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ber, that the object we have in view, is to teach vocal music in schools, to children, not to adults; and that for the purpose of improving church psalmody, or enlivening the monotory of school teaching by simple concerted pieces. The change of key in such pieces is not great, there are seldom more than two, or at most three keys in the best psalm tunes or pieces of the character which are required; for instance, the first strain will be the key tonic, the 2nd may be in the key of the dominant, the 3rd in the key of the relative minor, the 4th returning to the key of the tonic, beyond these keys few such pieces modulate. Within such limits, the change of key is instantly made known to the children by the change of terms, which mark the notes; thus in the key of G, in the first strain Do is G, in the 2nd (for example) Do is D; the change marks to the children the change of key, and accounts instantly for the introduction of the additional sharp. In intricate pieces this would plainly be attended with much labour; but, that is beyond the question, it is only intended to be applied to such vocal music as is taught in schools; no one I suppose ever thought of sol-fa-ing one of Handel's choruses.

A sentiment may be traced in the observations of two of your correspondents, in which I cannot coincide. The late meetings in Exeter Hall, are no proof of the comparative value of the systems before the public; neither must we lay much store by the fact of "12 out of 24 glees being encored by the audience," for except in few cases where the audience is refined, encores are generally bestowed upon performances which are little worthy of them. These exhibition are proofs only of successful results; any of the systems of the day, if carried out, will produce the same. As a criterion of the best system of teaching, when they are only the results of one system, they are worthless. Mr. Turner's pupils will I trust, never exhibit in Exeter Hall, and will never indulge a spirit of rivalry, consistent only with party feeling. Rather should we applaud the sentiment which appeared in another letter, that excitement should have no part in that which we perform as a duty, as it is certainly no test of the efficiency with which that duty is performed. To appeal to the late excitement, as a test of the efficiency of Mr. Hullah's system, is a very suspicious mode of defence in answer, however, allow me to suggest, that a system must be bad indeed, which aided by all the influence of the episcopal bench, the personal and pecuniary aid of the noble and wealthy of the land, and a growing desire on the part of the people to avail themselves of some system withiu their reach, yet failed to produce the results to which your correspondent has alluded.

Vicarage, Bishop's Stortford.

Yours, with much respect,

C. C. SPENCER.

P.S.-I find the date of Mr. Turner's Manual to be 1833; his Class Singing Book, 1838, [2nd Edition, 1842]; The Minute of Council on Education, recommending Hullah's system, December 21, 1840; the first class under Hullah's system, met 1st February, 1841.

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where long hair is worn than in those where the hair is kept short. There could be no difficulty is showing, that we might reasonably and naturally expect the same result wherever the experiment is fairly tried; and I firmly believe that any one, who will try the experiment fairly and upon its right grounds, will find his experience corresponds with mine.

With regard to the propensity for "adorning the hair," I will also boldly say, that this propensity is likely to be more dangerous to young girls who first come into possession of this ornament at the age of 13 or 14, having up to that time been prohibited the use of it, than to those who have from their childhood been accustomed to wear it. The policy of providing against the abuse of long hair in girls by cutting it off, appears to me very like the policy of the rich man who keeps his eldest son almost penniless till he comes into his inheritance. A far higher wisdom would it be to train up a girl to use rightly that ornament, which, if life be spared, she will one day inevitably possess, and which the voice of nature and the words of holy writ agree in teaching her to regard as no mean treasure.

Your faithful servant,

M. B. H.

A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE MONITORIAL SYSTEM IN A SCHOOL, CONTAINING 120 CHILDREN.

SIR,-As you did me the favour to insert in your Journal the account I sent you of the origin of the Ickleford school; I now send you an account of its state during the three months previous to the present harvest.

In March last, a gentleman and lady resident in the parish induced the parents to send their children to the school, by making it a condition of their having gardens, and the advantage of a clothing club. In consequence of this, the woman who kept the plaiting school was induced to accept 7s. a week to overlook the work in the national school. The two schools, thus united, contained 126 children, and there was, until the harvest, an average attendance of 110 children. In order to provide for this number, I altered the relative situations of the 1st and 2nd classes of girls, so as to convert their side of the school into a gallery, where all the children were assembled. At five minutes before 9 the names were called over, after which prayers were read. The instruction was wholly given by the mistress and a girl, aged 16, whom we engaged as assistant, except that another girl was sometimes employed to teach the letters. After prayers the 1st class was taught writing by the mistress; all the rest repeated verses after the assistant, working at the same time; from half-past 9 to 10, the 1st class was taught arithmetic by the mistress; all the rest read simultaneously from a board after the assistant. From 10 to half-past 10 the infants were allowed to play; the mistress heard the 3rd class,

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Under the head of weekly attendance, I have ranged the contents of infant schools, dames' schools, national schools, and all other classes of instruction reported to me, of which the clergy are professionally cognisant. Weekly schools, under the superintendence of Dissenters, bear at present, a very small proportion to church schools, and are by no means always found where destitute populations might seem to have especially invited them. They may soon become much more considerable upon the self-supporting principle. Their Sunday scholars we must all feel to be, as it were, wanderers from our own fold. We cannot, nor indeed should we feel easy, in counting over such a deduction from our own church and sabbath classes.

The particular cases of defective church education, weekly or sabbath, arise from a variety of causes hereafter to be noticed, which would render such particular enumeration, as we have made under the head of church room, clearly invidious. Suffice it to premise, that, where all primary impediments in point of church and school room have been removed, and where the best means are provided and put in operation, we may reckon that a proportion of children, amounting to one-sixth upon any entire numerical population, is attainable in our sunday schools, and upwards of one-fifth in our daily schools.* These last I divide into infant or dames' schools, and national or juvenile schools: then of infants, from two years old to six or seven, I ask for rather more than a tenth; and of all other juvenile classes, without reckoning adult or confirmation classes, about one-eighth of the population of the parish or district. Thus, in a population of 600, I should wish to find 100 children, of all ages, invited into the Sunday school, and placed at church; and in the week-day infant or dames' schools, 60 inmates between two and six or seven years of age; and in a national, or other juvenile establishment, 75 pupils, male and female; in all, 135 marked for weekly training. In many individual cases, more especially where infant schools have been in active operation, these proportions have been verified in my returns; and consequently, when not so, it must be admitted that a proportionate number are existing, though for some reason beyond the pale of regular church education. The causes will be hereafter adverted to: as, on the other hand, I cannot but congratulate such of my reverend brethren as are enabled, by the removal of all impediments, to count (taking larger proportions), for every 1,000 in their parish, 166 children assembled in their church; and in their weekly schools, 100 infants, and 125 juvenile pupils.†

can scarcely be numbered among those who are receiving education; whilst, however, the very important object of church going, and, it may be, catechising, are for the time attained.

* I mean at least on our school books. The average attendance will of course vary; but it is an advantage to have the very defaulters under notice in our list of scholars.

+ If the above proportion may seem to exceed our just demands, or at least reasonable expectations, in the larger populations, I still leave them as delivered, in order to direct attention to the actual amount of the youthful tribes, for whose spiritual improvement, and good education, it will ever be the desire of our faithful ministry to see and know some proper means are provided. I have abstained purposely from any specification of parishes in my present address. But I may be allowed to state, that of the first nine rural deancries (the second having none), the large towns or villages above 1,000, amounting to 24, containing a population of 47,108, or about 2,000 each, on the average. Of these I specify three-Romsey, the largest, 5,347 with its magnificent church, (I hope soon to be restored to its pristine grandeur by the munificence of the county), having its sunday schools of 681 children, and national and other strictly church schools, near 400; Fordingbridge, population 3,078, with 327 in its sunday classes, and 379 weekly; Havant, 2,101, with 264 under sun. day, 324 under weekly instruction. Alton and Crondall also might be mentioned, with some others in similar proportions.

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