The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-07-08
FDUCATION.-NO. 7.

We presume most of our fellow citizens are
already partially acquainted with the common
mode Of instruction made nse of in our public
schools but, in order the better to illustrate the
Lancastersn System" it will be necessary,
first, to give brief view Of the present mode Of
conducting schools, that tte contrast may appear
in its true and more striking color.
We will now commence with the female
schools. According TO the Rules and Regula-
ITEMS for the Government of the Public Schools
in Portland, children may be admitted to the
" female school, at four years Of aga" In
this school, they commence with the Alphabet.
In the course of each day the mistress will per-
haps devote five minutes to the instruction Of a
child this being about the exact proportion al
lowed to each child, after dividing the hours of
instruction amongst the whole school. The re-
mainder of the day is, in most instances, devoted
TO play, idleness and disturbing the school, for if
the mistress puts book into their hands and di-
, reefs them TO study, the moment her eve is turn
ed, they commence looking at the pictures, or,
ichat rs aoorse, tearing their books TO pieces.
This statement will apply with equal truth to all
the classes throughout the female schools. And
parents who have to pay for the books, so des-
troyed, will readily acknowledge its correctness
It is certain, in This way, children cannot be
very rapidly advanced, though the mistress use
every possible exertion 10 her power, and though
her lsbors be ever so " accomplishment
Let US now leave the female to enter The male
schools. AT seven years Of age" children ac-
cording TO the Rules and Regulations abovemen-
toned, NAV be admitted into the male schools,
if they have been 50 fortunate as 10 grcpe their
way through the female schools" SO as 10 read
yell without spelling Which is not often the
case. And, in fact, unless, the children are in
structedin some other way than the spublic female
schools, they seldom are found TO answer 10 this
necessary requisition. The classes are asrang-
ed, in these schools, in the following order -
g The first class TO read 10 Adams Geography
and the Bible alternately the second in Muir
ray : English Reader, and the third. or youngest
class, in the Newt estament". Writing and
Arithmetic are commenced at snch ages and
practsed az such times. as tue instructor Thinks
proper The class being thus arranged, bv the
school Committee, the Instructor is at liberty TO
pursue the method of instruction be thinks will
best advance his pupils. In the school with
which we are most acquainted, the plan adopted
is TINS Immediately after the school common
ces, the " Testament Class" read t,co verses and
spell floo or three words each the g English
Reader Class next read and spell short lesson.
Tie writing books are then distributed for exer-
cises 10 that department. Each scholar is per-
mitted to write fer fue lines; making, in the
aggregate, about sixty copies quarterly. Elk
penses for wflting-books, quilts, and ink, about
so cents each child per quarter. Those who
write having commenced, the master, to use a
common expression, has has handsfgH Of busi-
ness" He has pens 10 mend, scholars engaged
in Arithmetic 70 attend TO, and the idle and TN
bnent to chastise. Now, confusion is the 'order
Of the day" with many OF those who are not en-
gagged in writing. From one quarter of the room,
cry issues, " John is pinching me- From an
other, Bill is putting pins under me- Sans
torn my book" May | go OUT" please
TO mend nv PEN" la this ludicrous and alarm
ing condition of the school. the only alternative
is Dir. Johnson's system Of foggiRg; which com
monty commences in good earnest" One lad