Achronical. Acusateve-case Acronycal. To Acustome Acronycally. 9. Customible Acrospirible. 19. Acronicaly Acrospirence To Acru Acruable An Acruity Actable Actability An Enactment Active To Actate Actative An Actress Acuateve Acuatants Acuation An Acuity To Acumenate Acumenation To Acumulate Acumulatable Acumulatence Acumulatevly An Acumulater Acumulatence An Acumulation To Acuse Acuseless Acusible Acusion An Acusation Acrospirive. 95. Accustomly Accustomence not Accusative case.36.95. Accustom. 58. 20. Accustomable. 105.19. Accustomably. 16. Accustomance. 95. On entering a new place of residence, it is natural to ask by whom we are surrounded; and such was my enquiry when I first became a resident in Manchester. I found there a people ingenious, decided, and enterprising; many individuals of them of great moral worth, and generally disposed to the exercise of generosity and kindness. Extending my enquiries, the state of education excited much of my attention, and I was gratified by the degree of ex. cellence it had attained. The town is much indebted, in the female branch, to my friend Mr. Holland, whose excellent system has obtained the celebrity it well deserves. The schools for boys are generally respectable, but the grammar is pre-eminent, it has long been celebrated for the learning and respectability of its masters, and at no period more than the present. With a few exceptions, however, they are all day-schools,, a circumstance, I conceive, of less importance in the education of girls than of boys, and for these reasons: girls are more dutiful, more domestic, and remain longer with their parents, than boys; they are the constant companions of their mothers; but the pastimes of boys take them from home, and expose them to the contamination of bad principles and practices. Girls more cheerfully submit to maternal influence; hence, when the engagements of of the father prevent his superintending care, the boys, though requiring much more, are under less, control than the girls; they love their parents, and are unwilling to give them pain; but this is not that obedience which is essential to forming their character. When a daughter has finished her education, she remains with her parents, and enjoys the benefit of her advice; but on a boy leaving school his character is committed to himself. The master with whom he is placed to acquire the knowledge of a business or profession, anticipates the operation of moral habits and the exercise of judgment proportionate to his years; it is not his province to form them. Other reasons might be added, were they necessary, to show that a more strict, methodical, and uninterrupted education is necessary for boys than for girls, and which requires more attention than can generally be given with the assistance of a day-school only; for there the duties of the master go no further than to instruct, which forms but a small part of education. The time allotted to this important purpose is too short, and much must be accomplished in it; therefore it is important that it be conducted on a fixed and determined plan, and by whom can this plan be so well executed as by one who devotes himself to the office, who has his charge always around him, who studies their individual character, and governs them according to its nature. You will perceive by these remarks that I deem boarding-schools highly desirable in the education of youths in the middle rank of society, but it is of the first importance that they be well conducted. A century ago, boarding-schools were in high and deserved reputation, their importance was felt and acknowledged, and those parents whose circumstances admitted of it gladly sent their children to them; a master of celebrity gave respectability to his pupils, for a good education and a good character were considered as cause and effect; but, at the present day, an increase of wealth gives birth to pursuits and pleasures, which take from the family the attention it formerly received, and relaxes its discipline; and thus the children are indulged and gratified more than is consistent with their future welfare. This state of things at home has proved a serious injury to schools, which no longer receive the respect due to them; they are disliked because the scholars are abridged of the indulgences they had been accustomed to; and the enquiries respecting them relate chiefly to their domestic management; and, when one is found that promises to be agreeable to the child, it is approved. Hence education is become so uncertain in its effects, and so unlike what it used to be, that it excites no interest. A tradesman, engaging an ap prentice, seldom even asks by whom he was educated; he hopes to meet with a good character, but he has no solid ground on which to expect it; and many respectable families prefer paying a salary to receiving an apprentice with a fee, on account of the trouble and vexation to which it might expose them. There is one exception; the son of a respectable quaker is received with confidence, his education has created it, the parents are the prototypes of the son, he has drank into their spirit, and will follow their steps. To add to the number of boardingschools, and to excite an increased attention to the subject of education, I connected myself with a number of gentlemen, who were contemplating an establishment, adapted to the wants and circumstances of the times, which should connect the solidity of the ancient with the facilities of the modern system, and whose reputation should be built on the moral worth and solid attainments of its pupils. In furtherance of this object, a suitable house was engaged at Leafsquare, a short distance from Manchester. The sum of 15007. was subscribed and given to furnish the house and support the expenditure, till a number of pupils should be collected. Laws were formed, by which each scholar is allowed a separate bed, the food to be ample, and during the play-hours a master is to attend the pupils; a committee was formed to superintend the school, and to see the laws executed; masters of the first respectability, as gentlemen and scholars, were appointed, and the school commenced. Death in a short time after removed one of them; the loss was severely felt, but the vacancy was supplied by the appointment of a gentleman of high attainments, who, however, from the call of duty to fill another office, in a short time resigned that at Leaf-square. The committee immediately took measures to supply the loss, and I trust their best hopes will be realised in the appointment of the present master. And now, sir, will you allow me to state an outline of that system of education, the practical illustration of which induced me to take an active part in founding this school, and which will be the subject of a future letter. I am, &c. To |