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stories each, 14 feet high. Ventilation is secured by flues, carried up in the walls, and light is admitted so as to reach the pupils seated at study, at the side. Blackboards wrought in the wall, are amply furnished for the whole school; and all the rooms are well provided with appropriate furniture.

There are here, three departments; the Infant, Intermediate, and Grammer Departments. The building can accommodate three hundred and twenty pupils.

In

In the 4th District, a school building of brick, 100 feet long by 44 wide, was ereeted by the committee at a cost of $25,000. This edifice contains 17 rooms, each 14 feet high, beside the halls. There are three large rooms for the three departments; and some of the rooms are used as apparatus, collection and toilet rooms. In respect to blackboards, ventilation, light, &c., every thing is arranged in the best manner. the Infant Department, the seats are furnished with little mahogany boxes, running across the top of the seat, for keeping the slates, books, &c., of each pupil; and the seat so contrived as to give the children an easy and natural seat. This building accommodates five hundred pupils.

In the 5th District, a new brick building, 90 feet long and 40 wide, was erected by the Board at the expense of $21,000. It is two stories high; the lower being 15 feet, and the upper 14 in the clear. It is built and arranged and fitted up in exactly the same style as the building in the 4th District, and accommodates the same number of pupils. Both these edifices are built in the form of a Greek cross.

It appears from the report, that during their official year, ending about the 1st of September, 1854, The Board of Education for the city of San Francisco, expended for school purposes and expended judiciously, no less than one hundred and two thousand, six hundred and sixty dollars. In addition to the sum actually laid out, standing debts to the amount of nearly five thousand dollars, were contracted for like purposes; and remained to be provided for. The average expense for each pupil during the year, was $27 14; and the amount paid out for teachers' salaries, was $28,650.

The Committee in the course of their Report remark as follows:"Although our citizens have been, and are, heavily taxed, yet we have not heard, and do not hear, any complaint raised against liberally supporting the schools; the people are ready to acquiesce in any reasonable demand made upon them. For the above mentioned purpose, the city school-tax this year should, in our opinion, be one-half of one per cent. on the whole assessment; or, in addition to a tax sufficient for mere

current expenses, it would be well to issue, in addition to those bonds now issued, but not sold, $150,000 of ten per cent. bonds, maturable, say in ten years; so that the people of the present time may not be burdened to pay for what those some years hence may equally enjoy, and for which they would equally bear a part in paying." From this extract we see, that the citizens of San Francisco are not tired of what they have already done, but are advancing from one good step to another. May they reap a rich harvest of true and substantial prosperity from the seed they are sowing with liberal and unsparing hands. J. B.

MODE OF TEACHING ARITHMETIC.

I. Qualifications.-The chief qualification requisite in teaching Arithmetic, as well as other branches, are the following:

1. A thorough knowledge of the subject.

2. A love of the employment.

3. An aptitude to teach. These are indispensable to success.

II. Classification.-Arithmetic, like reading, grammar, &c., should be taught in classes.

1. This method saves much time, and thus enables the teacher to devote more attention to oral illustrations.

2. The action of mind upon mind, is a powerful stimulant to exerion, and cannot fail to create a zest for the study.

3. The mode of analyzing and reasoning of one scholar, will often uggest new ideas to others in the class.

4. In the classification, those should be put together who possess as nearly equal capacities and attainments as possible. If any of the class learn quicker than others, they should be allowed to take up an extra study, or be furnished with additional examples to solve, so that the whole class may advance together.

5. The number in a class, if practicable, should not be less than six, nor over twelve or fifteen. If the number is less, the recitation is apt to be deficient in animation; if greater, the turn to recite does not come round sufficiently often to keep up the interest.

III. Apparatus.-The Black-board and Numerical Frame are as indispensable to the teacher, as tables and cutlery are to the housekeeper. Not a recitation passes without use for the black-board. If a principle is to be demonstrated or an operation explained, it should be done upon the black-board, so that all may see and understand it at

once.

To illustrate the increase of numbers, the process of adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, &c., to your scholars, the Numeral Frame furnishes one of the most simple and convenient methods ever invented.

Every one who ciphers will of course have a slate. Indeed, it is desirable that every scholar in school, even to the very youngest, should be furnished with a slate, so that when their lessons are learned, each one may busy himself in writing or drawing various familiar objects. Idleness in school is the parent of mischief, and employment is the best antidote against disobedience.

Geometrical diagrams and solids are also highly useful in illustrating many points in arithmetic, and no school should be without them. IV. Recitations.—The first object in a recitation, is to secure the attention of the class. This is done chiefly by throwing life and variety into the exercise. Children loathe dullness, while animation and variety are their delight.

2. Every example should be analyzed; the "why and the wherefore" of every step in the solution should be required, till each member of the class becomes perfectly familiar with the process of reasoning and analysis.

3. To ascertain whether each pupil has the right answer, it is an excellent method to name a question, then call upon some one to give the answer, and before deciding whether it is right or wrong, ask how many in the class agree with it. The answer they give by raising their hand, will show at once how many are right. The explanation of process may now be made.

V. Objects of the Study.-When properly studied, two important ends are attained. 1st. Discipline of mind, and the development of the reasoning powers. 2d. Facility and accuracy in the application of numbers to business calculations.

VI. Thoroughness.-The motto of every teacher should be thoroughness. Without it, the great ends of the study of Arithmetic are defeated.

1. In securing this object, much advantage is derived from frequent reviews.

2. Every operation should be proved. The intellectual discipline and habits of accuracy thus secured, will richly reward the student for his time and toil.

3. Not a recitation should pass without practical exercises upon the black board or slates, beside the lesson assigned.

4. After the class have solved the examples under a rule, each one

should be required to give an accurate account of its principles with the reason for each step, either in his own language or that of the author.

5. Mental Exercises in arithmetic are exceedingly useful in making ready and accurate arithmeticians; hence the practice of connecting mental with written exercises, throughout the whole course, is strongly recommended.

VII. Self reliance.-The habit of self-reliance in study, is confessedly invaluable. Its power is proverbial; I had alınost said, omnipotent. “Where there is a will, there is a way."

1. To acquire this habit, the pupil like a child learning to walk, must be taught to depend upon himself. Hence,

2. When assistance is required, it should be given indirectly; not by taking the slate and solving the example for him, but by explaining the meaning of the question, or illustrating the principle on which the operation depends, by supposing a more familiar case. Thus the pupil will be able to solve the question himself, and his eye will sparkle with the conciousness of victory.

3. The pupil should be encouraged to study out different solutions, and to adopt the most concise and elegant.

4. Finally, he should learn to perform examples independent of the answer. Without this attainment the pupil receives but little or no discipline from the study, and acquires no confidence in his own abilities. What though he comes to the recitation with an occasional wrong answer; it were better to solve one question understandingly and alone, than to copy a score of answers from the book. What would the study of mental arithmetic be worth, if the pupil had the answers before him? What is a young man good for in the countingroom, who cannot perform arithmetical operations without looking to the answer? Every one pronounces him unfit to be trusted with business calculations.-Thompson.

CONNECTICUT STATE TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

The Semi Annual meeting of this Association was held in Hartford, on the 8th and 9th of May, 1855. The Association convened in the Centre Church lecture room, at 2 o'clock, P. M., was called to order by the President, Prof. D. N. Camp of New Britain, and the session opened with prayer by Rev. E. B. Huntington, of Stamford.

Prof. Camp introduced the business of the meeting with the following remarks:

We meet

Members of the Connecticut State Teachers' Association :— to-day in auspicious circumstances. Though not favored by the clear sun light of the orb of day, still the warmer sun light of true hearts, smiles upon us.

We see gathered here a brotherhood, yea, and a sisterhood of noble, earnest souls, pledged to educational progress. Every County in the State, and every grade of Educational Institutions is represented here to-day. Co-laborers from other professions and employments are also here with their support and encouragement.

We are favored with the presence of the highest School Officer in the State, who, with his noble and beloved predecessor, will give us counsel, and encourage the hearts of all.

From the reputation and distinguished abilities of those who have been invited to address the Association, we may promise a rich intellectual feast.

This Society originated in the conviction, that if the interests of education were to be advanced by improvement in our public schools, teachers must be brought together for consultation and mutual counsel.

It has ever manifested an interest in all educational improvements. At its first meeting resolutions were passed, petitioning the Legisla ture to make provisions for Teachers' Institutes. Petitions were sent up to the Legislature. A bill was passed making appropriations and arrangements for institutes; two in each county in the State. These have ever since been a feature in the educational policy of the State. The Normal School Bill passed the House of Representatives by a large majority, and was lost in the Senate by the casting vote of the Chair

man.

When the Association was formed, the number of teachers employed permanently in public schools, was very small. With the exception of two or three instances in the large cities, teachers' wages were far from remunerative. There was but one high school in the State. No well established graded schools.

Circumstances have changed. We have already a noble band of earnest teachers in the State, and their number is greatly increasing. Connecticut has sent her teachers abroad over the Union. She has sent to other states for the best teachers that could be found, and employed them in her public schools. We were accustomed to look to Massachusetts for good schools, and among all the schools of that Commonwealth those of Boston were most celebrated, and of the Boston schools the Quincy Grammar School was well considered a model. Believing that, "as is the teacher, so is the school," Connecticut sought the distin

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