Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-23
WHOLE NO. 125.
be looked uren rather with an unfavora-

ito,ial insiracfion.-lt has been applied
in many instances to afford u cheap and
imperfect sort Of instruction to the poor
AS distinct class of society, and in pro-
portion as the estimation i'm which than
kind Of public provision is held, has de-
clincd, the system Of instruction which
must, from tie nature of things, be ex-
ceedingly defective under these cirenaa-
stances, has unlusty been charged with
evils which belong rather to the exterior
concerns-to the Legislative enactmenfs--
than to the interior arrangement Of the
establishment wherein it exists.
! 5. The ioac estimation IN which Educa-
ton iisefis heid.-h has been the mis-
fortune of moni.orial instruction to be at
tempted in several instances in communi-
tics, in which but little of the true spiris
Of education generally prevailed. The
consequence has been, that neither pa
rents nor children could duly realize the
value Of an improvement which placed it
in the power of the latter to receive an
education superior to what could beiorea
have been obtained.
1t does not fall within the purpose Of
the present essay to enter into any ex-
tended disquisition upon the merits Of
monitorial Instruction. A particular ap-a
pication only Of the system is now under
consideration.
1T may not, however, be ap-ss TO refer
TO the fact that, under one form or another,
the spirit of nionitorial or mutual instruc-
ton has been applied to- nearly every
branch Of human knowledge. Thus in,
primary and other common schools, we
have the elements Of orthography, read
ing, and various other rudimental branch
es; IN many higher seminaries we have
the classics, mathematics, and modern
languages taught on this system. In
some colleges, the philosophical and etfi-
cal classes have been made to realize
important benefits from modification Of
this method, and even in certain Univer-a
sites the sciences Of law and medicine
are believed to employ in their service,,.-
class of auxiliaries to the professors,-
whose duty it is to do for the medical Or
law students precisely what the monitor
of common school would do for hisq
class, namely, to examine them on the
topics Of the lectures, and prepare them
for future examinations by the profess0rss
themselves. In the numerous theologi-
cal seminaries of country, the essence
of mutual, if not Of monitorial instruction.
is understood to exist, and every truly
literary club connected with any Of our
higher institutions is ostensibly founded
on the basis of mutual Improvement BY,
mutual instruction. 1t may be added
that in teaching the elements Of morah
and Of biblical knowledge, the directors.
Of Sunday schools are often enabled to-
avail themselves of the aid of the more.
advanced members to assist in, hearing
the exercises Of the younger pupils; ands
finally, If the numerous bodies, of which!
the assembly now addressed, is the CEN.
tral organ, be not so many schools of muA
tual instruction they fail oftheir best ansR
most commendable purpose.
The only question, then, as to- the
practcabiity of introducing monitoriak
instruction into common schools, appears
to be,-how far will the nature of their
organization comport with that systemat--
ic, continued, and vigorous action which
this sy stem requires, in order that a COM
potent number of well qualified teaching.
their own teacher The extent to which,
the system can be admitted, as well as
the benefit to be expected from its action,-
will be much limited by the temporary
duration of many establishments. 1t caaa
not therefore be expected thatswe shoulG
attempt to prescribe an uniform course or
routine of o. GRAFTON. That will be fouub
in the manuals to which teachers caAre-s
sort, or in the schools which they wilE
naturally desire to visit in preparing for
the responsible stations which they aror
TO occupy.
In the mechanical parts of reading anH
spelling, it would doubtless be found
practicable TO select within very short
time from the conmencein Of school,
"a sufficient number from among the best
scholars in those branches, to aid in the
exercises of such as are less advancedS
but in no department, even the most SIM.
pie and easy, would judicious teacher
place a mnnitor over a. class, until, by
re ne ated individual examinations, and by
intimate acquaintance with his personaE
character, he had ascertained beyond o.
doubt that the youth in question was en-.
titled 10 confidence. No. only should
the individual so examined and found
worthy, be in actual possession Of the
knowledge and stability to merit his
teachers appreciation, but he should have
that sobriety Of character, and good re-
quite among his fellow students, which
may command their respect and attach
ment. These qualifications are OF course
to be expected in youth only in . certain