cypher with some dexterity and accuracy, and to write a legible hand, is all that is very material in the education of any one but a lawyer, a doctor, or a minister, we may not look for any very exalted views of the teacher's mission, or hope that those possessed of more enlightenment, will entertain a very profound respect for the kind of talent and learning, that such a public sentiment will attract to its service.

This, then, is the condition in which we find the teacher's calling. Judged of by those philosophical principles which ought to determine the rank of every employment of society, among the noblest that can engage the heart and mind of man, it fails of being universally acknowledged as such, or, perhaps I should say, practically treated as such, because of the want of more enlightened views of its nature and importance among the people, giving rise to a deficiency of the proper qualifications in the great number of those who have embraced it.

What is the speediest and most effectual remedy for the evils contemplated? The occasion of our meeting suggests the ready reply: It is found in the cultivation of a professional spirit among the members of the profession, and especially among that portion of it who train the minds of the masses in our common schools.

It is a reasonable proposition that the prosperity of any profession will be most rapidly and safely promoted, when all, who are engaged in it, are united in effort to built it up, and feel a personal interest in its achievements. Those who labor in any calling must be singularly unfitted for their work, and possess very little enthusiasm in it, if they do not acquire a deeper insight into its wants, and a fuller comprehension of its just aims, a clearer perception of the difficulties which surround it, and of the best means of removing or surmounting those dfficulties, than those who are outside of it.

The buman mind, and the human heart possess limited powers. You may not enlarge the range of the activities of the one, or of the other, without losing in intensity and effectiveness what you gain in extension. Hence the necessity of that division and subdivision of labor, by which the various interests of society are parcelled out and distributed, each to the care of a particular class, who may concentrate upon it all their energies. By this arrangement there is gained to the different pursuits of men, not only an increase of mental power, but from that love of what is peculiarly our own, a man comes to identify himself with his labor, thus giving rise to what is called professional pride-a powerful principle underlying many of the proudest successes of science and art. Every man is expected to attach a greater importance to whatever concerns his own occupation, than to what affects another's. To this he gives his best, his most earnest thoughts. On other matters, he may speculate and theorize, but here, he reasons from closest induc. tion of facts, and the hypothetical and the ideal are kept in subserviency to the practical and the real. Here, in his own profession, accomplishment, and not barren theory is his idol, and to it he

sacrifices every rival interest. Such absorbing devotion to a single pursuit fails to be pernicious to the general welfare only when the prosperity of every other is secured by the same diligent and jealous care. Now, if any one of the great interests of society is overlooked in the general distribution, or if those who nominally have the care of it, fail to feel a generous ardor in asserting its claims, s0 that its advancement is left to the occasional and spasmodic action of those whose best energies are devoted to other objects, how can aught but rash counsels, hasty and ill digested plans and consequent feebleness and vacillation mark its history, or how can it escape from the encroachments and overshadowing influence of other interests?

But grant that no error in theory, or inefficiency in execution, could be charged upon those who have in this manner volunteered to take the general oversight of the interests of education. Suppose that this interest were a perfect anomaly to all the other inte rests of society; suppose that politicians with all their party prej. udices and biasses, and that shocking obliquity of vision to private gain, that disfigures so many of that class, were transformed into unprejudiced, disinterested, clear-sighted, and straight-forwardlooking legislators, the moment they were called to discuss and act upon the claims of education; admit that the lawyers, physicians and merchants who constitute our boards of education, and educa. tional committees, were able, in the few moments they can spare from the multiplied cares of their several callings, to devise, as it were by inspiration, just the measures that every emergency requir ed, and that the community at large were possessed of truthful and enlarged ideas on all educational matters; of what avail would all this be, if those upon whom it devolves to use the resources created by the State, and to carry into effect the plans of those who have the general oversight of education, fail to understand their duties, and appreciate their position? How can they become the efficient instruments even of a well informed and liberal public sentiment in which they do not themselves sympathize. Were the circumstances. outside of the school room the most favorable that it is possible to conceive, a proper sense of the dignity and importance of their calling would even then be indispensable to teachers-how much more so when the great cause of popular education has to fight its way amid much surrounding ignorance, and in the face of rival interests; to encounter not only the supineness of professed friends and the hos tility of covert foes, but the systematic .opposition of open and declared enemies.

Finally the professional spirit which is needed is very different from a mere clannish feeling or simple esprit du corps. This to a certain extent is a proper and necessary element in the professional spirit, but it is not all of it. What is wanted is the associated effort of teachers, not for their personal aggrandizement, not for the purpose of extorting from society an unwilling tribute of respect to themselves, but to promote in each other that devotion to their

profession and all that appertains to it, both within and without the school room, which proceeds from a profound sense of its intrinsic value and dignity, and comprehensive views of its responsibilities and the qualifications which the right discharge of its duties requires.

A portion of the above report has been omitted on account of its length.-Ed.'

MICHIGAN STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

Pursuant to previous notice, the Association met in annual session, in the city of Detroit, Tuesday evening, April 18th. The President, Prof. A. S. Welch, of the State Normal School, took the chair, and the Rev. N. Colver opened the session with prayer. The minutes having been read and approved, the President announc ed that the lecturer for the occasion, Hon. F. W. Sherman, was absent. A business committee consisting of Messrs. J. F. Cary, Detroit, A. S. Bingham, Utica, and J. L. Marcy, Detroit, having been appointed, L. Bishop, Esq., President of the City Board of Education, arose and welcomed the Association to the city. He was glad to see them here. He alluded to the strange fact that the Board had not been laboring but struggling for years, to establish a system of schools in the city against a strong opposition. We need the sympathy of this association, and hope to receive great benefit from its meeting here.

J. M. Gregory briefly responded on behalf of the President, who was suffering from ill health. On behalf of the association, he endered cordial thanks to the Board of Education, for the invitation which had drawn the association here. He deemed it an auspicious occasion. The organization of Teachers' Association was an omen of hopeful promise. It indicated that teachers as a class were rising to a recognition of their rights and duties. The priesthood in the great temple of learning, it is well that they should gather around its altar places and mingle their devotions-the miners in the deep mines of intellect and thought, they have need to concentrate their power and unite their sympathies. In the cause of popular education we have a part to play outside of the school room, and the voice of our practical educators should be heard in the councils of the State.

Sam'l Barstow Esq., following, said that in this age of associations it certainly was very natural that those engaged in teaching should avail themselves of the benefits of association. There is no calling so high. Man is all education. His plans, his thoughts, his actions, are controlled by his education. The common schools of our country are our greatest instruments for the preservation of freedom. The people of this State owe a debt of lasting gratitude to the leaders in this great enterprise for their efforts in endeavoring to elevate the teachers. Promote them, and with them you raise the

entire youth of our State. He rejoiced that the Association had convened in this city. We are not in a congenial soil. This city is far behind the surrounding country in this movement. The Board of Education in this city have expended less than eighty thousand dollars for educational purposes during the past twelve years. He hoped this body would infuse light into the citizens of Detroit on this great subject.

We are looking for aid from the Legislature and the State Normal School. Our schools are the very corner stones of our politi cal institutions. It is one of the duties of the teacher to create an influence in favor of free schools. It is a beautiful feature in our common schools that they destroy all exclusiveness. They give the pupil a universal sympathy. It is said that the common school tends to vitiate the manners, but this is an erroneous opinion. He was proud to say, that in this city we have schools of the highest standing and the purest morality. He would far prefer to have a child educated there than in those exclusive schools where false notions of society and the aristocracy of wealth are inculcated.

U. Tracy Howe, Esq., as a citizen, welcomed the Association to this city. The semi-annual covocations of this body, are a great feature in the progress of our State. Not long since so little interest was felt in the subject that it was difficult to convene an audience to consult on education. But a few years ago people through. out the country objected to being "taxed to educate others children," but things are very different now. They have learned that the taxes they refused for education they had to pay for crime. It is part of the business of this Association, to teach what is an education. The present idea of education is but a mere dawning of the correct view. An education consists not in merely teaching a person how to read and write or cypher, bnt in teaching how to make a good and useful citizen. We must educate the whole man. The habits acquired at school are more important even than the book learning. Order and punctuality are of the highest importance to a business man, and should be taught in all the affairs of the school room Personal freedom is the fundamental idea in our government. It is the great characteristic of our people If a child is taught to appreciate freedom, when he grows up he will be a law-abiding citizen. The great object of education is to develop a full sized, free man. Teachers must labor with this in view and not merely for their salary.

Messrs. Northrop, Gallula and Stark, were appointed a committee on nominations, after which the Association adjourned to meet at 9 A. M. in the City Hall.

Wednesday Morning, April 19. The Association convened according to adjournment and was opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Estabrook. The committee on nominations then reported. Being unable to agree, two reports were brought forward out of which the following officers were elected for the ensuing year.

President-Rev. J. M. Gregory, of Detroit.

Vice Presidents-J. F. Nichols,

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H. A. Pierce, Marshall.

E. W. Cheesbro, Grand Rapids.
J. Chandler, Coldwater.

W. B. Beals, Flint.

C. C. Hinsdell, Battle Creek.
M. S. Hawley, Adrian.

Recording Secretary-C. F, Bellows, Climax.
Corresponding Secretary-J. F. Cary, Detroit.
Treasurer-Prof. O. Jackson, Ypsilanti.

Executive Committee-Prof. E. O. Haven, Prof. J. Estabrook, Mrs. Stone, Kalamazoo ; and Miss Rockwell, Detroit.

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The officers of the last year presented their reports which were accepted.

The President elect, in taking the chair, said that he accepted the post with which the Association had honored him, not as a post of honor merely, but as one of labor. We have met here to-day for no holiday purpose, but for earnest toil in behalf of the greatest cause in the land. The present is a crisis in the history of this Association. Hitherto regular Institute exercises had attended the sessions of this body, but now they were to rely upon more general discussions to give interest to the meetings. He regarded the teachers' position as one of high responsibility, true dignity and honor. He believed that the dark days of the profession were passing away and that teachers would not be looked upon as a necessary evilpersons whose services parents must use to give their children the learning needful to their success in life-but as an influential and honored class of citizens, and he hoped that if they did not become a "third estate in the realm," they would come to occupy a position of real power, where their voice will be heard and heeded. The influence of this meeting will be felt throughout the state. He hoped to be able to discharge his duties faithfully to the association and the cause, and relied upon the forbearance of the members of the association to aid him in the discharge of those duties.

Messrs. Gallula, Newcomb and Olcott were appointed a special committee to audit the Treasurer's accounts, and the association adjourned to meet again at 2 o'clock P. M.

Afternoon session, April 19. After the association was called to order, the following committees were appointed, viz:

On studies proper to be pursued in Common Schools-Prof. Estabrook, Ypsilanti; Charles H. Denison, Mt. Clemens; Miss Sarah J. Hudson, Ann Arbor.

On School Discipline-Prof. Bartlett, Olivet; Mr. Thayer, Northville; J. Horner, Ypsilanti.

On the study of Language, as a means of Mental DisciplineProf. E. O. Haven, Ann Arbor; J. F. Cary, & Mr. Cochran, Detroit.