Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-02-04

mind. scarcely anything that deserved the /
name Of ltstolcledge, and thence did compar-
lively little towards forming his character
and habits. RI =
When experiment had fully declared the
defects Of this mode of instruction, there
were many who sought to devise some better
way. The result was, the introduction of
what ten years ago, was called the "new
system" BY this, every school was furnish
ed with limited and selected lessons" all
the scholars who could read, were placed
upon the same lesson, and were furnished
with Question-books, adapted to aid them in
studying il. The teachers were urged to
meet stately, in order that by mutual study,
they might be prepared to instruct their class
es. In many instances, all this was connect
ed with regular and spirited review of the
whole school BY the Superintendent, at the
close of each Sabbath's exercises, or once a
fortnight.
The introduction Of this system, formed
new era in the system of Sabbath Schools
in this land. Itbreathed fresh life into them.
Schools that had begun to decline, were by
il revived afresh. Il superseded the neces-
sity Of mercenary rewards, by making the
exercises Of the school more interesting, and
the scholars felt themselves bound to their
on the Sabbath, by better law of attraction,
than love Of honor, or of trifing presents
And when a school was blessed with the
additional benefit Of good circulating libra
~, il seemed as If the preparations to teach
effectually, were almost complete.
A great advance was thus made in the
work of instruction, and this has been con-
stantly going forward. One evidence of its
progress IS, that whereas, teachers at first felt
an almost absolute dependence on their ques-
ton books, many now begin to talk of giving
them up entirely. The reason is, however,
not that question-books can render them no
essential service, but they have got in ad-
vance of those which are already in their
hands. They have endeavored to form the
habit of familara and continuous conversation
with their classes, for the purpose of exciting
their minds to inquire and reflect, to discrim-
mate and to reason; and when they have
found that the practice Of putting questions
from Their books, tended to break up, rather
than to aid connected thought, when they
have found, that many of those questions
were historical, geographical, chronological
or critical, beyond the range of their schol-
ar's reading, and thence of such an order,
that they were always obliged to give the
answer themselves, they have felt that in
spite Of all their efforts, the exercise became
formal aud mechanical, and have resolved
or ventured to throw aside the book entirely,
and to depend upon their own resources.
Now il would be we'll to do this, if al
who feel thus, possessed the ability, leis
ure, or the means, to collect the information
that is necessary to illustrate the lesson in
manner so complete, that they could at once
to 10 fhoiY. # raT
ing forth their scholars, in familiar CONVEX
sation. But how few are the teachers, thus
highly favored! And of these few, not al
would be found to possess natural readi
ness, to conduct such kind Of intercourse
Besides, occasional hindrances will inter
veue, and prevent their devoting as mucl
attention as the case will require & Themes
the conversation will flag, or as far as tn
meaning and spirit of the lesson is concern
) ed, will. Become quite superficial and unin
stTuctive. q
On these accounts, the best qualified teach
ers, who have tried the experiment, haV
for the most part felt the importance Of SOM
!, manual to aid them in striking out CONVEX
sation with their classes, by marking tn
e connections Of the writer's thoughts, and b
E furnishing to hand, appropriate hints, not i
+ the form of lecture or commentary, but /
v the style Of colloquial discourse. This in
: deed should be no substitute for the exel
n else Of his own powers, but he might at lea:
:, depend as much upon it in giving instruC
,, ton, as does lawyer upon his brief in ma
d king a plea, or public lecturer upon hi
sketch OF the outline Of his subject.
The design Of the following work is two
: fold 1st 10 furnish to teachers facilitie
n for instructing their classes-2d, to excite
spirit of inquiry among the classes then
selves. 1t IS an exhibition of the mode
l. conducting Sabbath School or Bible Clas
D which the author has praetised for veal
+ past, on different occasions, when he ha
been called to take charge OF either. Havin
10 formed the habit Of distinguishing betwee
or those questions, which the class may be e,
pected to answer, and those which they cou1
r not, he would avoid embarrassing them /
B questions Of the latter kind, and would pu
\, to them only such as they could answer
y the exercise Of their own minds, after Il
: prerequisite information had been furnis
= ed. A regular interchange of remarks WI
- thus kept up, and often as many question
= : were put to him by the class, as he put
= them.
= Experiment too had led him to believ
). that this is one Of the most effective mod
- Of teaching other branches of knowledge;
under its influence he has seen a class
~ boys, about eight years of age, not only
,, come expert in the technicalities of Engli
= GrammaE but considerably acquainted wi
= its principles, and ardently attached to t
bT study.
~ To all teachers who may use this boo
:, the author would beg leave to present t
~ following suggestions:
A. l. Communicate instruction as much
hs possible in your olcn a1ords. Repeat and
of lustrate till your scholars understand you
ng 81 rneouiage ueI ~ ans~sl you
gle uen Is PosSIoIe IN tneH own WORDS a
EN- - o' W ierd!n IIotI giving an aus eI ~. -
me .llIt uey VIII MAKE Hiis'dAe. Aeacn 'h
al DC wnnng 70 discover 'netr Inls'aNeS'