The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-12-03

are three small classes OF young readers
whorequire six hours attention each day
There are two geography classes, each
of which should have half an bour's at
tentou. There are six arithmetic class
es, and each of these demands Mt least
an hcuf's attetiondaily. There are -four
classes in English grammar, each requir-
ling half an hour The whole school may
form single writing class, and there
should be an hour spent daily in this ex-
ercise. There are two boys studying
book keeping and they have a right ID
an hour Of the teachers time. There
are three algebra classes consisting res.
pectiyely, Of one, two and three members;
and each Of these classes should have all
hours attention. There are two classes
| in geometry, each requiring an hour
There is one class.in surveying, and this
class requires hour. There is one class
in natural philosophy, one in chemistry,
one in botany, and one in rhetoric, of
from one totwo members, each, and each
of these classes should have all hour be-
slowed upon it. There are six boys
s.udying Latin in four different classes,
Now that class may make respecta-
BILE progress, in the study Of any Ian.
guage, it should enjoy the benefit of two
daily exercises of one hour EACH
These six boys, therefore, if they receive
their due. will levy daily tax ofoighl
hours upon the teachers time. Thel5
are three boys studying Greek, and they
form two classes, requiring together four
hours. There are three classes of one
member each studying French, and claim
ing, daily, six hours Instruction.
| In addition to the branches already
enumerated there is an endless list oi
1ologies, agoodly numberof which are al
ways on hand, 10 say nothing of music
painting, embroidery aud other orna-
mental branches.
Now here are more studies going OIL in
village academy, or in amisses' board
ing school, than would. give full employ
ment to all the professors Of both the
British universities. And how many
teachers are usually engaged indischarg.
ling these multifarious and endless laborsI
A principal, with possibly one, or at mos
but two assistants. For the fewnes;
of pupils, and the smallness of the com
pensation forbds the employment Of {
greater number 1t is therefore evident
that, in the course of day, each class
and pupil can receive but a few moments
of hurried, superficial. and incoherent in
struction. | appeal to those who know
anything of our schools, district, select
and academic, to bear me olt in the as
sertion that, on an average. the differen
classes enjoy scarcelya as many minutes o
the teachers attention, inthe course of th,
day, as are equal in number to the hour
during which the classes of the Bremen
school above described are instructed
and disciplined.
Now if our children at school receive
only from one twentieth toone sixtietl
part of the instruction which they ough
to receive, is it TO be wondered at tha
they make only from one twentieth t.
one sixtieth part of the profcienc.
which they ought to make; and that thu
mass of our citizens are obliged to launcl
forth upon the sea of active life witt
from one twentieth to one sixtieth par
of the amount of Information and menta
discipline that they ought 10 have re
ceivedl
If, to the consideration Of the dehcien
cy in quantity, we add that of the defec
tiveness quality the instruction whicI
most of our schools afford, we shall no
be surprised at the low state of popula
intelligence among US.
| would say word in regard to m
own experience. The school that hav
conducted for the last five or six year
has usually been attended by from twent
FIVE to thirty young men. 1t has bee
nv constant aim to conine the number @
studies ,and the number of classes o
hand at the same time, within the small
est practicable bounds. l have genera
ly succeeded in limiting the number 9
studies to seven or eight and the classe
to ten or twelve; and yet, if my mean
r would have permitted | would gladl
have given employment to two or thre
assistants.
E In concluding the present article
would remark, that, if our district schoo
are auisanceS, our select schools an
academies are, with few exceptions, 6u
lcsques upon the name of education.
: JOHN WILLIAMS.
zuEnsz1nznzasn.z.znl1