practices of some teachers in western New-York, he would not have formed so low an estimate of their efforts in that branch as the extract above seems to show. He could be pointed to teachers, who for the last ten years have not suffered a lesson to be read, or hardly a word spelled by the smallest pupil without examination of its import or use, or some question or remark to elicit thought on the part of the learner. It is an old maxim but a true one, that "one mend fault is worth half a dozen find faults," and if learned critics would descend from high Olympus and spend a little time in visiting common schools, animating them by their presence, and giving a Hittle instruction to the careworn teachers, their condescension would be gratefully appreciated, and doubtless the schools be abundantly benefited. We readily admit the necessity of improvement in ourselves as teachers, but to be so belittled en masse as to be made mere machinists we do think rather humiliating. The want of uniformity in reading books has been a subject of much complaint, and indeed of great embar rassment to teachers, in giving instructions in that branch, without much alleviation of the evil. As you invite "teachers to communicate the results of their own experience," permit me humbly to suggest to teachers to supply them selves with a variety of suitable works and loan them to their pupils. The expense it is true is quite an item, but the rapid improvement of pu. pils, and also their cheerful, happy and even grateful acceptance, is a remuneration which few of those teachers who have made the experi ment would be willing to lose for the degrading consideration of cash, when put in competition with the elevation of immortal minds, whose first impressions so often stamp their future destiny. That you, sir, may be instrumental in communicating many benefits to teachers, and through them to the whole race of mankind is the earnest wish of your humble, yet obliged subscriber, RUTH ARNOLD. DIRECTIONS FOR PRACTISING DIC. TATION In the Primary Schools, and Primary Depart. ments under charge of the Public School Society, New-York, June, 1844, 7th. 8th. 9th. stands, in the meantime, being supplied with appropriate boards. The Teacher, or Monitor, [as the case may be,] commences, and names the word on the first board; those that are to write that word, repeat it in concert. She then spells it, enunciating each letter distinctly, the chil dren repeat and pronounce it. Then, while she points to each of the letters in succession, the children name them, and finally, pronounce the word. Write.-Then passing to the next, and so on through the whole, she returns, and re-. peats, turning the board. Change the boards, and repeat, and change and repeat again. when they will have written, each. six words. Clean Slates,--and go through the same process. This, with due rapidity, may be done three times in the half hour; when, each child will have once written, and twice spelled and pronounced, 18 words. The orders may all be given by motion. The words must be written in perpendicular column, commencing at the top of the Slate, on the left hand corner; and those who can, must continue writing each word on the same line, till the next is given out. The boards are designed chiefly for the 3d, and lower classes. To the higher classes, more difficult words, and words with definitions, must be dictated. The 4th class all respond and spell the word once. In the 5th, only one child responds. Every Teacher and Monitor is called upon to make this exercise, (Dictation,) a matter of careful study, on account of its high utility, as a means of mental and physical culture. It awakens the attention-excites intellectual activity, and develops the dormant energies of children, more effectually and more, agreeably, than can be done by any other school excercise what ever. You have in it, the commanding silence, the erect, easy, and appropriate posture,-the eye all alive to catch the first signal,-the muscles' all set and braced for the quick and exact move ment. As the eye rests on the word on the board, the mind begins its operations when it is proOrder 1st. Attention.-Every child in his place-nounced the ear lends its aid ;--when each letter -sitting erect, with hands fixed,-feet square on the floor,-heels near together, and toes turned out. 2d. Take Slates.-The Slates are taken out, and laid square on the Desk ;-the left side in a line with the centre of the breast. 3d. Clean Slates. 4th. Hands fixed. 5th. The left hand on the Desk, resting flat. 6th. Take pencils. While this is being done, the attending Monitors who are assigned, one to each Desk. get ready their box of pencils; and, as the Slates are laid on the Desks, they pass through, and see that each is properly adjusted; and after the Slates are cleaned off, they pass rapidly along in front, dropping a Pencil on, or by, each Slate. Then falling behind, and passing back and forth, they correct what is wrong, while dictation is going on ;-the is enunciated, the analyzing process is required, and the memory is laid under contribution; when the response of each falls upon his own ear, another impulse is given;-and finally, there is the manual process of transferring the word to the Slate. In these successive steps, we find the eye, the ear, the tongue, and the hand aiding and impelling the mind through a series, of exercises, of the highest importance in expanding and training the youthful intellect. During Dictation, when properly and ener getically performed, (and it must be done with all possible despatch,) the child can get no chance to play, sleep, be idle, or do mischief. The process is, itself, the best and most perfect drill for order. This exercise must not be sus pended, to put one right, or to speak of wrong -for, though Dictation is a valuable exercise in learning to write, correct writing is to take up no part of the attention, during its performance. One half hour each day is set apart for instruction in writing, exclusively, which is all sufficient, without interfering with Dictation. It will thus be seen, that this valuable exereise of Dictation for writing on Slate, is intend ed for the purpose of teaching Orthography, and a knowledge of the script character, as fast as the pupils advance in ability to read the Roman or printed text,also, to give the pupils an aptitude to transfer correctly to the Slate, what is deposited in the mind;-all which will eventually make them good spellers, correct writers, and accurate copyists. Each and every Teacher is instructed, and enjoined to make herself thoroughly and practically acquainted with the principles and details of this Dictative system; to cause their Monitors to be thoroughly instructed therein; and to practise it three separate half hours each day, with the most rigid exactness and promptitude. in the body politic impairs the happiness of other members, we feel sorrow for their degra dation and are injured by their actions and crimes. Government conceives it to be its duty to construct "internal improvements-low much stronger is the obligation to make improvements on the uncultivated soil of mind? If for the common benefit our government is bound to build jails, prisons, lunatic asylums, canals, &c., the duty to educate the people is as much greater, as the results of it would be more beneficial than the construction of those works. II. As a means for the prevention of crime we approve the free school system. The cause of. crime is a defective moral education. The means which government uses to reform the offender and prevent the repetition of the offence, have but little influence to effect those objects; they do not reach the cause of crime, to wit: a defective moral training. Accordingly we find that men often commit crimes as soon as they are at liberty, and even while witnessing the execution of criminals. Were crimes any the less frequent when the tortures of past ages were used? Were crimes more unusual in England in the Com. IV. 13,) were punished with death, than they time of Blackstone, when 160 offences (Blk. are at the present time in our own state, where 3 only (Rev. Stat. II. 656,) are so punishable? It has become an established maxim in criminal jurisprudence that unreasonably severe punishreso-ments defeat their objects by making crime more [For the District School Journal.] FREE SCHOOLS. Syracuse, Oct. 17th, 1844. MR. DWIGHT-The undersigned having been appointed a committee, by the Onondaga county Teachers' Institute, for the purpose of preparing the report of the committee on free schools for publication, herewith transmit a copy of said report for the Journal, in pursuance of a lution of the Institute. Yours, &c. WILEIAM BARNS, DAVID PARSONS, NEHEMIAH P. STANTON, Jr. The Committee on Free Schools respectfully report: That they are deeply impressed with the incalculable importance of this subject to the best interests of the American people. We be lieve that the time has arrived when the discussion and agitation of this question is called for, and when it would be productive of good re sults. The committee are in favor of the free school system for the following reasons: I. We maintain that every human being has a right to intellectual and moral education; that it is the duty of government to provide the means of such education to every child under its juris diction. Man is not born with the matured mind which education produces; unlike the brute creation who receive by nature the knowledge necessary for their future support and happiness, men totally uneducated would die or live in misery. The intelligence of brutes remains stationary for ages; man has the capacity of continual progression, he seems designed for a state of education and progressive improvement. Ift man in a state of total helplessness and without the natural education of the brute creation has no right to demand the intellectual and moral culture so essential to his existence and happiness from his fellow men, then his right to "life and liberty" are of no consequence. The right to the air we breathe is not more necessary to physical existence, than culture to mental health. Who would accept the gift of life unaccompanied with the cultivation of the intellect and moral faculties? The community, or government, its representative, is bound to provide the intellectual and mora culture, without which the people will be miserable; the presence of uneducated persons frequent. It will be found to be universally true, the minimum of crime exists where the maximum of moral education is found. The prevention of the great object of human punishment, has never the repetition of crimes by the offender or others, been attained and never can be by the present system: the diseased moral nature must be cured or the cause of crime will ever remain. In view of these facts, does not a system of prevention which strikes at the foundation of crime become the imperative duty of government? III. The free school system is in accordance with the nature of our democratic institutions.. Is it not proper that persons created with equal rights and destined to govern our nation, with whose right action our happiness is intimately connected, should receive the education so ne cessary to a correct discharge of their duties? Why should the child of accident alone receive that intellectual and moral culture which angelizes man? Let the children of our nation have equal privileges for ennobling themselves from brute existence. "Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid, Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre." [Gray's Elegy.] Under the free school system the Washingtons, the Franklins, the Henrys, the Jeffersons, who live and die unknown, would live to benefit, to purify and exalt the race. From the immutable laws of mind the largest part of the great men, of our country must come from the poorer classes. The children of the rich do not generally form those habits of energy or perseverance, steady, unwearied, continuous labor, without which no man can attain eminence. The free school system would benefit the poorer classes and develop talent, which now is chilled by the Greenland winds of poverty-it would benefit the children of the rich by learning the-to them TO SUPERINTENDENTS OF COMMON SCHOOLS The State Agricultural Society respectfully invokes your attention to the measures now in progress for spreading Agricultural and Horticultural Information, 1rough the instrumentality of suitable books in the Common Schools and Public Libraries. As was remarked in a former appeal to you, the interest you take in the welfare of society, evinced by your services in the cause of Education, warrants the belief that you will freely use your influence in promoting Agricultural improvement: And Modern Agriculture, enlisting the aid of Science in rendering the culture of the Earth more profitable for Human Industry, is a powerful aux iliary in promoting a desire for Knowledge, which must be widely felt through its effects in sustaining our valu. able Common School System-lor it needs no argument to prove that where Knowledge is appreciated and In. dustry respected, the means of Education will be sought and sustained with proportionate avidity." The intercourse between the Superintendents of Com. mon Schools and the People throughout the twelve thousand School Districts of the State of New-York, afforda those officers immense opportunity for promoting the objects above mentioned. The County Superintendend who are now particularly addressed, may be the means of exciting increased attention to those objects on the part of the town Superintendents; and both classes of Superintendents have abundant opportunity for arouse ing interest, not only among the teachers and pupils, but among the farming communities wherein the schools are located. Wherever Superintendents or other persons have exerted influence in this way, the beneficial results are sufficiently obvious to stimulate other persons to 20 and do likewise" within their respective spheres. To the chronicler in future times-times when the interests of AGRICULTURE shall assert due influence in the education of our race-it will probably appear as a remarkable feature of the present and preceding ages, that the STAPLE BUSINESS of Society, THE CULTURE OF THE EARTH, is yet very generally, as it has until lately been almost entirely, excluded from the schools of youth and the s.udies of manhood. be rendered immensely beneficial in furthering these The County Superintendents and other friends of Edu- VERMONT. In the last Journal, we gave an extract from Gov. Slade's Message, relating to the improve. ment of the system of common schools. Our. readers will see with pleasure, that the first step is taken towards adopting a plan, modelled after New-York's efficient and successful system. Saturday, Oct. 26, 1844. the committee on Education, with a bill provid SENATE. An important report was made by ing for the annual election of a town superin tendent of common schools, whose duty it shall be to visit all common schools in his town at least once a year, to examine into the progress, order and government of the schools, give ad. vice to the teachers, and generally to perform The efforts now in progress are attended by cheer- the duties now imposed upon the prudential ing indications of satisfactory results. The State Agri- committee, by Sec. 11, chap. 15 of the R. S.; cultural Society considers it a prominent object to advance the movement, by the offer of numerous pre- also providing for the appointment of a county miums for Books and Essays embodying Agricultural superintendent, by the assistant judges of the information suitable for diffusion throughout the county court, who shall visit all the common Schools and Libraries every where in the common- schools in the county, at least once a year, shall wealth. By these means of information, reaching into the immediate neighborhood of every farmer's family, inquire into all matters pertaining to the govern. the concentrated Agricultural intelligence of the agement, course of instruction, books, studies and dis(scientific and practical) may be placed in reach of every human being within our borders: And with such facilities for improvement, it cannot be doubted that, if attention is properly turned to the subject, the conse quent improvement of the Soil and the Mind" will redound largely to the welfare of the State in all its interests, Educational as well as Agricultural and otherwise. The Common School Organization, it is repeated, may cipline of each school, and the condition of the under his supervision to the State Superintend-one are two, and four times one are four-then ent, and shall exert himself to promote sound twice two are four. A frame with ten or twelve education, to elevate the character and qualifi- parallel wires, and moveable objects thereon, cations of teachers, and to improve the means of thus becomes a most serviceable aid in oral ininstruction in the schools of his county; also struction-and how can a teacher do without it? providing that the governor shall er officio be A process of reasoning thus by sensible objects the State Superintendent, who shall annually prepares the mind for abstraction, and to comsubmit to the General Assembly a report, embo- prehend the periodic increase in the enumeradying the reports of the county superintendents, tion table. and all such matters relating to common schools as he may deem expedient to communicate. The bill was laid on the table, and 300 copies ordered to be printed. It is not probable that this measure will be adopted the present year; but it will be before the public for consideration. Now the foundation for this must be laid in Ten wires, ten clear and distinct ideas, with some knowledge of the nature of things around us. beads, ten fingers, are numerically the same as objects, which understood, the faculty of comparison is to be developed by what they differ in form, colour and substance. How varied may This bill was discussed and recommitted. On instruction be by such an instrument as the abacus or numeral frame, and what life given to the 29th of October the following report was made by Mr. Sabin, from the committee on edu- teaching by the use of it? is it not worth while to use it in elementary instruction? or rather cation, the bill relating to common schools, recommitted to them, with the following amend- shall any Primary school be without one-or ments, which were severally adopted-striking any teacher without the knowledge of using it? Mental development must be "line upon out the sections providing for the office, and prescribing the duties of town superintendents. Re. line," so that the art of thinking is taught. It lieving the county superintendents from the du- will not do for the teacher to say, it is so; bety of visiting and examining schools. Making it cause I know it, and say so-but no teacher should be satisfied with results, till his pupils the duty of district clerks to furnish the county shall have intelligently said, I know it to be so. superintendents with information upon the state This will be demonstration of thought, an eviand condition of their respective schools. iting the salary of the State Superintendent to dence of development, giving security to the future progress of intellect. To accomplish this $200. Making it the duty of town clerks to ren-all-desirable end in elementary instruction, no der such returns to county commissioners, in relation to schools, as he is now required by law illustration (especially to the eye) should be ento render to the Governor. Mr. Richardson cumbered with that belonging to another, exmoved to amend, so as to constitute the Lieut. Governor, State Superintendent; carried. The bill was then ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Lim. cept it be that which is already understood, and to which it may be necessary to refer for comparison. Thus, two different forms are presented separately, and then compared together-for example, the form of the earth having been thus taught, its diurnal motion would be best understood, without moving it on an axis; but rolling The bill will, we trust, be taken up early at the next session and the subject fully examined. The essential principle of a good law is super-it on a plane, or twirling it, as suspended by a vision—thorough, constant supervision. To this New-York owes the rapid advancement of her schools during the last four years, and the glori-ous promise of a moral, enlightened and happy community. [For the District School Journal.] A GLANCE AT MENTAL AND MORAL string, setting it on an axis and moving ii round the arms of an orrery, would but perplex the opening mind; attracting it from the idea to be presented, by having before the eye that which properly belongs only to an advanced step of knowledge; this may be ventured on, only by successive single illustrations; such as, swinging the ball round a lamp, or other object, and so conveying the idea of motion in orbit, or annual revolution. Now a moment's reflection must convince, that knowledge thus acquired must become a perpetu BY 8. W. SETON, GEN. AGENT OF NEW-YORK al possession, and has all the difference of na PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ture and art. It is the freshness of the animated In the progress of elementary instruction, mental and moral development is best effected through illustrations by sensible objects. Ideas In moral development too would we make not words are thus the first impressions, and become part of the mind; being like the deep permanent impressions and secure desired recut marks of the die, that may not be effaced; sults, we must proceed upon somewhat the same remaining to be read of all, in the gifted intelli-principles, and "precept upon precept," each ilgence of the eye, and the ready answer of the lustrated by examples-and here it is to the uttongue. Abstraction is slow in process, requir- most degree desirable, that the first be living exing strength and intellect to perfect it; and as amples, not descriptive, for the pupil must be rational inference distinguishes matured mind, made to feel in himself, and see in his teacher it must be the result of a patient training to a feeling illustration of the virtue to be inculcathink. The idea of number is conveyed by anted. The Divine Teacher in giving that vivid increase of objects-commencing to count is from and natural descriptive, "The good Samaritan," the unit, by a succession of units-this idea im.superadded his living example, urging in all his pressed is inductive to reasoning: for if twice instructions, the doctrine, that being good was doing good, and to love mercy was to practice it; still enforcing all, by saying, "learn of me, for I am meek and lowly." Now the power conferred by knowledge, can only be safe and useful to man when guarded and guided by the moral development of the heart, through religious truth. This, therefore, is as the light in the binnacle, which enables the steersman reason, to guard the bark of life "from foes or wreck." Let then virtue be the handmaid of knowledge -then, the teacher may effect the purposes of man's proper education, that high aim, (the end of all knowledge) to glorify our Maker. Now the cultivation of these principles is to be begun, at the earliest impressible age, it is then, and always to be the aim, to teach to love our Creator for His benevolence, and our neigh bor as ourself;" any means by which this may be effec ed, however partially, becomes greatly desirable, when it is considered that it requires every possible auxiliary to accomplish so im portant an end. the schools there established offer for carrying this benefit where most needed-while the. ocean steam navigation and the rapid extension of internal improvement by railroads and canals is constantly shortening the reach for friendship's grasp to the whole family of man! The thought is an American one. Let the chil dren of the republic give reality to it, by the energies of their practical efforts. Might not committees be formed in schools for carrying out this operative plan for lasting good? Its beneficial results on a limited scale have already given assurances of success, by proving its practicability. Should this communication be favored, a statement of interesting facts will be presented for another number of the Journal. POPULAR EDUCATION. tional character. Indeed it may well be doubled whether an ignorant people do not make the most loyal and obedient subjects. "But in America the case is reversed. Our The following eloquent extract is from the address delivered before the American Institute in These reflections are induced by the considera. the city of New-York, at its recent annual fair, tion, that the best of habits may be acquired, by ALEXANDER H. H. STUART, Esq. of Virand the noblest virtues cultivated by school ef forts, when rightly directed, and drawn forth by ginia. It breathes the true spirit of a lofty paadequate motives. The study of the works of natriotism, and its great truths should be heard and ture leads directly to a knowledge of the benevo- heeded by every American citizen. lence of the Deity; the Book of Nature then should be the child's first book. What there- "In Europe, popular education is, in a politifore, is more natural than the elements of Geol. cal point of view, of comparatively little imporogy, illustrated by specimens, and Geometry by tance. The great mass of the people have few by the forms of objects around us, and extended political privileges. They exert no influence on by solids and figures, and the practice of draw-public opinion. They give no impression to naing. This too might be infinitely varied and combined in form and colour, if cut by hand and arranged to the taste of the pupil. Would not such lessons prove provocatives to every other men. tal enquiry? How very delightsome would institutions rest upon the virtue and intelligence knowledge thus become, and how much the easi- of the people. The wise administration of our er aquired; and once possessed of it, would it not government requires the constant exercise of both be easy, to persuade them to bestow the bles- these qualities, not only by the magistracy, but sing on others; for example-the idea is a simple by the constituent body. The only hope of preone-of setting children to write copies for oth-serving our freedom is by diffusing knowledge ers to learn to write-but have we not here the and sound principles amongst the people, and by elements of the virtues of industry and benevo- keeping them, as I before remarked, up to the lence? Let it be extended to the various intel- level of our institutions, and of their duties lectual products, drawing, mapping, painting under them. If this cannot be done, the govworks of taste and art-and you not only may ernment must sink to their level. Let the peostimulate to improvement, but actuate to indus-ple become ignorant and debased, and the laws try and benevolence, and may make it the most happy means of cultivating generous compassionate feelings-extend this to an exchange of products, thus proposed, and from such motives, between individuals and schools, even to distant countries, and it will be practically found that you have not only trained your pupils to know-foretell the consequences of such a state of things. ledge and to virtue, but to the benign uses of If the foundation of our political edifice becomes them, in our force with the christian precept that rotten, the superstructure must inevitably fall. urges, that our "Light should shine before Disguise the fact as we may, under declarations men." These are but brief hints of a great sub- of rights, constitutional guarantees, legislative ject, a glance only at mental or moral develop- sanctions, and parchment muniments of title, it ment, by the right use of sensible objects in ele- is nevertheless true, that in all popular governmentary instruction; with simple apparatus to ments, the only security for life, liberty and proillustrate, and a system of scientific exchanges perty, is in an enlightened public opinion. Our and epistolary intercourse between schools, how-lives, our fortunes and our freedom; are all held ever distant. How becoming a free and enlightened people to establish such a national intercourse through the means of its youthful population! How grand might be the results! how kindred to the christian cause; and favorable to the advancement of civilization. What facilities the numerous missionary stations and must be adapted to their capacity, and the Constitution brought down to their standard of morality and intelligence. Public sentiment will become vitiated, and a spirit of licentiousness and disorganization pervade the whole body of society. It requires no spirit of prophecy to by that tenure. The law is but an embodiment of public sentiment. If our rights are infringed, the mode and measures of redress must be ascer tained by the opinions of judicial tribunals, which consist of the agents of the people, 'or the people themselves. If the title to our property be questioned, or our characters defamed, or our |