Little more could be attempte than to give specimens of the s proper to be given; but by study down in the work, the teacher on each subject for himself. Th some difficulty; yet it will be fou those lessons which are the resu taught and better understood, tha ready made. No new theory is forth in the present work, such pla as have been tested by experience mote the happiness and improveme

The V

The A

The Be

The As

The Bu

The Re

The Co

The Do

Bird's F

The Cir

The Sola

The Der

Good thi

The Par

How lon

Time Ta

Apotheca

Avoirdup

Rhymes t

Manual

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15

46

མམས་

INFANT SCHOOLS.

THE idea of collecting very young children for elementa
instruction is not new: schools for infants having lo
existed under the name of Dame Schools. Indeed t
embarrassment arising from the union of children wide
differing in age, generally led either to the separation
the
younger portion, or to their entire neglect. Ve
little observation and reflection are required to convin
us of the marked disparity in the state of mind in chi
ren of various ages, which, when we address the
familiarly, we involuntarily admit, by bringing o
language and ideas to their level; and they themsel
generally divide into groups, according to their age,
conversation or play. No judicious teacher overloo
this fact, or attempts to unite in one class pupils of fi
years of age, with others of ten and twelve. It is n
therefore, in the mere collecting of young children
gether, but in the kind of instruction given, and in t
mode of communicating it, that the Infant School syst
differs essentially from any previous form of elementa
teaching. Under the old system little was attempt
until the child had learned to read; and, during this lo
and painful interval, the monotony of the school-ro
was seldom varied by anything to interest or amuse t
little pupil. No physical exercises relieved the weari
body, but all was starched formality, and, what w

སཔPཔ PSS© P°[[པཝ

Immured in a close dull room.

the joyous freedom of infancy r cantly poring over the unexplain ing's first page, the only motive dread of the fool's cap, or of the

"Tway birchen sprays, with anxi
With dark distrust and sad repe
And steadfast hate, and sharp a
And fury uncontroll'd, and chas

With such a system was it won sufferer longed to escape from sc house that small progress was all, that the temper and dispositio mediably injured? But, with the a of the present century, it began felt that something more was requi and good of infancy than this, at b that, in fact, much could be done character and good habits, as well a of the intellectual and physical pov dren in the earliest stages of life: b arising in an age of high intelligenc ed upon them, at their commence philosophical principles. Throwin previously existing systems, the Inf for its pupils in accordance with th basing its plans on the simplicity advantage of those restless instinc terror of former teachers, it makes t the most perfect training, subduing activity that incessant restlessness, pressed, constantly breaks out in irr troublesome curiosity which so ofter young, is made to produce the rapi spontaneous development of the inte while the ever springing love of infan to receive the seeds of the purest virt

The following extract from an em