The method above described is adapted to the large room,
where the
children may be taught all together; but it is necessary to change the
scene even in this; for however novel and pleasing a thing may be
at first, if it be not managed with prudence it will soon lose
its effect. It is here to be observed, that the mode of teaching
described, is not practised every day, but only twice or thrice a
week. The children will take care that the teacher does not altogether
forget to teach them in any way that they have been accustomed to.
After letting the above plan lie by for a day or two, some of the
children will come to the teacher, and say, "Please, sir, may we
say the picture alphabet up in the gallery?" If the other children
overhear the question, it will go through the school like lightning:
"Oh yes--yes--yes, sir, if you please, do let us say the letters
in
the gallery." Thus a desire is created in the children's minds,
and it
is then especially that they may be taught with good effect.
Another plan which we adopt, is in practice almost every day; but
it is better adapted to what is called the class-room: we have
the alphabet printed in large letters, both in Roman and Italic
characters, on one sheet of paper: this paper is pasted on a board,
or
on pasteboard, and placed against the wall; the whole class then stand
around it, but instead of one of the monitors pointing to the letters,
the master or mistress does it; so that the children not only obtain
instruction from each other, but every child has a lesson from the
master or mistress twice every day.
Before they go to the reading lessons, they have the sounds of all
the
words in spelling: thus the sound of a--ball, call, fall, wall; then
the reading-lesson is full of words of the same sound. In like manner
they proceed with other letters, as i--the sound of which they learn
from such words as five, drive, strive, until, by a series of lessons,
they become acquainted with all the sounds; and are able to read any
common book.
I have observed in some instances the most deplorable laxity in this
particular. Cases have occurred in which children have been for two
years at school, and yet scarcely knew the whole alphabet; and I have
known others to be four years in an infant school, without being able
to read. I hesitate not to say that the fault rests exclusively
with the teachers, who, finding this department of their work more
troublesome than others which are attractive to visitors, have
sometimes neglected it, and even thrown it entirely aside, affirming
that reading is not a part of the infant system at all! Such a
declaration is, however, only to be accounted for from the most
lamentable ignorance, preverseness, or both. Had it been true, we
should not have had a single infant school in Scotland, and throughout
that country the children read delightfully.
The great importance of full instruction in reading will be apparent
from the following considerations.
1. If the parents do not find the children learn to read, they will
discontinue sending them. This they consider essential, and nothing
else will be deemed by them an adequate substitute.
2. Children cannot make desirable progress in other schools which
they may enter, unless they obtain an ability to read at least simple
lessons.
3. Neglect in this respect impedes the progress of the infant system.
Such an obstacle ought not to exist, and should at once be removed.
4. In manufacturing districts children go to work very soon; and if
they are not able to read before, there is reason to fear they will
not afterwards acquire the power; but if they have this, Sunday
schools may supply other deficiencies.
5. Want of ability to read prevents, of course, a knowledge of the
Word of God.
To prevent this evil, I have arranged a series, denominated
"Developing Lessons," the great object of which is to induce
children
to think and reflect on what they see. They are thus formed: at the
top is a coloured picture, or series of coloured pictures of insects,
quadrupeds, and general objects. For instance, there is one containing
the poplar, hawk-moth, and wasp. The lesson is as follows: "The
wasp
can sting, and fly as well as the moth, which does not sting. I hope
no wasp will sting me; he is small, but the hawk-moth is large. The
moth eats leaves, but the wasp loves sweet things, and makes a round
nest. If boys take the nest they may be stung: the fish like the
wasp-grubs." On this, questions are proposed: Which stings? Which
is
small and which large? Which eats leaves? Which makes a round nest?
&c. &c.
To take another instance. There is a figure of an Italian, to which
is
appended the following: "The Italian has got a flask of oil and
a fish
in his hand, and something else in his hand which the little child
who reads this must find out. Any child can tell who makes use of the
sense of seeing. In Italy they make a good deal of wine; big grapes
grow there that they make it with. Italians can sing very well, and
so can little children when they are taught." Questions are likewise
proposed on this, as before.
Of these lessons, however, there is a great variety. All schools
should possess them: they will effectually prevent the evil alluded
to, by checking the apathy of children in learning to read, and
calling the teacher's powers into full exercise. They are equally
adapted to spelling and reading.
I will give several specimens of reading lessons in natural history,
each of which has a large, well-engraved and coloured plate at the
top, copied from nature.
THE EAGLE.
How glad some poor children would be if they could read about the
eagle. He is a big strong bird, and has such great wings, and such
long sharp claws, that he can dig them into the lamb, hare, rabbit,
and other animals, and thus fly away with them to feed his young ones,
and to eat them himself. Eagles make such a large nest on the side of
some high rock, where nobody can get at it. There used to be eagles
in
Wales, and there are some now in Scotland, but very few in England,
for they do not like to be where there are many people. The Almighty
gave man dominion over the birds of the air, as well as over the
other animals, and as he gave man power to think, if the eagles
become troublesome, men catch them, though they can fly so high; and
as the eagle knows this, he likes to keep out of our way, and go into
parts of the world where there are not so many people. There are many
sorts of eagles: the black eagle, the sea eagle, the bald eagle, and
others. They have all strong bills bent down in front, and strong
claws. This bird is mentioned in the Bible.
Questions are proposed after this is read, and thus the examination
proceeds:--
Q. What is that?
A. An eagle.
Q. What sort of a bird is he?
A. He is big and strong.
Q. What are those?
A. His feathers.
Q. What else are they called?
A. His plumage.
Q. Is the eagle a small bird?
A. No, very large.
Q. Are his claws long and sharp?
A. Yes.
Q. What animals could he carry away?
A. A lamb, a hare, a rabbit, or other small animals.
Q. What does he do with those?
A. Feed his young ones.
Q. Where does the eagle make his nest?
A. On the side of some rock.
Q. Why does he make it there?
A. That no one may get at it.
Q. Used there to be eagles in Wales?
A. Yes.
Q. Where are there a few still?
A. In England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Q. Why are they not as plentiful as they were?
A. Because they do not like to be where many men live.
Q. Did the Almighty give man dominion over the birds of the air?
A. Yes.
Q. What other power did he give man?
A. Power to think.
Q. As men can think, when the eagles became troublesome, what did they
do?
A. They caught them.
Q. And what did the eagles that were not caught do?
A. They went to places where men were not so plenty.
Q. Are, there many different kinds of eagles?
A. Yes.
Q. Name some.
A. The black eagle, the bald eagle, the sea eagle, and others.
THE VULTURE.
The vulture is like the eagle in size, and some of its habits; but
it
is so very different from it in many ways, that there is little danger
of confusing the two together: the greatest distinction between them
is, that the head of the vulture is either quite naked, or covered
only with a short down, while the eagle's is well feathered. This is
the chief difference in appearance, but in their habits there is a
much greater. Instead of flying over hills and valleys in pursuit of
living game, the vultures only search for dead carcasses, which they
prefer, although they may have been a long time dead, and therefore
very bad, and smelling very offensively. They generally live in verycountries,
and are useful in clearing away those dead carcasses
which, but for them, would cause many dreadful diseases. In some
countries, indeed, on account of this, the inhabitants will not
allow any one to injure them, and they are called for this reason
scavengers, which means that they do the business for which scavengers
are employed. Vultures are very greedy and ravenous; they will often
eat so much that they are not able to move or fly, but sit quite
stupidly and insensible. One of them will often, at a single meal,
devour the entire body of an albatross (bones and all), which is a
bird nearly as large as the vulture itself. They will smell a dead
carcass at a very great distance, and will soon surround and devour
it.
Vultures lay two eggs at a time and only once a year: they build their
nests on the same kind of places as eagles do, so that it is very hard
to find them.
What does the vulture resemble the eagle in? A. In size and in some
of
its habits.
Q. In what does it differ from the eagle?
A. In having a neck and head either naked or covered with short down.
Q. What is the difference in the manner in which they feed?
A. The eagle seeks its food over hill and valley, and lives entirely
on prey which he takes alive, while the vulture seeks out dead and putrid
carcasses.
Q. For what reason do you suppose is the vulture's neck not covered
with feathers as the eagle's is?
A. If they had feathers on their necks, like eagles and hawks, they
would soon become clotted with blood.
Q. Why would this happen?
A. Because they are continually plunging their necks into decayed flesh
and bloody carcasses.
Q. How do vultures sit?
A. In a dull, mopeing manner.
Q. Where do they generally sit?
A. On tall dead trees.
Q. Do they continue thus long?
A. Yes, for several hours.
Q. What is the cause of their thus sitting so dull and inactive?
A. The great quantity of food they have eaten.
Q. Is there any description of vulture forming an exception to the general
character of those birds?
A. Yes, that particular kind called the snake eater.
Q. Where is this bird a native of?
A. Of Africa.
Q. Why is it called the snake eater?
A. On account of its singular manner of destroying serpents, on which
it feeds.
Q. Describe the manner in which this bird kills its prey.
A. He waits until the serpent raises its head, and then strikes him
with his wing, and repeats the blow until the serpent is killed.
Q. What do the natives of Asia and Africa call the vulture?
A. The scavenger.
Q. Why?
A. Because they are so useful in eating dead carcasses.
Q. How is this useful?
A. It clears the ground of them; otherwise, in those warm places, they
would be the cause of much disease.
Q. What does this shew us?
A. That the good God has created nothing without its use.
Q. What is the largest bird of the vulture kind?
A. The great condor of South America.
Q. What does its wing often measure from tip to tip?
A. Twelve feet when spread out.
Q. How do the natives of South America often catch the vulture?
A. The dead carcass of a cow or horse is set for a bait, on which they
feed so ravenously that they become stupid, and are easily taken.
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