Sarah Martyn, the seamstress, is like an effect upon others. We may wound
angel in many a prison, and Robert Raikes, hearts which we do not poison.
the shoemaker, teaches in ten thousand

Love leads, also, to self-sacrifice, and schools at once. So evil lives and multi

may induce us to refrain from that which plies itself all over the earth. A single

may injure, or pain another, even when evil example may live forever, like a

we cannot see that the act from which our devil, and spread its dusky wings over influence radiates, is in itself considered inyriads of hearts, No one knows how

wrong. Love is not satisfied to enjoy at much harm he may do by a wrong act, the expense of others. Let it be granted perpetrated while others look on. He is that a certain act may be safely performed waving a torch over materials as dry as were there no one but God to observe it; tinder. One spark drifted on the wind, so long as its performance in the presence unknown to him, may make a fiercer of others may either lead them into sin, blaze than that from which the spark was or grieve them by the appearance of sin torn away. He may think himself guilt- which it presents to them; he who loves less while a whole community sits in his neighbor will hesitate to perform it. ashes.

He will hesitate even though he might in We are led still further in this direc

other circumstances derive positive grat

ification from it. We are never to give tion, by the third general principle suggested—the principle of - e. This is to

up a principle. Love nes not re uire enter into all our relations with others,

that, even though our adherence to the and to shape our conduct in every respect

principle should wound the conscience of in which that conduct can affect them.

those who differ from us in respect to the Love leads to exertion in behalf of its ob- principle involved. Popular opinion may ject, prompts to the employment of every

be wrong, and so the public conscience energy, overlooks no available resource.

may speak on the wrong side. Popular He must have an imperfect affection for opinion may require that witches be burnhis fellows, who is careless of his influ-ed, but we are not therefore out of reence over them, when one good example

spect to the feelings of others, to cut the may be worth more than the Ko-hi-noor,

faggots for the execution. Love would one bad one may be worse than the blow then require that we should endeavor to of a Saracenic cimeter. Thus we arrive

rescue the unfortunate victim, and though at the same conclusion, when we start

it should pain the cons ier ces of some from the principle of love, that we do good men, to endeavor to change the curwhen starting from the principle of duty. rent of popular sentiment. But if a thing We are carried to that conclusion with

is wrong, neither in itself or on account ew force; for Love makes us careful of

of circumstances, and yet others suppose the feelings of others, as well as of their

it to be wrong, we are bound by Love to failings. It makes us anxious to avoid

have respect to their opinion in our congreiving those on whom it rests. But

duct. Even the prejudices and whims of we may easily grieve by our example others, when conscientiously entertained, some whom we do not influence for evil. are not to be treated with contempt. We l'hey may be grieved by it, on account of may try to reason away what we are not he perceived inconsistency in us, and at liberty to despise. ulso on account of its apprehended bad When that which we might safely prac

a

tice is positively injurious to others, when / Irop the glass as if an asp had stung him. what is innocent in us, becomes sinful in Could he decypher among the hieroglyphthem, and they are encouraged in it by ics of his cards the certain prophecy that example, something more than the prin- he would become a black-leg, he would no ciple of Love requires that we refrain.- more touch the leaves than if they were We are doing harm. Lead a fellow trav-lates of burning brass. Let the parent eler, blindfold, to the edge of a fissure is understand that his children are daily an Alpine glacier, and let him step into it, Irawing his life into their own, by the is he not lost as truly as if while stand- magnetic power of influence, and that he ing with him on its brink, you had throwi is silently shaping their future. Let the him in? And are you guiltless ? Walk teacher understand that he is imparting along the slippery edge while others, he most momentous lessons, both in without your Alpine staff and your steady norals and in knowledge, by his “unconnerves, are looking on, and while you scious tuitions.” Let the student rebelieve that they may follow in your member that the sharp angles of his charsteps; when news is brought that a ven-acter are marking the characters of his turesome youth, inspired by your exam-school-mates, while his own soul receives ple, and attempting to go where you had its influences from theirs. It were not safely trod, has fallen from the dizzy easy to exhaust the subject of organic verge, do you exonerate yourself? Does ife--the life of the family—the life of the not his blood ring like thunder through school—the life of the community. We the ice-caves, calling to you from the have but planted a finger post at the enground?

trance of the branching paths of thought. The truth is, more harm is done indi

Racine, Wis. rectly, by the power of evil example, in

TEACH THE TRUTH. corrupting the morals of most communi. ties, than by deliberate solicitation; and NEVER leave a promise unfulilled in this ought to be understood, not only by letter or in spirit. Be punctual. Tardithose who wish to make their lives radi- ness is generally a species of petit larceny, ant with good influences, but by those that a man that is truthful, practically as who are willing to meet the consequences rell as theoretically, will despise. Let of selfish gratification, yet do not think everything in the school-room be truthhow many others crowd their train to ful, or in other words, orderly. Order is ruin. We have but begun to settle the truth; disorder is a lie. Teach the truth.

2 question whether we shall sip the cup, or

definitions be exact, complete; indulge in “euchre," when we have deci- let your arguments be conclusive, your ded that we can do the one without in- demonstrations perfect. Be precise in toxication, and the other without gam- statement; never state as a fact what you bling. The bare fact that we can do both do not know to be so. Teachers must " safely,” makes our example most per- share with parents the responsibility of nicious to the lookers-on, for it induces training the youth of this generation to them to think that they can indulge as safe- habits of truth telling, truth acting and ly as we. Could the young man read that truth living. prophetic word–Drunkard—in the bead- We often censure pupils for doing what ed wine as he lifts it to the light, he would we have unconsciously taught them to do;

Z. M. H.

O

Let your

6

Indeed much that we do, to form the char- sled the aged and infirm, and laughs acter of others, is unconsciously done. — at the “slow coach " he has left sprawlinfluence, like other great forces, acts not ing in his wake. His snow-balls, with a

stone in the middle—if stones happen to less silently than omnipotently, in effect. be convenient-fly with refreshing iming its results. The teacher must appear partiality at all passers, and his hilarious to his pupils a living truth. There must enjoyment has reached its acme when he be consistency in his life; his example Powing from the countenance of some

sees the claret, as he facetiously terms it, must speak while his tongue is silent and unlucky victim of his sport. He yells in it must illustrate what his mouth has ut- the street worse than a Yahor,-to his tered. There must be uniformity in his own infinite delight, and to the utter dislife; not sameness, but symmetry. Some- gust of every lover of quiet; he does the times shadows may flit across the land- with the additional embellishments of

same in the lecture and concert-room, scape, but let the pupil feel that the sun fierce stamps, shrill whistlings and unis always shining behind the cloud. earthly groans. In short, wherever he

We must make the young feel the is, he is an unendurable nuisance. meanness of lying. They may know that such animals turned loose from our

Why, instead of young gentlemen, are it is wicked, but they ought to feel that schools, both public and private, to play it is mean. They should be taught to their parts on the stage of life? It is no lose a right hand sooner than violate their doubt attributable to many causes, such as word. In some of our schools the boy competent and careless teachers, and al

bad home influences, instruction by inwho tells the truth always,is abused, while most total neglect of moral training in the habitual liar is a hero among his our schools; but the most important and school-mates, Fashionable society, as it deep-seated of all, is, undoubtedly what is called, is an enormous lie; and it is the but which, being a plain, blunt man, I

the Bostonians politely term absenteeism, duty of every teacher to make this mat- shall call by its right name, vagrancy. ter a subject of study, and perseveringly This is the poisoned fountain that sends and wisely to train the youth of our land its streams of death through all the chanto truth-truth in science, society and has its army of young vagrants who

nels of society. Every city and village morality. Teach them the love of truth. prowl through its streets, and whose mi: Teach them that is the nucleus around asmatic breathings so pollute the moral which all the gems that beautify aud adorn atmosphere, that no pure soul can inhale the character, crystalize and flash during There is no escape for any; the foul va

it, without taking in the terrible infection. the dark hours of temptation; that it is pors penetrate to the most sacred recessthe central idea around which the other es of our homes. Are the purest and virtues circle and shine amid the storins brightest hopes of parents who have an

earnest and constant care for the well-beof passion.

ing of their children, to be forever blast

ed by the insidious and diabolical teachVAGRANCY.

ings of the street? Is nothing to be

done—can nothing be done to snatch Look at the Young America of our these vagrants themselves, from the doschools, who play, such fantastic tricks as minion of the Evil One? The people of would make angels weep. He has no our cities and town are earnestly repeatreverence for age—no respect for station. ing the question. They are beginning to He insults a lady with the easy noncha- move in the matter. Already has the lance of the experienced profligate. To School Board of Cincinnati adopted the his parents he feels he owes no obedience, form of vagrancy and truancy law, to and takes most effectual means to show be submitted to the Legislature.- Ohio it. On the street he rides down with his Normal School Advocate.

J. G. MCM.

Superintendent's Department.

}

was

155,125 Increase in the State for the year 1855

30,960 OFFICE OF Sup't. Of Public InstrucTION,

The whole number of children who
Madison, December 31st, 1855.

have attended school during the

year ending Sept. 1, 1855, is 122,452 It is made by law the duty of the Superin- of these 119,687 were between tendent of Public Instruction to “prepare in the ages of four and twenty. each year a report, to be submitted to the leg- The number reported last year islature, bearing date on the last day of Decem- over four, and under twenty, ber in each year, containing

as attending school, was

101,580 “1. An abstract of all the common school Increase of attendance for the reports received by him from the several clerks

year,

18,107 of the county boards of supervisors.

There was received from various “2. A statement of the condition of the com- sources for the year 1855, for mon schools in this State.

school purposes, the sum of $264,764 03 "3. Estimates and accounts of expenditures of this amount there was expended of the school moneys.

for same purposes, the sum of 250,075 70 * 4. Plans for the improvement and manage- As follows:--ment of the common school fund, and for the For Teachers' wages,

$216,542 72 better organization of the common schools.- “6 Libraries,

4,741 21 And

* other purposes,

28,791 77 “5. All such matters relating to his office Amount unexpended,

14,688 33 and the common schools of the State, as he shall Excess of money received and exdeem expedient to communicate.”

pended for school purposes over The required abstract of county returns will amount of year 1854,

22,617 49 be found at the close of this report.

Excess for teachers' wages,

53,057 08 The number of counties in this state is fifty. From the abstract of the county reports, we

These figures indicate a healthy educational learn that in the forty five organized counties, progress in our State, as compared with those there were on the first day of September last, eral prosperity, they are scarcely wbat we had

of former years. Still, with our great and genfour hundred and sixty-eight towns and cities, containing three thousand five hundred and a right reasonably to expect. We are not, howeighty-four districts and joint districts.

ever, to estimate the degree of interest, and

Of this number of whole and joint districts, 3321 the figures here given. While in many places

the measure of improvement in all localities by have reported to the town superintendents as there has been little or no improvement on the required by law. The number of districts re- previous year, in others the condition of things ported last year is 2226, showing an increase has been materially changed for the better, far of 1358 whole and joint districts. The increase larger amounts have been raised for school puris in part the result of divisions of old districts, but is mainly attributable to the increase of poses, and the wages of teachers have beon great

ly increased. population in our state and the settlement of new teritory. Still, it is a matter of regret, The School Fund-Its Unproductive and Prothat the carving up of large districts into small ductive Capital— Amount of Income-Apporones is quite common, introducing dissension, tionment &c. poor schools, and many and great hindrances in the way of all educational progress and pros- Uuproductive property, being 35,951 acres of

The capital of the School Fund consists of 1. perity. To the fancied benefit of being near a school house, very important considerations land, located in the several counties as follows: are often sacrificed. The fact is overlooked Counties.

Acres. Valuation. that children require, for the developinent of a Washington (Block) 40

$1,343 20 healthy organization, the daily excercise equiv- Dodge,

39 49-100 240 10 alent to one or two miles travel. In pleasant Fond du Lac,

40

51 00 weather a walk of two or even three miles is no

Marquette,

38.40

56 71 hardship to them. It has been observed, and Portage,

7,160

8,950 25 the testimony of teachers confirms the observ- Polk,

3,200

4,022 51 ation, “ that as a general rule, those children

Pierce,

32 .22

43 51 who lives farthest from the school house, are Door,

4,540

6,012 32 the most punctual in their daily attendance, Kewaunee,

320

413 70 and make the greatest progress in their studies." Adams,

640

723 00 The whole muinber of children in

last year,

Jefferson Canal, 1,076.10 1,441 80 there ever was before. And this generally preOatagamie,

216.02

456 27 vailing Thought is more intelligent, more

earnest, better directed, and of a purer and loft35,951.85-100 47,303 25 ier character than that which has preceded it. 2d. Loang secured by mortgage

Instead of being shut away from the means on Real Estate,

291,309 81 and even the right of thought, or of having no Balance due on sales,

1,567,932 98 time for thought of anything beyond the narBalance in Treasury,

38,026 48 row circle of their own physical wants, the conTotal capital of School Fund,

dition of the laboring masses has been improved, Dec. 31, 1855,

$1,897,269 30 magnificent stores of knowledge have been Deducting the amount in Treas.

opened, and a general diffusion of intelligence ury, subject to loan, we have

has prepared the way for Thought. And as as the amount of productivo

knowledge increases Thought expands, is el. capital,

1,839,242 82 evated, and becomes more free. Then there Total capital of School Fund

begin the pulsations of a new and higher life

1,670.253 77 | the capacities of the soul are enlarged-a clearer Increase for 1855,

227,010 53 and stronger perception of right and duty is imThe income of School Fund sub

parted—and man begins to lift himself erect in ject to apportionment the

the dignity of his august nature. Hence, those present year is as follows:

denominated the Common People--the toiling, Interest upon productive cap

degraded, and suffering millions—through the ital at 7 per cent.,

130,076 99 power of thought are opening their eyes to seo Balance of revenue on hand,

that this is God's earth; and some way or other, Dec. 31, 1855,

17,479 00 all His children, even the poorest and weakest Total income,

147,555 99 have a right to so much of the soil, and water, Increase of income over that of

and air as shall sustain life under circumstances the year 1854

5,571 70 favorable to unfold and develope the faculties Over amount apportioned on the

and attributes of the whole man-physical, so10th of March last,

21,649 97 cial, intellectual and religious. The productive capital of the School Fund

Thought is clearly an element of progress; is annually increased by sales of School Lands, and if their be that which yields under its and from other sources, and consequently the power, it is because it is wanting in adaptation,

or is false, and wholly unfit for the place it ocrevenue for the support of the public schools of the State. Whon the remaining lands shall cupies.. Truth cannot suffer from thought-no have been sold, and the proceeds aided to the good thing can be permanently injured by it; productive capital of the Fund, the income an- and true, and binds up the good of to day

it conserves that which is excellent, and right, nually derived from the whole will aid largely, with that which may be developed to-morrow. indeed, in the education of the sons and daugh- Thus it, is naturally aiding in our redlemption ters of the State, and in deepening and strength- from many and great evils