4. The instructers shall take suitable times, when out of school hours, to exercise the scholars in the practical application of those branches of mathematical science which they have studied in school, such as measuring solids and superfices, guaging and weighing-taking heights and distances, &c. They shall also take opportunities for exercising those who have studied composition, rhetoric, and logic, in declamation and forensic disputation. The teachers shall also give lectures on chemistry, with practical experiments and illustrations, and illustrate the principles of natural and moral philosophy in general.

5. It is proposed, in connection with the Institution, to cultivate an extensive garden and farm. under the superintendence of an experienced and scientific agriculturalist, in which those scholars who wish to acquire a theoretical and practical knowledge of agriculture may be taught; and others who may desire to do something towards their own maintenance, may have the privilege of laboring when out of school, and they shall be allowed a suitable compensation for their labors.

6. Work-shops are also to be provided, and furnished with suitable tools, where the scholars, under the direction of an experienced mechanic, shall be taught the use of tools in various kinds of mechanical labor.

The Legislature of Massachusetts has granted an act of incorporation to the Wesleyan Academy; and the New-England Conference have resolved to patronise the Institution, and to use their influence to raise subscriptions to aid its funds. -Zion's Herald.

COLLEGE AT GENEVA, NEW YORK.

The Rev. ALONZO POTTER, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Union College Schenectady, has been elected President of the Episcopal College lately organised at Geneva in the State of New York.

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS ON EDUCATION.
Common Schaols.

On motion of Mr. Strong of N. Y. the Committee on Public Lands was instructed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating a portion of the net annual proceeds of the sales and entries of the public lands, exclusively for the support of common schools-and of apportioning the same among the several States in proportion to the representation of each in the House of Representatives.

Education of the Children of Seamen.

On motion of Mr. Holcombe, of N J. the Committee on Naval Affairs was instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a school or schools for the education of children in destitute circumstances, (the sons of American seamen to be preferred,) to be articled to serve when required, on board of the public ships of the United States, until twenty-one years of age; the object of the institution being to furnish the Navy, from year to year, with a number of competent and well educated petty officers.

United States Naval School.

Mr. Storrs, from the Naval Committee, reported a bill for the establishment of a Naval School.

This bill authorises the President to establish a school for the improvement and instruction of the Midshipmen, and other officers of the Navy. That the ⚫ said school may be located on any land now held by the United States, for Naval or Military purposes, and shall be subject to regulations to be prescribed by the President-that it shall be under the command of a captain of the navy, to be selected by the President-that one Professor of Natural and Experimental Phi

losophy and Astronomy-one Professor of Mathematics and Navigation-one teacher of Geography and History-one Teacher of the French and Spanish Languages, and one Fencing Master, shall be appointed by the President.--And the Secretary of the Navy is authorised to provide the necessary books, implements, and apparatus for the School.

MERCANTILE LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

Philadelphia Mercantile Library.

A Mercantile Library Company has been formed five years in Philadelphia, and has met with encouraging success. The number of volumes is 1500, the annual subscription two dollars, and it is patronised by the most respectable Merchants.

New-York Mercantile Library.

In five years, the young men who compose the New-York Mercantile Library Association, by the most commendable perseverance and exertions, have collected a library of twenty-two hundred volumes of well selected books.

Boston Mercantile Library.

At a meeting of Merchants and their Clerks, held at the Commercial Coffee House in the spring of 1820, was first projected the establishment of a Library and Reading Room, for the benefit of young men engaged in Mercantile pursuits. The plan met with general approbation. An association having been formed, with suitable rules and regulations for its government, by the munificence of individuals and the active zeal of the young men, it was speedily carried into operation, and a room centrally situated (over Merchants' Hall) fitted up for the purpose at considerable expense. The subscription list increased rapidly, and the object of the association was successful beyond the expectations of its most sanguine friends.

At the formation of the Library many of the most respectable and influential merchants of Boston, entered zealously into the cause, made liberal donations in money, and furnished many valuable books. The young men having so laudable an example before them, generally came forward and connected themselves with the association.

The Library room is open every evening, (Sundays excepted,) from the 1st September to the 1st of May, and three evenings in a week during the remainder of the year. Books may be taken from the room and returned in exchange for others as often as the proprietors may wish, or they remain there and peruse them, where perfect silence and decorum at all times prevail. There are now arranged on the shelves nearly eleven hundred volumes, including many interesting and useful works; but there exists an almost universal desire for the occasional new publications; and here the directors would observe, that the reduced state of their funds has prevented them from making any addition for some time past, and to this they attribute in a great degree the withdrawing of many of the old subscribers, and the difficulty experienced in procuring new ones.

PRIZES AWARDED TO WORKS ON EDUCATION.

At the late annual sitting of the French Academy, the prizes for publications conducive to morals and virtue, were awarded to the Baron de Gerando, for a work on Moral Improvement, or Self Education,' and to the work of the late Madame Campan, "on Education."-Ch. Obs. Nov. 1825.

·

PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BALTIMORE.

A bill has passed the Maryland House of Delegates, granting power to the Mayor and city Council of Baltimore, to establish public schools within that city, and to lay taxes for the support of such schools.

NOTICES.

WORKS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Catalogue of the Officers and Cadets, together with the prospectus and internal Regulations of the American Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy, at Middletown, Connecticut. Middletown, 1826. 12mo. pp. 42.

That Capt. Partridge's Academy meets with a large share of public approbation and patronage, is apparent from the fact that the present number of students is two hundred and eighty nine--of professors and other instructers, eighteen

The principal of this flourishing seminary is distinguished not only as an instructer thoroughly versed in military science, but as an enlightened and successful advocate of practical education.

An agricultural seminary, we confess, is more to our taste than a military one. Capt. Partridge's system, however, presents so many excellent features, that we shall not restrict ourselves to this brief notice, but, at our earliest opportunity, shall take up the subject at greater length.

Monitorial Schools. The Origin, Progress, and Advantages of the Monitorial System of Tuition, set forth in an Address delivered on the occasion of the opening of the Elizabeth-Town Public School, December 14th, 1825. By John C. Rudd, D. D., Rector of St. John's Church. Elizabeth-Town, 1826. 12mo.

pp. 18.

The rapid increase of the number of monitorial schools, is a pleasing fact in the progress of education. The impression seems to be every where gaining ground, that these schools afford a more direct and efficient method of instruction than is furnished in others.

The monitorial system possesses, indeed, many advantages over the common method. It devolves upon the pupil's own exertions a larger share of his own advancement; and produces therefore greater force and activity of mind. The whole routine of school occupation is so much enlivened by this system, that the school hours become the most pleasant of the day. But our present limits forbid our entering farther into these topics. We can barely afford room to mention the decided superiority of the monitorial plan, in the admirable school of preparation which it forms for such pupils as are in after life to become teachers.

In the first part of his address, Dr. Rudd takes great pains to show that a due share of the honor of originating the system of mutual instruction, is not accorded to Dr Bell. The second part of the address presents a brief and cursory view of the intellectual, moral, and physical advantages of monitorial instruction. The limits to which the author has confined himself, render his pamphlet less interesting than the fuller treatises on the same subject, to which we have already called the attention of our readers. But the true test of the merits of this tract, is its success in accomplishing its local purposes, which we have no doubt it has fully done.

Young Ladies' Astromony. A concise System of physical, practical and descriptive Astronomy: designed particularly for the assis

tance of Young Ladies, in that interesting and sublime study; though well adapted to the use of Common Schools. By M. R. Bartlett. Utica, 1825. 4to. pp. 195.

This is a simple, familiar, and practical work, excellen ly adapted to its purpose. A popular treatise on astronomy, constructed so as to dispense with the more difficult mathematical illustrations, has, we think, been much wanted for the use of females, as well as for that of youth of the other sex, who enter early on business, and who cannot bring to the study of this subject a mind disciplined by mathematical instruction. Mr. Bartlett's work will, we hope, be extensively adopted in academies and schools.

In a second edition, the author will, it is to be hoped, abandon the catechetical arrangement, and thus leave more scope for the mind of the young learner to exercise itself in furnishing appropriate answers to the questions.

Epitome Historiæ Græcæ cum Appendice de Diis et Heroibus poeticis. Accedit Dictionarium Latino Anglicum. Editio Prima Americana, Novi Portus. 18mo. Epitome, pp. 100: Appendix, 148: Dictionary, 110. 1822.

We take notice of this meritorious little work, not merely from its intrinsic character, but its connection with the advances of improvement in teaching. This is one of that useful class of publications for which we stand indebted to the French classical schools, and which has, within a few years, been furnished to fill up the enormous gap previous y existing between Cordery and-Virgil!

After several years' use of this interesting book, in the instruction of different classes, we can cheerfully recommend it to such teachers as may not yet have adopted it. There are but few boys so dull or so regardless as to be able to resist the fascination of this little history.

A Standard Spelling book, or the Scholar's Guide to an accurate Pronunciation of the English Language; accompanied with easy, familiar, and progressive Reading Lessons. Designed as an Introduction to the use of Walker's Critical Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language. Compiled for the Use of Schools. By James H. Sears. Revised Edition New Haven, 1825.

In many schools in which Walker's dictionary is used by scholars of the middle class, it has unaccountably been customary to make use, in the youngest class, of a spelling-book entirely at war with Walker's principles. This oversight is the cause of much trouble, and much waste of time, in building up, and pulling down, and rebuilding,—where the first effort might erect a perfect fabric at once. The spelling-book before us, is intended to accomplish this object. Of its success we have no doubt. The utmost care has been bestowed on its arrangement. In several other particulars which our limits will not permit us to mention, it possesses equal merit-The internal character of the book corresponds, in all respects, to the neatness and care of its execution.

A Catechism of English Grammar, with Practical Exercises, prepared for the use of the School of Mutual Instruction in Boston. By the Instructer. Boston, 1823. 12mo. pp. 68.

Murray's Grammar is universally esteemed a very systematic work.

There

is not, however, the same unanimity about the merits of his system when considered with reference to the genius of the English language.-We have no room here for discussion. We can only avow our opinion as coinciding with that of those writers who assert that, in Mr. Murray's exposition of English grammar,

there is too much accommodation to the idioms and the etymology of the Latin language. We are happy, therefore, to invite the attention of our readers to such books as this of Mr. Fowle:-not that we consider this little work perfect in all respects, but as a valuable improvement which gives excellent pledge of the future character of this and other current abridgements of grammar.

BOOKS FOR CHILDREN.

The Prize, or the Story of George Benson and William Sandford. Newburyport, 1824. 18mo. pp. 36.

This is an uncommonly simple and natural little story. It is exceedingly interesting; and the moral lessons which it inculcates, cannot but make a deep impression. George is perhaps rather too good a boy for ordinary life. The account of the reformation of William, however, is very pleasing, and forms a happy close to the story.

In some books for children, an attempt is made to deter from vice, by exhibiting the dismal end of evil doers. But the coloring of such representations, is sometimes so strong, that the narrative becomes too gloomy for the tender and susceptible feelings of the infant mind.

The plan which is adopted at the close of this story, is, we think, a more successful, as well as a more pleasant one: the scene is shifted from the depressing consciousness of guilt, to the happy feelings of a reformed heart. The impression left on the mind of the young reader, after the perusal of such a tale, is the still small voice, which was not heard till the horrors of the tempest had passed away. The sermon at the end of the book, contains, we doubt, too many expressions unintelligible to young children. The questions, however, which are judiciously annexed, will enable a child to understand the substance and scope of the dis

course.

It is we think a recommendation to this book that the story is American. Many of the details of children's books published in England, are necessarily unintelligible to young readers in this country, owing to the difference in the circumstances of life and manners, as well as of political institutions.-In books for children, there should not be a single unintelligible expression.

Harry and Lucy concluded; being the last part of Early Lessons. By Maria Edgeworth. 3 vols. 18mo. Boston, 1825.

These volumes are intended by their ingenious author to entice young people to the study of the mechanic contrivances and scientific apparatus, which are commonly classed under the head of useful inventions. The chief aim of the work, however, is to present all these subjects in that light which is best suited to produce careful comparison, to elicit judgement and reflection, and to suggest such combinations of thought as may aid the inventive efforts of the imaginative faculty. Our present limits will not permit us to do more than mention that this is one of the best of those publications which are turning the current of public opinion on early education, and which are leading judicious parents and instructers to allow the stream of knowledge to flow into the juvenile mind, through the appointed medium of the senses.

To praise any of Miss Edgeworth's attempts would be idle. The American public has long since assigned her one of the highest places among the friends of parents and of youth. The following account of her present work is extracted from the preface addressed to parents.'

These volumes are intended for young people, from the age of ten to fourteen. They complete the series of "Early Lessons ;" an humble work, from which no literary fame can be acquired, but which I have been most desirous to com