Punishment for violated law. -The very idea of law, as has already been stated, implies a power to enforce its commands. The safety of every citizen in life, liberty, and property depends upon the prompt and impartial administration of justice and the execution of all legal requirements. There is a sentiment of disgrace attached to punishment, that ought rather to belong to the commission of crime the shame is in the perpetration of the offense, and not in the penalty. It is not the severity of punishment that deters men from the violation of law, but the certainty that the penalty will be exacted.

No good citizen can connive at the escape of any criminal, or be indifferent to the administration of justice, or sympathize with those who commit crime, for the wrongs that he tolerates to-day may be the same that he will suffer to-morrow. The safety of society depends upon the speedy administration of the courts; for, when people, from indifference or injudicious tenderness, permit their sympathies to shield the criminal, they injure the community whose laws are defied; they wrong the culprit, for whose crime they apologize, and they outrage the innocent victims of injustice, by preventing the execution of the law that was made for their protection.

The American Union.-Our country has an immense extent of territory, which is capable of sustaining a vast population. The people, spread over so great a surface, engaged in so many kinds of business, will often find their interests conflicting. The great variety of climate, soil, and situation, the woods, waters, and mines afford infinite diversity of productions, which add to the wealth of the country and the comfort of its citizens. This diversity will

Should the laws be executed impartially? Why? Is the disgrace in the violation of law, or in its punishment-the stealing or the going to jail? Is it severity that makes obedient citizens? May a good citizen assist a criminal to escape? Why? Why is it likely that opposition and rivalry will cause disaffection among different sections of our country?

create rivalry and opposition in trade, that will tend to estrange one portion of the people from another, unless a sense of common security and a patriotic pride shall prevent the alienation.

When the constitution of the United States was adopted, it was intended to prevent jealousy and bitterness from arising between the different sections of the country. The former government, called the Confederation, only lasted eight years; it did not secure a perfect union, establish justice, or secure the blessings for which the new constitution was instituted. The constitution was intended to unite the whole people from Maine to Texas, from Oregon to Florida, in a great, grand government, whose mission is to secure and "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." For convenience in the administration of justice, and for the better execution of the laws, the nation is divided into states; these are subdivided into counties; these again into townships; and these, for various reasons, are sometimes cut up into smaller districts.

The interests of the different communities are best promoted by these separations, but it does not follow that because a person lives in a certain school district that he should feel no concern for the education of the other children of the township; nor is it wise that because he lives in one township, he shall advocate its interests to the neglect of the rest of the county; neither is it liberal, because he lives in a certain county, that he shall seek to gain for it a special advantage, to the injury of other parts of the state; nor is it patriotic that, happening to be born in a certain state, he shall love it in preference to the republic of which it is only a fraction. Let it be the proud boast of every American boy and girl, "I, TOO, AM AN AMERICAN."

What was the constitution adopted for? How long did the confederation last? Why was the form of government changed? Repeat the text. How is our nation divided? A state? A county? A township? What are these subdivisions for? Should patriotism or selfishness govern the citizens of each state, county, township, and school district? Why? What should be the motto of every citizen?

The counsel of the beloved Washington, in his Farewell Address, is worthy of a perpetual remembrance. He urged the people to beware of sectional strifes, and besought them, as they valued the principles of liberty and the success of constitutional government, not to consider themselves the citizens of the north or the south, the east or the west, but to unite, and by sympathy, kindness, charity, and brotherly love, to secure the welfare of their common country—the United States of America. Let the youth of the land now "rally round the flag," cultivate fraternal feelings with all sections, and promote the interests of every state, and thus, in the language of Mr. Webster, make practical the "sentiment dear to every American heart—LIBERTY and UNION; NOW and FOREVER-ONE and INSEPARABLE."

CHAPTER XXIX.

"He who loves not his country can love nothing."

EDUCATION.

The School is a miniature state: a little commonwealth. The object of the government is the preservation and protection of the people; the object of the school is to prepare the people properly for living in the government. The state has laws "commanding what is right, and prohibiting what is wrong;" the school must have laws for the same

What did Washington advise? How should we be united-by force or by love? What was Mr. Webster's sentiment? Why should it be dear?

To what is a school compared? Why? What is the object of the government? What of the school? For what are the laws of the state made? What the laws of school?

purpose. The state has officers appointed to execute its laws; the school must have the same. The moral law makes it a duty to obey the laws of the state, and therefore it is right that habits of respect and obedience be learned in school. A bad state government is better than confusion and anarchy; so even an inferior government in school is better than none. As our republican system of government depends on the self-control of the citizens, so the excellence of the school will to a very great extent depend upon the dispositions of the pupils to do right. Morality, intelligence, obedience to law, and politeness are the distinguishing marks of good society; so, also, will these virtues characterize those pupils who are preparing to enter good society.

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School laws.-The law of the school may be defined as a rule of action prescribed by the supreme power in a school, commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong."

The teacher.-The exercise of the supreme power in a school is generally vested in the teacher, subject to the supervision of those from whom he receives his appointment. We have already learned that in our system of civil government there are three departments-the legislative, judicial, and executive. These in the school are usually united in the person of the teacher, making his duties sometimes trying, and always responsible. He frames the rules of action for the pupils while they are intrusted to his care; he is master to direct, friend to advise, teacher to instruct, and executive to enforce his rules. It is his duty to look after the health, secure the comfort, protect the rights, and preserve the morals of his pupils.

As he assumes to be a teacher, there are those who expect

Upon what does the excellence of the government, as well as the school, depend? Define school law. How does it differ from the definition of municipal law? In whom is supreme power in schools generally vested? Why? What are the teacher's duties? Is it an easy position? Why? What attributes is the teacher sometimes expected to possess?

him to be learned, wise, careful, prudent, amiable, gentle, sociable, forbearing, long suffering, impartial, charitable, diligent, attentive, studious, energetic, polite, commanding, healthy, omniscient, and omnipresent. Such expectations are never realized, and consequently it will not be surprising that he does not give full satisfaction to all his pupils and their parents. Still, it may safely be asserted that, as a class, teachers do possess at least the desire to do right.

Teachers' rights.-The teacher has rights which are due to his position, his age, and his superior acquirements. He also has feelings as tender, sensibilities as delicate, pride as sensitive, and self-love as strong as any of his pupils, and no pupil has a right to impose upon him in violation of the golden rule. It is not to be expected that he shall be overcome by passion, prejudice, or pride, unless under very strong provocations, but what moral right has any one to exercise his patience by provocation? Teacher and pupils. are under the same obligations to each other to be kind, patient, charitable, and forgiving. It may safely be said, however, that whenever the pupils of a school endeavor to do right, no fear need be entertained that any teacher will attempt to provoke them to act differently.

"Why they went to war."-Most of the troubles in school arise primarily from the same reasons that led the two kings to make war on each other.

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"A certain king, it is said, sent to another king, saying: 'Send me a blue pig with a black tail, or else

The

other, in high dudgeon at the presumed insult, replied: 'I have not got one, and if I had On this weighty

cause they went to war for many years,

Do parents have the same? Why do all teachers fail to give satisfaction to some? Are people generally more reasonable than teachers are? Has the teacher rights? Name them. Is the golden rule binding equally on teacher and pupils? When pupils do right, do teachers generally find fault with them? What is the character of the pupils, generally, who complain of the teacher? Give the anecdote of the two kings who went to war.

M. M.-14