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science； and marking out the portion we mean to occupy at first； and
the ultimate extension of our views beyond that； should we be enabled
to render it； in the end； as comprehensive as we would wish。
1。 Elementary schools。
It is highly interesting to our country； and it is the duty of
its functionaries； to provide that every citizen in it should receive
an education proportioned to the condition and pursuits of his life。
The mass of our citizens may be divided into two classes the
laboring and the learned。 The laboring will need the first grade of
education to qualify them for their pursuits and duties； the learned
will need it as a foundation for further acquirements。 A plan was
formerly proposed to the legislature of this State for laying off
every county into hundreds or wards of five or six miles square；
within each of which should be a school for the education of the
children of the ward； wherein they should receive three years'
instruction gratis； in reading； writing； arithmetic as far as
fractions； the roots and ratios； and geography。 The Legislature at
one time tried an ineffectual expedient for introducing this plan；
which having failed； it is hoped they will some day resume it in a
more promising form。
2。 General schools。
At the discharging of the pupils from the elementary schools；
the two classes separate those destined for labor will engage in
the business of agriculture； or enter into apprenticeships to such
handicraft art as may be their choice； their companions； destined to
the pursuits of science； will proceed to the college； which will
consist； 1st of general schools； and； 2d； of professional schools。
The general schools will constitute the second grade of education。
The learned class may still be subdivided into two sections： 1；
Those who are destined for learned professions； as means of
livelihood； and； 2； The wealthy； who； possessing independent
fortunes； may aspire to share in conducting the affairs of the
nation； or to live with usefulness and respect in the private ranks
of life。 Both of these sections will require instruction in all the
higher branches of science； the wealthy to qualify them for either
public or private life； the professional section will need those
branches； especially； which are the basis of their future profession；
and a general knowledge of the others； as auxiliary to that； and
necessary to their standing and association with the scientific
class。 All the branches； then； of useful science； ought to be taught
in the general schools； to a competent degree； in the first instance。
These sciences may be arranged into three departments； not rigorously
scientific； indeed； but sufficiently so for our purposes。 These are；
I。 Language； II。 Mathematics； III。 Philosophy。
I。 Language。 In the first department； I would arrange a
distinct science。 1； Languages and History； ancient and modern； 2；
Grammar； 3； Belles Lettres； 4； Rhetoric and Oratory； 5； A school for
the deaf； dumb and blind。 History is here associated with languages；
not as a kindred subject； but on the principle of economy； because
both may be attained by the same course of reading； if books are
selected with that view。
II。 Mathematics。 In the department of Mathematics； I should
give place distinctly： 1； Mathematics pure； 2； Physico…Mathematics；
3； Physic； 4； Chemistry； 5； Natural History； to wit： Mineralogy； 6；
Botany； and 7； Zoology； 8； Anatomy； 9； the Theory of Medicine。
III。 Philosophy。 In the Philosophical department； I should
distinguish： 1； Ideology； 2； Ethics； 3； the Law of Nature and
Nations； 4； Government； 5； Political Economy。
But； some of these terms being used by different writers； in
different degrees of extension； I shall define exactly what I mean to
comprehend in each of them。
I。 3。 Within the term of Belles Lettres I include poetry and
composition generally； and criticism。
II。 1。 I consider pure mathematics as the science of； 1；
Numbers； and 2； Measure in the abstract； that of numbers
comprehending Arithmetic； Algebra and Fluxions； that of Measure
（under the general appellation of Geometry）； comprehending
Trigonometry； plane and spherical； conic sections； and transcendental
curves。
II。 2。 Physico…Mathematics treat of physical subjects by the
aid of mathematical calculation。 These are Mechanics； Statics；
Hydrostatics； Hydrodynamics； Navigation； Astronomy； Geography；
Optics； Pneumatics； Acoustics。
II。 3。 Physics； or Natural Philosophy （not entering the limits
of Chemistry） treat of natural substances； their properties； mutual
relations and action。 They particularly examine the subjects of
motion； action； magnetism； electricity； galvanism； light；
meteorology； with an etc。 not easily enumerated。 These definitions
and specifications render immaterial the question whether I use the
generic terms in the exact degree of comprehension in which others
use them； to be understood is all that is necessary to the present
object。
3。 Professional Schools。
At the close of this course the students separate； the wealthy
retiring； with a sufficient stock of knowledge； to improve themselves
to any degree to which their views may lead them； and the
professional section to the professional schools； constituting the
third grade of education； and teaching the particular sciences which
the individuals of this section mean to pursue； with more minuteness
and detail than was within the scope of the general schools for the
second grade of instruction。 In these professional schools each
science is to be taught in the highest degree it has yet attained。
They are to be the
1st Department； the fine arts； to wit： Civil Architecture；
Gardening； Painting； Sculpture； and the Theory of Music； the
2nd Department； Architecture； Military and Naval； Projectiles；
Rural Economy （comprehending Agriculture； Horticulture and
Veterinary）； Technical Philosophy； the Practice of Medicine； Materia
Medica； Pharmacy and Surgery。 In the
3rd Department； Theology and Ecclesiastical History； Law；
Municipal and Foreign。
To these professional schools will come those who separated at
the close of their first elementary course； to wit：
The lawyer to the law school。
The ecclesiastic to that of theology and ecclesiastical
history。
The physican to those of medicine； materia medica； pharmacy and
surgery。
The military man to that of military and naval architecture and
projectiles。
The agricultor to that of rural economy。
The gentleman； the architect； the pleasure gardener； painter
and musician to the school of fine arts。
And to that of technical philosophy will come the mariner；
carpenter； shipwright； pumpmaker； clockmaker； machinist； optician；
metallurgist； founder； cutler； druggist； brewer； vintner； distiller；
dyer； painter； bleacher； soapmaker； tanner； powdermaker； saltmaker；
glassmaker； to learn as much as shall be necessary to pursue their
art understandingly； of the sciences of geometry； mechanics； statics；
hydrostatics； hydraulics； hydrodynamics； navigation； astronomy；
geography； optics； pneumatics； physics； chemistry； natural history；
botany； mineralogy and pharmacy。
The school of technical philosophy will differ essentially in
its functions from the other professional schools。 The others are
instituted to ramify and dilate the particular sciences taught in the
schools of the second grade on a general scale only。 The technical
school is to abridge those which were taught there too much _in
extenso_ for the limited wants of the artificer or practical man。
These artificers must be grouped together； according to the
particular branch of science in which they need elementary and
practical instruction； and a special lecture or lectures should be
prepared for each group。 And these lectures should be given in the
evening； so as not to interrupt the labors of the day。 The school；
particularly； should be maintained wholly at the public expense； on
the same principles with that of the ward schools。 Through the whole
of the collegiate course； at the hours of recreation on certain days；
all the students should be taught the manual exercise； military
evolutions and man；oeuvers should be under a standing organization as
a military corps； and with proper officers to train and command them；
A tabular statement of this distribution of the sciences will
place the system of instruction more particularly in view：
1st or Elementary Grade in the Ward Schools。
Reading； Writing； Arithmetic； Geography。
2d； or General Grade。