Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 31.djvu/629

Rh by which the Poor and the Indians as well as the Rich, will have their Children taught, and the Remainder of the Profits, if any be, to be disposed of to the building of School-houses, and Improvements on the thousand Acres of Land, which belongs to the School."

"The manner and Profits of a Spinning-School in Germany, as it is laid down by Andrew Yarenton in his own words, in a book of his call'd 'England's Improvements by Sea and Land,' take as followeth: 'In Germany, where the Thred is made that makes the fine Linnens, in all Towns there are Schools for little Girls, from six years old and upwards, to teach them to spin, and so to bring their tender fingers by degrees to spin very fine; their Wheels go all by the Foot, made to go with much ease, whereby the action or motion is very easie and delightful. The way, method, rule, and order, how they are governed is: 1st. There is a large Room, and in the middle thereof a little Box like a Pulpit: 2ndly. There are Benches built around about the Room, as they are in Play-houses; upon the benches sit about two hundred Children spinning, and in the box in the middle of the Room, sits the grand-Mistress with a long white Wand in her hand; if she observe any of them idle, she reaches them a tap, but if they will not do, she rings a bell, which by a little Cord is fixed to the box, and out comes a Woman, she then points to the Offendor, and she is taken away into another Room and chastized; and all this is done without one word speaking. In a little Room by the School there is a Woman that is preparing and putting Flax on the Distaffs, and, upon the ringing of a Bell, and pointing the Rod at the Maid that hath spun off her Flax, she hath another Distaff given her and her Spool of Thred taken from her, and put into a box unto others of the same size, to make Cloth, all being of equal Threds. 1st. They raise their Children as they spin finer, to the higher Benches. 2. They sort and size all the Threds, so that they can apply them to make equal Cloths; and after a young Maid hath been three years in the Spinning-School, that is taken in at six, and then continues until nine years, she will get eight pence the day, and in these parts I speak of, a man that has most Children lives best.'"

It will be readily seen that this scheme of Budd's is very like that proposed to-day. What are its striking features? 1. That attendance should be made compulsory. 2. It recognized that education to a great degree should be a preparation for life's struggle. Hence the boy is to receive instruction in that which would most naturally be of use to him; the girl in that which would best fit her for the duties of housewife, never for a moment forgetting the education of the mind.