1. The semicircles as they are called, are not perfectly so, for it is found that the shape here given takes up less room and is more convenient for the class. These are the reciting stations, in the centre of which is a seat for the monitor. This seat may be a permanent one, a desk, or a chair, or the monitor may be required to stand, which is the preferable mode.

2. There should be about eighteen inches between the ends of the semicircles, so that children standing at each may not touch each other.

3. From the wall to the front of the semicircles may be about four feet, and then there must be room between the front of the semicircles and the desks, to allow of a person's passing down the aisle,

while the children are standing at the stations. Two feet will be sufficient, thus making the aisle six feet wide.

4. The master's desk had better be semicircular that classes may form around it and recite to him. It should be elevated about eighteen inches above the floor, and have two circular steps around it. 5. The narrow aisle on the left side of the school will be found convenient, but may be dispensed with if the other aisle is a wide

one.

6. The nearest form should be about four feet from the master's desk. The seats for the scholars may be separate stools, nailed to the floor, or single benches strongly made and fastened. The desk should have a shelf under it, to hold the slate and books of the children.

7. Between the seats and the front of the next row, should be a passage way of fifteen or twenty inches width, that master and monitors may pass freely behind the scholars.

8. The reading stations 6, 7, and 8, behind the desks, may be dispensed with, if there are enough elsewhere, and, in winter, one or two may be made by the door. These stations are marked by grooves in the floor cut or scratched. Paint is sometimes used but is soon effaced.

9. The desks nearest the master's should be somewhat lower than the others, to suit the smallest children. In arranging the relative height of the seats and desks or forms, the best plan is to set a child upon the seat, and place the form just high enough for him to write and keep his elbow at his side. Always recollect that it had better be too low than too high.

Such is the arrangement we should propose, and a judicious teacher will come as near to it as circumstances will allow. He may adopt the whole or a part, or none, for it is possible to do without reading stations, the monitor sitting at the end of a bench, and the children standing in a semicircle around him. It is better however for the classes to read towards the wall than towards the centre of the room.

In European schools, and in some in our own country, where the poor are chiefly taught, the children read from sheets printed in very large type, and hung against the wall, over the monitor's seat. The class can all see the sheet, and read from it. After a class has read one sheet, they exchange sheets with another class, and thus one set of sheets, or cards, as they are called, will suffice for a large school. There are, however, many disadvantages attending the use of these cards, and as the selections on them are very inferior to the books generally used in our schools, and, moreover, as our villages contain few parents so poor that they can

not procure the necessary books, we should recommend the use of books to the exclusion of cards.

Each child must have a slate, which should be ruled after the following pattern.

The five lines are for the body of the letter, the middle to show where most letters join. The inner of the two lines mark the length of stems not looped, and the outer lines the length of those looped. Three such lines, or assemblages of lines, may be put on one side of a common slate, the other side is kept unruled.

As every master has his own mode of teaching writing, he can rule the slate to suit himself, if he does not like our plan. Our system can become 'all things to all men,' in such nonessentials.

2

No other apparatus will be needed except a small bell or whistle, and a board about four feet by three and painted black. This is placed over the master's desk, or wherever the scholars can see it best, and letters, words or sums, diagrams, &c. are written on it with chalk. The board must be well painted, but not varnished, and chalk of the best quality, free from particles of flint, should be used, that the board may not be scratched..

In such schools as can afford it we should also recommend another board painted black, and ruled with white or red lines like the slates, with a great and small alphabet painted on it, the length and proportions of the letters being carefully preserved, that the child may always have a copy to appeal to, when in doubt about the form of a letter.

In offering directions for a change of systems in our common schools, we shall suppose some one employed to teach a school of this sort, and shall give him the necessary directions.

Before the day appointed for opening the school, let it be known that each child is expected to bring his last writing book, ciphering

book, and all the other books he has used the previous season. This will assist in classing them, which is the first important step.

When the children are all assembled, write their names on a sheet of paper to be afterwards copied alphabetically on the class lists, to be hereafter described.

Let the children all stand in one or two lines, and read from the same book. As they read place them higher or lower as they compare with the others. After they have read round once, let them do so again that your judgement may be corrected or confirmed. Then take the head readers for monitors, and their number must depend upon the number of scholars. One hundred scholars will need about twelve monitors, after you have taken these, let the eight next highest readers form the highest class, the eight next, the next class and so down. Let the lowest class be called the first. Then let these classes form around the stations, and assign a particular class to each monitor.

We

Much difficulty will be experienced from the diversity of books found in every school, and it is to be lamented that parents are so unwilling to purchase a new book, however improved, while any book, however antiquated and unsuitable is already owned. This embarrasses the teacher and retards the progress of the pupils. shall point out such books as are suitable, and earnestly recommend it to school committees to see that every child is supplied with them. We do not say that the system we advocate cannot struggle with the evil complained of, as well as the old system can; but we love uniformity, and are unwilling to dig our garden with a hoe, when for a trifle we can purchase a spade.

Having classed the readers, the next thing is to class the writers Let each scholar write three words on his slate, each writing the same words that they may be more easily compared. Select the best writers, say as many as you have forms, for monitors of wri ting on the slate, and if possible let these slate monitors not be the same children you have selected for reading monitors. Then divide the children into classes, which may consist of as many as sit at one form, if the school be numerous. Let the best writers occupy the forms farthest from the master's desk, and the beginners will then occupy the lower desks.

Having classed the writers, arrange all the scholars, and give a fair trial at spelling. Let one or two of the best writers take down the names of the scholars, and mark each scholar that spells incorrectly. Let those who err go below those who spell the word right. After spelling round ten or fifteen times, let those who have made no error, (as will appear on the slate,) take the head, those who have made only one go next, and so down to those who erred the most. As there will be several who failed in the same number of words, precedence must be given to those who stood the highest when

they left off spelling, and this is the chief object of letting them go up and down, when a record is kept on the slate also. Now begin at the foot and mark off eight for the first class, then the next eight for the second, and so on until only enough are left for monitors of these classes. Then let the monitors, beginning at the highest, choose a class, until each class has a monitor.

Let each, with slate in hand, stand up for examination in arithmetic. Such as have never ciphered may be classed according to ages, but such as have ciphered, must first be tried in numeration, then addition, subtraction, &c. and as fast as any fail to do the sum, mark them off for a class. Take the best for monitors, and then yourself teach these monitors numeration thoroughly, and let them teach the same to their classes. Require all to begin, that. they may review, and let none advance until thoroughly acquainted with a rule.

As but a small proportion will have studied grammar and geography, there will probably be but one class, and this you must teach yourself. But you will soon permit others to commence the study of these branches, that your class may be exercised in teaching them.

As directions for their use are given in the grammar and geography we shall hereafter propose, we need only remark here that when more branches are taught, less time must be allowed for each branch, or geography may be studied one day or one week and grammar on the next week. This arrangement can be made by the teacher.

Supposing the school to open at 9, and continue till 12 A. M. and then to open at 2 and continue till 4 in the afternoon, the following may be the order of exercises until experience teaches a better.

At nine A. M. ring the little bell as a signal for every child to take his seat. Call the roll and give each child present a merit mark for punctuality. The nature of this merit mark will be hereafter explained, though not so fully as in the second number of this Journal, pp. 72, 73.

9. Order monitors of reading to their stations, then direct the classes to form around them, in perfect silence, with hands behind. Give a signal for all to begin to read at once. Whilst the classes are reading to the monitors the master goes round and hears each class a little, or hears a different class each day, keeping a vigilant eye upon the whole school,

5 m. before 10. Ring the bell for all to stop, and require all to do so instantly, even if a word be half pronounced. Let them then form a line in front of their reading stations, (where the dotted line is in our diagram.) Then take the class list and, beginning with the highest class, give a merit to such as their monitors say deserve one, and so on to the lowest class. In very large schools i

uld