away self-reliance, begets conceit, and draws attention to what is ornamental rather than fundamental." Reading, writing, and arithmetic, it seems, are not practical enough because they are general disciplines, and give directive power to all who possess them. The one in fifty who is studying algebra and Latin is grudged his privileges. A knowledge of hod-carrying is more practical than writing! When, in 1843, the English Parliament were debating whether the sum of £30,000 should or should not be appropriated "for the encouragement of schools for the common people," and when they had just appropriated £60,000 for the support of the Queen's horses and hounds, Thomas Carlyle, then writing his soul-stirring book on Chartism, set down in letters of fire these words on the general humanitarian aspect of the question of government support of education:

"Who would suppose that education were a thing which had to be advocated on the ground of local expediency, or, indeed, on any ground? As if it stood not on the basis of everlasting duty, as a prime necessity of It is a thing which should need no advocating, much as it does actually need. To impart the gift of thinking to those who cannot think, and yet who could in that case think; this, one would imagine, was the first function a government had to set about discharging. Were it not a cruel thing to see, in any province of an empire, the inhabitants living all mutilated in their limbs ; each strong man with his right arm lamed? How much crueller to find the strong soul with its eyes still sealed, its eyes extinct so that it sees not. Light has come into the world, but to this poor peasant it has come in vain. For six thousand years the sons of Adam, in sleepless effort, have been devising, doing, discovering; in mysterious infinite, indissoluble communion, warring, a little band of brothers, against the great black empire of necessity and night; they have accomplished such a conquest and conquests, and to this man it is all as if it had not been. The four-and-twenty letters of the alphabet are still Runic enigmas to him. He passes by on the other side, and that great Spiritual kingdom, the toilwon conquest of his own brothers, all that his brothers have conquered, is a thing non-extant for him. An invisible empire; he knows it not, suspects it not. And is it not his, withal; the conquest of his own brothers, the lawfully acquired possession of all men? Baleful enchantment lies over him, from generation to generation; he knows not that such an empire is his, that such an empire is at all. Heavier wrong is not done under the sun."

One voice, the voice of Christian humanitarianism, says: Teach aspiration for all that is good and noble and divine; teach it to all, even the lowest. Teach all to desire with an unquenchable hunger

more wisdom, more knowledge, more command over nature, more elevation of position, more usefulness, more directive power. The other voice says: Be contented to remain at the bottom, and quench all aspiration. All talk about perpetual growth in knowledge and wisdom is nonsense, and worse, when addressed to the children of common laborers.

The reason that the first voice gives for its creed is that its faith teaches the divine origin and destiny of the soul, and that the goal of civilization is the emancipation of each from all debasing servitude of body and mind, and that it is the Christian duty of all to help their fellow-men to rise. The reason given by the other voice is the necessity which it feels that there shall be a class in society perfectly contented to be menial servants, and fitted for nothing above that office.

The critics of our educational system are never done with telling us that its results are to make the rising generation discontented with its lot. As if this were a defect rather than the greatest glory of an educational system! What place is there in our system for a drone who is utterly devoid of aspiration? To be like dumb, driven cattle, is this permitted or encouraged in a Christian civilization? Man is immortal, and has an infinite destiny,-this is the burden of Christian teaching. In consequence of this, Christian civilization strives toward the heavens; it subdues nature and makes natural forces toil for it, and procure food, clothing, and shelter for the body. It continually turns out the drudge from his vocation, and says to him I do not want your mere bodily toil at any price; I have a machine that can do such work better than the like of you can, and at less than what you would call starvation-wages. Up, therefore, and acquire directive intelligence so that you may manage and direct this machine, and other machines; for presently we shall need no more mere hand-labor, but require all to be intelligent and directive."

As made in the image of God, and as destined for His eternal. kingdom, is it possible to look upon any education that schools may give us as too high for the position to which a human being is called to occupy in life? In view of the necessity for educated directive power in an age of productive industry, when the superintendence of machines is the chief industrial business, is a general education that gives one insight into nature and insight into the human mind too much? In a representative Democracy, in which the laws that govern property and personal rights are made by the representatives elected by all the people, including the humblest citizens of the country, is any education too good for the people? The American people answer, No.

BERNARD MALLON.

BY CHARLES W. HUBNER, ATLANTA, GA.

In Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Georgia, on the brow of a gentle slope, and overlooking this beautiful "God's Acre," stands a monument whose inscriptions speak, indeed, "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." The inscriptions are as follows: On the west side, "Erected by the Teachers and Pupils of the Public Schools of Atlanta." "Our First Superintendent," and, in large letters, "Mallon." On the north side, "Bernard Mallon, born in Ireland, September 25, 1824. From November, 1848, a citizen of Georgia; died in Texas, October 21, 1879." On the south side, "A trusted Leader among Southern workers in the cause of popular Education for thirty-one years. As Teacher and Superintendent he devoted his life to organizing Public Schools in Georgia." On the east side, "Patient and wise Teacher, he loved God and little children. Gentle and pure man, Honor was his shield; his golden motto: Duty without Fear."

There, reader, is an epitaph thou canst be proud of, if thou hast in thy soul reverence for the divine right of honest manhood. Where is the King's grove that can show the like of it? What is the tinsel and emptiness of the so-called "Great" to the glory of such a life? A farthing candle beside the midday sun! "He loved God and little children." "Patient and wise Teacher." "Pure man." "Duty without fear." Ah! thou canst cover the space of these little words with thy open hand; but who shall measure their meaning, broad as humanity, deep as the soul, high as heaven? Aye, bare thy head reverently, for thou standest in the spiritual presence of "an honest man, the noblest work of God,"—in this dust lives the immortal!

As an infant, three years old, Bernard Mallon was brought to this country. His infancy and boyhood were passed in the State of New York. His opportunities for receiving an education, during that period, were not very favorable, but being a bright and studious boy he made the most of them. His public-school education was supplemented by diligent self-culture. Early he displayed the germs of those elements which, in his future career, distinguished him as a teacher and a leader in the cause of education. At sixteen he was sent to Union Village Academy, where he was soon employed as assistant teacher in English branches. At twenty-six (1850) we find

him in Savannah, Georgia, teaching a private school for some years. He then became associated with the late John B. Mallard, Esq., in the Chatham Academy. In 1854, at the solicitation of the Savannah Board of Education, he established a public school, the nucleus of the present fine system of schools in that city. In the following year, in order to make himself still more efficient in the performance of his duties, he resigned his position, and spent a year at Brown University. His ardent thirst for knowledge, keen, incisive intellect, and complete devotion to the profession which he, long ago, had felt to be his life-work, enabled him to overcome almost entirely the deficiencies of his early scholastic training, until he was justly ranked in after-years with educators of the ripest culture in the practical duties of the school-room and the normal class.

He returned to Savannah accompanied by his bride, an excellent and accomplished lady, the choice of his heart, whose wifely devotion gladdened the busy years of his life, and who cherishes his memory with deathless affection. In 1855 he established the Massie School, another link in the Savannah public-school system. Thenceforth, with slight interruptions, he was identified with the public schools of that city, successively filling every position; and, finally, as Superintendent, directing their successful operation. In 1863 a number of prominent citizens of Savannah removed their families to Whitesville, a village thirty miles from the city, on account of the presence of the Federal fleet at the mouth of the river. Mr. Mallon was induced to take charge of Guyton Academy at Whitesville, acting also as Superintendent of the Sunday-school of the Baptist church during his stay, a position he also held during his residence in Savannah. He remained until his death a member of the Whitesville church. In 1864, responding cheerfully to the call of his adopted State, when the whirlwind of war was devastating it from the mountains to the sea, he left his village school, shouldered a musket, and served in the trenches around Atlanta. But his frail body soon succumbed to the hardships of a soldier's life, and he was compelled to return to Whitesville, shortly thereafter settling again in Savannah.

When Atlanta, in 1871, determined to establish public schools, Mr. Mallon was called to undertake the work. He accepted, and in the fall of that year entered upon his duties in this city.

Mr. Mallon's memory is revered in Savannah; loving testimony as to his character as a Christian gentleman, and to the inestimable value of his services as the founder of its public schools, is given in the resolutions adopted at a meeting of the teachers of that city, upon the news of his death.

At Atlanta a grand man and a grand opportunity had met. It was felt at once, by all who critically and with solicitude watched the birth and growth of the new public-school system, that a master-mind was planning the structure, that a potent hand was directing and a vigilant eye observing every part of the complicated plan. The masses, for whose especial benefit the system was designed, felt all this instinctively. Many were the difficulties to be encountered, great the obstacles that obstructed the way to success. He evaded the one skillfully, or overcame the other manfully, He secured at once the confidence and hearty support of his co-laborers in the important work, and no man ever won more completely the love and admiration of a people than did the founder of the greatest public institution of the capital of Georgia.

Mr. Mallon appeared to be ubiquitous. Everything and everybody was vitalized by his spirit. His enthusiasm was infectious. You could not be in his presence ten minutes without feeling that magnetic personal influence which is the gift of the few who are predestined leaders of men and moulders of public opinion. His was the quietness, the depth, the breadth of the mighty river at its mouth; not the prattle and shallowness and narrowness of the fountain-rill at its source. He knew men and women intuitively, their capacities. and limitations, their suitableness for certain work; and, by the help of this absolutely essential element of an organizer and leader, he surrounded himself with a corps of teachers who did credit to his sagacity, and materially assisted him in securing the illustrious success with which his life-work was crowned. Veteran and recruit were plastic material in his shaping hand. He inspired them all with the genius of their noble profession; he made them feel the dignity and importance of their position. With him theory and prac

tice went hand in hand. He made teachers to be in love with their work; for, without love,- aye, passionate love,- no genuine success in any sort of work can be achieved. He refined the crude; he encouraged the diffident; with golden words of praise he rewarded the meritorious; the erring he reproved gently; the obstinate he removed with equal tenderness and firmness when his judgment and the good of the cause demanded the ultimate exercise of authority. What else but success can be the outcome of wise men's administration of private or public affairs? This was preeminently the result of Superintendent Mallon's administration of the public schools of the city. Year after year this prosperity increased; more fruitful of good did they become; more efficient the teachers, better the methods, broader the scope, firmer the foundations, smoother the workings