Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-10-07


and for the same firice. Aad why is this !.
A very short sketch ef'ihc hian itself will
show why it is so -
PLAN.-1hc whole school is thrown in
to olasses-rhe Master does not at all
times superinteDd each class-Thisis the
duty of Monitors, or boys taken from the
higher classes-These Monitors, therefor,
arc so many teachers, who are not p aid any
thing, but teach in lieu of these, who would
otherwise be paid. Thus, in a school of
500 bows, it there be Monitor to every SO
boys, You save the wages FLO teachers
Nor is this any obstruction to the Monitor
himself for, III the LIST place, he is taken
from his class but for a short time, say an
hour, and he is then succeeded by another
Monitor from the same class and in the
2nd place, II rather does him good than
injury topractisc over again, what he has
already learnt. "There are, SAYS Lam
caster, too descriptions of boys in every
school, those who are learning to read or
cyphrr, and these who hare learnt. The
first description must study that they may
acquire knowledge of reading or arith-
metic. The second practise what they
have learnt. for the Improvement of the
mind and readiness in practice"
There are 8 classes which learn in the
flowing successlon-1st. A. b. C.-2nd.
Words or syllables of letters-3rt do. of
3 ictters-4th. do of letters-5tt. do of I,
letters-6. Reading or spelling lessons of
two syllab!cs, and I'estament-7th. Bible
18th. a selection of boys who read best
from the 9TH class.-There is also a similar
grafa i'm in learning to wriie-rhe 1st
class firints A. b. C.--the I'd 4vY-iteS the
alphabet, or words of 9 letters--and so on,
increasing in the length and difficulty of
the words. These reading and writing
classes so hand in hand thai is, the first
IN the one is the first in the other, learning
to spell and read, as they learn TO write,
&c.
the LIST c'ass learns to trace tie hri7tsd
letters, whether capitals or small text, on
sand--The 2nd learns to make the zurit-
ten alphabet, both large and small, on the
slate. After having learned the writing
alphabet, zuhatever class the scholar n,ay
6e IN, he must write on the slate the same
as he reads or spells in his reading or spell
Ing lessons. Thus, spelling, reading and
writing all go on together; associated with
and helping each other. The pupil learns
to have free use of his hand in writing
and by spelling each word over so strictly
as he writes it down, he learns TO remem-
Der the letters which compose it. The oper-
alton is, in fact, reversed-thatis, he either
writes from printed card Chen reading
his writing or he cads from the printed
card-ln both cases, being continually un-
der the eye of the Monitor, who points out
his faults, both when he writes or when he
reads.
In writing, the whole class either write
word the Monitor dictates to the whole
at once, or from card which is hung up in
the view of all. In either case, they are
always at work Simultaneously. In reading
from print, they are assembled in sub divi-
sons, say of boys, around a card hung
up; and they read one after the other
and are corrected by each other when they
go amiss.
Hence, there is another e.rhence saved
that of books and of fiafler, pens, ink, &c.
Printed Cards hung up are in lieu of the
one and states of the other The Sth
Glass only is allowed to read from books
in the school; though there is small libra
ry attached to the school, from which they
may borrow books on Saturday-And as
to writing, they are not permitted to trace
on faher, until they have made some prof.
Cheney on the slate.
1t is in this way that single teacher.
through this judicious method, BY calling in
the aid of Monitors, of cards, of states, of
those springs OF emulation, which are like
the fire in the flint, of rewards and punish
ments (Which nearly dispense with the rod
md the scourge) can contr. We to teach an in
nitely greater number of pupils, than can be
done in the old way-and of course can do it
for less, with no more pains to himself and
much less to the pupil.-For instance, if the
school were large enough, he could affId
to teach for from to s dollars per head
1t is believed that Mr.. Ould teaches in
Georgetown, more than 800, for not more
than 1900 dollars. This includes MANY
who are unable to pay any thing-those
whopay at all, are charged8 dollars.
Let us take it then at dollars per head.
For 500 dollars, which your city funds now
annually pay for the teaching of 80 boys,
IS might be taught on the Lancastrian
Plan. Far be it from ne, to underrate the
respectable and reverend Gentleman, who
is at the head of your Free SCHOOL,
touch on this subject with the less reluc-
lance, because at this very moment your
Common Hall has the subject before them,
and are about organizing the school upon
new principles. This seems, then, the
happiest moment to address you, on the
blessings of the Lancastrian Instit ftion,
Say, then, that the Corporation of
Richmond, as generous at that OK George
town, advances s 1000 to fit up house,
and that the $500, which now go to the
Free School, are diverted into the new
channel $500 more from private purses
would be sufficient to educate, each year,
8 or 400 scholars.
But put out of view the public funds
- e 81.