Besides, it is possible there may be homes, we will hope they are rare,

where religious teaching is not sufficiently attended to; certainly

our better-class children are often more ignorant of their Bibles than

those who have been to a good Sunday school.

Let us assume, therefore, that the school must have a definite and

fairly complete course of religious instruction, including Biblical

and moral lessons; church schools would of course add doctrinal and

prayer-book lessons.

[(_f_) Leaven the school life.]

But the Bible lesson is not only a subject in the curriculum, it should

be a leaven in the school. This can only be the case if the children

feel that, in spite of all imperfections and shortcomings, the Bible

lesson really is the truest outcome of the teacher’s own nature, that

it is to her the most interesting lesson of the week, bearing on the

whole of life, instead of being an isolated subject in one pigeon-hole

of her mind.

Let us take it as a principle that these lessons should have the first

and freshest hour of the morning given to them, that they may be felt

as a continuation of school prayers, as a further consecration of the

day, not as a mere lesson to be sandwiched in with French and algebra,

as if all were of equal importance.[29] Let the children realise that

religion comes first in arranging a time-table, and that no pressure of

examination work can be taken as a valid excuse for curtailing these

lessons. Children sometimes think that because no marks are given for

divinity it will pay to get an excuse for this, and to devote the time

to lessons which tell in their weekly class-list. This is only a crude

force of a temptation common to every stage of life, and it would be

one of the most valuable of all school lessons could such a child be

taught that religion, if real, must come first in Monday’s lessons as

well as in Sunday’s services.

[29] If the exigencies of the time-table forbid the first hour, then

let it be the last.

[Subjects for Bible lessons.]

It is easy enough to find matter for the Bible lessons;[30] the life of

our Lord, a three years’ course of Old Testament history, as arranged

in Mr. Glazebrook’s three volumes; the life of St. Paul, considered as

the setting of his Epistles, and including a general survey of each

of those Epistles; a special study of any one of the Prophets, giving

the gist of his message, viewed first in the light of his own times

and local surroundings, and then considered in its relation to our own

times; the women of the Bible; the Jewish feasts and ritual; any one of

these courses will provide interesting matter for a year’s lessons.

[30] Full and detailed suggestions on this subject will be found

in Mr. Bell’s invaluable little book on _Religious Education in

Secondary Schools_.

A very useful book has recently been written called _Ad Lucem_,[31]

which gives Old Testament history, the Gospels, the Acts of the

Apostles and Church history up to the present day. Its object is to

show the history of the world as bearing on the Incarnation, and it is

enabled to cover so much ground by selecting and emphasising such facts

as bring out this point of view. It would be interesting to children of

about fifteen, and useful to any teacher, by helping her to focus her

own teaching.

[31] By the Rev. A. B. Simeon; published by Wells Gardner.

[Requisites of a Bible lesson.]

Probably all teachers will say the difficulty lies rather in how to

treat this vast stock of material. There should be no difficulty in

making the children feel that the Bible is the most interesting book in

the world, quite apart from its religious importance.

So many books on Eastern manners and places are within the reach of

teachers that they should not be content till their own conceptions of

the Bible scenes and characters are as vivid as Tinworth’s terra cottas.

[(_a_) Vividness.]

Children have much in common with the old Scotch woman who was so

shocked at what seemed to her irreverence in Dean Stanley when he tried

to persuade her that Jerusalem was a real place which he had visited;

it is a new light to them to be made to realise that Bible heroes and

places are as real as those in English history. Doing this arrests

their attention, and they go on to perceive that the temptations and

virtues of those days were also like our own, that even the minor

Prophets, whom they have avoided as utterly alien to their world, speak

straight to ourselves in their warnings about wealth and labour and

luxury.

[(_b_) Practicality.]

[(_c_) Devoutness.]

Until we make Bible lessons practical for ourselves and for our

children, we must not be content: in old days the Bible was used only

as a storehouse of isolated texts for personal application; we realise

now that due reverence for the Word of God requires that we should

study it, and teach it, as exactly and reasonably and vividly as we do

any other history and literature, but we must not forget that if we

stop here, the old-fashioned unintellectual method of study infinitely

surpassed in wisdom our modern cleverness. Unless our lessons make

the Bible more profitable for doctrine and reproof, for amendment of

life and instruction of manners, they are failures, no matter how

much critical and geographical learning has been brought to bear on

them. Perhaps each lesson need not have a special ethical or spiritual

bearing (though it is a pity if it has not), and we should beware

against overdoing our moral instruction. A child’s mind is like a

narrow-necked bottle, and we often pour in too much at once.

[(_d_) Simplicity.]

Especially is this the case with illustrations; the teacher has had

their use so inculcated that a Bible lesson is too often a string of

anecdotes and pictures in which the central idea is hopelessly lost;

one truth, one picture, and one illustration are as much as any young

child can grasp in one lesson, and children of a larger growth would

often gain more if teachers were more economical in their explanations.

[(_e_) Careful treatment of difficulties.]

Keeping the spiritual aim in view would assist in dealing with some

of the critical difficulties which beset a thoughtful teacher. It is

most important not to give mature food to an immature mind, or to bring

before the child, who has not realised any difficulties, the critic’s

suspension of judgment, which is such a comfort to the teacher. But

though we should avoid giving an impression that facts and authorship

are moot points, still we can avoid putting up stones of stumbling

which will afterwards have to be cleared away. Children need the

old stories told in all simplicity, the stories of the childhood of

the race, but if we keep before them “the one far-off Divine event,”

towards which all those stories pointed, if we teach them Jewish

history in the light of the Divine education of the human race, instead

of treating the Flood and Jael and Joshua’s wars, etc., as finished

episodes which stand on their own merits, so to speak, surely then

there will be little or nothing in the best modern lines of thought to

upset their faith, and much to enrich it.

[Summary.]

To sum up shortly, the following are the main points I would seek to

impress on a young teacher, in considering the moral side of education.

First and foremost the heavy responsibility attached to the teacher’s

office--an office which combines the functions of clergyman, doctor

and instructor. Next, the personal qualifications required of the

teacher, holiness, serenity, insight into character, knowledge of the

world; then the aims of the teacher’s work, the building up a sound

mind in a sound body, by the help of the good habits arising from right

conditions of school life, most of all by the help of the Bible lesson,

which must be the inspiration of the whole school course.

I should like to end by quoting some words of William Law, the great

mystic of the last century, which put before us the true ends of

education. In his _Treatise on Christian Perfection_ he says: “Show

me a learning that makes man truly sensible of his duty: that fills

the mind with true light: that makes us more _reasonable_ in all our

actions: that inspires us with fortitude, humility and devotion”.

SECTION III.

CULTIVATION OF THE BODY.

By JANE FRANCES DOVE, Certificated Student of Girton College,

Cambridge, 1874; Head Mistress of Wycombe Abbey School, Bucks;

previously Head Mistress of St. Leonard’s School, St. Andrews, N.B.

So every spirit, as it is most pure,

And hath in it the more of heavenly light,

So it the fairer bodie doth procure

To habit in, and it more fairely dight

With chearefull grace and amiable sight;

For of the soule the bodie forme doth take;

For soule is forme, and doth the bodie make.

_Spenser._

[The mistress as educator.]

As the object of school life, or rather of life at school, is not

merely teaching but education, and as education, whatever the

true derivation of the word may be, means the gradual drawing out

and development of all the faculties of which the human being is

capable, we shall speak in this chapter not of the “teacher,” but

of the “mistress” as the person who in school life takes the place

of authority analogous to that of the parent in the home, and upon

whom falls the responsibility for the time being of seeing that a due

balance is being maintained in the development of every faculty. The

importance of this harmonious development of the powers is manifest. We

do not desire girls to be brainless athletes any more than we wish that

they should be delicate or stunted blue-stockings, and either of these

exaggerated types is made doubly deplorable if, as sometimes happens,

there is a deficiency of moral power.

[Health conditions.]

The most important conditions for health are first of all a wholesome

environment; secondly, wholesome occupation for the mind; and thirdly,

proper exercise for the body.

The environment will be discussed later.

[Meaning of recreation.]

[Some forms of recreation more valuable than others.]

[Games essential to a healthy school life.]

The occupation of the mind will also come chiefly under the head of

mental training, but here it may be desirable to notice that the mind

must receive much of its training through the exercise of faculties

other than the intellectual. This truth is of course the foundation

of the whole idea of recreation, recreation consisting much more

in change of thought and a difference in the objects on which the

attention is fixed, than in the particular form of exercise through

which this object is attained. It is for this reason that games of

all kinds are so much more valuable than mere walking under ordinary

circumstances, because walking is so purely mechanical, especially

when exercised for limited periods among well-known surroundings, that

the mind continues to occupy itself with the thoughts, and possibly

with the intellectual problems, upon which it was before fixed. Better

than walking, as both an exercise and a recreation, I should count

riding, rowing or bicycling. In riding and bicycling there is the

great interest of managing the horse and propelling the bicycle, the

exhilaration and quickened circulation produced by passing rapidly

through the air, together with the refreshment gained through the

eye by the contemplation of new and varied scenes, especially if

they be beautiful. Every form of occupation or exercise that will

keep girls in the open air is for that reason alone valuable, because

there is no bodily want so imperious as the necessity of breathing

fresh, unvitiated air; but as a true recreation the first position

must undoubtedly be given to games, because in them there is always a

special interest upon which the mind must be concentrated, and which

therefore entirely prevents the possibility of the thoughts dwelling

upon the subject of the last lesson, and sends the girl back braced

and invigorated to overcome the intellectual difficulties that may be

required of her. I think I do not speak too strongly when I say that

games, _i.e._, active games in the open air, are essential to a healthy

existence, and that most of the qualities, if not all, that conduce

to the supremacy of our country in so many quarters of the globe, are

fostered, if not solely developed, by means of games.

[Games give exercise.]

[Games waste the minimum amount of material and can be played on

limited areas.]

I have said that games are essential to a healthy existence; of course

I mean that they are so under the circumstances of school life. Without

this proviso the assertion would be an exaggerated one. For I think

if it were possible, with a due regard for the necessities of their

training, to make girls cultivate a farm, or even do all the work

of a large garden, or build a house, or make a road, the interest

of performing a real work of utility, together with the exercise of

the muscles and other faculties, would give the necessary recreation

and muscular exercise; but the initial difficulty can hardly be

overcome, _viz._, that in building a house, or cultivating a farm, the

exigencies of the work must be considered rather than the training

of the workers. Hence it is that games have been invented as a means

of exercise in the open air, which will occupy varying numbers of

players, which can be dropped and resumed according to the exigencies

of the weather, varied according to the capacities of the players,

which possess endless interests, develop numberless faculties, and yet

which can be pursued upon limited spaces of ground, the possibilities

of which for the purpose are never exhausted, and without the using up

of valuable material. In fact for people who are to be intellectual

workers, games are the modern adaptation of the old command “to till

the ground,” which, like other laws of a fundamental nature, cannot

at any time of the world’s history be neglected. Efforts have from

time to time been made to carry out the injunction literally, as in

the attempts of Mr. Ruskin to inspire Oxford undergraduates to try

the experiment of road-making, or in the foundation of schools, which

are meeting with a considerable measure of success, in which the boys

perform, besides a certain proportion of indoor work, a good deal

of agricultural, including woodmen’s, labour. But for most schools,

with their limited possibilities as regards acres of land, trees

and materials, games are the only possible means of satisfying the

need. These ought to be as joyous and spontaneous as possible, and

therefore should be of every possible kind to suit different tastes.

The joyousness and spontaneity are so especially necessary for girls on

account of their extreme conscientiousness and devotion to duty. Boys,

for all I know to the contrary, may perform their duties equally well,

but they are rarely inclined to worry over them as girls do, and they

have such overflowing animal spirits that they always contrive to find

relaxation, by means of fun and activity of all kinds at odd times,

which either does not come naturally to girls, or which, if indulged in

by them as well as by boys, would make life an unbearable pandemonium

for their elders.

[Games for small numbers.]

Let us then have games of all kinds; every game, with, I should say,

the single exception of football, is suitable. Let us have lawn tennis,

fives, bowls, croquet, quoits, golf, swimming, skating, archery,

tobogganing, basket-ball, rounders and hailes, as many of these as can

be provided for, and some at one season of the year, others at another.

All these are useful, because only a small number of individuals,

one or two, or at the most four, is necessary to make most of them

enjoyable, and therefore they can fill up gaps of time when large

numbers are not available for organised games. Let these games also be

encouraged by means of tournaments and competitions held occasionally,

and let prizes or challenge cups be offered for success in these

competitions, and where there is a golf course arranged, let there be

an autumn and a spring medal.

[Their higher functions.]

Games, however, have a much higher function to perform in school

life than any I have yet mentioned. Here is a splendid field for the

development of powers of organisation, of good temper under trying

circumstances, courage and determination to play up and do your best

even in a losing game, rapidity of thought and action, judgment and

self-reliance, and, above all things, unselfishness, and a knowledge

of corporate action, learning to sink individual preferences in the

effort of loyally working with others for the common good.

[Necessity for the cultivation of corporate virtues.]

[In the life generally.]

[By means of organised games.]

Women have plenty of devotion and unselfishness of an individual

kind--that is to say, they can lose themselves entirely in the

interests of their particular friends or of their husbands and

children, but this personal devotion is quite compatible with what I

may call family selfishness, and they may be, and often are, quite

incapable of realising any interest whatever that is not bounded by

the four walls of their home. The effect of this narrowness is to make

their lives extremely mean and petty, and they have in consequence a

deteriorating effect upon every member of their families and upon all

society in which they mingle. It is true that the family is the unit

which lies at the base of all national existence, and which forms the

foundation stone for all teaching, moral and spiritual, but it is

essential to remember that it is only a unit, and that an aggregation

of such families or units forms a community, a nation, and that the

members of a family are likewise citizens of kingdoms, political and

spiritual. The woman who indulges in family selfishness is a bad

citizen. To be a good citizen, it is essential that she should have

wide interests, a sense of discipline and organisation, _esprit de

corps_, a power of corporate action. Now the schoolmistress is the

person who has the best opportunity of teaching these principles to

women, and I would have her fully recognise her privilege and her

responsibility. Men acquire corporate virtues, not only at school and

at college, but almost in every walk of life; whereas comparatively

few women ever find themselves members of an organised profession,

and the proportion, even of those who have the advantage of college

life, is still exceedingly small. It remains therefore for the school

to teach them almost all that they will ever have the opportunity of

acquiring of the power of working with others, and sinking their own

individuality for the common good. The opportunity must be made the

most of. Now girls are quite as susceptible as boys to the influences

of school life. Therefore let us see that the influences are such as

develop the best characteristics. Make them trustworthy by trusting

them, open and straightforward by taking it for granted that they

have nothing to hide. Give them beautiful surroundings; let the house

be well managed and comfortable but not luxurious; satisfy every

reasonable want liberally; do not keep their minds concentrated upon

themselves by having a multiplicity of minute and irritating rules, but

explain to them broad principles of conduct, and expect them to apply

these themselves to the _minutiæ_ of their own lives, pointing out

patiently again and again where the girls’ application of principles

clashes with the interests of the majority. Thus the principles of

corporate life are being imbibed every hour and minute of the day,

though nowhere more completely than in the playground, and in the

playground the large organised games, such as cricket, hockey and

lacrosse, are the most useful for this purpose.

[Area of playground.]

Of course it is exceedingly difficult to obtain space enough upon which

to play these games, but if a school is to be a residentiary school at

all in the full sense of the word, it must have several acres of ground

immediately surrounding it. I forbear to specify the minimum number

of acres, because though it may be desirable for the whole school to

be able to play at one time every day, it is not essential, as it is

possible by an expenditure of trouble on the part of the headmistress

to economise both playground and schoolroom accommodation by arranging

for each to be available in succession for the use of different

portions of the school. A very useful guide, however, is to be found in

the fact that, taking twelve well-known boys’ schools, the average area

of the sites is twelve acres for every hundred boys.

[Organisation of playground.]

There ought to be one ground levelled and turfed, about a hundred yards

by fifty, for every thirty or forty girls. It is rarely that more than

two and twenty, as in cricket, or twenty-four, as in lacrosse, are

required for a game; but out of the whole number there will always

be a few who are “not playing games to-day,” and the balance occupy

themselves usefully with some of the other smaller games previously

enumerated. The captain of the house or form, or whatever the

subdivision may be that has the use of the “ground,” must arrange that

every individual of the forty is put down to play in the organised

game three or four, or as many times as is possible, in the week. The

half-holiday will naturally be the day upon which foreign matches

are played, or home matches with other divisions, or scratch matches

arranged by the captain of the games. The captain of games and the

captains of divisions are of course girls, selected in the one case

by the whole school, and in the others by the girls of the division

over which she presides. Of course if the number of grounds available

is not as great as the number of suitable divisions, divisions must

have grounds allotted to them in turn, and this reduces seriously the

opportunities for practice. A good deal, however, may often be done

with great advantage on a smaller piece of ground in practising for the

game at the time in vogue, especially in cricket, where very useful

coaching is given at the nets. Often special varieties of a game are

developed by the local peculiarities of the only available spot for

playing it. Every Etonian knows the correct shape for a fives-court,

and how the peculiarity has been perpetuated from the balustrade of

the stone stair in the quadrangle which leads to the chapel. The old

Scottish game of hailes has likewise localised itself in the playground

of the Academy, Edinburgh. It is desirable that there should be a

mistress, whose special interest may be claimed by the girls in any

particular game, and whose advice may be sought by the captain of games

in the matter of answering challenges and providing the necessary

apparatus. The captain should also be supported by another girl as

secretary and treasurer, to collect subscriptions and keep the books.

[Cycle of games.]

The experience of many years has evolved the plan of choosing regularly

one game for each term, and always keeping to it. Thus lacrosse might

be taken in the September term, hockey in January, and cricket in

May, and if all schools adopt the same plan, outside matches are then

possible, and there are few things which tend so strongly to keep

up the _esprit de corps_ of a school as meeting other schools on the

playing-field.

[Lacrosse.]

There will be no difference of opinion as to the suitability of cricket

for the summer term, but many schools play hockey in September, and

carry it on for two terms. We have found, however, that there is not

really enough interest in the game itself to keep up enthusiasm for

such a long period, but inasmuch as it keeps nearly all the players

in constant movement and requires the minimum amount of arrangement

beforehand, and can therefore be begun at once on a cold day without

loss of time, it is the best game for the January term, during which

the most inclement weather of the year is usually experienced. Football

being quite out of the question, on account of its roughness, we have

fallen back upon lacrosse, a game which requires the same qualities of

combination, obedience, courage, individual unselfishness for the sake

of a side--a player who attempts to keep the ball instead of passing

it being absolutely useless--and is full of interest on account of the

various kinds of skill required, fleetness of foot, quickness of eye,

strength of wrist, and a great deal of judgment and knack. The game of

lacrosse well played is a beautiful sight, the actions of the players

being so full of grace and agility. The skill required, moreover, is so

great that the attempt to acquire it is a splendid training in courage

and perseverance.

[Hockey.]

Hockey is so well known that it is hardly necessary to say much

about it, excepting that it is a very great mistake to regard it as

essentially a rough game. All that is necessary to prevent roughness is

to have a strict rule against raising the stick above the waist, an

offence of this kind giving a free hit to the opposite side. Of course,

hard knocks are sometimes received, but is there no value in the lesson

of cheerful endurance that may thus be learned, and is it possible to

enjoy anything good in life or even to live at all, without running

some risk of bodily harm? Hockey has besides its special advantages

which I have already mentioned.

[Cricket.]

As regards cricket, I am well aware that most real cricketers would

laugh at the idea of girls attempting the game. I shall always remember

the remark made by the head master of a public school, after watching

the girls at play for some time with the keenest interest: “Yes, they

will never make cricketers, but they are having splendid exercise in

the open air”. This, however, was some years ago, and the girls have

worked hard and improved since then, and I venture to think that if the

same kindly critic could again see their play he would think somewhat

better of it. Indeed, I am often surprised at the real pleasure and

approbation expressed at what even to me seems our feeble attempts.

Granted, however, that the game in the hands of girls can never be

quite the same game that it is for boys, it is still a perfectly safe

game when played between elevens of tolerably equal strength. It is,

in my opinion, quite unsafe when played by men against women, or even

by big boys against little ones, but admirable from every point of

view so long as boys play boys and girls play girls of corresponding

size and strength. The amount of interest and variety in the game is

unsurpassed by any other, and it is so well known that an intelligent

interest in its details can be taken by almost any one. No roughness

is produced; all is gentleness and courtesy, combined with strength

and determination. The traditions of the game are such that girls

attempting to play it must throw themselves completely into it, and

cannot allow themselves to give way to idleness and ineffectiveness.

This is well illustrated by the remark of the captain of a team of

ladies who recently played an eleven from a well-known school, and were

beaten by them. She congratulated the head mistress, and said: “Your

girls play like gentlemen, and behave like ladies”.

[Deficiency of early muscular training.]

It is unfortunate that, broadly speaking, girls cannot throw and that

the bowling in a girls’ eleven is apt to be lamentably weak. I have

not been able to decide in my own mind whether this weakness is due to

physiological disabilities or to the want of early training, but I am

inclined to think the latter. It seems to be generally acknowledged

in the nursery that it is of no use to attempt to keep the boys in

strict control, that they must be allowed to have their fling, and

create an uproar, and climb, and throw stones, but the whole force of

the nurse’s authority is usually exerted to prevent the girls under

her charge from falling under the opprobrium, in nursery etiquette,

of being “unladylike”. I am the more inclined to this opinion, as I

observe that where parents have the good sense to allow their girls

the same facilities for activity, natural and necessary for the young

animal, as their boys, the girls do learn to throw equally well, and

attain the same easy gracefulness of movement which is natural to the

untrammelled boy. Such parents, I grieve to say, are still very rare,

with the result that not more than three or four per cent. of girls of

fourteen have any idea of throwing a ball, and much less of bowling.

This can scarcely be wondered at, seeing that “Sir B. W. Richardson

lately stated that in his student days it was taught in all sobriety by

anatomical authorities that the joint of a woman’s shoulder was more

shallow than a man’s, so that she was almost sure to dislocate it if

she threw a ball with force! Thus, comically, does preconceived theory

upset the scientific vision.” However, great strides have already been

made by girls in acquiring skill in games, and much greater strides

will be made in the future, to the enormous gain, not only physically

but mentally and morally, both of women in particular and of the nation

as a whole.

[Great value of Swedish gymnastics.]

[Severe games not safe without gymnastic training.]

[Dangers of over-exertion.]

We now come to the consideration of exercises, which though really

recreative in their tendencies, are much less so than games, and first

among these come gymnastics. Now no nation has more carefully thought

out the subject of physical education than the Swedes, and at the

Central Institute in Stockholm, under the superintendence of Professor

Törngren, professors of gymnastics, both preventive and curative,

are trained, who have a thorough scientific knowledge of their work,

and can produce results in the way of physical training second to no

others in existence. It has been my happiness for many years to watch

the results of the work produced by one of the professor’s pupils,

and I cannot speak too highly of the work she has accomplished. The

essence of her method is a systematic training of all the muscles.

She possesses a thorough knowledge of the structure of the human

frame, both muscular and nervous. By a carefully thought out series

of free exercises, supplemented by work upon the admirably devised

Swedish apparatus, the muscular system of her pupils is thoroughly

and harmoniously developed; and here let me say that, strongly as I

believe in out-door games, I do not consider it safe to allow girls to

indulge in them absolutely without restriction, nor at all, at least

in the severer games, unless they are receiving systematic muscular

training in the gymnasium and make a practice of changing all their

garments as soon as play is over. For this reason, the time during

which it is possible for girls to play hard is carefully cut down to a

maximum of an hour and a half. Also, no exemptions whatever are given

from gymnastic lessons. By this means hard games are made safe, whereas

otherwise there would be constant danger of overstrain, and mischief

might ensue which would perhaps not be apparent at the time, but might

seriously endanger a girl’s health in after years. There is nothing in

my opinion more dangerous for young people than physical and nervous

exhaustion. The harm is done in a gay, thoughtless moment, which may

not be overcome for years. This care is especially necessary in the

case of girls, both on account of physical organisation and because

their muscular system has, as a rule, been so imperfectly developed in

childhood. There is still another and very important reason. It has

already been stated that girls are so very good and conscientious.

One form which this characteristic takes is that they will quietly

attempt, and by pure nerve-force will perform, if the occasion seems

to require it of them, feats for which their muscular development is

entirely unfitted. This brings me to the reason why Swedish gymnastics

are so greatly superior to the ordinary form of gymnastics, which used

to be prevalent in boys’ public schools and army gymnasiums. In this

kind of gymnastics, the attention of the instructor is far too much

occupied in making his pupils perform feats, many of which are of an

acrobatic nature, rather than directed to the harmonious development of

the whole body; hence, in some cases, the shoulders become abnormally

broad and square, and other unsymmetrical effects are caused. In fact,

the amusement of the pupils is considered rather more than their

physical welfare.

[Physical defects discovered at gymnastics.]

[Curative gymnastics.]

[Defects often the result of ignorance, fashion or overwork.]

Then, since every girl must appear twice a week in the gymnasium as

long as she remains in the school, dressed in an easy-fitting costume,

consisting of knickerbockers and tunic, the gymnastic mistress has

every opportunity of noticing the physical development, and I have

found that she very quickly detects even the slightest curvatures

or other physical defects, and, with the parents’ consent, can give

curative treatment, which is very speedily efficacious in curing weak

or crooked backs, stoops, displaced shoulder blades, sprains and other

ailments. The mistress also gives the girls a good deal of useful

advice, according to their several needs. She notices how they sit or

what postures they take for different avocations, and tells them if

they are wrong, and why they are wrong. She does not undertake any

medical responsibility, but having had, so far as the bodily frame

goes, a thorough medical training, her work among a number of girls is

simply invaluable, and no physical features that ought to be noticed

escape her practised eye. It is well known to schoolmistresses, if not

to parents, what a serious difficulty these physical defects cause

in a girl’s moral training. Nothing is worse for a girl than to be

forced by circumstances to think much about her own health. Therefore,

it is our part to save them as much as we can from having to direct

their thoughts upon themselves more than is required by ordinary

common-sense. Think how hard it is for a girl who has a weak back, and

is ordered to lie down for certain hours in the day. She cannot lie

and do nothing, and therefore attempts reading as being apparently the

only possible occupation. The difficulty of fixing the book in the

right position and getting a proper light upon it is such that very

frequently the eyes are overstrained and a new difficulty is produced.

Now most weak backs can be strengthened by strengthening the proper

muscles. Muscle is strengthened by use, and the Swedish gymnast knows

what exercises, or what rubbings, will produce the desired results,

and proceeds to strengthen slowly and judiciously. The girl at the

same time is allowed plenty of fresh air and suitable games, and soon

recovers her normal condition, all the while pursuing the same kind of

life as the others, though probably with some relaxation in the way of

lessons. Such weak backs ought not to occur as often as they do, if

proper attention were paid from the first to the physical conditions

of life. I do not mean anything abstruse or difficult, but just the

ordinary commonplaces; that high-heeled shoes throw the body out of

its natural balance and overstrain some muscles; that hard, stiff

clothing pressing upon muscles weakens them by causing atrophy, a

frequent cause of weak backs; that a growing child must have abundance

of sleep, food, fresh air and exercise, and while living in cultivated

surroundings and being encouraged in intellectual pursuits, should not

be expected to spend more than three or four hours each day according

to age, in doing definite brain work. At the age of fourteen a healthy

girl may be expected to begin to work as much as five hours a day. So

much for gymnastics, the necessity for which it is to be hoped has been

sufficiently demonstrated.

[Dancing.]

Dancing is also a capital form of exercise, provided it is not pursued,

as is sometimes the case, to the point of physical exhaustion. The art

of fencing is also well worth acquiring. Also bicycle evolutions to

music, and even roller skating.

[Hours that may reasonably be spent in intellectual work.]

Having stated that three hours is enough for intellectual work for most

girls up to the age of eleven or twelve, four hours up to fourteen,

five up to sixteen, and that six is the utmost a girl of any age ought

to attempt; having also said that an hour and a half in the day is

enough for the organised games, it remains to fill up the rest of the

day, which, excluding sleep and meals, and the necessary time spent in

dressing, usually amounts to from two to three hours. The time-table of

every girl in the school may be different; I append, as examples, the

actual time-tables of twenty girls for a week, the total of forty-four

hours being made up of five days of eight hours and one day of four

hours.

SAMPLE TIME-TABLES.

+-----+-----+------+-------------------------------------------------+

| | | | |

| | | | +

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Form.|Name.| Age. | Remarks. |

+-----+-----+------+-------------------------------------------------+

| VI. | _a_ |16·5 |}Anomalous; as not more than two languages should|

| „ | _b_ |18·416|}be studied at one time. Have not been long |

| „ | _c_ |17·083|}enough in the school to work into the system. |

| „ | _d_ |17·583|} |

| „ | _e_ |18·333|Does ¹⁄₂-hr. curative gymnastics per day. |

|L. V.| _f_ |17·166| |

| „ | _g_ |16·5 |}Too many languages. |

| „ | _h_ |16·75 |} |

| V. | _i_ |17·083| |

| „ | _j_ |14·25 | |

| „ | _k_ |14·5 |}Have more extra subjects than is wise. |

| „ | _l_ |15·75 |} |

|L. V.| _m_ |16· | |

| „ | _n_ |13·583|Has no engagement after 7 in the evening and goes|

| | | |early to bed. |

| „ | _o_ |15· | |

| „ | _p_ |16·166| |

| IV. | _q_ |14·916| |

| „ | _r_ |14·75 | |

| „ | _s_ |14· | |

| „ | _t_ |13·833|Goes early to bed. |

+-----+-----+------+-------------------------------------------------+

+-----+------------------------------------------------------------

| | Hours per week, including preparation.

| +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | T | | | |

| | | | | | | | | | r | | | |

| | | | | | | A | | | i | | | L |

| | | | | | | r | | | g | | | i |

| | | | | | | i | G | | o | | | t |

| | E | | | | | t | e | A | n | S | H | e |

| | n | | | G | F | h | o | l | o | c | a | r |

| | g | G | L | e | r | m | m | g | m | i | r | a |

| | l | r | a | r | e | e | e | e | e | e | m | t |

| | i | e | t | m | n | t | t | b | t | n | o | u |

| | s | e | i | a | c | i | r | r | r | c | n | r |

| | h | k | n | n | h | c | y | a | y | e | y | e |

|Name.| . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . |

+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+

| _a_ | ...|7¹⁄₂|9 |3 |3 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...| ...| ...|

| _b_ | ...|7¹⁄₂|9 | ...|3 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...| ...|3 |

| _c_ | ...|7¹⁄₂|9 | ...|6 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...| ...| ...|

| _d_ | ...|7¹⁄₂|9 |7¹⁄₂|3 | ...| ...| ...| ...| ...|3 | ...|

| _e_ | ...|7¹⁄₂| ...| ...|6 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 |3 | ...| ...|3 |

| _f_ | ...| ...| ...|7¹⁄₂|6 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...|3 |3 |

| _g_ | ...|7¹⁄₂|9 | ...|6 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...| ...| ...|

| _h_ | ...| ...|9 |7¹⁄₂|6 |1¹⁄₂|3 |3 | ...| ...| ...| ...|

| _i_ | ...| ...| ...|6 |6 |3 |3 |3 | ...|3 | ...|1¹⁄₂|

| _j_ | ...| ...|6 | ...|6 |3 |3 |3 | ...| ...| ...|1¹⁄₂|

| _k_ | ...| ...|6 | ...|6 |3 |3 |3 | ...|3 | ...|1¹⁄₂|

| _l_ | ...| ...| ...|6 |6 |3 |3 |3 | ...| ...| ...|1¹⁄₂|

| _m_ | ...| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|1¹⁄₄|

| _n_ | ...| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|1¹⁄₄|

| | | | | | | | | | | | | |

| _o_ | ...| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|1¹⁄₄|

| _p_ | ...| ...| ...|5 |5¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₄|

| _q_ |1¹⁄₄| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|2¹⁄₂| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂|

| _r_ |1¹⁄₄| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|2¹⁄₂| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂|

| _s_ |1¹⁄₄| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|2¹⁄₂| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂|

| _t_ |1¹⁄₄| ...|5 | ...|5¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|2¹⁄₂| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2¹⁄₂|

+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+

+-----+---------+--++

| | | ||

| |----+----+ ++

| | | | ||

| | | | ||

| | | | ||

| | | | T||

| | | | o||

| | | | t||

| | | | a||

| | | | l||

| | | | ,||

| | S | | ||

| | c | | h||

| | r | H | e||

| | i | i | a||

| | p | s | d||

| | t | t | w||

| | u | o | o||

| | r | r | r||

| | e | y | k||

|Name.| . | . | .||

+-----+----+----+--++

| _a_ |3 | ...|33||

| _b_ |3 | ...|33||

| _c_ |3 | ...|33||

| _d_ |3 | ...|33||

| _e_ |3 | ...|30||

| _f_ |3 | ...|30||

| _g_ |3 | ...|33||

| _h_ |3 | ...|33||

| _i_ |3 |4¹⁄₂|33||

| _j_ |3 |4¹⁄₂|30||

| _k_ |3 |4¹⁄₂|33||

| _l_ |3 |4¹⁄₂|30||

| _m_ |2¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|28||

| _n_ |2¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|28||

| | | | ||

| _o_ |2¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|28||

| _p_ |2¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|28||

| _q_ |2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|28||

| _r_ |2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|28||

| _s_ |2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|28||

| _t_ |2¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|28||

+-----+----+----+--++

+-----++------------------------+----+---+---+----+----+----+--++--+

| || Extra Subjects. | | | | | | | || |

| ++----+----+----+----+----+ | | | | | | || |

| || | | | | | | | | | | | T|| |

| || | | | | | | | | | | | o|| |

| || | | | | | | | | | | | t|| |

| || | | | | | | | G | | | | a|| |

| || | | | | | | | e | | | | l|| |

| || | | | | | | | n | | | | ,|| |

| || | | | | | | P | e | | | | || |

| || | | | | | | a | r | | | | o|| G|

| || | | | | | G | r | a | N | | | c|| r|

| || | | | | | y | t | l | e | | G | c|| a|

| || | | | | | m | | | e | W | a | u|| n|

| || | | S | D | D | n | S | R | d | o | r | p|| d|

| || | V | i | r | a | a | i | e | l | r | d | a|| |

| || P | i | n | a | n | s | n | a | e | k | e | t|| T|

| || i | o | g | w | c | t | g | d | w | s | n | i|| o|

| || a | l | i | i | i | i | i | i | o | h | i | o|| t|

| || n | i | n | n | n | c | n | n | r | o | n | n|| a|

| || o | n | g | g | g | s | g | g | k | p | g | s|| l|

|Name.|| . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | .|| .|

+-----++----+----+----+----+----+----+---+---+----+----+----+--++--+

| _a_ || ...| ...| ...| ...| ...|1 |³⁄₄|3 |1¹⁄₂|3¹⁄₄|1¹⁄₂|11||44|

| _b_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...| ...|1 |³⁄₄|...|1 |2 |1 |11||44|

| _c_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|1 |³⁄₄|...| ...|1¹⁄₂| ...|11||44|

| _d_ || ...|5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...|1 |³⁄₄|...|2 | ...|2 |11||44|

| _e_ ||5¹⁄₄|3³⁄₄| ...| ...| ...|3¹⁄₂|³⁄₄|...| ³⁄₄| ...| ...|14||44|

| _f_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...|3³⁄₄| ...| ...|1 |³⁄₄|...|1 |2¹⁄₄| ...|14||44|

| _g_ || ...| ...| ...| ...| ...|1 |³⁄₄|3 |2¹⁄₄|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|11||44|

| _h_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...|1¹⁄₂|1 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂| ...|1 |11||44|

| _i_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...| ...|2 |³⁄₄|...| ...| ...|3 |11||44|

| _j_ || ...|5¹⁄₄| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2 |³⁄₄|...| ...| ¹⁄₂|3 |14||44|

| _k_ |}5¹⁄₄| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|1 |³⁄₄|...| ...| ...| ...|11||44|

| _l_ ||5¹⁄₄|3³⁄₄| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|1 |...|...| ...| ...| ...|14||44|

| _m_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...| ...|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂|4 |2¹⁄₂|16||44|

| _n_ || ...| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂|3³⁄₄|13||41|

| || | | | | | | | | | | | || |

| _o_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂|2¹⁄₂| ...|16||44|

| _p_ ||5¹⁄₄|3³⁄₄| ...| ...|1¹⁄₂|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₄| ...|16||44|

| _q_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|1 |16||44|

| _r_ || ...| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂|1¹⁄₂|2 |³⁄₄|...|3¹⁄₄|4 |2 |16||44|

| _s_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...|2¹⁄₂| ...|2 |³⁄₄|...|3 |1¹⁄₂|1 |16||44|

| _t_ ||5¹⁄₄| ...| ...| ...|1¹⁄₂|2 |³⁄₄|...|1¹⁄₂| ...|2 |13||41|

+-----++----+----+----+----+----+----+---+---+----+----+----+--++--+

[The true end of school life.]

[Occupations not purely intellectual.]

[Handicrafts.]

And here it is important to note that a great deal of the

training requisite to make a girl really useful, _i.e._, to make

her industrious, prompt, intelligent, thoughtful, thorough and

accurate, can quite as easily be given by means of work which is not

intellectual, thereby saving the poor brain, which we have often

strained to the uttermost in the past, from the weariness and fatigue

consequent upon overwork, and girls may be sent out from school not

anæmic and weak-backed, hating the sight of a book, but healthy

and vigorous, keenly alive to every opportunity that offers for

self-improvement, earnest and self-restrained, with trained powers

ready to devote themselves to the duties which offer. For the purposes

of training then, I would suggest a variety of handicrafts,[32] such as

bookbinding, needlework, the practising of various musical instruments,

part singing, drawing and gardening. In some cases time also is given

for general reading in the library--this may include English and other

modern languages--and is often valuable in keeping up a modern language

that has been acquired early, besides cultivating breadth of view and

literary taste. The whole school ought also to be organised as a Fire

Brigade and regularly drilled. It will be noticed at once that cooking,

dressmaking, domestic economy, sick nursing, physiology and hygiene

are omitted. These subjects are admirable at school age for girls who

intend to make them their work in life, but for our own girls, though

some of them suggest suitable holiday recreations, I believe that they

are best acquired by devoting six months or a year specially to the

purpose when school life is over. They do not seem to me to admit of a

sufficient amount of training, in proportion to the amount of time they

consume. The knowledge, so essential for the welfare of the individual,

of phenomena, such as the properties of air and water and the laws of

heat, is acquired and the practical applications are pointed out by

every intelligent teacher during the study of physics and chemistry;

and care of the health receives constant practical attention, so

that it is unnecessary to emphasise it during school life by special

lessons. Needlework is essential for every woman, and facility with the

needle is more easily acquired early, say from ten to fourteen, when

the fingers are really large enough to use such a delicate instrument

as a needle; but, as with everything else, having acquired the elements

thoroughly, it must be a matter of individual taste whether the worker

proceeds to acquire the higher branches of the art. The same may be

said of piano, violin and drawing. Bookbinding, woodcarving and joinery

give great scope for the development of neatness, accuracy and artistic

talent. An immense deal of interest may also be excited by gardening,

and much information of a practical and botanical kind, likely to be

useful in later life, may be obtained. Every girl who wishes it, should

have a small plot of garden to cultivate for herself.

[32] It is to the admirable curriculum arranged by Miss Gray, the

headmistress of St. Katharine’s School, St. Andrews, that I am

indebted for my views on the subject of handicrafts and short hours

for intellectual work.

[Swimming.]

Here it may be as well to mention that where facilities for bathing

exist, provided great care is exercised in only allowing girls in

perfect health to indulge in it, and then for not too long at a time,

no finer exercise exists than swimming. The necessary position of the

swimmer, with arms extended and head well thrown back, is an admirable

corrective to any tendency to stoop that may be acquired by bookwork.

[Importance of noting the weight and rate of growth.]

Before concluding this chapter on the cultivation of the body, it may

be useful to append tables of the heights and weights of girls at

different ages. These are compiled from careful measurements taken

regularly three times every year at St. Leonard’s School, St. Andrews,

during a period of nearly six years, an Avery’s weighing and measuring

apparatus being used. The girls were always weighed in their gymnastic

costume of the thickness worn in winter, and measured in their shoes.

A certain small percentage were usually found to have lost weight, the

proportion being larger in the summer time. We found, however, that

such losses were unimportant, unless persisted in. If, for example, a

growing girl did not increase in weight during a year, and was lighter

than the average for her age and height, then it would be high time to

send for the doctor and have her thoroughly overhauled. On the other

hand, if a girl was found to be persistently idle and inattentive,

though apparently in good health, on consulting the weight book it

would usually be found that she was underweight for her age, and a cure

was easily effected by cutting off some of her work, giving her extra

nourishment and more time for exercise in the open air. It is indeed

truly awful to reflect on the number of bad habits, that is, moral

faults, that may be induced and fostered in those under our charge by

neglect of suitable health conditions.

The tables are sound, so far as they go, but they do not go nearly far

enough, the basis upon which they are founded being too narrow, and it

is much to be wished that the Anthropometric Society could see its way

to organising a series of observations over a much wider area.

I.--Table showing the average height and weight of British girls

from the ages of nine to twenty, stating in each case the number

of observations made. Also showing the average increase per annum

deduced from the same observations taken three times in each year.

+--------+---------+-----------+------------+---------------------+

| | | | Number of | |

| Ages. | Height. | Weight. |observations| Increase. |

| | | | made. | |

+--------+---------+-----------+------------+----------+----------+

| | | | |In Height.|In Weight.|

|From |ft. in. |st. lb. oz.| | in. | lb. oz. |

| 9 to 10| 4 3·38 | 4 4 10 | 22 | | |

|10 „ 11| 4 5·763| 4 12 14 | 36 | 2·383 | 8 4 |

|11 „ 12| 4 8·403| 5 6 6 | 49 | 2·64 | 7 8 |

|12 „ 13| 4 11·509| 6 5 1 | 81 | 3·106 | 12 11 |

|13 „ 14| 5 1·639| 7 2 2 | 218 | 2·13 | 11 1 |

|14 „ 15| 5 3·128| 7 12 3 | 490 | 1·489 | 10 1 |

|15 „ 16| 5 3·972| 8 6 0 | 737 | ·844 | 7 13 |

|16 „ 17| 5 4·451| 8 11 6 | 870 | ·479 | 5 6 |

|17 „ 18| 5 4·666| 9 1 7 | 627 | ·215 | 4 1 |

|18 „ 19| 5 4·804| 9 4 10 | 242 | ·138 | 3 3 |

|19 „ 20| 5 5·267| 9 5 6 | 51 | ·463 | 12 |

+--------+---------+-----------+------------+----------+----------+

+------------------------------++--------------------------------+

| II.--Table showing average || III.--Table showing average |

| height for age, disregarding || weight for height, disregarding|

| weight. || age. |

+------+----------+------------++-------+-----------+------------+

| Age | | Number of || | | Number of |

| in | Height. |observations||Height.| Weight. |observations|

|years.| | made. || | | made. |

+------+----------+------------++-------+-----------+------------+

| |ft. in. | ||ft. in.|st. lb. oz.| |

| 9 | 4 1·35 | 5 || 3 10 | 3 3 8 | 1 |

| 9¹⁄₂ | 4 3·739| 12 || 3 11 | 3 5 0 | 3 |

|10 | 4 4·385| 12 || 4 0 | 3 10 4 | 1 |

|10¹⁄₂ | 4 5·565| 21 || 4 1 | 4 2 10 | 3 |

|11 | 4 6·481| 20 || 4 2 | 4 3 4 | 11 |

|11¹⁄₂ | 4 8·322| 26 || 4 3 | 4 4 5 | 10 |

|12 | 4 10·582| 35 || 4 4 | 4 5 12 | 12 |

|12¹⁄₂ | 4 11·696| 44 || 4 5 | 4 8 14 | 12 |

|13 | 5 1·458| 69 || 4 6 | 5 1 12 | 15 |

|13¹⁄₂ | 5 1·728| 122 || 4 7 | 5 5 3 | 27 |

|14 | 5 2·708| 192 || 4 8 | 5 9 12 | 28 |

|14¹⁄₂ | 5 3·232| 256 || 4 9 | 6 0 8 | 42 |

|15 | 5 3·72 | 349 || 4 10 | 6 8 1 | 56 |

|15¹⁄₂ | 5 4·048| 389 || 4 11 | 7 3 15 | 118 |

|16 | 5 4·263| 434 || 5 0 | 7 5 13 | 221 |

|16¹⁄₂ | 5 4·488| 445 || 5 1 | 7 10 0 | 263 |

|17 | 5 4·606| 376 || 5 2 | 8 1 0 | 309 |

|17¹⁄₂ | 5 4·644| 296 || 5 3 | 8 5 14 | 564 |

|18 | 5 4·671| 182 || 5 4 | 8 10 11 | 625 |

|18¹⁄₂ | 5 4·797| 97 || 5 5 | 8 13 4 | 466 |

|19 | 5 4·831| 40 || 5 6 | 9 4 12 | 274 |

|19¹⁄₂ | 5 4·854| 12 || 5 7 | 9 7 9 | 217 |

|20 | 5 4·89 | 8 || 5 8 | 9 11 10 | 125 |

| | | || 5 9 |10 2 5 | 54 |

| | | || 5 10 |10 10 8 | 12 |

+------+----------+------------++-------+-----------+------------+

ENVIRONMENT.

We now pass to the inanimate surroundings.

The first essential is that the soil upon which the school is built

should be a dry and wholesome one. Gravel of course is the best, but

there are many other varieties of soil and subsoil which admit of

perfect drainage.

[Healthy situation.]

[Cheerful surroundings.]

The altitude is also a question to be taken into account. The greatest

altitude compatible with accessibility is as a rule the best, because

then the air will be fresh and abundant, and probably bracing. The

aspect is also of importance. This should be as sunny as possible, and

the girls’ sleeping and living rooms should be flooded with sunshine

for great portions of the day, whatever happens to the rest of the

establishment; as comparatively short hours are spent in schoolrooms,

the importance of sunshine in them is less great, though they must be

bright and attractive, for cheerful surroundings and associations help

to produce the cheerful minds which most easily conquer intellectual

difficulties. There must be no gloominess, with its depressing effects

upon youthful spirits, anywhere. The nature of the surroundings has

much to do in fact with the ideas, pleasurable or otherwise, which will

be associated with the recurrence of any given lesson, and will often

colour our recollections through life.

[Climate.]

It is desirable also to ascertain the rainfall. There are certain

portions of our island where the rainfall is very much heavier than in

others, and often places only a few miles apart may differ by being

either inside or outside a rainy band. Where outdoor exercise is as

important as it always must be for young people, it is absurd to start

a new school in a place where the games will be constantly interrupted

by rain, or where, when it has rained, the ground is of a nature which

does not quickly dry up. Of course what one really wants to know is

the average number of rainy days and the seasons of the year when

they chiefly occur, rather than the number of inches per annum of

the rainfall, but these are details which are not generally easy to

ascertain.

[Ventilation and warming.]

Having secured a suitable spot, with abundant space, a large portion of

it level for the purpose of play, see that the building is commodious,

well-built, well-lighted, and thoroughly dry, and have all the windows

hung top and bottom so that there may be plenty of fresh air, and have

good fireplaces. Fireplaces are decidedly the most healthy method of

warming for all living rooms, but hot-water pipes are unobjectionable,

and far more convenient and economical for schoolrooms.

[Arrangement of buildings and lighting.]

Every school of course has its own method of arrangement, but it is

preferable where possible to have a central building for teaching

purposes, containing schoolrooms, art-room, laboratory, workshops

and gymnasium, surrounded by houses of residence, each holding about

twenty-five girls. The houses should be warmed with fireplaces, the

school by means of any warming apparatus at the time in vogue. In both

school and houses it is most desirable to have electric light because

it does not vitiate the air.

The accommodation in the building will naturally be arranged in

accordance with the ideas of school organisation which it is intended

to carry out, different plans being suitable for different kinds of

schools.

[Water supply and drainage.]

An abundant and thoroughly wholesome water supply is absolutely

essential, and the drainage must be well planned and perfectly laid, so

as to stand the various customary tests, and must be properly trapped

and ventilated.

[Air and space.]

As regards area and cubic space and other minute details of a hygienic

kind, I cannot do better than refer mistresses to Dr. Clement Dukes’

admirable _Health at School_, published by Cassell & Co., which is a

complete compendium of the subject, merely premising that for a book

published in 1886 and republished in 1895, a less sweeping condemnation

of all girls’ schools might have been made.

I do not myself feel that there is danger of unwholesome crowding in

secondary residentiary schools, provided that there are separate living

and school accommodation, such as I have already indicated, and also

provided that every girl has her own cubicle fully furnished. The

smallest area upon which it is possible to arrange the usual cubicle

furniture with any degree of comfort, is sufficient to provide enough

cubic space of air in a room twelve feet high.

[Food must be abundant.]

[There must be variety.]

[Sugar and fruit necessary.]

[Disastrous effects of insufficient or unwholesome food.]

A chapter on the Cultivation of the Body seems hardly complete

without some mention of that without which the body cannot grow or

even continue to exist, namely, food. As will have been seen from the

tables given above, growth during the early years spent at a secondary

residentiary school is exceedingly rapid, and food is necessary to

support it; also every form of activity of any of the faculties of

the being causes waste of substance and necessitates recuperation,

which will be obtained chiefly by means of food and sleep. Food,

therefore, must be abundant; it must be of good quality, well cooked,

attractively served, and helped in a tempting manner. Plenty of time

should be given for partaking of the meal, but the girls should not

be kept sitting so long as to be bored, and conversation should be

freely indulged in. I do not myself think that solid meat should be

given except at the midday meal, but both at breakfast and at supper

there should always be a savoury dish, consisting of fish, eggs,

macaroni, rice or vegetables, with occasional admixtures of meat, ham,

tongue, etc., to ensure variety; porridge should also be provided for

breakfast. The great essential is variety. Besides these three meals

there should be a light luncheon consisting of hot soup and bread,

or cocoa, or milk, according to taste; and in the afternoon, after

games and changing, the refreshment of tea and bread and butter, now

and again varied with cake or a bun, before going into afternoon

school. Sugar in abundance and milk should always be upon the dinner

table, to be partaken of according to taste with the pudding, and jam

or marmalade and golden syrup should be provided for breakfast and

supper. In this way the quantity of saccharine matter, so essential for

a growing child, is supplied. Greediness is not induced because the

natural appetites are freely and wholesomely supplied, and the habit

of self-indulgence is kept in abeyance for the same reason, because

the ordinary diet is so satisfying that there is no craving for sweets

and other tuck-shop delicacies. But even so, it is desirable to give

sweetmeats occasionally after meals, rather than allow girls even to

fancy that they want to go and buy them for themselves. Fresh fruit

also is very good and wholesome and should be available when required

for health; it will often be needed if the water is at all hard, and

should occasionally be given in liberal quantities, say instead of

pudding. Vegetables too must never be forgotten. Some people will be

inclined to say that girls are not fed as well as this in their homes!

That may sometimes be possible, and indeed I have known of cases where,

from a terribly mistaken view of economy, or from a desire to teach

self-restraint, growing girls have been stinted in food, with most

lamentable results in after life. I am not, however, afraid that school

will ever enter into competition with the home, no matter how good

the puddings are; and it is natural that such things should be more

considered at school where it is realised that even such minor matters

as the bread and butter enter into the general scheme of education,

and may influence for good or evil the future lives of the pupils. In

some homes, on the other hand, girls receive food much too rich or

too stimulating, made dishes and late dinners not being conducive to

healthy digestion.

[Danger of over-stimulating the emotions.]

Before closing this chapter a word must be said about the emotions;

healthy bodily development is hindered or prevented if they are

too early encouraged, as it is also by want of food, rest, fresh

air, exercise and interest, or by the excess of either physical or

intellectual activity. The emotional nature is over-stimulated by

excessive time spent upon music, especially if the music is of a

certain kind. Much care is needed, more particularly if there is

decided musical taste, to begin with composers who appeal least to

the emotional nature, and not to specialise in music at all until

a thorough intellectual groundwork has been laid in the general

education. Latin, mathematics and vigorous games hold a far more

important part in the general scheme of a comprehensive education than

is always apparent.

INDEX.

Absences from school, effect on class teaching, 34.

Acton, Lord, on study of history, 126.

Aim of education, 2, 67.

Aim of school life, 414.

Air and space in schools, 421.

Algebra--

Age for beginning, 247.

Educational value, 237.

Geometry and algebra, relation between, 246.

Alphabet, 46.

Books for teachers, 52.

Alphabets, phonetic, 111.

Ambition, intellectual, fostering, 40.

Analysis of sentences, 60.

Ancient history, 160.

Books recommended, 166.

Educational value, 159.

Higher classes, history for, 164.

Illustrations, models, etc., suggestions, 164.

Junior classes, scheme of work, 161.

Parallel chart, 167.

Apparatus needed in teaching, 29.

Arithmetic--

Addition, 222.

Approximations, 235.

Decimal notation, 222.

Division, 227.

Exclusion of various branches, suggested, 237, 247.

Factors, measures, multiples, 227.

First teaching, 216.

Fractions, 229, 232, 236.

Decimals, 223, 233.

G.C.M. and L.C.M., 231.

Historical method of teaching, 237.

Sketch of lesson, 218.

Logarithms as part of scientific arithmetic, 248 _note_.

Money, addition and subtraction of, 221.

Multiplication, 224.

Practice, 235.

Proportion, 234.

Subtraction, 223.

Art in education--

Beautiful surroundings in school, etc., 322.

Drawing and painting [_see_ that title].

Historical art, 321.

[_See also_ various titles, Music, Drawing and painting, etc.]

Art needlework, 361.

Articulation, 347.

Astronomy--

Mathematics as stepping-stone to, 245.

Psychological order of study, 254.

Attendance at school, regular, necessity for, 34.

Bacon on knowledge, 2.

Bearder, Mr., on phonetic alphabet, 97.

Beautifying schools, importance of, 322.

Bedford college, opening, 4.

Bible lessons [_see_ Religion and philosophy].

Biological sciences, 260.

Field work, 263.

Microscopes, using, 265.

Museum, school, arrangement of, 263, 272.

Notes of lesson on seedlings, 269.

Observation, developing, 261.

Psychological order of study, 252, 255.

Sequence of lessons should be outcome of teacher’s own

individuality, 266.

Text-books recommended for botany, 253, 271.

Botany [_see_ Biological sciences].

Brush drawing, 348, 349, 354.

Bryce, Dr., on science teaching, 249.

Buss, Miss, first high school established by, 4.

Century question, 176 _note_.

Character--

Formation of, books on, 376.

Insight into, essential for teachers, 376.

Moulding, power of teacher in, 385.

Charts, illustrated [_see_ Time maps].

Cheltenham Ladies’ College, opening, 4.

Chemistry--

Method of teaching, need for improvement in, 307.

Position in scheme of science teaching, 308.

“Practical” training, importance of, 310.

Pre-examination classes--broad principles recommended, 312.

Preliminary course of elementary physics, 308, 312.

“Pure” and “physical” chemistry, order of teaching, 315, 316.

Technical language not required, 309.

Typical lessons, 317.

Child study society, 370.

China painting, 360.

Civilised nations, energy devoted to education by, 3.

Class-singing--

Dictation, 341.

Ear tests, 341.

Educational value, 340, 343.

Length of lesson, 340.

Notation, questions on, 340.

Part-singing, 342.

Rhythm, 341.

Sight-reading, 342.

Size of class, etc., 340.

Tonic sol-fa system, 344.

Value of, as supplement to pianoforte teaching, 332.

Voice production, 342.

Class teachers and specialists, comparison between, 21.

Classical studies [_see_ Latin and Greek].

Classification in any subject, method, 38.

Committee of Ten, report--

Arithmetic, exclusion of certain branches suggested, 237.

English, teaching, 62.

Geometry, instruction in, 239.

Compayré on education, 17 _note_.

Competition--

Bracing influence of, 386.

Personal rivalry, avoiding, 388.

Composition--

Committee of Ten, report, 63.

Dale, Mr., on, 55.

Conduct prizes, objections to, 33.

Consonants, classification of, 47, 48.

Corporate virtues, cultivating, 401.

Corrections, giving in exercise books, etc., 27.

Cricket, 404, 406.

Curriculum for pupils of different ages, 10, 12, 20.

Dale, Mr., on oral composition, 55.

Dancing, 412.

Davies, Miss, University privileges won for women by, 4.

Dialects in English colonies, danger of developing into different

languages, 110.

Difficulties of teachers, remedy, 23.

Diphthong table, 51.

Discipline of home and school, 369.

Distractions, avoiding, in teaching, 37.

Drainage of school buildings, 420.

Drawing and painting--

Brush work, 348, 349, 354.

Educational value, 322.

Foreshortening, 351.

Individual teaching, advantage of, 351.

Individuality, encouraging, 352.

Line drawing on squares, 349.

Memory drawing, 350.

Model drawing, 352.

Mural decoration, 358.

Natural drawing of children, 348.

Object drawing, 350.

Painting, 356.

China painting, 360.

Perspective, 352, 357.

Plane geometry, 352.

Proportional measurements, 350.

Ruskin, quotation from, 348.

Shading, 353.

Suggestive drawing, 352.

Dress, manner, etc., of teachers, effect of, 35.

Duration of school-life, 15.

Economics--

Educational value, 186, 190, 191.

Interest of pupils in, 188.

Method of teaching, 188.

Text-books, use of, 189.

Education--

Aim of, 2, 67.

Books on, 38, 43, 376.

Definition, 7, 324.

Mistakes to be avoided, 17.

Moral, aspect [_see_ Moral side of education].

Reform in women’s education since 1848, 3.

Electricity and magnetism, 299.

Elocution, 346.

Emotions, danger of over-stimulating, 423.

English language, training in, 54.

Books recommended, 66.

Committee of Ten, report, 62.

[_See also_ Grammar.]

English literature--

Aim and method of teaching, 192.

Periods of literature, studying, 198.

Poetry, reading, 194.

Prose, reading, 198.

Reading courses, suggested, 200.

Shakspere, study of, 195.

Style, sense of, cultivating, 199.

Environment of a school, 418.

Euclid [_see_ Geometry].

Examinations--

Internal and local, comparison between, 34.

Value of, 33.

Examiners, 34.

Exercise--

Dancing, fencing, etc., 412.

Games [_see_ that title].

Gymnastics [_see_ that title].

Some forms more valuable than others, 397.

Swimming, 415.

Exercise books, corrections, giving in books, etc., 27.

Faculty, definition of, 20.

Family selfishness, women prone to, 401.

Fearon, Mr., on analysis of sentences, 60.

Fines, objections to, 33.

Fire brigade, school should be organised as, 414.

Fitch, Sir J., on study of history, 137.

Food, suitable, for growing girls, 421.

Foreign languages--

Latin and Greek [_see_ that title].

Modern languages [_see_ that title].

Pronunciation, teaching, value of “Le Maître Phonétique,” 111.

French--

Books recommended, 101.

Pronunciation, 49, 97.

Rules, 102.

Translation, 98, 100.

[_See also_ Modern languages.]

Games--

Corporate virtues developed by organised games, 402.

Cricket, 404, 406.

Cycle of games, 404.

Higher functions of, 400.

Hockey, 405.

Lacrosse, 405.

Over-exertion, dangers of, 409.

Playground, 403.

Severe games not safe without gymnastic training, 409.

Small numbers, games for, 400.

Value of, as means of exercise, 398.

Gardening, educational value, 415.

Geography--

Aim in teaching, 275.

Course of lessons, notes, 282.

England, supplementary work with reference to, 287.

Physical geography [_see_ that title].

Geology, psychological position in science teaching, 255.

Geometry--

Algebra and geometry, relation between, 246.

Definitions, forming, 242.

Educational value, 240.

Euclid, objections to, 243.

Kindergarten, beginning in, 239.

Methods of teaching, 242, 244, 248.

Practical geometry for young children, 239.

Text-books recommended, 240, 242.

German--

Difficulties of the language, removing, 102.

Literature, attractiveness of, 103.

[_See also_ Modern languages.]

“Girls’ Public Day Schools’ Company,” founding, 4.

Gladstone, Dr., spelling reform, statistics, 107.

Grammar, English, 59.

Books recommended, 59, 66.

Committee of Ten, report, 64.

[_See also_ English language.]

Greek and Latin [_see_ Latin and Greek].

Gymnastics, Swedish--

Physical defects, correcting, 410.

Superiority of, to ordinary gymnastics, 410.

Value of, 408.

Habits, right, forming, 39.

Hamilton, Sir W., on teaching, 134.

Hand arts [_see_ Manual training].

Harris, Dr.--

Art in education, 322.

History, definition of, 114.

Manual work, views on educational value of, 323.

Mistakes to be avoided in education, 17.

Head mistresses and head masters, control exercised by, 22.

Health--

Book recommended, 421.

Care of, during school years, 383.

Necessary conditions, 397.

Heat and light, 302.

Height and weight of girls at different ages, 416, 418.

Hieroglyphics, interesting children in, 45.

High schools, first school established by Miss Buss, etc., 4.

Higher education of women, reforms since 1848, 3.

History--

Ancient history [_see_ that title].

Approaching subject, methods, 121.

Definition, 114.

Educational value, 114, 137.

German scheme of teaching, 166.

Junior class, history for, 121.

Moral lessons from, 115.

Political economy more important for girls than constitutional

history, 120.

Psychological order of study, 258.

Senior classes, history for, 122, 124.

Class library, forming, 130.

Contemporary writings, studying, 131.

Continuity of history, tracing, 126.

Essay-writing, value of, 135.

First-hand acquaintance with authorities desirable, 130, 131.

Historical novels, etc., recommended, 133, 150.

Maps, lack of, suggestions, 129.

Pictures, etc., educative power of, 132, 321.

Post-school work, 136.

Previous knowledge to be assumed, 126.

Sectional teaching, advantages, 127.

Selection, principle of, 126.

“Spirit” of the period, catching, 124.

Syllabus of lessons, 128, 130, 138.

Testing work, 134.

Text-books recommended, 132, 145.

Time maps [_see_ that title].

Historical novels, value for elder classes, 122, 133.

Hockey, 405.

Home and school, relation between, 367.

Rules for home government in connection with school work, 371.

Humanities--

Inclusion in course of study, importance of, 20.

Teachers’ studying, necessity for, 9.

Hygiene, school, book recommended, 421.

Ideal, ultimate, or perfect development of individual, keeping in

view, 41.

Ideals, highest, encouraging, 41.

Individual life, developing, 41.

Inquiry, spirit of, awakening and sustaining, 40.

Intellectual ambition, fostering, 40.

Intellectual sympathy with pupil, necessity for, 38.

Intellectual work, number of hours to be devoted to, 412.

Interest, awakening, in pupils, 37.

Judgment cultivated by study of history, 117.

Knowledge of the world essential for teachers, 375.

Known to the unknown, proceeding from, in teaching, 38.

Lacrosse, 405.

Laing, Mr., establishment of first high school, 4.

Languages--

Enjoyment of work essential for pupil, 104.

Latin and Greek [_see_ that title].

Methods of teaching compared, 69.

Modern languages [_see_ that title].

Order of teaching, 94, 257.

Latin and Greek--

Advanced work, methods, 77.

Books recommended, 71, 75, 77, 78, 81, 82, 89.

Composition, hints on teaching, 75, 80.

Construing, lessons in, 72.

Conversation, 72.

Educational value of Latin, 68.

Examples prefixed to exercises to be learnt by heart, 76.

Greek accentuation, 83.

Greek preferred to Latin, 104.

Late learners, chance of success, 86.

Methods of teaching compared, 69.

Models and illustrations of classical life and history, suggestions,

85.

Position in girls’ education, 67, 94, 103.

Pronunciation, 82.

Reading to be begun as soon as possible, 71.

Illustrative works to accompany reading, 79.

Repetition, 77.

Scheme of work, 87.

Style, attention to, 80.

Translations--

Old English versions, value of, 84.

Unseen translation, beginning, 76.

Using, 79.

Verse writing, 81.

Weak points in girls’ work, 86.

Law, William, on true learning, 395.

“Le Maître Phonétique,” alphabet and specimens of writing from, 111.

Learning by heart, value of, 54.

Lectures, school, parents attending, 371.

Leisure--

Mental leisure required by teachers, 375.

Ripening of character, need of leisure for, 210.

Time table arranged by Miss Beale, 13.

Length of lessons, 16.

Letters, classifying, importance of, 50.

Light and heat, 302.

Lighting in schools, 420.

Literature--

English literature [_see_ that title].

German literature, attractiveness of, 103.

Logarithms as part of scientific arithmetic, 248 _note_.

Magnetism and electricity, 299.

Manual training--

Educational value, 323, 414.

Handicrafts, suggested, 414, 415.

Modelling, 363.

Needlework, 361, 415.

Sloyd, 366.

Wood-carving, etc., 362.

Maps--

Constant use of maps, importance of, 30.

Historical maps, lack of, 129.

Marks--

Chart showing fluctuation in, 32.

Inspection by head mistress, advantage of, 31.

Personal rivalry, method avoiding, 388.

Martineau, Dr., on history, 114.

Mathematics--

Algebra [_see_ that title].

Books recommended, 248, 249.

Geometry [_see_ that title].

Historical method of teaching, advantage of, 248.

Mixed mathematics, 248.

Mazzini on “Solidarity of Man,” 120.

Meiklejohn, spelling book, exhaustive nature of, 109.

Mental state of pupil, teaching must be adapted to, 39.

Method of teaching subject should be adapted to age of pupil, 19.

“Méthode mnémonique polonaise” applied as a record of time, 169.

Miall, Professor, on difficulties in education, 23.

Microscopes, use of, in schools, 265.

Mill, Mr., on study of history, 137.

Milton, quotations from, on--

Divine philosophy, 41.

Education, 2 _note_.

Mistakes in education, 17.

Modelling--

Educational value, 363.

Individual and class teaching, 364.

Studies, 364.

Tools required, 363.

Modern languages--

Books recommended, 111.

Composition, 101.

Enjoyment of work essential for pupil, 104.

Exercises, 99.

First lessons should be oral, 96.

Order of studying, 94, 257.

Philology, value in teaching languages, 101.

Phonetic system, success of, 96.

Reform in method of teaching, necessity for, 96.

Translation, 98.

Vocabulary, forming, 99.

[_See also_ titles French and German.]

Money, origin of, 219.

Moral side of school education--

Competition, wholesome, benefit of, 386.

Concentration of faculties, practice in, 387.

Moral lessons in school, value of, 389.

Religion and philosophy [_see_ that title].

Responsibilities and qualifications of teachers [_see_ Teachers].

School worldliness, danger of, 387.

Uniformity of treatment, value of, 386.

Müller, Professor Max, on English spelling, 106, 107.

Mural decoration, 358.

Museum, school, arrangement of, 263, 272.

Music--

Class-singing [_see_ that title].

General education, necessity for, 337.

Pianoforte [_see_ that title].

Sending children abroad for musical education, 320, 336.

Taste, cultivating, 320.

Violin, 338.

Needlework, training in, 415.

Art needlework, 361.

Newton on discovering truth, 40.

Nineteenth century, illustrated charts, 182, 184.

Observation, development of, value of biological sciences, 261.

Occupations for training purposes which are not purely intellectual,

414.

Oral composition--

Committee of Ten, report, 63.

Dale, Mr., on, 55.

Order of study--

Importance of, 17.

Psychological order, 19, 251.

Organisation, power of, games developing, 400.

Over-exertion in games, dangers of, 409.

Overstrain, teachers avoiding, 381.

Pagliardini, spelling difficulties, 109.

Painting and drawing [_see_ Drawing and painting].

Parents and teachers--

Co-operation, means for securing, 370.

Relations between, 368.

Parker, anecdote on “conscience,” 206.

Parsing exercises, usefulness questioned, 59.

_Pedagogical Seminary_, extract from, on teachers, 35.

Philology--

Books recommended, 52, 66, 102.

Knowledge of, value in teaching languages, 101.

Philosophy and religion [_see_ Religion and philosophy].

Phonetic system [_see_ Spelling reform].

Physical defects in girls--

Correcting, by Swedish gymnastics, 410.

Frequent causes of, 411.

Physical geography--

Courses of lessons, subject-matter, 275, 277, 279.

Definitions, forming, 278.

Observation and experiment, 275, 276.

Psychological position in science teaching, 254.

Written work, style of, 276, 277.

Physics--

Books recommended, 303.

Definitions, forming, 294.

Diagrams, value of, 299.

Electricity and magnetism, 299.

Elementary course of lessons, 292.

Apparatus, 296.

Practical work, 296.

Elementary physics as a basis for chemistry, 308, 312, 315.

Heat and light, 302.

Position in science teaching, 255, 291.

Senior classes, 302.

Syllabus of lessons, 304.

Physiology--

Books recommended, 256.

Psychological position in science teaching, 256, 292.

Pianoforte--

Aim in teaching, 326.

Difficulties of teachers, 327.

Ear, cultivating, 332.

Examinations, 334, 336.

Gradation of study, 329, 333.

Hands, treatment of, 334.

Harmony, 333.

Memory, cultivating, 334.

Practice, superintending, 335.

Selection of music, 331.

Sight-reading, 335.

Singing class, value of, 332.

Studies recommended, 332, 334.

Thoroughness, importance of, 336.

[_See also_ Music.]

Pitman, Mr.--

Pitman alphabet, suggestion, 111.

Spelling reform, 109.

Place-taking in classes, disappearance of, 31.

Playground, 403.

Pleasant, lessons, making, 38, 104.

Poetry, learning, 53, 54.

Political economy, educational value, 120.

Practical precepts for teachers, 37.

Prizes, objections to, 32.

Progress, promoting, 39.

Psychological order of study, 19, 251.

Punishments, nature of offence and suitable punishments, 33.

Queen’s College, founding, 4.

Questioning of pupils, judicious, 40.

Rapport between teacher and class, importance of, 34.

Reading, 44, 51.

Books recommended, 47, 54, 66.

[_See also_ Alphabet.]

Recitation, value as moral training, 54.

Recreation--

Certain forms more valuable than others, 397.

Games [_see_ that title].

Meaning of, 397.

Reform in women’s education since 1848, 3.

Religion and philosophy--

Bible lessons, 391.

Books recommended, 211, 215.

Conscience, 206.

Consciousness and self-consciousness, 205.

Definition of religion, 203.

Dogmatics and ethics, relation between, 202.

Foundations of faith, classification, 213.

Historical art, educative power of, 321.

Leisure for thought, 210.

Personal element in child’s religion, 204.

Position in time-table, 391.

Psychological order of teaching, 206, 209, 258.

Reading and discussion, 211.

Religion in relation to science and philosophy, 204.

Sceptical phases, dealing with, 210.

School lessons--

Advantages, 389, 390.

Scope of, 202.

Special training, for teachers, 212.

Written work, importance of, 209.

Reports, advantages of, 33.

Reproofs, injudicious, avoiding, 382.

Right habits, forming, 39.

Ruskin, quotations from, 2, 348.

Salford, Professor, on logarithms, 248 _note_.

School and home, relation between, 367.

Rules for home government in connection with school work, 371.

School buildings--

Beautifying, importance of, 322.

Situation, 418.

Ventilation, lighting, etc., 420.

School life--

Aim of, 414.

Duration, 15.

Science--

Biological sciences [_see_ that title].

Central idea in teaching, necessity for, 311.

Chart showing progress during the Queen’s reign, 184.

Early training essential, 309.

Experiments, success with, importance of, 295.

Historical method of teaching, 248, 249.

History, supplementing, 115.

Imagination and reasoning power, cultivating, 267.

Introductory teaching, 314.

“Lecture” lessons and “practical” work, 295, 312.

Psychological order of study, 251, 308.

Scheme, suggested, 292.

Sequence of lessons, care in planning, 265, 266.

Size of classes for “practical” instruction, 313.

Shakspere--

Illustrations from, in teaching history, 123, 133.

Study of, 195.

Shirreff, Miss, on education, 3.

Silence rules, value of, 14.

Singing--

Class-singing [_see_ that title].

Tonic sol-fa system, 344.

Situation of school building, soil, rainfall, etc., 418.

Sixteenth century--chart of historical events, 171, 174.

Sloyd, 366.

Soames, Miss, promoting phonetic system, 108, 110.

Solitude, value of, for young people, 13.

Sounds, classification of, 46.

Space and air in schools, 421.

Specialising in youth, results, 20.

Specialists and class teachers, comparison between, 21.

Spelling reform--

Books recommended, 66.

Foreign languages, acquiring--success of phonetic system, 96.

Necessity for, 53, 106.

Phonetic alphabets, 111.

Present spelling condemned by philologists, 110.

Soames, Miss, promoting, 108, 110.

Spencer, Herbert, on education, 17 _note_.

Spenser, quotation from, 396.

Stubbs, Bishop, on study of history, 137.

Study--

Courses arranged for pupils of different ages, 10, 12, 16, 20.

Hours to be spent in, 412.

Subjects, classification of, 9.

Sunday quiet for young people, necessity for, 14, 211.

Swedish gymnastics [_see_ Gymnastics].

Swimming, 415.

Sympathies enlarged by study of history, 114.

Sympathy, intellectual, with pupils, need for, 38.

Teachers--

Aim, 383.

Circumstances and character of each pupil, knowing, 379.

Class teachers and specialists, 21.

Corrections, giving in exercise books, etc., 27.

Difficulties of, remedy, 23.

Externals, importance of, 35.

Higher attainment, seeking, 6.

Holding attention of class, 34.

Humanities, study of, 9.

Knowledge of the world essential, 375.

Mental leisure, necessity for, 375.

Moral responsibility of, 377.

Overstrain, avoiding, 381.

Practical precepts for, 37.

Reproofs, injudicious, avoiding, 382.

Right judgment and presence of mind, 379.

Self-mastery, 380.

Time-saving methods, 24.

Teachers and parents--

Co-operation, means for securing, 370.

Relation between, 368.

Teachers’ Guild, 370.

Educational museum, 85, 165.

Tenses, discriminating, 61.

Time available for school teaching, 15.

Time-maps, 168.

Ancient history, 181.

Illustrated charts, 171.

Syllabus of lessons on modern history, 177.

Time-saving methods for teachers, 24.

Time-tables--

Courses of study for pupils of different ages, 10, 12, 16, 20.

Hours to be spent in intellectual work, 412.

Tonic sol-fa system, 344.

University education won for women, 4.

Ventilation in schools, 420.

Victorian era, illustrated charts, 182, 184.

Violin, 338.

Voice production, 53.

Class-singing, 342.

Elocution, 346.

Vowels--

Diphthong table, 51.

Sounds, discriminating, 49, 97.

Walter, Miss L. E., on preliminary science teaching, 314.

Ware, Mr., on phonetic alphabet, 96.

Warming school buildings, 420.

Water supply in schools, 420.

Weight and height of girls at different ages, 416, 418.

Wood-carving, etc., 415.

Educational value, 362.

Woodward, Professor, on analysis of sentences, 60.

Writing, preliminary teaching, 45.

Zoology [_see_ Biological sciences].

[Illustration]

Transcriber’s Notes

Depending on the hard- and software used to read this text and their

settings, not all elements may display as intended. The sections on

phonetics and mathematics in particular contain characters that may

not display properly.

Some wide tables have been split; blank lines resulting from this

split have not been deleted, so that the parts may be re-combined

more easily.

Where feasible, a graphic representation of illustrations has been

provided; these are intended to give an impression only.

Inconsistent and unusual spelling, hyphenation, capitalisation,

etc. (including those of proper and geographical names) have been

retained, except as listed below.

Page 46, 47, symbols: for some symbols there is no real glyph, the

ones given here are intended to give an approximation of the shapes

only.

Page 108, careful experiments have established 1): there are no

subsequent numbers.

Page 112, phonetics: as printed in the source document, even though

there appear to be some mistakes, inconsistencies and omissions in

the phonetics. There are several errors in the German text (Wenn wir

uns ...), these have not been corrected.

Page 129, 130, Sprüner: Karl Spruner von Merz.

Page 147, Ranke. _History of England_, vol. ... endon Press: part of

the text is missing from the source document; the publisher is the

Clarendon Press, probably the reference is to volume ii.

Page 221 ff., 235: the ditto marks/low double quote marks in amounts

are present as such in the source document; they appear to be used as

separators between the pounds, shillings and pence. The inconsistent

use of S. and D. above the shillings and pence has been copied from

the source document.

Page 230, Nearly all children will write thus: ³⁄₄ × 7 = ³⁄₂ ÷ 3,

etc.,: as printed in the source document, the first fraction should

be ³⁄₁₄.

Page 233, 561 = 3 × 3 × 3 × 23: the multiplication results in 621,

which is the number required cf. the sum on the previous page.

Calculation before “I have not given ...”: × 2 should be inserted

after 11 × 5.

Page 234, circulator example: “∴ No =” moved to more clearly reflect

the division.

Page 235, Suppose we want a sum ...: the calculation and accompanying

explanation are given as printed; the decimal point in the last term

(·059692) was not visible in the source document.

Page 260, footnote [25]: a^{m} × a^{n} = a^{m × n} should be a^{m} ×

a^{n} = a^{m + n}.

Changes:

Footnotes, tables, equations and illustrations have been moved

outside text paragraphs. Sidenotes (in square brackets) have been

moved to immediately before the paragraph to which they belong.

Several ditto marks („) and abbreviations (Do.) have been replaced

with the dittoed text.

Some minor obvious typographical and punctuation errors have been

corrected silently.

Various pages: Frobël has been changed to Fröbel.

Page 11: Erdknude has been changed to Erdkunde (2×).

Page 43: Greard has been changed to Gréard.

Page 81: “in despite of” has been changed to “in spite of”.

Page 107: “which he puts most dearly and forcible” has been changed

to “which he puts most clearly and forcibly”

Page 108, second » inserted after “instructed on the old method.»”

Page 201: “Essays of Ella” has been changed to “Essays of Elia”.