EDUCATION. 97 



for .educating competent teachers ; and for securing those who will 

 guard the morals, as well as train the understanding. 



We believe that Infant Schools may be made useful, if properly 

 managed ; so that they do not injure the health of children, by too 

 long sitting, and close confinement. This may be obviated, by 

 allowing them to stand, or march, or sing ; with frequent intermis- 

 sions for more active exercise, under the eye of the teacher. Their 

 attention should first be turned to sensible objects ; next to pictures 

 and diagrams ; and, lastly, to books : but systematic instruction, we 

 think, should be delayed, till they have acquired a stock of ideas, 

 and made some progress in the exercise of their reasoning powers. 

 After all, such schools are chiefly useful, in those classes of society 

 where children would otherwise be physically, mentally, or morally 

 neglected. For those who have willing and competent parents to take 

 charge of them, there is no place like home. 



We think that the system of Mutual Instruction might be exten- 

 sively and usefully applied, were school-houses properly arranged, 

 for several classes to recite at the same time, and were a certain por- 

 tion of time devoted by the teacher to a thorough examination of the 

 classes instructed by monitors, in presence perhaps of the whole school. 

 Most of our common schools are already conducted more or less on 

 the Manual Labor System ; the scholars laboring a part of the day, 

 or a part of the year, in assisting their parents at home. This is a 

 principle, which, if not carried so far as to interrupt their course of 

 study, we cannot hesitate to approve. We have no doubt that a por- 

 tion of the time devoted to manual labor, would be beneficial, rather 

 than injurious, to the studies and health of Collegiate and Academi- 

 cal Students ; but how large a portion it should be, we will not here 

 attempt to decide. 



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