THERE IS NO SCHOOL LIKE THE FAMILY SCHOOL.*

BY DR. WILLIAM A. ALCOTT.

THERE is no school like the Family School. This declaration is in strict accordance with truth, whether the comparison be made with reference to comfort and health, the instruments or character of its instruction, or the moral influence which it exerts.

Frequent complaint has been made, within a few years, with regard to our school-rooms, especially those of the primary or common school. The seats are said to be often too high, the backs of the pupils without support, or the desks or tables inconvenient or intolerable. But in the family school, we find not only the comfortable chair, adapted to the size and height of the occupant, but, in some instances, the luxurious sofa and ottoman.

Some of our schools are crowded almost to suffocation with pupils, while they are but poorly supplied with teachers. Sixty, eighty, or a hundred of the former to one of the latter, and only a single room, of moderate size, are quite common. With the family school, of course, it is otherwise. The number of pupils is never large; and there are, from the nature of the case, usually two teachers.

Not a few of our school-rooms are as destitute of furniture, properly so called, as a barn. A fireplace, or more frequently, in these days, a closed stove, with a few dull benches and desks, and a tolerable supply of books, slates, and writing-books, are nearly all. But it is otherwise in the family school-room. It has seldom the naked floor or wall. The monotony of the latter is at least broken * See frontispiece.

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THERE IS NO SCHOOL LIKE THE FAMILY SCHOOL.

by the clock, the mirror, the thermometer, the book-case, and the sideboard, if not by portraits, paintings, maps, charts, globes, and blackboards.

- that of Mr.

I have read of one school for infants and children Wilderspin of London which was made so attractive, that the pupils would run away from home to it without their breakfast! This, however, I strongly suspect to be a solitary instance of the kind. A single large apartment, with dirty floor, naked walls, continuous desks, and hard benches, destitute of backs, so much elevated as to suspend the pupil midway between earth and the heavens, is little likely to prove inviting to the young. A repulsive effect is much more common.

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But there is no school like the family school" with respect to the character of its lessons and other instruments of instruction. Books and school—such as books and school commonly areoften become irksome even when they are intelligible. They are regarded as mere task-work. Whereas the books and lessons of the family school are seldom, if ever, either stale or unwelcome.

The time will probably come in the history of this worldit might even now come, if we were willing to receive it - when there will be not only the disposition, but the ability, to render all our houses places of instruction and education. The parents, grandparents, and eldest brothers and sisters, will be teachers of the younger members of the family, and will have time and means for discharging their duty. But before this blessed hour can arrive, man must learn that he is not only his "brother's keeper," but his brother's educator; and that in order to educate, rightly, body, soul, and spirit, he must not only deny himself ungodliness and worldly lust, but must also possess so much of the spirit of Christ, as to be willing to deny himself the use of very many of those things which custom has rendered all but necessary.

One hour well spent in the family school, or at most two, might do more towards teaching the young what they ought to know, than is now done by our whole array of processes and instruments of instruction, from those of the university, or college, to those of the smallest and humblest collection of mere infants. One of our best moral and religious writers—"whose praise is in all the churches" sends none of his children, male or female, older or younger, to any school whatever beyond his own roof; nor does he avail himself of private assistance. What is done for his children in the way of direct instruction, is done not only at home, exclusively and wholly, but in the short space of two hours a day. Yet I am much mis

THERE IS NO SCHOOL LIKE THE FAMILY SCHOOL.

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taken if the children of any individual in our country are better educated—not in a moral point of view merely, but also intellectually; although few fathers are more closely occupied.

There is no school like the well-regulated family school with respect to discipline; for though there may be much in the best families which is far from being commendable, still it is certain that, in general, parental government and discipline are incomparably superior to the government and discipline of the school-room. There is neither the tyranny of the common school teacher, nor the distance or reserve of the professor or tutor of the university. Love is the golden chain, which not only binds pupil to pupil, but also pupil to teacher, in the family school; while force is quite too often the order of the day elsewhere. Even in our higher seminaries, where actual physical force is seldom resorted to, because such a resort would be likely to defeat its own ends, there is something in frequent operation quite different from the holy principle of love, especially maternal love; for, though there may be no open or direct attempts at coercion, it is understood that there is a strong arm behind; and this arm is occasionally uplifted, even though it should "delay to strike.'

Finally, "there is no school like the family school" with respect to its methods of making moral and religious impressions, in other words, its moral influence. Character, deep and abiding, is little formed in the schools; - bad or good, the family is the school which shapes the world. It teaches in morals and religion as though it taught not, but therefore the more effectually. It teaches indirectly, but therefore the more surely and certainly. As, in the material world, it is not the violent storm or tornado, but the softlydescending shower, or gentler dew, which most effectually refreshes and nourishes vegetation, and causes the earth to bring forth for the supply of man and beast, so, in the world of moral and religious education, it is not the set lesson or lecture, or the occasional act of devotion, which ministers to the "nurture and admonition of the Lord," so much as the daily and hourly Christian conduct of parents. I would not, indeed, undervalue other means, more direct; still it is as true now as it was in the days of Moses or Solomon, that virtue and religion are principally nurtured by "here a little and there a little," at downsitting and uprising, at "going out and coming in," at meals, at work, and at play; and that he who would have his offspring walk in the ways of truth and piety, must take good care to train them up in the way in which they "should go," not only by wise precept, but by a consistent and heavenly example Dedham, Mass., Dec., 1842.

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DO NOTHING IN A PASSION.

:

[Written for the Mother's Assistant.]

DO NOTHING IN A PASSION.

BY REV. J. S. C. ABBOTT.

"That which is done in a passion is never well done."-NAPOLEON.

When Napoleon was upon the Island of St. Helena, he received, at one time, a very gross insult, as he considered it, from Sir Hudson Lowe, the governor of the island. One of the generals of Napoleon's family was in a great rage, and, after walking the floor, for a few moments, very passionately, giving vent to his feelings, he wished to return an immediate and an indignant answer. "No," said Napoleon; "be calm, and wait till to-morrow; let us sleep upon it. You are in a passion now, and that which is done in a passion is never well done.'

This is a sentiment which should be ineffaceably engraved upon the heart of every parent- "That which is done in a passion is never well done." There are few persons who have attained such an entire mastery over their own spirits, as to be able, amid the ten thousand little annoyances of domestic life, to retain a serene and an unimpassioned mind. Parental reproof is too often a sudden ebullition of irritated feeling; and not unfrequently it is found that the child did not deserve the severity which momentary and unthinking irritability inspired. It should, therefore, be one of the first principles of a faithful parent, never to reprove or to correct in a passion.

It is reported of Sir Isaac Newton, that he had attained such equanimity and mildness of temper, that nothing could ruffle the serenity of his mind. A remarkable instance of this his power over his own spirit, is worthy of everlasting remembrance. Sir Isaac had a favorite little dog, which he called Diamond. One evening, being called out of his study into an adjoining room, he left Diamond behind him. When Sir Isaac returned, after the absence of but a few minutes, he found the papers of a very important work he was just completing, after years of most arduous toil, consumed to ashes. Diamond had leaped upon the table, overset a lighted candle, and thus produced the mischief which was utterly irreparable. Sir Isaac was already far advanced in life, and could not think of commencing anew so arduous an undertaking. He looked mournfully, for a moment, at the ruins, and then, calmly brushing away the cinders, mildly exclaimed, "O Diamond! Diamond! you little know the mischief you have done."

Now, little children, in every family, not unfrequently do mischief, as unconscious of the harm they are doing as was Diamond.

DO NOTHING IN A PASSION.

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And we regret to say that, not unfrequently, they receive, not only a more severe rebuke, but a hasty blow; and it must be indeed a mortification to a Christian father or mother, to feel that they have treated their child not only unjustly, but with less tenderness than Sir Isaac treated his dog. There are, probably, few parents who cannot recall to mind instances in which they have greatly erred in this respect. And it is a fault which every parent should make vigorous and persevering efforts to correct. Solomon says, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

Wilberforce remarkably exemplified this self-control. By the grace of God aiding his persevering efforts, he had attained such a perfect command over himself, that he seemed to live in an ethereal region, beyond all the clouds and vapors of earth. He met the little annoyances of his children and his grandchildren, and breasted the terrible storms of political opposition, with ever the same peaceful, serene, undisturbed mind. He thus made his home almost an earthly paradise, and peace and joy followed him, wherever he

went.

Dr. Boerhave, who was also greatly admired for his imperturbable patience under every provocation, was once asked by a friend, whether he knew what it was to be angry, and by what means he had so entirely suppressed that impetuous and ungovernable passion. He answered, with the utmost frankness and sincerity, that he was naturally quick of resentment, but that he had, by daily prayer and meditation, at length attained to this mastery over himself.

Let no parent, therefore, say that a hasty and irritable temper may not be subdued. If the parent cannot restrain the outbreaks of passion, how can it be expected the child can succeed? Let every parent, then, adopt Napoleon's maxim-"That which is done in a passion is never well done;" and let reproof or correction be always administered with a calm and a self-governing spirit. Nantucket, Mass., Dec., 1842.

THE GREAT MAN.-The greatest man is he who chooses the right with invincible resolution; who resists the sorest temptation from within and without; who bears the heaviest burdens cheerfully; who is calmest in storms, and most fearless under menaces and frowns; whose reliance on truth, on virtue, on God, is most unfaltering.—Dr. W. E. Channing.