The Grammar School, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Of the Vsher and his Office.
Phil.
TO answere your questions,An Vsher necessarie in all greater schools. and first for an Vsher. I thinke it most necessarie, that in all greater schooles, where an Vsher can bee had, there bee prouision for one Vsher or moe,To diuide the burden. according to the number of the schollars; that the burden may be diuided equally amongst them. As Iethro exhorted Moses concerning the Magistracie; wherein he was ouertoiled, and the iudgement of the people much hindred for lacke of help; that therfore there should be prouision of helpers made: so is it as requisite here.
That so the Master may imploy his paines principally amongst the chiefer; as the Vsher doth amongst the lower. For otherwise,Euill of lacke of an Vsher. when the master is compelled to diuide his pains both amongst little & great, he may much ouer-wearie himselfe, and yet not be able to do that good with anie, which he might hauehave done hauing helpe.
Hence also it shall come to passe, that another Schoolemaster who hath but two or three of the chiefe fourmes onelyonly vnderunder him, shall hauehave his schollars farre to excell his, who is troubled with all; though the other neyther take halfe the paines, nor obserue so good orders. Besides, that he who hath the care of all, can hauehave no leasure nor opportunity to furnish himselfe more & more for the better profiting and growth of the highest, nor for any other studie to answere the expectation of his place.The Master burdened with all, is as the husbandman ouercharged with more then hee can compasse. It is in this case as we see in husbandrie; where the meanest and most vnskilfull husband hauing but a little husbandrie to follow, which hee is able to compasse thoroughly, goeth ordinarily beyond the most skilfull beeing ouercharged, though hee toyle neuer so hard, and weary himselfe neuer so much.
And howsoeuer wise order and policie may much help,Supply by schollars not sufficient. to the supply of the want of an Vsher, by meanes of some of the schollars: yet it shal not be comparable to that good which may bee done by a sufficient Vsher, because of his stayednesse and authoritie; neither without some hinderance to those schollars, who are so imployed.
Besides this, in the absence of the Master (which sometimes will necessarily fall out) how hard a thing it is to keep children in any awe without an Vsher (when boyes are to bee gouerned by boyes) eueryevery man knoweth; what inconueniences also come of it, and specially what discredit to the schoole. And thus much for the necessitie of an Vsher.
Now for the sufficiency of the Vsher,Sufficiency of the Vsher. it would be such, as that hee should bee able in some good sort to supply the Masters absence; or that he be such a one, as who will willingly take any paines, and follow any good direction to fit himselfe for his place.
For his submission,To be at the Masters command. he should be alwaies at the Masters command, in all things in the schoole, euer to supplie the Masters absence, as need shall require; and to see that there be no intermission, or loitering in any fourme, if the Master bee away: but that eueryevery one doe goe on in his place. Yet awarie care must be had,To be vsed with respect. that hee be vsed with respect by the Master, and all the schollars, to maintaine and increase his authoritie, to auoide all disgrace and contempt.
Also,☞ for the auoiding of all repining and malice against him,Not to meddle with correcting the highest. there would be this caueat; that he doe not take vponupon him the correction of those which are vnderunder the Master; without aspeciall charge, or some extraordinary occasion.
And to speake further what I thinke in this case;It were the best if the Vsher medled with no correction at all, vnlesse in the Masters absence. That although I would hauehave the Vsher to hauehave authoritie to correct any vnderunder him, or others also, need so requiring in the Masters absence, and all the schollars to know so much: Yet he shold not vse that authoritie, no not in correcting those vnderunder himself, vnless very sparingly; but rather of himselfe & in his own discretion, to referre or to put them vp to the Master; so to keepe the schollars from that stomaking and complaints which will be made against him to the Parents and otherwise, do he what he can to preuent it: vnlesse it be where the Vsher teacheth in a place separate from the Master; there he is of necessitie to vse correction, though with great discretion, and so seldome as may be. Experience also sheweth, that the schollars will much more willingly and submisly take correction of the Master without the least repining. Neither need this correction to be so great, as to trouble the Master very much, if right gouernment be vsed.
All this must bee ordered by the discretion of the wise Master, so as they may stand in awe of the Vsher: otherwise little good will be done.
The principall office and imploiment of the Vsher,The Vshers principall imployment with the younger, to traine them vp for the Master. where there is but one, should be, for all vnderunder construction and the enterers into it, to prepare and fit them for the Master, to lay a most sure foundation amongst them; to traine them vp to the Masters hand; and so to make them exceeding perfect in all the first grounds, that they may goe on with …ase and cheerfulnesse, when they come vnderunder the Master.
Also to the end that the Vsher bee not a meanes of the negligence of the Master,To preuent all inconueniences by the Vsher. but to preuent that, and a number of inconueniences, and also to tye both Vsher and Schollars, to perpetuall diligence and care; and withall that the Master may hauehave an assured comfort in the profiting of all his Schollars, and boldenesse against the accusations of any malitious party, this shall be very requisite: that the Master go ouer all once in the day (if he can possibly) to see what they hauehave done, and to examine some questions in each fourme of them vnderunder the Vsher, to make triall in some part of that which they hauehave learned that day, how well they hauehave done it; or at least amongst some of them where there are many. This account will inforce all, both Vsher and schollars, to a very heedefull care. It may bee shorter or longer, as time and occasions permit.