Litchfield enquirer., 1851-11-27

Ofthe Board Of School Visitors Of tie
First School Society, IN Neso Haven,
Con.anAfSna,h

Ofthe Board Of School Visitors of the
First School Society, in Neso HaUea,
Connecticut.
FRIEND KILRoURNE-I read with consi-
derabIe interest this Sc Report" which you
kindly furnished me. The writer, Mr.. ].
F. Bahcock, evidently takes the right view
of the subject of Schools, Text Books, &c.
and if his views are faithfully carried out.
New Haven win soon have schools of high
order; and as one who has some little ae-
quainlance with the subject of schools, yen
will perhaps allow me to throw ont few
thoughts for the benefit or eneoNrae emens
Of those whom they may concern-
For many years il was the practice in
the State ef New York 10 support the COM
mon or district schools throughout the State
for the education Of children generally, la
wing few Academies scattered here and
there for the benefit Of those who might
wish to pursue the higher branches Of cd.
ucation. It was afterwards found that this
arrangement did net meet the wants Of The
community, and accordingly some ten OF
fifteen years ago the plan was adopted iR
some of the cilles aud larger villages #
uniting the Academy and Common SchOel
10 one. The city Of Syracuse then will
age,) entered into this arrangement with
commendable energy, and in the course Of
three or four years erected Eve or six SUBJ
stantiai brick school houses, at q cost Of
more than $1,000 each. The buildings were.
two stories high, and furnished with alb
the rooms and apparatus necessary for The
complete accommodation Of 800 or 400 pu~
pills each, who were arranged into classes'
or departments, according to their studies
and attachments. The plan has worked
admirably. and their schools are perhaps
unsurpassed by any in the United States.
The best teachers were employed, all Of
whom were ambitious 10 excel. Perfect.
uniformity in Text Books was secured,
think, by a tax, by means OF which, the
books were purchased and kept as the pro-
perty of the school; and having served one
class were left for the next succe eding one.
To this plan, however, there are some OBJ
jections. .a.-
The want of uniformity in Text Books
is an evil of which all teachers justly COM
plain. 1T is not, however, the acknowledge
ed right of any one teacher to decide what
books shall be used, even in bis own school.
Where general interest il to be promoted
tho decision should be made by general
consent, or at least by the consent OF a ma
jority and the teacher who is unwilling to
sacrifice private preference for general
good. appears to furnish rather sorry evil
dence Of the proper spirit, or the proper
kind, or degree of qualification.
The maintenance of order in school 10
matter Of the first importance, since what-
ever liberty is taken by one, may be taken
by all, and hence utter confusion must en-
sue. And yet there are parents 90 unrea-
sonable, (even among the better CLASSY who,
while they admit the Necessity Of good or
der in 4 school, refuse to allow their chill
dren to be subjected 10 wholesome disei-
pine. The teacher must preserve order,
but he must not restrain, except by kind
ness which the children frequently abuse.
So long as this state Of things continue, in
subordinafiOn on the part Of the children,
or complaint and answer on that Of the pa
rents, must be the s.order Of the day." But
let it be fnllyunderstood that the teacher has
and will exercise entire control In the school
room. being Responsible only for the abuse
of his authority, and order will be eaectual-
~ established. j.. Il. ID.
Litchficld. Nov. 18th, 1851.