The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

288 LETTERS, TRACTS, ^t*.diverlion,they contrail fettled habits of inattention,'and their minds are fo diflipatcd, that it is oftentimesfound impofflble to fix them ; by which means manyhave been ruined, and could never afterwards, by allthe arts and entreaties of their parents, be brought toapply themfelves in earneil to any bufinefs whatfoever.Common fenfe would didlate,that the two lowerclaffes, at leaft, ought to be treated as children are inother fchools j they ought |o be kept as it were under,the rod, and obliged to apply to their bufmefs forfour or five hours a day : And fo many hours of attendance,at the fev/eft, fliall, it is propofed, be givenby every teacher in the defigned academy.4. Our teachers lliall ftudy the genius, and learnthe views of each particular fcholar, and dire£t themto a proper ccurfe of reading when they are at home.We fufFered fo much ourfelves through want of fuchdirection, that we will be at the utmofl pains thatour children may not fufFer as we have done. Theteachers willput thofe books into their hands whichand relativeare moil accommodated to their genius,to the bufmefs they are defigned for. They will converfeoften and familiarly with them, and twice everyweek will, in an eafy manner, inquire into the progrefsthey have made, and caufe them to make obfervationsthemfelves upon what they have been reading.Poifefled of fuch accomplifliments as we havementioned, they will be in no dread of being puzzledby the queflions that m.ay be put to them by fprightlylads of fourteen or fifteen, nor under any neceffityof concealing their ignorance by an affe6i:ed gravity,and entrenching themfelves behind a form.5. To confufe or diftraft the minds of the youthby different ftudies at the fame time, will be avoidedv.'ith the moft fcrupulous care. All poflible art willbe ufed to make what is the immediate and principalftudy of the fcholars amufing and delightful to