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ing improvement in writing, a blank book (save a copy) with a proper pen in which the scholar is to occupy half an hour, with the occasional assistance of the teacher as to the position of his body and holding of the pen, which latter, should it require repair before the copy is finished, is to be placed in a box standing on the teacher's desk, marked "poor pens," and receive another, as the handwriting may require, from another box marked "repaired pens; ;" and as it is not probable that any one writer will exhaust his five supernumerary pens in finishing one copy, the teacher will be free from pen repairing during the hours of the morning session, and thereby enable him more profitably to direct and instruct his writing class during the assigned half hour, which, being closed, a recess of ten minutes, or absence be granted to all the girls, during which, let the teacher exercise a class of boys in arithmetic; the girls returned, let the same privilege be granted to the boys, and during their absence, let a class of girls in arithmetic also be exercised.

The school once more in full session, every reading class in advance of the spelling-book, should review their respective lessons, while the teacher again with the usher hears the recitations from his alphabetical and spellingbook pupils, testing the knowledge of orthography; in the latter with books closed, after which, the teacher will proceed to hear, in order, his respective higher reading classes, and endeavor in his own proper voice so to read, as to fix upon the minds of his class, the difference between an understanding and a mechanical reader, which can only be required by entering into the spirit and feeling of the author, by the knowledge of words in connexion with various defined marks of punctuation.

As these lessons are in order finished, let the knowledge of each scholar be tested in orthography by their books closed, from some of the most difficult words embraced in their lesson, with an examination of the whole subject; next, let all the writing books (and pens cleansed by means of the soft, fine piece of muslin already mentioned), be returned and placed on the teacher's desks; when, again, all the higher classes in reading will review the already pointed out column in the dictionary, during which time let the usher amuse his small pupils by exercising them in the multiplication table which can ad

vantageously be performed notwithstanding they are only commencing to form syllables into words, and taking it for granted that we have twenty minutes left in arriving at the meridian of the day, let all scholars, not includ ing the usher's class, appoint two captains who shall alternately select from the school his company, when the teacher shall proceed to test their knowledge in spelling, with closed dictionaries, out of the column already named, keeping an account as to which side not only correctly spelt, but defined the greatest number of words; during which time, the usher is again to exercise his alphabetical and spelling class.

CHAPTER XI.

FROM the 15th of April to the same day following in October, a recess or adjournment from twelve o'clock, M., till two o'clock, P. M., is to be granted to all the scholars, which will afford not only full time to refresh themselves by dinner, but also to engage in those sports of the open air, necessary for the health of both the body and the mind; the remaining six months of the year will only admit of one hour noon intermission, and under this arrangement the afternoon session is to commence by every scholar for fifteen minutes (not confined to the spelling-book), to quietly endeavor to inform itself as to its first reading lesson, which in every instance should not in length extend so as to prevent a consultation, or examination of the dictionary as to the meaning of words beyond its present powers to comprehend, and while this duty is performed, let the teacher, with his usher, commence the instruction of his juvenile classes, and so continue in order throughout the afternoon as pursued in the morning session. And as the classes proceed in regular order to read from No. 1 to 2, or more, as circumstances may require, let each up to the time of afternoon intermission apply him, or herself to the study of English grammar, a lesson in which should never be required without the teacher having first lectured in open school at least ten

minutes on the subject, in a plain and familiar manner; and while this method cannot otherwise than reasonably be supposed to benefit the young beginner, no injury can be sustained by those scholars not engaged for the time present in this all-important branch of English education; after having passed the afternoon intermission in the same order as that of the morning, let ten minutes be allowed to the first reading class in preparing for a second lesson, with such further time to all the other reading classes as may lapse by reaching them in a regular order. The second lessons read, all the grammarians who have passed through syntax, should be brought into one class and their knowledge tested (by parsing) as to the construction or formation of words into sentences.

All lessons, on whatever subject, should be short and thoroughly comprehended by the pupil before a new one is enjoined, which, to a great extent, may be accelerated by pleasing familiarity on the part of the teacher, so governed and directed, however, as not to lose sight of the dignified position in which he stands before his school, for familiarity in all the intercourses of man with his fellow man, unless very cautiously indulged in, lead to contempt, disrespect, and, consequently, loss of usefulness.

The exercises in the grammar-class closed, we may fairly suppose ourselves barely possessed of time to prepare for the general evening's spelling, which performed as in the morning session all scholars are to be dismissed at 5 o'clock, p. m., for their respective homes, except the detention one hour of four, when the days are at least twelve hours long, who write, and in arithmetic have passed compound division, for the purpose of transacting the business of a mimic or mock store, which is to be commenced by the introduction of the table, scales, weights, measures, &c., &c., as has already previously been directed. Two scholars as clerks and the teacher as principal, or owner of the store, are to stand at the margin of the table containing the yard measure with its sub-divisions, while the other two, on the opposite side of the table, are to represent applicants or customers for merchandize, and all for the best; if one is a girl, with a tin pail half-filled with chips and clean stones, secured on the top by a napkin or towel, the contents.

represented as butter, and desires to know the then giving price; the principal, or one of the clerks, replies 16 cts., upon which it would be in order for the owner of the butter to endeavor to obtain a higher price, and if nothing more, pence instead of cents.

The pail with the appendage and contents weighed, the supposed butter is to be deposited in a proper place of the cellar by one of the clerks, first minuting on a slate the weight, which we will suppose 7 lbs. 3 oz. and by the teacher explained as the gross, next the empty pail and cloth are to be weighed, which we will again suppose is 1 lb. 6oz. and denominated tare, which subtracted from the gross leaves 5 lbs. 13 oz. net or true weight of butter, amounting at 16 cts. per pound to 93 cts., then we will further suppose the lady customer to have brought with her 6 1-4 lbs. of rags at 3 1-2 cts. per pound and by a rule in trade the seller entitled to the fraction when it is five or more mills, as to demand a cent, which will make the rags amount to 22 cts., and is to be placed under the amount of the butter, she lastly offers for sale 9 5-12 doz. eggs, which are accepted by the merchant at 10 cts. per doz., which gives 94 cts., the seller here losing the fraction, in conformity with the principle of trade just laid down which latter sum added to those of the butter, and rags makes $2 09 cts., for which the lady customer is to receive goods from the store; and, during the time occupied in ascertaining the true weight of the butter, rags, and number of eggs, with the several calculations as to value and amount, we will suppose the second clerk is attending to the gentleman customer, in measuring off cloths, cassimeres, muslins, &c., from the ball of narrow strips of cloth, in connexion with an occasional consultation as to the number of yards or quantity of cloth necessary for several defined garments, all of which as they are cut off are entered in the day-book with prices extended, and on which several purchases, we will further suppose, a payment (in state money) of about half, duly placed to his credit. But before the goods are delivered let a bill, setting forth each article, be made and handed to the customer, after which the clerk from his book names each article, and in one general bundle delivers the same to his customer, which from necessity to keep a mock appearance must be returned and properly sewed in

in strips on the ball; the lady then asks for 2 lbs. coffee, 12 cts. per lb. ; 7 lbs. rice, 56 cts. ; 3 1-2 lbs. brown sugar, 28 cts.; 1-2 lb. hyson skin tea, 44 cts. per lb.; 1-2 lb. young hyson, 75 cts. per lb.; 1-2 lb. ginger, 12 cts. per Ib.; 3 lbs. cheese, 10 cts. per lb.; 1-2 lb. starch, 9 cts. per lb.; 2 oz. Scotch snuff, 31 cts. per lb., wilh an ounce of indigo at $1 60 cts. per ĺb.; all of which articles are to be obtained from the sand-box, and after being properly wrapped up in paper and secured with twine, a memorandum of each, with prices affixed, are to be placed on a slate, or a white piece of paper, and a bill presented to the customer showing the amount traded, $2 27 cts., and leaving a balance due to the merchant of 18 cts., which if as a balance should be desired by the lady to be charged let the request be granted (if considered safe to trust), by transcribing under her name on the day-book all the articles, with extended prices, and then by giving credit in the same way for her barter, the balance will be made to appear in a form better calculated to secure future confidence than if charged as a balance. In this transaction the teacher is also to point out the scrupulous observance for justice in regard to fractions, first himself receiving the advantage and next granting it to the customer; and should molasses, vinegar, or other liquids be wanted, usually sold in retail stores, they are to be obtained from the water-keg, and measured in the tin measures already herein described, the gill to represent a pint, half-pint a quart, and pinta half-gallon, and delivered in the jugs, as also herein described, which we will now suppose as the property of the customer, with a gratuitous supply of corn-cobs to secure the same against loss, but the jugs are to be returned and once a week cleansed, with the keg, and fresh water supplied.

The teacher is also to give instructions as to the mode of executing receipts, and to point out the absurdity, upon its face stamped falsehood, practised by many knowing it to be wrong, wherein receipts not unfrequently commence, "Received, New York, &c.," which would make the recipient a greater giant than Hercules, or with a larger pocket than that worn by the venerable "Old Daddy Lambert." Again a receipt, although declared to be in full of all demands, is not conclusive nor bars the rectifying errors which may be subsequently as

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