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eating. In short, the voice should be used under the guidance of common-sense, with the addition of a little physiological experience, so as to avoid too much effort, by any attempts to force it up or down. At the age of 15 or 16, the voice changes; when the change has passed, the vocal exercises may be gradually taxed more severely; if the pupil has extraordinary talent, or a remarkably fine voice, and especially if there be an intention to become a professional vocalist, or public singer, now is the time to aim more directly at the full development of the vocal powers: Two or three years of close application will now do much for the pupil, so that; at the age of about 20, a young lady may be, in the professional sense, a singer. If, however, the profession of a singer is not intended, a year devoted to vocal cultivation (after the previous juvenile training mentioned above,) will be quite sufficient for all the domestic and social purposes of song.

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It is a very common error to suppose that a child will be injured by the use of her voice in singing; it is just as reasonable to say that she will injure her eyes by looking, or her limbs by walking, or especially by dancing: There is no danger in the use of the voice in singing at any time, from four years of age up to full growth; provided the condition of the child be taken into consideration, and her efforts are always kept within the bounds of prudence, or adapted to the health, strength, etc., of the pupil. An important consideration in favor of teaching vocal music to misses is this; it prepares them for the pianoforte. No one ought ever to commence the piano-forte unless she has acquired a knowledge of the musical characters previously, by atten ding a singing-school or class-instructions, so as to be able to read easy music readily at sight; or, if it be desired, in particular cases, to commence the piano-forte at an early age, the two things should be carried on simultaneously. We do not mean, however, to say that if it be desirable to teach a child the instrument, without reference to cost, it may not be well done without the previous knowledge of notation; yet there are things in music, as, for example, time, which can not be so well taught individually as in classes. On the other hand, it is true that class-instruction, either in vocal or instrumental music, is not sufficient for one who desires to excel; it prepares the way, but individual instruction must follow. On the whole, the idea that it will injure a child to sing, is a foolish one; we might with just as much propriety say that it will injure a child to laugh. But as, in extreme cases, children have been injured by severe laughing, or by severe and protracted physical exercise in playing, so one may injure her voice by an intemperate use of it. Most certain it is, that except in extraordinary

cases, if one does not commence singing in childhood, she will never do much afterward. If one has not been taught to use her voice freely in singing while yet a child, she will not, in all probability, ever acquire much control of her vocal organs.

MR. EDITOR:

SPELLING.

Is it not true that orthography is either sadly neglected or but imperfectly or erroneously attended to in many of our schools? If we may judge from the great amount of bad spelling among professedly educated men, certainly there is defect or wrong somewhere. We recently saw posted up, in a very conspicuous place, and within a day's ride of the capitals of Connecticut, a written advertisement of a professional man in which there were upwards of forty words misspelt, and some of them sadly so. The writer, however; was not a professed teacher, but he did lay claim to great skill in extracting roots and manufacturing artificial helps to articulate and masticate. Perhaps we were wrong, but we could hardly repress the thought that teeth inserted by such a man, would, almost as a matter of course, cause the wearer of them to spell badly.

But we are digressing from our subject. Why is there so much miserable spelling in the community? We answer, first, it is not properly and thoroughly taught in our primary and intermediate schools, and is in schools of a higher grade much neglected or treated as a very unimportant branch, which may at any time be omitted or considered as of secondary importance. On the best mode of teaching orthography, there is quite a discrepancy of opinion, even among good teachers. Some denounce the usual spelling book columns as perfectly nonsensical; and contend strongly for written exercises in spelling; while others are equally tenacious of the column method and opposed to the written one. Now we think the true method is, the union of the oral and the written. We propose now to give two or three brief hints on the method of teaching this branch, and will add more in a future communication.

First. Spelling should receive very early and particular attention. The child should be made to feel, from the outset, the importance of knowing how to spell every word he utters. Teachers in our primary and intermediate schools should give regular lessons, to be studied and recited from the spelling book. In addition to this, the child's attention should be called to the spelling of the more difficult words in every

reading lesson. He may be required to spell these orally, and he will esteem it quite a privilege to be allowed to write or print them upon the black board, or upon his slate. This will serve to amuse him, occupy his time, and aid him in learning this important branch.

Secondly. The teacher should be careful to pronounce all words distinctly, and just as they would be spoken by a good reader or speaker. Teachers sometimes render a spelling exercise worse than useless, by giving undue emphasis to particular syllables. Let the word be properly pronounced by the teacher, once only, and repeated by the pupil before he spells. It is a very good plan for the whole class, in concert, to pronounce a word after the teacher, and then have some one called upon to spell it. This will tend to secure the attention of the whole class.

Thirdly. It should be the aim of the teacher to excite in the pupils an interest in the exercise. This is all important; and the skilful teacher will readily devise means and plans for awakening and procuring an interest. It will be well for them to watch for the errors of their classmates, and raise a hand as an indication that they think a word has been misspelt, The judicious teacher can see that this can be done and received in the right spirit.

It will be found interesting and useful, at the close of every stated lesson, to allow each pupil to name some word for the others to spell. As soon as these have been spelled, let the teacher write them distinctly, in a column, on the blackboard, there to remain for a season. will be found very serviceable.

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Fourthly. Teachers should never allow their pupils to guess in spelling. As the word should be pronounced but once, so there should be but one attempt to spell. A little right training in this particular, will prove of real and permanent service.

Fifthly. Pupils should not only be required to pronounce each word before spelling, but also to pronounce the syllables as they are spelt. If the teacher will, from the outset, insist upon having all this work done properly and accurately, it will prove of great benefit, not only in relation to this, but it will also have a favorable influence on other branches. Let the rule be, here and in every thing, to have accurate and finished work.

M.

That education which will secure to the future, the civilization of the past and present, is what the country really needs.-Professor Whewell,

NEW EDUCATIONAL ACT.

An Act in addition to and in Alteration of An Act concerning Education.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened :

Sec. 1. The enumeration of children between the ages of four and sixteen years, required by law to be made by the district committees, in the several school societies in this State, shall be made and returned to the school society committee on or before the 20th day of January, in each year, and for failure to make the enumeration and return aforesaid, by the time specified, said committee shall forfeit and pay to the treasurer of the State, the sum of five dollars for the benefit of the school fund.

Sec. 2. The committee of each school society in this State, shall make return of the enumeration of the children belonging to the society, to the comptroller, on or before the first day of February in each year, and for failure to make said return within the time specified, said committee shall forfeit and pay to the treasurer of this State, the sum of ten dollars, for the benefit of the school fund.

Sec. 3. The income of the school fund shall be annually divided to the several school societies in the State, pro rata, according to the number of children enumerated in said societies; provided, that no district shall be entitled to a dividend, unless a legal school shall have been kept therein for six months during the year ending on the 28th day of February; but the school society may draw the dividend for so many children belonging to said district, as have attended school for six months in adjoining districts, and for no other.

Sec. 4. Whenever the amount drawn from the school fund by any school district, shall be less than thirty-five dollars, it shall be the duty of the selectmen and town clerk to appropriate from the amount raised by said town for the purpose of education, a sum sufficient to make the amount equal to thirty-five dollars.

Sec. 5. The year for all school purposes shall end on the 28th day of February, in lieu of the 31st day of March.

Sec. 6. No district shall be divided, if by reason of such division the number of children, belonging to either district, shall be less than forty, without application to the General Assembly; and no withdrawal by any person from any district shall be allowed, unless notice be given to the clerk of the district from which such persons intend to withdraw,

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Sec. 7. The forfeitures specified iu the first and second sections of this act, shall be sued for and collected by the treasurer in an action on this statute.

Sec. 8. All acts inconsistent with the foregoing are hereby repealed, Approved June 29, 1855.

HASTE NOT-REST NOT.

BY GOETHE.

Without haste! without rest!
Bind the motto to thy breast!
Bear it with thee as a spell;

Storm or sunshine, guard it well!

Heed not flowers that round thee bloom,

Bear it onward to the tomb !

Haste not-let no thoughtless deed
Mar for e'er the spirit's speed;
Ponder well and know the right,
Onward then, with all thy might;
Haste not-years can ne'er atone
For one reckless action done!

Rest not! life is sweeping by,
Do and dare before you die;
Something mighty and sublime
Leave behind to conquer time;
Glorious 'tis to live for aye

When these forms have passed away,

Haste not! rest not! calmly wait,

Meekly bear the storms of fate;
Duty be thy polar guide-
Do the right, whate'er betide!
Haste not-rest not-conflicts past,
God shall crown thy work at last.

A capital point was made by one of the counsel for the prosecution at the trial of Matt. Ward, in answer to Tom Marshall's allusion to Matt. Ward's travels and his visit to Mount Sinai, where God deli vered the law to Moses. The counsel wondered if the prisoner, when amidst the sublimities of Sinai, where he indulged in a profusion of saored sentiments, had ever read in the Decalogue, "Thou shalt not kill,”

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