Volume 3 > Half-Volume 6

407
It is because our educational systems have not
hitherto been so organized as to meet this compara-
tively new state of society. We continue simply to
teach in the schools, while the wicked one is actively
training in the streets. But let the principle of social
sympathy, while freely at play, be concentrated
habitually, as under the training system, in favour of
what is good, through infancy and youth, and by
the divine blessing large towns and their factories
will prove vastly increased sources of morality and
virtue." This startling assertion, so much at war
with previous experience, he verified by the following
fact:-  " In the model infant school 200 children, and
in the model juvenile 180, had amused themselves
freely at play during a whole summer in their respec-
tive school play-grounds, and yet small fruit had
been left to ripen in the side borders within the
reach of the youngest child."
Although the commencement of the Glasgow
Normal College was so promising, difficulties still
continued to oppose its progress. It was hoped that
Mr. Stow, already over-laboured by his philanthropic
exertions, would have been relieved by this establish-
ment of more than half of his burdens; but the ac-
complished rector of the college, Mr. John M'Crie
(son of the biographer of Knox and Melville), died
as soon as he had entered into office, and Mr. Stow
was committed to more than his former toils. The
Glasgow establishment also was expensive, and could
not be upheld without voluntary contributions; but this
was a new demand on the part of public education
to which the people of Scotland had been unaccus-
tomed, and which they were unable or unwilling to
comprehend. Mr. Stow was therefore oppressively
taxed, not only in labour but in outlay. But how
successfully these labours were continued, was proved
by the evidence of Sir John K. Shuttleworth, in his
examination before the select committee of the
House of Commons on the education of the poorer
classes. This was in March, 1838, about fourteen
months after the Glasgow institution had been in-
augurated, and to the question of what schools were
best adapted for the purpose he gave the following
answer:�" The most perfect school of this descrip-
tion with which I am acquainted, is a school recently
established in Glasgow, by the Glasgow Educational
Society, denominated the Glasgow Normal Semi-
nary. A very large sum has been expended in erect-
ing the building of that school, and a gentleman of
excellent education [Mr. M'Crie] was sent to Prussia
and Germany, to acquire a knowledge of the plans
pursued in the Prussian and German schools, who
was afterwards elected rector of the Normal Semi-
nary. The building consists of rooms for the instruc-
tion of children, and smaller apartments in which
the miniature schools are conducted by the teachers
who are undergoing training in the school. There
are likewise rooms in which the rector of the school
conveys information to the teachers, and instructs
them privately in the principles upon which the
various methods of training the children are based.
In such a school two objects have to be fulfilled: the
one of conveying general knowledge to the teachers,
and the other making them theoretically acquainted
with principles upon which the methods of instruc-
tion are founded, and giving them an opportunity of
carrying those principles into execution by practising
the method in a miniature school, and afterwards of
conducting from time to time the larger school upon
the same plan."
The merits of Mr. Stow as a reformer in education
were now so generally recognized, that the com-
mittee of privy-council on education offered him
the first inspectorship of schools in Scotland. It
was an honourable tender, and grateful to his feel-
ings, but after anxious consideration he declined it.
"I would not like," he said, "to be paid for ser-
vices in any shape, although I consider it right and
proper that all special services should be paid."
With this dislike to payment for a duty which he
had undertaken so cheerfully and hitherto performed
gratuitously, was the feeling that his health was fail-
ing as years advanced, and he playfully added, "I
have pursued a course of over-exertion for many
years, and my medical adviser has told me that if I
do not pull in I must be stretched out." His labours,
after the death of Mr. M'Crie, had happily been
lightened by the appointment of the Rev. Robert
Cunningham to the vacant rectorship�one whose
extensive observations in the educational systems on
the Continent, and practice-as a professor in one of
the colleges of the United States, combined with his
learning and practical energy of character, in every
way qualified for the office. Mr. Stow was therefore
enabled to enjoy longer intervals of rest than had
fallen to his lot for many years. He was also grati-
fied to witness how widely his training system had
been adopted, and how likely it was to go on from
the impetus which he had imparted. Normal schools
and training schools had now become household
words, so that their titles were adopted by those
academies that were still ignorant of their peculiar
meaning. There was also a larger demand for trained
teachers from the Normal College than it was able
to supply, and the Wesleyans of England, who had
no institution of their own, sent their students to be
trained as schoolmasters under the direction of Mr.
Stow. As the kind of religious instruction also was
based upon the most liberal principles, instead of
being confined to merely sectarian distinctions, stu-
dents from missionary societies of every denomina-
tion�Episcopalian, Wesleyan Methodist, United
Presbyterian, and Baptist�were sent to the Glasgow
Normal College. Of those important pledges of the
public approval of his system, Mr. Stow became the
careful teacher and affectionate father, and the happy
evenings which they spent under his hospitable roof
drew many young men together who were like-minded
and devoted to a common calling, but who in the
absence of such re-unions would probably have re-
mained strangers to each other, however connected
by character and occupation. Thus at some of these
meetings might be seen teachers under training from
twelve or fourteen counties of Scotland, and from as
many of England, with several from Ireland, from
the West Indies, and from Caffraria. The two
methods of culture introduced by Mr. Stow in
preparing these future teachers for their' avocation
were, 1st, By private criticisms; and 2d, By public
lessons given weekly. As these are too important
to be passed over, we give them in the words of his
biographer:�"In the first, or 'private criticism,'
the students were seated in their gallery, and an-
swered as children, while in succession teachers gave
them lessons in reading, spelling, arithmetic, or
catechetical exercises, under the guidance of Mr.
Stow and the rector. The 'criticism' was given
during the lesson; manner, matter, look, intonation,
forms of questions, were all referred to, exhibited,
corrected with gentleness, and always most effectively.
The females gave lessons in a separate hall, and
were similarly criticized and guided. They were
taught to teach as girls are to sew, by doing it.
Telling how to do was reckoned insufficient, the
work must be done. By practice alone were they
supposed likely to succeed. They could only know
the work by doing it. ' While the public admit,'
said Mr. Stow when stimulating the students to