Though the emperor of Russia is justly accused of unpardonable oppression in respect to Poland, yet he does not carry his oppression so far as to deprive the poor Polanders of the benefits of education, but is exerting the same laudable zeal to provide teachers for Poland as for any other part of his dominions. It has been found exceedingly difficult to obtain teachers who are willing to exercise their calling in the cold and inhospitable regions of Siberia. To facilitate this object, special privileges have been granted to Siberian teachers. Siberian young men are admitted to the university of Kasan free of expense, on condition that they devote a certain number of years to the business of school-keeping in Siberia. To forward the same object, a Siberian gentleman, by the name of Ponomarew, gives 6000 rubles a year for the support of the parish schools of Irkutzk, quite to the north-eastern extremity of Siberia, and has obligated himself, for ten years, to pay 500 rubles a year more, for the encouragement of the pupils of those schools.

Teachers from foreign countries are welcomed, and special provision is made that their religious sentiments be not interfered with, as well as that they do not impose their peculiar religious notions on their pupils. For the perfecting of teachers in certain branches, they are often sent abroad, at the public expense, to study in the institutions of other countries, where these branches are most successfully taught. Of these, there were in 1835, thirteen in Berlin-several in Vienna-and one in Oxford, England. School examiners and school committees, as well as school teachers, are required to hold frequent meetings for discussion, and for mutual instruction and encouragement.

It is the policy of the Minister of Public Instruction, not to crowd the schools with too many pupils-but to furnish as many teachers as possible, particularly in the higher institutions, that each individual scholar may receive a due share of attention. As an illustration, I will refer to some of the universities. The university of St. Petersburg has two hundred and thirty pupils, and fifty-two officers and teachers, or one teacher to every four or five students. At Moscow, four hundred and fifty-six students, one hundred and sixty-eight teachers and officers, or one to every two or three students. That of Kasan, seventy officers and teachers, to two hundred and thirty

eight students, or one to every three of four students. That at Kiew, forty-three officers and teachers, to sixty-two students, or nearly as many of the one as the other. I would remark, however, that some of the teachers are merely lecturers on particular branches, and take no active part in the discipline or instruction of the institution, and a few attend only to its business concerns. Some of the universities, also, are not full, the institutions being new, and a full corps of teachers being appointed at the commencement. With all these allowances, however, we may set it down as a principle, that in the universities it is intended that there shall be one teacher at least to every eight or ten students. This may be going to excess, but it is certain that the ambition to multiply students beyond all the means of teaching, has been a great injury to education in American institutions. Education can never be what it is capable of being, unless the teacher can command time to become familiar with each individual mind under his care, and to adapt his mode of teaching to its peculiarities. To instruct only in masses, and to apply the same methods of instruction to all, is like throwing the drugs of an apothecary's shop into one great caldron-stirring them together, and giving every patient in the hospital a portion of the mixture.

It is peculiarly interesting in noticing the efforts of Russia, to observe, that the blessings of a good common school education are now extended to tribes which from time immemorial have been in a state of barbarism. In the wild regions, beyond mount Caucasus, comprising the provinces recently acquired from Persia, the system of district schools is efficiently carried out. As early as 1835, there were already established in those parts of the empire, fifteen schools, with sixty teachers, and about one thousand three hundred children under instruction; so that in the common schools of this new and uncultivated region, one teacher is provided for every twenty scholars. Besides this, there is a gymnasium at Tifflis, in which Asiatic lads are fitted to enter the European universities.

All teachers throughout the empire, according to an ordinance of February 26, 1835, receive their salaries monthly, that their attention may not be distracted by family cares. For the encouragement of entire devotedness on the part of teachers, and to prevent all solicitude for the maintenance of their families, the minister of public in

struction is authorized to grant, to the widows and orphans of those teachers who have particularly distinguished themselves, not only the usual pension, but a gratuity equal in amount to an entire salary of two years.

The officers of government employed in the distant provinces of the empire, in the distant parts of Siberia, and on the borders of Persia, complained, that their remote location deprived their children of the advantages of the gymnasia and universities, which others enjoyed. To obviate this inconvenience, and to equalize as far as possible the advantages of education, the children of these officers are taken to the nearest gymnasium or university, and their travelling expenses defrayed by government. All the institutions of education are subject to the same rigorous examination as in Prussia, and the minister of public instruction is, ex officio, chairman of the board of examiners for the universities. As the duties of this office have become very laborious, the government, in addition to a liberal supply of other helps, in 1835 appointed General Count Protassow, who had for some time acted as a school director, assistant minister of public instruction.

I have already mentioned the model institution for teachers at St. Petersburg. In 1835, seventy-six teachers were graduated, and the number is every year increasing. Under the influence of this school, and other governmental arrangements, the methods of teaching are continually improving; and, in his report for 1835, the Minister observes, that the moral improvement of both teachers and pupils is such as to encourage the most pleasing hopes, that within the last two years, the national interest in the subject of education has very greatly increased, and that it has now become a matter of the deepest interest to the whole people; and that as to the methods of instruction, the old mechanical memoriter mode is continually giving way to the system of developing the faculties. Many facts are stated in the report, which confirm the Minister's remark, in respect to the growing interest in the minds of the Russian people, on the subject of education, illustrating the important fact, that among whatever people a good system of instruction is efficiently carried out, a deep and general interest will be excited. The nobles and the commons appear to emulate each other in the advancement of this cause.

The

nobility of Novgorod voluntarily contribute more than twelve thousand rubles a year for the Gymnasium in that place, and at Wologda the nobility contribute for a similar object nine thousand a year. At Cronstadt, the citizens volunteered to sustain a school at their own expense. At another place on the shores of the White Sea, the citizens have not only volunteered to maintain the school, but have also, of their own accord, entered into an obligation to erect a large and handsome stone building for the accommodation of the teachers and scholars. This was brought about by the zeal and activity of a single individual, whose name, though a barbarous one, ought here to be mentioned-Wassiligi Kologriew. This gentleman volunteered as an agent to promote the cause of education in the place of his residence, and besides giving his time and efforts, bore an equal share in all the expenses, and in addition, made a distinct donation of 2500 rubles for the advancement of the cause.

Another gentleman at Archangel, by the name of Kowalewsky, made a journey to a distant neighborhood inhabited by Samoiedes, Sirianes and other half barbarous tribes, to explain to them the advantages of education, and endeavor to establish a school among them. In this he was warmly seconded by the clergyman of the place, and, as the result of it, a single peasant or farmer, by the name of Anuphriew, engaged to support the school entirely for two years, and after that to contribute 300 rubles a year for five years longer, and in addition to this he contributed 1500 rubles for the erection of a school-house. The chief magistrate of the place also contributed, and allured by these examples the Sirianes put down nearly 15,000 rubles; and as soon as the requisite preparations could be made, the school was opened with great solemnity and appropriate ceremonies, in the midst of an immense concourse of intensely interested spectators. I shall be greatly disappointed if we cannot find in Ohio, enlightened men in our cities, and farmers in the country, willing to do as much for education as the gentleman of Archangel, and the hard-working peasant of the frozen regions of northern Russia.

A merchant by the name of Pluessin in Lialsk, made a donation of 10,000 rubles for the foundation of a district school in that place, and offered in addition, to have the school kept in his own house, and to furnish it with firewood for three years. Tschistow, a citi

zen of Moscow, gave 2300 rubles for the purchase of school books, to be distributed among the poor children of the first school district in that city.

Numerous other instances might be mentioned of donations from persons in all ranks in society-in money, books, houses, fuel, or whatever they had it in their power to give for the support of schools; but the above may be sufficient to show the spirit of the people and excite us to emulation.

It must be observed that the government makes provision for the maintenance of all the district schools, gymnasia and Universities; and that this liberality of private citizens arises from pure zeal for the cause, and is applied to the extending and increasing the advantages derived from governmental patronage, to the purchase of books and clothing for the poorer children, the establishment of school libraries, and the providing of suitable rewards for meritorious teachers and pupils, and securing the means of access to the school-house, and proper furniture for it. Every effort is made to provide a plentiful supply of good school books, and to establish suitable libraries for the use of teachers. Quite recently, a Russian lady, a Miss Darzoff, received from the government a premium of 2500 rubles for compiling a little work, entitled "Useful Readings fór Children."

In view of such facts as these, who is not ready to exclaim: "Well done, cold, semi-barbarous, despotic Russia !-may other nations more favored by nature and Providence emulate thy example!"

INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PRUSSIAN SCHOOLS.

I will now ask your attention to a few facts respecting the internal management of the schools in Prussia and some other parts of Germany, which were impressed on my mind by a personal inspection of those establishments.

One of the circumstances that interested me most was the excellent order and rigid economy with which all the Prussian institutions are conducted. Particularly in large boarding schools, where hundreds, and sometimes thousands of youth are collected together, the