of some plan by which to proceed in the prosecution of this design, none seemed sufficiently feasible to invite adoption, but that of the ordinary boarding school; and this was so fraught with objections, as to force me to the adoption of the one now in prosecution. A strong desire to be devoted to the purposes of education, a hope that I might advance the interests of my pupils, and the expectation that a fair pecuniary compensation would follow my exertions, were at that time the amount of my reflections.

On the subject of education I had not then studied; nor did I, immediately but when the boarding school plan presented itself to me, it was easy to see that its adoption would devolve on me the important offices of both father and teacher, with all the responsibility and irritations. These I feared; and I accordingly determined on the adoption of a family, to which I would endeavor to perform all, and only the duties of a father, devoted solely to that object.

Three important points seem to you to be gained by this method; viz: that the pupils have two instructors; that they are under the co-operative influence of both home and school; and that they have the instruction of a medical gentleman.' The last seems to you to be the important benefit gained in such an establishment.

Now while I agree with you, perfectly, that all circumstances and qualifications alike, the physician, by the practice of his profession-seeing the human character in greater extent and diversity-habitually judging of the mutual operation of the body and mind, and continually engaged in devising the best means for the management and improvement of both, must necessarily be well fitted to guide the moral, intellectual and physical education of youth-still I am of the impression that the most important point to be gained is contained in what you have well called the rare privilege of being under the co-operative influence of both house and school.

These, to my mind, have been mixed; so mixed, that much of the education of our country has been carried on almost without the influence of either. It is in separating these and giving as it were, to each its own instructor-it is in removing school, and allowing the house to exert its own proper à d unmixed influence, enabling me to direct my whole energies to the education of my family, almost without the introduction of books a d schools it is in systematizing and perfecting, in some degree, the inestimable model school,' or 'family state,' so deservedly admired, that the excellence of this establishment will be found.

326

Inquiries on Teaching Music.

Surely it is no small privilege for children, far from home and friends, to be under the immediate eye of a medical man in the formation and preservation of vigorous and healthful physical constitution; but it is to my mind far more valuable that the moral and intellectual constitution be under its proper government and instruction; and this is impossible without the influence of home. It is by no means intended, by what is said above, to take from schools their value as assistants in the education of youth; but the are merely assistants. I am aware that to send to school, and to educate, in these days, mean nearly the same thing; but whoever has watched with proper care and solicitude the education, merely, of his own children, has found-and to his astonishment, too-how small a part in the substantial or polite education of young gentlemen or ladies, is the daily study and recital of small portions of useful knowledge in the form of lessons.

With sentiments of the highest esteem,
I am yours,

H. P. BENHAM.

VOCAL MUSIC IN SCHOOLS.

[WE received, in April last, the following letter from one of our correspondents, who is a teacher. We embrace the earliest opportunity of inserting it.]

DEAR SIR: Having introduced the study and practice of vocal music into our school, and not having had so great success in this as in other studies, the conclusion is fair, that there must be something wrong or defective in our mode of teaching it. And, now you would do us, and perhaps teachers in this section generally, a very great favor, if you would give us, through the pages of the Annals, a description of the mode used, of teaching this branch, in the Boston Schools. Allow me to call your attention to a few points connected with this inquiry, upon which, if you should see fit to gratify us, we should be glad to have you particularly speak.

1. How to gain attention to the 'rudiments' of music.

2. Whether an entire school composed of pupils of various ages and both sexes, can receive instruction to advantage in one class.

3. What tunes, kind of tunes, or collection of music, should be given to a school?

Replies by a Professor of Music.

327

4. What should be said to parents when they leave it with their children to study music or not, as they (the children) please? (No 'extra' charge is made for vocal music in our school)

5. Do the Boston schools generally sing more than one part, as second, tenor, or bass?

6. Is there to be found a short plain (anatomical) description of the organs of voice, from which children can gain a correct idea of the wonderful instrument which they use so much?

[The letter was submitted to one of the Professors of the Boston Academy of Music, with a request that he would find time to answer it, which he has done in the following manner]

1. If instruction be given according to the "Manual of instruction in the Elements of Vocal Music," published by the Boston Academy of Music, it will be found comparatively easy to hold the attention of the children. Proceeding according to the directions here given, it is believed there is no study in which it is more easy to command attention-and no study which interests children more.

6

2. Can an entire school composed of pupils of various ages, &c., receive instruction to advantage in one class in Geography, Arithmetic, History, or any other branch of education?-The cases are analagous-and if not in one-then not in the other. There is, however, this difference at the commencement of a school, viz. In all other departments there is sufficient knowledge already possessed by the pupil to enable the teacher to proceed at once to a classification of his school; whereas, in music, almost all are entirely ignorant. In consequence of this, a miscellaneous class may, for a short time receive instruction together-but it will soon become necessary to separate the younger from the older. Boys and girls may learn together.

3. All tunes or songs are taught by rote, and not from a knowledge of musical characters; that is, for a considerable time, say a year or so. Books therefore, are unnecessary, except for words. The "Juvenile Singing School," is the best book, and should be in the hands of the teacher. Pupils also always desire to have it.

4. Many parents suppose their children cannot learn music; when this is the case, the error should be corrected, as it has been abundantly proved that a capacity for music is as universal as is a capacity for learning other things. In other cases we must convince them of the utility of the thing in view, if possible-I know of no other way.

328

Moral Effects of Music in Schools.

5. Children's voices are incapable of singing tenor or bass. They may, however, if considerably advanced, sing a second; but, in general, in children's singing schools, no more than one part should be attempted. Tunes or songs are sung for the purposes of cultivating the ear, bringing out the voice, acquiring a correct articulation, and for the pleasure and variety they afford the children—and not for the purpose of teaching them elementary principles. Only one part is usually sung in the German schools, or in Boston.

6. None. Such a description, though it would be interesting in an anatomical point of view, would, perhaps, be of no musical advantage.

6 It is highly important, however, that teachers should understand how delicate are the organs of sound, and how easily injured. Children should never be allowed to make great exertions, or to sing very high or very low; or for so long a time at once, as to become much fatigued. In general, 30 to 50 minutes is long enough for a lesson.'

It may be interesting to many of our readers to know that Mr Mason is now publishing a set of lessons on large sheetsdesigned to be hung up in the school room, for the use of a class. They will be done in about two months, and will save much labor of the teacher.

We are exceedingly glad that this subject of vocal music in schools is being agitated so extensively in this country. The result cannot be otherwise than highly favorable in every point of view; but especially the moral results. We do not believe there is a school to be found, where the experiment has been fairly tried, in which the teacher has not been struck with its excellent moral influence. We hope it will soon be as common as arithmetic or geography are; and taught as scientifically and as thoroughly.

School Rooms.

329

MISCELLANY.

MISERABLE SCHOOL ROOMS.

We must be permitted to advert frequently to the subject of school rooms, for it is admitted, on all hands, to be one of great importance. Every fact which discloses to us, in any measure, their present condition, confirms this conclusion. The following is an extract from the printed report of the School Committee of the town of Scituate, Mass. The report is one of much interest, and was probably drawn up by the Chairman of the Committee, Rev. Samuel J. May.

'It is with great regret we give it as our opinion that most of our school houses are such, or in such a condition, that the children, when assembled in them, have not been well situated for the purpose of either mental or moral improvement. Not more than two or three of the whole number are large enough to accommodate so many as have been usually gathered in them. Most of them are much too small every way. So small are some of them, that the scholars could not all be seated without crowding one another-nor move out of their seats, without serious interfer

ence.

'Not half our school houses are 20 feet square. Only two of them are as much as 24 feet square. One of them is a little more than 9 feet high. Few of the rest are as much as 8 feet. In rooms so small, thirty, orty, fifty, and even sixty children have been brought together, and there kept three hours each half day, with intermissions of only five or ten minutes.

'The air, embraced within the walls of rooms of such dimensions, would be exhausted of its life-giving properties, by the breathing of thirty or forty children, in a few minutes; and had it not been for the little fresh air which has pressed in through the cracks and crevices, suspension, if not extinction of life would have ensued. Because such disasters have not happened, you are not to take it for granted that your children have incurred no evil. Although they may not have fainted or died, they have been compelled to suffer lassitude, or nausea, or headache, for the want of a proper ventilation of our school rooms. Go and open the door of one of these school rooms, after the inmates have ocpied it an hour, and you will need no arguments we can adduce, to convince you that it is a most unsuitable place for beings w hose com fortable existence depends at all upon pure air.'