The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-12-15 00:00:00

PRACTICAL SOCIETY.

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SDINOURON, NOV. 26, 1521.
The following are copies of the adnsission ticket to a
society lately established in this city, and of the first re-
port of its Education Committee :
THE PRACTICAL. SOCIETY.
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The object of this Society is, by Union and Mutual
co-operation
.Ist. To obtain the greatest possible amount of com-
fort for alt its members.
2elly. '!b associate together the children of the weat-
hers on an eqaal footing, and endeavour to secure for
them a pupil education.
3dly. To improve all the members and increase their
swell of useful knowledge, by an intimate and friendly
intercourse with one another. . •
The opinions of this Society, strictly called "- The opi-
Pions of the Practical Societe,' are those only which
directly and necessarily spring from -its practices; its
proceedings as a Society being entirely confined to prat-
titled arrangements; but as it does not debar the free-
dom of conversation, all its members are at liberty to
expresi their opinioau to sae another as in general or
common dociety. •
The only ptetietilar laws of this Society are its prac-
tices; pad the only rules ofthis society are such as serve
to Taeilltate diode practices. The motto of the society is,
o' By our Works we shall be Judged.
ltoTe.—This ticket is to be given at any meeting of
the Society, by the President, time is the senior member,
present, to any individual of whatever nation, rank, or
age, who is introduced by a member, and 'rho declares,
upon readiog its contents, that he is ready to adopt and
promote the practices of the Society. The society seal
tete anointed to each ticket, and the member's name
written by the Secretary on the back cif it.
FIRST REPORT OF Thp EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE
PRACTICAL COMMITTEE. •
EDINBURGH, NOV. 2S.
Your Committee were directed to consider,-
Ist, ir hat practical arrangements could be made for
assembling together the children of the members of the
society, for the purpose of giving them a good educa-
tion, and introducing a general affection among them.
What school regulations should be made, and
what 'kind of instruction given to the children.
3dly. Whether a more convenient place of meeting
could not be fixed upon.
4tbly. Whether the Society should take the name of
" The Practical Society."
With respect to the first point your Committee are of
opinion, that every member who is disposed to send any
of his children to the Society school, should, without
loss of time, give in a statement of the number, ages,
and sexes of the children he wishes w send there, and of
the amount, in round numbers, that be can afford to
pdv for their management and instruction. The Com-
miuee are further of opinion, that they (the Commit-
tee) should be empowered to provide, as soon as a
sellicient sum is subscribed, a convenient building and
play-ground for the children, anti masters and attend.
ants for their training and tuition.
With respect to the second question, your Committee
venture to offer a few remarks, and to propose the fol-
lowing system of treatment and instruction, as applica-
ble to the present state of Society.
In the first place, it is well known that the best, pre-
paration for a good life is early training and instruc-
tion, and that the absolute requisites for worldly com-
fort are, the capability of moderately and soberly sup-
plyieg our natural wants, and the disposition to live
Ili filen* inteThoirie with owe linothert Bsperience,
kawever, has proved, that the early training and in-
structive hitherto given have rather tended to smother
the amiable sympathies of our nature, raising in their
stead feelings of ill-will, rivalry, and contention, and
that in general.yanng persons at the termination, as
it is called, of their education, enter the world totally
unacquainted with the most useful and necessitry em-
ployments of life. It is also known that, without real
knowledge and a considerable expansion of the mind,
human beings never become rational or well behaved ;
but when we observe bow much our race is improved
in different stages of civilisation, it may he fairly ex-
pected that the increase of knowledge, and the conse-
quodretpansion of the mind will hereafter render
mankind as superior to the present civilized Christians,
as timecard to tile naked inhabitants of America or the
South ken islands. This being premised, your Com-
mittee are of opinion, that all parents who carefully
consider the subject must be anxious to place their
children as early as possible under the guidance of
those who are distinguished among them as possessing
more knowledge of the real nature and powers of ail-
. dren. and more intelligence in their management, who
are able to instruct them how to supply their wants,
and who can teach them to be kind to one another.
Your Committee are also of opinion that, as the
sexes are designed to live together and serve as the
comfort and delight of each other, all parents, who
b ive dimly considered that important subject, will
agree, that the males and females should be associated
together as much as possible in early life, in order
th t their minds may be assimilated, and that the
t. .; t•iqt-,.tis manner of the boy may be re-
fin. 1 anti :or :, t v the mild and gentle behaviour of
the girl. Yi.or Conitnittee, therefore, propose that
the children should he received into the school as
soon as they can walk, and that female attendants, dis-
tinguished for cleanliness, good temper, and a strong
understanding, should be placed over them.
As cleanliness seriously affects the health, strength,
disposition, and general characters of children, it is
proposed that all the children should be washed every
morning amid dressed in a plain and simple garment ;
and as exercise and employment are their, strongest
desires, it is proposed that they should be placed to-
gether, (in fine weather in the play ground, in wet
weather in one or more large rooms) in order that
they may enjoy the exercise of ranking about, con-
versing. and becoming acquainted with one another.
Children are generally given dolls of wood or wax to
amuse them, your Committee propose to substitute in
the place of such foolish toys, children like themselves ;
and they conceive tbat, having been taught and ac-
customed while young to agree and be friends, reason
will, when they are grown up, further serve to
strengthen this good habit.
About the age of four years, or according to the
growth of the minds of the children, Our Committee
propose to commence their particular instructions.
This will be best done by teaching the children to ar-
range themselves in line, and when they remove from
one class to another. to follow is order. The advan-
tages of this method is that, having to keep in their
places, to hold their bodies straight, and their beads
allow nature free play, learn to let graceful
movements, regular In their actions, attentive
they are about, and they acquire a funky of
together on all occasions quickly and with-
and a 'method of exercising and divert-

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