1837] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



15 



M. lie Fclleiilier'T, cnnsct^iieiitly, does not ptop 

 pliort, but haviiiiv ot)taiiu'il \hc siili'^fiiard, the bal- 

 last ofllie vei^f^el, viz. the habit of labor and a 

 priT.pption ol' iis value, he (iroce.ods to the culiiva- 

 tioii of the inirliect and moral sentiinonls — loyivc 

 a capability of Itoalthv ac'ioii to every lacuilyol' 

 the human n)ind. 1. To <ii\e .sueii a knowiedii-f" ol 

 surronuilinir objects as will enai>le tlie indiviihiid 

 to form an accurate estimate of ilie relaiion ol' his 

 own powers to them. 2. 'I'o increase the power 

 oC the individual, and cousccpiently extend his do- 

 minion over nature: and 3. 'I'o cnltiv^ate whate- 

 ver liicuitics have a tendency to exalt the reli^'ious 

 and moral PoniimiMits. appear to l)e ihe princijial 

 objects ol' intellectual education. As the sphere is 

 riarri)w or extended accorilinu; to the lank in soci- 

 ety, the objects to be known must be diH'erent, or 

 rather the pouits of view in which they are <o be 

 reerarded are so. The skill ol' the instructor con- 

 sists in dnrctinii; the attention ol' his pupils to such 

 things, and in suc-h a manner, as will be tijund to 

 be of the iireatesl uiiliiy lo them in aller liltj. The 

 earth in his own immediate neighborhood, its 

 products, and the Ibrces, forms, and properties 

 ofnature, are the objects ol" the crreatest interest 

 to the peasant ; as machinery, mathematics, prac- 

 tical freomelry, some of the more valuable re- 

 sults of chemical experiment, and the skilful use ol 

 his hands are to to the artizan and mechanic. A 

 larije room, confainino; all the natural productions 

 of the surroundiiior country collected by the pupils 

 themselves on a Sunilav, or when at work in the 

 week-days, is a novel feature in a poor school. 

 But It is the adaptation of the classification to the 

 instruction of those to be taught that is so particu- 

 larly iiiterestiiiir. Airain, that every plant may be 

 known by its jnirts, each plant was arranged, with 

 lis root, stem, leaves, flowers, and seeds , and thai 

 that the children may know whese each plant 

 may be Ibund, they were arranged likewise ac- 

 cording to the height they jjtow in the atmosphere, 

 which, in a country like Switzerland, is a matter 

 of considerable importance. Specimens of the 

 different descriptions of woods were also collected; 

 and a museum of the animals, birds, and reptiles 

 of the neighborhood was commencing. It is the 

 habit of accurately observing the actual nature of 

 objects, as perceivable by the senses, and dislinct- 

 ly marking their diilerences, which in after lile 

 renders a man intelligent and judicious. There 

 are tew whose natural lacuhies are so dull as be 

 unable to perceive a distinction when pointed out 

 to (hem, or their notice is directed towards il — tor 

 instance, that one thing is long, another short; 

 that one is round, another flat ; one green, another 

 black. But how i'ew are there who, when mi- 

 nutely questioned, can gave a clear or circumstan- 

 tial description of any object they have been con- 

 versant with or in what particular that object dif- 

 fers Irjm another. And why is this? Because 

 they have not the habit of accurate observation of 

 things ; and they have not thai habit, because in 

 modern education, a ch!ld''s observation, at the mo- 

 ment when all is new, and observation most active, is 

 wilfully drawn away from thint^s to the signs of 

 things; and the bny who might easily hive been 

 made to distingush the nature and properties of the 

 different objects around him, has only learned to 

 distinguish one letter from another. To give this 

 habit of accurate observation — this habit of paus- 

 ing to survey different objects — is one of the points 



most parlicularly aimed at in the cultivation of the 

 intellect by the ibunder in llofwyl." 



The school at ('arra is conducted on nearly sim- 

 ilar principles. "])uring the day, the employ- 

 ment of the children is divided into manual labor 

 and lessons, according to the common acceptation 

 of the term. As is reasonable, the cultivation of 

 the earih forms their principal oi;ctipalion. They 

 labor either all together, their master at their head, 

 or divided into two or three bands accordin<r to the 

 nature of the work : in this case, the child in each 

 band who has obtained the greatest confidence 

 from the master is charo-ed with the direction of 

 of his companions, and renders an account of 

 what is done. The children labor, in the first 

 [)lace, upon the land firmed out lo the school, 

 which was, in the first instance, nine poses, and 

 will be fifteen next year. The product of this 

 land is consumed entirely by the school. The rest 

 of the time the children labor upon the land of M. 

 V'criiet Pictet, either by the piece or lor half the 

 product, or by the day ; in the latter case, the day 

 IS calculated by the number of hours of efi'eclive 

 labor, beina' reckoned at nine hours the year 

 round. Tliis manner of reckoning leaves to the 

 master the power of regulating the work of the 

 children, according as he jutlges suitable, and to 

 proportion it to their force and the state of their 

 iieallh. Besides this, they manage two cows» 

 two pigs, and some sheep ; and thus familiarize 

 themselves with that part of agricultural industry 

 which relates to the manao'ement of cattle. As 

 they grow up, they will be employed in the work 

 lliey are c.aj)able of perlorming. When employ- 

 ment in the fields is wanting, or the season does 

 not allow them to attend to il, it is customary to 

 occupy the children in a wheelwright's shop, (be- 

 longing to the school.) in separating wlieat, bas- 

 ket-making, plaiting mats and straw-hats, knit- 

 ting, spinning, assisting the tailor, the shoemaker, 

 and the maker of wooden shoes, who are employ- 

 ed in the establishment lo repair the children's 

 clolhes. The lessons, according to the usual ac- 

 ceptation of the term, comprehend reading, wri- 

 iing spelling, arithmetic, sacred singing, a little 

 drawing, and some lectures for the purpose of pre- 

 paring the children tor the deeper religious instruc- 

 tion which they receive from the clergyman of the 

 parish. Tliey are taught, also, to know the 

 names, the characters, and properties of the most 

 common plants, which ihey collect and dry them- 

 selves. The committee and the master acknow- 

 led^e, that one of the greatest difliculties they 

 have to overcome, is to render the education a 

 child receives in the establishment where he sees 

 all his wants reofularly considered and satisfied, 

 and where finds himself protected li'om a number 

 of the dangers which he will be sure to meet with 

 some time or other, as powerful, and experimental 

 as that which he would receive in a poor flimily, 

 where instructed and formed each day by necessi- 

 ty which is loithout d(mbt the best of masters, he 

 would be called upon to make, at any early pe- 

 riod, an acquaintance with lite such as it is. all 

 filled with snares, seductions, and dangers. The 

 directors of the school do not flatter themselves 

 that they have reached on this important head, in 

 their system of education, the height of their 

 wishes. They avow even, that they despair of 

 obtaining, in this respect, complete success. No 

 instruction of man can supply the education which 



