ible requires, and to do what he can to bring others to the peace and
happiness of piety. These truths are so plain that they admit of no
discussion and no denial, and it seems to me highly unsafe for any man
to neglect or to postpone the performance of the duty which arises from
them. A still greater hazard is incurred when such a man, having forty
or fifty fellow-beings almost entirely under his influence, leads them,
by his example, away from their Maker, and so far that he must, in many
cases, hopelessly confirm the separation. With these views, I could not,
when writing on the duties of a teacher of the young, refrain from
bringing distinctly to view this which has so imperious a claim.

CHAPTER VI.

THE MOUNT VERNON SCHOOL.

Perhaps there is no way by which teachers can, in a given time, do more
to acquire a knowledge of their art, and an interest in it, than by
visiting each others' schools.

It is not always the case that any thing is observed by the visitor
which he can directly and wholly introduce into his own school, but what
he sees suggests to him modifications or changes, and it gives him, at
any rate, renewed strength and resolution in his work to see how similar
objects are accomplished, or similar difficulties removed by others. I
have often thought that there ought, on this account, to be far greater
freedom and frequency in the inter-change of visits than there is.

Next, however, to a visit to a school, comes the reading of a vivid
description of it. I do not mean a cold, theoretical exposition of the
general principles of its management and instruction, for these are
essentially the same in all good schools. I mean a minute account of the
plans and arrangements by which these general principles are applied.
Suppose twenty of the most successful teachers in New England would
write such a description, each of his own school, how valuable would be
the volume which should contain them!

With these views, I have concluded to devote one chapter to the
description of a school which was for several years under my care.[4]
The account was originally prepared and _printed_, but not published,
for the purpose of distribution among the scholars, simply because this
seemed to be the easiest and surest method of making them, on their
admission to the school, acquainted with its arrangements and plans. It
is addressed, therefore, throughout to a pupil, and I preserve its
original form, as, by its be