Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-01-28

lied helped in the establishment of
a three. class school with which
kindergarten was connocted-the
first in America. On the occasion
of a memorial meeting i'll honor of
Humboldt, Douai delivered speech
in which he said that one of the
services to humanity of Humboldt
was that he was not a believer in
God. For this he was so bitterly
attacked by Prof. Louis Agassiz and
his brother-in- law, Prof. FELTON,, in
the Boston press, that his means of
support were withdrawn, and he had
to leave his loved Boston.
In 1860 he became editor Of the
New York Dem0krat, but soon ac-
copied the position Of Principal of
the Hoboken Academy, which pros
pered exceedingly under his manage
ment. Here he worked six years,
when he observed that his political,
religious and sociallstc opinions
(Which, however, were not paraded
in the academy had made him pow
erful enemies. He removed to New
York in 1866, and established a
school Of his own, which soon pros
pered. The Tweed Sweeney swindle
in the widening Of upper Broadway
cost him his property by the nullif-
cation of a long lease through special
law making. His school still exists
under the direction of his sister, but
he had to find new field for exist
ence with his family of ten children
(lSTD. He was elected principal of
the Green street school, Newark, N.
j., and remained there till 1876.
The number of scholars rose from
1913 to $50. lie stipulated that his
plan of teaching should not be inter
fered with and held himself ready to
resign when this stipulation was
broken; and this occurred in the
election of d Board Of Directors who
were politically opposed to him. He
then accepted an invitation to estab-
fish an academy at Irvington, N. j.,
for which purpose stock was sub
scribed. But the loss of the only
building in the place suitable for
the undertaking prevented the pro-
ject from being carried out.
He had already begun writing for
the VOlkszeit1ny, established in Jan
uary, 1878, and he now closed his
career as teacher, and devoted him
self To editorial work on the V0lhS-
zeitung, though he still occasionally
taught at his sisters school. AS
teacher he published ten text books,
six English and four German, and
in them gave the benefit of his half
century of teachers experience, be-
sides contributing to the best Eng
fish and German pedagogic newspa-
pers and magazines. AS all this
was more for the school of the fu-
ture, it may easily be imagined that
his pedagogic writings cost him
more than it brought in. These
works may still be appreciated; they
have been the result of long expert
ence in the school room.
Teaching was a passion with him,
and be only turned his attention to
writing when there was no alterna-
tive. Six times had he lost all his
property at school keeping, without
fault of his own, because he would
not hide his convictions nor sacrifice
his pedagoglc principles. He is
known more as writer than as u
teacher, and yet he taught over
5000 children, and among them
some who have become celebrated
and excellent people. He has been
charged with unsteadiness owing to
his many changes the foregoing
will teach whether these charges are
well founded. One may discover in
the perusal of this story that for y
born proletarian who will not deny
his principles, it is made almost i'm
possible to accomplish material sue
cess in "this best of all worlds" even
if he were, if possible, more indus
trious, economical, persevering and
free from gross wees than Douai; at
least not as teacher. His Journal
lstic and literary productions would
fill many volumes. Many of them
remained unpublished.
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