The Litchfield County post., 1827-11-22
roR THE COUNTY POST.

EOR THE COUNTY POST.
"Trn;u up a child IN the rcay he should go, and
4cIen he is old he riN not depart from It,"
1t was proposed to refer, in our remarks on carly e
ucation as often as possible to facts.
In England, much has already been done towards
forming a rational system of infant education. plan
so widely different from the old one of compelling
children to sit for hours i'll one position, is calculated
TO excite the attention of readers from its novelty at
least The suboined from article on infant schools
in the Journal of Education. These schools were
originally intended for the children of the poorer clns
scs in society," particularly in populous cities, who
are unable during their hours of abour, to give them
the attention which even nature would seem to re-
quire. Highly favored, therefore, are those Of this
Glass; who can send their young charge to the infant
school, where they are not only kept out of " harms
way" but arc rendered happy through the efforts OF
benevolent teachers, ard the operation Of system OF
instruction admirably suited to the nature OF the hui
man mind and heart. But the system is no longer
confined to the children of the poor, and it is earnest
y hoped that something of this system may, long,
be adopted in our elementary schools.
"The plan is, in the first place, to provide an airy
and spacious apartment, with dry, and if posi-
Bile, large playground attached to it, where, under
the eye of properly selected master and mistress,
these infants may pass the hours during which their
parents at work and, in the second place, to
render this receptacle not place OF irksome restraint
and confinement, but school for the acquisition OF
habits of cleanliness and decorum Of cheerful and
ready subordnation Of courtesy, kindness, torbear-
ance and of abstinence from every thing impure or
A in shn IF VitV
amusement ofinteectual Improvement and moral dis
cpline In what degree it has been found possible to
attain these ends, those only can adequately conpre-
bend who have seen in actual operation the system
which it is now proposed to extend more widely. II
the period of mere infancy is less fitted, comparatively
speaking for intellectual progress, yet curiosity even
then is sufficiently active to enable the superintendent
of such an establishment convey much useful know
ledge to his pupils, by which arc calculated to
call forth, uithout depressing, their faculties.
But the first years Of life are still more valuable with
view to the formation of the temper and moral char
acter of the future man. No doubt can be entertained
both Of the susceptibility Of right Impressions which
belongs to the earliest age, and Of the unhappy per-
mapence Of those vicious selfish propensties, and
Of those peevish violent empers which are too Of
contracted, and which, when suffered to eXpaDd
lead in after-ife to domestic misery,-to profgacy,-
and to crime. To counterfeit such propcnstes and
to prevent the growth of such tempers, the prime
object of the proposed plan; and it is with view to
this object that the whole frame and discipline of in
FAINT schools ought to be regulated"
Mr.. Wilderspin, distinguished teacher in Eng
land, has published book infant scholars. Here
he a.
FAINT education has hitherto received but little SYSTEM
attic attention, must expect find, in tho details Of
Mr.. WildeSpin's method, some starting Novelties
His work contains some things which seem to differ
very widely from the COMMON routine of ordinary
teaching 1t offers nothing, however, which will not
DO approved Of deliberate reflection. Mr.. W. sub
mts to his readers untred, visionary theory. His
whole work is of what has been fairly in
troduccd in practice. All his experiments have been
submitted to public notice, and after having been
in operation for years. have with universal appro-
baton.
MIR. Wderspin's work is, as it ought to be, chiefly
book of details. These not particularly our
provinces and in truth, after all the controversy about
DIR. Bell and MI. Lancaster, about the comparative
merits of large schools and small schools we are pref
~ much of the opinion, that, in these matters at
least
"Whatc' er is best administered is best"
If schoomaster is endued with good sense and
spirit of humanity, with conscientousness of principle,
and frmness of principle, we comparatively little
anxious know what the mnat3 of bis plans; at
what hours he opens closes his school; what gram
mar he uses; whether he hOgs his boys by steam
engine by hand, docs fog them all. There
may, and must be- much latitude secondary points
of administration and, provided men have a right
heart and good understanding, they will not differ
essentially in practice, however much they may quar-
rel about the theory Still may not be unamusng or
unnsructive to readers to learn from author
how to perform arduous problem that of mana
gng "three hundred childreo, from eighteen months
and that so perfectly, Mr. Wilderspin tells us, that
whole day may often elapse without single tear or
serious complaint. The following our benevolent
authors rules for the conduct the master or mistress
of an infant school; they would answer admirably for
transcription the walls of all parors nurseries and
seminaries of education; and the third might not be
inappropriate for unpunctual tradesmcn, courticrs,
and cabinet ministers.
~. Never to correct child in anger.
@ Never to deprivea child of any thing, without re-
turning it again.
s. Never to break a promise.
A. Never overlook fault, but in all things to study
set before the children example worthy OF imta
ton, that they may your works, gOriy your F
Their which is in heaven"
We have a goody story towards the end of the
book, showing what perilous events may arise from
the Infringement of these saiutary Institutes
'Here will mention one circumstance which hap
pened ia the school, show how necessary it is to
teach by example as well as precept. Many Of the
children in the habit of bringing marbles, tops,
whistles, and other toys to the school, which caused
Inny