34

Good Writers without Text hand.

practice of "fine hand," the moment he enters upon the active duties of life, and attempts to write with any degree of boldness and freedom, his handwriting, however much admired at school, degenerates into a mere scrawl.'

By teachers of penmanship,' I suppose is here meant those who have devoted themselves to this branch exclusively; and when Mr F. speaks several times of his own experience, and in one place of ten years' experience, I suppose he means experience in teaching writing exclusively. I certainly have a very great share of respect for experience. I have had experience, too; though not so much of this exclusive kind as Mr F. İ have observed as well as he. But this experience and observation lead me to conclusions somewhat different from his. I know many men, and some teachers, who write a bold, free, rapid and elegant hand; and yet they never wrote much large text hand in their lives. There is one teacher of an elementary school in Boston, an excellent penman, who not only never derived much benefit in his own case from writing text hand, but who has not for many years required his pupils to write it. Yet they make excellent penmen.

Thousands of people, moreover, have become good writers, merely from copying from printed books. Let me point Mr Foster to a whole nation, as it were, of good penmen, who become so without writing large text hand at all. I refer to Iceland. The following is an extract from the Journal of a Residence in that Island,' by Dr Henderson :

'Being but badly supplied with printed books, the Icelanders are under the necessity of copying such as they can get the loan of; which sufficiently accounts for the fact that most of them write a hand equal in beauty to that of the ablest writing masters in other parts of Europe. Some specimens of their Gothic writing are scarcely inferior to copperplate.'

I have a very high respect for Mr Foster as a writing master, and trust he is doing a great public service. But even he may err. I am curious to know, Mr Editor, how he will dispose of the fact I have just mentioned. He will not, surely, undertake to say that these remarks of Dr H. are only applicable to a few of the more favored Icelanders; for the Doctor's language is, most of them.' Nor will he say, that they must have received instruction in the schools; for there is but one school on the island. I repeat the question, then - How will Mr Foster dispose of such a fact?

A.

Education Convention in Kentucky.

35

MISCELLANY.

EDUCATION CONVENTION IN KENTUCKY,

THE State Education Society of Kentucky held their third Annual Convention at Lexington, during the week ending Nov. 7th.

On Monday, the Convention, at the request of Prof. Dudley, of Transylvania University, met with the Medical School, and heard a lecture on 'Physiology as a branch of Popular Education. On Tuesday morning they were present to hear the Introductory Lecture of Prof. Chas. Caldwell, before the Medical School of Transylvania University on Education as it should be, or Moral Education.' The Convention was duly organized in the afternoon and occupied in the discussion of the question, 'What are the most efficient means for obtaining the statistics of the state of Education in Kentucky?' which was finally submitted to a committee to be reported upon at a future session of the Convention.

Lectures were delivered on the Moral Character and Influence of Teachers,' by Mr J. L. Van Doren; on the Study of the Ancient Languages' by Rev. Prof. Marshall, of Transylvania University; on the Influence of Music on Education,' by Prof. Iucho, and on 'Moral Philosophy as a branch of Common School Education,' by Rev. R. Davidson.

Several important resolutions were passed, among which was one to co-operate fully with the Western College of Professional Teachers in carrying into effect the resolutions passed at their last convention in behalf of the Universal Education of the white population of the West and Southwestern States. It was also deemed expedient to establish a State Education Library in Lexington, and to solicit donations for it from the friends of education. The formation of Agricultural and Education Lyceums throughout the State was recommended, as a means of promoting scientific agriculture, and the diffusion of useful knowledge. A Committee was appointed to present a memorial to the State Legislature at their next session, in behalf of adopting immediate and efficient means for promoting Common School Education, and for the establishment of one or more Institutions for the Education of Professional Teachers. A Board for the Examination of Teachers was also appointed, authorised to give certificates of qualifications of scholarship in the name of the Kentucky State Society of Education.

36

Teacher's Association.-Manual Labor.

ESSEX COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS.

The sixth Annual Meeting of this Association was held at Topsfield, Mass. on the 4th and 5th days of December. The meeting was well attended; and the lectures and discussions were highly practical in their nature and tendency. From a gentleman who was present from this city, we have derived the following summary of the proceedings.

Lectures were delivered On Teaching Rhetoric,' by Rev. Brown Emerson, of Salem; 'On the extent to which Moral Suasion, as a means of Discipline in schools, can be carried,' by Rev. S. R. Hall, Principal of the Teachers' Seminary at Andover; On the Duties of School Committees,' by Rev. Leonard Withington, of Newbury; and On Phrenology as applied to Education,' by Prof. C. Dunkin, of Harvard University.

The Discussions were, on the expediency of Corporal Punishment in Schools; on the danger of a Servile Imitation in teaching; on the use of the Bible in schools; on a State Seminary for Teachers; and on several other topics.

After the discussions on Moral Suasion and Corporal Punishment, a Committee was appointed to report on this subject, of which the Rev. S. R. Hall was Chairman. A Report of great practical value was accordingly presented to the Association; and a resolution was passed that it should be published in the papers in Essex County, and in Boston. We hoped to have received a copy of it in time for the present number of the Annals.

On no one point were the members of the association more unanimous than in regard to the necessity of exerting, in our schools, a salutary moral influence, not only by the judicious perusal of the Sacred Scriptures, but in every other appropriate manner.

It is time that each of the many hundred counties in these United States had its annual and semiannual meetings, on a plan not unlike that of Essex County. They would do immense good in the way of elevating the standard of Common School Education, and thus confer, as that of Essex County has already done, a lasting blessing on the community.

PENDLETON MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL, S. C.

This Institution, which, from the late Report of the Board of Directors appears to be flourishing, while according to its Constitution it must be governed by the principles and precepts of the Bible, is to be under the jurisdiction of no ecclesiastical body. - The Report says that the Manual Labor System, for South Carolina, has been fairly and fully tested; and that it is decidedly the most advantageous mode of

Education in Jamaica.

37

Education, which has ever been introduced either into this or any other country.'

Hitherto they have been compelled to reject many applicants for admission to the school; but preparations are now making to receive 70 for next year; and we are gratified to find that such is the nature of the arrangements for this school that the price of Boarding and Tuition is only $60 a year, or a little over a dollar a week; no deduction from this being made, however, on account of their labor.

NEW COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES.

At the Annual Meeting of the Synod of Genesee and Buffalo, in October last, it was resolved to take immediate measures for establishing a College for that great division of the State of New York, lying west of Canandaigua, and being larger than the whole State of Massachusetts. More than $160,000 have been already subscribed; 120,000 of which is for 8 Professorships; 20,000 for land near Buffalo, where, we understand, the College is to be located; and 20,000 more towards a general fund.

At the late session of the Synod of Michigan, a Committee was appointed to consult on the best location for a College for that Territory; to use efforts to raise the necessary funds for the commencement of the Institution; and, if they deem it expedient, to determine the location and proceed to the organization of the Institution.

WABASH COLLEGE, CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA.

This institution is rising. Between 3 and 4000 dollars have been raised in the vicinity of the college and buildings, and some $5,000 more are pledged. This from a region only ten years since reclaimed from the forest, affords the highest promise. During the last year, the school under the care of Messrs Mills and Thompson, has been attended by 80 pupils. Mr Hovey, who came to the east on an agency, has secured about $28,000 for the purposes of buildings, library, apparatus, and for a permanent fund for the support of the President. Elihu W. Baldwin, D. D. of New York, has accepted the Presidential chair. Rev. E. O. Hovey, Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory. Rev. Caleb Mills, Professor of Languages. Rev. John S. Thompson, Professor of Mathematics.-Cin. Journ.

EDUCATION IN JAMAICA.

There is an excellent school for colored children at Spanish Town, Jamaica, under the care of Miss Newell and two associates, (all of them people of color) which numbers 60 or 70 pupils. At the latest

33

Proposed University in England.

advices, the institution was flourishing, and it was in contemplation to add to it an Infant School and a School of Industry. There is also in. the same place a Sabbath School of about 400 scholars, under the care of Mr J. M. Philippo. This is a large number of colored children to collect in a population of 5000 persons.

It should also be observed that Mr Philippo, under whose direction Miss Newell's school was established, is about erecting a large and convenient school house, to accommodate 300 children of both sexes, whose instruction is to be conducted on the Monitorial or Lancasterian plan. The cost of the house is estimated at about £1000.

WORCESTER MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL.

This institution, which has now been in operation eighteen months, appears to flourish. The number of pupils during the last term was over fifty. The Seminary building has been completed at an expense of about $7000. Connected with the latter is a steward's house and the necessary out buildings, and about 60 acres of excellent land.

PROPOSED UNIVERSITY IN ENGLAND.

The present government is employed in framing a constitution for a New University, which shall confer degrees on all persons who, upon examination, shall be found competent.

The new university must give its graduates something, aud it is in the power of the State to furnish it with more to give them than all that the two universities possess ; and that without the cost of a single farthing to the people, but on the contrary to the great advantage of the community. The State can and ought to require a certain kind of education' in all persons who aspire to fill all offices under the State; and in order to determine whether a person has this qualification or not, to determine whether a man is eligible or not to such an office, a testimonial of such qualification, in the form of a degree granted by the New University would be all that is wanted. At present, many places of great importance, and a vast number of others of less comparative importance, are filled by persons totally unqualified. Further, the State has now at its disposal the endowments for education, formerly vested in municipal corporations; and when the inquiries of the charity commissioners are completed, it will be necessary to do something with those endowments also which are not vested in municipal corporations. It will then be a useful measure to declare that no man shall be eligible to the mastership or ushership of a grammar school in England and Wales, unless he is a graduate of the New University, properly certified; or unless he be a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge.