The first attempt nearly resulted in a failure; only a few trembling voices succeeded in singing Old Hundred to the words “Be thou,” etc.  On the second day Peterborough was sung with much greater confidence on the part of the increased number of singers.  The experiment was tried with greater and greater success for several days, when the teacher proposed that a systematic plan should be formed, by which there might be singing regularly at the close of school.  It was then proposed that a number of singing-books be obtained, and one of the scholars, who was well acquainted with common tunes, be appointed as chorister.  Her duty should be to decide what particular tune may be sung each day, inform the teacher of the metre of the hymn, and take the lead in the exercise.  This plan, being approved of by the scholars, was adopted, and put into immediate execution.  Several brought copies of the Sabbath School Hymn-Book, which they had in their possession, and the plan succeeded beyond all expectation.  The greatest difficulty in the way was to get some one to lead.  The chorister, however, was somewhat relieved from the embarrassment which she would naturally feel in making a beginning by the appointment of one or two individuals with herself, who were to act as her assistants.  These constituted the leading committee, or, as it was afterward termed, Singing Committee.

Singing now became a regular and interesting exercise of the school, and the committee succeeded in managing the business themselves.

19.  TABU.—­An article was one day read in a school relating to the “Tabu” of the Sandwich Islanders.  Tabu is a term with them which signifies consecrated—­not to be touched—­to be let alone—­not to be violated.  Thus, according to their religious observances, a certain day will be proclaimed Tabu; that is, one upon which there is to be no work or no going out.

A few days after this article was read, the scholars observed one morning a flower stuck up in a conspicuous place against the wall, with the word TABU in large characters above it.  This excited considerable curiosity.  The teacher informed them, in explanation, that the flower was a very rare and beautiful specimen, brought by one of the scholars, which he wished all to examine.  “You would naturally feel a disposition to examine it by the touch,” said he, “but you will all see that, by the time it was touched by sixty individuals, it would be likely to be injured, if not destroyed.  So I concluded to label it Tabu.  And it has occurred to me that this will be a convenient mode of apprising you generally that any article must not be handled.  You know we sometimes have some apparatus exposed, which would be liable to injury from disturbance, where there are so many persons to touch it.  I shall, in such a case, just mention that an article is Tabu, and you will understand that it is not only not to be injured, but not even touched.”