Selection of Books for Libraries. 179 only good subjects, but intelligent freemen-high-minded, independent freemen, who know their rights, and knowing, dare maintain them.' We wish to keep the fountains pure, that the stream of power may not become defiled. We wish to base our political and social fabric upon a rock, steadfast and sure-upon the intelligence, industry and moral rectitude of the great working community. When this class shall cease to exert a healthful and a controlling influence in political affairs, our boasted freedom will be at an end. E DISTRICT SCHOOL LIBRARIES. We have never been quite satisfied with the selections of books for district school libraries, which were published some time ago in the Common School Assistant; and which we suppose have been, to a considerable extent, adopted in the State of N. York. We have wished for something better. The American Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge has made promises, at least indirectly, as we stated in a former number; but the pressure of the times, or something else, has not permitted the Society as yet to fulfil them. In the meantime, another selection has been made, which, though it does not by any means meet our wishes, comes nearer our views of the real wants of the community, than anything which has yet been presented. We allude to a selection of one hundred and twentyone, from the four or five hundred volumes published by the American Sunday School Union.They are generally entertaining and instructive biographies; histories of the manners and customs, rites and ceremonies, of various countries and nations; and stories illustrating the great principles of social and personal duty, such as truth, forgiveness, temperance, humanity, honesty, obedience to parents, &c. They are simple in style, adapted in manner and matter to the circumstances of school children, and most salutary in their influence on the order, prosperity, and morals of society. The libraries are done up in uniform binding-each volume numbered to correspond with its number on the catalogue; and the lettering to be according to order,-C. S. L., for common school library, or P. S. L., for public school library, or C. L., for children's library, &c. They are put up in a plain case, with a lock and key, and all necessary hangings and fastenings. Upon the door the words SCHOOL LIBRARY are painted, which 188 Report on the Use of the Bible in Schools. This, as usual, is an interesting document; but we find, on recurring to our February number, that many of its leading statistical items were there inserted. We find, however, one important item of information in this Report, which we have not seen in the Reports of previous years. We allude to an article entitled Extracts from the Reports of Academies relative to Teachers' Departments.' The following is a very brief summary of these reports for 1837. The first column shows the whole number of pupils at the time of the report; and the second, the whole number instructed during the year 1837. School Libraries.-From Rev. Wm. P. Page, we have received, what seems to us to be a revised edition of his letter to the Hon. Willard H. Smith, President of the Livingston County Education Society, on 'Common Schools; the necessity of their improvement, and School Libraries,' the first edition of which has already been made the basis of an article on school libraries in our last volume. The pamphlet of Mr Page is extended, in this edition, to $2 pages; and is in other respects very much improved. It is interesting and valuable. Barnard's Report.-An application was made, during the late sitting of the New York Legislature, by Wm. G. Griffin and others, praying for the enactment a law prohibiting the practice of praying, singing, reading the Bible, and other religious exercises in such schools academies and seminaries of education, as receive aid from the public treasury. Mr Barnard, Chairman of a Committee on the subject, reported against it; and the report was sustained by a majority of 121 to 1. The report of Mr Barnard is a most masterly defence of the customs, in school, which it was the object of the petitioners to remove or destroy; and for the sake of many honest individuals—some of whom are not opposed to religion itself—we wish we had room for it in our journal; nor are we sure that we shall not, ere long, find room for at least a part of it. The Knickerbocker.-This popular periodical is contributing its mite to the cause of Education. The number for January contains a 'Cry and prayer against imprisoning small children,' by W. H. Simmons, Esq, Gorham Academy, an departments, in adu General, and the fall course of studies We learn from the students is yearly 116 females; but mun. become teachers. department is five u ses of a young & fuel, light and te struction and e There are i ard's addre ber, is a m into whos an incre ligious ised in the ex red? "y, and ping as re they n more urce of friends doing ning to d per arding 18, with It is 190 Movements in Georgia. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Teachers' Seminary at Plymouth. The number of students reported as connected with this Seminary, is 200, of whom 110 are males, and 90 females. Of these, about 60 are furnished with board in houses erected for the purpose, and under the eye of their instructers. A considerable number board in the family of Mr S. R. Hall, the Principal. The utmost attention appears to be paid to their moral character, and to their health. A very extended course of Lectures on Teaching is given in the institution; and we learn, with great pleasure, from the catalogue, that one of the regular studies of the junior year, in both the male and female departments, is human physiology. On this subject, courses of lectures, more or less extended, are also given. CONNECTICUT. Mrs Sigourney. This gifted lady has become the author or compiler of a school book, which she calls "The Girl's Reading Book." It has 243 pages, and is published by J. Orville Taylor, of New York. It consists of articles chiefly, as we suppose, from her own pen, written on various occasions, both in prose and poetry. We regard the work as adapted to the wants of the numerous class of persons for whom it is intended, and hope it may be widely circulated. American Lyceum.-The Eighth Anniversary of the American Lyceum will be held at Hartford, on Tuesday, the 1st of May next. Lyceums and other literary societies are invited by the Corresponding Secretary, Mr Dwight, to send delegates; and the friends of education, generally, are invited to attend. It is hoped and believed that the session will be one of great interest. Several valuable Essays, Lectures, and other contributions, have already been promised, and a number of important questions are to be prepared for discussion. norance. Ignorance and Crime.-Every year's observation of facts serves to confirm the doctrine that crime depends, in a greater or less degree, on igWe learn from the Report of the Prison Discipline Society, that of 57 criminals committed last year to the Connecticut State Prison, 14 could neither read nor write, and 16 could read, but not write; which, together, would be more than one half the whole number. GEORGIA. The movements in Georgia, were adverted to in one of our late numbers. According to the statements of the public papers, it would seem that a Common School system has been adopted by the Legislature of that State, by which five hundred thousand dollars, heretofore set apart as a Poor School and Academic fund, together with one third part of the surplus revenue, is constituted a fund to be devoted to the support of Common Schools. Board of Education.-We unve recenst of the Board of Education.' for the m nual Report of the Secretary of is a pamphlet of 75 octavo pageThe abstract of the School keturu in part, by the same officer, has bee From the Report of Mr M. w mer, 1. Is inconvenience or discuti..-location of school houses in yor .om 2. Are the requisitions of in.. to the aggregate length of t kinds of schools kept, and the q 3. Does your town choos organize as a committee, au required by law? 4. Are school committee-t as 5. Are teachers employer ined and approved, or bejur. mittee? 6. Do parents, in genera....... and progress of schools, u 7. Do the school com schools, or is it left to paren 8. Do the school com pense of the town, to suc.. 9. Is there uniformity of 10. Is any apparatus ust of what kinds is it? 11. Have any teacher, a regular employmen male or female? Answers to these yur than half the tow very valuable infor of education in e this, he traveli Dukes Count sonally exar the relative much ger** " S e t, Ve ven nt m; arrest ́ener ition; ves to newhat attempt ular in he town nittee? nishing hools as |