different, how much better to let him go his way, than oblige him to remain and infuse his discontented feelings into the rest. The circumstance which would most stand in the way of an association like that of the christian brothers here in England is, the contempt so generally felt for poverty of station. We are essentially a purse-proud people. Merit is measured amongst us by wealth. One who appears in lowly circumstances, is supposed to be so because he is unable to attain a higher station-a most unworthy and unchristian notion: but, I am afraid, thoroughly English. Even the poorest class despise a schoolmaster no richer than themselves. However, in an institution like the christian brothers, the poverty of the individual would be in some degree balanced by the respectability of the order; as a poor curate derives consideration from his profession, even in the eyes of worldly men. On the whole, I do not see the least reason why we should not, in England, take some very valuable hints from this French institution. We do not scruple to go to Prussia and Germany for the theory and practice of education; why not also avail ourselves of the information which is afforded us by our neighbours here, in France ?”* THE LAST MEANS. AN old teacher at Osnabruck, long since dead, had once in his school a very wicked boy, with whom all kinds of punishment, entreaties, admonitions, threats, keeping after school time, caning, and so on, however often they had been inflicted upon him, had proved utterly useless. One day he had committed another offence, and his fellow pupils were in great expectation of the new punishment the teacher would assign to him. Then the venerable old man spoke :-" My children, you all of you know that have tried every possible means to bring this offender into a better way, and you see every day that all my care, all my endeavours are in vain. Now one means only is left to me, and if that too prove * Honourable mention has been already made of the christian brothers by Mr. Kay Shuttleworth and Mr. Tuffnell, in two reports published by the Committee of Privy Council, for 1842-3. "The brothers of the christian doctrine, who devote their lives a cheerful sacrifice to the education of the poorer classes in France, can be understood best by those who have visited their noviciate and schools in Paris. From such persons we expect acquiescence, when we say that their example of christian zeal is worthy of the imitation of Protestants. Three of the members of this order are maintained for a sum which is barely the stipend of one teacher of a school of mutual instruction in Paris. Their schools are unquestionably the best in Paris. Their manners are simple, affectionate, and sincere. The children are singularly attached to them. How could it be otherwise, when they perceive that these good men have no other reward on earth for their manifold labours than that of an approving conscience? "The régime of the noviciate is of considerable austerity. They rise at four. They spend an hour in private devotion, which is followed by two hours of religious devotion in their chapel: they breakfast soon afterwards; and are in the day-schools of Paris at nine. They sup at six; and then many of them are employed in evening schools for the adults, from seven to nine; or from eight to ten; when, after prayers, they immediately retire to rest. "No one can enter the school of the christian brothers, without feeling instinctively that he is witnessing a remarkable example of the development of christian charity. "With such motives should the teachers of elementary schools, especially those who are called to the arduous duties of training pauper children, go forth to their work. The path of the teacher is strewn with disappointments, if he commences with a mercenary spirit: it is full of encouragement, if he be inspired with the spirit of christian charity. No skill can compensate adequately for the absence of a pervading religious influence on the character and conduct of a schoolmaster."-Report of the Committee of Council for Education for 1842-3, p. 229. useless, the unhappy boy is lost for this life and eternity. Well then, my children, kneel down, let us unite in fervent prayer for your poor fellow pupil! nothing else is left us." This all the children did; the wicked boy was startled; he was moved by the earnest prayer which the teacher offered, and mended his manners from that very hour. Such means, however, cannot be applied often, for then impression, effect, and result would be lost. DIC, DUC, FAC, FER. When the late Mr. Rost was chosen director of the academy at Bautzen, he addressed the students thus:-"My dear pupils, I am to teach you grammar, and even to-day to tell you, as I begin, what principles I intend to follow. They are comprised in a well-known grammatical rule. The short "imperative" contains every thing which my office requires of me, and which I promise you to do:Dic, duc, fac, fer. In the first instance I am to tell you what belongs to science and virtue-Dic! Then I have to support you when you are weak, to guide you by my superintendence and care-this lies in Duc! Thirdly, I must myself, exhibit the industry which I require of you, and practice the duties which I recommend to you. Therefore it may be said-Fac! Lastly: you are young, I cannot expect you to have the ripeness, the earnestness and firmness of mature years. If I only see honest effort in you, I must have patience with your weakTherefore the rule says to the director-Fer! ness. MY BAPTISMAL BIRTH-DAY. BORN unto God in Christ—in Christ my all! S. T. COLERidge. Documents. REPORT OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR 1845. (Concluded from page 217.) IV. Your committee proceed to notice a few miscellaneous topics connected with the proceedings of the society, or with the general interests of church education. Your committee stated last year that the services of Mr. Hullah had been secured for the purpose of giving instruction in vocal music, especially in psalmody, in all the training institutions of the society. It will of course be long before this newly cultivated branch of education will exhibit its full effects in the characters of the people at large, or produce any marked improvements in church music. Your committee trust, however, that a beneficial work has been commenced, and are happy in expressing their belief that experience, so far as it has gone, has amply confirmed the expectations of good which they entertained when they introduced this study. They are more than ever convinced that music should be generally taught as a part of education. It must not, in deed, be cultivated as a mere gratification of sense, or even of the imagination, but as the handmaid of piety and devotion. Your committee have appointed five organising masters since the last report. The whole number of these officers is six; one of whom is employed at present in the central school, and the other five are placed respectively under the boards of Ripon, Exeter, Stafford, Salop, and Derby. The valuable services of Mr. Hamilton, the organising master in the diocese of Ripon, are about to be lost to the society, but not to the cause of the church and of education, as he is about to be ordained to the curacy of St. Mary's in Leeds. The strongest testimonials in favour of Mr. Tearle, employed under the Exeter board, and of Mr. Holland, employed under the Stafford board, are constantly received. The other organising masters are only just commencing their duties. Amongst the subjects which have engaged the attention of your committee, is that of the internal arrangement and fitting up of schoolrooms. A sketch of the plan adopted in the society's central school will be found in the appendix to the report of this year. Your committee do not approve of arranging schools in narrow rooms, fitted up throughout with parallel rows of fixed desks and benches, leaving no room for open classes. In addition to the needless expense of this system, it is found that monitors cannot so well teach classes thus ranged upon tier above tier of benches and desks; nor is it suitable for sunday schools, in which ladies so often lend their valuable assistance. Your committee think, however, that one or two rows of fixed desks and benches, are desirable in every school, in order that the teacher may conveniently give simultaneous lessons whenever he desires; and in order that one class, and in large schools two or more classes, may be always engaged in writing or drawing. The benches should be arranged in such a way that the scholars may look into the room and towards the master's desk. It has recently been resolved by your committee to establish a depository for school books and apparatus on the premises of the society at the Sanctuary, Westminster. This resolution has been formed after communication with the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, which has hitherto supplied these articles. That society approves the measure of your committee, and has determined, in accordance with the above resolution, to relinquish the sale of school apparatus and stationery. A depository of this kind, in immediate connexion with the society and under the constant supervision of its committee, has long been felt to be a desideratum. Many persons in all parts of the country, taking it for granted that this department of education formed a portion of the society's operations, are in the habit of writing for advice as to the selection of school books and materials, and for supplies of the books and articles recommended. Your committee therefore felt that in establishing such a depository they should only be complying with the general wishes and expectations of the society's members and friends. Moreover, it will be found a great accommodation to parties visiting the central schools to have the depository at hand in which they can see the best specimens of school apparatus. It will also be very convenient for enabling the teachers trained by the society to take down with them, to the schools to which they are appointed, whatever articles may be required by the parties who engage their services. Your committee hope that they shall be able to open their depository in the autumn of this year. They will constantly endeavour to improve this department to the utmost, and to have every thing sold to members of the society at the lowest possible cost. Your committee have great pleasure in referring to a statistical inquiry into the state of church education in the archdeaconry of Bristol, made at the expense of the Bristol board of education by the Rev. G. N. Barrow, on the plan successfully pursued by the society in the diocese of Rochester in the year The document will be found as an appendix to the society's report for It is a work of great exactness and diligence. 1841. 1844. Your committee have it in contemplation to prosecute ere long a similar inquiry into the state of church education throughout England and Wales. The information thus obtained will be of great value, and your committee earnestly entreat the co-operation of the clergy and others in this work. Your committee are glad to be able to state that the training institutions of several of the boards of education in connexion with the society are in a condition of great and increasing efficiency, more especially the institutions of the Chester board, and of the united boards of York and Ripon. The Durham board of education have a small but well conducted training school, which your committee hope to see enlarged to a scale more adequate to the wants of the northern districts of England. A south countryman is not always adapted for the charge of a school in those districts. Moreover, a town in which there is an university seems a peculiarly suitable place for the establishment of a training school, as there can never be any lack of intelligent and duly qualified persons to watch over it. Your committee earnestly hope that they will succeed in carrying their plans into full effect. Last summer the Cambridge board of education appointed a sub-committee to consider the expediency of establishing a training institution for schoolmasters in connexion with their board. The sub-committee reported," that having considered the particulars of the Durham training institution, and having ascertained its success, they recommend that an institution similar in its general plan be established in Cambridge." Your committee trust that this scheme will be eventually brought into operation. Your committee have recently received very favourable reports concerning masters in charge of some of the large Staffordshire schools, who were trained by the Lichfield board. Three of the society's organising masters are engaged for the three archdeaconries of that diocese; and the Rev. H. Baber has been appointed inspector for the archdeaconry of Stafford. Beneficial results may be fairly anticipated in a diocese where such machinery is put in active operation. V. Your committee cannot take leave of the subject of education upon this occasion without reverting to the state of its prospects in some of the more important branches of its work. As regards the progress of school accommodation, your committee think that there is much reason to be satisfied with what is being done. The work, however, is by no means exhausted. This may be judged of by the fact, that even in the diocese of Chester, in which the largest amount of school accommodation has of late years been obtained, one great promoter of school building states, that he has already marked out forty more spots in which schools are greatly needed, and in which he hopes ere long to see them erected. Nevertheless, if the recent exertions could only be sustained for a few years to come, your committee are inclined to believe that past neglect would be repaired, and the wants of the people in this respect be overtaken. The efficient maintenance of daily schools is a subject which presents greater difficulties. But even here there is no ground of despondency. It may fairly be hoped that increased support will accrue to schools in consequence of the increasing merits and competency of school teachers. Experience tends to shew that in proportion as the qualifications of the teachers improve, the schools obtain better support from poor as well as rich, from the additional payments of scholars as well as from additional subscriptions. Moreover, school managers are beginning in many places to see more clearly the best modes of combining economy with efficiency in the conducting of schools. Where the funds are very ample, two well trained teachers, a master for the boys and a mistress for the girls, may be employed. But in places where the pecuniary means are not so abundant, the custom of uniting boys and girls under one competent teacher is beginning to prevail. In this way, the expense of two teachers and two separate school-rooms is saved, and frequently one duly qualified person substituted for two persons of insufficient attainments. In rural districts, where the girls generally preponderate in the schools, and the boys leave at a very early age, one good schoolmistress is found to suffice. In towns, and in large schools, a master is more commonly employed to teach a mixed school of boys and girls in the morning; while in the afternoon a sempstress, who is often the master's wife, is engaged at trifling cost to teach needlework to the girls. Another mode by which your committee hope to see the maintenance of elementary schools provided for is, through private benefactions and endowments. The National Society has recently accepted on trust, in its corporate capacity, the sum of £1,000, the interest of which is to be devoted to the support of the national schools at Alton in Hampshire. The society holds other trusts of the same kind. Great assistance in this important matter might be given by a legislative enactment relaxing to a certain extent the mortmain laws, in favour of the endowment of schools. Very recently a benevolent individual was much disappointed at finding himself unable to make a bequest of £100 a year out of his real estate for the purpose of endowing a school in which he was interested; there were reasons which restrained him from making over the property to the use of the school during his life. Another way in which legislative interference might very materially promote the efficient maintenance of primary schools, is by affording facilities for engrafting old endowments upon national schools. In many a parish there are to be found one or more small ancient endowments for the gratuitous education of the poor on the principles of the established church; endowments which are not only utterly inadequate to the educational requirements of the present population, but which operate most injuriously by checking the establishment of a school suitable to the existing wants of the locality.* On this subject your committee will only add the expression of their hope, that ere many years elapse they may be in a position to vote grants on a more extensive system towards the annual support of schools. Your committee recur with satisfaction to the subject of training schools. It is a very hopeful sign in this matter that young persons are beginning more and more to look to the profession of teacher as offering an eligible position in life. This may perhaps be regarded as one of the healthiest symptoms of the times. For as the average remuneration held out to teachers of elementary schools is certainly small, we may trust that more just sentiments are now at length entertained of the dignity and the responsibility of the calling itself; and this both by the teacher and by those who engage his services. In short, it is beginning to be felt that those who mainly contribute to shape and form the characters of *For instance, it not unfrequently happens that an endowment exists of the present annual value of £20 or thereabouts, to be paid to a person for instructing the children of the parish freely and gratuitously. This salary is manifestly inadequate for a good schoolmaster, and yet in many cases it cannot be augmented by requiring some small weekly payment from the children. The consequence too often is, that the endowment is made an alms to some one quite unfit for the office of teacher, while the existence of the school is made the reason or the excuse for the non-establishment of a school of a better order. This difficulty might be obviated by an enactment to the effect that the words " free," "gratuitous," and "charity school," should not be construed to preclude the trustees from requiring any payment from the children not exceeding twopence a week, or at that rate. In some parishes there are several petty endowments, all of a similar kind, and yet the trustees have no power to combine them so as to produce one good result. Such power might be conferred on trustees. Power likewise should be given in all cases to remove teachers for ill conduct or incompetency. The committee of the National Society will be happy to receive communications on this subject from any parties who may have information to offer. |