our readers not to admit his opinions without a careful examination; to rest their confidence on nothing but his facts, and to remember that it is not only nothing but the truth, but the whole truth, which is demanded in a matter of evidence.

ART. XXI.-On the Importance of Educating the Infant Chil dren of the Poor; showing how Three Hundred Children, from Eighteen Months to Seven Years of Age, may be managed by one Master and Mistress: containing also an Account of the Spitlefields Infant School. By Samuel Wilderspin, Master of the said School. 1823.

TH

HIS is a plain account of a very important institution; and, though we wish it had entered into a more minute and detailed statement and explanation of the minor parts of the plan, which Mr. Wilderspin pursues in the Spitalfields Infant School, yet we clearly gather from the information which he does give us, that similar schools must be of essential service to the labouring classes in every part of the kingdom, and that, as is well observed by Mr. Lloyd, who writes the preface, they are "particularly needed in the manufacturing districts, as there the children go to work just at the age for admittance into common day schools; and the parents, being employed in the factories, cannot possibly pay that attention to their children which they so much require."

From their being admitted at such a very early age as eighteen months, and not received or kept after the age of seven years, it must be evident that the principal and peculiar object of such schools cannot be instruction. But a little reflection on the circumstances in which the poorer classes are placed, especially in large towns, will convince us that great and real benefit may be conferred on them and their children, even at a period of life when the latter are incapable, and ought not, to be taught much.

"What is a poor woman to do," asks Mr. Wilderspin," who is left a widow with four or five children, the oldest perhaps not more than ten years of age? She is obliged to go out to washing or other daily labour; the consequence is, her children are left to shift for themselves, because the mother is not able to pay for their schooling, and the free schools will not admit them, because they are too young; thus they imbibe principles and habits of which neither parents, tutors, nor even the law itself, in many instances, can ever break them."

This, however, though a very serious ill consequence of young children being left to shift for themselves, while their mother is labouring for their maintenance, is not the only mischief which is thus produced: if the mother hires a person to look after them, a necessary deduction is made from her own earnings, and it is

highly probable that the person neglects her duty, or conduces by her example, or even her negligence, to train them up in idleness and vice, at the very time that she is defrauding their mother of a portion of her hard-earned means of supporting them. Let us, again, suppose that the mother is not able or not inclined to pay a person to look after her children; if they confine themselves to the house during her absence, she must be under continual apprehension that some accident will befall them. " Poor people," as Mr. W. remarks," are frequently obliged to live in garrets, three or four pair of stairs high, with a family of six or seven children; and it frequently happens that, when the children are left by themselves, two or three of them will come tumbling down stairs; some break their backs, others their legs or some other limbs, and to this cause alone, perhaps, may be traced a vast number of cripples that daily appear in our streets." Mr. W. might have added another accident still more likely to befall children when left to themselves-instances of which we read of frequently in the newspapers: we mean the accident of the children of the poor being burnt to death.

But let us see what is sure to befall them, if they are not confined to the house, during their mother's absence, but permitted to leave it and go where they please: it is surely not necessary to point out the impression on their habits, which must necessarily be produced if they wander about the streets; idle, unsettled, and vicious habits of all kinds must be fostered and planted so deeply, as to render them, when grown up, the pests of society.

Whether they are confined to the house, or suffered to roam about, during the absence of their mothers, their health must suffer. In the one case, they have not sufficient air and exercise; in the other case, they are exposed to colds, which, if neglected, terminate in some lasting or fatal disorder, and, if attended to, must keep their mother from her work.

Indeed, as Mr. W. observes, the "dead weight which is continually on the minds of the parents, from their anxiety being fixed on their children, is frequently the cause of their being unable to please their employers, and in consequence, they are frequently thrown out of work altogether: " and we believe he is perfectly justified in adding, "that those persons who most need employ, are the last to procure it; for there are so many obstacles thrown in the way of married people, and especially those with a family, that many are tempted to deny that they have any children, for fear they should lose their situation."

We have hitherto supposed that the mothers of these poor children are industrious and work hard; and have pointed out the danger and evils to which the latter are exposed, even when they are blessed with such mothers. But there are too many mothers who

take

take advantage of their having a large family to become beggars; and who not only beg themselves, but take their children with them, and thus train them to the same degrading, mischievous, and demoralizing occupation. If they are asked why they do not go to work, they point to their children, and plead their reluctance to leave them without a mother's superintending care, as not only a justification of their idleness, but a claim on your sympathy, and approbation of their parental fondness. Such schools as that which Mr. W. superintends and describes, are admirably calculated for practically silencing these begging parents, and trying by an effective test, whether their parental fondness or their idle habits have led them to such a course. Whenever one of the most active and zealous supporters of the Infant School in Westminster (to which we shall afterwards advert) meets a woman in the streets begging, and pleading her large and young family as the reason for her not going to work, he immediately tells her that he will remove that obstacle; that her children shall be sent to a school, where they will be kept out of harm's way, well taken care of, and receive such instruction as their age may admit.

Were there no other advantages than those we have enumerated and explained, to be derived from infant schools, surely these are sufficiently obvious and of sufficient magnitude to excite the attention and interest of the benevolent to such institutions. But there are other advantages, besides those of securing the safety, health, and morals of the children; of removing the anxiety of industrious parents, and of taking away from the idle one prevailing and plausible excuse for their idleness.

We do not at present allude to such kind and degree of instruction as these very young children are capable of receiving; this, indeed, we regard as an inferior object even to the securing of their health and safety, and much more so to the opportunities and advantages for ascertaining and forming their temper, disposition, and habits, which such schools, if under the superintendance of an intelligent, experienced, and conscientious person, must undoubtedly afford. It requires no argument to prove that a person who has been much with children, must be able to penetrate more distinctly and further into their tempers, dispositions, and habits, than parents, especially those of the lower classes, are able or even disposed to do. Their thoughts and anxieties are naturally, and, under their circumstances, laudably directed more to the means of supporting themselves and families, than to any other object. Whereas it is the interest as well as the duty, and in many, we trust most, instances, the source of gratification and pride, in the master or mistress, to become soon and well acquainted with the scholars, in order that their reform or improvement may proceed on a sure and permanent basis.

Our

Our author's explanation of the chief end and design of an infant school is perfectly just, and displays his good sense, as well as his qualification to superintend such a school, so far as a proper conviction of what a master ought to aim at, is one element of such a qualification; and we deem it one certainly of primary importance, as it is impossible that the most conscientious and experienced master can do much good, if he has not a clear and accurate idea of the object he ought principally to pursue. According to Mr. W., "The chief end and design of an infant school is to keep the mind employed about what is innocent and useful; and therefore teaching children their letters, or teaching them to read, write, and so on, are only secondary objects." And in another place he observes, "As an infant school may very properly be called a combination of the school and nursery, the art of pleasing forms a prominent part of the system; and as little children are very apt to be fretful, it becomes expedient to divert as well as to teach them; for if children of two years old and under are not diverted, they will naturally cry for the mother; and to have 10 or 1o children crying in the school, would put every thing in confusion; but it is possible to have 200 or even 300 children assembled together, the oldest not more than six years of age, and yet not to hear one of them crying for a whole day."

It is on these two principles of keeping the mind employed in what is innocent and useful, and studying the art of interesting and pleasing the children, that Mr. W. proceeds, and that all infant schools ought to proceed. It should always be remembered, that the children are very young, and that therefore the rule laid down by the excellent and judicious author of "Hints for the Improvement of early Education and Nursery Discipline*," applies more particularly and strongly to them. "The object of education is to preserve them from evil, not from childishness,”—a rule which, if observed, would preserve the temper of many, both parents and children.

The rules to be observed by the parents of children admitted to Spitalfields Infant School, relate principally to the sending the children clean and in time, and to their not being absent without a satisfactory notice being sent. The rules to be observed by the master or mistress are, 66 never to correct a child in anger; never to deprive a child of any thing, without returning it again; never

* No mother of a young family, no nurse who has the charge of children, ought to be without this book: all that it teaches to be done and to be avoided; every observation in it on the disposition of children, the objects to be pursued in educating them, and the most proper and efficacious, as well as the pleasantest modes both for children and parents of attaining those objects, is so evidently the result of good sense, good principles, and experience, that it ought to be thoroughly understood, and invariably followed.

to

to break a promise, and never to overlook a fault; but in all things study to set before the children an example worthy of imitation.'

The first thing taught the children is order; it is a pithy and just observation of the Rev. R. Cecil, that method is important, as it gains time; it is like packing things in a box; a good packer will get in half as much more as a bad one.' But while order and arrangement of time and business are attended to, they are not suffered to interfere with the grand maxim, that an infant school is a combination of a school and a nursery; and that more harm than good will be done to children if they are kept a long time fixed to one spot or occupation." One of the principal ends in view in infant schools, is "to make the children happy, as well as to instruct them; it is therefore thought expedient to change the scene as often as possible."

"The mode of teaching is as follows: The children are taught to stand in files, the smaller children, such as those from 18 months to three years old, standing in front; the taller children standing behind the alphabet is pasted in cards in two different characters, thus (a A) on one side of the card, and (b B) on the other side. The card is then put on the end of a stick, where there is a notch cut to receive it. The stick is then held up before all the children, who immediately call out A: one of the children then inquires how many there are, and the other children answer, Two; the stick is then turned round in the hand, and (b B) are exhibited, when one of the children inquires what letters they are, the other children answering as before; in this way we go on, till we have gone through the whole alphabet." There are other modes for teaching the alphabet, both in printing and writing; for teaching the first rules of arithmetic by means of inch cubes of wood, and for teaching them natural history; the names of different kinds of buildings, and the most distinguishing or intelligible processes of the different trades, by the aid of pictures: for the details of these various modes, we must refer to the book itself; only remarking, that whatever can be taught by having its representation exhibited to the eye of the child, is most likely to interest him, and to be clearly understood and long remembered. This mode is likewise pursued with great effect in directing the attention of the children to the Scriptures: we perfectly agree with the author of "Hints," &c. that the earliest scriptural lessons are best given by conversation assisted by prints*.

Some

* In illustration and support of this mode of teaching the Scriptures, the author of "Hints," &c. gives the following anecdote of Dr. Doddridge, which is also alluded to in Mr. W.'s book. "His parents brought him up in the early knowledge of religion. Before he could read, his mother taught him the History of the Old and New Testament by the assistance of some Dutch