JOSEPH LANCASTER, THE AUTHOR OF THE MONITORIAL OR SYSTEM OF MUTUAL INSTRUCTION, ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS THE LANCASTERIAN SYSTEM, WAS BORN NEAR LONDON ON THE 25TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1778, AND DIED AT WILLIAMSBURGH, IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, ON THE 24TH DAY OF OCTOBER, A. D. 1838. HE TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY IN BOTH HEMISPHERES, Admirable System of Education:" A SYSTEM WHICH IS RAPIDLY AMELIORATING THE CONDITION OF MAN, AND EXTENDING THE BLESSINGS OF EDUCATION TO MILLIONS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE LIVED AND DIED IN THE DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE. IN THE PROSECUTION OF THIS NOBLE AND BENEVOLENT OBJECT HE WAS ON A VISIT TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AND HAD JUST LEFT ONE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHEN HE MET WITH THE CASUALTY WHICH IN A FEW HOURS TERMINATED HIS MORTAL CAREER. AS A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO HIS MEMORY, THE TRUSTEES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK HAVE CAUSED THIS SHEET TO BE EXECUTED BY A PUPIL OF PUBLIC SCHOOL NO. IN THE Early in life, Mr. Lancaster had become impressed with the advantages of the system of mutual instruction, and resolved to develop his method at the most favorable opportunity. He opened a school in Southwark, in 1789, where he taught almost gratuitously. The success of his labors soon attracted attention to his system, and subscriptions began to pour in upon him to sustain him in his benevolent work, by which he was enabled not only to enlarge his own school, but to travel through the kingdom and introduce it in other cities. Numerous schools were established under his personal supervision. Dr. Bill now appeared as a rival, and claimed to be the originator of the monitorial system, and by his personal and professional influence he commanded so much attention, that Mr. Lancaster, who was a member of the Society of Friends, was overborne in the competition, and compelled to yield to the pressure of his more pretentious and successful rival. He visited the United States and Canada, the Legislature of which province made him an appropriation to assist him in developing the school system; but, not deriving sufficient income from that source to complete his plans, he was again forced to retire from the active pursuit of his scheme, and sought a home in New York, with the expectation of giving some additional evidences of the perfection to which he had brought his system. He had submitted a proposition to the Executive Committee to make an experiment with forty children, and with the aid of ten others as monitors, to teach them in from four to six weeks to read and spell accurately. Mr. Lancaster was reluctant to communicate the details of his plan to the committee, or to permit them to be present at any of his exercises. The committee reported unfavorably upon the application, but recommended that he be allowed the use of a room for the purpose of teaching his classes. The report was accepted, laid on the table, and a resolution adopted declaring it to be inexpedient to grant the application. Mr. Lancaster shared the fate of most pioneers in literature, science, and reform, for he never amassed any pecuniary rewards from his labors. A few friends had, however, purchased a small annuity for him, and he was devoting his time to general visitation and advisory examinations when his labors were terminated by his death. The condition of the vagrant and unemployed children of the city was made again the subject of special consideration by the Executive Committee, and referred to a sub-committee to devise plans for correcting the evil. The committee reported a project, of which the leading features were: 1st. To appoint three visitors, who should visit certain sections of the city where such labors were most required, and urge upon children and parents the necessity and duty of improving the privileges offered them. 2d. To procure the passage of a law making it an offence in a minor to be found idle and uninstructed, and subject to commitment if reformation did not take place. 3d. The establishment of a Manual Labor Farm School, to which such children should be sent when arrested under the law. Visits, printed addresses, handbills, and other means of securing the greatest publicity, were also recommended. The report was adopted, and a committee to prepare a memorial to the Corporation of the city submitted a draft of the paper they had prepared, in which similar views and plans were advocated. The memorial was adopted, and ordered to be properly signed, authenticated, and submitted to the Common Council. Nothing, however, resulted, except indirectly, from these efforts, as the plans were never matured, the board having failed to obtain the patronage or the sanction of either the city or the State. At the meeting of the Executive Committee, November 26, a resolution was adopted appointing a committee, consisting of Joseph B. Collins, Samuel R. Childs, and William L. Stone, to inquire into the expediency of introducing into the schools suitable books setting forth "the principles of the Christian religion, free from all sectarian bias." A report was submitted, and an amendment of the by-laws was proposed, defining the position of the Society; but the agitation of the school question, which was then threatening the public mind, and which followed soon afterward, arrested any further action. The agent was directed to ascertain, by a new census of the schools, what proportion of the pupils attended Sunday schools. A committee was appointed, in the early part of the year (1839), to examine and report upon the comparative advantages of the primary schools and primary departments. The first were the schools established in various localities, in order to place. school privileges within the reach of the youngest children, many of whom would have been unprovided for, in consequence of the distance of the larger schools from their abodes. The result was much in favor of the departments of the large schools, but the discrepancy was easily understood and recognized, and the committee recommended such a revision of the manual as would not only develop the primary schools and make them more efficient, but would also remove the difficulties which apparently existed in regard to their cost and attendance. The committee were decided in their conviction that moral and physical education are far more important for children under six years of age than instruction in letters, and that frequent intermissions and varied exercises for children of that age are necessary, while the confinement of the scholars to a bench for hours in succession is injurious and improper. The recommendations of the committee were adopted. The experiment of a school for the special instruction of German children had now been fairly tried, and the Primary School Committee was requested to submit a report thereon. They ascertained that, during the first year, 380 pupils had been admitted, of whom 328 entered the first class. Of these, 57 had learned to read, and, out of this number, 15 had removed to the country, and 27 had entered upon some business occupation. The object of the school-which was, to make it introductory to the public schools-had been lost sight of by the teacher, as no transfers had been made, in consequence of the reluctance of the scholars to leave the teacher and the school to which they had become attached, and the apprehension, which was strengthened by the declaration of many, that they would abandon school altogether if so transferred. The teacher desired that certain privileges in regard to advanced lessons might be granted, but the committee.were unwilling to concur with the plan, except in a modified form. They recommended a school. for German girls in the eastern section of the city, and two other schools, one for each sex, in any locality where they appeared to be required. The schools were to be strictly conducted as primary schools, except that the boys' schools might be under the care of a male teacher, and that minors of any age over four years might be admitted. The committee, on obtaining a suitable place for the use of |