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performance in his duties of teaching. The cost of lettering and gilding will be about one cent each badge.

98. Two classes, on a par of proficiency, may have a time appointed for trial in certain rules or lessons to see which class will outdo the other: that which gains the preference may have a prize, and sometimes a higher or more honourable seat.*

• I will insert here a narration respecting one of Lancaster's judicious plans for reclaiming a number of disorderly boys. "As a further proof of the benefit resulting from this mode of instruction, the following instance is remarkable. Several boys belonging to my school, were in the habit of playing truant continually. This habit was contracted, as it usually is, by frequenting bad idle company. One boy seemed quite in corrigible his father got a log and chain, chained it to his foot, and in that condition, beating him all the way, followed him to school repeat edly. Nothing was of any avail-neither was the lad reformed by any thing the parent could do. At last he was reformed by a contest about an old rusty nail. I am not fond of laying wagers; but, without any other design than the improvement of two classes, by raising a spirit of emulation among them, I betted with one of my subordinate monitors, a shilling against an old rusty nail, that another class would excel in writing on the slate, that in which he taught. In case it did, the old rusty nail was to be mine; and the oddity of the thing tickled the fancy of the boys, and served as well for the bone of contention as any thing else. Both classes being disposed to exert all their powers on the occasion, deter mined not to be excelled. I lost the wager in the sequel; but if it had been fifty times the value, it could not have had a better effect than it had. The truants I have been mentioning were in the two contending classes. The interest they took in the honour of their classes was so great, that instead of playing truant, they came to school, to aid their companions in securing the honour, which was more than the prize. The interest they took in the thing was so great, that they became pleas ed with school; and, above all, the almost incorrigible boy became reformed, and one of the best proficients in learning in the whole school; and for two years after, which he remained with me, no more was heard of his playing truant."

Let the trials be about once a week. This plan will keep the whole school striving from week to week. We will suppose that an appointment is made on the eighth day of the month, for two classes to strive for a prize on the fifteenth on the eighth, show the prize, and inform each class, that, "this prize will be delivered to the monitor of that class which shall excel on the fifteenth ;" and as an additional incitement for each individual of the classes, inform them likewise, that every scholar, in that class which shall excel, will be entitled to a cent each, to an honorary certificate, a picture, or something that will cause them all to feel a peculiar interest in the undertaking. Information may be given also, that, whoever becomes head in each class at the end of the first trial, shall be entitled to the privilege of aiding the monitors in preparing the classes for the second trial, and receive a prize in the same manner that the monitor shall have received it in the first. One, two, or more classes may have a trial on the same day, if the Teacher deem it expedient,

99. Prizes may be selected from a variety of such articles as please the fancy of children, having regard in the selection to something that is profitable or instructive; such as, penknives, cheap books, copperplate strips for copies, picture books, inkstands, apples, bright cents or half-cents, certificates of good behaviour, of excelling, of preferment, &c.

Toys, rows of pins, pinballs, pincushions, ribands, scissors, thimbles, maphandkerchiefs, abridgments of geography, &c. or other articles which the Teacher in his discretion may suppose most suitable.

A silk handkerchief, an elegant shawl or bonnet, may be presented to some female monitor, who, for a consider

able time, has been very faithful in teaching; and be considered as no act of extravagance, more than to reward the labourer according to his hire.

100. Sometimes it may be profitable to vary the mode of trial above described, and permít two scholars of equal abilities, to make choice of fellow-students from such classes as they please; and from nearly the whole school, form two classes of respectable numbers; this method is commonly called chusing sides; but it tends to an incon, venience in preparing the classes for trial, because the parties are mixed, unless their stations at the benches are deranged at the time of chusing. It must be remembered moreover, that our good success greatly depends on the ambition and vigilance of the monitors. Therefore their conveniencies for teaching, are considered to be of consequence, and their rewards ought to be liberal.

Much more might be written on this subject if room would permit: I shall therefore refer the reader to those books mentioned in clause No. 1. But at the same time I cannot conscientiously omit mentioning one more gross evil, which, with a little energy, might be eradicated from country as well as from city schools; that is, disturbance in the house before school hours, or at noon, or after school at evening. A remedy is plain, easy, and practicable, even in the country where scholars are obliged to tarry at noon,

In the first place, let the trustees of the school be em▾ powered to make rules and regulations-Let the employers be bound to aid in carrying those rules into effect; and, when a Teacher is hired, let the trustees put him under obligation to adhere to said rules. When circumstances are such that the school-house cannot be locked at noon, let the master appoint a discreet scholar as overseer till

he returns and any one refusing or neglecting to do his duty, shall be fined according to the judgment of the trustees. At evening the master may be the last that leaves the house and lock the same-In the morning the care of the school may be committed to him who builds the fire: and if the master be adequate to his task, he will be at school in season, and not give rogues any considerable time to display their mischievous talents.

END OF PART FIRST,

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