The number of districts in the county of Broome, which are models of policy for educational purposes, is small; but these prove conclusively the far-reaching good that can be done by our school system where it is probably appreciated. SCHOOL HOUSES. As might be expected from such a condition of the district, it will be impossible to give a favorable account of the school houses. Some of the poorer ones, made of logs or wood framed, are in those districts which cannot afford to build good houses; hence they are obliged to take up with apologies for them. Others may be found in those wealthy, ignoble, apathetic districts, which are equally bad in proportion to their number of scholars. Fault-finding is no part of the business of this report, and these things are merely stated because they are facts. The materials of which the house is made, is not of so much consequence, provided that the temperature and light of the room are proper and sufficient. The internal arrangement of seats and desks, is the neglected, important part. A single desk, six or eight inches higher than a common table, placed against one of the sides, is the only one found in some of the school houses. Others have desks of the same kind attached to all or three of the walls, and this is a very common method. Many of the seats cannot be accurately imagined or described. They are too high for a Brobdignagian, destitute of backs and sometimes of legs, and, in the latter case, most probably upheld by a log, or a heap of stones. In the statistical account, houses were reckoned in good repair, which were, by no means, convenient for teacher or scholars. This faulty arrangement has proceeded more from sheer carelessness, or from a lack of the requisite information, than from a want of good will in the inhabitants. The attention paid to remodeling benches and desks, and to the construction of new houses, during the past year, give great encouragement that a new and brighter era is about to commence in the history of these houses for the people's education. The location which most of our school houses have, is bad enough. This, too, is beginning to attract attention. In school houses containing the bad seats and desks before named, it was painful to discern the tired looks and uneasy postures of the little ones, who were restless and impatient from so palpable a cause. The physician would perhaps discover here the incipient causes of disease, needless, and wanting only the forethought of parents to prevent. The commonest observer may also see in many of our schools, habits beginning to be formed which will be more or less baneful to the possessors. For instance, irregularity of attendance and a want of punctuality in being at school at the proper hours, are likely to insure to such scholars, vacillating, incorrect habits of action in the business operations of after life. Again, it is certain that the incommodiousness of school houses and out buildings for scholars of different sexes, have a tendency to produce vitiated tastes, if not direct immorality. LIBRARIES. The books, in most of the libraries, are well kept. This, in some instances, is not owing to the care taken in reading them, but from the fact that they are not read at all. By referring to the statistics it will be seen, that only a small proportion of the books circulate at a time.— The good to be derived from reading a good book cannot be counted in money, but when good books are not read, we can accurately estimate how much money is inactive in such purchases. Hundreds of dollars have been spent for books which have retired from the public gaze, and they are now reposing in cases, on shelves, or in old baskets, disturbing no one and not often disturbed. Wherever good libraries have been properly appreciated, their effects fully demonstrate the utility of the system. Whole families are found in which great improvement has been made by the perusal of the books. Subjects for thought have been brought out, interest awakened in things around, where before there was no attraction; clearer conceptions of the great and good have been generated, and all through the influence of the well selected, and well read district school library. Here, we again distinguish the influence of living instructers; for the best of books and papers, and facts by the word of mouth, may be chilled into neglect, or nourished into notice by their precept and example. Hence, of all plans for the education of the country, that is the most comprehensive and life giving, which brings into action thorough, devoted and persevering teachers. Whatever good has been accomplished during the past year, is merely sufficient to show the magnitude of the task of educating the whole people, and to give great hopes of the ultimate success of well directed efforts towards attaining that object. G. T. FRAZIER, CATTARAUGUS COUNTY. The undersigned, Deputy Superintendent of Common Schools for the north part of Cattaraugus county, in obedience to the requirements of the Department, submits the following report: That in the division of the county into districts, I was to supervise the schools in 118 districts (counting two parts equal to one whole district,) in the north part of the county, and my colleague was to supervise the remaing 112 in the south part. I commenced visiting the schools under my charge on the 2d day of December, 1841, and completed one entire round on the 28th day of February, 1842. NEGLECT TO VISIT SCHOOLS. My attention was soon directed to one very general, and in my judgment, very fatal error in the management of the schools. That error was the almost uniform neglect to visit or supervise the school both by the trustees and patrons of the school, and in many instances by the inspectors. The result was, that many teachers were employed and sent into the school house to unfold the power of the infant mind, who were destitute of the requisite qualifications, and yet from this neglect their imcompetency has passed unobserved, and they have succeeded in obtain ing a series of certificates and schools. One teacher informed me that she had taught (or rather as she expressed it, had teached) seven terms-had had five certi cates from the town inspectors; and yet this teacher in pronouncing words to her first class, from a table in the elementary Spelling Book, where the verbs in the present tense are given, followed by the suffixes ed to form the perfect participle, ing 10 form the present participle, and er, or or, to denote the agent, pronounced the whole as a single word, thus: agent. er PP sign - ed ing pronounced signedinger, and so on throughout the whole table. towns and districts. Where opposition existed to the law in relation to schools, it has been found necessary to do away that opposition if possible, in order to be useful to their schools; and I am happy to be able to say, that prejudice has lost much of its force in this county. In those towns and districts where the people were disposed to render their efforts to give the law a fair trial the results have exceeded my expectations. Teachers have become more critically acquainted with the sciences, have adoptAnother teacher, who had still more experi- ed better methods of teaching and governing, ence in teaching orthography, told her scholars and are beginning to see the importance of culseveral times in the same recitation, that figure tivating the morals as well as the intellects of 9 represented the long sound of a made by e as their scholars-a duty hitherto too much neg. in tete-teet; giving the e its long sound instead lected. Parents have taken a more enlightened of the long sound of a. In several instances, view of their duties in visiting their schools, after hearing a class recite the table of abbrevi- and in encouraging their children to greater di ations with admirable recollection, I have put a ligence. Inspectors of schools have felt it their practical question to one of the class, thus:-duty to be more exact in their examinations of Suppose you should read in a book or news- both teachers and schools. And as a matter of paper a name, say John Jones, A. M., what course, the scholars have received a new imwould you understand the A. M. to mean?" pulse, and the beauties and excellencies of moAns. "Master of Arts," "Before Noon," "In rarls and science are exhibited to their eager the Year of the World." "What! all of that?" minds, they resolve, with a glorious enthusiasm, "Yes, sir:" and frequently the whole class to pursue the paths of knowledge with steady would concur in that answer. and undeviating steps. All which is respectfully submitted. Dep. Sup. Cattaraugus Co. CAYUGA COUNTY. In one school, the teacher defined lines of longitude on the maps, as lines passing from pole to pole, crossing the equator at right angles. I inquired of the class, "do you know what is meant by one line crossing another at right angles?" "No sir." And the teacher was unable to illustrate the matter so as to be understood by his scholars. I have mentioned these instances, among many others that might be mentioned, not as general errors, but as specimens of numerous errors growing out of the almost universal neglect of those whose duty it was to make a thorough and minute examina-dred and thirty-two visited during the year.tion of our schools. Had these schools been visited by competent persons, and the various errors pointed out, such teachers would have long since been dismissed from the service, or have been better qualified for cultivating the mental and moral faculties of youth. I submit this proposition with confidence, for during the past year many teachers have discovered their defects, and are making noble efforts to become more useful in their profession. SIR: There are in this county twenty-two towns and two hundred and sixty-six organized school districts, the school houses of which are wholly or partly situated in the county. There were no schools in thirty-four of the districts at the time I visited the schools in the different towns; consequently, leaving two hun SMALL DISTRICTS. Sixty-three of the number were visited during the winter and spring, and one hundred and sixty-nine during the summer and fall. CONDITION OF THE SCHOOLS. The aggregate number of months taught by all the teachers was 4,575, and the aggregate number taught in one district, 1,819; showing an average of about two-fifths of the whole time taught in each of the respective districts. By referring to the abstract of the several districts, it will be seen that the teachers who have kept the greatest length of time in one district, as a general rule, are the best qualified and teach the best schools. The practice of changing teachers every term, although very preva lent, in my opinion is a great hindrance to the advancement of the schools; I mean the prac tice of changing, when the employers are satisfied that their teacher is well qualified to instruct their children, when the school is flour. ishing and the scholars are progressing in their studies, for another, perhaps a stranger, without knowing any thing of his qualifications, and committing their children to his charge. Any one who has taught school, well knows that some considerable portion of a term elapses before there is that acquaintance formed and confidence gained, between teacher and pupils, be The practice of dividing school districts every time some unpleasant circumstance occurs, or somebody wants the school house a little nearer his door, has produced great evils. Take one town for instance, containing 48 square miles; every person can see that 12 schools would very well accommodate the town; yet that town has 17 schools, some of them having 6, 10 or 13 scholars. It will be readily seen that as the teacher's wages, board and other incidental expenses, will amount to at least an average of $10 per month, $50 per month of public and private funds are lost, and as their schools average eight months in a year, the loss amounts annually to $400. I am truly gratified at being able to say that more correct views are beginning to prevail upon this subject; and that several small districts have been dissolved and form-fore all the necessary preliminaries are undered into larger ones. The improvement of the schools during the last year has been in a direct ratio to the amount of interest existing or excited in the respective stood and the manner of instruction familiarized, to insure the improvement of the school.This accomplished, it must be apparent, that a continuance of the same teacher would increase have ability to govern his school, and a tact to teach or impart knowledge to his pupils. Children are the creatures of imitation. They be the profitableness of the school much more than to change every term, even if the teachers should be alike qualified, and vastly more if occasionally one should be but poorly qualified.-gin to learn at a very early age-the impressions Yet the practice of nine-tenths of the districts is to have a new teacher every term, As already shown, 130 of the 235 teachers whose schools were visited, have taught less than six months in one district, 53 less than 12 months; while only ten have taught over 24 and under 36, and 4 over 36 months! then made are often retained through life. How important, then, that they be rightly instructed, that a right direction be given to their youthful minds. Again, a license never should be grant ed to an unqualified teacher, because the school he is to have charge of is backward; for here is the very place he is capable of doing the greatest injury. He will not only keep the school There were seven districts in the county that backward, but may instruct his scholars wronghad no libraries; two where the number of vo-ly from the beginning to the end of the term, lumes was not ascertained, and six where the number of volumes was taken from commissioners' reports. LIBRARIES. The whole number of volumes in all the libraries was 19,276. The average number kept out or in circulation, 2,544. Average number of volumes in a library 75; average number kept out or in circulation, about ten. The number of missing or lost books 53; 41 of which were destroyed by fire. and all will be thought to be right. But in a school where the scholars are advanced, his errors a e detected and his ignoronce exposed. He soon finds that he is in the wrong place and must leave; for the scholars have the power, and they they are not slow to use it. I have never known a teacher stay in a school long, where his pupils had received the idea that he was not qualified to instruct them. No matter from what source they learn the fact, whether from their parents, or from their own knowledge of his ignorance; his life with them is short. JOHN B. BOWEN, Dep. Sup. Com. Schools of Cayuga Co. CHEMUNG COUNTY. The condition of the books was generally good, being soiled or damaged no more than could be expected from the natural wear and usage. There were but two libraries among the number examined, where the books to any extent were damaged. In a majority of the districts the selection of books was good, and There are in this county one hundred and evinced a taste for sound and useful informa- eight entire districts. There are twelve joint tion. There were others where a portion of the districts attached to other counties, viz: 7 books was of a light and frivolous character, attached to Steuben county, 3 to Tompkins and yet not strictly objectionable. The number of 2 to Tioga. Ten of the school houses in the improper books was considerable, (some libra- above named parts of districts are situated in ries having as many as 15 or 20 volumes, as the county of Chemung, 1 in the town of Readmay be seen by referring to the appendix,) ing, Steuben county, the other in the town of mostly novels and romances, and works of a fe- Barton, Tioga county. Two districts have no rocious, sanguinary and terriffic character, cal-school house; of the others, 72 are of wood culated to harden the affections and inculcate sentiments diametrically the opposite of morality and virtue. It is to be hoped that these books will, in the course of the present fall and winter, be exchanged for those suitable or proper. This I am confident will be the case in a majority of the districts, as the trustees expressed a willingness to dispose of them, being convinced that they were improper. There were some districts, however, that expressed a determination to keep such books at all hazards. But, notwithstanding, I trust that after due reflection, they will become satisfied that such books are improper, and that the requisitions of the law and the department should be complied with, and will act accordingly. framed, 40 are of logs and four are mere shantees. There are 4 school housesrin the county that have two rooms. A large portion of the territory of the county of Chemung is thinly inhabited and has been but recently settled; consequently there is not that ability to support good schools as in older settled sections of the country. But in the most newly settled sections of the county, the inhabitants realize the necessity and importance of sustaining a school; and in every part of the county, however remote it may be, districts are organized and schools in operation, But as a general thing, the efforts of the inhabitants cease with the organization; and when a teacher has been procured, and the school commenced, they TEACHERS' QUALIFICATIONS. seem to think there is no further need of their From the foregoing, this most important fact care and influence concerning it. They sive up is deduced that the standard of teachers' quali- the whole management of the school to the teafications is much too low. There are reasons cher, and appear to rest satisfied that they have for this, one of which I will give a passing no- a school organized and in operation, and think tice. It has been the practice in some of the as a matter of course that their children will towns to give a license for a school; one for in- become learned, as so much has been done for stance, where the scholars were small and back their improvement. It has been one of my ward, when it was well known that the indivi- greatest efforts to enlist the attention of parents dual was not qualified "to teach a common and guardians more to the management of their school." The reason assigned, is, that the pu- schools, and to pay more particular attention to pils are backward or not sufficiently advanced the character and qualifications of their teachto study the harder rules of Grammar, Arith-ers; to visit the schools frequently, confer freemetic, &c. This practice is much to be depre-ly with the teachers, and in all respects cheercated. The teacher should be well qualified in fully cooperate with and aid them by advice and every respect; not only as regards learning, but admonitions, in the discharge of their important his moral character should be good; he should and responsible duties. And I think my efforts have been partially successful, as there is much more feeling and interest taken in our district schools. The inhabitants of school districts are beginning to see the importance of procuring teachers qualified for the business; they see that it is not economy to employ teachers whose only recommendation is that they will keep the school cheap. The situation of their schools is more frequently the topic of conversation, and they appear to realize the necessity of bestow. ing upon them a greater amount of their personal care and attention, in order to raise the character and elevate the standard of their common schools. NATHAN TIDD, REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY-NORMAL SCHOOLS. во The following ordinance of the Regents is one of the most important measures yet adopted for the improvement of our common schools. We confidently anticipate from it, the establishment of institutions for the education of teachers, which shall accomplish the object of their creation and merit the generous patronage of the state; and we hope from their influence a rapid and general diffusion of those thorough methods of culture, which shall give new dignity to the profession of teaching, and greater usefulness and popularity to our district schools. We trust that the plan now adopted will be carefully matured and immediately carried out; and that no academy will be deemed worthy of holding this sacred trust for the people, that will not make the education of teachers for common schools, its prominent and leading object. in duration and secondary in importance; and so long as they retain such a character and are held in such estimation, the object for which they were established, will of necessity, be only But by reducing the partially accomplished. number of departments to four, and increasing the annual appropriation to each from $300 to $1200, their relation to the academies in which they are established, will be reversed, as they will then, instead of being as now secondary, become primary objects of attention and regard; the principals of such academies, in consideration of such endowment, will, it is reasonable to presume, be selected with special reference to their qualifications to conduct such departments, and the students who attend them without being subject to any additional charges, will have greatly increased advantages for improvement. The committee therefore propose that an ordinance be adopted to carry out the plau proposed in the communication above referred to, and they have accordingly prepared the draft of an ordinance, whieh is herewith submitted: ORDINANCE, &c. Be it ordained by the Regents of the University of the state of New-York, that the Departments for the educa tion of Teachers of Common Schools heretofore established by this Board, be reduced to four; to be established as follows. One in the Southern, one in the Eastern, one in the Northern, and one in the Western section of the state. That the following named academies be and they are hereby designated for the establishment of said departments, that is to say: For the southern section of the state, For the northern section of the state, For the eastern section of the state, For the western section of the state, Academy. Academy. Academy. Academy. But inasmuch as such departments when established by the Regents of the University, are by law placed under the direction of the Secretary of State as Superintendent of Common Schools, the designation of the academies above named, for the purposes above stated, is made on condition that the trustees of the said academies, so designated, on receiving notice thereof, shall, in consideration of the appropriation to be made to them as hereinafter stated, and so long as such appropriation We shall return to this important subject in a shall continue to be made to them, consent and agree by future number.-ED. April 11, 1843. The following report and ordinance were unanimously adopted, and ordered to be published: The committee to whom was referred the communication from the Secretary of State, as Superintendent of Common Schools, recommending a reduction in the number of academies in which departments for the education of Common School teachers are established, respectfully report: That they concur with the Superintendent, in the opinion expressed in his communication, that the appropriation of that part of the income of the Literature Fund intended for the support of departments for the education of teachers, ought to be limited to four academies, to be designated by the Regents of the University, in the manner proposed by the Superintendent. The number of academies in which such departments are now established being sixteen, and the amount of public money annually appropriated to them being only $4800, the money allotted to each ($300) is so ina lequate to accomplish the object of the appropriation, that the departments, under their present organization, are generally considered and treated by the several academies in which they are established, as mere appendages, temporary resolution under their corporate seal, to establish and conduct said departments, on such a foundation, and in such manner as shall be prescribed and required by the said Superintendent of Common Schools, to whom it is hereby referred, to correspond with auid academies, in relation to such consent and agreement, and to report thereon to this Board at some future meeting. And be it further ordained, that all future appropriations of that part of the income of the literature fund, intended for the support of departments for the educa tion of common school teachers, shall be made exclu sively to such academies as are or shall be designated whole amount authorized to be so appropriated, shall be under the preceding section of this ordinance, and the either equally divided among such academies, or in proportion to the number of teachers instructed by them, as shall be hereafter determined. Nothing in this ordinance shall be deemed to extend to, or in any manner affect, any department for the education of teachers of common schools, which the Regents of the University are required by law to have established in every academy which receives a share of $700 in the general distribution of $40,000, annually made among academies subject to their visitation. The Regents reserve to themselves the right of altering, modifying or rescinding the preceding ordinance, or any part thereof. (A copy,) T. ROMEYN BECK, Sec'y. the above academies at an early period in the enIt is expected that the Regents will designate suing autumn. The parent that visits the school most, is sure to get the most of the teacher's services. Advise your teacher, but do not slander him. DISTRICT SCHOOL JOURNAL. FRANCIS DWIGHT, EDITOR. OFFICIAL TO SCHOOL OFFICERS. $50,000, and creates in their stead eight hundred and thirty-two town superintendents, possessing the same powers, but under increased responsibilities to the people for the right application of the public money. It provides for the faithful discharge of duty by county superintendents;-by giving the state superintendent power in certain cases, to withhold the The next No. of the Journal will be issued by the 15th inst., and will contain the official exposition of the new school act, and the form of the bond to be given by Town Superintendents, togeth-state's moiety of their salary; and also to remove er with such explanations as may be necessary. from office, should neglect or violation of duty make it necessary. The county superintendents, are directed to call the attention of the proper town officers, to the It gives the right of appeal, in the first instance, provision requiring the appointment of a town suto the county superintendent;-that district difficulperintendent on the first day of June. It is an im-ties may be settled at home, where they are best portant office, and its incumbent should be selected understood, and the expense and delay prewith much care. vented of carrying up every petty question to the state superintendent for adjudication. S. YOUNG, THE NEW COMMON SCHOOL ACT. It establishes three grades of certificates for teachers; that a generous emulation may be awakened among the educators of our youth, to secure the highest evidence of qualification from the By the strong vote in the Assembly of 79 ayes to 24 noes, and the UNANIMOUS assent of the Sen-hands of the state superintendent. ate, this most important bill of the session has become a law; thus making many beneficent reforms in the administration of the schools, and recognizing and sustaining as the settled policy of the state the admirable system of supervision by county superintendents. We congratulate our fellow citizens on this triumph of the great cause of education. Though uncalled for and unheeded by those who are lost in the hurly burly of party politics, still there are many, who looking indifferently on the scramble for office, will rejoice at the success of these great measures of educational reform, in which alone lies the hope of our country. For they feel that the heart of the people must be reinforced by a higher and sterner morality; that the common mind must be enlightened by a wiser and better culture; that our schools must teach virtue as well as knowledge, must develop and cherish principles to control and habits to protect the life, or universal corruption and dishonesty will make the name of American a scorn throughout all coming time. And it is in view of these considerations that we rejoice in this new and great measure of social amelioration. It is a giant stride forward in the path of true civilization. The Act, which will be found on the first page of this Journal, embodies the principal amendments recommended and vindicated by the State Superintendent in his annual report; and is not only a great measure of educational, but also of economical reform. Its leading provisions are powerfully advocated in the extract from Mr. Hulburd's Report, which we give in this number, and which makes any general remarks of our own unnecessary. We shall therefore merely indicate its prominent features. It prolongs the term of office of trustees to three years, one trustee going out each year;-to secure a more systematic administration of the affairs of the districts, and prevent thos numerous difficulties arising from the ignorance of the trustees of the arrangements of their predecessors. It directs that the teacher's money shall remain in the hands of the town superintendents, until the written order of a majority of the trustees of any district is presented, when it shall be paid to the teacher entitled to receive the same. This provision was called for by many trustees, who found the custom of drawing the public money and dividing it among themselves, a cause of frequent embarrassment. It was called or by public policy, as in many cases the school money has been lost by passing into the hands of insolvents. It was called for by justice to the teacher, who has often been compelled to wait month after month for his hard earned pay, and sometimes forced to compound by taking anything but the money so justly his own. This provision was not objected to by any member of the legislature. It perpetuates our admirable library system; authorizing, however, the districts in certain cases, to purchase maps, globes, and other school apparatus. IT DOES NOT ADD to the powers of the county superintendent except in the matter of appeals, leaving that officer as now, to accomplish the great objects of his mission by an earnest and zealous devotion to the cause of the schools; his powers being advisory, and appeals lying from all his acts to the department. It authorizes the continuance of the subscription to a School Journal on grounds of economy and utility;-inasmuch as through its columns those laws, It abolishes forty-one hundred and sixty petty offi- | decisions, and regulations of the common schools ces, whose annual charge on the people exceeded are sent to every district, which would otherwise |