not simply confined to those boys who teach.The boy who takes care that the writing books are ruled, by machines made for that purpose, is the monitor of ruling. The boy who superintends the enquiries after the absentees, is called the monitor of absentees. The monitors who inspect the improvement of the classes in reading, writing, and arithmetic, are called inspecting monitors; and their offices are indeed essentially different from that of the teaching monitors. A boy whose business it is to give to the other monitors such books, &c. as may be wanted or appointed for the daily use of their classes, and to gather them up when done with ; to see all the boys do read, and that none leave school + without reading, is called the monitor-general. Another is called the monitor of slates, because he has a general charge of all the slates in the school.

The benefits resulting from a system of education which will create motives in the minds of youth, and induce them to exert their powers, is far superior to any benefit the exertions of their master can produce to them. This will be illustrated in a striking manner, by the following curious fact.— Some years ago, a lad, when about thirteen years of age, took it into his head to write paragraphs for newspapers: he did so, but all his paragraphs were returned him unprinted. Previously to this he had

attempted

attempted to write a collection of anecdotes: in this he did not persevere. He attempted to write a sermon, and left it nearly finished, and better than could be expected, considering his education and youth. His next attempt was an Answer to Paine's Rights of Man, which was followed by a new System of Physic, a Democratical Pamphlet, and A Defence of Revealed Religion. In all these attempts he wasted many quires of paper, rose in the morning early, neglected his meals, and was often wholly swallowed up in the subject with which his mind was engaged. These were his various and fluctuating pursuits. But what was the result of all these laughable attempts? He insensibly acquired the art of thinking intensely and clearly, on any subject on which his mind was engaged; and, in the end, attained a concise, familiar style of writing, which, it is probable, he never would have acquired by any other means.

On the Arrangement of the Institution, as connected with Improvements in Education.

To promote emulation, and facilitate learning, the whole school is arranged into classes, and a monitor appointed to each class. A class consists of any number of boys whose proficiency is on a par: these may all be classed and taught together. If the class is small, one monitor may teach it; if large, it may still continue the same class, but with more or less assistant monitors, who, under the direction of the principal monitor, are to teach the subdivisions of the class. If only four or six boys should be found in a school, who are learning the same thing, as A, B, C, ab. &c. Addition, Subtraction, &c. I think it would be advantageous for them to pursue their studies after the manner of a class. If the number of boys studying the same lesson, in any school, should amount to six, their proficiency will be nearly doubled by being classed, and studying in conjunction. There are two descriptions of + boys to be found in every school; those who are learning to read, and those who have learnt: to the last, reading is not a study, but a medium of religious or moral instruction. To the first, a progressive series of lessons, rising step by step, to that point, where children may begin to store their minds with knowledge for use in future life. This is the second object of instruction, and to which a series of

reading

reading lessons connected with those mechanical, or other pursuits in life, which they are likely to be engaged in, and with religious knowledge, is a valuable auxiliary.

With these last three classes I use a particular series of reading, which is annexed; not as the most excellent, but the one I have been able to find, well adapted to their moral and religious improvement,

I now proceed to describe the method of tuition used in the first class.

Of

Of the Method of teaching to read.

FIRST CLASS.

The first, or lowest class of scholars, are those who are yet unacquainted with their alphabet. This class may consist of ten, twenty, or a hundred; or any other number of children, who have not made so much progress as to know how to distinguish all their letters at first sight. If there are only ten or twenty of this description in the school, one boy can manage and teach them; if double the number, it will require two boys as teachers, and so in proportion for every additional twenty boys. The reader will observe, that, in this and in every other class, described in the succeeding plan and arrangement, the monitor has but one plain, simple object to teach, though in several ways; and the scholars the same to learn. This simplicity of system defines at once the province of each monitor in tuition. The very name of each class imports as much-and this is called the first A, B, C, class. The method of teaching is as follows: a bench is placed or fixed to the ground for the boys to sit on; another, about a foot higher, is placed before them. On the desk before them is placed deal ledges, (a pantile lath, nailed down to the desk, would answer the same purpose,) thus:

The