Page:Hints for the improvement of village schools and the introduction of industrial work.djvu/28

20 All the books and articles above-mentioned, may be procured from the National Society's Depository, Sanctuary, Westminster. In making the list, I have looked to economy as well as utility, knowing that many school managers are very hard pressed for funds. This will account for my recommending so many books of the Irish Society. I have reckoned, of course, that many of the books will be used by more than one class, e.g. the Bibles, New Testaments, and Old Testament History, will serve for the first three classes in common. There are several books which appear to me to be greatly wanted for farmers' boys in the first class of a good country school, at least I have not been able to meet with any on the following subjects, which are satisfactory in price as well as matter:—agricultural chemistry, as applied to manures; draining; modern farm-instruments; farm building; and the management and feeding of stock. On each of these subjects, a well-written little treatise, costing about 6d., would be a great acquisition; such books as these should be purchased by the boys, that they may have them to refer to in after years, or to make use of in the evening school.

The school being duly provided with books, sufficient in quantity and good in quality, the next point to be looked to is good organization, a point in which many teachers lamentably fail—as a rule the children should be divided into classes according to their proficiency in reading, but no rule is without exceptions, and to make these exceptions judiciously requires a skilful teacher. Another point to which I attach great importance, is a system of monthly examinations, followed by a distribution of small prizes. It is not the value of a prize that a child cares for, but the satisfaction of obtaining it. Pictures or books, worth from 1d. to 2d., make good prizes. I have used largely Scripture prints, Old and New Testament series, published by Parker. They cost about 2d. each, and are highly valued by the children, who often frame them and hang them up in their cottages, to the exclusion of some villainous daub. In order to assist us in doing strict justice in these examinations, the teacher of each class keeps a daily record of the home lessons—this record is examined, and has great weight in adjudging the prizes. We also give a small prize for a whole month's perfectly regular attendance. Prizes of the most trivial value, if given on the understanding that they are intended as marks of approbation, will be eagerly sought after, and will have considerable effect in inducing many children to exert themselves more than they would otherwise do. governs mankind by a system of rewards and punishments, and by a combination of mercy and justice. The school is a small world, and