LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 215 



previous to which one gentleman taught the school three successive winters, 

 which terms were, however, interspersed by as many different ladies for the 

 summer. 



No. 2, Brookfield, retains this winter the same teacher that taught the 

 summer term, but tliis is the first exception to a regular change for at least 

 three years. 



In Aurelius the condition is. not improved, for in No. 6 three different per- 

 sons have been regularly placed in charge of the school each year for about 

 seven years, and in No. 7 of the same township a like rotation prevails. These 

 schools, taken as they are in every direction from the city, are not exceptions. 



I believe from my acquaintance with neighboring schools and teachers that 

 these illustrate fairly the average condition. Is it any wonder that our country 

 schools do not show better results? The marvel with me is that they accom- 

 plish so much. 



It is impossible for one teacher to take the work just where his predecessor 

 dropped it. It takes time for him to adapt himself to bis new relations; it 

 takes him more time to find out what his pupils already know; and it takes 

 still longer time for him to determine the capacity of his pupils, and so con- 

 form his instructions to their abilities and peculiarities as to secure the best 

 results. Teachers, like human beings in general, are all different. No two 

 persons will instruct alike ; no two will govern their schools alike ; no two will 

 have precisely the same conception of educational principles, and the result of 

 all this change is that the schools are left by each successive teacher with only 

 about half the progress that should have been made. I have indicated that, 

 in my estimation, many who seek positions in our schools, are unworthy of 

 re-engagement. Many do not work with reference to a re-engagement, and 

 their work, on this account, is not done at its best. School boards should pre- 

 fer teachers who wish to remain a series of terms with their schools, and, 

 when the first period of employment is ended, if they have done earnest, con- 

 scientious, satisfactory work, re-employ them with a reasonable advance of 

 salary. From my own experience in the supervision of school work, I am 

 convinced that the earnest teacher, desirous to succeed, will perform her work 

 twenty per cent better during the second year than the first. Both the teachei 

 and the school should reap the benefit of this improvement. In no other 

 instance are men more inconsiderate of business principles than in respect to 

 the instructors of their children. If the merchant's clerk has served him 

 faithfully during the year, his salary is advanced, and the returns are as great 

 to the employer as to the employe. This principle applies everywhere in suc- 

 cessful business. Why should it be so thoroughly discarded in reference to the 

 schools ? The business man owes much of his prosperity to his long-trusted, 

 reliable, well-paid clerk ; and by applying the same methods, our farmers 

 could make the schools in their districts more than doubly prosperous in a 

 single decade. 



In many of the districts the terms are not arranged to give to the schools the 

 choicest seasons of the year. Some are still cliirging to the plan of a summer 

 and winter term and the sessions of the school are continued during the sultry 

 months of July and August. The fine days of September and October, among 

 the best in the year for successful school work, are given up to vacation. The 

 impropriety of this arrangement needs no illustration and there is no reason 

 for its continuance. Let our country schools begin in September for the year 

 and continue for a fall term of three months ; begin the winter term of three 



