From Joshua Bates, D. D., President of Middlebury College.

Dear Sir: Having examined your System of Education proposed for the Girard College, I am free to acknowledge that I am highly pleased with it as a whole. In its general features, it seems to me as well adapted to secure the great object of the founder, as any plan could, formed under the restraints which the Will imposes.

I am pleased, too, with the details, as far as you have stated them. And, perhaps, if the general System should be adopted by the trustees, it would be best to leave many of the details to the discretion of the principal or president. Let them be the result of experiment, and be gradually settled and engrafted into the System. Still, I should think, that something more should be said in relation to the government, discipline, hours of study, modes of instruction, liberty and restraint, &c. before an attempt is made to put the plan into operation.

After all, the success of this, or any other plan must depend very much on the practical skill of the presiding officer. If a man of suitable age, sound judgment, and enlarged experience can be obtained to take the superintendence, with the power to nominate all the professors; if the offices of these professors expire every five years, so as to require a new election; and if the trustees adopt no by-law, nor make any regulation without his concurrence, -I have no doubt that your System may serve as a basis, and constitute a good foundation for a most noble superstructure. But this, or any other system, subject to be modified and controlled in its operations by men of mere theory, without any uniform and guiding mind; or, on the other hand, liable to be perverted by the whims and unfaithfulness of subordinate instructers,— must fail of accomplishing any important object. Indeed, it seems to me, that the only hope of success in regard to the whole project, depends on the fact, that the trustees obtain for a superintendent a man capable of carrying out a general plan in all its details, subject to no control but their own; and never to be controlled by them, till they are satisfied that the good of the Institution requires his immediate removal. He may be advised; but if he needs control, he is unfit for the office, and should be removed without explanation.* Yours,

JOSHUA BATES.

* Much practical wisdom is exhibited in President Bates' letter. It manifests the very deep interest he has taken in the subject, and affords the best evidence of his sincere desire to promote the prosperity of this highly important Institution.

Some suggestions he has made seem to indicate an impression, which it is

believed has also been made on the minds of others, that the whole system, in all its living principles, is detailed in the few pages submitted to the examination and criticism of the literati of our country. This error it may be well to correct, and in doing so, let a reference be had to the sixteenth page and second line, where it is distinctly stated, that "only the great leading principles of a system of education" is exhibited, and that "further explanations may be required," referring to the reserved detail, which embraces all that belongs to the government and discipline to be adopted,-to the religious and other observances to be maintained, to the moral and pious principles, freed from sectarian partialities, prejudice and bigotry, both by precept and example, to be inculcated,-to the order, hours, and books of study,-to the seasons and character of recreations and amusements,-to the modes of instruction and illustration, adapted to the different intellects and capacities of boys; in fine, to all that pertain to the domestic as well as literary departments of the institution; so regulating matters by judicious rules and observances, that systematic order and harmony may be preserved throughout, and every professor, teacher, scholar, agent, tradesman and domestic may know his appropriate place and appropriate duty.

It will at once be perceived, and for reasons stated in the note to Secretary Woodbury's letter, page 5, that an exhibition only has been made of the great outlines, the leading principles, or, to use a figure of speech drawn from anatomy, the bones of a system, in a certain sense very dry, especially to those whose interest on a subject can only be excited when appeals are made to their imagination, and who can only be pleased and gratified when they see the skeleton, though of noble structure, stalk forth in all the habiliments of life-clothed with flesh, and all the functions of animated nature-fresh, beautiful, elastic, active and strong for noble deeds, and fitted for glorious achievements. But in the note alluded to, it will be seen, that appeals have been made, not to imaginative, but to philosophic minds-minds capable of appreciating the worth of things, though it be not dressed up in all the alluring tinsel of gaudy show. And for the honour of our country we have not been disappointed, nor have our appeals been in vain.

With Judge Hopkinson we heartily accord, when he says, "There are many laboured theories of education written to little purpose." They seem to contain the living principle-the muscles, the nerves, the blood vessels, the beautiful skin and fair complexion; quite attractive to such minds as are borne away with appearances; but the philosopher will soon perceive, that the glory of such is of short duration, and that it must necessarily soon fall into a chaotic, useless, dead mass, unless possessed of a system (bones to support it.)

The highly judicious remarks of President Bates have drawn out these

exhibitions, to us altogether unexpectedly. He has entered so far into the views we have taken of the subject from the beginning, that we have felt ourselves constrained to make them; and since we are thus enlisted, we shall continue to make further illustrations and developments of our views and of our plan, in the formation of which it was determined to admit of nothing but what was essential to constitute a complete, connected system; strictly adhering, at the same time, to the provisions of Mr. Girard's Will. The first thing presented for consideration was, the age at which the children were to be admitted, and the age to which they might be continued, the former being from six to ten, and the latter from fourteen to eighteen, making the utmost limits from six to eighteen, a period of twelve years, and for which the system was specially framed; at the same time making provision for those that might be more limited, either on account of deficiency of talents, or having entered late in the Institution. As children may be admitted at the tender age of six, important matter for very serious consideration presented itself, involving great and solemn responsibilities, and which cannot be too deeply felt by all who may be instrumental either in framing or adopting a plan, by which the physical, moral and intellectual powers may be developed. This highly interesting subject, the full development of all the attributes of man, has excited much attention, and called forth the energies of the most distinguished philanthropists of ancient, as well as of modern times. Of such we may record the names of Quintilian, Brossius, Tissot, Locke, Milton, Johnson, Currie, Broussais, Beddoes, Stewart, Reid, Julien, Moss, Ratier, Wakefield, Sinabaldi, Hufeland, Spurzheim, Friedlander, Hamilton, Belsham, Hartley, Bichat, More, Edgeworth, Loude, Abercrombie and Combe. Their respective works on the various branches of the physical, moral and intellectual constitution of man, are worthy the serious perusal of all who are interested in the subject of education. But notwithstanding so much attention has been directed to this subject, and so much talent elicited, it is still far from being exhausted. On some points there exist conflicting opinions, and in others important principles are not fully established. Much, however, has been done; and although some desirable points are not sufficiently illustrated, yet materials, founded on established principles, are furnished in sufficient abundance, by which important improvements, seriously called for, may be made. In adopting a plan, we were deeply solicitous to secure, from the extensive resources by which we were surrounded, a result so desirable; and by combining the experience of the present, as well as of past ages, attain what we consider the great desideratum in education, viz. to exercise and regulate the various functions of the animal, mental and moral economy, in such a manner that they may be properly aud fully developed. The attainment of this will ensure the in

valuable blessing of the mens sana in corpore sano. Much valuable information on the subject of education is scattered through the pages of that elaborate work, the Revue Encyclopedique; and the criticisms which are frequently made on the Fellenburg system are worthy of special regard. The late editor, M. A. Julien, in his Ouvrage de l'Education, morale et intellectuale, exhibits much interesting matter, and is noticed in an excellent little work by Dr. Brigham, on the influence of mental cultivation and mental excitement upon health, in the following important extract: "All the pages of this work repel the double reproach, of wishing to hasten the progress of the intellect, and obtain premature success, or retard the physical development of children, by neglecting the means to preserve their health. We have constantly followed the principle of Tissot, who wished that infancy might be consecrated to those exercises which fortify the body, rather than to mental application, which enfeebles and destroys it. The course to be adopted with children, for the first ten years of life, is neither to press or torment them; but by plays, exercise of the body, entire liberty wisely regulated, and good nourishment, to effect the salutary and progressive development of the physical, moral and intellectual faculties, and by continual amusement and freedom from chagrin, (which injures the temper of children,) they will arrive at the tenth year without suspecting that they have been made to learn any thing: they have not distinguished between study and recreation; all they know they have learned freely, voluntarily, and always in play. The advantages obtained by this course, are good health, grace, agility, gaiety and happiness; a character frank and generous, a memory properly exercised; a sound judgment, and a cultivated mind." In like manner, the improper development of the brain in early life, is justly reprobated by the well known and highly esteemed Professor Hufeland, in his work on the Art of Prolonging Life, quoted in the same work as follows: "Intellectual effort in the first years of life is very injurious. All labour of the mind which is required of children before their seventh year, is in opposition to the laws of nature, and will prove injurious to the organization, and prevent its proper development. It is necessary that we should not begin (laboriously] to exercise the faculties of the mind too early; it is a great mistake to suppose that we cannot commence their cultivation too soon; we ought not to think of attempting this while nature is wholly occupied with the development of organs, and has need of all the vigour of the system to effect this object. If children are made to study before this age, the most noble part of the vital force is withdrawn from perfecting the organization, and is consumed by the act of thought; from which it necessarily results, that the bodily development is arrested or disturbed, digestion is deranged, the humours deteriorated, and scrofula produced. In fine, the nervous system thus acquires a pre

dominance over all others, which it preserves for the remainder of life, producing innumerable nervous complaints, melancholy, hypochondria, &c. It is true, however, that diversity of character requires different methods in this respect. But in all cases the course to be pursued is directly opposed to that which is usually adopted. If a child shows at an early age a great propensity for study, instead of animating and encouraging him to proceed in this course, as most teachers do, it is necessary to moderate his zeal, for precocity of mind is nearly always disease, or shows an unnatural propensity, which it is most prudent to correct. A child of more dull intellect, whose thoughts are slow, may, on the contrary, apply to study at an earlier period of life, for in him this exercise is necessary for the proper development of the mental faculties." As it is intended to take a general review of the System in some closing remarks, we shall have an opportunity, in exemplifying the note on the seventh page, more amply to consider how far it is calculated to meet the difficulties of early education, and how far we have made a practical improvement of all the advantages of experience and philosophy. In these remarks, we shall take occasion to exhibit the views long entertained on this deeply interesting subject, and believe that it will be found to subserve the cause of truth, of education, and, if rightly improved, of humanity, in preserving the health and lives of many that would otherwise be sacrificed by customs injudiciously regulated.

Having decided, after much serious reflection, upon the course believed to be best suited, and in all respects most advantageous for Infants, the next thing for consideration was the division of the whole term of twelve years into appropriate departments, and portions of time for each;--and which demanded much deep reflection, especially as there were some uncertainties respecting the requisite period necessary to attain a knowledge of the French and Spanish languages; this part of the course being altogether novel, and without a precedent. But it is believed, to prevent all possibility of a failure, that ample time has been allotted to that department. The experiment however on this, as well as on all the other parts of the system, may dictate improvements in relation to the period of study in each department. That of the grammar class, four years, it is feared to be rather limited-not according to the present usages, for an error here has long existed, and ought, if possible, to be speedily rectified. A boy ought to be made a complete Latin and Greek scholar in the grammar school. In this we have the most hearty concurrence of the Rev. Dr. Babcock, expressed in his discriminating, excellent letter, commencing on the fifteenth page. In college the philosophy of things only should he studied. The business there in the Latin and Greek should be, to study the beauties and criticisms of the classic authors, pointed out in suitable lectures by the professor. With Judges Reed and Story we heartily agree, that it would be better to enter