Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1810-10-08

'N-~' 2 ~ Nuns ~ INC pubic. III
their name on this int-relting fub-
Ijsa.
The qreat importance Of the OBJ
lett, We think, vii be acknowledged
by all ciahrs OF citizens. The peo-
OF Ncw-England appear TO have been
always icaible Of the immenic adj
vant4ges CT well regulated fchools.
Dur legiaa,oEs have often given their
opinion 10 the fame efea, by ma
king proviiious in law for the fup-
port .! naen Of good moral characters,
as the ,nstru6t0rs Of youth. fhe re-
qui6tions # the civil authority are
exPlicir aad ample on this lubiett.
! We wifi neither to alter nor 10 IN
terfer= pfh hem. Our purpoie is
only The attention Of the pco-
pie to ths y'ie and wholeiome dired-
ions OF res # the commonwealth,
and to s1anEead ready compli-
ance.
L
Under { influence Of a patriotic
and reli ous ipirit our ancefors
elfablifhed ichoois Tor ti@ inftru6tion
and imProvement of youth and the
bett effects have re(ultcd from thefc
inffitutions. In free country, like
ours, this confederation mutt have
great weight 10 prepare our youth
70 be good members Of fociety, it is
necefary they be We in9ru6ted and
well-dire6ted in the early periods of
life. And hence appears the vaft
importance OF employing, in the ref
poDGble Office of ichool-maiters, fuch
only as are of correct morals and as
will attend alto to the moral conduct
or the youth committed to their care.
1t is indeed, for the people, or their
agents, to employ iuch individuals as
they choofe. But we hope, it will
not be conhdeted as interfering with
their rights, when We urge them, by
contiderations OF regard 20 the pub
lie good and Of atle aion for their be-
loved offspring, to engage, as teach
ers and matters of lShooIs, fdch per
ions only as poftfs good characters
ard diiplay pure morals. And per
haps fuilicient attention has not al
ways been paid to the abilities and
the literary qualifications of the in
itrutsors Of our youth. 1t certainly
rs neceAary, they fnould at leait have
a knowledge ofour own language and
be able to teach il correctly.
Il is alto Recommended to the
yfchool committees Tor to the felea-
men where there is no Iuch di(iina
committee) 10 Vifir the ichools fire.
iuentiy, to examine into the fate of
them, to enquire what progrefs the
icholars are making, and to enjoin
upon the matters, thar portions OF the
hciy tcripturcs be f. quently read in
fchool by tile higher claiits, and that
weakly examination Be mad by them
rsfpetting The o@raf4l Of the bible by
he fchoIars our Of fchool, particular
ly on the sabbath. 1t is obvious
thar great advantages viii accrue
from his practice II will at once
increafc, in our yonth, an acquain-
lance with the holy fcripttres and
fix in them habits of attention and
ituly, and thus prevent their fpeu-
ding great portions of time il mn-
chief or folly. And from actual ex-
pcrieDce. it is found, that this plan
is productive of the happief efeas.
A fpirit OF emulation is thus excited
and an uncommon attention. paid 20
the contents of the infplred volume.
The Society have not yet precifely
authorized pronife il regard 70 a.
ny particular town but am per-
mitted to fate, that il is in contem-
plation TO reward thofe youth, who
fhall excel in their reading and
knowledge of the Bible, who lhall
commit portions Of it TO memory,
and who fhall, At the lame time, in
other refpsets, receive the recon-
mcndation of their Inffru6tors, by
giving Bible Of better type and pa
per than thofe in common circula-
ton, and other books on literary NOR
al and religious fubjeas, unexcep-
ticnable in their doctrines and con-
tents.
This plan will be carried into OPP
Grafton by placing the books, TO be