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done) yet, as a general thing, taking the world as we find it, the teacher must take the lead. He must often introduce himself uninvited to the people among whom he dwells, calling at their homes in the spirit of his vocation, and conversing with them freely about his duty to their children and to themselves. Every parent of course will feel bound to exercise courteous civility in his own house, and, by such an interview, perhaps a difference of opinion, a prejudice, or a suspicion may be removed, and the foundation of mutual good understanding and cordiality may be laid if done in a right spirit it certainly will be laid which many little troubles can never shake. It may be very useful to have an interview with such parents as have been disturbed by some administration of discipline upon members of their families. Let us not be understood, however, to recommend that the teacher should ever go to the parent in a cringing, unmanly spirit. It would probably be far better that the parties should ever remain entire strangers, than that their meeting should necessarily be an occasion of humiliating retraction on the side of the teacher. Neither should the parents ever be allowed to expect, that the teacher always will, as matter of duty, come to their confessional. This is not our meaning. But in our opinion the meeting of the parties as men, as gentlemen, as Christians, as coadjutors for the child's welfare, will always be attended with good results.

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3. He should be willing to explain all his plans to the parents of his pupils. If they had implicit confidence in him, and would readily and fully give him all the facilities for carrying forward his designs without explanation, then, perhaps, this direction might not be necessary. But as the world is, he cannot expect spontaneous confidence. They wish to know his designs, and it is best they should be informed. The readiest way for the teacher to interest them in the business of education, will be freely to converse with them concerning the measures he intends to adopt. If his plans are judicious, he of course can show good reasons why they should be carried into effect; and parents in general, are ready to listen to reason, when it is directed to the benefit of their children. Many a parent upon the first announcement of a measure in school, has stoutly opposed it, who upon a little conversation with the teacher, would entertain a very different opinion, and ever after would be most ready to countenance and support it. It seems to us a teacher may safely encourage inquiry into

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all his movements in school. There is an old saying opinion a mischievous one-which enjoins it as a duty upon all, to "tell no tales out of school." We see no objection to the reverse of this. Why may not every thing be told, if told correctly? Would it not do away very much of the existing suspicion already spoken of, if it were understood that there was no mystery about the school? Let this be the case, and the teacher would be careful never to do anything, or say anything, which he would not be willing to have related to the parents, or even to be witnessed by them. We would that the walls of our school-rooms were transparent as you look inward, so that any individual unperceived might view with his own eyes the movements within. We believe there has already been too much mystery within our school-rooms, and the sooner we have daylight the better.

In this connection it may be proper to suggest, that the teacher should encourage the frequent visitation of his school, by the parents of his pupils. When this takes place, let him be exceedingly careful that he does not, in any instance, deviate from his accustomed usages on their account. Let all the recitations and explanations be attended to, all praises and reproofs, all rewards and punishments be as faithfully and punctually dispensed as if no person were present. Such visitations, it is believed, would be highly useful under such circumstances. But if the teacher make them the occasions for the exercise, before his school, of ostentation and hypocrisy, then no good results may be expected.*

4. The teacher should be frank in all his representations to parents, concerning their children. This is a point, upon which many teachers most lamentably err. In this, as in every other case, "honesty is the best policy." If an instructer inform a parent during the term, that his son is making rapid progress, or, as the phrase is "doing very well," he excites in him high expectations; and if, at the end of the term, it turn out otherwise, the parent, with much justice, may be

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*The question has been started, we are aware "Should punishments ever be inflicted in the presence of strangers? We are strongly inclined to the affirmative of this question. If the teacher is known to deviate from his common usages on such occasions, he may always expect more or less idleness and confusion when he has visiters in his room. If, on the other hand, his pupils know where to find him, they will very seldom need reproof or correction before strangers. Something, however, may be said on the other side.

expected to load him with censure instead of praise. Let a particular answer, and a true one, always be given to the inquiry"How does my son get along?" The parent has a right to know, and the teacher has no right to disguise any of the facts. Sometimes private teachers have feared the loss of a pupil, and have, therefore, used some indefinite expression, which, however, the doating parent is usually ready to interpret to his child's advantage. But sooner or later the truth will appear, and when the teacher is once convicted of misrepresentation in this particular, there is rarely any forgiveness for him. For this reason and for his own love of truth, for his own reputation and for the child's welfare, he should keep nothing back. Tell the whole story plainly and frankly, and the parent, if he is a gentleman, will thank you for your faithfulness to him; and if he have any sense of justice, he will be ready to co-operate with you for his son's improvement.

The main duties, which the teacher directly owes to the parent, we think we have now noticed. He should study faithfully and feelingly the relations he sustains to his pupils and their friends; he should carefully perform every known duty in its time and after its manner, according to the dictates of his own conscience. Let him do this, and he can be happy in his own mind. Yet, when he has done all he can do, the question of his success will depend very much upon the PARENTS OF HIS SCHOLARS. They must come forward and crown the work, or very much will, after all, be wanting.

Let us, then, devote a few pages to the consideration of the

DUTIES OF PARENTS.

On entering this part of the subject, we feel an impulse to speak plainly and feelingly. We have had more than ten years' feeling on this subject, and, if we have not always felt right, we certainly have, at times, felt intensely. It will be difficult in what remains of this address, to define all the duties of parents. It will be our object to speak of some, such as most strongly suggest themselves to our mind.

1. Parents should reciprocate the attempts of the teacher toward a mutual understanding. It will discourage the most faithful instructer, if at the outset, he meet with coldness and unconcern. The parents should never forget, that the teacher is their appointed coadjutor for the time being, to educate their children, and as they love their offspring and desire their

advantage, so they should be ready to encourage all the advances which he may make toward the better understanding of their wishes and intentions, and the explanation of his plans.

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2. Parents should candidly listen to the plans of the teacher, and, unless they are manifestly wrong, should do all in their power to aid him in the execution of them. We say unless they are manifestly wrong. Many parents suppose, if a teacher's modes and plans are not the best, in their opinion the very best, they are under no obligation to help them forward. But we say, every teacher may not have the wisdom to devise abstractly the best plans, (for all teachers are not alike,) yet most likely such as he will devise, will be the best for him. He has taken much time, and after long solicitude and many desires to be useful, he has fixed upon a course one, which under all the circumstances may seem to him the best. Now suppose this course should chance to strike the parents' minds unfavorably; shall they at once abandon the teacher, give up all hopes of benefit from the school, and withdraw their co-operation? Is it not rather their duty, either to suggest a 66 more excellent way," which they may ever do, if they have a right spirit, or to give their co-operation in carrying out his plans such as they are? The teacher, be it remembered, is appointed to conduct the school for the time, and unless his services and his plans, however inferior they may be, are rendered useful, the youth are, for the time, to be the losers. Parents may be as particular as they please in the choice of their teacher, and in requiring the highest rate of qualifications; but after they have appointed him their teacher, they cannot without a breach of contract, withhold from him their co-operation. If they have been imposed upon, if the incumbent is found to be absolutely incompetent for his office, they may decently dismiss him, and employ another, but to continue a teacher in office, in whom they have no confidence, and whom they refuse to aid, is a breach of good faith; it is a violation of the axiom that "two wrongs can never make a right."

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As a general rule, we repeat it, the teacher's own plans will be found decidedly the best for him, and it is no good policy for parents, upon slight causes, to attempt an obtrusive interference. The right of adopting his own measures, as a general thing, should be conceded to the teacher; and all pa

rents will find their own interest promoted and their children's advancement accelerated, in cheerfully aiding him.

3. They should thankfully listen to the teacher's faithful account of their children, even if that account be not a flattering one. We have before said, that the teacher should be frank, always telling the parents the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. This must sometimes of itself, be an unplea sant duty. It is self-denying enough for the teacher to make an unfavorable statement demanded by his duty, under the best circumstances, and the trial is peculiarly severe when the parent receives it with expressions of displeasure, or perhaps, of undisguised reproach. Nothing should deter the teacher, however, from the faithful discharge of this duty, but we do say, he has a just right to expect cordiality and gratitude on the part of the parent for his faithfulness, whether his tale be bright or dark, and the good and wise parent will always exhibit them.

4. Parents should visit the schools which their children attend. Without this, they can have no very correct idea of the state of things in the school-room. Common report concerning the affairs of a school, is not always correct. By visiting the school, parents can at once see, if the teacher is honest, the comparative standing of their children; they will become more interested in the objects and business of the school, and, what will be of infinite worth both to teacher and pupils, it will convince them all, that the parents have some sense of the importance of the improvement made there. The pupils will be quickened to diligence, and the teacher to activity and faithfulness, and is not the rate of purchase very low, when the advantage is so great?

5. Parents should promptly and cheerfully supply the required books and apparatus for the school. The teacher cannot work without tools; the parent ought not to expect it. If a parent has any doubt about the propriety of a call for a new book, he should at once see the teacher, but never should he send an uncivil or angry message by the child. An interview of five minutes may put the matter peaceably at rest, and save both parties much unpleasant feeling. Besides, school books are now less expensive than formerly. The parent in most cases can better afford to buy a book, than to spend his time in talk about it. Often the pupil loses more by delay in one week, than the value of the book many times told, — for

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