and crude in many respects, is nevertheless doing a vast deal in the cause of education. The teachers of the State have taken a very liberal view of their duties, and have done nobly for the good of coming generations. I doubt if there be anywhere in the Union, a body of men who have made greater sacrifices and have done more good in the cause of education than these. In the first place, they have formed an associa tion, and have taxed themselves to the amount of one per cent. on their salaries, to sustain a system of lectures on the subject of Education, in almost all parts of the State. Next, they have established a Journal of Education, which they have for five years or so sustained at a large expense out of their own pockets, and which has been among the ablest of the Educational Journals of the land. The influence of this among the teachers themselves has been to elevate the tone of their professional ambition, and to diffuse among them a spirit of emulation and enterprise that has been beneficial beyond their own ranks. Besides, this teachers' association has established, almost at its own cost, a Normal School, and has thus incurred a debt of several thousands of dollars, to confer on the younger members of the profession those advantages, for which these men themselves had to toil long and pay dearly. For these things the teachers of Ohio will never reap any other reward than that which comes from an approving conscience.Other men will rise and enjoy the better places thus made, and receive the higher salaries thus earned, but the State will be the incalculable gainer. The Association may have spent $20,000 during the last five or six years, more or less, and those have paid it who could in many cases poorly afford too pay it, but the State has profited by its expenditure more than it could in any other way have profited by millions spent in internal improvements. But the people of Ohio deserve great praise for what they have done for their schools. Their zeal for public schools and instruction seems to me to take a direction somewhat different from what the same zeal would take in New England. Here the villages and cities build expensive houses for their schools, and often employ very well paid superintendents and teachers, where in New England you would employ no superintendent and only moderately competent and moderately paid teachers. For instance this village is an example. It has a population of less than 1500 inhabitants-less therefore than 400 children of the school age all told; and yet it is now building a brick school house, very much of the character of the "Bridgham School," in the city of Providence. The house stands in the most delightful part of the village on a lot of two acres-some houses are to be cleared offwhich is to be planted with trees and made to be excessively ornamental. A few days since there was a public meeting called to vote an additional appropriation to complete the house, which is to cost-as usual-more than the first calculation. The meeting was full, and some indignation was expressed at the great sum to be paid for a new and fine school house. But $5000 additional was voted by a majority of five to one. Now this same spirit is every where in this State. The people will have elegant school houses. But they do not send their children to the school as you New Englanders do yours. Here the average attendance will not be over one third, perhaps, while with you it will approach two thirds. The fathers got their education in the woods, and not in the school house, and they do not now see the necessity for their children to get theirs anywhere else. Hence they are not so anxious to send them to the school. Besides, there are so many necessities to be earned yet by labor that children cannot be spared to attend schools. But I have written enough to weary you and your readers. I will write again. I am your humble servant, ROBT. ALLYN. THE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL YEAR BOOK. We have received from the publishers some sheets of this valuable book in advance of publication, and desire to call the attention of teachers and all interested in educational progress to this work. It is edited by A. M. Gay, Esq., the accomplished editor of the Massachusetts Teacher. It gives an account, as full as could be obtained, of all the prominent public and private institutions of learning in our country, from Yale and Cambridge to the village Grammar Schools. We will supply the teachers of Rhode Island and others with this valuable educational book of reference, as soon as it is published, which will be probably within the present month. Price, 50 cents. THE ARTICLE on the manufacture of steel pens, with the accompanying illustrations, will be welcome to our readers, we doubt not, although it crowds out one or two articles which are in type, and were designed for this number. We intend very rarely to insert articles of so great length, but the value of the article on account of the information contained in it, and its interesting style, dispelled all doubts and led to the procur ing of the cuts and to its insertion. SCHOOL EXERCISES. 2. The surface of the country. This head includes its mountains, table-lands, valleys, and Order of Topics in the Study of Geography. plains. Under the first head the form of the country is considered as it would appear to one looking down upon it from a great height; under this is included all that relates to its conformation, as viewed laterally, or in profile. In order to gain a distinct conception of what may be familiarly styled the general "lay of the land," imaginary Where a general geographical view is to be taken in a limited time, it is essential that each country or state shall be considered under a few comprehensive heads. It is also desirable that these topics shall be arranged, so far as possible, in so natural an order that they can be easily retained in the memory. The following arrange-journeys through the heart of the country, in ment of important points is suggested as one well fitted for a general view of the states of Europe, although perhaps in some respects too minute for the less interesting countries of Africa or of Asia. different directions will be of great assistance. If we imagine a trip through Spain on the fifth meridian west from Greenwich, we shall ascend from the shores of the bay of Biscay to the peaks of the Cantabrian mountains, about two miles above the level of the sea, then descending into an elevated valley, and passing half way between Valladolid and Salamanca, we shall ascend the mountains of Castile, which rise from the great central plateau extending over nearly one half of the Spanish Peninsula. From their summit we shall descend into another elevated valley or portion of the great plateau, and then pass over the mountains of Toledo to still another valley. Having crossed this we shall pass over the Sierra Morena mountains, into another valley, from which we pass over the Sierra Nevada range, and arrive at the shores of the Mediterranean at a crossed five easterly and westerly ranges of mountains, and four intervening valleys. 1. The outline of the country. The consideration of the outline naturally occurs first, since a knowledge is thus gained of the extent and general situation of the territory about to be described. A correct conception of the outline of a country can be strongly impressed on the mind by an imaginary journey around it, noting the general direction and the approximate length of its principal boundary lines. It is well also, in this connection, to name the large bodies of water surrounding the country, and the rivers, and the mountain ranges separating it from adjacent countries. The outline of Spain, for instance, commenc-point a little east of Gibralter. We have thus ing at the north-western angle, and going towards the east consists of coast-line on the bay of Biscay, nearly four hundred miles in length, A journey from the Mediterranean through Spain having a general easterly direction ;-of a range of mountains two hundred and fifty miles in on the fortieth parallel of latitude would take us length, separating this country from France, and first over a gradually ascending plain about one hundred miles in width to the foot of the Sierra preserving nearly the same direction;-of a coast Molina mountains, a range extending in a genline on the Mediterranean sea, first having a eral northerly and southerly direction, and unitconcave form and then a convex, and extending in a general south-westerly direction to Gibralter, ing the extremities of the five easterly and westdistant from the north-eastern angle about six erly ranges. Crossing these we shall find ourhundred miles in a straight line;~of a north-selves in the valley between the mountains of westerly coast-line on the Atlantic ocean about one hundred and fifty miles long, extending to the mouth of the Guadiana river;-of a norther-era, and finally arrive in Portugal. ly artificial boundary, separating Spain from Portugal about three hundred and fifty miles in length;—of a westerly boundary, separating the same countries, extending one hundred and twenty-five miles to the Atlantic;-and finally of a northerly coast-line on the Atlantic, extending about one hundred and twenty-five miles, to the point of starting. The best way of ascertaining whether such a description of an imaginary journey around a country is accompanied by a clear conception of its form, is to require the pupil to draw the outline on the black-board from memory. Castile and those of Toledo, and passing down this we shall cross our former track near Talav After such a description of imaginary journeys the pupil should be required to draw a map representing the mountains, and to locate the plateaus, valleys, and plains. NOTE. There is an advantage in selecting the lines of latitude and longitude for such a purpose, as they not only fix the geographical position of a country, but also assist in designating the localities within it, by assigning each to its own quarter of the map. A good conception of the general situation and proportion of most of the different countries of Europe can be obtained by tracing the tenth meridian of west longi often contemporary geography as well as contemporary history. He will thus acquire valuable habits of research, as well as gain much more knowledge than when confined to a single text tude, and the forty-fifth parallel of north latitude. 4. Soil and climate. The productiveness of the soil depends in a high degree on the conformation of the land, and on the situation of the rivers and brooks; and the temperature and moisture of the atmosphere are greatly modified by the same physical peculiarities. They are, therefore, appropriately considered at this point. 5. Productions,-vegetable, animal, and mineral. The vegetable productions are determined by the soil and the climate, which have just been considered; the peculiarities of the animals depend chiefly on the climate and the vegetable productions, and the minerals may be most conveniently treated at the same time with the others. 6. Inhabitants. The number and peculiarities of the inhabitants are in a high degree dependent on the extent and the character of the productions. 7. Occupation of the inhabitants. This includes agriculture, manufactures, and commerce which the foregoing topics have prepared us to consider. 8. Cities and towns. We can generally account for the situation of large towns and cities by referring to the physical peculiarities of a country. Some towns will be near a mining region; some on a mill-stream, and some on convenient harbors,-all generally forming parts in a great system of manufactures and commerce. Some sites also have been determined by the beauty of the scenery, or by the salubrity of the climate. In thus searching for the cause of the location of a town, we shall often find a key to the occupation of its inhabitants. At this point the strictly geographical view of a country may be considered complete, but it may with profit close with For the Schoolmaster. D. G. Questions for Examination in History. - 1. What opinions did Columbus entertain concerning the form and geography of the earth, and his reasons for those opinions? 2. 3. What success in carrying out those ideas? voyage. 4. When, where, and during what voyage did he discover the continent ? 5. Give the date of the following discoveries: San Salvador, Mississippi river, and cape Cod, with the name of the discoverer, and of the nation under whose patronage he sailed. 6. Under the patronage of what nation was the continent first discovered, and name of the discoverer. 7. Name, in order of time, the three English colonies first established.—What two were settled by emigrants from Massachusetts ? 8. Who was the most important person in the Jamestown colony, and for what is he noted? 9. What important events occurred in this colony during the year 1620 ? 10. By whom was the Plymouth colony settled, and for what purpose did they come to America ? 11. To what country had they before emigrated, and what were their reasons for leaving that country? 12. What rules were adopted by the Massachusetts court in 1631 ? 13. In what colony, and in what year was the legislature first chosen by the people? 14. In what colony was the legislature first separated into the two branches of senate and house, and what led to the separation ? 15. When and where was the first American college founded.-What name was afterwards given to it, and why? 16. What distinguished man was banished from Massachusetts in the year 1635-What were the alleged reasons? 17. Describe his subsequent course. 9. History of the country, including present ticut in 1686, and by whom ?-What occurred in form of government and of religion. The pupil should be encouraged to consult on the various points considered above, such works as are within his reach, as gazetteers, books of travel, and especially newspapers, for they are Hartford during his administration ? 19. By what nations were each of the middle states and Maryland settled? 20. Give a brief account of King Phillip's war? OUR BOOK TABLE. MENTAL PHILOSOPHY: including the Intellect, Sensibilities and Will. By Joseph Haven, Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy in Amherst College. Gould & Lincoln, Boston. 1857. In the preface the author says that a work on mental science "should be comprehensive and complete, treating of all that properly pertains to Psycology, giving to every part its due proportion and development. It should treat the various topics presented, in a thorough and scientific manner. It should be conversant with the literature of the department, placing the student in possession, not only of the true doctrines, but, to some extent also, of the history of those doctrines, showing him what has been held and taught by others upon the points in question. In style it should be clear, perspicuous, concise, yet not so barren of ornament as to be destitute of interest to the reader. "At these qualities the writer has aimed in the present treatise; with what success, others must determine." The work is comprehended in three general divisions, the first of which discusses the various topics comprehended under the "Intellectual Faculties," such as "Consciousness," "Attention," Conception," "Perception by the Senses," "Memory," "Imagination," "Generalization," "Reasoning," "Idea and cognizance of the Right," &c. 66 The second general division treats of the "Sensibilities." Under this head are arranged "The Emotions;" "The Affections ;" and "The Desires." The third division is devoted to a full discussion of the "Will." The various chapters treat of "The Nature of the Will;" "Relation of the Will to other Faculties;" "Freedom of the Will;" "The doctrine of the Will received in connection with certain truths of Religion;" "Strength of Will;" and a "Historical Sketch," showing the "Outline of the controversy respecting Freedom of the Will." With regard to how well the author has unfolded the science of which he treats, we prefer to give the opinions of others rather than our own. It is used as a text-book in Amherst College; Brown University; Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary; Springler Institute, New York City: and in the Female College, Worcester, Mass. From the New York Tribune: "Prof. Haven has performed his task, in our opinion, with eminent success." Mental Science is one of the most important studies to be pursued by an educator. How can one teach well, that is, properly unfold and expand the powers of the mind, while destitute of a knowledge of its character, powers, and laws of action. It has been a matter of standing wonder to us that this should not be one of the foremost and principal studies at all our normal schools. Every teacher should at least pursue an extended course of reading on the subject. They would find by such a course of reading the government of the school much easier, their mode of presenting a subject to the child's mind much modified and more successful, and their choice of subjects and arrangement of studies for the scholars easier and more satisfactory to themselves. WORCESTER'S ACADEMIC DICTIONARY. Hinkling, Swan & Brewer. Boston. the school, counting-house, or library. It is a This dictionary is of a very convenient size for book of 565 pages, and "is substantially an enlargement of the Comprehensive Dictionary," so well known and so widely used, especially by teachers. There are two important features of the book. In cases of difference of authority among orthoëpists, the different methods of proties which sustain these several methods. This nunciation are given, together with the authorihas been an element of great worth to us in the for the last ten years probably more than any Comprehensive Dictionary, which we have used other. The other feature of importance in this book is its Synonyms. It not only gives the definitions of words, but in cases where there are words of nearly the same signification, it gives by rule and example the difference of meaning and points out the proper use of the word. These are two very important features in a dictionary for general use. THE STUDENT AND SCHOOLMATE for January, with Father Forrester's BOYS' AND GIRLS' MAGAZINE united with it. This is really a very instructive and entertaining monthly for the little folks. Now that it has "Father Forrester," in addition to its previous corps of editors and contributors, it promises unusual attractions for the coming year. We will furnish it at a very low price to our subscribers, and would advise all the boys and girls to take it From the Bibliotheca Sacra, Nov. 1857: "It with the Schoolmaster. For terms see our prohas the eminent merit of never pre-supposing inspectus on the inside of cover. Prof. Park, of Andover, says: "It is distinguished for its clearness, perspicuity of method, candor of spirit, acumen and comprehensiveness of thought." THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. Ed- merits and importance demands, but will promited by Henry Barnard, LL. D. December, ise our readers a notice of some points connect1857. Hartford: F. C. Brownell. ed with it, in the editorial columns of our next number. Messrs. KIMBALL & Co., are the agents for the work in Rhode Island. Price $3 per volume. THE YOUNG GEOGRAPHER. Ivison & Phinney. Contents: Memoir of Cyrus Pierce, (with portrait on steel); Cultivation of the Reflective Faculties; Influence of Pestalozzi on the Public Schools of Germany; Massachusetts State Reform School for Girls National Education in Ireland; Laura Bridgman, (the blind mute); Educational System of John Sturm; New York This is a new primary geography. It is exeInstitution for Idiots; Educational Views of cuted in very good taste, and is not, like most geMartin Luther; Letter to a Young Teacher;-ographies for the young-filled with unnecessary Montaigne on Learning and Education; Public lumber. With this exception the plan is very Instruction in Sardinia; Catechism of Methods much the same as that of our previous geograof Teaching; Woodward High School of Cincin-phies for beginners. It commences with, "What nati; The Peter Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. The establishment of this Journal marked an era in American Educational Literature. With the high degree of excellence which the educational system and the schools of our country have attained, a publication of so high a character and commanding so much talent ought to be well sustained. We are sorry, therefore, to learn that the subscription list of the American Journal of Education is not yet sufficient to pay the expenses of its publication. We would call upon the teachers of Rhode Island, and upon our subscribers everywhere to patronize so valuable a work. We shall be glad to furnish it to our own subscribers at a reduced price. For terms see our prospectus for the next volume. The first volume of this new cyclopædia, which has been so long expected, has now been issued. It is all that was promised, and that is all that need be said in its favor. The whole work will be comprised in fifteen volumes royal octavo, The volume before large size, double columns. is Geography? Geography is a description of the surface of the Earth." It proceeds with the usual question and answer system, which we cannot think the true plan of teaching. The book will be found very attractive to the young, and, on the whole, we think it compares quite favorably with any primary geography we have ever seen, but a primary book on this subject, made on the right principle, has, in our estimation, never yet appeared. The Atlantic Monthly has now been before the public three months, and has been perhaps more severely criticised than any monthly magazine ever before published. It has stood the test. It is a fixed fact"-how can you conceive of a fact which is not fixed?-it is a fixed fact that the Atlantic Monthly is the New England Magazine. Not that it will be confined to New England, for it will find its way to every part of North America -excepting perhaps Nicaragua, they have not time to read it there at present-to Old England, and wherever the English language is read. The January number is the best yet issued.Teachers, read it. HARPER'S MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY.-Harper keeps on the even tenor of his way, no doubt rejoicing at every step. He has certainly taken a good step for January. The articles "Idlewild,” "A Winter at the South," and "The VirginThe illus ians" will be read with interest. trations by T. Addison Richards are superior. SEVERAL NOTICES are obliged to lie over until our next number, and several books have been received too late for notice this month. They We have not space to review the work as its will receive proper attention in our next. us has 752 pages. |