An Ideal School

"I have in my mind an ideal of a school. (You will pardon me; I was asked to speak of confidence between boys and their teacher, but, properly speaking, an ideal school should be composed about equally of boys and girls.) I have no time for the picture - a few traits must suffice. The school is situated in the country, or, if in the city, the generous city fathers have afforded it liberal space with trees and flowers - ample play-grounds kept scrupulously neat by the boys themselves. The buildings are not only commodious, but picturesque and attractive. The teachers are large-hearted and loving, and absolutely free from dyspepsia or any morbid tendency. A morbid teacher will communicate his favorite distemper to his whole school in one term. The boys are from all classes in society, and of all degrees of goodness, - and also of many degrees of badness, - just as they have always been from the time of that little kindergarten outside the city limits of Eden. You enter; the atmosphere is warm and genial. Love and confidence shine in every face, breathe from every lip. There is fun and frolic in every eye you catch. A martinet in education would probably consider it a scene of confusion and disorder. He would first convert the boys into little machines, receiving their motions from one large wheel, himself. But in this school of which I dream, there is cooperation, there is helpfulness, and, so far as the laws of Nature will permit, equality."