A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School, Chapter 7 – Title page 2
CHAP. VII.
Of the diſcipline of a Petty-Schoole.
THe ſweet and orderly behaviour of Children addeth more credit to a Schoole then due and conſtant Teaching, becauſe this ſpeaketh to every one that the Childe is well taught, though (perhaps) he learn but little; and good manners indeed are a main part of good education. I ſhall here therefore take occaſion to ſpeak ſomewhat concerning the Diſcipline of a Petty-Schoole, leaving the further Diſcourſe of Childrens Manners to Books that treat purpoſely of that ſubject: as, Eraſmus de moribus, Youths Behaviour, &c.
1. Let every Scholar repair to Schoole before eight a clock in a morning, or in caſe of weakneſſe before nine; and let him come fairly waſhed, neatly combed, and hanſomly clad, and by commending his cleanneſſe, and ſhewing it to his fellowes, make him to take pleaſure betimes of himſelf to go neat and comely in his clothes.
2. Let ſuch as come before Schoole-time take liberty to recreate themſelves about the Schoole, yet ſo as not to be ſuffered to do any thing, whereby to harm themſelves, or Schoole-fellowes, or to give offence, or make diſturbance to any neighbour.
3. When Schoole-time calleth, let them all go orderly to their own places, and there apply themſelves diligently to their books, without noyſe, or running about.
4. When the Maſter cometh into the Schoole, let them all ſtand up, and make obeyſance▪ ſo likewiſe when any ſt…anger cometh in) and after notice taken who are abſent; let one that is moſt able read a chapter, and the reſt attend, and give ſome little account of what they heard read; Then let him that read, ſay a ſhort prayer fitted for the Schoole, and afterwards let every one ſettle to his preſent taske.
5. The whole Schoole may not unfitly be divided into four formes; whereof the firſt and loweſt ſhould be of thoſe that learn to know their letters, whoſe leſſons may be in the Primar. The ſecond of thoſe that learn to ſpell, whoſe leſſons may be in the Single-Pſalter. The third of theſe that learn to read, whoſe leſſons may be in the Bible. The fourth of thoſe that are exerciſed in reading, writeing, and caſting accounts, whoſe leſſons may be in ſuch profitable Engliſh-Books as the Parents can beſt provide, and the Maſter think fitteſt to be taught.
6. Let their leſſons be the ſame to each boy in every form, and let the Maſter proportion them to the meaneſt capacities, thus thoſe that are abler may profit themſelves by helping their weaker fellowes, and thoſe that are weaker be encouraged to ſee that they can keep company with the ſtronger. And let the two higheſt in every forme give notice to the Maſter when they come to ſay, of thoſe that were moſt negligent in geting the leſſon.
7. When they come to ſay, let them all ſtand orderly in one or 2 rowes, & whilſt one ſayeth his leſſon, be ſure that all the reſt look upon their books, and give liberty to him thats next to correct him that is ſaying if he miſtake, and in caſe he can ſay better, let him take his place, and keep it till the ſame boy or another win it from him. The ſtriveing for places (eſpecially) amongſt little ones, will whet them all on to more diligence, then any encouragement that can be given them; and the Maſter ſhould be very ſparing to whip any one for his book, except he be ſullenly negligent, and then alſo I would chuſe rather to ſhame him out of his untowardneſſe by commending ſome of his fellowes, and asking him why he cannot do as well as they, then by falling upon him with rating words, or injurious blowes. A great care alſo muſt be had that thoſe children that are ſlow witted and of a tender ſpirit, be not any way diſcouraged, though they cannot make ſo good performance of their task as the reſt of their fellowes.
8 On Mundayes, Wedneſdayes and Fridayes they may ſay two leſſons in a forenoon and two in an afternoon; and on Tueſdayes and Thurſdayes in the forenoons they may alſo ſay two leſſons; but on Tueſdayes and Thurſdayes in the afternoons, and on Saturday mornings I would have the time ſpent in examineing, and directing how to ſpell and read a right, and hearing them ſay the Graces, Prayers, and Pſalms, and eſpecially the Lords Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandements (which are for that purpoſe ſet down in the New-Primar) very perfectly by heart. And thoſe that can theſe well may proceed to get other Catechiſms, but be ſure they be ſuch as agree with the Principles of Chriſtian Religion.
9. Their leſſons being all ſaid, they ſhould be diſmiſſed about eleven a clock, and then care muſt be taken that they go every one orderly out of the Schoole, and paſſe quietly home without any ſtay by the way. And to prevent that too too common clamour, and crouding out of the Schoole door, let them riſe out of their places one by one with their hat, and book in their hand, and make their honours to their Maſter as they paſſe before his face, one following another at a diſtance out of the Schoole. It were fitteſt and ſafeſt that the leaſt went out the foremoſt, that the bigger boyes following may give notice of any miſdemeanour upon the way.
10 Their return to Schoole in the after-noon ſhould be by one of the clock, and thoſe that come before that hour, ſhould be permitted to play within their bounds till the clock ſtrike one, and then let them all take their places in due order, and ſay their leſſons as they did in the fore-noon. After leſſons ended, let one read a chapter, and ſay a Prayer, and ſo let them again go orderly and quietly home, about five a clock in the ſummer, and four in the winter ſeaſon.
11. If neceſſity require any one to go out in the School time, let him not interrupt the Maſter by asking him leave, but let him leave his book with his next fellow above him, for fear he ſhould elſe ſpoile it, or looſe it, and in caſe he tarry too long forth, let notice be given to the Monitor.
12. Thoſe children in the upper form may be monitors, every one a day in his turn, and let them every evening after all leſſons ſaid, give a bill to the Maſter of their names that are abſent and theirs that have committed any diſorder; and let him be very moderate in correcting, and be ſure to make a difference betwixt thoſe faults that are vitiouſly enormous, and thoſe that are but childiſh tranſgreſſons; Where admonitions readily take place, it is a needleſſe trouble to uſe a rod, and as for a ferula I wiſh it were utterly baniſhed out of all Schooles.
If one, before I conclude, ſhould ask me, how many children I think may be well and profitably taught (according to the method already propoſed) in a Petty-School; I return him anſwer, that I conceive fourty boyes will be enough throughly to employ one man, to hear every one ſo often as is required, and ſo many he may hear and benefit of himſelf, without making uſe of any of his Scholars to teach the reſt, which however it may be permitted, and is practiſed in ſome Schooles, yet it occaſioneth too much noyſe and diſorder, and is no whit ſo acceptable to Parents, or pleaſing to the children, be the work never ſo well done. And therefore I adviſe, that in a place where a great concours of children may be had, there be more Maſters then one employed according to the ſpatiouſneſſe of the room, and the number of boyes to be taught; ſo that every fourty Scholars may have one to teach them; and in caſe there be boyes enough to be taught, I would appoint one ſingle Maſter, to attend one ſingle forme, and have as many Maſters as there are forms, and then the work of teaching little ones to the height of their beſt improvement may be throwly done, eſecially if there were a writeing-maſter employed at certain houres in the Schoole, and an experienced Teacher encouraged as a ſuperviſor, or inſpector, to ſee that the whole Schoole be well and orderly taught, and diſciplined.
What I have here writ concerning the Teaching and ordering of a Petty-Schoole, was in many particulars experienced by my ſelf with a few little boyes, that I taught amongſt my Grammar-Scholars in London, and I know thoſe of eminent worth, and great learning that upon tryal made upon their own children at home, and others at Schoole are ready to atteſt the eaſe and benefit of this method. Inſomuch as I was reſolved to have adjoyned a Petty-Schoole to my Grammar-Schoole at the Token-houſe in Lothbury London, and there to have proceeded in this familiar and pleaſing way of Teaching, had I not been unhanſomly dealt with by thoſe whom it concerned, for their own profit ſake to have given me leſſe diſcouragement. Nevertheleſſe, I think it my duty to promote Learning what I can, and to lay a ſure foundation for ſuch a goodly ſtructure as learning is; And though (perhaps) I may never be able to effect what I deſire for its advancement, yet it will be my comfort, to have imparted ſomwhat to others that may help thereunto. I have here begun at the very ground work, intending (by Gods bleſſing) forthwith to publiſh The New Diſcovery of the Old Art of Teaching, which doth properly belong to a Grammar-Schoole.
In the mean time I intreat thoſe into whoſe hands this little work may come, to look upon it with a ſingle eye, and whether they like or diſlike it, to think that it is not unneceſſary for men of greateſt parts to beſtow a ſheet or two at leaſure time upon ſo mean a ſubject as this ſeem's to bee. And that God which cauſeth immenſe rivers to flow from ſmall ſpring-heads, vouchſafe to bleſſe theſe weak beginings in tender age, that good learning may proceed hence to its full perfection in riper years.
FINIS.
THE Usher's Duty, OR A PLAT-FORME of Teaching LILIES Grammar. By C. H.
LONDON, Printed by J. T. for Andrew Crook at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church Yard, 1659.