by referring to the too prevalent want of interest with respect to the morals of schools. The feeling of interest in behalf of the morals of schools, has been much weakened, I believe, by the use of a maxim, which, though true in some respects, yet is false and hurtful in the way in which it has been applied. The bad moral practices of a school have excited less anxiety in the hearts of parents than they should have done, because they have said to themselves, "It is necessary or well for our children to become acquainted with the ways of the world, though they are bad, for we may prevent bad consequences by care and watchfulness at home." Now this may be true in a certain sense. It is true, that a knowledge of the arts of deception and corruption, or of the dangers to which virtuous principles may be, and often are exposed, may preserve the young from being betrayed by the seductive examples of the vicious, and arm them beforehand against temptations, if duly warned by parental love and fidelity. But when such a saying is raised to the dignity of a prudent maxim, and carried into practice without due regard -as it too often is-to the weakness, the ignorance and inexperience of the young, it may produce very serious evil consequences. The young have seen no exhibition of these consequences; experience has not taught them circumspection, and often they may be drawn into the whirlpool of vice before they are conscious of having approached it. I know that vice is said to be odious, and "to be hated, needs but to be seen." But the odious features of vice are apt to be concealed. Between young hearts there is a quick and active sympathy. What the eye sees and the ear hears

makes a direct impression, and leads speedily to the foundation of habits, which neither precept, nor reasoning, nor remonstrance can correct. Too much care cannot be taken in arranging the circumstances in which the young are placed. Let the moral instruction at school be ever so bad, and the moral circumstances bad, the latter will be likely to gain the victory and produce moral ruin. A careless exposure to the fiery trials of the world may cause deep burnings, and leave scars that shall deface the moral image for life.

It behooves all to be vigilant and active in the cause of popular education; not parents, nor teachers only, but all others, men and women. We are responsible in this matter. All can do something. Upon us of the present generation rests the obligation of educating-of training up in the right way, that which is to succeed us. The next generation will be what we make it. It will be wise, intelligent, and virtuous, if we faithfully use the instrumentalities which God has put into our hands. We lie under a weighty responsibleness; it is not in our power to escape from it.

The influence of the free school is great. After the influence of home, none is greater. In the free schools of New England, there are now, during the winter, nearly seven hundred thousand pupils, all under influences for good or evil. Who will not strive to do his part towards improving the condition of the free schools? Who will not bid faithful teachers Godspeed, and show by his deeds that his heart responds to the utterance of his lips?

LECTURE VII.

METHODS OF TEACHING SPELLING.

BY CHRISTOPHER A. GREENE,

OF MILTON, MASS.

I PROPOSE to consider Spelling as it is taught in schools, and to give such hints at the best method of teaching it, as I am enabled to give by some experience and reflection.

The great importance of the subject is universally acknowledged; a large portion of time in all schools for young children, and a very considerable portion in almost all schools for older ones, is occupied by the spelling lesson. Unlike many subjects taught in the schools, its use does not require demonstration; it lies out plain where every one may see it, for no man can write unless he can spell.

Within my memory, the subject of spelling has passed through two epochs, and it is now in a third. In the first, the oral system of teaching was universal; and it was applied to all the scholars of every school; the youngest scholars spelled orally from

their primers, the older ones from their spelling-books, and sometimes there was an oldest class who spelled from a dictionary, and gave the meanings of the words.

In the second epoch there was less attention given to the subject. I can distinctly remember when the interest in the spelling class began to decline, in the school which I attended; I remember studying my lessons carefully, and being very anxious to get to the head of my class, and then caring nothing at all about the matter; and I remember there being no spelling class, at least for me. The oral system fell into discredit, no other took its place, teachers knew no other; the older scholars dropped the subject, other studies engaged their attention. It got to be disreputable to be in the spelling class. Parents said that their children had been studying spelling ever since they began to go to school, and that it was a pity if they didn't know how to spell. As the study of the subject went out of fashion, the knowledge of it declined, and it ceased to be so much of a shame to spell badly. Of the seeds sown in this epoch we are now enjoying the fruit, and I believe that a great majority of those educated in it are bad spellers.

The third epoch is marked by greater interest in the subject. The increase of attention to schools and the general subject of education, has reached spelling among other things. The effect has been action in various ways. The old way of teaching spelling orally from primer and spelling-book, has been reinstated; but it is not now the only way. Others have superseded it in some schools, and threaten its existence in all; others, besides these, have been sug