planned and put up, has appointed an architect, with a salary of one thousand rubles a year, for every academic district, whose whole business is to superintend the erecting and fitting up of the district school-houses in his particular province. When we recollect how many of the evils of our district schools result from the bad construction and wretched furniture of our school-houses, how completely, by these defects, the efforts of the best teachers may be nullified, and the minds and health of children, as well as their comfort destroyed, we cannot but acknowledge this to be, for a country where every thing is to be begun from its foundation, a most judicious arrangement.

Canals, and other public improvements of this kind are now in great demand, and, to further them, an institution has been established for the express purpose of teaching the arts requisite in their construction; and young men who intend to devote themselves to this business, are taken from the other schools and placed in this institution at the public expense. Special provision, also, is made for instruction in agriculture, and all the kindred arts, in order that the natural resources of the country may be fully developed. That religious instruction may be efficient, and, at the same time, the rights of conscience remain inviolate, clergymen of different Christian denominations, where the circumstances of the people require it, are employed as religious teachers in the schools, their services compensated by government, and their families provided for if necessary. The importance of female teachers is recognised, and every encouragement is held out to young ladies to engage in this work. Private teachers are subject to the same rules, and the same strict inspection, as the teachers of public schools; and, what is an improvement on the Prussian plan, if the teacher of a private school becomes superannuated, or dies, in the service, his family are entitled to the same privileges as that of a public teacher, and receive pensions from the government adequate to their support and education. Thus all classes of faithful teachers are regarded and treated as public benefactors, and considered as entitled, not merely to a bare support, while toiling and wearing themselves out in the public service, but to national remembrance and gratitude after their work is done.

Though the Emperor of Russia is justly accused of un

pardonable oppression in respect to Poland, yet he does not carry his oppression so far as to deprive the poor Polanders of the benefits of education, but is exerting the same laudable zeal to provide teachers for Poland as for any other part of his dominions. It has been found exceedingly difficult to obtain teachers who are willing to exercise their calling in the cold and inhospitable regions of Siberia. To facilitate this object, special privileges have been granted to Siberian teachers. Siberian young men are admitted to the University of Kasan free of expense, on condition that they devote a certain number of years to the business of school keeping in Siberia. To forward the same object, a Siberian gentleman, by the name of Ponomarew, gives six thousand rubles a year for the support of the parish schools of Irkutzk, quite to the northeastern extremity of Siberia, and has obligated himself, for ten years, to pay five hundred rubles a year more, for the encouragement of the pupils of those schools.

Teachers from foreign countries are welcomed, and special provision is made that their religious sentiments be not interfered with, as well as that they do not impose their peculiar religious notions on their pupils. For the perfecting of teachers in certain branches, they are often sent abroad, at the public expense, to study in the institutions of other countries, where these branches are most succesfully taught. these, there were, in 1835, thirteen in Berlin, several in Vienna, and one in Oxford, England. School examiners and school committees, as well as school teachers, are required to hold frequent meetings for discussion, and for mutual instruction and encouragement.

Of

It is the policy of the Minister of Public Instruction not to crowd the schools with too many pupils, but to furnish as many teachers as possible, particularly in the higher institutions, that each individual scholar may receive a due share of attention. As an illustration, I will refer to some of the universities. The University of St Petersburgh has two hundred and thirty pupils, and fiftytwo officers and teachers, or one teacher to every four or five students. At Moscow, four hundred and fiftysix students, one hundred and sixtyeight teachers and officers, one to every two or three students. That of Kasan, seventy officers and teachers, to two hundred and thirtyeight students, or one to every three or four students. That at Kiew,

fortythree officers and teachers, to sixtytwo students, or nearly as many of one as the other. I would remark, however, that some of the teachers are merely lecturers on particular branches, and take no active part in the discipline or instruction of the institution, and a few attend only to its business concerns. Some of the universities, also, are not full, the institutions being new, and a full corps of teachers being appointed at the commencement. With all these allowances, however, we may set it down as a principle, that in the universities, it is intended that there shall be one teacher at least to every eight or ten students. This may be going to excess, but it is certain that the ambition to multiply students beyond all the means of teaching, has been a great injury to education in American institutions. Eduucation can never be what it is capable of being, unless the teacher can command time to become familiar with each individual mind under his care, and to adapt his mode of teaching to its peculiarities. To instruct only in masses, and to apply the same methods of instruction to all, is like throwing the drugs of an apothecary's shop into one great caldron, stirring them together, and giving every patient in the hospital a portion of the mixture.

It is peculiarly interesting, in noticing the efforts of Russia, to observe that the blessings of a good common school education are now extended to tribes which from time immemorial have been in a state of barbarism. In the wild regions beyond mount Caucasus, comprising the provinces recently acquired from Persia, the system of district schools is efficiently carried out. As early as 1835, there were already established in those parts of the empire fifteen schools, with sixty teachers, and about one thousand three hundred children under instruction; so that, in the common schools of this new and uncultivated region, one teacher is provided to every twenty scholars. Besides this, there is a gymnasium at Tifflis, in which Asiatic lads are fitted to enter the European universities.

All teachers, throughout the empire, according to an ordinance of February 26, 1835, receive their salaries monthly, that their attention may not be distracted by family cares. For the encouragement of entire devotedness on the part of teachers, and to prevent all solicitude for the maintenance of their families, the Minister of Public Instruction is author

ized to grant to the widows and orphans of those teachers who have particularly distinguished themselves, not only the usual pension, but a gratuity equal in amount to an entire salary of two years.

The officers of government employed in the distant provinces of the empire, in the distant parts of Siberia, and on the borders of Persia, complained that their remote location deprived their children of the advantages of the gymnasia and universities which others enjoyed. To obviate this inconvenience, and to equalise as far as possible the advantages of education, the children of these officers are taken to the nearest gymnasium or university, and their travelling expenses defrayed by government. All the institutions of education are subject to the same rigorous examination as in Prussia, and the Minister of Public Instruction is ex officio, chairman of the board of examiners for the universiAs the duties of this office have become very laborious, the government, in addition to a liberal supply of other helps, in 1835 appointed General Count Protassow, who had for some time acted as a school director, Assistant Master of Public Instruction.

ties.

I have already mentioned the model institution for teachers at St Petersburgh. In 1835, seventysix teachers were graduated, and the number is every year increasing. Under the influence of this school, and other governmental arrangements, the methods of teaching are continually improving; and, in his Report for 1835, the Minister observes, that the moral improvement of both teachers and pupils is such as to encourage the most pleasing hopes, that, within the last two years, the national interest in the subject of education has very greatly increased, and that it has now become a matter of the deepest interest to the whole people; and that, as to the methods of instruction, the old mechanical memoriter mode is continually giving way to the system of developing the faculties. Many facts are stated in the Report, which confirm the Minister's remark in respect to the growing interest in the minds of the Russian people on the subject of education, illustrating the important fact, that among whatever people a good system of instruction is efficiently carried out, a deep and general interest will be excited. The noblesand the commons appear to emulate each other in the advancement of this cause. The nobility of Novogorod

voluntarily contribute more than twelve thousand rubles a year for the gymnasium in that place, and at Wologda the nobility contribute for a similar object nine thousand a year. At Cronstadt, the citizens volunteered to sustain a school at their own expense. At another place, on the shores of the White Sea, the citizens have not only volunteered to maintain a school, but have also, of their own accord, entered into an obligation to erect a large and handsome stone building for the accommodation of the teachers and scholars. This was brought about by the zeal and activity of a single individual, whose name, though a barbarous one, ought to be mentioned-Wassiligi Kologriew. This gentleman volunteered as an agent to promote the cause of education in the place of his residence, and, besides giving his time and efforts bore an equal share in the expenses, and in addition, made a distinct donation of twenty five hundred rubles for the advancement of the cause.

Another gentleman at Archangel, by the name of Kowalewsky, made a journey to a distant neighborhood inhabited by Samoiedes, Sirianes, and other half barbarous tribes, to explain to them the advantages of education, and endeavor to establish a school among them. In this he was warmly seconded by the clergyman of the place; and, as the result of it, a single peasant or farmer, by the name of Anuphriew, engaged to support the school entirely for two years, and after that to contribute three hundred rubles a year, fór five years longer; and in addition to this he contributed fifteen hundred rubles for the erection of a school house. The chief magistrate of the place also contributed, and, allured by these examples, the Sirianes put down nearly fifteen thousand rubles; and as soon as the requisite preparations could be made, the school was opened, with great solemnity and appropriate ceremonies, in the midst of an immense concourse of intensely interested spectators. I shall be greatly disappointed if we cannot find in Ohio, enlightened men in our cities, and farmers in the country, willing to do as much for education as the gentleman of Archangel, and the hardworking peasant in the frozen regions of northern Russia.

A merchant by the name of Pluessin, in Lialsk, made a donation of ten thousand rubles for the foundation of a district school in that place, and offered, in addition, to have the school kept in his own house, and to furnish it with fire