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PERSONAL. Mr. HENRY W. TORREY, the successful teacher for many years of a young ladies' school in this city, but perhaps most widely known as the assistant editor of Leverett's Latin Lexicon, has been appointed Professor of History in Harvard College.

Rev. BRADFORD K. PIERCE has been elected Superintendent and Chaplain of the State Industrial School for Girls.

Rev. MOSES P. CASE has been unanimously elected Principal of the High School in Lynn.

The withdrawal of Messrs. OLIVER CARLTON, Principal of the Latin High School in Salem, LORING LOTHROP, Principal of the Girls' High and Normal School in Boston, and HENRY WILLIAMS, Jr., Principal of the Winthrop School in Boston, from public to establish private schools, will be regretted by many, who prefer public to private instruction, and will be welcomed by others, who prefer private to public. Mr. BATCHELDER has entered upon his duties as Principal of the combined High School in Salem. We copy from the Lynn News: "The festival in honor of Mr. JACOB BATCHELDER was held at Exchange Hall, on Wednesday evening. There were about five hundred and fifty persons present, mostly Mr. B.'s past and present pupils. Mr. Batchelder has spent about twenty-two years in teaching, in Lynn, during which time not less than twelve hundred different pupils have been under his charge. He leaves with the regrets not only of his pupils, but of the parents, and, indeed, of the whole community, to whom he has become endeared during his long residence among us."

The "Plymouth Rock" says that Rev. Adiel Harvey has been re-engaged as Superintendent of the Plymouth schools the ensuing year, at a salary of $1000.

BOOKKEEPING. - Sir Walter Scott, in lending a book one day to a friend, cautioned him to be punctual in returning it. "This is really necessary," said the poet, in apology, "for though many of my friends are bad arithmeticians, I observe almost all of them are good bookkeepers."

SPELLING. A Western editor thinks that if the proper way of spelling tho is "though," and ate "eight," and boes " beaux," the proper way of spelling potatoes is "poughteighteaux."

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

I can see that I grow older,
And I note it day by day!
I can feel my heart grow colder
As its pleasures pass away.
At the tell-tale glass I linger,
As with faded eye I trace
Solemn tokens which Time's finger
Has engraven on my face.

But one moment can restore me
To my boyhood and my prime,
And sweet memories come o'er me
Of that brief and blessed time;
Then I hear a father's blessing,

And I feel a mother's kiss;
And again I am caressing

One who shared with me my bliss.

Who shall say the Past must perish
'Neath the Future's coming waves?
What the soul delights to cherish.
From Oblivion's depths it saves!
Looking backward, on I'm gliding,
Till I reach that final shore
Where the Present is abiding,

And where Change shall come no more. -Sel.

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EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.

As so many towns and districts are now forming plans for the erection of new school-houses or the refitting of old ones, it seemed to us that we should be inexcusable if we did not devote a considerable part of this number to the subject of School Architecture; that if, at this critical time, we omitted to warn against the mistakes and defects that are so prevalent in this department of school provision, and to suggest right principles and methods, both teachers and pupils, who would perhaps be sufferers in consequence year after year, might justly hold us responsible for the neglect. We have therefore done what we could,-with some special expense, and much special labor; and, for the sake of the great interests at stake, invite the earnest attention of our readers to the articles upon this subject. And if your towns or districts have any school-houses to build or repair, will you not circulate this number among your neighbors, especially those who may be upon building or repairing committees, and use all your influence that the work may be done aright? But buildings are stubborn, unyielding things (hence the especial importance of their being well planned); and they impart some of this property to papers which treat of them. We regret that, on this account, we have been compelled to defer the insertion of some valuable contributions. We hope that our correspondents will have patience with us; and especially, that they will not suppose, because we happen to have a little more than enough for dinner to-day, that therefore we shall want no table spread for us to-morrow. Our anxiety to secure the best possible buildings in the future has also prevented us from showing that regard which we have designed and still hope to do, to the many spacious and beautiful school edifices which have been recently erected and dedicated.

Since the report of our Question Box was made out and in type, we have received from D. C. L. an answer to our first question, corresponding substantially with that of J. M. L.

"HOW BEAUTIFUL IS SNOW. - Our brother of the R. I. Schoolmaster, so eminent for his editorial skill, asks in respect to the authorship of a poetic gem, commencing with these words. In copying it for the "Teacher" of last month, we inadvertently omitted to credit it to the "Lyric of the Golden Age," a poetical olio, communicated to us, as we are assured, by the spirits of Byron, Shelley, Pollok, &c., through the mediumship of Thomas L. Harris. SCHOOL AGENCY.-Those of our readers who wish, either to obtain situations as teachers, or to secure the services of teachers, will find in our advertising columns the announcement by Messrs. Robinson & Richardson, 119 Washington St., Boston, of an excellent plan devised by them for meeting the wants of these two classes, and subserving their mutual convenience and advantage. The want of an agency of this kind in Boston has been much felt.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.-Four Institutes have been already definitely appointed for the Spring, to be held at the following places and times :-Dennis, March 24-28; Kingston, March 31-April 4; Marlboro', April 14-18; Ware, April 21-25. The exercises will commence on Monday morning of each week at 10 o'clock, and will continue through Friday evening. Though specially designed for teachers, they will be" open," we borrow from the Secretary's Circular, "to the friends of education generally," and, since teaching is, or should be, the "universal profession," cannot fail to contain much that will be of general interest. The Lecturers, according to the arrangements which have been made, will be the Secretary and two Agents of the Board of Education, and, in addition to these, Prof. Mason in Music, Prof. Russell in Reading and Elocution, Prof. Krüsi in Mathematics and Drawing, and Prof. Tenney in Geography and Natural Science. The usual hospitalities to eachers are tendered by the good people of the several towns.

THE

MASSACHUSETTS TEACHER,

AND

JOURNAL OF HOME AND SCHOOL EDUCATION.

MAY, 1856.

THE TRUE MISSION OF THE TEACHER.

A PRIZE ESSAY, BY MRS. RACHEL C. MATHER,

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OF THE BIGELOW SCHOOL, BOSTON.

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REQUISITES FOR SUCCESS.

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Wide is the teacher's field, and responsible her mission. How shall she fulfil it, how shall she energize the indolent, control the impetuous, and subdue the perverse? How shall she cultivate sound principles, form good habits, and develop the soul for eternal progress, duty, happiness, and Heaven? The essential prerequisites for success are appropriate natural endowments, such as an innate love of children, aptness to teach, and good talents, together with a preparatory course of training. If thus commissioned of God for our work, we may cheerfully summon our energies, and God will help us, working in and through us; for the unfolding of the human soul is His own great work. Good angels, too, will recognize us as their fellow workers, and lend us their sympathizing aid. Since we labor to develop and train the spirit, the weapons of our success should be "not carnal, but spiritual and mighty through God."

One of these is faith, in God, for faith is a miracle worker, by which we may draw down and appropriate the divine life; and also in ourselves, for confidence in ourselves inspires others with confidence in us; whereas, if we doubt our own ability, our pupils soon begin to doubt it too. Truth

is another efficacious weapon, and they who know how to wield it well, have obtained a secret of true sovereignty; for truth sways the intellect and conscience, and bows the will.

Faith and truth are agents of mighty power, yet there is a mightier, and that is love; for love moves, inclines, subdues the heart. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh," what wisdom could not accomplish in the regeneration of man, because its end was self-interest, Incarnate Love has gloriously achieved. Love is of God, and its presence in the teacher's heart is an infusion of divine life, that has power to convert the school into a miniature Heaven. Where love reigns, there, too, reign order, harmony, and peace. Banishing animosity and perturbation from every breast, it diffuses, throughout the school, sweetness, serenity, and joy like that above. Under its genial influence, the unlovely become lovable, the cold heart grows warm, the torpid intellect bestirs itself, and the slumbering moral faculties awake to new life and healthy action. Wisdom enlightens and invigorates the mind, and knowledge enlarges its capacity; but love quickens the affections, vitalizes the moral sentiments, and refines the soul. The logic of the intellect often invites antagonism, and is resisted; but that of the heart is winning and irresistible, instinct, too, with a vital influ

ence which can never die.

However coarse and repellent our pupils may be, let us love them still, for they are all the offspring of God. However unworthy and degraded, let us not cast them from our sympathy, for each one is some holy angel's special care, and possesses a soul of more value than the material universe. Let us ever be faithful and kind toward all under our care, remembering that their angels, who "always behold the face of the Father," will be swift witnesses against us, if we neglect to promote their highest interests, or needlessly inflict upon them pain and sorrow.

THIS MISSION HIGH AND HOLY.

High and holy is thy mission, faithful teacher. Thou art not an artificer in brass and iron, nor an artisan in wood and stone, nor, like the merchant, dost thou grope amid the rubbish of earth, nor, like the artist, dost thou create pictures, statues, and cathedrals. These are but the dim types and veiled symbols of thy work, for thou, too, art an artist, not in the sphere of the material and perishable, but in that of the immaterial and immortal;-a Raphael, whose canvas is the unoccupied mind of childhood, where, with divine help, thou mayst trace pictures of unfading beauty, all glowing with

the celestial halo of purity and truth;-a sculptor, who, if the Spirit aid thee, mayst mould those warm, plastic natures, so fresh from their Maker's hand, into forms of angelic symmetry and grace, all radiant with Heaven's own light; — a sub-architect, employed by the Divine, to rear the human soul into a "glorious holy temple unto the Lord;"—a melodist, too, whose "harp of a thousand strings" is the heart with its many chords, each of which, at thy gentlest touch, may thrill and vibrate forever; a Mozart, whose mission it is to evoke such harmonies from the spirit's dormant depths, that the psalm of life shall sweetly chime with the seraphim's song, and its anthem of labor ascend as a hymn of praise, responsive to the voice of inspiration and the calls of Providence.

And though no royal blood courses thy veins, yet thou bearest a more regal sway than many of noble birth; for thy nobility is that of the soul, and thy domain, the realm of mind. Thou art not called, like the artist, to vitalize dull, decaying matter into forms of life and beauty; but to awaken and beautify latent mind, and vitalize and inspire its neverdying energies. Thou art not called to prepare food and raiment for the frail body, so soon to mingle with its native dust, but to feed the immortal soul with wholesome knowledge, and adorn it with the graceful drapery of wisdom and truth, drapery which can never fade, grow old, or wear out. Thou art not called, like the pastor, to cultivate the hard, rough soil of mature mind, so often preoccupied with care, indurated by the world, and callous from sin. Thy labor is in the yielding, fertile soil of impressible childhood, and wide is thy field,too wide for the narrow minded and bigoted to occupy; arduous and responsible thy duties, too arduous for the inefficient, too responsible for the imbecile; and pleasant is thy labor, for it is in the sphere of the heart, childhood's warm, loving heart, too bright and sunshiny a sphere to be darkened by the lowering brow of the petulant and vindictive.

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High and holy indeed is thy mission,- too high for the sordid and grovelling to fulfil, too holy for the gross and irreverent; in moral sublimity surpassed by no earthly mission except the mother's. If such be the dignity and importance of the teacher's mission, should not every teacher, as well as preacher, be self consecrated to the work, in heart and life, pure and unspotted from the world?"

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The true teacher loves her work. Her heart lingers not in Vanity Fair, nor is engrossed with any idol, but is devoted to

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