'

The Graded School.

~.
.A GRADED

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
WITll

COPIOUS PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS TO TEACHERS,
AND

OBSERVATIONS ON PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE,

I

SCHOOL RECORDS, ETC.

!·

I
-1;_

v'

BY W. H. WELLS, A.:M.,

"

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIO SCHOOLS, CHICAGO, AND LATE PRINCIPAL OF THK
STATE NORMAL SOHOOL 1 WESTFIELD, MASS.

NEW YORK:
A. S. BARNES & BURR, 51 & 53 JOHN-STREET.
CHICAGO : GEORGE SHERWOOD,

1862.

PREFACE.
THE Graded Course of study here presented, is
substantially the Course adopted in the Public
Schools of Chicago.

En tered •ccording to Act of Congr..ss, in the year 1862,
By A. S. BARNES &

BURI~,

In the Clerk'• Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.

•

It is believed to combine the

best elements of the different systems adopted in
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, St.
Louis, and other cities. ·
Most of the Directions which accompany the
Course have been suggested by the author's diary
of visits to. the schools of Chicago and other cities;
and they are designed to supply the deficiencies
most frequently observed in schools, and to correct
the most common faults.
The kind reception of the author's Seventh An-

REN NIE , BRE A Jo LINDSAT,
STER ll:OTYPE R.~

AND ELECTROTYPERS,

81, 83, & 8S CENTRE-STRE ET,

nual Report, which embraced a large portion of the
Course here presented, and the success of the system

Nrm 3jlorlt.

in the schools of Chicago, have induced the belief

GEOR GE W. WOOD, Parn..,,
No. 2 Dutch.st., N. Y.

that the same Graded Course and accompanying
Directions may prove acceptable to teachers in the
present revised form.

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4:

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PREFACE.

For a more full elucidation of the special features
of the Course, the reader is referred to the Introduction .
. Several brief articles on Discipline, Records, and
other topics, are appended to the Course, in the

INTRODUCTION.

hope that they may add somewhat to its value.
W.H.W.
CmcAGo, July, 1862.

A GRADED ScHOOL is a school in which the pupils
are divided into classes according to their attainments, and in which all the pupils of each class attend to the same branches of study at the same
time.*
Number and Division of Gmdes.-In all cities
and large towns, there are numerous transfers from
one public school to another. As pupils from different schools are thus brought together, it is often
found that those who are equally advanced in one
• "All the pupils in any one class attend to precisely the same.
studies and use the same books. In each room there will be a first
and a second class, and it is important that the identical pupils
which constitute the first class in one branch should constitute the
first class in every branch' pursued by the class. By this arrange·ment, while one class is reciting, the other is preparing for recitation, and an alternating process is kept up through the day, affording the pupils ample time to study their lessons, and the teacher
ample time to instruct each class.. __ . This is what is meant by a
graded ant! classified school." -lra Divoll, Superintendent of Schools,
St. Louis.
"The due classification and grading of the schools is but the application to the educational cause of the same diviBion of labor that
prevails in all well-regulated business establishments, whether mechanical, commercial, or otherwise. It is not only the most economical, but without it there can be little progress or prosperity."
-H. 0. Hickck, lat~ Superintendent of Public instruction of Pennsylvania.

8

11\'l'IWDUCTION.

branch of study are very unequally advanced in
other branches. This creates constant confusion and
inconvenience in the classification. Hence th e i mportance of som e uniform sjstem of gradati on in all
the schools of a city or town.
It is obviously unreasonable to expect one school
to m ake the same progress, in all cases, as another
m ore favorably situated; but it is not impracti cable
so to .arrange the course of study, that there may be
certam ~tand-points in it, at which the pupils shall
be required to reach a given stand ard of attainment
. in all the parallel branches, and from which no one
shall be allowed to advance in one branch before all
the other branches are brought up to the same standard'. A~ these particular points, it is plain that the
pupils will be together in all the branches in all the
schools; a~d if these points are made sufficiently
num erous m the co urse, a pupil may pass from one
school to any other in the city or town at any time
. find so me class equally advanced
'
an d h e will
with'
himself in all the studies.
. In classifying the pupils of cities and large towns,
it has been found convenient to divide all that belong to the Grammar and Primary Schools into ten
grades-four Grammar Grades and six Primary. In
smaller towns a less number of grades will be found
more convenient.
In order to give efficien cy and value to a graded
course of study, it is important that the divisions
b etween the successive grades should be plainly and
sharply defin ed. Special cases may sometimes occur, in which it will be necessary for a tim e to relax

IN'l'RODUCTION.

9

the stringency of this rule ; but these cases should
be m ade as few and brief as possible.*
In the course herewith presented, the number of
pages or chapters belonging appropriately to each
grade, can not be given with exactness, since the
text-books adopted in different cities and towns do
not always correspond, either in the number of volumes or in the extent to which the subjects are carried. The divisions of the several branches in the
present course, are made as definite as th e circumstances will allow. They are the result of systematic
experiments extending over a period of several years,
together with a careful stud y of the classification
adopted in a large number of cities and towns.
No pupil should be advanced from one grade to
another, till he has first sustained a thorough and
satisfactory test-examination on all the branch es of
the grade from which he is to be transferred. These
exam inations by the Superintendent or Princi.pal, at
frequent and regular periods, comparing the attainments of each grade with a fix ed ana known stan dard, will try every t eacher's work, and award to the_
most deserving the credit which justly belongs to
them.
General Directions accompanying th.e G·raded

* " Other things being equal, th e closer the classification the bett er the school system." - H . F. Cowdery, Superi11te11de11t of School3,
Sandusky, Ohio .
"The advantages of the union sch ool arise chiefly from the gradin g . The more perfect, therefore, the grading, the more certain
and marked will be the success of these schools." -J. M. Gregory,
State Superintendent of Schools, jlfichiga11.

10

INTRODUCTION.

Oourse.-Of the large body of teachers engaged in
public schools, many of whom are inexperienced,
and all of whom are controlled, in a greater or less
degree, by habits formed under a variety of different
influences, it is not to be expected that all will reach
the same standard of excellencet nor is it desirable
that all should attempt to reach this standard in
precisely the same way. The individuality of each
teacher must be preserved, and his originality and
invention should be constantly tasked. There are,
however, certain principles which belong to every
good system of instruction, and the teacher who
claims the privilege of rejectincr these because he
thinks he can teach better in so::ie other way, is an
unworthy member of the profession ~
Public-school teachers are as faithful and progressive as any class of persons in the community,
and yet cases will constantly occur in every city and
town, in which suggestions repeatedly given by
School Directors and Superintendents, are repeatedly forgotten. The power of habit' is strong and will
. many cases, reassert its Claims even against
'
m
the'
best intentions to resist it; and there are always
some whose sympathies are not fully enlisted in
their work, and who need to be admonished by a
uniform standard of duty, kept always before them.
In preparing these directions and observations
the mere correction of errors has not been my high-'
est object. I would fain hope that they may be the
means of aiding all classes of teachers in their efforts
to introduce improvements and advance the standard of excellence in their modes of instruction. I

INTRODUCTION.

11

have taken special care to give no directions that
will check the enterprise of progressive teachers,
and I believe that no one will be found to act against
any thing except positive errors and inferior methods of instruction.
On the various and somewhat numerous points to
which these suggestions relate, they are offered as a
substitute for a constant visit from Superintendents
and School Directors;

Practicalness in Teach:ing-Oral Instruction.The regular course of school stud_ies, in most cities
and towns, is already sufficiently extended, and yet
it is notorious that pupils leave the public schools
lamentably deficient on a great variety of subjects
connected with a sound practical education.
It is found impracticable to introduce the study
of physiology in the Grammar Divisions, with an
additional text-book and a course of daily recitations; and so most of the pupils complete their
course without any knowledge of the important
functions of the lungs . and heart, and the general
laws of health. We can not a_d d the study of mineralogy and geology to the course; and pupils go o~t
from the schools without any satisfactory knowledge
of the matel'ials employed in constructing the flagstones on which they walk. we can not introduce
natural philosophy; and most pupils leave without
any definite knowledge of the principle involved in
rowing a boat, or even in floating it. We can no1
add chemistry; and pupils leave without being able
to explain the rising of a loaf of bread, or the burning of a common fire.

12

INTRODUCTION.

And yet, a careful study of the philosophy of edu
cation will show, that the schools are all this time
suffering for the want 01' the relaxation which would
be afforded by a systematic course of oral instruction, exactly suited to supply these important de,
ficiencies.*
A S4?ries of oral lessons, occupying fifteen minutes
a day, and continued through the entire course of
the Grammar Department, would be sufficient to
embrace a wide range of practical exercises in commol/ philosophy, and common things. Such a course
of lessons would introduce an agreeable . variety,
without interfering with the successful prosecution
of the other branches. If called up at the right

* "Nor

need any one fear that the use of object lessons will

dim~nish the amount of book-learning that will be acquired by the

pupils. On the contrary, experience proves that the -little child
will learn to read faster and better, under a course of instruction
~uch as proposed, while the older pupils will g:o forward with more
intelligence and ease, when the theoretical statements of the textbooks are prepared for and illustrated by the plain facts of sense.
All teaching in our schools would gain both in vividness and value
if a more frequent appeal were made from .the facts as stated in
books to the facts as they are exhibfred in the world without . ....
04,1· knowledge of the nature and uses of common things and our
skill in common affairs-that knowledge and skill which constitute
the implem ents of our daily work and influence-are obtained not
from books, but from the action of our senses and the exercise of .
om· individual powers."--.!. M. Gregory, Supel'intendent qf Public Instruction, Michigan.

.

"Oral . training lessons, in natural science and the arts, are found
to be not merely a highly intellectual exernise, but are valuable to
persons in every rank of society ... .. Children of both sexes
'should be exercised daily on some point of science or the arts, particularly in relation to ordinary life and common things. " -David
Stow, Founde1'

ef Glasgow

Normal Training &rninary.

INTRODUCTION.

13

time it would infuse new -life and vigor in the
' and prepare them to _do ·more in the time
·classes,
that remains, than they would otherwise accomplish
even with the additional fifteen minutes.
In many cities and towns, considerable attention
is already given to object lessons and other conversational exercises, in the Primary .Divisions. In some
schools these elementary object lessons are admirable, and could hardly be improved;* but it is p1:obably true that in a majority of cases, where obJect
\ teaching is introduced, the teachers do not attempt
any thing like a systematic and progressive course
of lessons, while many teachers conduct these exercises without any definite object in view.
Instruction by object lessons is a method comparatively new in this country, and many teachers do •
not know how to set themselves at work. The subjects are often selected in the upper grades without
any regard to the topics already discussed in- the
grades below; and some teachers seem to think that
they 1rnve given a satisfactory object lesson, when
they have conduc~d a free conversation on some
common subject, even though the children may not
have o-ained one new idea of the properties and reo
. l
lations of objects, nor learned the use of a smg e
new word.
In the course of instruction herewith presented, I
• In Oswego, N. Y., the Pestalozzian system of object teaching
is fully and successfully introduced in all the Primary Schools.
The system herewith presented was adopted in the Chicago schools
in March, 1861. Many of the principal features of the course were
adopted as early a5 1857.
2

14

L."'llTRODUCTION.

have endeavored to digest a pretty full outline of a
systematic and progressive oral course, embracing ·
object teaching, moral lessons, and other conversational exercises, and e:-:tending through all the Grammar and Primary Grades.* It has been a leading
objeet with me to supply in this oral course the lack
of practicalness to which I have already alluded.
Though necessarily confined to the limits of a mere
syllabus, and not designed to relieve teachers from
the labor of making special preparation for the daily
lessons,t I trust it \vill be found sufficiently full to
guide even inexperienced teachers in the selection
and arrangement of topics, and in the general method
of treating them. References are made to some of
the principal sources of information on the various
. subjects introduced, and other sources will occur to
teachers as they have occasion to employ them.

* "Object lessons shou.ld not only be carried on after quite a.
different fashion from that commonly pursued, but should be extended to a range of things far wider, and continued to a pei;.iod far
later than now. They should be so kept up during youth, as insensibly to merge into the investigations df the naturalist and the
man of science. ''-Herbi;rt Spencer.
·
t "It will al ways be found true that whatever method saves· the
teaclier from the burden of thinking, prevents the pupils from realizing the most va!tmble results of education,-conect habits of
thought, and a well·disciplined mind."-New York School Report.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
FOR A GRADED SCHOOL,
EMilRACING THE

GRAMMAR AND PRIMARY DEPARTMENTS;

/

WITH

ACCOMPANYING DIRECTIONS TO TEACHERS.

NoTE.-The RefJular Course of Imtruction and the JJfrections to Teach,..
ers are preserved distinct from each other, in different sizes of t!pe, .•nd
each is complete in itself. For convenience of reference, the directions
are numbered consecutively through the course.
All the directions designed to be consulted with any grade, are either
found in connection with the reuular course for that grade, or they are
referred to directly by numbers.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR ALL THE GRADES.

§ 1. Reading.-Teachers should adhere rigidly to
the rule, that no reading lesson is to be left till the
pupils understand the meaning of every wor~ co~­
tained in it, and are able to express that meanmg m
their own language. When definitions are given by
the author, in connection with the lesson, the pupils
should be required to give other definitions of their
own, or modify those of the author, so as to satis~y
the teacher that the real meaning is comprehended.
It is highly important that pupils should not only
understand the meaning of words when taken by

16.

COURSE OF INSTIWCT!ON

Genernl Directions.

themselves, but that they .should also understand
their meaning and use in connection with other
words. For this pmpo~e, they sliould often be required, after giving tlie definition of a word, to embody it in a short sentence. Even this excreise falls
short of the highest end of intellectual reading.
Pupils should often be called on to explain the import of phrases, and sentences, and even of whole
paragraphs:* Explanations and illustrations should
also be added Ly the teacher; out let it ever be
borne in mind, that an explanation drawn from tlie
scholar is of far more value to him than the same
explanation furni shed by others.
While examples are constantly occurring in which
pupils do not read "with the understanding,..'' th ere
is also an opposite fault that is equally to be shunned.
Some teachers seeui to suppose that the prineipal
object of a school exercise in reading, is to und erstand the meaning of the piece read. This is a mistake. The principal o1ject is to read the piece so as
to expres8 that meaning. The sense of the piece
must be studied then, not in this case as an end, but
as a means to enable the pupil to execute the read-

* "From the moment that a child knows the powers of the letters, and readily associates with the written form th e pronunci"tion
which it represents, h is attention Ehould be directed to th e ideas.
His progress in the art of reading should be regulated by .hi s intellectual progress. The power of reading different words should not
anticipate his power of understanding them. The habit, early acquired, of associating the id eas with their written signs, will •ecnre
his acquisition of the art of reading, and make it a delightful occupation." -.ilfa1·cel.

FOR GRADED SCHOOL::!.

17

Reading.

ing successfully. This being the case, it is obviously
a great fault" to spend half or three-fourths of the
hour allotted to a reading lesson, in discussing the
meaning of words and the general sense of the passages read.
While a class is engaged in reading, it should re~ ceive the undivided attention of the teacher. If the
teacher is necessarily called away, by all means suspend the exerci se. It is far better to omit a lesson
altogether, than to leave the pupils to read by themsel ves.
The voice of the teacher should be frequ ently
heard in every reading exercise, as an example f~r
the scholars to imitate. It is by imitation that clnldren learn to talk, and their skill and accuracy in
reading will depend main.ly upon the character. of
the models which are brought before them. A cluld
may make a dozen trials in reading a sentence, and
not only fail every time, but read it worse and worse,
if he does not hear it read correctly by the teacher
or by some member of the class.
. The use of capitals and italics, marks of punctuation, quotation points, a.nd all other marks employed
in the reading lessons, should be learned as fast as
examples present themselves.
.
Teachers should be particularly on then· guard
against adopting unsatisfactory modes of teaching
this important branch, and allowing them to be confirmed into habit. In conducti11g classes over. the
sarue ground from term to term, and from year to
year, some teachers lose their interest in the e-xer2*

--18

COURSE OF' INS'l'RUC'l'ION

FOR GR.A.DED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

Spelling.

cise, and fall uncon sciously below their own previous
standard. A good method must be secured by effort
and retained by effort. Effort relaxed always leads
to retrogression.
§ 2. Spelling.-In conducting oral exercises in
spelling, pupils should pronounce each word distinctly before spelling it, and they should never be'
allowed to try twice on a word.* Whenever a pupil
misses a word, let him afterward be required to
spell it correctly. This may be done as soon as the
correction is made in the class, or deferred till the
close of the recitation.
In giving out the words to a class, teachers sometimes commit the error of departing from the ordinary pronunciation, for the sake of indicating the
orthography. Thus in the word variance, the vowel
in the se~ond syllable is given very distinctly as
long i, to show that the letter is { and not e. The
words should in all cases be pronounced exactly as
they are pronounced by a correct reader. t
As pupils are constantly liable to misunderstand
the pronunciation of words, it is a very useful practice, in all written exercises, to call on some pupil in
the class to repronounce each word distinctly, as
soon as it is pronounced by the teacher.

* "One trial is better than a score of guesses, both to decide
whether the pupil has mastered the lesson, and to insure its stndy
in future."-B. G. Northrop, Agent Jlfassachusetts Board of Educmion .
· t "An undu e emphasis, or prolongation of the utterance of a
sy liable, ni ay enable t lw scholar to spell the word as pronounced,
but will never make him an exper t speller of words as prope rly
spoken.'' - Northend.

/

Special attention should be given to syllabicat~on,
in connection with both written and oral spellmg.
In oral spelling, pupils should syllabicate _in ~11 case~,
as in the following example: a-m am,p-l-i pli, arnpli,
f-y fy, amplify. In written spelling~ it _m ay not ~e
nece~ary to syllabicate at every recit.at1on; bu~ m
a portion of the exercises, even in written spellmg,
pupils should be required to divide the syllables,
and failures should be marked as errors.*
Teachers should bear constantly in mind, that unless habits of correct spelling are formed early, there
is very little probability that they will ever be acquired.
However thorough the drill in spelling may be,
from the lessons of the speller and reader, every
teacher should have frequent and copious exercises
in spelling words from other sources. These sh~uld
be words in common use, chosen as far as possible
from the range of the pupil's observation, includii~g
the new words that arise in object lessons, and m
geography, arithmetic, grammar, etc. T~e more difficult of these words should be written m columns
on the blackboard, and studied and reviewed with
the same care as lessons from the speller and reader.
Failures in spelling these words should be marked
with errors, the same as failures in any other lessons.
Teachers should put forth their best efforts, espe- ·
cially in primary classes, to secure the attention of
• "If this division of words into their proper syllables is to be
l earned by itself it will be found an enormous labor; but if learned
while spelling, it' will hardly add any thing to that task"
• - Mtann.

20

COUltS~~

OF INSTltUOTION

General Directions.

r .

the pupils, and' render the lessons as interestinO' as
possible. Occasional exercises in "choosinO' sides"
h
5
l
w en properly conducted, may be made highly useful. The exercise of "spelling down" a class may
also be resorted to occasionally with good effect.
If a teacher finds at any time, while conductinO'
an oral exercise in spelling, that a portion of hi~
class ~re becoming listless, he can easily recall their
attention by the following simple measure: The
whole class pronounce distinctly the word given by
the teacher, as notation; then one scholar says n ·
the next o; the next pronounces the syllable no'.
the next says t; the next a; the next ta; the nex't
nota; the next t; the next i; the next o · the next
n; the next tion; then the whole class ~ronounce
the word notation.
·
Another useful method is to read a sentence of
reasonable length, and require the memb ers of a
class to spell the words in order· the' first scholar
spelling the first word, the next s~holar the second
and s.o on to the end.·*
·
·
'
. § 3. Wr·iting.-Writing should be taught as a
smmltaneous class exercise, all the members of the
class attendin.g to the same thing at the same ti me. t
~ conductrng exercises in writing, teachers should
. ·~ For other directions rnspecting exercises in spelling, both
'".'ntten and oral, teachers are referred to Northend's Teacher's Assistant.

. t The advantages of this system of teaching, over that in which
d1ff:ren~ pupil s of a class are allowed to write from different copies
1
0
ID d'.fforent books , at the same time, have been fully demonstrated ID the schools of Boston , Chicago, and other cities.

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

21

Writing; Concert Exercises.

make constant use of the blackboard. Important
letters and principles of the copy should be written
on the board, both correctly and incorrectly, illustrating the excellences to be attained and the errors
to be avoided. Teachers who are not accustomed to
this mode of illustrati~, will find that they can
easily qualify themselves to introduce it.*
Many teachers who excel in imparting a knowledge of other branches, teach perunanship only indifferently well .. · Teachers who have little taste for
this exercise should discipline themselves to increased effort. Even a poor writer may make a
good teacher of penmanship; and no one who attempts to teach writing is excusable for not teaching
it successfully.t
Exercises of special excellence shoul_d receiye
marks of special credit; and deficiencies resulting
from carelessness or indifference, should in all cases
receive mark s of error and affect the scholarship
averages as much as failures in any other lessons.
§ 4. Oonce1't Exercises.-In all the lower grades of
R eference.-§ 4.-Barnard's Object Teaching, .Art. 13.
•"Where the best results were produced, the blackboard was in·
constant use, and a whole section of pupils wrote the same copy at
the same time. In some divisions, the blackboard did not seem to
be used at all in teaching this branch. Such a neglect shows a
want of competency, or a want of faithfulness on the part of the
teacher."-Report of Bost.on Sdwol Committee.
t "A bad handwriting ought never to be forgiven; it is ~bameful
indolence; indeed, sendi ng a badly-written letter to a fellow -creature iH a.s impudent an act as I know of."-Niehuhr.

1

-1

I

.. ..
22

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

Good Language.

23

add simple"numbers together, and continued thro~gh
the entire course. Similar examples may occasionally be carried rapidly round
class, each pupil
giving in turn the result for one step of the process,
with as little d elay as possible.
·
§ 6. Good Language. / Composition.-Teachers
should be watchful on all occasions, and especially
during recitations to secure habits of readiness and
'
.
precision in the use of language. Ev~ry question
should receive a complete and grammatical answer.
Teachers should be clear and accurate in their own
expressions, and impress upon their pupils the importance of selecting at all times the b est words and
phrases, and forming the habit of using good language in early life. As fast a~ new word_s are
learned in the various oral exercises, the cluldren
should be required to embody them in spoken or
written sentences, and thus fasten their meaning
and uses securely in the memory.*

the Primary Department, brief concert exercises
should be introduced, as often as once a day, in connection with r ead ing, sp elling by letters, spelling by
sounds, arithmetical tables, etc.; but they should in
no case occupy more time than the individual exercises. They are only means to an end ; not the end
itself. Their proper use is to aid in securing the
success of individual efforts. Frequent concert exercises should also be introduced in connection with
reading, in the upper divisions of the Primary Department, and in all the divisions of the Grammar
Department.
Great care should be taken, in all concert exercises, to secure free and natural tones of voice. It is
always better to dispense with exercises in concert,
than to have them become a m eans of forming bad
habits in modulation and inflection ..
§ 5. Rapid Combinations in .Aritlimetic.-Classes
in Arithmetic should have frequent extemporaneous
exercises in combining series of numbers, involving
the principles which they have gone over. These
numbers should b e given by the teach er, slowly at
:first, and afterward with more and more rapidity,
as the pupils are able to carry forward the computations. The following is an example: Take 5, add
3, add 10, subtract 9, multiply by 8, add 20, add 8,
subtract 40, divide by 10,-result? Those who are
prepared to answer raise the hand, and the teacher
calls on one or more of them individually, for the
answer, or on all together. Exercises of this kind
should be commenced as soon as pupils are able to

a

Reference.-§ 6. Manual of Elementary Instruction, vol. 2,
article, Language.

* "Great attention should be given to the language used in the
school-room, both by t eachers and pupils. It should be pure
English, free from alf provincialisms ; and the construc.tion of the
sentences should be grammatical. It is of the utmost importance
that the teachers of our Primary scholars ~hould be accurate in the
use of language; quick to notice, and prompt to correct all " bad
grammar" heard in their school·rooms. No s/,ang, no useless. expleti ves, no unn ecessary repetitions, no obsolete words, no v10lations of orthography or syntax. should, at any time, or under any
circumstances, be allowed to pass without careful correction. The
power of expression ruay be cultivated by "Object Lessons" and
I

26

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

Morals and Manners.

honesty, truthfulness, generosity, self-denial, neatness, diligence, etc., are cultivated in children, not
so much by direct exhortation and formal precept,
as by resorting to expedients that will call these
affections and qualities into active exercise. Lead
a child to do a kind act, and you will increase his
kindness of heart; and this is the best of all lessons
on kindness. Let teachers ever r emember that the
exercise ef virtuoits .principles, confirmed into habit,
is the true means of establishing a virtuous character.
Little anecdotes and familiar examples, illustrating
the love of brothers and sisters, the respect due to the
aged, kindness to animals, mutual love of companions and associates, benevolence, etc., are among the
best means of cultivating these virtues. Such a work
as "Cowdery's Moral Lessons," teaching mainly by \ .
examples, will accomplish far more than the same ~
principles when abstracted from the narratives in
which they are found, and embodied in a formal catechism of moral instruction.'*
Teachers should frequently read to their divisions
short, entertaining narratives, and make them the
subjects of familiar and instructive conversations
with their pupils. So also in lessons on animals,
trees, and all the works of nature, opportunities
~hould be constantly improved to show the wisdom,
cation, vol. 1, art. 10; Dwight's Higher Christian Education;
Hall's Manual of Morals; Mayhew's Popular Education, chap. 8.

*

"Nature, reason , and experience proclaim this order, examp/4
before precept .... -Marcel.

I

•

>

I

27

power, and goodness of the Creator, and to inculcate
the reverence that is due to Him, and a sense of depen~ence upon Him.
.
Every case of quarreling, cruelty, fraud, profamty,
and vulgarity, should be made to appear in its true
light. The selfishness of children is the greatest obstacle to moral training. To moderate this strong
instinct, to teach self-deni~l and self-control, must
be the constant care of the teacher.
There is no time when the watchfulness of the
teacher is more necessary than during the recesses
and other hours of relaxation at school. This is the
time when little differences are most likely to spring
up, and bad passions to gain the ascendency. No
parent's eye is upon the children,. and yet. the!
should constantly feel that some kmd guardian is
near-not to check their cheerful sports, but to encourage every kind and noble act, and to rebuke
every departure from the path of virtue and honor.*

* "Let the play-grounds never be left without the supervision of
a teacher when the pupils are there. To accomplish this, they
should not be opened to pppils till a fixed hour, when the teacher
should be present. If the recesses, also, be given to both sexes at
once, the teacher may go with his pupils on to the play-ground, and
while he encourages tlie cheerful hilarity of the games, his presence
will hold in awe the quarrelsome spirits or profane lips, which will
otherwise work so much evil. It is the unwatched and unrestrained
association of the pupils, good and bad, upon the play-ground, that
forms one or' the most fruitful sources of moral corruption. Remove
this, and we have abated·, at one blow, more than one half of the
·dangers that attend our schools.",-J. M. Gregory, Stat.e Superintendent of Pttblic lmtrudilYTI, Michigan.
See also Young's Teachers' :Manual.

28

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

Oral Exercises; Reviews, etc.

Good. morals are intimately connected with good
manner8, and teachers should improve every opportunity to inculcate lessons of civility and cour~esy. ·
In the · Primary divisions, especially, the teachers
should give frequent and somewhat minute directions respecting the ordinary rules of politeness.
Let the pupils be taught that when a question is
asked them, it shows a lack of good breeding to remain silent or shake the head, even if they are not
able to answer it. They should receive some general directions respecting the manners of younger
persons in the presence of those who are older.
They should be taught that well-bred persons seldom laugh at' 1nistakes, etc. The manners of the
children in their intercourse with each other before
and after school, and at the recesses, and in going
to and from school, should receive the constant and
watchful care of the teacher.
§ 8. Oral E xei·ci8es.-The oral lessons of the course
are not intended to be exhaustive and complete; but
they present a pretty full outline of most of the exercises that should be introduced. This outline should
be filled out, and, in most cases, extended by the
teacqers; but none of the subjects introduced should
be omitted.
"In every exercise, it is of the highest importance
that there should be some definite aim and purpose,
References.-§ 8. Calkins's Object Lessons, pp. 291-348;
Barnard's Object Teaching, arts. 2 and 12; Hailman's Object·'
Teaching.
·

29

and that the teachel" should work with reference to
obtaining certain results."·*
The oral lessons of the Grammar divisions are designed to occupy an amount of time equal to about
fifteen minutes a day. This will be found more than
sufficient to present an the topics introduced.
An outline of each oraJ. exercise should be written
out and preserved for review. This may be done by
the teacher on the black board, or by the pupils on
slates or paper, as the exercise progresses; or the
pupils may be required to write it out from memory
immediately after the close of the lesson.
§ 9. Reviews and Abstracts.-The time devoted to
reviews, both oral and written, should be very much
increased.t
Each lesson should be made, to some extent, a review of the previous lesson, without, however, consuming very much time, except in cases in which
the previous recitation has been unsatisfactory.
Pupils should understand that they are liable to be
called on to recite any portion of the previous lesson,

* "Oswego Report."
''The order in which the various impressions of objects and other
facts oonnected with them should be considered, depends, to a great
extent, on the knowledge which the pupil bas already of the object.
"The following are the principal facts to be considered, though
not al ways in the order given, in the various objects: 1. Name.;
2. Place; 3. Touch, Sound. Odor, Taste; 4. Colar; 5. Shape; 6. Si2e;
7. Material, lhes. etc." -Hailman'.• Object Teaching.
t "The great secret of being successful and accurate as a sturl ent,
next to perseverance, is the constant habit of reviewing."-Tadd's
Student's .Manual.

30

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

General Directions.

and questions enough should be asked in review to
make it necessary for them to read over the last lesson before coming to the recitation, unless their previous preparation has been sufficient to fastyn it in
the memory.
The oral lessons should, in most cases, be reviewed
more than once, and in all cases till they are thoroughly learned and remembered.
In most of the studies in which the recitations occur daily, one lesson of each week should be a review
of the four preceding lessons. Classes reciting only
two or three tim es a week may have a review every
second week; and there may be a few exceptional
cases in which it will be best to have these reviews
only once a month.*
In the Primary divisions, the reviews will necessarily be oral; but in the Grammar divisions they
should be both oral and written. In the 1st, 2d, and
3d grades, most of the classes should have at least
one written r eview in a month, besides the oral reviews.
It may be well, occasionally, to devote an hour to
a written review of all the different branches, in one
exercise, selecting ten or more questions promiscuously from all the studies of the class.
In the five upper grades, all the classes should
have occasional exercises in writing a few lines of

* "The regulation 1·ecently adopted by the Boa.rd, req11irin g a
weekly review of every class by its teacher, without the use of books,
can not fail to accomplish much good, and encourage 11 more intelligent system of teaching." -New York Report.

FOR GltADED SCHOOLS.

31

Reviews and Abstracts.

prose or verse, dictated orally by the teach.er, as a
test of their proficiency in spelling, punctuation, use
of capitals, penmanship, etc. In the 4th and 5th
grades, the pupils may use either pen or pencil, at
the discretion of the teacher; but in the 1st, 2d, and
3d grades they should be required in all cases to use
a pen. These exercises should be strictly extemporaneous, and every paper should be passed to the
desk at the close of a specified t.lme.
In conducting written reviews, great care should
be taken to remove from the pupils;·so far as possible, all temptation to seek assistance from books, or
papers, or classmates. When two pupils of the class .
are seated at the same desk, it is often desirable to
have two sets of questions of about equal difficulty
-one set for all the pupils sitting at one end of the
desks, and one for those sitting at the other end.
Written reviews- are among the most successful
means that can be employed for securing thoroughness and accuracy of scholarship. They afford a
reliable test of the pupil's knowledge of the subject,
cultivate habits of freedom and accuracy in the use
of language, and afford a valuable discipline to the
mind, by throwing the pupil entirely upon his own
resources.
In addition to the written reviews, teachers of the
hi()'her divisions should require frequent written ex·
er~ises in connection with the daily recitations in
history, grammar, arithmetic, etc.
All written reviews, abstracts, etc., should pass
under the critical examination of the teacher; the

32

33

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

Order of Exercises, etc.

import~nt errors should be corrected ; and pupils

§ 12. Order• ef B:Vercises and Length ef Recita#ons.-Every teacher should have posted up in the
room an established order of exercises for each day
in the week, assigning a definite time for the beginning and ending of every exercise, and of every interval between the exercises.
It is impracticable to establish a uniform rule respecting the frequency and leJ?gth of recitations.
The following scale will serve as a general guide to
teachers in this matter:
Recitations in the Grammar Department from
twenty-five to forty minutes inJength, except exercises in spelling, which may usually be completed in
:fifteen to twenty-five minutes; in the 5th, 6th, and
7th grades, from twenty to twenty-five minutes; in
the 8th and 9th grades, from fifteen to twenty minutes; and in the 10th grade, from ten to :fifteen
minutes.*

pr~sedntmg papers carelessly written, should be re-

quire to rewrite them.
§ 10. Number ef Classes in a.Division.-.As a general rule, the pupils assigned to each teacher in the
Grammar Department, should be divided into two
classes; in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, into
three classes; and in the 9th and 10th grades, into
four.
The number of pupils in a division, or other circumstances, may make it desirable, in certain cases,
to depart from this arrangement.
It is desirable that each class in the Grammar
Department should not number more than 20 or 25
pupils, and each class in the lower grades not more
than .10 or 15 pupils; but this arrangement is impracticable where a division numbers more than 40
or 50 pupils.·*
§ 11. Numbm· ef Branches to be pursited at a time.
-It requires the constant watchfulness of teachers to
prevent pupils from undertaking too many branches
of study at a time. Pupils should rarely be allowed
to study more than three branches at once besides
reading, spelling, and writing; and it is ~enerally
better to have some of the lessons come only on
alternate days than to have even the six exercises in
one day.
0

"In a large class, each of whom seldom, and at best only for a
short time, receives individually any attention from the teacher
t~e progress is slow, the faculties little developed, and the educa~
t10n altogether very imperfect." -Reid's PrillcipleJJ of Education.

* "From four to five lessons a day for a Primary school, is better
than six, even for mental proficiency. A Primary school that has
even five hours of session per day should have an hour or more of
interval at midday. Besides, there should be one· or two recesses
during each session. The exercises of the school should be so arranged as to give a change of position and subject as often as every
fifteen or twenty minutes. No child will give sufficient attention
to derive much benetH from a le8son that continues more than
twenty minutes. Five and ten minute lessons, on some subjects,
are better than longer ones. Lessons occupying different senses
should follow each other, as the change affords relief to the mind."
-N. A. Calkins.
'!'he following is the programme of exercises for two days of the
week , in one of the Primary schools of Oswego, N. Y. It includes
only the pupils of a single teacher, in the upper Primary grades,

34

COURSE OF INSTRUOTION

FOR GRADED SOHOOLS.

General Directions.

Frequency of Recitations.

§ 13. Freq1tency of R ecitations.-The following
arrangement will serve as a general guide, but cases
may sometimes arise in which it will be necessary to
depart from it: Classes in the 1st grade, two or three
times a week ; in the 2d and 3d grades, three or four
and is introduced here to show the minuteness of detail, the range
of topics, and the arrangement and distribution of time and sub·
jects, that have been .adopted in a city that is distinguished for the
excellence of its school system :
MONDAY.

8.30 to 8.45-0pening Exercises.
8.45 to 8.55-llforal Instruction.
8.55 to 9.15-Reading, B, subd. 1.
9.15 to 9.20-Gymnastics.
·
9.20 to 9.35-Lessons on Number, B, subd. 2.
9.35 to 9.45-Recess.
9.45 to 10.00-Lesson on Place, A class.
10.00 to 10.25- Reading, B, subd. 2.
10.25 to 10. 30-Gymna:stics.
10.30 to 10.50-Lesson on Numoer, B, subd. 1.
10.50 to 11.00-Recess.
11.00 to 11. 20-Reading, A class.
11.20 to 11.40-Writing on slates, B, subd. I.
11.40 to 12.00-Lesson on Number, A class.
12.00 to 2.00-Intermission.
2.00 to 2.20-Lesson on Number, A class.
, ,2.20. to 2.30-Lesson on Animals, A and B.
2 .30 to 2.35-Gymnastics.
2.35 to 2.55-Reading, B, subd. 2.
2.55 to 3.10-Lesson on Number, B, subd. 1.
8.10 to 3.15-Calling Roll.
3.15 to 3.30-Recess.
3.30 to 3.45-Spelling, A class.
8.45 to 4.10-Reading, B, subd. 1.
4.10 to 4.30- Reading, A class.
4. 30-Dismission.

35

times; 4th grade, four or five times; 5th and 6th
g rades five to eight times; 7th and 8th grades,
'
eight to' ten times.
. .
Slate arithmetic, three or four times a week; mental arithmetic, in 4th and 5th grades, four. or fi:e
times a week ; in 3d grade, three or four times; m
2d grade, two or three times. Numbers, in five
lowest grades, five times a week.
TUESDAY.

8.30 tO" 8.45-0pening Exercises.
.
8.45 to 9.00-Lesson on Form, B, subd. 2.
9.00 to 9.15-Lesson on Weight, B, subd. 1.
9.15 to 9.20-Gymnastics.
9.20 to 9.35-Spelling, A class.
9.35 to 9.45-Recess.
9.45 to 10.10-Reading, B, subd. 2.
10.10 to 10.20-Drawing, B, subd. 1.
10 20 to 10.25-Gymnastics.
10.25 to 10.50-Lesson on Number, B, subd. 1.
10.50 to 11.00-Recess.
11.00 to 11.15-Lesson on Objects, A class.
11.15 to 11.35-Reading, B, subd. 1.
11.35 to 12.00-Lesson on Number, A class.
12.00 to 2.00-Intermission.
2.00 to 2.15-Lesson on Number, B, subd. 2.
2.15 to 2.30-Drawing, A class.
2.30 to 2.35-Gymnastics.
2.35 to 2.55-Reading, B, subd. 1.
2.55 to 3.10-Lesson on :Weight, B, subd. 2.
3.10 to 3.15-Calling Roll.
8".15 to 3.30-Recess.
3.30 to 3.45-Lesson on Number, A class.
3.45 to 4.00-Lesson on Form, B, subd. 1.
4.00 to 4.10-Spelling, A class.
4.10 to 4.80-Lesson on Number, B, subd. 1.
4. 30-Dismissio'n.

36

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR

General Directions.

Geography, from three to :five times a week.
History, three or four times a week.
Grammar from three to :five times a week.
Spelling, in 1st grade, two or three times a week ;
2d and 3d grades, three or four times; 4th grade,
four or :five times; all grades below the 4th eight
to ten times.
'
Writing, in the Grammar divisions two or three
.
'
times a week; in the 5th and 6th O'rades four or
.
0
'
:fi ve times. See § 14.
§ 14. .Divi~ion ef 'f'ime and Labor.-ln deciding
what proportion of time should be given to spelling
by letters, what to spelling by sounds, to reading, to
numb ers, to geography, etc., the rule should be this:
whenever a class is less advanced in one branch
assigned to the division than in other branches let
that particular branch receive special attention' till
it is as familiar as the others. It is very common to
:find a class more advanced in reading than in numbers, and still devoting less attention to arithmetic
than to re~qing; the observance of this rule will
correct all such errors.
§ 15. Rhetorical Exercises.-The :first :five grades
should devote about one hour every Friday afternoon, to exercises in composition, declamation and
recitation, and reading seleCt pieces. The same
course may be adopted in the other divisions, when
the convenience of rooms and other circumstances
permit.
In the 1st and 2d grades·, every pupil should be
required to take a part in both the elocutionary and

G~ADED

SCHOOLS.

37

Rhetorical Exercises.

the composition exercises, as often as once a month.
When pupils have important written abstracts or
other similar exercises to prepare, these may in certain cases be accepted as equivalents for the regular
compositions. There may also be instances in whic!i
, it will be best to accept the reading of a piece of
poetry or other selection, as an equivalent for a
declamation or recitation; but in all ordinary cases
it is better even for the girls to commit to memory
the pieces which they recite.*

I

*"The Recital.-Akin to the -debate, we have introduced another
exercise which, for want of a better narpe, is termed the RECITAL.
'l'he primary object is to cultivate the power of clothing thought in
appropriate language, and of presenting it in an easy, colloquial
style, to a comp1my of listeners. The pupil may select for a topic
any thing that will 1·equire a description. It may be an event in
history, a brief biographical sketch, the relation of current events,
or a good story. The subject-matter for a Rreital may be obtained,
after reading a book, by forming a synoptical outline of the same,
detailing the m ore interesting portions with a proper degree of
minuteness. Among the topics which have been thus presented,
are the following: 'Sm JOHN FRANKLIN,' in which was given a brief
sketch of his life, explorations, loss, expeditiOns sent in search of
him , and the discovery of his rnmains; 'Account of Lady Esther
Stanhope,' 'Grace Darling,' 'The Sack of Rome,' 'Aaron Burr,' etc.
"The exercise is equally adapted to both sexes. While it furnishes many of the advantages of the debate, it affords others of
equal value. It accustoms the pupil to comprehend, with promptness and ease, the substance of a volume or subject ; induces concentration of thought; cultivates memory; encourages the habit of
investigation; affords practice in the use of language; stores the
mind with useful information; forms the habit of noticing important facts and events, and imparts the power of presenting information to others with facility and in an agreeable manner.
"'rhe exercise greatly increases the interest of our ' geperal ex4

J

I

.. ..
38

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

General Directions.

§ 16 . .Mental Discipline.-The highest ultimate
object of intellectual education, is mental discipline,
and this discipline can only be acquired by mental
labor. Cases are constantly occurring in which
pupils require explanation and assistance, and unless
they receive this aid they will be greatly retarded in
their progress. But examples are also frequently
arising in which teachers give assistance that is not
required, and thus rob the pupils of the discipline
which they would gain by overcoming the difficulties themselves. Teachers should study carefully
the capabilities of their pupils, and never do for
them what they are able to do without assistance.
Pupils "should also be guarded against the dangerous
habit of assisting one another, without the knowledge and approval of the teacher.
It is one of the most important duties of the
teacher, to exercise a watchful care over the pupils'
hours and habits of study. Some pupils never learn
to study a lesson abstractedly and with the whole
mind; and some teachers have heretofore been so
unfortunate as not to know that they have any
special responsibility in this matter.
The power of attention is essential to the successful prosecution of study at every stage of progReference.-§ 16. Watts on the Mind.
ercises,' stimulates the minds of the school to more elevated modes
of thought and conversation, and indnces a higher and more profitable course .of rnading."-A. Pari$h, Principal of High School, Springjidd, Mass.

39

Tenth Grade.

ress, and the best efforts of teachers should be
directed to the cultivation of this great educational
power.*

TENTH GRADE.
· [PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

\ .

·\

Oral instruction, embracing lessons on common things ; on form,
color, flowers, animals, morals and manners. Two or more lessons
a day, each from five to eight minutes long.
Repeating verses and maxims, singly and in concert.
Reading from blackboard and from charts, with exercises in spelling, both by letters and by sounds, Two or more lessons a day.
Counting, from one to sixty. Simple exercises in adding, with
use of numeral frame, pebbles, beans, etc.
Drawing on the slate, imitating letters, figures, and other objects
from blackboard sketches by the teacher, tablets, cards, and other
copies. Printing the reading and spelling lessons, and the numerals as far as )earned. Two or more exercises a day. [All the pupil~ should he provided with slates and pencils.]
·
Physical exercises as often as once every half hour ; each exercise
from three to five minutes. See § 105.
The .recitations in this grade should never exceed twenty minutes
in length. In ordinary lessons, fifteen minutes will be time enough,
11-nd in some lessons ten minutes.

* "The surest way to succeed in cultivating and improving the
other intellectual powers, is to acquire a command over attention,
and to give it a useful direction ."-Marcel.
"I was told by the Qneen·s Inspector of the Schools in Scotland,
that the first test of a teacher's qualification is, his power to excite
and to sustain the attention of his class. If a teacher can not do
this, he is pronounced, without further inquiry, incompetent to
teach.''-Mann.

40

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

41

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Tenth Grade.
Form; Color.

§ 19. Form.--The first exercises ~ay be.devoted
to straight lines, comparing short Im es with long
ones, and selecting the straight lines from the lett~rs
of the alphabet and other figures. Illnstrat~ "'.1th
slate and blackboard exercises. Adopt a s1m1lar
course with curved lines, and continue th e slate exercises. Simple plane :figures may also be intro.
duced, as the square, the circle, the triangle.
§ 20. Oolo·r .-With the help of a box of pamts,
the teacher can easily prepare a set of cards, each
b earino- a separate shade of color. Let the children
be exe~·cised in selectino- particular shades of color.
Next let them distinguish the colors in articles _of
dress books furniture of the room, etc. After tl11s,
'
.
. tY
th ey 'can exercise
their memory in nammg
a vane
of colors and shades of color that belong to objects
not present. This will cultivate accuracy and ~re­
cision in the use of language, and prepare them for

DIRE CTION'S.

§ 17. Oral Instr-uction.-The period embraced in
the tenth grade should be regard ed as a bridge from
the freedom of home-life to the more regular discipline of the school-room . '~· The first lessons should
be simple conversational exercises upon home objects, with which the children are already familiar,
and in which they feel the greatest interest,-their
toys, their plays, their friends, etc.
In all the object lessons given in the 9th and 10th
grades, the tea,cher should bear in mind that the
prominent objects to be accomylished are, to cultivate habits of observation, improve the perceptive
faculties, and secure habits of accuracy in the use of
language. See § 8.

§ 18. In conducting conversational exercises in all
the grades, teach ers should be careful not to aid the
pupils so much as to check their curiosity and deprive them of the opportunity to discover and investigate the properties of objects for themse!ves.t

Refe1'enc1!8.-§ 19. Welch's Object Lessons; Calkins_'s 0bj.ect
1
Lessons; Barnard's Object Teaching, arts. 9 and 12; Hills
First
. ,
Lessons in Geometry.
§ 20. Manual of Elementarr Instruction, vol. 1; Calk1~s s
Object Lessons; Welch's Object Lessons ; Barnard s Ob.J6Ct
Teaching, arts. 9 and 12 ; Parker & Watson's Second Reader,
lesson 65; Science of Common Things, index; Reason Why,
index.

References.-§ 17. Calkins's Object Lessons, pp. 11-40;
Welch's Object Lessons, first 90 pages.

1

* "As in the transplanting of the tree from the nul'sery to the
orchard, its continued life and unchecked growth demand that
th ere should be as little change of circumstances, as to climate,
soil, and position, as possible, so in the transfer of the child from
the nursery to the school-room, he should be led to fe~I the change
as little as possible ."-Report of BoariJ of Education, Oswego, N. Y.
t ''The process of self development should be encouraged to the
fullest extent. Children shoulcj be led to make their own investi-

gations, and to draw their own inferences. They shoul~ be told as
little as possible, and induced to discover as much as .possible. _Humanity has progressed solely by self-instruction ; and th at to achieve
the best res ults each mind must progress somewhat after the same
fa sh ion, is continual ly proved by the marked success of self-made
men. " -Jle:rbe:rt Spencel'.

4*

I

42

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Tenth Grade.

Verses and Maxims; Reading, etc.

useful exercises in describing objects.

Children

animals should be presented by the teacher, and,
when practicable, drawn from the pupils. Pictorial
illustrations and outline sketches should be employed
in connection with these exercises as far as practicable·* and the animals themselves should in some
cas~s be brou b<>"ht to the school-room, if it can
be
•
done without materially interrupting the exercises.
Jforals and Manners.-See § 7.
§ 23. Verses, Maxims, etc. '-A few simple, easy
verses, embodying moral sentiments or useful. info.rmation, will help to furnish an agreeable variety m
the exercises. The children may also be taught to
repeat a few brief maxims and sentiments, as, """\Vhat
is worth doing at all is worth doing well;" "It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong ;" "A place for
every thing, and every thing in its place;" "N e,~er
leave till to-morrow what should be done to-day.
§ 24. R eading and S_pelling.-The first lessons in
reading and spelling should be taught from the
blackboard. First, present an object to the class, as
a hat and have the pupils pronounce the word hat.
The/ already understand that the word which they
hear represents the object which they see. Other
illustrations of seeing and hean:ng, as applied to the
same object, may be introduced by the teacher, or
drawn from the class.

sho~1ld als~ be encouraged to bring to the school
various articles representing as many different shades
of color as they can find.
. § 21. Ftowers.-Flowers are among th e first obJCcts that attract the special attention of children
and they furnish desirable subjects for some of th'
e~rliest object lessons of the school-room. The pu~
pils should be encouraged to brin<>" fl owers to school
and exercised in distinguishing their names, colors:
forms,. etc., bu~ all the lessons in this grade should
be strictly rudrmental. Flowers afford some of th
best illustrati~ns of the different shades of color, an~
may be studied profitably in connection with the
study of color.
~ 22. Animals.-Lessons on common domestic
am'.11als, as the horse, the cow, the dog, and the cat,
a:e among the most entertaining and suitable exercises for pupils in this division. These lessons should
be ~n.ad e very simple, extending only to the most
·
familiar and obvious points , as form , colo1,. size,
speed, st~ength, food, covering, h abits, uses, etc.
The promrn en t object of these lesson~ should be to
exci:e observation and cultivate feelings of lmmamty. Short anecdotes respecting the different

'

43

'

t
!(

RPferences.-§ 21. C~il d's Book of Nature, part I; Manual
of Elementary Instruct10n, vol. 2.
§ 22. Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 9; Willson's Third
R eader; Carll's Ch~ld's Book of Natural History; Manual of
E_lementary Instruct10n, vol. 1. Also selected articles from the
different school Readers.

R eferences.-§ 23. Sanders's Third Reader, lesson 50; Parker & Watson's Third Reader, lesson 30; Chambers's Information for the People.

* See Manual of Elementary lntitruction,

\

vol. 1.

44

COURS!i: 01<' INSTRUCTION

Tenth Grade.

Next, print the name hat neatly on the blackboard, and teach the class that the word which they
see represents the same thing as the word which
they hem•j and that both represent the object which
they see before them. The word should now be pron~unced. by the class individually and in concert,
with then· attention directed to the board till each
mem?er is able to call the word at sight.' Similar
exercises, with other words, may be continued for
sev~ral days; but no word should be introduced
whwh the pupils can not be made to understand.
Each ?ew woi:d placed upon the board, should be
made. the subJect of familiar conversation, and, if
practi~able, of illustration, so that it may convey to
the nund of the child a clear idea of the object represented.
As the spoken language consists of sounds, the
teacher should now commence teaching the pupils
to analyze these sounds and utter them separately.
Tl~e words already learned should be employed for
this purpose, so that the child may be required to
learn only one new thing at a time.
As soon as the pupils have learned j:o analyze all
the words they have gone over, they may next learn
the names of the utters, using the same words as
before.
After the class have learned in this way from five
to ten words, so that all the children are able to call
each word at sight, and spell it correctly, both by
let~ers and by sounds, the teacher may introduce
Primary Cards containing simple monosyllabic words

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

45

i'
Reading and i:>pelling.

and sentences. The teacher should continue to print
simple exercises on the blackboard, as before, and
use them in connection with the lessons · on the
cards. See also §§ 1 and 2.
§ 25. The pupils should now be required, at stated
hours, to print every lesson neatly on their slates;
· and they should receive a mark of credit for every
satisfactory effort. As often as once a day, they
should be called on at recitation . to read or spell a
lesson from their slates.
§ 26. From this time forward, let it be regarded
as essential to the completeness of every lesson that
each scholar shall be able to define all the words in-·
troduced, and spell them both by letters and by
sounds ..:· Teachers too often accept definitions that
are exceedingly vague and defective, not to say erroneous. The construction of a simple sentence embodying a word, is often the most satisfactory definition of it that can be given by the young learner.t
r,et it also be regarded as a rule of paramount importance, that every lesson learned shall afterward
be made the subject of freqnent and thorough reviews, so that the pupils may not fail to retain what
they have once acquired.

* "Eitch difficult word shonlrl be uttered clearly. first by 1ls element s, 11.nrl then by their combination."- Wm. H. McGuffy .
t "More attention shonlrl be given to defining than it now receives . The knowledge of the meaning of words possessed by most
pupils in our schools. is exceedingly limited. It is iiy using wo.rds
that we \Jest learn their meaning; hence one of the first exercises
in a well-conducted Primary school is forming sentences which
sh11.ll embrace the words of the reading lesson."-John G. ilfcM,ynn.

46

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Tenth ' Grade.

Regular Course.

47

§ 27. An important direction to be observed from
the commencement, is to give constant and special
attention to artioul(; ~ion. There can be no good
reading without correctness of articulation, and it is
far easier to form good habits at first, than to correct bad ones at a later period.*
§ 28. Numbers.-It is highly important that the
first exercises in counting and adding should be
illustrated by the us·e of the numeral frame and
various convenient objects, such as pebbles, beans,
kernels of corn, etc. Let each number or addition
named be illustrated by a corresponding number or
addition of objects. Let the children count around
the class, each giving a number for himself in turn;
let them count the number of children in the room;
the lights of glass, the seats and desks, etc.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 10, 12.
Refe1·encea.-§ 28. Calkins's Object Lessons; Barnard's Object Te.aching, art. 12; Manualof Elementary Instruction, vol. 2.
• "Every faculty of the mind, as well as of the body, with regard to its mode of action , has a strong tendency to take a set, according to the first impressions made. upon it, or the character of
its first observations. It becomes, as it were, preoccupied by the
first impressions, to the exclusion or diminished force of succeeding
impressions."-Reid's Principles of Education.

NINTH GRADE.
[PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.
Oral Instri1ction, embracing lessons on parts, form, and color,
illustrnted by common objects; on plants; on animals, mostly
those with which the children are already familiar; m orals and .
manners; miscellaneous topics. Two or more lessons a day, each
from five to ten minutes long.
Verses and maxims.
Reading and Spelling.-Blackboard exercises continued. Cards
reviewed . Primer completed. Spelling both by letters and by
sounds. The exercises in both reading and spelling to be heard
twice a day.
Counting from one to a hundred, forward and backward. Reading and writing Arabic numbers to 50. Addition tables from blackboard, to 4 10, forward and backward, in course; also, by taking
u.ny of the numbers irregularly; with use of numeral fro.me. Extemporaneous exercises in adding series of small numbers. See§ 5.
Roman numerals to L, both in course and out of course.
Exercises, at least twice a day, with slate and pencil, using elementary drawing-cards, plain figures, pictures placed on the blackboard, and other copies; and printing lessons in spelling, numerals, etc.
Physical exercises from two to five minutes at a time, not less
than _five times a day. See§ 99.

+

DIRECTIONS.

Oral ]nstruction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 29. Parts.-Pupils in this di~ision shoul.d have
frequent exercises in distinguishing and nammg the
different parts of which objects are composed.
Referenus.-§ 29. _Mayo's Object Lessons; Manual of Elementary Instruction.

4:8

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Ninth Grade.

Miscellaneous Topics.

Thus, the parts of the human frame, as the head,
arms, shoulders, elbows, hands, wrists, fingers, nails,
forehead, eyes, eyelids, teeth, etc. ; the parts of a
house, as sides, ends, doors, windows, floors, roof,
stairs, etc. ; the parts of a table, book, chair, tree,
field, road, carriage, coat, knife, etc.*
F01°m.-See § 19.
Oolor.-See § 20.
§ 30. Plants.-Comrnon and obvious properties
and uses. Distinguish the parts, as roots, stem,
leaves, buds, flowers, fruit, and seeds. See § 21.

* " Obfect.-To concentrate observation on actions done in the
sight of the ch ildren; to call upon them to imitate those actions;
and to teach them to describe them in accurate language.
"1. The teacher to perform some action,-such as placing the
palm of the right hand on that of the left ; and, without requiring
the children to describe the act, call upon them to imitate it; or
placing the right hand on the left 8houlder ; the left hand on the
right shoulder; extending the right arm, and bending the wrist;
h oldin g up the extended right arm, while the left is held downward ; folding the arms, etc., requiring the children to imitate
each action exactly.
"2. The teacher may then descrihe an action, in place of performing it, requiring the children to carry it out: Put the right hand
on the right shoulder, the left hand on the left shoulder; put one
arm behind, the other across the chest, extend the left arm, and
bend the wrist, etc., etc.
"3. Th e teacher to perform the action, and the children to describo it: for example, th e teacher may touch the upper eyelid of
the right eye with the forefinger of the left hand; or touch the inner corner of the left eye with the thumb of the left hand; or fold
the arms; or h old up both arms extended, etc., the children describing each successh·e action : if in doing this they express themselves inaccurately, the teacher should correct them."-.Manual of
Elementary l11struc/,w11.

49

Animals.-See § 22.
Morals and Manners.-See § 7.
§ 31. Miscellaneous Topics.-Meaning and use of
the terms hard, sift, dozen, sco1·e, right, left. Time
by clock or watch. Name ten articles of table furnitm•e; six articles made of glass; eight different
kinds of fruit; four things that please the teacher;
four things that displease the teacher, etc. ~he
teacher will vary and expand these exercises at
pleasure.
Verses and Maxims.-See § 23.
- Oral Instruction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 32. Reading and Spelling.-The following method will be found highly useful in securing the attention of Primer classes, an~ giving to each pupil the
benefit of reading the whole lesson, or such portion
of it as may be desired: Let one scholar read the
first sentence; then let th~ class follow, reading the
same in concert, and pointing to all the words as
they read. Let the next scholar read the second
sentence, and the class follow in concert as before,
and so on.
The practice of mental reading should also be
frequently introduced; all the members of the class
pointing carefully to the words of a paragraph or
lesson, as they are read by the teacher. If these
exercises are properly conducted, they will advance
References.--§ 31. Fireside Philosophy; Graded Course of
Instruction, by Home ·and Colonial School Society; Calkins's
Object Lessons.
5

50

51

COORSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHO<>f,S.

Ninth Grade.

Drawing, Printing, etc

a class much faster than the method of hearing each
pupil read a sentence in turn, without the concert
practice in oral and mental reading.
The pupils should :...e able to point out and explain
the title-page, table ef contents, leaves, pages, margin8,
frontisp1:ece, and thelieadings or the titles of the lessons. They should also be able to spell all these
words before leaving the 9th grade.
Let them be taught to hold a book in a proper
manner, in the left hand, with the thumb and little
finger on the pages in front, and three fingers on the
cover behind.
In preparing an exercise in spelling, it is highly
important that young pupils should hear the words
pronounced by the teacher. A very useful method
is, for the teacher first to pronounce all the words of
the lesson distinctly, while the pupils listen attentively and point to the woi·ds in the books, as they
are pronounced. Next, the teacher pronounces one
word, which is repeated by the first scholar in the
class; then another word, which is repeated by the
second scholar, and so on. After this, if time permits, the teacher and class may pronounce in concert, and then the class pronounce in concert without the teacher.
All the spelling lessons should be neatly printed
by the pupils on their slates, and the classes should
be required to read the words from their slates in
connection with the spelling exercises. See, also,
§§ 1, 2, 26, and 27.
Numhers.-See § 28.

§ 33 . .Drawing, Printing, etc.-The teachers of the
several Primary grades should assign definite lessons
in drawing, printing, etc., to be prepared by all the
pupils, with the same regularity and care as any
other e~ercise.* The teacher should spend at least
ten minutes each day in assisting the pupils and
giving such directions as they may need. When
the exercises are coinpleted, they should in all cases
be examined by the teacher. Lessons of special excellence should receive marks of credit, and failures
resulting from carelessness or . indifference, should
receive marks of error.
See, also, §§ 4, 6; 10, 12, 14:, 15.

EIGHTH GRADE.
[PRIMARY DEPARTMENTJ
REGULAR COURSE.
Oral Instruction.-Parts ; size; general qualities;. color; animals ; plants; trades and professions; morals and manners ; miscellaneous topics. Two or more oral exercises a day, each from five
to twelve minutes long.
Verses and Maxims. See§ 23.
First half of First Reader read and reviewed, with punctuation,
definitions, and illustrations. Short daily drill in enunciating the
0

References.-§ 33. Welch's Object Lessons; Calkins's Object
Lessons; Barnard's Object Teaching; Philbrick's Primary
School Tablets; Manual of Elementary Instruction.

* ''The spreading recognition of drawing as an element of educA.tion, is one among the many signs of the more rational views on
mental culture now beginning to prevail."-Herbert Spene.er.

I

I

'

52

53

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

]'ighth Grade.

Size; General Qualities.

vowels and consonants, and their combinations.* Spelling the
col tunas of words, and words selected from th e reading lessons,
both by letters and hy sounds.
Dra\ving and Printing .-Two or more exercises ·a day with slate
and penci l, or paper and penci 1, using black bonr<l sketches prepared
by the teacher when practicable, drawing-cards when they can be
obtai ned , pictnres and various figures from books and cards, etc.
Printing lessons in spelling nnd arithmetic. See§ 33.
Aduiti on table completed; thoroughly and constantly illustrated
and appli ed. Extemporaneous exercises in adding series of unmbers. See § 5. Reading ancl writing Roman numerals to one hundred , forward and backward in course; also irreg ularly .
Physical exercises, from two to five minutes at a time, not less
than five times a day. See§ 105.

fi.ed len gths on their slates or on the blackboard, as
a foot, half a yard, two inches, etc. ; after which
their lines should be subjected to the test of measurement. The same measures may next be applied
to width, and illustrate as b efore.*
§ 35. General Q'ualities.-After completing the
special exercises on each of the qualities ofjorm,
color, etc., a large number of lessons should be devoted to the general qitalities of objects, including
those that have already been taken up separately.
~ 35. Barnard's Object Teaching, particularly art. 12, by
James Currie, of Edinburgh; Welch's Object Lessons; Calkius's
Object Lessons; Mayo's Lessons on Objects; Manual of Elementary Instruction.

DIRECTIO NS.

Oral' lnstruction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
Pa1·ts.-See § 29.
§ 34. Size.-Let the children receive their first
ideas of a foot, a yard, an inch, etc., by the actual
measurement of these different lengths in their presence. Pl~c e lin es of known lengths on the blackboard as ·standards of comparison . Let th e pupils
estimate the length of the room, th e hight of one
of their own number, the width of the street, etc. ,
and then test their different estimates by measuring
~he objec.ts. Now let the pupils draw lines of speciReferences.-§ 34. Oalkins's Object Lessons; Welch's Object Lessons; Barnard's Object Teaching; Manual of Elementary Instruction, vol. 1 ; Mayo's Lessons on Obj ects.

* See Watson 's National Phonetic Tablets, Philbrick's Primary
School Tablets , Sanders's Elocutionary Chart, and Page's Normal
Chart of Elementary Sounds.

/

• The following is a report of one of the exerci ses before an Educational Convention rece ntly held at Oswego, N. Y., to examine
into a system of Primary Instruction by Object Lessons:
"Ages of chil dren, five to seven.
" The children were reques ted to h old their forefingers one inch
apart whil e the teacher meas ured the space between them.
"Then the children were required to draw lines on the blackboard an . inch in length, and others to measure them, stating
whether too long, too short, or correct .
"Next they were required to tear papers an inch in length; then
to tear them two inches in length ; then to fo ld them three inches
in length, and so on, the teach er measuring them meanwhile. At
least t.wo out of each three tore and folded their papers of the exact length named. ·
"Then the chi ldren were requested to draw lin es on the blackboard one foot in length; th en to divide th em into twel ve inches.
"They readily measured inches, and feet, and yards, both with
the rule and with the eye, anrl drew lines representing them, showing that they understood the relations of these to each other as well
as the length of each,"

6*

54

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Eighth Grade.

Animals ; Trad es, etc.

Thus, the following qualities will be discovered in
a quill. It is long, l-iglit, st1jf, itst;ful, natural, inanimate, animal production. The barrel is trantparent,
or semi-tmnlparent, ltard, ela8tic, bt·£ght, light-colored or yellowish, cylindrical, hollow. The shaft is
f eathered, wltite, st1jf' or limber, opaque, Mlid,
grooved. Let each of these qualities be illustrated
by comparing it with a similar quality in some
other object, and let the meaning of each term be
clearly fixed in the mind by an actual examination
of the object in which it exists. The principal
topics introduced ~.pd the names of qualities should
be written very plainly on the blackboard, to aid in
impressing the lesson on the minds of the pupils.
Before closing the exercise, let the pupils be called
on to explain the meaning of the terms used, in their
own word s, and to construct short sentences or
phrases embracing them.
This is the best class of lessons that can be given
to aid the pupils in enlarging their vocabulary of
useful words ; and the teacher should be careful to
select such subjects as will · introduce one or more
new words at each exercise.*
§ 36. Oolor.-More extended exercises in discrimR eferences.-§ 36. See the references of§ 20.

* If properly conducted, these lessons will be found the most
efficient means of improving the children's powers of observation,
discrimination, and description, and of increasin g their stock of useful infonnu.tion. They will also do much to prevent the confusion
and misunderstanding of terms which we so often witness in ordinary convel·sation .-See /Jlarcel on L anguage

55

inatinothe shades and tints of color. Primary and
b
secondary colors.
§ 37. Animals.-These lessons should be gradually extended to include a.nimals less common and
familiar, as the squirrel, the fox, the deer, the owl;
with a few foreign animals, as the lion, the camel,
the ostrich. As far as practica,ble, the lessons should
be illustrated by pictures in books and on the blackboard to be copied by the pupils.
Let' the characteristics of different animals be
pointed out; as, the fidelity and sagacity of the dog,
the docility of the horse, the intelligence of the elephant, and the cunning of the fox. Let examp~es be
selected from each of the different classes of animals,
for object lessons. Attention should frequently be
directed to the wisdom and goodness of the Creator,
as shown in adapting the form, covering, etc., of the
different anirp.als to their peculiar modes of life, and
the climate in which they are found.
Plants.-See § 30. ·
§ 38. Trades, Prefes8ions, etc.-Object lessons relating to different mpployments-the farmer, the
blacksmith, the shoemaker, the carpenter, the teacher, the lawyer, etc.; including a particular description of the tools used by the mechanic, farmer, etc.,
and illustrated, when practicable, by presenting the
instruments themselves, and by drawings on the
:\and blackb_o_ai_·d_._ _ _ _ __
R eferences.- § 37. See the r eferences of§ 22. ·
§ 38. Hazen's Trades and Professions, in Harpers' Family Lib.

56

CUUHS~~. OF INSTRUCTION

Eighth Grade.

Morals and JJ£anners.-See § 7.
~ 39. JYii8cell~neo~s Topics.-Relative position of
obJects, as the d1rect10n of a pupil from the teacher
or. from another pupil, or from the door. Let th~
children name the city they live in; the county; the
State; the country; capital of the State; of the
country; mayor of the city ; governor of the State·
President of the United States, etc. Day of th~
week; of ~h~ .month. Short table, embracing the
common d1v1s10n? of ti~e. Estimate by pupils of
the length of a mmute, of five minutes, fifteen minut~s, etc., without the aid of a clock or watch; subm1t~ed to the test at the close of the trial. Five
duties to p_arents; . five to brothers and sisters; five
to compamons at school; six different modes of conveyance ; six things .made ot wood ; six made of
leather; six streets, with their relative location · six
different kinds of food, etc. Meanino- and u:e of
terms natural, artificial j animal, ·v:getable, minj metal j simple, com'Ylound · native fim·eign ·
eral
• ;J'
':£'
}
'
}
inc.iigenous, exotic j centitry, etc.
Reading.-See §§ 1, 26, 27, and 32.
§ 40. Spelling.-Let the children spell their own
names; the name of the city or town; State; days
of the week; months of the year. These exercises
should be repeated till the pupils are able to perform
them well. See, also, § 2.
§ 41. Analysis ef Sounds.-" Articulation should
be tanght and practiced by a thorough analysis of
1

Reference.a.-§ 39. Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 9.

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

51

Analysis of Sounds.

the elementary sounds of the language, and their
separate and powerful execution by the organs of
speech; then, sentences and short p~ssages that require unusual comma,nd of the articulate powers
may be made the subject of diligent prac.tice."* . It
will a1so be found a highly useful exercise to give
the elementary sounds occasionally, in a clear and
forcible whisper. The analysis of sounds relates
chiefly to reading, and should, therefore, be sti1di~d
and practiced more in connection with the lessons m
readinothan with those in spelling.t
0

* Zachos's Analytic Elocution.
t "After all the elements and their combinations have been marle
so familiar by practice as to be readily recognized, proceed to analyze, and then to spell the words in the following exercises, in this
manner: 1. Pronounce deliberately and firmly.
"2. Divide the word into its syllables, speaking each one separately, and as fully as if it were a word by itself.
"3. Articulate, in proper orde1-, every element separately and
very fully .
" 4. Enunciate every syllable as it is completed, preserving t.he
distinctness of its elements.
"5. Pronounce the word with due proportion of force and time
on each syllable, taking care that the elements, as before articulated, be distinctly preserved in the pronunciation .
"The mode of spelling here proposed is the on ly proper way of
assisting a child that is learning to talk. It can not reasonably be
expected that a distinct and organically correct articulation can be
acquired by the common custom of lenrning merely to ~ronounce
word.s. 'l'here can be no doubt that nearly all the stammermg, blundering, and indistinct articulation which we so continually hear,
while few are conscious of it in themselves, have come very naturally, if not of mere necessity, from the folly of those who expect
or allow children to execute words without mastering the simplest
elements of which they are composed."-Hillard's Tl1{rd OUus Reader.

58

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

59

Seventh Grade.

.Drawing.-See § 33.
§ 42. Numoers. -Oounting to 100 b t
.
the even numb
2
y wos, usmg
ers, ' 4, 6, etc. ; also using the odd
num b ers 1 3 5 t . .J.'
' ' ' ' e c. ' .torward and backward.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
---~-

SEVENTH GRADE.
[PlnMARY DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

Oral Instruction.-Form . · .
. .
·
animals. the fi
' size' gen eral qualities; weight; color•
'
ve senses. common th'
.
•
.
mgs ; miscellaneous topics .
morals and manners 'T '
wo or more oral exe .
d
,
.
rc1ses a ay, each from
seven to fifteen minutes long.
Last half of First Reader com let d r
.
tion, and definitions and ill t pt' e an ,reviewed, with punctuaating the vowels and co
us ra wns. ~hort daily drill in enunciSpelling both b 1 nsonants, and their combinations.*
'
Y etters and by sound f
S
reading lessons.
s, rom pell er, and from
·
Drawing and Printin .-Two .
eighth grade.
g
o1 more lessons a day; same as in
· Subtraction table com 1 t d
5X12 constant! 1'II t. p e e ' and multiplication table to 5X 10 or
'
Y us iated by use of beans t
d
.
'e .c., an applied . .Extemporaneous exercises in dd'
See § 5. Reading and wri~n l~=n~ ,~ubtractmg series of numbers.
hundred, forward and b I· gd . b1c and Roman numcmls to five
ac 'war m course . also
t f
P hysical exercises from
:
ou o course.
two to fi
than four times a da~. See § 105. ve mrnutes at a time, not less

References.-§ 42 Barna ·d' Ob'
kins's Ob'ect L
.
i. s
~ect Teaching, art. 12; Cal.
~
essons; D.avres' Grammar of Arithmetic.
*See Philbrick's Primary School Ta
'
Elementary Sounds Sand . , EI
~l ets, Pages Normal Chart of
•
e1s
s
'
ocutwnary
Cha
t
d "V
N ational Phonetic Tablets.
r , an ' atson's

Form; Size .
DIRECTIONS.

Oral Instruct·ion.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 43. Form.-Lessons on the various relations and
conditions of lines, as horizontal, vertical, perpendicular, oblique, parallel, diverging, converging, curved,
waving, spiral, etc.; on angles-right, acute, obtuse;
on the different kinds of triangles j and on parallel. ograms, quadrangles, the square, rectangle, rhornous,
oblong, rhomboid, trapezoid, trapezium j use of the
term diagonal. ·
Copious slate and blackboard exercises, illustrating all the ,above lines and £gures.
§ 44. Size.-It is now time to introduce measures
of surfaces and solids. Actual measures, as the gill,
the quart, the gallon, the peck, should be brought
to the school-room and used in illustrating these lessons, till the children become familiar with them.
Let the pupils estimate the measure of a cup, bowl,
bottle, pail, basket, etc., and then correct th eir errors
by measuring. Similar exercises shonld be intro' duced in relation to surfaces. First, place a square
inch, foot, yard, etc., on the board, as standards of
comparison. Next, illustrate the division of a square
yard or foot into square inches, etc. Let the pupils
estimate the number of square yards, feet, inches,
etc., in various objects, as the floor, the teacher's
R efe1·ences.-§ 43. Calkins's Obj ect Lessons ; Barnard's Object Teaching, arts. 9 and 12; Hill's First Lessons in Geometry.
§ 44. Calkins's Object Lessons; Barnard's· Object Teaching,
arts: 9 and 12.

60

COURSJ<: .OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Seventh Grade.

Five Senses; Common Things.

desk, a slate, blackboard, window, etc. Test their
accuracy by calling on them to measure the objects. Accompany with copious slate and blackboard exercises.
General qualitie8.-See § 35.
§ 45. Weight.-First call the attention of the pupils to the attraction of the earth, as shown in falling bodies, the tendency of water to run down hill,
the effort required to lift a heavy body, etc. Give
them different articles of the same size, but made of
different substances, as cork, wood, iron, lead, a vial
of water and a vial of quicksilver, a bag of shot
and a bag of beans. Let them handle and compare
them. Distinguish bodies heavier than water from
those which are lighter, by actual experiment. Now
introduce various standard weights. Let the pupils
handle a pound of lead, a pound
wood, a pound
of cotton ; a body weighing 5 lbs., 10 lbs., 20 lbs.,
etc. N e~t let them handle a variety of bodies, and
estimate the weight of each; after which their judg~
ment should be tested by the scales.·* In this way
they will cultivate accuracy of judgment in respect
to the weight of different objects presented, an attainment which very few persons ever make. t .
Oolor.-See § 36.
·

Animals.-See § 37.
§ 46. The Five Senses.-General description of ~he
eye, the ear, and other organs of sense. Exercises
illustrating the cultivation and use of these organs.
Let the children name ten things discovered by the
eye· five discovered by the ear; five by touch, etc.
N a~e different qualities, etc., and let the children
tell the sense by which they are discovered.
§ 47. Common Things.-Object lessons on a clock,
watch nail carriao-e, pin, needle, rope, pitch, tar, etc.
'
b
l'
§ 48.' Miscellaneous
Topics.-Name six pubic
buildino-s in the city or town; six different kinds
of carri~ges; ten different foreign fruits; -six birds of
prey; six different kinds of stores.
.
The names of the young of different ammals.
The flesh of different animals used for food,-what
called? The voice or natural call of different animals. The largest fish, quadruped, bird, insect,
reptile. A collection of men, birds, cattle, fishes,
insects,-what called ?
Meaning .a nd use of the terms density, attraction
ef gravitation, quadruped, biped, insect, reptile.
§ 49. Sentence-making, etc.-At the close of every
object lesson, let each pupil make up one or more

ol

References.- § 46. Child's Book of Nature, part 2; Calkins's
Object Lessons; Mayo's Lessons on Objects; Mayhew's Popu.·
lar Education, chap. 6.
§ 47. Fireside Philosophy, index; Mayo's Lessons on Object<i,
passim; Brande's Cyclopa:idia, words Horology, Pin.
§ 48. Hooker's Natural History, chap. 13.
§ 49. Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 12.

Rife1·ences.~ 45. Science of Common Things, index; Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 9; Welch's Object Lessons. ·

* A pair

of scales, or some other instrnment for weighing, can

easily be obtained for this purpose, through some of the pupils.

t

61

See Young's School Teacher's Manual.

6

\

. I

COURS~; OF INSTRUCTION

Seventh Grade.

sentences embodying certain points of the lesson, or
containing new words that have been learned. The
pupils may ordinarily be called on to repeat these
sentences in course, extemporaneously; but they
should occasionally be required to print or write
them with care on their slate, for the inspection of
the teacher. Exercises specially meritorious should
receive marks of credit; and defective exercises
should receive marks of error.
Reading.-See §§ 1, 26, 27, and 41.
§ 50.-Analysis ef 8-JUnds.-Besides the ordinary exercises in analyzing, by uttering the different
sounds, pupils should frequently be called on to analyze by describing the sounds. Other explanations
respecting the forms of words, uses of letters, etc.,
may be given at the same time.
ExAMPLEs.-Fate: sound ofJ; atonic; first sound
of a j sound of t, atonic; e silent. Garnis!i: hard
sound of g, subtonic; second sound of a j sound of
. r, subtonic; sound of n, subtonic; second sound of
i; sound of sli, atonic.--How many sounds has gt
What are they? Give a word containing the soft
sound of g; one containing the first sound of a.
How many syllables in garni8h? Which syllable
is accented? What is accent? Which of the letters
in garnish, are vowels? Which consonants? What
letter or letters represent the last sound in garnisli t
Can you name any other elementary sound that is
represented by two letters united?
Reference.-§ 50. Wright's Analytical Orthography.

FOii'. GRADED SCHOOLS.

63

Spelllng; Numbers.

The description and utterance of the sounds should
generally be united in the same exercise; fir~t ~n­
alyze by uttering the sounds; then by descnbmg
them.*
§ 51. Spelling.-Spell and review the new terms
introduced under "Miscellaneous Topics." Spell
the names of all · the objects that can be seen in the
school-room. Let the s'cholars bring objects to the
school to furnish names for spelling. Spell twenty
or more names of visible objects not in the schoolroom; twenty or more names of invisible objects;
twenty or more words denoting motion. . The more
difficult of ' these words should be written on the
blackboard, and reviewed several times. See, also, §2.
Drawing.-See § 33.
*The following is a very complete form of analysis, copied from
Watson's National Phonetic Tablets:
"AN:i_LYSIS.·-lst. The word SALVE, in pronunciation, is formed by
the union of three oral elements: s l v-salve. (Here let the pupil
utter the three oral elements separately, and then pronounce the
word.) The first is a modified breathing; hence, it is an atonic.
The second is a pure tone ; hence, it is a tonic. The third is a modified tone; hence, it is a snbtonic. 2d. The word SALVE, in w1"iling,
·is represented by five letters; s a 1 v e-salve. S repre8ents an
atonic; hence, it is a consonant. Its oral element is chiefly formed
by the teeth; hence, it is a dental. Its oral element is produce_d
by the same organs and in a similar manner as t_ha~ of z; hence, ~t
is a cognat.e of z. A represents a tonic; hence, 1t 1s a vowel. L 1s
silent. Vrepresents a subtonic; hence, it is a _consonant. Its oral
element is chiefly formed by the lower lip and the upper teet.h;
hence, it is a labia-dental. Its oral element is formed l>y the same
organs and in a similar manner as that off; hence, it is a cognate
off. Eis silent.
See, also, Holbrook's Normal Methods of Teaching.

I,

I,

I

COURS~J OF INSTRUCTION

FOB GRADED SCHOOLS.

Sixth Grade.

Form ; Animals.

§ 52. .Numben.-Oounting to 100 by two's and by
three's, forward and backward· 2 4 6 etc 1 3 5
' ' ' ., ' ' '
e.tc., 3, 6, 9, etc., 2, 5, 8, etc., 1, 4, 7, etc.* Adding
smgle columns of figures on the slate and blackboard.

Elementary arithmetic. Multiplication and division tabic~ completed, with constant illustrations and applications. Extemporaneous exercises in combining series of numbers. See § 5. Reading
and writing Arabic and Roman numerals to 1,000.
Abbreviations.
Physical exercises, from two to five minutes at a time, not less
than four times a day. See§ 105.

.

See, also, §§ 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

65

DIRECTIONS.

Oral Instruction.-See §§ S, 18, and 49.
§ 53. Fonn.-Copious explanations and illustrations on the circle, and on the terms connected with
it, as diameter, radius, chord, segment, sector, tangent, semicircle, q·uadmnt. Also, terms oval, e'll/pse, parabola; p entagon, hexagon, lieptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon, polygon; line of beauty.

SIXTH GRADE.
(PRIMARY DEPARTMENTJ
REGULAR COURSE.
Oral !nstruction.-Form ; animals; trees and plants; foreign
product10ns; miscellaneous topics; common things; manners and
morals. . Two or more oral exercises a day, each from eight to
fifteen mrnutes long.

Measurement of angles.
§ 54. ..Animals.-Twenty or more lessons on tl~e
following topics, with pretty full descriptions and
copious illustrations by engravings, and cuts, and
slate and blackboard sketches. Division into classes-beasts, birds, fishes, insects, r eptiles; quadrupeds, bipeds; domestic, wild; useful; amphibious;
poisonous; beasts and birds of prey, etc., with illustrative examples of each class. Instinct of animals,
care of their young. Tools of animals, their cover-

Readi~g and S~elling.-First half of 'lecond Reader compl eted
and reviewed, with punctuation, definhions, and illustrations.
Freq.uent ~xer~ise~ in enunciating the elementary sounds separately
and Ill their pnnc1pal combinations.t Spelling, both by letters and
by sounds, with definitions, from speller, and from reading Jes
·r
t
sons.
Draw·
.
rng,. wn rng, e c., with slate and pencil or paper and pencil,
us1~g dra"'.1~g cards when obtainable, cuts from books, and oth~r
co~ies; wntrng the large and small letters of the alphabet in plain
scnpt hand.

R ef erences.-§ 52. Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 12; Manual of Elementary Instruction; Davies' Grammar of Arithmetic.

- - -- --- -- ----

References.-§ 53. See r eferences_of§ 43.
§ 54. Child's Book of N nture, part 2; Reason Why, index;
Barnard's Obj ect Teaching, art. 17; F. A. Allen's Primary
Geography; Hooker's Natural History; Willson's 4th and 5th
Renders; Caril's Child's Book of Nature; Webster's and
Worcester's Quarto Dictionaries; Hailman's Object Teaching;
Chambers's Elements of Zoology.
6*

0

See a valuable article on Oral Lessons in Arithmetic b D · 1.
h f c· .
' Y ame
ong , o rncrnna ti , in Ohio Educational Monthly for Febrnary,
1862. Also Course qf Studies for a True Graded· School, in Report of
Hon. J . 111. Gregory, for 1861.
t See Sanders's Elocutionary Chart; Watson's National Phonetic
Tablets; and Philbrick's Primary School Tablets.
H

/

66

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Common Things; Reading.

Sixth Grade.

. r .ds and solids,
kinds of vessels to contain iqm
.
ent
f
h Obiect lessons on sprmg, sum
and the use o eac ·
J
tumn
winter.
• on comU
mer, a
'
.
Ob' t lessons
>! 58 Comrnon Things.Jee
lass
l:i
• •
•
l d' g leather sugar, honey, g
'
mon articles, me u m
'tt
wool ink. .
.
h hemp fl.ax co on,
'
porcelarn, stare '
'
' ~ 7
Jf.anners and j}[orals.-See ~ . w be required
R K9 Readina.-Pupils should no
.
l:i .., •
"
1 d to the preparat10n
to devote a portion of eac l ay ·n need the special
of their reading lessons . . TteJ: ':~O' how to set themassistance of the teacher m ~~1 m e~ercises sl10nld be
selves at work, and the rea rngt t st the fidelity of
conducted in such a. manner, as o e·y preparation.*
the pupils in makrng the necessar
See, also; §§ 1, 26, and 27.
Spelling.-See § 2.

ing, food, habitations, motions. Plumage of birds,
nest-building, migratory habits, etc. Contrasts and
resemblances of different classes of animals.
§ 55. Trees and Plants,...:._Similar lessons to those
given in the 8th and 9th grades, but more extended.
Compare the leaves of different plants and trees; th~
flowers; the seeds; the fruit. Compare flowers with
leaves; branches with roots. Specimens should be
brought to the school, and the children should have
exercises, in naming and distinguishing them.
§ 56. Foreign Proditctions.-Object lessons on
foreign productions in general use, including ginger,
pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmegs, oranges, lemons,
olives, dates, almonds, tamarinds, prunes, pineapples,
tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, £gs, bananas, raisins,
sago, india-rubber, ivory, pearls, camphor, sponge,
whalebone, gum arabic.
§ 57. .Miscellaneous Topics.-Description and value
of the different coins in common use, with exercises
in distinguishing them. The names of thirty differ-

------. . d Philosophy index ; Reason Why,

References.-§ 58. F1res1 ~b· ts. N~rton & Porter's First
index; Mayo's' Lessons on
~ec '
Book of Science, part 2.
.
§ 59. Davies' Logic of Mathematics.
-

Reference.~ . -§

55. Child's Book of Nature, part 1; Fireside
Philoso:fJliy, index; Willson's 4th and 5th Readers; Cal'll's
Child's Book of Natural History; Manual of Elementary Instruction, vol. 2; Hailman's Object Teaching; Reason Why,
index; Brande's Cyclopredia; Allen'o Primary Geogl'aphy;
Webster's and Worcester's Quarto Dictionaries.
§ 56. Fireside Philosophy, index ; Reason Why, index ;
Calkins's Object Lessons; Mayo's Lessons on Objects; Barnard's
Object Teaching, arts. 9 and 12.
§ 57. Barnal'd's Object Teaching, arts. 9 and 12; Willson 's
Third Reader; Brande's Cyclopredia, words Coinage, Numis-

matic&, Money.

67

f,

.
.
1·eadin l essons that the peculiar
g·l of learning how to get lts.
d'a.te grade-the wo1 t
.
work of the rnterme i
.
. the careful attention
Th fi -- t step will be to secure .
sons-begin~.
e 18
• "'of their lessons, by questioning them
of the pupils to, t'.1e mean~nb ke t np from diiy to day ' till the puon the sense. '!his s'.10nl . :rlin p attentively, imd become able to
of ie
g d .
the snb<tance. first of a.
Pils acqnii·e the habit
.
d' tely an give
·
·
h , d finally of a page or an
close their books 1mme ta
f a parag rap , an
th
sinrrle
sentence, en ° '
d
hasis should be carefully
0
'fl 1'nflections an emp '
if
entire lesson.
le
f the Jesson."-C'ourse o
b .
t the true sense o
.
studied, to nng ou
S hool iii R.eport of J. /JI. Gregory, SuperinSt1ulies for a True Graded c . .'

* "It is in connection w1th the

tendent of Public [11stnu:tion, Nich1ga11.

\I

~

68

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Sixth Grade.

Regular Course; Form .

.Drnwing.-See § 33.
§,60. Numbers.-Counting by three's four's and
fives, fonyard and backward.
Speci~l pains should be taken to explain and illustrate the operation of multiplyino- one number b
another,. and of dividing one nm~ber by anothe/
the relat10n of multiplication to add1"t1"on d" . .
'
·
b
l lVlSlOn to
su ~ract10n, multiplication to division, etc. Let the
~up1ls. also repeat these explanations and illustrat10ns till the relations are thoroughly und . t d -l<·
e1s oo .
§ 60I2· .w;ri·ring.-p upils must be provided
with
long pencils, and hold them as they would hold .
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. a pen.
References.-§ 60. Barnard,'s Object Teaching art 12.
ual of Elementary Instruction, vol. 2.
'
. ' Man·
'1 ren eight
"* "A
, ge ~ f ch'ld
to nine years.
. 'Ihe design of the lesson was to show the relatio
dition, multiplication, and division.
. ns between ad" The teacher wrote on the blackboard and th h'ld.
the following:
'
e c 1 1en repeated
3+3=6, 6+3=9, 9+3=12, 12+3=15, etc., up to 99.
Then the teacher wrote 99-3=g 6 96 _ 3 _ 93
d
to 6-3=3.
'
, an so on down
"

Then 6+ 6=12,
12+ 6= 2,
6+6+6=l8,
18..:..6=3
6+6+6+6=24,
·.
,
"Th h'
24-,-6=4, and so on
t
·
e c 1ldren read 6+6-12 two ·tim es 6
12
r
'
are ' e c.
1+ 1=1 4,
14+7=2
- i+i+i=~ l.
21+~=3'
1+7+7+1=28,
2 .,
"Children . d - _
8-,-1=1,andsoonto lOO.
i='.2
_ '-~? 1 + 1 = 1 ~· two times 7 are 14. 14 diYided by
. 7+1+ 1--l, three times 7 are 21. 21 divided by--3"
11>-orto•
· 1·ion; 0 swego P1imary Schools.
• ·~y
" E:xamma

69

FIFTH GRADE.
[PRIMA.RY DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

t

Oral Instruction.-Form ; color; common things; trees, plants;
etc. ; ·animals ; shells ; geography ; miscellaneous topics ; morals
and manners. Two or more oral exercises a day, each from ten to
twenty minutes long.
Reading and Spelling.-Last half of Second Reader completed
and reviewed, with punctuation, definitions, and illustrations.
Frequent exercises in en unciating the elementary sounds and th eir
combinations, using charts and tablets of sounds, etc. Spelling
both by letters and by sounds, with definitions from speller and
from reading lessons.
Primary Geography from text-book, gradually introduced in connection with Oral Geography.
Sentence.making, written abstracts, etc. See §§ 6, 9, and 49.
Drawing, writing, etc., with slate or lead pencil; writing with
ink in script hand.
Mental Arithmetic.-Multiplication .fable to 12Xl2, and Division
table to 144+12, thoroughly reviewed , in course and out of course.
Extemporaneous exercises in combining series of numbers. See§ 5.
Rending and writing Arabic and Roman numerals to 10,000. Slate
and blackboard exercises in ajl.ding numbers-examples of three or
four columns each.
Abbreviations revi ewed.
Declamations and recitations.
Physical exercises, from two to five minutes at a time, not less
than four times a day. See § 105.
DIRECTIONS.

Oral Instruotion.-See §§ 8, 18, and 49.*
§ 61. Form.-Brief lessons on the five regular
• "The pupils, it should be remembered, are to observe and tell
what they have observed, rather than to learn what the teacher

70

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Fifth Grade.

solids-cube, tertrahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, icosahedron; and on the pyramid, prism,
parallelopiped, cylinder, cone, sphere, hemisphere,
spheroid, etc. Terms, spherical, cylindrical, conical,
splieroidal.
§ G2. Oolor.-A few lessons in m1xmg colors.
How to produce secondary colors. H armony of
colors.*
References.- § 61. Davies' Elementary Geometry and Trigonometry, which contains full directions for making the five
regular solids from pasteboard; Welch's Object Lessons; Calkins's Object Lessons ; Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 9;
Brande's Cyclopredin..
knows. Knowledge lying much beyond their power of observation
and di sco\'ery is of but little use to them yet." -J. M. Gregory.
* The following iHa report of one of the exercises before an Educat.ional Convention held at Oswego. N. Y., to examine into a system of Primary in struction by Objec1"Lessons:
"Children from nine to ten years of age.
"The children were led to distinguish primary, secondary, and
tertiary colors from mixing colors . The teacher h eld up vials con-·
taining liquids of red , yellow, nud blue. She then mixed some of
each of the red and yellow liquids, nnci the children said the color
produced by the mixture is orange. She then mixed yellow and blue,
and the children said green had been produced. '!'hen she mixed
blue and red, and purple was the result.
"The teacher. printed the result of each mixture on the blackboard thus:
· First Colors or Primarie.1.
Second Colors or Secrmdari~.

+
+
+

Red
Yellow
=
Orange.
Yellow
=
Green.
Blue
Red
Purple.
Blue
"Next she proceeded to show b ow the idea and term tertiary is
derived from the secondaries by mixing the secondaries, and printing. the resu lt on the board, as before:

FOR GRADED SCH,OOLS.

71

Common Things; Trees and Plants. ·- -- - -

§ 63. Common Things.-Obj ect lessons . on common objects, including vinegar, al?oho~, wme, yeast,
bread, paper, glue, soap, putty, silk, lmen, spermaceti, wax, indigo, butter, cheese.
§ 64. Trees, Plants, etc.-Ten or more oral exercises. Qualities, structure, and office of roots, leaves,
buds, stem, :flowers, seeds, etc. Growth of the differRefe1·ences.-§ 63. Fireside Philosophy, index ; Mayo's Lessons on Objects; Barnard's Object Teaching, arts. 5 and 9;
Norton & Porter's First Book of Science, part 2; Brande's
Oydopredia.
§ 64. Willson's Fifth Reader; Child's Book of Nature, part
1; Firesidii Philosophy, index; Reason Why, index: Wore.ester's and Webster's Quarto Dictionaries.
Secondaries.

+
+
+

Third Colors, or Tertiaries.

Cit.rine.
Green
Orange
Rnsse.t.
Purple
Orange
Olive.
Green
Purpl e
"After the children had read over in concert what had been
printed on the board, it was erased, and the pupils ~v~re req.uire~ to
state from memory what colors are produced by nuxrn g primaries,
with the name of each secondary ; also, what by mixing the secondaries, and the name of each tertiary.
Ari exercise on Harmony of Colors was then given to the same class
of children. '!'hey were requested to select two colors that would
look well together, and place them side by side; then t1~0 were
placed together that do not harmonize. During these exercises, the
teacher printed on the boardPrimary yellow harmonizes with secOT1dary pmple.
red
''
''
green.
"
blue
''
"
"
orange.
··This was read by the pupils, then erased, and the individuals
were called upon to state what color will harmonize with these several colors, as th eir no.mes were respectively given."

12

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRAmm SCHOOLS.

Fifth Grade.

Miscellaneous Topics; Metals.

ent parts. The teacher should bring as many specimens as practicable to the class, and encourage the
children to bring them also. Let the pupils examine
several different kinds of wood, and exercise their
skill in naming them. Some attention to the classification of trees, plants, etc., in families- the oak
family, the pod-bearing family, the rose family, the
grasses, etc., with specimens and illustrations when
practicable. The innumerable uses to which vegetable substances are applied, in food, medicine,
clothing, building, etc., furnish an ample field for
extending these exercises as far as time permits.
Name five different evergreen trees; ten fruit
trees; five ornamental trees ; five used for fu el, etc.
Lessons on cork, mahogany, logwood, rosewood.*
§ 65. Animal§.-Transformations of certain insects. Animalculre.
§ 66. 8hells.-Five or more lessons on shells, illustrating some of the. principal classes.
§ 67. Geograpliy.-This branch should be introduced by familiar lessons on the geography of the
city or town; its rivers or small streams, direction
in which they flow, their width and depth; bridges;
R eferences.- § 65. See references of§ 54.
§ 66. Hooker's Natural History; Brande's Cyclopredia,
word Concho logy; Mayo's Lessons on Shells; Worcester's and
Webster's Quarto Dictionaries.
§ .6'T. Primary Geography on the basis of the Object Method
of Instruction, by F. A. Allen; Barnard's Object Teaching, art.
12; Calkins's Object Lessons.
•See Hailman's System of Object Teaching.

73

location and direction of the principal streets, their
width and length; public buildings, their location
and use; public and private schools; manufactories;
boundaries; date of settlement; early history; present population; population twenty years ago ; town
or city officers, etc.
Let these exercises be illustrated by the use of an
outline map of the city or town, drawn on the blackboard.
.
Next, extend the exercise so as to embrace the
county, and illustrate by map on the board as before. Then extend to the State; boundaries of the
State; rivers ; cities; capital ; railroads ; canals;
length and width of the State; surface; soil; climate ; productions ; Governor; Legislature ; population, etc.
§ 68. lrfisoellaneous Tcpios.-Origin and meaning
of the names of the months. Traveling by land; by
water.
§ 69. lrfetals.-Which are the precious metals?
Which the most useful of the metals? Which are
the heaviest? Which is a fluid?
Object lessons on iron, zinc, tin, copper, lead, mercury, silver, gold; on steel, wire, brass, pewter, etc.
Terms diiotile, malleable.
References.-§ 68. Fireside Philosophy, word Month, in index; Sargent's Third Reader, lesson 139.
§ 69. Caril's Child's Book of Natural History; Fireside Philosophy, index;' Mayo's Lessons on Objects; Calkins's Object
Lessons ; Norton & Porter's First Book of Science, part 2 ;
Brande's Oyclopredia.
7

~
-~

·~

I
I
11!'

·1,!·I·~
;

,.

.11

·1 ;
I

·' '

i1t1

11
11

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Fifth Grade.

Morals and Manners.-See § 7.
Readinq.-See §§ 1, 26, 27, 41, 50.
§ 70. ~ellinq.-Spell the names of the different
books of the Bible; of the different studies pursued
in school; of a hundred different articles, selected
from the "Prices Current" of the newspapers; of
the principal streets of the city or town; of the
numerals, both ordinal and cardinal, from one to
twenty. Dictation exercises.
The spe1ling exercises of this grade should be
mostly oral; but the classes may occasionally be
called on to spell by printing the words with a pen
or pencil, on their slates or on paper . . See, also, § 2.
§ 71. Ar·itlimetic.-Pupils should receive special
assistance from the teacher, in learning liow to prepare tlieir lessmis in mental arithmetic. Counting
by sixes, sevens, eights, nines, and tens, forward and
backward: 1, 7, 13, etc., 2, 8, 14, etc., 3, 9, 15, etc.;
1, 8, 15, etc., 2, 9, 16, etc., 3, 10, 17, etc.; 1, 9, 17,
etc., 2, 10, 18, etc., 3, 11, 19, etc.; 1, 10, 19, etc., 2,
11, 20, etc., 3, 12, 21, etc.; 1, 11, 21, etc., 2, 12, 22,
etc., 3, 13, 23, etc.
Slate arithmetic should be gradually introduced,
on the blackboard and on slates, preparatory to the
use of a text-book in the next grade. Elementary
exercises in notation, num.eration, and addition.
Adding columns of numbers; short columns gradReferences.~§ 70. N <irthend's Dictation Exercises; Parker &
Watson's Speller; Worcester's Speller; Sanders's Spel!P.r, etc.
§ 71. Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 12; Manual of Elementary Instruction, vol. 2.

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

75

Arithmetic; Drawing.

ually extended to long ones; slowly at first, but more
and more rapidly as the pupils acquire facility in the
operations. Dictate columns of twenty or more :figures; then let all the pupils commence at the same
moment and note the time required by each to complete the addition. All the pupils s~ould le.am. to
add by giving the sum at each step, without nammg
the number to be added: thus, in adding the numbers 5, 8, 6, 9, etc., say 5, 13, 19, 28, etc., and not 5
and 8 are 13, and 6 are 19, and 9 are 28, etc.
§ 71!. Drawing.--The study and application of
the· principles of drawing should be graaually extended till the pupils are able to produce representatibns of objects with facility and accuracy. Let
the classes use cuts from books, drawing-cards, when
obtainable, and otlier copies. They should also have
frequent exercises in sketching directly from the objects represented .* See, also, § 33.
Writing.-See § 3.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 49.

* "This beautiful art should certainly be placed among the necessaries of education, to be begun early, and imparted to all. There
is no one who has not, on some occasion, found that it would have
ueen extremely serviceable to him to have been able to draw his
id eas, as well 11s to speak or to write them; a slight sketch will
often show in a moment, and with great precision, what m1111y words
would fail to make clear; and a very little time in early youth devoted to lessons in drawing, including mechanical 11s well as other
brnnches of drawing, would impart to every one a power which, in
after life, could not fail to be useful in a variety of ways; that is,
real practical lessons in drawing, carried out on the principles of
the art-not mere copying, nor getting the master to patch up_ for

76

FOR GRADIW SC HOOLS.
COURS~:

77

OF INSTRUCTION

Sound; Light.
Fourth Grade.

FOURTH GRADE.
[GRAMMAR DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

Oral Instruction.-Sound ; light; water; meteorology; miscellaneous topics ; geography ; morals and manners. The time devoted to oral instruction each week to be equal in amount to fifteen
minutes a day.
Geography from text-book.
Construclion of sentences, etc.
First half of Third Reader (or corresponding number of the series),
with punctuation, definitions, and illustrations, and spelling by
sounds.
Written and oral spelling, with definitions from speller and from
reading lessons.
Drawing.
Writing.
Mental arithmetic continY<ld. Slate arithmetic to long division,
and reviewed. Extemporaneous exercises in combining series of
numbers. See § 5.
Declamations and recitations.
Physical exercises, from two to four minutes at a time, not less
than three times a day. See § 105.
DIRECTIONS.

Oral Instruction.-See §§ 8 and 18. *
§ 72. Sound.-How produced·. Illustrate by
stretched cord, or some other vibrating body.

Ac-

the pupil something presentable at home, but real trnining to the
power of m aking good representations of a variety of objects on a
flat surface."-Reid"s Principles of Education.
* " Lessons on objects are most valuable ; especially lessons on the
various familiar objects around us, when the learner i~ required to
notice , or himself to suggest, every thing that can be remarked

tion on the. ear. High and low sonnds-how produced. Relation of the air to sound. Velocity of
sound. The human voice. Varieties of the human
voiCe. Name twenty different kinds of sounds.
Echoes; whispering gallery; ear-trumpet. Musical
instruments; bells.
§ 73. Light.-Luminous bodies. Velocity of light.
Difference between the light of the sun and that of
the moon. Laws of reflection ; mirrors. Refraction; experiment with piece of money in a bowl of
water. Action of the microscope and telescope.
Solar spectrum; rainbow. Structure and action of
the eye. Danger of injuring the eyes froni excessive use; from imprudent exposure to light; from
References.-§ 72. Science of Common Things, index ; Reason Why, index; Calkins's Object Lessons; Barnard's Object
Teaching, arts. 4 and 9; Norton & Porter's First Book of
Science, part 1 ; Brande's Cyclopredia.
§ 73. Child's Book of N ature, parts 2 and 3; Fireside Philosophy; Science of Common Things, index ; Reason Why, index; Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 4; Calkins's Object Lessons; Norton & Porter's First Book of Science, part 1 ; Beechers's Physiology and Calisthenics; Brande's Cyclopredia.
about them. Such lessons should be begun early, but not stopped
soon, as is too often the case. It is a mistake to suppose that they
are useful only to young children; th ey should be continued, of
course wi lb more detail and with greater exactness, and with a
greater variety of objects, up to a late period. Nor should they be
confined to the pupil suggesting the qu alities with the object before
him ; he should be made to describe it again minutely, from recollection, and then write down an account of its qualities."-.Reid's
Principles of .flducation.

7*

80

COURSI£ OF INS'fRUOTION
FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Fourth Grade.

not desirable that pupils should be required to" give
the names of thirteen towns on the Tocantins river"
nor even the number of square miles in every Sta~e
of. the Union. They may be able to learn these
t~nngs so as to recite them, but they will not be
hk.ely to remember them; nor is the knowledge thus
?amed an equivalent for the labor required, even if
it could be retained.
Oonstr:uction ef Sentences.-See §§ 6, 9, and 49.
.Reading.--See §§ 1, 41, and 50.
§ 78. An.a~y~is ef Soimds.-The pupils of the
?ramrn_ar d1v1s10ns should have frequent exercises
rn spellmg b?' soun~s any words that may be selected from then· readmg lessons; and pupils that are
not able to analyze the sounds of words promisc:nou~ly chosen, should receive special attention until this standard is attained.
§ 79. Spelling.-Spell one"hundred words selected
fr?m the adver~isin~ columns of the newspapers.
Five ~r more d1ctat10n exercises, in writing entire
advertisements selected from newspapers. Fifty or
more words. selected from the lessons in geography.
The spellmg exercises of this grade may be about

81

Spelling; Drawing.

half oral and half written. B
spelling exercises
should be conducted chiefly in writing, as soon as
pupils are sufficiently expert w th a pen to write
legibly, in the usual time for a
·.~ation, ten or
£.fteen of the more difficult words in the lesson.*
As the pupils become more ready in the use of the
pen, the number of words may be increased. Oral
exercises in spelling should not be entirely dispensed
with in any of the grades.
Written exercises in spelling should in all cases
be regarded as lessons in penmanship as well as in
orthography, and examples of carelessness in writing
should be charged as errors.
In the 1st, 2d, and 3d grades, written exercises in
spelling should be put in suitable blank books, and
preserved for the inspection of the School Directors,
and others. Every word misspelled should afterward be rewritten correctly by the pupil, in his
manuscript speller. See, also, § 2.
§ 80. Drawing.-Special attention should be given
in this grade to the principles of drawing, preparatory to map drawing. Pupils should also have lessons in drawing various mathematical lines and

R eferences.- § 7!1. N orthend's Dictation Exercises.
taken, great general principles have been substituted for innumerable useless details_; the value of map drawing, already acknowledged , ?as been still more effectively insisted upon ; the intimate
conn:ctwn between geography and history has been pointed out,
and, m other ways, a new and stronger interest has been excited."
-George B. Emerson. See, also, Fifteenth Annual Report of Secretary of Massachusetts Board of Education, by Dr. Sears, p. 65.

* "Spelling by writing, when the pupil can write , appears to have
great advantage over spelling orally. In the business of life, we
have no occasion to spell orally, and thousands of cases have made
it certain, that the same person may be a good speller with the
lips, who is an indifferent one with the pen."-.Mann.
"The orthography of a language should be taught by writing;
an opinion, we believe, that is now pretty well established, but not
s~fficiently put into practice." -London Quari,erly Jrrurnal, of EducatU>n.

.Ir

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jl.I ·

82

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

83

Fourth Grade.

Arithmetic.

figures, architectural figures, etc., and in copying
pictures from books and other sources.% See, also,
§§ 33 .a nd 71t.
Writing._:._See § 3.
§ 81. Ar·ithmetic.-Teachers should be careful to
secure a thorough acquaintance with the principles
of notation and numeration. As soon as pupils are
able to add figures together, the teacher should dictate several numbers to them orally, requiring them
to place units under units, tens 1.mder tens, etc.; and
add them together. Examples of this class should
be made more and more difficult, as the pupils are
able to write them, embracing from five to ten
numbers each, some of them extending to trillions
or quadrillions, and containing more ciphers than
significant figures, so that +,he pupils will frequently
be left to fill whole periodS and parts of periods with
ciphers. These exercises will furnish a valuable review of addition, and a still more valuable review of
notation and m1meration.
Rapid exercises in adding long columns of num- ·
bers. See § 71.

Recitations in arithmetic require constant watchfulness on the part of the teacher, to secure fullness
and accuracy of expression. The following are illustrations of common faults:
1. "If one cord of wood cost $5, six cords. will
cost 5 times 6,'' instead of " 6 times $5."
2. " If one cord of wood cost $5, six will cost 6
times 5 "instead of" six cords will cost 6 times $5."
' .
[Two errors.]
3. "In ~9fl. of a dollar, there are as many dollars as
9 is contained in 36," instead of" as many dollars as
the number of times 9 is contained in 36," or "as
many dollars as 9 is cont,ained times in 36."·
4. "To subtract one fraction from another, reduce
the fractions t~ a common denominator and subtract
the numerators," or " subtract one numeratoi· from
the other " instead of "subtract the numerator of the
' from the numerator of the minuend."
subtrahend

Riferenc/!8.-§ 81. Nortbend's Teachers' Assistant, letter 17;
Holbrook's Normal Methods; Davies' Logic of Mathematics.

*

''Linear Drawing, which supplies the deficiencies of descriptive
language, is another acquirement indispensahle to the instructor.
It may be made a most useful instrument of teaching, even in the
humblest school. In the exact, the natural, nnd the experimental
sciences; especially, he who has a command of this art. is never at. a
loss how to render the most intricate details clear, intelligible, and
interesting to his auditory ."-Marcel 011 La11guage.

See, also, §§ 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

THIRD GRADE.
~RAMMAR

DEPARTMENTJ

REGULAR COURSE.

Oral Instruction.-Historical sketches ; air and water ; electricity
and magnetism ; minerals; morals and manners; familiar exercises in grammar, embracing ~he parts of speech and construction
of sentences. The time devoted to oral instruction each week, tc
be eqnal in a.mount to fifteen minutes a day.
Geography, through United States, with map drawing.
I

.

84

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Third Grade.
Grammar to the verb, with lessons in the use of language-to
follow oral exercises in grammar.
Third Re~der (or corresponding number of the series) completed,
and first third of Fourth Reader, witlt punctuation definitions and
illustrations, and elementary sounds.
'
W.ritten and oral spelling, with definitions, from speller and from
readmg lessons.
Writing.
.Mental arithmetic continued, with thorough reviews. Slate
ant~metic to addition of denominate numbers, and reviewed.
Rap1~ ex~rcises in adding columns of figures. Extemporaneous
exercises m combining series of numbers. See§ 5.
Declamations and recitations.
Physical exercises from two to four minutes at a time not less
than three times a day. See § 105.
'
DIRECTIONS.

Oral Instruction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 82. History.- Brief sketches of prominent characters and events in hi,,tory, both ancient and modern.: Babylon, its walls and hanging gardens; Pyramids of Egypt, Trojan War, Homer, Founding
of Rome, Alexander, Demosthenes, Virgil, Julius
Cresar, Mohammed, the Crusaders, Columbus, Washington, Franklin, N apolcon, etc.
§ 83. Air and lVater.-Co1nponent element of air·
o~ water. ~roportion of oxygen and nitrogen ih th~
au-. Relat10n of oxygen to life; to combustion;
mos~ abundant of all known substances. Properties
of mtrogen; of hydrogen, weight of hydrogen.
§ 84. Electricity and .Magnetism.-Illustrate the
Referenc(!IJ.-§ 82. Mansfield's American Education.
§ 83. Norton & Porter's First Book of Science, part 2; Science of Common Things, index; Reason Why, index.

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

85

:Minerals; Geography.

production of electricity, and properties of attraction
and repulsion, by a piece of dry paper rubbed briskly with a piece of in.d ia-rubber. Conductors and
non-conductors, lightning and lightning conductors,
Franklin's kite.
Properties of the magnet. Magnetic needle, mariner's compass, horseshoe magnet, telegraph.
§ 85 . .Minerals.-Oral exercises on the following
topics, with illustrations as far as specimens can be
obtained:
Common quartz, quartz crystal, common limestone, marble, coral, gypsum, soapstone, anthracite
coal, bituminous coal, slate, clay, loam, gravel, etc.,
together with various stones used for ornament, as
agate, topaz, carnelian, amethyst, emerald, and some
of the compound rocks, as granite, sandstone; kinds
of stone employed in buildings, sidewalks, etc. ;
bricks, quicklime, mortar.
§ 86. Geograpliy.-" In the progress of every successive lesson, the teacher sho·uld call in the aid of
association, by naming the products and staple commodities.. of the several States, historical facts, remarkable curiosities, high mountains, manufactories,
References.-§ 84. Child's Book of Nature, part 3; Norton
& Porter's First Book of Science, part 1 ; Science of Common
Things, index; Reason Why, index; Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 4; Brande's Cyclopredia.
§ 85. Fireside Philosophy, index; Mayo's Lessons on Objects ; Brande's Cyclopredia; Webster's and Worcester's Quarto
Dictionaries.
.§. 86. Northend's Teacher's Assistant, letter 16.
8

92

COURSE OF IN ST R UCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Third Grade.

Grammar and Composition.

being about 35°, the most northerly 70°, the difference will contain seven spaces of 5° each; hence
there will be eight parallels. Now divide the meridian into seven equal parts, each equal in length
to the scale assumed, and draw dotted curved lmes
through the points of division, representing parallels
of latitude. Next draw the meridians. On the parallel of the 70th degree, a degree of longitude is
nearly one-third of a degree of latitude. The most
easterly point being in longitude 60°, and the most
westerly nearly 10° W., there will be eight spaces
and eight meridians east of the meridian of 20°, and
two spaces and two meridians west of it.
Now set off on the parallel of 70°, eight spaces
equal to one-third of the scale, east of the meridian
of 20°, and two on the west. A degree of longitude
on the parallel of 35° is t of a .degree of latitude,
nearly. Now proceed to lay off the same number
of spaces as before, each being t of the scale, and
connect the parallels of 70° and 35° with straight or
curved dotted lines.
The fi:ame being completed, let the points learned
and described be located with dots and connected
with lines, in conformity with the description previously given. After the class has acquired the
ability to represent with accuracy and rapidity the
first lesson, another section of the boundary, together with that previously drawn, should be assigned for the next lesson. Let successive sections
be assigned until the outline is completed. The
teacher can not overestimate the value of rapid exe-

93

cution in map drawing, which is attainable only by
frequent reviews.
The mode of representing lakes, rivers, mountains,
and prominent towns, will be readily suggested to
the teacher.
§ 89. Grammar and Composition.-One of the
most common faults in teaching grammar, is that of
requiring pupils to commit too m~ny rules an~ o~­
servations to memory. The most important prmc1ples only should be learned and recited directly from
the text-book, and always in connection with illustrative examples furnished by the pupils. The
less important principles, embracing moi:e than half
of the remarks, observations, etc., of the different
school-grammars, should be learned chiefly as they
are called into use by the grammatical study of selected passages of prose and verse.
As fast as the principles of grammar are learned,
let the pupils be required in all cases t~ embody
them in sentences of their own construct10n. The
ability to use language correctly, and the demonstration of this ability by actual performance, should
ever be regarded as the only satisfactory test of the
pupil's attainments in this branch. "The art of
speaking and writing correctly," is something m~re
than "the art of knowing how to speak and wnte
correctly." The knowledge of p~pils is .generall!
found to be far in advance of thell' practice. It is
Refe1·ences.-89. Mansfield's American Education, chap. 11;
Page's Theory and Practice, chap. 'T .

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94

COURSE

O~'

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

INSTRUCTION

95

Third Grnde.

Reading.

true that most teachers give some attention to the
language employed by their pupils, especially during
recitations; but it would be a very great improve··
ment if still more time was spent in cultivating
·habits of freedom and accuracy in the use of language. If one-fourth of the time usually devoted to
the regular recitation in grammar was distributed
through the day, and employed in cultivating the
art of conversation, and propsiety and elegance of
expression on all occasions, the loss would prove a
great gain.*
The rule adopted by Dr. Johnson deserves a place
in the memory of every pupil. "Sir Joshua Reynolds once asked him by what means he had attained
his extraordinary accuracy and flow of language.
He tol.d him, that he had early laid it down as a
fixed rule to do his best on every occasion and in
every company; to impart whatever he knew in the
most forcible language he could put it in ; and that
by constant practice, and never suffering any careless

expressions to escape him, or attempting to deliver
bis thoughts without arranging them in the clearest
manner, it became habitual to him."7:·
The oral lessons of the course should in all cases
be regarded as exercises for the cultivation of the
conversational powers of the pupils, and they should
always be conducted with special reference to the
accomplishment of this object.t
§ 90. Reading.-The standard of excelle1~e in
reading should be set a little higher in each successive grade .. Pupils of the third grade should be able
to read with good expression and effect in every variety and style. Take care that all the v-oices, especially those of the, girls, are kept up to the proper

L

I

Rejer·ences.-§ 90. Northend's Teacher and Parent, chap. 23;
Page's Theory and Pr~ctic~, chap. 4 ;. Bates's Institute Lectures,
lect. 4; Holbrook's Normal Methods; Zachos's Analytic Elocution.

* Boswell;s Life of Johnson .
t "Oral lessons cultivate in young people

the talent of rational
conversation, which, in ordinary education, is entirely left to chance,
althongh it is the most useful, the most social, and the most intellectual of all talents. They impart that free excnrsh·e acqnaintance
with various .learning which makes the pleasing and instrncti1•e
companion; and if they were generally adopted, they would not
fail, in the course of time, .to raise the tone of conversation in society. The powers of language or' the learners being constantly
called forth in proposi~g and answering qnestions, in stating the
results of.their observations, and in making verbal or written summaries of the subjects on which they have conversed, they will ne·
cessarily acquire great facility of expression in connection ·with great
clearness of thought. And if they excel in conversation, they have
every prospect of success in public speaking." -Marcel on Language.

*

"Unless the principles of th e science are applied in daily practice, iind fix ed in the mind by habitual ~xcrci,;e, comparatively little
is gained from theoreti cal stndy oft.be formulas and parts of speech.
The ability .to think ·cl early , nnd express one's thoughts el~gnntly
and perspicuously, in one's own spoken or written words, is a great
acquisition, and a rare one in our · grammar schools."-Report of
School Committee, Lou·ell, Jlfass.
" The deficiency nll nded to is in the lack of appliances in our
school studies and .exercises for the proper cultivation of th e faculty
of ex pressio.n. ''-Isaac J. Allen, Superintendent of Schools , Oincinnali.
"No teaching of grni11matical mies will counteract the injmious
effect of the frequennrnaring and use of ungrammatical language."
-Report of Boston Committee.

I

96

COURSE OF INSTRUC'l'ION

Second Grade.

degree of loudness and force. Low voices should
always be regarded as great defects in readin o- · and
b' make'
except in cases of ill health, pupils who fail to
themselves plainly heard in every part of an ordinary
school-room should receive marks of error. If pupils
are inspired with a suitable degree of ambition to
give the proper expression to the pieces they read,
there will generally be very little difficulty in regard
to fullness of voice.
§ 91. Spelling.-Spell one hundred or more words
selected from the geography of the United States.
Dictation exercises.
Write six or more exercises of entire paragraphs,
selected from the "Review of the Market," in one of
the daily papers, including all the figures, abbreviations, etc. See, also, §§ 2 and 79.
Writing.-See § 3.
Arithmetic.-See §§ 71 and 81.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

----

SECOND GRADE.
[ GR.A.MM.AR DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

Oral. Instruction. - Properties of matter ; laws of motion, etc. ;
physiology and hygi ene; morals and manners. The time devoted
to oral instruction each week, to be equal in amount to fifteen min·
utes a day.
English grammar.

Reference.-§ 91. Northend's Dictation Exercises.

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

97

Properties of Matter, etc.
Compositions, abstracts, and written reviews.
Geography, to Asia, and reviewed, with map-drawing from memory. See !;§ Si and 88.
History of the United States, to the Revolution, and reviewed.
Fonrth Reader (or corresponding number of the series) completed,
with punctuation, definitions and illustrations, and elementary
sounds.
Written and oral spelling, with definitions, from ilpeller, and
from reading lessons .
Writing.
Mental arithmetic completed and reviewed. Slate arithmetic
through vulgar and decimal fractions, and reviewed. Extemporaneous exercises in combining series of numbers. See § 5.
Declamations and recitations.
Physical exercises, from two to four minutes at a time, not less
than twice a day. See§ 105.
DIRECT10N8.

Oral Instr,u ction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 92. P1·operties ef Matter, Laws ef Motion, etc.In presenting the following topics, explain and apply
the principles, and introduce illustrations when practicable : General properties of matter-extension,
impenetrability, etc. Solids, liquids, gases. Inertia,
different kinds of attraction, specific gravity, center
of gravity, centripetal and centrifugal forces, flying,
swimming, rowing, water-wheels, the action of powder in firing a gun, m echanical powers, the pendulum, air-its common properties and uses, pressure of
the air, balloons and soap-bubbles, sailing a boat,
R eferences.- § 92. Norton & Porter's First Book of Science,
part 1 ; Child's Book of Nature, part 3 ; Fireside Philosophy,
index; Science of Common Things, index; Reason Why, index;
Barnard's Object Teaching, arts. 2 and 4; Brande's Cycloprndia.
9

98

99

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCBOOI.S.

Second Grade.

Physiology; Topics.

flying a kite, suction-pump, siphon, barometer, friction.
§ 93. Physiology and Hygiene, etc.-Let the expansion and application of the following topics be
continued and reviewed, till the pupils are able to
sustain a satisfactory examination upon all of them:
The blood, mastication, the teeth, saliva, digestion,
chyme, chyle, nutrition, blood-vessels, structure and
office of the heart, circulation of the blood through
the system, impurities, waste of the system, how repaired, proper and improper food, eating too much,
too fast, too often, late in the evening, irregularity
of meals, dyspepsy, alcoholic drinks.
Structure and office of the lungs, respiration, capacity of the lungs, exercises for their healthy development, obstructed action, dangero'~s habit of bending
over desks, process of purifying the blood, different
colors ; carbonic acid of the breath, how formed,
amount, composition . of carbonic acid, weight, relation to life, experimeu t of lighted candle in air that
has been held in the lungs a few seconds, carbonic
acid in wells, burning charcoal in close room, carbonic acid in the stomach, soda fountains, raising
bread; ventilation.
Brief account of the bones, joints, muscles.
The hand. Men and animals compared.

Structure and office of the skin, sensible and insensible perspiration, importance of frequent bathing, danger from exposure to currents of air applied
to the school-room.*
The brain, excessive use of; nerves of sensation, of
motion.
Physical exercise, its relation to health, kind and
amount required.
Clothing, kind and quantity required to preserve
health; importance of frequent change; danger
from cold .or damp feet.
Sleep, nature and uses, amount requirea, effect of
sleeping too much, too little; rising early, late; retiring early, late; ventilation of sleeping-rooms.
Recreation and amusement-relation to health.
Importance of change and variety of mental labor.t
§ 94. Recit1:ng by Topics.-One of the best modes
of reciting history, geography, etc., is by the use of
topics. Thus, in geography, a pupil p~sses to an
outline map, drawn on the blackboard, with a set of
topics in his hand, as boundaries, rivers, mountains,
climate, surface, soil, productions, commerce, etc.,
and proceeds to describe the country assigned, statin ()' all he recollects under each topic. When his
de~cription is completed, other members of the class
are called on for corrections and additions, and the
teacher makes such suggestions as the case may re-

0

Reference8.-§ 93. Child's Book of Nature, part 2 ; Beecher's
Physiology and Calisthenics, passim; Root's School Amuse·
ments; Science of Common Things, inde;; Fireside Philosophy, index ; Reason Why, index; Calkins's Object Lessons;
Barnard's Object Teaching, art. 4; Brande's Cycloprodia.

* "Avoid a current of air as you would an arrow."-0/iinet>
Proverb.
t ••The mind is as much refreshed by variety as by idlenus.' ' Todd' a Student' a Manua.L.

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FOJi GRADKD SCHOOLS.

JOO

101

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Popular Astronomy.
First Grade.

quire. This made of reciting by topics leaves the
pupils in a great degree to th eir own resources, se. cures a more thorough and systematic preparation
of the lessons, and furni shes important aid in imparting that discipline of mind which is more valuable than knowl edge. It will be found particularly
adapted to reviews.
R eading.-See §§ 1, 41, 50, 78.
§ 95. ~pelling.-Spell one hundred words selected
fr~m the geography of South America and Europe;
thirty words selected from the terms and definitions
used in arithmetic; thirty from th e lessons and definitions used in grammar. See, also, §§ 2 and 79.
Write five dictation exercises of paragraphs selected from the "Marine Journ al" of a newspaper.
Writing.--See § 30.

A rithmetic.-See § 81.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, '7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 89.

'FIRST GRADE.
[GR .A.MM.A.Ii DEPARTMENT.]

REGULAR COURSE.

Oral Exercises.-Popular astronomy; elem entary book-k eeping;
government; bent ; geology; morals and manners. Th o ti me devoted to oral instruction each week to be equal in amount to fifteen
:µiinutes a day .
Grammar compl eted, with parsing ll.nd analysis from readingbook. ·

Reference.- § 95. Nortbend's Di ctation Exercises.

Compositions, abstracts, an d written re vi ews .
Geogrnphy comple ted and reviewed, with map-drawing from
memory. and use of terrehtrial globe. See§§ 87 and 88.
Hi story of the United States, completed and reviewed . Outlines
of Engli sh hi story, with review .
lCifth Reader (or corresponding num.b cr of the Beri es), with explanations, analyois of derivative and compound words, and elemen tary
sounds.
·written ex ercises in spellin g from reading lessons, and othe r
words selected by the teach er. Analysis of derivative and compound words , and a few selected rul es of spelling.*
Writing.
.
Slate a ri thmetic completed a nd reviewed. Extemporaneous exercises in combi ning series of numbers. See§ 5. Difficult examples
in mental arithmetic reviewed. See§ 81.
Declamations and reci tations.
Phy oicll.l exercise~. from tw o to four minutes at a tinie, not less
than twice a day.

Sc~§ 105.

DIRECTIONS.

Oral ]n8truction.-See §§ 8 and 18.
§ 96. P opula1· Astronom,y.-Ten or more elementary lessons. The earth-its size and motions.
Change of seasons-how caused ; difference in the
length of days and nights at different seasons of
the year; l ength of the longest day at the equator;
R eferences.- § !J6. Norton & Porter's First Book of Science,
part 1; Child's Book of Nature, part 3 ; Fireside Philosophy,
index; Brande's Cyclopradia; Brownell's How to Use Globes.
o "The rul es for spelling deri vatives are not very common ly
]earned in our schools, or if memorized th ey a re n ot comprehended
and practicall y applied. Certainly n large share of th e bad spelling
which I have witnessed is chargeable to a neglect of these rules.'' B . G. Northrop , Agmt qf Mcusachuselts Board of Education .
9'"

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102

103

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

First Grnrle.

Government; Heat.

tropics; polar circles; at the poles. Tides. Solar
System. The sun-its office, distance, magnitude,
spots. The moon-its size, distance, telescopic appearance, different phases ; eclipse of the moon ;
of the sun. Name the planets in their order· relative ~ize; satellites of each, and ring of S~turn.
Mornmg and evening stars. Comets. Fixed stars.
Teach the pupils to point out in a clear night five or
more conspicuous constellations; five or more stars
of the first or second magnitude ; all the larger
planets that are above the horizon.
§ 97: Elementary ExerC1'.ses in Boolc-keeping.-A
~ozen simple exercises in single-entry book-keeping,
illustrated by the teacher on the blackboard and
.
'
written out by the pupils, will be sufficient to enable
them ~~ keep ordinary accounts with a good degree
of facility and accuracy; and pupils should n ever
be allowed to pass through th:.. Grammar divisions
and leave school, without this knowledge.
§ 08. Government.-Seven or more elementary
lessons on government, embracing the general structure of~ ational, State, city, and town governments,
and their relation to each other; government of
United States, compared with that of Great Britain
Russia, Switzerland. Legislative, executive, and

judicial branches of government; origin of our National government; Declaration of Ind~p?ndence;
Constitution; trial by jury. Terms h01nicule, 1:ian-

References.-§ 97. Introduction to Mayhew's Book-keepino-.
§ !l8. Mansfield's Political Manual; Howe's Young Citize~'s
Catechism; Shurtliff's Governmental I nstru ctor; Sheppard's
Constitutional Text-book; Young's Science of Governm ent;
Brande's Cyclopaidia, words Jm·y, Homi·cide, etc.; Webster'd
and Worcester's Quarto Dictionaries.

slaughter, felony, arson, burglary, treason, p~rJury,
.;./-'.orgery, etc . Names of the principal sovereigns of
Europe.
.
.
§ 99. Heat.-In expanding the fol~owmg topics,
explain and apply the principles, and illustrat_e them
as far as practicable. Sources of heat ; ~eat~ng by
conduction, radiation, convection. Sensation of heat
and cold. burning-glasses; good and poor .conductors. different kinds of clothing; double wmdows;
ice-houses; use of a fan; protecti?n of the. grou:1d
by snow. Contraction and expansion; puttmg tire
o~ a wheel; fire balloons; thermometer;. glass
cracked by hot water; why clo.cks go faster m cold
weather than in warm ; freezmg water; heat absorbed by change from solid to liquid state, and
from liquid to gaseous; freezing mi.xtu~e of salt ~nd
ice; cooling a heated room by sprmklmg water o"?the floor. Boiling water; how the force of steam is
roduced. Flame-how produced. Carbon. Flame
~f a candle-why no combustion in the c~nte~·;
wick-why not consumed; use of circular wick m
astral and solar lamps; use of glass c~im~ey ;_of
small hole in top of lamp ; gas used m hght~ng
buildings; use of a blower in kindling a fire ; action
,f'.
§ 99 Norton & Porter's First Book of Science,
·
· d ·
R e.1 erences.·t 2. Science of Common Things, index i Reason Why, m e~ '
pat
'
Barnard's
Object Teaching, arts. 2 and 4; B ran d e' s Cye1opaidia.

I

I

104-

COU HSH; OF INSTRUCTION
FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

First Grade.

of a common chimn ey ; proper construction; advantages of stoves, as compared with open fireplaces ; disadvantages.

§ 100. Gcolvgy.~Five or iuore oral l essons on the
geological formation of the United States · coal
:fields ; min eral ores; geology of the State in 'which
the pupils r eside ; fossi liferous rocks.
§ 101. Grammar and use of L anguage.-At least
half th.e time appropriated to Grammar in the first
grade, ~hould be spent in parsing and analyzing
select ~Ieces from ~ilton, Pope, and other authors,
embracrng several different varieties of style. The
extracts required for this purpose may be selected
from the reading-books.

~ o exercise shou ld be regarded as complete and
satisfactory that does not analyze the thought as
well as the lang uage of th e writer.
Pu~ils ~f this grade should~receive special instructions rn letter-writing , in cluding the form and
manner of beginning and ending, with the date;
paragraphs; dividing between syllables at the end
of a line ; margin ; folding; superscription ; sealing,
etc. See, also, §§ 6 and 89.
§ 102. Use of Globe.-Pupils should r~ceive so
much instruction in the use of the terrestrial globe,
References.-§ 100. Norton & Porter's First Book of Science, part 2; Willson's Fifth Reader; Brande's Cycloprndia ·
Web~ter's and Worcester's Quarto Dictionaries; any of th~
Physical Geographies.
.
§ 102. Mcintyre on the Use of the Globes; Keith on the Use
of the Globes; Brownell's How to Use Globes.

105

Spelling, etc. ; Music.

that they will be able to solve by it, before the
class not less than five common problems; as, To
'
.
fiud the length of a degree of longitude at any given
latitude: To :find the hours of sunrise and sunset,
and the length of day and night at a give~ place. on
a given day: To :fi.rid· how long t~e sun shmes "'.it~­
out setting, at any given place m the north frigid
zone, and how long it is invisible, etc.
R eading.-See §§' 1, 41, 78.
§ 103. Spelling andA1~alysis of D m·ivative Words.
-Spell one hundred names selected from th~ geography of A sia and Africa; the names of fifty islands
and groups of island s, situated i~ any pa~t of the
world. Dictation exercises. Special attention to the
analysis of derivative and compound words. See
§§ 2 and 79.
Wr·iting.-See § 3.
A ritlimetic.-See § 81.
See, also, §§ 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 93.

MUSIC.

§ 104. It is highly important tnat all the divisions
· the Grammar and Primary Departments. should
in
have one or more regular lessons in vocal music every
week. Each division should also have daily exercises
in singing both devotional and secular pieces. In
References.- § 103. N ort.bend's Dictation Exercises ; Sanders's Analysis of English Words ; Town's Analysis of Derivative Words; McElligott's Analytical Manual.

116

COURSIC OF INSTRUCTION

FOR CtRADED SCHOOLS.

Chicago High School.

Length of Cour:;e.

117

a

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
FOR A

HIGH SCHOOL,
EMB RACIN G

A

GENERAL COURSE
AND

A CLASSICAL COURSE.

THE circumstances of different cities and towns are
so various, that it is impossible to devise a course of
study equally adapted to all high schools.
Th e following outline embodi es substantially the
course adopted in the Chicago High School. Some
of its features have been borrowed from the course
of study adopted in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Boston, and other cities, and some of them are
the fruit of observation and exp eriment during a
period of six years.
The greatest danger, even with the time extend ed
to four years, is that of crowdin g too much labor
in to each period of the course. It is not al ways suffi cient to arran ge the comse so that pupils will not
be r equired to carry a large number of studi es at a
time. Cases will frequently arise in which certain

portions of text-book may, without serious loss, be
either omitted altogether, or used only for occasional
reference. These should by all means be marked in
the class, and treated acdordingly. A reasonable
amount well learned, is better than more learned
imperfectly; and either of these is far better than
the highest intell ectu al acquisitions obtained in exchange for good health .
When the time of the course is red uced to three
years, still greater care will be required to avoid
tasking pupils beyond their streng th, and to prevent
th em from overtaskin g themselves. The tend ency
to this evil will be greatly diminished, if pupils can
be retai ned in the grammar schools till they are
thoroughly prepared to enter the hi gh school. No
pupil should be received to the high school under
twelve years of age, and in m any cases thirteen
years would be a better limit to establish.
The highest standard of r equirement in all the
Glasses should be attainable by pupils of average
capacity, without the necessity of studying during
hours required for exercise and relaxation. But in
attempting to remove the evil of overtasking pupils,
we should rememb er .that there is also danger of
falling into th e opposite extreme. If pupils are
t asked beyond their strength, the school is justly
charo-eable
with blame. But if the standard is
0
dropped so low that it fails to stimulate the scholars
to habits of thoroughn ess and self-reliance, then is
the schoo) itself a failure, and every community
would so regard it.

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118

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADIW SCHOOLS .

General Department.

Clas>ical Dep:utm en t..

HIGH SCHOOL.
SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERAL COURSE.
FIRST YEAR.

FrnsT TEm1.-Algebra; German or Latin ; Descripth'e Geography.
S>:COND 'l'ERM. -Algebra ; German or Latin ; English Grammar
and .Analysis.
THIRD TERM. -.Arithmetic ; German or Latin ; Physical Geography.
SECOND YEAR.

FrnsT TERM.-Algebra; German or Latin; Universal History.
S.:COND 'l'En11. -Geometry; German or Latin; Universal History.
THIRD T1mM.-Geometry ; German or Latin; Universal History;
Botany.
THIRD YEAR.

119

At the beginning uf the third year, those in the
General Department are allowed to continue their
Latin- or German, or choose French instead, for the
remainder of the course. Thus no pupil in the General Department studies more than one foreign language at the same time, and all are permitted to
take two at some time in the course, if desired.
Those pup1ls who elect to take Latin during the
first and second years, can defer their choice between the Classical and the General Course till the
commencement of the third year.
SYNOPSIS OF THE CLASSICAL COURSE.
FIRST YEAR.

Fm~ T}:RM.-Geometry; German, or Latin, or French; Physiology ; Rhetoric.
SECOND 'l'ERM.-'l'rigonometry; German, or Latin, or French;
Natural Philosophy; English Literature.
THIRD 'l'1m11.-Mensuratfon, Navigation, and Surveying; Ger·
man, or Latin, or French; Niitural Philosophy; English Literature.

FIRST TxnM.-Algebra ; First Latin Book ; Descriptive Seography.
S1w1>ND TERM.-Algebra ; First Latin Book ; English Grammar
and Analysis,
THIRD TimM.-.Arithmetic; Latin Reader; Physical Geography.

FOURTH YE.AR.

FrnsT TERM.-Algebra; Latin Reader; Unive.rsal History . .
SECOND TE1rn.-Geometry; Ca:sar; Universal History.
'l'mnD '1'1mM.-Geometry ; Cresar; Universal History ; Botany.

. FIRST. TEn11.-Astronomy; German , or Liitin, or French; Intellectual Philosophy; Constitution of United States and Book-keeping.
SECOND TERM.-Chemistry ; German, or Latin, or French ; Logic ;
Politi cal Econoll)y.
.
THIRD TERM.-Geology and Mineralogy ; German, or Latin, or
French ; Moral Science ; Political Economy.
. Drawing rluring the second, third , and fomth years. Such attention to reading, spelling, and penmanship, through the conrse,
as may Le necessary to secure satisfactory iittainments in th ese
branches. Rhdorical exercises, music, and physical exercises
through the courso.

SECOND YEAR.

THIRD YEAR.

FmST TERM.-Greek; Cresar or Cicero; Physiology.
SECOND 'l'ERM.-Greek; Cicero; Natural Philosophy . .
'l'HmD T.&nM.-Greek, Ana.basis; Cicero; Na.turn! Ph il osophy .
FOURTH YEAR.

FmsT TERM.-Greek, .Anabasis; Virgil, Eclogues; Cicero; Latin
ProsfJ.

II
!
120

COURS~~

O~'

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

l,NSTRUCTION

121

Boston English High School.

Forms of Organization.

The second form is illustrated by the high schools
of Boston.
The third form is illustrated by the high schools
of Cincinnati.

SECOND T1m11.-Gree k ; Virgil, .2Eneid and Georgi cs ; Lati n Prose.
THmD T1rn~1.-Greek, Iliad; Virgil, .2Eneid ; Re\'iew of Latin.
Drawing during th e second , third, and fourth years. Rh etori cal
exercises, music, and physical exercises through the course. Such
attention, through the course, to read in g, spelling, and penmanship, as may be necessary to secure satisfactory attainments in
these branches. Classical antiquities, military affairs, during the
second year. Classical antiquities, civil affairs, during th e third
year. Classical antiquiti es, mythology, during the fourth year.
Ancient geography, in connection with the literature and history of
Greece and Rome.

COURSE OF STUDY
IN THE

ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL,
BOSTON_

DIFFERENT FORMS OF ORGANIZATION.
FIRST YE.AR.

In the organization of high schools, three different forms have been adopted by different cities and
town s.
1. That which embraces a general course and a
classical course in the same school ; the parents or
guardians of the pupils being allowed to elect between the two courses.
2. A division into two distinct schools, an English
high school, and a classical school, each independent
of the other.
3. A union of the two courses in ·one classical and
English school, in which all the pupils are required
to study both the English branches and the classics.

1. Review of preparatory studies, using the text-books authorized in the grammar schools of t.he city; 2. Ancient Geography;
3. General History ; 4. Algebra ; 5. French Language ; 6. Drawing.
SECOND YEAR.

I. Algebra, continued ; 2. French Language, continued; 3. Drawing, continued; 4. Geometry; 5. Book-keeping; 6. Rhetoric; 7. Constitution of the United States; 8. Trigonometry, with its application
to surveying, navigation, mensuration, astronomical calculations
'
etc. ; 9. Evidences of Christianity,-a Monday morning lesson.
THIRD YE.AR.

I. Trigonometry, with its applications, etc., continued; 2. Evidences, continued,-a Monday morning lesson ; 3. Drawing, continued ; 4. Astronomy; 5. Natural Philosophy; 6. Moral Philosophy ; 7. Political Economy; 8. Natural Theology; 9. English
Literature; IO. French, continued ; or the Spanish language may
be commenced by such pupils as in the judgment of the master have
acquired a competent knowledge of the French . Physical Geography is permittd.

The first of these forms is illustrated by the course
already presented, and by the course adopted in the
St. Louis High School.

11

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I.

.j
:j

I'

I

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f

122

COURSE . OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Boston Latin School.

Cincinnati High Schools.

For the pi1pils \vho remain at .the: school the fourth year, the
conrse of study is as follows:
1. Astronomy ; 2. Intellectual Philosophy; 3. Logic; 4. Spanish; 5. Geology; 6. Chemistry; 7. Mechanics, Engineering, and
the higher mathematics, with some option.

FOURTH YEAR.

'f})e several classes shall also have exerci«es in English composition.and declamation. The instructors shall pay particular attention
to the penmanship of the pupils,. and give constantly such instruction in spelling, rending, and English grammar, as they may deem
necessary to make the pupils· familiar with these fund iunental
branches of a gooq educatjon . ,

COURSE OF STUDY
IN THE

L.ATIN HIGH SCHOOL,

123

1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, continued. !!l. Ovid' s
Metamorphoses; 22. Greek Prose Composition; 23. Greek Reader;
24. Algebra; 25. English Composition ; 26. Le Grandpere.
FIFTH ·YEAR.

1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, continued. 27. Virgil ; 28. Elements of History ; 29. Translations from English into
Latin.
SIXTH YEAR.
'

l, 7, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 2i, 28, 29, continued. 30. Geometry; 31. Cicero' s Orations; 32. Composition of Latin verses;
33. Composition in French; 34. Ancient History and Geography.
The instruct-Ors shall pay particular attention to the penmanship
of the pupils, and give constantly such instruction in spelling, reading, and English grammar, as they may deem necesRary to make
the pupils famifiar with those fundamental branches of a good
education.

BOSTON.

COURSE OF STUDY
FIRST YEAR.

1. Latin Grammar ; 2. Engli sh Grammar; 3. Reading English;
4. Spellitig ; 5 . .Merital Arithmetic ; 6. Geographical Questions ;
7. Declamations; 8 .. Penmanship; 9. Latin Lessons; 10. Latin
Reader.
SECOND YEAR.

· 1; 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, continued. · U.- Viri· Romre; 12. Written Translations; 13. Arithmetic; · 14. Cornelius Nepos; 15. Latin Prose
C-Omposition.
THIRD -'YEAR.
1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, continued. 16. Greek Grammar;
17. Greek Lessons; 18. Cresar's Commentaries; 19. French Grammar; 20. Exercises in speaking and reading French, with a native
French Teacher.

IN THE

CINCINN.ATI HIGH SCHOOLS.
FIRST YEAR.

FmsT SEsSION.-Latin Lessons, with Latin Grammar, five lessons
per week; English History, five lessons per week; Algebra, five
lessons per week.
S~co1m S1<ssroN.-Latin Lessons, with Latin grammar, five lessons
per week; Anatomy and Hygiene, five lessons per week ; Latin
Grammar, five lessons per week; Algebra, five lessons per week;
Lectures by Principal, on Morals, Manners, etc., once per week, during year; Rhetoric, once per week. during year; l{eading and Vocal

·----------------------------.---------------124

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Cincinnati High Schools.

Examinations.

Music; Composition and Declamation, by Sections, once in three
weeks.

COLLEGE CLASS.

SECOND YEAR.

FmST SESSION.-Latin Lessons completed, with Latin Grammar,
five lessons' per week; Geometry, five lessons per week; Natural
Philosophy, to Pneumatics, five lessons per week.
SECOND SESSION.-Cresar, three Books, or Sallust, one Book, four
lessons per week; Geometry, to Book IX., five lessons per week ·;
Natural Philosophy, completed, five lessons per week; Re;<ling,
Elemental Sounds, one exercise per week ; Rhetoric and Vocal
Music, one exercise per week ; Composition and Declamation, by
Sections, once in three weeks.
THIRD YEAR.

FIRST SESSION.-Chemistry, five lesRons per week; Virgil's 1Eneid,
three Books, four lessons per week; German or French, four lessons
per week ; Algebra and Spherics, completed, five lessons per week.
SECOND SESSION.-·Cicero, three Orations, four lessons per week;
German or French , four lessons per week; Chemistry, five lessons
per week; Trigonometry, completed, five lessons per week; Constitution of the United States, completed, one exercise per week ;
Ren.ding , Rhetoric, and Vocal Music, one exercise per week; Composition and Declamation, by Sections, once in three weeks.
FOUI~TH

YEAR.

FIRST SESSION.-Horace, five Satires and the Ars Poetic.'1., four lessons per week; German or French, four lesso ns per week ; Astronomy completed, five lessons per week; Physical Geography nnd
Geology completed, fiv e lessons per week; Moral Philosophy, by
Lectures, one exercise per week ; Logic, completed, one exercise
per week.
s~:COND SESSION.-German or French, four lessons per week; Mental Philosophy, completed, five lessims per week; General History,
completed , five lessons per week; Navigation and Surveying, completed, five lessons per week; Evidences of Christianity, by Lectures, one exercise per week; Critical Readings, Vocal Music, one
exercise per week; Composition, by Sections, once in three weeks;
Original Addresses.

125

Jn view of preparntion to enter college, this class is permitted to
substitute the following studies for the regular ones, in the fourth
year :
Greek Grammar, completed; Greek Reader, completed; Cicero's
Orations, six in number; Virgil's 1Eneid, six Books; Cwsar or Sallust, completed.

ADMISSION TO HIGH SCHOOLS.
John S. Hart, LL. D., formerly ,principal of the
Philadelphia High School, is entitled to the credit
of having first peifected a thorough and satisfactory
system of examining candidates for admission to a
high school.* The main features of the method employed by Mr. Hart in the P,hiladelphia High School,
nearly twenty years ago, have since been extensively
adopted, with various minor changes, in all parts of
the country.
The following is an outline of the form of examination adopted in Chicago.
On the morning of the examination a card is presented to each candidate, with a number written on
it by which the candidate is known during the day.
On the back of this card are printed several directions and explanations.

* The Reports of Mr. Hart, for the years 1846 and 1850, were
documents of uncommon value, containing elaborate and graphic
sketches of the organization and management of a large high
school: with an extended course of study.
~

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126

FOR GRA.DED SCHOOLS.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

Admission to High School. .

Examinations.

·I
· · · · · · · · · · . .. · HIGH SCHOOL.
EXA!UINATION
FOR

ADMISSION.
Number -- ---------

DIRECTIONS TO CANDIDATES.
1. Throughout the examination, you will he known only by
the number on the opposite •ide of thb card .
·
2. Do not write your nnme upon any of your exerci sc8.
3. Write your num ber very plainly at tbe u pper !eft- hnnd
corner of each exerci se ; your age in yearn and mouths at the
npper right-hand corn er; and the date iu the middle so that
they will all be on th e •nme line.
'
4. Yon cnn mnke any use of slates and pencils while preparing
your answers ; but th e answers on the paper which yon puss in
mu st all he written in ink.
5. Number each nnswer to correspond with the number of the
qu e•tion, leaving for this purpose n margin on tbe left of each
page.
6. Avoid all communi cation wi t h other cand idates.
'.· Be careful not to lose t.his card. Candidate• admitted will
brmg their curds with them at the opening of the school.

127

Small slips of paper are next qistributed among
the candidates, on which they write their names
and the numbers on their cards, These papers are
collected and immediately .locked in one of the
desks till after the Board has .decided on the admissions. They are then used to identify the successful
applicants.
.After· attending tO . these . preliminaries, the candidates are·distribu:ted in different rooms, and arranged
at separate desks, so as to prevent, as far as possible,
any opportunity for communication with one another. Each candidate is furnished with a slate and
pencil, and with pen, ink, and paper. The questions for the first exercise, previously prepared by
the superintendent, or by the teachers of the high
school, are now distributed at the same moment in
all the rooms, and the candidates are allowed a definite time to write out their answers,-usually from
an hour to an hour and a half, according to the
number and difficulty of the questions. Every effort
is made to put the candidates as much at ease ae
possible, and to secure them from all unnecessary
embarrassment. If they do not understand any of
the requirements, or lack any little convenience
for writing out their work, . they are requested to
make known their difficulties with the utmost freedom. When the time appointed for the first exercise expires, the answers written by the candidates
are collected together, whether completed or not,
and the next set of questions is distributed as before,
and so on, through the day.

I
128

129

COURSR OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Admission to High School.

Adnn"sion to High School.

Besides the teachers of the high school, on whom
the examination chiefly devolves, one or more members of the Board of Education and the superintendent are also in attendance during a portion or
all of the examination, but no other spectators are
admitted.
Most of the labor still remains to be performed,
after the candidates are dismissed. Several days are
now spent by the teachers in examining the papers
that have been written. Every answer is read with
care, and its value, estimated · on a scale of 100, is
marked in the margin. The sum of these estimates
standing against the several answers on any one
paper, divided by the number of questions assigned,
gives the (J/l)emge for that exercise. The averages of
each candidate, in all the different branches, are set
against the card-number by which he is known during the examination; but the averages in arithmetic
and English grammar are multiplied by two when
they are entered, because the examination in these
branches affords a safer test of the candidate's ability
t.o sustain a position in the high school than the examination in branches that are more mechanical, or
that depend more upon the pupil's memory, and less
upon his powers of reasoning and judging. The sum
of the averages no\v standing against any number,
divided by the number of branches increased by
two, gives the geneml average of the candidate designated by this number. To render the result of the
examination still more reliable, the teachers usually
select th e papers of all the candidates whose general

averages are within five or ten per cent. of the lowest
rank that will probably be admitted, whether above
or below, and revise the estimates with special care.
This measure insures the correction of any slight
errors that may have occurred in estimating the
answers of any candidate who could possibly be
affected by such errors. The names of the candidates are never seen by any one, from the time when
they are received on the morning of the examination
till after this revision of estimates, and the final decision of the Board upon the ad missions.
As the question of a candidate's admission or rejection depends entirely upon the general ave1·age of
his examination, it is hardly possible that injustice
should be done to any of the applicants. There are
frequent cases in which candidates are not able to
do justice to themselves j and these instances would
be far more numerous if the ' examinations were con- ducted orally. A large number and variety of experiments have been tried by different boards of
examiners, and they have almost invariably resulted
in the decision that written examinations afford the
most reliable test of qualifications, and are on the
whole the most just and satisfactory to all parties.
If any instance occurs in which an applicant is
supposed to be rejected for insufficient reasons, the
answers on which this rejection is based are always
on file at the school, or at the office of the Board
of Education, in the applicant's own hand, and can
be examined at any time by the candidate or his
friends.

130

COURS~:

OF INSTIWCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

131

School Records.

School Records.

In estimating the examinations in reading, each
candidate is requested to read two short passages,
o:ne in poetry and one in prose. · The estimates in
penmanship are based upon the written answers that
are given in other branches.

inaccurate that very little practical benefit can be
derived from them. In others they are so complicated and minute, that teachers find it impossible to
devote the time requir~d by them, without neglecting other important duties.*
Such records only should be required as will be
of some practical value or general interest, and the
greatest care should be taken to make the directions
for keeping them so plain and explicit that even an
inexperienced teacher, with ordinary care, will be in
no danger of falling into errors.
The three essential elements of the records which
are designed more particularly to aid the teacher in
raising the standard of scholarship and discipline,
are attendance, scholarship, and deportment.
In respect to the records from which the general
summaries are prepared at the close of the year, it
is to be regretted that so little uniformity exists in
different cities and towns. The practice of exchanging school reports now prevails in all parts of the
country, and comparisons are , constantly made respecting the cost of instruction, regularity of attendance, etc.; but the data from which these results are
obtained are so different in different places that the
comparisons; in a majority of cases, are entfrely unreliable. In one city or town the cost of instruction

SCHOOL RECORDS.
[The importance of securing greater uniformity in school statistics
hns long been folt, nnd num erous cducationnl reports have sent out
earn est calls for improvements in the method• of making and pre,erving school record•. · The report of Cincinnati for 1856, by A. J . Ri ck off,
E "q., Superintendent of Schools, contained several valuable reconunendntions on this subject.
Th e following views were embodied in the author's aununl report for
1858-9, in the hcipe that by prese nting in tangible form the lending objects to be sought, and offering a few practical suggestions respect ing
the best menus to he employed, one step of actual progress wonld be
mnd e in lessening the evils thut existed. Severn! important efforts in
th e 'ame direct ion have since b een made by school officers and educational conventions, and it is now safe to sny that con~idernbl e progress
has been made toward the accomplishment of the desired end.]
THE subject of school records demands more careful attention from teachers and school directors than
it has hitherto received. If the records of a school
are properly kept, in the hands of a judicious teacher
they become an important auxiliary to .the healthful
discipline and progress of the school, and at the close
of a term or year the general summaries and averages affo:vd 'valuable information respecting the character and success of the school, and its just claims to
continued favor and. support.
In many schools the records are so nieager or so

* "School statistics ·a re far inferior, in ·compl eteness and accuracy,
to the commercial, ma11ufacturing, and agricultural statistics of the
day. It ought not to be so; for certainly the products of the schoolroom can vie in value with the products of th e farm or the factory.' '
-A. J. RWkojf, Superintendent of Sch~, Cincinnati.

I,
j.
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School Records.

for each scholar is based on the average nwnber enrolled during the year, and in another on the whole
niimber. In one, the cost of instruction embraces
all the expenditures for school purposes, including
permanent investments; in another, it includes the
current expenses for tuition, supplies, and repairs,
together with five or six per cent. on the whole valuation of the school estates, which is regarded as
rent; and in a third it includes only tuition, supplies, and repairs.
In one city or town, a pupil who is absent from
school a single week, is marked as left, and his absences no longer affect the att.endance averages. In
another, the name of a pupil is crossed from the roll
when he has been absent two weeks; in another,
when he has been absent a month; and there are
instances in which the absences continue to count to
the end of the term, even though th e pupil may have
left at the close of the first week.
Of the various statistical results which are embodied in the reports of different cities and towns,
the following are generally regarded as the most
important:
1. Average number belonging.
2. Average daily attendance.
3. Per cent. of daily attendance on average number belonging.
4. Whole number of different scholars.
5. Expense per scholar on average number belonging.
The first of these, the average number belonging,

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

133

School Records

is, in many respects, the most important of the five.
It is the basis of all reliable estimates in regard to
the accommodations required, the number of teachers, and the expense of sustaining the schools.
The point which chiefly concerns us in this connection, is the condition on which a pupil shall forfeit his seat in school. If we can secure uniformity
of practice in this particular, one important object
will be accomplished. In the public schools of
Chicago, when a pupil is suspended from school by
any of the rules of the Board of Education, he is
re~orcled as having left, and in all other cases, when
a pupil is absent more than five consecutive schooldays, he is recorded as having left-the date of leaving being at the close of the fifth day. This rule is
adopted, not because we have any very strong preference for the exact period of one week, but because
this limit is found on trial to be as convenient as
any other, and because it 1s the period adopted in
many other cities.
•
The second item of the foregoing list, average daily
attendance, is easily obtained, and the practice of different cities and towns is nearly uniform in regard
to it.
The per cent. of daily attendance on the average
1~umber belonging is, in most cases, a pretty safe
index to the general character and progress of the
school. The accuracy of this result depends mainly
upon the accuracy of the record from which the average number belonging is obtained.
The whole nurnber ef diffe1·ent sch:olars, when com12

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School Records~

School RecorcJH ..

pared with the average number belonging, shows
approximately the per cent. of changes that take
place in the membership of a school. This per cent.
varies greatly in different places.
The cost of instruction p er scholar is an item of
speeial importance, and it is to be regretted that so
little uniformity has heretofore prevailed in respect
to the manner of obtaining it. That this estimate
should properly be based on the average number belonging, and not on the wlwle number of different
scholars during the year, nor on the average daily
attendance, must, I think, be evident to any one who
will carefully examine the subject. The wlwle munber of d·ijf'erent sclwlan may vary from year to year
to any extent, without affecting materially the munber of .seats required, or the number of teachers, or
the actual expense of sustaining the schools, p rovided
the average number belon,qing remains unchanged.
In a city having accommodations for 10,000 scholars,
the whole numbel."of different pupils may be swelled
by constant changes to 20,000, without increasing
the actual enroll ment at any time beyond the m•iginal 10,000. If, now, we estimate the cost of instruction per scholar on the whole number enrolled,
it will appear to be only one lialf as great as it would
if the membership of the school remained unchanged.
Here, then, is an apparent reduction of on e half the
co~t of instruction per scholar, without any reduction
whatever in the actual expenditures. The trnth is,
the city is taxed for the instru ction of 10,000 children, and not for the instruction of 20,000, and the

135

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

estimates should be ma.d e to correspond with the
facts .
.So also of the average attendance j it may be high
or low but so long as the average number belonging
is the ~ame, the labor and expense are but slightly
affected. Each pupil enrolled as a member of the
school, must have a seat, whether present or absent.
In some cases, two separate averages are made,
one O'iving the cost per scholar on the average number b~longing, and the other on the whole number.
To this practice there can be no objection, as it will
not be likely to mislead.
The foregoing suggestions respecting school records, arc presented in the hope that they may contribute, in some degree, to the introduction of greater
uniformity of practice in this important department
of school economy.
At a meeting of the National Teachers' Association,
held at Buffalo, in 1860, a valuable report on sehool
statistics was · presented by 0. S. Pennell, Esq., of
St. Louis, chairman of a special committee appointed for this object at a previous meeting. The following extracts are copied from Mr. Penncll's report:

.

.

"The committee have conesponded with supenntenrlents and
teachers, and have examined school reports as extensively as they
have been able. They find the sentim ent very prevalent that our
school statistics, as now collected and presented. have far less val1'.e
than they ought to possess; and they are compelled to believe thrn
sentiment founded in truth. This does not., however, in the least
dimini 8 h our estimate of the value of reliable records, nor weak<o:n
our confidence that our school records may serv.e a very valuable
purpose. Theoretic views must be subjected to actual trial, and

136

137

COURST•: OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

School Records.

School Records.

the resu lts of the trials can be presented in no better way than in
statistic<1.l tables.

"We would suggest the following modes of determining who are
members, as either of them would be b~ter than the present want
of method:
"1st. That, without the present attempt at uniformity, the school
r eport should always contain an intelligible account of the method
by which the 'average number belonging' is obtained. The consideration of these different methods will have a tendency, year by
year, to produce uniformity . Or,
"2d. That the account of membership, for this purpose, be entirely disconnected from the exclusions from school which are of a
penal kind; and that, whatever the cause of the absence may be,
decease alone being excepted, the pupil be considered a member for
a certain number of days , say four, after he has ceased to attend
that on the fifth driy the name be dropped."

*

*

*

*

*

*

"The record of attendance must embrace the following particulars,
and may be much extended.
" 1st. Whole number of pupils enrolled during the year.
. "'~bis must not be confounded with the whole number in the
distnct or town of legal age to attend school, as shown by the
census.
"2d. Number tram/erred during the year.
"These names will ha,·e been entered twiee, and th eir number
must be deducted from the first item in order to give the number
of different pupils that have attended dmino- the year.
"3d . A verage nmnber belonging to the school or
" town.
"4th. Average daily attendance.
"In order that these statistics may possess value, the original ent1'ies
must be correct. '~his , it is believed, h as too often not been the case.
Tl~e records required by committees and superintendents, instead of
.bemg few a nd simple, have often been complex nnd voluminous
and teachers s~eing li ttle use made of them, have grown negligent'.
The popular distru st which has arisen in consequ ence of carelessness, has been urged as nn excuse for continued want of care.
CaHes are found in which tho nvcrnge t\ttendance is greater than tbe
wl}ole number registe•·ed, and also greater than the number of
seats in the building. Such want of care adm its of no justification.
Correctness is th e demand of honestv.
" Th~ meaning of the several headinds should be made perfectly obvious.
There is oftener fault in this particular than those who make the
forms and reports are aware of.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

The following extract is taken from the report of
a committee of the Massachusetts State Teachers
Association, prepared by John D- Philbrick, Esq.,
Superintendent of Schools, Boston:

*

"·we believe t~e 'average number belonging' to be the proper
number for all estimates of expenses, per cent. of attendance, nuru~er of pupils to a teacher, etc. We find no dissent from this opinion where we have been able to consult.
"How shall the 'average number belonging' to the school b
determined? To obtain the 'whole number of names enrolled' i:
easy; so of the 'average attendance;' but with this quite otherwise.

*

,.

•

"To ascertain the average whol e num her belonging with uniformit.y and oxuotnoss, is the most difficult matter connected with educ11tional statistics. The percentage of attendance based on this, and
ascertained by dividing the average daily attendrince by the a verage
whol e number belonging, is what has been aptly denominated, by
the late president of this association, .in an article on the subject, in
the March number of th e ./Jfassachusetts Teacher, the true merit of att endance . Now this percentage may be increased in two ways;
first , by making the dividend as lnrge as possible, that is, the daily
attendance ; and so far as teachers and scholars are concerned, all
the merit li es here. As a general rule, the attendance of a pupil
should not b'l,. counted, unless he iR presen t during the session, or
long enough fo substantially accomplish the work of the session."

In 1860, Ira Divoll, Esq., Superintendent of St.
Louis Public Schools, issued a circular on this subject to superintendents and school commissioners,
from which the following extracts are taken:
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COURSE OF l!\STRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

School Records.

School Records.

"Reg1st-ratio11 of Pupil.s and Attendance.-This portion of statisti cal
matter should embrace" 1. The whole number of pupils enroll ed, of each sex (exclu si ve
of duplicate registrnti ons m u>ed by transferring).
"2. The average number belonging, for the year.
" 3. Th e avernge number in daily at ten da nce, for .the year.
"Thetharacte1· of th e attendance of pupils determines the degree of usefuln ess of schools. Records of tardin ess and punctuality
are also important.
" Th e ages of tb e pupils enrolled are important in determining
the standing and g rades of different schools. It is also desirabl e to
know the minimum a nd maximum ages at which pupils are adm itted
to school in different cities.
"Statbtics showing th e number of children r epresented by parents in particular occupati ons, are valuable in detenninin" Eis
nearly as possible, to wha t deg ree the ditfer~nt classes of so~lety
avail th e m ~ elv e s of th e advantages of public schools.
"The nativity of children is important enough to be noted in
school reports. The degree of homogeneity among the scholars
has its influence on the standin g of the sch.ool.
" Th e nun1ber of pupils in different studies also determines the
grade and standing of the schools.
"Whenever evening schools are a part of the public-school system , they should be as carefully and relia bly reported as the day
schools.
" A cl ear distinction should be made in items of cost, between
those for th e schools proper, and for other purposes.
"If any thing U>eful is to come from comparir;g the school statistics of one city with th os!' of another, they must not only be
correct, but th ey must be uniform . Suppose the average number
of pupils belo11gi11g (as this is the number for which accommodations
and instruction must be provided) , be taken as th e basis for est iinating _cos.t, ,th e qu ~.stion at . once . a'rises, ' Ho~v shii.1:1 . this average
numt>er belonging to school be deterrnined ?'·After a child has been register~ d as n me111ber of the school, when , and for what causes, slrall
his connection be severed ; and how Jong shall he be con:<idered
a member while he is absent? Shall his name be stricken from the
roll immediately, or shall it remain for a day, a week, a month, or
a qmuter? Shall the reasons of his absence be considered in deter-

139

mining this matter? He may· be ab:<ent on account of tr_u~r~cy,
sickness of himself, sickne:<s in th e family, doing errands, vrsrtmg,
working, ancl a vari ety of excuses .
" The rules on this subject, in St. Louis , are as follows:
"1. A pupil may he suspend ed (not expel.led) ~or a variety of
causes, and while under suspension his name JS stncken from the
roll.
"2. If a pupil has deceased, or has positively left th e city without the intention of returning, his name is stricken from the rnll
immedi n.tely .
.
.
.
"3. If his continued absence is caused by Ins own sickness, his
nam e is retained on the roll for one week, and no lon ger ..
''4. For all' other· causes of absence , and wh en no cause 1s known
to th e teach er, the name is dropped from the record after two days,
if the pnpil do not return.
.
"These regul n.tions are strictly observed rn our schools; the
number belonging. th e number present, and th e per ce11t. of attendance,
are recorded every half-day in every ~epartment. "

USE OF SCHOOL RECORDS.

A judicious use of the Class-Book, in which a record is made of the pupil's standing and progress
from day to day, is one of the most importa~t i~­
strumentalities that teachers can bring to then· aid
in securing punctual attendance and an elevated
standard of scholarship and deportme,nt. · The consciousness that these elements of character and
scholarship .are perinanently record ed, is an abiding
and po.tent influence with every pupil who has I~ot
lost :;tll self-respect and all r egard for the good opmion of his friends.
N 0 other ao-ency has yet been devised, which is
b
l
.
half so effective as this in preventing t 1e necessity
for resorting to corporal punishment in school. If a

144

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Self-Reliance.

SELF~RELIANCE.

THE two great objects of intellectual education,
are mental discipline and the acquisition of knowledge. The highest and most important of these
objects is mental discipline, or the power of using
the mind to the best advantage. The price of this
discipline is effort. No man ever yet made intellectual progress without intellectual labor. It is
this alone that can strengthen and invigorate the
noble faculties with which we are endowed.
How~ver much we may regret that we do not live
a century later, because we can not have the benefit
of the improvements that are to be made during the
next hundred years, of one thing we may rest assured, that intellectual eminence will be attained
during the 20th century just as it is in the 19th-by
the labor ef the brain. We are not to look for any
new discovery or invention that shall supersede the
necessity of mental toil ; we are not to desire it. If
we had but to supplicate some kind genius, and he
would at once endow us with all the knowledge in
the universe, the gift would prove a curse to us, and
not a blessing. We must have the discipline of acquiring knowledge, and in the manner established
by the Author of our being. Without this discipline
our intellectual stores would be worse than useless.
The general law of intellectual growth is manifestly this ;-whatever may be the mental power

FOR GRA DRD SCHOOLS.

Self. Rdiance.

which we at any time possess, it requires a repetition of mental efforts, equal in degree to those
which we have put forth before, to prevent actual
deterioration. Every considerable step of advance
from this point must be by a new and still higher
intellectual performance.
There are many impediments in the path of the
student, which it is desirable to remove; but he
who attempts to remove all difficulties, or as many
of them as possible, wars against the highest law of
intellectual development. There can not be a more
fatal mistake in education, than that of a teacher who
adopts the sentiment, that his duty requires him to
render the daily tasks of his pupils as easy as possible.
There is, perhaps, no error in our schools at the
present time more deeply seated or more widely extended than the ruinous practice of aiding pupils in
doing work which it is all-important they should do
for themselves. Our progress in the art of cultivating habits of earnest, independent thought, has not
k ept pace with our improvements in other departments of education. Familiar explanations, and
illustrations, and simplifications, and dilutions, too
often spare the pupil the labor of thinking for himself, and thus dwarf the intellect, and defeat the
highest object for which our schools are established.
To secure from a pupil the solution of a difficult problem will often cost time which the teacher can
ill afford; it may often cost more effort to secure a
solution from the pupil, than it costs the pupil to do
the work. The pupil has tried the problem, and
13

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145

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COURSE OF INSTlWCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Self-Reliance.

Self-Reliance.

satisfied himself that he is not able to solve it; the
teacher may be satisfied that the pupil can perform
it, but if he can not make the pupil think so too, it
will be difficult to bring his best energies to bear
upon it; and even after the pupil is persuaded -that
he is able to accomplish the task, it may still be
necessary for the teacher to adopt special measures
to set the pupil's mind at work. The pupil may
have the ability to solve the problem; he may believe that he has this ability; and he may have a.
willing mind; and, after all, fail entirely of doing it.
And this brings to view what must be regarded as
the highest gift of the teacher: namely, the ability
to teach his pupils bow to think and act, without
doing their thinking and acting for them.
When a pupil has failed to overcome an obstacle,
his mind may often be quickened to action by requesting him to explain the steps he has taken.
"Great thoughts,'' says Dr. Channing, "are never
fully possessed till he who has conceived them has
given them fit utterance." So with a pupil attempting to surmount a difficulty; the very effort required
to express a · thought in language often aids materially in grasping the thought itseif.
A scholar had become discouraged over a difficult
question. He had gone through the solution again
and again, but could not obtain the answer sought.
The teacher availed himself of a favorable opportunity, and requested the pupil to go through the work
slowly and carefully in his presence. As the pupil
proceeded the teacher required him to explain each

step of the process; and when he reached the point
where his previous error occurred, as the teacher
asked him to give his reason, the pupil's eye :flashed
with delight and he exclaimed, "I see my mistake!"
Without further assistance he soon reached a correct
result. The teacher had not furnished the slightest
l1int in 'respect to the solution of the problem. He
had only taken measures which brought the pupil's
own strength to bear upon it.
There are, however, peculiar cases which no such
method will reach. The pupil may be required to
repeat his solution a hundred times, in the presence
of the teacher or alone, with reasons or without, and
all to no purpose. The result, if he reaches one, is
sum to be wrong. It is not time, even now, for the
teacher to give over in despair. Let him ask the
pupil such questions as will call to mind the principles which he has occasion to apply, and, in a majority of cases, the pupil will need no further aid.
The same end may usually be gained by giving
the pupil an example involving the difficulty over
which he has stumbled, but less complicated in
other respects ; or by giving him several examples,
leading gradually to the main obstacle to be overcome. I b elieve the cases . are exceedingly rare in
which minds properly disciplined would ever be
benefited by direct assistance, in an ordinary course
of mathematical study. But if it be thought best,
in extreme cases, to afford this assistance, let the
pupil, by all mean s, be req nired to npeat tlie prncess, after the teacher's work has been entirely

147

148

COU RS F. OF I NSTRUCTION

Sel f-Relian ce _

erased; and thu s derive, at least, the benefi t of rep r·odud11g, though he has not th e power to 01·iginate.
The teacher will find it a highly useful exercise
to give his pupils an occasional model ef thinlcing.
Let him take a problem to the blackboard and
tltink aloud as he proceeds with the sol ution; s~ that
the pupils may ·witness the action of the teacher's
mind, and obser ve the questions he asks himself, and
the various associations and comparisons that ari se,
as he advances from step to step in th e process.
I ar:n aware that in many school s the teachers can
not dwell upon particular points with the same deg ree
of thoroughness that I have recommend ed · but this
' whi ch
does not affect th e importance of the principle,
should be applied wh enever the circumstan ces permit.
In most of our school s pnpi ls indulge, to a greater
or less extent, in th e practice of assisting one another
in th e solution of.difficult questions. I need not say
that we should labor most assi du ousl y to eradicate
this injurious practi ce. Pnpils should be taught to
r egard it as dishonorable, either to assist others or
to receive assistance, except und er the special cognizance and direction of the teacher.
Permit me, in this conn ection, to allude to one of
t~e helps kindly furni shed by a large class of publishers and authors, for the special ben efit of teachers; bnt which many pupils have thought to be
quite as well suited to their wants as to the wants
of instructors. I refer to printed keys
con tainirw
• '
0
solutions of all the more difficult problems in arithmetic and other branches of mathematics.

F OR GRADED SCHOOLS.

149

Self-Reliance.

There are undoubtedly cases in which the time of
.. the teacher is so limited that it is necessary for him
to resort to th e use of a key ; but with pupils their
effect is always injurious, sapping the very foundation of every thing adapted to promote manly, indep endent thought. Even with teachers who are comp ell ed to r esort to the use of keys for the purpose of
saving time, it must be confessed that th e tendency
of th e practice is to r ender instruction superficial.
The very best that can be said of them is that they
are necessary evils.*
The practice of introducing young children to the
study of English grammar as a science, and assigning
them daily lessons to be prepared from a text-book,
is exceedingly injurious in its influence upon their
mental habits. A thorough and intelligent analysis
of the structure of language is beyond the capacity
of children eight or nin e years of age.
Instruction in the use of language should be commenced as soon as children enter school, and all the
primary classes should have frequent oral and written exercises in cultivating this important art; but
the practice of requiring pupils under ten years of
age to prepare set lessons from a grammatical textbook, often accomplishes little more than to form and
strengthen the habit of studying without thinking.
•I refer. in these remarks, to kers that contnin th e solu tion of
difficult questi ons, nnd not to those which contni u on ly the an.1wers
of the probl ems No such evils could nri~e from the use of keys
containing an 8wen; only .

13*

150

'

-

COURSE OF I NSTRUCTION

F OR GRADED SCHOOLS.

'ielf-Reliance.

Self-Reliance.

Few of us have any just conception of the latent
energies of our own minds. It was e1oquently said
by Prof. B. B. Edwards, that "Genius lies buried on
our mountains and in our valleys;" and he might
with equal truth have added, that genius lies buried
in our schools and colleges.
A successful teacher, of many years' experi ence,
was accustomed to say to hi s pupils that he did not
believe their average intellectual progress was ever
half so great as they were capable of making. But
it would be absurd to suppose that pupils do not
generally devote half so much time to study as their
duty requires. Most of the pupils in our higher
seminaries study too many hours in a day already.
The loss is in the mannM' of studying. The mind is
not perfectly abstracted from every thing except the
subject in hand. The mental energies are not all
aroused and concentrated on a single poin t.
A young man was employed, some years ago, as
an assistant teacher in a flourishing New England
academy. Among the classes which he was ealled
to instruct was one composed most1y of old er pupils,
in Day's Algebra. He had been over the greater
part of this text-hook before, but there were two or
three problems which he had never been able to
solve. There was one in particular on which he had
already tried his strength a number of times without
success. His class was now rapidly approaching
·this portion of the boc'k, and he must be prepared
for any emergency. He accordingly set himself at
work, and devoted several hours to the un solved

-- - - ---

151

., problem; but still the desired result was as far frorn
hi s grasp as ever.
.
.
Mortifying as the alternative was, h e decided at
length to go to one of the teachers ~f the school, and
ask for assistance. The teacher kmdly engaged to
examine the question, but r emarked that it was some
time since he had been over this portion of th e work,
and he really was not quite sure that the method of
sol vin ()" it would readily occur to him. The class
had n~w reaehed the section in which his difficulty
occurred, and there was no time to be lost. After
waiting one or two days the problem was returned
to him, without a solution . What could be done?
To go before his class and acknowledge that he was
unable to master it, would be to lose caste at once.
The necessity of the case suggested one more expedient. He had a friend, in an adjoining city, who
was quite distingmshed as a teache: of math.ematics.
To the house of his friend he now directed his course
with as little delay as possible, but on arriving he
learn ed that his friend had left the city and would
not return for several days.
His last hope had fled, and his heart sunk within
him. With a burden of chagrin and mortification
that was almost insupportable, he commenced retracing his steps. "What," thought he to himself,
" am I doino-? Why am I here?" And his steps
gradually qcickened, as the excitement o~ hi~ mind
in creased. He walked a few moments rn silence ;
but his emotions soon found audible utterance. " I
can so.lve the problem," he said, with emphatic ges-

152

COUltS~;

OF INSTRUO'J'ION

Self-Reliance.

ture, "and I will solve it!" He went to his room
seated himself at his table, and did not rise till the'
task was accomplished.
This single triumph was worth more to him than a
year of ordinary tuition, and the pleasure it afforded
seemed to liim like the -concentration of a life of bliss.
The solution was written out in full, and at the end
of it there still stands a memorandum of the date
and the hour of the night when the desired answer
was obtained.
If we examine the intellectual efforts of our pupils
we shall probably find that nine-tenths of them fall
•below the maximum of their own previous efforts,
and can not therefore be taken into the account in
estimating their intellectual progress.
Two pupils of equal .abilities have the sam e lesson to prepare for recitation. One •accomplishes
the task by putting forth twenty distinct mental
efforts. Eighteen of these cost him no greater energy
or activity
of mind than he has often hrouO'ht
•
•
l:>
mto exercise before. The other two relate to difficulties which can not be overcome without efforts
one degree liiglie1' than any that he has previonsly
made. But the appearance of new difficulties only
stimulates his mind to action, and the task is accomplished.
The other pupil puts forth the eighteen efforts that
come within the range of his ·previous attainments,
and leaves the two difficulties which would cost a
new effort, to be explained at the recitation. To a
superficial observer, these two pupils may seem to

FOR GJiADED SCHOOLS.

153

Self-Reli.rnce.

" progress in the ratio of 20 to 18; but the true philosopher will tell us that their progress, so far as
intellectual growth is concerned, is in the ratio of
2 to 0.
It is our misfortune that we have no means of
measuring and recording from day to day the successive steps of mental growth. Heat and cold, the
lapse of time; the speed of lightning, are made tangible, and measured with ease and exactness. W c
can even form a tolerably correct estimate of the
amount of knowledge acquired in a single day or
hour; but our estimates of progress in intellectual
strength are exceedingly uncertain and often fallacious. It is to be feared that we often give our
pupils credit for having passed a very profitable
day in school, when they have actually deteriorated
in mental power. We are in danger of forgetting
that they may add to their stores of knowledge, without increasing their intellectual strength.
Let me here suggest the importance of having
lessons recited by pupils, and not by teachers.
Many teachers fall into the habit of supplying all
the ellipses made by their pupils during recitation.
A pupil rises in his place with an air of assurance,
and proceeds with a full voice till he meets with
some trifling difficulty, when the teacher supplies
the desired word or hint, and the pupil proceeds as
before, till another difficulty arises, and the teacher
again comes to his aid.
In this way a very fair recitation is made out;
and neither teacher nor pupil appears to know that

154

comm~;

OF INSTRUCTION

Se! f. Reliance.

I

i

if the pupil had been left to stand independent and
alone he would have made almost an entire failure.
. The prac.tic~ of asking questions that suggest,
directly or rndirectly, the desired answer, has been
exposed and condemned again and again in educational conventions and educational journals, but it
has not yet been banished from the school-room.
Man~ teachers who are careful to avoid leading
questions, still ask altogether too rnany questions.
Instead of giving the pupil a general topic, and expecting him to exhaust it, they kindly throw in a
number of additional questions, to draw out the
particulars which the pupil ought to associate with
the main thought, and present in full without this
.
'
aid. Younger pupils require more questions than
those more advanced; but even younger pupils
should be allowed to carry some portion of a recitation without assistance. See ante, p. 99, § 94.
Let me not be misunderstood in the views I have
expressed respecting the importance of requirinopupils to rely upon their own resources. The fir:t
germs of knowledge must come from without, and
not ~rom within, and ver~ mnch of the knowledge
a~qu1red by younger classes, must be imparted
directly by teachers and others. There are many
branches of learning which we must all derive, in a
greater or less degree, from teachers and books.
The treasures of knowledge that have been accumulating for nearly 6000 years, are not to be r ejected
nor lightly esteemed. They are a precious i~herit­
ance; but he who contents himself in idleness and

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

155

Self. Reliance.

ease, and neglects to put his inheritance to usury,
will find that his riches are little better than shadows .
, But there are other departments of study, in which
the value of our acquisitions depends almost entirely
upon the action of our own minds; and it is upon
these branches that we depend in a great degree for
intellectual growth. Here, then, I would apply
most rigidly the rule-never do for a pupil what he
is capable of doing for himself.
Passive instruction is always attended with danger to the mental habits of pupils. A happy faculty
of explaining and illustrating the principles of a lesson is an exceedingly valuable gift, but it is a gift
that is often exercised to the detrim ent of learners.
·whatever instruction we attempt to impart orally,
should be given in such a manner that it will not
fail to find a lodgment in the mind of the pupil. It
is not sufficient to illustrate principles by examples
and then leave them. ·They may even be understood at the time, and yet not fully possessed. The
learner must go through the process hirnself, to be
sure he is master of it.
Five boys of a class had failed to solve a difficult
example in their less0n. The teacher went to the
blackboard, and explained very carefully the manner in which the work was to be performed. He
th en requested those that understood the explanation to manifest it, and the five hands were all
1)romptly raised. " Well," said the teacher, removing hi s work from the board, "you may all perform
it now on your slates." The effort was made, but

·'

156

COURSE 01<' INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Self-Reliance.

Self-Reliance.

the rt".sult showed that only two of the :five were able
to perform the task. The others were perhaps rio-ht
in saying that they understood the work, as ~he
teacher explained it, step by step, on the board ; but
it was quite another thing to do it.
In our efforts to cultivate habits of self-reliance on
the part of our pupils, one of the best and most feasible measures to which we can resort, is the practice
of introducing frequent written reviews. .
Several topics are written distinctly on the blackboard, and the pupils are required to expand them
as fully .a nd accurately as possible. Each pupil is
seated by himself, and furnished with pen and paper; but receives no assistance, dii-ect or indirect,
from either teacher or text-book. See ante, p. 31, § 9.
There are too many
teachers who seem to reo-ard
.
5
H as their chief business to exel'cise and develop
their own minds, instead of attending to the minds
of their pupils. There are those who even manage
to sustain a very good degree of popularity, in school
and in the community, by a display of themselves.
"What stores of knowledge he possesses," says one.
"How beautiful his illustrations," · says another.
This display of the teacher's knowledge may serve
for exhibition, but it will prove of little value to the
pupils in after life. The scholar whose attainments
at school are but the echo of what the teacher has
learned, will be sure to become one of that large
class of citizens whose opinions and actions are
always governed by those who have the independence to think and act for themselves.

157

I have dwelt at considerable length upon the subject of this article, because I believe that very few
'pupils are taught to rely sufficiently upon their own
resources, and because I believe that many_ of the
·modern appliances in schools militate directly against
the accomplishment of this object.
A few brief quotations will close the article.
"One prelimirniry trnth is to be kept steadily in vjew in all the
processes of teaching, and in the preparation of all its instruments,
viz., that though much may be done by others to aid, yet the
effective labor must be performed by the learner himself."-Horace
Mann.

"Alas! how many examples are now present to our memory, of
young men the most anxiously and expensively be-schoolmastered,
be-tutored, be-lectnred, any thing but educated; who have received
arms and ammunition , instead of skill, strength, and courage ; varnished rather than polished ; perilously over-civilized, and most
pitiably uncultivated! And all from inattention to the method
dictated by nature herself, to the simple truth, that as the forms in
all organized existence, so must all true and living knowledge proceed from within; that it may be trained, supported, fed, excited,
but can never be infused or impressed ." -Coleridge.
"A man can no more learn by the sweat of another man's brains
than he can take exercise by getting another man to walk for him.
All mental improvement resolves itself ultimately into self-improve-

ment."-Dr. Booth, qf Wandsworth, England.
"The prevailing notion, that we must be taught every thing, is
a great evil. The most extensive education given by the most
skillful masters often produces but inferior characters; that alone
which we give to ourselves elevates us above mediocrity. The
eminence attained by great men is al ways the result of their own
industry." -.Marcel.
•' The first error in education is teaching men to imitate, or repeat,
rather than to think. We need to take but a very cursory glance at
the great theater of human life, to know how deep a root this radical error has struck into the foundations of education.''~Mansfield's
American Education.

14

158

THR GRADED SCHOOL.

nrn GltADim SCHOOL.

Importance of Primary Schools.

Primary Teachers.

PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
PmMARY ScHooLs are the basis of our whole system of public instruction. If evils are suffered to
exist here, they will manifest themselves in all the
higher stages of the pupil's progress, and cling to
him through life:X·
"Scratch the gr~en rind of a •npling, or wuntonly twist it in the soil;
The scarred nnd crooked oak will tell of thee for centuries to come."

It is in the Primary Schools that more than half
of all public instruction is imparted, and a large
portion of the d1ildren gathered here do not remain
in school long enough to pass into the higher departments at all.
In most ci_ti es and towns, the Primary Schools
suffer in a greater or less degree from the general
impression that the teachers ocenpy positions less
honorable than those of the teachers in the higher
division!', and perhaps still more from the pecuniary
distinction that is often made in favor of teachers in
the higher grades.
* " As pnrts of n great 8ystem of public instrucfi on, it is scarcely
possibl e to attach too much importance to the Primary Schools.
They ·iire the base of the pyrnmid, anrl in proportion as the bnse is
enlarged iind its funn<fations strengthenerl, the superstructure can
be reared with ease anrl rapidity in graceful proportions, and to a
towering height. "-Report of Boston School Commillee.

159

It is no disparagement to the teachers to say, that
Primary classes are not generally taught so well ~s
classes more advanced.;'" This would probably still
be true if the Primary classes were taught by the
teachers of the upper grades.
Of all the applicants examined by School Directors and Superintendents, there are more who are
found qualified to instruct in the Grammar Schools
than there are ·who are qualified to instruct in the
Primary Schools.t
.
.
To excel as a Primary teacher, reqmres peculiar
natural gifts, a thorough acquaintance with the first
principles of knowledge, special fondness for youn%
children, and an abiding consciousness that there JS
r eally no higher department of useful labor ~han that
of giving direction to the first efforts of rnmds that
are opening to an endless existence.:j:

* "The weakest point in the whole system of American education, is its deficiency in thoroughness in all the elementary courses."
-Dr. Stars.
t "In my search for t eachers to fill vacancies , I fin~ ten q'.ialified
to teach Geometry in a High School, to one who is qnahfied to
teach reading in a Primary School; and in general. it is more difficult to finrl teachers adapted to give instruction in the lower grades,
than in the higher."-A. Freeze, Superilltendent qf Schools, Cleveland.
. t "The best teachers are needed/or Primary Schools. At no point. in
the whole course of study nre the r esults of · incompetent tench mg
so disastrous, ns at the commencement. If utter inexperience or ·
desperate mediocrity must sit at the t eacher's de>k, let it be m1ywhere, every where, save in the Primary School: for anywhere and
everywhere else will its uliility to do irreparabl e mischief be less,
At the subsequent stages of education, the mind etnerging from the
state of implicit trust in the mere dicta of the muster, begins to

"160

THE GRADED SCHOOL.

TllE GRADED SCHOOL.

Personal Intl nence of Teachers.

Primary Teachers.

There is no other grade of schools in which the
pei:sonal ch~racter of the teacher is so directly felt,
as m the Primary. In the Grammar School, lessons
are learned from text-books, and very much of the

pupil's progress is made without the direct assistance
of the teacher. But in the Primary Schools, the
teacher is herself the text-book, the living oracle;
and nearly all the impi:essions received by the pn pil
are a direct reflection from her own mind and heart.
But a teacher may possess every desirable mental
and moral endowment, and yet, if a position in a
Primary School is regarded as secondary in importance, and a situation in a higher department is continually before the mind as an object of ambition
and desire, it is vain to expect the same degree of
success that would be realized if no such distinction existed.
Since the duties of Primary teachers are really
more arduous and responsible than those of teachers
in the high1t· grades, and since most teachers '_vould
prefer situations in the higher grades, even if the
compensation was the same as that of the Primary
teadiers, it would be difficult to find a reason, except in the power of custom, for paying the lowest
salary to teachers of the Primary classes. In St.
Louis Chicago, and several other cities, the salaries
'
are alike in the Grammar and Primary grades. By
applying the same scale of salaries to both departments, the two positions are made equally honorable, and School Directors are enabled to secure for

assert itself, to sift what it receives, and find corrections when they
are _needed-:-but.at the beginning, the mind takes the impress of
the rnstruc t10n given, with unquestioning faith, exact as the print
of the sea~ up.~n. tl1.e wax. Th e position is confidently ass timed,
that the wise. a1sc1phne and sound philosophic mental training of
t'.rn children rn our Primary Schools, is more important and more
difficult than that of any other department; and hence that the
ve'.T best teachers should be assigned to that post of duty. It re·
quires the clearest insight into the laws of mental life and action
and th: spring~ of fe eling, the broadest views of the philosophy of
educ~t10u considered both as a science and au art, and the rarest
combrnation of personal qualities, intellectual , moral , and sociid,
that can well be conceived. ·when such teachers are found, they
should be secured at almost a•1y price. The common notion that
it m~tters little who teaches the little ones, or who is the assi~tant,
pr~v1.ded a.n able man is obtained for the advanced scholars, or for
pnnc1pal,.1s .exceed ingly pernicious. With the exception, perhaps,
of . the principal of a union or graded school, the teachers of the
Pnmary Departments should be the best qtrnlified and the best
paid.'' -Newton Bateman, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Illinois.
'

"Ei;~ecially ~honk! those to whom the educati on of the Primary
classes is committed, be not only competent and apt to teach but
equable, dignified, and gentle in their deportment, kind a nd ~tfoc­
ti~nate in their disposition, accustomed to self·control, and familh-.r
with the wants and peculiarities of the children intrn 8 ted to their
care. As a general rule, much greater m aturity of minct is necessary and desirable for the proper development and di sciplin e of this
class of p1.1pils, than for those of a more advanced grar!e; while , in
the se.lect10n and arrangement of teacher•, the youngest and least
experienced nre most frequently assigned to the duties of the former. ~bile.grenter age, of itself, affords no criterion of ability to
succeed rn tins department of instruction, the judgment, the dispo-

161

.

sition, the temper, and the demeanor of the teacher should be narrowly scrutinized before committing to her guidance t.he intell1 ctual and moral instruction of the elementary classes in our public
schools."-S. S. Rmulall, Superinte!llder.t of Schools, New York.

14"

162

THE GRA DED SCifOOL.

THE GRADED SCHOOL.

Special Trainin g of Teachers.

Prim ary Sch ools Improving .

the pupils or each grade the teachers best qualified
to in stru ct them:xIt is to be regret ted that so few Primary teachers
r eceive any special tmini11 ~ before entering upon
th e p ecu li ar duties of th eir office. They are generally well edu cated, but their ed ncation has been
conducted "·ithout any particular reference to the
positions th ey are called to occupy. I t is seld om
that an examination of teachers occ urs in \rhi ch a
majority of the applicants are not found to be radically defi cient in some of the elemeutary principles
of Primary instruetion. E xampl es are constantly
presented in whi ch a cand id ate who is requested to
gi \'e the sounds of th e letters as th ey oceur in some
common word , repli es, with the utm ost composure,

* " Those nctive sy mpathi es, winnin g wayR , intui'tive perce pti ons,
wom an ly grace arid delicacy, which cap tivate the h earts of al l child ren, 1mit ed with a well-balanced, well-cultivated mind . and a sincere desire to ma ke ch ildren happy, are indi spensabl e to th e success
of th e Prim ary teacher. To secure the•e advantages, teachers mu st
be selec ted with special refe ren ce to the labor to be done; and instead of testing the fitness of teachers for higher grades in the Primary Schoojt', it is res pectfully s ubmitted that it would be wi sest to
begin and work in the oth er direc tion. And let th e scale of wages
b e al so inverted, to co rrespond with th e invert ed order of rank.
Let the best wages be paid to the most successful Primary t eacher .
Trarliti on and r everence for usage h ang heav ily u pon all 6chool
manage ment and all m odes of instruction. but nowhe re are these
m ore con ~p i cuons or more oppressive, than in t he common opinion
th at anybody is competen t to teach th e littl e child."-ill. F. Cowdery, Superintendent of Schools, Sandusln;, Ofiio.
"H requires 1~ nicer tact, more instincti ve tal ent, t o manage sncce~sfully a Primary Sch ool, than one of a hi gh er grade." - Rliode
i sland Stale Cmnmissioner' a Report .

163

that she has never attended to th e sounds of the
letters. Many applicants seem wh olly un eonsciot:s
that there is any necessary connection l~etween the:r
familiar ity with the rudiments of learmn g and then'
fitness to teach a Prima.ry School.
But while the Prinrnry Sehools are sti11 suffering
greatly from th e ev ils whieh I h ave h ere p oin ted
out it is gratif.)rinO' to know that the number of well'
b
l .
.
qu alifi ed -Primary teachers is const ant.)~ rn creasmg.
The attention of ed ucators has been specrnlly turned
to this subject, and a l arge number of model Primary
teachers are now found in every section of th e country ; and among those that entered up~n their labors
as teachers with inad equate preparation, there are
m any who hav e mad e the most earne~t. efforts. to
improve their qualifications for the pos1t10ns wluch
they oecupy. In no department ~f educa~ional labor
has improvement been more mamfest dur~n!!'. tl~e last
ten years, than in the instruction and d1smphne of
Primary Schools.

16±

THE GRADED SCHOOL.

THlC GRArnm SC HOOL.

School Discipline.

School Di>cipl in c.

iI
DIS CI PLINE.
I

r,

•,

tI,, '

THE system of discipline adopted in schools should
ever be guarded with special care. Th e constant
aim of the teatiher should be not merely to secure
the best di scipline, but to secure it by the best
means.
That good order and a ready compl iance with the
directions and wishes of the teacher are essential to
the success of every school, is a point on which all
are agreed; bnt different teachers adopt wid ely
different m easures to attain this end. One labors
chiefly to secure the confidence and kind regard of
his pupils, and to satisfy them that all his r equirem ents are dictated by a sincere and ardent desire
to advance their best interests. Anoth er appeals
mainly to the necessity and justice of connecting
suffering with wrong-doing, and follows every ot~
fence with some form of punishment. He may even
succeed in satisfying both his pupils and their parents that th e steps he is taking are necessary to the
order and improvement of his school.
One commences his efforts before the tendencJes
to misconduct have ripened into action, and avoids
th e n ecessity fo r punishment except in extraordin ary
cases ; while the other delays till his rules are violated,
and is then compelled eith er to punish the offender,

165

or ab:u1don his rules, and with them all hope of subordination and improvement.
If, now, we reason from cases like these, that a
necessity for punishment implies incapacity on the
part of the teacher to govern, we shall do great injustice to many of the most worthy and successful
teachers in our sehools. Cases will sometimes arise
in whi ch th e best teacher would find it necessary to
resort to the infliction of punishment fo r the miscond nct of his pupils. Instances not unfrequently
occur in which no other course will bring a wayward scholar to reflect long enongh to afford an
opportunity for high er and better influences to gain
a lodgment in hi s mind .
If, then, on the one .h and, we rest satisfied that a
teacher h as don e his whole duty when we find that
his punishments, though frequent and severe, are not
disproportionate t<'l the offences committed, we are
in danger of giving sanction to punishments which,
und er the management of a more skillful teacher,
would have been wholly unnecessary. And, on
the other hand, if every punishment inflicted by a
teacher is to b e a means of rend ering his 11ame
odious; if he is not to be sustained by the sy mpathy
and approval of school directors and p arents, the
right arm of his authority is paralyzed. This very
lack of sustaining influence will be the means of increasing greatly the necessity for punishment, which
might be avoided if the right to inflict it was never
called i.n question.
Th e ability to manage a school with the least pos-

166

THE GRADED RCHOnL.

THE GRADED SCHOOL.

Corporal Punishment.

Two Kinds of Obedience.

sible amount of punishment, is an attainment of the
highest order; and the teachers who possess this
power should everywhere receive the highest honors
of the profession and the most liberal rewards.
The main question at issue respecting corporal
punishment, is not whether it can be entirely dispensed with, but how far can the necessity for resorting to it be reduced, without detriment to the order
and discipline of schools.
In the efforts of the teacher to remove, as far as
possible, the necessity for school punishments, he
will have occasion to exercise all the judgment and
skill he possesses, in employing other means to control the tendency of wayward pupils to irregularity
and insubordination:* The first, and most important of these, must be found in the personal in:fluence of the teacher himself. Ile must have the
ability to inspire his pupils with a love of virtue and
every adorning excellence, and his own life must be
a model worthy of their imitation.

* "The following iippeur to be the principiil means of which the
educator can avai l himself for maint1.1.ining an influence over bis
pupil:
1. 'fhe pnpil's sense of duty.
2. Tqe pupil's sense of his future interests.
3. The pupil's desire for knowledge.
4. The pupil's desire for occnpation nnd intellectual action.
5. The pupil's desire fur praise.
6. The pnpil's desire to s mpass others.
7. The pupil's love of, and respect for , the teacher.
8. The example of the teacher.
9. The hope of a reward.
10. Tue fear of punishment. "-Reid'a Princip/M of Education.

1G7

No effort should be spared to lead the pupils to
govern themselves. This is a cardinal point in
school discipline, and every thing short of this
should be regarded as defective and unsatisfactory.
Even arbitrary government by the teacher, when
necessary, shonld tend to self-government on the
part of the pupil, as an ultimate object.
There are two kinds of obedience, which are radically distinct from each other : obedience that is
yielded in compliance with the dictates of reason
and from a sense of duty; and obedience that is
yielded to arbitrary authority, without any r egard
to reason and duty. The first reqnires no sacrifice
of honor or self-respect on the part of the governed.
It is simply recognizing the true and natural relation of the parent to his child, and of the teacher to
his pnpil. When the child's mind acts in accordance with reason, this obedience is yielded cheerfnlly and from choice. When the pupil will not
acknowledge his duty to submit to the rightful authority of the teacher, when the will of the pupil
gains control over his reason and judgment, then
the teacher must take such measures as may be
necessary to bring this wayward will to bow. The
authority of the teacher in school must be complete
and unquestioned.
But the teacher should never forget that love of
freedom, love of independence, love of power, are
all implanted in the natures of children for wise
and important ends ; and no unskillful teacher
should be allowed to lay his hand ruthlessly upon

: i1

,

168

TI-rn GRADED SC HOOL.

THE GRADED SCHOOL.

'School Discipline.

th em . No degree of eminence is ever attained
with out th em. No high order of effort is ever made
without them. They are committed to the teacher
to be controlled and regulated, not to be crushed out.
The habit of yielding to arbitrary power against
reason, is the condition of a slave ; and mere servile
obedience is degrading in its influence, destroys selfrespect, breaks down all laudable ambition, and
paralyzes every noble and worthy effort.
Of all the special instrumentalities that have been
devised to aid teachers in securing the discipline of
their schools, the most important is the use of the
School Register, in which a permanent r ecord is
made of the pupil's deportment from day to day,
and a general average carried ont at the end of
every month, to b e sent, when practicable, to the
parent or guardi an. See ante, p. 139.
The subj ect of School Discipline is exceedingly
fruitful, and I can not here attempt to discuss it in
all its bearings. After introducing two or three
quotations, I will pass to the consideration of a kindred topic.

H
i

I

"The value of any given result in sch ool government depends
very mu ch upon the motives which produced it. We have seen
pupils benumbed with fear and still as the grave, and heard their
teacher-whose only ruk was a reign of terror-lauded by the com~
mittee as a model discipl inarian. The stillest sch ool is not always
the most studious. Pupils may be controlled for a time by motives which will ultim ately debase th e character and enfeeble the
will, or they may be stimulated to the highest effort by incen tives
which will be healthful and permanent in their influence upon the
mind and heart." -B. G. Northrop.

.

.

16!)

Quotations .
"Another principle that is k ept constantly in view in the government of the school , is to produce results by steadiness an<l perseverance, rather than by violent mea5 ures. Few students are
found so obstinate or wayward as not to yield, eventually, even to
a modernte pressure, steadily applied. This method of procedure
is rendered th e more easy and efficacious, by the consciousness of
both the parties, that there is always in reserve ampie power for
more decisive measures, if they should become necessary. Students
not previously accustomed to a mild method of discipline, sometimes mi stak e it at first for want of firmness. But such mistakes
are soon rectified. The whole machinery of the school, like an ex tended piece of net-work, is thrown over and around him, and made
t o bear upon him, not with any great amount of force at any one
time or place, but with a restraining influence just sufficient, and
always and everywhere present. Some of the most hopeless cases
of idleness and insubordination that I have ever known, have been
found to yield to this species of treatment."-&port qf John S. Hart,
Principal of Philaddphia High &hool.
"Where all other means, both of prevention and of persuasion,
reasoning and argument, have been faithfu ll y and perseveringly
tried , and have failed,- when the incorrigible offender is proof
against all the gentler influences and agencies which the teacher has
at his command, and continued forbearance involves a permanent
injury, not only to the obstinate transgressor, but to his associates
and companions, and to the welfare of the entire school, -the
teacher should be clothed with the power of effectual chastisement.
But this power should be exe rcised as sparingly as possible, and
exercised, when it becomes inevitable, in such a manner as to produce the most salutary effect-without passion, without anger 01· undue
severity, and never in the presence of the school or the cla.•s. Its infliction
should, as far as possible, partake of the character of a judicial punishment, -resorted to with the utmost reluctance,-upon the fullest
evidence of guilt, and of contumacy, and only as a last re:wrt.' '-S.S.
Randall, Superintendent of Schools, New York.

15

170

COURSK OF INSTRUCTION

Lessons of Obedience .

LESSONS OF OBEDIENCE.

.i
l'I

.,
I

SocIETY is so constituted, that the infl.nence of
government must everywhere be felt. A cheerful
and hearty submission to rightful authority, is perfectly consistent with the freest and fullest development of a manly, independent spirit. It is impossible for any nation to maintain an existence, if the
people have not learned this first great lesson of
life; least of all can a free republic like on rs continue, if the people have learned to govern, bnt not
to obey. It becomes, ·then, an important inquiry,
when and where shall this lesson of obedience be
acquired. If delayed· to adult years, there is no
reason to expect it will ever be learned. It must be
in the period of childhood and ·youth, and it must
be either in the family or in the school. But it is
painfully manifest, that a large .portion of the children of every community, never learn to yield to
authority at home, unless it be against their wills.
In the public schools, all must be brought to the
same standard. A spirit of implicit obedience must
be secured, before any thing else can be attempted ;
not stolid, unreasoning, servile obedience, which
crushes all manliness and self-respect out of the
soul, but that intelligent, kindly obedience, which
recognizes the true relation between parent and

FOR GRADKD SCHOOLS.
/

171

Lessons of Obedience.

child, teacher and pupil, and bows cheerfully and
from choice to the decision of another, whose character and position render it incumbent upon him to
direct.
Here it is, in the public schools, that all the pupils learn a lesson which many of them would never
learn elsewhere; a lesson which is essential to the
perpetuity of our free government This, if I mistake not, is the most important bond of connection
between the free-school system and the State, and
in this alone is found a sufficient argument for the
support of schools at the expense of the State.*

* "Of all the dangers which threaten the .future of our country,
none, not even the fetid tide of official corruption, is so fearful as
the gradual decrease in our habits of obedience. This is a 1·esult of
the 'inalienable right of liberty' which we enjoy so fully ; and is
shown in the impail'ed force of parental influence, a greater disregard of the rights and comforts of others, and an increasing tendency to evade or defy the authority of Jaw. Young America is now
exuberant in its independence; but the greatest blessing it can
have, is to be saved from itself, and to be taught that liberty risi ng
above Jaw, destroys its victim; untempered by humanity, is mere
selfishness; and unregulated by Jaw, becomes anarchy. 'l'his <liscipline is the work of education," and can only be accomplished by
its broadest and most thorough operation." -Report of Andrew H .
Green, President of New York Board of Education, 1857.

r

186

187

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

Books of Reference.

Books of Reference.

BOOKS OF REFERENCE

tion of most of the common phenomena around
ilhem, without attempting to exhaust the different
sciences to which they relate.

FOR THE

ORAL COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.

IN conducting oral exercises on the various subjects relating to common life, teachers are often at a
loss to know what sources of information are most
available. The following catalogue will serve as a
general guide to works of this cl ass. Th e list is bv
no means complete; but it embraces the most uset'dl
of those which have fallen under the author's observation.
Teachers will generally deri ve more aid from
such works as "The Science of Common Thin"'S"
0'
"First Book of Science," "Firesid e Philosophy,"
etc., than from the more elaborate text-books prepared for the use of High Schools and Academies. By cultivating a familiarity with elementary and practical works on the different subjects
to be presented, teachers will more readily adopt
a sty le of instruction and illustration that is adapted to the wants of their classes, than by studying
works which are more extended and more strictly
scientific. One of the greatest dangers in giving
oral lessons, is that of attempting too much. The
principles of science must be drawn upon sufficiently
to give the pupils a clear and satisfactory explana-

AcKE~MAN.-First Book of Natural History, by
A. Ackerman, 12mo, pp. 286, New York.
AnnoTT.-Learning about Common Thing$, by
Jacob Abbott, 16mo, pp. 193, New York.
BARNARD.-Object Teaching and Oral Lessons on
Social Science and Common Things, with various
Illustrations of the Principles and Practice of Primary Education, as adopted in the Model and Training Schools of Great Britain ; republished from Barnard's American Journal of Education; 8vo, pp.
434, N cw York and Chicago. $1.50.
This yolume contains a reprint of several of the
most valuable English works on Oral Teaching.
· BEECHER.-Physiology and Calisthenics, by Catharine E . Beecher, 16mo, pp. 151, New York. 50 cts.
BRoWNELL.-How to Use Globes, by F. C. Brownell, 12mo, pp. 33, New York and Chicago. 10 cts.
BATEMAN.-Third Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Inst.ruction of the State of Illinois,
for 1859-60, by Hon. Newton Bateman, Springfield,
Illinois.
lvir. Bateman's Report embraces au article of sixteen octavo pages on object lessons; the value and
use of the slate and blackboard, and of cards and
charts; the best methods of cultivating habits of observation and reflection; and the relative importance
of Primary Schools in a graded course of instruction.

I

188

COURSE

OF

INSTRUUTION

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

189

Books of Reference.

Books of Reference.

CALKINs.-Primary Object Lessons for a Graduated Course of Development, by N. A. Calkins,
12mo, pp. 362, New York. $1.00.
CARLL.-Child's Book of N atnral History, illustrating the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Kingdoms, with application to the Arts, by M. M. Carll,
16mo, pp. 148, New York. 38 cts.
CowDERY.-Elementary Moral Lessons, for Schools
and Families, by M. F. Cowdery, Superintendent of
Public Schools, Sandusky, Ohio, 12mo, pp. 261,
Philadelphia. 63 cts.
CowDERY.-Primary Moral Lessons, 1~art I., by
M. F. Cowdery, Superintendent of Public Schools,
Sandusky, Ohio, 161110, pp. 116, Sandusky. 33 cts.
Cnrr.-Annual Report of the Superintendent of
Common Schools of the State of Connecticut for
1861-62, by Hon. David N. Camp.
Mr. Camp's Report contains an article of twenty:fi ve octavo pages on Methods of Teaching, em bracing
Object Lessons and a Course of Study for Primary,
Intermediate, and Grammar Schools.
EMERSON AND FLINT.-Manual of Agriculture, for
the School, the Farm, and the Fireside, by Geo. B.
Emerson and Chas. L. Flint, 12rno, pp~ 306, Boston.
FrTzGERALD.-Exhibition Speaker; to which is
added a Complete System of Calisthenics and Gymnastics, with Instructions for Teachers and Pupils.
Illustrated with fifty engravings, 12mo, pp. 268,
New York. 75 cts.
The Gymnastics and Calisthenics occupy forty-six
pages.

GREGORY.--Catalogue of the Michigan State
Teachers' Institutes, Spring Series of 1862, held under the direction of the Superintendent of Pnb1ic
Instruction. Pamphlet, pp. 80. Lansing, Michigan.
Fifty pages of this Catalogue are devoted to ?bject Lessons, Physical Education, Moral Education,
Primary Teaching, and an extended Course of Study
for a Graded School, by J. M. Gregory, Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Most of these articles are also embraced in Mr.
Gregory's Annual Report for 1861.
HrLL.-First Lessons in Geometry, by Thomas
Hill, President of Antioch College, 24mo, pp. 144,
Boston.
HAzEN.-Popular Technology, or Professions and
Trades, by Edward Hazen, A. M., 2 vols., 16mo, pp.
536, Harper's Family Library.
HooKER.-Child's Book of Nature, in three parts.
Part I., Plants; Part II., Animals; Part III., Air,
Water, Heat, Light, etc. By Worthington Hooker,
M. D., 16mo, square, pp. 469, New York.
HooKER.-Natural History for the use of Schools
and Families, by Worthington Hooker, M. D., 12mo,
pp. 382, N cw York.
·
·
HArLMaN.-Outlines of a System of Object Teaching, by William N. Hailman, 8vo, pp. 38, Louisville, Ky.
MaYo.-Manual of Elementary Instruction, by
Elizabeth Mayo, 2 vols., 16mo, pp. 609, London,
Home and Colonial School Society. $2.50.

190

COURS~;

OF

!NS'l'RUCTION

Books of Reference.

MAYo.-Lessons on Objects, by Elizabeth Mayo,
161110, pp. 229, London. $1.50.
An American edition of this work will soon he
issued by J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
MAYo.-Lessons on Shells, by Elizabeth Mayo,
16mo, London. $2.00.
MARCEL.-Language as a Means of Mental Culture and International Communication, by C. Marcel, French Consul, 2 vols., 12mo, pp. 8±1, London.
This is an elaborate and philosophical system· of
mental, moral, and physical culture, practically applied. The title is not well chosen.
NoRTON AND PoRTER.-First Book of Science, designed for Public and Private Schools, by W. A.
Norton and J . A. Porter. Part I., Natural Philosophy and Astronomy ; Part II., Chemistry and Allied Sciences. 12mo, pp. 419, New York. $1.00.
NoRTHimD.-Exercises for Dictation and Pronunciation, by Charles N orthend, A. M., 18mo, pp. 252,
New York. 40 cts.
PmLBRICK.-Boston Primary School Tablets, by
John D. Philbrick, Superintendent of Public Schools
of Boston. Twenty Tablets, mounted on ten cards,
illustrating the Alphabet, Penmanship, Drawing,
Punctuation, Numerals, Sounds of the Letters, etc.,
Boston. $5.00.
PrnLBRICK.-Prim ary School Manual, by John D.
Philbrick, Superintendent of Public Schools, Boston, J 21110, about 400 pages. $1.00. In press.
· A treatise on the Principles and Methods of Elementary Education.

FOR

GRADED SCHOOLS.

191

BookM of Refertnce .

PETrnsoN.-Familiar Science, by R. E. Peterson,
12mo, pp. 558, Philadelphia.
.
RooT.-School Amusements; or, How to Make
School Interesting. Embracing Simple Rules for
Military and Gymnastic Exercises, and Hints upon
the General Management of the School-room. By
.N. W. Taylor Root, 121110, pp. 225, New York. $1.00.
RooT.-Infantry Tactics for Schools; Explained
and Illustrated for the use of Teachers and Scholars.
By the Author of School Amusements, 18mo, pp.
180, New York. 50 cts.
SANDERs.-Elocutionary Chart, by C. W. Sanders,
A. M., New York.
TRA.LL.-The Illustrated Family Gymnasium; containing the most Improved Methods of applying
Gymnastic, Calisthenic, Kinesipathic, and Vocal Exercises to the Development of the Bodily Organs,
the Invigoration of their Functions, the Preservation of Health, and the Cure of Diseases and Deformities. By R. T~ Trall, M. D., 8vo, pp. 215, New
York. $1.25.
WrLLKl•IENT.-Catechism of Familiar Things; their
Hi story, etc., with a brief Explanation of some of
the Principal Natural Phenomena. By Emily Elizabeth Willement, 12mo, pp. 206, Philadelphia.
WELCH.__:.Object Lessons, prepared for Teachers
of Primary Schools and Primary Classes, by A. S.
W e1ch, Principal of Michigan State Normal School,
18mo, pp. 178, New York. 50 cts.
WELLs.-Familiar Science; or, the Scientific Explanation of the Principles of Natural and Physical

192

COURS~~

FOR GRADED SCHOOLS.

OF INSTRUCTION

193

Teachers' Library.
Books of Reference.

Science, and their Practical and Familiar Applications to the Employments and Necessities of Common Life. By David A. Wells, A. M., 8vo, pp. 566,
Philadelphia.
vVELLs.-The Science of Common Things; a Familiar Explanation of the First Principles of Physical Science; for Schools, Families, and Young Students. By David A.Wells, A. M., 12mo, pp. 3:23,
New York. 75 cts.
WATTS on the Mind, with Questions, l Smo, New
York. 34 cts.
W ALKER.-Manly Exercises, containing Rowing,
Sailing, Riding, Driving, Racing, Leaping, Balancing, Hunting, Shooting, Exercises with Indian
Clubs, etc. From the 9th London edition, 12mo,
pp. 323, Philadelphia.
W ATSON.-N ational Phonetic Tablets, by J. Madison Watson. Eight Tablets. New York. $3.00.
WrLLARD.-Morals for the Young, by Emma Willard, 16rp.o, New York. 50 cts.
YorrMANs.-Hand-Book of Household · Science; a
Popular Account of Heat, Light, Air, Aliment, and
Cleansing, in their Scientific Principles and Domestic Applications. By Edward L. Youmans, 12mo,
pp. 470, New York. $1.25.
The Reason Why; General Science. A careful
collection of many hundreds of Reasons for Things
which, though generally believed, are imperfectly
understood. 12mo, pp. 346, New York. $1.00
Fireside Philosophy; or, Familiar Talks about
Common Things. 12mo, pp. 360) New York. $1.00.

GENERAL LIBRARY FOR TEACHERS.
I

"We and the community, would look with distrust, if not with
'
•
coqtempt,
upon the man who should commence the practice
of 1aw
without having iu his possession a single treatise on law. Are we
not, then, justified in withholding respect from one who attemp_ts
to teach without the opportunity of daily reference to the excellent
works which have been prepared to aid teachers? The teacher
should have a professional library, and should replenish it yearly,
as regularly as he does his wardrobe, and as liberally as circumstances will allow."-Dr. A. D . Lord, of Columbus, Ohio.

The character of schools must always depend
mainly upon the character of the teachers, and the
progress and improvement of the schools generally
bear a direct relation to the efforts made by the
teachers for~their own improvement.
The teacher who is satisfied with present attainments and whose ambition in school rises no higher
than ~ mere repetition of past efforts, will be sure
to furnish an example in which both teacher and
school are constantly deteriorating.
It is the manifest duty of the teacher to strive
every day to make some positive advance upon the
labors o'f the previous day. To this end he must
not only be fruitful in expedients, and assiduous in
studying the character and dispositions of his different pupils, but he must also avail himself of the wi_sdom and experience of others who are engaged m
the same work.
The study of educational works embodying the
results of the best efforts of successful edncfltors in
17

I

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION

F.OR GRADEO

SCHOOLS.

195

Teachers' Library.

Teachers' Library.

this and other countries, is an indispensable auxiliary to the labors of the teacher who is desirous of
advancing to a high standard in his profession.

to the Improvement of School-houtes in the United
States. By Henry Barnard, LL. D., 8vo, pp. 366,
New York. $2.00.
BARNARD.-Normal Schools, and other Institutions,
Agencies, and Means designed for the Professional
Education of Teachers, by Henry Barnard, LL. D.,
8vo, pp. 659, Hartford and New York. $2.00.
BARNARD.-Edueational Aphorisms and Suggestions, Ancient and Modern, republished from Barnard's American Journal of Education, 8vo, pp. 753,
New York and Chicago. $1.50.
.
BuRROWEs.-Pennsylvania School Architecture; a
Manual of Directions and Plans for Grading, Locating, Constructing, Heating, Ventilating, and Furnishing Common-school Houses ; by Thomas H. Burrowes, LL. D., royal Svo, pp. 276, Hanisburg, Pa.
BATEs.-Lectures on Mental and Moral Culture,
by Samuel P. Bates, A. M., 12mo, pp. 319, New
York. $1.00.
BATEs.-Method of Teachers' Institutes, and the
Theory of Education, by Samuel I". Bates, A. M.,
12mo, New York.
CRAIG.-The Philosophy of Training; or, The
Principles and Art of a Normal Education. By A.
R. Craig, 12mo, pp. 377, London.
DwIGHT.-The Higher Christian Education, by
Benjamin W. Dwight, 12mo, pp. 347, New York.
$1.00.
DAvms.-Logic and Utility of Mathematics, with
the best Methods of Instruction explained and illustrated, by Charles Davies, LL: D., 8vo, pp. 375. $1.00.

ABBOTT.-The Teacher; or, Moral Influences ~m­
ployed in the Government and Instruction of the
Young. By Jacob Abbott, 12mo, New York. $1.00.
ARNOLD.-Life an~ Correspondence of Thomas
Arnold, D. D ., late head master of Rugby School,
by A. P. Stanley. Reprinted from London edition.
8vo, pp. 490, New York.
ALCOTT.-Confessions of a Schoolmaster, by \Villiam A. Alcott, 12mo, pp. 316, New York.· 7 5 cts.
BuRTON.-The District School as it was, by War1·en Burton, 18mo, pp. 156, Boston.
.
BARNARD.--N ational Education in Europe; being
an Account of the Organization, Administration, Instruction, and Statisti cs of Public Schools of different Grades in the different States. By Henry Bai·nard, LL. D., 8vo, pp. 800. $3.00.
BARNARD.-Educational Biography; or, Memoirs
of Teachers, Educators, and Promoters and Benefactors of Education, Literature, and Science. By
Henry Barnard, LL. D., vol. 1, Svo, pp. 524, New
York and Hartford. $3.50.
BaRNARD.-American Journ al of Education, from
1855 to the present time, edited by Henry Barnard,
LL. D., 11 vols., 8vo, each about 800 pages, Hartford
and N ew York. First :five volumes, $12.50. Annual subscription, $4.00.
BARNARD-School Architecture; or, Contributions

196

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
Teachers' Library.

DuNN.-Principles of Teaching; or, The Normal
Manual: containing Practical Suggestion s on the
Government and Instruction of Children. By Henry
Dunn, 12mo, pp. 274, London. $1.25.
DE TocQUEVILLE.-American Institutions and their
Influence, by Alexis de Tocqueville, with Notes by
John C. Spencer, 12mo, pp. 460, New Yoi·k. $1.00.
FowLE.-The Teachers' Institute; or, F amiliar
Hints to Young Teachers. By Willi am B. Fowle,
12rno, pp. 258, Boston.
HALL.-The Instructor's Manual ; or, Lectures on
. School-keeping. By S. R. Hall, A. M., 16mo, pp.
233, Boston.
HALL.-Teaching, a Science; the Teacher an Artist. By Baynard R. H all, A. M., 12mo, pp. 305,
N ew York. $1.00.
H oLBROOK.-The Normal; or, Methods of Teaching the Common Branches, Orthoepy, Orthography,
Grammar, Geography, Arithmetic, and Elocution.
By Alfred Holbrook, 12mo, pp. 456, New York.
$1.00.
J OHONNOT. - Country School-Houses; containing
Elevations, Plans, and Specifications, wi th Estimates,
Direetions to Builders, Suggestions as to School
Grounds, Furniture, Apparatus, etc., and a Treatise
on Scl~ool-house Architecture. By Jam es J ohonnot,
New l ork. $2.00.
MAYHEw.-Means and Ends of Universal Education, by Ira Mayhew, A. M., 12mo, pp. 447, New
Y ork. $1.00.
MANSFIELD.-American Education, its Principles

FOI~

GltADlW SC HOOLS.

197

'l'ea1;hers' Librnry.

and Elements, by Edward D. Mansfield, 12mo, pp.
330, New York. $1.00.
MANN.-Lectnrcs on Education, by Horace Mann,
12mo, pp. 338, Boston. $ 1.00.
MANN.-The Common-School Journal, from 1838
to 1848. · Ten volumes. ·Edited by Horace Mann,
8vo, Boston.
MrLLER.-My Schools and Schoolmasters; or, The
Story of my Education. By Hugh Miller, 12mo,
pp. 551, Boston.
N ORTHEND._:__The Teacher and Parent; a Treatise
upon Common-school Edu cation: containing Practical Suggestions to Teachers and P arents: ~ By
Charles N orthend, A. M., 12mo, pp. 327, New 1' ork.
$1.00.
NoRTHENn.-The Teach er's Assistant; or, Hints
and Method s in School Discipline and Instruction.
By Charles N orthend, A. M., 12mo, pp. 327, New
York. $1.00.
0Rc~TT.-Hints to Common-School Teachers, Parents, and Pupils; or, Gleanings from School-Life
E xperi ence. By Hiram Orcutt, A. M., 16mo, pp.
144, Rutland, Vt. 38 cts.
0GDEN.-The Science of Education and Art of
Teaching, by John Ogden, A. M., 12mo, Cincinnati.
PAGE._:..Theory and Practice of Teaching; or" The
· Motives and Methods of Good School-keeping. By
David P. P age, A. M., 12mo, pp. 3J9, New York.
$1.00 . .
PmLBRICK.-'-Report on Truancy and Compulsory
Education, by John D. Philbrick, Superintendent of
17*

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OF I N8TR UC:Tf0N

Fill~

G lt A l>l·: n

SC THlU LS .

197

T1•a cli cr:-;' f.il1rn,r_l'·
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D UNN.- J:'ri11 c i pies of' T ea chi 11 g; ()r, Tli c N "n11 ;il
TIIanual : contai11i11 .._,
Q" Practical ~iwo-e;:ti
o 11 s 0 11 the
t"'r:>
Go ,·crnrn cn t :rnd In st:r11etin11 of Ch il<lrrn. ll.r H cm y
D111111, l ~ 111" , pp. ~ 1-1-, L"11d1>11. 81.:u;,
J h : Toni111·; nu .1·:.-1\ 111 C' ri cn 11 l11 stit11ti n11 f; :ind their
In1l11 c 11 cc, by A le:-: is d e T uequel'ille, with N otes by
J ol111 0 . Spencer, l gmo, pp. •l-tlO, Ne\\' York. $ 1. 00.
Fowu:.- Tltc T cael 1c rs' l11 st·it11tc; or, F a miliar
Hints to Yonug T eache rs. By \Villi n.111 :I3. Fowl e,
121110, pp. 258, Host.011 .
JL\T.L.-Tltc In structor'R Jl.f:11111 a l; nr, T,crt m cs on
Scl1 ool-kccping.
By S. U. Hall , A. M., llimo, pp.
233, Doston .
J L\1 .r..--T cac.:11i11 g, a tk:i\•ncc; tl1 c T eael 1c r :rn A rtist . By .D:iy nnrd U. ll:dl , 1\. }\ [. , J 2 rn o, p p. 30:\
New York. $ 1.00.
IloumooK.- Tl1 c :N orm:tl; or, J\fcthod s of T eachin g tl1 e Cu m111m1 Hran el1 cf', Urt.lioi;py , O rtl1 ng rnphy,
Gra111111:ir, c:cngraphy, Arill1111 et ic -, and Eloe 11t io11 .
Dy Al l'rcd lI ul IJrouk, ·121110, l'P· 4fi <l , Ne w Yu rk.
SJ .OU .
J o 11PN NOT. - C"11111Ty ~chool - l l on f;es; c•n11taining
Elc,·at ion s, Plnn s, an<l Spc"i fi cnt ions, '\ritl1 ERt in rntcs,
D irct' l.iun s to H11 i ltl crs, ::-\11g;.!,'cst.io11 ,; n,.; t·o Sc hool
G wnncl s, Enrnit.nrc, A pparnt·11 R, ck., n.n1l a Treati se
011 SC'li oo l-l1 011 sc An:liit cd.11rc. By .T:t11l l'S anho nn ot,
N c\\· York. 8:3.00.
J\lAYJ llrn' .- J\ l can s and Jo:lld S uJ' lfoiVL•rs:d J<:d11 c:tti on, by Im. :Ma_yl1cw, 1\. H., 12 111 0, pp. ·l·.J.7, New
York . $ 1. 00.
.l\L\NSFmLn.- J\mc ri <'n11 Ed11ca.tinn, it s Pl'i1ll'iplei!

anJ Elc1nellts, lJy Ed;vard D. :Ma11sficld, 12mo, pp.
330, N cw York. $ 1.0ll .
hlANN.-Lcct.11rcs 011 Ecl11 catio11, by Horace J\Iam1,
1 2 1110 1 pp. :::::-<, Dost.on. $ 1.00.
l\ l Ai\N.- 'l'h e Co111111on-Sehool Jo11rnnl, from 1 80S
to J S±S. Ten volumes. ·Edited by Horace Jl.Ia1111,
8\'0 1 l3osto11 .
l\Iru .1m .- Ny Scl1 ools aml Schoolmasters; or, Th e
Story of my Edu cation. By Hugh :Miller, 121110,
pp. !55 1, Boston.
NowrrrnNn.-Tltc Teacher and Pn.rent; a Tren.ti se
11 po11 Oo111mon-scli ool Ed 11 cation: containin g Practical S u<r
<.rcsti on s to T each ers and Pn.rcnts..
BvJ
~o
Clial'lcs N ort:hentl, A. J\L, 1 2 mo, pp. 327, N cw York.

$1.00.
N oinm mo .- Th c T eacher's Assistant; or, Hints
and J\Icth ocls in Sel 1ool Di sc iplin e a nd In struct.ion.
By C hn.rles North cml, A . ]\[., 12mo, pp. 327, New
Y ork. $ 1.00.
OncuTT.- ll i nts to Uo111111on-Sclt ool Teachers, Parcn ts, n.nd Pnpi ls; or, Gleanings from School-Life
Expe ri ence. Tly Jlirnm Orcutt, A. M., 16mo, pp.
144, Unt.lancl, Vt. 38 cts.
Oanim.- Thc Scien ce of Edn cat.ion and Art of
T en.ch in g, by J ohn Ogden, A. J\I., 121110, Cincinnati.
P AGE.-Tli cory and Practice of T eaching ; or, The
:Motiv es a11rl J\fcth ocls of Goorl School-keepi ng. Hy
Da vid P. Page, A. J\L, 1~1110, pp. 3-19, N cw York.
$1.00.
PmLBRJCK._c...Rep ort. on Truancy and Compulsory
Ed11cn.tio11, by ,John D. Pliilbrick, Superintendent of
11 *

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'Jcach er8' I.ilJrary.

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J'11l.Ji e Bd1vul", 1Ju:s lo11 , 0\°l>, pp. ·7.J.. l'11bli >'l1ed
witli t.l1 c HqJort of tltc Dd1oo l Cu 1111 nittcu uf Bos lon
for U\01.
'
l'.\ur1.: 1c --Tli c Teaelwl''s J\f:rn11 :tl ; 1Jci 11 µ: n11 l•:xpo:-;it ion of' a n E fli e ient all(l Ecn110111il":1 I f-' ys l·l'llJ of
J<:d11 c:ttiu11 , s11i tcd to tir e "\V a11I :-; 11!' a Frcc. l'cPp lc.
.I:y Tli o111 :i::; ] I. l'al I Il er, ,.\. J\ l. , I 21 no, Pl). :?Ii: :: I ~ . 1sto 11.
P1LT,ANS.- Tl1 c Jht.ion:il c of lli sc ipli111 " as c;-;crHplilicd in the lligh Sclt11o l of Edinl11 1r•" li b.)' J'l'oJV
;:-:, l
,
j csso r·
rlhn s, Svo, pp. :?:ID, Edi 11l 1111·µ:fr an d Lo 11 1J 1111 .
.Porr..:11 1\ N D E~11·: m«i N" . -'l'l11 ~ Ncli ool :111d Ne l1 rnilrna st,c11· ; a JHanu:d l'vr tl1 e me of Tcacli crs, E 1npl 11ycrs, 1 rn sl"ees, J11 speet11rs, d e., of ( 'u111n11)n Nl'liu 11k
Jn l\n >p a rh:;. Hy Alon zo Potier, I>. ll., and (; euro·c
JJ. E1nerno n, LL. JJ. , 1:? 1110, pp. r>ii:?, N (~ 11· York. "'
J<.1( '11 ,\lws.- Manual uf' Scl1 oo l J\fotli11d, f'or Ili c
Use ol' T caeli crs in .El c1H c11tal'.r Sd1ou ls, by \\'. I".
l~i t' l1 :ml s , J (imo, pp. 18." , Lo11tl••n.
•
H.r·: lll. - Thc Pri 11(.: i pi es of Ed 11 cat ion ; an Elcrn cntary Trea.ti sc, design c1l :rn :i. Ma1111al 0 1• G uid e
fur tl1 e URc of Pa rcnl s, <: 11anli :111 s, and Teae hl' rs,
12n10, pp. ~!12, Lond on. $ l.:Jll.
·1 ~ uss 1·: r.L -Th e A111rri c;a 11 .Jo urnal of Ed11 c:i.tin11 ,
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460 pp. 12mo., cloth.

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