The resolutions were discussed by Messrs. Hagar, of Massachusetts; Valentine, of New York; Hickok, of Pennsylvania; Bulkley, of New York; Cann, of Georgia; Challen, of Indiana; Taylor, of Delaware; Wickersham, of Pennsylvania; Barrett, of Illinois; Whelan, of Missouri, and Rev. Dr. Challen, of Philadelphia; all of whom favored the immediate organization of a National Teachers' Association.

The resolutions were unanimously adopted. The Chair appointed Messrs. Hagar, of Massachusetts; Cann, of Georgia; and Challen, of Indiana, the committee to prepare and report a constitution.

A communication was received from Messrs. Child & Peterson, of Philadelphia, inviting delegates to the Teachers' Convention, to visit the boat "Faith," and other relics of Dr. Kane's expedition. On motion of T. W. Valentine, of New York, voted to accept the invitation, and returned thanks for the same.

Wm. Roberts, of Pennsylvania, moved to hold the afternoon session of the convention in the Sansom Street Hall. Agreed to.

On motion, the hours of meeting were agreed upon as follows, viz: nine o'clock for the morning session, two and a half o'clock for the afternoon, and eight o'clock for the evening.

Voted to listen to an Address-written by Prof. Wm. Russell, of Massachusetts, at the opening of the evening session.

At half past twelve o'clock the convention adjourned.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

The convention met according to adjournment in the Sansom Street Hall, at half past two o'clock, and was called to order by the Chairman, James L. Enos. The minutes of the morning session were read by the Secretary, and approved.

A communication was received and read from the Teachers' Associations of the counties of Kent and Sussex, of Delaware, certifying that N. K. Lynch and J. Vanlone were appointed delegates to the National Convention of Teachers, to be held in Philadelphia, Aug. 26, 1857.

General remarks relating to education in different parts of our country, were made by Lynch, of Delaware; Bulkley, of New York; Richards, of District of Columbia; Sheldon, of Massachusetts; Roberts, of Pennsylvania; Valentine, of New York; and Hickok, of Pennsylvania. D. B. Hagar, from the committee to prepare a constitution, submitted their report, which, on motion of W. E. Sheldon, of Massachusetts, was accepted.

On motion of S. W. Bulkley, of New York, the constitution reported by the committee was taken up article by article, for adoption. After an earnest and free discussion of the several articles, in which many of the teachers present participated, and some amendments having been agreed upon, the following Preamble and Constitution was adopted unanimously:

[TO BE CONCLUDED IN DECEMBER NUMBER.]

Editorial Department.

NEVER before has the subject of education engrossed the attention of so many minds of every grade of ability and culture. Theoretically it has almost become a hobby. It has its shibboleth, its watchwords, and we sometimes fear that "mental development" and "the march of mind" may yet take the place of "manifest destiny" and "our country right or wrong." There is great danger that the true end and aim of all right education will be overlooked in our eagerness to secure intellectual advancement. Education has been considered as an end, not as a means. The popular

idea of an education is, the acquiring of a certain amount of information— a certain amount of mental discipline; the aim has been to make good thinkers, or good reasoners, not to make good men. This is clearly seen when we carefully examine our systems of education, the routine of study, and the arrangements and appliances for acquiring knowledge. In the first place, our systems of education are not based upon a clear recognition of the essential nature of the being to be educated.

It is said that in Chinese maps of the world, the "Celestial Empire" occupies the central and larger portion, while Europe and America are represented as small islands, and placed in the corners by themselves. So in our systems of education, mind, intellect, has occupied the foreground, and been represented in magnified proportions, while the physical, the moral and the emotional parts of our nature have been in a great measure overlooked or placed in the back-ground as of but little importance. As a consequence, among educated men (so called) we often find moral dwarfs or monsters, physical imbecilities, hermaproditic malformations; a well-developed intellect matched with a puny frame, or perhaps a mind and body erect and noble, united with a perverted conscience and a depraved heart. Now, a true education is a full and proper development of all the faculties and powers of the individual; not only a full, but a proper development, a development based not merely upon the nature of the faculties, but also upon the relations the individual sustains through those faculties to everything in the universe-to time and eternity-to God Himself.

Education, then, is a means of promoting personal cultivation and improvement, social regeneration, and public national growth and life; and any system which fails to provide for all of these ends is essentially defective, and cannot be relied on to make truly educated men and women. In future numbers we shall consider our common school system with reference to the principles stated above.

THE fall term of the public school in Palmyra, Jefferson Co., closed on the 16th of last month with a pic-nic, in which parents, teachers and children participated. At 2 o'clock, P. M., the pupils were formed in procession at the school-house, when marshaled by the teachers and assistants, and led by the Palmyra cornet band, they marched to Wisconsin Hall, and being joined by the parents and patrons of the school, they were comfortably seated and listened to short addresses from Mr. J. M. Bingham, town superintendent; the Rev. Mr. Waldo; the Rev. Mr. Dye; J. Carpenter and P. H. Turner, Esqrs., and others; after which they proceeded to dispose of the abundant supply of eatables with which the tables were loaded; listening at times to inspiring strains from the band, who sustained the reputation acquired by winning three premiums at County Fairs the present season.

All passed off pleasantly; all were highly gratified and encouraged to work with renewed vigor to sustain and elevate our system of free schools. Much praise is due to the principal of the higher department, Mrs. S. A. Emory, for the faithfulness with which she has performed her duties, for the progress which her pupils have made in their studies, and for the influence which she has had socially and morally over those committed to her charge. During the two terms that she has presided over the higher department, not a difficulty has arisen, no hard feelings have been engendered; she has secured the esteem of the parents, and the respect and affection of the pupils. Though the school-rooms have been crowded, especially the primary department, (there being often seventy on the seats at once,) yet the teacher, Miss Clara G. Turner, has acquitted herself creditably, and considering her youth and inexperience, (this being her first essay at teaching) has done a good work. It would be well for our schools generally if such gatherings as this were more common, if parents would visit the schools, make parties for the children, and give tangible evidence of regard for the teachers, who, in many instances, unchecred by a kind look or an encouraging word, are faithfully striving to do the greatest work devolved upon a human being-the work of educating the children of our country.

A TEACHERS' INSTITUTE was held at Wautoma, the county seat of Waushara Co., the second week of October. A goodly number of teachers, town superintendents, and friends of education were present, and much interest was manifested by the citizens generally. We were present, and were much gratified to see the progress which has been made in the right direction in so new a place as Wautoma. They have a comfortable, wellarranged building, comprising two departments for school purposes, and they have commenced the erection of a large addition for another department. They have employed two teachers for a year past, Mr. J. M. Fry and Miss Delia Blodgett, and intend to employ three in the future.

We were hospitably entertained by Mr. Moses Barrett and his excellent lady, both of whom have been engaged in teaching in times past, and are intelligent active friends of popular education. The present encouraging state of things in regard to education in Wautoma, is the result of the per

severing efforts of a few persons, among whom Mr. Barrett is conspicuous for zeal and energy. Wautoma is a pleasant, flourishing place, situated near the center of the county, on the White River; has a good water power, a healthy location and good society. We were promised a copy of the proceedings of the institute but have not received it yet; will publish them next month.

On our way to Wautoma stopped at Horicon, and spent half a day in friend Pickett's school. We were much gratified at the order and discipline manifested in the exercises, and are satisfied that the people of Horicon have been fortunate in securing so able and efficient a teacher. Spent part of a day at Juneau, the county seat of Dodge Co. Mr. W. R. Kinyon has been teaching at this place for a year past, and has given general satisfaction. Mr. James Thorn has been engaged for the ensuing year. The school commenced on the 26th ult.

A CORRESPONDENT at Hudson, St. Croix Co., writes as follows: "The inhabitants of Hudson, considering the present hard times, are pushing forward educational interests with commendable energy. The schools are as yet organized under the general law, but a petition will be presented to the next legislature for a special act. The school accommodations as yet consist of a building two stories high, furnished with ordinary seats and blackboards, but destitue of all apparatus, maps or library, except Webster's Dictionary. The school is graded into a 'preparatory' and 'high school' department.

A hope is entertained that its prospects will assume a brighter appearance by the close of the year.

S. S. B.

A CORRESPONDENT sends us the following queries. They relate to topics of vital importance to parents, teachers and pupils. We trust to receive answers to them in time for publication in the December number of the Journal:

Query. Is no school at all better than an attempt to teach in miserably constructed, miserably located, and densely crowded school-houses? Query. Suppose a pupil to be pursuing three studies, what part of the day may be profitably spent in recitation?

Query. Is it possible to do away with all communications in school? If so, by what means is it to be brought about?

PLATTEVILLE has at last taken another good step in the right direction, and she may soon expect to be furnished with a good public school-house. At the last annual meeting it was voted to raise a tax of $1000, and to appropriate (if the Legislature will grant permission) the $1000 coming from the State for the purchase of a site, and for commencing the erection of a suitable school edifice. Nor will the matter rest until Platteville is furnished with as good school accommodations as any town in the State, for her citizens mean to sustain the reputation they enjoy of carrying forward to successful completion whatever they undertake.

P.

We learn that J. J. M. Angear has been engaged as principal of the Berlin Union School for another year.

MR. S. S. Benedict, of Grand Spring, Dane Co., has removed to Hudson, St. Croix, Co., and taken charge of the city schools.

We learn that a well-attended and interesting teachers' institute was held at Omro early in October. We have not seen a copy of the proceedings, but understand that a good deal of interest was manifested by parents and citizens generally, the evening meetings being largely attended. Mr. J. G. McMynn was present two days, and lectured on one of the evenings.

AN institute was also held at Sheboygan Falls, in Sheboygan Co., at which a good feeling prevailed, but the attendance was not very large on account of the weather, it being quite rainy.

WELLS' FAMILIAR SCIENCE. Familiar science, or the scientific explanation of the principles of natural and physical science, and their practical and familiar applications to the employments and necessities of common life. Illustrated with upwards of one hundred and sixty engravings. By DAVID WELLS, A. M. Philadelphia: Childs & Peterson, 124 Arch Street. New York: Putnam & Co., 321 Broadway. For general reading, and as a book of reference, this volume is unsurpassed by any work with which we are acquainted. It should be in every family library and on the desk of every teacher.

COMMON SCHOOLS OF CINCINNATTI. Twenty-eighth Annual Report for the school year ending July 6th, 1857, and various supplementary documents, exhibiting the condition of the schools.

We learn from this document that there are 240 teachers employed in the public schools, whose salaries amount to $103,707 44. Total expenditures on account of schools for the past year, $208,064 65. The following table exhibits the number of ⚫hildren, and the number attending school:

There are many valuable suggestions in the reports which comprise a large part of the document. We quote from the report of CYRUS KNOWLTON, Principal of Huges' High School, a paragraph in regard to the mingling of the sexes in the recitation room : "The mingling of the sexes in the recitation room has continued to attract our attention, in removing from discipline its repulsive harshness, and rendering it effective; in cultivating a firm and manly dependence upon proper principles, without detracting any thing from the delicacy so beautiful in the female character; in checking the growth of the baser feelings, and inciting both sexes to wider and more solid