be quite sufficient for them. The reason for their living on the premises, is, because the children should be allowed to bring their dinners with them, as this will keep them out of the streets; besides, many of the children who go home to dinner will return in a very short time, and if there are no persons on the premises to take care of them, they will be lost; and not only so, but strange boys will come in from the streets, and do a great deal of mischief, if no one is there to prevent them.

The portion of sitting room that I have allowed for each child is twelve inches. The scholars should sit all round the school-room with their backs against the wall. A schoolroom of fifty feet square, deducting for the class-room and fire place, would hold one hundred and seventy children round the sides; to make room for the other one hundred and thirty, it would be necessary to have four forms to cross the school-room, two of them to hold thirty-two children each, and the other two, thirty-three each; but these forms should be put out of the way when the children go to play, otherwise they would fall over them and do themselves an injury. I would recommend that pulleys should be fixed to the roof, which would be very little expense, and cords passed through them; at the end of each form there might

be fixed a staple, and at the end of each rope a hook, the hooks might then be put into the staples, and the forms drawn up, out of the way, by the master, in a minute or two; and when wanted, be let down in the same way; this would leave the whole space in the centre of the room vacant, a thing very desirable when the children are at play.*

The master's desk should be placed at the end of the school, where the class room is, by this means he will be able to see the faces of all the children, and they see him, which is extremely necessary, as they may then be governed by a motion of his hand.

On the ill consequences of frightening Children.

IT is common for many persons to threaten to put children into the black hole, or to call the sweep to take them away in his bag, when they do not behave as they ought; but the ill effects of this mode of proceeding may

* This has been objected to, it being thought dangerous to have forms suspended over the children's heads. If the forms are put out of the way, I care not by what method it is done; but I am convinced that with strong tackle they might be suspended as safe as the roof itself.

be perceived, by the following fact. There is a child in the school, who has been to one of those initiatory schools, where the children of mechanics are usually sent, called Dames' Schools, which was kept by an elderly woman, who, it seems, had put this child into the coal-hole, and told him, that unless he was a good boy, the black man would come and take him away; this so frightened the child, that he fell into a violent fit, and never afterwards could bear the sight of this woman.. On the mother getting the child admitted into our school, she desired me to be very gentle with him, relating to me all the above story, except, that the child had been in a fit. About a fortnight after the child had been admitted, he came running one day into the school, exclaiming, "I'll be a good boy! master! master! I'll be a good boy." As soon as he caught sight of me, he clung round, and grasped me with such violence, that I really thought the child was mad; in a few minutes after this, he went off into strong convulsions, and looked such a dreadful spectacle, that I thought nothing less, than that the child would die in my arms. In this state he remained for about twenty minutes, and I expected that the child would be carried out of the school a corpse. I sent for the mother, and on her arrival, I perceived that she was less alarmed

than myself, for she immediately said, that the child was in a fit, and that I had frightened him into it. I could only reply, by telling her, that she was mistaken, as the child had only just entered the school, and I was ignorant of the cause of his fright; but several of my little scholars soon set the matter at rest, by stating the particulars of the fright, as they saw it, when coming to school. It seems that there was a man passing along the street, who sweeps chimneys with a machine, and just as the little fellow passed him, he called out sweep; this so alarmed the child, that he thought the man was going to take him, and thus caused him to act as I have stated. The child, however, getting better, and the mother hearing what the children said, begged my pardon, for having accused me wrongfully, and then told me the whole particulars of his first fright with the woman, and the coalhole. I have the greatest difficulty imaginable, to persuade him, that a sweep is a human being, and that he loves little children as much as other persons. I believe that the child is not quite so terrified at the sight of a sweep, as he was, but he still talks something about old "Boge," and seems alınost afraid to stir without company:* this shows

*This child is now in the School, and has had but one fit since.

how improper it is to confine children by themselves, or to threaten that they shall be taken away in a bag. Many persons continue nervous all their lives, through such treatment, and are so materially injured, that they are actually frightened at their own shadow.

It is also productive of much mischief, to talk of mysteries, ghosts, and hobgoblins, before children, which many persons are too apt to do. Some deal so much in the marvellous, that I really believe they frighten many children out of their senses.

I can

recollect, that when I was a youth, being frequently in the habit of hearing such stories, I have actually been afraid to look behind me. How many persons are frightened at such a little creature as a mouse, because the nature of that little creature has not been explained to them in their infancy. Indeed children should have all things shown them, if possible, that they are likely to meet with; and above all, it should be impressed upon their minds, that if they meet with no injury from the living, it is most certain, the dead will never hurt them, and that he, who fears God, need have no other fear.