the prosperity of our schools, and against the moral and intellectual advancement of our children. The stake which we hold in our hands, is of such vast magnitude, that all, parents, teachers and visitors, should meet faithfully the responsibilities severally devolving upon them.

Appended is an abstract of a school, which, in point of interest manifested by parents in its success and prosperity, was above the average. Instead of names, we designate the scholars No. 1, 2, &c. Nos. Tardy. Absent. Attend. Nos. Tardy. Absent. Attend.

22

21

121212

60

42

16

14

551

81

91 73 Total, 778 | 478 2519

I would observe that the tardiness is registered only for the forenoon. If that for the afternoon should be added, the total would be considerably increased. The time lost by absences is about 16 per cent.: if the tardiness and the dismissals at recess in the afternoon be added to the absences, the time lost will be more than 25 per cent. To conclude this article, already too lengthy, let me suggest to teachers a remedy. Keep an accurate account of the attendance, tardiness, scholarship, and deportment of each scholar, and transmit the same weekly, to be inspected by the parents. I have found this method to answer a good purpose. It not only corrected irregularities in attendance, but also irregularities in conduct. J. F. W. WEST KILLINGLY, Oct. 16, 1854.

* Sickness.

YALE COLLEGE.

REMARKS OF GOV. SEWARD BEFORE THE ALUMNI.

WHEN I came here this morning, I came with the conviction that it would be unbecoming in me, in view of the fact that I was to address an assembly in the evening, to speak on this occasion; especially as the time might be so much better spent by those who return here as Alumni, to revive together their old recollections. I still adhere to that conviction, and the very flattering reception which you have given me shall not make me depart from it.

I shall merely say what comes uppermost in my mind.

It seems to me that the influence of this Yale College, and this New Haven, and this Connecticut, is ubiquitous. It seems to me that nobody ever does anything, but Yale College is somehow mixed up in it. It seems as if nobody ever knew anything, but his knowledge came from Yale College; as if nobody ever learned anything, but his teacher came from Yale College; as if nobody ever sat in a legislative body, but he sat next somebody from Yale College; as if nobody had ever anything to do with public charities, but he met a graduate of Yale College; as if nobody ever engaged in a law-suit, and had a vexatious adversary to oppose, and conquer him, [pointing to Daniel Lord, Esq.,] but that adversary came from Yale College.

Now I will tell you how it is that these thoughts have occurred to me, and why I entertain these opinions. I have been listening to these graduates, going back in recollection to the olden times, and I have been reflecting on my own past history. I have been remembering the time when I studied geography, and the author was a graduate of Yale College; the time when I entered Union College and studied Algebra-the Algebra by Jeremiah Day, of Yale College. By and by, I came to the conclusion that foreign travel was essential to the completion of an education, and as my guide-book for Western Europe, I used the book of travels by Benjamin Silliman, of Yale College. By some singular caprice in the politics of our country, I was chosen a magistrate in the State where I belong; there I had something to do with the public charities. There was to be an institution for the deaf and dumb. Light was to be poured into minds which seemed to be shut out by nature from knowledge. The man that was first to be consulted was Harvey P. Peet, a graduate of Yale College. There was a fearful pestilence threatening us, and means must be taken to drive it out and keep it out from among

us. The best medical talent in the State of New York must be employed; and we find at the head of that profession, Alexander H. Stevens, M. D., a graduate of Yale College. It became necessary to find out a man of science, to effect the construction of a great aqueduct for the commercial metropolis. He was found in the person of Samuel Stevens, an Alumnus of Yale College.

By and by I came into the Councils of the Federal Union; there I found myself among great men-wise men, and some very true men—some men to whom I felt myself drawn irresistibly, and I found they came from Yale College. There was my esteemed friend, Hon. Roger S. Baldwin, of Connecticut. There was (I need not pronounce here a eulogy on either the living or the dead) "Honest John Davis." I knew he came from Massachusetts, and certainly thought Yale College had nothing to do with him. But in listening to the roll of your dead Alumni for only a single year, I find his name among them. Thus, everywhere, I find Yale College mixed up with everything, and exerting its influencewhether for right or wrong, for good or ill, I leave for you to say.

EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENTS IN NORWICH AND NEW

LONDON.

WE take great pleasure in copying the following paragraph from the Norwich Examiner, a paper which is doing excellent service in our cause. Will not other papers copy it? We say in reference to the improvement of schools, "Let there be LIGHT." Circulate information among the people. Organize Town and District Associations. Read and discuss.

"The readers of the Examiner will have observed notices of a proposition simultaneously made in these sister cities, the object of which is to acquaint the mass of the people with the defects of our present school system, and to point out a more excellent way. This is an effort in the right direction. The very first step in the process of reform, is to enlighten the public mind. We have hitherto contented ourselves too much with interesting a few in the subject of education, and have wondered that the people, for whose special benefit these efforts were made, should prove either indifferent or hostile to them.

"We have found, to our astonishment, that property holders, the

pay

for

chief tax-payers of the community, are much more ready to good common schools, than the mass of the people are to receive them. The explanation of all this is, that no proper effort has been made to enlighten the community, as to the character and tendency of these measures. Each man is occupied with his own business, and unless such a subject is specially brought to his attention, he will be likely to give little attention to it. Designing demagogues find it easy to operate upon his prejudices. Efforts for the improvement of schools are very easily misrepresented. You seek for good schools, and it will be said that you mean schools for the rich; as if good schools were not as important, and more so, for the poor as for the rich. You ask for graded schools, and you are told that you wish to separate the children of the so-called 'higher classes' in society, from those of the lower. You ask for a system of thorough supervision, and you will be accused of wishing to play the tyrant, to deprive districts of their liberty to manage their own schools, and of ambitious designs generally. Any one can see how an adroit and brazen-faced man can manage to awaken any amount of opposition, in quarters where we should least expect it, by skillfully playing with such cards. Now the remedy is simple and effectual. Let men understand all the facts in the case; appoint meetings for lectures and discussion in all parts of the town-give every man who has a question to ask, an objection to make, or an argument to offer, a chance to be heard. Give the people light, and we may bid defiance to intriguers. A demagogue's occupation in a New England community, is an exceedingly precarious one. His castle may be readily tumbled down about his ears. One-tenth of the labor which secured for us the Maine Law, would give to Norwich and New London the best system of schools in the United States."

I CAN'T TELL A LIE.

SCHOOL PRESENT.

NOTHING could be more appropriate for a "school ornament," than the picture described below. It will be a constant and eloquent teacher of that first and greatest of lessons for the young-a love of

truth.

"JOHN G. NORTH, Esq., in accordance with a pledge previously given, presented, on Friday afternoon last, a beautiful oil painting to

the Secondary Department of the Webster School. The design of the picture is the commemoration of a well known incident in the life of Washington, which illustrates his love of truth when a boy. The incident was the girdling of a favorite tree in his father's garden, and his confession of the wrong when inquired of, with the remark, "I can not tell a lie." This beautiful story, with its excellent moral, is all told, so far as it can be on canvas, by the painting referred to. Its size is about five feet long by four high. A richly gilt frame surrounds it. Mr. J. P. Stock, of Springfield, is the artist.

"After an appropriate introduction to the subject by one of the School Committee, Mr. North presented the painting, with a brief but excellent address on the importance of forming correct habits in early life, and especially of cultivating a love of truth. The eyes of the little ladies and gentlemen sparkled brilliantly during the remarks and illustrations of the speaker. When he had concluded, the pupils, to the surprise of Mr. North, broke forth into singing the following stanzas, which happened to be in their music book, and which the teacher, Miss Camp, had selected for the occasion:

"When Gen. Washington was young,

About as large as I,

He never would permit his tongue

To tell a wicked lie.

"What!-not correction to escape,

Or shun a father's frown?
And could he bear, when he did wrong
All of the truth to own?

"Yes: once he cut his father's tree,

A fruit-tree nice to view;

And yet he owned it readily

What did his father do?

"He told his son, it pleased him more
To have him tell the truth,

Than if the tree was bending o'er

With gold and silver fruit."

"The exercises were closed by a hymn, commencing thus:

"In life's early morning,
Rejoicing we drink

At truth's holy fountain :

We'll ne'er leave its brink."

New Haven Palladium.