Hints on a system of popular education: addressed to R. S. Field ... chairman of the Committee on education in the Legislature of New Jersey; and to the Rev. A. B. Dod, professor of mathematics in the College of New Jersey

Front matter

HINTS

ON A

SYSTEM

Preface

Whoever writes a book, must write a preface. This is one of the laws of the trade: whether it is more honoured in the breach, or in the observance, it is not for us to decide. It is at least a time-honoured custom, from which we shall not, on the present occasion, hazard a departure.

The Preface is generally an Author's Confessional; wherein he duly bepraises his own modesty, sets forth the hurry and various embarrassments under which his work was written, and then humbly craves absolution from the officiating

8 PREFACE.

priest, who is no other than that respectable and ever indulgent personage the Public. This is all very well, and it usually passes for — what it is worth.

Though by no means insensible to the many deficiencies and imperfections which mark the following production, the Author offers no apology for presenting it to his countrymen, and soliciting for it a candid perusal, and a dispassionate judgment, not so much on its literary merits, as on the practicability and expediency of carrying out its views and recommendations. He holds that whoevei" publishes a book, which he does not at least hope will be useful, not only commits an act of consummate folly, but is guilty of a fraud of the worst kind. Nay, he is chargeable with a twofold fraud. He deliberately plunders his fellow-men of both money and time, and is the more reprehensible, inasmuch as his robbery detracts from our mental as well as our pecuniary resources.

The work presented to the public in the following pages, is the result of much experience, and

PREFACE. 9

some reading and observation on the subject to which it relates. It would no doubt have been improved in style by a little more attention to that canon of Horace, wherein he enjoins long waiting and many a blot. But the Author writes for utility, rather than fame ; his object is to excite to sober reflection, rather than to amuse a vacant hour; and he trusts, therefore, that where his principles are approved, relating as they do to whatever imparts dignity to character, stability to virtue, and refinement to happiness, minor defects will be overlooked, or treated with indulgence.

It may be thought by some that I have discussed the question of religious instruction too much in detail, and quoted too copiously on that point from other authors. Perhaps I have. If so, the unspeakable importance of the subject, and the unreasonable prejudices even of the good in relation to it, will, it is hoped, be considered a sufficient apology.

Thus much it was perhaps fitting to say. Let

1*

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this suffice. Without further preliminary, the Author "casts his bread upon the waters" with the earnest hope and prayer that he may " find it after many days."

January 1, 1838.

Dedication

TO

MESSRS. FIELD AND DOD.

GENTLEMEN,

Chapter I

NECESSITY OF POPULAR EDUCATION. DUTY OF EDUCATING THE PEOPLE.

Importance of Popular Education — Object of the Work — Salutary Nature of the Contest beween Prejudice and the Spirit of Innovation — Precipitate Action to be avoided — The Duty of making Provision by Law for the Education bf the People — Influence of Education in elevating- the Character and promoting the Happiness of Nations — Comparison between Scotland and Ireland — Oberlin and the Ban de la Roche — Influence of Education on Families — Contrast between a well Educated and an Ignorant Family — Foster's Picture of an Ignorant Family — Influence of Education on Individuals — Promotes Personal Dignity and Happiness — Combe's Contrast between Savage and Civilised Man — Universal Education a Pecuniary Gain to a Country — First, by its Effect on Legislation— Secondly, by diminishing Expensive Amusements and checking Sensual Indulgences — Thirdly, by diminishing the Spirit and consequently the Expense of Litigation — Fourthly, by its tendency to diminish Pauperism, and to lessen the number of Criminal Prosecutions — Fifthly, by increasing the

Capacity of each Individual in the Community, by enablinghim to turn his Powers to the best account, and by Prolonging the average Period of Human Existence — Sixth, by its tendency to quicken ingenuity, and thus to promote original inventions and Discoveries — and Seventh, by enabling men to push their Researches indefinitely into the Powers and Production of Physical Nature — Connexion of Popular Education with the Perpetuity of our Civil Institutions — Our Political Fabric encompassed with Dangers — Education the Remedy, the only adequate Safeguard — Summing up of the Argument in support of the Necessity of Popular Educntion, and the Duty of the State to provide for it. - - - 25-99

Chapter II. Branches Of Study Proper For Common Schools

Preliminary Inquiry into the Nature and Object of Education — This Term, in its broadest sense, comprehends all the Influences which act upon Man — These Influences ranged by Foster under five Heads — A Sixth added — Education produces two classes of Effects — Important in both Aspects, and why — Object of Education — Complex Nature of Man must be considered— His Relations must be understood — These Relations pointed out — His Destination — His Relations and Destination indicate the Education suited to his Nature — Education should be such as to develope our Powers, communicate useful

Knowledge, and form the Disposition and the Habit of Virtue — A System of Popular Education should prescribe a Course of Study — Text-Books prescribed by Law in Saxe Weimar — Analytical Description of them — Course of Study enjoined by Law upon the Primary Schools of Prussia — The Prussian system decried in an Article in the first Number of the Democratic Review — Sophistry of the Argument, and Illiberality of the Attack — Our Common Schools compared with those of Saxe Weimar and Prussia — Their Inferiority — Limited Course of Studies — Superficial Nature of the Instructions given — Indifference of Parents — A Fundamental Reform necessary — List of Studies should be extended — Instruction should be made more thorough — Enumeration of Branches proper to be introduced into Common Schools — Objection to the Course recommended " that it would consume too much time," answered— The Author's Views confirmed by the Course of Study recommended by Dick — Necessity of Moral and Religious Instruction insisted upon more at large — ^Religious Education the Foundation of all good Character — Essential to the full Advantage of Intellectual Education — Objection to the Introduction of Religious Instruction into Popular Schools — Not founded in Reason — Government owes Christianity a heavy Debt, and is bound, as far as possible, to discharge it — The awakening of Sectarian Jealousies apprehended — Method by which these are allayed in Prussia — Can it not be done in this Country ? — Weight of Autliority in favour of Religious Instruction in Schools — Opinions of Simpson, Bulwer, Cousin, and Dick, on this Question — The objection to Universal Education, " that it would raise the Labouring Classes above their Sphere," considered and answered — Objection to the Plan recommended founded on the Principle " that each Parent ought to educate his own Children" — This Objection based on Selfishness — A just Comprehension of the Selfish Principle itself refutes it. 100-148

Chapter III. Qualification Of Teachers

Importance of this point — Our present Deficiency in well qualified Instructors — Classes of Men who chiefly engage in this business— Motives which actuate them — Their ignorance — Inadequate Views of Parents — Anecdotes illustrative of this — A Teacher in the Ban de la Roche — Empirical Methods of Instruction— Inefficiency in Government — Its Cause — School- Teaching for the most part a Temporary Business — Some Exceptions to the above Remarks — Bad effects of the present State of Things on Teachers and Pupils — Our general Intelligence as a Nation admitted — Not attributable to our Popular Schools — Its true Causes pointed out — Glorious Results might be looked for from the Union of these Causes and a well organized System of Popular Education — Conditions of such a System — Provision for the Education of Teachers a most important Condition — Practical Error of Parents in this Matter — Deplorable Effect of it — Teaching must be made a Profession, and become respectable — No office more truly honourable than that of an Instructor — Its present degradation — Must be raised to its proper Rank — This can be effected only by the Establishment of Teachers' Seminaries — Institutions of this Kind the intellectual Want of the Age — Prussia already supplied with them — Reference to son^e other Countries — Origin and History of these Institutions — Their great Importance — They are the Life-Blood of an efficient System of Popular Education — Their Necessity insisted on by all Writers on both sides of the Atlantic — Extract from the Edinburgh Review on this Subject — The question examined whether these Seminaries should be connected with other Institutions, or exist under a separate Organization — Three Reasons for preferring the latter Plan — Its effect would be better, first, on the character of the Teacher ; secondly, on their Respectability ; thirdly, on their Education — General Principles of Organization— Two leading Results to be aimed at — good Teachers and some security that they will exercise their Profession in the State where educated — Details more difficult — The lights of Experience wanting among us — Must look to Prussia for Model Schools— Conduct of Men in Parallel Cases in the ordinary Business of Life— Propriety and Utility of sending Agents to examine and report upon the Prussian Schools. 149- 185.

Chapter IV. Compensation Of Teachers

Present inadequate Compensation of Teachers — No Class in the Community so poorly rewarded — Wages of Mechanics and other Manual-Labourers as compared with the pay of School- Masters — Compensation of Instructers as indicated by the

School-Returns of Massachusetts and New York — Alarming Nature of the Facts disclosed by these Returns — Manifold Evils of this ill-judged Parsimony — Examination into the Claims of Competent and Faithful Teachers to receive a liberal Reward — Justice requires it — Sound Policy requires it — Teachers should be supplied with the Means of maintaining a Family — The Question, what would be a fair average Salary ? considered — Inquiry into the Cost of the System recommended— Twenty Millions a Year for the Whole United States — This Sum compared with the Object in View and the Advantages that would result from the Attainment of the Object — Whence is the Money to come? — This Question dispassionately answered — First, from the Annual Proceeds arising from the Sale of Public Lands — Secondly, from the Interest of the Surplus Revenue deposited with the States — Thirdly, from the Avails of present and additional Grants of Land for this Purpose— These three Sources would give ten Millions a Year — The other ten Millions to be raised by the Districts themselves— Those who refuse, to receive none of the Public Money — Present Endowments — Bequests — The Nation expends liberally for less important Objects — Florida War — Last War with Great Britain — Astounding Fact in relation to the Cost of the Wars in which England was concerned between 1688 and 1815 — Enough to Educate the whole World to the End of Time — Poverty and Economy of Nations when Education is to be provided for — Our Parsimony in maintaining Schools a National Disgrace — A more liberal Compensation to Schoolmasters essential to an efficient Education of the People — The necessary Expenditure really small in Comparison with our Resources and the Vastness of the Object to be gained. 186-204

Chapter V

BOOKS, CABINETS, AND APPARATUS— LOCATION AND ARCHITECTURE OF SCHOOL HOUSES.

Aversion of Children to Study — Knowledge the natural Food of the Mind — Misdirected Love of Knowledge the Occasion of the Fall of Man — Pleasures of Knowledge exemplified in the Cases of Archimedes and Sir Isaac Newton — Solution of the apparent Contradiction involved in the general Aversion to Study and the innate Love of Knowledge — Attributable to the Want of good School-Books and the Prevalence of bad Methods of Instruction — Any other Explanation would impugn the Wisdom and Goodness of God — Decision of Reason on this Point — Testimony of Experience — Various Cases referred to — Letter of a Young Man mentioned by Mr. Combe — Branches of Learning pursued in German Boarding-Schools — The Teacher the Friend of his Pupils — Inspection and Explanation of Machinery — Pedestrian Excursions into the Country — Last several Weeks — Pupils required to v^'rite Journals— The Author's own Practice while Principal of the Edgebill School — Its Results — Improvements made in School-Books of late Years — Higher Improvements needed — Difficulty of preparing Text-Books of a proper Character — Requires a high Order of Talent and great Learning and Experience — General Principles on which all School-Books should be constructed — Class-Books now in use compared with this Standard — Verbal Instruction instead of real — Philosophy of the Infant Mind should be studied — The Leadings of Nature followed — Lessons on Objects — Biographies — Stories of Real Life — Importance of Truth — Reading — Books on Natural History and cognate Sciences — Misapprehension guarded against — Miscellaneous Library — Of what Classes of Works to be composed — Cabinets of Natural History — Chemical and Philosophical Apparatus — Influence of these Aids — Location and Architecture of School-houses — Objects of Importance — Present Defects— Improvements recommended. - - 205-224

Chapter VI. Generalorganization— Obstacles— En- Couragements

A good Organic Constitution necessary to the efficiency of a system of Popular Education — A Consideration of the Objects to be accomplished by it necessary to its Formation — -Various Officers essential — Their Services should be remunerated — Organization should be as simple as possible — Superintendent of Public Instruction — County Commissioners — Trustees for Townships — School Inspectors — Their various Duties — Means for securing Regular Attendance of Pupils, and Fidelity and Teachers — Diffidence with which these Suggestions are made — Consideration of Obstacles — Indifference of the People — Various Proofs of it — Lagging Legislation — Feebleness of Voluntary Associations — Periodicals on Education unsupported — Difficulty of removing this Indifference — Admitted Costli ness a great Obstacle — Ought not to be — Friends of Education must be content to labour for remote Results — Obstacles arising from Points in our Social System, and Traits in our

National Character — The Lust of Wealth and the Leaven of Ag-itation hinder Reform — Multiplication and Intermingling of Religious Sects a Hindrance — Remoteness and Impalpable nature of the Benefits to be gained a great Impediment — Our duty to provide for Posterity— This duty plainly written on the Creator's Plan — Pleasure arising from its Performance — Encouragements— Indifference giving way — Much has been already accomplished — Formation of Lyceums — Example of other Countries — Popular Education not a Political Question — The Press unanimous in its Favour— Concluding Appeal to Statesmen and Legislators. - . « 225-255

HINTS

ON

POPULAR EDUCATION.