Part 7 (1/2)

FRIDAY

Morning Prayer and hy Tables in aritheography, lobes, &c

Afternoon Prayer and hymn Scripture pictures on the lesson-posts, and questions on the Prayer and hy Tables of arithmetic from the rostrueoious instruction should have a prominent part in the business of every day, and especially so every Saturday

NB If visitors wish any particular lessons to be gone through, and the children appear disposed, the master is not bound to adhere to the above rules, neither at any other time, if the children appear particularly disinclined

There are a few otherthis chapter, Ithe attention of infant school conductors First attend to

CLEANLINESS

Although we have referred to this before, yet, as it is of considerable importance not only to the children but to those around them, it may not be amiss to take up a little more of the reader's time, and to state the different plans that have been devised, in order to h was erected, and a pipe provided to convey the water into it; but before it had been up athe end intended, it had quite a contrary effect; for the children dabbled in the trough, andthemselves from head to foot; besides which, it frequently caused them to take cold, of which the parents complained Soave the ood set down” It was, therefore, thought necessary to forbid the children washi+ng themselves, and to wash all that came dirty But it was soon found that the dirty children increased so fast, that it required one person's time to attend to theed the parents in laziness; and they toldthe children to school dirty, ”That indeed they had no tih in the school for that purpose, and the persons who had charge of the school were paid for it, and ought to do it” In consequence of this, the trough was taken away, and it was represented to the parents, that it was their duty to keep their children clean; that unless they did so, they would be sent ho the washed, there would be no alternative left but to disether This offended some of the parents, and they took their children out of the school, but many afterwards petitioned to have them readmitted I mention this merely to prevent others, who may be concerned in the establish an unnecessary expense, and to shew that the parents will value the school equally as well if you make them wash their children, as if you did it for them

The plan that we have acted upon to enforce cleanliness, is as follows: As soon as the children are assembled in the school, the monitors cause them to hold out their hands, with their heads up; they then inspect their hands and their faces, and all those who are dirty are desired to stand out, to be examined by the master, ill easily perceive whether they have been washed that ; if not, they are sent home to be washed, and if the mother has any sense of propriety, she will take care that it shall not often occur But itwith the dirt, when co to school, which some children are very apt to do; in this case they have a pat on the hand, which generally cures them There is much trouble at first, to keep the children quite clean; some of their parents are habitually dirty, and in such cases the children will be like them; these will, therefore, require more trouble than others, but they will soon acquire cleanly habits, and, with proper ement, become as cleanly as any of the other children As soon as a child is taken into the school the monitor shows him a certain place, and explains to hio into the yard, he is to ask him, and he will accompany him there Of course there are separate accoements made as the case requires, but which it is unnecessary further to particularize[A]

[Footnote A: This is a subject of the highest i, and deserve the serious attention of committees as well as teachers: inattention to these matters, may demoralize every child that enters the school In reat want of attention to this subject, the seats were too high, the circular holes too large, causing fear on the part of the infants, and also bad habits The seats should be the saht as the seats in the school-six inches, and nine inches high, the diameter of the holes seven inches and nine inches-the teachers should constantly visit these places, inculcate habits of delicacy and cleanliness Such habits forotten Superfine dressy teachers, will be too proud, and too high, to attend to these things-but the judicious mother or ly-”as the twig is bent the tree's inclined”]

2 NEVER FRIGHTEN CHILDREN

It is common for many persons to threaten to put children into the black hole, or to call the sweep to take theht; but the ill effects of thisfact I knew a child, who had been to one of those schools where the children of mechanics are usually sent, called dames' schools, which was kept by an elderly woman, who, it seems, had put this child into the coal-hole, and told hiood boy, the black htened the child, that he fell into a violent fit, and never afterwards could bear the sight of this wo the child adentle with hi to me all the above story, except that the child had had a fit About a fortnight after the ad one day into the school, exclaiood boy” As soon as he caught sight of rasped ht the child wasconvulsions, and was such a dreadful spectacle, that I thought the child would die in my arms In this state he remained for about twenty minutes, and I fully expected he would be carried out of the school a corpse I sent for the mother, but on her arrival I perceived she was less alarmed than myself; she ihtened him into it I told her that she was mistaken; that the child had only just entered the school, and I was ignorant of the cause of his fright; but several ofthe particulars of the fright, which they observed when co to school It seems that a man was in the street, eeps chimneys with a machine, and just as the little fellow passed him, he called out, ”Sweep;” this so alar to take him, and was affected by his fears in the way I have stated The child, however, getting better, and the ed fully, and then told ht and the woinable to persuade hi, and that he loved little children as ot somewhat the better of his fears, but not wholly so He had but one fit afterwards This she improper it is to confine children by themselves, or to threaten them in the manner described Many persons continue nervous all their lives through such treathtened at their own shadow

It is also productive of oblins, before children, which many persons are too apt to do Some deal so hten many children out of their senses I recollect, when I was a child, hearing such stories, till I have actually been afraid to look behind htened at such a little creature as a mouse, because the nature of that little creature has not been explained to thes shewn them, if possible, that they are likely to meet with: and above all, it should be impressed upon their , it is most certain the dead will never hurt them, and that he who fears God, need have no other fear It is also common with many persons, to put a disobedient child into a room by itself I cannot approve of this htened into quietness without i his temper in the least; if it be day time it is not so bad, but if it be dark, the consequences are often serious, and materially injure the constitution of the child The more I reflect upon this subject, the more do I see its impropriety I would rather use the rod, in moderation, and mercy I am sure it is better for the disobedient and unruly child, and s of the Creator with us all I can truly say ood As children we cannot see these things; as men and thinkers, we can Yea! and kiss the rod

3 GUARD AGAINST FORGETFULNESS

The circumstance I am about to mention, she necessary it is to teach by example as well as precept Many of the children were in the habit of bringing marbles, tops, whistles, and other toys, to the school, which often caused much disturbance; for they would play with the to their lessons, and I found it necessary to forbid the children fro notice, therefore, two or three tiht such things, they would be taken away fros fell into , and, a to a little boy The child askedseveral visitors at the tiue ether, but it appears the child had not; for so the children upon the necessity of telling truth, and on the wickedness of stealing, the little fellow approached me, and said, ”Please, sir, you stole ive it you again?” ”No, teacher, I asked you for it, and you would not give it toaccused in the middle of my lecture, before all the children, and really at a loss to knohat excuse to make, for I had mislaid the whistle, and could not return it to the child I iave the child a halfpenny, and said all I could to persuade the children that it was not my intention to keep it

However, I asome time; for if ish to teach children to be honest, we should never take anything fro charge of children can never be too cautious, and should not, on any account whatever, break a prooodand do not perform it, they will pay very little attention to what you say afterwards

4 OBSERVE PUNCTUALITY

A little girl, whose mother was dead, was often absent from school She was never at a loss for excuses, but from their frequency I was at last induced to suspect their truth None of the children knehere she resided; so I was obliged to send the eldest boy in the school home with her, to ascertain whether or not her stories were true I gave the boy positive directions to make haste back; but, much to my surprise, I saw no more of him for six hours When he returned, he told irl refused to shew him where she lived; and had taken him so far, that he at last determined to leave her, but could not find his way back sooner In the evening I wentto the direction I had entered in the admission-book, but found that the family were removed, and the persons in the house could not tellof the child for the five following days, when a woman who had the care of her and her little brother in arirl ca, that sometimes she came home at half-past eleven, at other times not till two, and sometimes at three in the afternoon: in short, often an hour after school was over I told her that the child was frequently absent, and that it was five days since I had seen her The woman appeared quite surprised, and told ular time; that when she caoverness had sent all the children home a little sooner; and if she came home after the ti the school, and that the children had been kept for their inspection

Here I e, that I have frequently detained children a little while after school-hours, e have had visitors, but since it furnishes the children with an excuse for going home late, I think it would be better to discontinue the practice; and would hint to those ladies and gentlemen who feel inclined to visit such schools, that they should come between the hours of nine and twelve in the forenoon, or two and four in the afternoon I have only to observe, that the child I have been speaking of caularly afterwards

There is another subject too important to be passed without notice; I mean the punctual attendance of the pupils If the teachers are firm, and determined, to secure this, it can be done In Ireland, where the value of ti was accoiven to those who have to work for their daily bread, than punctuality If a child cannot attend school at nine, how can it attend work at six in the ained

5 BE STRICTLY ACCURATE IN YOUR EXPRESSIONS

One day when the children were asse none of their usual lessons at hand, I took from my pocket a piece of paper, and promised the the paper, I would at lastmanner: ”What is this?” ”What colour?” ”What is its use?” ”Howanswered according to their different views, and having folded the paper into a variety of forms, and obtained their ideas upon such for it into the shape of a boat; but the children, seeing me at a loss, exclaimed, ”Please, sir, you can't do it;” which proved the fact, as I had forgotten the plan, and was obliged to make the confession ”Then, sir,” rejoined one of the boys, ”you should not have promised”

In the course of my observations I had frequently enjoined the children topowers, but it appears I had at the saotten to make use of my own, and consequently had been betrayed into a promise which I was not able to perform