and young persons, so that they go along under a most happy excitement, with their teachers, who are thus enabled to exert a positive influence, and occupy the mind with the best furniture and the best habits, and secure, by the blessing of heaven, the most direct and positive means for the culture of the moral sentiments.

Harmony pervades such a school.

The pupils respect the teachers, and the teachers are devoted to the interests of their pupils, and their relation is a mutual ministry of good. Among the teachers there is an interchange of thought and sympathy. Much conversation is had upon the best methods of teaching and of government. In kindness and with earnestness, they consult and work together. So they are prepared to understand, in each department of the school, what are the objects to be aimed at, what principles are to be illustrated, what course is to be pointed out, and what things are to be pursued and kept constantly in view as guides to future progress. The pupils are trained to habits of self-reliance and self-government. It is made a matter of every-day duty to inculcate and develop right sentiments and desires. Truth is presented, invested with its own lovely character. To be intelligent, virtuous, and true, is exhibited as the great object of life. Duty is made to appear as never a gloomy affair. This we know is done in many of our schools, and the result is, that a noble and generous sentiment governs the pupils, especially of the higher classes, and its influence is felt throughout the whole body. Much has

also been done by many teachers, that their scholars may obtain a knowledge of those things which are connected with the common duties of life, as a preparation for acting with dignity and propriety.

The Committee would express their appreciation of the value of the services of many of the teachers, especially of many of the masters of our schools. They generally seem willing to give much time and study to a careful preparation for their work. They value every means of becoming intelligent and wise, and of being useful in their appropriate sphere. And it may not be improper to add, that it should be the aim of all interested in the immediate management of our schools, to have it impressed upon the scholars, that all right improvement of the mind and heart depends, in an eminent degree, upon the object in view, when in school or out of it "they read, reflect, or observe what is going on around them," and especially that young men and young women should be taught to be useful, that in the future, as parents, citizens, companions, and friends, they may carry with them, wherever they may go, a good influence.

STUDIES.

In regard to the branches of study usually attended to in our schools, but little can be said in a Report like this. It is important to know what is the first thing to be done when children are put upon the study of any subject, "what are the objects to be aimed at, and to be kept constantly in view as guides

They should be required

to future progress." Teachers should have a knowledge of the best methods of teaching the essential elementary branches, in order that their efforts may well repay them. The recitations should not consist of mere questions and answers, and exercises of the memory. The pupils should, however, be made sufficiently familiar with the details of the various branches of study, and at the same time with the principles involved in each. to make special preparation for expressing in their own language the thoughts of others, which gives vivacity and precision to the intellect. When old enough, they should be taught to look beyond the text-book, to obtain information from any source within their reach," to give illustrations of principles and rules, which may be presented by their own observation and reflection, or which may be derived from any other source." Pupils thus trained will always be ready for the Superintendent and the Committee, as they expect to receive as well as to give, and their examinations will be pleasant and satisfactory.

PROGRAMME.

In this connection it is proper to recognize the value of the course of study and instruction which is pursued in those Primary and Grammar schools, in which the programme prepared by the Superintendent and adopted by the Board is the actual guide of the teachers. Experience has shown that it is adapted to meet the wants of these schools. There is no doubt of its value and efficacy. Teachers candid in their deci

sions, after a full trial, use it with entire confidence that they shall thereby reach the best results. It is believed to be the best for all teachers and for all classes. It will be found that there is efficacy in such a system, and that it will work out satisfactory results. It will not do this as by magic. The success of any method, system, or plan must depend upon the learning, the ardor, the wakeful activity of the teacher. Nothing but the glowing enthusiasm of a well-disciplined mind can give vitality to any school exercise.

Not to mention other things, the use of this programme will tend to recast the study of geography and grammar; and the study of these branches should be recast in many of our schools. This fact is an important one, and the Committee submit to the candid decision of any teacher well qualified for his place, and who is familiar with the geographies and grammars which are the only guides of many teachers as well as scholars, whether our children should be doomed to commit to memory page after page of the names of towns, rivers, statistics, and dates, or dwarf their intellects by poring over, and dozing over, such soul-deadening technicalities as are found in many systems of grammar, and beyond which some dare not venture. The programme will help remedy all this. It has done it when properly used. It is the means of simplifying and making plain the daily interests of our schools. It makes clear and open standing ground to rest upon in their instruction.

It is, perhaps, not important to speak more fully or more in detail upon this subject of programme, and the Committee will only add, that observation and experience have given them entire confidence in the justice of what has been said in regard to it.

The following extract from the programme itself is submitted as evidence of its clearness and importance, and that all interested in the direct instruction of our schools should study and use it as a positive power for good. Notice the intention and spirit of the programme, which distinguish it in its application to instruction from the lowest class of the Primary School to the highest class of the Grammar School.

SIXTH CLASS.

READING.The Fourth Reader, all the pieces; special attention to fluency of utterance, distinctness of articulation, correctness of pronunciation, and the points and marks of punctuation; practice on the exercises in the introduction; the Spelling and Defining Lessons to be omitted.

SPELLING.Through the Spelling-Book, omitting the Exercises for Writing, each lesson being read by the class before it is given out for study; a sentence from the reading lesson written daily from dictation.

WRITING. - Three Writing-Books, numbers one, two and three, with analysis of letters. ARITHMETIC. Written Arithmetic through the operations of the ground rules and reduction, with simple practical questions, involving small numbers; Mental Arithmetic carried along in connection with Written, the same topic in both kinds being taught at the same time [sections first and second].

GEOGRAPHY. — Reading half through the Primary text-book with conversational illustrations; rudiments of map-drawing, showing how geographical objects are represented by symbols, taking