ART. X.-PROGRESS OF FEMALE EDUCATION. [We believe there is much truth in a remark in the Western Review, that 'If this world is ever to become a happier and better world, woman, well educated, disciplined, and principled, sensible of her influence, and wise and benevolent to exert it aright, must be the original mover in the great work.' In this view we have solicited the following communication, from a veteran in female education, and should rejoice to receive others of a similar kind.] MR EDITOR-Convinced that I cannot be better employed than in promoting the interests of education, and especially that of females, from whose nurseries we are to receive men of wisdom, to fill every department of useful influence in society,— I cheerfully comply with your request, to state what I know of the rise and progress of Female Education in this country, during the half century past. The place of my nativity was in the vicinity of Hartford (Connecticut), and my acquaintance somewhat extended in the county. In 1770, common schools were opened to every child, and the expense of instruction paid by the public, partly by the school fund, which was then but small, and partly by town taxes. In larger districts, the schools were kept six months in the year, in the smaller, two, three, or four months. The branches taught were spelling, reading, writing, and rarely even the first rules of arithmetic. The Assembly's Catechism was repeated at the close of every Saturday forenoon school. Those of good memory could repeat the whole hundred and eight answers, the ten commandments, a part of Dilworth's Rules of Spelling, the stops and marks of distinction, and the prosody. Dilworth's Spelling Book was introduced about the year 1762. I have known boys that could do something in the four first rules of arithmetic. Girls were never taught it. At public examinations, as late as 1774, in some instances earlier, the speaking of pieces and dialogues was introduced, and specimens of writing; but I never recollect arithmetic. Whether the school consisted of thirty, sixty, or even one hundred, which I have known, one teacher only was employed, and among his pupils there were sometimes twenty A B C scholars. Girls had no separate classes, though generally sitting on separate benches. A merchant from Boston, resident in my native town, who was desirous to give his eldest daughter the THIRD SERIES VOL. I. NO. II. 13 best education, sent her to that city, one quarter, to be taught needlework and dancing, and to improve her manners in good and genteel company. To complete this education, another quarter, the year following, was spent at Boston. A third quarter was then allowed her at the school of a lady in Hartford. Another female among my school-mates was allowed to attend the same school for the period of three months, to attain the same accomplishments of needlework, good reading, marking, and polished manners. These are the only instances of female education, beyond that of the common schools before described, which I knew, in a town of considerable extent on Connecticut River, until 1776. Soon after that period, I saw and instructed two young ladies, who had attended the private instruction of a neighboring clergyman. In 1779, two students of Yale College, during a long vacation, after the British troops invaded New Haven, had each a class of young ladies, who were taught arithmetic, geography, composition, &c., for the term of one quarter. One of these students,* during his senior year in college, in the severe winter of 1779-80, kept a young ladies' school in New Haven, consisting of about twentyfive scholars, in which he taught grammar, geography, composition, and the elements of rhetoric. The success of this school was such as to encourage a similar school in another place, and with about the same number of scholars. These attempts led to the opening of a similar school in Newburyport, which was supported two quarters only. Before that period the Moravians had opened a school for females in Bethlehem. This place has been long celebrated for its numbers, and continues to enjoy a high reputation, notwithstanding its many rivals. Full to overflowing, when they could accommodate no more, they opened other branches in other places, which I cannot enumerate. In 1780, in Philadelphia, for the first time in my life, I heard a class of young ladies parse English. After the success of the Moravians in female education, the attention of gentlemen of reputation and influence was turned to the subject. Dr's Morgan, Rush (the great advocate of education), with others, whom I cannot name, instituted an academy for females in Philadelphia. Their attention, influence, and fostering care were successful, and from them sprang all the following and * Rev. William Woodbridge, afterwards principal of the Medford Female Seminary. celebrated schools in that city. I have seen a pamphlet of about one hundred pages, entitled the Rise and Progress of the Female Academy in Philadelphia,' to which I must refer for farther and more particular information. About the year 1785, young ladies were taught in the higher branches of education by Dr Dwight, in his Academy at Greenfield, in the State of Connecticut, and his influence was exerted with great effect, in improving the state of female education In the year 1789, a Female Academy was opened in Medford, within five miles of Boston, so far as I am informed, the first establishment of the kind in New England.* This was the resort of scholars from all the Eastern States. The place was delightful and airy, containing ample and commodious buildings, and fruit gardens of about five acres. Here the school flourished in numbers for seven years, until the estate was divided and sold, and its removal became necessary. Seven years of experiment, however, had evinced the practicability of the plan. Schools upon a similar plan, and female high schools, in which the arts and sciences are taught, were soon multiplied, and a new order of things arose upon the female world. A simple request in the Annals of Education would, I doubt not, call forth a general return of the number of establishments, teachers, and pupils, with many facts not known or not recollected by the writer, in regard to the history of female education among us. ART. XI.-JACOTOIAN SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION. LOUVAIN, (Netherlands,) August, 1829. MY DEAR FRIEND-Years have passed since you repeated to me the remark of Sir Isaac Newton, If I have any superiority over other men, it is due to nothing but industry and patient thought. I keep the subject constantly before me and wait till the first dawnings open slowly, by little and little, into a full and clear light.' You told me how much you had profited A friend has mentioned an academy which gave instruction to females in the higher branches, at New Ipswich, Massachusetts, at about the same period. We shall be happy to know any facts on this subject in the possession of correspondents. by this method of study, and I have myself more than once, experienced its utility. I have just become acquainted with a system of instruction in which this is adopted as a fundamental maxim. It is that of Mr Jacotot, a French professor in the university of Louvain. It will be consoling to those who dread innovation, to learn that he does not claim to have discovered any new principles, but only to have combined and applied well known and long admitted truths, in a new and simple manner, so as to produce uncommon results. His great aim is to render every individual a self-instructer on the plan of Newton. He adopts to the full extent the maxim of the productive school of education which I have formerly mentioned to you, that the pupil must be the agent in the acquisition of knowledge, that the only duty of the master is to require him to act, to oblige him to fix his attention on the subject before him, to stimulate him to observe, to learn, and to reflect. In vocal music or in spoken language, the master becomes the object of imitation. He must be regarded like the piano, as a machine which translates for the ear the written sign addressed to the eye. But in all other cases he only presents the object to the pupil, calls his attention to its different parts, and obliges him to observe, and compare, and reflect again and again. In short, the great object is to arouse the mind to exert its energies and not to render it sluggish by continual assistance; to make the individual conscious of his own powers instead of leaving him to feel himself dependent on others. The spur does not give the horse his strength,' observes Jacotot, nor is it necessary to explain to him how he shall move his limbs. Let the rider only rouse his will, and the effort will lead him to the result.' You will perceive by these statements, that Mr Jacotot has endeavored to devise a system of instruction and not of education. At the same time the laborious, and patient, and independent efforts it requires, must promote the developement of the faculties and the formation of the character. It is obviously best adapted to mature minds; and the great object which its author proposes is the intellectual emancipation of those who are grovelling in ignorance, from the belief that knowledge is beyond their reach." He wishes to convince every man, however poor and ignorant, that he can acquire all the knowledge. that he needs; and that, if he remain ignorant, it will be only for want of time or for want of effort. Upon these principles, M. Jacotot has founded methods of in MoU |