Dennison Olmsted, New Haven, Conn. Stephen C. Phillips, Salem, 66 Thomas Kinnicut, Worcester, Mass. H. Hubbard, Pittsfield, Mass. RECORDING SECRETARY. Solomon Adams, Boston, Mass. CORRESPONDING SECRETARIES. S. G. Howe, Boston, Mass. TREASURER. William D. Ticknor, Boston, Mass. CURATORS. Thomas Sherwin, Boston, Mass. Josiah F. Bumstead, Boston, Nathan Metcalf, Boston, Emory Washburn, Worcester, Mass. Luther Robinson, Boston, Mass. Thomas A. Greene, New Bedford, Mass. Thomas Cushing, Boston, Mass. Roger S. Howard, Newburyport, Mass. The persons proposed by the nominating committee, as given above, were unanimously chosen by ballot. Voted, To refer the place of the next annual meeting of the Institute to a Committee of Arrangements. On this committee were chosen G. B. Emerson, S. Adams, S. J. May, W. D. Ticknor, and Thomas Cushing, with power to add to their number. At 3 o'clock, J. E. Murdoch gave a Lecture before the Institute on "Elocution and Vocal Gymnastics." A communication was read by S. J. May, from Charles Brooks, on the study of Natural History, and concerning a series of books in a course of preparation by himself. The communication having been read, it was Resolved, That the Institute have learnt with pleasure that Mr. Brooks is devoting himself to the preparation of books on Natural History, which shall be suitable text books for our youth, on this highly interesting and important subject. Adjourned till 8 P. M. Thursday evening, 8 o'clock. The Institute listened to a Lecture from S. J. May. His subject was, "The Importance of our Common Schools." Remarks of an interesting character were then made by Messrs. Hubbard of Pittsfield, Mason, Emerson, Agnew, Greenleaf, and Pierce. On motion, it was Voted, That the thanks of the Institute be presented to the gentlemen from whom we have received the course of instructive and interesting Lectures of the present session. That the thanks of the Institute be presented to the Committee of Arrangements, by whose agency the Lectures were secured, and other duties performed, and to the several editors who have noticed the doings of the Institute. That the thanks of the Institute be presented to the citizens of Pittsfield for their aid in providing comfortable accommodations for the sessions of the Institute during the present meeting. Adjourned, sine die. SOLOMON ADAMS, Rec. Sec'y. MR. PRESIDENT, GENTLEMEN OF THE INSTITUTE, I feel myself honored in being invited to meet you on this occasion, and upon this spot, hallowed by so many garnered recollections. I only regret my inability to open the sittings of the Institute with a discourse worthy of the noble cause in which you are engaged. The more I reflect upon popular education, the more deeply am I impressed with its vast importance. With my best efforts I cannot grasp the subject, nor do justice to any branch of it. In the language of the great Roman orator, when speaking of his own divine art, it is alaquid immensum infinitumque. Deeply indebted myself to the system of general education in my native state, and hav |