Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-03-11
EDUCATION.

deayour to procure attention in their scho-
lars, and to fix their minds to the business
in hand, by rebukes and corrections, if they
find them ever so little wandering. But
such treatment is sure to produce the quite
contrary effect. Passionate words or blows
from the tutor fill the child's mind with
/ terrour and affrightment, which imme-
diately takes it wholly up, and leaves no
room for other impressions. | believe
there is nobody that reads this but may
recollect what disorder hasty or imperious
words from his parents or teachers have
caused in his thoughts; how for the time
it has turned his brains, so that he scarce
knew what was said by or to him. he
presently lost the sight of what he was
upon his mind was filled with disorder
and confusion, and in that state was no
longer capable of attention to any thing
else.
1t is true, parents and governors ought
to settle and establish their authority, by
an awe over the minds of those under
their tuition and to rule them by that
but when they have got an ascendant over
them, they should use it with great mode
ration, and not make themselves such
scarecrows that their scholars should al
ways tremble in their sight. Such an
austerity may make their government easy
to themselves, but of very little use to their
pupils. 1t is impossible children should
learn any thing whilst their thoughts are
possessed and disturbed with any passion,
especially fear, which makes the strongest
impression on their yet tender and weak
spirits. Keep the mind in an easy, calm
temper when you would have it receive
your Instructions, or any increase of know
ledge. 1t is as impossible to draw fair
and regular characters on trembling
mind, as on a shaking paper.
The great skill of a teacher is to get
and keep the attention of his scholar:
whilst he has that, he is sure to advance
as far as the learners abilities will carry
him and without that, all his hustle and
lpother will be to little or no purpose. To
attain this he should make the child COM
prehend las much as may be) the useful
ness OF what he teaches him and let him
see, by what he has learned, that he can
do something which he could not do be-
fore; something which gives him some
power and real advantage above others
wIo are ignorant of it. To this he should
add sweetness in all his instructions; and
by certain tenderness in his whole car
riage, make the child sensible that he
loves him, and designs nothing but his
good; the only way to beget love in the
child, which will make him hearken to
his lessons, and relish what he teaches
him. .om .
Nothing but obstinacy should meet with
any imperiousness or rough usage. All
other faults should be corrected with a
gentle hand; and kind, encouraging words
will work better and more effectually upon
willing mind, and even prevent good
deal OF that perverseness which rough
and lmperious usage often produces in
well-disposed and generous minds. It is
true, obstinacy and wilfaI neglects must
be mastered, even though it cost blows to
do it J; but am apt to think perverseness
in the pupils is often the effect of froward-
ness in the tutor and that most children
would seldom have deserved blows if need
less and misapplied roughness had not
laugh them ill.nature, and given them an
aversion for their teacher, and all that
comes from him. 2g
lnadvertency, forgetfulness. unsteadi-
ness, and wandering of thought. are the
natural faults of childhood and therefore
when they are not observed to be wilfal.
are to be mentioned softly. and gained
upon by time. If every slip of this kind
produces anger and rating, the occasions
of rebuke and corrections will return So
often that the tutor will be constant
terror and uneasiness to his pupils which
one thing is enough to hinder their profit
ing by his lessons, and to defeat all his
methods of instruction.
Let the awe he has got upon their minds
be SO tempered with the constant marks
OF tenderness and goodwill, that affection
may spur them 10 their duty, and make
them find pleasure in complying with
his dictates. This will bring them with
satisfaction to their tutor make them
hearken to him, as to one who is their
friend, that cherishes them, and takes
pains for their good !; this will keep their
thoughts easy and free, whilst they are
with him, the only temper wherein the.
mind is capable of receiving new informa-
tons, and Of admitting into itself those
impressions, which if not taken and re-
tanned, all that they and their teacher do
together is lost labour there is much I'M
easiness and little learning.