American Institute of Instruction. 471 MISCELLANY. AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INSTRUCTION. THE Ninth Annual Meeeting of the American Institute of Instruction convened at Lowell, on the 23d of August last, and continued in session, as usual, five days. From the minutes of the proceedings, as kept by Mr. THOMAS CUSHING, Jr., the Secretary, we have been permitted to collect the following facts : The following were the LECTURES-fourteeen in number. An Introductory Lecture, by Charles Brooks, of Hingham, Mass. ; on "English Grammar," by R. G. Parker, of Boston; on Model Schools, by Thomas D. James, of Philadelphia; on German Language and Literature, by Herman Bokum, of Cambridge, Mass.; on the bearing of School Instruction on the common duties of life, by A. B. Muzzey, of Cambridgeport, Mass.; on Man, the subject of Education, by S. G. Goodrich; on the past and present condition of Education in Greece, by C. Plato Cartanis; on Oral Instruction, by Ezekiel Rich, Troy, N. H.; on the Mutual Duties of Teachers and Parents, by David P. Page, of Newburyport, Mass. ; on Vocal Music, as a branch of Instruction in Common Schools, by Joseph Harrington, Jr., of Boston; on the Head and the Heart, or the relative value and importance of Moral and Intellectual Education, by Elisha Bartlett, of Lowell, Mass.; on Astronomy, by Joseph Lovering, of Cambridge, Mass.; on the Characteristics of a Good Teacher, by George Warren, of Charlestown, Mass.; on the Literary Responsibility of Teachers, particularly American Teachers, by Charles White, of Owego, N. Y.; and on the School System of Connecticut, by Denison Olmstead, of New Haven, Conn. The following were the subjects which underwent a public discussion: On compelling the attendance of children at School; on a more free use of Oral Instruction, in addition to that of Text Books; on the advantages of a fixed code of Laws and Punishments in a School; and on the expediency and practicability of introducing Vocal Music into our Common Schools. Messrs. Charles Brooks, Greenleaf, S. Pettes, H. Mann, E. Bartlett, A. B. Alcott, H. Bokum, Jenks, H. W. Carter, T. D. James, Bradford, G. F. Thayer, F. Emerson, Allen, P. Mackintosh, and several other individuals, took part in the discussions. Mr Brooks, of Hingham, gave a verbal account of the Borough Road 472 American Institute of Instruction. School, in London; and Mr. Wm. Russell, and Mr. G. F. Thayer, of the Edinburgh Sessional School, at Edinburgh The following Resolutions were also passed during the Session of the Institute : Resolved, That as all popular governments are, and in the very nature of things must be, dependent upon the general prevalence of intelligence and virtue for their stability and their efficiency for good, so it is the right and duty of these governments not only to provide for but to secure by legislative enactments, if necessary, the intellectual and moral education of the young. Resolved, As the sense of the American Institute of Instruction, that it is desirable that the teaching of vocal music should be introduced into Common Schools as soon as it may be practicable. Resolved, That the American Institute of Instruction feel highly encouraged and gratified in view of the increasing interest manifested in various parts of the Union, in behalf of the improvement and extension of Common School Education. A letter was also read from M. Victor Cousin, of France, expressive of the interest he feels in the promotion of general education in this country, and of his sympathy with the American Institute of Instruction. Of the general character of these various performances, we are but poorly prepared to judge, as we were obliged-for the first time in several years, to be absent. From the best information, however, we have been able to obtain, we feel ourselves warranted in making the following remarks. We find a greater variety of character in the lectures of this year, than in those of some former sessions. If immediate practical utility be a prominent object of these lectures, we know not when the purposes of the Institute have been better accomplished, than by such lectures as those of Messrs. Page, Rich, Harrington, Warren, Muzzey, Bartlett and James. The lecture of Mr. Rich included both theory and practice; and we doubt whether a more important lecture has ever been given to the Institute since its first formation. We understand it was not popular at the the time; but this, as our readers well know, is no test of demerit. Mr. Rich is a veteran in the cause of Education, and such men are not sure, in any age, of being carried on the shoulders of the populace. The discussions, though interesting and important, were less so than formerly. They were also less numerous. We are sorry to find these valuable discussions every year giving place, more and more, to elaborate lectures. It ought not so to be; and if the Institute is to retain its reputation for usefulness, it will not be so. We have uttered our complaints on this point, before; but our note of remonstrance, however feeble, is still needed. American Institute of Instruction. 473 There is a spirit occasionally manifested in this Institute, which we should greatly rejoice to see done away. It is exactly what we should expect to find in a body like this in Old England, but not in Massachusetts. It is, if we mistake not, the spirit of aristocracy. We will give a specimen of this spirit. The first resolve we have mentioned, as having been passed this year, was originally drafted thus -and exertions were made to pass it in this form : 'Resolved, That in the opinion of this Institute, it is the duty of our legislators to compel the attendance at school of those children whose parents refuse to perform their duty in this respect.' We renew our protest against the spirit which, in a community, and under a government like ours, would dictate such resolutions. Even as the resolution finally passed, we do not like it. If such is to be the future spirit and course of the Institute, we hope the 'power' will pass into more republican and less exclusive hands; of which, we understand, there are at present some indications. The sentiment against which we are protesting, is the right of the legislature of a State to secure, by legislative enactments, the intellectual and moral education of the young.' Why secure the 'moral and intellectual' any more than the 'physical' education of our youth? Why either? can any one tell us? The sentiment to which we object, is thus expressed by Mr. Goodrich, in his 'Fireside Education.' The legislature is to the people as the central organ of vitality to the life-blood of the body.' The expression is happy, but the figure is not well chosen; for it remains to be proved, according to the doctrines of some of our more intelligent physiologists, that the heart has very much to do in the way of impelling the blood. If it should turn out that the capillaries, and not the heart, give the quickening impulse to the blood, and that the heart is almost passive in the work, Mr. G.'s comparison would be correct, indeed, but it would not express his own political views. The heart would be to the circulating system just what the legislatures, in our view, are to the people-the moved rather than the movers; but the power would be in the millions of capillaries in the one case, and in the millions of the citizens in the other. As for the Institute, we would bid-nay, we would urge,—it ONWARD. It has done some good; it may do more. Let it be in the hands of republicans, however, and not of aristocrats or monarchists. Let it be in the hands of those who are the least selfish, and will be least likely to make it an instrument for the accomplishment of their own selfish purposes. In closing our remarks on the proceedings of the Institute, we beg 474 Singular Schoolmaster. leave to present to our readers the following extract from the Introductory Address, by Mr Brooks : 'It makes me sad to see governments traversing seas and continents to find out new models for a prison, but will hardly cross the street to find a new model for a school-house! Short-sighted philosophy! The bolts and bars, which will keep your goods safer than steel and iron, are the seminal principles of justice and benevolence, early and deeply imbedded in the souls of your children. Plato says, "A sound education and moral culture, would render the office of judge as much a sinecure, as a good system of bodily training would that of a physician." Yes, let there be well-defined, conscientious, Christian principles within, and you will find little need of executive authority without. Give me but the money laid out in defensive processes, in lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, night watches and day watches, walls, prisons, and penitentiaries, and I will sprinkle you good school-houses over all the land, and put into each of them a competent master, at eight hundred dollars a year.' "The American Institute of Instruction has gloriously led the way in successful efforts for the improvement of our schools in the United States. It is every day becoming more important to the cause of civilization, liberty, and religion. Its labors are appreciated in Europe. It has lately stretched its friendly hand across the sea, and that hand has been gratefully seized in the warm grasp of brotherly love. Let us cultivate a friendship which may prove as the clasp of souls. Our "field is the world." Let good offices go round. Let the circle of light be complete. They bid us "God speed," in other tongues, from the lofty mountains of Switzerland, and from the level shores of the ZuyderZee; from the halls of philosophy of the Sarbonne, in "belle France," and from the lecture room of accomplished professors in military Berlin; and, in our own tongue, sweeter than all, we hear voices of encouragement from the classic capital of Scotland, and from the busy mart of England's metropolis. And shall we not echo back the friendly gratulation ?' SINGULAR SCHOOLMASTER. [The following is an extract of a letter from the Editor of the Cincinnati Journal, dated Marietta, July 24, giving a brief account of a School at Marietta, kept by a Mr. Tenney. We had supposed Mr T.'s republican method had been sufficiently tried at certain schools in England, but some of our editorial corps not only head the article' A novel but successful experiment,' but appear to think the principles on which he proceeds, are worthy of universal adoption. If any one chooses to try the experiment, we have no striking objection; though we do not believe it will often succeed. It deserves a record, at least, in the annals of American Education.] Singular Schoolmaster. 475 "There is something peculiar both in the man (Mr Tenney) and his management. I should judge him to be a shrewd observer of human nature, and to this close habit of observation-a constant studying of character, noting what is common to all, and what is peculiar to each— he is, probably, in a great measure indebted for his remarkable success in the management of young men and boys. To give a specimen : Upon commencing a school, (here he has some eighty scholars,) he gives them their lessons; to each what he will undertake to get. This done, he dismisses them, perhaps to a separate room. When the time comes to recite, most of them are unprepared, and the complaint of each is, that others made so much noise, or in some way so disturbed him, that he could not study. After two or three days spent in this way, and nothing accomplished, the school is called together, and the question is, whether it is best to go on after this mode, to break up, or to find some remedy. A chairman and secretary are appointed; and, upon consultation, the students of course come to the conclusion, that some rules are absolutely necessary for the mutual convenience of all. And of their own accord they establish such laws as they deem necessary for the good of their community, with a view to the object of their association, the teacher, in the mean time, only acting as an advising friend. Thus, at the outset, the little community having proved the evils of anarchy, are prepared for the establishment of law and order, and these are the result of their own voluntary choice, adopted because they find them absolutely necessary. These laws, I suppose, are subject to repeal or amendment, and new ones are adopted at the pleasure of the school; but whether the teacher reserves to himself the veto power, I am not informed. The first thing that strikes us when we go in, is that the instructor is only a kind of presiding or executive officer, feeling himself little more responsible for the order of the school than any one of the scholars. There is strict good order, and this evidently resulting from selfgovernment. Even with the smallest boys it seems to make no difference whether the face or the back of the teacher is turned toward them. Instead of the little tricks so common among lads, there is apparently a self-respect which induces each one to observe the decorum suited to his place. The examinations, to a considerable extent, are carried on mutually; that is, the scholars examining each other, or one perhaps the whole school, and then answering any question connected with the subject which any one may choose to put to him. This is managed in a manner both pleasing and profitable. The arithmetical examinations, both mental and on blackboard, showed that whatever question was asked must be fully and understandingly solved before leaving it.' |