DISTINGUISHED NANTUCKETERS . 121 



meet to him in the usual acceptation of the term, but 

 a powerful aid in all her husband's pursuits. 



During his few years as teacher, he devoted his 

 moments of relaxation from school duties to scientific 

 investigations. Frequently he gave lectures upon his 

 favorite subject to houses crowded with intelligent 

 listeners. In a paper printed in 1827, in reference to 

 one delivered the evening previous, we find the follow- 

 ing paragraph, in editorial type: — 



" Mr. Mitchell has acquired that perfect knowledge 

 of the elements of his subject which enables him to 

 illustrate its principles with extraordinary ease and per- 

 spicuity. His apparatus, the product of his own genius 

 and research, is admirably calculated to assist the com- 

 prehension of the student; and his verbal elucidations 

 are at all times remarkably clear and familiar, ren- 

 dered interesting by peculiar accuracy of diction and 

 conciseness of style." 



About this time, the town of Nantucket resolved to 

 establish a free school, of which Mr. Mitchell was 

 invited to take charge. Previous, however, to the 

 commencement of this school, he was allowed to visit 

 similar institutions in New York and other cities, 

 already in progress. Keturning, he organized his 

 school immediately upon the monitorial plan, com- 

 mencing with two hundred pupils, four hundred 

 having applied for admission. A second school had 

 not then been thought of. His first public school was 

 opened in the old Town Hall. Mr. Mitchell's success 

 as teacher, public and private, — aside from his ability 

 to impart knowledge and his great learning, — lay in 

 the fact that he endeared the pupils to him, exacting 



