The first thing which will call your attention as the hour for the commencement of the school approaches in the morning is the ringing of a bell five minutes before the time arrives by the regulator, who sits at the curtained desk before the Study Card.  One minute before the time the bell is rung again, which is the signal for all to take their seats and prepare for the opening of the school.  When the precise moment arrives, the Study Card is drawn up, and at the sound of its little bell, all the scholars recline their heads upon their desks, and unite with me in a very short prayer for God’s protection and blessing during the day.  I adopted the plan of allowing the scholars to sit, because I thought it would be pleasanter for them, and they have, in return, been generally, so far as I know, faithful in complying with my wish that they would all assume the posture proposed, so that the school may present the uniform and serious aspect which is proper when we are engaged in so solemn a duty.  If you move your chair back a little, you will find the posture not inconvenient; but the only reward you will have for faithfully complying with the general custom is the pleasure of doing your duty, for no one watches you, and you would not be called to account should you neglect to conform to the usage of the school.

I hope, however, that you will conform to it.  Indeed, all truly refined and well-bred people make it a universal rule of life to conform to the innocent religious usages of those around them, wherever they may be.

After the prayer we sing one or two verses of a hymn.  The music is led by a piano, and we wish all to join in it who can sing.  The exercises which follow are exhibited to the eye by the diagram on the next page.

MOUNT VERNON SCHOOL

SCHEDULE OF STUDIES. 1833.

Miss

+---------+---------------+-----------+-----+----------

-+-----+-----------+
|         |FIRST HOUR.    |SECOND HOUR|     |THIRD HOUR |     |FOURTH HOUR|
|         +---------------+-----------+--+--+-----------+--+

--+-----------+
|         |EVENING LESSONS|LANGUAGES. |G.|R.|MATHEMATICS|G.|R.|SECTIONS.  |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+--+-----+-----+--+

--+-----------+
|MONDAY   |        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+  +-----+-----+--+  +-----------+
|TUESDAY  |        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+  +-----+-----+--+  +-----------+
|WEDNESDAY|        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+  +-----+-----+--+  +-----------+
|THURSDAY |        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+  +-----+-----+--+  +-----------+
|FRIDAY   |        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+  +-----+-----+--+  +-----------+
|SATURDAY |        |      |     |     |  |  |     |     |  |  |           |
+---------+--------+------+-----+-----+--+--+-----+-----+--+--+-----------+

I now proceed to describe in detail the several hours, as represented in the diagram.