| Share page |
|
Beginnings 13
that the Greek Catechism was recited regularly by the freshmen, and that Wollebius's System of Divinity was diligently pursued by the other classes, while on Saturday evening, in the presence of the president, the students repeated the sermon of the foregoing Sabbath. " Yet the committee are compelled to lament the continued prevalence of several immoralities, particularly stealing, lying, swearing, idleness, picking of locks, and too frequent use of strong drink."
Boys began to attend the grammar schools when they were seven or eight years of age, and now and then a youngster entered the Boston Latin School no older than six and one-half. Not infrequently the boys had by that time made considerable progress in Latin, and sometimes the merest infants were taught by doting parents to read this learned language as soon as they were taught to read English. Precocity was encouraged, not alone by intelligent parents, but by leading writers and thinkers. A good example of what was expected of the little ones is furnished by Isaac Watts's The Toung Child's Catechism. The first half of it was designed for learners of " Three or Four Years Old," and the questions for these beginners included such as
Have you learnt to know who God is ? What muff you do to efcape God's Anger, which your Sins have deferved ?
What mult become of you if you are wicked ?
The answer to the last is, " If I am wicked, I fhall be fent down to everlafting Fire in Hell among wicked and miferable creatures." |
||