Education a National Concern. 567 



that every defect will in time be supplied and the system be brought 

 to perfection. The subjects taught in these elementary schools are 

 six : 1. The native language (Muttersprache) , not merely mechani- 

 cal reading and writing, but the common-sense of grammar and in- 

 struction in the expression of ideas. 2. Mathematics (Grossenlehre), 

 that is, arithmetic and geometry, based on the knowledge of number 

 and size furnished by surrounding objects and conducted throughout 

 by constant appeals to the senses and the understanding. 3. Know- 

 ledge of the external world (Weltkunde), which comprehends all oft- 

 jective teaching, such as geography from that of the play-ground or 

 village to that of the maps on the school walls, botany, mineralogy, 

 history of animals, &c. &c., all based on actual observation either of 

 specimens or representations. 4. Drawing, with the view of training 

 the eye to correctness, and giving facility to the hand. 5. Religion. 

 6. Singing. We heartily recommend our readers to read attentively 

 Mr. Wittich's paper, as containing hints by which teachers in this 

 country may greatly profit. 



From Mr. Duppa's paper on the " Industrial Schools for the Pea- 

 santry," which very clearly exhibits the imperfection of schools that 

 confine their efforts to literary instruction and shows most satisfacto- 

 rily the good that has already flowed from the occasional adoption of 

 industrial schools, we hope to see many good results. That there 

 are scattered through the length and breadth of our island persons 

 fully able and well inclined to adopt every measure that may ensure 

 for those around them the greatest possible measure of happiness, we 

 cannot doubt ; and surely nothing can promote it more than the for- 

 mation of virtuous and industrious habits.* We think, however, with 

 Mr. Duppa, that the only way of ensuring the full benefits derivable 

 from such a system among the mechanical and agricultural classes is 

 to place it in the hands of Government. But let the author speak for 

 himself. 



" For the purposes of national education we must look for assistance greater 

 and more uniform than individuals or societies can give. 



" ' Most governments/ says Xenophon, ' leaving the education of children 

 to the discretion of parents, and the liberty of living as they please to those 

 of mature age, then forbid theft, burglary, personal violence, adultery, dis- 

 obedience to those entrusted with power, and other actions of a similar nature ; 

 and, in the instance of any of these injunctions being transgressed, punish the 

 offenders. But the Persian laws, taking a higher ground, provide that their 

 citizens shall not even desire to do that which is wicked or disgraceful/ He 

 then proceeds to state how, by a careful education, it was provided in Persia 

 that the youth should, from an early period, be obtaining a correct knowledge 

 of the objects and character of human action, and acquiring habits of justice, 

 temperance, and endurance. As did the governments which Xenophon thus 

 reprobates, so does ours. The working population, which constitutes the 

 great mass of society, have, from the necessity they are under of labouring 

 continually for their bread, but little time for attending to the education of 

 their children, even supposing them otherwise capacitated for so doing; while 



* Would it not fall in with the views of this Society to publish this paper as a 

 tract and diffuse it largely among the landed proprietors and the more intelligent 

 clergy of England ? The expense would be very small ; the chances of good very 

 great. 



