Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/73

 LETTER FROM JOHN FARMER TO GOV. PLUMER 57

as a conserving force ; leadership results from poise, from self-forgetfulness born of self-confidence, a lively imagination, and tenacity of purpose. The eleaients of this power are in-born, are in early education ; the development comes of practice. How shall this practice be gained ? By teaching, it is said. Yes, possibly, but probably if left to himself he who has the power of leader- ship within him will become merely a disciplinarian, who believes that there is a moral force in quietness, who confuses staring with attention, who, charmed by the clock-like regularity of the movements of the human machines about him, forgets that he is a leader and not a drill-sergeant. Now real leadership is based upon the knowledge of the soul, and how can the knowledge of the beau- ful unfolding of the mental and moral powers be so correctly gained as by studying them in company with one whose life has been given to this work ! The children in the training department of a Normal School furnish the ma- terial, the method teachers, the sympathizing critics to lead the pupil-teacher.

What is the future of the Normal School? A slow success. It will win, because it is indispensable ; it will win slowly, because it is based upon a truth imperfectly recognized — that teaching is a profession, that it has its science and its art as clearly defined as any of the learned professions. To this truth this State and this Nation must come, and will come when the success of the little handful of trained teachers in our land show how wasteful and wicked are our present makeshifts.

��LETTER FROM JOHN FARMER TO GOV. WILLIAM PLUMER.

��Concord, 25 July, 1825.

Dear Sir: It is gratifying to learn that you are preparing your biographical memoirs of distinguished persons for publication. I herewith communicate a few dates which may possibly relate to some of the characters you will notice. Hon. Jacob Abbot, son of Dea. Joseph Abbot, was born at Andover, 20 Feb- ruary, I 746 ; settled in Wilton, was Judge of the C. C. P., and Councillor in the Revolutionary war ; moved to Andover, was trustee of Phillips Academy ; removed to Brunswick, Me., was overseer of Bowdoin College, and Senator for Cumberland county in the Legislature of Massachusetts. He also resided in this town, I believe. He died 5 March, 1820, aged seventy-four.

Hon. Abiel Foster, of Canterbury, was born in August, 1735. His mother was an Abbot. Allow me to make a few inquiries. How may I obtain a list of the Councillors during the Revolution? Can you inform me the names of those elected for 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780 and 1781? Have you the dates of the deaths of Peter Green, Francis Blood. Moses Chase, Ithamar Chase, S. Kingsbury, Samuel Holmes, Jonathan Freeman, and William Tarleton? I believe I have the time when all the other Councillors (deceased), since 1784, have died. If you could furnish me with the above dates, the favor shall be reciprocated in any way in my power. Ought not our Publishing Committee to be collecting materials for another volume of collections? Mr. Moore is willing to print upon the same terms a second as he published the first.

I am respectfully your obedient servant,

JOHN FARMER.

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