The New Hampshire Gazette

The following Advice to Masters of Academies, is an Extract from a London-Magazine of the last Year; if you think the Publication of it here, will be of any Utility, your giving it a Place in your next, will oblige your constant Reader.
PHILANTHROPOS.

TEACH your scholars in the English language, all that's necessary to render them rational creatures, fit to judge for themselves, and polite but not pedantic.
Exercise them in spelling and pointing, the English language; form rules for pointing. Lay before them a printed book, and shew them what is pointed well, and what amiss. After they have some notion of the thing, dictate or read, some short discourse to them, and cause them to write it as fast as they can; appoint them when they are at home to write this fair, and to point it well.
Review it the next day, and correct the faults. Teach them something of Geography, and the use of the terrestrial globe.
Give them at least a gross and general view of history and chronology. Demonstrate the existence and attributes of God, and the relation wherein we stand in to him. Teach them to read an author handsomely.
This method is tho't by many to be far better than the common one of teaching those boys Latin & Greek who will never have any use for those languages as long as they live; and who forget them as soon as they leave the school: for while they are learning those languages, they make no improvement in knowledge farther than this, that Hibernia signifies Ireland, and Rex the king: but all this while they are ignorant of the Geography of Ireland, or the nature, and authority of the king, or the obligations to obey him. And surely 'tis better to teach children useful things, than bare words; especially as they will soon forget the words they have learn'd, for which they will have no occasion in carrying on a trade. It is urg'd in favor of the common method of teaching children Latin, that it will direct them how to spell and point the English language, and to understand the meaning of many words borrow'd from the Latin: I answer, an English Grammar and an English Dictionary will answer every end as well.
Finally, was the above method to be generally taken, it might be hoped, the next generation wou'd love to read, and be in general wiser than the present.