COLLEGE IN PHILADELPHIA.

Report of the preparatory Committee.

THE Committee appointed at the town meeting held the 4th instant, to digest and report a plan for a college, where English literature, the sciences, and the liberal arts, shall be fully taught, unconnected with the Greek and Latin, and for admission into which there shall be no prerequisite of having studied these languages,' beg leave to report:

That the former meeting having unanimously determined upon the expediency of establishing such a College, your committee do not deem it necessary now to occupy the time of this meeting, in enforcing the many cogent arguments in its favor; they cannot, however, pass by the subject without expressing their opin ion, that the contemplated plan of instruction will be an important public benefit. It has for its object the enlightening of a large and valuable class of the community, in those branches of learning which are most important to their future prosperity and usefulness; and the scheme, if carried into successful operation, will form 2 new era in the science of education.

Your committee, in complying with the resolution to digest and report a plan for the proposed College, do not feel themselves called upon to enter into minute particulars; they will only furnish such a general outline, as will render the plan perspicuous to their fellow citizens. To do this, the following topics must be

noticed.

I. The branches in which instruction is proposed to be given.

II. The expense of tuition.

III. The number of pupils.

IV. The funds.

V. The manner in which the College shall be governed.

I. The branches in which instruction is proposed to be given.

With respect to this, your committee deprecate the idea of superficial instruction in any branch of learning. They are decidedly of opinion, that the plan ought to embrace every branch of knowledge that is required for the agricul turist, the scientific mechanic or manufacturer, the architect, the civil engineer, the merchant, or other complete man of business. Every thing embraced in a complete English education should be comprehended. The pupils should be rendered familiar with the principles of grammar, with vulgar and decimal arithme tic, as an introduction to the mathematics, and with belles lettres, in order that they may write their own language correctly and perspicuously. Geography, history, (in which that of our own country shall be prominent,) and chronology, are also deemed essential branches of knowledge, and should be fully taught. Among the sciences which it is proposed to include, your committee accord the highest rank to the mathematics, a branch of learning which is not only a most effective instrument of discipline to the mind, but also forms the basis of almost every science necessary to the operative classes of society, and which, notwithstanding, has rarely been placed within their reach, and has been too often taught in a very inadequate manner. Your committee have frequently witnessed the comparative ease with which the mathematician solves the most abstruse questions connected with the arts; the difficulties in their business that are daily encountered by some of our most valuable citizens, for want of having studied the mathematics in early life; the valuable time and money that have been wasted upon projects which a very moderate share of knowledge of this master science would have determined to be fruitless; and are persuaded that many useful inventions and improvements have been either retarded or totally lost for want of mathematical information; they are therefore of opinion, that in the proposed College every branch of the mathematics should be fully and completely taught.

Natural philosophy, including mechanics and astronomy, is indispensable to the course of education proposed. If your committee do not dwell upon this point, it is because they deem its importance duly appreciated by the public.

Next in order of usefulness to men of business, are the sciences of chemistry and mineralogy. These, your committee recommend to be carefully taught, with particular attention to those parts that are connected with the arts.

An apprentice to a mechanical business, possessing this precious knowledge, will be the better qualified to receive instruction in all the processes already known; and the young farmer, master mechanic, or manufacturer, who shall combine this knowledge with that of his profession, will enjoy peculiar advantages; he will not only be enabled to carry on his business in the most economical and perfect manner, but will discover new and valuable improvements. Your committee therefore consider the teaching of chemistry and mineralogy, particularly as connected with the arts, as indispensable to this plan of education.

Your committee have often witnessed with pain the deficiencies under which many of our valuable mechanics labor for want of some knowledge of drawing; they are therefore of opinion that the principles of perspective and mechanical and architectural drawing should be taught in this College.

Book-keeping should also be taught in the best manner; and, in the opinion of your committee, political economy, and the general principles of government, and jurisprudence, should not be neglected, in the education of those who may be called upon to fill the important offices of arbitrators, jurors, justices of the peace, legislators, &c.

As it is presumed that this seminary will be resorted to by many intended for commercial and other pursuits which require a knowledge of the living languages, the German, French, and Spanish, ought not to be neglected. Pennsylvania justly boasts of her hardy, honest, and industrious German population: in some Counties, it is so numerous that the German is more generally spoken than the English language. The French has become almost a universal language; and the deep interest we take in the affairs of the neighboring republics to the south, and the increasing intercourse between their citizens and ours, call aloud for a cultivation of the knowledge of the Spanish tongue.

These are the prominent features of the course of instruction proposed to be pursued in the College; but your committee by this enumeration by no means wish to be understood as excluding other branches, which the wisdom of the Professors or Trustees may suggest; provided they shall not be incompatible with the general pian.

Your committee are of opinion, that every part of education merely ornamental, should be excluded. Whatever is taught in the College ought to be taught in the best manner; and pains should be taken to impress upon the pupils the necessity of a thorough knowledge of the various branches which they undertake to acquire. It ought to be a rule, inflexibly observed, that the honors of the institution shall never be conferred, except on those who really merit them by their conduct and attainments, whatever may be the length of time they may have - spent in the schools.

II. The expense of tuition.

Your committee are of opinion that a leading feature in the plan of education proposed, should be economy. With this view it is recommended that the compensation to the professors and teachers, and the price of tuition, shall always be fixed by the trustees. These being disinterested persons, will be able to attract and secure the services of competent instructers by a fair remuneration; and at the same time to keep the instruction within the reach of those whom Providence has not blessed with affluence.

III. The number of pupils.

The number should be as great as can be accommodated. As the influence of the institution on society will be felt, in proportion to the number instructed, its advantages should be diffused as widely as possible. In all those branches of learning taught by lectures, the same expense must be incurred for professors, lecture room, and apparatus, whatever may be the number of the class. It follows that as the number of pupils increases the price of tuition may be diminished,

Your committee are not prepared to recommend the adoption of the monitorial system of education in all its parts; but they are of opinion that it contains many excellent features, which it will be expedient to adopt in the college.

IV. The Funds.

This is a most important part of the plan, and has commanded a correspond ing attention from your committee.

The revenue of the College must be drawn from the three following sources, viz:

1. The emoluments arising from the tuition of pupils.

2. Donations and bequests from patriotic individuals. 3. Legislative endowment.

The first, although a moderate, will be a certain source of revenue. If by the adoption, in part, of the monitorial system, the number of pupils can be multiplied, it will furnish a sum equal to all the ordinary calls on the college.

Upon the second source of revenue your committee place considerable reliance. In public spirit this city and liberties are by no means deficient, and as the object proposed is one of a highly meritorious character, it cannot be doubted that it will meet with the usual liberality.

it.

Your committee are of opinion, that although the sums at first contributed may be small, yet they feel confident that when the usefulness of the institution shall be generally known, liberal donations and bequests will be conferred upon They recommend that a committee for each ward and township be appointed to collect subscriptions, and that the funds first raised, be expended in a library, models and apparatus.

Third, Legislative endowment. In a sister state a seminary resembling the present, in its leading features, has been projected by a board of commisioners espe cially appointed by the legislature for the purpose. This board has recommended a legislative endowment of $30,000, which, there is reason to believe, either bas been or will be appropriated; and your committee are proud to say, that in point of liberality to institutions of real utility, Pennsylvania is second to no state in the Union. The second section of the seventh article of our state constitution contemplates the general teaching of the sciences; and a hope is indulged, that the legislature will regard this as a proper season to act upon this long neglected section. Your committee therefore recommend a memorial on the subject, to be prepared to be laid before the legislature at the opening of their next session.

V. The manner in which the college shall be governed.

There should be a board of trustees to consist of eighteen members. This board should have the appointment of professors and teachers, &c. and the making of all by-laws for the government of the colleges. Thomas Cadwalader, Peter A. Browne, James Taylor, James Espy, Mathew L. Carey, Clement G. Biddle, Samuel Colhoun, Thomas P. Jones, Joseph R. Chandler, Anthony Finley, Mark Richards, Jonathan W. Condy.

AMERICAN ANNUAL REGISTER.

G. and C. Carvill, New York, propose to publish an American Annual Register embracing a view of the History, Politics, and Literature of each year, in an octavo volume, containing about eight hundred pages.

It will not be confined to an account of American affairs, but will comprehend all relating to the history of Europe, which can interest the scholar and the states

man.

The history of our own affairs will be brought down in each year to about the beginning of July, while that of Europe will correspond to the ordinary an

nual division.

By this arrangement, time will be afforded to conclude the accounts of Euro

pean transactions for the preceding year, and to give the proceedings of Congress and of the state Legislatures in each volume, in a complete form.

A second part of the Register will be appropriated to official documents; and in a third division will be inserted such Biographical sketches and Literary Essays as possess general and permanent interest.

A fourth part will be devoted to an account of promotions in the Army, and Navy, changes in the Diplomatic corps, &c.

Conditions. The work will be published in the month of August, of each year, in one volume of about eight hundred pages, handsomely printed on fine paper.-Price five dollars, payable on delivery.

[To Instructers and others who are desirous of promoting practical education, we would suggest the above work as likely to meet their views. It will do more, probably, than any other single volume to produce intelligent pupils in those departments of education which embrace the information wanted for the actual purposes of life. Teachers will find it easy to introduce this, or any other work above the usual price of school books, by procuring a single copy, and after forming a class for the use of it, letting the pupils read from it in turn; whilst all listen, with a view to be interrogated on it, after the reading has been continued as long as the teacher thinks advantageous.]

JUVENILE MISCELLANY.

It is proposed to publish in Boston a periodical work for young people, entitled as above, and to be conducted by the Author of "Evenings in New England." 'Such a work has prospered in England; and many, who are well acquainted with the wants of children, suppose that a similar one would be useful and successful here. The number of good books for children is not so great as would seem at first view; and there is a daily increasing demand for information and amusement in this form. The Miscellany is intended to comprise every variety of composition, which can possibly be made instructive or entertaining, to the intermediate ages from five to fifteen. It will be composed of stories, intended to convey moral and religious instruction; biographical sketches; scientific dialogues, made as plain and simple as possible; fanciful adventures; poetry; fables; riddles, &c. Several ladies, whose productions are deservedly high in public estimation, will, probably, contribute. 108 pages 18mo. will be printed once in two months; which at the close of a year, would form three neat volumes for a juvenile library.

Conditions.

The work shall be executed on good paper-new type-with two or more engravings adapted to subjects in each number.

Price two dollars per year--payable on delivery of the third number.'

[A work such as the above, and in the hands of female writers, promises, we think, to afford much instruction and entertainment to the class of readers for whose use it is intended. At this early stage of the undertaking, it is not, perhaps, in the power of the editor to lay down very distinctly the line of proceeding which will be adopted. But her talents in the department in which she has already presented herself so successfully to the public, afford ample assurance that the Miscellany will be conducted in such a manner as to reflect credit on herself and the community. A hasty perusal of the first number confirms us in this opinion.]

MAP OF BOSTON.

Messrs. Annin & Smith, and Mr. J. V. N. Throop, of this city, have published a Map of Boston, with corrections brought down to the date of publication, by S. P. Fuller, surveyor.

[We would invite the attention of parents and teachers to this map as furnishing the means of pleasing and useful instruction to children. The following course has been satisfactorily pursued with two young pupils.--The map is spread on a table, or suspended on the wall, according to convenience; and the pupils 72

VOL. I.

trace out, slowly and carefully, the various streets which constitute a single ward of the city. They then take their morning's walk, so as to pass through every street in that ward; and when they return home, they execute first ca their slates, and afterwards on paper, as accurate a map of the ward as they can furnish from memory; correcting and filling it up more exactly, afterwards, by the help of the engraved map. In this way, the children become familiarly acquainted with every part of the city, and are prepared to listen intelligently to any conversation or reading in which a local reference occurs. This minute and practical application in early lite, lays the foundation of good mental habits in every department where close investigation or accurate information, is of any value. Besides, these exercises in topography are highly entertaining as well as instructive, and give scope to the natural vivacity and activity of childhood,— they are connected too with healthful physical recreation.

If, as is to be hoped, the author of the History of Boston shall publish an abridged edition of that work, adapted to the use of families and schools, a pleas ing course of instruction in local history may be combined with the above exer cise; as many of the streets of Boston contain buildings and other of jects of great historical interest connected with important events in the history of the country. In the meantime every parent or teacher who possesses the larger History, can furnish orally the instruction which will be required.

A book embracing lessons of this sort for children will be published soon by Wait, Greene, & Company.]

ABSTRACT OF RETURNS FROM THE SCHOOL COMMITTEES OF

MASSACHUSETTS.

[Mr. Bangs, the Secretary of the Commonwealth, has, in compliance with the order of the General Court, published the abovementioned document.

The form of the Abstract renders the insertion of it in our pages impracticable. We will return, however, at a convenient opportunity, to the substance of its contents, and in the meantime would lay before our readers the Secretary's prefatory Remarks. ]

Most of the Returns are incomplete, and many vary from the form prescribed in the Act. This rendered it difficult to reduce them to an Abstract, but pains have been taken to give the substance of the Returns as correctly as possible. Where blanks are left in any column, there was no report or observation of the Committee under that head, or their remarks were so general and indefinite that they could not be brought into an Abstract, and did not admit of arithmetical computation. Such is particularly the case with the reports under the head of time of keeping school in the year. In many instances, the Return states that the schools are kept from six to twelve months,' &c. Others give the average time of the districts, or the time for each district separately; but a majority give the aggregate of all the districts in town, some stating the total amount in years, some in months, and soue in weeks. In forming this Abstract, the mode of sta ting the aggregate in months has been adopted, where it could be determined with probable correctness; but in many instances it was quite uncertain whether the average or aggregate amount was intended in the Return and in all such cases a blank has been ielt. This column, being so incomplete and uncertain in its calcu lations, has not been cast up.

It will be perceived by the notes at the bottom of the Abstract, and by an examination of the Returns, that under the head of estimated nuncer of Pupils in private Schools,' there is much uncertainty and want of uniformity. Most towns return only those who do not attend at all in the public schools, but some return those who attend partly on public and partly on private schools, and who have been stated in preceding columns, as among the pupils in the public schools.

Under the head of estimated amount of private school tuition fees, there is also some ambiguity. In several instances the amount paid for extending public schools beyond their regular term is included; and it is probable this is the case in

other instances where it is not mentioned.