The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-12-01
Parental Teaching.

"A short time since, there appeared In the New
York Independent, an article upon the family OF
Rev. J. w. Ward of Abingdon, chairman of the
legislative committee on education, which we
give entire, promising it with the remark that
the reverend gentleman assures US that thorough
ness is his magical wand of success. Es-- a... n
'.Some weeks since I visited the family of a
pastor, and member of the Massachusetts, Legis-
lature, Rev. J. Ward, of Abingdon In this
family there are five children, who have been
motherless seven years. The four eldest. three
sons and daughter, between the ages of nine
and sixteen years, are the prodigies of these
times At family worship, the father reads from
the French Bible, one son from the Hebrew, the
daughter OF twelve years from the Latin, another
son from the Greek and the youngest, niue years
of age from the Hebrew They all give readily
free and correct tanslations of the most difficult
passages in the Bible. Their varied knowledge
is astonishing. They seem to be equally at home
in solving difficult problems in mathematics, and
discussing the doctrines of religions sects, as we'll
as in giving the locality and opinions of authors
and public men in this country. The father has
been almost the sole instructor, and has trained
them to be particularly useful in the garden and
kitchen, Independent of servants, and cheerful
and social in an unusual degree, in the family
circle. .s- -f
Ifthere is family exhibiting such propriety,
intelligence, and genius, father more de-
voted to the welfare of his children an interview
would compensate for long journey. Governor
Everett, years since, In his message, mentioned
the Learned Blacksmith Burritt,' as an example
to the youth of the State and am sure the
boy and girl In this family, who, when under ten
years of age, had conquered three languages, and
in addition are exact and generally intelligent,
are still more worthy of mention and imitation.
We add to this letter of the reverend gen.
tleman, written in reply to a communication ask
ing further information upon his system.
..' --7 SENATE CHAMBER, March, 1867. /.
DIR. PER:-Dedr Str-In answer to your
communication, received yesterday, would say,
that to the corrections in that newspaper arti-
cle do not recollect precisely from what Ian
guages the different members of the family read,
they often change but the daughter, / know,
read not from the Latin, but from the German
or Hebrew. We sometimes use, at family pray
ers the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, French
and English. .-
In answer to your questions:-
I. How much do they. learn before six years
ofage? Reading, writing, spelling; some geogra-
ply and arithmetic.
2. How many hours of study? From two to
six, before six years of age.
3. What physical discipline? All kinds of
house work and garden work. for boys and girls
alike, together with the use of balls, kites, dolls,
jumping, walking, running, cutting and saving
wood, &C., thus filling up the hours not devoted
to study or intellectual sports.
4. Diet They use no tea or coffee, very
little meat or butter but mostly vegetable diet,
and milk, eggs, syrup, &c; still meat and butter
are not prohibited -e-t
S. In summer they generally retire at dark,
and remain in bed according to age, from about
eight to twelve hours. They generally rise
about daylight, unless the days very short,
In winter they sit up later, and read or amuse
themselves in the evening
6. l gradually increase the hours of study
from the time they begin study, when they may
not study more than two hours per day, though
when sixteen they may be engaged in study and
recreation eight or nine hours, though not gen
orally so much. I consider six hours Of close
study enough for children.
Z. When they commence Hebrew? I make
that the principal study, and they attend to it
the whole day. | consider one principal study
enough for small children, and two per day
enough for older children. With only one or
two they become more interested in the study or
studies, and have less confusion and distraction
of attention. The children will, however, natur-
ally be making some progress in arithmetic, geo
graphy, history, &c, though not by any very
definite course of study. They study Hebrew
three years then Greek two years then Latin
two years They finish one, then take another,
but when they take the second, little daily
reading In the first is required so that it may
not be forgotten and when the third is taken,
a little reading weekly in the first and second,
for the same purposc. You see [ ad pit the
order of production instead Of that of inresfga-
tom. think they would learn faster to reverse
the order. and begi with the Latin, but think
the order I adopt will be found the most sure in
fixing the languages in the memory. practice
reviewing, to an extent far beyond what is
usually done Tn beginning the Hebrew, for
instance, have the preceding lessons reviewed,
sometimes even to fifty, and decreasing. l
be reviewed !; good review is as profitable as
the first preparation, and perhaps more profitable.
As to any particular studies being necessary
to make thorough scholars, / do not think they
are A child may be thorough scholar in one
class of studies as well as another. All that is
necessary is to excite love for the studies,
whatever they may be, and then be sure to pass
nothing till it is as clear as light in the mind of
the child. And to make child love a study, we
must from the first, and step by step, thoroughly
comprehend it.
My children do not enter college in advance,
as prefer that they should have time TO attend
to the acquisition of general information. They
have more or less attended academies and COM
r1on high schools. as / wish them to study with
others, and mincc with them In life. They
then study the studies attended to In the schools,
entering some class or classes, and reciting with
the class. Sometimes child has attended school
half day and studied and recited at home half