tional instrumentalities are confined to mechanical reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, definitions of grammar, and the common localities of geography, may do well as far as he goes, but he, by no means deserves to be considered an artist-teacher; for his pupils will be as far from a thorough education, as a block of unformed marble, though beautifully dressed and polished, yet wholly unadapted to meet any useful purpose, will be from a work of art.

But what is the object of the teacher's work, or the end to be gained? We must acknowledge that low mercenary motives may actuate the teacher in his work, as well as the artist or man of any other calling. In relation to the importance of the great end to be gained by a thorough education, there can be but little difference of opinion; yet we have reason to fear that it is not fully understood, nor appreciated by very many who ought to know and -realize its value best. To repeat what has been said a thousand times, that "the teacher's work is a momentous one," or to say "that it is second in importance to that of no other profession," will not probably make (others) value or think any more highly of the object of the teacher's work. To say that an object is a good one, and that he is worthy of honor, who is laboring, and wearing out his life to accomplish it, is not enough in this money-loving pleasure-seeking, and passion indulging age. The calling which ministers most to avarice, pleasure, and sensuality, will find the most admirers and patrons, and has done so in every age of the world. Not even the horrors of civil war, devouring its hecatombs of brave and noble patriots, and sending the death-knell into every neighborhood and hamlet in our land, can turn those men to sober thought, who are devotees to pleasure, passion, and mammon. What signifies it then to talk about the importance of the object, which the teacher has in view, when that object can not minister to avarice, pleasure, and passion? When to accomplish it even, will crown him with no wreath of fame or honor in this heartless world? The successful money maker and politician,—the man who loves and worships gold, and will sacrifice patriotism, country, honesty, and religion, to gain money and power, is the hero. The teacher may spend a life-time in molding and directing those minds which are to be the ruling spirits of the age in which they live, and yet go down to his grave with no adequate reward, “unworshipped and unsung." The artist may die leaving his most meritorious work unappreciated while he lives, yet the true admirers of art, may in after time, realize its value, and hang it upon their walls as an object of instruction and admiration. But where is the niche or gallery for the work of the

artist-teacher? Who seeks his portrait? Who raises a monument to his name? But since he is no devotee to fame, why should he seek to be reckoned among her votaries? Though by no means free from the common weaknesses of human kind,-though his ear would be pleased, and his vanity tickled by the applauses and the eulogies of the multitude, yet their short-sightedness and misconception have shut him out from all prospect of such gratification, if indeed he should be so weak as to desire it. Yet the day may come, when the artist-teacher's name and fame shall be heralded forth as a benefactor of his race. But what higher object, what nobler and more honorable, can any aspirant after true fame, seek than that of developing and training the minds and hearts of those who are to guide the destinies of nations, and give character to their age? Trace the progress of that child, and the changes through which he has passed while in the hands of the artist-teacher. Unnaturally forced away from the influences of home and mother, which ought to be the purest and most potent of any on earth, (though unfortunately not always so,) that bright intellect, all undeveloped like the unhewn block, has been brought to form and beauty, so that where at first, the lineaments of mind could be scarcely traced, now can be seen a vigorous intellect, prepared to grapple with all the subtilties and profound philosophy of matter and spirit. That moral being, enveloped and tinctured with the corruptions of a fallen nature, has been brought out of the mists of sin, through the influence of truth, and a pure minded teacher, renovated and sanctified by divine power, through human instrumentality, so that, what at first seemed incorrigible and hopelessly perverse, has given place to honesty, uprightness, and a love for the holy and the pure.

As the painting or the statue exhibits the thoughts, feelings and motives, as well as the skill of the artist, so every child, and every adult, furnishes a living specimen, of the habits, mental traits, and moral character of their instructors. "Like begets like." As is the artist, so is the picture; as is the teacher, so is the scholar. But in our comparison we meet one difficulty. The work of art has had one designer, one director, and one executor. Not so with the teacher. Rarely does he have the privilege of commencing and directing the whole education of the child. From necessity, mistaken policy, or whim, the master workman of the child's character is changed from time to time; once in a year or oftener, it may be. The child may not be pleased with the polishing and brushing, and the master strokes of his artist, and so the tender hearted parent seeks another artist. Perhaps there may be a fault in our systems of public in

struction in this respect which needs correcting. Is there not? Here we would again refer to England's honored Queen. Let those who would obtain the same happy results in the education of their children, seek the best teacher in their power, and commit to him their entire education. Look at that young man who has just emerged from the studios of his different artists. Behold the marks of the various workmen. Why is that continued scowl or that suspicious smirk on those faces? Why that halo of joy, or that cloud of gloom? Why that simpering smile, or that forbidding frown? Why that cold repulsive mien, or that affectionate and attractive grace of manner? Why that constant air of distrust, or that hearty expression of confidence? Why that intellectual sluggishness, or that mental vigor and life? Why that disagreeable habit, that loutish gait, or that tidy, inviting, genteel appearance? Why that moral obtuseness and insensibility to the higher and nobler impulses of the soul? or that keen perception of right, that sensitiveness to wrong, that love of truth and hatred of falsehood?

Where indeed do all these numberless traits of the physical, mental, and moral being, take their origin, receive their culture and finishing polish if not from the artists, in the nursery, in the streets, and in the school-room? Who more than the artist-teacher is engaged in giving and directing those influences, which reach from the finite to the infinite, from earth, to heaven? and happy indeed is he, if to accomplish this great work, be the primary object of his labors. Every man, in his life-work, should have two objects, a primary and a secondary; a present and an ultimate; a general, and a particular. We have a present and a future state of being-a physical and a spiritual nature to care for. Our future spiritual being should certainly be the primary object of our care; while the present the temporal, is a secondary though a legitimate and commendable object, when sought for in subserviency to our spiritual being. The teacher may be satisfied with his reward, if he secures only the primary object of life; but base indeed is the motive of him who enters upon the work of teaching, with no higher object than the honor and emolument of his office. No better are his motives, than those of the painter, who copies old pictures or devises new ones, merely to supply the market which a corrupt taste demands.

Before closing this essay, I should be happy to refer to some of the teachers not unknown to fame, who have deserved the name of artist-teacher. Before the advent of the Great Teacher, we find not a few, whom we shall ever be proud to recognize, if not as found

ers, certainly as prominent leaders and pioneers, in the noble brotherhood of teachers. Pythagoras, Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato, are names which the profession to which we belong should claim as peculiarly its own-they were teachers and educators in the limited as well as in the broadest sense of those terms.

Since the advent of the Great Teacher, to whom, more than to all other teachers, we are indebted for all that is pure, regenerating and sanctifying in education, the rolls of fame contain a host of noble names, whose instructions, and influence as teachers, have given character to each succeeding age. Early in the Christian era, the best of teachers were sought and employed, by the friends and followers of the Great Teacher. The names of Pantænas, Origen, and Heraclas, are prominent among others. Almost every country of Europe can boast of names of distinguished teachers, who have given character to their age through their influence as instructors of youth. Every well-read and properly educated teacher should be familiar with the efforts of Sturm, Trotzendorf, Spalatus, Comenius, Ratisch, Neander, Hayden, Ascham, Locke, Pestalozzi, Fellenburg, Jacotot, and Arnold: and we might name many others, and enlarge upon the interesting characteristics,. which have marked their labors and given them signal success. The biographies and characters of those artist-teachers, who have given honor and fame to our calling, in European countries, as well as in our own, should be carefully read and studied; and here I can not fail to recommend Barnard's "American Journal of Education," as being for the teacher, even more than Blackstone's "Commentaries" for the lawyer. Yes, the lawyer without his Blackstone, the physician without his medical jurisprudence, and the clergyman without his bible, might as well expect to gain fame, success, and honor in this day, as a teacher without the "American Journal of Education," or its equivalent. The names of those educational heroes whose history this Journal has given, will be handed down from generation to generation, to encourage other artist-teachers in their toil, whose names may be forgotten, but whose works will remain, and whose record will be on high.

THE POWERS TO BE EDUCATED.

BY THOMAS HILL, D. D. LL. D,, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD COLLEGE.

As I was journeying towards this city to partake in the pleasures of this gathering I saw upon an island, in the northern part of yonder brineless ocean, a little collection of five or six houses, and among them one hut that attracted the attention of all our party. It was so low, that although the door nearly reached the eaves, a tall man might be forced to stoop to enter; it was so poor that neither glass nor sash was in its casements. Yet it was a palace wherein a queen was reigning and was rearing kings. It was a school-house built through the missionary zeal of a noble girl who after procuring its erection and gathering in it all the children of the island, gave two years' service to this school of less than a score of children, gratuitously, and now two other years with a pay that is merely nominal. As I heard the story of her generous labors, undertaken with no thought that they should be known and appreciated beyond the narrow confines of that lonely island; I felt a new sense of the dignity and grandeur of our profession as teachers and in my heart, thanked God that He had called me to such a goodly fellowship, embracing thousands of these humble but glorious laborers, one in purpose and devotion, with the teacher of North Manitou Island.

For as I heard the story, I endeavored to estimate the value of the work there, and measure as I would, I found it invaluable. Measure it by the cost of re-production, and it is immeasurable. For it is impossible to give to one already adult, instruction in the tender. years of his youth. Measure by its utility and it is immeasurable; since the uses, to a man and to the community in which he lives, of the knowledge he may have gained and of the culture he may have received are innumerable, inestimable, and of eternal duration. Thus I was led anew to consider the greatness of the work of educating the young; and I thought I might be pardoned if I used this little. school on Manitou Island as an introduction to the thoughts which I hoped to bring forward at this meeting.

The course of instruction, the true selection and arrangement of studies in liberal education, is evidently one of the most important