of fifteen or eighteen years. Thus, under a good instructer, the monitor is very liable to teach in an unskilful manner; and under a poor instructer, he is almost certain to do so. Suppose now, that one of these youth, instead of being a monitor, commences teaching a school of his own at a more mature age. The greater interest he will feel in the proficiency of his pupils, and the greater responsibility which he will feel to rest upon him, will, it may be hoped, lead him to think for himself; and if he does this, his better judgment and more mature mind will enable him to make improvements in his methods of teaching, which he was incapable of making or understanding at an earlier age. The monitorial system seems suited to transmit the same methods of teaching from one generation of instructers to another; but we could wish to see every succeeding generation a little wiser than that which preceded it.

We would not have our readers conclude, from the remarks which we have offered, that we are opposed to the monitorial method of instruction. We have not had sufficient acquaintance with monitorial schools, and sufficient opportunity to observe their tendency and effects, to be authorised to form an opinion on the subject. We were formerly opposed to the Lancasterian system, because we considered it as too mechanical, as not admitting any thing like the inductive method of teaching, and as exciting the learner to diligence in his studies chiefly by addressing itself to motives of an exceptionable character. Our prejudices were overcome by reading the American Journal of Education, particularly by Mr. Fowle's account of the Boston Monitorial School. Our subsequent observation, experience, and reflections, have led us to doubt, whether it is advisable that the system of mutual instruction should be so generally adopted, as has by some been recommended. In schools which are large, and which afford a sufficient number of scholars who are at all qualified to officiate as monitors, it is probably best that this system should be adopted. But in schools of only forty or fifty

scholars, and especially where all the older scholars are either very ignorant and stupid, or very disorderly and troublesomeand many such schools, we fear, exist within the limits of enlightened New-England-our present impression is, that monitors would do more harm than good. It is very possible, indeed, that where the circumstances of a school do not admit of the complete adoption of the monitorial system, it may be partially adopted with good success. The instructer might select two, three, or more individuals, of suitable age, good capacity, and correct deportment, and, after requesting them to notice his method of instructing certain classes, and conversing with them on the subject, might set them to teach those classes, observing how they succeeded, and kindly pointing out any instance of unskilful procedure or injudicious management. If he treated them with a proper degree of condescension and familiarity, he might stand by and see them teach without materially embarrassing them. In proportion as he became satisfied of their competency, he might leave them occasionally to proceed alone, and gradually render his visits to their stations less frequent. We should deprecate the idea of setting boys and girls to teaching without an initiatory process and a superintendence of this kind. We are apprehensive, that the monitorial system is adopted in some schools without being understood. One man, with a hundred scholars under his care, says, that since he adopted this system, he finds his task very easy; and another, with thirty or forty scholars only, gives out lessons for the whole school, waits while they are getting them, and then calls all the classes, four or five in number, out at once, and hears one of them himself, while the rest are taught by monitors who can scarcely read a line of common English without a blunder. Now, a teacher has greatly mistaken the spirit and design of the monitorial system, if he thinks to find in it an excuse for indolence; or if he imagines he is doing his duty to his school by being idle a part of the time, for the sake of giving three or four stupid monitors an opportunity to share with him in the business of instruction.

DEFECTS OF SCHOOL BOOKS.

Defects in the state of school and text books, are less likely to be felt, because we have all been instructed from them, and our minds are formed upon them, as upon certain models. Reformation is upon all subjects progressive. Even reformers themselves cannot, at once, shake off the many associations, which obscure their judgment. And reformation, or rather improvements, in the principles of instruction, are more slow and difficult to be made, than in those of almost any other subject. This is partly because the subject is one of intrinsic difficulty; but more because so many prejudices are to be encountered. Our prejudices, however, on this subject, are all honest; for they are wrought into our very nature, from our earliest infancy; and they are the stronger, precisely because all acknowledge the subject to be of the utmost importance, and take particular care, that all should be taught according to the most approved and philosophical plan; that is, just as we ourselves have been taught. Every age and generation think, that they have just arrived at perfection. And they take care accordingly, that their children shall never relapse to the ignorance of their ancestors. This would be well, if they did not take almost as effectual care, that they should never be wiser than their fathers. But this is provided against with most pious care. The very best men of all ages, those who can hardly find good enough to do, in this short life, to satisfy themselves, would, with very few exceptions, be heartily glad to freeze or petrify the world, in the perfect and consistent form in which they are about to leave it, lest a rash and wicked posterity should jostle it out of shape.

* *

*

But besides these general and honest prejudices, which no one believes he possesses, yet all do possess, there are others, in the particular case in hand, which are not entitled to so much respect. In the case of school books, there are prejudices of ignorance and interest to be encountered. The mass of instructers in the primary schools, who have most influence in the selection of school books, had commonly much rather teach an old book, which they themselves have been taught, than be at the trouble of learning a new one. Indeed, so superficial has the education of most instructers of common schools been, that a new book is, to them, a new subject. The particular form and words, in which the principles of any branch of learning have been expressed, and the principles themselves, are, with them, identical; and if the words are varied, the principles are not recognised.Carter's Letters.

TOYS FOR CHILDREN.

It is indispensably necessary that some sort of toys should be appropriated to the amusement of children. Those used in the Infant School at Bristol, consist of small, but very strong, carts and wheel-barrows: we have also four swings, two for the very small children which are constructed like children's chairs, the others for those who are arrived to five or six years of age. But there is nothing so much delights them, as their little wooden bricks, of which they have a great quantity. I shall mention an instance or two of their building.

One day, when several of the children had gone to dinner, a number who remained, petitioned for the use of the bricks. I immediately acquiesced, and went to my dinner. It appears they had predetermined to surprise me by building what they called a very high castle, and accordingly enlisted all their companions to engage in the important business. In an instant all were busily employed; some in fetching the bricks in their little barrows, and others in forming them into a building. By dint of assiduity and much pains, they erected their castle, with a door and windows as high as the tallest child could reach. They had, however, a large portion of bricks unoccupied ; and therefore petitioned the governess for the use of two or three chairs to stand on to finish their undertaking. This being granted, they set to work again, and soon reared their fabric as high as they could reach from the chairs. They were now reduced to a still greater dilemma; for they had not yet used half their bricks, and were still wishing to build higher, that they might surprise me, being every moment expected from dinner. After consulting among themselves, they next petitioned for the table to stand upon. As the governess stood by and watched them, she could not refuse their request; and in a moment they set to work, and built as high as they could reach. They had now elevated their castle eight feet; but some bricks still remaining, they petitioned the governess to finish it, which she did; and, being a tall woman, (by standing on the table) raised their castle almost twelve feet from the ground.

Shortly after they had finished their work, I made my appearance; upon which they immediately set up a loud shout of joy, and conducted me to see the building. I could not but admire their ingenuity and industry; and after bestowing my approbation of their work, I further encouraged them by saying it should stand all the afternoon, in case any visiters should come.

This

very much delighted them; and every time the door opened, they hoped to see a visiter; but unfortunately no one came, and in the evening the castle was demolished.

At another time, on my return from dinner, they informed me they had built a house, and that somebody was in it. I examined the building, and was surprised and delighted to find that they had built a sort of house, and that one of their little companions was completely enclosed within it. They were very choice of this performance, and I again readily bestowed my approbation on their industry and perseverance.

From those two examples, a person disposed to assist in furnishing an Infant School, may discover that nothing is more likely to attract attention than these bricks, and certainly I would recommend them in preference to any other toy. Whips, whiptops, peg-tops, and ropes of any description, are prohibited, because it has been found that they might occasionally be devoted to purposes very different from those intended; namely, converting them into means of inflicting castigation on each other. Also marbles and every thing which has a tendency to gaming is discouraged, because it has been found, that the loser has frequently been unable to govern his temper, and thus symptoms of revenge have been reciprocally excited. Goyder's Manual.

MORAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. The moral branches of education can never be successfully taught without the aid of example. Example has, in a great measure, the same influence upon every other part of education. Children do little, besides imitating others. Parents who read, will have reading children. Industrious parents will have industrious children. Lying parents will have lying children.

Every child should be taught to pay all his debts and fulfil all his contracts, exactly in the manner, completely in the value, and punctually at the time. Every child should be discouraged from the propensity to make bargains, so early, so strongly, and so universally visible. He should be discouraged, also, from every wish to make what is called a good bargain; the common source of all cheating; and should be taught that he is bound to render an equivalent for what he receives. Every bargain disadvantageous to himself, he should scrupulously fulfil. Every thing, which he has borrowed, he should be obliged to return, uninjured, at the time; and every thing belonging to others, which he has lost, he should be required to replace.