Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-12-27

some time after he terminated his studies, i'll
he saw his former Instructor coming towards
him in the street, he would turn aside with
disgust; the sight Of him recalling TO his
mind his anxiety and suiferings winch con
tinued through series OF years.
by being confined constantly to one study.
and no relief afforded by presenting natural
objects TO the mind, the students became
idle, their Constructiveness became active,
and they would amuse themselves by draw
ing figures, or cutting their desks, or playing
mischievous prauks with their neighbors and
thus lay themselves open tn punishment. 10
Cmsor's Commen ntaries, that chleitain de-
scrbes n bridge which he caused to be
erected over the Rhine, for the passage OF
The Roman army, and one Of the Professors
had INDUCED this Constructiveness in erect
ing model Of this bridge, which once year,
when the class came to this passage IN the
Commentaries, was brought out and exhlbi-
ted TO the class. Mr.. e. described the SEN
sation which this simple act produced. For
" eeks before the students came 10 this pas
sage, they looked forward to Cnsar's bridge
with great impaticnce, and studied with
great ardor-and when the bridge was taken
| from the box with much ceremony, and laid
before them, the effect produced was OF the
most pleasing and impressive character-
But after the different parts were examined,
it was put aside, and remained undisturbed
until The next year, when it was again ex-
hibited to the class. He said that the mode
oftcaching without presenting natural objects
to the mind, since Phrenology was introduce
ed, was getting more into disusc-and schools
were now established in Scotland, where the
mode of education was more in accordance
with the nature of the faculties Of the human
mind.
| Mr.. Combe showed the injustice Of the old
mode of teaching by words only. Those
who had the organ OF language large were
successful in their studies without much
cxcrlion, and were rewarded accordingly
while those who were deficient in that fac
ulty, although they might be attentive to
their studies, were imperfect in their lessons,
and punished. Thus one unjustly receive
the prizes, and the other the blows. This Of
course was exceedingly disconraging to one
party, and produced a listlessncss and dis.
gust. But if the students had been taught
lgreeably to the idea which a knowledge Of
the human faculties presents, by placing the
natural objects before them, they would have
been always as much pleased as the class
which he mentioned was, whsn Caesars
bridge was produced the love Of study
would render extraneous rewards unneces-
sary, and punishment altogether out of the
question.
Mr. Combe said he had visited some Of the
schools in this city, and he was much pleased
with their general arrangement, and the ap-
pcaranco and intelligence Of the scholars
He believed that there was no country in the
world which could compare with this in re.
spect to the promotion of ofeducation by means
of public schools. He thought however. that
the fault common in Europe, existed in some
extent in this country-that of not sufficiently
communicating instruction, through objects
presented TO the kno,oing faculties He did
not mention this as dsparagement to our
mode of education, but merely to suggest an
important Improvement.