be adding little or nothing to his stock of
knowledge. He is acquiring _skill_, which, at some future time, he may
make the means of increasing his knowledge, to any extent.

This distinction ought to be kept constantly in view, and the teacher
should feel that these three fundamental branches stand by themselves,
and stand first in importance. I do not mean to undervalue the others,
but only to insist upon the superior value and importance of these.
Teaching a pupil to read, before he enters upon the active business of
life, is like giving a new settler an axe, as he goes to seek his new
home in the forest. Teaching him a lesson in history, is, on the other
hand, only cutting down a tree or two for him. A knowledge of natural
history, is like a few bushels of grain, gratuitously placed in his
barn; but the art of ready reckoning, is the plough, which will remain
by him for years, and help him to draw out from the soil an annual
treasure.

The great object, then, of the common schools in our country, is to
teach the whole population to read, to write, and to calculate. In fact,
so essential is it, that the accomplishment of these objects should be
secured, that it is even a question whether common schools should not be
confined to them. I say it is a _question_, for it is sometimes made so,
though public opinion has decided, that some portion of attention, at
least, should be paid to the acquisition of additional knowledge. But
after all, the amount of _knowledge_, which is actually acquired at
schools, is very small. It must be very small. The true policy is, to
aim at making all, good readers, writers, and calculators, and to
consider the other studies of the school important, chiefly as practice,
in turning these arts to useful account. In other words, the scholars
should be taught these arts, thoroughly, first of all, and in the other
studies, the main design should be to show them how to use, and interest
them in using, the arts they have thus acquired.

A great many teachers feel a much stronger interest in the one or two
scholars they may have, in Surveying, or in Latin, than they do in the
large classes, in the elementary branches, which fill the school. But a
moment's reflection will show, that such a preference is founded on a
very mistaken view. Leading forward one or two minds, from step to step,
in an advanced study, is certainly far inferior, in real dignity and
importance, to opening all the stores of