us. During the past winter we had seven common school celebrations. They were full of in. terest, and served to exert a happy influence over both teacher and scholar. Our winter schools were in the main well sustained. The teachers deserve much commendation for their faithful discharge of duty. In May we called a county convention of town superintendents for the purpose of conferring one with the other, and establishing a concert of action throughout the county. The towns were well represented and we had a profitable interview. It affords me pleasure to say that our summer schools (so far as visited,) are in a flourishing condition-teachers generally possess an aptness to teach the schools are well governed, and scholars recite well. On entering most of our schools, one is favorably impressed with the neatness of the apartments, they are richly decorated with boughs and flowers of various kinds, which serve to render the school-room a pleasant place. We have had one celebration the present sum mer. COMMON SCHOOL CELEBRATION. Pursuant to arrangements, the schools in West Carlton met in their several districts, on Saturday, June 15th, and under the charge of district marshals, teachers and scholars were conveyed in four horse vehicles, decorated with boughs and banners, to a suitable ground near the Methodist church. A procession was then formed of the schools, and of numerous friends who were present to countenance the effort and greet them onward, when at the beat of martial music they repair. ed to the church, filling it to overflowing. The assembly was called to order by the town superintendent. George Kuck was appointed chairman, and Gardner Goold, secretary. The exercises commenced with singing by the choir, and prayer by Elder H. Blood. ROCKLAND. Clarkstown, Aug. 14, 1844. HON. SAMUEL YOUNG-Agreeably to a reso lution of the Educational Society of Rockland county passed at its last quarterly meeting, held on the 10th inst., I forward to you for publication in the Journal a part of the proceedings of that meeting. This Society was organized in June 1843, and, in accordance with its constitution, holds its meetings quarterly, on the second Saturday of February, May, August and November, in each year, besides its annual meeting, which is held on the last Thursday of September. The following is a part of the proceedings of the last meeting. Report of the Committee on School celebrations. 66 'The committee appointed at the last meeting of this Society to inquire into the propriety, &c., of having a county celebration of common schools, having attentively examined the subject would respectfully submit the following report. Feeling a deep interest in this subject and desiring most earnestly the public good, your committee, with the approval of experience and reason, recommend that a celebration of all the schools of this county take place on the 25th day of September next, at some place in the county, at which the several schools shall be examined in public,in the different popular branches taught in our common schools, and that speakers be procured to address the schools and the audience; for which your committee would offer the following reasons. Similar celebrations have been held in other counties, and attended with the most cheering success. It is deemed a most prolific source of awakening the energies and arousing the laudable ambition of pupils, teachers and parents, in the cause of universal education. It would prove a most wholesome incentive to scholars by exciting a spirit of emu. After further singing, the meeting was 'ad-lation, gratify their enquiring minds by giving opdressed by J. O. Wilsea, county superintendent, whose eloquent and practical remarks were lis tened to by all with the most profound attention, and were especially appropriate as addressed to teachers and scholars. The meeting was next addressed by Elder H. Blood, whose remarks were more emphatically to scholars. The town superintendent then followed by stating the present condition of the schools as learned by his late visitings-and spoke very favorably of the present teachers. The chairman made some brief remarks on the inestimable value of education. A resolution was then introduced as follows: "Resolved, That a society be formed, to be called the WEST CARLTON EDUCATIONAL So. CIETY, and that a committee of five be appoint. ed to draft a constitution, and report hereafter." After remarks from several gentlemen, the following were appointed such committee-Reuben E. Kuck, John Haines, Jaspar M. Grew, Asahel Byington, 2d, Gardner Goold. The exercises closed with the benediction, and the schools quietly retired in procession to the place of forming. Order, "Heaven's first law," prevailed throughout, and no accident occurred to mar the happy interview. GEORGE KUCK, Ch'n. GARDNER GOOLD, Sec'y. portunity for a social commune with others progressing in the same career, and create a public and philanthropic spirit by calling on each to do a part; and by the commingling of interests and reciprocation of good feeling, it would call forth the same feelings in their parents and friends, and thus gladden the public mind, and lead all to see and feel the true source of public weal. But far the greatest benefit expected from a school celebration is, the interest it will excite in parents for schools, and the real wel. fare of their children. At present, the people of this county are occupied with every thing but education. They all know its importance, but their attention has not been called to the subject. When once brought directly before them, they will not only see and feel its importance, but will be active and energetic in their exertions to build up and support good schools, and watch over the education of our youth with zealous care. For interesting articles on school celebrations, your committee would refer to the District School Journal, pages 17, 18 and 38, of vol. 5, April and May numbers. Your committee would respectfully submit the following resolutions: Resolved, That in the opinion of this society, school exhibitions or celebrations have a deci dedly good tendency, whether of single schools or of several in concert, as they call the public attention to, and excite an interest in favor of the common cause of education, most especially in those intimately connected with our schools. Resolved, That Wednesday the 25th day of Sept. next, is hereby appointed for a Union celebration of the schools of this county, to be held in the Dutch church in Clarkstown, commencing at 11 o'clock, A. M., that speakers be procured to deliver addresses on the occasion, and that the Secretary publish it accordingly, requesting a general attendance. The above report was accepted, and the resolutions adopted. The following resolutions were also adopted. on the most pressing wants of the schools and the best method of supplying them," and that the county superintendent is hereby requested to tender him an invitation to attend the annual meeting of this association to be held on the last Thursday of September next, together with the hospitality of our citizens on the occasion. Resolved, That as we deem the co-operation of the clergymen indispensable to success, we respectfully request them to take part in the deliberations of this association, to publish in their respective churches all notices pertaining to the same, to impress upon the minds of their congregations the importance of vigilance and acti vity in school affairs, and to visit our schools often, and by their presence and kind admoni. tions cheer and animate the scholars, and encourage the teachers. "Whereas, experience has proved that nothing great or good ever was accomplished without a corresponding effort, and that the more insuperable the difficulties to be encountered in or. der to attain a desired end, the greater has been the consequent gratification resulting from a successful issue. That the proper cultivation of the moral and intellectual natures of the youth of our land, is a task of no ordinary moment, and that upon a proper development of these, de-able length. pends their prosperity and highest felicity, Therefore, Resolved, That we as teachers, sensibly feel the responsibility of our station, and that henceforward we are resolved manfully and cheerfully to perform all the functions of our high and important trust, in a manner that shall secure to us the highest gratification, to wit, an approving conscience. Resolved, That we look upon our common school system as one which is worthy of the support, not only of the enlightened and philanthropic, but as second in importance to no other object, and most nearly allied to the interests of all. Resolved, That we have read with much pain and regret, the proceedings of the meetings of citizens of our sister county (the county of Orange) in opposition to our common school system, and that we believe the cause to be a gross misapprehension of the ultimate workings of the system on the part of the majority, created and excited by the designing schemes of a few, seeking popularity at the expense of the people's noblest and dearest rights. This meeting of the society was well attended, nearly one half of the teachers in the county be ing present, besides a number of others interested in the cause of education. Mr. Sanders, the author of the popular series of school books was present, and addressed the meeting at consider. You will much oblige the society by publishing the above proceedings in the September num. ber of the Journal, so as to make them answer as an advertisement for our annual meeting and school celebration. Please write to me, if you have the means of NICH'S. C. BLAUVELT, COMMON SCHOOL CELEBRATION AT ELLENVille, ULSTER COUNTY. MR. DWIGHT-SIR :-In the number of your Journal for April last, you published a notice of the formation of a common school association, for the town of Wawarsing, Ulster county, giv. ing a short account of its organization and plan of operations. That association has made it my duty to send you an account of the celebration of its first anniversary, which was held at Ellenville on the 4th inst. At an early hour on that day, our village beResolved, That we deem it the highest duty gan to wear an animated appearance. The of every citizen, to aid in the spread of intelli- streaming of flags, the firing of cannon, the gence to the humblest cot as well as the splendid strains of music which proceeded from the Ellenmansion, and that we consider the greatest hap-ville Band, and which "floated softly on the piness resulting from a free government, to be enjoyed in a community where the intellect is not measured by the length or fineness of the coat. morning air," the tramping of busy feet, "and every note of preparation," told that we were to witness a scene to which our villagers were stran. gers. Resolved, That we will do all in our power to Shortly our expectations were more than realsecure for our common schools the favorable re-ized. Long trains of wagons came from every gard of the public mind, believing that upon it quarter, largely freighted with happy, smiling depends not only the progress, but the salvation youth, with blooming beauty and mature age, of the system. till soon the largest concourse of people that our village ever witnessed had assembled. Resolved, That we regard the "District School Journal" of great value; that it should be the companion of every teacher; that such as have not yet subscribed be respectfully solicited to do so, and that we here pledge ourselves that we will not cease asking, until every teacher in Rockland shall become a subscriber. Resolved, That we accept with pleasure the kind offer of Thos. H. Palmer, Esq., to deliver one or more lectures in each county of this state. But the principal object of attention, previous to the exercises, was the children, the scholars from the different schools of our town. It was on their account chiefly, or with a design to benefit them by giving an impetus to the cause of common school education, that the celebration was got up, and they were, of course, prominent objects of interest to all on this occasion. They were out in their strength, nearly every school in the town being largely represented. They Power." On the right of the moment stands were under the immediate charge of their teachers, who at about 10 A. M. began to arrange them for the procession, which was to move in four divisions, each having its marshal. But particulars I must omit. Then came the movement of the children (who, led by the town superintendent, composed the third division,) to their place in the procession. This was a novel and interesting spectacle. beautiful and lovely almost beyond description. Each school had been drawn up in exact order. under the direction of its teacher, in different parts of the public square, when the second marshal, accompanied by the full band, led each school separately to its position. This well executed manoeuvre occupied three-quarters of an hour, and its exhibition appealed to all the noble feelings of our nature. Love of liberty, love of country, love of humanity, love of education, faith, hope, charity, all were naturally excited by this gratifying and innocent display. These juvenile civic soldiers, enlisted in their country's cause, and in that of common humanity, assembled here to honor their nation's birthday by doing honor to those patriotic institutions by which alone the honor of their country, and even the very existence of her institutions, can be sustained, walking hand in hand, with measured step and slow, with happy faces, laughing eyes, and neat attire, could not fail to touch a tender chord within the breast of every son of freedom. More than a thousand persons were witnes ses to this peculiarly happy movement. One, only one soldier of the Revolution, could be found to look upon this scene. "His head was silvered o'er with age," and deep in his manly cheek had Time the impression of his finger left. But his eye was not dim, nor did his frame want the elasticity of youth when he thus beheld his children's children celebrating the praise of his deeds, and contributing to lay broad and deep the foundations of that nation's greatness for which he perilled his life in the unequal contest of right and might. a female figure, with her belt elbow resting upon it, holding in her left hand an open bock, in which is written, "Mind is the Measure of the Man," her right hanging by her side holding a shield, and her arm supporting a sta surmounted by the cap of liberty. In a semi-arcle of git letters, over the whole, is WAWARSING ComMON SCHOOL ASSOCIATION." Arrangements for the exercises of the day were made in a small but beautiial grove, about half a mile from the village, and thither the procession moved in admirable order.passing through the principal streets of the village. Arrived on the ground, and the whole quietly seated, the Throne of Grace was addressed by the Rev. James Demarest. The business of the county association was then transacted. Then followed the first annual report of the town association, submitted by the late president, Mr. A. B. Pres ton. It spoke encouragingly of the success which had attended the efforts of the association for the short period of its existence-pointed out several prominent evils that exist in our schools, and exhorted action in order to their removal-stated that there was an astonishing disparity between the number of children in the districts of the proper age, and the number who actually attended school. The report reminded us that it was a great object of the association to encourage children to attend the schools, and their parents to send them-to induce trustees to be liberal in exempting the indigent from the payment of rate-bills— and to convince the affluent that it is incalculably better for them to pay school-bills for the children of their neighbors. than pauper taxes and costs of assault and battery suits. The report exhorted all to action, and reminded us that suc cess, the great prize of success, was the reward of assiduous effort only. Particulars relating to the exercises I must omit. Suffice it to say, that an energetic and ef fective address was given by the president of the county association, Rev. E. Fay, and a beautiful and interesting discourse by Hon. Judge Forsyth, of Kingston. Two beautiful odes were sung by the children, The Mandate of Freedom," and Our Father Land." These were performed in a most happy manner, and added much to the interest of the occasion. This juvenile singing showed also the utility and the practicability of vocal music in schools. At the conclusion of the exercises, the children remained on the ground, where they were provided with ample refreshments, while the main body of the procession re-formed and marched to the village, where they were also provided for. Nor were there wanting other witnesses who lived in times that tried men's souls," and whose anxious countenances and fixed attention! told how deeply they were interested in what was passing. Eyes that once had wept over children butchered by the tomahawk of the savage in this very valley, and almost upon the same ground, were now seen to sparkle with delight. and to shed tears, not of sorrow, bat of joy, in contrasting the juvenile times and prospects of their descendants and successors, with their own. Each school had its appropriate banner, bear ing the number of its district, with a motto, and Such, sir, is a hasty and imperfect sketch of generally a device. The banners were got up at our common school celebration, in which about maca expense, and added greatly to the beauty, son children, and probably twice that number of of the procession. Among the mottoes I recol-adults, participated. In its results it was all lect these,-" Common Schools and Liberty," "Boobs vs. Bayonets. Our Country's Hope," -"Uneducated Mind is Educated Vice. Let us Fight Ignorance," The Standing Army of a Free People," &c. The banner of the Town Association was on a larger scale. The design and execution of this was the work of one of the members. It was six feet square, of fine linen, trimmed with blue. In the centre, on a raised ground, stood a monument, on which was inscribed “Knowledge is | that its most sanguine friends could have antici GEO. A DUDLEY, WASHINGTON. SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS. Middle Granville, July 13th, 1844. DEAR SIR-As you express a desire to hear occasionally of the county superintendents, and learn their whereabouts, I seize a few spare mo. ments this evening to give you a brief account of our common school celebrations. We had one in the town of Hebron on Wednesday last, under the direction of Mr. McNaughton, the faithful superintendent of that town. At the hour appointed, parents and children began to pour in from all directions, and soon filled the large church where we were convened. The exercises were very interesting. The different schools were examined by their respective teachers-able addresses were delivered by the Rev. Mr. Bailey and the Rev. Mr. Quackenbush-and we had some delightful singing from four or five of the schools. The whole passed off admirably, and to the satisfaction of all present. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon former and present superintendents of that town. They have labored against apathy and opposition with a commendable zeal, and a determination that a revolution in the schools of that town should take place. And they have aroused a spirit which will not subside till their hopes are realized, and the "town of Hebron" fully redeemed from the unenviable notoriety which it has acquired. We had another celebration of the schools of Granville to-day, under the direction of Mr. Doane, the efficient town superintendent. This was indeed a grand rally. Large wagons, trim. med tastefully with evergreens, drawn by four horses each, came in filled with happy children. Flags, banners and devices without number, were carried by the children. We organized in the Presbyterian church, in this village, but it was soon found that the place was too strait for us; therefore, after a recess and partaking of some refreshments, we adjourned to the Congregational church, which is much larger. The children were formed in procession and marched in order to the church. It was truly a delightful scene to see some four hundred children marching with music and banners, all happy and delighted. A goodly number of parents and others attended, and I think I may say all were interested, instructed and benefited. The children at their celebration in this town, called it "keeping Independence." And may we not truly call it so? We have declared that our people shall be free from ignorance and vice as well as from foreign despots, and we are now waging war to support this declaration. Let us not lay down our arms till the enemy is driven from our borders, and the children of this great state educated for respectability, usefulness and happiness. "A consummation devoutly to be wished." Truly yours, ALBERT WRIGHT, Co. Supt. N. S. Washington County. YATES. YATES COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR THE IMPROVE MENT OF COMMON SCHOOLS. THE Society convened at the public school house, in district No. 12. The county superintendent, Thales Lindsley, Esq., in the chair; the minutes of the former meeting were read and approved. The society then went into com. mittee of the whole on reports, and a continua. tion of that on Union Schools being in order, Mr. Wheeler, chairman of that, read a most interesting and novel report, yet unfinished, which on motion the committee had leave to continue, perfect and present at the next meeting, prepared for publication. The propositions and suggestions it contained, elicited a general expression of views, in the course of which the progress of school reform and improvement in Connecticut and Massachusetts was briefly reviewed, together with the late highly interesting and important convention at Rochester; securing, as it had, the attendance and hearty co-operation of several of the most eminent men of this and adjoining states, and affording, as it did, a guaranty that a subject too long treated with comparative indifference by many, was now taking the first rank among the important topics of the age, and destined to be regarded by the hitherto indifferent, as lying at the foundation of all efforts to benefit mankind. INVITATION ΤΟ FEMALE TEACHERS.-The committee rose and reported, when on motion it was The different schools were briefly examined by the county superintendent, and their answers showed they had been well instructed. Able and interesting addresses were delivered during Resolved, That whereas, the benefits of this the day to teachers, children and parents, by the association are important to both classes of teachRev. Messrs. Gillit, Sandford, Doolittle and Bar-ers, male and female, and its privileges designed ber. The exercises were enlivened by instrumental and vocal music. The children of several of the schools discoursed to us sweet music, and several misses belonging to the school in this village, sung that beautiful piece of Mr. Bradbury, Try Again." The results of the efforts to introduce vocal music into our common schools, have proved successful. alike for both, we do hereby extend to the ladies engaged in the respectable and responsible occupations of teaching, an invitation to attend each and every of its meetings at 1 o'clock P. M., of the first Saturday of each month. TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.-This subject then came up, and the Tompkins county and other teachers' institutes were alluded to, with the important benefits to be derived from such an asso A few remarks were made by the town super-ciation, under the instruction of men excelling in intendent, and the celebration closed at an early hour, without an accident or unpleasant occur rence to mar the pleasures of the day. I neglected at the time to inform you of some their respective departments of science, and the great interest elicited by and taken in their lectures, when on motion, it was Resolved, That a committee of three be ap pointed to report on the propriety and practicability of forming such an association. The coma-, mittee to consist of Messrs. Cory, Hopkins and Dutton. The importance of an opportunity for a mere general manifestation of the interest now being awakened in our county coming under coastera tion, and the importance of avalling ourselves in this county of the benefits of these lectures from gentlemen of distinction which others are deriving therefrom, being made the subject of remark, it was, on metion. Resolved. That a general meeting be held at Penn-Yan on Saturday, the 6th day of July next. to be addressed by Pearce. Esq., and that the secretary be a committee to provide a house and ascertain and announce the hour through the papers of the county. The society then adjourned to the first Saturday of July next, to the meeting above appointed. THALES LINDSLEY, Prest. W. C. PARSONs, Cor. and Rec. Sec'y. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. the district school system of this state, JoHN GREEN LEAF. Esq. of Mount Hope, was chosen President, Elder G. Beebe and Mr. D. Hulse being called on, addressed the meeting in an elaborate and impressive manner, after which the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: Rescived. That abuses of the common school system of this state exist, which will destroy the whole system, if not radically reformed. Resolved. That the common school system has been abused by too much arbitrary legisla tion; by the Regents of the University and principals of colleges, in their attempts to coerce the people into measures that must break the republican spirit of the people if adopted, and enslave them; by the creation of a state superintendent, clothed with dangerous powers: by county and town superintendents, who embody themselves into a pet legislature, and not only attempt to regulate the science of the state, but the morals and religion of the people; by their introducing into the common schools, medicine, law and gospel, and the whole encyclopædia of science, they have lumbered the whole system so much that it has become an unwieldly mass of confusion; Journal, a pander of sectarianism; by aristoby forcing on the people the Common School cratic normal schools: by prodigal waste of the public treasure. grinding taxation and domineering espionage; by their mimicing the worst arisconsummate a union of church and state, when tocratic institution of Europe, they will soon we may bid a final farewell to our civil and religious freedom. We call upon every one interested in that education, which alone makes the great charter of American liberty something better than bitter mockery, to read and ponder the following resotutions. For if they present the truth, then the school system should be levelied with the dust. And for oursevelves, we agree to stand shoulder to shoulder by the reformers of Orange, and to leave no right means untried to root out this Resolved, That the supervisors of Lewis Upas from the soil it curses. county, in their refusal to appoint a county su BUT THESE ALLEGATIONS MUST FIRST BE perintendent, to fatten at the public crib and PROVED TRUE. We are for education, thorough, sound, universal education, and we value no system but as auxiliary to this great end. domineer over the people as a spy of inquest of receive the approval of true friends of common their sins," literary" and "moral," merit and schools; that this meeting, in admiration of their liberal and enlightened views, direct a copy of its proceedings to the supervisors of the county of Lewis. Resolved, That the 4th section of the act of the 17th April, 1843, providing that "no share of the public money shall hereafter be appro These resolutions prefer grave charges against a system which is popular in every county in which it has been fairly tested-which again and again has been carefully investigated by successive legislatures, and with an ever in-priated to any county in which a county supercreasing confidence in its operation; and which has accomplished more in diffusing general education within the last four years, than has been effected in any quarter of a century since New-York was a state. intendent shall not have been appointed, unless by order of the superintendent of common schools," is an alarming attempt to bribe the people with state munificence, and coerce them to surrender their inalienable rights of the "literary and moral" training of their children into the bands of an unscrupulous army of pensioned Prussian Thus standing before the bar of public opin-suited with the aristocratic appointment of coundictators; fcrseeing the people would not be ion, the system claims its common law rights. It demands specific facts, instead of sweeping denunciations; proof, before condemnation; and in its behalf we appeal to the people, to exam. ine the evidence and pronounce the judgment. The system can abide the issue. 1 ty superintendents to take into custody the dearest right which the people possess, in the name of the great Man at Albany, the act directs Samuel Young the umpire, therefore Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, if the people will bear the flagrant insult, in vain have the heroes of the Revolution bled MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF EDUCATION IN experiment of the capability of the people for for freedom; in vain did Warren fall; in vain the FINCHVILLE. At a meeting of the inhabitants of the towns of Mount Hope, Wa kill and Minisink, convened pursuant to previous notice, at the spacious saloon of G. Mulluck, at Finchville, on Saturday, the 14th day of July inst. for discussing the necessity of a thorough reform of self-government. all moneys appropriated by the legislature of this Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting, state for educational purposes, should he distributed pro rata to all the children of the state. |