CONTENTS. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN COMMON SCHOOLS. Class Exercises in Religion-Moralizing from BOSTON PRIMARY SCHOOLS. Mistakes of a Correspondent-Primary School Rooms-Efforts at MISTAKES OF TEACHERS. Making Children Happy-Preceptive Instruction, HINTS TO PARENTS. A Common Parental Error-Examples of the Error-Mistakes in regard to C ESSAYS ON PHYSICAL EDUCATION. Clothing of Children-Simple Dress of a Little Girl-Cov- MISCELLANY. Miserable School Rooms-Education in Pennsylvania-Educator's Institute, Frank- 289 294 300 308 310 311 315 321 323 324 326 329 333 DR ALCOTT'S WORKS. Published and for sale, wholesale and retail, on liberal terms, by GEO. W. LIGHT, 1 Cornhill, (facing Washington Street,) Boston. The general object of Dr. Alcott's works is to promote health and morals, by means of correct physical and moral management. Aware of the extent and power of female influence, he has, in this view, directed a large proportion of his labors to the instruction of mothers and house-keepers. THE YOUNG WIFE, is designed to give early instruction to those who have entered the marriage relation, with respect both to the physical and moral management of themselves and their families. This is properly a work on Self-Education, both physical and moral. Fifth edition. THE YOUNG HOUSE-KEEPER.-The object of this work is, principally to give information on the subject of Food and Cookery. It is properly a work on Physical Education, and is wholly unlike any work, either ancient or modern, on those subjects. It presents more distinctly than can be found anywhere else, Dr Alcott's peculiar views on diet and regimen. Second edition. THE YOUNG MOTHER, is intended as a guide to all who have the care of young children, but especially mothers, in regard to the physical management of children. braces, also, many moral reflections. Third edition. It em THE HOUSE I LIVE IN, is an account of the Human Body, under the figure of a House, consisting of the frame, covering, apartments, &c., designed as a popular introduction to the study, by the young, u Anatomy and Physiology. Second edition enlarged. Just republished in London. THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE, embraces a wide range of instruction to young men, and includes some topics not usually discussed in works designed for this class. Twelfth edition. WAYS OF LIVING ON SMALL MEANS, is a cheap manual for the middling and poorer classes of the community, intended to give instruction on matters of domestic economy The fifth edition of this work has been enlarged and improved. Fifth edition. THE MORAL REFORMER, in two volumes, is a collection of essays and facts on Health and Morals, arranged in a manner not unlike that of the former Journal of Health of Philadelphia. It is nearly the same, in character, with the Library of Health, its successor. な THE LIBRARY OF HEALTH and Teacher on the Human Constitution. One volume of this work is completed and bound; and a second volume-that for 1838-is in progress. Its name will give an idea of its character. $1 a year, only. No family can afford to do without this work. AMERICAN ANNALS OF EDUCATION. JULY, 1838. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN COMMON SCHOOLS. In a former article* I have presented several methods or means of making religious impressions on the minds of pupils in our common schools, which seemed to me open to no objections on the part of those who entertain the most fastidious notions on this subject, and who cry out the most loudly against sectarism. There is one method of accomplishing this object, which seems to me preferable to any, if not to all others which have yet been proposed. It may be pursued either as a class exercise, or otherwise; and to any extent which the varying circumstances of teachers may require. The pupils of a given class, or of the whole school, may be called to discriminate character. Thus they may be asked :What do you think was the great difference between Judas Iscariot and Peter? What between Ahab and Asa? What between John and Paul? &c. It is true that these questions may, at first, require a good deal of thought, on the part of ordinary school pupils ; but time enough may be given them for it. The teacher may require them to write the questions on their slates, and annex to them such answers as they may think appropriate, at their leisure. Or he may bring them to the appropriate answers by another set of questions, which might properly be considered as preliminary to the foregoing. Thus the question might be put; If Judas Iscariot had found a purse of money in the streets of Jerusalem, in passing along, what do you think he would have done with it? Suppose Peter had found one, do you think he would have dis *This article and that in our last number, under the same head, were made the hasis of an essay, which was read by the Editor, before the American Lyceum, at its late session in Hartford, Conn. 290 Class Exercises in Religion. posed of it in the same manner? Why? Do you think any other of the apostles would have done the same? Which of them ? Why do you think so? Do you think any of the other distinguished men or women mentioned in the Bible, would have done the same with it as Judas did? But why? What do you think a good person would do, nowadays, in the same circumstances? The Saviour, it seems, was not fond of the turmoil of the city, and of city life; and though he was much in Jerusalem during the day, he often went out at night, to Bethany, where Lazarus and Martha and Mary lived, and lodged there. Now which of the twelve apostles do you think most likely to be fond of accompanying him thither? Which would be most likely to remain behind, in the noise and bustle of the city? Why do you think so? What made our Lord prefer going out to Bethany? and what made him particularly attached to the society of Martha and Mary and Lazarus? Do you think our Saviour was an early riser? Why do you think so? Have you reason to think that any of the apostles were? Will you give me your reasons? Do you think Judas would be apt to rise early? Do you think Solomon was an early riser? Do you think Daniel was? What advantages are there, in a religious point of view, in early rising? What are the names of fifty of the individuals mentioned in the Bible, whom you would most like to resemble ?—This, and indeed most of the exercises we have proposed, will, at first-we repeat it-demand time and thought. They may be given out, to-day, perhaps, at the close of the forenoon exercises, for the opening of the school tomorrow morning.-The contrary of the foregoing may be asked. What six characters mentioned in the Bible, should you be most unwilling to resemble? If there are degress of happiness in heaven, as some suppose, what six persons mentioned in the Bible, are likely to be among the highest? Why do you think so? The teacher may sometimes pursue the following course. He may say to a class or to the school; If John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, was tempted to do a wrong thing-say to swear profanely-do you think he yielded to the temptation and swore? Suppose he became very angry at some person who had abused him, would he not then yield to the temptation? Why not? What other individuals mentioned in the Bible would be likely to do the same? What reasons have you for thinking so? How many of you think it is right to swear, on any occasion? Why may we not swear, if we are very angry ? As many as think it right to swear when we are angry, may raise your hands. As Moralizing from Common Occurrences. 291 many as think it not right to be angry, may raise your hands. Between the present moment and tomorrow at this time, I wish you would find and write down on your slates, all the passages you can find, and the books, chapters and verses where they are to be found, which relate to anger. Please to write those which you think allow it, on one side of your slates, and those of a contrary kind on the other. Some persons are fond of using words, which though they may not be regarded as swearing, in the fullest sense of the term, are yet foolish to say the least; and not a few of them probably lead us, by degrees, to the habit of profaneness. Such are the words and phrases, By George,' Good heavens,' Gracious heavens,' &c. &c. Now if the Saviour were on earth, and a multitude were following him round, and some were in the habit of using these words, do you think he would approve it? Would any of the twelve apostles be likely to do so? To which of the twelve do you think it would be most painful to hear such language? To which the least so? Why do you thus judge?— I wish you would bring together, for tomorrow's lesson, all the passages, or at least mention the book, chapter and verse where they may be found, which speak against profane swearing, and the use of other words which lead to it. You may place all which relate to swearing, directly, on one side of the slate, and those which relate to the use of other words, not so obviously wicked, but only foolish, and leading to wickedness, on the other. We would thus classify, or make distinctions in the nature or degree of the sin of swearing, both because there is a proper foundation for the distinction, and also for the sake of variety in the exercise; and to bring into activity the various powers and capacities and talents of the pupils.-We have alluded to variety, and spoken of indulging in it, because we believe that the natural fondness of the young for it, should be laid hold of wherever it can be, as a means of advancing them in the path of improvement, and because we believe it is almost universally overlooked, and by many undervalued; nay, by some regarded in the light of a fault, which it requires not only age and experience, but discipline to correct. Perhaps it is well to let these lessons grow, often, out of circumstances. For example, a boy has injured another, and the latter feels the spirit of revenge. The teacher may now put the question-not perhaps to the class to which he belongs alone but to the whole school, whether they think revenge is ever proper. When the question does thus grow out of an existing case, it may not be proper to require the upraising of hands before 292 Lesson on 'Be ye merciful.' spoken of, lest it should have injurious or at least unnecessary painful effects on the mind of the person whose conduct has led to the notice of the fault. The best way, probably, is to proceed, at once, to the Bible doctrine in regard to revenge in general. The pupils may be required, within a certain specified time, not too short, to select all the passages in the New Testament which speak of it. For the reasons already given, they may be required to place those which seem to justify its occasional use on the one side of the slate as before, and those which condemn it, on the other. We have spoken of merely naming the book, chapter and verse, where the required passages are to be found; and we would certainly, in some cases, require no more. But it is in many respects, a highly valuable exercise, (and by no means, as some might at first view suppose, a waste of time,) to write out in full, all the passages bearing upon the subject, adding to them the place where they are to be found, as before, as well as any familiar remarks which the pupil may feel an inclination to make. Precisely in the spirit of this course, might a teacher proceed to the inculcation of every principle in the Bible, in its bearing on all our words and actions, and even on our thoughts and modes of thinking. We say of every principle; but we refer now to what may be called the general principles and doctrines it contains, such as are applicable to all sorts and conditions of mankind, and to all times and places; those, for example, which are found in the sermon on the mount, and in the ten commandments. There are hardly any limits to this mode of instruction. Take for example, the single requisition of our Saviour. 'Be ye merciful.' Now it would afford a class of pupils full employment for at least one hour of twentyfour, in finding out and writing down the other texts which speak of mercy, and commend it. It would be another interesting exercise to require them to select the instances mentioned in the Bible, in which this principle is acted out. Another, to bring together instances of the contrary kind-instances in which there was a want of mercy and its exercise. Another, to require the pupils to write down the names of one hundred good men and women mentioned in the Bible, who would be likely to be, in all their conduct, merciful and compassionate; and those of twenty or fifty, who might be disposed to act otherwise. Another exercise still, might be the bringing together proofs that the merciful man ought to be merciful to his domestic animals; and lastly, they might be led to enumerate some of the instances in which men are, in common life, unmer |