1834.]

The First School.

17

'It is observable, however, that though we have by these means lost much of our pristine vigor, our days are not the fewer. We live as long as those whom, on account of the sturdiness of their frame, the poets supposed to have been the progeny of oaks. Perhaps, too, they had little feeling, and for that reason also might be imagined to be so descended. For a very robust athletic habit seems inconsistent with much sensibility. But sensibility is the sine qua non of real happiness. If, therefore, our lives have not been shortened, and if our feelings have been rendered more exquisite as our habit of body has become more delicate, on the whole, perhaps, we have no cause to complain, but are rather gainers by our degeneracy.'

THE FIRST SCHOOL.

WE remarked in our first volume of this work, that in our plans of education we ought to imitate, as far as possible, the measures which Divine Providence adopts in the education of our race. This is a subject upon which we have long dwelt, with great interest. It has been the clue which has guided us to many of our principles and views, and we have deferred a full examination of the subject, only because we considered it one of so great extent and importance. We venture, however, to commence, (in the hope of going on,) with an inquiry into the management of The first school, organized and conducted by the Great Educator of our race.

a

This school was established in the midst of the beauties and wonders of nature, in a fruitful spot, watered by four streams garden which contained every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food. How different this situation from those provided by modern wisdom and benevolence, to form the mind, and senses, and tastes, of our children!

It is remarkable that the first school was a manual labor school. The first pupils were 'put into the garden-to dress it, and to keep it.' Let it be remembered too, that it was thus organized, when it was intended to be a scene of perfect enjoyment; and labor was appointed, of course, as a means of happiness.

The first lesson in this school was given upon objects and their names. Every beast of the field and every fowl of the air was brought to Adam; and he gave names to all cattle, and to every fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field.' How many of the pupils of our modern schools finish their education,' and even go to their graves, without having attained the knowledge imparted in this first lesson; and are compelled to employ but one, or at most a very few names, for the fowls of

6

18

Plan of the First School.

[Jan. the air,' whose beautiful plumage or varied songs call forth their admiration. Such were the arrangements recorded by Moses, for physical and intellectual education. But in all the wonders of creation that surrounded the first man, there was nothing to call forth the feelings, except to their Author; nothing to develope the human heart; nothing to complete the moral education. He might have lived in Paradise forever, and still have been only an intellectual being, with the nobler half of his nature to a great extent unawakened, uncultivated, and perishing for want of exercise; and so far, made in vain. It is not good,' therefore, said his Creator, that the man should be alone.' I will make an help meet for him,' was the next decision; and Infinite Wisdom determined, that his companion to be meet,' must be of a different mould of mind as well as of body. That this was not merely for the purpose of continuing the race, is evident from the fact, that the same wise Educator, in almost every school which has been organized directly by his own hand, has sent both sexes together. It would have been easy for Almighty power, to have made one family of males and another of females, and thus to have formed those separate schools which modern wisdom has considered so necessary, and avoided those dangers which human prudence deems so great. But he has ordered otherwise; and the results are in accordance with our expectations, from the plans of Divine Wisdom. The evils apprehended have always existed in the greatest degree, where the sexes were most widely and carefully separated. The youth who avoid female society, are notoriously the most dissolute. The navy and the camp present a mass of corruption rarely found in mixed communities; and the monastery and the convent have produced and developed crimes, which are scarcely ever heard of in a family. The voice of experience, if it be listened to, will be found to have responded, to the first declaration of the Creator. It is not good for man to be alone.'

In regard to the direct methods of moral education, the first school was constituted on the plan of absolute government. One of its prominent commands was given without any reason or explanation, and without any object which we can understand, except to test the obedience of the pupils. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.' And this too was done in a school of adults, and not of mere children. At the same time, every thing necessary to enjoyment, was given 'freely.'

Punishment was among the means of government in this school, and this too, of the severest kind. In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.' And we find no attempt to reconcile the pupils to this singular prohibition, and its severe penalty. It is simply, Thou shalt not eat of it.' In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.'

1834.] Mode of Teaching the Ancient Languages.

19

We do not hear that it was thought advisable to offer any rewards for obedience, except the presence and instructions and favor of the Great Educator who would seem, from the occurrence after the fall, to have visited the first pupils regularly, in the cool of the day,' doubtless to impart lessons of temporal and eternal wisdom.

We hear of no interruption to the order, or the happiness, of the first school, until an enemy of the race persuaded one of the pupils, that the great command of the Educator was not reasonable, and that the penalty would not be executed; and artfully introduced emulation as a motive to action - its first appearance, so far as we know, in this world. In the day that ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' The temptation was successful. The example and influence of one pupil overcame the other. This school of happiness, and improvement, and peace, was broken up; and its pupils were sent abroad into a world of storm and trouble, overgrown with thorns and briars, to begin the course of suffering involved in the penalty, Thou shalt surely die.'

[For the Annals of Education.]

ON THE MODE OF TEACHING THE ANCIENT

LANGUAGES.

1. An Essay on a System of Classical Instruction; &c. London: Printed for John Taylor, 1829. 12mo.

II. The New Latin Reader, Part I. By S. C. Walker. Philadelphia.

THERE is one argument often set forth for the present method of learning Latin and Greek, by means of lexicon and grammar, and with no assistance on the part of a master, except what may be communicated on the examination of the pupil at recitation,which commonly passes unanswered, and seems to be generally admitted as unanswerable :- it is this; that the present method took its rise in very ancient times, and has come down to us from those scholars, to whom Latin was the language of familiar intercourse.

But this is false. The present method of teaching Latin and Greek is the corruption of the system of teaching approved at that time; for that was diametrically opposed to the lexicon and grammar method. This corruption can be traced to no more respectable source than the indolence of schoolmasters; and it has been protested against at every stage of its progress, by the most distinguished scholars.

This is the first, and perhaps the most important thing, which the little work before us undertakes to prove ; and most satisfactorily

20

Cardinal Wolsey's School.

[Jan.

it is proved, by documents that bear directly on the subjects collected from the platforms of the first classical schools in England, and the writings of Roger Ascham, Milton, and Locke.

One of the first classical schools in England, was founded by Cardinal Wolsey, at Ipswich, in 1528; and when it was founded the mode of discipline and of teaching was given to the masters, in a letter yet extant, in the original Latin, under the Cardinal's own hand. This letter is headed, In what order boys admitted to the Academy should be taught, and what authors should be lessoned to them.' The writer then proposes that the first class should be taught to pronounce the words, and to class them into the eight divisions, called parts of speech, being taught, without book, by the master. The second class were to be taught to form sentences, by being told the Latin forms for short English propositions, still without book. When this has been done a while, the children were to write down the sentences, 'in Roman characters;'

'And you will daily pay attention, (he continues) that each of the whole party have this note-book perfectly correct, and written as fairly as possible with his own hand.

Should you think proper that, besides the rudiments, some authors should be given at this tender age; it may be either Lily's Carmen Monitorium, or Cato's Precepts; of course with a view of forming the accent.'

Thus far, no grammar, any more than dictionary, is mentioned. For the third class, however, to whom he recommends that Æsop or Terence should be taught, he adds ;

'We should not disapprove your subjoining the little book composed by Lily, on the genders of nouns.'

For the fourth class to whom Virgil was to be taught, he says; 'Lily will furnish the past tense, and supines of verbs. But although I confess such things are necessary, yet as far as possible, we could wish them so appointed, as not to occupy the most valuable part of the day.'

The fifth class is to be lessoned in some select epistles of Cicero.' No additional grammar is mentioned here. But, for the sixth class who are to read Sallust, Cæsar, or some history, he says;

"To these might not improperly be added Lily's Syntax; verbs defective and irregular; in short, any you may notice in the course of reading, as departing from the usual form of declination.' The party in the seventh form should regularly have in hand either Horace's Epistles, or Ovid's Metamorphoses or Fasti; occasionally composing verse or an epistle of their own. It will also be of very great importance, that they sometimes turn verse into prose, or reduce prose into metre. In order that what is learned by hearing may not be forgotten, the boy should reperuse it with you, or with others. Just before retiring to rest, he should study something choice, or worthy of remembrance, to repeat to the master the next morning. Lastly, for the eighth class, when by exercise of this kind the party has attained to some proficiency in conversation-style, they

1834.]

Wolsey's Direction for Teaching.

21

should be recalled to the higher precepts of grammar, as for instance, to the figures prescribed by Donatus to the elegance of Valla, and to any ancient authors whatever, in the Latin tongue. In lessoning from these, we would remind you to endeavor to inform yourselves at least on the points it may be proper should be illustrated on each present occasion. For example, when intending to expound at length a comedy of Terence, you may first discuss in few words the author's rank in life, his peculiar talent, and elegance of style. You may then remark how great the pleasure and utility involved in reading comedies; of which word you should explain the signification and derivation. Next, you may briefly, but perspicuously unravel the substance of the plot; and carefully point out the particular kind of verse. You may afterwards arrange the words in more simple order; and wherever there may appear any remarkable elegance; any antiquated, new-modelled, or Grecian phrase; any obscurity of expression, any point of etymology, whether derivation or composition; any order of construction rather harsh and confused; any point of orthography; any figure of speech, uncommon beauty of style, rhetorical ornament or proverbial expression; in short, anything proper or improper for imitation; it should be scrupulously noticed to the young.'

Such was the plan of teaching marked out for the oldest classical school in England. What a different thing it must have been for boys to learn Latin then, when, as there were no dictionaries widely diffused, on account of the imperfection of printing, the master construed the lessons to the boys, and they were not required to learn by heart even the regular verbs, till they had read Virgil, nor the irregular verbs, till after they had learned Cicero, while the peculiarities and niceties of grammar were left until they had advanced to the highest class! Boys will hardly call dictionaries and grammars facilities, when they have but increased their difficulties, by taking from masters all sense of responsibility in the preparation of their lessons! Nor did the ease and luxury of those days of study consist merely in reading the beautiful Latin authors with experienced scholars, instead of digging the skeleton of their meaning out of dictionaries and grammars. In those days, discipline was a very different thing. Listen to the Cardinal, in his directions about the studies of the fifth class:

'One point that we think proper to be noticed, as of first importance, is, that the tender age of youth be never urged with severe blows, or harsh threats, or indeed with any sort of tyranny. For by this injurious treatment all sprightliness of genius either is destroyed, or is at any rate considerably damped.'

And again, in the directions for the seventh class;

'At intervals, attention should be relaxed, and recreation introduced; but recreation of an elegant nature, worthy of polite literature. Indeed, even with his studies, pleasure should be so intimately blended, that a boy may think it rather a game at learning, than a task. And caution must be used, lest by immoderate exertion the faculties of learners be overwhelmed, or be fatigued by reading, very far prolonged; for either way is alike a fault.'