Some will, I know, be apt to exclaim, surely this is encouraging and fostering bad feelings—­creating enmity and ill-will amongst the children; but I say, No, it is teaching them to feel a spirit of generous emulation, as distinguishable from that of ill-nature or envy.

Beside the swings, in many schools they have a very useful addition to the play-ground.  I mean the gymnastic pole.

Although it is most proper for the master in the play-ground to relax altogether the brow of magisterial severity, yet there is no occasion for him to withdraw the influence of love.  He will not prove a check to the enjoyment of the children, if, entering into the spirit of their innocent pastimes, he endeavours to heighten their pleasures by a judicious direction of their sports.

Among other amusements, which his ingenuity may suggest, I would mention a geometrical amusement, which is very practicable.  First, let a certain number of children stand in a row.  Opposite to these let one or more children be placed as directors to order the change of figure.  A straight line, we will suppose, is the first thing shown by the position of the children; the next thing to be formed is a curve, by the advancement of each end; then a half-circle,—­a circle, by joining hands in a ring;—­two equal parallel lines, by the division of the number in action; next a square,—­triangle, &c. &c.  These changes may either be made at the command of the master, or, as we before proposed, of one or more children acting as officers to direct these geometrical movements.

Had it been constantly borne in memory that God is the creator of the body of a child as well as of its mind; and that the healthy action of both is requisite for happiness and usefulness, more attention would have been paid to the due and proper exercise of children than has hitherto been done.  He has implanted an instinctive impulse to activity in every young child, which displays itself in almost incessant motion, where there is perfect health, and when there is opportunity.  To restrain this unnecessarily, is therefore to act in opposition to the laws of nature; and the end must be a certain injury to the child.  To prevent this evil, and to act in obedience to these laws, the various actions of clapping the hands, folding the arms, twisting the fists, and various other motions have been introduced.  By these means a spirit of restlessness, which would undoubtedly show itself under unnecessary restraints, is converted into a motive of obedience, and thus even a moral influence is produced, by what would appear a mere childish play.  They may all be gone through with elegance and propriety:  and no rude or indelicate action should be allowed.  Many masters are too free in making a show of these exercises to visitors, who are perhaps amused with them, but this is to divert them from their proper use.  They were only invented to be introduced at intervals, when the children’s attention began to flag, or to give them that proper exercise which their tender age required.  How has everything connected with the infant system been burlesqued! and thus sensible persons have been led to despise infant education, which if rightly understood by them, would be seen to be one of the most powerful moral engines that can be put into action for the welfare of our fellow-creatures, especially of the poorer classes.