such practices are, to teach them habits of regularity, order, and business.

We are not unaware of the prejudices that exist in the minds of parents, on the subject of the monitorial system, and are clearly of opinion, that, like all other prejudices, it should be tenderly handled. It will not do for the master or directors, who introduce this system, to assume a high tone, and to say, that they know its introduction is for the good of the school, and that this is enough. They must be at pains to make those who are interested know it also. At first we think, they should only employ boys in what we have termed hearing of tasks, such as spelling and the like, and in no other species of teaching. Till the monitors, indeed, be themselves properly trained, they cannot with advantage be employed to any other purpose. And care should be particularly taken to show the parents, that the master labours among all their children as assiduously as before; that they are employed in the mutual instruction of each other, only at those intervals, when they would otherwise have been idle; and that much saving of time is thus obtained. We would also, before concluding this chapter, again warn our readers against the erroneous supposition, that the monitorial system (great as its advantages are) is calculated to do every thing, and remind them, that it is not to this system alone, the Sessional School owes its present reputation, but to the activity of its teachers, and the pains which have been bestowed in rendering the education of the pupils rational and substantial.

CHAP. VIII.

ON CLASSIFICATION.

Cum pueros in classes distribuerant, ordinem dicendi secundum vires ingenii dabant.-QUINTILIAN.

On the subject of CLASSIFICATION, a question has arisen between the two great sects, who promote the system of mutual instruction, relative to the size of the classes best adapted to that system. On the one hand, the disciples of Bell maintain, that large classes are to be preferred, and that, where circumstances admit, each ought to contain no fewer than 36. On the other hand, Lancaster's disciples contend, that the classes ought always to be small, and should on no occasion exceed 9. This subject, though it may not improbably on its first mention, remind our readers of the famous Big-endian and Little-endian controversy, is by no means without importance, but on the contrary appears to merit as much attention as any of the other details of external arrangements. The advantages of the large class system seem to be, that it excites

superior emulation, provides a sufficient supply of fit monitors, and occasions far less noise through the school. The advantage of the other system appears to us to consist, in each individual scholar being personally called upon to bear his part more frequently, in what has been termed ludus literarius. The small class system was that first tried in the Sessional School; but, in consequence of the inconveniences which were experienced, joined to the result of a personal and narrow inspection, by the Secretary, of both methods, in the highest state of perfection, to which they had then respectively attained, the Directors, (as we formerly hinted,) judged it expedient to resort to the other; a resolution, which they have never since found cause to regret. The average number of pupils at present in each class of the Sessional School is about 30.

For ourselves we would, ceteris paribus, much rather teach a class of 30 or 36, than one of 9 or 10. The former has far more of that spirit and animation, which characterizes public education, the latter approaches too nearly to the coldness and dulness of private or family tuition. Again, one of the most unpleasing concomitants of the monitorial system, under any method of administration, is the noise, (we mean the noise of business,) which it necessarily occasions. Now, great as this noise undoubtedly is in the Sessional School, even as at présent constituted, every one must at once perceive how tremendously it would be increased, if each of the present classes were subdivided into three or

four: more especially if all of them were to be on the floor reading at the same time, according to the Lancasterian fashion, in place of only half being at any one time so employed, as with us is the present practice. But our principal objection to the small class system is the difficulty of procuring a sufficient supply of fit monitors to conduct that system. In the Sessional School, nothing certainly has excited higher admiration, or contributed more to its success, than the excellence of its monitors. This, it may well be believed, has been the result of anxious selection, as well as careful training, and difficulty enough has been frequently experienced, to procure a sufficiency of such monitors, as would there be accounted worthy to be entrusted with a class. But, if any regulation were now made, requiring the number to be tripled or quadrupled, the master must bid adieu to all such power of selection, and must be content to take many, whom, under existing circumstances, he should never have dreamt of placing in such a situation of trust. The school might indeed, in this case, go on as well as many others upon a similar system; but it would be in vain to look for a continuance of its present success and reputation.

We have sometimes heard stated, as an objection to the large class system, the increased exertion, which is supposed to be necessary, in consequence of the noise of the school, to make the children be heard at the more remote parts of the class. This objection we conceive to be altogether founded in misapprehension. When the increased

noise, arising from the vast multiplication of voices under the small class system, is properly taken into account, we suspect it will be found, that the exertion of the pupil must be at least as great under this method as the other. We have in fact, before writing this account, put the matter to the test of repeated and careful experiment, and have found the advantage in this respect to be much in favour of the large classes. We have also been told by more than one of our own pupils, who had previously been trained under the other system, that they heard far better in our school than in the other.

Still, however, we beg it may be distinctly understood, that we consider this, like every other matter of the kind, a question of circumstances, and we should think it very absurd to lay down any undeviating rule upon the subject. If, for example, a certain number of children are already quite able to say the alphabet, what could be more ridiculous than to contend, that these shall not be formed into a class, because their number does not yet amount to 30? So also in a school not very numerous, but composed of pupils of various ages and stages of advancement, it would be no less absurd to unite very different grades for the purpose of swelling the class to this number. Regard ought also to be paid to the object, for which the classification is required. The opinion, which we have now ventured to give upon this subject, relates to the case of a large school, composed of children in different stages of progress, and where almost the whole teaching is to be constantly carried on in