amount of good would result to the cause of C. O. KIMBALL, Chairman of Committee. An animated debate arose upon the reception of the report, but it was finally adopted, and the county superintendent was appointed to carry into effect the recommendation contained in the report, and to establish a temporary normal school in such place as he may deem expedient, and to give public notice of the time such school is to commence, and also the place at which it is to be held. Mr. Gillman being present, by request gave a short and an able address on the subject of Normal Schools. Mr. Thomas H. Palmer also addressed the convention on the subject of Moral Education. On motion the thanks of the convention were tendered to the gentlemen for their interesting and able addresses. The committee on text-books made their report, and submitted a list of text-books, (which they strongly recommend to be used in the county,) and which were unanimously adopted by the convention. The convention then proceeded to the election of officers. The following are the names of the officers of the Association: John M. Holley, President; George W. Cuyler, George W. Scott, Vice Presidents; Lorenzo D. Ireland, Recording Secretary; and the Town Superintendents of the several towns, Corresponding Secretaries. On motion, a committee was appointed who reported the following resolutions, which, after some discussion, were unanimously adopted : Resolved, That it is indispensable to the success of the object contemplated by such associations, that parents should give an active and cheerful co-operation with the efforts of teachers in the cause of education, and that all improvement in our common schools very greatly depends on the inhabitants themselves, and that the best teachers and superintendents will be of little avail, if the people withhold their sanction and generous support. Resolved, That the object of education should be the full development of the entire character-social, moral, intellectual and physicalthe directing and strengthening of the moral and mental powers. Resolved, That females who devote themselves to the cause of education, occupy one of the most important and appropriate stations possible for them to occupy, and that in this capacity they can exert an influence more lasting and salutary than the statesman and philanthropist. A resolution was also adopted, recommending the Town Superintendent to call meetings of the trustees of the several districts in their respective towns for the purpose of selecting and adopting the text-books recommended; and, where more than one author was recommended to say which they would adopt. By such a course, an unity of feeling and interest will be awakened, and the town superintendents and trustees of school districts would act in concert and in harmony, and the advvancement of common school education be rendered more certain by each of the several officers in the town uni-"the house we live in"-and its adaptation to ting in adopting an uniformity of text-books. The town superintendents have exhibited On motion the convention adjoured sine die. J. O. NODYNE, Secretary. WAYNE. Resolved, That the introduction of vocal musie into our common schools is highly conducive to the intellectual advancement, the moral elevation, the individual and social happiness of the pupils of our schools. Resolved, That the study of Physiology the preservation of health, demand the attention of all, and especially of those under whose instruction the youth of our country are placed, and that the introduction of this study into our common schools be recommended by this convention. Resolved, That we recommend "Mitchell's Outline Maps" to be added to each district library for the use of schools, whenever authorized by law. Resolved, That in the estimation of this convention the District School Journal is a valuable auxiliary, and eminently calculated to promote the cause of education, and that we recommend it to the patronage of teachers and parents. Resolved, That the diversity and frequent change of text-books are injurious, and ought, as far as possible, to be avoided, and that a committee of five be appointed to report a series to be recommended to the schools in this county. Resolved, That Messrs. Cole, Peddie, Wescott, Hunt and Curtiss be such committee, to COUNTY CONVENTION OF TOWN SUPERINTEND-report at the next convention. ENTS OF COMMON SCHOOLS. AGREEABLY to public notice, the Town Superintendents of Common Schools, for the county of Wayne, assembled in Convention at the Presbyterian church in Lyons on Wednesday, the 10th day of October, 1844. The Convention was called to order by S. Cole, County Superintendent. Resolved, That our thanks be presented to H. E. Rochester, Esq., County Superintendent of Monroe county, for his attendance at this con vention. Resolved, That the proceedings of this convention be published in the several papers of this county. Resolved, That this convention adjourn to the day of December next, and that James Peddie, Esq., be requested to address the con vention at that time. A. D. GAGE, President. J. N. WESCOTT, Secretary. WESTCHESTER. We extract the following interesting account from the Westchester Herald, whose able editor, Mr. Roscoe, has ever manifested a deep and enlightened interest in the cause of common schools. The only cause of regret in reading the proceedings of this Convention is the small attendance of town superintendents. Not only have they suffered a great personal loss, but the whole county shares in it, for they would have return. ed to their duties with greatly increased zeal to discharge them faithfully. pursued in teaching them the alphabet and spelling; and to show the result of a wandering state of mind when reading. He then proceeded to show a plan for teaching the art of reading, instead of the alphabet and spelling, first, viz. by pictures and observations of words. He then adverted to three modes of acquring knowledgeby reading, by the eye alone, by the ear alone, reading by the teacher, or a pupil, and attended and by the eye and ear together. Exercises in or listened to by the school, and questions asked by the teacher on the lessons, he also recommended. He closed with submitting which of the three exercises of reading, by the eye, by the ear, or by the eye and ear together, were the most important. Mr. Sanders then presented a work entitled Metrical Stories in Chemistry and Natural Philosophy; and also one entitled, The Young Choir; and offered some thoughts on the importance of instructing children in sacred music. He also alluded to the Young Choir's Companion. At evening Mr. Palmer resumed his lecturecommencing with Arithmetic; and recommended the propriety of beginning with young children by means of his numerical frame, which he exhire-bited. He remarked that lessons for infancy We congratulate the County Superintendent on the prospect of sympathy and cordial co-operation from the inhabitants of Westchester. We have room to publish but a few of the solutions. SCHOOL CONVENTION, should be very short, but their exclusive attention should be required while reciting, and that it is of more importance for children to be attentive listeners than good arithmeticians. At Tarrytown, on the 24th of September. As we have stated our absence from the conMr. Holbrook lectured in a familiar way, vention, in consequence of other engagements, and exhibited his School Apparatus, with small the reader will observe that we derive the fol- cabinets of minerals, and dwelt on the importlowing account of the speeches and spirit of the ance of explaining, different kinds of stone and convention from the notes of an intelligent mem-minerals to scholars. He stated, that the colber of that body, who was present during all its session. The Convention was organized by calling the County Superintendent, JOHN HOBBS, Esq., to the Chair, and the appointment of GERRIT VERMILYEA and NELSON MABEE, Teachers, as Secretaries for the session. Mr. Holmes, of Greenburgh, made some remarks on the propriety of the appointment of a Committee of practical Teachers, for the purpose of reporting to the convention a suitable system for the daily order and manner of exercises in Common Schools. The committee having been appointed, (see proceedings,) in the afternoon, the publishers of School Books present were allowed twenty minutes each to present and explain the peculiar characteristics of their respective works. Mr. Smith presented his Arithmetic, and remarks on the rules and the method of teaching. Mr. Frazee presented his Grammar; gave an expla. nation of his rules, and a very able lecture on the method of teaching that science, which occupied about 3-4ths of an hour. lection of minerals by children, induced the Legislature of Tennessee to appropriate $800,000 more to the use of common schools the next year; a much greater sum than had been formerly appropriated. He exhibited 100, specimens of curiosities that had been sent from Oregon, made by an Indian woman, in exchange for curiosities sent to them from the cabinets of children in Philadelphia. Also several curiosities from Mexico, sent by the natives there, and from the Fejee Islands, interspersed with anecdotes. money in form of beads used by the natives; and a belt made by an Indian boy in Mexico; drawings made in Africa and in Vienna as returns for drawings by children sent out; showed a specimen of the husks spoken of in the parable of the prodigal son; and spoke of the interest caused by inciting children in making specimens to send to foreign countries; of the civilizing and industrious influence in schools in the city of New-York; showed an elucidation of the 47th problem of Euclid, made by one of the ragged streets boys in New-York; and exhibited drawings made by children in the public schools of the city. The publishers of School Books were again heard; Mr. Strong presented the Science of Government, by Andrew W. Young, and a Classical Spelling Book, by A. B Chapin. Mr. Palmer, the gentleman announced to lecture at the convention, was then invited to address the meeting. He commenced with some judicious remarks on the proper mode of instruction in reading, and showing that it is the key for acquiring a knowledge of all other sciences: Mr. Holbrook presented his Geometrical Ap and that the learning to read properly, would paratus. Mr. Cobb presented his series of enable a pupil to acquire a knowledge of all Reading Books and Spelling Book. Mr. Smith branches of study, without the formality of a submitted his Grammar, Geography and Arithteacher. He then dwelt on the manner of teach-metic. Mr. Sanders presented his Spelling Book ing small children; showing the restraint they and First Primer; also, his series of First, must feel in undergoing the routine generally Second. Third and Fourth Reading Books. In saying this, however, I do not wish to jus tify the frequent or indiscriminate use of the rod; for while I would retain the right to use it, in all large public schools, in the case of certain ill governed pupils of all schools who have been accustomed to yield to nothing else, I am quite confident that in nine cases in ten, in family or school, it is worse than useless. Another gentleman presented Miss E. Robbins' Works. Copies of Greenleaf's Arithmetic, were also distributed to teachers by an agent present. In the afternoon Mr. Palmer again lectured, on Moral Reform in schools. He remarked that the morals of children were too much neglected, that it had been too much the fault of teachers and parents, to make the pupils all head and no heart. Fathers, mothers, brothers and Teachers fall short or fail in one point, all teachers ought to inculcate good moral principles over the country. They do not give credit in children. Moral education teaches the pre-enough to their pupils. An old maxim says the cepts of the pure in heart. Are our teachers devil should have his due; but if so, our chil capable of all required of them in moral culture? dren certainly should have theirs. I will explain He feared not, and offered a plan to qualify them; my meaning. Teachers are much in the habit, the conscience must be aroused, not allowed to especially when visitors are present, of dispalie dormant. Adverted to the duty of ministers raging their pupils in various ways. They are on the religious culture of children, and said represented as uncommonly "noisy," or unusuthat although teachers and superintendents could ally "idle," or as speaking "too low," or recitnot reach parental influence, they could come ing" badly;" perhaps as uncommonly faulty in very near to it, because the rising generation all these particulars. Now it is a law of human would carry out their precepts. nature, as irrevocable as was that of the Medes and Persians, that we tend to become what we are taken to be. If taken to be noisy, turbulent, vicious, ignorant, &c., especially before others, we almost inevitably become so. This is unquestionably the reason why many parents and teachers have bad children and pupils. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. Resolved, That while we believe this system capable of improvement and alteration in some points to be desired-we have no manner of sympathy with the spirit and purposes of a portion of our fellow-citizens, residents in the County of Orange and who met in Convention in July last, at the Village of Finchville. STATE DEPARTMENT. Resolved, That the course which the Hon. S. Young, State Superintendent has taken with regard to Common Schools, meets with the approbation of this Convention. CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. Resolved, That we consider moral government sufficient and best for all general purposes of school government, but we are not prepared to recommend the entire abolition of corporal punish ment. After adopting the usual complimentary resolutions, the Convention, adjourned sine die; a good feeling having pervaded the whole session. All seemed to feel the utmost satisfaction at the proceedings; and numbers of spectators who attended to hear the lectures, discussions, &c., as well as the members of the convention, were deeply impressed with the benefits to both teachcrs and schools which must result from these conventions. TEACHERS' DEPARTMENT. DISCIPLINE. I was sorry to find one thing among us which ought not to exist, here or elsewhere-the habit of substituting for the wise man's instrument of correction, what is, in my own view, much more objectionable. Blows upon the head, and vio. lent shaking of the body, are so unfavorable to health, and as objectionable in other respects, as plain whipping. There is no magic connected with the pain produced by the rod, to render it injurious or to render pain given by the hand, the fist, a rule or a club, more salutary. If corporal punishment is ever to be inflicted, especially on the young, I know of no instrument better for this purpose than a very small rodthe outcry about its degradation to the contrary notwithstanding. Less injury to the frame work of the system, physical or moral, in proportion to the pain given, is the result, than in any other form of corporal punishment. Now suppose that after an experience of 6,000 years, on this plan, the tables were to be turnedsuppose for the next thousand years we should pursue exactly the contrary course-a child is taken for example, to be disposed to behave well and only treated like a villain when he has proved himself to be villainous: would not such treatment, through a few successive generations, greatly change the aspect of the world we live in? Might we not then begin to talk about a millennium? I was greatly struck with the conduct of one teacher in Windham county. He did not cry out every three minutes, or every three seconds: "too much noise!" or "silence!" and perhaps mount his platform or a bench to be sure of being heard; his knowledge of human nature had taught him a more excellent way-"how glad I am," he would say, now and then, "to find the school so still to-day;" or, "how glad I am to see so many attending to their own business;" or "I see quite a number of scholars who are studying their lessons well;" or "I am glad so many hold their pens well. I am of opinion I could count six or eight who hold their pens nice. ly! One, two, three," &c. By the time he had begun to count, there would be six or eightperhaps twenty-more, who would get their pens in the right position, that they too, might be counted. So of the custom of "counting up" the well behaved pupils. Many who were disorderly when he commenced his "one, two, three," &c., would sit as straight as candle rods by the time he was ready to enumerate them. Or a class of young scholars was called upon to read, half of whom, partly from habit, and partly from diffidence, scarcely raised their voices beyond a mere whisper; in that case, instead of complaining or scolding, the teacher seizes his opportunity to commend some pupil, as soon as he conscientiously can-" you have done nobly," he says; or you have spoken up like a man;" Or, "I am glad to find that three of the class have spoken up well, (or read well,) this time through; next time, I hope to have four who speak loudly. Can any individual doubt, for one moment, in regard to the effect of such a course of treat ment, especially when it is an every day thing, and not affected? For if it is used as a Sunday dress is, or if seen to be done affectedly, it does not succeed so well. If any one doubts, let him make the experiment, either in family or school. I wish to see some sixty thousand of these experiments in the families of Connecticut, and some one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine in the schools. ARITHMETIC. I have already spoken of the manner of teaching writing which begins to obtain among us. Arithmetic, like writing, is taught rather better than formerly, though it is taught, even now, very imperfectly. The greatest improvement which has been made consists in putting into use the black-board. I, have been obliged to tell them how to find out! But the preparatory knowledge of which I have been speaking, much of it, is as indispensable in geography as arithmetic. In neither branch do our schools begin at the beginning. I found seven able mathematicians in one of our schools. They had been through Day, Simpson and others. They had also been through the modern geographies, Woodbridge excepted. His would discipline the mind more. Yet I did not find that three of these seven, or seven in the whole range of my travels, had any adequate ideas of the width of a river which was said to be 40 yards wide. How many times the length of the school-house, or width of the road, 40 rods be, they no more knew than how to find out "perpetual motion." I asked a school that could recite learnedly about the boundaries of towns, In general, in teaching arithmetic, the order states and countries, how the school-house was of things is still very much inverted. Instead bounded and how the country about it was diviof teaching a child how to use his thinking powded, but nobody could tell. And if teachers have ers, our ordinary course teaches him how to get along without using them. The old fashioned method which prevails among our farmers-or which did prevail half a century ago-of "reckoning in their heads," as it was called, is greatly preferable to the method of our schools-that of The truth is, that instead of affording a little doing every thing by figures, and of having no incidental aid in school, the slate, blackboard, mind about it. Our fathers were the true men-hand and tongue, should be almost every thing. tal arithmeticians after all; and not our young disciples of Colburn. We are deceived by names. The name of Mental Arithmetic, when applied to that which is only an apology for thinking, will not answer the purpose. Whenever the processes of our schools, whether conducted with or without the aid of the black-board, shall come to fit the young for that head-work which their fathers aimed at, and in which they partially succeeded, then will they be worth something to us. But before this can happen, there must be a great deal more of sensible arithmetic taught among us. By sensible arithmetic, I mean the addition, subtraction, multiplication, &c., of fingers, corn, beans, apples, blocks, and other sensible or tangible ob jects. An immense amount of preliminary training is necessary, before arithmetic will be pursued to much advantage, by the aid of books, slates, or blackboards, in school or family. Very few children in our schools-as I have fully proved to parents and teachers a hundred times over-have any ideas in their heads while working at their sums. What boy who has "been through" with his Adams, his Daboll, his Emerson, or his Smith, has any clear conception of the things, with the names of which he has been freely deal ing? What dollars and cents are, he may know full well; but what does he know of an inch, a foot, a yard, a rod, or a mile? Or of an ounce, pound, or hundred weight? Or of a pint, quart, peck or bushel? Or of a gill, gallon, or hogs. head? I have asked our sage pupils-some of them in the higher mathematics--to tell me how much a rod was, by marking off the distance on the wall of the school-room; I have had them vary in their measure from eight feet to more than twenty! I have asked hundreds how many cubic or solid feet there were in a snowball or Jock a yard square; and how many times six t(and what remaining fraction) there were in rod; and in nine cases in ten the teacher, or any correct ideas in their heads of this truly elementary kind, they are wiser than I believe most of them to be; and wiser, certainly, than most parents. SLATE AND BLACK BOARD. I value books and hard study as highly as any man; but as a means to such an end, I value these instrumentalities much higher. In our* 1600 schools we have, as I have before shown, about 1000 black-boards. Of these, however, not more than 250 are large enough to be of much service. They are seldom over three or four feet long, and three wide. He who should go through the state, and introduce proper slates and black-boards and teach the teachers how to use them, in geometry, the alphabet, spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography-in truth every thing-would perform a more important service to his country than has been performed for it by any one man-Washington not excepted. The latter, indeed, performed a great work; but the redemption of the rising generation, in our schools, from their slavery to processes which drown all mind, and benumb all moral sensibility, is a work still greater, on which, too, much more is depending. Twenty years ago, I knew of but one or two teachers in the state, who made it a point to keep all their pupils supplied-even at their own expense-with small slates, for instruction or amusement. Now there is a greater number than one or two, perhaps there may be fifty. Twenty years ago, I knew of but two common school libraries in the state; now I know of many. They are, however, designed for the pa rents of the district, (who never read them) rather than for the pupils, as were those of twenty years ago. Nor has it been common, till within a few years, to ornament a school room. The idea that the school is essentially a part of the family-that what would render children happy at home would make them happy at school; and that at a very little expense the school-room. might be made to resembe a parlor rather than an old barn or a ruined church, is but just beginning to find lodgment in the brains of our teach.. ers, committees, or parents. Perhaps it will be * Connecticut. believed in a few centuries more; and in the course of another six thousand years, begin to be acted upon. I hope at any rate, that Con. necticut will not be more than 6000 years behind the three adjoining states. DISTRICT SCHOOL JOURNAL. ALBANY, NOVEMBER, 1844. THE JOURNAL as trustee in our district for several years, and Freysbush, Oct. 9th, 1844. TEACHERS' INSTITUTES. WE are certainly under very great obligations to our correspondent, whose note we sub. join, for the high opinion he expresses of the practical value and utility of our Journal as a family and school paper. It has been our earnest and uniform aim, to give it this character; and it is gratifying to learn that we have in some degree succeeded. It is due to ourselves, however, no less than to the cause we advocate, to say, that unless our Journal can find its way, through parents and teachers, into the family circle and the school, its object must, in a great measure, THESE institutions, which we are glad to per. fail of accomplishment. The officers of the ceive springing up in different portions of the state, several school districts, to whom it is officially and increasing in value and efficiency by increassent, are bound to keep it in their own posses-ed experience as well of their utility as of their sion, and preserve it for binding at the end of the economy, unquestionably owe their origin no less year. Its practical benefits can therefore only to the demand for a higher qualification of teachbe secured and widely diffused, by individualers in our elementary schools, than to the absence subscription among parents, and especially teach- of institutions expressly designed to minister to ers. The trifling price at which we are enabled this demand. The several departments hitherto to afford it, can scarcly be felt by those who order existing in a portion of the academies of this it, while by the general diffusion of useful educa. State, for the preparation of teachers, have, as tional information throughout the community, our readers are already aware, been discontinued. the most important and beneficial results to the The State Normal School, authorized by the act rising generation, and to the present and future of the last session of the legislature, has not yet destinies of our beloved country, cannot fail of gone into practical operation. And were this being realized. The publication of the Journal, otherwise, it is obvious that several years must in its present enlarged size, is kept up at a con- elapse before its practical results will be able, stant pecuniary sacrifice on our part; and we even under the most favorable auspices, to vinare reluctantly compelled to say, that unless a dicate the far-reaching and comprehensive wisconsiderable accession is made to our subscrip- dom of its establishment. The periodical ortion list from the sources we have indicated, we ganization of teachers' institutes, preparatory to must, in justice to ourselves, reduce our sheet to the summer and winter terms of our common one-half its present size. If we deserve to be schools, affords not only a most valuable opporsustained-and if the continued publication of tunity for teachers thoroughly to review their the Journal in its present size is desirable-wil attainments, but ample facilities for practical not parents and teachers, as well as the friends of knowledge in the art of instruction. These ineducation generally, appreciate our appeal? stitutes remain in session for two or three weeks; To the Editor of the District School Journal: the cost of attendance is comparatively triflingSIR-It is with feelings of no common interest, that of instruction nothing, or very light, being and most certainly with no sinister motive, that I either gratuitously furnished by the county supersay one word in praise of your useful and able pe. intendent, or for an inconsiderable sum, when riodical. Having been an attentive reader from its commencement, I have found all its doctrines distributed over a class of from fifty to a hunand illustrations to be most reasonable, and cal-dred, by literary and scientific gentlemen expres culated to awaken that interest on the subject ly engaged for the purpose. Valuable lect-es which has so long lain dormant. Having acted on educational topics are interspersed throuaout |