and joy of the domestic circle—but reflect that a mistaken pride, or possibly an unconscious ignorance of the laws of health and of life, are hastening their own much loved ones to a like premature end - then might those to whom their education is entrusted, indulge the pleasing hope, that these now young and beautiful daughters will be restrained from a course of fashionable follies, while, through the plastic influence of education-physical, intellectual, moral- they shall become as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace."

66

CLEVELAND, April, 1852.

E. H.

The Lew School Bill.

THE bill for the re-organization of the School System, introduced by Mr. H. RICE, Chairman of the Committee on Schools in the Senate, will not be acted upon till the adjourned session: meanwhile it is hoped that every friend of Education will become thoroughly acquainted with its provisions. The following is a brief outline of its leading features:

1. A State Superintendent, to be elected by the people at the April election, to hold his office for three years, and to receive a salary equal to that of a Supreme Judge. He is to have his office at the Capital, is to visit annually and spend at least ten days in each of the nine Judicial Districts; to deliver lectures on the subject of education, encourage Teachers' Institutes, and confer with school officers; to superintend the purchase of School Libraries and apparatus, and of Webster's Dictionary; to make an annual Report; and to be President of the State Board of Education.

2. A State Board of Education, to consist of the Auditor of State, the Attorney General, and the State Superintendent, ex officio, and two other persons to be appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate; who are to meet annually, on the first Monday in December, to consult in regard to the interests of schools and the school system; and to receive $3 per day, during a session not exceeding ten days, and $3 for every twenty-five miles' travel.

3. It abolishes the present School District System, and provides for the election of three Directors, who, with the Township Clerk, constitute the Township Board of School Directors; who are to be a corporate

body; and to hold monthly meetings; to have the entire charge of the schools; to classify them properly; to establish Primary, Grammar and High Schools, located so as best to accommodate all the youth; to locate and build the necessary school houses; to employ all the Teachers; to secure a suitable place for the Township School Library, and appoint the Librarian.

Incorporated towns or cities, whose schools are organized under the Akron law, the Union School law of 1849, or any special law, are required to make the same reports as Township Boards, but are still to be governed by their respective laws, unless the inhabitants decide by a vote to adopt this law.

4. Each Township Board, and every Board of Education, is to send one of its number as a delegate to a County School Convention, to be attended annually, on the second Monday in April, for the purpose of electing a County Superintendent and three School Examiners, who, together, shall constitute the County Board of Examiners; who are to hold their offices for three years, and to receive $1.50 per day when employed in the discharge of their respective duties.

The duties and the compensation of the Examiners are the same as under the present law.

The County Superintendent is to be President of the Board of Examiners. He may examine Teachers without their presence; he is to visit annually, and spend at least four days in, every township, and visit as many of the schools in each as possible; to confer with, and give advice to School officers, to see that they make correct reports, and, from their reports, to prepare a condensed report to the State Superintendent; to encourage the establishment, and make all the necessary arrangements, for the sessions of a Teachers' Institute; and to receive for his services $1.50 per day.

5. The State School Fund is to be $500,000, to accrue from sources similar to those from which the present fund is derived. The County Commissioners are to levy a county tax, of not less than one mill on the dollar, on all the taxable property, (except in Cincinnati,) which is to be assessed and collected as other county taxes; and Township Boards may report to the County Auditor the additional tax required in their respective townships, in order to sustain the schools at least nine months in the year, (provided it does not exceed four mills on the dollar); and the same shall be levied by the Auditor, and collected by the County Treasurer.

6. It provides for establishing separate schools for colored children,

wherever twenty or more are so situated as to attend the same school; otherwise they are to be admitted to the common schools, with the permission of a majority of the voters in the town or district.

7. Its noblest feature is, the schools are to be FREE. For nine months in the year, every child in the State may have the opportunity of attending a public school.

Altogether, it is one of the best and most liberal systems which has ever been proposed in this or any other State. It is an honor to its author, and will be so regarded long after any merely political popularity will be forgotten. No doubt some of its provisions will meet opposition: some of them we should be glad to see modified. But of this we may speak hereafter.

A. D. L.

PROFESSIONAL.

Scientific Lertures to Teachers.

THE attention of Teachers, especially the Union School Teachers of the State, is invited to the plan of having a course of Lectures upon the Natural Sciences, given at some convenient point in the State, during the ensuing summer. Will not something like the following outline be beneficial and practicable, for the Teachers of Ohio, at the present time? That a course of Lectures for four weeks be arranged, and that the following subjects should be embraced in it: 1st. Geology; 2d. Chemistry; 3d. Botany; 4th. Natural Philosophy; 5th. Elocution; 6th. Physical Geography. Astronomy, Human Physiology, or Comparative Physi ology, might be substituted for one or more of the above named subjects. Let there be six Lectures given each day, of about fifty minutes each, and by six different men, the best Lecturers that can be secured in the United States. Let each Teacher who attends, be at liberty to take the tickets of any one or more of the Lecturers, as he may prefer -allowing those who wish to give exclusive attention to any one department to do so, if they choose. Let there be also regular or occasional addresses to the Teachers in the evening, of a professional or literary character-more especially of a professional-and let there be such general discussions on the subject of general Education in our State, and the business of Teaching, as seems to be urgently demanded at the present time.

The above may suffice for a mere outline of the plan. It is believed by those who have made some estimates upon the expense of it, that it can be sustained. It is believed that there are fifty Teachers in Ohio -and Teachers of other States should be cordially invited to join us― who are now connected, or expect to be connected with Union Schools, who would gladly attend such a course; and with the certainty that fifty Teachers would so attend, the whole plan becomes at once practicable. Twenty-five dollars would probably pay the entire expense to each Teacher; and we feel confident that many of our best Teachers would devote their summer vacation to this purpose, rather than to a journey for pleasure or recreation, that would cost as much or more money. The following are some of the obvious advantages of such a course of Lectures :

First: There are in our State a large number of young men, now or soon expecting to be connected with Union Schools, who have never had the advantages of a collegiate course of instruction. Many of them are men of talent, energy, zeal and moral worth, and are, or may be, сараble of doing great service as Teachers. They need a more extended acquaintance with the Sciences; they cannot afford the time and expense for a college course. One, two or three such courses as here proposed, would answer to a great extent as a substitute.

Second: There are connected with these schools many college graduates who are not as familiar as they should be, and as they desire to be, with the Natural Sciences. This course would give them an opportunity to improve their acquaintance with these departments of knowledge.

Third: In all of these schools, Mathematics and the Natural Sciences will be much more in demand for some time to come than the Ancient or Modern Languages. Probably seven-eighths—perhaps more-of those who attend our public schools, expect to leave, and do leave, school very young-say at from fourteen to eighteen years of age. Is it not better, therefore, for those who go thus young to mechanical employments, and to active business pursuits, to have a clear comprehension of the principles of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Geology, etc., after proper elementary training in the common branches, than to have one, two or three years of study of Latin and Greek? If so, let all of our Teachers be prepared, not merely "to hear a class recite," but to awaken an enthusiasm in each of the departments of Natural Science.

Fourth: The great interests of general education in Ohio, require a full and fair understanding, among all the Teachers, of the nature and extent of the labor to be done, and the most perfect harmony, cordiality

and co-operation in the means employed, for giving to our great State a school system and Public Schools that shall rank first in usefulness, first in honor, and first in the affection of her citizens, among all her existing free institutions. Let fifty or one hundred of the best Teachers in Ohio meet together for one month, form acquaintances, compare views, discuss measures, and, more still, unite upon the best plans for carrying forward the very best measures, simultaneously, in all parts of the State, and we think it safe to predict that the impulse-the momentum-which might thereby be given to the Common School cause, would be felt for a QUARTER OF A CENTURY TO COME.

In conclusion, it may be proper to state, that the Executive Committee of our State Teachers' Association have this whole subject under consideration, and that they are now taking the preliminary steps for securing this object, but are not yet prepared to announce that the course will positively be given. Should they be successful in securing Lecturers and in making other arrangements, their announcements may be expected in the June number of the Journal.

SANDUSKY CITY, May, 1852.

Letters to a Young Teacher.

No. I.

M. F. C.

DEAR FRIEND: At your solicitation, and agreeably to my promise, I now seat myself to offer you a few hints and suggestions relative to the organization and general management of schools, such at least as my experience will enable me to give you. I shall do so the more freely, in consideration that you are young and inexperienced in the business of teaching, and are about to enter upon the duties of the school room and feel anxious to do well. I will undertake to predict that you will do well. The very fact that you are solicitous about the matter, leads me to think so; for I have seldom known an anxious and solicitous teacher to fail.

In the first place, let me advise you to establish order, and a system of things, at the outset. Do not attempt to teach any thing until you have it; indeed, there can be no successful teaching where order does not prevail. I would not make a long parade of rules, as some do, laying them down with the tone and air of "one having authority," hinting occasionally of physical force, and perhaps displaying the implements before the school.