withstanding all the efforts that have been made, and are making, and the cheering evidence of a correct sentiment among the thinking portion of the community, some grave questions still arise. What shall be done to reach that portion of our social fabric, that all our efforts have failed to arouse? What shall be done to bring in the vagrants of the streets, the young recruits in that great army of crime, which, if something more effectual is not done will one day enter upon and lay waste the fair fields of peace and morality? What shall be done to prevent parents, not only careless but criminal, from withdrawing their children from school at the tender age of ten or twelve years, and sending them forth upon society, their intellects and morals all unformed? Shall ignorant, vicious and careless parents be permitted to cast from them, as a vile thing, that system of blessings that has been provided for their offspring, with so much labor and expense? Shall "the good time coming" be forever delayed by the vicious element that is continually welling up from that depth of society, our present system of education has as yet failed to sound?

The only efficient remedy for these evils, it seems to me, and it is the one intended to be indicated by the tenor of this whole article, is a compulsory system of education. The idea may be derided and hissed at, by that independence of spirit that scoffs at all restrictions, however beneficial, so characteristic of our people, but self-preservation will compel us to come to it sooner or later. Morals, religion, every thing good or great must be built upon a correct youthful training. The human house cannot be taken down in after life, and its foundation relaid upon a rock. The house that is built on sand will fall when beat upon by the storms that are sure to come. The laws of matter and of mind are immutable, and will scarcely change to accommodate themselves to the independent American or any other independent spirit. We have taken one step in the direction of compulsory education, in memorializing the Legislature for a general truancy and vagrancy law. And the Legislature will have made the great mistake of its session if such a law is not provided.

CINCINNATI, Feb. 1, 1856.

JOHN HANCOCK.

Since the above was written, we have found the following in the Cincinnati Commercial. It is designed to meet a pressing necessity, existing in all our larger towns.-ED.

The Committee appointed to draft an act to provide for the punishment of

truants, those children who are found idling their time away in the streets, and are without any regular occupation, submitted the following report, which was received and will be submitted to the Legislature:

An act to provide for the punishment of truants and other purposes. SECT. 1. Be it enacted, &c., that the city Council of all cities of the first class in this State are hereby authorized and empowered to make all needful provisions and arrangements concerning habitual truants, and children not attending school, without any regular and lawful occupation, growing up in ignorance; and also all such ordinances respecting such children as shall be deemed most conducive to their welfare, and the good order of such city, and, there shall be annexed to such ordinances, suitable penalties, not exceeding for any one breach of the same a fine of $20, or imprisonment for one year.

SECT. 2. Every person who shall have any child under his or her control be. tween the ages of 8 and 14 years, shall send such child to some public or private school, at least six months, if the public schools within such city shall be so long kept, in each year, four months of which shall be consecutive.

SECT. 3. It shall be the duty of the Trustees and Visitors of the Common Schools of such city, or some person appointed by them, to make the complaint in every case of violation of said ordinance before some Justice of the Peace, Mayor, or other judicial officer, within and for said city, who, by said ordinance, shall have jurisdiction in the matter. Said Trustees, or person by them appointed, shall alone have authority to make complaint before such judicial officer.

SECT. 4. The said Justice of the Peace, or other judicial officer, may, in any case, at their discretion, in place of the fine aforesaid, be authorized to order children, proved before them to be growing up in truancy, and without the ben. efit of the education provided for them by law, to be placed for such periods of time as they may judge expedient, in such institution of instruction, or houses of reformation, or other suitable situations, as may be assigned or provided for such purposes under the authority conveyed by the first section.

SECT. 5. Every person who shall violate the provisions of the second section of this act, shall forfeit and pay a fine to said city, for the use and benefit of the Common Schools thereof, of a sum not exceeding $20, to be recovered with costs, in any court having jurisdiction.

SECT. 6. If, upon inquiry before the Judicial officer upon any complaint under this act, it shall appear that such child has attended or is attending some school without the city in which he or she resides, for the time required by this act, or has been otherwise furnished with competent means of education for a like period of time or has already acquired such branches of learning as are taught in the Common or District Schools, or if it shall appear that such child from his or her bodily or mental constitution has been sick, so as to prevent his or her attendance at school, or his or her acquisition of learning, for such period of time, then such person shall be held not to have violated the provisions of this act.

SECT. 7. That in all cases of commitment under this act, or ordinance, in pursuance hereof, by a Justice of the Peace, or other judicial officer, an appeal may be taken to the Court of Common Pleas by the party entering into bonds with surety in any sum not exceeding $300.

To the above, we add the following from the Cleveland Leader, of Feb. 11, 1856.

It is highly encouraging to see public attention turned to so important a subject. Every city in our State is crowded with these wretched boys, and public safety, as well as public duty, demands that for them something be done.

As this subject is pressing itself upon the attention of all our readers, and as action should be taken in view of facts, we have arranged with the Chairman of the Committee to which the Association committed this matter, for a series of articles on the subject, the first of which will appear in our next number.-ED.

ANDREW FREEZE, Esq., Superintendent of Public Schools:-In accordance with your request, I herewith furnish statistics of juvenile offenders arraigned before the Police Court, during the six months ending February 1st. There were arraigned before the Police Court of this city sixty-two cases of minors, not exceeding seventeen years of age, about one-third of whom had previously been in prison. There were arrested for petit larceny, forty-five; for assaulting other children, four; for vagrancy and intoxication, each two; for grand larceny, prostitution, and immoderate driving, each one; and one, a boy of fifteen years of age, for severely assaulting his mother, who, being unable to protect herself, called upon the officers for assistance. Four of those guilty of stealing, it was ascertained, acted under instructions of their parents when they committed the offenses for which they were arrested. One of the two brought up for intoxication was fifteen, and the other fourteen years of age. The mother of the younger was convicted of a similar offense at the same time. There were, of the age of seventeen, 7; of sixteen, 14; of fourteen, 12; of thirteen, 6; of twelve, 7; of eleven, 1; of ten, 3; and of nine, eight and seven, each 1. Seven were twice arraigned, one three times, and two four times.

Twenty-four were convicted and punished, six were released for want of evidence, and twelve told the truth, were penitent, and received the kind admonition of the Judge, and were discharged. None of the latter have since been arrested.

Of twenty-three, both parents were living; ten, both were dead; seventeen had no father, and twelve no mother. Of the whole number, fifty-three were males and seven females.

MARY LYON.

In all vocations of life we need exemplars. In matters pertaining to physics, mind and faith, we seek aid and direction from the "great masters" in those departments. The architect, the artist, the sculptor, the physician, the lawyer, the minister, the poet, the orator, and the statesman, all look to men who have distinguished themselves in their professions; not to be their servile imitators, but to note their excellences, and take lessons from their examples.

We, as Teachers, as those to whom the great work of mental, social and moral training has been committed, often seek wisdom and direction from such sources as may be within our reach. And while we should look chiefly to a higher than any human power for the knowledge which we need, still it is well for us to learn from those who have attained to eminence in our profession. Nor shall we search in vain for bright examples, for, though some may esteem our calling a humble one, no profession can point to nobler names than thousands of the men and women who have filled the Teacher's office. Our universities, seminaries, and other schools, can furnish names, which, for talent and usfulness, will not suffer in comparison with those of any other avocation.

Among the names of female Teachers who have served their generation and gone to their reward, none stand higher than MARY LYON, the founder of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. One who recognizes the overruling hand of Providence in the events of life, can but notice the striking adaptation of the scenes and experiences through which Miss Lyon passed, to fit her for the great work which she accomplished. Born amid the bold and beautiful scenery of North-Western Massachusetts, her heart seemed formed somewhat after the model of the hills by which she was surrounded, on a large and liberal scale. She had the advantage of early and judicious parental training. Her childhood and youth were passed, not in ease and affluence, nor among people distinguished for genius and talent, but with a hard-working self-dependent yeomanry, who were strangers to those false and degrading ideas of labor, that some entertain. Mary Lyon was remarkable from her youth for persevering and indefatigable industry. She early manifested a love for learning, which her humble birth and narrow circumstances allowed her few opportunities of indulging; but when they did

offer, she never suffered them to escape unimproved. Obstacles and discouragements which would have crushed the feeble and irresolute only rendered her more eager in the prosecution of her studies. During the eleven years previous to the time when she engaged in estab lishing the Mt. Holyoke Seminary, she taught in different parts of her native State. She became extensively known as a successful Teacher, which served to enlist public opinion in favor of her later enterprise. When the project was finally formed of founding an institution which should be permanent in its character, and should be to ladies what the college is to young men, she devised the means and laid the plans by which it should be carried into effect. It was she who reached the hearts and purses of the benevolent Christian public by earnest common sense appeals. She went about her work with a Spartan self-devotion which resolves to succeed or die." While the scheme was considered wild and visionary by many, to her the indications of Providence appeared plain. She had weighed the matter too long, and considered it in all its bearings too carefully, to give up the attempt as useless, because it was so pronounced by many, taking of it only a superficial view. From the time of discovering and realizing the need of such a Seminary, to that of commencing operations there, can be seen the far-reaching sagacity and accurate judgment of its originator. She possessed that firm trust in the providence of God that enabled her to overcome all opposition, till at last she was brought to see the completion of her object in the existence of one of the most noble institutions of learning which the world can boast.

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Impossible as it is to present, within the limits of an essay, even the outlines of a character so eminent for piety and usefulness as that of Mary Lyon, mention will be made of only a few of those characteristics which rendered her eminently successful as an instructor, and which some of us as Teachers, if not already perfect, may do well to imitate.

First may be mentioned her devotedness to her work. She loved her profession. To it she gave all her energies, thoughts, and sympathies. There was the constant inquiry into her own deficiencies and their remedies, the study of the character and disposition of her pupils, and the close eye upon their progress. She examined her system of teaching and her form of government to see where they were deficient and how she might improve.

A second characteristic was firmness and decision. Her principle was that the rules of a school must be enforced.

She possessed that accuracy of judgment which enabled her to decide