as an encouragement to all classes, and especially to the more indigent among them, to encourage them to attend and receive a thorough English education.

struction of their own children.

sioned subalterns and volunteer advisers, to enable him and them to trample upon our most sacred rights and deprive us of our dearest liberties. This law should be promptly repealed and the money restored to the funds of the state, from which it has been wickedly filched.

Resolved,, That the office of state superintendent of common schools should be abolished, or his powers so modified and restricted as to allow Resolved, That we regard the annual expenthe people of this state, in their respective dis- diture of $2,800 of our money for the support of tricts, liberty to select their own teachers, super- the District School Journal, and the law compelintend their own schools, and direct what course ling our districts to receive, preserve and transof study and what books shall be used in the in-mit the same to posterity, in defiance of our consciences-challenges a comparison with the Resolved, That the office of county superin- most intolerant acts of the most despotic nations tendent of common schools is burdensome, ex- on earth. That law should be immediately repensive, extravagant, and perfectly useless, hav-pealed. ing a direct tendency to create discord and strife, to jeopardize our dearest civil and religious rights, to extinguish the spirit of independence and manly patriotism, and to accustom the people to au abject servility, altogether incompatible with the spirit and genius of a republican and free government; therefore the office of county su perintendent should be abolished.

Resolved, That we view with alarm and deep regret, the intemperate movement of pensioned officers, who hang as an incubus on our common school system, to incorporate and identify religion and science in the instruction of our schools, and to coerce the consciences of a large and high. ly respectable portion of our citizens, or drive them from their equitable participation in the Resolved, That considering the citizens of our benefits intended to be secured by our common republic as one great family, holding equal and schools, and by this means violently robbing one inalienable rights, in which no aristocratic casts class of those by whom the schools are supportor distinctions should be countenanced by legis-ed, to sustain the unchristian sectarian creeds of lative appropriations-we regard all appropria- their oppressors.

tions by law to colleges and academies, in dis- Resolved, That the teaching of religion of any tinction from the common schools, whether for lit-kind whatever, is a matter which our legislature erary or theological purposes, as unjust, unequal, has no constitutional right to meddle with; the unconstitutional,aristocratic and dishonest; there-wise framers of our constitution have left it where fore, all such appropriations should be immediate- it belongs,-between each citizen and his God. ly discontinued, and all future appropriations of this state for educational purposes so applied as to elevate the common schools, and render them accessible to all classes without distinction.

Resolved, That as all the schools of a higher order than those designed for the common people are necessarily accessible only to the wealthy, and calculated to secure for them an elevation above the laboring classes of our citizens, they should be sustained by that class without the aid of legislative appropriations. There can be neither equality nor justice in taxing those who cannot be benefited in any case, much less when the tax is to be wrung from the laboring and the poor to foster a rich aristocracy. All laws making appropriations of the funds of the state for the support of such schools, colleges or academies, should be repealed, and further appropriations refused.

The religion which is of Heaven will sustain itself without legislative patronage; and that which requires the strong arm of civil law to sus tain it, if recognized by our government, cannot fail to involve our country in anarchy, heirarchy, despotism and blood.

Resolved, That we regard it as a solemn duty devolving upon us, in preserving untarnished the blessings of civil and religious liberty, by all lawful and honorable means to support the general sentiment of the foregoing resolutions; to urge upon our next legislature the necessity of speedily reforming the district school system, correcting its abuses, and supplying its defects.

Resolved, That we will aid in the election of no man for the legislature or chief magistracy of they may,) who is known to be unfriendly to this state, (be his politics in other respects what the proposed reform of the school district laws, or whom we have not good and sufficient reason to believe is in favor of such reform.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in all the newspapers of this county, and as we are compelled to support the District School Journal, a copy of our proceedings, with the above resolutions, be forwarded for publication in that paper, and also in the State Paper at Albany.

Resolved, That we regard the late appropria. tion of $59,600 of the people's money for the establishment and endowment of a normal school at Albany, for the purpose of drilling a clan of boys, scientifically, politically and religiously, to be licensed and legally empowered to monopolize the business of school teaching in all our districts, as a most alarming experiment upon the liberties of our country; a flagrant insult upon the intelligence of the people of this state, and calculated to be a connecting link uniting Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be sectarianism with common education, to be es- tendered to G. Beebe and D. Hulse for the able tablished by law, enforced by arms, and resisted and eloquent manner in which they have preonly at the expense of blood and treasure. A sented the defects and abuses of the district school measure which the degraded subjects of a Prus-system; and also to G. Mulluck, for the use of sian government may submit to, but a collar his new and spacious saloon, and his ample acwhich will never be worn by freemen. A set of commodations afforded this meeting. teachers thus proposed to be intruded upon us at JOHN GREENLEAF, Pres't. our expense, without our consent, to act in con- HARVEY R. CADWELL, Sec's. cert with the state superintendent and his pen- WM. C. TERRY,

176

DISTRICT SCHOOL JOURNAL.

ALBANY, SEPTEMBER. 1844.

SCHOOL CONVENTIONS, CELEBRATIONS, &c.

Four years ago, who had heard of school celebrations, teachers' associations, and educational conventions within our borders? Doubtless they sometimes occurred, but at long intervale, and without producing any general im pression. Now they are frequent in every part of the state, and their "doings" fill columns of the newspaper press in almost every county.

lish at least one model school and teacher's in stitute in each county in the state, where teachers, and such as propose to teach, may become acquainted with the most approved and successful methods of arranging the studies, and conducting the discipline and instruction of public schools."

A similar provision is found in the school act recently passed in Canada, and we commend it to the consideration of those friends of educa tion, who are now preparing the way to amend the school system of Ohio and Illinois.

A Teachers' Institute, or 'a Normal School, (for such we suppose these institutes are intended to be) in each county, with its correlative model school, to bring home to the people the improved methods of teaching and training pupils, will soon reform public opinion, and drive from the school-houses those incompetent hirelings, who degrade the noblest vocation and lessen the influence of those teachers, already found in many districts, who merit the confidence and gratitude of the people.

These are clear indications of a change in public sentiment, which promises triumphant success to the great cause of popular education; and were we able to refer to no other evidence of the operation of the present school system, here we might safely rest its vindication. Should any one doubt the policy of the law, let him read carefully the record which we monthly make up, of the progress of school reform in the several counties; let him note carefully the variety of plans suggested, measures adopted, The provisions of the fourth section also show counsels given, inquiries made; let him read the the hand of one thoroughly versed in the defects history of the change in public opinion, from apa- of existing systems, and well qualified to sugthy and stagnation to energetic and decided inte- gest their remedies. The following clause we rest, and the consequent reform of many of those wish incorporated into our system, with the schools which mould the character of the state; single amendment of striking out the words let him attend these school conventions, where different parts of," inasmuch as it is better to mind borrows light from mind, where zeal gains leave it to the peculiar circumstances of each new strength and knowledge finds new advocates; village, to decide whether the schools of different Jet him mingle in these anniversaries, where thou-grades shall or shall not be under the same roof. sands of our youth assemble to rejoice in the cele bration of the schools; and remembering that all this diversified action in the cause of education is traceable to that school law, which secured faithful supervision through the county and town superintendents, let him point to any act on our statute book, which has conferred one-hundredthing, or recognizing when formed, such districts, part of the benefit on the people of this state.

RHODE ISLAND,

..

**And provided further, that no village or populous district shall be subdivided into two or more districts for the purpose of maintaining a school in each under one teacher, when two or more schools of different grades for the younger and older children, can be conveniently estab lished in different parts of said district; or 2. To establish and maintain, without form

a sufficient number of public schools of different grades, at convenient locations, under the entire management and regulation of the school committee hereinafter provided."

ing them of different grades.

AMONG the encouraging indications of intelli By the tenth section of the New-York school gent and increasing interest in general education, act of 1941, two or more school-houses may, in is the recent movement in Rhode Island to estab- certain circumstances, be established in a dislish an efficient, simple and harmonious school'trict, but there is no express authority for maksystem. An act relating to common schools, admirably adapted to this end, passed, almost Among many other admirable provisions, we unanimously, the lower house of that state, at notice that in order to draw public money, a disits late session, and as some of its provisions triet must have a school taught (" kept says the are peculiar, we would briety call attention to Bill, we move the amendment,) for at least six them. meaths, and in a school-house approved by the After creating a superintendent, or as it is committee. The public money is to be appor called, a Commissioner of Common Schools,tioned, one-half equally among all the schools with usual powers, it authorized him to estab. of any town, and the other half according to acceding

the average attendance in each district. This is intended to secure prompt and regular attend. ance, and correct the greatest evil that clogs the action and impairs the benefit of every school system in this country; and we believe it will be successful.

or people can long be free, prosperous or happy. As a means of public defence, education is more than fleets and navies; and as a measure of equal reliable than standing armies, and more efficient rights and free government it may be regarded as the very citadel and fortress of all republicswhile ignorance is the bulwark of all tyrannies, and the strong arm and chief reliance of despots. As an agent of moral reform, education, though

We have called attention to this School Bill, from our confidence in the excellence and wis-like the fertilizing influence of the sun's rays on dom of its provisions, and in the hope that the friends of education will carefully examine these measures for giving greater efficiency to school legislation. If Rhode Island will give to the Union the results of her experience under such a system, she will confer an incalculable benefit on the rising generation.

COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM.

"WE make room with pleasure (says the Goshen, [Orange county] Clarion, of the 13th June,) for the following letter from a distinguished gentleman in this county, upon the subject of our Common School System, which has been handed to us for publication, as it contains sen. sible and enlightened views, and reflects the feelings of the people generally upon this question."

Rutger's Place, May 9, 1844.

To ELDER G. BEEBE:

Dear Sir. Yours of the 8th instant, inviting me on behalf of "several gentlemen of Walkill to attend and address a public meeting on the subject of the present School System of this State," came duly to hand. I regret that previ. ous engagements will prevent me from complying with your request, as it is a subject in which I feel much interest, and should be extremely gra tified to be present at any meeting held upon that subject.

That the Common School System of our State is unequal, unreasonably complex and radically defective, I am well convinced, as I also am that the system has become widely different in its operation from what was originally intended by its worthy projectors. Unless it can be materially and speedily amended, it would be infinitely better for the people that it were entirely abol ished. I am aware that there are those in whose candor I have the utmost confidence, and for whose opinion I entertain the greatest respect, who think differently, and who go so far even as to characterize the present agitation of the sub. ject of Common Schools as "incendiary" and "dishonest;" but this should not, and I trust will not deter the friends of reform, and the real friends of education from an honest investigation of its defects. While there can hardly be a dif. ference of opinion on the abstract question of education, there may be an honest difference as to the best method of advancing it. The improvement of Common Schools, and the diffusion of knowledge, may well inspire our ambition and, stimulate our energies. It is a subject of great interest to all classes, occupations, and professions, and indentified with the honor and well being of our people.

The culture of the intellect is a moral obligation and Christian duty, without which no nation

vegetable nature, not perceptible to the natural eye, tends nevertheless to subdue the turbulent passions of men, and introduce that golden age so beautifully described in figurative language, when the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid. As a source of comfort, intelligence duly imbued with the Christian principle, is the spice of all earthly enjoyments, and without which life is to a certain extent, a barren and dreary waste.

I regard mental and moral training alike important, and will not yield to any in reverence for Christianity and Divine Revelation. I cannot but regard as fraught with evil consequences any attempt to introduce into our schools sectarianism in direct hostility to the spirit and genius of free government and religious toleration for which our illustrious ancestors perilled their lives, fortunes and sacred honors. In view of the importance of education it is not strange that there should be some difference of opinion as to the best method of diffusing its blessings. The subject has claimed and received the attention and consideration of the ablest statesmen and purest of philanthropists. A specific fund was early set apart by the public authorities to foster common schools and assist those to an education who had not the means of themselves, and it is the misapplication of this fund of which the people justly complain. If common schools, which are literally the "people's colleges," and where by far the largest proportion of them receive their entire and only education, are properly cared for, fostered and protected, colleges and academies will take care of themselves-that is, they will be abundantly patronised and upheld by the rich and affluent. it is more than probable, if the income arising from the Common, School and Literature Funds were paid over directly to the school districts, by which to enable them to secure competent teachers, and render the vocation of teaching equal in a pecuniary point of view to other vocations, and especially the learned professions, instead of frittering it away in paying nunerous unnecessary officers, in educating school teachers who rarely follow the business, in publishing a journal that is seldom read, in enriching book binders and sellers of frivolous books, called the "District Library," and in endowing colleges and academies which are only accessible to the opulent, it would go far towards elevating the standard of common schools and rendering them commensurate with the wants of the people.

It has been well said of common schools, that they "contribute in an eminent degree to the moral, intellectual and physical well being of man, and constitute the best police for our cities, the lowest insurance of our houses, the firmest security for our banks, the most efficient means of preventing pauperism, vice and crime, and the only sure defence of our country." And if they were what they may and can be made, there

Very respectfully yours,
M. H. CASH.

that

"It has been stated (add's the Clarion) the opponents of the present system do not propose any substitute. This is not the case. The friends of Reform have a very simple and com. prehensive substitute for the whole system, in the following propositions, viz:

If we understand aright the positions occuwould be many shining stars in the literary world which would otherwise remain in darkness, bare-pied by this portion of our-fellow citizens, they ly for the want of a gentle zephyr to fan them into burning lights. I have not the honor myself are these: They would have the Legislature in of a collegiate education, consequently am not crease the fund annually to be distributed among perhaps a proper judge of collegiate instruction; the several school districts, for the payment of yet from observation I am constrained to consider teachers' wages, first by taking from the Literaboth colleges and academies as literary mirrors, into which all who look in good earnest, and with ture Fund the chief portion of the existing anpurity of purpose, are morally certain of seeing nual appropriation to colleges and academies, themselves improved in all requisite qualifications and diverting it into this channel. Secondly, by for usefulness; nevertheless I cannot but regard the application of the present School District with displeasure and deep dissatisfaction the fact, that these institutions receive dollars of the public Library Fund to the same purpose. And third. money where common schools, for whose benefit ly, by a similar application of the various the Fund was specially created, get only cents. In this feature of the system alone there is down. amounts now paid towards the compensation of right injustice, which calls loudly for reform, and County Superintendents, the subscription to an that there are other evils clinging to it equally educational journal, and the expenses of a State reprehensible there is scarcely a doubt, and Normal School. These various appropriations which must be speedily corrected or the system itself will be resisted, abandoned, and ultimately would increase the amount annually distributed abolished. The simple fact that education costs to the several districts for this purpose, by the as much now as it did before any fund was set sum of about $130,000: and by the addition of apart for educational purposes, and before the subject was trammelled by statutory enactments, a corresponding amount to be raised by taxation should, I think, satisfy the strongest advocate of in the several counties, (leaving out of view the the system that gross wrong exists somewhere. amount already required to be raised to meet the I am dear Sir, existing library appropriation,) would impose an additional annual tax on the people of the state for the support of the common schools, after deducting the amount which would be saved by the of about $58,000. It is obvious therefore, from abolition of the office of County Superintendent. this practical view of the subject, that while the contribution of the inhabitants of the several districts on rate bills for the payment of teachers' siveness of the system, taken in the aggregate, wages, would be somewhat lessened, the expen. would be materially enhanced. The argument, then, resolves itself into this: To secure a slight and scarcely perceptible reduction of their quarterly rate bills for the education of their children, the opponents of the present system, are prepared to withdraw all public pecuniary encouragement from the higher institutions of learning; to sacrifice all the advantages present and prospective, of a District Library; to dispense with an enlightened and systematic supervision of the schools; to reject the advantages of periodical information of the progress of the system, and of the various improvements in the science of education which the increasing intelligence and enterprise of the age is constantly furnishing both at home and abroad; to abandon all attempts to prepare teachers of comWe have thought it due, not only to the im. mon schools for the efficient performance of the responsible duties of their station, and finalportance of the subject, but to the very intelligently to impose an additional and burdensome an and respectable gentlemen of the County of nual tax upon the property of the State. Failing Orange, who have united in the recent movement in the accomplishment of these favorite objects, they are prepared at once, and without compune. in that section of the state on the subject of our tion or reserve, to dispense entirely with the Common Schools, again to lay before our readers common school system-to pull down the whole as full an exposition as our columns will permit, band the eleven thousand school districts of the fabric of elementary public instruction-to disof their peculiar grounds of hostility to the state-and at one fell swoop" to annihilate theory and practical operations of our existing the results of nearly half a century of public and system of public instruction: and to accompany it with a few remarks of our own in vindication of that system.

1st. That the School Fund be distributed pro rata upon all the children in the State, between 5 and 15 years of age.

"2d. That the office of State Superintendent, and the 62,000 officers created under him, be abolished, and that the schools be placed under the jurisdiction of the people.

"3d. That the "Literature Fund" be no longer considered a distinct fund, and set apart for other objects and purposes than "Common School education."

"4th. That the 'Common School Journal,' nor any other publication, be a tax upon the fund. "5th. That reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar and geography, be considered the ru diments of a common school education, and that the educational funds of the State be appropriated

to no other purposes whatever."

private exertion for the advancement of popular education, the elevation of public morals, the diffusion of useful knowledge, and the extension of Christian civilization. Have these men, in

deed, "counted the cost" of such an abandon-mies and colleges to be supported exclusively by ment of our long tried, thoroughly tested, and individual contributions, run the imminent halaboriously compacted system of common school zard, in our judgment, of fostering a literary education. Have they cast an inquiring and an aristocracy, and of leaving the advantages of intelligent glance at the past-dispassionately these intitutions to the children only of the surveyed the present in all its aspects-and car wealthy-instead of opening their doors as now, ried forward their views to the possible-nay, to all desirous of participating in their benefits. probable, future? Have they in imagination In exact proportion as the public bounty flows in "congregated around the temple of legislation, upon them, the rates of tuition are brought wthiin the six hundred thousand children of the State. the means of those of our citizens, who, anxious with their innocent smiles, beaming with ardent as they are to provide liberally for the education hopes and high aspirations-hungering and thirst of their children, and to give them every opporing after knowledge, and submissively lifting up tunity accessible to the most favored, are nevertheir little hands in silent supplication for kind theless compelled to count the cost: and the moand competent instructors, for comfortable apartment this source of revenue is closed up, these ments, and for all the appliances which would institutions must rely for support upon those enable them to discover and obey the laws of who can afford a liberal outlay in return for the the Creator?" Have they weighed the tremen- more extended facilities for a finished education, dous responsibility involved in this parricidal which are here and here only to be found. desertion of a policy which formed the cornerstone of the civilization introduced by the Pilgrim Fathers of our beloved country-a policy coeval with its earliest settlement-pervading all its civil and social institutions--and penetrating with its elevating and humanizing influences every hamlet, every neighborhood, every town, village and city of our vast confederacy? Are they prepared to reject the counsels of the great Father of his Country, whose last and most earnest injunctions to his fellow-citizens, were to "promote, as objects of primary importanceinstitutions for the general diffusion of knowledge?" Is the concentrated wisdom of the great, the good, the enlightened and the patriotic of our own and other climes to weigh as nothing in comparison with the immediate and temporary advantages, if advantages there are, awaiting the disbandment of an organization which involves a slight pecuniary sacrifice and requires a slight degree of gratuitous labor?

We are not prepared to deny that the amount of the annual appropriation from the State Treasury, to the several colleges and academies, is inexpedient and disproportionate when compared with the appropriation for the benefit of the common schools. But because the enlightened friends of our entire system of public instruction, and the Legislature, think otherwise, as they manifestly do, and are likely to do, does this afford a sufficient reason for denouncing that system in all its parts, and demanding its abandonment? If it is desirable to make our schools free, in accordance with the system adopted in Massachusetts, and in our principal cities, this can readily be done by taking off the existing restriction upon the amount of school money now authorized to be raised by county and town taxa. tion, and permitting or directing, as may be deemed most expedient, the inhabitants of each town, annually, to raise the requisite amount to meet, in connection with the public money, the entire expenditure for school purposes. This, in our judgment, would be sound policy; and we entertain very little doubt that it will ultimately prevail, by the general and cordial assent of the people. Nor should we very strenuously object to the augmentation of the Common School Fund, provided that measure could be accomplished without diminishing or entirely exhaust ing funds hitherto set apart, after mature deliberation, to other objects which it is the policy of the state and the interest of the people to cherish and protect. Those who would leave our acade.

Shortsighted, however, as is, to our mind, the policy of withdrawing from our colleges and academies, the contributions from the public funds, which the wisdom of successive legislatures, during the past half century, has appropriated to this object, the idea of abandoning the further prosecution of the District Library system, for the purpose of enhancing that portion of the common school fund applicable to the payment of teachers' wages, is still more preposterous and illjudged. The institution of District Libraries is comparatively of recent origin and although the idea was taken from the proceedings of the British "Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," organized some fifteen or twenty years since, under the auspices of Lord Brougham, no institution of a similar kind has as yet found its way into the educational systems of Europe. Our own state is entitled to the excluclusive credit of a systematic, enlightened and practical organization of this great department of public instruction and popular education: and the proud results of five years experience of the value and efficacy of these Libraries have amply vindicated the prescience of those eminent statesmen and devoted philanthropists who contributed to their diffusion broad-cast throughout our extended territory. Shall we be the first to abandon that great experiment which, originating with ourselves, has justly attracted the attention and admiration of the civtlized world-which has placed at the command of every inhabitant of our eleven thousand school districts, of sufficient age to profit by their contents, a constantly accumulating collection of books devoted to the elucidation of the various departments of literature, science and the arts-and which presents the noble spectacle of a government profusely lavishing its surplus means for the mental and moral culture of every individual of all classes of its citizens, without exception or discrimination? Rather let us dry up the supplies for the civil administration of our political institutions-withhold all aid and encouragement to the innumerable objects of public and private enterprise which annually demand our fostering care-pause in our rapid career of internal improvement, and postpone the further development of our vast physical resources— than take from our two millions of citizens and from their children and children's children the bread of intellectual and moral life, which we have undertaken to dispense to them in ample profufusion. We may trust to the intelligence and virtue of our people for 'self-government-their