--*c— 



MOOEE'S RURAL HEW-YORKER. 





A DEFECT AND THE REMEDY. 



Tut design of ^ur Common School System is to 

 pmtot all irilh the opportumlj ..I acquiring an 

 ttn&artUndiagof the rudiment* of science— of prin- 



- I....-I. 



ull'ilif-of 



il appears that from some cause about 

 of those reported as entitled arc deprived 

 «f thsi opportunity. 



Comparatively,— with the abstract report in the 

 Governor's Message,— oar district is a fair sample 

 of the State. Jl numbers i>M children of legal 

 school age, but tli<- icin-lifrs' lists f»r the Just year 

 contain only 146 different names of pupils. The 

 Hat for the winter term ofliXJ days, shows an aver- 

 age attendance of i;~ days for each, and for the sum- 

 mer tWm of 130 days an average of 54. The statis- 

 tics in the report show on aggregate cost of common 

 schools in the State, for the last year, equal to f 1 } 06 

 for every child reported as entitled to share in the 

 provision and of ti 60 for every one accepting it 

 The tufal coat for the year, beside the district 

 tases, is : 1 56 each for the- whole number, and 

 $) :■] each for all attending school. The amount 

 , of public money appropriated for the pay of teach- 

 ers equals (I 10 each for all entitled, and $1 02 for 

 each attend i ng school, Tbc ug^rejjate of rate-bills 

 equals $0 SI each for all, and {0 46 each for those 

 who have attended school dating the year. 



Let it be assumed — as it is true — that it would 

 cost but a trifle more, if any, to educate all the 

 children in the State than it does the two-thirds 

 that attend school, the report shows a loss, result- 

 ing from mismanagement, of one-third the cost, 

 amounting to $1,SG4,51C SO annually; which, he- 

 side the public good involved, has a pecuniary 

 value worth an effort to save,— to discover the fault 

 and a remedy. 



These facts are proof of fault in can 

 intent of the system, by tho loss on the capital in- 

 vested, and by the burdens thereby laid on those 

 laboring for the advantages, without din-eilv bene 

 tiling the indifferent. An imperfection becomes a 

 necessity only when known to defy every practical 

 remedy. The first defect is— lack of inducement 

 to cause a full and regular attendance of all entitled 

 to the privilege. The remedy proposed is a law to 

 apportion the teachers' money by the ratio of an 

 average number of days' attendance,— during the 

 legal terms of the year,— in proportion to the num- 

 ber of pupils on the school list. This, of course, 



State, but it will augment the share of the district 

 where the inhabitants are most: successful in tilling 

 th*«cho"i- It ivUI *J*o incite aspirit ol emulation 

 among districts, aticr Create v "perron n I ta lwi cat , 

 resulting in public good by a more extended diffu- 

 sion of knowledge,— the object of the system. 



The next important mistake in law is that which 

 prevents people from conducting their own affairs 

 in their own way,— which lays unequal burdens 

 upon social equal*,— which deprives the inhabitants 

 of a district of power to enforce a tax on them- 

 selves, however just, right and profitable they may 

 judge it to be in order to pay for service which tho 

 law requires and the district needs. The philoso- 

 phy of taxation is to make property pay public 

 expense, while equity demands that taxes for any 

 object be assessed in proportion to the value of 

 property and the ud vantages expected to property 

 holders, in the application. What social object 

 takes precedence of education? Is it any advan- 

 tage to property holders to have ignorant and un- 

 cultivated youths turned loose in community ? Is 

 it not better that society bo composed of intelli- 

 gent and well-informed members? The advantages 

 of the system are justly apporlioned to the residents 

 in the district, but the tax for the service of i 

 itubly assessed, unless— based 

 dion— it is supposed they can afford 

 'e time and energy for honors that a 

 and, instead of "a dollar a day and 

 are content to work for uothing and 

 !clves " S. Gii.v 



CUT-AND-DRLEJJ TEACHEBS. 



mo plus oi 



mpose Ins pla 



leaching, nobody has any 

 of leaching on his neigh- 

 id that may call itself the 



bar. Tin 



method of education. There is only one set c 

 nght principles, but there may be ten tbousam 

 ptaus. Every teacher must work for himself, a 

 every man of the world works for himself. Ther 

 is, for all men in society, only one set of righ 

 principles, yet Jou shall see a thousand men n 

 one town all obeying them, although all, in con 

 duct, absolutely differ from one another. They 

 will ptesent among themselves the widest contrast, 

 and yet every one may be prospering, and making 

 friends. In the school, as in the world, a man 

 be himself if he would have more than a 

 us so COM'; he must be modeled upon no- 

 bod/. The nchool -master should read books of 

 education, and he may study bard to reason out 

 aid, it be cau, what are right 

 principles tu »jo uuou. A principle that he ap- 

 proves, ho must adopt: but, another man's plan 

 that ho approves, he must assimilate to the nature 

 of bis own mind and of his own school before be 

 can adopt it. Even his school he must so manage 

 that it shall admit of great variety of plan within 

 itself, oud suffer him so to work in it as to appeal 

 in the most effective way to the mind of each one 

 of his scholars. 



MM 



Nu C 







dried man without any particular character. Ilis 

 individuality must be strongly marked. He should 

 be, of coarse, a man of unimpeachable integrity, 



thing, hating a lie. He should have pleasure in his 

 work, be fond of children, and not think of look- 

 ing down upon them, but put faith — a 



— put faith in the spirit of childhood, 

 honor a child or*he cannot educate it, though he 

 may cram many facts into its head. It is essential 

 also to tho constitution of a good teacher, that, 

 whatever his character may be, he shall not be 



hie to endure slowness patiently. He must also 



ot he destitute of imaginatfon, for he will have 

 uick imaginations to develope and to satisfy. 

 The most learned teacher ought incessantly to 

 read and think, so that he may be on each topic as 



inded as be should be when he proposes to 



;ssons to a child. The good 



THE HUMAN HAND. 



Is,ii\i, from the wrist is that Wonderful orgau, 

 the human hand. " In a French book, intended," 

 says Sir Charles Dell, "to teach young people 

 philosophy, (be pupil asks why the lingers are not 

 of equal length? The master mukes the scholar 

 grasp a ball of ivory, to show him tb.it the points 

 of the lingers are then equal ! It would have been 

 better hod be closed the fingers upon the palm, and 

 then have asked whether or not they corresponded. 

 This difference in the length of the fingers serves 

 a thousand purpose*, us in holding a rod, a switch 

 a sword, a hammer, a pen, a pencil, or engraving 

 tool, in all which, a secure hold, and freedom of 







; find I 



tplet 





and the study. For it is only when his teac 

 gives great pleasure to himself, that it cau 

 .ny pleasure whatever to his pupils.— J/V*. 



d Gbnios.— There are many teachers 

 > show the nearest way to excellence ; 

 and many expedients have been invented by which 

 ight be saved. But let no man 

 he seduced to idleness by specious promises. Ex- 

 granted to man but as the reward 

 qTHAjVt. It a rgnw ; indee d, no sma ll airengtli of 



the pleasure of perceiving those advances which 

 like the hand of a clock, whilst they make hourly 

 approaches to their point, yet proceed so slowly 

 us tq escape observation. There is one precept, 

 however, in which I shall only be opposed bv the 

 vain, the ignorant, and the idle. I nm not afraid 

 that I shall repeat it too often. You must have 

 no dependence on your own genius. If you ha' 

 grent talents industry will improve them; if y< 



On the length, strength, and perfectly free niove- 

 euts of tho thumb, depends, moreover, the power 

 of the humnn hand. To the thumb, indeed, has 

 leen givea Sj»f ecial name ("poUex," from a Latin 

 erh, meaning to be able, strong, mighty,) because 

 f its »lrcngU— a strength that is necessary to the 

 lower of the hand, being equal to that of all the 

 lingers. Without the fleshy hall of the thumb, the 

 ■ of the fingers would be of no avail, and uc- 

 cordingly the large ball formed by the muscles of 

 thumb, is the special workof the human hand, 

 ticularly that of a clever workman. The loss 

 of the thumb almost amounts to the loss of the 



of France, have been known to disable themselves 

 effectually by cutting off the thumb of the right 

 hand. The loss of both thumbs would reduce a 

 man to a miserable dependence. Nor should we 

 overlook another pecul ianty. Were the tips of the 

 lingers and the thumbs bony iustead of being- 

 covered with flesh, many things we readily do 

 would be absolutely impossible. We dow take up 

 what is small, soft, and round, as a millet seed, oi 

 even a particle of human hair, so exquisitely 

 prehensile are the human fingers. 



The nails are often of special service — perhaps 

 always in works of art which require nicety of exe 

 cutiou. Their substance is just what is needed 

 they are easily kept at the precise length which 

 answers every purpose; had they been placed 

 the tips ot the fingers, they would have been a l< 

 of power, but their position ensures their high 

 efficiency. An interchange of power for velocity 

 which takes place in the arm adapts the hand and 

 to a thousand arts, requiring quick or lively 

 s. In setting up the type of this page, 

 there have been movements on the part of the 



often astonishing; these are among 

 ■Linccs of the advantage gained by th 

 force for velocity of movement.— CetsA 

 ■ y,it ui-iil. JIUtory. 



THE MOON'S SURFACE. 

 on I'nii 



of England, in tho coo 

 of some recent remarks before the British Assoi 

 tion, on the lunar mountains, remarked (hat daily 

 experience shnwed that the more the telescopic 

 power was increased the less circular appeared 

 th* lunar crater, and the less smooth the surf* 

 of the moon. All was sharp oud irritated— a p> 

 past history. On I 



the i 



ited qui 



I >le. -re 



ode with Lord 



in that opinion. 



the surface of the 

 as now presented lo us, the professor sa 

 one time he believed there was u 

 to be seen, but be confessed that 

 servations, particularly those n 

 Itosse's telescope, shook his belief 

 Professor Philli 

 tinuully growin 

 scope was applied to the delineation of lunar 

 scenery, which, to inferior instruments, appearing 

 smooth ond even, revealed itself to more powerful 

 icrutiiiy as altogether uneven, mostly nigged land, 

 deeply cut by chasms, and soaring into angular 

 pinnacles. The so-called seas, under this scrutiny, 

 appear desitute of water, and their surface, under 

 :ident light, becomes roughened 

 with little points ond minute craters. 



As an "Old OAibntu" is appealed to be will 

 say that he fa M prtctieed pninine or pinching 

 melon „«. f 0r i gIW| ^ ■ [f * Tj0e ■ 



growing in rich Ml! , „p ccin „ r ' if u ia st ^ 



a MUe damp or tb. m«„ .hould be wet, a great 

 growth will he ami ned , -m i k onlj| i|e 



late m the season, p.rhap. ontil frolt Tne Mnw . 

 quence is a great many TOelon8 m formed tfagt 

 never ripen, some of them, when frost kills the 

 plant, wdl be as large as eggs, others half rtowd 

 and so on. Now. this growth of Tin. and fruit ii 

 useless, or nearly so, for the women sometime. 

 a Tew in making mangoes. Where the ground i*. 

 sandy and not too rich, the vine does not make so 

 strong a growth, and ripens pretty much all Uio 

 fruit that is formed. It is in strong soil, therefore, 

 that the priming is most necessary. As soon as 

 the maiu branches of the vine have set as much 

 fruit as you think will ripen well, just stop them, as 

 gardeners say— that id, pinch off the ends. I're- 

 this, the side shoots will hove made a good 

 growth and formed some small melons. Let these 

 ut & week or ten days 

 longer, and the principal growth will be thrown 

 Then ttop the side shoots in the same 



o be crowded with branches, it is well 



•by< 



ting away < 



1 of 



DEJIHI il uj <S;^iiiJ£tfi5teQ3 



MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA. 



have hut moderate abilities, industry i 

 their deficiency. Nothing is denied to well-d 

 od labor; nothing is to be obtained without i 



I'l'l.v 



IWu 



ll.uv 



andt 



l..( : -eirv:i!n; 



Readino Aloud.— There is no treat so 

 truly remards the Springfield Republican, 

 hear good reading of any kind. Not one \ 

 man in a hundred can read so as to please 1 

 and send the words with gentle force lo the heart 

 and the understanding. An indistinct utterauce 

 whines, drones, nasal twangs, gutteral notes, hesi- 

 tations, and other vices of elocution are almost 

 universal. Why it is, no one can say, unless it be 

 that either the pulpit, or tho nursery, or the Sun- 

 day School, gives the style in these days. Many a 

 lady cm. sing Italian songs with considerable ei- 

 ocuttgn-but cannot read English passably. Vet 

 ";"!i"l-- i* t:,r Hi,- must valuable accomplishment 



U. l' 1 '' '"'i' l " UU>St drawin 8 r0l)ms i if u thing is 

 i- 1 1 iu , it ,, discovered that nobody can read ; 

 as weak lungs, another gels hoarse, another 



onh^rrriw^ '/'^.evidently a tradition 



when he was too youne tu ,!, \ "V"* 17,™ """^ 

 3 uu B 10 understand then), an- 



i ; another 

 ' C0n **iuenc.:. und had 



The Connecticut Common School Journal i 

 article on Foolish Economy, says:-- Wne n " VOu 

 hear a man uttering his aversion to spends 

 money to educate 'other folks' young ones,' you 

 may safely concludo that his father was a man not 

 'ery liberal in the education of bis own ; for ll lc 

 educated are invariably the most earnest champi- 



atlsmpt to govern by loud speaking, itamp- 

 mg.thuroniiip , lr „ i i 



t-vut upon desks, or using an nun eie-'n iv 

 ount of worda, u Tam , Subjection to whole- 

 ■ Propwly udmiuistcrcd, i 



e knowledge ac 



his will broken — he is too headstrong. Is the will 

 ever broken? It may be made to bend, but never, 

 it is never broken. " If John was not so willful 

 he would do well enough," say the parent and 

 teacher, when every success that crowns his en- 

 deavors is the fruit of the will. Outdo this heaven- 

 born gift, aid the child in placing this firm, strong 

 lever beneath good and noble purposes, and much 

 will be accomplished. When the Will joins hands 

 with Reason and Religion, its power will bo for 

 good. Strong will is the great characteristic of 

 all those who have achieved power, either for good 

 or evil, in the world's history. The will is the 

 most prompt and decisive faculty of the mind, 

 and impels to immediate action. It is necessary 

 for the teacher to possess this firmness of purpose, 

 3 pupils. If 

 each duty faithfully, they 

 feeling in their 



duties.— ,S./. 



ipsa. 



be supplied with objects as 



i most schools the mind of 



efully guarded against all 



world. Not one primary 



nytbing to develop the per- 



seem to be ignorant of tho 



ct that it is by exercising the senses that the 



jnns or intellect are aroused. The child has 



ilndj that mind becomes active as it cognizes 



alter. We do not say that matter 



ctivity, but that the senses form the 



medium through which mind is aroused, and that 



nly be exercised by contact with 



material things. — IFw. Journal of Education. 



the child is n 

 ideas of the < 

 school in ten oi 

 eeptive fucultie 





The most difficult department of learning is to 

 inlearn. Drawing a mistake or prejudice out of 

 be head is as painful as drawing a tooth, and the 

 'Stient never thanks the operator. No man likes 

 o admit that his Ij> onte opinion, perhaps the only- 

 illegitimate one. Slug- 

 er the most obstinate, for that 



id tho older we get the more 



oks, begin and « 

 ucy and senility. 

 The pen, in the hand that ki 

 powerful weapon 6 



SINGING OF BfRDS. 





birds seems entirely a spon- 

 taneous effusion, producing no lassitude in muscle, 

 or relaxation of the parts of action. In certain 

 seasons and weather, the nightingale sings all day 

 and the most part of the night; and we nerer 

 observe that the powers of song are weaker, or that 

 the notes become harsh and untunable, after all 

 these hours of practice. 



The song thrush, in a mild, moist April, will com- 

 mence his tunc early in the morning, pipe unceas- 

 ingly through the day, yet at the close of eve, when 

 he retires to rest, there is no obvious decay iu his 

 musical powers, or any sensible effort requi 

 continue his harmony to the last. 



Birds of one species sing in general very like 



CHEMICAL ENIGMA. 

 My 39, T, 20,84, 11,36 Is a very nsetal vegetable ai 



My SO, 81, 10, 46, 9, 4o, 26, 48, 40, 60, 4T explains 

 My 27, T. 8T, 44, 24 was an Ingredient of tho oeteb: 

 My 15, 8, 17,25, 22,4,16, is the lightest known 



My IT, 7, 9, IT, 14, 26, 83, 13 Is capable of converting 



9,10,7,48,50 Is softer than wax, and yet 



educe the nc 



vine treated in (hi; 

 very large size, of the ve 

 be ripened. In fact, a i 

 very much like a grape 



roots of tho grape vino g< 

 food, and as they live a n 

 very successful in flndinj 

 anywhere near. If there 



roots will find it and fasten on it, go through it if 



it happens to be hollow, and suck out its juices as 



fast as it decays, until all is gone. But the melon 



only for a few short mouths, and if the soil is 



ry best flavor, 



nd all will 



iclon vine needs treating 



ine, only with 





s much more 



i fleeted by 





ino. The 



o a long way l 



i search of 



umber of year 





g what thev w 



Hit if it is 



is an old bone buried the 



poor in the bill i 





roots never get strength enough to go far in search 

 of food, and they will remain half starved, with 

 perhaps abundance of food within a foot or two, 

 just as a child or an animal that could not walk 

 might starve with a good dinner almost within 

 reach. There is nothing like giving a plant a good, 

 strong, healthy start at first, and then it gets so 



care of itself, but when a plant or a boy mokes a 

 bad start in the world, it is pretty hard to make 

 them go right. Solomon was right when he said, 

 "train op a chilJ in the way he should go," and it 

 is just as importaut to train a young plant right ; 

 for unless trained both me apt to injure themselves, 

 and destroy their usefulness by foolish and bad 



Uj I 







i, NiaE. t 



ARITHMETICAL PROBLEM. 



each other, 



with different degrees of execution 



Some count 



ries may produce liner songsters, but 





t variation in the notes. In the thrush 



lowever, it 



s remarkable that there seems lo be 



regular not 



s, each individual piping a voluntary 



S of the copse, yet 

 : performer will more particularly attract i 

 i by a peculiar modulation of tune ; and should 



several stations of th 



se birds be visited the -mm. 



morning, few or none 



probablv would be found to 



persevere in the Earn 



e round of notes; whatever 



s uttered seems the effusion of the moment, A 



times a strain will br 



ak out perfectly unlike any 



ireceding utterance, 



nd we may wait a long time 



without noticing anj 



repetition of it. Harsh 



strained, and tense as 



the notes of this birds are 



yet thoy are pleasing 



nm ihi.ir variety. 



e of the blackbird is infinitely more 

 t has much less variety, compass, or 

 and he, too, commences his carols with 

 ie morning light, persevering from hour to hour 

 illiout ellurt, or any sensible faltering of voice. 

 Tho cuckoo wearies us throughout some long 

 ay morning with the unceasing monotony of its 

 song; und though there are others as vociferous, 

 s the only bird I know that seems to sutler 

 ie use of the organs of voice. Little exer- 

 the few notes it makes use of seems to re- 

 quire, yet by the middle or end of June, it loses 

 >, becomes hoarse, and ceases from any 

 further essay,— Journal of a NatwalUt, 



-Those who have the true creed, 

 it which is derived from charity, 

 and who therefore feel certain that it is true, will 

 not be angry and complain if others do not treat 

 them with the respect- which they deserve: they 

 will not complain if they arc treated as imposters 

 and deluded enthusiasts ; for their own honor and 

 glory are not the objects for which they are seek- 

 ing. Thoy are satisfied, let their success be great 

 or small, with doing what they can for the beaefll 

 of others, and leave the rest to Him with whom is 

 the residue of the spirit. 



ANSWERS TO ENIGMAS, &c, LN No. 498. 



TRIMMING MELON VINES. 



Ens. fli-RAi.:-IIav 

 oCmyueigbbors that 

 might be much impi 



the trimming 



the i 



.ml it remarked by one 

 6 and quality of melons 

 jy diligently attending 

 es, I have adopted the 



plan this season, by way of experiment, 



likely that comparatively few readers of the Rliul 



have ever heard of, much less practiced, anything 



of the kind; but no one can fail to have observed that 



on vines left to themselves, not only completely 



;r the ground all around the hills, but 



rrun themselves, to a great extent. No 1 



reasonable to suppose that, if these extra 



branches had been removed when the; 



began to run, the additional amount of nutr 



thus left for the remaining vines, would hav 



bled them to mature more and larger melon: 



perior flavor? If this method of cultu 



adopted, I think that 



Tomato Vines are much improved by a little of 

 the same kind of training. Cut away the small 

 branches that will not bear fruit early enough to 

 ripen, und as soon as the other branches have on 

 them all the fruit that they will probably ripen, 

 pinch off tbc ends. This wilt check the growth of 

 the plant, throw the strength into the fruit, and 

 cause it to be fine and ripen curly. To-day, (July 

 aVth,) I have ripe tomatoes on plants treated in 

 while others grown in the ordinary man- 

 branches, leaves, flowers and 



Bui 



opla, 



obeli 



I the \ 

 followed through the 



. r.,i/Uoii> 



SB," it would be quite gratifying to heap 



on the subject, or from 



who knowf, from much experience, what 



er, must be fastened up to a trellis, the side 



of a building, or some such thing. A very easy 



d protty way is to place four or five branches or 



bushes around a tomato plant, something in tho 



[inner of pea sticks, and the plant will run up 



mng the sticks where the fruit will be well 



posed to the sun, and ripen early. 



By-the-by, Mr. Editor, I wish you would give 



your young renders nnothervicw of that beautifully 



d tomato plant, which you gave the old folka 



a year or two ago, as it is a beautiful model to work 



ufter. Old Gabobxer. 



iarks.— Tbc Ou> Gabdbkm is a greattatker, 

 when he gets started, but he talks well and wisely, 

 'ish our young readers could only hear him 

 i the garden, and see bow nicely everything 

 i, asifby magic, under hiscare. Asrcquested, 

 re the engraving of the tomato plant which 

 ,jned and pruned, and from which we picked 

 ne hundred and twenty ripe tomatoes. 



A t;.-" 



CUAB 



first things you have to consid 

 character. Allow us to tell m\ 

 it, which wc have learned froi 

 must be built like a pyramid, ti 



ty und ii 



r your charaei* , 

 >.-i of calumniators could no 

 youth und early lil 

 i such a beginning, 



build and poi 



,,, overthrow it. But 

 I, to build a character 

 be almost as difficult 



*pyn 



^•^r 



