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remains to be seen whether, in the completion of the undertaking, the founding of Professorships, the establishing of suitable annual prizes for excellence in the ancient and modern languages, and in the sciences, there are persons who will emulate the generous founders of numerous non-Catholic institutions. It is to be hoped that the work may be speedily finished, and thus an Institution be here permanently established, in which the branches of the very highest education may be taught.

About ten years ago, the Students' Library Association was established. In connection with its library is a com modious reading room, containing the leading journals, magazines, reviews and works of reference, all of which are daily at the service of the members. Thus ample opportunities are afforded them of becoming acquainted with the current news, and of forming sound opinions upon all important questions. In this Association, as in all the societies recognized by the officers, the President is appointed by the President of the College, the other officers elected by the members of the body. Three years afterwards, the German Literary Academy was organized, with the object of affording its members an opportunity of acquiring ease and fluency in the use of the German language, now become so useful in this section of the country. Its weekly exercises consist of debates essays, and oratorical compositions.

St. Xavier Church, adjoining the College, has no other connection, either directive or financial, with the College, except that the clergymen attending the congregation are members of the same religious order as the Faculty, and have the President of the Faculty as their Superior.

From the foregoing pages it must not be inferred that St. Xavier's enjoyed uninterrupted prosperity. Far from it. There was a time when it appeared under an eclipse, but it struggled on till its subsequent brilliant success threw into bolder relief the previous darkness. The main cause of its difficulties has already been hinted at-the

scarcity of funds. A few words about the status of its Professors and their preparatory training may serve to show how it has managed to effect so much with so little, and form an interesting corollary to this sketch.

The Society of Jesus, persecuted or cherished, has always been foremost in education, because its members were devoted to the work by choice, not by necessity, and never adopted teaching as an expedient in lieu of something better, or till a more lucrative position presented itself. It was the business of their life to study and to teach, to teach well, and to learn the difficult art. Persons are seldom received as members of the body till they have completed a collegiate course, and even then not unless their abilities and their age are satisfactory. They are tried two years in a Novitiate to see whether they will suit the Society and the Society will suit them; and if the satisfaction is mutual, they are permitted to take vows by which they bind themselves to the Society and agree to accept any of its usual ministrations for which they shall be found fit. Their tastes, their dispositions and their talents are carefully observed to see in which channel they run, and by this observation Superiors are guided in applying them to preaching, to ministerial duties, teaching, or any such occupation. During two more years they repeat their rhetoric and poetry, studying the classics, both ancient and modern, very minutely, with a view of preparing themselves afterwards to teach these branches, or any others. Then they make a thorough study of sound Christian Philosophy for three years, performed mainly in the Latin language by means of lectures, essays, discussions or debates. At the same time they do not neglect literature, and make a special study of the Physical Scicnees and Mathematics. If any one shows an aptitude for any of these branches, he receives additional training in them on the completion of the ordinary course. Thus their minds are filled with an abundance of sound thought and knowledge, and they are deemed capable of forming the minds of others.

It rarely happens that any one is applied to teaching till he has finished this preparatory training; and then he usually begins with a lower class and advances upwards, year by year. After a period varying from four to five years, they are ordained clergymen, having previously applied themselves exclusively to theology during a space of three or four years, and then usually resume the labor of teaching.

In every College there is a Prefect of Studies, generally a man of much experience and learning, whose duty it is to direct the studies and aid the young teacher in his task by timely counsel. Thus the Professor is formed by precept and example, theoretically as well as practically. It is equally the aim and the pride of the Faculty of St. Xavier's, as in all Jesuit Colleges, to inculcate virtue as well as learning, and their previous religious training as well as a life continually retired, studious and prayerful, make them models of imitation no less than effective instructors. Yet they never tamper with the religious belief of any student, and studiously avoid influencing him any way except by the example of a good life. It is a sufficient reward for them if their pupils lead virtuous lives.

The cost of thus educating its teachers falls upon the College. The Professors receive no salary whatever, and devote their talents and life to the cause of education. They live at the College, are unmarried, lead a common life, indulge in no superfluities, and sometimes even stint themselves in what they might legitimately claim, when the circumstances of the College demand such sacrifice. Had St. Xavier's College to pay the Professors salaries such as their abilities warrant, and other institutions pay, for similar or inferior services, it could not live. a day.

Besides this, from the testimony in the tax-exemption case of "John B. Purcell vs. John Gerke, County Treasurer, and Walker M. Yeatman, County Auditor; and St. Xavier College vs. the same," argued in the general term

of the Superior Court, Cincinnati, 1873, it will be scen that many students were received free; that this condition was known only to the Faculty; that they were treated in all respects like the other boys; that no student was ever sent away from the College only for having failed to pay his tuition.

Yet St. Xavier College has not shrunk from making these and greater sacrifices in the cause of education, and has the pleasing satisfaction of seeing her registers crowded with the names of 3,000 old students, 230 graduates, 274 in attendance last year, and a corps of 18 Professors. Rev. E. A. Higgins is at pressent its efficient President.

BRIEF HISTORY

OF

Twinsburgh Institute.

TWINSBURGH INSTITUTE had its origin as early as 1828. Rev. SAMUEL BISSELL, the present principal and proprietor, graduated at Yale College, 1823. During his college life he began his career of teaching, and to defray his expenses in college he spent one year in the four in giving instruction. Soon after graduation he began the study of Theology, and in 1825 was licensed in Connecticut to preach the Gospel, and soon came to Aurora, Portage county, O., to which place with his parents he, at the age of nine years, came in 1806.

Here he commenced a private school in 1826, and continued two years till the spring of 1828, when he went to Twinsburgh, is present place of residence, to take charge of the Presbyterian Church and Society to which he had been invited. Several young men accompanied him from Aurora, who were preparing for college. A block house had been erected for him about half a mile west of the center. On the lot was a log house, 20 by 30 feet, built for a shoe shop. It was very rude, with rough boards for the floor, and loose ones overhead. Three holes were cut out of the logs for windows of four lights each, with a fire-place at one end, built of rough stones, and topped out with sticks, plastered over with clay. In the fall of 1828 this was fitted up with seats. Invitation was given to all the youth of suitable age to attend school in welcome, or if they chose to pay, the tuition would be $200 per quarter. Some forty or more scholars were packed into this small place, giving ample employment for one teacher during the term of four months. This continued to be the place of the school till 1831, when a house was built for the two-fold purpose of holding meetings on the Sabbath,

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