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AN ACCOUNT OF A NEW
ACADEMIC INSTITUTION,
in
GERMANY.
Many endevours have of late been made in Germany, to invent and carry into execution the most beneficial plans of liberal education; and these attempts are perhaps carried on in no other country with equal activity and public spirit. Men of Sound understandings, and blessed with good sense, having passed several years in researches on the true methods of education, have communicated to the public the result of their observations on a subject so interesting to human nature, and actually confirmed and justified their opinions by the most successful trials: among there are three, Basedow, Resewitz, and Bahrdt, who have peculiarly distinguished themselves. The first has established an Academy or place of education on this reformed plan, at Dessau, near Leipsick [Leipzig]: the last another at Heidesheim, near Worms on the Rhine, where their new invented methods founded on previous experience, are successfully put in practice.
The four principal aims of education are there pursued with equal zeal. The youths receive all manner of INSTRUCTION, a particular teacher being provided in every possible branch of knowledge; so that a youth whether intended to be, a Merchant, a Man of Letters, or a Soldier, is enabled to learn every thing which relates to his future destination in life. 2. The formation of their moral characters is attended to with not a less degree of watchfulness, at the same time that 3. the polish of exterior behaviour, is not neglected. But what is most to be recommended, these three branches of education are combined with the fourth, which is totally neglected in most schools, improvement of the body. It is justly observed that to cultivate the understandings, the hearts, and the manners of youth, without being solicitous whether their souls dwell in sound bodies or not, leaves a great blank unfilled in the system of education. Every thing is therefore put in practice at these academies to endow the body of each pupil with strength, solidity, pliancy, to season it against the extremes of climate, and to make it capable of all kinds of labour, as well as of supporting every fatigue. The means pursued to obtain these ends, are such as have been invariably proposed as the safest, and most conducive, by all unbiassed judges on that subject.
The education of youth being doubtless the greatest and nearest concern of mankind, it is with great pleasure we are enabled to give our countrymen some account of one of these new institutions, which is at the present by far the most compleat and flourishing, and at the same time established on such moderate terms, that the conductor of the whole enterprize cannot be taxed with any selfish view. The following short description will enable every one to judge whether it is worth his while to send his children thither to be educated.
Heidesheim