of instruction, as essential to their improvement, he is no enemy to a moderate degree of hilarity in its proper place. A gymnasium would probably afford the best field for exercise and relaxtion, and the best opportunity for the instructer to participate in the amusements of his pupils.

In these circumstances, the instructer would be able to exert so powerful an influence over the minds of his scholars, that he would soon, it might be hoped, be able to make them such as he wished them to be. The only thing that can create a doubt of speedy success, is the counteracting influence to which they are exposed when out of school. The force of habit in the scholar, is also to be considered. There is some difficulty in changing the habits even of a child. It would not, therefore, be strange, if it should require some little time, perhaps, in some instances, several weeks, to effect a radical and complete change in the sentiments, feelings, and habits of a school consisting of fourteen scholars. When, however, this is done, the grand difficulty is surmounted. A select class of the dismissed scholars may now be permitted to return; and the instructer may proceed as before, excepting that he can now spend but one third part of his time with each class. The two former classes, having learned how to study, having formed a habit of study, and having acquired a love of study, will not need so much attention from the instructer; and the new class beside the direct efforts of the instructer, will be operated upon by the influence of example and the power of sympathy. They should also be seated so as to be intermixed with the fourteen good scholars. As soon as it can be done with safety, a fourth class may be received. And now it would be well, if practicable, to unite the two original classes, or, in some way, to form the four classes into three. And the instructer should calculate, if he employs no monitors, to class his whole school eventually in such a manner, that each scholar shall be kept standing before his instructer at least one fourth part of the

time during school hours.-The remainder of the dismissed scholars may, in like manner, be received, from time to time, in select classes. Thus, in due time, the whole lump will be leavened.'.

We would not wish an unskilful instructer to attempt the reformation of a school in the manner we have pointed out. In such hands, the attempt would probably prove abortive, and do more harm than good. If properly conducted, we think of but one objection that can arise : many parents might not consent that their children should be deprived of the privileges of the school for several weeks; and unless the parents should cheerfully acquiesce in the plan, the prospect of ultimate success would be rendered doubtful. And cannot parents and school-committees be convinced, that the loss of a few weeks' tuition is a trifle, compared to the important object to be accomplished? The children may be profitably employed, during this time, in manual labor; and the loss which they suffer is temporary, while the benefit proposed is permanent. For when once a school is got into the right way, there will be no danger of a departure from it, unless produced by mismanagement on the part of the instruc

ter.

SCHOOL LAW OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH.

[Approved by the Governor, March 10, 1827.]

SECT. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen tatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That each town or district within this commonwealth, containing fifty families, or housholders, shall be provided with a teacher or teachers, of good morals, to instruct children in orthography, reading, writing, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, and good behavior, for such term of time as shall be equivalent to six months for one school in each year and every town or district, containing one hundred families or householders, shall be provided with such teacher or teachers, for such term of time as shall be equivalent to twelve months for one school in

each year and every town or district, containing one hundred and fifty families or householders, shall be provided with such teacher or teachers, for such term of time as shall be equivalent to eighteen months for one school in each year and every city, town, or district, containing five hundred families or householders, shall be provided with such teacher or teachers, for such term of time as shall be equivalent to twenty-four months for one school in a year; and shall also be provided with a master, of good morals, competent to instruct, in addition to the branches of learning aforesaid, the history of the United States, book-keeping by single entry, geometry, surveying, and algebra; and shall employ such master to instruct a school, in such city, town, or district, for the benefit of all the inhabitants thereof, at least ten months in each year, exclusive of vacations, in such convenient place, or alternately at such places, in such city, town or district, as the said inhabitants, at their meeting in March, or April annually, shall determine and in every city, or town, containing four thousand inhabitants, such masters shall be competent to instruct, in addition to all the foregoing branches, the Latin and Greek languages, history, rhetoric, and logic.

[SEC. 2 authorises towns and districts to determine the limits of school districts.]

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That it shall be, and it hereby is made, the duty of the President, Professors, and Tutors, of the University at Cambridge and of the several Colleges in this Commonwealth, Preceptors and Teachers of Academies, and all other instructers of youth, to take diligent care, and to exert their best endeavors, to impress on the minds of children and youth, committed to their care and instruction, the principles of piety, justice, and sacred regard to truth, love to their country, humanity, and universal benevolence, sobriety, industry, and frugality, chastity, moderation, and temperance, and those other virtues, which are the ornament of human society, and the basis upon which the Republican Constitution is founded. And it shall be the duty of such instructers, to endeavor to lead those under their care, as their ages and capacity will admit, into a particular understanding of the tendency of the above mentioned virtues to preserve and perfect a Republican Constitution, and to secure the blessings of liberty, as well as to promote their future happiness, and the tendency of the opposite vices to slavery and ruin. And it shall be the duty of the resident Ministers of the Gospel, the

Selectmen, and School Committees, in the several towns in this Commonwealth, to exercise their influence, and use their best endeavors, that the youth of their respective towns and districts do regularly attend the schools, established and supported as aforesaid for their instruction.

[SEC. 4 authorises the raising of money for the support of the schools.]

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That each town in this Commonwealth shall, at the annual meeting thereof, for the choice of town officers, choose by written or printed ballots, a School Committee, consisting of three, five, or seven persons, who shall have the general charge and superintendence of all the public schools in said town, which are supported at the expense thereof. Provided, That any town containing four thousand inhabitants, and upwards, choose an additional number, not exceeding five, and it shall be the duty of said committee to require full and satisfactory evidence of the good moral character of all instructers, who may be employed in the several schools in said town, and to satisfy themselves, by personal examination or otherwise, of their literary qualifications and capacity for the government of schools; and no instructer shall be entitled to receive any compensation for his or her service in the instruction of any of the schools aforesaid, without first obtaining from said committee a certificate of his or her qualifications as aforesaid; and it shall furthermore be the duty of said committee to determine the number and qualifications of the scholars, to be admitted into the school kept for the use of the whole town as aforesaid; to visit such school, at least quarter yearly, for the purpose of making a careful examination thereof, and seeing that the scholars are properly supplied with books; and they shall, at such examination, inquire into the regulation and discipline of such schools, and the habits and proficiency of the scholars therein; and said committee, or some one or more of them, shall visit each of the district schools in said town, for the purposes aforesaid, on some day during the first or second week of the commencement thereof, and also on some day during the two last weeks of the same, and also all the schools kept by said town, once a month, for the purpose aforementioned, without giving previous notice thereof to the instructers.

[SEC. 6 authorises the appointment of a Prudential Committee, consisting of one person in each district, for the purpose of contracting with a school teacher, providing fuel, keeping the school house in good order, &c.]

SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That the School Committee of each town shall direct and determine the class books to be used in the respective classes, in all the several schools kept by said town; and the scholars sent to such schools shall be supplied by their parents, masters, or guardians, with the books prescribed for their classes; and the School Committee of each town shall procure, at the expense of the town, and to be paid for out of the town treasury, a sufficient supply of such class books for all the schools aforesaid, and give notice of the place or places, where such books may be obtained; and such books shall be supplied to such scholars at such prices as merely to reimburse to the town the expense of the same; and in case any scholars shall not have been furnished by their parent, master, or guardian, with the requisite books, all such scholars shall be supplied therewith by the School Committee, at the expense of the town: and the School Committee shall give notice, in writing, to the assessors of the town, of the names of the scholars so supplied by. them with books, of the books so furnished, the prices of the same, and the names of the parents, masters, or guardians, who ought to have supplied the same; and said assessors shall add the amount of the books, so supplied, to the next annual tax of the parents, masters, or guardians, who ought to have supplied the same; and the amount so added, shall be levied, collected, and paid into the town treasury, in the same manner as the public taxes: Provided, however, that in case such assessors shall be of opinion that any of such parents, masters, or guardians are not able, and cannot afford to pay the whole expense of the books so supplied on their account respectively, such parents, masters, or guardians, shall be exonerated from the payment of the whole or part of such expense, and the said assessors shall omit to add the amount of such books, or shall add only a part thereof to the annual tax of such parent, master, or guardian, according to the proportion of such expense, which such parent, master, or guardian shall, in their opinion, be able and can afford to pay : Provided nevertheless, that in cases where children are already supplied with books, which shall not be considered by the committee as being extremely faulty, in comparison with others which might be obtained, and which may be possessed in such numbers as to admit of the proper and convenient classification of the school, then, and in that case, the committee shall not direct the purchase of new books, without first obtaining the consent of the

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