Accordingly, after a little additional explanation, the boys made another attempt, and presently returned with something like the following: 

“The committee for counting the nails report as follows: 
    Number of nails. . . . 35
    Room for more . . . . 15.”

The other report was very similar, though somewhat rudely written and expressed, and both were perfectly satisfactory to the preceptor, as he plainly showed by the manner in which he received them.

I need not finish the description of this case by narrating particularly the reading of the reports, the appointment of a committee to assign the nails, and to paste up the names of the scholars, one to each.  The work, in such a case, might be done in recesses, and out of school hours; and though, at first, the teacher will find that it is as much trouble to accomplish business in this way as it would be to attend to it directly himself, yet, after a very little experience, he will find that his pupils will acquire dexterity and readiness, and will be able to render him very material assistance in the accomplishment of his plans.

This, however—­the assistance rendered to the teacher—­is not the main object of the adoption of such measures as this.  The main design is to interest the pupils in the management and the welfare of the school—­to identify them, as it were, with it.  And such measures as the above will accomplish this object; and every teacher who will try the experiment, and carry it into effect with any tolerable degree of skill, will find that it will, in a short time, change the whole aspect of the school in regard to the feelings subsisting between himself and his pupils.

Each teacher who tries such an experiment will find himself insensibly repeating it, and after a time he may have quite a number of officers and committees who are intrusted with various departments of business.  He will have a secretary, chosen by ballot by the scholars, to keep a record of all the important transactions in the school for each day.  At first he will dictate to the secretary, thus directing him precisely what to say, or even writing it for him, and then merely requiring him to copy it into the book provided for the purpose.  Afterward he will give the pupil less and less assistance, till he can keep the record properly himself.  The record of each day will be read on the succeeding day at the hour for business.  The teacher will perhaps have a committee to take care of the fire, and another to see that the room is constantly in good order.  He will have distributors for each division of seats, to distribute books, and compositions, and pens, and to collect votes.  And thus, in a short time, his school will become regularly organized as a society or legislative assembly.  The boys will learn submission to the majority in such unimportant things as may be committed to them; they will learn system and regularity, and every thing else, indeed, that belongs to the science of political self-government.