Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-06-12
From the Alton Spectator.
CIRCULAR.
10 the friends Of common school education
. in Illinois

''S j 'O"oo " COUfHtOH SCHOOt eQUCUJlOn
a-f in Illinois.
The importance of common scool cduca-
ton is generally acknowledged, and the
failure OF the present system Of instruction
Ut such it may be called) to supply the
" ants OF these growing states, is equally
telt and lamented. Many of the detects,
to be found in the present mode of conduct
ing the education of children and youth.
have arisen naturally from the condition of
new settlements, for which the modes of
forming and conducting schools, common
IN more populous places, will not furnish
an adequate remedy, because they cannot
be fully adopted.
The more prominent defects are,
!. he want OF a sufficient number of
competent teachers.
=. The waste of money and the time of
children by employing persons to teach
who are not qualified.
:. The want Of suitable uniform books
IN the same school,
4. The waste of books, occasioned by
putting such as are too large and expensive
into the hands of children. before they are
Old enough to use without destroying them
D. The difficulty Of collecting together,
at one place, number Of scholars suffi-
clent to justify the employment of com
peient teacher as long as the wants OF the
children require.
y. The present system is unfavorable to
such as can spare their children but palt
of the time.
1t is confidently believed that ]udicious
system OF CIRCUIT sCHooLs will in great
measure remedy these defects, is belel
calculated to supply the wants of the thin
settlements than any plan hitherto adopted
and may if properly conducted, prove an
Incaiculable blessing to this lhinly popu
lated state.
Let the inhabitants in two or three set
Elements unite together and employ one
competent teacher who makes tho instruc-
ton Of youth his whole employment. Lei
him be examined as to his qualifications
by some person in whom the people can
place full confidence, before he is permit.
ted to commence his school. He should be
supplied with such books and other appa-
ralus as may be necessary for the use OF
The scholars (small children should be sup
piled with short lessons on bits of PASTE
board or some other strong material, as this
will be less expensive than books.) Let
him visit the different settlements in ro,a
ton, twice or three times each week, ac-
cordlng as the children live more or less
scattered, spending all his time with the
scholars except what is taken up in travel
ing from one place to another.
He should hear the children recite fire.
quently while with them-expain and il
iustrate the subjects so that the scholar
may readily understand their nature, rea-
sons, and practical uses-teach and accus-
tom his pupils TO think closely, and then
give out short lessons for them TO study in
his absence and reciie to him at his next
visit. They should be encouraged to get
a short lesson each day correctly rather
than to 60 over long lesson specifically.
The great secret of instruction is the facul-
ty to enable and induce people to instruct
themselves; unless parents and children
cooperate heartily with the teacher, little
good can result from any system.
This plan remedies the first and second
defects, by placing larger number of
children under the care of few good teach
ers-so that bad will not be employ ed
the third by placing supply of uniform
books under The care of the teacher. The
fourth by substituting lessons on paste
board. The fifth by bringing the teacher