488

Family and Infant Education.

name, the society might consider at large, how education, in all its branches, may be raised and quickened; and thus, in some measure, perform a part of the great duty every man owes to the generation that has assisted to educate him, and to the generation he is to assist in educating.

But in professing these as some of the objects that might claim the attention, and be found within the influence of a society such as we propose, we should, at the same time be desirous to begin its operations in the most unobtrusive manner, and on a small or even humble scale. We should be desirous to begin at home, where improvement and reform must always be begun, if begun effectually; and until something is really hazarded and done there, we should be very unwilling to venture abroad with suggestions of change. But when this is done, the circle might be extended, taking care, however, to go no faster and no farther, than led by knowledge and experience, and accompanied by a salutary influence and general good will.

We will now proceed to mention, more in detail, some of the objects which might be promoted by a society formed for the purpose of improving education.

The diffusion of useful suggestions on domestic education and parental management,-with special reference to early and effective measures for securing health and moral improvement, in conjunction with the first stages of intellectual culture.

These great points are by no means universally neglected. On the contrary, they have never been so successfully attended to as within the last twenty years. But nothing worthy of the nature or the destination of man has yet been effected. The parent has but little security that he shall not have to submit to the calamity of the premature death of his children, by some of those many forms of disease, which may all be traced to a want of seasonable attention to regular and adequate bodily exercise.

Another highly important and useful field of exertion would be opened, by the establishment of infant schools, with a view to aid the efforts of parents, and promote the happiness of children, at the age when even the best regulated nursery can hardly afford sufficient scope or sufficiently varied occupation and amusement, and while the child is yet too young to be pleasantly and profitably employed even in a primary school. Every day is bringing us fresh intelligence of the vast amount of good that is effected by such schools in England; and public sentiment is daily becoming more favorably impressed towards them here.

The appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of establishing such schools in more of our larger cities than are now provided with them, would probably lead to useful results in the improvement of education.

Primary and Common Schools.

489

The condition of our primary schools would be much improved by the assistance derived from such a society as is proposed. These schools, it is believed, are on the whole, well managed. But several important improvements are urgently called for. The healthful activity, and in a great measure, the happiness of children, at the age of those in primary schools, require free access to the open air, and ample space for recreation without doors, as well as large, airy, well lighted school rooms. The aspect of every thing connected with education, should be rendered as pleasant as possible at all stages, but especially the earliest. Very opposite to this is the actual state of things in many of our primary schools. The children have no inviting play-ground when without; and low, dismal, close rooms when within school. Improvements, it is true, have recently been made in some schools, as to the accommodation of the scholars. But nothing yet is done, compared with what in this case are the actual demands of humanity, on behalf of the children.

The moral instruction given at the primary schools, is but occasional and slight, when regarded in its vast importance at this early period of life.

The intellectual discipline of the scholars, is, in some instances, very good; but in many it is imperfect: too little use is as yet made of the enlivening influence of mutual instruction. The result is, that taking the scholars singly, they are compelled to attend school, and sit motionless for five hours in the day, if not longer; while each receives actually but a few minutes personal attention or instruction. This branch of the subject, however, is too fruitful in details, to permit any thing like an adequate statement, at present. The aid of a society such as is proposed, would be very conducive to the immediate practical improvement of these schools-especially as the age of the scholars, and many other circumstances, afford peculiar facilities for whatever changes might seem likely to be beneficial.

The low condition of many of the common schools, throughout this as well as other States, is so often and so urgently brought forward by those whose attention has been particularly attracted to them, that it is unnecessary to enlarge on this subject. But if the actual state of most of our district schools wer lly brought before the public mind, no deficiency of prope improving them, it is believed, would long rem complaint. Perhaps one of the most effectual raising the condition of commchools, and p much neglected branch of the mer months-would be the app duty it should be to visit eve

490

School Books and Teachers.

Massachusetts, for instance, and return a full and exact report of each, so as to present a correct view of the existing state of these schools, and thus prepare the way for a thorough reformation.

But it is not in what are called the lower departments of education, alone, that improvement is desirable. Even admitting that the various stages of preparatory and collegiate and professional education, were not chargeable with any serious defects, still, a society which might aid the gradual and silent progress of improvement in these departments, which might enable instruction with greater facility and success to meet the constantly enlarging demands arising from the progress of the human mind on other subjects, would be an object of earnest desire to every friend of improvement. In the several stages of education, however, which have just been mentioned, much remains to be done for the benefit of that portion of the community which enjoys the direct advantages of higher instruction, and at the same time for the collateral improvement of all. For in few of the schools where education of a superior kind is acquired, is there that full and happy adaptation to the wants of society, in its present form, which every enlightened mind must regard as indispensable to the great objects that are or ought to be aimed at in educating any class or portion of society.

The introduction of books properly adapted to the business of instruction, is another point of great importance to the improvement of education. Amidst the numerous works, in every department, which proffer their respective claims on public patronage, it is not always easy for a teacher, or even for a committee or other body, to make the best selection; and many improper influences are apt to interfere with that impartiality in selecting, which is so essential to right instruction in any branch; and indeed, to good education generally. It is not merely in selection from among existing works, however, that the benefit of a society for the improvement of education would be felt. Peculiar facilities would naturally be presented to such a society for composing or compiling books adapted to the improving state of education, and better suited than most of those now in use, to aid the labors of the teacher.

A society, such as is proposed, would probably facilitate a measure of great importance to the improvement of educationthe establishment of seminaries of instruction for teachers, where persons of that occupation might be qualified for the duties of their office. The vast chain of consequences connected with the formation of such institutions, will present itself to the minds of all who consider how much mental power is deposited in

Lectures and Tracts.

491

the hands of those who form the intellectual character, through all the most important of its stages; and who have it, as it were, at their option to brighten or overcast the prospects of each successive generation.

Some measures for facilitating the extensive reception of European works on the various departments of education, and of transferring to our systems of instruction whatever might seem valuable in them, would be another object of attention with the society, and would afford opportunity of effecting extensive and permanent good.

Till a regular seminary for the instruction of teachers shall have been established, one means of elevating the condition of common schools, would be secured by the employment of a proper person to deliver lectures, designed for the express purpose of communicating useful knowledge in various departments of science, selected with reference to the circumstances of a teacher's life and occupation. The results, probably, of such a measure would be the personal improvement of teachers themselves, the enlargement of their views on the subject of education,-a better perception of the important charge with which they are entrusted, and more practical and more skilful methods of instruction. The effect, in a word, would be to rouse the minds of instructers from a state of apathy, or inaction-from the drudgery of mechanical routine in their office-to a lively interest in the improvement of the young, to vigorous personal efforts for raising the intellectual condition of the great body of the people to something more worthy of the noble sacrifices of their ancestors and of the happy auspices under which their country is pursuing its benignant career in meliorating the condition of

man.

The preparing or selecting of useful tracts, adapted to the various classes of the community, would be a very effective means of increasing popular interest in the great subject of education. To accomplish any of its objects to a desirable extent, a society such as is proposed must succeed in producing an extensive impression in the community, that something ought to be done towards the great object in view,-and through those particular channels which to the society seem most eligible. In a word, the community must be prepared for a wide, and cordial, and efficient co-operation with all the movements of such a society. This result will, in all probability, be most easily attained by the dissemination of popular tracts, addressed to the community as such; and at the same time to its various classes, with reference to their respective spheres of action and of influence. The learned professions, severally, ought to be appealed to-parents,

492

The Clergy.-Publications.

and especially mothers, who have so peculiar a control on education,-teachers, and above all, youth themselves-the chief objects of all our solicitude. It may not be improper to observe here, that this class of the community, in England, is separately addressed in eight or ten different periodical works, devoted exclusively to the instruction and improvement of juvenile readers.* It is too true that hitherto the young have been led to education, under external influences, and that a deep personal desire for improvement has not been sufficiently cultivated in them, as the grand spring to application and acquisition. Education has not been sufficiently rendered a voluntary and spontaneous affair.

The peculiar office of the clergy, renders their efforts, in conjunction with those of a society of this sort, an object of earnest desire. That their exertions would be freely contributed, no one can doubt; and that their influence in promoting the objects of the society, would be peculiarly efficient, is equally evident. If, as is presumed will be the case, the aid of the clergy can be secured, without unreasonably encroaching on their time, the actual business of the society in all its attempts to disseminate information, or procure it for specific objects, would be vastly facilitated; and indeed (the suggestion is respectfully made) the pulpit itself may contribute a powerful assistance, by occasionally turning public attention in definite directions to our duties as citizens and as christians, in regard to the wider dissemination and the higher improvement of education.

The appointment of a committee for each or at least some of the objects mentioned in this draught, as well as for others which might present themselves, in conversation and discussion, relative to such points, would probably, effect something definite and satisfactory within a very short time. At all events, it would bring before the society, and, through it, before the community generally, a vast amount of useful information, which would serve as a guide to subsequent measures calculated to promote improvement.

As the society would naturally expect all its influence to be exerted through the medium of public opinion, an occasional pamphlet or other publication, as the progress of the society seemed to afford materials, would probably be of service, not only in disseminating information relative to the proceedings of the society, but in elevating and directing general sentiment on the subject of education, and in contributing to increase the in

A few, do indeed, exist in this country, but they are restricted chiefly to the object of religious improvement.