American Institute of Instruction.

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There is a spirit occasionally manifested in this Institute, which we should greatly rejoice to see done away. It is exactly what we should expect to find in a body like this in Old England, but not in Massachusetts. It is, if we mistake not, the spirit of aristocracy.

We will give a specimen of this spirit. The first resolve we have mentioned, as having been passed this year, was originally drafted thus -and exertions were made to pass it in this form :

'Resolved, That in the opinion of this Institute, it is the duty of our legislators to compel the attendance at school of those children whose parents refuse to perform their duty in this respect.'

We renew our protest against the spirit which, in a community, and under a government like ours, would dictate such resolutions. Even as the resolution finally passed, we do not like it. If such is to be the future spirit and course of the Institute, we hope the 'power' will pass into more republican and less exclusive hands; of which, we understand, there are at present some indications.

The sentiment against which we are protesting, is the right of the legislature of a State to secure, by legislative enactments, the intellectual and moral education of the young.' Why secure the 'moral and intellectual' any more than the physical' education of our youth? Why either? can any one tell us?

The sentiment to which we object, is thus expressed by Mr. Goodrich, in his Fireside Education. The legislature is to the people as the central organ of vitality to the life-blood of the body.' The expression is happy, but the figure is not well chosen; for it remains to be proved, according to the doctrines of some of our more intelligent physiologists, that the heart has very much to do in the way of impelling the blood. If it should turn out that the capillaries, and not the heart, give the quickening impulse to the blood, and that the heart is almost passive in the work, Mr. G.'s comparison would be correct, indeed, but it would not express his own political views. The heart would be to the circulating system just what the legislatures, in our view, are to the people-the moved rather than the movers; but the power would be in the millions of capillaries in the one case, and in the millions of the citizens in the other.

As for the Institute, we would bid-nay, we would urge,-it onward. It has done some good; it may do more. Let it be in the hands of republicans, however, and not of aristocrats or monarchists. Let it be in the hands of those who are the least selfish, and will be least likely to make it an instrument for the accomplishment of their own selfish purposes.

In closing our remarks on the proceedings of the Institute, we beg

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Singular Schoolmaster.

leave to present to our readers the following extract from the Introductory Address, by Mr Brooks :—

'It makes me sad to see governments traversing seas and continents to find out new models for a prison, but will hardly cross the street to find a new model for a school-house! Short-sighted philosophy! The bolts and bars, which will keep your goods safer than steel and iron, are the seminal principles of justice and benevolence, early and deeply im bedded in the souls of your children. Plato says, "A sound education and moral culture, would render the office of judge as much a sinecure, as a good system of bodily training would that of a physician." Yes, let there be well-defined, conscientious, Christian principles within, and you will find little need of executive authority without. Give me but the money laid out in defensive processes, in lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, night watches and day watches, walls, prisons, and penitentiaries, and I will sprinkle you good school-houses over all the land, and put into each of them a competent master, at eight hundred dollars a year.'

'The American Institute of Instruction has gloriously led the way in successful efforts for the improvement of our schools in the United States. It is every day becoming more important to the cause of civilization, liberty, and religion. Its labors are appreciated in Europe. It has lately stretched its friendly hand across the sea, and that hand has been gratefully seized in the warm grasp of brotherly love. Let us cultivate a friendship which may prove as the clasp of souls. Our "field is the world." Let good offices go round. Let the circle of light be complete. They bid us "God speed," in other tongues, from the lofty mountains of Switzerland, and from the level shores of the ZuyderZee; from the halls of philosophy of the Sarbonne, in "belle France," and from the lecture room of accomplished professors in military Berlin; and, in our own tongue, sweeter than all, we hear voices of encouragement from the classic capital of Scotland, and from the busy mart of England's metropolis. And shall we not echo back the friendly gratulation ?'

SINGULAR SCHOOLMASTER.

[The following is an extract of a letter from the Editor of the Cincinnati Journal, dated Marietta, July 24, giving a brief account of a School at Marietta, kept by a Mr. Tenney. We had supposed Mr T.'s republican method had been sufficiently tried at certain schools in England, but some of our editorial corps not only head the article' A novel but successful experiment,' but appear to think the principles on which he proceeds, are worthy of universal adoption. If any one chooses to try the experiment, we have no striking objection; though we do not believe it will often succeed. It deserves a record, at least, in the annals of American Education.]

Singular Schoolmaster.

475 *There is something peculiar both in the man (Mr Tenney) and his management. I should judge him to be a shrewd observer of human nature, and to this close habit of observation-a constant studying of character, noting what is common to all, and what is peculiar to eachhe is, probably, in a great measure indebted for his remarkable success in the management of young men and boys. To give a specimen :

Upon commencing a school, (here he has some eighty scholars,) he gives them their lessons; to each what he will undertake to get. This done, he dismisses them, perhaps to a separate room. When the time comes to recite, most of them are unprepared, and the complaint of each is, that others made so much noise, or in some way so disturbed him, that he could not study. After two or three days spent in this way, and nothing accomplished, the school is called together, and the question is, whether it is best to go on after this mode, to break up, or to find some remedy. A chairman and secretary are appointed; and, upon consultation, the students of course come to the conclusion, that some rules are absolutely necessary for the mutual convenience of all. And of their own accord they establish such laws as they deem necessary for the good of their community, with a view to the object of their association, the teacher, in the mean time, only acting as an advising friend. Thus, at the outset, the little community having proved the evils of anarchy, are prepared for the establishment of law and order, and these are the result of their own voluntary choice, adopted because they find them absolutely necessary. These laws, I suppose, are subject to repeal or amendment, and new ones are adopted at the pleasure of the school; but whether the teacher reserves to himself the veto power, I am not informed.

The first thing that strikes us when we go in, is that the instructor is only a kind of presiding or executive officer, feeling himself little more responsible for the order of the school than any one of the scholars. There is strict good order, and this evidently resulting from selfgovernment. Even with the smallest boys it seems to make no difference whether the face or the back of the teacher is turned toward them. Instead of the little tricks so common among lads, there is apparently a self-respect which induces each one to observe the decorum suited to his place.

The examinations, to a considerable extent, are carried on mutually ; that is, the scholars examining each other, or one perhaps the whole school, and then answering any question connected with the subject which any one may choose to put to him. This is managed in a manner both pleasing and profitable. The arithmetical examinations, both mental and on blackboard, showed that whatever question was asked must be fully and understandingly solved before leaving it.'

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Movements in Ohio.

HOLLISTON MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL.

There is a Manual Labor School in Holliston, in this State, under the care of a Mr Rice and two or three assistants, which deserves at least a passing notice. Without funds, and, we might almost say, without friends, about three years Mr Rice has sustained this institution, during which time, he has instructed between two and three hundred pupils, male and female, in a manner highly creditable to himself, and interesting to the community. He has under his care, a large and commodious boarding house; but most of the pupils merely take rooms in the building, and board themselves. Such of the young men as are acquainted with shoe-making, find employment in that business in the vicinity of the school; and some have in this way paid their expenses.

We do not know whether there is opportunity for any other manual labor in connection with the seminary except shoe-making; but we hope there is. For though we have no doubt that energetic young men may pay their way by shoe-making, yet we do not believe it safe for them to do so. Young men confined to the school room four, five, or six hours a day, and to their books more or less at other hours, need active exercise in the open air, for much of the time which remains. Above all, they ought not to be confined to the shoe bench, and its cramped positions, and confined air. All may go on well for a while, at least apparently so, but suffering must follow, sooner or later; and we shall almost inevitably find young ministers, fitted for college in this way, breaking down prematurely.

MOVEMENTS IN OHIO.

The Superintendent of Common Schools in Ohio, Mr. Lewis, is perambulating the State, and attending County and other Conventions; and, as we trust, doing great good. Mr. L. is a true son of New England-as thorough and efficient in what he undertakes, as the soil from whence he emanated is sterile, rocky, and iron-bound. His inexhaustable fund of information, as precise and accurate as it is extensive, give abundant evidence that the trust the Legislature imposed in him, has not been misplaced.

Mr. Lewis is accompanied at least in many places,-by President McGuffey, of Cincinnati College. The latter is the author or compiler of the Eclectic series of School Books, about which so much has been said of late in the Western papers. He is, we understand, a flippant speaker; but we know not how far he is acquainted with the character and wants of Common Schools.-We have heard it said that the places through which he passes, in company with Mr. Lewis, are very generally adopting his school books!

At a meeting of the Cayahoga Common School Association, in

Oberlin Collegiate Institute.

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Cleveland, in August last, at which the gentlemen of whom we have beer speaking were present, the following important resolutions were passed, but not without much able discussion.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Association it is a serious evil to have too many scholars in a school. As a general rule, we think a school of thirty or thirtyfive is large enough for one teacher.

2. That it is desirable that a system of books should be procured and adopted by state authority.

3. That it is desirable that the school books should inculcate a uniformity of spelling, and the reading books should be calculated, as far as practicable to convey valuable information.

4. That School Districts should provide an apparatus, such as globes, blackboards, &c., to facilitate the instruction on useful branches, and should procure a School Library for the use of the pupils.

OBERLIN COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE.

We have received a Catalogue of the Trustees, Officers and Students of the Oberlin Collegiate Institute, for 1888, of which an account has been given, from time to time, in this journal. We perceive that the whole number of names on the Catalogue, is 391. Of these, 265 are males, and 126 are females. Of the males, 97 belong to the preparatory department, 44 to the logical school, 9 are attending a shorter course of study, 2 are irregular students, and 113 are attending the collegiate course. Of the females, 21 belong to the preparatory department, and 105 to the collegiate school.

There are many things in regard to this Institution to render it interesting to every friend of education. Its moral tone and standing-its broad temperance principles-its banner of freedom-the large benevolence it inculcates and encourages, and the habits of industry, in both sexes, which it enjoins and secures, give it a prominence in the view of the Christian philanthropist, which few literary or religious institutions can claim.

But its most interesting feature-to us,-is the uniting of the sexes in a course of liberal study, and the unexpected results which have followed. Many good men among us, when they heard that males and females were to recite together, sit at the table together, &c., constituting one large family, and living together in some measure on the principles of a well-ordered Christian household,—did not fail to predict a failure. Yet the Institution has flourished, and the experiment is unequivocally successful. We consider it now fully established, that the sexes may be educated together.

This discovery is one of the most important ever made. The benefits which are likely to flow from it are immense. Woman is to be free. The hour of her emancipation is at hand. Daughters of America, rejoice!