Lancaster Method Pamphlet

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3 7 8 7 C X O

R 2 7 2

Lancasterian

system

THE LANCASTERIAN SYSTEM

OF

INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOLS

O FNEWYORK CITY

JOaK rUANKLIN REIGAR1

S U B M I T T E D

I N

PAR'nAL

Pc^LPILI.ME.^" OF

T H F H : : - J I R E M E N T S

F O RT H E

D E G R E E

OF

D O C T O R

OFP n iLosorKT, ; 'T.. i

F - C U L T Y

OF

PHIIX)50PHy, COLUMJI IA L N I V E U S I T Y

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PUBLISHEDBY

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N EW Y O RK CITY

1916


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THE LANCASTERIAN SYSTEM OF

INSTRUCTION IN T H E SCHOOLS

OF NEW YORK CITY

B Y

J O H N F R A N K L I N R E I G A R T

SUBMITTED IN P A R T IA L

F U L F IL IA IB N T

O F TH E R E Q U I R E M E N T S FO R T H E

D E G R E E

O F D O C T O R O F P H IL O S O P H Y , IN T H E F A C U L T Y O F

P H IL O S O P H Y , C O L U M B IA U N IV E R S IT Y

PCBLISHED BY

2IparI|tra (HalU^e, OJolumhia 3ImtiprBitg

N EW Y O RK CITY

1916


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C O P Y R I G H T , 1916,

BY

J O H N F R A N K L I N

REIGART


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s

^

^

2 C O N T E N T S

J

I . I N T R O D U C T I O N

i

P r e s e n t

System.Education

i n N e w Y o r k i n

1805.Free

'^-^^'^ S c h o o l Society.Infant S ch o o ls a n d P r im a r y D e p a r t m e n t s .

Saturday

a n d E v e n i n g

Schools.Religion

a n d t h e S c h o o l s.

School Attendance.Board o f E d u c a t i o n , 1842 .Con

s o l i d a t i o n o f t h e T w o S y s t e m s ,

1853.Financial

Support.

P h i l a n t h r o p y a n d Economy.The Lancas t e r i an Sys t em.

E x t e n s i o n o f M o n i t o r i a l

System.Completeness

o f t h e

E x p e r i m e n t .

I I . R I S E O F T H E L A N C A S T E R I A N S Y S T E M O F I N S T R U C T I O N 7

I n t r o d u c t i o n

E d u c a t i o n a l P r o g r e s s i n N e w

York.This

s t u d y l i m i t e d t o

t h e L a n c a s t e r i a n

System.Vogue

o f t h e L a n c a s t e r i a n

System.Extension

o f t h e S y s t e m .

O r i g i n o f t h e S y s t e m

L a n c a s t e r ' s F i r s t

S c h o o l . O r d e r . M o n i t o r s . D i s c i p l i n e .

Economy i n I n s t r u c t i on .

L a n c a s t e r ' s S c h o o l a s D e s c r i b e d b y S y d n e y S m i t h

R e a d i n g a n d Wr i t i n g . A r i t h m e t i c . O r d e r . R e w a r d s .

M o n i t o r s .

R e a s o n s f o r t h e I n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e L a n c a s t e r i a n S y s t e m I n

N e w Y o r k

L a c k o f S c h oo l s f o r t h e Poor.Dame Schools.Ex-Soldiers

a s

Teachers.Teaching

n o t a P r o f e s s io n . I m p o s te r s .

M e t h o d s Memoriter.Similar Co n d i t i on s in O t h e r C i t ie s .

T e a c h e r s a n d

Methods.Loss

o f T i m e .

I I I . I N T R O D U C T I O N O F T H E L A N C A S T E R I A N S Y S T E M I N T O N E W Y O R K . .

17

A d o p t e d b y t h e F r e e S ch o o l

Society.Method

o f I n t r o d u c

tion.Relation t o L o n d o n Schools.Lancaster in New

Y o r k

City.Lancaster 's Decline.Personal

A p p e a r a n c e .

Lancaster's P l a n s f o r a N a t i on a l System.Universal E d u

c a t i o n . " T h e G e n e r o u s

Plan."Indian

E d u c a t i o n .

H i g h e r Education.Lancaster a s a n I n s p e c t o r .

I V . O R G A N I Z A T I O N O F T H E N E W Y O R K L A N C A S T E R I A N S C H O O L S 2 4

S c ho o l B u il d in g s a n d E q u i p m e n t

B u i ld i n g s o f t h e F r e e S c ho o l Society.Girls a n d B o y s .

I n f a n t

Schools.Under

B o a rd o f

Education.The

S c h o o l

room.Forms.Semi-circles.Alphabet W h e e l .


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iv Lancasterian

System in the

Schools

of New York City

O r g a n i z a t i on o f t h e S c h oo l

T h e Teacher.Order.Economy.Efficiency.Monitors

in 1820.-Assistant Teachers.Monitors in 1850.Limi ta

t i on o f M on i t o r i a l S y s t e m .

Class i f icat ion of Pupi l s

P r o m o t i o n b y Subjects.Fixed Grading.Primary S c h oo l s .

Grammar Schools.Primary

Schoo l s In

1867.Grammar

Schoo l s in

1867.

Schoo l S e s s i ons

Vacations.School H o u r s .

O r d e r o f E x e r c is e s i n G r a m m a r S c h oo l .

O r d e r o f E x e r c i s e s i n P r i m a r y School.Order o f Exe rc i s e s

in

1850.

V . M E T H O D S O F T E A C H I N G

41

R e a d i n g

Eight Classes f or

Reading.Alphabet Class.Reading

and

Wr i t i n g

Combined.Sand Table.Letter Board.Place

Taking.Alphabet M e t h o d Intellectual.One Syl lable

Class.Slates.Lack o f Variety.Reading M a t e r i a l .

S i m i l a r M e t h od s i n 1850.Book Manual.Imitation o f

L a n c a s t e r i a n Methods.Weakness o f t h e M o n i t o r i a l P l a n .

R e s u l t s .

D i c t a t i o n

E a r l y

Use.Dictation

in

1850.Formal

D i s c i p l i n e . D i c

t a t i o n B o a r d s .

Wr i t i n g

Copies.Poor Results.Writing

in 1850. W ri t ing T au gh t

b y Q u e s t i on s .

A r i t h m e t i c

G r a d i n g a n d

Promotion.Monitorial Methods.Use

o f t h e

Blackboard.Results.Earlier M e t h o d s i n A r i t h m e t i c .

S c ie n c e a n d O b j e c t T e a c h i n g

S c h o o l Museums.Infant Schools.Astronomy I n t r o

duced.Dramatization

in

Astronomy.The Holbrook

Plan of Science Teaching.Object Le s s ons In 1850.Lack

of Chi ld Study.Infant Training.Precocity C u l t i v a t e d .

Exchange

o f

Specimens.Exchange

o f S p e c i m e n s a n d

L e t t e r s a s a M e a n s o f A v e r t i n g t h e C i v i l Wa r .

M a n u a l T r a i n i n g

N o M a n u a l T r a i n i n g i n t h e

Schools.Home

W o r k E n

c ou r a g e d .

S c h oo l L i b r a r i e s

Librar i e s in All Schools.Moral Influence.Children's

Reading in 1846.

V I . R E L I G I O U S A ND M O R A L E D U C A T I O N 6 5

Re l ig io u s b u t n o n - s e c t a r i a n

Re a d i n g o t h e Scriptures.Sunday A t t e n d a n c e Required.^


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Contents

C a t e c h i s m

Taught.Religious Instruction.Religious

R e a d

ing.Persuasive C h a r g e .

M o r a l T r a i n i n g

M e a n s Employed.Reading Lessons.A M o r a l D i a l o g u e .

Address

t o

Parents.Visits

to P a r e n t s .

M o r a l T r a in i n g t h r o u g h M o n i to r ia l G o v e r n m e n t

Obedience.Order.Industry.Order

M e c h a n i c a l . F a i l

u r e a s M e a n s o f M or a l T r a i n i n g .

P u n i s h m e n t s a n d R e w a r d s

L a n c a s t e r ' s Punishments.Lancaster's H a t r e d o f t h e R o d .

Punishment

I n t h e N e w Y o r k P u b l ic S ch o o l s. L a n c a s

t e r ' s P u n i s h m e n t s Discredited.Rewards.Discontinuance

o f

Gifts.Plan

o f

Self-Government.Jury System.Class

o f M e r i t .

V I I . S C H O O L I N S P E C T I O N A ND T R A I N I N G O F T E A C H E R S

E x a m i n a t i o n s a n d E x h i b it io n s

W e e k l y Examinations.Annual E x a m i n a t i o n s .

T r a i n i n g o f T e a c h e r s

M o n i t o r s b e c o m e Teachers.Training i n S i x We e k s .

M o r n i n g S c h o o l f o r

Monitors.Saturday

a n d E v e n i n g

N o r m a l S c h o o l s .

VIH. S U M M A R Y A N D C O N C L U S I O N 9 4

A d e q u a t e T r i a l o f t h e M o n i t o r i a l

System.Reasons

f o r th e

Ch o i c e o f t h e System.Blind A d h e r e n c e t o t h e S y s t e m .

D e c l i n e o f t h e P u b l i c S c h oo l

Society.Educational

M o n o p

oly.Distrust o f t h e Society.Decline o f t h e M on i t o r i a l

System.Monitors

S u p p l a n t e d b y

Teachers.Failure

o f

B e n e v o l e n t D e s p o t i s m i n E d u c a t i o n .

Bene f i c i a l Re su l t s o f th e Sys t em

E d u c a t i o n o f t h e C o m m u n i t y t o t h e S u p p o r t o f t h e S c h o o l s .

Training

o f

Teachers.Improved Organization.Milder

F o r m s o f P u n i s h m e n t .

E v i l

Efl'ects

o f t h e S y s t e m

S l a v e r y t o System.School Organization.Methods o f

I n s t r u c t i o n . D i s c i p l i n e .

I X . B I B L I O G R A P H Y

102


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I N T R O D U C T I O N

T he

p r e sent schoo l sys t em of the c i ty o f New York i s the r e sul t o f

growth and uni f ica t i on ex t ending ove r a pe r i od o f nea r ly a c entury ,

from the o rganiza ti o n o f the Fr e e Schoo l So c ie ty in

1805 to the r e o rganiza ti o n o f the schoo ls o f the gr e a t e r g .

c i ty in 1902. D ur ing ne ar ly half of tha t p e r io d p ubl ic

e l em e n tary e duca ti on was admin is te r ed b y a c o r po r at io n no t re s p o n

s ib le t o t h e p e o p l e . F r o m the e s t abl ishme n t o f t h e Bo a rd o f Educa t i o n

in 1842 to i ts absorpt ion of the Publ ic School Socie ty in 1853, two

dis t inc t sys te ms e xis te d . Th e f o rmat io n o f the gre a t e r c i ty o f Ne w

Yo rk in 1898 invo lve d g r ea t ex t ens io n and new r e ad jus tme n t . To

the

schoo l sys t em o f t h e f o rme r c i ty o f New Yor k , now the Bo r ough

o f M a n h a t t a n a n d t h e B o r o u g h o f t h e B r o n x , t h e r e w e r e a d d e d t w o

c i ty schoo l sys t ems, those o f Brook lyn and Long I s land Ci ty ,

and

th i r ty- f ive schoo l d i s t r ic t s in the Borough of Queens and twenty-nine

in the B o ro ugh of Richm o nd. Co mp le t e unif icat io n o f these d ive r se

e l em e nts was no t acco mp l ished un t i l the ch ar t e r o f 1901 we nt in to

effect.

In 1805,

f o r a popula t i on o f mor e than 75 ,000 , the

only

facilities

for

e l emen ta ry educa t i on we r e p r ov ided by p r iva t e , church , and

char i ty schoo ls , wi th one hundred and f o r ty-one

, 1 r u I . J J J ' Educatio n in

t e ache r s , o f whom one hundr ed and

six

w e r e m e n

jvjewYork i8o^

and th ir ty- f ive wer e wo me n. A schoo l fo r co l o r ed

chi ldre n, the African Fre e Scho o l , ha d be e n o p e ne d in 1787 b y

the M anum issio n So cie ty; and a schoo l fo r gir ls , in 1801, by the

Assoc ia t i on o f Women Fr i ends f o r the Re l i e f o f the Poor , gene ra l ly

k no wn as the Fe male Assoc ia ti on . Th e scho o ls o f these asso c ia ti ons

wer e la t e r t aken ove r by the Publ ic Schoo l Soc i e ty ; those o f the

Manumiss ion Soc i e ty in 1834, and of the Female Associa t ion in 1845.

T h e p u r p o s e o f t h e F r e e S c h o o l S o c i e t y , o f w h i c h D e W i t t C l i n t o n

was the f i rs t pr es ident and the largest contr ibutor , was, as s ta ted in

the i r f i rs t address to the publ ic ,

"

t o e x te n d t h e m e a n s

of e duca ti o n t o suchp o o r ch ild ren a s do no t b e l ong t o , ^^Societv

or a r e no t p r ovided f o r , by any r e l ig ious soc i e ty ."

The

first scho o l was o p e ne d in 1806. In 1826, o wing to th e

desure


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2 Lancasterian System in the Schoo ls of New York City

t o admi t pay pup i l s , the name of the assoc ia t i on was changed t o the

Publ ic Schoo l So c ie ty . At th i s t ime the schoo ls o f the So c ie ty num

ber ed twenty-one , wi th 6007 pup i l s , whi l e the number o f chi ldr en

be tween the ages o f f ive and f i f t e en , who a t t ended no schoo l what

e ve r , was e s t imate d a t 20,000 . B o urne , in h is "H is to ry o f the

Publ ic Schoo l So c i e ty ," p . 121, p r e se nts the co ndit io n o f the schoo ls

of the city in 1826 in the fol lowing table:

P R I N C I P A L A S S I S T -

ScHOOLS

T E A C H E R S A N T S P U P I L S

4 3 0 P r i v a t e 4 3 2

259

1 5 , 320

3 I n c o r p o r a t e d 6 2 3 1 ,0 81

19 Ch ar i ty 25 5 2 ,544

II Pu bl ic 21 24 6 ,007

4 6 3 T o t a l 4 84 311 24,952

The Lancaster ian system of instruct ion was introduced in the f i rs t

pubhc

schoo l and was mainta ined throughout the ex is t ence o f the

Pub l i c Schoo l Soc i e ty . Bu t New Yor k

Primar^'^Departrntnts ^^ ot

unaffec ted by the Pesta lozzian

movemen t , pa r t i cu la r ly by th e f o rm unde r

which i t be came mo st p o p ula r in England as Infant Scho o ls . In

1828 p e rmission w as grant e d t o the Infan t Schoo l Soc i e ty , o rganized

in the p r ev ious yea r , t o o rganize schoo ls in the basements o f c e r ta in

pubUc schoo l bui ld ings. The se scho o ls we re op e n to chi ldr en fro m

two t o s ix yea rs o f age , and r e ta ined unt i l da rk the chi ldr en o f pa r ents

who wer e o ccup i ed dur ing the day. Af te r the mo de l o f these Infant

Schoo ls , the Publ ic Schoo l Soc i e ty in 1830 f o rmed Pr imary Depar t

m e nts and , in 183 2 , Pr im ary Scho o ls. Th e r e wer e no w thr e e c lasses

of scho o ls: (1) PubUc Schoo ls , having the mor e advanced boys and

g i r l s i n s e p a r a t e d e p a r t m e n t s ; ( 2 ) P r i m a r y D e p a r t m e n t s , d e v e l o p e d

f r om the Infant Schoo ls ; and ( 3 ) Pr imary Schoo ls , admi t t ing boys

from four to six years of age, and gir ls of four years and over .

A p lan f o r evening schoo ls f o r appr ent ic es and o the r s was put in

o p e ra ti o n in 183 3 , bu t was r e l inquished a ft e r thr e e o r fo ur ye a rs

o wing to "smal lne ss o f num be rs and the

ETC"nta'''schools

S"'' ' '

difficulties in regard to discipline."

Th e r ea l causes o f f a ilur e we r e no do ubt

tha t t e ache r s we r e f o r c ed t o s e rve w i thou t pay and tha t t h e r e was no

o rganiza ti o n o f auth o r i ty . (Eve ning scho o ls we r e a f te rwards suc

cessfully inaug urate d by the B o ard of Ed ucat io n in 1847.) Sa tur

day and evening schoo ls f o r the ins t ruc t i on o f moni t o r s , e s tabl i shed


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Introduction

3

in 1834 and 1835 , wer e mor e successful , as a t t endance was compul

s o r y . T h e s e sch o o ls w e re k n o w n a s " N o r m a l S c h o o l s" t h o u g h n o

prof ess i ona l ins t ruc t i on was g iven .

In i t s incep t i on the Fr e e Schoo l Soc i e ty was non-sec ta r ian , but

no t unmindful o f the imp o r tance o f r e l ig io us t ra in ing. Th e B ibl e

was r ead da ily in the schoo ls. Tue sday a ft e rno o ns wer e s e t ap a r t

for instruct ion in the catechisms of the var ious

denomina t i ons . On Sundays the chi ldr en as - tte Schools

s embl ed a t t h e schoo l s and th en p r oc e eded , unde r

the ca r e o f mo ni t o r s , t o the churches t o which the y be longe d. As

the s oc i e ty succ e ss fu l ly o ppos ed a t t emp t s o f va r i ous denomina t i ons

to shar e in the schoo l money, i t was open t o a t tack in case any sec

tar ia n bias was sho wn in i ts schoo ls. Such bias in favo r of Pro te s

tant i sm was c la imed by the Ca tho l ics on the bas i s o f ob j ec t i onabl e

p a ssage s in t ex t -bo o k s and l ib r ary bo o k s . O the r d e no mina ti ons a ls o

oppos ed th e Soc i e ty ' s ma in t enanc e o f a monopo ly o f pub l i c educa

t ion in the c i ty.

Another r eason for lack of conf idence in the exis t ing system of

schools was the fa i lure to provide adequate faci l i t i es for a rapidly

gr owing popu la t i on and t o s e cur e schoo l a t t end

a n c e .

Seve ra l a t t e m p t s had be e n made t o r e ach Attendance

the " id l e and vic io us ." In 1828, M r . Samue l W .

Se t o n was e mp l oye d as "v i s i t o r " t o hun t up vagran t ch ild ren and

the i r pa r en t s , and t o canvass among thos e who d id no t go t o schoo l .

Pe r suas ion no t be ing e f f ec t ive , the Common Counc i l in 1832 orde r ed

tha t t h e Commiss i one r o f t h e A lms House d eny " pub l i c f avo r " t o a l l

pa r ents who did no t s end t o schoo l chi ldr en be tween the ages o f f ive

and twe lve . In h is annua l me ssage fo r 1842 Go ve rno r Se ward s ta t e d

that 20,000 chi ldren of school age r ece ived no instruct ion in the c i ty

o f New Yor k , whi l e t h e numbe r in th e r ema inde r o f t h e s t a t e d id

no t exceed 9000.

With the es tabl ishment of the f i rs t Board of Educat ion in 1842,

th e Pub l i c Schoo l Soc i e ty no l onge r p o s s e s s ed a monopo ly in pubUc

e duca t io n . Th e new schoo ls wer e ca ll ed W ard

Schoo ls, e ach ward be ing p ract ical ly a scho o l Educatio n 1842

di s tr ic t . Th e mo n i to r ia l syst em was no t ado p t ed ,

a la rge r p r opor t i on o f c lass r ooms and t eache r s was p r ovided and

highe r salar ie s we re p a id . In le ss than t e n ye a rs the a t t e ndan ce o f

the W ard Schoo ls surp asse d th e a t t en dance o f the scho o ls o f the

socie ty, whose growth was checked by a law forbidding i t to estabUsh


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15/118

Introduction 5

was qui t e in acco rd wi th the e duca ti o na l and p o l it

ical ide as p r e va l e nt a t the be ginning of the n ine -

^^^

Econmiiv

t e e n th c e ntury . D i r e c t co nt ro l o f p ubl ic schoo ls

and gr ea t ly incr eased expendi tur es wer e mani f es ta t i ons o f the broade r

vi ew of munic ipa l func t i ons which deve loped about the middle o f the

ce ntury . In 1842 the Cro to n wate r sup p ly was p r o vided , in 1851

Cen t r a l Pa r k was pu rchas ed ; i n 1845 th e Po l i c e Depa r tmen t was

e s tabli she d , in 1865 the p a id F i r e D e p ar tm e nt , and in 1866 th e

B o a rd o f H e a l th . T h e p e r c a p i t a e x p e n d it ur e s d o u b le d e a c h d e

cade from 1850 to 1870.

The t rus t e e s o f the Publ ic Schoo l Soc i e ty neve r had the funds o r

t he p u b li c o p in io n t o su p p o r t a n y e x p e n s iv e u n d e r ta k i n g . T h e y

lack ed th e money t o e s t abhsh a much de s i r ed h igh schoo l o r t o sup

p o r t e vening scho o ls . The i r fines t scho o l ho use , cal le d a "m o de l

bui lding ," co st $17,000 fo r gro und, bui lding , and furnishing. T h e

sa la r i e s o f t eache r s wer e cons ide rably l e ss than those o f the Ward

Scho o ls. Th e cos t o f tu i ti o n and supp l ie s p e r p up i l was , in 1823 ,

as low as $1.80.

I t was , i n g r e a t measur e , due t o t h e " l imi t ed s t a t e o f f unds" tha t

the socie ty introduced in the i r f i rs t school , in 1806, the moni tor ia l

systf em, a t that t ime in vogue in England and on

the c o n t in e n t t h ro ugh th e adap t a t i o n and p o p u la r- System

iza t i on o f mutua l ins t ruc t i on by Be l l and Lan

cas t e r . As B e l l's sys te m was p ushe d by the C hurch of Eng land

and assoc ia t ed wi th i t s r e l ig ious p r opaganda , whi l e Lancas t e r ' s was

non- s ec t a r i an and suppo r t ed by non -c onf o rmis t s , pa r t i cu la r ly by

the Fr i ends , the la t t e r f o rm was na tura l ly the one t o en l i s t the in t e r

e s t o f t h e t rus t e e s o f t h e F re e Schoo l Soc i e ty, amo ng who m Fr ie nds

wer e the do m inant influence . Fo r the de ta il s o f the p lan the So c ie ty

was indebt ed t o i t s f i r s t s ec r e ta ry , Benjamin Pe rk ins , who v is i t ed

Lan caste r in Lo ndo n and p ubl ished , in 1807, th e firs t Am e r ican

e d i tio n o f t h e " I m p r o v e m e n t s in E d u c a t i o n . " T h r o u g h t h e ag e n c y

of the Br i t i sh and For e ign Schoo l Soc i e ty a t r a ined t eache r was

brought over f rom England in 1818. Lancaster himself ar r ived

la t e r in the ye a r . Tho ugh nece ssari ly mo dified by the ado p t i o n o f

the Infant Schoo l sys t em, and by the in t r oduc t i on o f h ighe r branches

of s tudy, the moni tor ia l system re ta ined the of f ic ia l sanct ion of the

so c i e ty . T o the c ity o f Ne w Yo rk be l ongs the d is tinc ti o n o f the

in t r oduc t i on o f the sys t em in Amer ica and i t s mos t cons is t en t sup

p o r t .


16/118

6

Lancasterian System in the Schools of New York City

The inf luence o f the New York Publ ic Schoo ls and of the New

York Moni to r ia l High Schoo l , f ounded by John Gr iscom (1825-

1831), was a marked factor in the foundat ion of

M'onitorialSystem "monitorial schoo ls t h r ou gho u t t h e c o un t ry . W i th

the z ea lous and power ful advocacy of Governor

CHnton ,

the schoo ls o f New York , as la t e r the schoo ls o f Quincy

unde r Co l . Pa r k e r and thos e o f Ga ry unde r Sup e r in t ende n t W i r t,

evoked widespr ead d iscuss ion , adula t i on , c r i t i c i sm, and imi ta t i on .

Se ldom has any educa t i ona l expe r iment had a t r ia l so comple t e

an d ade qu ate , an d few have r e sul te d in so signal a fa ilure . A

self-

p e r p e tua t ing body o f mos t en l igh t ened and d i s -

Completeness

of ..

, , . i. u- ,

Li

theExp er ime nt tmguished Ci t iz ens , ho ld ing a monopo ly in p u b h c

educa t i on in th e me t r o po l i s , adop t ed a sys t em

which s e emed t o p r omis e "a n ew e r a in educa t i on , " ma in ta ined this

sys t em as nea r ly as p o ssibl e " i n i t s o r ig ina l p ur i t y ," and r e ta ine d

towards i t an unshaken conf idence even a f t e r i t s mechanica l na tur e

and i t s educa t i ona l inadequacy had become a lmos t unive r sa l ly r ecog

nized.


17/118

11

R I S E O F T H E L A N C A S T E R I A N S Y S T E M O F I N S T R U C T I O N

Whi l e t h e tmparalleled g r owth o f t h e New Yor k Schoo l sys t em

unde r the Fr e e Schoo l So c ie ty t o 1826, the PubUc Schoo l So c ie ty t o

1853,

and th e B o a rd o f Educa t i o n o f t h e g r e a t e r

c i ty to 1905 has been dulyrecorded,'" the h i s -

'^^

'i'n^ewY?rk

tor ian of a school system, engaged in t racing

the deve lopment o f o rganiza t i on and adminis t ra t i on , f inds but smal l

space f o r the desc r i p t i on o f me thods o f ins t ruc t i on and disc ip l ine .

Ye t the changes tha t have taken p lace in t eaching a r e as s t r i k ing and

s ignif icant t o the s tude nt o f ed uca t i o n as the r e m ark abl e incre ase in

num be r s and ma t e r ia l e qu i p me n t . S imul tane o us and d r af t i ns truc ti o n

has be e n r ep laced by the l e ssons o f the c lass r o o m, the child mo ni t o r b y

the t r a ined t eache r , pa r r o t - l i k e d ic ta t i on and in t e r r oga t i on by in t e l l i

ge nt t eaching, the co ns t ra in t o f the ga ll e ry by the fr e e dom of th e

k inde rga r t en , a p r og ram o f mono t ony and du l ln e s s by th e mode rn

enr iched curr iculum.

I t i s t h e pu r pos e o f t h i s i nve s t iga t i on t o t r ac e t h e pa r t p l ayed by

tha t sys t em of ins t ruc t i on which was adop t ed a t the f ounda t i on o f

th e New Yor k F r e e Schoo l s , and which , w i th

modif icat ions, was in use for half a century . ^

J^

'"c ^^

'

. . . . L a n c a s t e r i a n S y s te m

t h e sys t em o f mon i t o r i a l i ns t ruc t i on known

as the Lancas t e r ian . This p lan o f ins t ruc t io n , no w a lmo s t fo rgo t te n ,

was, with i ts r ival , bu t similar syste m , th a t of D r . Andre w

B e l l ,

t h e

most popula r means o f e l ementa ry educa t i on dur ing the f i r s t ha l f o f

th e n ine t e e n th c e n tu ry . I t fo rme d th e basi s

f o r t h e mos t ex t r avagan t hop e s f o r t h e im- LancastlriS'sfstlm

p r o v e m e n t o f m a n k i n d . T h e Westminster

Review

o f J a nua ry , 1824, e s t ima t e d th e imp r o ve me n t made in th e

a r t o f t e ach ing as " o f mo r e imp o r t anc e t o t h e advance me n t o f k no wl -

^ B o u r n e , W m .

Oland,

P u b l i c S c h oo l S oc i e t y o f N e w Y o r k , N e w Y o r k , 1 87 0 .

' B o e s e , T h o m a s , P u b li c E d u c a t io n in t h e C i t y o f N e w Y o r k , N e w Y o r k ,

1869.

^Palmer,

A . E m e r so n , T h e N e w Y o r k P u b li c S ch o o l, N e w Y o r k ,

1905.

7


18/118

8 Lancasterian System in the Schools of New York City

edge than any discove ry tha t has be en made s ince the invent i on o f

t h e a l p h a b e t

itself."

G o v e r no r D e W i t t

CUnton ,

in his message to

the N e w Yo rk Le gisla tur e in 1818, dre w a p a ral le l be twe e n the e s tab

l i shment o f the Lancas t e r ian sys t em and the in t r oduc t i on o f l abor -

saving mach ine ry . To the t rus te e s o f the Lancas t e r Schoo l o f

Ge o rge t own, D . C . , t h e syst em ap p e a re d a s a sign from Go d , " t h a t

he had no t f o rgo t te n t o be grac io us ."^ Lancas t e r had the go o d fo r

tune t o s e cur e t h e pa t r onage o r a r ous e t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e p owe r fu l

and l ea rne d o f h is t ime . Sydne y Sm i th called Ge o rge I l l ' s sup p o r t

o f Lancas t e r the br ight es t passage in the h i s t o ry o f h i s

long r e ign . '

J ames Mi l l , J e r emy Ben tham, th e Duke o f Bedf o rd , Sydney Smi th ,

De Wit t Cl in ton , and Thomas J e f f e r son wer e advoca t es o f the sys t em.

The ex t ens ion o f the sys t em can be t r aced in the r e por t s o f the Br i t

ish and Fo r e ign Schoo l So c ie ty . I t be came the bas is fo r e l e me nta ry

educa t i on in England; i t was adop t ed as the na t i ona l sys t em of I r e

land; was used in Scot land, especia l ly in Glasgow and Edinburgh,

and in the Br i t i sh Coloni es , India , West Indi es , Can-

th'eSTOtem ^'^ ' '

Africa . I t was mo re o r less e mp lo ye d in a ll

t h e c o un tr ie s o f Eur o p e e xce p t Tur k e y . I t was w ide ly

used in the Uni t e d S ta te s and So uth Ame r ica . Lancas t e r scarce ly

excee ds the facts in h is c la im: "T h e sys te m sp r ead fro m Th am e s t o

Ganges ; i t has enc i rc l ed the equa tor ; i t has encompassed the po l es . "^

In N e w Yo rk C i ty, fro m 1806 to 1853 ,600,000 childre n we re instructe d

in Lancas t e r ian

schools.^

Amer ica se emed t o be the mos t favorabl e f i e ld f o r Lancas t e r ' s

sys te m. In th e wo rds o f D e W i t t C l in t on , "H i s t re e o f k no wl edge

is indeed t ransp lant ed t o a mor e f e r t i l e so i l and a mor e congenia l

c l ime. I t has f lour ished with uncommon vigor and beauty; i ts

luxur iant and wide-spreading branches af ford she l t e r to a l l who re

quire i t ; i ts ambrosial fragrance f i l ls the land, and i ts head reaches

t h e h e a v e n s " '

O R I G I N

or

THE SYSTEM

Lancas t e r , a t the age o f twe nty , in the y e a r 1798 o p e ne d in h is

fa the r ' s house in Southwark , London, a schoo l f o r poor chi ldr en .

^Re p o rt of Geo rgeto wn, D . C , Lancaste r Schoo l, l8l2.

' EdinburghReview,

XVII, 69.

^

Lancaster, Ep ito me , p . 9.

*

Re p o rt of Public Scho o l So ciety,

1853.

^ Clinton, DeWitt, address to the Free School Society, New York,

1809.


19/118


20/118


od ica l ly , and when he made p r ogr e s s , a mon i t o r p r omo t ed h im; a

m o n it o r ru le d t h e w rit in g p a p e r ; a m o n it o r m a d e o r m e n d e d t h e p e n s ;

a mon i t o r had cha rge o f t h e s l a t e s and books ; and a mon i t o r g ene r a l

lo o k ed a fte r a ll t h e o th e r mo n i to r s . Eve ry mo n i to r wo re a le a the r

t icke t , g i l t , and l e t t e r ed 'Moni t o r o f the F i r s t Class , ' 'Reading Moni

t o r o f the Seco nd Class, ' e tc . " ' Th e d isc ip line o f the schoo l was based

up o n e mula t i o n and sham e . P lace - tak ing and p r iz es we r e u t il iz ed

to an e x t ravagant degr e e . Th e r o d , o f which Lanc as t e r had a p e r fe c t

Discioline

ho r ro r , was r ep laced by wh at in m an y cases s e e m to

be even mor e que s t i onab l e d ev ic e s ; boys we r e l abe l ed

wi th badges o f d i sgrace , shack l ed , suspended in a sack o r baske t ,

t i ed t o d e sks o r p o s t s ; whi l e t h e i nco r r ig ib l e we r e s ome t imes t i ed up

in a b lank e t , and le f t t o s le e p a t n ight on the flo o r in the scho o l -ho use .

"The same des i r e t o economise , which was the f i r s t mot ive f o r the

use of moni tors , was a lso the f i rs t mot ive for changes in methods of

ins t ruc t i o n . I t was t o avo id the co s t o f r eading-boo k s

cono my m ^ ^ Lancas t e r in t r oduced r eading-shee t s ; i t was t o

avo id th e c os t o f pa p e r , p ens , and ink tha t h e i n t r o

duced s la t e s ; i t was t o avo id the cos t o f the a r i thmet ic t ex t -books

and the ' cyphe r ing ' books in to which i t was the cus tom to copy a l l

wo rke d 'sum s ' th a t he in t ro duce d his wo nder ful ' p lan whe r eby any

chi ld who can r ead may t each a r i thmet ic wi th the u tmos t

c e r t a in ty . ' "^

LA N CA STER'S

SCHOOL

D E S C R I B E D B Y

S I D N E Y S M I T H

T h e

Edinburgh Review,

an ardent and inf luent ia l advocate of

Lancas t e r ' s me thods , conta ins the f o l l owing descr i p t i on o f the new

system, "The f i rs t or lower c lass of chi ldren are taught to wri te the

p r in te d a l phabe t , and t o name th e l e t t e r s when th e y se e t h e m . Th e

same wi th the figures use d in a r i thme t ic . One day the bo y t races

the f o rm of the l e t t e r , o r f igur e ; the next he t e l l s the name , when he

se e s the l e t t e r . The se two me tho ds ass is t e ach o the r . W he n he is

r equi r e d t o wr i te H , fo r e xamp le , the shap e o f the l e t t e r which he saw

yesterday assis ts his manual executionwhen he i s r equi r ed t o say

how tha t l e t t e r i s named, the shape o f the l e t t e r r eminds h im of h i s

manual execut i on; and the manua l execut i on has assoc ia t ed i t s e l f

wi th the nam e . In the same man ne r he l ea rns syllable s

Readmg and ^ m j ^ o r d s ;wr i ting the m o nedayreading t h e m t h e n e x t .

Th e same p ro c e s s fo r wr it ing th e c omm o n e p i st o l ary

character , and for r eading i t .

'Salmon, Joseph Lancaster, p. 7.

' Ibid., p . 12.


21/118

Rise of the Lancasterian System of Instruction 11

" (A) This p r ogr ess made , the c lass go up t o the mast e r t o reada

c lass co ns is ting p e rhap s o f 30 . Whi l e one bo y is r eading, the wo rd ,

e . g. Ab-so- lu- t i -on, is given out with a loud voice by the moni tor ,

and wr i t t en down by a l l t h e o th e r 29 boys , who a r e p r ov ided w i th

s la t e s f o r the purpose ; which wr i t ing i s l ooked ove r by moni t o r s , and

then ano the r word ca l l ed , and so on; whoeve r wr i t e s a word , spe l l s i t

o f course a t the same t ime , and spe l l s i t wi th much more a t t en t i on

than in the co mm o n way. So th a t the r e is a lways o ne boy r eading,

and tw e nty-nine wr i ting and sp e l ling a t the same t im e ; whe r eas , in

the anc i en t me thod , t h e o th e r twen ty -n ine d id no th ing .

" (B) The f i rs t and second c lasses wri te in sand; the middle c lasses

o n s la te s ; o n ly a few of the up p e r bo ys o n p ap e r wi th ink . Th is is a

gr ea t saving po in t o f expense,in books the saving is s t i l l grea ter .

Twenty o r th i r ty boys s tand a round a ca rd suspended on a na i l ,

mak ing a s emici rc le . On th is ca rd a re p r in t e d the l e t t e r s in ve ry

large characters;these le t te r s t h e bo ys a r e t o name , a t t h e r eque s t

of the mo ni to r . W he n o ne sp e l ling c lass have sa id the i r l essons in

th i s manne r , t h ey a r e d e spa t ched o f f t o s ome o the r occupa t i on , and

ano the r sp e l ling c lass succee ds . In th i s way one bo o k o r ca rd may

se rve f o r two hundr ed boys , who wou ld , a cco rd ing t o t h e c ommon

me tho d, have had a bo o k e ach. In the same m anne r , sy llable s and

r eading l e ssons a r e p r in t ed on cards and used wi th the same bene

f ic ia l economy.

"(C) In a r i thmet ic , the moni t o r d ic ta t e s a sum, ex . gr . in addi

t i on , which a l l the boys wr i t e down on the i r s la t e s , f o r example ,

7 2 4

2 o A r i t h m e t i c

9 4 6

He th en t e l l s t h em, a l oud , how t o add th e sum. F'irst c o l u m n

6 and 8 are 14, and 4 are 1 8; se t do wn 8 and carry 1 to the ne xt

co lumn; and so o n. In this m ann e r , the c lass acquire facil ity of

wri t ing f igures , and placing them; and, by pract is ing what the mon

i to r dic ta te s , insensibly acquire faci li ty in adding . Again the y are

p laced a round a r i thmet ica l ca rds , in the same manner as in pa ra

g ra p h (B ) , and r equ i re d t o add up th e c o lumns . Th i s me tho d ev ince s

wha t p r ogr e s s t h ey have made f r om the p r e c ed ing me thod o f d i c

t a t ing ; and th e two me thods a r e a lways us ed a l t e rna t e ly .

" I t is o bvio us tha t a scho o l lik e th i s o f M r . Lanc as t e r ' s , co ns is t

ing of f rom 700 to 1000 boys, would soon fa l l into decay, without


22/118


ve ry clo se a t t e n t i o n t o o rde r and me tho d. In th i s p a r t o f h is sys t em ,

Order

^^'

L^^^caster

has been as eminent ly successful as in any

o t h e r ; c o n t r i v i n g t o m a k e t h e m e t h o d a n d a r r a n g e m e n t ,

so necessa ry t o h i s ins t i tu t i on , a source o f amusement t o the chi ldr en .

In co ming into scho o l , in go ing o ut , and in mo ving in the i r classes fro m

o ne p a r t o f t h e schoo l to ano the r , t h e child ren m o ve in a k ind o f me as

ur ed pace , and in known p laces , according t o the i r number , o f which

e ve ry bo y h as o ne . Up o n the firs t ins t i tu t i o n o f the schoo l, the r e was

a gre a t loss an d confusio n of ha ts . Afte r e ve ry bo y has tak e n his

p lace the r e , the y a l l s tand up e xp e c ting the wo rd o f co mm and, ' S ling

your ha t s ' up o n which th e y imme diat e ly susp e nd th e i r ha t s r o und

the i r n ec k s by a s tr ing p r o v ided fo r t ha t p u r p o s e . W he n th e yo ung

childre n wr i te in sand, the y a ll lo o k a t t e n t ive ly t o the i r mo ni t o r , w a i t

ing for the word, and instant ly fa l l to work, with mil i tary prec is ion,

up o n r ece iv ing i t . All these l it t le inve nt i o ns k e e p childre n in a co n

stant s ta te of act ivi ty, pr event the l is t l essness so observable in a l l

o the r ins t i tu t i ons f o r educa t i on , and evince ( t r i f l ing as they appea r t o

be ) a ve ry o r igina l and o bse rving mind in h im who inve nt e d the m .

"The boys a s s embl ed r ound th e i r r e ad ing o r a r i t hme t i ca l c a rds

t a k e p l ac e s a s i n c om mo n scho o ls . Th e bo y who is a t t h e h e ad o f

Rewards

''^ '^^^^

wears a t i cke t , wi th some sui tabl e inscr i p t i on ,

and has a p r iz e o f a l i tt l e p i c tu re . Th e t ic k e t -b ea r e r

y i e lds h is badge o f honor t o whoeve r can exce l h im; and the des i r e

o f ob ta in ing and f ea r o f l os ing the mark o f d i s t inc t i on , c r ea t e , a s

may ea s i ly b e c onc e ived , no c ommon degr e e o f en t e r p r i z e and exe r

t io n . B o ys have a p r iz e whe n th e y a r e mo ve d fro m o ne c la ss t o

ano the r , a s t h e mon i t o r ha s a l s o f r om whose c l a s s t h ey a r e r emoved .

Mr . Lancas t e r has e s tabl i shed a sor t o f pape r cur r ency of t i cke t s .

The s e t i c k e t s a r e g iven f o r merittwo t i c k e t s a r e w o r t h a p a p e r

k i t e ;

th r e e wor th a ba l l ; f ou r wor th a wooden ho r s e , e t c .

" I t i s no unusua l t h ing wi th me t o d e l iv e r one o r two hundr ed

p r iz e s a t t h e same t ime . And a t such t ime s th e c o un t enanc e s o f

the who l e scho o l e xhibi t a m o s t p l eas ing scene o f de l ight ; as the bo ys

who ob ta in p r i z e s c ommonly wa l k a r ound th e schoo l i n p r oc e s s i on ,

ho ld ing the p r iz es in the i r hands , wi th a he ra ld p r oc la iming be for e

th em, 'The s e good boys have ob t a ined p r i z e s f o r go ing in t o ano the r

class. '

Th e ho no r o f th i s has an e f fec t as p o we r ful, if no t mo r e so ,

t han th e p r i z e s t h emse lve s .

"A la rge co l l ec t i on o f t oys , ba ts , ba l l s , p ic tur es , k i t e s , i s suspended

above th e mas t e r ' s h ead beaming g l o ry and p l e a sur e upon th e schoo l


23/118


be ne a th . M r . Lancas t e r ha s a ls o , a s ano the r i nc en t iv e , an o rde r

o f me r i t. N o bo ys a r e adm i t t e d t o th i s o rde r bu t t ho s e who d is

t i ngu i sh th emse lve s by a t t en t i on t o t h e i r s tud i e s , and by th e i r en

deavours t o check v ice . Th e d is t inguishing badge i s a s ilve r m e da l

and p la t ed cha in hanging fro m th e neck . Th e sup e r io r c lass has a

f ixed p lace in the schoo l ; any c lass tha t can exce l i t may e j ec t them

fro m th i s p l ac e and o ccup y i t t h em se lve s . Eve ry me mbe r , bo th o f

the a t tack ing and de f ending c lasses , f e e l s o f course the mos t l ive ly

in t e r e s t in the i ssue o f the cont es t .

"Mr . Lancas t e r pun i she s by shame r a the r t han pa in ; va ry ing th e

means o f exc i t i ng shame , b ecause , a s h e j us t ly obs e rve s , any mode

of punishment l ong cont inued l oses i t s e f f ec t .

"The boys in th e schoo l a ppo in t ed t o t e ach o th e r s a r e ca l l ed mon

i t o r s ; t h e y a r e i n t h e p r o p o r t i o n o f a b o u t o n e m o n i t o r t o t e n b o y s .

So tha t , f o r the whol e schoo l o f one thousand

b o y s .

Monitors

the r e i s on ly one mast e r ; the r e s t o f the t eaching i s

a ll done by th e bo ys th em se lve s . B e s ide s t h e t e ach ing mo ni to r s ,

the r e a r e gene ra l moni t o r s , such as , inspec to r s o f s la t e s , inspec to r s

o f abs en t e e s , e t c . " '

R E A S O N S F O R T H E I N T R O D U C T I O N O F T H E L A N C A S T E R I A N S Y S T E M

IN

N E W Y O R K

Tha t w i thou t r oya l pa t r onage o r t h e s t imulus o f r e l i g i ous c on t r o

ve r sy , Amer ica should r iva l England in the adop t i on and ext ens ion

of so mechanica l a sys t em of ins t ruc t i on as the one jus t desc r ibed

would s e em incompr ehens ib l e a t t h i s da t e we r e i t no t f o r t h e ev idenc e

of the extremely infer ior and inadequate school faci l i t i es in our c i t i es

be f o r e t h e i n t ro duc t i o n o f th e Lancas t e r i an sys te m. To supp ly

ins t ruc t i on t o the thousands o f negl ec t ed chi ldr en the r e was a t hand

a r e ady-m ade p l an , r e mar k ab ly che ap in o p e r a ti o n , and , w i th a ll it s

faults , a ppa r en t ly sup e r i o r i n me thod and d i sc i p l in e t o t h e schoo l s

o f t h e day . "P r e v i o us t o t h e e s t ab l ishme n t o f t h e F re e Schoo l

Socie ty in 1806, there were but f ive char i ty schools in the Ci ty of

New Yor k , and th e s e we r e sma l l and f o r t h e ex

clusive benef i t of the chi ldren of members of the

^'^{^1

the Poor

seve ral r e l ig io us sec t s sup p o r t ing the m . Th e chi l

d r en o f a l a rge p o r t i on o f t h e p oo r p opu la t i on we r e c ons t an t ly l e f t

a prey to a l l the evi ls of ignorance and idleness , and were growing

' Sydney Smith,

EdinburghReview,

1807,

Vo l. XI, p p . 62-65.


24/118


up in habi t s ca lcula t ed t o f i t them for the t enant ry o f paupe r and

p r i s on e s t ab l i shmen t s . " '

Fo r ch i ld r en o f t h e b e t t e r c l a s s e s t h e educa t i ona l o ppo r tun i t i e s

wer e bu t l i tt l e sup e r io r . W ashingto n I rv ing, " i n his f o ur th ye a r

was sent t o a schoo l in Ann St r e e t be tween Wil l iam

Schools ^^" Go ld , k e p t by Miss Ann Kilmas te r . He r e h e

cont inued upwards o f two years , making ve ry l i t t l e

p ro g re s s b e y o n d t h e a lp h a b e t . F r o m M i ss

Kilmaster's

he was t rans

f e r r ed , t oward the c l ose o f 1789, t o a schoo l f o r bo th sexes kep t by

B e n jamin Ro ma ine , a t 198 Fu l t o n S t re e t . Ro ma ine

as Teachers

^^'^ been

a so ld i e r in the r evo lu t i on , and was a thor

o ugh disc ip l inar ian ." ' Th e co mmo n typ e of i ll it e r

a t e and unpr inc ip l ed t eache r s in New York dur ing the f i r s t quar t e r

o f the c entury i s p ic tur ed in the pages o f the

Academician.

" W e

need no t expec t a sa lu ta ry change in our ins t ruc tor s

ProfesSon"" ^^'^

system of educat ion as long as the business is

run as an auxi l iary to the acquirement of a par t icular

p r o f e s s io n ." . . . " N o t o ne in a t ho usand who is a p r e c e p t o r

f r om necess i ty , and has a pa r t icula r pos t o f honor in v i ew bes tows

the a t t en t i on which i s r equis i t e in the a r t o f t eaching, as he i s t oo

mu ch o ccup ie d in p r ep a r ing himse lf fo r h i s in t en de d bus ine ss ." ' A

lack of professional s tandards is indicated by the pract ice of t eachers

go ing a r ound

to beg scholars,

"Sir , if you will send your children to

me I wi l l t each them be t t e r than any o the r p e r son , and f o r l e ss , I wi l l

take them for two do l la r s , o r f o r no th ing ra the r than they should go

t o M r .

. '

" T h e e ffec ts o f lo w and i ll i te ra te p r ece p t o r s a r e

m o st seve re ly f e lt in this c i ty. Th e min ds of the i r p up i ls , le f t une x-

Imnoste r s e rc ised , a r e o p e n t o a ll the v ic es p r e va l e nt amo ng

the mo s t wo r th le s s p a r t o f t h e co mm uni ty . Th e

chi ldr en have no th ing t o do but run in the s t r e e t s , upon the d i smis

s io n o f scho o ls . In the mo rning the y r e turn t o l ounge o ut the i r t ime

in indo l enc e and igno r anc e . He nc e is t h e c o n t e mp t in which so me

scho o ls a r e h e ld . Ch ildr en mak e no imp r o ve me n t . Pa r e n t s a r e s o

thought l e ss as t o commit the i r chi ldr en t o the ca r e o f i l l i t e ra t e and

d a r i n g i m p o s t e r s . " '

' R e p o rt, New Yo rk Fre e Schoo l Society,

1823.

'^Pierre M. Irving, Life and Letters of Washington Irving, 1871, Chap.

II,

p . I I .

' Academician, 1818,p p . 3 7-3 8 .

'

Ibid.,

1818,

p . 208.

'Ibid.,

p . 226.


25/118


The me thods o f t eaching may be inf e r r ed f r om the charac t e r o f the

t e ache r . " T h e vague and ill devised m e tho ds o f t e aching in ge ne ra l

are f raught with the mo st ser ious e vi ls . . . .

Our yo uths a r e m ade t o languish o ve r bo o k s o f Memo rite r

words

accom p an ie d o n ly by th e m idn igh t l amp ,

wi thou t exp l ana t i on o r o r a l i ns t ruc t i on , and c ompe l l ed t o r e c i t e t h e s e

words , no t unde r s t o od , v e rba t im, on en t e r ing schoo l t h e n ex t morn

ing. This , a l tho ugh a p o p ula r m e tho d, is o ne o f the mo s t inco ns is t

en t , absurd r equis i t i ons tha t was eve r f o rced on human be ings ." '

Tha t New Yor k was no t un ique among our g r e a t c i t i e s f o r i t s i nad

equa t e and inf e r i o r educa t i ona l oppor tuni t i e s dur ing the f i r s t quar t e r

o f t h e n ine t e en th c en tu ry and tha t t h e c ond i t i ons

,

r

1 i

1

-J .J u

C o n d i t i o n s

her e wer e fa i r ly typ ica l ,

is

ev idenc ed by c ompa r -

j ^

other Cities

i s on w i th Bos t on schoo l s o f t h e same p e r i od .

Pr imary schoo ls wer e no t e s tabl i shed unt i l 1818. T o t h a t t im e t h e

a l p habe t and r e ad ing we r e t aug h t in dame schoo ls o r a t ho me . No

p up i ls we r e adm i t t ed t o t h e Gramm ar Schoo l un le s s

the y co uld r e ad . W r i ting was taug ht in s e p a ra t e

'^

Boston

scho o ls. In 1800 the free schoo ls tau gh t 900 p up i ls

and p r iva t e schoo l s 500; in 1817, the p ubl ic scho o ls, 23 65, an d th e

p r iva t e , 4132 . I t was e s t imate d th a t 529 childre n o f schoo l age we r e

no t in schoo l . '

M an y of the t eache r s we r e o ld so ld ie r s . He nry

K.

Oliver says th at

his firs t schoo l in B o sto n, in 1805, was k e p t b y

man , w ife , and widowe d daught e r ; p o o r p e o p l e . Me thod

w h o w e re p a tr o n i z e d t o s av e th e m fro m d e e p e r

w an t . " B y him was I tau gh t my a , b , c , d, e ,f g, my a, b, abs and

my e , b , ebs , a f t e r the o ld , o ld , way, in an o ld book in h is o ld hand,

and po in t ing wi th an o ld p in t o t h e o ld l e t t e r s on th e o ld page , and

making each of us chicks r e pea t the i r s eve ra l names t i l l we could t e l l

the m a t s ight, tho ugh we d id no t k no w wh at i t was a ll f o r . " ' T h e

A, B , C ' s we r e tau gh t f o rward and back . D i lwo r th 's Sp e l le r was th e

p r inc i pa l t ex t , t h e Psa l t e r , t h e on ly r e ad ing book.* " T h e r e w e re n o

schoo l s sys t ema t i ca l ly g r aded , t h e r e we r e no b l ackboa rds , no g l obe s ,

o r o th e r o rd ina ry schoo l a p p a r a tus in schoo ls I a t t end e d . I n e ve r

saw a fu ll- siz ed m ap o r i l lus t ra t io n p ic tur e s . The r e was no W arr en

^Academician,

V o l . I , p . 244 .

'

American Journal of Education, V o l . 19 , p . 47 0 .

' O l i v e r , H . K . , A m e r i c a n I n s t i t u t e o f I n s t r u c t i on , L e c t u r e s , 1871.

*

American Journal of Education, V o l .

13 ,

p p . 7 3 7 - 7 5 2 .


26/118


Co lburn a ri thme t i c . Th e me tho d o f t e ach ing th e sc ienc e o f num be r

was u t t e r ly unsc ie nti fic . N o re c i ta t io n r oo ms we r e a t tache d t o gen

e ral schoo l r o o ms. In th i s r o o m we sa t , s tudi ed , id le d , r ec i t ed , wer e

flo gged as the case m ay b e ." '

Boston Pr imary Schools , conta ining f i f ty to s ixty chi ldren, were

taugh t o n an individua l bas is , wi th co nse que nt lo ss o f t ime . " L e t

an obs e rve r en t e r any o f t h e s e no t t augh t on th e mon i -

o ss o

torial

plan, and he wil l see f ive or t en chi ldren around the

t eache r r ec e iv ing he r immedia t e a t t en t i on , and a l l the

r e s t mor e o r l e ss o rde r ly according t o the d i spos i t i ons o f the chi ldr en ,

an d the e fficiency of the in structo r , b u t mo st ly idle and languid.

A calculat io n of the t ime assigne d to the actual instruct io n of e ach

scho lar . . . wiU g ive s ix minu t e s a s t h e t o t a l av e r age . " '

Co nd it io ns in th e La t in Schoo l we r e no t much be t t e r . "N o bo dy can

be ignorant o f the vas t amount o f t ime squander ed a t schoo l , dur ing

the t ime scho l a r s a r e no t say ing , and p e rhaps no t ev en p r e t end ing

to l e a rn , the i r l e sso ns . Th e be s t r eg ula te d scho o ls we have e ve r

se en , in o the r count r i e s o r in th i s , appropr ia t e but a ve ry t r iv ia l po r

t io n o f t ime t o the ac tua l bus ine ss o f tu i t io n . . . . Th e B o s ton

Lat in Schoo l , one o f the bes t t aught in the count ry , i s an undisput ed

example o f unusua l success in the common methods o f t eaching.

But in l ower f o rms, boys who have be en t o a l e sson o r two in La t in

ar e then d ismissed t o Wr i t ing Schoo l f o r work which could have be en

do ne in unoccup i e d t ime in La t in Scho o l ." '

'Oliver, H. K., op. cit.

'American Journal ofEducation, 182S,

Vo l.

I l l ,

p. 289.

'

Ibid.,

p . 288. Review of Bo sto n Schoo l Co mmittee Re p o rt on Mo nitorial

Instruction.


27/118

m

I N T R O D U C T I O N O F T H E L A N C A S T E R I A N S Y S T E M

I N T O

N E W Y O R K

I t was bu t na tu r a l t ha t t h e pub l i c s p i r i t ed men who f o rmed th e

New York Fr e e Schoo l Soc i e ty in 1805 should be inf luenced by the

much he ra lded work o f the i r f e l l ow Quake r in London.

Th e Lancas te r ian sys te m was p u t i n t o o p e r at io n in Adop ted by

the ir first scho o l , o p e ne d

1806,

and in e ve ry succe e ding

' ' ' So ciet

scho o l . I t re maine d the of ficial syste m of the scho o ls

of the Soc i e ty unt i l 1853when th e B o a rd o f Educa t i o n a ssumed c o n

t r o l o f a l l the pubhc schoo ls .

As th e New Yor k F r e e Schoo l was th e f i r s t t o emp l oy th e Lancas

t e r ian sys t em in Amer ica , i t has be en assumed tha t the f i r s t t eache r

e mp loye d by the so c ie ty , Wi l liam Sm i th , m ust hav e

l ea rned the sys te m in En gland . ' B ut the r e is no instructio n

r eco rd t o th i s e f fec t. Th e me tho d of introdaction was

no doubt as s ta t ed by Lancas t e r h imse l f in the Ba l t imor e ed i t i on o f

h is "Lan cas t e r i an Sys te m o f Educa t i o n . " ' " I n 1802 , a F r i end by th e

name o f P e r k ins , from the c i ty o f Ne w Yo r k , v i si te d J o s e p h Lancas t e r

in Lo ndo n, and p ubl ished an e di ti o n o f h i s firs t bo o k u p o n h is r e turn t o

Ame r ica. Th i s i nduce d a p r iva t e t e ache r t o a t t e m p t t h e p l an , and B .

Pe r k ins c on t inued t o g ive h i s adv ic e g r ounded on wha t h e had wi t

nessed in p rac t ic e . Such a de gr e e o f success a t t e nd e d th i s ea r ly

e f f o r t tha t , in p r ocess o f t ime , about thr e e thousand chi ldr en have

bee n e duca t e d in scho o ls in th a t ci ty . W i tho ut unde rva luing the

a id g iven t o t h e caus e by p r iva t e i nd iv idua l s , t h e gove rno r , DeWi t t

Cl inton, has ful ly es tabl ished his r eputa t ion, as the f i rs t publ ic man

who officially r ende r ed se rv ices t o the in t r oduc t i on o f a sys t em of

which he is a s t e ady friend and sup p o r t e r . " Th e Be n jamin D . P e r

k ins he r e re f e r re d t o was the firs t s e c r e ta ry o f the Fr e e Schoo l Soc i e ty ,

' P a l m e r , A . E m e r s o n , N e w Y o r k P u b l ic S c ho o l s, p . g.

' L a n c a s t e r , J o s e p h , T h e L a n c a s t e r i a n S y s t e m o f E d u c a t i o n w i t h i m p r o v e

m e n t s b y i t s f ou n d e r , L a n c a s t e r I n s t i t u t e , B a l t im o r e , M d . , W m . O g d e n N i l e s ,

p r i n t e r ,

1821,

p . x iv .

17


28/118


was r ecognized as the i r main author i ty on Lancas t e r ' s me thods , and

was the pubHsher o f t h e N e w Y o r k e d i tio n o f L a n c a s te r 's " I m p r o v e

m e n t s i n E d u c a t i o n . "

I

The f irst r e p o r t o f the Fr e e Scho o l So c ie ty

t ends t o c onf i rm Lancas t e r ' s s t a t emen t : "The l imited state of funds

r ende r ing th e u tmos t e c onomy nec e s sa ry , t h e c e l eb r a t ed sys t em o f

Lancas t e r r ecommended i t s e l f t o the i r no t ic e as pa r t icula r ly adap t ed

to the o ccasio n . Eve ry inqui ry r e sp e c t ing i t t en de d to incre ase an

inc lina ti on to mak e an e xp e r ime n t o f i t. Hap p i ly a t e ache r who had

a l r e ady adop t ed i t w i th succ e ss and who in o th e r r e s p ec t s a pp ea r ed

wel l qual i f i ed for the under taking wasfound."^

The t r us t e e s t o o k eve ry means t o ma in ta in th e pu r i ty o f t h e i r

cho sen sys te m. In 1818, the y im p o r t ed a t eache r , Charl e s P ic to n ,

f r om the pa r ent schoo l in London; in 1820, they

e a ion o i ssued a new m anua l based o n tha t o f the B r i ti sh

London

bchools

and Fore ign School Socie ty for 1816; and in 1818,

t h e y we lco med th e au tho r o f t h e sys te m, J o s e p h Lancas te r . "H i s

ar

r ival , about the year 1820, crea ted a sensat ion among the f r i ends of

use ful k no wledge . Lancas t e r , by m any ye ars ' s e rv ice abro ad and by

the discussion which aro se fro m his system of instruct io n, had re nde re d

his name qui t e f ami l ia r a t the t ime o f h i s appea rance in New York .

I t was conceded tha t he had e f f ec t ed a subs tant ia l advance in the

means o f en l ight ening the masses , and a t a pecunia ry expense we l l

wo r th th e ac ti on o f t h e e c o nomica l t e ache r . Th e p a t r o ns o f t h e c om

mon schoo ls , such men as Cl in ton , Gr iscom, Eddy and Wood, f e l t the

duty obl iga to ry t o pay de f e r ence t o the phi l osophica l s t ranger , and

give co unt enance t o his sugge s ti ons . B ut he had

Httle

to offer th at

was new, the L ancas t e r ian p lan ha d bee n a l re ady wide ly te s t e d ; i t had

i t s f ri ends and o p p o ne nts ."^ . . . " T h e ve ry Quak e r ism of Lan

cas t e r had t ended vas t ly t o p r omote the d i f fus ion o f h i s sys t em, and

the e ncouragem e n t o f h is p l ans , and th e sup p o r t

ancas

er in

ew

^^

r ece ived o ught t o have s ecure d a t l e as t h is

t empo ra l i nde p endenc e . Bu t w i th inc r ea s ed

f i sca l means h is expendi tur es had incr eased and the phi lanthrop ic

man, desert ing the r igid and frugal habits of his sect , involved himself

in many obl iga t i ons , and now sought the chances o f r edempt i on by

^

Co llins and Pe rk ins,

1807.

^Ske tch of the New York Fre e Schoo l; in L ancaste r 's Imp ro ve me nts in

Education, New York , 1807,p . xxi.

3Francis, Jo hn W., Old Ne w Yo rk,

1866,

p p .

185-187,


29/118

Iniroduction of the Lancasterian System Into New York 19

his t r ansa t lant ic r e s ide nce . The r e was , ho we ve r , l i tt l e t o do by La n

cas te r o r fo r h im. W ithin a sho r t t ime he becam e an o bje c t o f e le e

m o s y n a r y

relief;

ye t h i s Quak e r d iscip l e s , wi th charac t e r i st ic be ne vo

l ence , wer e no t be hindhand in co nt r ibut i o ns . W hi le , ho we ve r , he

c ou ld e num e ra te D e W i t t C l in to n w i th in h is cha r ity

,

circle of f ri ends, he fe lt p ro te c te d. Th e la t t e r ye ars D ecline

of his

life

gave unmis takabl e ev idence o f hard t imes wi th

him. I have ra r e ly se e n an o bj ec t o f de e p e r co mm ise rat io n amo ng

individua ls who , according t o the wor ld ' s dec is i on , had made a mark .

He who had once f igured in England in his char iot and six, f e l t the

wa nt o f me ans t o p urchase a c rutch . An acc iden t t e rm ina t e d h is

l i f e in New York in

1839.

I have indica te d th a t Clin to n was e sp ec i

a lly k ind t o ward Lancas t e r . I t was tha t so r t o f k indness th a t a r ose

f r om the cons ide ra t i on o f the good he had done , and could in no wise

o r ig ina t e f r om a c on t emp la t i on o f t h e man

himself.

H e was no w a mass of o be si ty, unwie ldy, and of fee ble App earance

ar t icula t ion, such as we occasional ly see in individuals

o f ob j e c t i onab l e hab i t s , l oaded wi th ad i pos e d e pos i t s , ' an aggrava t ed

a gg lo m e r atio n o f s u p e r a b u n d a n t r e d u n d a n c i e s . '" '

Lancas t e r h imse l f cons ide r ed h is p r e sence in the Uni t ed S ta t e s as

an affair of na tio na l significance. Afte r o fficial re ce p tio ns in N e w

York , Albany, and Phi lade lphia , he v i s i t ed Congress on the 26th o f

o f J an ua ry , 1819, whe n th e Ho use of Re p r e s e n t a tiv e s plans for a

p a sse d a r e s o lu ti o n : " T h a t J o s e p h Lancas te r , t h e National

f ri end of l earning and of m an be adm it te d to a se a t with- System

in the H al l . " ' In a s e r ie s o f l e t t e r s addre ssed t o Pr e s ide nt Mo nro e ,

H e n r y C l a y, S p e a k e r o f t h e H o u s e , a n d R e p r e s e n t at iv e B a s s e t t ,

Lancas t e r d eve l o p s h i s i d ea s f o r advanc ing th e "gene r a l p r o s p e r i t y

of th i s count ry" by means o f the

appUcation

of his system to higher

as we l l as e l ementa ry educa t i on and t o the educa t i on o f the Indians .

Thes e l e t t e r s , f ound in th e As t o r L ib ra ry , c ons t i t u t e no doub t t h e

miss ing p am p hl e t r e f e r red t o by Sa lmo n; ' "L e t t e r s o n na t io na l sub

j e c t s , auxi l iary to universal educat ion and scient i f ic knowledge;v

addr e s s ed t o Burwe l l Bass e t t , l a t e membe r o f t h e House o f Rep r e

s e n t a t i v e s ; H e n r y C l a y , S p e a k e r o f t h e H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ;

and Jam e s Mo nr o e , P r e s id e n t o f t h e Uni te d S ta te s o f Ame r ica . B y

' Ibid., p . 187.

' E p i t o m e , p . 11.

'Salmon, Joseph Lancaster, p. 5.


30/118


Joseph Lancas t e r , f ounder o f the Lancas t e r ian Sys t em of Educa

t ion."^

Th e f irst l e t t e r is h e aded "N a t i o na l I n s t i t u t i o ns " and is addre s se d

to Burwe l l Basse t t , and the Fr i ends o f Amer ican Educa t i on , da t ed ,

No r fo l k , V i rginia, 11th m o nth , 20 th , 1819. Th e au tho r des ir e s t o

exp re s s h is g r a t i t ude f o r th e ho no r s c onfe r red by Co ngre s s by " p r o v

ing tha t the gene ra l p r ospe r i ty o f th i s count ry has be en a subj ec t o f

c o ns ide r a ti on eve r s ince I l ande d . " Th e measur e advo ca te d fo r t h e

advancement o f a r t , sc i ence and na t i ona l r e sources i s the f ounda t i on

o f a W ash ing t o n Na t i o na l Mu se um. Th i s muse um sho u ld fo rm a

register o f na t i o na l r e so urce s , bo tanica l, mine ra l, ge o l ogica l; and co n

ta in a co l le c tion of de signs and e ngravings. Pa tr io t ism sho uld l ead

to ge ne rous do na t i o ns . A small t ax o n se a -cap ta ins , m e rchants and

t rave l e r s who negl ec t t o br ing spec imens would secur e a cons tant

f low of gif ts , and a t the same t ime s t imulate the spi r i t of pa tr io t ism.

Thr ough exchanges , s t a t e and c o l l ege museums wou ld be ex t ended t o

eve ry corne r o f the land, in ex t ending sc i en t i f ic educa t i on , p r omot ing

agr icul ture , and a iding the ar ts and industr i es .

The second l e t t e r da t ed , "Washington , 22d of 12 th month , 1819,"

a d d r e s s e d t o " H e n r y C l a y , S p e a k e r o f t h e H o u s e o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ,

U. S. A . ," begins w ith a ser ie s of r e f er e nces to Cy rus, So lon, Lycu rgus,

So c ra te s , Mo se s , and N um a Po mp i lius. "T he s e r e f e renc e s a r e

m a d e t o

revive

in thy c lassic mind, the charm of connect ion which may

be f ound in the s ent iments o f gr ea t men, on subj ec t s

Educatio n r e la t ing to the r ise , p ro gress o r ruin of nat io nal char

ac t e r . " Th e n fo l lows a t r ibut e t o th e gre a tness o f

Amer ica , a p r ophecy of a s t i l l gr ea t e r na t i on ex t ending t o the Pac i f ic ,

and a suggest ion that this is the

critical

moment f o r ex t end ing educa

t io n and ban ish ing igno r anc e . "P e rha p s th e p e r i od is a l re ady a t

hand, when the we ight o f the ins t ruc t ed mind in the na t i on wi l l be

e s t imate d by the s ta t e m e n as p a r t of i t s e f fec tive s t r e ngth ." As a

pos t sc r i p t a r e inse r t ed the f o l l owing ve r ses on the Lancas t e r ian

sys t em of educa t i on r ec i t ed a t a l ec tur e in Congress Hal l .

^Washington

C i t y , p r i n te d fo r t h e a u t h o r b y J a c o b G i d e o n , J r . ,

6o .


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Introduction

of the

Lancasterian

System Into New

York 21

L A NC A ST E RIA N S Y ST E M A S " T H E G E N E R O U S P L A N "

T h e L i on o ' e r h i s w i l d d om a i n s

Ru l e s b y t h e t e r r o r o f h i s e y e

T h e e a g l e o f t h e r o c k m a i n t a i n s

By f o r c e h i s e m p i r e i n t h e s ky .

T h e S h a r k , t h e t y r a n t o f t h e f l o od ,

P u r s u e s h i s p r e y w i t h q u e n c h l e s s r a g e .

P a r e n t a n d y o u n g , u n w e a n e d f r o m b l o o d ,

A r e s t i l l t h e s a m e f r om a g e t o a g e .

O f a l l t h a t l i v e , a n d m ov e a n d b r e a t h e ,

Man on ly r i s e s o ' e r h i s b i r th .

H e l o o k s a r o u n d , a b o v e ,

b e n e a t h .

A t o n c e t h e h e i r o f H e a v e n a n d e a r t h .

F o r c e , c u n n i n g , s p e e d , w h i c h n a t u r e g a v e

T h e v a r i o u s t r i b e s t h r o u g h o u t h e r p l a n ,

Lif e t o enjoyfrom d e a t h t o s a v e

T h e s e a r e t h e l o w e s t p o w e r s o f m a n .

F r o m s tr e n g t h t o s t r e n g t h h e t r a v e l s o n ;

H e l e a v e s t h e l i n g e r i n g B r u t e b e h i n d

A n d w h e n a f e w s h o r t y e a r s a r e g on e ,

H e s oa r s , a d i s e m b od i e d m i n d .

D e s t i n e d h i s f u t u r e c ou r s e s u b l i m e

T h r o u g h n o b l e r , b r i g h t e r p a t h s t o r u n ;

Wi th h im, th e f ina l end o f t ime ,

I s b u t e t e r n i t y b e g u n .

What guides h im in his h igh persuit.

Opens , i l l umine s , che e r s h i s way?

D i s c e r n s t h ' i m m o r t a l f r o m t h e b r u t e ,

G od ' s i m a g e f r om t h e m ou l d o f c l a y ?

' T i s k n o w l e d g e , k n o w l e d g e o f t h e s o u l .

I s p ow e r a n d l i b e r t y a n d p e a c e ;

And , whi l e th e c e l e s t i a l age s r o l l .

T h e j oy s o f kn ow l e d g e s h a l l i n c r e a s e .

A i d , t h e n , t h e g e n ' r o u s p l a n

Wh i c h sp r e a d s t h e li g h t w i t h u n i v e r s a l b e a m s ;

A n d t h r o u g h t h e h u m a n d e s e r t l e a d s

T r u t h ' s l i v i n g , p u r e , p e r p e t u a l s t r e a m s .

B e h o l d a n e w c r e a t i o n r i s e

N e w s p i r i t b r e a t h e d i n t o t h e

clod

Be h o l d t h e v o i c e o f w i s d om c r i e s :

" M a n , k n o w thyself, a n d Fear thy God.

M O N T G O M E R Y .


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22 Lancasterian System in the Schools of New York City

Th e th i rd l e t te r is addr e s se d t o " J am e s Mo nr o e , P r e s id e n t o f t h e

United Sta tes of Amer ica , Washington, 22d of 1st month, 1820."

The educa t i on o f the Indians i s the p r inc ipa l t op ic o f th i s l e t t e r .

Though Lancas t e r d i sc la ims any pe r sona l acqua intance wi th the

Indians , he ventur es t o urge the Lancas t e r ian sys t em of ins t ruc t i on

as th e s o lu tio n o f t h e I nd ian p r o b l em . I t mus t b e ack no wle dged

th a t man y p rac tica l sugges t io ns a r e f ound in th i s l e t t e r . Indian

teachers should be ut i l ized, mechanical and agr icul tural

Educatio n scho o ls sho uld be e s tablished, p ract ical instruct io n

should be assoc ia t ed wi th theor e t ica l , p ic tur es should

be la rge ly employed , educa t i on should be soc ia l .

Th e f o ur th and final l e t t e r is addre ssed t o B urwe l l B asse t t , da t e d

"Lancas t e r ian Ins t i tu t e , B a l timo r e , 29th o f 2nd m o nth , 1820." Sco t

land is c i t ed as an example of the value of

imiversal

EcUication

e duca t io n . Th e Lancas t e r ian sys t em of fe rs the me ans

of unive r sa l e duca t io n in Am e r ica . Th e new ins t i tu t e

a t Ba l t imor e i s desc r ibed as an app l ica t i on o f the sys t em to h ighe r

educa t i on .

New York was the scene of Lancaster ' s last , as wel l as his f i rs t ,

e duca t io na l e f fo rt in Ame r ica . His var io us a t t e m p ts a t e duca t io na l

l e ade r sh i p i n Ph i l ade l ph ia , Ba l t imor e , Venezue l a , and Canada a r e

de sc r ib ed in th e Ep i t ome , and summar iz ed by

Salmon.^

H e d ie d

in Ne w Yo rk in 1838, havin g be e n fa ta l ly injure d in cro ssing Gran d

Stre e t af te r a vis i t to Schoo l N o . 7, in Chry st ie Stre e t . Th e cr i t ica l

va lue o f Lancas t e r ' s v i s i t s may be indica t ed by his comments en t e r ed

in sch o o l m i n u t e b o o k s . " N i n t h m o n t h , 6.Joseph Lancas t e r

v is i t ed th i s schoo l , and was mos t h ighly p l eased wi th the exempla ry

be havio r and o rde r o f the ve ry in t e r e s t ing bo ys and

an Inspector

1^^ ^ho

assem ble he re fo r instruct io n. In this

schoo l he has f ound, f e l t , and se en abundance t o de l ight

a fa the r ' s e ye and grati fy th e be st fee lings of a fa the r ' s he ar t . If he

is t o t ak e y o uth l ik e these as a spe c ime n of Ame r ican na t ive charac t e r ,

t ru ly he may congra tu la t e the c i t iz ens o f New York and the Amer ican

na t i on , tha t they possess youth o f such high hopes and favorabl e

cap ac ity . M ay the y eve r do th e same ho no r t o th e i r t e ache r s and

par ents , and the same c r edi t t o these schoo ls , and may the l ove and

peace o f God dwel l wi th them, and they a l l become as diamonds^of

t h e pu r e s t wa t e r , enc l o s ed w i th in th e p e a r l o f g r e a t e s t

p r i c e . " '

^Salmo n, Jo sep h Lancaster, Chap . U .

' B o urne, Histo ry of the Public Schoo l So cie ty, p . 697.


33/118

Introduction of the Lancasterian System Into New York 23

" N i n t h m o n t h , 6. Joseph Lancas t e r . Th e mo s t de l ightful co n

duc t and men ta l a t t en t i on , good behav i o r and wi s e d e po r tmen t o f

the h ighly e s t imable chi ldr en and youth in th i s schoo l , mer i t f r om me

a t r ibut e o f r e sp e c t which se e ms a lmo s t inexp r ess ib l e . I have o f ten

been h ighly de l ight ed and gra t i f i ed wi th schoo ls , but neve r mor e so

than in m y visit to this schoo l . I co ngratu la te the i r p are nts , f ri ends,

and t eache r s on the p r inc ip l e s o f good conduc t , the l ove o f l ea rning,

and a l so r ec t i tude and vi r tue which I am sa t i s f i ed a r e among them.

Ther e now ar e chi ldr en and youth in th i s schoo l who do the h ighes t

c r edi t t o themse lves , t o the i r t eache r s , and t o these ins t i tu t i ons tha t

the mo s t e xce l le n t co nduc t can do . M ay the y go o n and incre ase and

prospe r , t i l l heaven sha l l r e j o ic e and ea r th be g lad f o r them; t i l l

knowl edge sha l l abound in p e r f e c t i on among th em, and th ey g r ow up

t o m a tur i ty , lik e t h e i r Re de e me r , in f avo r w i th Go d and m an .

" N i n t h m o n t h ,

25.^Joseph

Lancas t e r . Schoo l m uch incr ease d .

We l ove t o s e e be es in swarms; i t i s a sur e s ign the r e wi l l be mor e

ho ne y. Fo und the p up i ls as busy as be e s in the i r wr i ting wi th m inds

i n t e n t o n w o r k i n g u p a s m u c h i m p r o v e m e n t a s p o s s i b l e . " '


34/118

IV

O R G A N I Z A T IO N O F T H E N E W Y O R K L A N C A S T E R I A N

S CH O O LS , S C HO O L B U I L D I N G S A N D E Q U I P M E N T

When th e New Yor k F r e e Schoo l Soc i e ty was in a p o s i t i on t o e r e c t

schoo l bui ld ings the Lancas t e r ian a r range me nt was fo llo wed. Schoo l

Nu m be r 1 was e r ec t ed in 1809, and was one hund re d

Buildings of an d twe nty fee t in le ng th an d f if ty fee t in w idth , cap -

Societv ^^^^

^^

accommodat ing f ive hundred chi ldr en in the

main r oo m. Schoo l Nu m be r 2, e r ec t ed in 1811, was

e igh ty f e e t l ong and f o r ty f e e t w ide and accommoda t ed th r e e hundr ed

childre n in the up p e r scho o l . Each of these build ings had o n a lo wer

s t o ry l i v ing a pa r tmen t s and a schoo l r o om accommoda t ing one hun

dr e d and fifty . The se ro o ms we r e o ccup i ed by gi r ls '

g scho o ls, a lso o n the Lancas t e r ian p lan , co nduc t ed by

the Female Assoc ia t i on .

Af te r the de ve lo p me nt o f the Infant Schoo l in 1830 the typ ica l

Ne w Yo rk scho o l bui ld ing co ns is te d o f thr e e s t o r i e s . Th e Infant

and P r im ary r o o ms we r e o n th e g r ound flo o r , t h e for-

School

^^^

f it te d w ith se ats r ising in t ie rs, th e gallery as i t

i t was cal le d, se a t ing two hu nd re d chi ldren; the

latter

furnished with rows of forms facing the t eacher 's desk which was

p laced in th e c e nt e r o f the r o o m. Th e seco nd flo o r was fo r the g ir ls '

s cho o l , t h e t h i rd fo r t h e bo ys ' ; t h e p l an was th e same fo r bo th , one

l arge r o o m wi th two o r t h r e e r e c i t at io n r o o ms . S imul tane o us ins truc

t i on and moni t o r i a l me thods we r e s t i l l dominan t , and l ed t o t h e r e t en

t io n o f t h e Lan cas t e r i an typ e o f bu i ld ing . '

Schoo l bui ld ings e r ec t ed by the Board o f Educa t i on a f t e r the new

schoo l l aw of 1842, wer e made t o conform to the mode l o f the o ld

monitorial schoo l s . The Coun ty Supe r in t enden t o f

of Educa tio n Co mm o n Schoo ls, in a r e p o r t t o the B o ard o f Educa

t i o n , '

urges that bui ldings be divided into c lass rooms,

or tha t a t l eas t f o ld ing door s , such as wer e then in use in the p r imary

'Manual, Public School Society,

1850,

p p .123 -13 3 .

*D o cument No . 5,

1S46.

24


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Hon of New York Lancasterian Schools

25

de p a r tme n t , shou ld be us ed in th e re gu lar schoo ls . The ga ll e ry m ay

sti ll be se e n in som e of the o lde r bui ld ings in Ne w Yo rk . Th e la rge

room has be en d iv ided in to c lass r ooms, in some cases by cur ta ins

o nly, ge ne ra lly by sl iding do o rs . After p ract ical ly al l t races of the

Lancas t e r ian me thods had vanished , the la rge r ooms wi th s l id ing

doors wer e r e ta ined as a f ea tur e in the new bui ld ings , unt i l l a t e ly ,

when i t b ecame th e p o l i cy o f t h e bu i ld ing de pa r tmen t t o p l an new

bui ld ings wi th an assem bly ha l l in the base me nt .

P U B L I C S C H O O L N O .

17

T he bu i ld ing is 80 by 42 fe e t f r o n t . T he bu i ld ings e r e c t e d s ince th i s ,

h a v e s om e s l i g h t d e v i a t i on f r om t h e s e p l a n s , p r i n c i p a l l y b y i n t r od u c i n g a d d i

t i ona l and l a rge r c l as s r ooms .

From Manual of the Public School Society, New York,

i8so,

p.

123

The schoo l r o om on th e mon i t o r i a l p l an was in th e f o rm o f a pa r

a ll e l o gram, the le ngth be ing abo ut twice the w idth . At one end was

a pla t form with a t eacher 's desk , f lanked on each side by a small

de sk fo r t h e p r inc ip a l mo n i to r s . Th e midd le o f t h e

r oom was occup i ed wi th the f o rms, a passage be ing e c 00

l e f t be tween the ends o f the f o rms and the wal l s a t

l east s ix f ee t broad, where the chi ldren formed half c i rc les for r eading.


36/118


Each fo rm se a te d from t e n t o twe n ty . Th e fo rms ne a re s t t h e t e ach

e r ' s desk wer e in t ended f o r the beginne rs f o rming the sand c lass .

These desks had l edges in o rde r t o r e ta in sand, and a ho l e a t the end

P L A N O F G R A M M A R D E P A R T M E N T

From Ma nual of the Public School Society, New York,

iS^O

of each desk t o p e rmi t the excess o f sand t o fa l l in to a drawer .

The

Forms re maining de sk s we re s l ight ly inclined p lane s , f ro m six to

seve n inche s in w idt h. Only the de sk s of the e ighth c lass

wer e supp l i ed wi th inks tands made o f l ead and f i rmly f ixed in to the


37/118

Organization of New York Lancasterian Schools

27

G R O U N D P L A N OF P R I M A R Y D E P A R T M E N T , Y A R D S , W O O D - H O U S E S , E T C .

APrimary

S c h o o l room39 by 38 f e e t .

BInfant

S c h o o l

room39

b y 30 f e e t .

CRoom in S ta i r bu i ld ing f o r b r o o m s , b rushe s , p a i ls , & c .

J B o y s ' W a r d r o b e , i 6 > ^ b y 8 f e e t .

K G i r l s '

W a r d r o b e , 12K by 8 f e e t .

MGallery,

3 2 b y

11 feet-seats

for 200 chi ldren .

N ,

N D e s k s , e a c h 16X feet longeach 12 o r 13 s c h o l a r s .

OTeacher's

t a b l e .

LFront d o o r w a y , o r m a i n e n t r a n c e .

T h e s t a t i o n s fo r t h e c la ss e s , w h e n r e a d i n g , is in t h e c e n t r e p a s s ag e , f r o n t

i n g t h e d e s k s .

A l l d o o r s o p e n o u t w a r d .

From M anual of the Public School Society, New York,

1850


38/118


39/118

Organization of New York Lancasterian Schools 29

d e s k s .

On the f lo o r of the p assage was a ser i es of semi-c ircles m ark ing

the s i tua t i on o f groups which spe l l ed out the i r r eading l e ssons f r om

the char t s o n the wal l. To th i s fo rm of gro up s was

g iven th e nam e o f d r a ft s . Th e a l p habe t whe e l was a emi-circes

device for displaying le t t e rs to the sand c lass which faced the t each

e r ' s de sk . Th is whe e l was a c i rcular bo ard abo ut four

f e e t in d iamet e r on which wer e pa in t ed the l e t t e r s o f the

' J^^

,

a l p habe t . A c ircular dfesk w i t h a n o b l o n g o p e n i n g p e r

m i t t e d o n ly o ne l e t t e r to b e se e n a t a t im e . ' I n all e xc e p t t h e h ighe s t

c lasses , s la t e s wer e used ins t ead o f pape r ; when no t in use they hung

up o n na il s fixed t o the de sk s . Fo r m any ye ars a ft e r the f o unding

o f t h e F r e e Schoo l Soc i e ty s l a t e s we r e impo r t ed f r om England .

O EG A N IZA TIO N OF T H E

SCHOOL

"T h e m as t e r , " says Lancas t e r , " sho u ld be a s il en t bys t ande r and

insp e c to r . W ha t a mas t e r says shou ld be do ne ; bu t if h e te ache s o n

this sys t em he wi l l f ind the author i ty i s no t p e r sona l ,

tha t when the pup i l s , a s we l l as the schoo lmast e r , under - .p . ^

s tand how to ac t and l ea rn on th i s sys t em, the sys t em,

no t the mast e r ' s vague , d i sc r e t i onary , unce r ta in judgment , wi l l be in

p rac t ic e . A co mm and will be o be yed by any bo y, be cause it is a

c ommand , and th e who l e schoo l w i l l obey th e c ommon, known com

mands o f the schoo l f r om be ing mer e ly known as such, l e t who wi l l

g ive t h e m . In a c om mo n schoo l t h e au tho r i ty o f t h e mas t e r is p e r

so na l, and the r o d is h i s scep t re . His abse nce is the imm e dia t e s ignal

for confusion and in his absence , his assis tants wil l rare ly be minded.

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