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education in one of our Primary Schools. When told that children in that department are not taught the classics, he asked, 'a'nt they taught in classes? and a'nt that a classical education ?""

Our meetings did not often continue more than two hours, though sometimes they did not close till 12 o'clock. At first our exercises were agreed upon by the Teachers, each one proposing whatever he saw fit. As objections to this course soon became apparent, the Superintendent assumed the duty of dictating the whole performance of each meeting. He would frequently consult with individual Teachers in regard to the topics to be presented, still in all things his judgment was the law of the meetings.

When written questions were presented for consideration, the following order was preserved: The questions were laid upon the Superintendent's desk before he took his seat. When they were reached in order, the Superintendent read the one which happened to come up first, but did not give the name of the author, that no one might feel embarrassment. All the Teachers had an opportunity to "free their minds" on the subject, which several of them usually embraced. Their opinions were not always unanimous. Then the Superintendent "summed up," and gave as definite an answer as he was capable of doing. The answers given above are mere abstracts of those given in the meeting. Occasionally permission was given to all the Teachers to propose such questions as they chose, to which answers were made.

As the Superintendent passed around among the schools during the weck, he would sometimes observe things which ought to be corrected, and of which he did not deem it best to speak to the Teacher. At the Teachers' Meetings he would allude to them in a general way, so as to correct the evil, and not wound the feelings of a sensitive Teacher.

The improvement which most of the Teachers made by attendance upon these meetings, and the consequent improvement in their schools, were most obvious. The Teachers thus became acquainted with each other, and kindly sympathies for each other were awakened. All soon learned their respective duties in a system of Union Schools, and our "school machinery" worked with little jarring, or disorder.

The average number of Teachers in attendance was about twenty. In very small towns, and in large cities, this plan might need modifica

tion.

Should any Teacher desire further information on this subject, they are referred to Mr. John Eaton, jr., the present Superintendent of the Toledo Schools.

THE ORIA.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever." There are words of beauty, or beautiful words. Some are pleasant and cherished on account of their vocality. Their utterance delights the ear, and we love their repetition. Others are beautiful on account of their origin and significance. The word Halcyon is an example. But when a word, a name, a term, combines these several elements of beauty, to the eye, the ear, and the soul, it becomes an object of almost sacred attachment.

And such is the word ORIA. Whether in softest whisper, or in fullest force, its utterance is easy, and its sound pleasant. And its origin and signification are exceedingly beautiful. We may read all the books, and search all the Dictionaries of our language, and the word "Oria" we shall not find.

At the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, the members of each class organize themselves in a society for given purposes; among which is the perpetuation of their acquaintance and the strengthening of their ties of affection. Periodically they have a class letter, which contains a condensed report of every member of the class, a copy of which is furnished to each member. Each class is designated by some name, either selected, or formed for the purpose.

The class which graduated in 1855, adopted as their motto the suggestive words, "Our Rest Is Above;" the initial letters of which compose the word “ Oria." In sound and in meaning it possesses surpassing beauty. "Our rest is above!" Said our Lord, "My Father worketh, and I work." Work is a condition to our accomplishment of the divine purposes in regard to our happiness. All the truly great and good of earth have been distinguished for hard work. But there remaineth to such a Rest, sweet as Heaven, lasting as Eternity. "Our rest is Above,"-not here, where so much work needs be done, but above" with God.

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The Oria numbers 58 members; two of whom are Missionaries in foreign lands, and nearly forty are engaged in teaching in fourteen different States. They, like Mary Lyon, are workers, but with her they will at length "rest from their labors, and their works will follow them."

Would it not be a pleasant idea to have the several classes in our High Schools form themselves into societies, with appropriate mottoes and names?

TO HOPEDALE.

One pleasant morning in September, we left the Capital City for a trip to Hopedale, the seat of the M'Neely Normal School. We had known something of this Institution, by reputation, and we knew in what County it was located. Still our ideas of the school and the place were quite indefinite, and we started on our journey not knowing the things that should befall us.

We took the cars on the Central Ohio R. R., and went to the town of Newark, in Licking County. Flogging in the Navy has been abolished, and there is but little whipping in our schools at the present day, and we do not, just at present, think of any valid reason why the name of this fine County should not be changed for another more in keeping with the humane spirit of the age. Licking, or even Killing, would be an appropriate name for a County on the Missouri, or the Potomac, but it sounds rather too pugilistic for a name among the peace-loving people of Ohio.

At Newark we took the cars on the Steubenville R. R., and passing through the Villages of Dresden, Coshocton, and some others, we made our way eastward. The country through most of Coshocton and Tuscarawas is beautiful. To one who has lived for years in a dead-level country, it is a joy to come in sight of hills, such as those among which his years ago were spent. As we proceeded the hills became more numerous, and instead of standing off in the distance, they came near and crowded down upon the road, till there was barely space enough left for the track. Carroll and Harrison Counties are, so far as we saw them, as hilly as Litchfield and Berkshire.

One hundred and twenty miles from Columbus is Miller's Station, about three miles from Hopedale. There we landed-some dozen of us-and entered into a discussion in regard to the best mode of ascending the mountain to "the College." Several stout boys, without luggage, concluded to avail themselves of the means of locomotion which nature had furnished them. The rest of us, including a lady and three children, bargained with one of the two men who live at the "Station' to transport us to our destination. With a span of beautiful black horses, a heavy lumber wagon, with narrow strips of boards laid across the top of the box, he "took us in," he really did.

The old road had been vacated for a mile, and a new one fenced, but not made. The Hon. Mike Walsh once remaked that it requires more

talent to keep from being run over by omnibuses in New York, than it does to act as Justice of the Peace in the rural districts. And we solemnly depose that all our ability, mental and physical, was kept in vigorous exercise to maintain our position. But there happened to be some happy souls on board, and we had no little amusement. Soon we

reached a good road, and as we splendid view greeted our vision. beautiful heads in every direction. lent, and under good cultivation.

arose to the top of the hill a most Hills, "everlasting hills," lifted their Though so uneven, the soil is excel

At sunset we reached the Village, and found our friend—Mr. McNeely at his gate, waiting our arrival. For a very pleasant home for twenty-four hours, we owe him many thanks.

The lecture that evening was well attended, the Village Church being greatly crowded. More than one hundred Teachers were present, the Harrison and Jefferson Counties Institute being in session.

The next morning we received FIFTY new subscribers to the Journal of Education, after a talk of ten minutes. Forty of these reside in Harrison County.

The Institute, which had been favored with the attendance of Dr. A. D. Lord, Messrs. Holbrook, Royce, Leggett, Desellem, Tappan, Lambert, and other distinguished Teachers from abroad, and Messrs. Ogden and Regal of Hopedale, closed its session of two weeks with high satisfaction in respect to the interest and success with which it had been attended.

The Normal School was not in session, but we learned sufficient in regard to its character and spirit, to convince us that it is doing a good work. Mr. McNeely is rearing to himself a monument as enduring as the hills on which it stands. We believe that Mr. Ogden and his Associate Instructors are faithfully meeting the responsibilities of their position. The school building is well adapted to its purpose. A very commodious and respectable boarding house for ladies has been erected at an expense of $5,000, by Mrs. Eliza Hogg, of Cadiz. It will furnish accommodations for 40 boarders. Mrs. H. has granted the use of this house free of charge to the Institute for a term of three years. Should the prospects of the school at the end of that time be favorable, she will donate this fine edifice to the Institution.

necessity, and it

This matter was

A boarding hall for young men is now an urgent should be provided at the earliest moment practicable. eloquently presented at the late meeting of our State Association in Mansfield. We visited the location described, and can bear testimony

to the life-like nature of the picture drawn. The vale, the trees, the flowers, the fountains, the singing birds, and the other-things-in-proportion are all there.

In company with our oriental friend, C. S. R., we walked back to Miller's Station, and took the cars for Steubenville, twenty-three miles east, which pleasant city we reached in the evening, and of our visit we will speak in our next.

LETTERS TO THE CHILDREN OF OHIO.

DEAR CHILDREN:

NUMBER VII.

I must have another talk with my blessed little Buckeyes. In September I received two letters from you. One was from a school in Austinburgh, Ashtabula County, and signed by Celestia Miller, Dwight Root, Helen Ryder, and Edgar Miller. The other was from Independence, Cuyahoga County, and was signed by Jacob Jager, and sixteen other children. I thank you a thousand times for these interesting letters, and hope that you will write me a great many more during this month.

In my last letter I left you all in the middle of the State Prison, and now I must get you out of it; that is, I must finish my story about the Prison. I would like to write you a long letter, but there is not room for it in the Journal.

Yesterday I attended worship in the chapel of the Prison, and, O children! I wish you could have been there. Six hundred men, all dressed in prison uniform, were present, and they behaved with strict propriety, paying good attention to all that was said to them. But what a congregation! They were all thieves, robbers, counterfeiters, murderers, or something else as bad. But a good many of them were good-looking men, and once they had occupied respectable positions in society. I felt very sorry for them, and wished very much that they might all become good men. Almost all of them looked sad. Perhaps they were thinking of years ago, when they were innocent and happy boys; when their parents loved them; when they had pleasant homes. Perhaps some of them who are fathers, were thinking of their poor little children, whom they love, but can not see. There were some present whom I had known Prison. I was acquainted with their children. children! I pity them all.

before they came to the Wretched men! Poor

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