,,reflections     ,,on     ,,the        
,,operation     ,,of ,,the     ,,present
 ,,system ,,of ,,education4      ,,by   
,,christopher ,c4 ,,andrews1            
,,counsellor ,,at ,,law4       ,,train  
,,up ,a ,,child ,,in ,,the ,,way ,,he   
,,should ,,go2 ,,and1 ,,when ,,he ,,is  
,,old1     ,,he ,,will ,,not ,,depart   
,,from ,,it4       ,,boston3            
,,crosby1 ,,nichols1 ,,and ,,company1   
#aaa1 ,,washington ,,street4     #ahec4 
,,boston3     ,,printed ,,by ,,john     
,,wilson ,,and ,,son1     #bb1 ,,school 
,,street4     ,,prefatory ,,note4   ,the
 increasing importance of the subject   
treated of has led the author to revise 
an article1 published nearly two years  
ago in a monthly journal1 and to present
 it in the following pages4 ,his object 
is to call attention to what he regards 
a defect in the operation of our present
 system of education1 and to propose    
some suggestions for its remedy4 ,that  
defect consists in the want of moral    
instruction in our schools4 ,its        

existence1 he believes1 may be          
attributed to the state of public       
opinion1 rather than to any imperfection
 in the system itself4 ,for this reason1
 he is of opinion that remarks on the   
subject are more necessary1 and         
therefore worthier of the consideration 
and indulgence of the public4      #ce1 
,,court ,,street1 ,,boston1             
,may1 #ahec4         ,,the              
,,incomplete ,,operation     ,,of ,,our 
,,present ,,system ,,of ,,education4    
,the duty of bringing up the young in   
the way of usefulness has ever been     
acknowledged as of utmost importance to 
the well-being and safety of a ,state4  
,so imperative was this obligation      
considered by ,solon1 the ,athenian     
lawgiver1 that he excused children from 
maintaining their parents1 when old and 
feeble1 if they had neglected to qualify
 them for some useful art or profession4
 ,although this principle has           
universally prevailed in every civilized
 age1 yet the success of its practical  

operation depends entirely upon what is 
understood by necessary knowledge and   
useful employment4 ,if1 as among the    
,lacedemonians and many other nations of
 antiquity1 a useful art consisted      
chiefly in the exploits of war1--in     
being able to undergo privations and    
hardships1 and in wielding successfully 
the heavy instruments of                
bloodshed1--such an education as would  
conduce to the acquirement of that art  
must be estimated on different grounds  
from that system whose object is to     
develop the moral and intellectual      
faculties4  ,from the distant past1     
traditions have come down1 evincing in  
many instances exemplary care in the    
culture of youth2 but the conspicuous   
record made of them by the historian and
 poet refutes the idea that they were   
common4 ,with the lapse of centuries1   
revolutions in the arts and sciences    
have been effected1 important in        
themselves1 but more so for the changes 
they have produced both in social and   

political affairs4 ,like hunters who    
discover in their forest-wanderings a   
valuable mine which shapes anew their   
course of life1 the people of the old   
world1 in the fourteenth and fifteenth  
centuries1 were allured from their      
incessant conflicts by the more         
profitable arts of peace4 ,till then the
 interests of learning had been crushed 
by the superstition and bigotry of the  
times4 ,in the fourteenth century even1 
the most celebrated university in       
,europe1 that of ,bologna1 bestowed its 
chief honors upon the professorship of  
astrology4 ,but these grand developments
 in art and science gave a new impulse  
to social life4 ,thenceforward the      
interests of education began to thrive4 
,the patronage given to popular         
instruction by many of the rulers of    
,european ,states has imparted a lustre 
to their annals1 which will almost atone
 for their heartless perversion of human
 rights4 ,for whether we consider the   
coercive system of ,prussia1 which not  

yet exhibits very happy practical       
results2 or the ,austrian system1 which 
indirectly operates coercively by       
denying employment to those unprovided  
with school-diplomas2 or the ,bavarian1 
which makes a certificate of six years' 
schooling necessary to the contracting  
of a valid marriage or apprenticeship2  
or1 indeed1 the systems of many other   
,continental countries1--we find much to
 excite cheering anticipations4  ,this  
country--this ,commonwealth             
especially--has ever been distinguished 
for being foremost in the maintenance of
 a benevolent and comprehensive system  
of education4 ,that system is1 we       
believe1 in the judgment of foreigners1 
one of the most original things which   
,america has produced4 ,fortunately for 
the prosperity of the people who derive 
their support on this rugged soil1 their
 fathers were a class of men deeply     
imbued with moral sentiment1--lovers of 
freedom and of knowledge2 men who sought
 that security of their principles in   

the spread of moral intelligence1 which 
the sword alone would in vain attempt to
 procure4 ,the hands that wielded the   
axe or guided the canoe in the morning  
opened the page of history and          
philosophy in the evening2 and it cannot
 be a matter of surprise1 that1 counting
 their greatest wealth in their own     
industry and resolution1 they should at 
an early period turn their attention to 
the important subject of education2 and 
that they even denied themselves many of
 the comforts of life1 in order to      
secure the blessings which might evolve 
therefrom4  ,the peculiarity of our     
system of government is1 that it invests
 the sovereignty in the people2 and1 as 
it has always been the policy of every  
nation claiming to be civilized to      
educate those who were designed to      
govern1 it might naturally enough be    
inferred1 that1 in this country1 means  
would be provided whereby the whole     
people might receive an education4 ,and 
thus it is4 ,the true object1 therefore1

 of such a system of instruction as the 
government supports1 it must be conceded
 by all1 consists in qualifying the     
young to become good citizens1--in      
teaching them not only what their duties
 are1 but making them ready and willing 
to perform them4 ,we should discriminate
 between the object of common schools   
and the object of colleges2 between an  
institution intended to inform every one
 of what every one should know1 and one 
designed to fit persons for particular  
spheres of life1 by a course of         
instruction which it is impracticable   
for all to pursue4 ,a very large        
majority of those who enter our colleges
 are desirous of acquiring that         
knowledge1 as well as discipline1 which 
will prepare them most thoroughly for   
some one of the learned professions3 it 
is a course preparatory to one still    
higher1--a gateway by which the         
industrious and sagacious may with      
greater ease traverse the long and      
winding avenues of science4 ,of a more  

general nature is the object of that    
instruction provided by the ,state for  
all1 because it is designed to fit them 
for a greater variety of duties1 and the
 chief of these duties is that of living
 justly4 ,if we regarded physical       
resources as the chief elements of      
prosperity1 or intellectual superiority 
the principal source of national        
greatness2 if we followed the theory of 
the ,persian legislator1 ,zoroaster1 who
 thought that to plant a tree1 to       
cultivate a field1 and to have a family1
 were the great duties of man1 we might 
be content with that instruction which  
would sharpen the intellect1 and furnish
 us with acute and skilful men of       
business4 ,but an enlightened public    
sentiment rejects such a theory as      
narrow and unsafe4 ,it is surely of     
great importance that children should be
 made familiar with the common branches 
of knowledge2 that their minds should   
receive as thorough discipline as is    
practicable2 but of what transcendent   

importance is it that they should have  
impressed upon their minds the          
principles of truth and justice1 and the
 true value of resolute1 earnest        
industry2 that they should grow up in   
the love of virtue and honor1 and be    
taught to know and govern themselves6   
,education of the heart1 as well as     
education of the mind1 should be        
promoted4 ,the ,state should make men   
before it makes artisans2 citizens      
before it makes statesmen4 ,and this in 
theory it proposes to do4 ,the highest  
praise that can be bestowed upon our    
system of education1 here in            
,massachusetts1 is that the leading     
object it contemplates is the moral     
instruction of the young4 ,this is its  
grand and peculiar feature4 ,those who  
have been and are now at the head of our
 educational interests1 have sought1 by 
timely word and deed1 to carry this     
purpose into active operation4 ,in so   
doing1 they have attempted to give      
effect to the law which expressly       

ordains that all instructors of youth   
shall exert their best endeavors to     
impress on the minds of children and    
youth committed to their care and       
instruction1 the principles of piety1   
justice1 and a sacred regard to truth1  
love to their country1 humanity and     
universal benevolence1 sobriety1        
industry and frugality1 chastity1       
moderation and temperance1 and those    
other virtues which are the ornament of 
human society1 and the basis upon which 
a republican constitution is founded2   
and it shall be the duty of such        
instructors to endeavor to lead their   
pupils1 as their ages and capacities    
will admit1 into a clear understanding  
of the tendency of the above-mentioned  
virtues4 7,rev4 ,stat4 chap4 #bc1 ,sec4 
#g47  ,nobody1 probably1 at this day    
believes1 that1 in cherishing principles
 of this nature1 the law which creates  
this system is visionary or             
impracticable4 ,all are ready to admit1 
that the human heart needs the influence

 of moral discipline4 ,yet such is the  
nature of our social existence that     
there is a great tendency to postpone   
its application1--to let it depend upon 
contingencies4 ,when nearly all of the  
good or evil that we can possibly do has
 been done1--after temptations have been
 resisted or yielded to1--after our     
years begin to wane1 we then think      
seriously of moral improvement4         
,preachers the most eloquent--for their 
eloquence commands the highest          
reward--we employ to exhort us to       
practise virtues1 which1 if we had been 
rightly educated1 we should have        
practised from our earliest youth with  
as much facility as we read or write4   
,if a child is to learn grammar1 let him
 commence1 every one will say1 when     
young1 while his memory is most         
retentive4 ,if we are to teach him those
 principles which are to shape his      
destiny in life1 and have their home in 
the heart1 should we wait till it is    
least susceptible of impression8 ,it    

cannot be denied that too much          
indifference prevails on this subject4  
,we are apt to shut our eyes to the     
evils which arise from imperfect        
education1 so long as they do not affect
 our personal interest4 ,victims of     
depraved appetites and passions we take 
charge of1 not out of regard for them1  
or the circumstances which have induced 
their guilt1 but for our own protection4
 ,when a man sunk in crime is held up to
 public gaze1 nearly the same feeling is
 excited which actuates boys who follow 
with noisy jests a drunken woman4       
,rarely do we stop to inquire1 why1 if  
wrong influences had been brought to    
bear upon our characters1 we should not 
have been as bad4 ,unless such          
instruction be promoted1 many who are   
now unconcerned for the misfortunes of  
others will themselves ask for          
compassion4 ,surely there will come a   
time1 says ,dr4 ,johnson with truthful  
energy1 when he who laughs at wickedness
 in his companion shall start from it in

 his child4  ,now1 the only sure and    
legitimate way of reforming those evils 
which burden society is to prevent their
 acquiring any existence4 ,it is a      
favorite notion with many1 that1 by     
checking vice here and there1 our       
benevolent institutions are working a   
thorough cure4 ,but this is not so4     
,while we furnish subsistence to those  
whom intemperance and idleness have     
brought to destitution1--while we erect 
asylums where reason may be restored to 
the shattered mind1--while we enlarge   
prisons in which to punish the violators
 of the law1--we should remember that   
some endeavors should be made to prevent
 others from requiring the same         
charities1 and incurring the same       
penalties4 ,instead of standing merely  
by the fatal shoal to rescue the sinking
 crew1 we should raise a warning signal 
to avert future shipwrecks4  ,all       
experience shows that1 to operate       
successfully1 this branch of education  
must be early attended to4 ,true it is1 

that1 just as 'the twig is bent1 the    
tree's inclined2' and true it is1 that  
on the discipline of childhood depends  
the moral character of manhood4 ,the    
tree in the forest1 after it has grown  
to a considerable height1 may yet be    
bent from its natural course1 and1 by   
long-continued force1 be made to grow in
 a different direction2 but that change 
will not be permanent4 ,when the power  
which turned its course is withdrawn1   
every breeze and every tempest that     
shake its branches will aid it in       
gradually assuming its original         
position1 till hardly a trace of that   
power which attempted to guide its      
growth can be perceived4 ,there may be  
some who would neglect that moral       
influence on the young which is         
necessary1 trusting in the delusive     
expectation1 that the law will keep them
 in the right path2 that the example of 
punishment1 the terror of the gallows1  
the prison1 or the penitentiary1 will   
prevent the commission of crime4 ,but   

let us not wait for the saving influence
 of these things2 for they are but      
checks which often render the next      
outbreak more alarming4 ,the force of   
punishment will be found to resemble the
 application of power in changing the   
growth of the tree3 weeks1 years of     
confinement1 will not effect a complete 
reformation in the offender4 ,his life  
may seem to be changed1 his habits      
reformed2 but1 as he goes out to mingle 
again with the world1 as one occasion   
after another presents itself to him1   
his former passions begin to revive1    
those early impressions take possession 
of him1 and he becomes the same that he 
was originally1 only that his degraded  
position renders him far less able to   
resist the temptation to do wrong4      
,impressions and habits acquired in     
youth are proverbially lasting4 ,with   
characteristic eloquence and fervor has 
,lord ,brougham illustrated the peculiar
 importance of early training4 ,in a    
,speech delivered in the ,house of      

,lords in #ahce upon one of those       
measures which have conferred so much   
glory on his name as well as benefit    
upon his countrymen1 he said1 ,if at a  
very early age a system of instruction  
is pursued by which a certain degree of 
independent feeling is created in the   
child's mind1 while all mutinous and    
perverse disposition is avoided1--if    
this system be followed up by a constant
 instruction in the principles of       
virtue1 and a corresponding advancement 
in intellectual pursuits1--if1 during   
the most critical years of his life1 his
 understanding and his feelings are     
accustomed only to sound principles and 
pure and innocent impressions1 it will  
become almost impossible that he should 
afterward take to vicious courses1      
because these will be utterly alien to  
the whole nature of his being4 ,it will 
be as difficult for him to become       
criminal1 because as foreign to his     
confirmed habits1 as it would be for one
 of your lordships to go out and rob on 

the highway4 ,thus1 to commence the     
education of youth at the tender age on 
which ,i have laid so much stress1 will1
 ,i feel confident1 be the same means of
 guarding society against crimes4 ,i    
trust every thing to habit1--habit1 upon
 which1 in all ages1 the lawgiver1 as   
well as the schoolmaster1 has mainly    
placed his reliance1--habit1 which makes
 every thing easy1 and casts all        
difficulties upon the deviation from the
 wonted course4 ,make sobriety a habit1 
and intemperance will be hateful and    
hard2 make prudence a habit1 and        
reckless profligacy will be as contrary 
to the nature of the child1 grown an    
adult1 as the most atrocious crimes are 
to any of your lordships4 ,give a child 
the habit of sacredly regarding truth1  
of carefully respecting the property of 
others1 of scrupulously abstaining from 
all acts of improvidence which can      
involve him in distress1 and he will    
just as little think of lying or        
cheating or stealing1 or running in     

debt1 as of rushing into an element in  
which he cannot breathe4  ,the thought  
may strike some1 however1 that children 
can receive moral discipline at home2   
that parents are best enabled to        
understand the disposition of their     
children1 and can consequently apply the
 requisite training with more success   
than any one else2 and1 most of all1    
because it is their especial duty so to 
do4 ,so we might say1 with almost as    
much reason1 that parents could teach   
their children the elementary branches  
of knowledge2 in the first place1       
because it is in their province to know 
the peculiar turn of mind possessed by  
their children1 and also for the equally
 plausible reason1 that they are under a
 great obligation to educate them4 ,now1
 there is much truth in the observation 
of ,seneca's1 that people carry their   
neighbors' faults in a bag before them1 
which are easily to be seen1 and their  
own behind them unseen2 and1 without    
doing parents too much injustice1 we may

 say that they are inclined to carry the
 failings of their children tied up with
 their own4 ,the fact is1 generally     
speaking1 parents are so confident that 
their children do not lack in honesty   
and integrity1 at a time when these     
principles should be forcibly impressed 
upon them1 that they let the occasion   
for moral training pass until bad habits
 are deeply rooted in their character4  
,there are1 we know1 many cheering      
exceptions2 yet1 if moral instruction is
 neglected in the school1 to a majority 
of the scholars that neglect will       
nowhere be provided for1 until some bad 
results have ensued4  ,to carry out1    
then1 the primal purpose of our system  
of education1 instructors should seek to
 mould the character of their pupils4   
,supervisors and committee-men should   
require a faithful discharge of this    
trust4 ,when they come to examine the   
school1 if the standard of intellectual 
attainments is not so high as might be  
desirable1 they should yet bear         

testimony to its advancement1 if they   
find that those virtues which adorn life
 have been held up in all their         
attractiveness to the imitation of the  
pupil4  ,thus have we seen that the     
system itself contemplates the culture  
of the heart as well as the mind2 and   
that it is wise1 practical1 and just in 
doing so4 ,we now propose to show that  
this object is generally disregarded1 if
 not entirely lost sight of1 in our     
common schools2 and to illustrate1 if   
possible1 the means whereby it can be   
more completely carried into operation4 
,in the first place1 the present state  
of society testifies to a neglect       
somewhere of inculcating habits of      
rectitude4 ,there is a want of          
,,conscience in the community4 ,the     
prevalence of crime1 as seen by the     
returns of public prosecutors and       
magistrates1 is but a small part of the 
evidence of this fact4 ,we might as well
 judge of a man's wealth by his dress1  
as to form an opinion on public morals  

by the number of punishable offences    
committed4 ,and1 indeed1 the records of 
courts furnish but incomplete evidence  
of the number of punishable offences    
actually committed2 for where one       
criminal is brought to the bar of       
justice1 ten escape detection4 ,we have 
the authority of a very eminent ,judge  
for this remark4 ,but there are wrongs  
which are not punishable by the law1    
being too small and undefinable for its 
cognizance4 ,it is the bad faith which  
enters into contracts1 and deceives the 
honest purchaser1 or dupes the confiding
 vendor2 the baseness which conspires to
 wink down credit2 the avarice which    
greedily takes advantage of poverty1 or 
the craft which converts it into a      
weapon of fraud2 the scandal which sets 
neighbor against neighbor2 the fretful  
harshness which clouds the domestic     
fireside2 the ingratitude which spurns  
parental influence2 the selfishness     
which would trade in principles1 and    
bargain away public measures for private

 gain1--these1 and such as these1 are   
the conclusive proofs of public vice4   
,even the deplorable appearances which  
penury exhibits are counterfeited1 and  
we hesitate to give alms lest we should 
encourage an impostor4 ,the benevolent  
man distrusts the beggar who asks for a 
night's lodging1 and turns him away1    
fearful that he might prove an assassin 
or a robber2 or he reluctantly calls him
 back1 lest he should revenge himself by
 burning his barn4 ,there are common    
symptoms which show a patient's         
sickness1 though they do not indicate   
the particular nature of his disease4   
,so this mutual distrust1 which         
characterizes the dealings of men1      
indicates the debility of public morals1
 and points with unerring certainty to  
the neglect of early discipline4  ,but  
an inspection of the schools will afford
 us the most reliable evidence on this  
subject4 ,from the system of instruction
 now pursued in our best common schools1
 a scholar of ordinary capacity is      

enabled to become a good reader1 writer1
 and speller2 to acquire a very good    
knowledge of geography and arithmetic1  
and a little insight into natural       
philosophy1 physiology1 grammar1 and    
history1 as well as to gain some habits 
of order and correct deportment4 ,it is 
true also that in some schools          
considerable efforts are bestowed on    
moral culture3 this1 however1 depends   
upon the peculiar character of the      
teacher4 ,yet it cannot be denied1 that 
intellectual improvement is treated as  
of paramount importance2 and that1 if   
any attempts are made at moral training1
 they are purely incidental2 being      
considered collateral to the other      
lessons4 ,surely no one will think of   
reproaching teachers for this condition 
of things2 for they are governed by the 
public opinion of the district or town  
they teach in1 as much as the statesman 
is governed by the public opinion of the
 country4 ,the voice of the district is 
silent on the subject4 ,the committee   

who examined or engaged them did not    
allude to that part of their duty1 or   
inquire into their qualifications for   
discharging it4 ,if the teacher goes    
through the term in harmony1 and        
succeeds in advancing his pupils in an  
ordinary degree in the common branches1 
he is acknowledged to have accomplished 
his entire duty4  ,in attempting to show
 the manner in which the right          
development of character may be blended 
with the development of the mental      
faculties1 it might be proper to advert 
to the method a teacher could pursue    
with the greatest success4 ,a very      
imperfect idea only of any policy can be
 given1 inasmuch as the duty must be    
left to his own discretion4 ,no set plan
 can be adhered to2 neither could       
text-books be used to advantage4 ,he    
should not have an appointed time for   
such an exercise1 nor resort to formal  
lectures1 nor rely upon the studied     
maxims which moralists have framed in   
the closet1 nor depend upon the         

stereotyped precepts of philosophers4   
,as the sentiments he inculcates are    
addressed to the heart1 so also from the
 heart should they spring4 ,every one   
knows that the events which transpire in
 and about the school-room furnish too  
frequent opportunities for this species 
of instruction4 ,these acts of turpitude
 he should heed1 and make the subject of
 his lessons4 ,report comes to him that 
some of his pupils have been guilty of  
insulting and ridiculing an aged and    
infirm person4 ,he might give them time 
to reflect upon the nature of their act1
 and to decide themselves whether it was
 right or wrong4 ,then let him show the 
claims which age1 combined with         
feebleness1 has upon our respect and    
sympathy1 and expose the cruelty and    
shame of that conduct which would       
increase its misfortunes4 ,he learns1   
perhaps1 that a pupil has used profane  
language during an intermission4 ,as he 
requires the school to pause1 let him   
speak in simple language of the         

omnipotence and omnipresence of the     
,creator2 of the commandment which he   
has ordained1 that none should take his 
name in vain4 ,by referring to some of  
the faculties1 mental and physical1 with
 which he has been endowed1 let the     
teacher call forth the gratitude1 not   
only of that pupil but the whole school1
 for the wonderful goodness of their    
,maker4 ,by reminding them of his       
compassion and tenderness1 his infinite 
wisdom and power1 let him inspire them  
with love and reverence for his name4   
,envy and jealousy he will see prominent
 in the character of his fairest pupils3
 let him show that the heart was not    
made for such feelings2 that1 if they   
are nurtured there1 no room will be     
found for noble and generous sentiments4
 ,quarrels will occur in which blows    
will be dealt lustily3 a few simple     
illustrations will prove that force is a
 dangerous and imperfect arbiter of     
justice4 ,if unhappily falsehood        
prevails1 let him make haste to supplant

 a habit1 so fearful and pernicious1    
though every thing else be laid aside4  
,let him show the great inconvenience a 
man must experience in whose word no    
confidence can be reposed4 ,the fable of
 the shepherd-boy who gave false alarms 
to the distant workmen of the approach  
of wolves1 so that when the wolves      
really came his cries were in vain1 will
 show that lying is unprofitable in the 
end4 ,but his chief object should be to 
exhibit the moral turpitude of the      
habit1--the facility with which it leads
 to deeper guilt1--the manifold evils   
which it engenders in the community2 and
 thus to impress upon the minds of his  
pupils a sacred regard for truth4 ,such1
 it might seem1 would be the course     
which a high-minded and zealous teacher 
would pursue in imparting moral         
instruction4 ,but1 whatever be his      
method1 it is quite certain that a      
successful performance of his duty in   
this respect implies great capacity4    
,extensive learning will not be a       

sufficient qualification4 ,an accurate  
and comprehensive knowledge of the      
sciences may have given vigor to his    
mind2 he may be familiar with the       
classic pages of ,thucydides and ,homer1
 ,horace and ,livy2 he may be versed in 
the philosophy of history1 and yet lack 
in the essential elements of his art4   
,he must possess native talent1 a clear 
insight of human character1 agreeable   
address1 extemporaneous powers of       
speech4 ,he must be a clear-thinking1   
conscientious1 practical man2 and it    
will be impossible for him to fail in   
his undertaking4 ,such a teacher will   
win the respect and esteem of his       
pupils3 they will imitate his example1  
and cherish his counsel4  ,now1 the     
inquiry will naturally be made if the   
teachers of common schools have these   
qualifications4 ,there are some who are 
thus qualified4 ,they are those who in  
other professions would rise to eminence
 by the zeal and ability with which they
 now advance our youth in intellectual  

culture4 ,but they are an exception to  
the common standard4 ,the majority of   
teachers1 however1 are quite young4     
,they are preparing themselves for other
 duties1 which they consider more       
important to their own interests1 if not
 the interests of the public4 ,not      
experienced sufficiently in their art to
 excel in its ordinary labors1 they do  
not stand far enough above their pupils 
to succeed in this higher and more      
difficult branch of instruction4        
,before1 then1 moral education can be   
successfully promoted1 the right kind of
 teachers must be employed4 ,there is   
but one way of obtaining them1 and that 
is by paying them liberal salaries4 ,all
 are not philanthropists4 ,here and     
there1 it is true1 may be found persons 
disinterested enough to devote their    
energies to the public good1 for their  
daily bread alone4 ,but it is the height
 of absurdity to expect that men of     
talent and learning will continue in so 
arduous an occupation as that of        

teaching for small compensation1 when in
 less laborious pursuits they can       
acquire opulence4 ,the average pay      
received by male teachers throughout the
 ,commonwealth1 as appears from the last
 annual report of the learned ,secretary
 of the ,board of ,education1 is #cg4bf 
per month4 ,the average length of       
schools being seven months and a half1  
the yearly salary of the teacher would  
therefore be #bgi4de2 out of which he   
must pay for his board and all other    
expenses4 ,hardly adequate to support   
one man respectably1 it entirely        
excludes the circumstance of his having 
a family1 implying a self-denial of the 
common uses of social life4 ,the natural
 presumption is1 that a teacher is not  
exempt from the calamities that         
sometimes befall men2 that he buys a few
 books and a little stationary2 that he 
is as unwilling as any one to wear      
ragged clothes2 and1 uncertain of       
continued employment in one place1 that 
he incurs some expense in changing his  

locality4 ,but the standard price which 
he receives ignores any such            
presumption4 ,in regard to the payment  
of female teachers1 we might suppose    
that a different rule would prevail2    
that in a community where woman holds a 
high moral1 social1 and intellectual    
position1--where marked deference is    
paid to her character1--where the great 
superiority of her influence as a parent
 and a teacher is acknowledged1--one    
might indeed suppose that she would be  
liberally rewarded for her services1    
especially when those services are      
rendered in her peculiar sphere of      
duty1--that of teaching4 ,strange as it 
may appear1 such is not the case2 while 
her labor1 apparently not so            
responsible1 is often more wearing than 
the labor of the schoolmaster4 ,it seems
 that the average pay of female teachers
 is #ae4cf per month4 ,when it is       
remembered that all the expenses of     
living are to be deducted from the      
amount paid at this rate1 her real      

income shrinks into the merest trifle4  
,there is not an occupation in which    
intelligent young women can be employed 
that does not present greater pecuniary 
inducements4 ,under such circumstances  
it must be a matter of surprise that we 
have as good teachers1 both male and    
female1 as now have charge of our       
schools4 ,will any one1 then1 for a     
moment suppose that persons of greater  
ability than they will be induced to    
engage or continue in such an           
employment1 when wealth and influence   
and happiness point in another          
direction8 ,laying aside suppositions1  
let us see what the facts are4 ,with the
 majority of those now engaged in the   
business1 teaching is a temporary       
employment4 ,some are teaching during   
their college vacations1 intending1 as  
soon as they graduate1 to commence their
 professional studies2--they are perhaps
 our future judges1 or clergymen1 or    
sagacious merchants2 others are already 
abandoning the business to enter upon   

mercantile pursuits4 ,as soon as they   
have acquired experience1 so that their 
services are truly valuable to the      
public1 they find that their future     
prospects are to be sacrificed if they  
continue longer in the profession4      
,thus1 instead of retaining persons in  
this most important of all professions1 
we drive them out of it to adorn and    
exalt other occupations4 ,many of the   
ablest men in each of our learned       
professions were once school-teachers3  
if a proper reward had encouraged them  
to remain in that capacity1 how visible 
at this day would be the influence which
 they would have exerted upon their     
pupils6 ,it is clear1 then1 that the    
only means by which we can retain       
teachers who have the requisite talent  
and ability1 is by paying them adequate 
salaries4 ,then our schools can furnish 
moral as well as intellectual           
instruction2 and the object which our   
system of education contemplates can in 
a great degree be accomplished4  ,fully 

aware that the people are peculiarly    
sensitive on the subject of taxation1   
especially when no tangible results are 
to follow its increase1 we do not       
hesitate to say that the interests of   
education demand a far greater          
expenditure of money4 ,the spirit which 
has characterized the people of the     
,commonwealth1 in their past efforts to 
advance the cause1 promises favorable   
action on the subject4 ,in an age when  
astonishing improvements in every art   
and every science are being             
developed1--when nature1 in her most    
regal and opposing state1 bends to the  
energy of man1--when countless sums are 
lavished to gratify and satiate every   
sense1 how mortifying and discreditable 
that a great moral cause should         
languish6 ,even if the contribution     
which would be required for this purpose
 could in any way be felt by the poorest
 citizen1 it could not be felt as a     
burden2 for he might regard it as an    
investment the most profitable and      

secure1--the income of which would      
return to his own door full of blessings
 upon his declining days4 ,when         
solicited to double the tax which he had
 formerly paid for school-purposes1     
regarding his own interest merely1 and  
not that of the public1 he might        
sincerely say1 ,yes1 out of my limited  
means ,i am content to pay freely for   
such an object4 ,by paying the teacher  
more1 am ,i not increasing his          
usefulness8 ,am ,i not doing something  
to bring up my children in knowledge and
 integrity8 ,will they not be a greater 
comfort to me1 and more happy and       
prosperous themselves8 ,besides1 in a   
few years1 much mischief in the         
community may be diminished1 and there  
will be a smaller tax on me and mine to 
support criminals and prisons4 ,if all  
are taught to do their duty as citizens1
 ,i shall not suffer for their neglect  
of doing so4 ,though the correctness of 
his reasoning will be admitted1 the     
argument in this behalf should be placed

 on higher grounds than individual      
prosperity4 ,the benefits to be derived 
by the public as exhibited in the       
abatement of many social evils1--in the 
diffusion of rational happiness1--in the
 gains of honest industry1 such should  
be the inducements to this worthy       
undertaking4  ,in conclusion1 we submit 
that for reasons too apparent to be     
alluded to1 and too urgent to be        
disregarded1 more attention should be   
devoted to the true aim and purpose of  
education1--to a more complete operation
 of the system4 ,more than the past has 
needed1 will the future require the     
benefits which it unfolds4 ,let the     
teacher's vocation be elevated1 and     
advantages will accrue to the ,state1   
compared with which1 exuberant harvests1
 a thriving commerce1 and an overflowing
 treasury1 will be but small resources4 
,we should form a wise and generous     
precedent in this matter1 below which   
indifference will not suffer us to fall4
 ,we should engage in the enterprise    

with a determination to carry it forward
 to the highest degree of success4 ,it  
may be absurd to expect1 but it is not  
absurd to pursue1 perfection4