22 THE NEW METHOD 



ent time. To reconstruct our village schools will 

 require a very long time, for teachers to do it are yet 

 to be educated. 



Having had a little experience in the first and sec- 

 ond grades of normal schools, and subsequently hav- 

 ing pursued, for years, the inductive study of educa- 

 tional philosophy, under a well organized plan, it has 

 devolved upon me to present, if I can, a model of the 

 village normal high school. 



Even while the system is but partially introduced, 

 our graduates are successful competitors with the 

 graduates of the best normal schools of New Eng- 

 land. Of the ten who have already completed the 

 course, two are teaching in Boston, two in the annual 

 schools of Milford, and three have taught in Amherst 

 during the past year. 



From the dawn of civilization to the present day, 

 the most beneficent schemes for human advance- 

 ment have been scowled upon with malignant hat- 

 red ; but the obsolete absurdities of former ages must 

 soon be abandoned. The progressive evolution of 

 our race goes on by nature's command, and her 

 commands are never nullified. 



In the prevailing schemes of education, the time 

 of teachers and scholars is given mostly to the lingual 

 and mathematical studies, while that transcendent 

 order of truth which alone can illuminate our way in 



