Your committee take occasion here to mention the project of a series of new text-books in morality, under the editorship of distin guished and competent clergymen who have formed an association for the purpose. Your committee believe that such works will do much good, although they can neve requal in efficiency of moral influence the discipline of the school in the hands of the competent teacher. The direct training of the will into habits of doing is everywhere superior in morals to mere theoretical instruction on the subject. All of which is respectfully submitted.

THE TEACHING OF MORALITY IN SCHOOLS.

BY MRS. ELIZABETH B. CHACE, RHODE ISLAND.

There is no question of human interest that is of so vital import as is that of the building-up of good human character. Indeed, we may well say that all other interests depend for their real value upon this one foundation. It is also certain that, to build this character well, it is necessary that the development of the moral faculties should begin at an early age; and, so fully has this been recognized by the most enlightened minds, that the idea that "Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined," has found frequent utterance, ever since the day when King Solomon said, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Although in every human soul is enkindled that divine spark which is variously called the voice of God, the inner light, the conscience which checks and warns us when we are assailed by temptation, it is yet true that it is left to circumstances, to instruction, to experience, to determine whether we shall know clearly and distinctly the difference between right and wrong, and whether we shall be true enough and strong enough to heed the voice which bids us choose the good and reject the evil in all the concerns of our daily lives.

As population increases in our country, bringing together the vices of differing races and different degrees of civilization, it becomes more and more apparent, to the thoughtful and the humane, that some more positive and active moral force than any we have now in operation is needed to stem the overwhelming tide of immorality which, say what we will and admit all we can of the virtue which really does exist among us, is polluting the atmosphere of our civil, political, and social life to an extent that is seriously alarming. In the belief that ignorance is fruitful of vice and crime, we have wisely established a system of popular education which, as far as it has yet progressed, has been very effective in intellectual development; while, in view of the constant increase of vice and crime, the amount of pauperism, the lack in society at large of nice moral perception and of just discrimination between right and wrong, in the daily intercourse of people one with another, we are learning that our system is imperfect until we engraft upon it a more thorough method of training, that shall result in a higher standard of moral character. In response to this growing sentiment, an occasional essay has appeared in some peri

odical, or been presented at an educational meeting, urging the teaching of morality in schools; the subject is frequently mentioned in public discussions; it is not always omitted in the reports of school committees and superintendents of schools; and in private conversations it is often earnestly advocated. And yet, I miss, in all these, any clear, distinct commendation of some practicable methods of instruction in the science of morality. While the idea is often expressed that the true purpose of our system of education should be the development of all the faculties, and interesting and valuable details and illustrations are given of practical methods of teaching the usual studies, I fail to find that any plan is proposed in all these discussions for giving to pupils the regular systematic instruction concerning conduct and the formation of character and the principles by which their lives should be governed, such as is urged in the teaching of geography, grammar, and arithmetic. It seems rather to be taken for granted, that our system of public instruction in the ordinary branches of learning, and the necessary restraints and requirements of the school-room, are, of themselves, sufficient to accomplish all that is to be expected of the school in the development of the character of the scholars. And, therefore, except in rare instances,—and I am happy to be able to say there may be found such, where teachers have, on their own responsibility, established methods of instruction in morals,—I am forced to the conclusion that morality, as a science, is omitted from the course of study in our public and private schools.

In looking over this matter it is to be considered that children of the school-age spend the best part of the day in school; so that, where the parents are qualified and disposed to give the needful instruction, their opportunities for doing so are less than those of the teacher; and it is a well-known fact that a large proportion of the homes are destitute of this qualification and disposition.

The vagueness in regard to moral teaching, so noticeable in all educational discussions where it is alluded to at all, is, of course, very much due to a deficiency in the minds of educators themselves of any distinct conception of proper methods of giving such instruction. It has not, to any effective extent, been put into text-books in the form of questions and answers; it has not been made an absolute requirement, like the teaching of reading and writing. The ability to teach morality has not been a subject of searching inquiry in the examination of candidates for teaching, or, universally, of any special training of teachers.

Added to these deficiencies has hitherto been a strong feeling that

the questions of abstract right and wrong are so intimately connected with and dependent upon the religious opinions, the beliefs theological and speculative, that it would be impossible to deal with them among children without coming into collision with the differences and disputes which divide people into sects; and, therefore, the teaching concerning conduct in the daily life has been left mainly to chance. The result is what we see all around us, and is what might be expected. I consider, therefore, that a very essential part of the opportunities and duties of the school have been hitherto overlooked and neglected in our educational system; and I have thought that I might possibly say a word that would help others to find a way out of these difficulties, and do something toward the adoption of methods conducive to moral progress.

There are certain principles concerning right and wrong which have been accepted by mankind as true ever since the dawnings of civilization, the knowledge of which has grown out of human experience. These principles belong, especially, to no creed nor to any form of theological belief; and they can be taught entirely independent of them all. They have been transmitted through the ages by sages, philosophers, and preachers, as of practical importance in the conduct of life; they are found in the books of all nations and of all religions, written in all periods of the world's history of which we have any record; and to-day they remain unalterably true, and are still applicable to all the exigencies and vicissitudes of life. The following I quote from examples so numerous and so excellent that I find it difficult to choose:

OF TRUTH.

"Thou shalt not bear false witness."-Moses, Hebrew Lawgiver, B.C. 1571. "As the body is purified by water, so is the soul purified by Truth."-Manu Hindu, B.C. 1200.

"Let not thy tongue say what thy heart denies.”—Lao-tse, Chinese, B.C. 604. "Be very scrupulous to observe the truth in all things."-Zoroaster, Persian, B.C. 589.

"Thou shalt speak no word that is false.”—Buddhist commandment. "Speak every man truth with his neighbor."-Paul the Apostle, A.C.

OF MORAL COURAGE.

"Remove thy feet from evil. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established."-Solomon, king of Israel, B.C. 1015.

"Like a solid rock, unshaken by the wind, wise people are unfaltering amid praise or blame."-Buddha-Sakya Hindu, B.C. 627.

"Whatever people may think of you, do that which you think to be right."Pythagoras, Grecian, B.C. 580.

"To know a thing is right and not to do it is a weakness.”—Confucius, Chinese,

B.C. 550.

"Why, even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right?"-Jesus Christ.

THE LAW OF JUSTICE.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."-Moses, B.C. 1571.

"That which thou blamest in another, do it not thyself."-Thales, Grecian, B.C. 640.

"Do as you would be done by."-Zoroaster, Persian, B.C. 589.

"What you would not like to have done to yourself, do not to others."-Confucius, Chinese, B.C. 550.

"Let none of you treat his brother in a way he himself would not like to be treated."-Sabean Book of the Law, Ancient.

"The eternal, unchangeable law of all beings, is to seek the good of one another, like children of the same Father."-Cicero, Roman, B.C. 106.

"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."-Jesus Christ.

"Woe to them that give scant measure, and exact full measure from others."— Mohammed, A.C. 609.

"The sentiment of justice is so natural, so universally felt by mankind, that it seems to me to be independent of all law, all party, all religion."— Voltaire, French, A.C. 1782.

OF RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL.

"If thine enemy hunger, give him bread to eat; if he thirst, give him water to drink."-Moses, B.C. 1571.

"Return good for evil."-Manu, Hindu, B.C. 1200.

"If a man foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my ungrudging love. The more evil comes from him, the more good shall go from me."-Buddha Sakya, Hindu, B.C. 627.

"The good should be met with goodness, and the not good should also be met with goodness."-Lao-tze, Chinese, B.C. 604.

"Love your enemies; bless them that curse you.”—Jesus Christ.

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."-Paul the Apostle, A.C. "It is good to overcome evil with good, and it is evil to resist evil with evil.”Mohammed, A.C. 609.

"Always meet petulance with gentleness, and perverseness with kindness."Sadi-Gul, Persian, A.C. 1175.

OF SELF-CONTROL AND FORGIVENESS.

"A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger."-Solomon, B.C. 1015.

"Abstain from wrath. Let a man keep in subjection his speech, his arm, and his appetite."-Manu, Hindu, B.C. 1200.

"Reply to thine enemy with gentleness."-Zoroaster, B.C. 589.

"Do not call ill-names. Thou shalt avoid all anger, hatred, and bitter language." -Buddhist commandment.

"Be rigid to yourself and gentle to others."-Confucius, B.C. 550. "One who is injured ought not to return injury

it be right to do injustice."-Socrates, Grecian, B.C. 469.

for, on no account can

Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly."-Cicero, B.C. 106.