Christ to pay for the satisfaction of doing such children good, and enriching and ennobling all their future lives. [54] "A Memoir of John Pounds." Foord, Stationer, Landport; p. 9. The writer is indebted to this brief memoir for most of the facts stated in this sketch. He is also indebted for information to the courtesy of Rev. T. Timmins, Portsmouth, pastor of the congregation of which John Pounds was a member. The editor of the "Memoir of John Pounds" thus describes the cobbler in the midst of his scholars: "His humble workshop was about six feet wide and about eighteen feet in depth, in the midst of which he would sit on his stool, with his last or lapstone on his knee, and other implements by his side, going on with his work and attending at the same time to the pursuits of the whole assemblage--some of whom were reading by his side, writing from his dictation, of showing up their sums; others seated around on forms or boxes on the floor, or on the steps of a small staircase in the rear. Although the master seemed to know where to look for each and to maintain a due command over all, yet so small was the room, and so deficient in the usual accommodation of a school, that the scene appeared to the observer from without to be a mere crowd of children's heads and faces."[55] [55] "Memoir of John Pounds," p. 10. The smallness of his room made selection necessary when the number of candidates for instruction became unusually large. In this case he always chose the worst and most desperate cases, preferring to take in hand "the little blackguards," as he termed them, and turn them into decent members of society. At other times, "he has been seen to follow such to the town-quay, and hold out in his hand to them the bribe of a roasted potato to induce them to come to school."[56] On fine warm days the school "ran over" into the street, the children who behaved best being allowed to sit near the door, or on a bench outside. [56] Ibid, p. 10. His method of teaching was of the simplest and most graphic character, and seemed, although John Pounds, of course, knew nothing of such things, to combine the features of the Pestalozzian and Kindergarten systems. He would point to the different parts of the body, get the pupil to tell their names, and then to spell them. Taking a child's hand, he would say, "What is this? Spell it." Then slapping it he would say, "What did I do? Spell that." With the older pupils he went as far as his knowledge would allow of, teaching them to read by means of handbills, or making use of such old school-books as he had been able to beg, or buy cheap. Slate and pencils only were used for teaching writing, "yet a creditable degree of skill was acquired, and in ciphering, the Rule of Three and Practice were performed with accuracy."