power, and school committees are men. The best school boards in Massachusetts retain in their own hands all the power that the law gives them. They never delegate power to anybody. In the largest city of New England, the Athens of America, as I am credibly informed, the superintendent and his six fellow experts, the board of supervisors, do not have the power to grant a diploma to a single grammar school pupil, which passes him on to the high school, till their action has been reviewed and its propriety passed upon by a sub-committee, not even when the giving of the diploma is recommended by the grammar master who has watched the progress of the pupil for nine successive years. And I think this accords with the general practice throughout the state. I confess I see no remedy for the evil of which I complain except in a revision of the school law. A change in the law to be effective must be radical and thorough. It must provide for: 1. A term of office for teachers and superintendents, permanent during good behavior. 2. A court of appeal in case of dismissal for cause. 3. The employment of educational experts. 4. The direction of all strictly professional work by such experts. IT REMINISCENCES OF LOWELL MASON. SUPT. WILLIAM A. MOWRY, PH. D., SALEM, MASS. T is doubtless true that the best teachers emphasize methods of presenting a subject. The teacher of experience and skill, makes much of his preparation for the daily lesson. This preparation has regard, first of all to the way a topic is presented to the learner's mind. Perhaps the mass of teachers fail nowhere more than in this very matter of skillful presentation. Moreover it is doubtless true that any teacher by devoting proper attention to the subject may improve himself quite as much, quite as easily, in this direction as in any other. No teacher should say to himself, "I cannot do it; Mr. So-and-So is skillful, he is adroit, he has an ability which I have not." That same Mr. So-and-So acquired the ability which he has by effort, by practice, by will power and often by long continued, persevering effort. I have known some very skillful teachers. Dr. Samuel H. Taylor of Andover was such a teacher. He was skilled in so presenting Latin and Greek thought, words, construction, as to wake up the student and give him a mental grasp hitherto unknown. Dr. Wayland was such a teacher. Prof. Samuel S. Greene was most skillful in this regard. Prof. George I. Chase was exceedingly happy in his method of presenting to the learner's mind the facts and principles of natural science. But of all men whom I have known, I think none excelled in address, adroitness, tact and skill in presentation, Dr. Lowell Mason, the musician. The first time I came in contact with Dr. Mason was at a Teachers' Institute which was held through a whole week, for the teachers of Massachusetts, under the direction of Dr. Barnas Sears, the then Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education. This was in March, 1850. One morning Prof. Francis T. Russell had given a lesson in reading. In this lesson he used these two lines; "I've seen the moon climb the mountain's brow, Professor Russell gave the first line and the first word of the second line with one tone, and the rest of this second line was given in another tone with a pitch just one step higher. The entire class read the lines in this way. With this his exercise ended. Dr. Mason was to occupy the next hour. He arose, stepped forward upon the platform with his easy, graceful step, an ease and grace, by the way, which marked every action of his, and said: "Young ladies and gentlemen: - Will you do me the favor to read that first line again," and the line was repeated. "Now will you be so kind as to repeat the second line also?" The line was given. The same change of pitch was made as before, and two tones only were given. Dr. Mason then said, "Young ladies and gentlemen, some of you told me yesterday that you could not sing. Every one who has read these two lines, can sing. If you can hold your voice on a full line to one tone, as you did just now, and then change the pitch on the second line to a tone just one step higher, and hold your voice there throughout the line, you can sing." The effect was like an electric shock. It was showing what singing is; it is holding the voice on one tone at will, and at will. changing to another fixed tone. In this way Dr. Mason began his exercise. It is safe to say that he had the attention, not only during that hour, but during every hour which he occupied through the week. The instruction which he gave was of great value to many a teacher, not simply as lessons in singing, but as lessons in teaching. On another occasion during that same week, when the class was singing, the line ended with an "s" sound. As it was sung not in the most perfect time, there was a succession of harsh, hissing, sibilant sounds, which grated upon the Doctor's nerves, like the filing of a saw. He drew up his face, his arms, his shoulders, with the most painful contortions, and exclaimed "Oh! I should think I had fallen into a nest of serpents." He then told the class that in singing, the "s" should be sounded lightly. In explaining his point he illustrated it in this way,-bringing the finger of one hand down upon the end of a finger of the other hand, and taking it away quickly;-"You should touch the "s," as you would touch a coal of fire." It was a simple illustration, anybody could give it, but it was skillful and it was effective. At the annual meeting of the National Teachers' Association, at Harrisburgh, in 1865, the President, Prof. Samuel S. Greene made an exhaustive report in behalf of a committee appointed the previous year upon "Object teaching; its general principles, and the Oswego system." This report was discussed at considerable length by Hon. B. G. Northrop, Prof. S. S. Haldeman, Supt. E. A. Sheldon, Dr. James Cruikshank, Dr. Lowell Mason, and others. The report was esteemed to be of great value, and was ordered printed as a separate pamphlet for general circulation by subscription. Concerning this discussion, the minutes of the meeting briefly state as follows: "Mr. Lowell Mason, on motion of Professor Edwards, addressed the Association at length, giving some very fine illustrations of object methods in music." No record, so far as I know, has been made of the remarks of Mr. Mason, but I am very sure that many persons still living, who heard that address from him in the Court House at Harrisburgh, remember it with great interest. The way he stepped out from his seat near the rear of the broad platform, his polished, cordial compliment to the teachers present, his ingenious presentation of the importance of music in a cultivated community, but above all his skillful and adroit illustrations of how easily, and successfully that subject can be taught in the public schools of our country, all this was not lost upon that intelligent body of American teachers. It gave an impetus to the teaching of music throughout the country. At that time music was not generally a required study in the public schools. It can never be known how much influence Dr. Mason himself had in bringing about the present general attention to vocal music in the schools. Nor can it ever be known how much that single address of his accomplished in this direction. The address held the audience spellbound, from the time he left his chair to step forward, until he was again seated and the impetuous and erratic Professor Haldeman had rushed forward, without addressing the chair, exclaiming, "I have it! I have it! here it is," exhibiting a little book which he had mentioned in his address sometime preceding Dr. Mason's speech, and which he had meantime brought in to show to the teachers. I am sure no one who was present can fail to recall the tremendous contrast between the high pitched voice, the impetuous, earnest, emphatic manner of statement which characterized Professor Haldeman, and the sweet tones, the elegant diction, the polished style of the ingenious and skillful illustrations set forth by Dr. Mason. Dr. Lowell Mason was not merely a great musical composer and director, but he was a broad minded, hearty, cordial, appreciative soul, and withal a born teacher. One element in his character was his prompt and hearty appreciation of talent, especially that of young men. He would seize upon a young teacher, cultivate his acquaintance, encourage him to greater exertions, and lead him to a higher ambition in life. It was his instant recognition of merit that made public and gave to our country our great national hymn, "America." It was his recognition of merit that made prominent some of the fine tunes composed by Henry K. Oliver. It is probably true that Dr. Mason enriched our grand list of American hymns and tunes, by a greater number of creditable additions than any other man has made, if not indeed all others put together. Could his life have been written giving due prominence to his teaching ability and remarkable skill in devices, illustrations and methods of presentation, it would have been one of the most valuable contributions to our pedagogical literature. THE REMINISCENCES OF PENIKESE. MRS. HELEN B. C. BEEDY, BANGOR, ME. HE twenty years since the first seaside school in America was established at Penikese Island, have been years of such marked progress and evolution of new methods of teaching in natural history that there has hardly seemed time even to stop to be grateful to the originator of these methods, our beloved and honored Agassiz. He it was who gave the impetus to the study of natural history in America - not from books but from nature herself. Among the memories of Penikese that come thronging back are not so much "The Formation of Glaciers," the "Ice sheets that covered this Continent" or "Classification in Natural History," as the man, Agassiz whose genial countenance always bore the index of his great heart. Standing before his class, crayon in hand, he seemed not to see the eager students before him, but rather the children all over the land for whose faithful instruction he pleaded. Every lecture became a lesson in method. No matter how intricate the scientific subject he was presenting, he often broke the thread of his discourse, to impress some lesson in method or to call attention to some truth bearing upon the ethics of every-day life. Turning to my note book I read between the lines: "Consult no one in regard to your modes of life. The time will come when that which is in nature will be expressed - not what any naturalist may divine. The conceit of orginators must be overcome. Aim to be translators not originators. Always mark specimens carefully. Attach label so as not to be removed. There should be a little museum in every school-room. I would prefer that you go home with a dozen specimens well studied and identified than to learn much. Self conceit retards progress. The study of nature is humiliating. Nature is always right. If there are errors it is we who are in the wrong. We must be willing to know little but know that little well. Every student must have his own opinions. All studies that go deep benefit one. Never |