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.

C1

LETTER VIII.-TO A FRIEND.

DUTIES OF A SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

In compliance with your kind request, I will endeavor, 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. 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 rooms 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.

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, with convenient and pleasant accommodations, upon children, 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.

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 dollars 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.

3. 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 shouldoccasionally 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.

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

It

If no

be taken for granted, that where there is imperfect control, but little instruction can be imparted, and no moral influence exercised whatever. Where such a defect is observed, they should at once inquire into the cause; and if it be found to result, as it frequently will, from the partial and defective training of the monitors, where they are employed, they should provide for the emergency. other course is practicable, it would be better, that for a few weeks, the mass of scholars should be kept in the school only four hours a day, and thus two hours be secured for more faithful and individual attention to the monitors, than to allow the defect to continue. By such a course, the whole school would actually derive more improvement, than from a greater number of hours professedly devoted to instruction, but accompanied by distraction and disorder.

In connexion with this requirement, however, every thing should be done to sustain the teacher's authority. No word of complaint, or expression of disapprobation, should ever fall upon his ear in presence of the children; in their eye he should be quite as important a person as any member of the committee; the moment he ceases to be so, his power is in a great measure gone. It is obvious that he must be trusted. If he cannot be allowed to punish, excepting in the presence of the managers, or if it is necessary to determine for him, the nature and extent of the infliction, he is not fit to be