A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of Schoole-times. Of Scholars going forth of the Schoole, and of Play dayes.
THough in many Schooles I obſerve ſix a clock in the morning to be the hour for children to be faſt at their Book, yet in moſt, ſeven is the conſtant time, both in Winter and Summer, againſt which houre, it is fit every Scholar ſhould be ready at the Schoole. And all they that come before ſeven, ſhould be permitted to play about the Schoole, till the clock ſtrike, on condition they can ſay their parts at the Maſters coming in; elſe, they are not to play at all, but to ſettle to their books, as ſoon as they come.
But here the Maſter is to take heed, that he be neither too rigorous with thoſe of weaker age or conſtitution for coming ſomewhat tardy; nor indulgent towards thoſe, who through manifeſt ſloth, and frequent loytering, neglect the houre. For in the one it will breed a daily timerouſneſſe, and in the other it will make way to licentiouſneſſe; and on the one ſide Parents will clamour, on the other ſide the Schoole will receive diſgrace. However the beſt is to be as ſtrict as poſſibly may be, in ſeeing that every Scholar come at the juſt houre, and to note it as a puniſhable fault in him that cometh late; except he bring a note of excuſe from his Parents, or Hoſt's hand, and a promiſe withall, that he ſhall not offend often in that kind.
It is not amiſſe for every Scholar in every Form to put down his name in a book (kept common for that purpoſe) ſo ſoon as he comes to Schoole every day, that it may be upon record, whether he uſed to come with the foremoſt or the hindmoſt, and how often he was abſent from the Schoole; likewiſe every Scholars name ſhould be called over according to the Bill every Schole hour, and they that are preſent ſhould anſwer for themſelves, by ſaying Adſum, and his next fellow ſhould give notice of him that is abſent, by ſaying Abeſt.
The common time of diſmiſſing Scholars from Schoole in the fore-noons, is eleven a clock every day, and in the after-noons, on Mondaies, Wedneſdaies, and Fridaies, five a clock, but on Tueſday after-noons, foure; and on Thurſdayes, three. Touching which, a care would be taken that the taskes of every Form may be fully diſpatched rather a little before thoſe houres then after; that then the Scholars which intend writing or cyphering, or the like, may go to the Writing-ſchoole, as they yet uſe to doe about London. Neither would I have the Scholars to be ſo preciſely obſervant of the clock, as juſt upon the firſt ſtroke of it to ruſh out of the Schoole: but notice being given to the Maſter that it is ſtricken, and he having given the word for diſmiſſing the Schoole, all the Scholars ſhould come one by one orderly out of their ſeats according to their Forms (the loweſt beginning firſt, becauſe they are commonly next the doore) and ſalute him with their hats in their hands, and ſo quietly depart out of the Schoole without thruſting, or ſtriving one to get out before another. It were good if there were hour-glaſſes in the School, to give notice how the time goes on.
And for their ready going home, or to the writing Schoole, there ſhould be private Monitors appointed to inform the Maſter, ſo ſoon as they return to the Schoole again, who they are that neglected their duty therein.
That ſpace of intermiſſion about nine and three a clock, which is uſed at Weſtminſter Schoole, and ſome others, and is ſo much commended by Mr. Brinſley (Chap. 33. of his Grammar Schoole) cannot ſo well be obſerved, nor is it ſo requiſite in thoſe Schooles, in which Scholars meet not till ſeven in the morning; for the variety of their ſeveral tasks, will take away that tediouſneſſe that ſeems to accurre by the length of time, and thoſe Subſidiary Books provided for the lower Formes, will prevent the over-toyling of themſelves by their preſent work. And that thoſe diſorders which uſually befall in Scholars running forth in Schoole-time, may be ſomewhat remedied, this or the like courſe may be taken.
1. Let it not be lawful for above one boy in twenty to go forth at once; and at his going forth, let every one come to the Maſter, or that Uſher to whoſe charge he belongs, and in his hearing repeat four or ſix Vocabula's or phraſes, which he hath not ſaid before, and then lay down his book, with his name writ in it in a place appointed within the Maſters view, that ſo it may be knowne at once, both how many, and who are out of doores, and how long they tarry abroad. At their coming in, they ſhould again repeat the like number of Vocabula's and Phraſes, as they did at their going fo…th.
The Maſter ſhould do well now and then to ſend a privie ſpie, who may truly obſerve and certifie him, how every ſcholar ſpendeth his time abroad, and if any be found to go forth upon no occaſion, or to truant it without doors, let him be cenſured or reproved, according to his demerits.
3. The granting of a Play-day, is to be referred wholly to the diſcretion of the Maſter, who muſt in this be as fearfull to work his Scholars hinderance, and the Schooles diſcredit, as willing by ſuch a courteſie to gratify his deſerving friends; who if they be any whit reaſonable, will be eaſily ſatisfied with a juſt excuſe of denial; but if they be unreaſonably importunate, they ought to be ſerved with as unreaſonable a nayſay; ſo that Play-dayes ſhould be rarely granted, except to ſuch as may ſeem to claime more then ordinary intereſt in the Schoole, and to whom the Maſter is bound to ſhew his due reſpects, eſpecially before his Scholars.
In places of great reſort, and where often ſollicitation is uſed to be made for play (eſpecially by mothers that come to viſit their children which are tabled at Schoole) it were good that a piece of an afternoon were deſigned conſtantly afore-hand, on which (in caſe any ſuit ſhould be made) the Scholars might have leave to play; but if not, that …hey be held to their Books. Yet if …here have not a Play-day been granted, …or a Holy day intervened for ſome weeks together, the Maſter may of him…elf propound to his Scholars, that in caſe they performe all their Tasks very well and orderly, ſo as to diſpatch them by ſuch an hour on ſuch a day, they ſhall play the remainder thereof, & then (as at other times alſo when a Play-day is intended) ore of the upper Form (at leaſt) ſhould make a Petitory Oration to the Maſter, or them that come to crave play; and another, a Gratulatory ſpeech, after leave is obtained.
Where both Thurſdayes and Saturdayes in the afternoons are halfe Holy-dayes, I think Tueſdayes the fitteſt, on which to grant play; in other places, Thurſdayes may ſeem the beſt. But this I leave to the diſcretion of the Maſter, who knoweth what is moſt convenient for his own Schoole.
Now in granting a Play-day, theſe directions may be uſeful.
1. That there be never more then one Play-day granted in one week, and that onelyonly when there is no Holy-day in that week, and when the weather alſo is clear and open, and the ground ſomewhat dry.
2. That no Play be granted till one a clock (at the ſooneſt) when all the Scholars are met, and Orations have been ſaid.
3. That all the Scholars be diſmiſſed orderly into ſome cloſe (or other place appointed for ſuch a purpoſe) near the Schoole, where they may play together, and uſe ſuch honeſt and harmleſſe recreations, as may moderately exerciſe their bodies, and not at all endanger their health.
And becauſe ſome boyes are apt to ſneak home, or ſtraggle from the reſt of their fellowes out of their bounds, preſcribed them to play in; you may do well to give order to him that hath the Bill of all the names, to call it over at any time amid their ſport, and to take notice of all ſuch as have abſented themſelves, & to give you an account of them, when they return into the Schoole; which ſhould be upon Play-daies before five of the clock, that they may bleſſe God for his provident hand over them that day, and ſo go home. And that the Maſter may ſometimes ſee into the various diſpoſition of children, which doth freely diſcover it ſelfe by their company, and behaviour at play; he may now and then take occaſion to walk at a diſtance from them, or (if he come nearer) to ſtand out of their ſight, ſo as he may behold them in the throng of their recreations, and obſerve their geſture and words, which if in any thing they be not as becometh them, he may afterwards admoniſh them in private to behave, or ſpeak otherwiſe.
But an eſpecial care muſt be taken, and a charge accordingly often given, that your Scholars do at no time play with any but their own Schoole-fellowes, or other ingenuous children about home; which their Parents or Friends know, and whom they are willing ſhould be admitted into their company; for beſides the evil which may be contracted by learning corrupt diſcourſe, and imitating them in many ſhrewd turns: boyes that are under little or no command, will be very ſubject to brabble and fight with Scholars, and the rather becauſe they know the Maſter will not allow his Scholars at all to quarel, and if they can do them any maime, they will attempt it, that the Maſter may have occaſion to call them to account for it. So perverſe is our corrupt nature (eſpecially) where education hath no ſway.