a The poem is a dialogue, in which Philopas asks questions and Chrysippus answers them. Here only the substance of the answers is given in the passages quoted. A child should not hare many teachers. The country Caria was destroyed a In such a case as this. Young infants are dismayel Toinorrow are unsaid. The first condition of learning. The first degree to learning is The Schooluaister to love: As skilful teachers prove, His book for maister's sake. Like love to maister take. Which come from those we love, For maister's cause do love, That he doth learn inost, And thinks no labour lost. Of those we best do love: That love to book doth move, Prevail if they shall use Unqualified schoolmasters and cureless parents. How ill therefore do they foresee, The safety of their child, With skill and manners mild To ghastly mazing school Blunt, rude, and half a fool Inveterate and old: With little lambs to scold. Be none so abject fools Men use them for their schools. A man would say it were no school But slaughter-honse indeed. a Multitudo imperatorum Cariam perdidit. What the teacher should do. Let's watchful be t’instruct them well, No labour let us spare, Let that be all our care Again for to require That tender wits desire. This man (say thou) through learning skill Is come to high degree: To power and dignity. Through want of learning's lore, Hath gained himself therefore. But some perhaps will say to me, What shall be done with those Except it be with blows? What would you seem to do They come the school into? Into the country soil, The Plough and Cart to toil? Unto the Plough staff born Than the ass with labour worn. Philopas says, “ Yes, then the schoolmaster loses his scholars and his fees.” Chrysippus says the worthy schoolmaster will let them go. If the schoolmaster is good, then the civil and ecclesiastical magistrates should look after him. But how rare to find the “ right wise man indeed” as a teacher. The training of the schoolmaster. The Magistrates should see: And fitted for the field, The counterverse they yield: Be taught, much more be trained Hath any way attained. The schoolmaster you see And child again should be. The school subjects of teaching. Love unto the Latin tongue Whereto (as hath been said before) The fables do invite, Whereto agreeth right Which (as it were by play) A perfect ready way; And apophthegms of men, Great learning aye hath been. They better far shall learn, And some thereof discern. Verbal and real knowledge. The names of Trees, of plants also And names of monsters strange, Doth cause their minds to range, With longing minds to know Where this strange tree doth grow. Children must not be taught the “wantonnesses of the poets, b'it be giren “good stories" froin the Bible and Quintus Curtius, and led on to write accounts of them by rewards. Remember of children: What they cannot learn at first, That learn they at length: Yet as an änt they have. Hence people are wrong who say, Don't teach a child before 5 years old; there is no profit in it. But the writer says, Shall we delay Whenas there's nothing half so rich As Time is, nor half so good Examples of great men: Ovid, Lucan, Ursinus, Alexander the Great, all were taught with the highest profit when young. Teach early, but teach well. (The Epilogue.) Consider well, what portion and What dear possession eke Man's mind doth knowledge seek. What ableness is found What quickness doth abound. And unto such as gentle are, Which teach them all by play: When harder things they may. In the dedication to Maister John Harlowe his approved friend, he (Hakel calls himself an "Attorney in the Common Pleas,'' observing at the same time, that the name of an Attorney in the Common Pleas is nowadays grown into contempt. He adds another circumstance of his life, that he was educated under John Hopkins, whom I suppose to be the translator of the Psalms, " You being trained up together with me your poor schoolfellow with the instructions of that learned and exquisite teacher, Maister John Hopkins, that worthy schoolmaister, nay rather that most worthy parent unto all chillren committed to his charge of education. Of whose memory, if I should in such an opportunity as this, be forgetful, etc. I regret that I can not give the passage in full, but Warton stops short at this point, and the dedication and early pages of the tract are missing from the British Museum copy. The reading of the passages quoted carries with it the confirmation that the John Hopkins referred to is the translator of the Psalms. CHAPTER VII. TIIE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS OF TIIE UNITED STATES. By AARON (OVE. а The public school systems of the United States present a scheme of education not national, but, by an interesting history and experience, so nearly unified as to be not improperly designated a “national school system." The sovereignty of each State of the United States and its relation to the National Gorernment virtually prohibit the interference in or direction of such conduct of public schools as may be prescribed and executed by each individual State. One finds, whether he look to Massachnsetts or Missouri or California, State public school plans modified one from the other by charges of environment, by geographical and industrial conditions, and more especially by circumstances attending the admission of the State into the National Federation. Throughout the entire Union, in the fortyfive States is found provision for the eduration of the children at the expense of the publie purse. The property of the State is taxed for the education of the children of the State. Whether this school attendance is compulsory or voluntary, and to what extent free text-books and cther instruments are provided, depend upon the legislation of the State. However, certain general methods of management obtain in all, modified only by the above-named conditions. The conduct of city schools of municipalities of 10,000 people or more is quite similar, whether East or West, North or South. The controlling power of the schools consists of a public corporation, its composition varied in size and sex, though not many women in the country have been placed upon school boards. The members of this corporation board are variously determined, sometimes by election by the people; sometimes by appointment of a court of justice; sometimes by appointment by the mayor or other officer. Usually the board is scarcely limited in power except by the statnte under which it exists. In a few cities the municipal government controls the expenditure of money—that is, the appropriation of money to the school board must have the approval of the municipal government. l'sually, especially in the newer parts of the country, the school board is absolute, not only in the expenditure, but also in the power to levy a tax on the property of the city, limited only by the constitution of the State. This board organizes the schools of the city, usually by the selection of one executive officer, commonly termed the superintendent of schools, and by the erection and conduct of as many schools as are necessary for the accommodation of the children of the city between the ages of 6 and 14; in some cities 6 and 21. In a few States provision is made for the kindergarten system, providing for the education at public expense of children under 0. The school buildings in the large cities are of various sizes, sometimes accommodating 2,000 and even 3,000 pupils; in the smaller cities, one or two room houses are found. The mediun-sized city of the country has for its typical schoolhouse a building of 12 or 15 rooms, which means schoolrooms from about 28 to 32 feet square, each seating 50 pupils, with 1 teacher, and a principal or master of the building, who has charge of the whole school. |