The Reformed School, Part 3 – Part 6
Secondly of the Education of Children.
The Girles ſhould all be lodged in the ſame houſe with the aſſociated women; to be under the perpetuall inſpection of the Governeſs, by whom, their ſeverall tasks for all the dayes of the week and houres of the day, ſhould be ſet unto them; and the tymes of taking an account of them concerning every thing, ordered and ſtrictly obſerved.
The Boyes ſhould be in a ſeverall houſe, or part of the houſe ſo, that they ſhould not be able at any time to have free communication with the Girles; but ſhould be alwayes under the inſpection of their Tutors who ſhould be men belonging to the aſſociation, for ſuch Offices which women are not fit to be employed in: and theſe Tutors and Teachers ſhould all be under one generall Overſeer, who ſhould give them their tasks, and ſee the ſame performed according to ſettled Orders.
The main ſcope of the whole work of Education, both in the Boyes and Girls, ſhould be none other but this; to train them up to know God in Chriſt, that they may walke worthy of him in the Goſpell; and become profitable inſtruments of the Common-wealth in their Generations. And in order to this, two things are to bee taught them. Firſt, the way of Godlineſs, wherein every day they are …o be exerciſed, by prayers, reading of the word, Catecheticall Inſtitutions, and other …xerciſes ſubordinat unto the life of Chriſtia…ity. Secondly, the way of Serviceableneſs towards the Society wherin they live, that they may be enabled each in their ſex reſpectively, …o follow lawfull callings for profitable uſes; …nd not become a burden to their generation …y living in Idleneſs and diſorderlineſſe, as moſt commonly thoſe do which come from …he Schools of this age.
The Rule then according to which their …ducation is to be Reformed fundamentally, …s this.
That no time of the day is to be loſt without ſome teaching exerciſe; and that nothing …s to bee taught but that which is uſefull in …t ſelf to the Society of mankind, therin fitting …hem for employments approvable by the Goſpel; and which will bring them to be…ave themſelves ſo as it becometh thoſe who …re called to walke with the lamb upon mount …ion in the preſence of God, that is, as Saints …n his Church.
Upon this ground, all the matters of ſhew …nd appearance, which pleaſe the fancies of …en in the world, whether they be in points …f knowledge or practice; (wherin all the …ime of the youth is moſt commonly ſpent in ordinary Schools) are to be laid aſide in the courſe of this Education.
Therefore as to the Girls, the ordinary van…ty and curioſity of their dreſſing of hair an… putting an of apparell; the cuſtomes and prin…ciples of wantonneſs and bold behaviours which in their dancings are taught them; an… whatſoever elſe doth tend onelyonly to fomēt pri… and ſatisfie curioſity and imaginary delights ſhall be changed, by this our courſe of Edu…cation, into plain, decet cleanlineſs and health full wayes of appa…relling themſelves; an… into ſuch exerciſes of their hearts, heads an… hands, which may habituat them through th… fere of God, to become good and carefu… houſwiues, loving towards their husbands an… their children when God ſhall call them t… be married; and underſtanding in all thing belonging to the care of a Family, accordin… to the Characters which Salomon doth give … a virtuous Godly woman. And ſuch as ma… be found capable of Tongues and Science… (to perfect them in Graces and the know…ledge of Chriſt for all is to be referred t… him above the ordinary ſort) are not to b… neglected; but aſſiſted towards the improv…ment of their intellectuall abilities.
As for the Boyes; the ſame Rule is to be o…ſerved in the way of their Education, bo… for Tongues, Sciences and Employments. S… …at all the prepoſterous Methods of teach…g the ſame; by which, not only their time is …ſt, but their ſpirits and affections are in…red to evill cuſtomes of Diſorderlineſs, of …anity, Pride and Self conceitedneſs, which is …he root of all our contentions about matters …f Learning and Science falſly ſo called: and …ll the unprofitable exerciſes of their mind …nd body in things which take them off from …e aime of Chriſtianity unto the cuſtomes of …e world ſhall be altered into profitable …mployments which may fit them to be good Commonwealths men, by the knowledge of …l things which are fundamentall for the …tlement of a State in Husbandry, in ne…ſſary Trades, in Navigation, in Civill Of…ces for the Adminiſtration of Juſtice; in …e…ce and War; and in Oeconomicall Duties … which they may be ſerviceable to their own …milies, and to their neighbours.
And if theſe Generall Grounds be aſſented …nto by thoſe that have a mind to aſſociat, …d to help forward the Education of youth …r a beginning of ſome Reall Reformation in …r age; the particular Models both for Boyes …d Girls Inſtitution, Inſpection and Employ…ents may be ſoon added, and offered to their …nſideration.
THE DIRECTORY For the Particular Education of Boyes.
IF we ſuppoſe that fifty or threeſcore Boye… are to be educated, according to the Princi…ples heretofore mentioned; we conceive th… care which is to be taken of them ſhould b… ordered after this manner.
1. Let there be one Governour over them and three Uſhers under him.
2. Let theſe Uſhers do all things by the Governours Direction, which he ſhall afte… previous Conſultation with them, give: th… they may the better underſtand their wor… and go about it with cheerfulneſſe.
3. And that theſe may without diſtractio… be able to attend their work; Let them b… provided with all outward things neceſſa… for lodging, food, and raiment, without the coſt or care, by the Diligence of him th… ſhall be Steward of the Aſſociation.
4. Let the Governour and Uſhers obſer… the ſettled Rights and Duties of their ſevera… places, and the Determined Rules of educ…tion towards the Children.
The Rights and Duties of the Governour, and Uſhers places.
AS it is the Governours Duty to inſtruct and Overſee the Uſhers in all …ings which concerne the Children; ſo it …all not be lawfull for Uſhers to alter any …ing in the Orders which the Governour …all ſettle, without his knowledge and ap…obation.
2. The Governour ſhall have power, as t, …ovide and place, ſo to diſplace the Uſherso … he ſhall ſee cauſe: which cauſe, it will be fit … him to make known to any of the Aſſo…tion, who ſhall deſire to be informed …ereof.
3. The Governour ſhall give all his Di…ctions in writing to the uſhers.
4. Every Uſher ſhall have a peculiar number … Schollars committed to his inſpection …oſe lodgings ſhall be together, all next unto …s Chamber, that in the night-ſeaſon as well by day, he may overſee them.
5. The Uſhers ſhall ſee their peculiar Schol…s riſe and go to bed, at the houres appoin…: and when their Schollars are retired or …ne to bed; they ſhall come to the Gover…ur every evening before they go to bed …emſelves; that they may conferre about their …tters together.
6. The Governour ſhall either by himſelf or ſome other ſee both the uſhers and their ſcholars in their ſeverall quarters at the ſet hours, before he goeth to bed himſelf: and the Steward ſhall ſee the other ſervants retired and all the doores ſhut at the hour appointed, and ſhall bring ſuch keyes to the Governour as b… ſhall ordain to be brought unto him.
The Rules of Education.
The Chief Rule of the whole Work is, tha… nothing may be made tedious and grievous t… the Children: but all the toilſomeneſs of the… buſineſs the Governour and Uſhers are t… take upon themſelves; that by diligence an… induſtry, all things may be ſo prepared, methodized and ordered for their apprehenſion; th… their work may unto them be as a delightfu… recreation by the variety and eaſineſs thereo…
The things to be lookt unto in the care o… their education, are 1. Their Advanceme… in Piety. 2. The Preſervation of their Healt… 3. The Forming of their Manners. 4. The… Proficiency in Learning.