certain directions. There is a broader and a bet

ter way.

Besides, it is not wholly or principally the reasoning faculties that should be improved at the age of from eight to fourteen, when most pupils are largely engaged in the study of arithmetic. The power to reason is but slowly developed at this age; but the powers of observation, of choice, of discrimination, of fixing and retaining in the memory forms and shapes and sizes and location and relation, are easily and rapidly and naturally developed. This is the period rather of learning to read, easily, fluently, smoothly, understandingly; of learning the meaning and the use of words, of improving and increasing one's vocabulary, and of acquiring the rare but valuable habit of the correct and accurate use of good words. Besides this, at the age named, it is important that the child become acquainted with the general facts and principles of geography and natural history. It has always been a great surprise to many that so much time is spent in the study of geography, the location of towns, rivers, bays, etc., in Asia, Africa, and South America, while the boys and girls remain, so far as any school instruction is concerned, totally ignorant of the birds and beasts and fishes and flowers and plants and trees living and growing around them. Is it not of more use to learn the kinds of trees growing by the roadside, in the groves and forests near you

the names and species and families, qualities and uses of the numerous classes of plants and shrubs to be seen every summer's day, than the names of the capes and gulfs and mountains of Patagonia or Abyssinia?

But this is not the principal reason for this proposed change.

In learning the almost endless detail of geograph ical facts, no laws of association aid the memory, except perhaps the forced and constrained fancied resemblance, often very crude, between the map. and the countries or places represented. But in the study of botany and of zoölogy the natural order is followed, so that the application of what is learned from the living teacher and the book is constantly being made to the thing itself. The powers of observation are rapidly, philosophically, and usefully cultivated.

Let us, then, map out the proper course of study for the young, from the time they commence their school work till they have finished the studies of the common English branches; that is, till they leave the grammar schools and are prepared to take up the true course of study in the high school. The fundamental principle on which this course should be based is the order of the development of the mental powers. The perceptive faculties and the imagination are developed early; so is the memory. The power to reason, the entire logical

faculty, is of later growth. From the age of five or six, when the child ordinarily begins his school days, till twelve or fourteen, is the age of perception, imagination, and memory.

Moreover, the memory during this period follows certain laws, foremost among them being the objective laws, and specially association by similarity and contrast. The practice of comparing one thing with another is therefore constantly going on. However little may really be known, everything unknown is compared with something known.

It becomes important, therefore, that we follow these laws in our attempts to develop, improve, and strengthen the powers of the child's mind. Hence it is that the objective system of teaching, by the concrete, by outward tangible forms, by actual things, by pictures, in short, by an appeal to the senses, to sense-perception,—is philosophical and necessary.

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We first address ourselves to the acquisition of the arts of reading and writing. By all the varied and most approved methods of learning to read and to write, the child should, before taking up any of those studies, so called, which depend upon the art of reading, become proficient in picking up thought from the printed or written page. Here we have or should have a twofold object: first, the discipline of the mind, the development of power to grasp ideas and use them, to perceive, to observe,

to compare, to decide; secondly, the acquisition of a useful art, — the learning to read in order that we may be able to learn geography, natural history, and other things from books.

While the pupil is learning these things, he may also cultivate the memory, and exercise his powers in various directions by acquiring through the memory a knowledge of many useful things; e. g., the elements of botany, natural history, definitions, things in common use, and the arithmetical tables, slowly and progressively.

In connection with the learning to read, much should be done by the living teacher in acquainting the child with a multitude of important, useful, and interesting things; in waking up his powers, leading him to observe, and making him familiar with many matters not in a text-book. Before he is fourteen he may become familiar with the elementary facts and principles of geography, natural history, the correct use of the English language either written or spoken, elementary arithmetic, and leading facts and principles relating to the history of our own nation. Without entering into the details of the methods by which this is accomplished, it is important for us to keep in mind the principle that underlies the work. Briefly stated, this is tomake the child familiar not so much with arithmetic as with language. The form and the power of words and sentences, of propositions and

the thoughts they represent, are all-important to the young learner. In practical life, all or nearly all our ideas come to us through the use of language; in childhood, therefore, we cannot become too familiar with language, with words, with forms of expression.

We come now to the high-school course of instruction, by which the child is to be fitted for business life; and we inquire what should be the principles which underlie the course to be pursued, and from which we deduce the true order of studies. Here we assume that the child has reached the age of from fourteen to sixteen years, and has been instructed in the studies named above. He is now at such a stage of mental development that we may reasonably presume him capable of attending to various disciplinary and useful branches. We inquire what are the departments of study which should be attended to, from which we may expect the greatest discipline of mind and the largest amount of valuable knowledge, and how they should be pursued. We observe, then, that for the first portion of this course the mind should be cultivated in three directions: viz., (1) literary studies; (2) natural science; (3) the mathematics.

The mind has powers; these powers are not simple and single, they are multiform, compound, and complex. It is important that the powers of the mind be developed harmoniously, uniformly.