this measure. The funds set apart for the support of the school, are taken from the revenue of the literature fund: and in no respect trench upon the rights of the common schools.

6. Not being aware of the ground upon which the charge of sectarianism has been preferred against our common school system, and wholly ignorant of any clause or section of the law, or of any exposition, instruction or decision of either the present superintendent or his predecessors in office, which can give the slightest color to such a charge, I do not feel called upon to discuss it. If there has been one evil against which more than any other, it has been the constant and unremitting effort both of the legisla. ture and of the Department to guard our institutions of elementary instruction, it has most assuredly been the inroads, whether open or covert, of sectarianism. And if, in any respect, the object so sedulously and uniformly kept in view has not been attained, it has not been, in any degree, I am confident, the fault either of the system or its administrators.

and advancing civilization, by the successful labors of the wisest statesmen and most enlightened philanthropists of the present day. Upon the deliberations of this meeting may depend, (for who can trace the labyrinthian web of human impulse ?) the perpetuation, or the final abandonment of that system of education under whose auspices an entire generation has already been reared, and which is now dispensing to upwards of half a million of children the blessings of knowledge, the power of self culture, the germs of future character, and the rudiments of wisdom and virtue and truth. The narrow circle within which hostility to the system is now confined, may, imperceptibly at first, and then with fearful rapidity, widen and expand, until it embraces the millions upon whose fiat our common destiny depends; and the noble vessel now freighted with the priceless treasures of a nation's hope may swing from its moorings and be driven forth to contend hopelessly and long with the tempestuous billows of popular frenzy, mad excitement and chaotic anarchy and confusion. I have thus, my dear sir, at greater length than Is there not, then, a fearful responsibility resting I could have desired, and at the imminent hazard upon all those who participate in such a moveof unreasonably taxing your patience, endea- ment-upon those more especially to whose vored to meet the several objections enumerated greater experience, superior means of informa in your letter, to the theory and practical operation and controlling weight of character, their tions of our common school system. That I fellow-citizens are accustomed to look with well have succeeded in obviating those objections to deserved confidence for direction, for counsel and your entire satisfaction, I do not venture to for advice. Let, then, my dear sir, no irrevocable promise myself; but if I shall have succeeded step be taken-no decisive measures be resolved in any degree in pointing out the source of any upon or adopted-unless upon the most full, calm of those errors, or in indicating any of those fal- and mature deliberation, and with a perfect aplacies, which I fear have contributed to warp the preciation of all the interests involved. minds of many well disposed and intelligent inVery respectfully, your ob't servant, dividuals in reference to this subject, I shall not have labored altogether in vain. Since commenc ing this communication, I have been favored by a friend with the perusal of the Clarion of the 13th inst., containing your letter to Elder Beebe, of the 9th May last, and while I am compelled to dissent from some of its views an positions, the liberal and enlightened views of intellectual and moral culture, and common school education, which constitute the staple, if I may be permitted so to term it, of that com munication, find an accordant response in the strongest convictions of my understanding.

I feel an entire and undoubted conviction that in laying before you the considerations to which I have adverted in the body of this letter, I may appeal to your head and your heart for a dispassionate examination and deliberate consideration of this great subject in all its aspects, and in view of all the responsibilities connected with its far reaching interests.

S. S. RANDALL,

Deputy Superintendent Common Schools

PROGRESS OF EDUCATION.

COUNTY AND TOWN SUPERINTENDENTS; THEIR
PLANS, THEIR LABORS, AND THE RESULTS.

WE renew our request to the several school officers, to forward such reports of educational movements, as will present a faithful picture of the trials and encouragements which attend their efforts. No part of the Journal is read with more interest, or is of more utility, than that which records these evidences of the progress of the reformation of the schools; and we trust no fact will be withheld which will shed any light upon the path of those who would guide the youth of our state to virtue, knowledge and happiness.

CHAUTAUQUE.

In the course of a long and varied public and private career, you have doubtless often found occasion to remark the important consequences which not unfrequently ensue, from events even To Teachers and Town Superintendents.—An apparently of the most trivial importance. Your important and responsible part of my duty is the fellow-citizens of the county of Orange, are granting of town or county licenses to teachers. about to assemble under circumstances of extra-I owe a duty to the public, higher than personal ordinary excitement and agitation, to discuss in or private considerations, and therefore, certifi their primary capacity, a subject of serious and cates will be granted sparingly, and only after grave import; namely, the policy and expediency the fullest conviction that the candidates are of the longer continuance of a system, which for well qualified, in respect to moral character, nearly half a century has constituted the pride learning and ability to teach a school. I shall and boast of the state-a system originally examine candidates, not only on the sciences devised and matured by the patriots and sages to be taught, but also upon the way to teach of our purest and best days, and expanded, to them; also upon the manner of governing a meet the wants of an increasing population school; how to use moral influences, &c. In

The District Libraries, too, are admitted to be eminently useful, by almost every one, cept now and then an individual who has been unfairly dealt by, or subjected to unkind, improper treatment and instruction in his youthfal days, and cheated out of nearly or quite all the beneficial influences which a correct and wholesome education is intended to produce. The books in our district libraries have hitherto, so far as I can judge, been selected with good taste and judgment. If the same care is exercised in future, throughout the town, none of the disappre-tricts will be likely to be deprived of the library

money on account of having any improper books, although they may lose it hereafter by misapplying any part of it, as in the purchase of a case, or from not expending it in the time required by law. (See Journal for Jan. 1844, p. 151.) Mr.

by the County Superintendents. Let them be discreetly conducted, and they will soon become an annual fete day in every town of the state.

PULTENEY SCHOOL CELEBRATION.

Mr. Editor-I am sorry to trouble you so often, and yet I am glad there is occasion to do The indications of an increasing interest among the people of this county, on the subject of popular education, are so numerous and une. quivocal, as not to be mistaken, and must afford the patriot and the philanthropist grounds of mutual congratulation. Three years ago, a person might travel from one extremity of our county to the other, and hear nothing said of our schools. A deathlike apathy seemed to pervade the public mind, and prevent it from a clear perception of duty, in reference to the claims of the rising generation, for that moral and intellectual aliment, which is necessary to the healthy growth and full development of the human un. derstanding. But now, these schools of the people are thought of, and talked of by every body, and in almost every place; circumstances, which taken together with others, plainly show that there are causes, inherent, in the new organization of our educational system, that are rapidly effecting its renovation.

DEAR SIR-I was much pleased to learn from you, when you were last at Bath, that there was a prospect of an important improvement in your village school, and that the district had voted a sum of money sufficient to build a commodious and convenient house. This is as it should be, On the 20th inst. I attended a meeting of the and I hope the whole matter will be conducted schools at Bluff Port, in the town of Pulteney. with a spirit of unanimity and liberality, that This town has participated deeply in the prevail- will have a tendency to prevent any interruption ing indifference, above alluded to, but the exer- of the work. In the arrangements of a school tions of a competent and faithful town superin-district, the location and construction of the tendent, and the influence of a class of highly intelligent and spirited teachers, seem to have aroused the attention of the inhabitants. Although the weather was exceedingly unfavorable, and the roads bad, they assembled in such numbers as to remind me of the political gatherings of 1840. The church was filled to overflowing. It appears to me that I never before saw so many people crowded upon an equal area; and yet many were obliged to retire without gaining admittance.

The exercises commenced with a salutatory address, which reflected much credit upon the speaker. The declaimers sustained themselves well, and many of them exhibited talents, which under proper cultivation, would do honor to the pulpit, the bar, or the senate chamber. The compositions were highly interesting, and had the characteristics of strict originality. There was no sing. ing, but we were favored with excellent instrumental music by the Prattsburg Band.

A similar meeting has lately taken place in the town of Wheeler, but owing to a mistake in regard to the arrangements, I was deprived of the pleasure of attending it. I am informed, however, by a gentleman who was present, and who is well qualified to judge of the performance, that it was numerously attended, and its exercises of the most interesting character.

The utility of such meetings in arousing the attention, and enlisting the feelings of parents and guardians, and in impressing upon the minds of children, the importance of early and thorough instruction, is unquestionable, and the undersigned would respectfully submit to the consideration of the people of the county, and the school officers of the several towns and districts, the propriety of assembling at Bath, on the 4th of July next, or at some later day during the summer, as many

school-house are matters of primary importance, and have a greater influence on the prosperity of the institution than we are apt to imagine. None but those who are in the habit of carefully observing the operations of their own minds, and of tracing their thoughts and emotions to their real sources, can fully understand the extent to which we are affected by the circumstances in which we are placed. A mote in the eye, the irritation of a decayed tooth, or even the inconvenience of a constrained and uneasy posture, will often break up the order and coutinuity of our thoughts, and totally disqualify us for vigorous or continued mental labor. Nor is the influence of the mind over the physical system, less remarkable. Be tween these apparently dissimilar and yet intimately and mysteriously connected constituents of humanity, there exists a mutuality as manifest as it is inscrutable. There needs no philosophy to discover the influence which the mind exercises over the body-it is seen in all the gestures and locomotions which follow our ordinary volitions, as well as in those less frequent mental excitements which raise the blush, elicit the tear, and urge the current of life to the extremities of its channels, or drive it back and stagnate it at its fountain, as witnessed in the emotions of shame and grief, or in the sterner passions of terror and despair. At no period of our existence are we so easily affected by the influences above men. tioned, as in our childhood and youth. During these periods, when the mind is as facile and impressible as its material tenement is tender and delicate, almost every object we meet affects us, either with pain or pleasure-either for good or evil; and it is generally at these stages of our lives that we form those prejudices and predilections which exercise a controlling sway over our manhood. It is therefore the duty of every

parent, guardian and educator of youth, to look well to all the circumstances which bear upon the great and important subject of education-to remove from the objects of their care, every thing that has a tendency to excite the baser passions, to sour the temper or corrupt the heart; and to assemble around them all that can promote health, cheerfulness and regularity, or serve to elevate and refine the moral feelings.

the place delightful and attractive. The site should be selected with special reference to its natural advantages-it should be remote from the noise and bustle of the streets or highways, on grounds sufficiently elevated to render it dry and firm. The premises should be of sufficient extent to afford ample play-grounds, neatly enclosed, and planted with trees sufficient for shade and ornament. Provision should be made for an I have no doubt, that if we should seek out the abundant supply of water, which should be foundation of that unconquerable antipathy to rendered easily accessible. In the erection of instruction which we often meet with in children, the building itself, with its necessary appendages, we should find it to have originated, either in the the utmost care should be exercised. In its exgloom and inconvenience of the school-house, or interior it may be plain, but it should be firm in its the mismanagement of the teacher. The element construction and symmetrical in its proportions, of a child is play-it delights in the free and un- substantially underpinned and neatly painted. In restrained exercise of its expanding faculties, and its internal arrangement, no circumstance should possesses a restless curiosity which leads it to be overlooked which can have a bearing on the examine and enquire, and which, if wisely di- comfort or convenience of the pupils. There rected and not rudely crushed and repressed, is should be a suitable number of closets and reci. productive of the most beneficial effects. Take atation rooms, a wood-house and other necessary child thus constituted, from his pleasant home, buildings. The principal apartment should have where he has been accustomed to the kindness of an altitude of from ten to twelve feet, with the a father, and more especially to the tenderness necessary means of warmth and ventilation. At of an affectionate and devoted mother; where he one end of this room, extending across its whole has been soothed by indulgence, and left to liberty diameter, should be a stage or platform, with an large as his desire-where he has taken his elevation of about sixteen inches, rising by two pastime in green meadows and blooming flower steps. On this should be placed the teacher's gardens, and when wearied of his sports has been desk and chair, and in front, and facing this platpermitted to enjoy his careless slumber. Take form, should be arranged the seats and desks for such a child and confine him to one of our common the accommodation of the pupils, leaving between school-houses, located, constructed and furnished the front range and the stage, an open space of as they generally are, and if he does not suffer about six feet in width. The lowest desk should by the transfer, he has not in his constitution the be in front, the others increasing gradually in ordinary elements of human nature. But in elevation as they recede. They should be conalmost every instance it will be found that he structed each for the accommodation of two schohas associated with the idea of instruction, all lars, with the same number of compartments, with the disagreeable impressions derived from sur- separate lids, so that one can be opened without rounding objects. The lone and cheerless situa- disturbing the other. Instead of leaving the tion of the building, placed, perhaps, on some walls blank and naked, there should be arranged bleak eminence, exposed alike to the unrestrained upon them, in their proper places, black-boards, fury of the winter blast, and to the scorching planispheres, maps, geometrical diagrams, histoheat of the summer sun, in some grave-yard, or rical charts, arithmetical tables, illustrations in on the margin of some fen, inhabited by the most natural history, consisting of the representations loathsome reptiles, and exhaling from its putrid of beasts, birds, insects, &c., on a large scale, surface the seeds of disease and death-the and alphabetical cards. In a school-room thus gloomy and repulsive aspect of its interior-its arranged and furnished, absolute idleness can dirty floor-its confined and tainted atmosphere-hardly have a place. If the eye wander from the its naked and blackened walls, and broken and uncomfortable seats; all these and many others which might be mentioned, will be found to have united their influences in producing the disgust and antipathy which I have mentioned.

Equally unfavorable are the impressions some. times made by the disposition, manners and personal appearance of the teacher. If he be of a sour and sullen temper, a severe aud unconciliating deportment, and forbidding aspect, the young pupil will almost invariably find, associated with all his ideas of that important relation which exists between the teacher and his charge, the feelings of fear and tyrannical restraint, which will render the pursuit of knowledge irksome, and instruction almost useless. The indifference or inattention of the community to these adventitious circumstances, (as they are generally regarded) has materially retarded the improvement of our schools, and rendered the munificent provisions of our laws, on this subject, but partially beneficial.

book, the proper object of attention, it rests upon something that will awake attention and employ the thoughts, and prevent that vacuity of mind which often results in the most discouraging intellectual apathy.

In the selection of a site for your new school. house, and in its construction and arrangement, I hope that you and the people of your village will pay a due regard to the suggestions above made, and especially do I hope that you will not erect your new building on the site of the old one, which I consider every way objectionable. Asking your pardon for occupying your attention with so long a letter, I remain

Your friend and obedient servant,

R. K. FINCH, Co. Supt. for Steuben. CHENANGO.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.

As these temporary schools for the improve.

In the location and construction of a school. house, nothing within the ability of the districtment of teachers, have acquired much import. should be omitted, which will tend to render lance by the zeal and success shown in their or.

ganization and management, and as but com.ral exercises, in addition to the special recitaparatively few counties have tested their value, tions, awakened a deep interest, and not a few we have published this entire report of one of in a common school, were removed. of the obstacles which beset the teacher's path the most successful in the state.

LECTURES.

[From the Oxford Republican.] There were, on an average, two lectures In compliance with the directions of the cir- each day, except Saturday, during the session. cular previously issued by the County Superin- The Rev. Messrs. Burtis, Van Ingen, Sperry, tendent, about 150 teachers of common schools, Goodrich, Bennet and Richards, and Messrs. mostly females, assembled in the village of Ox- Childs, Mason and McKoon, delivered one or ford on the 27th of March last. On making a more lectures each, on subjects connected with list of the names of the members of the Insti- the teacher's profession, the responsibility of tute, it appeared that every town in the county his office, his duties, &c., on general subjects was represented by some of the teachers of its connected with education, and several of the common schools, who manifested their zeal in sciences. These lectures were highly instructhe cause of education, by associating together tive and interesting, from their peculiar adaptafor two weeks, for the purpose of mutual im. tion to the occasion, as well as from the sound provement, and to learn something more of the learning which they severally displayed. Mr. practical duties of their profession. The comMcKoon gave eight or nine lectures on Natural millee appointed to publish the proceedings of Philosophy, Chemistry, and Astronomy, illusthe Institute, found, on examining the journal trated with experiments with apparatus, enlias kept by the secretary, that the entire proceed-vening them in an agreeable manner with reings could not be published, without occupying more space than they felt warranted in asking of the editors of the newspapers in the county; hence they were compelled to condense them much more than was anticipated at the time the institute adjourned. It is believed that nothing of interest or importance to the public has been omitted, except the spirit with which the Institute was conducted, and which could not be transferred to the columns of a public journal.

ORGANIZATION.

marks upon the general order and harmony of nature, as exhibiting satisfactory evidence of the original design and perfections of a Great First Cause. Miss Hall gave the young ladies of the Institute an excellent lecture on History, and Miss Hyde gave two lessons and a lecture on the subject of writing compositions, and happily illustrating the manner of teaching it in common schools.

DISCUSSIONS.

The Institute had evening sessions during the The Institute was organized by appointing term, at which time, various questions connectD. R. Randall, County Superintendent, chaired with school discipline and management, were man, and S. E. Smith, of Pitcher, secretary, brought forward for discussion. These discuseach for the session. The exercises were com- sions on all occasions elicited a crowded audimenced each day by reading a portion of Scrip.ence, and were frequently conducted with great ture and by prayer; the clergymen of the vil. zeal, ability and eloquence. The Oxford Union lage officiating in turn, according to an arrange. Association and the Calliopean Society, two litment previously made by the County Superin- erary societies of the village, were invited to tendent. The members of the Institute were participate in the discussions, thus bringing to divided into five classes for the convenience of bear upon this portion of the exercises of the recitations, each class under a separate teacher. Institute, the experience, the talents and learning of these two excellent and well conducted societies. The following are some of the questions discussed, and the decisions of the Institute upon them.

RECITATIONS.

Would the entire abolition of corporal punishment be an improvement in the government of. common schools? Decided in the negative.

Ought the studies of children to be conducted in such a manner as to be an amusement instead of labor? Decided in the negative.

Is the practice of occasionally reading and reciting in concert in common schools beneficial? Decided unanimously in the affirmative.

The several branches taught in common schools, were the subjects of the recitations, and they all received that attention which their comparative importance and difficulty seemed to demand. Orthography, and Geography with the use of Globes and Mitchell's Outline Maps, were the subjects of a few recitations, and In. tellectual and Written Arithmetic received special attention. English Grammar was one of the daily lessons through the session, and the principles and practice of several contemporaneous authors on this subject, underwent the severest scrutiny. The best methods of impart. ing instruction in these several branches were exhibited, and the comparative merits of different authors were considered. At the close of the lessons in English Grammar in the forenoon, and Arithmetic in the afternoon, each day, under the several teachers, the Institute went into a committee of the whole on each lesson, at which time each individual was at liberty to ask any question in relation to the lesson which Are written rules of order in common schools, he or she might choose, and the person appoint-beneficial? Decided in the negative.

Ought emulation to be encouraged among scholars by means of rewards? Decided in the negative.

Is the practice of vocal music or singing in common schools beneficial? This question was argued at great length on both sides and by agreement, it was left undecided.

Ought teachers to join occasionally in the sports of their pupils? Decided in the affirma. tive.

ed to superintend this general exercise, answer- Is a change of teachers every term beneficial, ed the question with sach explanations and il-admitting their qualifications to be equal? lustrations as appeared necessary. These gene-Decided in the negative.