68

Defects to be Remedied in our Schools.

continually in his mind, in providing for the welfare of his own children?

So much has been said respecting education, and the deficiency of our schools and academies, and such frequent complaints have been made of the want of good and sound instruction, of competent teachers, &c., that I will present only a brief statement of my views concerning them.

We find generally in our schools, 1st. That the variety and number of the branches of instruction, are entirely disproportionate to the time fixed for its final termination.

2d. The number of pupils is too large in proportion to the number of teachers.

3d. A great number of teachers are not competent to teach well. 4th. The teachers have, in general, too small a salary.

5th. The number of worse than useless books, multiplied by defective compilation, and false claims to novelty and usefulness, has become very great.

6th. The scholars learn too much by rote, without enough of previous explanation; and very little opportunity is given for the exertion of their own faculties, for reflection, or for new combinations of ideas.

8th. Latin and Greek absorb the greatest part of the time, and the English language, and grammar are taught very superficially. The French, and other modern languages, so useful to Americans, are too much neglected.

We can

These are some of the most striking defects in our present school system. As long as they exist, it will be utterly impossible to obtain a solid education, to acquire those clear and sound principles of knowledge which will enable a scholar to enter a college, or into any office as successfully as could be desirable. never obtain any solid basis of instruction except by simplifying it, and by earnest endeavors to give a pupil clear and sound views of elementary principles. This can only be accomplished by beginning with a few branches, and by allowing a scholar the necessary time to digest these, before he commences any other study. Experience has taught me, that a youth who has fully mastered the principles of one branch of knowledge, will not only study it with greater ardor, but will acquire another more rapidly.

It will be easy to apply this single theory to practice, and give an entirely new, and more useful direction to our present school system, by the following means.

I propose the establishment at once,

A. Of a preparatory school.

B. Of a seminary or college in which teachers shall be formed. The school shall be a nursery for the seminary or college; the

seminary a nursery, for teachers. But in order to secure success, it will be necessary that the government of the state should take both institutions, under its immediate protection; because, both must be independent of any private patronage, and not be interrupted in their established course, by any foreign influence.*

In the school shall be admitted boys of seven or eight years old, to prepare for entering the seminary, even if they have no inclination to be teachers.

To the seminary or college shall be admitted those pupils, who have passed through the school, and any students desirous of the same course of instruction, whether they intend to engage in teaching or to pursue some other occupation. The aim of both institutions should be, not only to form teachers, but to diffuse a new and sound system of education throughout the United States, and thus to multiply at the same time, and by the same means, good pupils and good teachers. Every one attached to the institutions, whether superintendent, professors, teachers, or pupils, should be admitted without any discrimination in their religious faith. The course of studies in both institutions should be in strict accordance with the above directed principles, and be divided into two distinct courses; the Classical and the English course.

The complete course of study should last four years. An extra, fifth year should be given, for purposes which shall be explained hereafter; and the studies of both institutions should be divided into four progressive classes.

The promotion from one class to another, should depend, in both, upon the studies and good behavior of the scholars, and not, as is the case now in our colleges, upon the number of years of their continuance.

I propose, therefore, to establish, besides the usual public examinations, a semi-annual private examination, in which the scholars judged fit for promotion, may pass, even after six months tuition, to a higher class, at least in those branches in which they have deserved promotion. No pupil should be promoted without this examination.

The board of examiners should consist of the superintendent, the principal, the professors, and teachers, and some competent commissioners, named by the Governor of the State. The votes should be given in writing, and by secret ballot, so as to prevent any partiality. The majority of votes should decide for or against the pupil on each study; and thus it may happen that he is judged fit in one branch (for example, in his arithmetic or geography) to enter a

Our readers are aware that we have not much confidence in state patronage in our country, in promoting the welfare of a literary institution. It has ruined more than one. Would state affairs be entrusted to the faculty of our colleges?

70

70

Reynolds on the Use of the Eyes.

higher class, and for the rest of his studies, to remain six months longer in his class, until his private examination has fully satisfied the board. This private examination should be oral, and in writing, and should be established in both institutions. No student should go from the senior class, and graduate, without having submitted to it. Thus a parent may be sure that his son has thoroughly learned that which the instructor promised to teach him; the youth will be fully convinced that his promotion, or rejection, has been fair and impartial, and the consequence of his conduct and studies. The public also will know that the graduates have really studied and improved, in the branches of the prescribed course, and that they are really able to enter upon business with success; and every one will soon be convinced of the good effect which such a plan, strictly observed, will have upon the character of our youth.

REYNOLDS ON THE USE OF THE EYES.

[Concluded.]

Hints to Students on the Use of the Eyes. BY EDWARD REYNOLDS, M. D. of Boston.-[Biblical Repository,* for July, 1833.]

In our last number, we gave a partial sketch of the interesting essay of Dr. Reynolds-one of our most able and experienced oculists on the use of the eyes, containing a condensed view of the causes of weakness, and the rules for the proper degree and adjustment of light which he has pointed out. In the remainder of the essay, he goes on to advise the student as to the best periods for study, the precautions which are necessary, the most obvious symptoms of disease, and the simple remedies to be used on its first approach.

The period of the day when the eyes are capable of severe labor with the greatest impunity, is a point of much importance. Dr. Reynolds believes that the soft light of morning, when the eye is rested by a moderate, but sufficient amount of sleep, renders this part of the day, in general, the most favorable time for study. Still, there are exceptions to this rule, and those who find any unfavorable effect from morning study, should of course avoid it. He cautions all, however, against too sudden a transition from the

*We regret that by an accidental error, we gave credit, in our last number, to the Biblical Repertory for this article, instead of the Biblical Repository, so ably conducted by Prof. Robinson, and recently united with the Quarterly Observer, edited by B. B. Edwards.

Morning and Evening Study.

71.

bed to the study. The organs of sight, from their peculiar delicacy, are most susceptible to injury from extremes, which, indeed, no part of the animal frame can sustain with impunity; and it is very wrong to go as some do, immediately from the bed to the study table, while the eyes are but half opened, and the student may be said to be half asleep.' Let the morning student, if he would use his sight to the best advantage, 'move about for a little space, until his eyes recover from the first weakness that is generally experienced on awaking, before he goes to his studies.' We would remark, in passing, that if this principle be correct, the practice in our colleges of compelling students to pass from the deep sleep of youth, and from total darkness, to the chapel and the recitation room, must be attended with danger to the sight.

But whether the morning be chosen for study or not, there are periods of the day when it is unsafe. The tendency to congestion, or fullness of blood, in the head and eyes of students, renders it important not to strain the eyes immediately after a full meal, or when the body, from any cause, is in a heated condition. A German writer tells us of public speakers, who have ruined their eyes by using them improperly, soon after the delivery of orations or ser

mons.

Dr. Reynolds earnestly advises the students to avoid straining the eyes by artificial evening light. We must quote the whole of his remarks on this important point.

'The day time, as we have said before, is the proper period for hard study. The evening is the period for repose or amusement. Nature has provided a light by day, which, if not spoiled by man's device, acts rather as an agreeable stimulus than as an injury to the organ of vision. It is impossible, when she has withdrawn it from the earth, to substitute an artificial light, that is equally agreeable, and equally innocent. If the student will be content to study only by the light of nature's lamp, and to repose, when she, for his good, has extinguished it, he will diminish exceedingly, the chances of weakened vision. More eyes have been injured by Saturday night Sermons, than by the week's study that preceded them. The prevalent error that 'a man cannot write until the spirit moves,' has unfitted many a ready writer for much useful labor. Through man's native indolence, it will probably destroy many more; for the spirit seldom will move the procrastinating, lazy man, until the setting sun compels him to light his candles for the evening and midnight toil.'

If using the eyes in the evening cannot be avoided, such reading or study should be selected as is not connected with great mental effort, since this always increases the tendency of blood to the head, and consequently the danger of injury to the eyes. Writing, when it does not require much thought, is preferable to reading, as an evening employment.

72

Sympathy of the Eye with other Organs.

We are next told of the wonderful and intimate sympathy of the eyes with all the other organs of the body. No organ gives us a more striking indication of the general state of health; and there is no other whose strength depends so much on the general vigor of the system. From this, Dr. Reynolds infers, that the same rules which are necessary to keep the body in health, should be observed by the student who would secure clear and distinct vision. The enjoyment of free, pure air, a daily and regular amount of exercise, and such an arrangement of the dress as shall not interfere with the perfect freedom of circulation, even if it be at the expense of letting the cravat or the stock sit more loosely about the neck than fashion should dictate, or at the sacrifice of other of the modern false notions of taste, are as important to the eyes as to the general health. In consequence of this sympathy, disorder in other important organs, especially in the organs of digestion, seriously affects the eyes; and any violent effort, particularly if it be of such a nature as to produce a flashing or darkness over the eyes, must inevitably weaken them.

Strict temperance in eating and drinking, Dr. R. regards as an indispensable requisite for the preservation of healthy eyes, and asks,

To what are we to attribute the clear heads of the ancient philosophers? Their works are not the production of congested brains. Their eyes looked out upon nature with a clear vision, to the end of life. Unlike the students of the present day, they exercised their limbs as well as their minds. They studied and thought in the open air. The brain was not the only organ that was tasked; and therefore it was not oppressed with the blood belonging to other parts of the body. Again, they were obedient to the wholesome laws of temperance. Therefore, their vessels were not filled, as is the case with too many of our students, to almost apoplectic fulness. Among the multitudes of our hard students, who complain of weakness of the eyes, a vast proportion may attribute the misfortune to a total neglect of these first principles of health.'

We reproach and loathe the man whose eyes are red and weeping with the effects of intemperate drinking; while we cordially pity purblind students, as in some sense, martyrs to the cause of learning. Dr. R. however, administers a rebuke which, we fear, is too often merited.

'A closer examination of their history presents a very different result. Our sympathy may grow cool, if we regard them with a physiologic eye. It is a love of the flesh, more than a love of the spirit, that too often clouds their vision. It is too much food, crowding, with unnecessary blood, the tender vessels of the retina. It is too little exercise, allowing these accumulated fluids to settle down into fatal congestion. It is positions wholly at variance with the freedom of the circulation; and various other imprudences, which are the results of carelessness, or unjustifiable