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Speech Making Conventions.

139

that of consuming nearly the whole time with formal lectures. The Committee of Arrangements for the Convention at Detroit, certainly provided a noble bill of fare' for discussion. We have seen, in the Michigan Observer, a list of twentyeight questions, proposed for the meeting, nearly all of which were of very great practical importance. If, however, the character of the discussions was like that of Wednesday evening, on the necessity of general education as a safeguard of liberty, and as conducive, especially, to the stability of a republican form of government,' of which we have seen a pretty full report, we shall not augur so great an amount of good from the Convention, as we could have wished. How this was, we do not know. The discussion on the use of the Bible in schools, is said to have been little more to the point than the former.-One thing, however, was done, which we must not omit to mention. A Society was organized during the sitting of the Convention, under the name of the Michigan Literary Institute,' whose object is the promotion of education and the diffusion of knowledge,' and which is to hold annual meetings. The first annual meeting is to be held at Detroit, on the 4th of July next.

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One statement made at this Convention, by Dr Gibson, the State Temperance Agent, we were very sorry to hear, because we greatly fear it is too true! He had been in all parts of the State, he said, during the past year, and as the result of his observations, he was prepared to say that nine tenths of all the children in the State were growing up in ignorance,' and he appealed to other gentlemen present, to sustain him in the assertion. Can these things be so? Can there be portions of our country, aspiring to the rights and privileges of free States, in which nine tenths of the children are uninstructed? Of what value are rights and privileges in such circumstances? Of what value, even, is the mere semblance of liberty?

We dislike, in toto, these prosing, speech making, essay reading, education meetings. They are excusable, perhaps, in Michigan, but not in New England or New York. And no where are they more inexcusable, than in our own State. The American Institute of Instruction, in its yearly meetings of persons most of whom are teachers, should set a better example to the world. It should not sit four or five days, merely to hear the written essays of fifteen or twenty men read out; to the neglect of free and mutual consultation and discussion. The views of plain common sense teachers, should be elicited in the form of verbal or written reports, embodying their own experience on important points; and the discussions, which should be numerous-and not scarcer than diamonds are among us-should grow out of these reports. This would awaken and interest and elevate the men whom we wish to elevate ; even if it should not subserve so well the purposes of those who are already elevated.

140

The Expense of Ignorance.

EDUCATION Meeting at Lexington.

A meeting on the subject of education was recently held at Lexington, Mass. A Committee appointed at a previous meeting in Concord, to prepare a constitution for a County Association for the promotion of Education, having reported, a constitution was adopted, and the proper officers chosen. An address was then given by the Hon. Horace Mann' Secretary of the Board of Education for the Commonwealth; after which, the five following subjects were assigned to Committees, to report thereon at the next meeting of the Association.

1. In what order should the various branches of knowledge be taken up in the natural progress of the human mind?

2. To what extent, and by what means, should moral education be promoted in common schools?

3. On the means of exciting the community on the subject of education.

4. On the expediency of making the course of instruction in common schools so ample and various, as to meet the wants of all classes o citizens.

5. Whether any other plan than the present district school system, would be an improvement.

COMMON SCHOOL CONVENTION AT CLEVELAND.

We learn from the Cleveland Observer, that a Convention of Delegates from the several towns in Cayahoga County, Ohio, was held in that place on the 28th of Dec. last, to deliberate on the subject of Common Schools, and to endeavor to excite vigorous efforts to improve their condition. Several interesting discussions, it is said, took place, and several important resolutions passed. One of these last, was to form a County Association for the advancement of the interests of Common schools. Another was, that the Bible ought to be made a subject of daily reading and study in all our schools. Another, still, adverted to the incompetency of teachers. Committees of three, in each town in the county, were appointed to attend an adjourned meeting of the Convention to be held Jan. 11th, at Cleveland, whose duty it should be to collect and report all the information they shall be able to obtain, pertaining to the subject of common schools, embracing an account of the number of schools in the respective townships-the number of scholars in each the number of months schools are kept in each district during the year-the amount of salary paid the teachers—and the text book s used in each school.

THE EXPENSE OF IGNORANCE.

A member of the British Parliament, in a late speech before that body

Boston Asylum and Farm School.

141

proved by written authentic documents, that the proportion of children who attend school, in some parts of England, is very sinall indeed. In Bolton it was one in sixteen, in Bristol one in twentyfour, and in some of the populour districts of Lancashire, one in fortysix. He then compared the state of education in England with that in foreign countries, for the purpose of showing that they were behind them in the race of improvement. He called upon the House, in the name of humanity, to aid and assist in some plan for ameliorating the present moral and physical condition of the humbler classes. If any man would calculate the matter on the score of saving to the country, he would find that education to the humbler classes, was the best thing that could be done. Ignorance was a most expensive article, and infinitely more costly than the expense of educating the bumbler classes. He moved the appointment of a select committee, to consider and inquire into the moral and physical condition of the poorer classes, in large and densely peopled towns, with a view to their education and improvement.

BOSTON ASYLUM AND FARM SCHOOL.

The following is an abstract of the Fourth Annual Report of the managers of this Institution.

During the past year, thirteen boys have been admitted into the Institution, and nine have been indented as apprentices, and one withdrawn by his friends. The number now upon the Farm is one hundred and ten. No death has occurred on the Island during the past year.

There are 38 boys between the ages of 7 and 10 years; 50 between 10 and 13; and 22 between 13 and 14. The same course of instruction has been pursued for the past year, as had been previously adopted; and no change has taken place in the officers.

The value of the produce raised on the Farm in 1836, was $3,526 70; and in 1837, it was $4,563 93.

From a comparison of the expenses of the Farm School with those of other Institutions most similar to it in character, the managers find that the comparison is a favorable one for the school. Expenses of the Farm School with 110 boys, Proceeds of the Farm,

Balance,

or 87 1-2 cents per week to each boy.

Expenses of the House of Refuge in New York,

with 227 boys,

$9000

4000

$5000

Earnings of the boys,

Balance,

or $1 08 per week to each boy.

$17,596 14

4,792 83

$12,803 31

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$15,192 26

3,283 02

$11,909 24

The Asylum and Farm School is believed, by the managers' to be the first, if not the only Institution of its kind in this country. Its object is to unite, in early years, the discipline of the school with a practical education in agricultural pursuits, and to offer a home to those who are friendless and morally exposed.

MALE AND FEMALE TEACHERS.

Professor Cunningham, of Lafayette College, in his recent Inaugural Address, after speaking of the importance of educating teachers of both sexes in this country, and after using the following language; 'Female teachers must be extensively employed, and institutions for educating and training them, must be established,' remarks as follows:-and we wish the sentiments were more common.

'I am convinced that the best form of a school, is that in which the arrangement of Providence in regard to families is imitated; the prinpal being a male, and the assistants females. The sexes, thus combined, mutually supply each others deficiencies, the government of the school, and the more laborious part of the teaching being devolved on the male, while those departments which require patient assiduity and gentleness and winning kindness, belong more appropriately to the female.'

NEW YORK COMMON SCHOOLS.

We have received the Annual Report of the Superintendent of Common Schools in the State of New York, made to the Legislature January 5, 1838. We shall endeavor to present some of its leading features in our next number.

MEETING AT COLUMBUS, OHIO.

We have also received, too late for this number, a report of the proceedings of the Annual Convention of Professional Teachers and other friends of education, held at Columbus, Ohio, on the 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22d of Dec. 1837.

Notices of Books.

143

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

By

THE CHILD'S PICTURE DEFINING AND READING BOOK. Rev. T. H. Gallaudet. Third edition. Hartford: F. J. Huntingdon, 1833. pp. 72.

This little book was prepared in the belief that definitions are of little use, in teaching very young children the meaning of words; but that the language of pictures may be used, in the accomplishment of this object, with great success and to a vast extent, if judiciously employed, and if accompanied with a suitable corresponding effort on the part o!“ the teacher. There is a series of pictures in the first part, each of which is accompanied with a list of the names of the most prominent objects, and also with a set of very short and simple phrases, illustrating the actions which the picture is intended to represent. We like the plan of the work, and commend it, most cordially and cheerfully, to all our infant and elementary schools, especially for the very youngest classes.

THE MOUNT VERNON READER; a course of Reading Lessons, selected with reference to their moral influence on the hearts and

lives of the young. Designed for junior classes. By the Messrs Abbott. Boston: T. H. Carter, Agent. 1838. pp. 162.

This book seems to us to be just what it professes to be; and we like it, in general, and wish it success. We suppose, however, that even the authors themselves do not expect children will be so much benefitted by the questions at the end of the lessons, as teachers. But should they merely serve the purpose of leading teachers to do something for their pupils besides hearing them read or say or recite their lessons, parrot-like, the labor bestowed in compiling the work will not be lost.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF PROF. CUNNINGHAM, as Professor of Ancient Languages, in Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, Jan. 1, 1838.

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A handsome pamphlet of twentyseven pages, containing the learned Professor's thoughts on the question whether Normal Seminaries ought to be distinct establishments, or engrafted on colleges.' Prof. C. endeavors to sustain the opinion that in the present circumstances of our country, they must be engrafted on colleges; and believes and endeavors to show that Lafayette College, is peculiarly fitted for making an experiment of the kind. The question is an important one, but we cannot discuss it now. The address is well worth perusal: a single extract from it, on a collateral topic, is inserted on the preceding page.

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