the head of the class miss in answering, then the first next who answers right, will go head.

They will then run or walk as they please within due bounds, and return to their former circle; the overseer there makes ready with his checker-board, and the head of the class comes up first; if he has studied out the solution, let him manifest it, if not, he may have recourse to the board; if he then answers correctly, he remains head of the class, but if not, the next in rotation, No. 2, takes his turn; if he answers right, he goes head.

56. The overseer then reads the second question; they all run, walk, skip, hop, and recreate themselves a minute or two, return to the circle and proceed in the manner of a spelling class as to precedence: in this way let them exercise themselves fifteen or twenty minutes in the forenoon and afternoon.

57. If any objection arise respecting scantiness of time, the Teacher will please to recollect that three hours in the forenoon, and three hours in the afternoon, is not a sufficient part of his time which ought to be appropriated for the superintendence of a school: Eight hours in a day (in the summer season) is the least portion of time for his attendance that can be truly called reasonable.

58. There are so many little, curious, and exact notions to engage the attention of a good and faithful Teacher, that he cannot dispense his several duties in less time than four hours. For in large schools he must superintend all the monitors, and teach them how to perform their several duties; in small schools, he must be principal Teacher and monitor himself: for although he can place a monitor

over every class, yet there is not always a sufficient variety of characters from which he can select a suitable number of disciplinarians.

59. A well regulated school must be overseen by the principal Teacher; he must not be above his business. He ought to superintend the cleaning and warming of the room,* see that the children come in regularly and decently, that their spare clothes are deposited in such manner, as not to create confusión by being mislaid, and, with a parental care, cause each child to have a fair opportunity for warming; he must see with the help of his monitors, that the implements are all in order for despatch of business: Pencils and penknives must be sharpened, pens mended, cards or lessons selected, slates and paper ruled, instructions given how to make and mend a pen, how to sit, hold the pen, and form letters systematically.†

60. A continual watch must be kept over the whole school by walking from class to class and teaching monitors and pupils in every part of the room: there is no time for sitting down indulgently: In short a good teacher must in the first place understand his business; secondly, have ample wages; and thirdly, earn his money, and become “worthy of his hire."

61. An objection will undoubtedly arise, that," Children will injure their health and mental faculties by such close

*If circumstances would permit to clean a school-room once in a week with a plentiful quantity of water, it would be a valuable preventive of diseases.

+ Towne's copper-plate copies have exceeded all till of late; there is now an engraving of copies in Philadelphia which makes a very elegant impression.

attention to study;" but this is like many other traditional notions which are the bane of improvement, of prosperity, of an early advancement in science, and of the happiness of mankind. The minds of children are never wrought upon in such a love-sick and enthusiastic manner as to cause derangement, unless by bugbear frights. It is a confinement in the deleterious air which has become so contaminated by the respiration of the scholars, that the vital powers of the atmosphere are diminished. It is the desire children have for an object to which they are peculiarly inclined, exercise, that noble preventive of sickness, and preservative of health; and to the above desire another obstacle can be added, as, unnecessary fear; this is often produced by a morose and indiscreet Teacher, who practises after the old pernicious custom of feruling and lashing little helpless infants of six, eight, or ten years old. These are the hydra monsters that destroy the health of children, and not their intense study

62. GOVERNMENT OF A SCHOOL.

A School is not intended for a dungeon, a bastile, an inquisition, or an engine of torture; but a place of rudimental instruction and refined morals; a place to teach the tender minds by example, moderation, forbearance, long-suffering, and kindness; bearing with the infirmities of the weak, &c. &c.

63. There is no more necessity for whipping children in school, than for the Algerines to cut off a piece from the tongues of our American prisoners, when groaning under the burden of being driven in a team like horses.

64. In case large scholars become ungovernable, enjoin parents to take them home for a few days, and correct them as they think proper, by hard labour, by abstinence, or corporal punishment; and not suffer their youthful ambition to be annihilated by a public whipping in school, or their indignation raised to an ungovernable pitch against the Teacher. This injunction on parents should always be inserted and understood in the school-articles of agreement; and in case a temporary expulsion become necessary, a friendly, wise, and cautious consultation should be held between the Teacher and parents before the of fender knows his destiny.

65. By this time a curious and scornful query may be proposed by some imperious character with the most sanguine assurance of confuting the above principles of humanity: "How is it possible for a Teacher to govern a school without whipping?" This question can be answered by asking another to the reverse: How can a Teacher govern a school by whipping? The experiment has been tried ever since English schools were instituted, and has universally failed; instead of good order, confusion has reigned predominant under the inauspicious government of all the whipping-masters contained in oral or written history.

Hatred, ill-will, revenge, inattention to study, and a dread of going to school, are concomitant evils that may be justly called, when collectively considered, the offspring of this injudicious custom.

66. This species of monarchical gentry introduce themselves as Teachers-an examination ensues-they must be proficients in reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar :

School commences-a huge set of rods are prepared-the little sprightly Tyroes being not accustomed to confinement, violate orders;-the lash goes round and round, till some favourite hero, of larger growth or of more mature age, takes up the infant's cause: but, for want of strength, he first recurs to stratagem, counsels with his comrades; they then combine against the new admitted tyrant, and lay a plan whereby to gain revenge.

67. The sapient Teacher, conscious of his guilt, with jealous eye surveys each movement in the school.-He finds out part, and guesses at the rest.-Up comes poor James and John, with three or four more, to share the blessing of a scourge in school. Now this moral lasher, with redoubled fury, and fraught with dire revenge, unmindful of his prayers, his catechisms, or holy writ, pours forth his vengeance on the helpless youth!-Secrecy is then enjoined on all.―The term of teaching ends, and all rejoice to sec the tyrant leave the school.

68. It is a rare sight to behold an established school, taught by one master, for any considerable series of time, where the old traditional impropriety of whipping is introduced.

69. This monstrous error of school-whipping, in contradiction of moral philosophy and common sense, has been committed by men of inadequate abilities, as to the superintendence of common schools, and has been even countenanced from the time of our forefathers' first settlement, to the present day-and frequently by men who make no scruple of inebriation; but daily sip the intoxicating draught, without the sense of fear or shame.