pursue the appointed duty with freshness of spirit,

You may find it diffiplan for any extended Without preconsidered

with interest, and with hope. cult, perhaps impossible, to period, but plan you must. and definite arrangements, you will never be able to conduct satisfactorily the complicated business of a school, or to pursue with advantage any course of private study.

233. Much more might be added. A thousand suggestions crowd upon my mind, for which I can find no place; suggestions relating to the general discipline of the mind; to the improvement of the faculties; to the attainment of self-knowledge; to the repression of pride, selfishness, and envy; to the cultivation of the devout affections; the quickening of conscience; the cherishing of purity, honour, punctuality, and prudence; the regulation of general reading and conversation; the schooling of the heart; and the absolute necessity of constant dependence on that divine and blessed Spirit, without whose aid even the renewed soul cannot lift its desires and affections

heavenward. All this, and much more, should come under notice, were I not checked by the thought, that this species of advice, which would of itself make a volume, has been already offered by others, in every way better qualified than myself to impart such instruction. One word only would I add :Let no day pass without spending some portion of your time alone with God. "An hour of solitude, passed in sincere and earnest prayer, or

in conflict with, and conquest over a single passion, or subtle bosom-sin,' will teach more of thought, will more effectually awaken the faculty, and form the habit of reflection, than a year's study in the schools without them."*

* Coleridge.

LETTER IX. TO A FRIEND.

DUTIES OF A SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

234. In compliance with your kind request, I will endeavour, my dear friend, to put down as briefly as I can, the objects for which, as it appears to me, a school committee is appointed, and the duties it is intended to fulfil. These, you will soon see, are neither few nor unimportant, whether considered in relation to the teacher, the children, or the public. I shall refer to them in their natural order.

235. (1.) THE SCHOOL ROOM. The first duty of a committee is certainly to provide a suitable building for the purposes of instruction; a room that is light, dry, warm, clean, and well ventilated. When I think of the damp and unwholesome hovels into which teachers and children are too often crowded, my heart sickens. I know more than one instance, in which a promising teacher has in this way been given up to death through the apathy and sinful negligence of those, whose duty it was to have exerted themselves on his behalf.

236. But it is not enough, that proper arrangements,

in relation to health, are secured in the first instance; care must be taken that this provision is actually made available, and that, by frequent and thorough ventilation of the room, every thing is done which can be done, to insure, for all parties occupying it, cheerfulness and activity, both of body and mind. Teachers often neglect this important part of their duty, and, through mere carelessness, allow their schools to become dirty, and even unhealthy. Now a committee should guard against this serious evil, by insisting upon the school-room being always kept clean, neat, and in good order; and by making liberal provision for frequent white-washing and painting, as well as for the repair of accidental injury. The moral effect of a clean and well-aired room, upon children gathered out of filthy and miserable dwellings, is too important to be disregarded by any who are much concerned for their welfare. In fine weather, teachers should be encouraged to take advantage of the nearest plot of ground, and to carry on there the lessons of the school.

237. (2.) SCHOOL MATERIALS. The purchase of these, at suitable times, and in sufficient quantities, obviously comes next in the order of duty. Some committees are very unwilling to furnish a good supply, even of necessary articles. This is, to say the least of it, bad policy. It should, on the contrary, be their business, from time to time, to look round the school, to see what lessons are dirty and torn,— what slates broken,-what books are wanted,-and to

take care that a teacher shall find no apology for neglect in the absence of suitable materials. A few pounds judiciously applied every year in this way, without waiting for solicitation from the master, would often do more to stimulate both him and his pupils than any thing else. On the same principle, and for similar reasons, the small sum required for the payment of monitors, and for the purchase of rewards, should be readily and cheerfully granted.

238. (3.) THE TEACHER. Having provided a teacher with the means of conducting his school well, it is the next duty of the committee to see that these are faithfully and diligently improved. The first point to be secured from him is early and regular attendance; and to this end, the visiting members should occasionally call at the school, a few minutes before nine in the morning, and before two in the afternoon. Irregularity of attendance on his part will be fatal to the efficiency of a school. If the teacher be habitually five minutes too late, the children will, as certainly, be ten or fifteen minutes later. A committee should occasionally take pains to ascertain the habits of a teacher in this respect.

239. The next object to be kept in view is good order. There is no difficulty whatever in discovering whether a teacher has, or has not, the entire command of his school. On this head, nothing short of ocular demonstration should suffice; and if it cannot be afforded, at will, a committee may rely upon it there is something wrong. It may always be taken for