particularly to one by Mr. Mayhew, of Jefferson; and there were others also displaying great ability.

He concluded by urging the Superintendents to seek to enlist public feeling-to identify themselves with that feeling-in short, to become popular. That end attained, and there was hardly a limit to their power for good. Seven o'clock, P. M.

TEXT BOOKS. Mr W. Wright reported on the subject of an uniformity of text books, that

While the committee regard the subject of an uniformity of text books of great and vital importance, yet in the accomplishment of so desirable an object, the committee find that there are at present insuperable barriers. It will be recollected that at the last annual meeting of this convention, it was "recommended that the Deputies of the several counties convene as many of the inhabitants of the several districts within their jurisdiction as may be possible, and recommend the appointment of a committee to prepare lists of suitable text books for their adoption." Presuming that many, if not all of the Deputies have already acted upon this subject, and with the concurrence of the friends of popular education in their respective counties, have already committed themselves to certain works, and are consequently unprepared to sanction any selection that a committee of this convention might hope to make for the State, we are therefore forced to the conclusion, that, however desirable uniformity may be, uniformity at present is impract cable The committee beg leave, therefore, to offer the following resolutions, viz:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient, if not impracticable, for this convention to recommend, at this time, a list of text books for the use of the common schools of, this State.

Resolved, That a committee of one from each Senatorial district be appointed, to take into consideration the subject of " uniformity of text books," and report at the next convention.

The report was discussed by Messrs. Randall, Woodin, Foord, Stevens, Clement, Patchin, and others.

Rev. Mr. Abbot addressed the convention, giving the results of an examination of a committee of the ،، New-York State Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," in relation to the relative merits of the various text books in use in the county. Of the spelling books, there were one hundred and twenty brought under critical and careful examination for about eight months. The result was given in a printed report of the committee. The examination resulted in the selection of only two out of the one hundred and twenty, as being worthy of special examination. These two were then minutely criticised, the respective authors having appeared before the committee, and explained their distinctive principles. Mr. A. then read from the report of the committee, saying that he should, from motives that would be appreciated by all, withhold the names of the authors of these two books.

all, a propriety in the examples which were given. In this last particular, the committee had found that the great mass of books failed. Numerous examples were given, taken from different works, which were objected to on the ground of low vulgarity and irreverence. The committee were not fully prepared to report. The investigation had been already narrowed down to three grammars, one of which was English, and two American. The committee had been most diligently and arduously engaged for eighteen months.

The next subject of inquiry would be the arithmetics. While he had not felt permitted to call the names of the books which had been under review, yet he might be permitted to say that there were two books which had been pronounced entirely faultless by the unanimous expression of the friends of education throughout the country: these were "Colburn's First Lessons in Intellectual Arithmetic," and "Porter's Rhetorical Reader." On motion of Mr. King, the thanks of the convention were presented to the "New-York Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," for the interest manifested in the cause of education, and interesting address this evening. and to their corresponding secretary for his able

The resolutions under discussion when Mr. Abbot commenced his address, were then taken up and adopted.

The convention then adjourned.

Friday morning, May 19.
Prayer by the Rev. Dr. Bullions.
Mr. Tidd offered the following resolution:

PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

Whereas, the common school is congenial with the institutions of our country, and affords greater facili ties for the education of the masses of the people than any other institution: therefore,

Resolved, That this convention recommend to parents and guardians that they use all their influence to elevate the condition of common schools to such a degree of excellence as will wholly supersede the necessity of select schools.

And after further debate between Messrs. Woodin, Stevens, Cleaveland and Mayhew, the resolution was adopted.

The President announced the following as the committee to report at the next convention on the subject of text books: Messrs. Stone, Clement, Fonda, Sprague, W. Wright, Patchin, Hopkins and Rochester.

FEMALE TEACHERS.

Mr. A. Wright, from the committee to whom was referred the subject of female teachers, made the following report:

The influence of moral and well educated females has always been salutary in the highest degree. It is only in savage or barbaros nations where the weaker sex is kept in ignorance and degradation, that woman does not shed a healthy and softening influence on all who come within her reach. The fireside, the social circle, and many of the more public assemblies, owe most of their charms to the presence of enlightened

females.

The next subject was grammars. A catalogue of three hundred and fifty was furnished the committee, one hundred and sixty-four of which were British, and the rest American. They had been published at different periods, from 1680 to 1840. Nature has wisely constituted the female the earliest More than one hundred and fifty specimens were guardian and natural protector of the child; and as before the committee. There were two kinds of the God of nature always adopts the best means to acgrammars: one where the author was an inde-complish the desired ends, he has endowed her with all pendent thinker, and the other where he was a mere copyist. He alinded to the fact that Murray had borrowed largely from one of his predecessors, but others had more than retaliated upon him; for the committee found more than one hundred grammars which were almost literally copied from Murray. He also spoke of the different styles in which the grammars were got up. The essential characteristics of a good grammar were a proper system of Arrangement-correctness, precision and definition of the rules-and a clearness, and above

that beauty of person, mildness of disposition, gentle. ness, kindness, unwearied patience, and love of chil dren, which eminently qualify her for the arduous and important duty of guiding the youth of our land to virtue, intelligence, usefulness and happiness.

The accomplished female teacher can usually con trol by moral means the tumultuous passions and tur bulent conduct of the scholars, even more effectually than the male; they more usually introduce into their schools delightful exercises in vocal music; they have greater tact in dealing with the minds of small chil dren. and are equally capable of teaching nearly all the sciences which are introduced into our primary schools.

And believing, as your committee do, that frequent changes of teachers prove injurlons to the schools, and that well qualified females are much to be preferred to ordinary males as teachers, we think the time has ar. rived when a more general employment of them should be encouraged.

We therefore offer for the consideration of the convention, the following resolutions:

Resolved, That we will use every exertion to induce the females of our country to qualify themselves for the very appropriate duty of becoming the permanent and professional teachers of our primary schools. Adopted. Resolved, That we earnestly recommend the employment of female teachers in the summer schools, and in all winter schools, where the circumstances render it proper and expedient.

Col. Young read an extract from the Report of the Board of Education of Massachusetts, showing the success of the experiment of employing female teachers in that State.

that female teachers would be employed in the winter schools. Nor was this anticipated some three or four years ago in Massachusetts-where now it had been shown by actual experiment, that female teachers of proper qualifications could better manage turbulent young men of 18 and 19 than male teachers. He had concluded, from what he had heard, that well qualified females could teach a winter school as well as males, and that they would eventually supersede males in our common schools. They were cheaper, and could teach the elementary branches as well as men. They learned perhaps with more intuitive quickness than males. Some of the best mathematicians and astronomers had been females. Some of the best teachers in the higher seminaries of learning had Occasionally been females. He should not, however, recommend such a change as would put them at the head of our colleges; but he believed them Col. Stone said it was hardly worth while to dis- to be as competent to conduct all branches of comcuss a proposition to which there was no opposi-mon education as males. He did not think the retion. He rose, therefore, not to debate the resolu- solutions went too far; and if he were now to give tion, but to express his entire concurrence in it. advice and direction in reference to the examinaThere could be no question that females did exer- tion of female teachers, he should somewhat vary cise a happier and more powerful influence over the language of the former State Superintendent. the minds of children than males, and that they He should not say that they should not undergo as were perfectly competent, might be made obvious strict an examination in all the departments, as to any one who would look into the schools taught Particularly where they were to teach by them. He spoke, of course, with reference to winter schools, they should have the same examithe schools under his supervision. There were Col. Stone did not understand the resolutions as many of these teachers in New-York, that ranked as high intellectually, and on the score of attain-contemplating the employment of females to the ment and thorough discipline, as any of the males, He could name several, and would, but for the fact that females shrunk from having their names given in the newspapers. In respect to moral influence, the female teachers were better than males, and in all the departments of knowledge taught in the common schools, they were fully competent. This was the result of his experience.

Mr. Woodin fully concurred in these remarks saying, however, that as there was no arguing against facts, he would state one or two in illustration of the capacity and peculiar qualifications of female teachers-which he did-drawing his illustrations from results in his own county.

Mr. Shumway also took ground in favor of the

resolutions.

males.

nation.

exclusion of males. He was not a disciple of Ma-
ry Woolstoncraft. He would not put females on
the bench in the courts of justice, or in the jury
room, or in Congress; but as a general rule, he
believed that in moulding the young mind, women
exercised a stronger, a more healthful moral influ-
He did not believe in carrying out the pro-
ence.
jects of modern theorists, such as unsexing the sex,
But he
and putting them in boots and pantaloons.
did know that females were as competent to teach
every branch of human knowledge as males-as
well qualified intellectually as in every other re-
spect. He had thought they did not as readily
grasp the mathematical science, or the science of
political economy, as males.

them.

Col. Young-Miss Martineau is as good a politiMr. Denman remarked upon the array of strength cal economist, if not mathematician, as any of which the resolutions seemed to call out, and the futility of any attempt on his part to combat the Col. Stone replied that Miss Martineau was an general feeling. Nevertheless, he felt that quali-exception to the general rule, and went on to say, fications, and not sex, should be the test; that before females should become professional teachers, the relative duties and avocations of the two sexes should be changed; that until there was such a revolution in the social system, it was idle to think of females taking charge of our primary schools; that young women were not the persons to teach lads of sixteen. He had no objection that females should have charge of the younger children; but the idea conveyed in the resolution that females were to be encouraged to qualify themselves to teach all the primary schools, with a view ultimately to the exclusion of male teachers, was going

too far.

Mr. A. Wright denied that the resolutions went that length, insisting that they merely recommended the employment of well qualified female teachers, when first rate male teachers could not be had.

that in a conversation with Dr. Wayland, the other
day, he (Col. S.) had told him that he had examin
e a class, recently taught by a female, in moral
philosophy, that would vie with any class ever
turned out of Brown University; and it was lite-
rally true. Away, then, with the idea that we
were introducing a sort of--he did not know how
to express himself-he liked to have said, a lower
order of petticoat government. There was no fear
of that; and if county superintendents did their
duty, there could be no danger that any evil would
result from encouragement to females to make
teaching a profession.

The resolutions were for the present laid on the table, but afterwards taken up and adopted.

VOCAL MUSIC.

Mr. Sprague, from the committee on the subject of vocal music, submitted a report, concluding with a series of resolutions strongly urging the introduction into the common schools of exercises in vocal music, and instruction in the rudiments of

Mr. Myers fully concurred in the resolutions, though it struck him that they went far beyond the case contemplated by the State Superintendent, in his instructions on the subject of female teach-the science.

ers.

Col. Young said no instructions had been issued on this subject since he had had charge of the Department. His predecessor had given such instructions, but Mr. Spencer evidently did not anticipate

The hour having arrived for the exhibition of the proficiency of Prof. Illsley's pupils in vocal music, on motion of Mr. Randall, the resolutions were laid on the table.

Prof. Illsley here introduced his choir of juvenile

singers, being scholars from the public schools of the city, boys and girls of from eight to twelve years of age-some of whom had been instructed, as he stated, but one year, others two, and a few three years, on an average of about two hours in the week.

its great practical value to all classes of the commu nity, should be insisted on; and from the ease and facility with which it can be carried on, should begin with the school education of the pupil, and form a part of his daily exercise.

All which is respectfully submitted.

Col. Stone alluded to one passage in the report, where he thought the committee, in their enthu siasm, had gone too far. It was the passage where the committee asserted that anybody that could samething to that effect. Now there was a good deal of music in many persons, but like the Yanthe case with himself. If he should undertake to kee's fiddle, you could not get it out. That was sing now, he presumed he should drive everybody out. [Laughter.]

The juveniles sang a number of songs and chants, in some of them two and four singing songs and duetts, and the rest joining in the chorus-Mr. I. leading with his violin. It was a highly interesting, and as a musical entertainment, a very credit-read with the proper inflections, could sing, or able performance-concluding with that immortal piece of harmony, Old Hundred, in which the whole audience (which we regret to say did not number many more than the children and the members of the convention,) joined con amore. Upon the conclusion of these exercises, Mr. Shumway offered a resolution of thanks to Prof. Illsley, and to the teachers and officers of the publie schools of Albany, for this highly interesting exhibition, and for the incontestible argument to be drawn from it in favor of the general introduction into the common schools of exercises in vocal

music.

Mr. Sprague-Perhaps you were not well trained in youth.

Col. S. went

and learned the gamut, and could sing BridgewaCol. Stone:-Yes I was. I went to singing school ter, and all the old standard tunes. on to relate an anecdote of Dr. Bradford, who, he said, had a nice ear for music, and a very bad Col. Stone rose with great pleasure to second the choir. Things went on until the old man got very sick of it, and he was rather irritable than otherresolution, and in doing so, he begged leave so far to deviate from parliamentary practice, as to wise. It happened one Sunday that the choir sang make a few remarks to the interesting group be- particularly ill, and the Dr. got out of all patience. fore the convention. Col. S. went on to address They had no sooner finished than he rose in the the children at some length on the duties they he, "Do you call that singing? I'm sure if the pulpit, and addressing himself to the choir, said owed to themselves, to their parents, their teachers, and the responsibilities they would one day be angel Gabriel should hear you, he would come called on to assume in the social scale, and as citi-down and wring your necks off." [Laughter.] zens of a republic where honors and office were A good many of us, Col. S. presumed, would sing in that way. It was not philosophically true that open to all, without distinction-and inculcating a kind and forgiving dispositions in all their inter- other respects, he liked the report very well; for generous emulation in the pursuit of knowledge, everybody that could read could sing; and we had better not commit ourselves on that point. In humanize than vocal music; and they who could there was nothing more calculated to refine and it. The power of music, its inspiring and almost not sing themselves, generally delighted to hear maddening effect, when brought to bear upon mas

course with each other; obedience to their teachers and parents; obedience to the laws; a strict adherence to truth; and as necessary to that, to do nothing that they would be ashamed to have known

to the whole world.

After some excellent and judicious precepts of

this character, the children retired.

ses of men, was well known. The success of the Mr. Sprague, from the committee on music and French revolution, which all must confess had drawing, submitted the following report and reso-liberty, was attributable to the Marselloise Hymn, contributed something to the progress of human

lutions:

The committee to whom was referred the subject of music and drawing, respectfully beg leave to report, That the subject referred to them they deem of very great importance, and that its influence upon our social relations cannot be otherwise than salutary. Your committee are decidedly of the opinion that there is nothing better calculated to soften and subdue the passions and refine the feelings, than the practice of mu. sic; and its introduction into our district schools, as a part of the daily exercises, would in an eminent degree conduce to happiness, good order, and moral and intellectual improvement in these "nurseries of mind."

and to its influence on the public mind, rather perhaps than to the action of the leaders in that great and bloody drama. He might carry out the illustration, but he would not detain the convention any further.

Mr. Finch, (in an under tone,) you forgot to mention the way in which you sang Harrison in. Col. Stone, (aside,) No-I thought of that-and should have mentioned it, but for that rascally chorus, "Tyler too."

Mr. Sprague said he thought he had the authority of teachers of music for saying that any person who could be taught to read could be taught to Your committee, from actual observation, have become convinced that where the practice of music pre-sing. The difficulty, he apprehended, with Col. vails in our schools, it tends greatly to relieve them of tedium, and throws round them a charm peculiarly in. viting to pupils and patrons-thus rendering their discipline easier and their results more valuable. With these views, your committee are prepared to offer the following resolution, in the confident expectation that the time is not far distant when the science of music

shall be tanght in every district school in this State.

Resolved, That we recommend to parents, teachers, and to the friends of education universally, to use their influence to introduce the practice of vocal music into all their district schools; and that we pledge ourselves to co-operate with them, and never cease our efforts till it be accomplished.

Upon the subject of drawing, your committee beg leave to state, that in consequence of other duties elaiming the greater portion of their time, they have not been able to treat the subject in a manner which its importance demands, and therefore report by resolution.

Kesolved, That the more general introduction into our district schools of linear and other drawing, from

Stone and himself was, that their voices had not been cultivated early in life, though he did not suppose that every man and woman could be taught to sing well.

Col. Stone did not doubt at all that every music developed, for the sake of getting a large school, master whose conscientiousness was not largely

would inculcate that doctrine; but it did not follow that it was so. He knew better. He had heard a writing master say he could make a pig write in twelve lessons. He knew better than that. He went once to a writing master, who promised to how many lessons. He went to a writing school learn him to write elegantly in-he did not know up here on the plains of Herkimer, kept by Luther Jackson-and yet, if the reports in the Argus were correct, the Chair decided here, the other day, taking advantage of his (Col. S.'s) absence at Saratoga, that he (the Chair) could not read his (Col. S.'s) writing. [Laughter.] Now it was la

ing it on a small triangle, bounded on all sides by public roads.

At other times the school house is situated on low and worthless ground with a sluggish stream passing beneath it, which, at certain seasons, degenerates into a mere puddle. Such a sight is incomparably more suitable for a wallowing place for swine, or for a duckpuddle, than for a school house.

| their children, without any support to their backs, sit six hours a day for five and a half days in the week, upon a seat from which they cannot reach their feet to the floor.

Resolved, That a wood-house and privies are essential appurtenances to every school-house.

Mr. Finch corroborated the statements of the report, particularly in regard to the location of school houses-some of which, he could state, were located in grave-yards!

Resolved, That if there is one house in the district more pleasantly located, more comfortably construct Excepting a few school houses that have been erected, more inviting in its general appearance, and more ed during the past year, the scholars in 49-50ths of the elevating in its influence than any other, that that districts which the chairman of your committee repre-house should be the school-house. sents, universally step from the school house directly into the highway. Judging from the observation of your committee the same is true of several other counties. Indeed, school houses are frequently one-half in the highway and the other half in the adjacent field, as though they were unfit for either. This is the case even in some of our villages. In a village which has been designated by a distinguished member of the clerical profession as the heart of the wealthiest town in the most distinguished county in the Empire State," one of the district school houses, situated on sn a public corner, is on the margin of one street and projects several feet into the other, which is the principal street of the village. Carriages, in turning the corner, have considerably marted the house, and displaced the corner stone.

School houses are sometimes situated in the middle of the highway, a portion of the travel being on each side of them. When the scholars are engaged in their recreations, they are exposed to bleak winds and the inclemency of the weather one portion of the year, and to the scorching rays of the sun during another por tion. Moreover, their recreations must be conducted in the street, or they trespass upon their neighbor's premises. Such situations can hardly be expected to exert the most favorable influence in the formation of the habits and character of the rising generation.

With the provisions which the resolution contemplates, the scholars could enjoy their pastime in a pleasant and healthful yard, where they had a right to be, protected alike from the scorching sun and the wintry blast. They need then no longer be hunted as trespassers upon their neighbors' premises, as they now freResolved, That for the accommodation of fifty scholars, the school-house should not be less than 26 by 36 feer on the ground, and 12 feet in height.

quently are.

Mr. Henry suggested some verbal corrections, such as the erasure of the words swine puddle or duck puddle or both. With these amendments the report would no doubt meet the unanimous concurrence of the convention.

Mr. Dwight confessed that he felt none of the squeamishness which some gentlemen manifested, in regard to the language of the report. The facts were plainly and strongly stated, as such facts should be, and he trusted the report would not be altered in the least. Mr. D took however exception to the resolutions, particularly the height of ceiling. With proper means of ventilation, 10 feet in the clear was enough-without them 12 would scarcely suffice.

Col. Young said if he were responsible for the language of the report, should have no hesitation in adopting it as it stood. But we were not responsible for the language of the report. A committee had a right to put their ideas in their own language. They might change it, if they pleased; but if they chose to retain it, the convention could not control it. The resolutions they could change. He hoped the convention would not be fastidious as to the language of the report. He was willing to have it go out among the people as the sense of the convention, that they placed their children, in some cases, at school, in localities that were only fit for hogs to wallow in or ducks to paddle in. He was willing to go with it to the public. He thought it an

These dimensions give about three times the average eapacity of school-houses in many parts of the State, but they are no larger than healthful respiration re-important subject. It was important that children quires.

For an exposition of the change produced in the air by breathing, and the unfitness of respired air to sustain animal life, your committee beg leave to refer to the Jefferson county report to which allusion was made yesterday by Col. Young.

Resolved, That frequent and thorough ventilation is essential to the preservation of health; and that low ering the upper sash of the windows, is more effectual and safer than the common method of ventilation by raising the lower sash, or opening the door

should be placed in large rooms for study, that might be ventilated,and where the air was not fetid and foul and unfit for respiration-that the benches should be suited to the frames that are to sit on them. Let parents be reminded that when they went to church, two hours sitting, in a pleasant seat too, often fatigued them beyond endurance; and that it is torture for little children, who like all young animals, must have exercise, to sit six For reasons, reference is again made to the Jefferson hours a day on uncomfortable benches, were there County report, in the possession of the members of no task to do there. If lambs were taken and conthis convention See also, "proposed plan for school fined in the same way, we should have a miserable, houses," based upon the proposition that they rickety set of sheep. They must frisk and play; should be so constructed as best to contribute to the It was their nature. He was glad this subject had health, comfort and convenience of both teacher and been brought prominently forward among the matThe plan contemplates that the height of the seats ters of inquiry and remark embodied in the reports and desks should be adjusted with reference to the size of committees. It was a subject on which there was and comfort of the.scholars who are to occupy them. more ignorance than any other-the subject of the Your committee have visited several schools, in which physical laws of our nature—the law of conformathe mojority of the scholars reverse the ordinary praction-to which, if we did not yield our assent, the tice of standing up and sitting down. They literally result was punishment. He had satisfied himself, sit up and stand down, their heads being higher while by a careful examination, by study into the laws of

scholar."

sitting than when standing. They have also visited schools where the desks were so high that all which could be seen of a majority of the scholars that occupy the back sests, was a part of their heads.

Resolved, That we deprecate the unwise dispropor.

tion between our churches and school-h uses.

comparative anatomy, that our diseases in this life were of our own manufacture-that God had given us as good an organization as the wild animalsand that if we could only live in conformity with the laws of our organization, there would be no need of physicians-that as many precautions had been taken by our Maker, against disease, against It is frequently the case in villages and country neigh-accident, against contingencies of every descrip borhoods that the expense of the former is from eighty tion, as in the formation of the most perfect animal. to a hundred times the value of the latter The appear. And we saw these animals breathing the pure ance of our school-houses is an important considera

We would not lower the standard of church architec

ture, but we would elevate the school house.

tion. Mark, also, their contrast in comfort. Parents air, living temperately, and living comparatively at church frequently sit upon a cushioned seat with without discase. He was glad that the Deputy a back, three hours a day, one day in a week, while from Jefferson, in his report last year, called the