190 Movements in Georgia. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Teachers' Seminary at Plymouth.-The number of students reported as connected with this Seminary, is 200, of whom 110 are males, and 90 females. Of these, about 60 are furnished with board in houses erected for the purpose, and under the eye of their instructers. A considerable number board in the family of Mr S. R. Hall, the Principal. The utmost attention appears to be paid to their moral character, and to their health. A very extended course of Lectures on Teaching is given in the institution; and we learn, with great pleasure, from the catalogue, that one of the regular studies of the junior year, in both the male and female departments, is human physiology. On this subject, courses of lectures, more or less extended, are also given. CONNECTICUT. Mrs Sigourney. This gifted lady has become the author or compiler of a school book, which she calls "The Girl's Reading Book." It has 243 pages, and is published by J. Orville Taylor, of New York. It consists of articles chiefly, as we suppose, from her own pen, written on various occasions, both in prose and poetry. We regard the work as adapted to the wants of the numerous class of persons for whom it is intended, and hope it may be widely circulated. American Lyceum. -The Eighth Anniversary of the American Lyceum will be held at Hartford, on Tuesday, the 1st of May next. Lyceums and other literary societies are invited by the Corresponding Secretary, Mr Dwight, to send delegates; and the friends of education, generally, are invited to attend. It is hoped and believed that the session will be one of great interest. Several valuable Essays, Lectures, and other contributions, have already been promised, and a number of important questions are to be prepared for discussion. norance. Ignorance and Crime.-Every year's observation of facts serves to confirm the doctrine that crime depends, in a greater or less degree, on igWe learn from the Report of the Prison Discipline Society, that of 57 criminals committed last year to the Connecticut State Prison, 14 could neither read nor write, and 16 could read, but not write; which, together, would be more than one half the whole number. GEORGIA. The movements in Georgia, were adverted to in one of our late numbers. According to the statements of the public papers, it would seem that a Common School system has been adopted by the Legislature of that State, by which five hundred thousand dollars, heretofore set apart as a Poor School and Academic fund, together with one third part of the surplus revenue, is constituted a fund to be devoted to the support of Common Schools. Report of the Board of Education. MASSACHUSETTS. 191 Board of Education. We have received the First Annual Report of the Board of Education,' for this State, together with the First Annual Report of the Secretary of the Board, the Hon. Horace Mann. It is a pamphlet of 75 octavo pages; and is a document of great value.— The abstract of the School Returns of the Commonwealth, made out, in part, by the same officer, has been mentioned in a former number. From the Report of Mr M., we learn that sometime during last summer, he addressed to the school committee of every town in the Commonwealth, a circular letter, embracing the following questions, though by no means excluding information on other topics. 1. Is inconvenience or discomfort suffered from the construction or location of school houses in your town, and if so, in what manner? 2. Are the requisitions of law complied with in your town, in relation to the aggregate length of time in which schools are kept; the different kinds of schools kept, and the qualifications of the teachers employed? 3. Does your town choose a school committee each year? Do they organize as a committee, and do they visit and examine the schools, as required by law? 4. Are school committee-men paid for their services? If so, how much? 5. Are teachers employed for the public schools, without being examined and approved, or before being examined and approved by the committee? 6. Do parents, in general, exhibit any public interest in the character and progress of schools, by attending examinations or otherwise? 7. Do the school committee select the kind of books to be used in schools, or is it left to parents and teachers? 8. Do the school committee cause books to be furnished, at the expense of the town, to such scholars as are destitute of those required? 9. Is there uniformity of books in the same school? 10. Is any apparatus used in your schools? If so, in how many, and of what kinds is it? 11. Have any teachers been employed who practise school-keeping as a regular employment or profession? If any, how many? Are they male or female? Answers to these questions have been received by Mr M. from more than half the towns in the State; which have been to him, a source of very valuable information. He has also met conventions of the friends of education in every County of the State, except Suffolk. In doing this, he travelled between five and six hundred miles, besides going to Dukes County and Nantucket, and has visited many schools, and personally examined, or at least obtained specific information regarding the relative size, construction and condition of 800 school houses, with much general information concerning at least a thousand more. It is 192 Dr. Woodward on Physical Education. on such a basis as this, and from such sources as this, added to an extensive acquaintance throughout the State, that the report has been prepared. We hope to present the reader, at some future time, with an extract or two from this work. It is a precious document, and should be preserved as such by all who receive it. Lectures on Education.-During the late session of the Legislature, the Board of Education had weekly lectures on the subject of education in the Representatives' Hall, some of which were well attended. Lectures weregiven by Mr Mann, Mr James G. Carter, of Lancaster, Rev. Charles Brooks, of Hingham, and others. Schools of Boston.-Here, the 'march' of improvement, so far as the public schools are concerned, seems to be retrograde. For, to say nothing of the primary schools in addition to what was said in our last number, a strange course has been taken in relation to the grammar schools. Attempts to reform them, after having been partially successful, have at length failed altogether, and the enemies of improvement have obtained a temporary triumph. Their reign, however, is short. A reform in the whole public and primary school system of Boston, is loudly demanded, and cannot much longer be resisted. The measures of today are not always to be counteracted by the men and measures of tomorrow, on the simple ground that they are an innovation on ancient usages, and have not been tested within the city of Boston. Teachers' Seminary.—Ten thousand dollars have been recently placed in the hands of the Secretary of the Board of Education in this State, to promote the cause of Popular Education, on condition that the State will contribute the same amount from their unappropriated funds, and that the two sums, thus united, shall be applied under the direction of the Board of Education in qualifying teachers for our common schools.' The subject has been brought before the Legislature, and referred to the Committee on Education. State Lunatic Hospital.-The fifth annual report of the Trustees of this Institution, including, as it does, the report of Dr. Woodward, is an interesting document, and affords not a few valuable hints to the friends of physical education. Dr W. represents masturbation as a great and increasing cause of an insanity, which is almost incurable; and adds that 'no effectual means can be adopted to prevent the devastation of mind and body, and the debasement of moral principle from this cause, till the whole subject is well understood and properly appreciated by parents and teachers, as well as by the young themselves.' Let those who sneer at such works as the 'Moral Reformer,' the Library of Health,' and the 'Lecture to Young Men on Chastity,' consider what Dr. W. here says, and awake to the study of physiology and the laws of health. tention it will be, in short, to elevate their profession and advance the good of mankind by liv. ing and dying in their service, We need the co-operation of ministers, physicians and other professional men We greatly need also a host of missionaries of education-men of experi ence and of enlarged minds and hearts, self-denying men-men willing to go forth in the true apostolic spirit-without money and without price, and labor to awaken parents and teachers, and philanthrophists, and legislators, but especially parents, to the nature and importance of the great work of Education in all its departments; and to the necessity, in particular, of seeing that all our education is good education. There is a great demand at the present time for teachers and other individuals, who will establish and sustain model schools, and publish clear and intelligible accounts of their experi ments. We want, indeed, no exaggerated accounts of premature results; but only those which have been sufficiently tested. We need intelligent and honest Editors of our periodicals; men who will carefully examine all books for children and schools, and speak of them as well as of men and measures as they ought, without fear of losing the favor or affection of authors, booksellers, or any other individ. uals. This would-be republican community is greatly suffering for want of a more independent editorial corps. We need Editors, too, who are not only warm hearted friends of Education, but truly enlightened ones. Lastly, we need missionary efforts with the pen-we need those who will labor to scatter light and truth on the great subject of Education, through the columns of newspapers and other periodicals, wheresoever they can gain admittance. RECENT NOTICES OF THE ANNALS OF EDUCATION. American Annals of Education. We have receiv. ed the first No. of the eighth volume of this interesting and useful periodical, published at Boston, and edited by Wm. A. Alcott, author of "The Young Man's Guide," "The Young Mother," &c.-We hesitate not to commend it to the patronage of the friends of education in the West, as a work of the first order. From the Cleveland, Observer. The Annals ought to be in the hands of every teacher of youth in the land. He will find it a most important auxiliary in the business of instruction. It contains an amount of useful facts, on the subject of teaching, no where else to be found. From the Portland Transcript. We have received the February number of the Annals of Education, and find it well stored with useful matter. We have but space to record our high opinion of the Annals-a magazine which should be taken in every family. From the New Hampshire Observer. This work might very profitably be circulated among those who desire to receive aid on the subject of family, school, and infant school education. From the (Philadelphia) Episcopal Recorder. Annals of Education. - All interested in the subject of education, including parents who can afford the expense of three dollars per annum, should avail themselves of its instructions. assistant of the editor from the commencement of the Annals; and that he has written some of its most valuable articles. From the Providence Journal. With the Annals in the hands of teachers, Committee Men, and others interested in the advancement of literature and science, an incalculable amount of good may be accomplished. From the Christian Register. We are gratified to perceive that this periodical devoted, as it is, to the promotion of objects, than which none can be more important-fully maintains its reputation, and gradually increases in interest and value. From the New Bedford Mercury. The American Annals of Education, appears to be conducted with new spirit and vigor. From a Teacher, Dayton, Ohio, Jan. 1st. 1838. Wm. A. Alcott - Dear Sir: I consider the "Annals" invaluable in the cause of Education, and cannot endure the thought of its discontinuance. Let every subscriber for 1833 send you five dollars and thus procure one copy for himself, and one for circulation he will thus promote the dissemination of correct principles and secure the continuance of one of the most valuable periodicals in the country. I send you five dollars, You will please send me two copies for 1838. Yours, &c. From Prof. Mc'GUFFEY, of Ohio. From the Sunday School Journal, for 1837. A Teacher in the West thus writes. At a ConvenThe new volume of the American Annals of Edu- tion of Teachers. not long since, a resolution was ofcation and Instruction, appears under the editorial fered recommending the " Annals" to the attention care of Dr William A. Alcott, of Boston. Its read-of Teachers, &c. It was said by Prof. McGuffey ers will be glad that it has fallen into the hands of a gentleman of whom Mr Woodbridge speaks," as well known to the public as the author of several works which exhibit the correctness of his views, as well as his zeal, on the subject of education." It is only necessary to say that he has been the constant and others, in supporting the resolution, that they would not be deprived of the knowledge and advantage they had derived from a perusal of the Annals, if they could not obtain it in any other way, for its weight in gold. 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