Now, whatever tends to render Eterary or scientific attainments comparatirar east odes to the same extent this salutary intention. In ES WAY BET branches of learning may be acquired, without the mind wards the vilesome dscne, which it is one great design of SUNT Ar Habits of close application, so essential to future emiTO, VIL SJKm, be acquired where mental pursuits are so far facilitatod is to supursede the necessity of digent and persevering exertion. At a vem tender age, perlags, and in acquiring the earliest rudirex, some such NCITUS Zay be safely allowed; but at a more sèrvoed sage of elacation, the pap should be accustomed to depend chidde on his own resoomes; and hence the various helps so often had RWY A SIt is transitions of works in the classical or foreign langogos kers to exercises, and to bocks on arithmetic, the mathemaFox, de, should be ever sparingly awed; even the assistance of a private tetor, if noe liner bestest, will have an unfavourable tendency, Ny dwerg Dos Mus & sidependence, upon which eventual suc The provoding remains it is perths scaredy necessary to state, are swot the parious methods referred to when disONLY PRE NO Roccience Incrazy pasuits, or to enable the student to Love me with the meal amper of kaowledge in the present day, and NO GRYNY A Vikt end of scientifs and literary subjects. When a dorant is made 100 the pig point of sequisition, proportionate consequences will not only be avoided, but a mask grouter serokat of unsten kille will be the necessary result. jos are permitted to supply the place of close then they are reuered by their abuse nje il carss, that these strictures can be S Pegs & disposition to advance is mani#xar qabited is summcant obstacles in his NONY Ada feeling of exultation at difficulties NVA DA ANUNT ASSISTIONe the youthful student mą dar mond has had a boocial cfoot, by exciting rather than sverenost. Here, then the preceptor has a 300 the excess of his discretion, in giving or ANEMENT, Aď should be ever forget, for his own as A CLASSIFICATION OF FOUCATIONAL BOOKS REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL SCHOOLS. kind and adapted to the condition of the anand next waar die The child is supposed to enta the Natwestor Paastat Nadat sovet res dd in agricultural No ignore of the first elements of ovinostion, and in many exx www ces the alphabet. The master has very little method, and only a few of such books as a committee or a body of negligent trustees or careless parish officers allow him. If the new scholar has already been in a school elsewhere, and acquired a little scripture knowledge, and learnt the arithmetical tables, the master knows not how to class him; for, his books not being systematized, he is at a loss how to make the already-acquired knowledge available, and thus the new scholar is put back into some book which he has perhaps read to satiety, or confined to the Bible as the only resource of the bewildered master. In a case like this, a list of books proper for children in the different stages of primary instruction, would at once enable the master to direct his scholars; for, upon inquiry, he would find that the newly-entered scholar had been reading in the previous school in No. 3, 6, or 9, and, consequently, had gone through the previous books, to which (except for the purpose of examination) he need not return. Thus the scholar, by reference to the "National list," finds at once his place in the school; and, if he has begun in that same school ab initio, he has followed the course of reading, which will avail him when he passes elsewhere. To make the list of books complete, it will be necessary to begin with alphabets and primers, and carry a child of six or seven years old forward from six months to six months, until there be an aggregate of three years: the fourth year would require Books of a higher description. But while the child (who may only be permitted to remain for one or two years under the care of the National school teacher, and under the eye of the clergyman) is learning to read and write and cipher, he is to be taught, from the very first, religious and moral truth, and as he cannot acquire any instruction in these things by reading (for he is not yet able to read with sufficient ease), there only remains the method of oral instruction. For this purpose the master should be furnished with a book for every succeeding half year (beginning with the first), and therefore the list to be complete should contain, "The Master's Book for religious and moral instruction for the first half year;" ditto for the second half year," and so on to the fourth half year, when this auxiliary instruction would be superseded by the scholar being able to read the books of religion that might be put into his hands. With these observations premised, the following will be the sets or series of Educational Books required: SERIES No. 1.-FOR THE FIRST HALF YEAR. Alphabets. Lessons in one, two, and three Syllables. Cards of figures and numeration. Easy Hymns. Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Ten Commandments, with questions and answers. Selections from the New Testament. Prayers, for morning and evening. An Easy Book of Maxims to be learnt. The Master's Book for religion and morals for the first half year, to contair lessons on God, truth, honesty, reward and punishment, Christ's love, His Church, &c. To be combined with the Four Gospels, a portion of which to be read daily. SERIES No. 2.-FOR THE SECOND HALF YEAR. /Reading Lessons in prose and easy poetry; containing simple accounts of animals, anecdotes illustrative of lying, drunkenness, stealing, &c.; some well-chosen Fables. The whole made into two books, designated Nos. 1, 2, of Second Series. Bible Stories, adapted in style to imperfect readers. The Church Catechism Explained or made easy to the junior scholar. Arithmetical tables. First Step to Orthography. Songs and familiar Rhymes. Prayers for morning and evening. A Book of Proverbs and Moral Sentences, tending to engraft in the mind and memory a reverence for our Institutions in Church and State. The Master's Book for religious and moral Instruction for the second half year, to contain the principal features of Sacred History, as far as King David's time; moral lessons to be drawn from the same source; and the chief truths of Christianity. To be combined with the New Testament, to be read daily. SERIES No. 3.-FOR THE THIRD HALF YEAR. (Reading Book, containing Natural History, with some entertain- Scripture Geography, especially of the New Testament. A familiar explanation of the services of the Church of England. An advanced set of books, similar to those for the second half year. The Master's Book for the third half year, to contain the Gospel History and the first planting of Christianity, with an account of the countries where it was first preached, the lives of New Testament characters drawn out as examples, an account of the Epistles and the churches to which they were addressed, and an illustration of our Liturgy and formularies as of Apostolic origin and scriptural character. The Bible Class daily. SERIES No. 4.-FOR THE FOURTH HALF YEAR. Books of Trades for reading, or Treatises on different branches of mechanical art. The Text Book of Geography. The First step to Grammar, including punctuation, syllabic ana- Principal Events (chronologically arranged), and Outlines of the The Master's Book for the fourth half year should contain the whole range of Bible History, with the history of the ancient Empires; an account of the Jews as a nation from the Captivity to the destruction of Jerusalem-Chronological Tables. A Second Book should contain an Elementary Treatise on Language. SERIES No. 5.-BOOKS FOR THIRD YEAR SCHOLARS. Arithmetic, extending to mensuration, land measuring, and guag- History of England, particularly of the Reformation. An account of our Ecclesiastical Polity, and of the Union of The Elements of Physics, the use and means of ventilation, and Grammar and Exercises. No Master's Book required. Feb. 13, 1843. R. B. [The want of regular sets of books for our middle and National schools seems to be felt more and more every day. If this Journal can be made in any way subservient towards the supply of this want, its pages will be always open for so excellent a purpose. The above paper will serve as a good beginning. Perhaps some of our correspondents will favour us with a few corrections or additions to this list; and, especially, describe at greater length the sort of books they feel in need of, referring, wherever practicable, to English or foreign books already in existence, that may serve in any respect as models.-ED.] OUTLINE OF A COURSE OF LESSONS ON LANGUAGE, WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO OUR OWN. SIR,-In a late report of the National Society, it is proposed that "the pupil shall be taught the rudiments of Latin; but the object of such teaching shall not be to ground him in a learned language, but to give him a more complete command of his own." Now, as the object is a knowledge of English, will you permit me most respectfully to submit to your notice the outline of a course of instruction having an immediate reference to this object, and possessing, among many other advantages, that of facilitating also the study of any foreign tongue. I should not have ventured to address you on the subject, had I not witnessed the benefit resulting from the plan, even when pursued under many disadvantages; and my motive for doing so is the hope, that this may induce some of your readers to arrange such a set of lessons as may enable teachers to carry it out more fully (if it meet with approval), or, if this has already been done, to inform me where I may procure them. The order I pursue is (1.) Whatever is common to all languages, as the noun, verb, &c. (2.) The nine English parts of speech, exercises, parsing. (3.) The most obvious syntactical differences in other tongues exhibited by means of sentences literally translated from the Latin, German, French, &c. (4.) English syntax, and exercises on the rules of syntax. (5.) Etymology. The history of our language; its derivation from other languages; and the consequent variations in its orthography, and the formation of its plurals. The exercises for this most important part of the study are taken chiefly from a little work, entitled, “Orthographical and Etymological Exercises," published by E. and T. Bruce, Newcastle on Tyne,* of which I here subjoin a short specimen : Root—“ Again,”—Saxon (Aghen) i. e., a second time. What part of speech is “again ?" Give a preposition signifying in opposition to. Write again as it is sounded. Give another monosyllable in which ai has the same sound. Give the specific meaning in these cases: "Bring word again which way we shall go." “Against the Tiber's mouth." "To provide against winter." Give the Latin compounds now in use, corresponding to the old English words," Aghen-buying,"-" Aghen-rising,"-" Aghen-stand," Aghen-say." (6.) Examples of the same words used in different senses at different periods, and by different writers; and the gradual alteration in the meaning of words. (7.) Specimens of our standard authors in chronological order. The sense of the passage to be given in modern English. It is unnecessary to say, that I make no pretension to any new discovery; all I claim is the arrangement of the lessons, and putting them into an agreeable form. It has long been a source of regret to me, that so many years should be devoted to the attainment of a moderate degree of proficiency in languages which possess no literature comparable with our own, by persons who turn with distaste from the writings of our venerable divines and reformers, because their ideas are clothed in a quaint though expressive style; and I have attempted thus to supply to my own pupils, what appears to me a deficiency in English education. The results have exceeded my expectations. I have found that these lessons afford a clearer insight into the principles of language than the mere study of any Grammar. I have also felt the value of such a mental training for my pupils as the exercise of discriminating between ideas which are really distinct, though at first sight they appear alike; in clothing each idea with its appropriate symbol, and in assigning to the words of an author the meaning he intended they should convey. But a conviction of my incompetence to execute the task efficiently, has rendered me anxious to know whether a similar plan has been adopted by abler persons, since my secluded situation has debarred me from gaining any information on the subject, till I was so fortunate as to meet with the "English Journal of Education," which will now be regularly forwarded to me. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, A PRIVATE GOVERNESS. Northumberland, Feb. 6, 1843. [It will save trouble, if our correspondents in recommending a book will give the name of the London Publisher, if there be one on the title page.-ED.] |