efforts of those who consecrate themselves with so much devotedness to this subject; it was resolved in the ordinary meeting of the society of the 24th of the same month, to return you, gentlemen, through me as their secretary, the thanks so justly due, for the manner in which you have conducted and still con. duct the establishment, as a testimony of the merit you have acquired by this course, which may serve as a stimulus and a reward in your honorable profession.'

The letter of Mr Cubi was accompanied by several pamphlets, which will be referred to in a future number.

As inquiries are frequently made in regard to the nature and utility of the county conventions of teachers, which have recently been held in various parts of the State, we have thought that a brief statement on the subject would be of interest to our readers.

At the meeting of teachers in March, when various preliminary measures were adopted tending towards a more systematic prosecution of the objects of education in New England, a resolution was passed recommending meetings of teachers in the various counties, at which it was proposed that interesting subjects should be discussed and facts exhibited, tending to give encouragement and fresh impulse to the teachers who might attend them. Accordingly, such a meeting was called at Worcester, for Worcester county, on the following month. Mr Holbrook was invited to attend it, to exhibit his apparatus, explain its use, and address, on other subjects, the teachers and pupils who might be present. A considerable number, both of teachers and pupils from the neighboring towns, assembled and held sessions from day to day, for nearly a week.

Subsequent meetings of a similar character, have been held at Concord, Dedham, Greenfield, Northampton, Springfield, Lenox, Halifax, Taunton, and Keene New Hampshire. It will be observed that the place of assembling has not always been the county town. Any place seems to have been considered suitable, which, from its situation, or the interest in education which has been felt in its vicinity, could bring together a hundred or two of teachers and scholars.

It is estimated that in all the above meetings from fifteen to eighteen hundred teachers, and from ten to twelve hundred scholars have been present. Mr Holbrook has attended most, if not all of them; and they have been addressed by other gentlemen of the respective vicinities, who have been interested in the subject; and so far as we can judge from the accounts published in the newspapers of the towns in which they have been held, they have excited strong interest, and tended to very happy results.

It seems probable that this plan might be advantageously carried into more full and extended operation. Teachers have been too long isolated and solitary beings, each performing his own wearisome duties alone, and struggling against difficulties and trials without encouragement or sympathy. But this is not to continue. Measures similar to those above described, and especially the general convention of teachers during the month of August, will, we hope and believe, be productive of a thorough and decided revolution.

We see no reason why great advantage may not result from county conventions of teachers throughout New England,* or the United States. When practicable, it may be advisable to invite some gentleman interested particularly in the subject, to attend and to address the meeting. Where this is not practicable, such subjects as the following may be assigned to individual teachers of the vicinity, upon which each may address the assembly.

State of the schools, and especially the defects or difficulties, and the remedies of which they are susceptible.

State of Lyceums; facts in regard to the success or failure of those which have been established, and the methods of conducting them.

Expediency of a permanent county convention.

Means of improvement within the reach of schools and teachers, apparatus, periodicals, books on education.

School books, the variety in use and their character.

These topics might easily be multiplied. But our limits do not allow it. We cannot close this notice more appropriately than by saying, in the words of a circular lately issued on this subject, that a step by which every one of our schools shall be made a little better, and the improvement of each child promoted, even in a slight degree, will be a great national good.'

* Since the above was written, we have seen in the Reporter, interesting notices of such meetings in Genesee, N. Y., and at Augusta, Maine.

ART. IX.-MUSIC, AS A BRANCH OF INSTRUCTION IN COMMON SCHOOLS.

In the United States, singing is usually considered as an accomplishment which belongs to the luxuries of education. In Germany, it is deemed an essential part of common school instruction; as a means of cultivating one of the most important of our senses, of softening the character, and especially of preparing children to unite in the public worship of God. It is considered no more remarkable, and no more difficult, for children to read and write music, than language; and musical tones are made the means of associating valuable ideas with the common objects and phenomena of nature, and the ordinary events of life.

The following ordinance, extracted from the Prussian Official Gazette, (Amts Blatt,) Cologne, January 15, 1828, will show the light in which this subject is viewed by that government.

Among the essential branches of education, which ought to be found in all common schools, and to which every teacher who undertakes the management of such schools, is in duty bound to attend, is that of instruction in singing. Its principal object in these schools, is to cultivate feeling, and exert an influence in forming the habits, and strengthening the powers of the will, for which mere knowledge of itself is often altogether insufficient; hence it constitutes an essential part of educating instruction, and if constantly and correctly applied, renders the most unpolished nature capable of softer emotions, and subject to their influences. From its very nature, it accustoms pupils to conform to general rules, and to act in concert with others. It is far more sure of producing such an effect in youth, when the heart is very susceptible of impressions of this kind, and no importance should be attached to the assertion of many teachers and directors of schools, that we can by no means anticipate this influence upon such wild youth as are found in the country. In general, this belief originates entirely from old prejudices, from a want of proper experience, from a love of indolence, or from an inadequate knowledge of the course and method of instruction. Convinced of the certainty of the result, where the means are correctly employed, we shall not stop to consider such objections as appear to be grounded solely upon exceptions. On the other hand, we shall hold those teachers in particular esteem, who even in this subject, labor with zeal

and success, in the conscientious discharge of the duties of their calling. Finally, we expect that those efforts, together with their results, will be particularly noticed in the report of the school directors.

'Having recommended this important object of primary instruction, (the immediate connexion of which with religious in. struction, no one can fail to perceive,) to the zealous exertions of the teachers, and the careful attention of the directors of schools, and, at the same time, having urged the study of the best writers upon the subject, which, so far as they relate to school instruction, ought to be found in the libraries of every district, we shall here bring forward some points, which demand a closer and more universal attention.

'If instruction in singing is to accomplish with certainty the objects proposed, it must be long continued without interruption, and, of course, it is indispensably necessary that a regular attendance be required during the continuance of the duties of the school, and enforced in the strongest manner.

'It is unnecessary to illustrate the contrast between the last remark and the usual desultory mode in which singing is taught.'

Two things are wanted in order to render a similar course of instruction practicable in this country;-a set of tunes adapted to the capacities of children, and calculated to associate the sensible with the moral and spiritual world in their minds, and a simple, analytical course of instruction. Both these wants, we are happy to state, will probably be supplied in a few weeks under the direction of Mr Mason, editor of the Handel and Haydn Society's Collection of Church Music, who has in his possession an ample store of materials, and whose talents secure the supply of any chasms in the series. It will be issued in parts, under the title of the Infant and Juvenile Lyre. It will be speedily followed by a manual for teaching, on a new and improved plan. Songs for children should have simplicity without frivolity, and an adaptation to the heart, which is not found in every-day compositions. We believe our musical readers will be satisfied from the following specimens, that the forthcoming work is likely to have this character.

After this article was sent to press, the Editor, in a lecture before the Convention of Teachers at Boston, had occasion to describe the new system of musical instruction formed under the direction of Pestalozzi, and adopted in the improved schools of Germany and Switzerland; and by the aid of a juvenile choir, to present the following, and other specimens of a large collection of children's music, which he had selected and brought to this country, together with the best manuals of the system, in the hope of introducing both into our schools. All these materials he has placed in the hands of Mr Mason, and some gentlemen associated with him, who are pledged for their publication and the promotion of this object. The system has long been tested in Europe. It has also been tried in this country, and a gentleman who observed its results, says, in a letter to the editor :

'I entered upon the examination of the system with some prejudices; but the more I have examined it, the more I am convinced of its superiority over the common method, especially in the simple manner in which the principles of mùsic are presented to the mind of the child. The pupils of the infant school which I visited, after a short period of instruction in rhythm (time) only, surpas sed in accuracy of time, our ordinary choirs of singers."