakening conscience in her bosom is almost entirely unknown. I hope that you will always be ready to confess and forsake your faults, and endeavor while you remain in school to improve in character and attain as far as possible every moral excellence.

leav

"I ought to remark before dismissing this topic, that I place very great confidence in the scholars in regard to their moral conduct and deportment, and they fully deserve it. I have no care and no trouble in what is commonly called the government of the school. Neither myself nor any one else is employed in any way in watching the scholars, or keeping any sort of account of them. I should not at any time hesitate to call all the teachers into an adjoining room, ing the school alone for half an hour, and I should be confident, that at such a time order and stillness and attention to study would prevail as much as ever. The scholars would not look to see whether I was in my desk, but whether the study card was up. The school was left in this way, half an hour every day during a quarter, that we might have a teacher's meeting, and the school went on, generally quite as well, to say the least, as when the teachers were present. One or two instances of irregular conduct occurred. I do not now

recollect precisely what they were. They were, however, fully acknowledged and not repeated, and I believe the scholars were generally more scrupulous and faithful then than at other times. They would not betray the confidence reposed in them. This plan was continued until it was found more convenient to have the teacher's meeting in the afternoons.

"When any thing wrong is done in school, I generally state the case and request the individuals who have done it to let me know. They do it sometimes by notes and sometimes in conversation, — but they always do it. The plan always succeeds. The scholars all know that there is nothing to be feared from confessing faults to me; but that on the other hand it is a most direct and certain way to secure returning peace and happiness.

"I can illustrate this by describing a case which actually occurred. Though the description is not to be considered so much an accurate account of what occurred in a particular case, as an illustration of the general spirit and manner in which such cases are disposed of. I accidentally understood, that some of the younger scholars were in the habit during recesses and after school of ringing the door bell and then running away, to amuse themselves with the perplexity of their companions, who should go to the door and find no one there. I explained in a few words, one day, to the school, that this was wrong.

How many,' I then asked, have ever been put to the trouble to go to the door, when the bell has thus been rung? They may rise.'

A very large number of the scholars stood up. Those who had done the mischief were evidently surprised at the extent of the trouble they had occasioned. 'Now,' I continued, I think all will be convinced that the trouble which this practice has occasioned to the fifty or sixty young ladies, who cannot be expected to find amusement in such a way, is far greater than the pleasure it can have given to the few who are young enough to have enjoyed it. Therefore it was wrong. Do you think the girls who rang the bell might have known this by proper reflection?

Yes sir,' the school generally answered.

I do not mean,' said I, if they had set themselves formally at work to think about the subject; but with such a degree of reflection as ought reasonably to be expected of little girls, in the hilarity of recess and of play.'

"Yes sir,' was still the reply, but fainter than before.

There is one way by which might ascertain whether you were old enough to know that this was wrong, and that is by asking those who have refrained from doing this, because they supposed it would be wrong, to rise Then if some of the youngest scholars in school should stand up, as I have no doubt they would, it would prove that all might have known if they had been equally conscientious. But if I ask those to rise who have not rung the bell, I shall make it known to the whole school, who they are that have done it, and I wish that the exposure of faults should be private, unless it is necessary that it should be public. I will therefore not do it. I have myself however, no doubt that all might have known that it was wrong.'

There is,' continued 1, another injury which must grow out of such a practice. This I should not have expected the little girls could think of. In fact I doubt whether any in school will think of it? Can any one tell what it is?'

No one replied.

I should suppose that it would lead you to disregard the bell when it rings and that consequently a gentleman or lady might sometimes ring in vain; the scholars near the door, saying, "Oh it is only the little girls."'

'Yes sir,' was heard from all parts of the room.

'I found from farther inquiry that this had been the case, and I closed by saying, "I am satisfied, that those who have inadvertently fallen into this practice are sorry for it, and that if I should leave it here, no more cases of it would occur, and this is all I wish. At the same time, they who have done this, will feel more effectually relieved from the pain which having done wrong must necessarily give them, if they individually acknowledge it to me. I wish therefore that all who have done this would write me notes stating the facts. If any one does not do it, she will punish herself severely, for she will feel for many days to come, that while her companions were willing to acknowledge their faults, she wished to conceal and cover hers. Conscience will reproach her bitterly for her insincerity and whenever she hears the sound of the door bell it will remind her not only of her fault, but of what is far worse, her willingness to appear innocent when she was really guilty."

"Before the close of school I had eight or ten notes acknowledging the fault, describing the circumstances of each case, and expressing promises to do so no more..

"It is by such methods as this, rather than by threatening and punishment that I manage the cases of discipline, which from time to time occur, but even such as this, slight as it is, occur very seldom. Weeks and weeks sometimes elapse without one. When they do occur they are always easily settled by confession and reform. Sometimes I am asked to forgive the offence. But I never forgive. I have no power to forgive. God must forgive you when you do wrong, or the burden must remain. My duty it is to take measures to prevent future transgression, and to lead those who have been guilty of it, to God for pardon. If they do not go to him, though they may satisfy me, as principal of a school, by not repeating the offence, they must remain unforgiven. I can forget and I do forget. For example, in this last case, I have not the slightest recollection of any individual who was engaged in it. The evil was entirely removed, and had it not afforded me a convenient illustration here, perhaps I should never have thought of it again, — still it may not yet be forgiven. It may seem strange that I should speak so seriously of God's forgiveness for such a trifle as that. Does he notice a child's ringing a doorbell in play? He notices when a child is willing to yield to temptation, to do what she knows to be wrong. and to act, even in the slightest trifle, from a selfish disregard for the convenience of others. This spirit he always notices, and though I may stop any particular form of its exhibition, it is for Him alone to forgive it and to purify the heart from its power. But I shall speak more particularly on this subject under the head of Religious Instruction."

INTELLIGENCE.

EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE.

A SYSTEM of common schools, not unlike that of Connecticut, has been established in Tennessee, and some attempts have been made by the Legislature to appropriate sufficient funds to carry the system into operation. Within two years a small sum has been appropriated and applied to the education of children and youth between the ages of six and eighteen. This sum is given to a certain committee, whose duty it is to procure and pay the teacher. Very lately the Legislature have reduced the licenses on dram shops from $15 or $20 to $5, the avails of which are to be applied to common schools. That the school may be prolonged to meet the feelings of the neighborhood, a cheap instructor is employed, say for ten, twelve, or fifteen dollars a month; the instructor furnishing his own board. Female teachers are seldom employed at all. The teachers are generally those, whose learning was drawn from such schools as they purpose to have, termed "Old Field Schools." The following graphic description of the common schools and school-houses in Tennessee, is from a source on which we place entire reliance, and to which we are principally indebted for the facts of the whole article. We refer to a series of letters from Tennessee, published in the "Connecticut Observer."

"Let the following serve as a fair, impartial picture of school-houses and schools. A house is built of round logs, one story high, fifteen feet long, twelve feet wide, and covered with split slabs. The chimney is made of wood and mud, and placed at one end of the house. The benches are usually without backs, and there are no desks, wherein to put books or writing implements. A space between the logs extends round the house, about eight inches wide, through which light and air may unremittingly enter, and the door is invariably left open winter and summer. The floor is composed of the same material with the roof, or earth. The scholars sit promiscuously about the room, with little reference to system; and study as loud as they read, and leave their seats at pleasure.

"Parents rarely send their children under six years old, but as it was in New England fifteen years since, they send those of twenty years. The government is absolute, and when a scholar has offended, the rod is not spared. No school is held on Saturday. A whole class frequently read and spell without correction. Words are often spelt, and only the first syllable pronounced. While a class is reading, the teacher mends pens, answers questions in the different branches of study, and disciplines if necessary. Formality and monotony in reading are very prevalent. The article a, precedes or follows nearly every other word.

"An illustration will best convey our meaning, and the truth. The sentence; Every syllable, and even every letter, should be pronounced distinctly, particularly vowels,' is emphatically read; Every a-syllable, and-a even a-every a-letter a-should be a-pronounced a-distinctly, particularly a-vowels.' The truth is, this and other similar habits were imbibed early, and the unconscious youth is suffered to continue them unmolested. The arithmetic book is held in the same hand with the slate, and watched closely; and if both answers nearly agree, the sum is left, and another commenced to be worked in the same manner. In short, scholars are informed that the sum is right, without a reason why. In this way a whole book is finished. Nor have we often seen a class formed in this branch

While one is engaged in Reduction, another is in Multiplication; and another still has just begun in Addition; and all perhaps are striving for the end of the book. But we have never seen, in the common schools of New England as good writing, as is generally found here. We account for it in this way in our common schools, grammar and geography are seldom taught."

The subject of education, of late, has attracted considerable attention from the politicians of this State, and we hope they will ere long be found the strenuous advocates of improvement. But the want of qualified teachers will long be felt as a serious obstacle. Not only are those who engage in the business of teaching, in too many instances, deplorably ignorant of the very rudiments of an English education, but they are likewise, in still greater numbers, deficient in the patience, assiduity, system, benevolence, and impartiality which are so requisite in those who have the instruction and education of youth committed to them. It is also painful, as we are informed, to revert to the immorality of some of the teachers. Intemperance is by no means uncommon, though it is rarely indulged in school. Yet the Christmas holidays are still occasionally celebrated by the ancient custom of "barring out the master," which is generally a drunken revel, in which the teacher and his scholars unite.

Female education has attracted a commendable degree of attention in Tennessee. There are several flourishing female seminaries in Nashville, in which are taught not only the ornamental, but likewise the solid and useful branches of education. The same may be said of the Female Academy at Knoxville, and several other institutions of the kind in other parts of the State.

There are two Manual Labor institutions in this State. One is at Maryville under the care of Dr Anderson. It contains, say forty pupils, who are taken from the field and prepared for the ministry. They receive their education at very little expense besides the avails of their labors. The services of the President, Dr A. bave hitherto been gratuitous, though he is in low circumstances. He supports himself partly by preaching and partly by a farm. The labors and sacrifices of this gentleman in the cause of doing good are said to be immense; and compared with his means, have rarely, if ever been exceeded. The other manual labor school is in Maury county, under the care of Dr Hardin; and is but recently established.

There are four or five Colleges in the State, but they are not generally flourishing, although several of them have very able professors. The University of Nashville, under President Lindsley, is the most flourishing, and is managed with uncommon ability. But that foolish prejudice, so often the concomitant of ignorance, prevails in Tennessee; the idea that colleges exclusively favor the sons of the rich, and that they are opposed to the interests of the common people.

EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS.

we mean

By a late law in the State of Illinois, published in the Illinois Patriot, the interest derived from the sales of the "school lands" in each township, (except what is wanted to defray the expenses of surveying and selling them,) in that State, is to be divided annually by the School Commissioner of each county, among the teachers of such towns, according to the number of their scholars, residing in the township possessed of such school fund, and the number of days they have attended during the preceding 12 months, on the following conditions;