CHAP. XXVI. SELECTIONS OF SECULAR TRAINING LESSONS. IN Stage I. the difficulty has been not to present a sufficient number of lessons, but such points or outlines for the infant in knowledge, whether of three, five, ten, or fifteen years of age, as will make him acquainted with the largest amount of facts, and relative causes of things, within twelve months, and as may enable him, in Stage II., and subsequent Stages, to advance in a consecutive and progressive man ner. All children, therefore, ought to commence with the first stage, and if it be gone over a second time before commencing with the second stage, the trainer will be able to communicate double or triple the amount of information that he could have done during the first course of the same lessons. For the same reason, Stage II. gone over progressively a second time, will be equally and proportionally productive, and this arrangement would furnish a FOUR YEARS' course, and an excellent foundation alike for the workman, the mechanic, and the man of leisure and research, being broad in its base and extensively practical. The SECOND COURSE of each of the Stages also furnishes a full opportunity of picturing out, by familiar illustrations, scientific terms, a correct knowledge of which is so necessary to the acquisition of science. In the present contracted and crippled state of education, from want of funds, a four years' course is longer even than can usually be embraced. The whole, however would be preparatory to the course of instruction at present enjoyed almost exclusively under public lecturers. We refer the trainer to the notes appended to the practical illustrations. |