■ 
BY E. M. CARPENTER, R0CHE6TER, N Y. 
The mind is naturally inquisitive. We see 
the evidence of this in the questions Asked by 
children respecting any subject that engages 
their attention. This natural disposition of the 
mind to inquire into the reason of things, when 
properly cultivated and strengthened, stimu¬ 
lates the mind to a greater exertion of its powers, 
and leads to a thorough investigation and com¬ 
prehensive understanding of the various sub¬ 
jects presented for its consideration j but when 
pupils are required by those to whose care they 
are committed for instruction, to accept words 
without Ideas, and facts without principles, this 
inquisitiveness of mind loses its natural force, 
and becomes feeble and inactive; and thus the 
main avenue to the development of the mental 
powers, aud to true knowledge, is closed. 
These remarks, while true in their general 
application, have a special application to the 
methods of instructing youth in the various 
branches of study pursued at school. As an 
illustration, we may take the methods of teach¬ 
ing Geography. The common method is to 
assign a lesson in the book, and require the 
pupils to commit to memory the answers to the 
several questions contained in it. If the an¬ 
swers are correctly repeated, the pupils receive 
the approbation of their teacher for having a 
“ good lesson,” and the next lesson is assigned, 
and so or. Pupils so taught, if asked: “What 
is the earth?” will answer, (with satisfaction to 
themselves and the teacher too,) 41 The planet 
on which we live,” To show the unprofitable¬ 
ness of such teaching, let me ask: Of what real 
benefit is it to a pupil to repeat the answer 
above, if it is unintelligible to him, as it must 
be, if he has no distinct idea of a planet, and 
no explanation has been given? He might re¬ 
peat, with equal profit, the answer given in an 
old geography: “ An oblate spheroid.” In like 
manner, the simple answer that the axis of the 
earth is •• an imaginary line passing through the 
center of the earth,” profits little; for the pupil 
will be at a loss to understand why a line should 
be imagined to pass through the earth’s center 
in one direction rather than another, or why 
any line should be Imagiued at all; or if the 
answer be: “The line on which the earth 
turns,” the pupil will conceive of a ball revolv¬ 
ing on a rod, or a wheel on an axle, and then 
wonder what kind of a line the earth turns on. 
To be able simply to repeat Iromthe book the 
answers to the questions: What is the earth, 
its shape, axis, poles? Jfcc., is really of but little 
value. The pupils should be familiar with the 
ideas contained in those answers. To aid them 
in acquiring that familiarity, many explanations 
and illustrations are required from the teacher. 
Instead, however, of being confined to the ques¬ 
tions and answers of the book, let the teacher 
take up the subject apart from the book, and, in 
a few familiar lectures, let him convey to the 
minds of the pupils the fundamental ideas of 
the subject; Dearing in mind at the outset, and 
as he proceeds, that the ideas and conceptions 
of the subject, so familiar and distinct to his 
own mind, are almost wholly wanting in the 
minds of his pupils. Thus, since Geography is, 
as the word itself signifies, a description of the 
earth, tho first question that arises, is; What is 
the earth? But instead of asking the pupils 
this question at the outset, let the teacher 
rather, by a course of plain, simple inot silly) 
questions, prepare their minds for the full im¬ 
port of such a question. Proceeding from the 
known to tho unknown, (inductive reasoning,) 
let the pupils first bo questioned respecting the 
portion of country in which they live, and with 
which they are more or less familiar. This will 
lead to inquiries respecting the portions of 
country or bodies of water lying beyond, and 
these inquiries (answers to which may be sup- 
plied by tho teacher) will lead to still others in 
the same direction, and so on, till the general 
inquiry is raised in the minds of the pupils: 
Where and what is the limit to this vast plain 
(apparently) of lands and seas, in the midst of 
which we are living? In like manner, the in¬ 
quiry may be raised respecting the depth of the 
earth beneath us. Following the track of dis¬ 
covery, the views of the ancients respecting the 
extent aud foundations of the earth, may here 
be given, then the views of Columbus, direct- 
tag special attention to the object of the expe¬ 
dition (based on his views) which led to the dis¬ 
covery of America. And thus the pupils may 
be led along, step by step, till they are enabled 
to realize, in some good degree, the important 
facts respecting the form and extent of the 
earth, as developed by modern science. 
The question will now arise in the minds of 
the pupils: What is the loundatiou of the earth 
—on what does it rest? As this question is 
8lJ ggested by the idea that an unsupported body 
will fall, the teacher must proceed at once to 
acquaint his pupils with the principles of iner- 
tia and gravitation; and here, as elsewhere, let 
him bear in mind that in the natural order, ideas 
precede names; therefore, distinct ideas of these 
principles should first be conveyed to the minds 
ot the pupils, after which, the names by which 
they are designated may be given. A knowl¬ 
edge of these fundamental principles of matter, 
and their application, will qualify the pupils for 
an intelligent understanding of the facts, which 
may now be stated, respecting the earth’s iso¬ 
lated position. With distinct ideas of tho size 
lorrn, and isolated position of the earth, the 
attention of the pupils may now bo directed to 
the relation of the earth to the heavenly bodies. 
In pointing out this relation, let it first be im¬ 
pressed upon the minds of the pupils, that the 
heavenly bodies-sun, moon, and stars-are in 
reality immense bodies of matter, like the earth. 
ver moun-tain, I’ve crossed o - rer flood, 
J J J J l J 
N S > N | 
r-i. • 
g-f * ~ 1 EgE#g 
FINE. 
fields were as green, and the moon ehone as bright, It wss not, 
- «T tT j -£—fiS_|_&_h_ L J* J* J 
mm 
land. No, no, no, no, no, No, not mr own native Land, No, no, no. 
d. s. 
- g-T- 
The idea of a Planetary System may then be 
unfolded — a Sun as the center, giving forth 
light and heat to other smaller bodies (planets) 
revolving around it, while around these smaller 
bodies revolve one or more still smaller bodies 
(satellites or moons,) the planets and satellites 
reflecting, each to the other, the light emana¬ 
ting from the sun. Next, may follow the state¬ 
ment, that, though the Universe, according to 
the revelations of Astronomy, is probably com¬ 
posed of many such systems, or a combination 
of them, we have a definite knowledge of but 
one such system—our own—of which' the Sun 
iit the center, the Earth, and a few, compara¬ 
tively, of the stars, (in appearance,) are the 
planets revolving around it, and the Moon is the 
satellite revolving around the Earth. In this 
connection, it might be well for the teacher to 
state a few facts respecting our planetary sys¬ 
tem—the comparative size of the bodies com¬ 
posing it, their relative distauces from each 
other, We.—also to explain the cause of the 
similarity in appearauee, to us, of the planets 
and fixed stars, (guns.) The motion of the 
planets and satellites ir, ifielr orbits, win be 
readily understood by the pupils if briefly ex¬ 
plained by the teacher, the principles, (inertia 
and gravitation,) which, combined, produce 
planetary motion, having been already ex¬ 
plained. A knowledge of the principle of gravi¬ 
tation, will also enable the pupils to account for 
the spherical' form of the earth and heavenly 
bodies. 
Having obtained a definite knowledge of the 
earth as an immense sphere, revolving, in com¬ 
mon with other similar bodies, around the sun, 
the pupils are now prepared for the next step 
in order—the revolution of the earth on its axis. 
At ter stating the fact that the earth revolves 
(turns over) at the same time that it moves 
areund the sun. let the teacher proceed to con¬ 
vey to the minds of his pupils, by means of 
suitable illustrations, an exact ideaof what is 
meant by the axis and poles of the earth—their 
only idea of an axis, hitherto, being that of a 
rod, of some kind, on which a wheel or ball 
revolves. As an auxiliary idea, let the teacher 
show that lines and points (definite, fixed direc¬ 
tions, and positions,) may exist without any 
outward, visible marks or signs to Indicate 
them. And thus let him show the pupils, that 
in the revolution of a body, (spherical or other 
form,) though it be solid, and hence no rod 
passing through it on which it revolves, there 
will still be a certain fixed line or direction 
through it, around which the body (the parti¬ 
cles formiug it) revolves, and two fixed points 
(positions) on the surface of the body where 
the line terminates—the line and points being 
determined by the direction in which the body 
revolves. 
The pupils now understand that the poles of 
the earth are two fixed points on its surface, 
their position being determined by the direction 
in \\ hich the earth revolves. From the poles 
ns starling points, the equator and parallels are 
determined. A few words respecting merid¬ 
ians, and an explanation of the use of parallels 
and meridians, in determining the relative posi¬ 
tions of portions of the earth’s surface, or points 
on its surface, and the pupils are now prepared 
for an Intelligent and successful pursuit of tho 
study upon which they have entered. 
n determining tho position of the tropics and 
polar circles, and in showing how the change of 
seasons is produced, which may here be done 
an explanation of what is meant by the plane 
* orbit, and of the inclination of 
the earth s axis to the plane of its orbit as It 
Thi * win sun ’ wl1 - I* necessary. 
This will be rendered comparatively easy, how¬ 
ever, as the facts and principles upon which 
rn., S | t l0 subject is based, have beeu al- 
fm m'WTs 1 ° U ',i A / 1 pl ?°l wr point, the exact 
foim of tne earth (spheroidal) may bo stated, 
and the probable reason of it given also the 
elliptical lorm of the earth’s orbft ’ 
The course marked out thus far, if care allu¬ 
re? 0c . oUpy , the l-me, not of one o'r 
two recitations, but of many; since it contem¬ 
plates, not the strengthening of the memory 
sitoplv, but rather the expansion and growth of 
the mind in all its facultiks -a work Sfiring 
time, since growth of mind, like growth of 
body, requires time. Now ideas are to be un¬ 
folded, and their relations carefulIv pointed out. 
requiring much time for the explanations and 
Illustrations thereby rendered necessary. The 
pursuit of such a course, however, will not 
only result iu growth and discipline of mind- 
one of the most important ends to be attained 
in a course of lustruetion-btit the true founda¬ 
tion will be laid for the successful pursuit of the 
branch taught .—Uducational Monthly. 
And the right hand of friendship how oft have I grasped, 
Smiling eyes have looked brightly and bland; 
But still happier far were the hours that I passed. 
In the west, in my own native land, 
Yea, in my own native in nr) 
Then all hail, dear Columbia, tho land that we love, 
, And where flourishes liberty’s tree: 
Tis the birth-place of freedom, our own native home, 
’Tis the land, 'tis the land of the free, 
\ es, ’tis the land of the free. 
[From jMa.30K’b Normal Singer, fry prrrnissi'jfi. 
The Andersonville Post-Office. 
The following touching lines, descriptive 
ol an incident in the pen of the Union prisoners 
at Andersonville, Ga., arc attributed to G. H. 
Hollister, Esq., of Litchfield, Conn. The 
war has yet elicited nothing of sadder interest: 
No blanket round his wasted limbs, 
Under the rainy sky he slept; 
While pointing his envenomed shafts, 
Around him, Death, the archer, crept. 
He dreamed of hanger, and held out 
His hand to clutch a Urtle bread— 
That a white angei with a torch, 
Among the living and the dead, 
Seemed bearing, smiling as he went; 
The vision waked aim, as he spied 
The post-boy, followed by a crowd 
Of famished prisoners, who cried 
For letters—letters from their friends. 
Crawling upon bis hands and knees 
He hears his own nt, ue called, and lo! 
A l-otu hh. f Ce bo rtoOSl 
Gasping for breath, he shrieked aloud, 
And lost in nature blind eclipse, 
Faltering amid the iMppiiant crowd, 
Caught it and pressed it to his lips. 
A guard who followed, red and wroth, 
And flourishing a rusty brand. 
Reviled him with a taunting oath, 
And snatched the letter from his hand. 
'• First pay the postage, whining wretch!’’ 
Despair had made the prisoner brave, 
" Then give me Mck nay money, sir! 
I am a captive—not a slaver 
You took my money md my clothes; 
Take my life too-but let me know 
How Mary and the ctildren are. 
And I will bless you ere I go.” 
The very moonlight tarongh his hands, 
A 3 he stood supplicating, shone, 
And his sharp features shaped themselves 
Into a prayer, and inch a tone 
Of anguish there wai in his cry 
For wife and chl.drjn, that the guard_ 
Thinking upon his own—passed by, 
And left him swooning on the sward. 
Beyond the -‘dead line” fell his head- 
The eager sentry knew his mark, 
And with a crash the bullet sped 
Into his brain, and ill was dark. 
But when they turned his livid cheek 
Up toward the light, the pale lips smiled 
Kissing a picture fair and meek 
That held in either hand a child. 
Experience of cn Ambulance Man. 
The driver ol an ambulance and dresser of 
wounds, whose first experience on the battle 
field was at the first battle of Bull Run, gives his 
as follows: 
"We ambulance men knew but little of the 
awtul work before us. Like a great many 
others, who ought to have known better. I went 
out to that battle very much as I would have 
gone to a clam-bake at home — with no other 
thought than that the jaunt would be a pleasant 
one—perhaps a little exciting, but not really 
dangerous. But we were soon brought to our 
senses. 
" In live minutes after the first shot was fired. 
I was called upon to take a wounded Lieutenant 
to the hospital. He was not more than twenty 
years of age, and had his sword-arm shattered. 
He had tainted as he fell, and was still insensi¬ 
ble when we picked him up. The surgeon soon 
made his appearance, the arm was amputated and 
the boy comfortably disposed of before the ef¬ 
fect of the chloroform bud passed ofl'. His first 
question was as to what had happened, and 
when told, he suddenly rose upon his elbow and 
inquired, ‘what did you do with my ring?' 
The surgeou handed it to him. the Lieutenant 
kissed it, asked me to place it on his other hand, 
and almost instantly went to sleep. He was 
conveyed safely to Washington, soon recov¬ 
ered aud did good service afterwards in a score 
of battles. 
“ ^ tarn the battle raged with its greatest fury, 
and when we all supposed we had gained the 
day. I was directed to remove a venerable look¬ 
ing gray-bearded Major to the rear. He had 
been stunned by a nearly spent canister, which 
hit him on the head, but had drawu no blood. 
I lound him quite delirious, and I remember the 
first words I heard as I reached him were: 
* Willie, my boy, go right on with vour men. 
You rnusn’t seem to skulk. I will be'with you 
directly.’ I afterwards learned thatthis ‘Willie ’ 
was the Major’s son. He had behaved as his 
father wished him, and, after the fight, had 
leave to accompany him. He recovered from the 
effects of the concussion before he reached 
Washington. 
1 ' I was soon afterwards ordered to take a woun¬ 
ded Fire Zouave to the rear. He had been hit 
in the hand by a minnie ball, but paid no atten¬ 
tion to it, until he fainted from loss of blood. 
As we were lifting him he recovered, and swore 
at us terribly for daring to take him from the 
field. He declared he wouldn’t.go; and a sur¬ 
geon being at hand, two of his fingers were am¬ 
putated and roughly dressed, when he broke 
away from us and rushed back into the fight. 
Three days afterwards I met the same Zouave 
in the hospital, with a gashed cheek, which he 
had received from the sabre of a Black Horse 
cavalryman, whose horse he had bayoneted, 
and whom he declared he killed with the butt of 
his musket, after he received his sword gash. 
I met the same brave fellow, with Major's straps 
on his shoulders, at Antietam. 
"Another case I remember—a tail raw-boned 
private from a Western State, The Lteut.-Colo- 
nel of the regiment had been wounded in 
u*ont of one of the rebel masked butteries, from 
before which our troops bad been driven, and 
lav there. His men had made several efforts to 
get him off, but, in every ease, they were driven 
back. Tbis good fellow told bis companions he 
would try to get otT the body if they would 
permit him to go alone. Permission was given ; 
he boldly walked out erect to where the Lieut.- 
Colonel lay. took him up tenderlv In his arm-, 
interposing his own body, as much as he could’ 
between the enemy and the wounded officer, 
and proceeded to carry him off. During the 
perilous march, he received three bullet wounds, 
but neither made him abandon his burthen, 
which he brought away safely. Although thus 
brave m this severe trial, in dressing his wounds 
which wore not dangerous but painful, he was 
as timid as a child. He shrank from the probe 
as I do not believe he would have done from a 
bayonet, and seemed as fearful of being hurt by 
the doctor as if he was about to be raked by a 
chain-shot. And this sort of timidity is often, 
seen in the bravest men. Thev would’ face the 
cannon’s mouth without a shudder, but they 
cannot bear to lie down helplessly to have 
their wounds dressed. He is a superlatively 
brave man who fights calmly and suffers himself 
to be tortured by the surgeon with equal equa¬ 
nimity.” 
Moving by the Left Flank. 
It is well known how successfully General 
Grant has changed the position of his army by 
moving it by the left flank. 
This maneuver appears to be characteristic- of 
him, as he adopted it both at Spottsylvania and 
on the North Anna. The mode of executing 
this ingenious movement is as foiiows:—The 
corps holding the extreme right of the line 
is. under cover of night, withdrawn behind the 
line of battle of the other corps (the picket line 
of course being left to conceal the movement,) 
and carried to the extreme left of the line, 
where it intrenches. The next corps to the 
right is then withdrawn in like manner, and 
connects in the same way with the new left, 
forming a prolongation of its line. In this 
manner, in the course of a couple of days, a 
complete reversion of position of the corps has 
taken place—what had been the extreme right 
forming the extreme left, and what had been 
the extreme left forming the extreme right; and 
thus the army finds itself drawn to the left by 
the length of its whole line of battle—say eight 
or ten miles. 
Gen. Joe Hooker in Tears. 
In a great precession at a political meeting 
at Springfield Illinois recently, were ninety- 
three two-horse wagons loaded with wood. It 
was dumped in a pile for distribution to soldiers’ 
families. Gen. Joe Hooker, while riding up 
from the depot, met the procession, and was 
rather stunned by the ninety-three wood 
wagons. 
"Why, where can these farmers find a market 
for this immense quantity of fuel? " asked the 
hero. “ Oh, General, it is part of our procession. 
Every stick of that is going to the families of 
soldiers absent in the army.” The tears gath¬ 
ered in Hooker’s eyes — trembled a moment, 
then ran down the cheeks bronzed in a hundred 
battles, while he said, * Mv God! what a peo¬ 
ple you Illinoisans are! You not only furnish 
men without stint to fight the battles of the 
nation, but you take a father’s care of their 
wives and children while they are absent.” 
‘ Say ’ Charley Anderson, why can’t we 
boys have a Fanners’ Club this winter?” 
“A Farmers’ Club, what’s that?” 
“Why, you see in Borne places farmers hold 
meetings to talk about farming as the politicians 
do to discuss politics, and as teachers do to talk 
about school teaching; and I’ve been thinking 
that boys might do something of the kind as 
well as mem We could learn a great deal about 
farming, and have lots of fun at the same time. 
You Bee we are most ail of us going to be form¬ 
ers, any way, and il there’s any difference be¬ 
tween good and bad farming, I’d like to know 
what it is. I know some formers seem to get 
along first rate, have everything comfortable 
around them, live in good style, and give then- 
children a good education, while others, who 
have just as much or more to do with, don’t 
prosper. Now, I have no notion of being a 
farmer unless I can make a decent living by it, 
and I want to know how to do it.” 
Well, Jacob, I like your plan well enough, 
but, really, I don’t see much to talk about. 
We all know how to put in a crop of wheat, and 
how to fodder the cattle. So far as I can see, 
farmers generally do things pretty much alike! 
But here’s Billy Jenks and Matt. Mason. 
Bill, wer’e going to have a Farmers’ Club this 
winter.” 
“I’m in for that, an’ I’m goin’ to be Presi¬ 
dent Ye see, I went to sich a meetin' once, an’ 
I know jest bow they manage it. Matt, here 
shall be tbe-what d’ye call it? ” 
“Secretary? No, Matt, can’t write well 
enough for that.” 
“Sure enough, I didn’t think o’ that.” 
" But what’s the use,” asked Matt, “of sich 
a meetin’, any way?" 
“Why, ye see, returned Billy, it’s to tell 
’sperienees ’bout farmin’. ” 
"Wali, I can tell my 'sperience plaguey 
quick, replied Matt. “ It’s been to hoe corn, 
dig ’taters. an’ water hosses, an’ milk cows, an' 
chop wood, an’ run o’ arrants ever sen I can 
remember, an’ I’m tired an’ sick>' thejhull ont. 
I’m goin' to be a clerk or a doctor. There’s 
Jim Brown that gits eight dellras a month an’ 
his board, an’ he don't work nigh so hard as I 
do nuther; an' he has a chance to go to theaters 
an operys, an’ sich like, evenins." 
“But,” said Jacob Sweet, “ we can't all be 
clerks, and doctors, and lawyers; if we should 
be, wTTo would raise bread for us to live on? I’ve 
pretty much male up my mind to stay where I 
am and try to find my pleasure in my employ¬ 
ment. I know it’s hard work to farm it, but I 
do like to see good crops of grain and fruit grow¬ 
ing, and nice meadows, and fat oxen and good 
sheep feeding in the pastures. Father says 
farming ought to be a profession, a learned pro¬ 
fession, just as much as law and medicine. I 
did think some of trying to study law, but I be¬ 
lieve now I shall study Agriculture.” 
“An’ be a gentleman-book-farmer,” said 
Matt., sneeringly. 
“Yes, a gentleman, book - farmer,” replied 
Jacob ; “ and more than that, a practical, hard¬ 
working farmer into the bargain. I believe in 
work I like to work. I believe scanner may 
work all that is necessary, and yet have’time to 
read and think. I believe if he would read 
and think more he would have less hard work 
to do.” 
Just then the school-bell called the boys to 
their studies. At noon the matter was further 
discussed, and arrangements made for the first 
meeting. We have not time to tell you all 
about it,—how Bill Jenks was allowed to be 
President, but blundered so that he never occu¬ 
pied that position again, — now they adopted a 
Constitution, arranged a Programme of Exer¬ 
cises, chose a subject for discussion, elected 
Jacob Sweet Chairman of the next meeting, 
and Charley Anderson Secretary, — nor 
how Matt. Mason ridiculed the whole affair. 
There were a dozen honest, earnest boys that 
took hold of the matter, and Jacob closed the 
meeting in a manly speech, that made them all 
desire to know more than they did, and to study 
as they knew he studied. 
“Boys,” said he, “it is time we opened our 
eyes and looked around us. It is time we studied 
more and thought more. But few of us will 
ever go to College. We can have a good com¬ 
mon school education, and beyond that what we 
know we must learu by ourselves; and what 
shall we study if not that which we shall have 
need to practice all our lives. If we cannot 
study Latin, aud Greek, and Hebrew, we can 
study the nobler language of God, written on 
all His works around us; if we cannot learn so 
much ol Greece and Rome, we can learn more 
of America, our own dear land; and, boys,” he 
added, "some of our older brothers, those on 
whom our fathers hoped to lean in their old age, 
have fallen in our country’s cause, and we must 
fill their places. Let us learn to do it welL 
We are uot old enough to fight the battles of the 
Uniou — let us do the duties that we can do, and 
by our faithfulness ax)home let the rebels know 
that we, too, love our country, and are proud 
to help raise the foodjthat supports our army in 
the field.”— m. f.'a. e. 
You know the story of the boy who would not 
cry. though the wolf was gnawing him beneath 
• his frock. Most of us have some wolf to gnaw us 
somewhere; but we are generally guawed be¬ 
neath our clothes, so the _ world Yioesn’t see, and 
it behooves us to bear it that the world shall 
not suspect. The man who) goes about pro¬ 
claiming himself to be miserable will be uot only 
miserable but contemptible as well. — Anthony 
Irollope. 
a._ L 
ISP) 
