C 43

AIR, August 24th, 1794.

THE advantages of a good EDUCATION to individuals, and its important effects on Society have always been generally acknowledged; it has, therefore, been deemed not only an object worthy the attention of the Legislature, but has ever been encouraged and promoted by men of liberal and patriotic principles, whether in a public or private station.

The Education of Universities, instituted as it has been, as a preparation for the learned professions, must, from its nature, be tedious and expenfive, and ill suited to the circumstances of the great bulk of the people in a commercial country. Even among those who have been so educated, well founded complaints are frequently made, that the speculative and indolent habits of a University have rather tended to unfit, than qualify them for the active business of life.

Senible of these disadvantages, and defirous not only that their youth should be more completely instructed in the most necessary and useful parts of learning, but that they should have their Education more under the observation of their parents and friends than when sent to diffrent Colleges, Gentlemen, in different parts of the kingdom, have procured the Establishment of Academies for the instruction of youth, furnished with Teachers of approved abilities. The fuccefs which has attended such institutions evidently shows their utility, and how much they ought to be encouraged.

It is from such considerations that the MAGISTRATES and GENTLEMEN of the Town and COUNTY of AIR, and fome others in the Neighbourhood, have long wifhed for an Etablifhment of a familiar kind in this place. Though the most common and neceffary parts of Education are already taught here, as they are in the other Towns of Scotland; yet it muft be allowed, that fome very useful parts are omitted; and that the accommodation for the Teachers and Youth, originally ſmall, are become inadequate to the increafed population of this part of the country. A Committee, therefore, has been appointed to take this matter under their consideration, and to purfue fuch measures as to them ſhall seem moſt proper, for erecting SCHOOLS at AIR on a more liberal and extenfive plan.

It is evident that a considerable Sum of Money will be wanted to form fuch an Etablifhment; but from fome very liberal offers of affistance lately made, the Committee have reafon to hope that they may ſoon be enabled to carry their views into effect. They are perfuaded that many Gentlemen connected with this County, fome of them refiding abroad and others in different parts of the kingdom, will contribute to ſo laudable an undertaking, as the eſtablifhment of a proper Seminary of Learning in this Town—a place ſo happily situated for the purpose, from the cheapneſs of its Markets, Healthful Climate, and Central Polition, in a large and populous County.

Though the MAGISTRATES of AIR are resolved to uſe every poſſible endeavour to promote this uſeful Inſtitution, yet their Funds, though lately aided by a very considerable donation from abroad, will fall far short of the money that will be neceſſary. The Committee, therefore, think proper to open a Subscription for this purpose; and that Gentlemen may judge of the probable utility of fuch a plan, as well as of the ſuſn that may be neceſſary for effecting it, it is neceſſary to inform, That it is propofed to engage maſters of diſtinguished abilities, for teaching Writing, Arithmetic, Book-keeping, Geography, Algebra, Mathematics, Mechanics, Navigation, Astronomy, Natural and Experimental Philosophy, together with a Sketch of Natural History; All which, with Schools for English, Latin, Greek, Drawing, and Music, to be included in one Seminary. And the Grammar School inſtructions being over, it is ſuppoſed that by employing ten months of the year in teaching, and a proper arrangement of Clafes, a complete course of the other parts of this Academical Education may be gone through in two years and a half, or at moſt in three years.

The Sum therefore ſolicited from the generofity of the public will be applied,

I. To provide a Fund for adequate Salaries to well qualified Teachers;

II. To erect a Building ſuitable for this Seminary; and

III. To purchase Mathematical Inſtruments, and a proper Apparatus neceſſary in teaching the feveral Sciences.

For the purpofes the Committee subjoin the following Obligation, to which, they flatter themſelves, they will ſoon fee many reſpectable Names of the Friends of this Country, with fuch liberal Subscriptions as ſhall enable them in a ſhort time to carry their Plan into execution. And it is requeſted that fuch Gentlemen as reſide abroad, and wifh to promote this plan, may, at the time of Subſcribing, inſtruct their Friends at home, to pay in the fums ſubſcribed for at the fame time that Subſcriptions ſhall be payable by others, adding the names of fuch Friends to their Subſcriptions.

N. B. It is propoſed that fuch Gentlemen as ſhall ſubſcribe Fifty Pounds ſterling, or upwards, are to be Directors for life; and fuch as Subſcribe One Hundred Pounds ſterling, or more, ſhall have the fame privilege to defend to their Heirs after them, when come of age.