MASSACHUSETTS LYCEUM.

The annual meeting of the Massachusetts Lyceum was held in the Representatives' Chamber on the evening of the 20th ult. Hon. A. H. Everett, President in the chair. The report was read by Mr Josiah Holbrook, Recording Secretary. W. C. Woodbridge, Corresponding Secretary, made a report respecting the American Lyceum and its last annual meeting; and statements were made by several gentlemen from different parts of the State, after which a committee of one from each county was appointed to report on the state of Lyceums in this Commonwealth, at an adjourned meeting.

On motion of the Rev. Mr Pierpont,

"Voted, That the generous donation from the Bowdoin Hall School Lyceum of a set of geological specimens, with a tract to explain them, to every school in this Commonwealth, is entitled to the approbation and the thanks of this institution.

The Lyceum then adjourned to March 27.

At the adjourned meeting after the Report of the Committee, the following resolutions were submitted and unanimously adopted:

On motion of Mr Holbrook of Boston,

"Resolved, That we have heard with pleasure the interesting report from the American Lyceum, by the Secretary, and approve of the objects and measures of that institution."

On motion of Rev. W. C. Woodbridge of Boston,

"Resolved, That the Massachusetts Lyceum recommend to all the town and county Lyceums, also schools in this Commonwealth, to co-operate with the National Society in the objects and measures proposed by it, especially the collection of CABINETS OF NATURAL HISTORY, and in a system of exchanges with literary institutions and individuals in all sections of the country."

On motion of Mr Greene of New Bedford,

"Resolved, That the introduction of Natural History into common schools, will be calculated to increase their usefulness and elevate their character."

On motion of Mr Hastings of Worcester,

"Resolved, That the Collection of Cabinets of Natural History in all our towns and villages throughout the country, and of a central deposit at New York, would be calculated to open new sources of industry and of wealth to our nation."

On motion of Rev. Mr Gannett of Boston,

"Resolved, That Cabinets of Natural History, deposited in towns and villages throughout the country, would furnish less expensive and more valuable amusements to young people than those which often occupy their attention."

After the close of the public exercises, the Lyceum proceeded to choose officers for the ensuing year, and delegates to attend the annual meeting of the American Lyceum, to be held in the city of New York on the first of May.

The officers elected are, Hon. A. H. Everett, President - Rev. W. C. Woodbridge, Corresponding Secretary - Mr Josiah Holbrook, Recording do.- Mr T. H. Carter, Treasurer Messrs William Jackson, T. A. Green, S. C. Philips, W. S. Hastings, Abraham R. Thompson, S. J. Gardner, Joseph Brown and Joseph Jenkins, Curators. —The Presidents of county Lyceums are, as such, Vice Presidents of this institution.

The following gentlemen were appointed delegates ;- The President and Secretaries, Hon. Edward Everett, Mr Frederick Emerson, and Mr Chester Dewey.

CONVENTION OF TEACHERS AT ANDOVER.

A Convention of Teachers and other friends of Education assembled at the Teachers' Seminary in Andover, Mass. on the 10th of April last, and continued in session nine days. The time was principally employed in lectures, and in discussions, and in occasional visits to the Teachers' Seminary. Three lectures were usually given in a day, and two meetings held for discussion. We have been favored with the records of the Secretary, from which we make the following abstract of the proceedings. We regret that we have no more room for details; but we understand that a full report is to be published.

Of the lectures, eight were given by Mr S. R. Hall, Principal of the Teachers' Seminary, and Chairman of the Convention, on the following subjects; Responsibility of Teachers, Qualifications of Teachers, Objects for which a Teacher should labor, Best method of commencing a School, School Discipline, Arithmetic, Natural Philosophy, and Electricity. The two last were illustrated by experiments.

Mr Adams, late Principal of the Latin School in Andover gave three lectures, On the Art of Teaching. Mr Josiah Holbrook, three; two of which were on the Use of School Apparatus, and one on the Wants of the West. Mr Tenney, of the Teachers' Seminary, two on teaching Arithmetic. Mr Loomis, Secretary of the Convention, two; on the Absurdities of the English Alphabet, and on the General Management of Schools. Mr Hibbert, two on Geology. Mr Barton of the Teachers' Seminary, also gave one lecture on Circuit Schools, and the best manner of conducting them; Mr Taylor, of the Theological Seminary, one on Natural History; Mr Foster, one on the condition and prospects of Schools in the Southern States; Mr De Witt, on Improving the Memory; Mr Richmond, on the present condition of Greece in regard to Education; and Mr Smith, on the Carstairian system of Penmanship.

Many important topics were presented and discussed, among which were the following; Defects of Common Schools and the best means of remedying them. Importance of having teachers well instructed in their professional duties. Importance of making the business of teaching a profession. Usefulness and facility of establishing Circuit Schools. Mutual co-operation of schools, even in distant States, and facilities for producing it. Importance of cultivating early habits of systematic benevolence among the children of common schools. Utility of town and county conventions of Teachers. Importance of the American School Agents' Society, and its claims upon the community. Great and alarming evils resulting from the present neglect of moral instruction in many of our common schools. Methods of securing the influence of females in promoting the cause of education. Mode of teaching the alphabet, and spelling and reading. Character and comparative merits of school books. Introduction of new branches into schools, among which moral philosophy was particularly recommended. Impropriety of attempting to teach too many things at one time. Unpardonable neglect of ventilation in school-rooms. Best methods of communicating moral instruction in schools. On the last, subject several resolutions were passed, which we have no room to insert. Among other resolutions which were adopted, was one, recommending it to the School Agents' Society forthwith to employ six or eight agents

to go through New England and New York in the months of May and June next, and call conventions of Teachers and other friends of education in every county.

The Convention also set on foot a plan for supporting, during the term of six months, an agent in Greece; whose duty it shall be to devote his time in endeavoring to awaken parents to the importance of giving their children the means of intellectual and moral instruction. It is said that there is an intelligent and spirited Greek now in that country, who might be employed for this purpose for $100. Several of the teachers at the Convention, in behalf of themselves and their pupils, promised to contribute from $5 to $10 each for the purpose: proposing to have a weekly collection among their pupils.

As it was thought expedient to send a delegate to represent the Convention at the annual meeting of the National Lyceum in New York, on the 3d of the present month, Mr Loomis, the Secretary of the Convention was appointed.

MANUAL LABOR SCHOOLS.

NORTH CAROLINA.-Manual Labor Schools are beginning to receive attention in this state. A series of interesting articles on this subject have lately appeared in the "People's Press," of Wilmington. From a number of the same paper, of March 27th, we also derive the very gratifying intelligence which follows:

An institution is about to be established at a place called Hay Mount, near Fayetteville, to be called, "The Donaldson Academy and Manual Labor School." The intention is to connect with the best academical instruction and a good moral though not sectarian influence, (for to the latter they are strongly opposed) three hours a day of manual labor. The trustees of the school, in a publication in the paper to which we have just referred, express a belief that any young man, by the amount of labor proposed, if judiciously applied, can nearly support himself at the school; and that in this way the means of a thorough education will be brought within the reach of all classes of the community. But this is not all. They say that there are many young men, in the state, who would be glad to prepare themselves for the instruction of common schools; and to afford them facilities for doing so, is one prominent object of the institution.

Many applications have already been made from the country, for the admission of pupils, and measures have already been taken to procure a teacher, as soon as a suitable person can be obtained. Funds to the amount of $20,000 are supposed necessary to establish the institution on a permanent footing, and more than $10,000 have already been subscribed. MICHIGAN.-We also learn from the Detroit Courier of March 27, that the manual labor system of education is soon to be introduced into the flourishing territory of Michigan. The prominent objects which it is expected to secure, are the health and morals of the student; but it is also hoped that after a few years, the schools and colleges into which it is introduced, will all become self-supporting institutions.

OHIO.-Seven thousand dollars have been subscribed at Marietta, Ohio, to aid in the establishment, at that place, of a manual labor school, the principal purpose of which will be to prepare young men to become teachers of common schools. The plan contemplates the expenditure of $20,000; one half of which, it is believed will be raised in the Eastern States.-Detroit Courier.

KENTUCKY.-Cumberland College at Princeton, Ky. containing 60 or 70 students, is conducted on the manual labor system.

PRIMARY EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA.

The Governor of the province of Bogota has recently published a decree, for the improvement of primary schools. It states that it is not suf ficient that the greater part of the province has been supplied with primary schools, it being necessary that "these plantations of education constantly operate to produce the objects for which they were founded;" and that the masters perform their duty, while the government keeps them under their special supervision. He therefore requires the political chiefs to see that a return of the state of the schools be made every six months, to be published.

The children in the primary schools are to be exercised once a week, in dancing, swimming, &c; and to receive moral instruction, and to perform religious duties. On Sunday, after public service, the schools are to be opened for the instruction of slaves, servants and other persons_too poor, or too distant from them to obtain instruction otherwise.-New York Advertiser.

MUNIFICENT DONATION.

The New England Asylum for the Blind has just received a donation of $30,000 from Col. Thomas H. Perkins of Boston, on condition that 50,000 more be raised in the month of May.

NOTICES.

The Little Philosopher, for Schools and Families; designed to teach Children to Think and to Reason about Common Things, and to Illustrate, for Parents and Teachers, methods of instructing and interesting Children. With a copious Introduction, explaining fully the method of using the book. By Jacob Abbott, Principal of the Mount Vernon School. Boston: Carter, Hendee & Co. 1833. 24mo. pp. 172.

This little work evinces a thorough knowledge of the human mind and heart, and of the most successful methods of securing and fixing the attention of the young, on the subjects which we deem it important they should study. It is eminently calculated, in the hands of judicious teachers, to lead to one of the most important habits of life, that of observation; or, as it has been quaintly but aptly expressed, "going through the world with our eyes open."

It consists of short and familiar lessons, by way of question and answer, between a parent or teacher and his pupils, on the objects around them. Only a part of the questions are answered in the book; the remainder are designed to lead the pupil and the teacher too - to inquiry.

Rudiments of Geography on a new plan, designed to assist the memory by Comparison and Classification, with numerous engravings of Manners, Customs, and Curiosities. By WM. C. WOODBRIDGE, Author of a system of "Universal Geography." A new edition. Enlarged, corrected, and improved. With Preparatory Lessons, a series of Questions, &c. Hartford: Oliver D. Cooke & Co. November, 1832.

School Atlas on a new plan, by W. C. Woodbridge.

The plan of this work was formed twenty years since, as the result of experience in instruction, and was published in 1821. It was the first geography pub

lished containing a system of classification, or engravings to illustrate the pecu. liarities of each country, as a part of the course of instruction, instead of mere ornaments. We have been gratified to find, notwithstanding the multitude of school-geographies published since that period, several of which have, in our view, made unjustifiable use of its plan that it retains its value in the view of those who have used it according to the method proposed by the author.

-

Ten years have passed since it has received any important alteration. Changes had become indispensable, and by a trifling reduction in the size of the type, important additions have been made, without any derangement of pages which can be inconvenient. 1. Some additions have been made to almost every important country, and especially to each of the United States. 2. The extent, population, and population to a square mile of every state and country (so far as known) are mentioned at the head of the description. 3. A number of valuable engravings of scenery and public objects, especially in the United States, have been added. 4. Several new articles are added. 5. Questions on the text are inserted, einbracing all the most important particulars, and placed at the bottom of the page for the convenience of teachers and pupils. 6. The references to general heads, which show the pupil where to look for information, are more numerous than before. 7. Cross questions on the maps are added to those of each Grand Division, in order to call the pupil to review his lesson in another form. In these ways the work is made to contain about three-fourths more, than the first editions, and more than one hundred engravings and small maps, are added to the Geography.

The maps of the Atlas have been redrawn on a new projection, exhibiting the countries in their connection, and on a comparative scale. They are engraved on steel in order to secure their permanent correctness. Three new charts, of Animals, of Comparative Magnitudes, and of the Pacific Ocean, have been added to the Atlas, together with questions and illustrations of the Charts; and the Atlas alone, now presents a system of Geography, almost complete. The number of engravings in the book has also been increased; and maps of the environs of our principal cities have been added.

The author has always presumed, that some smaller work would be used as introductory to the study, but in compliance with the wishes of many teachers, he has now inserted a set of Preparatory Lessons, substantially on a plan formed several years since, designed to lead the pupil, by the most simple and easy steps, to the use of maps and geographical terms, and what is more important, to a full understanding of what he studies-to some conception of the appearance of capes, cities, &c., and also to more distinct ideas of the form and magnitude of the earth, by means of a series of imaginary voyages. It is hoped that he will thus be enabled to look upon the map as it really is as an imperfect outline of great objects and great distances; and that he will not deceive himself by remembering mere lines and dots, instead of gaining ideas of the countries they represent, and thus learning the science of Maps, instead of Geography.

History of the United States, to which is prefixed a Brief Historical Account of our (English) Ancestors, from the dispersion of Babel to their emigration to America; and of the Conquest of South America by the Spaniards. By Noah Webster, LL.D. New-Haven: Durrie & Peck, 1832. 18mo. pp. 324.

Few men are so well qualified by researches into our early history, and by personal knowledge of the characters and events of the last century, to write a work of this kind. The introduction is not strictly a part of the history of the United States; but it contains important and interesting information, which the pupil will rarely meet with elsewhere, and it may be passed over by those who wish to commence with more recent history. The narrative of the early settlement of the country, is obviously that of one who has more than a mere compiler's acquaintance with it. The Revolutionary history is peculiarly interesting, as coming from an eye and ear witness. The account of the climate and productions of the country, is accurate and valuable. We do not think the plan and style so well adapted to schools as that of some works already published; but it will be