Education in Pennsylvania. 91 some other person and complain. My countrymen, these things ought not so to be! One word more in regard to my school. All went on well after this, for nearly the whole winter. There was no disturbance, no disobedience; all was quiet and orderly, as if nothing had happened. This use of the whip, on Charles, seemed to have accomplished its object completely. And though I cannot say I believe the rod ought to be much used, yet I consider, with Solomon, that to spare it entirely, in the progress of the education of our citizens, and, above all, to proclaim that we will do so, is to spoil them. The rod is one of those things, which should always be ready for use, but seldom or never used; in the manner of physicians with some of their more poisonous medicines. MISCELLANY. EDUCATION IN PENNSYLVANIA. WE alluded, in a former number, to the common school system proposed for Pennsylvania, by Mr Josiah Holbrook, and promised to present it ere long to our readers. A letter from him, dated Philadel. phia, January 6th, encloses a memorial, which embodies so many of the principal features of his plan, that the memorial' and ' letter' may probably be sufficient for the present. Should we find room, at any subsequent period, for a more extended notice of the plan itself, we shall insert it. After the usual compliments, Mr Holbrook says: It is a singular and singularly interesting fact, that every member of the "State Convention," now in session in this city, thinks favorably of the system of education proposed sometime since at Harrisburg, for adoption in this State, and that the delegates from the German counties lead the way in this grand enterprise. A delegate from "Old Berks," proverbial as a German county, who has been opposed to the school law, says, that this circular comes to the point wanted, and is in the true republican spirit. He is one of the committee of twelve enclosed, and has sent copies of the memorial to all sections of his county, where, from personal knowledge, I know it will meet with favor and many signatures. The case is similar in Northampton, Lebanon and Lancaster; all German counties. 'The enclosed memorial has been and will be signed by nearly every 92 Memorial to the Legislature. one of the delegates, and sent by them to all parts of the State. It is a common expression, that they have now got hold of the right end of the string instead of the wrong end, as they always have had before. A steady perseverance for a few months longer, is certain to give to Pennsylvania something that deserves the name of "system of education”, or a body composed of members or parts connected with each other; which, so far as my knowledge extends, cannot be said of schools or of education in any state in the Union.' The following is the memorial alluded to. It is entitled 'A Memorial for Common Education,' and is addressed To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.' "The undersigned, citizens of Pennsylvania, very respectfully invite the attention of your honorable body to some measures for the advancement of Common Education through our State. Impressed with a belief, that many improvements may be introduced into our public schools, without any additional expense of time or money, and that one of the most republican and practicable modes of introducing such improvements is, by presenting them, by means of lectures and appropriate illustrations, to the consideration of our citizens in all sections of the State, we ask of your honorable body a sinall appropriation for the employment of one or more persons to visit all sections of the Commonwealth for that purpose. The person, or persons, thus employed, may present to schools, and to public meetings called for that purpose, not only systems of instruction and modes of teaching, but subjects of science, particularly mineralogy, properly illustrated by specimens, exhibited and explained on these occasions; and by that means enable all classes of the community in every section of the State, to collect, examine, and understand the natural productions of their respective vicinities, and to institute a system of exchanges with each other, for the mutual and lasting benefit of all concerned. 'For securing to our citizens the full advantage of the proposed visits and lectures, for awakening' general and immediate interest in schools and the diffusion of useful knowledge, and for communicating directly much useful instruction to all parts of the community, we also ask of your honorable body, a provision for a small cabinet, or collection of minerals, properly selected, labelled, and described, and a few instruments, for elementary, practical instruction, for each and every public school in our Commonwealth: the expense of such collection and instruments not to exceed ten dollars for each school. 'Fully convinced, that an appropriation for the two objects above proposed, viz. for lectures on education and the sciences, to be given in all sections of the State, and for a few specimens of nature and other in Convention on Education at Newark. 93 struments of useful instruction, for all our public schools, would be preeminently economical, and calculated to provide for our Commonwealth an enlightened, practical, and permanent system of common education, and one which would be adopted and appreciated by its citizens, we respectfully, but confidently present the subject to the consideration of your honorable body, assured that whatever measures may, in your wisdom, be adopted respecting it, they will be directed by a desire to promote the highest and best interests of those whom you represent.'. This memorial is signed by John Sergeant, James Clarke, Thaddeus Stevens, James M. Porter, Charles Chauncey, G. M. Keim, Walter Forward, Joseph R. Chandler, Phineas Jenks, Thomas H. Sill, G. W. Woodward, and John Dickey, the committee appointed at a meeting for the adoption of measures for the advancement of common education, held in Harrisburg, in June last; and they ask, as it seems, the attention and signatures of their fellow citizens to the memorial. CONVENTION ON EDUCATION. We have received from E. W. Sylvester of Lyons, Wayne county, N. Y., a copy of the Lyons Argus, containing an account of a Convention on Education, held at the village of Newark, seven miles west of Lyons, about the first of January, at which many spirited resolutions on the subject of common schools were introduced and discussed, and some of them adopted. Among these, was one respecting the means of producing a spirit of subordination in schools and the love of study, in which the practice of addressing the moral powers of the pupils was particularly enjoined, and that of expelling from the school, by the trustees, those who cannot be restrained either by moral means, or by an appeal to their ambition. Another resolution recommended the following studies, as suitable for common schools, leaving the order in which they should be pursued, to the discretion of the teacher, viz. reading, spelling and defining, arithmetic, mental and written, geography, English grammar, writing, composition, declamation, elements of philosophy, history of the United States. A third resolution recommended a list of books proper to be used in each branch. Another, still, requested all parents and teachers to peruse carefully, some publication devoted to the interests of education. A committee was also appointed to prepare and publish an address to the inhabitants of Wayne county, and the friends of education generally, which also appears in the Argus, and is replete with sound arguments in favor of the improvement of common schools, and of their unspeakable importance. They were also invited to attend an adjourned meeting of the convention, which was to have been held at the same place ;Newark-on the 20th of January. We sympathize most deeply, with 94 The Massachusetts Schools. these movements in behalf of common schools and common education, especially all those where the moral and physical nature is recognized, as well as the intellect. THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOLS. Our remarks in the last number of this work, on the movement in behalf of schools in Providence, were, as it appears, a little premature. According to the Providence Journal, the prospect has somewhat brightened, of late. Resolutions have passed, in the City Council, by the casting vote of the Mayor, in favor of a Superintendent of Public Schools, at a salary of $1,250, and of a City High School. Several other important resolutions have passed; and we hope the work of reform is not yet finished. STATE OF EDUCATION IN NEW YORK. We learn from the late Message of Gov. Marcy to the New York Legislature, that the whole number of school districts in that State is 10,345. Reports have been received from 9,718. The number of children, of all ages, instructed in the common schools during the last year, is 524,188. The total amount of moneys expended for paying the wages of teachers, is $772,241-including what was derived from the common school and from other town and local funds. The academies are also represented in a condition equally flourishing and satisfactory. The number of students attending upon these institutions, is stated to be over 6,000; a greater number than has attended them at any former period. Gov. M. also suggests the importance of appropriations for the permanent establishment and gradual increase of school district libraries—that more ample provision should be made for the compensation of teachers, and for adequately supplying the demand for those who are competent and well qualified to discharge the duties of their station—and that an increased number of academies be suitably endowed. MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS. The abstract of the late school returns for this State makes a volume of 300 pages. All the towns in the State are heard from except Charlemont, Clarksburgh, Florida, Goshen, Harvard, Holland, Lenox, Munroe, Tolland, Wayland, and Woburn. It appears that the number of public schools in the State is 2,918; number of scholars in winter, 141,837; in summer, 122,889; number of persons between 4 and 16 years of age, 177,053; number of teachers, 2,370 males and 3,591 females; average wages paid per month, including board, to males, $25,44; to females, $11,38; amount of money raised by taxes for the support of schools, $465,228 04. The number of academies or private schools, is 854; aggregate of months kept, 5,619; aggregate of scholars, 27,266; paid for tuition, $328,026 75; amount of local funds, $189, 536 24; income from the same, $9,571 79.-Traveller. TEACHERS' MEETING AT IPSWICH. THE Teachers' Association for Essex County held their annual meeting, early in December last, at Ipswich. Besides the usual business of the annual meeting, lectures were given by Mr David Choate of Essex, Mr Batchelder of Lynn, and Messrs M. P. Parish, and D. H. Sanborn of Salem. The lectures are said by the Ipswich Register to have been excellent. POPULAR EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE. From the report of a committee of the Legislature of Tennessee, we learn that ample means are within its control for a full and efficient system, including common schools, academies, and universities. The School Fund amounts to upwards of $1,000,000; and it is now proposed to add to it the portion of the surplus revenue received, which would swell the amount nearly to $2,500,000. Of the proceeds of this sum, the committee propose to appropriate $100,000 annually to common schools, upon the plan which has succeeded so well elsewhere, of a partnership between State munificence and individual enterprise and liberality. The adoption of the New York system is earnesly recommended. The remainder of the income of the fund it is proposed to appropriate to the colleges and academies, with some reference to the education of teachers. There are 3 colleges, 70 academies, and about 1,000 common schools in the State.-Newark Sentinel. NOTICES OF BOOKS. THE INTRODUCTORY DISCOURSE AND THE LECTURES, delivered before the American Institute of Instruction, at Worcester, Massasachusetts, August, 1837. Including the Journal of Proceedings and a List of the Officers. Published under the direction of the Board of Censors. Boston. James Munroe & Co. 1838. 8vo. pp. 262. We have given, in former numbers, a brief account of the lectures and discussions from which the volume before us is derived. The Board of Censors were unable to procure them all for publication; but those which have been received are valuable. The following is a sketch of the contents of the volume. |