exceedingly limited and defective, yet what there was of it, was good. The whole enterprise was one calculated to make strong drafts upon the public sympathy and admiration, because of the worthy purpose and the indefatigable toil and devotion of the benevolent founders and supervisors of so extending and beneficient an institution. In process of time, however, it became necessary, in compliance with public opinion, that Grammar, Geography, Astronomy, History, Algebra, and Geometry should be taught. These additional studies, even in the opinion of the friends of the original plan of monotorial instructions, rendered recitation rooms and assistant teachers necessary; so that nearly all the great improvements that have been made in recent years, in the mode of conducting and teaching in these Schools, are unequivocal retrocessions from their original mode of teaching. That these schools are decidedly better for these changes, will not be doubted by any practical teacher.

These two classes of Schools, the Ward and Public Schools, are now educating the majority of the children of this City, and the teachers and the Trustees of both are emulating each other in their assiduities and zeal, to promote and extend the usefulness of their respective charges. But rivalry and emulation in public instruction, are not without their countervailing objections. Bodies revolving in space, are liable, notwithstanding the nice adjustment of the celestial mechanism, to feel the disturbing influence of other similar bodies; so there are mutual perturbations produced upon two lines of Schools occupying the same space, whose movements are generated by separate and distinct powers. It cannot be otherwise in these Schools. Here, we have the Public School Society's Schools,-with their venerated service, with their hundred Trustees, with their systematised organization, with their well trained teachers, and twenty thousand children in daily attendance, exercising an influence which many honest and discreet men have thought ought not to be given to a corporation. Under this feeling, the Legislature have taken from them the right of extending or increasing their Schools, and have vested this authority entirely with the Board of Education; and this Board have erected new School Houses, and established Ward Schools as fast as the public exigencies have required.

These two School organizations appear to be rather in the attitude of rivals, or competitors for public favor; and all the evils incidental to rival and conflicting systems of instruction organized to occupy the same ground is too obvious to be denied. These School Districts, if we may use the word, interlocking with, and lapping over each other, having no determinate Geographical limits, must necessarily, occasion interference and annoyance between the different Schools. The Public School Society offers free education to the children of the whole City. The Ward Schools, as they are called, because the Schools of each Ward are under Trustees chosen by the Electors of the Ward, do not restrict themselves to the children of the Ward, but freely receive all that offer from every part of the City.

He seeks change and exemption from curative discipline,
by staying from his school, and perhaps by going to
another. Change is sometimes for the best, and too many
obstacles ought not to be interposed; but a system of
transfers ought to be in use, so that no one should run off
from one school, and enter his name at another, without
having a discharge from the first. This would relieve the
teachers from many uncertainties about their returns, and
make their disciplinary duties plainer and easier.
3. But we proceed with some account of the other
Schools. The Schools which are generally spoken of as
Corporate Schools, are but few in number; and were,
most of them, incorporated before the present School
System was brought into operation. Their separate and
corporate property and income are small, and they are
for every purpose of usefulness, Common Schools; and
therefore, fully entitled to share in the School Fund of the
State. They are all well managed; but it is questionable,
in my mind, whether it would not be better that they
should be given up to the Corporation, and brought under
the Ward Officers, as Ward Common Schools. One of
them, the Yorkville Public School, has so been given up
during the past year; to the improvement of its condition,
and to the satisfaction, I believe, of all the parties con-
cerned.

Of those that remain of these Corporate Schools, I mention, first, the Mechanic's School, which, though it has 500 scholars, it has only about 60 who claim any privilege from the School Fund. We see no reason why this institution, under its present organization, does not put in its request to be ranked with the Academies, and receive a portion of the Literary Fund. The other Corporate Schools are the Harlem School, the Manhattanville School, the Hamilton Free Schools, and the three Schools for the Promotion of Education among Colored Children. In all these, there are not more than about 1000 scholars.

4. Next, we have the Asylums. These are also Corporate Institutions; but as they board and support their scholars, I have chosen to give them a separate consideration in this report. They are, first, the Bloomingdale Orphan Asylum, containing 125 orphans. This is an old and well-managed institution, both as it regards the sustentation and instruction of the children committed to their care.

The Leake and Watts Orphan House, is a magnificent endowment, and supports and educates about 185 children, it is in the Twelfth Ward, six miles from the City Hall. It is under wise supervision. In its present and prospective usefulness, it is not exceeded by any other Asylum in this city.

The Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum is not so well endowed with funds as the foregoing, and necessarily draws more upon the sympathies of its friends; affording a periodical, or perhaps a constant opportunity for the manifestation of that generous love that reflects its benefits upon any community that is exercised thereby. It is a highly meritorious charity. It is well managed, and has as many beneficiaries as it can well accommodate. They number 270, male and female.

There is also the Colored Orphan Asylum, an excellent institution, managed by ladies; accommodating, clothing, feeding, and instructing 120 colored orphans.

The Protestant Half Orphan Asylum supports and educates 167 poor children, who have but one parent each, living.

The Roman Catholic Half Orphan Asylum has also children circumstanced like the last, to the number of 118. These two last Institutions are well managed, and employ, for the instruction of the children, pious, amiable and qualified female teachers.

Different books and different systems of government are in use in these several Boards of Trustees, and no arrangements with regard to transfers or expulsions in general use. This state of things is in some instances perplexing, requiring the utmost forbearance and courtesy on the part of the teachers, to make it tolerable. While moral power is expected to be exerted for the accomplishment of all the purposes of government, the best means of making it influential, are taken from the teacher. If a scholar either from reason or from caprice, is dissatisfied with one school, he may go to another, entirely irrespective of geographical lines, without any note of transfer, or discharge from his last school. School discipline is thus rendered a very delicate and often a difficult business. The common freedom of our republican land soon becomes the admiration and boast of our boys, and the liberty to do right is often construed into a license to The Schools of the House of Refuge, which are edudo wrong. They do not think of liberty with limitations. cating 280 boys, and 60 girls, are exerting a reformatory Hence the difficulties of enforcing restrictive laws, merely influence upon a class of juvenile delinquents, whose by moral and preceptive means. The refractory boy in-case would be almost without hope, but for the beneficurs censure in school, but he finds sympathy elsewhere. cient interposition of this institution.

The Institution for the Blind has 125 pupils; and although most of them are beyond the school age, yet no one will question the propriety of allowing them to share in the School Fund.

66

by estimate, those between 4
and 5 years old, not included
in the above,

In all these, including the 666 children in the Alms To which I add, 5 per cent. per annum, since '45, 10,500 House Schools, there are about 2100 children who are orphans, or half orphans, or abandoned by parents, who are drawing their support from these institutions, and enjoying the benefit of Schools which are in part or wholly supported in these institutions, by their respective portions of the School money.

The Government and discipline in these Schools, is so mild and equable as in general to deserve commendation. No instance of the infliction of severe or unreasonable

punishment, has come to my knowledge during the whole year. The Schools are most of them in good order; and those Schools are in genera! best governed, where there is least interference with the teacher's duties. Teachers who have learned to govern themselves can govern children without severity; and persons who cannot govern their own spirits, should never be employed to teach and govern children.

The location of a School. The educating of children should be in a pleasant place. The School ought to be made inviting and agreeable. Taste and refinement will not be cultivated with advantage in low and immoral neighborhoods, and parents should keep their children away from slaughter houses, and melting houses, and other establishments, however lawful or necessary they may be, which are offensive to the senses. That is an ill judged and stinted economy, that locates a School in a bad or disagreeable neighborhood.

School system of the City. When asked about the School system of the City, I hardly know where my answer should begin. While the Public School Society were the predominating authority in the Free School or ganization, I could say that the Schools were managed, by a voluntary association which had become an incorporated body, and had undertaken to do what the people themselves ought to have done long before. That they had Committees, whose duty it was to attend to each separate department of business. That they had a code of by-laws for their government, and that all things appertaining to the duties to be performed, were written out and published. While these regulations were few and simple, and not in conflict with any others, they worked well. Teachers understood and observed them. A few controlling individuals, who were good common sense men, and like minded, having devised or adopted a system of instruction and government, it might be supposed, in a Society made up of gentlemen, brought together on the principle of the elective affinities. would go on harmoniously and beneficially to the community for years; and so going on, might successfully accomplish their mission. Gentlemen taking an interest in education, have greatly increased in our midst; and there are many among us, who are unused to having the educational matter, especially of the Common Schools, managed by a corportion. Prejudice is raised against corporations. The rights of the majority are asserted. The public mind is roused to the subject; and popular sentiment cannot be repressed and ought not to be opposed, because the more the people become interested in, or identified with the Schools, the more will they prosper.

10,000

And we have children between 4 and 16,.............. 90,503 But the number reported as having been taught during the year, is as follows, viz:

In the Schools of the Public School Society, 43,640 Ward Schools, 34,882

In all other Common Schools, including the Asy-
lums and House of Refuge,

Making an aggregate in Common Schools, inclu-
ding Asylums, &c...

Besides these, it is ascertained from the last
census, that there are, in private pay and church
Schools, about,

In Incorporated Schools some of which partici-
pate in the Literary Fund, but not in the
Common School Fund, there are,

The whole number who have been in School,
exclusive of 250 in Colleges,

6,216

84,738

17,000

1,250

102,988

the number who have been in the Common Schools some By these Returns and Statements, it will be seen that portion of the year, is 84,738. Whereas, the whole School less 84,738, leaves but 5,763, out of the Common Schools, population, between 4 and 16, is but 90,503. But 90,503, by these returns. But the other Schools, (the private and church Schools,) have 18,577 scholars. So that the numbers reported as being, or having been in all the Schools, public and private, is 12,814 more than the whole number of chilren of the proper School age in the City. So that it is plain, that a large number of children who are roaming about from one School to another, are counted and returned from perhaps three or four Schools, as having been there some portion of the year. This, however, does not affect the correctness of the returns of the average daily attendance, upon which the distribution of the public money is made.

It is never expected that the average attendance will come up anything near the whole number who attend some. In most of the schools, the absent will amount to 20 per cent. of the number on register; and in many of the schools, there is a change of scholars equal to about 25 per cent. on the whole number, every three months; and in some schools, not more than from 30 to 40 per cent, remain in the same school for twelve consecutive months. It should be observed, that there is a marked difference in the schools, in regard to the regularity, and the time of continuance in school, and consequent proficiency of the scholars; and this often depends more upon the locality of the school, than upon the qualities and ability of the teachers. In my judgment, there is not, in general, sufficient allowance made for these extraneous circumstances, in making up the comparative estimate of the different Schools. In one School, the applications for admissions are so numerous, that some must be rejected; and the teacher feels privileged to fill up his School with the best and most promising scholars who offer; while in another, applications are so few, as that accepting all that offer, the School is only half full. The one will, of course, keep none on the roll but good and regular attendants, while the other, anxious to keep up his numbers, and reform the truants, keeps on his register a much larger proportion of irregular attendants. It is a difficult matter to enforce, or in any way to secure regular and punctual attendance in these last mentioned Schools. The tardy and truant scholars hang so loosely on the skirts of the School, that it is almost a matter of indifference with both them and their parents, if they have parents, whether they are discharged from the School or not, inasmuch as a discharge, or even an expulsion from the School, is only a passport to admission in another rival School. Some system of transfers from one School to another, is necessary, both for the comfort of the teachers and the benefit of the scholars. 371,223 And some limitation of School Districts, so that children 70,003 shall not be allowed to go from one side of the city to

License of Teachers. Since I came into the office, I have examined and licensed 160 teachers. Many were females, intended for subordinate places, as assistants in Female Schools, or in Primary Schools. Many of these have been licensed without having all the qualifications deemed necessary for Principals of Schools; but in all such cases, the certificate has been qualified by the mention of the inferior station, in order that it might not be used beyond the station for which the teacher was judged to be competent.

During the year, I have made 564 visits for inspection and examination of Schools,

The following Statistics and Estimates will show something of the condition of the Schools, and of the proportion of children who attend School irregularly: The population of the City in 1845,

The number of children between 5 and 16,

another, to attend a crowded School, passing half a dozen Schools just as good as the one they have chosen to attend.

During the past year, and since the last report of my predecessor in office, there has been erected a large and commodious house in the Eleventh Ward, and a large School collected in it. It is known as Ward School, No. 21. No. 22, was formerly the Yorkville Public School. It is now under the Trustees of the Twelfth Ward, and promises to do better than formly. I think it is destined to prosper. There has also been erected in the Eighth Ward, a large and commodious School House, known as Ward School, No. 23, which has just opened with a thousand scholars. The appointments in this new School are of such a character as will, in my judgment,

secure success.

M.

LONG SESSIONS.

My attention has of late been called to the consideration of the evil effects of long sessions upon the health of children. Most of the Schools are taught from 9 A. M. to 3 P. M., with a recess of only a few minutes at 12 This arrangement has some advantages, which are urged in its favor. The aggregate daily attendance is generally larger, aud it affords more leisure to the teachers and scholars in the afternoon, after the toils of the day are over. On the other hand, it is urged, that six hours of continuous application, is a most unreasonable length of time to keep young children, in large numbers, within the walls of the same house. If the mind is not tasked and exercised to the point of exhaustion, the playing lungs have inhaled the oft used and impure atmosphere of the room so long, that their elasticity is impaired, and the high health and ruddy cheek give place to feebleness and palor. A long continued exercise of the braid is unfavorable to healthful and symmetrical development of the physical and mental powers. Young children require frequent alternation from activity to repose, and it is quite as important that the bodily health be protected, as that the mind should be instructed. Early physical training is more important to the future condition of the man, than early

All young

in astronomy, and in chemistry, are more in request, and more used in the Schools than formerly.

EVENING SCHOOLS.-There are now in operation in the city, under the supervision of the Board of Educa tion, fifteen Evening Schools, which average about two hundred each. Eleven of them are for boys who have left or are unable to attend the day Schools; a large proportion of them apprentices. Four of them are for girls and young women, who have not had the privilege of being well instructed in childhood. These Schools are managed with great discretion, and cannot fail of doing incalculable good to many a worthy young person.

There are three Normal Schools in this City-one for males and one for females, and one for colored teachers, consisting in the aggregate of about 200 pupils, which are under the charge of the Public School Society. These Schools have been in existence about thirteen years. They are taught on Saturdays only through the summer; and in the winter, the male pupils are taught five evenings in the week. These Schools have brought forward many competent teachers. And they have this advantage to young men and women of the City, that they are taught by well educated and experienced teachers; and they, the pupils, support themselves by teaching in the various Schools in the City, while they are perfecting in these Normal Schools their own education as teachers.

The existence of these Schools accounts in part for the fact, that but few enterprising young persons of the City apply for appointments to the State Normal School at Albany.

Two of my predecessors in office have recommended, on observing the necessity of having the Common Schools of the city under one management, "that the enactment of such laws be procured, as shall place all the Public and Ward Schools under the immediate charge of the Public School Society, subject_to_the Board of Education, through the hands of which alone its funds should be received."

and again in 1845, has not been heeded, and probably it never will be. I would venture, therefore, the sug gestion, that by a spirit of compromise on the part of both the elected Ward Officers and the Trustees of the Public School Society, the School laws might be so modified and altered, as to merge the two in one system, under the charge of the officers elected by the people. In this way the errors, which the electors will some times commit, will soon again be subject to their revision and correction; whereas the people are becoming jealous and distrustful of the management of corpora tions, over which they have no revisionary control But, is it urged in favor of the continuance of the inde pendent exercise of the rights granted to the Society by charter, that it is venerable in years, and venerated for tion of the public money? Is it feared, that the experi unwearied service and a generally economical dispensa

This reiterated recommendation, first made in 1844,

storing the mind. Children are often sent to school at too early an age. That school is not the best, that teaches the most hours or the most studies, and longest sessions. Nor is the primary school child likely to make the most accomplished adult, because he or she has gone over the greatest round of studies, at a very early period of life. A writer in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, says, in speaking on this subject, that "addition is not always improvement; and that gain in this respect is melancholy loss." animals require alternate sleep and muscular activity. Without both in proper proportions, they become languid and feeble, and lose all boldness, energy and decision." But for the fact, that many of the School houses are tolerably ventilated, and that the teachers generally understand the evil effects of keeping large numbers long grouped together, in contracted and overheated rooms, confinement of young children, for sixence of wise and good. men will be lost to the community; successive hours, would be a crying evil. The attention and that men of less skill, and less disinterestedness to order, and to the regulations of the School, keep up will be brought into charge of the great trusts of public a continuous effort of the mental powers, without allow instruction? This, in some instances, might be the ing corresponding play of the physical system, which case. But men who are nominated by the people to offi induce a train of morbid symptoms, which are unfavor-ces without emolument, in the administration of the able to the growth, health, future comfort, and longevity of the child. Short sessions are undoubtedly best for young children. Where the School is taught from 9 A. M. to 3 P. M., children should always be allowed two or three recesses of fifteen or twenty minutes each, in which they ought to be allowed to use both ther limbs and their lungs freely.

SCHOOL LIBRARIES.-The Public Schools, the Corporate Schools, and the Asylums, have Libraries, generally consisting of from 200 to 500 volumes of well selected books. Youth connected with these Schools, who are fond of reading, may improve themselves in a knowledge of history, science, morals, biography, the arts, &c. APPARATUS.—The means of illustrating in mechanics,

duties of which office, the people are themselves directly interested, will carry with them the evidence that the majority of the electors think them worthy of confidence; whereas, members of a corporation, who nominate themselves, and are not subjected to the ordeal of a popular vote, do not present the same evidence, however worthy they may be, of the confidence of the people. of Free School Instruction for the City of New-York, Besides, men who have been the founders of a system which has carried light into the darkest places for a succession of more than thirty years, until an illuminated generation has sprung up to be co-workers with them, or to take their places, have nothing to fear from great subject, the wisdom and experience of those If the people will take hold in earnest of this

any.

Of W. A. Wheeler, Agent of the St. Regis Indians, of the May, Mr. Rosman Ingalls was employed, and has taught

State Superintendent of Common Schools. SIR-In compliance with the act, to provide for the ed-red and twenty-five dollars have been received and apacation of the children of the Onondaga Indians, in the plied, making an aggregate of two hundred and twenty county of Onondaga, and the children of other Indians five dollars received by the undersigned and applied residing in this state, passed April 30, 1846, the under- pursuant to the provisions of law, to the payment of teachers' wages. signed, agent for the state for paying the annuity to the St. Regis Indians,

the benefits of the school in an approximate proportion to their numbers. Of the Pagan party eleven families have sent their children to the school with considerable regularity, while there were but fifteen families in the Christian party who regularly sought the advantages of education. This unity of feeling in regard to the school has been produced in a great degree by the judicious measures of the teacher, who is unwearied in his efforts to secure the attendance of the children and awaken the interest of their parents.

The proficiency of the children is various, and in a great degree facilitated or impeded by the influences with which they are surrounded at home. One class of twelve read with facility in the advanced reading books, and understand with great readiness what they read; another class of six are making good progress in reading, while another of fourteen are mastering their monosyl lables with more than ordinary rapidity.

In arithmetic the teacher finds it more difficult to awaken interest. There seems to be a want of mathematical capacity in many, arising undoubtedly from inattention and inability to concentrate their thoughts upon the subject. Their limited acquaintance with the English language also embarrasses them in their efforts to acquire a knowledge of arithmetic, to which the apparent deficiency may in part be attributed. There are a few instances in which those best acquainted with the English language have made considerable attainment in arithmetic and are beginning to evince fondness for the study.

Geography was introduced in June, and with the most gratifying results. The natives, both parents and children, are deeply interested in the subject and trace the course of rivers, the boundaries of states and counties with much satisfaction. They are delighted with maps, and many of them can trace upon them the ancient Indian trails with great accuracy. In addition to the knowledge obtained by attention to geography, they have found it a means of improving their use of the English language. As a means of awaking a taste for learning, it has been of incalculable advantage to the school. They manifest great aptitude and fondness for writing and drawing, closely imitating the copy, or represent ing their own conceptions with great readiness and skill. In this exercise they generally excel.

Vocal music has been taught during the past six months with the most salutary effect upon the school and with success. Many of the children have remarkably fine voices, and learn to sing with ease. It is doubtful whether there are many common schools in the state where so good singing can be heard as at the Onondaga Indian school, and where music seems to exert a better influence upon the mind and character of pupils.

COMMUNICATION

From S. Town, Esq., on the subject of Teachers' Institutes.
Hon. CHRISTOPHER MORGAN, Secretary of State,

and Superintendent of Common Schools.
Dear Sir-In compliance with your request, I submit
for consideration, a brief outline of the results of my
experience, as connected with "Teachers' Institutes,"
together with what is believed to be the most successful
method of conducting them, and imparting instruction.
An Institute, in the sense now used, is a voluntary
association of Common School teachers, assembled for
mutual improvement in a knowledge of the sciences and
the art of teaching them with greater ability.

These two attainments on the part of the teachers, are inseparably connected with the prosperity of our primary schools. But as the main benefits derivable from such associations, depend on a judicious management in conducting the several exercises, it may be somewhat important to present a general view of that course of instruction which has been suggested by experience, and hitherto attended with results of reasonable satisfaction.

Perhaps, however, it will not be inappropriate before entering on the main points designed for this communication, to give a few statistical facts, as to the multiplication of these conventions, and the influence they must necessarily exert on the educational interests of the State, if duly improved.

The first Teachers' Institute held in the State of New

York, and probably the first in the world, according to the present mode of organizing them and conducting their exercises in detail, was in Tompkins county, in April, 1843. The number of teachers in attendance at that time, was one hundred. The continuance of the session was two weeks. A catalogue of names with resolutions passed by the Institute and citizens, was published and sent to every county superintendent in the state. This probably gave rise to the rapid multiplication of similar efforts in other counties.

The whole number of Institutes organized in this state, up to the close of 1847, was sixty-nine. They have also been established in about half the states in the Union, and are well sustained.

The whole number of Institutes in which I have been

personally engaged as a teacher, is thirty-three. Each of these, with few exceptions, was continued two weeks. The number of States, aside from New-York in which I have been called to organize them for the first time, is five. The whole number of teachers brought under my instruction at these several Institutes, does not vary much from five thousand. The whole number taught in all the Institutes held in the state up to the present time, will exceed ten thousand. It is probable, however, that something more than one-third of the above number has been counted twice at least, in their attendance at different times.

Without dwelling further upon details, the undersigned deems it his duty to state that the school has accomplished during the past year all that its most sanguine friends have hoped for it. Its influence is observed in the improved habits of life and condition of those families whose chilren have been instructed in it. Were there It is clearly ascertained that the primary schools in more ample provisions for text books, maps and other those counties where teachers have attended these conschool appliances a more rapid progress in the acquisi-ventions, are decidedly in advance of those where such tion of knowledge would be made; but the means pro- opportunities have been neglected. But we now proceed vided are used to the best advantage, and the bounty of to a more detailed account of the Institute itself, with the state is working out a rich return in the civilization the mode of organizing and conducting the same. and usefulness of a class of "native citizens" who have been the victims of education rather than its subject.

PRELIMINARIES.

During the past summer a neat and handsomely finThe laws of our state have made provision for calling ished church edifice, capable of seating five hundred out the teachers of a county; but were there no laws on persons, has been erected on the reservation near the the subject, no county or town superintendents as in school house. About one half of the cost was contribu- some of the other states, the teachers themselves, by a ted, mostly in timber and labor, by the Indians them-committee of their own appointment, can raise an Instiselves. This indication of social and religious advancement is one of the legitimate fruits of the effort to educate the Onondagas, and the improved appearance of their lands and dwellings afford the most gratifying evidence that they may yet occupy as high a rank in civilized life as they were once distinguished in the councils of the Iroquois. All of which is respectfully submitted. WM. B. KIRK,

Syracuse, Nov. 15, 1848.

Agent.

tute wherever they choose, independently of legal enactments or official functionaries. In all cases, however suitable preparations should always be made beforehand, for the accommodation of those who may attend; at the same time, providing such apparatus as may be needed on the occasion. When convened, the organization under a board of instructors, should be a practical exemplification of a well regulated model school, and the members of the Institute for the time being, are in hon