We now proceed to the important inquiry, In what way shall our schools be supplied with instructers suitably qualified to discharge the duties of their office? In reply to this question, we remark, first, that the same means which we have mentioned as serving to diffuse through the community more enlightened views on the subject of education, and in regard to the qualifications which an instructer ought to possess, cannot fail to operate directly, as well as indirectly, in rendering instructers better qualified for the employment. They, as well as parents, will read many of the articles on this subject, which are daily issuing from the press. And they will not read in vain; but will labor to correct the errors and supply the deficiencies which are pointed out. Soon, we trust, the conviction will become general among them, that it is quite as important to know how to teach, as to know what to teach; and that, therefore, in order to raise their qualifications, something is to be done besides attending an academy six weeks longer, or going through the arithmetic or geography once or twice more, or becoming acquainted with the latest grammar that has made its appearance. And this conviction will lead them to observe, to reflect, and to seek information of a different kind from any that common school-books afford. It is important that those who propose to become teachers should, in preparing for the employment, make the science of education and the art of teaching a distinct study, as much as they do grammar or arithmetic. We are not apprised of any treatise extant, expressly adapted to this purpose. A work of the kind is needed, both for private perusal, and to be used as a text book in colleges, academies, and female seminaries. In the meantime, the general principles on which the business of education should be conducted, may be learned from works that treat of the philosophy of the mind; and considerable assistance in regard to the application of these principles to particular branches of study and to the culture of the various intellectual faculties, may be derived from the writings of Hamilton, Edgeworth, and later authors, and especially from the Journal of Education and some other recent publications of a smaller size. To bring the subject before the minds of those who are preparing to be school-teachers, and to direct their attention to such publications as it may be important for them to read, we would recommend, that in every literary institution, of a grade superior to a common school, a course of LECTURES on Education should be delivered. This has already been done in an institution in New-Hampshire; and, we suppose, in another in Massachusetts. The Rev. B. F. Farnsworth, Principal of the Academical and Theological Institution in New-Hampton, N. H. in a letter recently received, writes as follows: "During the past Fall, I have given a course of Lectures to the students in our Institution, who anticipated teaching during the winter, embracing a brief view of discipline and instruction. I think it desirable that something of the kind should be done in all our academies. This would contribute much to the aid of teachers, and to the benefit which youth in our numerous country towns would receive from their periodical seasons of instruction." It was announced in the newspapers, it may be a year or more since, that lectures would be occasionally delivered on the business of school-keeping, in the academy in East Bradford, Mass. Whether the same has been done in any other institution, we are not able to say. Most academies are on such a plan, that the preceptor, however competent he may be to do it, would find it difficult to devote any adequate share of time and attention to the preparing of lectures on this subject. Being, as yet, a new and unexplored field of inquiry, it requires more time and more reflection, than it can be expected to receive from a man, who is already burdened and perplexed with the multiplicity of branches, and the still greater multiplicity of classes, to which he must daily attend. Another difficulty is, that few men can be found, especially among preceptors of common academies, who have turned their attention to the subject sufficiently to be prepared to lecture upon it. We trust, however, that neither of these objections is insuperable. It would be better, if necessary, to omit some of the other branches, or to hear recitations in them less frequently, for the sake of giving instruction, in the business of school-keeping, to those who are about to become teachers. And it is to be hoped, that such regulations will soon be generally adopted in our academies, in regard to the times of admission, and in regard to constancy and punctuality of attendance, and such arrangements made in regard to the course of studies and the system of books, and such a classification made of the pupils under the care of each preceptor, as will enable him to give more thorough instruction to each class, and, at the same time, to initiate a class in the theory and practice of education. And as to the incompetency of preceptors to give instruction of this kind, there are some considerations which diminish the weight of the objection. Most preceptors, with the superior advantages of education which they have enjoyed, and the experience in teaching which they have had, must be supposed to know more on the subject in question, than the youth who are placed under their care. Their suggestions, therefore, must possess some value; and though they may give some injudicious directions, those, to whom they are given, will probably be led by them to reflect more on the subject, and to find out for themselves a better way. They will have become convinced, that education is something in which there is room for improvement; and entering on the employment with this conviction, they will make, by experience, improvements of their own. Besides, the preceptor, who undertakes to prepare lectures and give instruction on the subject of education, will find his personal improvement and his usefulness greatly promoted by the undertaking. He will be led by it to such reading and reflection, as will enlarge and correct his own views, and render him a more useful instructor in all the branches which he teaches, and qualify him to be a guide to others who are about to engage in the same employ ment. Another method of training instructers, is that which is afforded by monitorial schools. Those who are employed as monitors in these schools, become early initiated in the practice of teaching. And they enjoy the advantage of always having one at hand, whom they can consult, and from whom they can seek direction, whenever they are at a loss in what manner to proceed. If the principal instructer practises, himself, the most improved modes of teaching; if he requires his monitors to copy his example, and if they constantly endeavor to do this; if they are long enough under his instruction to become familiar with his system and imbibe its spirit, so as to practise according to it with a good degree of uniformity and consistency; and if he is careful to make them understand his reasons for the particular methods which he adopts, and to lead them, as far as possible, to a knowledge of the general principles by which he is governed ;they may become tolerable instructers even at that early age. It is evident, however, that few of them can be capable of posses-' sing the qualifications which we have described, in a former number, (see pp. 17-19) as being essential to a truly good instructer. While, therefore, we admit, that monitorial schools, when taught by a skilful instructer, may do much toward preparing future teachers for our children, we are far from thinking that all the requisite qualifications can be thus acquired. One method of training skilful school-teachers remains to be mentioned :—a method, which will, we trust, be found more ef fectual, than any which has yet been adopted. We allude to the project, which has been some time before the public, of having a department in our colleges appropriated to education, or of having separate institutions established, which shall be wholly devoted to this object. We have already noticed the promise given a considerable time since, by the Trustees of Cumberland College, and the plan recently published by the Trustees of Amherst College. (See pp. 15 and 94.) We have also noticed the intention of Mr. Carter to establish a Seminary for the education of instructers, (p. 31.) We will now state a few additional facts, which may serve to show how great and how extensive an excitement exists in reference to the education of instructers, and how fair a prospect there is that something effectual will soon be done. The following, copied from the Journal of Education, is a catalogue of "pamphlets and documents upon popular education, arranged, according to the order of time in which they were first published in the different parts of our country.” 1. Letters to the Hon. William Prescott, LL. D. on the Free Schools of New England, with remarks upon the principles of instruction. By James G. Carter, Boston, 1824. 8vo. pp. 124. 2. Essays upon Popular Education; containing a particular examination of the Schools of Massachusetts, and an outline of an Institution for the Education of Teachers. [First published in the Boston Patriot, in the winter of 1824-5.] By James G. Carter. Boston, 1826. 8 vo. pp. 40. 3. Plan of a Seminary for the Education of Instructers of Youth. By Thomas H. Gallaudet. Boston, 1825. 8vo. pp. 39. 4. Observations on the Improvement of Seminaries of Learning in the United States; with suggestions for its accomplishment. By Walter R. Johnson. Philadelphia, 1825. pp. 28. 8 vo. 5. The United States Literary Gazette, Vol. III. Nos. 5 and 6. Boston, 1825. 8 vo. pp. 80. 6. Message of Gov. Lincoln to the Legislature of Massachusetts, at their winter session, 1826. 7. Message of Gov. Clinton to the Legislature of New-York, at their winter session, 1826. |