s suggestions may occur to the mind
of the reader, which may modify in some degree his present plans. Others
may merely be interested in seeing how others effect, what they, by easy
methods, are equally successful in effecting.

It is in these, and similar ways, that I have often myself been highly
benefited in visiting schools, and in reading descriptions of them; and
it is for such purposes, that I insert the account here.

TO A NEW SCHOLAR, ON HER ADMISSION TO THE MT. VERNON SCHOOL.

As a large school is necessarily somewhat complicated in its plan, and
as new scholars usually find that it requires some time, and gives them
no little trouble, to understand the arrangements they find in operation
here, I have concluded to write a brief description of these
arrangements, by help of which, you will, I hope, the sooner feel at
home in your new place of duty. That I may be more distinct and
specific, I shall class what I have to say, under separate heads.

I. YOUR PERSONAL DUTY.

Your first anxiety as you come into the school-room, and take your seat
among the busy multitude, if you are conscientiously desirous of doing
your duty, will be, lest, ignorant as you are of the whole plan and of
all the regulations of the institution, you should inadvertently do what
will be considered wrong. I wish first then to put you at rest on this
score. There is but one rule of this school. That you can easily keep.

You will observe on one side of my desk a clock upon the wall, and upon
the other a piece of apparatus that is probably new to you. It is a
metallic plate upon which are marked in gilded letters, the words
"_Study Hours_." This is upright, but it is so attached by its lower
edge to its support, by means of a hinge, that it can fall over from
above, and thus be in a _horizontal_ position; or it will rest in an
_inclined_ position,--_half down_, as it is called. It is drawn up and
let down by a cord passing over a pulley. When it passes either way, its
upper part touches a bell, which gives all in the room notice of its
motion.

Now when this "_Study Card_"[C] as the scholars call it, is _up_ so that
the words "STUDY HOURS" are presented to the view of the school, it is
the signal for silence and study. THERE IS THEN TO BE NO COMMUNICATION
AND NO LEAVING OF SEATS EXCEPT AT THE DIRECTION OF TEACHERS.

[Footnote C: This apparatus has been previously described. See p. 40.]

When it is _half down_, each scholar may le