Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

From the Democratic Press,

I have been to visit the MODEL SCHOOL, in Lombard street. It has made a very great impression upon me, and I desire to give the public some idea of it. I wish to excite their curiosity. I wish to induce them to visit it. I desire that they should know something of an institution, which promises to be a blessing to the community. Paying, as I do, some attention to public concerns, I feel somewhat ashamed that so valuable an institution, should so long have been in the city, without having visited it. I do not feel competent to speak of this school, as I am persuaded it deserves; but if I had no more information than I have, perhaps the better way would be, rather to persuade others to go and see for themselves, and feel as I feel, and think as I think, rather than satisfy them by a full and minute description. I want the public to feel an interest in this school, and I am satisfied nothing can so warmly interest them as a visit.

When I first entered the school and saw nearly three hundred boys under the control of one mild-looking, soft-spoken Master, it seemed to me not only to be in confusion, but that it was impossible for him, ever to reduce such a chaos to order. I had scarcely time to run my eye up and down, and across the school room, when I heard the gentle tinkling of a very small hand-bell. In an instant every movement ceased. All was quiet. It seemed hardly credible that so many human beings could draw their breath and make so little noise. The sound of the bell did wonders. It was indeed in the hand of the master, or one of the ushers, a most potent instrument. Its every tone and tinkle seemed full of meaning, well understood, and operated most powerfully.

Never did a body of soldiers go through their Manual Exercise, their Facings and their Marchings to the tap of the drum, with more precision, than did those boys perform their exercises to the tinkle of the bell. They moved to the right and to the left and formed in semi-circles round their ushers and they moved back again--they repeated their lessons or they remained silent, just as they were directed by the eloquence of this wonder-working bell. Almost every thing they did, and every thing they said, was directed by the tones of this gentle sounding assistant. The same order, regularity and precision, governed the female children. Of them there were about 150 in another room. Such subordination, prompt obedience and discipline, must induce good habits.

The children all looked well. Their skins and their clothes were clean, and they had a healthy cheerful look. It was impossible to see and to hear such assemblies of children, without feeling how much society was indebted to such improved public schools, said to those who love their time to promote the public prosperity. I will hope myself, that this imperfect sketch, will induce others to go to the school, and that some one of the visitors will favor the public with a more perfect and interesting account, than I have written.

A PHILADELPHIAN.

PUBLIC EDUCATION.

We are indebted to A Philadelphian, for his outline of the Lombard street school. We hope that he will do more at a future time. We would state one fact, which at any time would be entitled to consideration, but which, at this time is particularly deserving public attention. There are now a much greater number of children, educated at a much less expense, than before the present plan was adopted. The children under the old system, on an average cost more than eight dollars a year; now they do not average more than three dollars. The fact is not more certain than that they are now brought up with better habits and much better educated than they were.

In a publication like this, we do not choose to mention gentlemen's names; but we will hazard the wounding of individual feeling, to gratify our own, in calling public attention to the distinguished merits of some of the Controllers. Those who sacrifice largely to the public good, are at least entitled to the public gratitude.