respects - 1. in regard to the accommodations, - 2. the instructions, 78,-
3. the arrangements, 79, — 4. the government, 80,— the domestic feelings
and affections which prevail in a family are not admissible in their full ex-
tent in a large school, 80,- a school, like a nation, demands of its members
an abridgment of personal liberty, - the advantage of practical application
of governmental principles to school authority, is too little recognised, 81, -
statement of some of these principles – 1, The government of a school should
be vested in a single individual, - school government necessarily monarchi.
cal, - democracy not suited to the purposes of school government, 82,-2.
It should not be despotic, but should be restricted by constitutional provisions,
and a code of definite laws,- even the proprietor of a private seminary is
unwise if he do not put some check upon his own powers, 83, — the odium
which attaches often to the business of teaching accounted for, 84, - answer
to the objection that it is impossible to frame a code sufficiently extensive
to meet all cases, 85,- account of a debate which took place subsequently
to the lecture, on the subject of school laws, 86, (note) -3. The presiding
teacher should be exempt from the personal instruction of classes - disre-
gard of this principle is destructive to health, bodily and mental, of the
teacher, 87,- IL The influences of Model Schools, - teachers may exert a
very extensive influence, 88,- well attested instances of religious impres.
sions produced upon parents through the instrumentality of Sunday School
Teachers, - duty of every teacher to do something towards elevating schools
in popular estimation, 89, - model schools might be made useful in the pre-
paration of teachers, – two objects to be aimed at; to have them liberally
educated; and to have them instructed in the best modes of teaching, 90,-
conclusion, 91.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF CONNECTICUT.
BY DENISON OLMSTED. .............
Deep interest felt by the early settlers of New England in the subject of
Education, 97, - early legislation upon this subject, penalties for violation
of the law, 98,- brief history of the Connecticut School Fund, - inquiry,
what has been the effect of this fund upon the cause of common education ?
99,- education has advanced since the creation of the fund, but this improve-
ment is not owing to the fund, - the School Fund a total failure, in regard
to the objects for which it was established, 100,- why has the fund done no
good ? - answer, because it has effected no improvement in the qualifica-
tion of teachers, - their compensation has been too small — inferior to that
of many day-laborers, – the evil has been too great to be obviated by the in-
fluence of visiting committees, 102,- the fund has only relieved the citizens
from paying for the instruction of their children - but has not elevated
the tone of instruction, – it has done harm by leading the people to under-
value what costs them nothing, - is some consolation that the fund is still
entire,- the interest, only, has been wasted, - inquiry, what, with the aid
of the fund more wisely managed, ought the state of education to be ? 103,
- its tone ought to be immediately raised, the common schools ought to be
what the best grammar schools are now, - importance of increased attention
to certain studies, or, of improved modes of pursuing them — geography, 104,
- English grammar and composition, 106, – the mathematics, natural phi-
losophy, astronomy, chemistry, morals, political and legal science, universal
history, 107, - inquiry, how are the required changes to be accomplished?
1. Time is to be gained by a better method of instruction than is now gene-
rally practiced. 2. The improved instructers are to be obtained through the
medium of a seminary for teachers, to be erected and supported out of the
school fund,-- plan and operation of such a seminary, 108,- while the per-
version of the fund is to be regretted, we may expect better things for the
future, 109,- advantages to be expected from the recent appointment of a
Board of Commissioners of Common Schools, 110.
Importance of the subject, - its value as a branch of education, 113,-
character of the human mind, - analogy between the physical and the in-
tellectual faculties, 114, - the importance of the study of grammar as a means
of intellectual culture, 115, -- its value as a guide to the proper understand-
ing of language, 116, – rules of grammar, from what drawn, 117,- pecu-
liar character of the English language, 117, — value of the study of gram-
mar to the orator and rhetorician, 118, – Diversions of Purley, 118,- re-
marks on Horne Tooke's Etymologies, - importance of a knowledge of the
rules of syntax shown by means of the adverb, 119,- grammatical text
books, 121, - English parsing, 122, - mode of teaching grammar recom-
mended, 123, - ellipses, 127, --union of lessons in rhetorical reading and
grammatical analysis, 128,- idioms, 129,- use of the present participle in a
passive sense, 131, -synthesis, 132, - grammatical error in an extract from
the Edinburgh Review, 133, - use of neuter verbs in the passive form, 134,
-abbreviations, and errors flowing from them, 134,- Murray's 13th Rule of
Syntax, 135, - grammatical errors in the advertisements of the day, 137,-
conclusion, 138.
Perplexities of the teacher's life – waste of strength and spirits, 143,-
abandonment of the employment — the profession should be a happy one,-
desirableness of parental sympathy, - the difficulties of school-keeping ori-
ginate in the want of co-operation, or the misdirected influence of the pa-
rents, 144,- do not advocate the removal of the young from their parents for
the purposes of education - desirableness of mutual understanding between
parents and teachers - consequences of the want of it, 145, — inquiry into
the causes of misunderstanding,-1. Parents do not feel the importance of ed-
ucation, - 2. A false standard of excellence in the minds of parents, 146, - 3.
A suspicious spirit, - 4. A disposition to dictate, — 5. A want of personal ac-
quaintance between the parties, 147,- 6. Teachers are often in fault-poor-
ly qualified, - college students lack interest in their duties as teachers, 148,-
desirableness of removing these evils,- prevention better than cure, — duties
of the teacher,-1. He should imbue himself with a feeling of the importance
of his work,-2. He should seek frequent opportunity of intercourse with pa-
rents, 149,-3. He should be willing to explain all his plans to the parents,
150,- 4. He should be frank in all his representations to parents concerning
their children, 151, - duties of parents, 152,-1. They should reciprocate the
attempts of the teacher towards a mutual understanding, -2. They should
candidly listen to the plans of the teacher, and aid him in the execution of
them, 153, — 3. They should thankfully listen to the teacher's account of
their children, even if that account be not a flattering one, 154, - 4. Pa.
rents should visit the schools, –5. They should promptly and cheertully
supply the required books, 154,- 6. They should see that their children
are decently clothed, and cleanly in their persons, -7. They are bound to
secure the constant attendance of their children, – trifling excuses, 155,-
effects of absence upon the child – upon the school — upon the teacher, 156,
- punctuality to the hour, - 8. Parents should be slow in condemning the
teacher for supposed faults, 157, parents not capable of judging in all ca-
ses, 157,- expect more of the teacher than he can perform, — compare his
discipline with their family government, — the analogy does not hold, 158,
- the life of the teacher — his perplexities - his anxieties, 159, - reasons
why parents should be considerate,-9. When the teacher is known to be
wrong, parents should possess a forgiving spirit, 160,- 10. Parents should
give to teachers their sympathy, 160,- parents often deficient in this, –
grudge vacations — feel no obligation — should be otherwise, - the teacher
would be stimulated to duty, if encouraged by the co-operation and sympa-
thy of parents, 161,- the profession would be better filled with talent and
worth, - teachers would live and die in their work, 162.
Red warriors of the West, 165, - compared with our chief magistrate, -
difference occasioned by Education,- we should understand the power which
produces this difference between the savage and the educated man, — sub-
ject considered, 166, – object of philosophy is to understand the laws of na-
ture — illustration, 167, - man's nature to be investigated, — method of do-
ing this, 168, - same subject further considered, 169, — mental powers of
man compared with higher animal instincts, 170,- in human society must
man be distributed into various occupations, 171, — advantages of printing,
– man the only being who has a moral nature, 172, — illustration, -man
the subject of education, - his moral nature the most exalted portion of his
being, 173, — moral faculties not bestowed without conditions, - children's
passions or feelings become stronger by repetition, 174, — exercise the prin-
ciple of culture, - principles of virtue can be established in the heart, 175
- man wholly dependent upon education in the development of his physical
mental, and moral powers, 176, - instinct marks the animal races as limited
in duration as well as capacity, 177, — man the subject of education further
illustrated, 178, — Prussian system of education, 179, — difficulties with
which education has to contend, - illustrations 180,– Miss Hamilton quo-
ted, - conclusion is that man's faculties must be unfolded by education, 181,
- education the lever to raise us from ignorance, 182, – duty of rulers,-
influence of the legislature upon the community, 183, – lawgivers should
speak of education and the people should hear, - schemes of government
iniquitous which keep any class of men in designed ignorance, 184,- knowl-
edge is common property, - ignorance identified with slayery and knowledge
with freedom, 185, — we must endeavor to impress the subject of education
upon the hearts of men, -parents the law givers of their children, 186,-
conclusion, 187,
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