sufficiently broad writing surface, adjustable action (both simple safe and strong), a workable angle of slope, rigidity, foot rails, good broad seats hollowed out and furnished with back rests, an ample supply of inkwells–covered when not in use–and shelves for books.
With a desk and seat fulfilling all these requirements the writing of the children might reasonably be expected to answer and respond to the most rigid demands of the severest criticism or Inspectorial examination.
Slates! Shall slates be used at all in our Schools? Are they desirable aids to Education, are they helps, material helps in the formation of a good handwriting? Hygiene and Optics reply to the first query and say “Certainly not”! Slates are dirty and dangerous as well as injurious. Discipline chimes in and denounces them as noisy and troublesome. But, paper is expensive! Granted, it will cost a little more money than our old friends the slates: the gain however in Discipline or order Cleanliness, Health, Neatness, and Improvement in writing will prove to be more than a compensating benefit and blessing. The exclusive use of paper is strongly recommended, as being not only highly superior from an Educational Standpoint, but all things considered ultimately more economical. Where slates are used they should be of a good size, framed, strengthened at the corners, and ruled on one side. They must never be allowed to get dirty and greasy as the writing on them is then not only difficult but almost illegible, by reason of its faintness, and it may be predicated that much of the injury to sight is caused or intensified by slate writing.
Indeed with the best of slates the ratio of visibility as compared with ink writing or pencil writing on paper is as 3 to 4. How much less this will be with dirty and greasy slates can easily be imagined. White slates are much to be preferred to black ones. It is simply cruelty to insist upon children writing on these black and greasy slates in a room imperfectly lighted and (as in numerous instances) with the light at their backs. Then in how many cases are the pencils simply stumpy ends, hardly long enough to be held in the tiny fingers. This evil must be remedied and
