crowd
upon you in promiscuous confusion, be arranged and classified. Let each
be assigned to its proper time and place; that your time may be your
own,--under your own command,--and not, as is too often the case, at the
mercy of the thousand accidental circumstances, which may occur.

In government, be yourself supreme, and let your supremacy be that of
_authority_. But delegate power, as freely as possible, to those under
your care. Show them that you are desirous of reposing trust in them,
just so far as they show themselves capable of exercising it. Thus
interest them in your plans, and make them feel, that they participate
in the honor or the disgrace of success or failure.

I have gone much into detail in this chapter, proposing definite
measures by which the principles I have recommended, may be carried into
effect. I wish, however, that it may be distinctly understood, that all
I contend for, is the _principles_ themselves; no matter what the
particular measures are, by which they are secured. Every good school
must be systematic; but they need not all be on precisely the same
system. As this work is intended almost exclusively for beginners, much
detail has been admitted, and many of the specific measures here
proposed, may perhaps be safely adopted, where no others are
established. There may also perhaps be cases, where teachers, whose
schools are already in successful operation, may engraft, upon their own
plans, some things which are here proposed. If they should attempt it,
it must be done cautiously and gradually. There is no other way by which
they can be safely introduced or even introduced at all. This is a point
of so much importance, that I must devote a paragraph to it, before
closing the chapter.

Let a teacher propose to his pupils, formally, from his desk, the plan
of writing propositions, for example, and procure his wrapper, and put
it in its place;--and what would be the result? Why, not a single
paper, probably, could he get, from one end of the week to the other.
But let him, on the other hand, when a boy comes to him to ask some
question, the answer to which many in the school would equally wish to
hear, say to the inquirer:

"Will you be so good as to write that question, and put it on my desk,
and then, at the regular time, I will answer it to all the school."

When he reads it, let him state, that it was written at his request, and
give the other boys permission to leave their proposa