The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-07-29


system is simple, Lancasters complicated; ours en-
joias Stiffness his encourages confusion recon-
mends itself by the fruits it produces, his depends
schemes n the dsahected has stood the test for
years and improves with its age his in nine instances
out ofen has fallen from its pristine habit and is gen.
orally ioTsaken. NERlTAS.
Mr.. Shirley,
Since Education No. t. was published, tap-
pears that complaints have been made that our
statements were not founded on facts; & in your
last, 4 denominated " statement Of facts" over
the signature Of +" TeiltGs," is presented to the
public. Duty cOmpels Us reluctantly TO notice
this communication. We comply with this duty
not with the most distant wish or desire to enter
into controversy. but in order that facts & truth
NAV be supported. If, however, we have been
guilty misrepresentation was in consequence
Of transformation, and not any intention, on our
part, to tel untruths. But, we believe truth will
justify I'll that we therein sa as we hope to shew
below.
The evidence on which our statements were
founded, was, 1st, g Rules and Regulations for
the government Of the PutEc Schools in Port
land,'' as " printed by Todd 4 Smith, 1892" Cd,
our own experience and observation, before we
emenatcd from School. 81. The testimony Of
some OF the eldest pupils now attending the
Public Schools" These, combined together,
appeared TO justify tie statements we made.
And in our view too Veritass" " statement of
facts" rather justifes than contradcts them
excepting tie following particulars, which we
will now attempt TO reconcile:
1st.-iIe says, 6 If the weather be gerry tcaI1n,
the scholars are now permitted to take the air
for FIVE minutes" We said, & ten or fifteen
minutes" Whether it be five, ten or fifteen,
minutes, is not verv material-but, if our men,
cries are not exceedingly treacherous, we have
seen them out, at least, ten minutes at time,
both in Z" very warm and very cold weather.
The pupils also testify TO this fact
2nd.-He SAYS, q neither idleness nor confu-
sion are now the order of the day"-We said,
&C now confusion is the order of the day." but
mark, we added " with many Of those who are
not engaged in writing" Now, we presume it
will not be denied that there are many children
in a school who do not write at ALI but merely
spell and read. These are the children we re-
fcrred to, as making the "confusion" and disturb
ancc, while others were writing, and nat to the
pupils who write. On this point, we did think
our own experience, the testimony Of our chill.
dren who now attend the g Public Schools, and
the fact that from ten to twenty are fogged
erg day were sufficient to justify that express
sion. lf there is neither idienesS nor confu-
sion," we would ask, why" in the name of con-
sience," children are punished One of these
points must be admitted-that there is g confu-
sion" and disorder, or that children are unjustly
punished for nothing.
3d-He saws, Scholars who have acquired
sufficient knowledge in writing to form tolera-
bic letter, are permitted to write two pages a
day. nine week. and one hundred and seven
teen in a quarter" But does he pretend to say
that eUeYV child writes this amount Mo. We
said " each scholar is permitted to write four or
FIVE lines, H. Q. one page per day,l making, in
the aggregate, about sixty copies (pagesl q ar
terly." And we still persist that this statement
is true. With regavd to this statement we have
made some inquiry and find that there are some
of the Oldest scholars who write ttoo copies day,
but the general custom allows to each one copy
day only.
On the preceding points, We refer parents TO
common observation, their own experience, and
the testimony of their children. Should il APP
pear, after thoroughly examining and consider
ing all these, that we are incorrect we shall then
be willing 6 TO stand corrected"
We have spoken of our own experience, in
evidence, but 10 or 90 years do ofientimes bring
about great improvements, and we might spy
pose this 10 be the case in relation to schools,
was it not for the statements Of pupils at the pres
ent day-by which it appears they are about the
same they were at that time.
With regard TO the improvement Of scholars
in writing, we perfectly agree with " Veritas"
in the wish " that children's attention in other
branches might equal it in this" This is one
grand reason aoly we advocate the l.ancssteri-
an System A very prominent feature in It, is,
that 6 WRITING is the chief medium Of instruc-
tor" and is 50 blended with the other studies as
70 keep pupils always active. This is what they
is what they lke--this is what they
SriI have. - MANY.