ents, directors and teachers, and assisting at the or- the light of precedent or example which now illuganization of teachers' institutes. and in harmoniz- minates all the interests of public education, it is ing and exciting public opinion. The zeal and fidel- not strange the law had imperfections, and that it ity with which he has fulfilled all his delicate and was received with caution and distrust, or rejected important official duties, deserve the highest com- by the people. During all this time, a large pubmendation. lic det, deranged finances, and onerous taxation, The separate and independent organization of the improvished the public treasury, and checked the common schools of the city of Philadelphia, has enterprize of the people. Notwithstanding these been eminently successful; and while it would be adverse circumstances, the school law was amended unjust and inexpedient to re-unite them to the gene- and changed and strengthened year after year by ral system of the State, the law should be so amend- the Legislature, to meet its growing wants and ened as to require them to report annually, to this larging powers, and sustained by liberal appropria Department, the number of schools, teachers, scho- tions from the treasury, until it has become almost lars, and amount of money expended; thus legiti- perfect in theory, and firmly fixed in enlightened mately swelling our educational statistics, and giv- public opinion, ing to the State their full benefit, at home and abroad.

We are justfied in turning with pride and pleasure to the figures which demonstrate the rapid The school laws should be as condensed and sim- growth of our State, in population, wealth and powplified as possible. They are for plain men, and not er; to the expansion of our agricultura! interests; for lawyers to administer. They should never be to the growth of our cities; to our vast system of complicated or obscure, but equal and just, and sim- internal communication, which has developed our ple in their provisions. They should never be resources and joined the sympathies and interests of left for the construction of courts: and the public the most distant parts of the Commonwealth; and money and the taxes dedicated to the education of to the r.ch mineral wealth in the bowels of our the children of the citizens, should not be withdrawn mountains. But we should not forget that parallel from the school, to be expended in litigation.

with all this progress, a system of education by common schools has been developing itself; that the public mind has been educated, and enlightened, and ornamented with the christain graces; that the

schoolmaster has been abroad," and has left his

The statistical tables are only an approximation to the truth, and not accurate and reliable throughout, owing to the loose manner in which the accounts of the districts have been kept heretofore. As it is, it has been a work of immense difficulty, in mark on the character of our people and the prosOur proud pre-eminence many cases, to get the annual reports of the districts perity of our State. at all. Some have not yet been received, and the amongst the nations of the earth, does not result gap had to be filled from the reports of former years. solely from the fertility of our soil, our free form of County Superintendents have frequently been oblig- government, and abundant physical resources. These ed to go in person to the districts several times, and constitute powerful motive forces, but the great at last compelled to make them out from such loose leading power is the universality of education and data as could be had, or from verbal information the large proportion of intelligent, thinking minds obtained in the neighborhood. Arrangements have among our people. Here the mind of labor is edubeen made to insure greater promptness and accura-cated and elevated into its proper sphere, and presents a beautiful contrast to the track laid in anticy hereafter, in this respect. In the last annual report, the State Superintend-quity, through which ignorance toils. ent called the attention of the Legislature to diffi- The intelligence of the people constitutes one of culties that occur in equalizing the salaries of the the main pillars of the fabric of our government, and County Superintendents, under the law creating the hope of the patriot for its safety must rest on the office, with reference to the sum appropriated enlightened public morality and virtue. The comfor that purpose. I reiterate his remarks on the mon schools should be the nursery of such virtue, subject, and concur in his recommendation: morality and patriotism. Treated as equals; forming friendships which end only with life; pursuing the same studies and receiving instruction from those whom they love and respect;-children, representing the extremes of society, meet in the same room to be promoted or degraded, according to their merits, without reference to their social position or antecedents, and the schools thus become fountains of pure republican sentiment.

"The addition of thirty thousand dollars made last year, to the usual amount appropriated to common schools, was intended for the pay of County Superintendents, although not so expressed in the act. The aggregate of the salaries is something less than this sum; some of the counties, as already intimated, having put down the salaries at an unjust, if not ab. surdly low, standard. This feature of the law should, I think, be remedied. There should be some power When the common school system of Pennsylvagiven to the School Department to increase such nia shall have unfolded its vast powers; when a corps salaries at least to a sum equal to what a particular of trained and educated teachers to supply all its county would be entitled to receive out of the thirty demands shall have taken the field; when the textthousand dollars, or whatever sum may be appropri- books used in the schools shall be wisely selected, ated, rating it according to the number of taxables, and the school house built on the most approved or some other mode by which a compensation would model; when its protection and progress shall be be afforded, adequate to the labor duties of the first object of the government-then will all its the position.". mighty agencies to do good be felt; the public mind refined and enlightennd; labor elevated; patriotism purified; our republican form of government fixed on an immutable basis, and the people crowned with its benefits and blessings. ANDREW G. CURTIN, Sec'y Commonwealth and Sup't Common Schools. Harrisburg, December 31, 1855.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The common school system of Pennsylvania re quires little change or amendment. Twenty years have elapsed since its establishment, and when the educational history of the State is written, Pennsylvania will not be ashamed of the record. Without

THE SCHOOL JOURNAL. the right person. The name of the Post Office being

18. Capacity of Women for the business of Teaching. dered by the meeting itself to be inserted in the -Miss M. Glass, H. Brooks, M. Hammond.

19. Mental Discipline.-Couley Plotts, E. Lamborn, J. G. Bliss.

20. The best method of teaching German pupils English.--A. W. Davis, Rev. W. A. Good, S. D. In

Journal, are inserted, if there is room, which is not often the case. So much for the other horn.

To both sets of " inquiring friends" it may be respectfully hinted, that, though the page of the Journal is large, yet there are only 32 of them; and that, while all cannot be fully gratified, yet, if every one finds something to please and instruct in its varied matter, he should at least be half satisfied.

PRESERVE YOUR REPORTS: The annual report of the State Superintendent of Common Schools, is ALLEGHENY COUNTY: From several quarters we becoming one of the most interesting and valuable hear good news from this prominent and important documents issued by the State authorities. This county, but having no newspaper exchanges in eithyear, with the reports of the County Superintend-er of its cities, are without the usual means of seeents, it forms a book of 386 pages. Last year it was ing what is published of its educational doings.— 160 pages. These should be carefully preserved for future reference, containing, as they do, most reliable statistical and other matter relating to the condition of education in every county. The reports of two or three years, bound together at an expense of 30 or 40 cents, will make a handsome volume, and should be in the library of every teacher and working director.

In order to place the annual reports and other educational documents of the first twenty years of the system-from 1834 to 1854—within the reach of all, they being now nearly out of print, the Editor of this Journal proposes, if duly encouraged, to reprint them in a volume of about 500 pages, and in form to correspond with the official reports as now printed and circulated by the State. This work will have an Introduction, setting forth the educational history of the State prior to 1834, and its condition at that time; and the various documents in their order will be explained and connected by brief explanatory remarks: the object being to make it Vol. I. of the series of educational documents now in the course of publication. Price about $1.

This Journal has several times been faulted for not giving more space and attention to Allegheny, but the blame lies at other doors. It never publishes fancy sketches or deals in fictitious matter; and unless such be indulged in in this case, it must keep silence. Pittsburg and Allegheny city have noble bodies of teachers and superior schools, the whole county seems to be awaking, the Superintendent is an active and efficient officer, and there are several educational associations in existence. This we know and are happy to tell to the readers of the Journal. But if our friends in the great western county desire the details to be known, they must given them. The Journal is only a material organ and depends altogether on material media for its information.

HUNTINGDON COUNTY: The teachers and their

friends in this county seem to be actively at work, but they have adopted the plan of holding district institutes in various parts of the county, which so multiplies their proceedings that this Journal cannot insert them all; and to select is difficult. The local effect of this system of operation is no doubt most beneficial. Will not some friend on the spot, give us a general account of these doings, with their results?

A REAL DILEMMA.-Why do you fill so much of the Journal with proceeedings of Institutes and other Educational meetings? grumblingly asks one class MILLERSVILLE NORMAL SCHOOL: By the adverof subscribers. Why don't you publish our proceed- tisement in this and the February number, it will be ings? comes, in no very gentle tone, from county af- seen that the advantages, (and they are great and ter county. Of course all cannot be satisfied, but valuable) of this promising institution, have been the best is done that the case will admit of. We secured for the teachers of Lancaster, and such believe that the putting on record of educational other counties as may avail themselves of them.meetings is beneficial to a certain extent, and have The session of the proposed Normal Institute is to allowed a certain portion of space to them, and shall be of three months duration, commencing on the do so, till convinced that other matter is more bene- 14th of April. It is expected and much desired ficial. So much for one horn of the dilemma. In that several counties will unite in the effort. Should selecting we have, however, certain objects which are five or six thus associate, and show four or five hungenerally kept in view. First meetings in a county,-dred teachers, banded together in the noble purpose that is the proceedings of a meeting in a county in of professional improvement, not only will it give which no organization previously existed,-are al- an additional impetus to those long wished for Inways preferred. Next come those of old educational stitutions, State Normal Schools, but the ability to counties, which contain matter so reported as to be procure the very best teaching faculty in the State of general use and interest. Finally, all others, or- for the proposed Institute, will be secured.

"EDUCATOR" in February No. The writer of the but once only in the same place, he may succeed in sensible article in the Feb. number, on best means winning such a degree of confidence as to enable of improving district supervision, who is a Director him to get off a good lot of books; but the expeand not a Teacher, used the signature "Education" dient must soon wear out; while the agent who openand not that of Educator. The mistake is ours.- ly avows his true character and modestly advocates But the difference is not a great deal. It would be the merits of his series, is sure to retain all the hard to tell whether a good Teacher or a good Di- ground he thus gets. By such course he incurs the rector does the most as an educator. One acts di- ill-will, neither of rivals nor of those whose confirectly by contact with the mind of the child; the dence was only given to him in the trusted character other indirectly, but scarcely less efficiently. Still we of Instructor. note the error to gratify our respected correspodent, and only wish there were many more such directors -willing not only to do their own duties, but to allow full oportunity and credit to teachers for doing theirs.

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS.

SCHOOL APPARATUS.

We observe that Booksellers in several of the counties are beginning to add collections of philosophical Apparatus to their stock of school books. This is right, and is but in response to the demands made by the growing wants of the schools, under The selection of School Directors is one of the the care of the greatly improved teaching of the most important duties the citizen is called on to present day. First common maps, next outline perform. It is no less than the delegation to othmaps, and then globes, came into requisition. Now, ers, of his own rights and powers as a parent, so far from the Cube-root block to the Planetarium, instruas the school culture of his children is involved. It ments which used to be confined to the libraries and is no less than the selection of those, who, through cabinets of the Philosophers, are finding their way the schools, are to control the mind and morals of into the common schools. This, if they be rightly the rising generation,-in other words, the charac-used, is as it should be. By the aid of such exhiter of Pennsylvania during the later part of the bitions of truth to the senses, instead of endeavor19th century. It is not merely the election of per- ing to reach the mind by means of hard words imsons to lay taxes, locate schools, or build school houses. It is all that has just been named, and even much more, if the mind be permitted to look into the boundlessness of futurity.

How important, then, is it-how momentousthat none but fit men be chosen to the office of school director, at the elections which are to take place during the present month!

pressed on the mere memory, interest can be awakened and the intellect aroused and made to work profitably. Still, though no teacher should be without the power to use the simpler philosophical instruments, or without a set to make that power useful, he should never permit the desire to show them off and astonish the neighborhood, to mislead him into a neglect of that which can alone form the true foundation for science, viz: careful training of the minds committed to him, in the rudimental branches and in sound morality.

Citizens, as parents and patriots, should see to it in time. The past ought to be looked to, and such directors as have manifested a desire to perform their duties conscientiously and faithfully, should be reelected. The solemn future should no less be kept in view, and no political or other consideration be permitted to intrude improper men into this vital of-mittee of the House of Representatives of the present

fice.

AGENT-PROFESSORS.

WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY.

The following able report by the Education Com

Legislature tells loudly of the advance our State is making in educational matters, and is a move in the Several County Institutes and Conventions have right direction; but, with all due deference to those lately dubbed travelling book agents with the title in authority, it does seem more than questionable of "Professor," and given them the stand as Teach- whether it is well timed. The same money, or even ers and Lecturers. This is wrong, both towards the less, appropriated in aid of Teachers' Institutes for cause of education and the useful business of book- four or five years, and in preparatory measures for agency. The facility with which men of small ac- State Normal Schools, would unquestionably effect quirements attain, amongst us, the nominal title of vastly more for the improvement of the schools and Professor, is one of the obstacles in the way of ele- towards allaying the hostility which still exists, in vating the profession of teaching to its true rank many quarters of the State, against portion of the amongst the learned avocations; and the crude at- present law, than any other appropriation or encourtempts of many such must further depress the whole agement. It may, however, be the design of the profession in the eye of the public. On the other present Legislature to do both-that is, to approhand, the book agent who thus departs from his pro-priate money for the improvement of Teachers, as per sphere, is sure in the end to suffer. For a time well as to aid in placing a standard Dictionary in

each school. If so, the more favors to the schools the better. But let us no longer neglect to the true wisdom of beginning at the beginning. What are books, or school-houses, or Directors, or school money, without a full supply of good teachers?

public Treasury, was discussed; but, in view of the present financial condition of the Commonwealth, reluctantly abandoned, as, at this time, unadvisable. Another proposition, to recommend to each district, the purchase, out of its own separate fund of the number necessary to give one to each of the schools within its bounds, was also considered, but unhesitatingly abandoned, as likely to bring about little, if any, practical result. A third measure was then suggested, embodying, in part, both the previously Of the Committee of Education of the House of Representa-named propositions. This was carefully weighed and contives of Pennsylvania, on the subject of supplying the sidered, and finally adopted by your committee, with but Common Schools of this Commonwealth with Webster's one dissenting voice. It is, to divide the cost between Unabridged Dictionary. the State and the schools, or in other words, that the State will give the sum of two dollars towards the purchase of a

Report

MR. GETZ, of Berks, Chairman. The Committee on Education, having had under consid- copy of the Dictionary for as many schools in each district eration the subject of supplying a copy of Webster's Dic-tribution from its own separate fund, of a like sum of two as the directors of the district shall determine, by the contionary of the English Language to each of the Common dollars per copy. This your committee regard as a plan Schools of this State, respectfully report: perfectly feasible and deserving of acceptance, viewed in That after a full and free discussion of the proposition, in two aspects. It will enable the State to aid this impo.tant a joint meeting with the Educational Committee of the Se-measuie without drawing from its treasury an amount nate, and in presence of the Superintendent of Common which will in any wise trench upon its other and more neSchools, and his Deputy, they have arrived at the conclu- cessary demands; and it will, while offering to the several sion that it is one whose utility and importance commend school districts an inducement to possess the dictionary for it, in the most forcible manner, to the favorable action of their schools, cause them to value and appreciate it more, the Legislature. by the payment of a part of its cost, than they would if it were a free gift.

A correct knowledge of the language we speak and write is absolutely essential as a basis to perfect education. The States of New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Without it, the superstructure we may rear, under the best and several of the western States, have already furnished master, will be loose, misshapen, incongruous and unsight- their public schools with Webster's Dictionary, by approly. The only sure way to the attainment of this know- priations out of their public treasuries. Pennsylvania, ledge is by an early acquaintance with, and constant and whose school system is now not behind that of any of her caretul study of some recognized standard, which teach-sister States, but in advance of many of them, should not es, in the most comprehensible and accurate manner, the hesitate to follow the example thus set her, in a matter orthography, the derivation, the pronunciation, and the whose benefits are so self-evident, particularly when a meaning of words. Such a standard, by universal ac- mode is pointed out by which she can do so and be spared knowledgment, is the Dictionary which crowned with an one-half the expense necessary to its attainment. In the enduring chaplet the long and laborous life of NOAH WEB-language of an intelligent advocate of this measure, your TER, who has been aptly and beautifully called the committee would say: "Carry this Dictionary, with its full school-master of our Republic." Before he lived, and and exact definitions, its ample stores of information, into handed over to us the result of his almost herculean la- every school, no matter if it be so humble that it cannot unbors, as has been truly said, "there had never been a great derstand the value of the gift, and it will meet and show to nation with an universal language unspoiled by dialects. many an awakening mind what has been and what can be The Yorkshireman cannot now talk with the Cornwall known. It will stimulate such minds to high aims, and afminer. The peasant of the Ligurian Apennines drives his ter a few years bright and enduring results will be the congoats home at night-fall ever hills that look down upon six sequence. If your schools need libraries, how much more provinces, none of whose dialects he can speak. But here, in do they need the book which of all others that have been our own broad confederacy, five thousand miles change not printed in this country, is a library of itself; which will an the sound of a word. Around every fireside, and from every swer more questions, and give more certain, more rich and tribune, in every field of labor, and factory of art, is heard various information, on points on which every one needs the same tongue. We owe all this wondrous uniformity knowledge, than any book in the English language, save one and harmony of language to Webster. He has done for us only-the Bible." more than Alfred did for England, or Cadmus for Greece." Such being the value, and these the important results of the legacy Webster has bequeathed to us in his Dictiona- Kesolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be y, your committee deem no argument necessary to show requested to consider the propriety of reporting an approwhy it should be adopted, and become a daily hand-book priation from the public money not otherwise appropriated, in all our schools and institutions of learning, in every li-of a sum sufficient to furnish the Common Schools of this brary, and in the various professions and callings of a peo- Commonwealth with Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, to ple whose literature and laws have, with their land, asbe disbursed by the Department of Common Schools, in acsumed a separate and independent existence, and hence- cordance with the recommendation made in the foregoing forth will be of their own making. And as the Common report. School is the fountain whence the great mass of the people must imbibe that knowledge which proceeds from education, it is here, more than in any other place, that the recognized standard of our language should be found, and be The following interesting document from this accessible to the youth who are pursuing its study, whether well known and useful association is cordially com in the rudiments which Webster, in his spelling-book, has mended to the favorable consideration of the readmade pain to the dawning mind, or in its more advanced stages, where, step by step, his Dictionary leads the way aid becomes an indispensable guide.

Your committee conclude by offering the following resolution:

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ers of the Journal. The regular but unostentatious labors of the society have been for years accumulating Your Committee found no difficulty in coming to an unanimous conclusion as to the importance and utility of and saving from oblivion many valuable and interplag a copy of Webster's Dictionary in every Common esting passages in the history of the State; and Se tool in the Common wealth. The only point upon which they hes tated, was, as to the best and most practicable the plan proposed is such as, if generally carried out, mode of accomplishing this desirable end. They were in- must greatly increase its usefulness and efficiency. formed by the officers of the School Department, that the publishers of this work had offered to supply any number of copies for the use of the public schools, at four dollars each, which is a deduction of one-third from the uniform retailng price. The proposition to provide the money necessary to the purchase of a sufficient number of copies to supply the schools, wholly by an appropriation from the

Historical Society of Pennsylvania-Report.

"The Committee to whom was referred the communication of our fellow member, Charles Miner, of Wilkesbarre, in relation to the organization of auxiliary county societies, the members of which should pay an annual contribution to the Pennsylvania Historical Society, permanently establish